episode_0213

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“…So, what the hell happened?”

Violet asks, picking up her cup of coffee with a *clink*.

Her expression looks extremely uneasy, and her hand holding the cup is trembling, as if to prove her bewilderment.

The lounge of the villain organization 【Abyss】.

In the center of the lounge, several figures sit around a table on a sofa.

One of them is Violet, and across from her, 13 and Ashe, the leader of the hero squad, are sitting side by side.

Dorothy sits next to Violet, staring at 13 with cold eyes, as if silently interrogating her.

“It’s as I explained. Yes.”

“I’m Ashe, who decided to join this organization as the young master’s exclusive slave~! The leader of Squad 4 is me in this timeline, so I’m just an unemployed bum with no title~! So feel free to use me~!”

Slit eyes, hair braided into a single strand.

Originally the leader of Squad 4, but in the future, heroes and villains have become a complete mess, and Ashe has been completely unemployed.

Therefore, she declares that she will devote herself to being a villain, whether in the future or here.

“…No… that’s… Ah, the coffee is good.”

“Boss. Don’t change the subject. Reality avoidance is not allowed… Ah, but it’s really delicious, the coffee.”

The two take sips of coffee brought down by Apple, each with a subtle expression.

These two have heard the explanation of how Ashe came to be here, what her purpose is, and what state she is in now… everything.

But even so, they don’t seem to be convinced in many ways.

Just yesterday, they were showing hostility and trying to kill each other.

Even if they suddenly hear this, it won’t be easy to accept….

‘Now, how should I explain it further….’

13 has no idea how to persuade them any further.

He is also one of the people bewildered by this sudden event.

His mind is not yet properly organized either.

He introduced her to these two because he thought that if he confided in them, his thoughts might become clearer.

But even after speaking, he still doesn’t understand.

What the hell is going on?

And what will happen in the future….

“Okay. For the sake of argument, I’ll believe what you two are saying.”

“Yay~ Thank you, new boss!”

“Don’t call me that… No, get that hand away… You’re in your mid-30s… Why are you doing this….”

Ashe makes a V-sign with both hands and reacts boisterously, Violet puts down her coffee cup and shakes her head.

Violet seems to have a headache with Ashe’s attitude, who is much older than her.

There is roughly a 6-year age gap between the current Ashe and 13, and Violet is 3 years younger than 13.

She thinks anew that there is almost a 10-year difference.

“Well… considering various circumstances, I don’t think it’s unbelievable. And 13 said he completed the brainwashing, so… there won’t be any problems then.”

“That’s right! New boss is the best! I’m a female slave who loves 13 Master-nim~!”

“Please, just, be quiet…! We can’t have a conversation, you 30-something!”

“Ah, it feels like just yesterday when I was in my 20s… my heart is still 18 years old….”

At the point of saying that, 13 next to her thought with resignation that her heart was already old.

Violet doesn’t seem to be used to Ashe’s appearance or her attitude.

Nevertheless, she tries her best to calm the atmosphere again and continues the conversation.

About what Ashe will experience in the future, what will happen from now on in this timeline… those kinds of things.

Although she cannot fully trust them based on the circumstances, it is something to be judged after listening, unlike not listening to the story at all.

“——So, I don’t know the exact culprit. I’m sorry I can’t provide proper information on that part.”

“However, according to what I heard from Master-nim in the future, the starting point of everything is ‘a certain note’ that the boss received in this timeline. The person who sent that email is the very person who will mess up the future.”

Ashe finished explaining.

The future Ashe was in a position where she was just being victimized without knowing anything.

By the time she noticed, the situation had spiraled out of control to the point where it was irreversible, and everything went wrong and was sacrificed before she could do anything.

Therefore, it can’t be helped that there isn’t much useful information.

“…Still, it’s good to have someone with your leader-level specs to lend a hand. Assuming that what you said will happen in the future… we’ll be able to investigate more actively here too.”

However, it is uncertain whether they will be able to make good use of someone with such specs.

Violet is a woman who is fairly skilled in management, fundraising, and organizational control, as she was educated in a chaebol family.

But she is unskilled in matters of war. It’s only natural since she hasn’t been educated.

