episode_0230

The adjutant was beneath Rahe, unable to regain her senses, moaning and shuddering.

And Doraji was approaching the adjutant to inject her with a drug.

But just one step away from the adjutant, at the very moment the syringe was about to be plunged in,

Suddenly, the door to the confinement room clanked open!

“…Doraji. I was wondering where you were….”

“S-Sister…?!”

The uninvited guest who entered was Doraji’s beloved older sister, whom she loved, cherished, and was even obsessed with, Dorothy.

Dorothy surveyed the room with eyes narrowed behind her monocle, her gaze settling on the adjutant beneath Rahe.

From Dorothy’s perspective, she could only see a part of the adjutant’s body, Rahe’s pristine white back, and her round buttocks, but that was enough for her to understand what had happened.

Then, she noticed the syringe in Doro’s hand.

The murky liquid inside, a color clearly different from the drugs she had authorized, caused sparks to fly in Dorothy’s eyes.

“…Doraji, come out here.”

“S-Sister…! It’s not, it’s not….”

“I said come out here!”

Dorothy called out to Doraji in a high-pitched voice she didn’t usually use.

Immediately afterward, her throat, unused to such strain, reacted, causing her to cough.

Even while thinking that she looked adorable even coughing, Doraji glanced at the adjutant, then slowly walked toward Dorothy outside the door.

She hid the syringe behind her back to keep it out of Dorothy’s sight, but that action was completely futile.

“What did you do?”

“…Nothing.”

“What about that drug?”

“…Nothing.”

“Are you not going to answer properly?”

“S-Sorry… Sister… That’s….”

Doraji haltingly told the truth.

Even though she looked down on others and possessed an arrogant, self-centered mindset, she was powerless before her older sister, Dorothy.

Having heard the whole story from Doraji,

Dorothy pressed her lips together for a moment, then raised one hand.

And with that hand, she slapped Doraji across the cheek.

*Smack!*

The loud sound of flesh striking flesh echoed through the room.

Doraji’s head snapped to one side.

“…Didn’t you hear me say to return her unharmed?”

“……”

“Are having all her limbs intact what you consider unharmed? Is having no injuries what you consider unharmed?

I waited because you asked me to wait until the drug wore off, and this is what you’re doing?!”

Doraji still couldn’t say anything in response to Dorothy’s questioning.

She was simply frozen, perhaps from the shock of being slapped by her sister.

“You, you always, always…! That, that’s….”

Dorothy huffed, glaring at Doraji for a moment, before realizing what she had done and making a face as if she regretted it.

Then, with a worried look, she reached out toward Doraji.

“Ah… Doraji… I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention….”

“…It’s okay, Sister. It’s my fault.”

Doraji rested her cheek against Dorothy’s hand, which had slapped her and was now showing concern, and threw the syringe she had been holding onto the floor.

*Crack!*

The syringe, made of thin plastic, shattered on the floor.

Its contents scattered across the floor as well.

“It’s okay, Sister. It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”

Doraji smiled.

Like a sunflower, she smiled brightly like a flower.

Smiling, she tightly embraced her beloved sister, who was worrying about her.

Dorothy, slightly dazed, responded to Doraji’s embrace, hugging her back.

“It’s my fault. I should have listened to my sister. I’m a bad girl, aren’t I?”

“N-No… Not that much…!”

“No. I like Sister so, so much. And I made her angry…. ”

“Dora… Doraji….”

“I don’t want Sister to be angry. I want Sister to like me. …So, I’ll try my best, Sister.”

“No, I mean… I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful next time too… Dora… Our Dora….”

The two continued to embrace for a moment before separating.

Doraji turned her gaze back into the room and ordered Rahe.

“Rahe, Rahe, stop there. It seems like Sister doesn’t like it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Rahe, who had become a loyal subordinate of Dorothy and Doraji, answered in a lifeless, doll-like voice and moved away from the adjutant.

She released the adjutant’s arms, which were restrained in a “hands up” position, and helped her to her feet.

She ordered Rahe to wash the adjutant and monitor her to prevent her from using magic while the drug wore off.

Then, Doraji walked out of the room with Dorothy and headed toward the lab.

Doraji, as always, showed curiosity about Dorothy’s research and lavishly displayed her affection and admiration for Dorothy.

However.

No one noticed the faint, dark light mixed into her eyes, which had never been there before, despite her usual appearance….

* * *

……………………………

…………………

……

[Something came up, so it looks like it will take a little more time to return the adjutant.]

[I promise I will return her unharmed, with all her limbs intact, so please trust me.]

In the morning, a message from an unknown number arrived.

13 identified the message on his phone as coming from Dorothy.

He ordered Apple to trace the message’s origin, but even with Apple’s abilities, they couldn’t pinpoint the location.

It seemed Dorothy had hidden the message’s source with abilities that rivaled Apple’s.

‘Still, I have a guess as to where she is. Let’s start investigating as soon as we’re ready.’

If all else fails, he could ask for Aria’s help, but he wanted to avoid that if possible.

13 recalled the events of yesterday.

Going to the 7th Squad’s base and negotiating with Spade.

And after that, visiting Aria, who was resting in her room.

『Ah, 13 Oppa… I’m sorry, I’ve been feeling sleepy lately….』

『I’m still sleepy….』

Aria was not in her right mind due to the side effects of her ability.

The 『prophecy』 she had made for Ashe.

Aria was still suffering from the aftereffects of that.

She would be blankly staring into space day and night, or repeatedly sleeping and waking up all day long.

The fact that her eyes always seemed to lack focus might also be due to those aftereffects.

Foretelling and conveying future events seemed to be a heavy burden with strong aftereffects.

So, it would be best to avoid having her use her powers if possible.

‘And Aria has already helped enough.’

『Apple… Apple is okay… When you go to capture Dorothy… You must, take her with you….』

Apple, like Rahe, had been brainwashed using Dorothy’s ‘brainwashing device’.

13 had hastily re-brainwashed her, but he still couldn’t be sure if he could trust her. Aria had eased that anxiety.

One might wonder what help Apple could be, but 13’s side was in a situation where they were desperate for even one more person.

“We’ve arrived, 13-nim.”

“Ah, yeah.”

13, who had been lost in thought in the passenger seat, snapped back to reality at Ashe’s words.

The scenery was not the usual S City, but a completely different city.

This was E City.

A place not a small distance away from S City, a city famous for its delicious bibimbap made with local mountain vegetables.

And, more than anything, it was also the jurisdiction of the 4th Squad, where Ashe of this era was.

“Well then, let’s go in.”

Having finished persuading Spade, the next target was the 4th Squad.

Today, he had come here to ‘persuade’ the 4th Squad and Ashe of this era.

* * *

Things progressed quickly. So smoothly that it was almost frightening.

Well, Ashe was with him, so it was only natural.

Ashe knew the 4th Squad’s base structure and the abilities of each hero inside and out.

And in the first place, there was no need to consider such things; Ashe’s abilities themselves were overwhelming.

The 4th Squad members were already subdued by Ashe the moment they were seen, and they weren’t even allowed to report the sudden intruders, either knocked unconscious or meticulously restrained.

“Guh…!! Squad Leader Ashe, why…!”

There was one person who was able to resist.

She was said to be the vice-captain of the 4th Squad. 13 already knew from looking at her profile.

Her name was Mabel. She used magic to make drawings made with a brush a reality.

Unlike the other squad members, she avoided being instantly killed, but after a few more exchanges, she was subdued like the other squad members.

“Hmm. As expected, she’s amazing. I attacked with the intention of knocking her down in one blow. But as expected of my squad’s vice-captain. I would have praised her profusely if it weren’t for this situation.”

Ashe said, carefully laying the unconscious Mabel down. Her eyes were filled with a longing gaze.

According to Ashe’s story, most of the 4th Squad in her future, except for her, had been killed.

If so, then perhaps this woman, Mabel, too….

‘…….’

Having seen her subordinates, whom she should never have been able to see again, 13 couldn’t fully fathom what emotions she was experiencing.

As he was thinking that, Ashe suddenly gave a playful smile and reached into the unconscious Mabel’s skirt.

And she took off her panties and handed them to 13.

“It’s a present. Our vice-captain is so cute, so this is to show my appreciation and ask you to take care of her in the future.”

“You’re the worst squad leader… Well, I’ll take it for now.”

Despite her innocent appearance, she was wearing unexpectedly sexy underwear.

13 tentatively smelled the panties he had received, lightly licked them, and put them in his pocket.

Spade, who was standing next to him, was looking at 13 with the eyes one would use to look at a horrible bug, but he was used to receiving such gazes, so it didn’t faze him.