The role of the chief of staff is to handle such matters, but the absence of that chief of staff left a very large hole.

‘Still, the boss believes me more than I thought.’

‘I thought it would take a little longer to persuade her.’

13 looked at the scene as if it were unexpected.

She is basically delicate, cautious, and irritatingly sensitive.

For her to gloss over such a sloppy explanation without digging deeply.

The incident at the warehouse last time, and the brainwashing this time may have brought some changes to Violet’s state of mind.

Perhaps her trust in 13 has increased a little more….

*Swish*

“Ah, 13-nim. Are you going to drink coffee?”

13 picks up the coffee cup that he hasn’t touched yet, with a sigh of relief.

Seeing that, Ashe asks anew.

“…I should drink it before it gets cold. The coffee that Apple makes is really delicious.”

“That’s right. I thought it smelled good too~.”

Ashe says in a truly joyful manner.

And then, she continues the conversation with a very random topic.

“By the way, 13-nim. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“13-nim in this timeline used up all his magic power in the recent battle with the boss, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, you can’t use 13-nim’s cheat-level ability 【Resurrection】 either?”

“…That’s right. So it’s dangerous. It consumes a lot of magic power, so I have to work hard to scrape it together for about 3 days… I’m busy.”

13 says so with a languid expression, and brings the coffee cup closer to his mouth.

And.

*Thump!*

*Thud*

The table they are sitting around is pushed away.

The opening of the coffee that was brought close to 13’s mouth is blocked by someone’s hand.

“…What are you doing?”

“…….”

“What are you doing, Dorothy.”

13 says with an indifferent and cold gaze.

The coffee that 13 was just about to drink is blocked by the hand covering the opening, and is falling between the table and the sofa instead of into his mouth.

The coffee has been out for a while, but it is still hot enough to steam.

She is blocking it with her hand, but she doesn’t remove it.

Dorothy.

A scientist with distinctive blue eyes and hair, a white gown, and a monocle.

A trustworthy comrade who gave 13 the lifeline of brainwashing drugs and tools.

Always belittling and scolding 13 with a languid yet *tsundere*-like attitude… that kind of person.

That Dorothy is pushing the table away, leaning her body forward as much as possible.

And she was blocking 13’s coffee cup with a grim expression that she had never shown before.

As if he shouldn’t drink the contents….

* * *

“Doro, shi…? Uh…?”

Violet, who was sitting next to Dorothy, blinked her eyes at the sudden behavior and asked.

Dorothy doesn’t answer Violet’s question.

Instead, she just sends a grim look to 13.

“…13, put it down. Don’t drink it.”

“Why? You said the coffee is good. I want to drink it too.”

“……Just! Don’t drink it!”

Dorothy urges 13 in a shrill voice that is heard for the first time.

13 just stares at Dorothy’s attitude.

The contents of the tilted coffee cup are already half blocked by Dorothy’s hand and are flowing and falling to the floor.

It’s quite hot, and she might even have been burned, but Dorothy still didn’t take her hand away.

Watching the two of them facing off, Ashe next to her says.

“Why did you stop him, you of this organization’s scientist-nim?”

“…You, you bastard…”

“Apple-ssi may have made this coffee, but it was Dorothy who brought it, right? I see, I see. That’s right.”

Ashe takes the coffee cup placed in front of her, tilts it, and pours it onto the floor. *Whirr*

“——Because it’s poisoned. You couldn’t let him drink it.”

“That’s right? Because you don’t know what I’m going to say.”

“The story that I came from the future was told before you brought out this coffee, right? Immediately after that, Dorothy unnaturally left to prepare the coffee.”

“So, you put poison in the coffee like this?”

“I drink the poison and die in this place. 13-nim will be resurrected, but if you run away before you fully recover.”

“Was that the idea?”

“What do you think, Dorothy?”

“Was I right, Dorothy?”

“Hey, Dorothy~.”

“Answer.”

“Please answer, Dorothy.”

Ashe shook the empty coffee cup back and forth, interrogating Dorothy with a smiling face.

Dorothy coldly stared back at Ashe with emotionless eyes.