episode_0315

As the first week of May approached, we savored the fading essence of spring.

“It’s a warm spring!” “The sun has arrived!”

The second semester was also quickly passing by. It was impossible to know how much we had learned and enjoyed ourselves during that time.

“How about going on a picnic? Outside of the Rust Room!”

Surprisingly, the experiential learning in the second semester of freshman year was somewhat dull. It might have been a beneficial and fresh experience for new students who had just entered Aegis, but for slaughtering geniuses like us Violets, it was no more than a stroll around the neighborhood.

“Shall we go to the continent?”

Even in Lumeria to the north, where most of humanity resides, the Federal and Clan forces are locked in a tense standoff. While the public security is somewhat more unstable than in the Academy City, the population is quite concentrated. There would be plenty of interesting jobs to create. There are also many dungeons there, so it would be worth exploring.

A stream of thought, flowing like water, suddenly stopped.

“No! It’s boring there. There are too many checkpoints, and if you do anything wrong, they demand bribes. Continental soldiers are full of old farts!”

The Violets who had lived independently on the continent vehemently expressed their opposition.

“Yesterday, the regional command center declared martial law again!”

Hmm, bothersome. The Federation guys are too stifling. If the Clans are thugs in techwear suits, then the Federation are gangsters in sweat-smelling military uniforms. At least Clans and corporations entrust administration to existing public institutions and usually leave public security to donut-loving police, so there’s less direct involvement. Sometimes, if you visit a government office, you might see hunters dispatched by Clans bossing around civil servants, but I’m not a civil servant, so it’s fine.

However, the regional command center, which governs the Federation’s jurisdiction, is different.

“Stop! You, open that bag!”

Unit 321 was walking down the main road when she was stopped by soldiers. Judging by the weapons on their waists and the subtle ether flowing from their bodies, they seemed to be Awakened.

Here, all she encountered daily were checkpoints. Military police standing on every block constantly badgered people.

“Where’s your ID?” “Here.”

Although she had crossed the sea to secure a base, the Federation-controlled areas were bleaker than the Rust Room. She understood why academies were rare here. If it were her, she wouldn’t want to study in a place like this either. After passing through the checkpoint, she continued her boring stroll. She looked up, and the flickering Federation news on the electronic billboard caught her eye.

[Senator Remar, having achieved 60 consecutive victories, unexpectedly embroiled in doping controversy… ‘Clear malicious slander’] [Commander Restraid scheduled for a tripartite meeting with Arcit General Manager and Luminax Secretary-General – plan to discuss the recent Erosion Zone incident]

As the day’s news flowed on tediously, a striking phrase quickly flashed across the screen.

[…Third Expedition Memorial Ceremony held to mark its xxth anniversary. To be remembered as ‘The Great Failure’]

The Third Expedition — as a phrase related to Ruzilin’s Iron Fist appeared, her gaze naturally fixed on the electronic billboard. The expression ‘The Great Failure’ was somewhat bothersome as well.

“Aren’t they just trying to sugarcoat it? From what I found out, the expedition was a massive failure. There were thousands of casualties and a huge number of missing persons.”

Expeditions have continued since the Third Expedition, but large-scale expeditions are no longer conducted. It must be a humiliating matter for the Federation. It’s highly likely that Cheolkwon was also a soldier who fought fiercely there.

What on earth was that fellow up to? She had seemed depressed lately, which made her even more curious.

“Cheolkwon? Answer me, hey, Tank Fairy!” “…”

To ignore her words—what could be wrong?

The answer to Cheolkwon’s identity could be found from Irene, who was at the private maintenance depot.

“To be selected as a crew member for a super-heavy tank means they are capable. Super-heavy tanks are built with immense resources and great care so they can stand equal against massive demonic beasts that even hunters struggle to deal with. As they are expensive, the number deployed is also small.”

The mention of expense made her feel a little uneasy. She found herself glancing at her friend.

“Don’t look at me like that. Helios’s budget is enough to cover the maintenance costs! My father alone is much more valuable than this, you know? And there are absolutely no problems with the financial situation. Thanks to you, it’s actually become incredibly healthy!”

“Really? That’s a relief. I was going to ask Adela Unnie if it seemed too much!”

“…Please don’t do that.”

Irene’s reaction darkened slightly. She didn’t know why, but there was no benefit in prolonging the conversation, so she changed the subject.

“By the way, how’s the repair of Ruzilin’s Iron Fist coming along?”

“We’ve removed the rust and foreign matter stuck to the exterior, and some parts will be replaced with new ones. It was left abandoned inside a dungeon for decades, but apparently, thanks to the magic, the main drive parts and the chassis are intact.”

She turned her gaze to see the engine compartment cover at the rear of the chassis open. Technicians bustled in and out, and wires and various hoses extended, connecting to things both inside and out.

“We decided to install a new reactor. The interior will also be remodeled with the latest systems. The weapons were too damaged to be used, so we plan to replace them with other compatible armaments. It’s fortunate that the parts are relatively easy to find.”

Ruzilin’s Iron Fist is a 2nd generation super-heavy tank. Considering that some elite units of the Federation are experimentally operating 4th generation super-heavy tanks, it is somewhat outdated, but thanks to that, parts are said to be easy to obtain. Apparently, there are many parts that are unknowingly stacked in warehouses as stock or circulated in the market.

“In summary, you’ll be able to see Ruzilin’s Iron Fist charging before the semester ends.”

“Wow!”

She was really looking forward to it. The day she would traverse the battlefield with the Tank Fairy. With the tank leading the way, no one would dare challenge them. She should also carry out requests with it.

“…With the tank?”

“Huh? What’s the problem? It’s invincible!”

“…Putting aside how you’d even push that gigantic monster into a dungeon, you also need to consider the target demonic beast being pulverized or collateral damage occurring. Have you thought about why so few Clans operate tanks?”

Oh, Irene’s point left her speechless. As she scratched her head, she realized it was a valid criticism. Tanks simply weren’t cost-effective to begin with.

High operating costs, but a high-firepower weapon with ambiguous applications, that’s the reality holding them back. And if it’s a narrow indoor space, a cave, or underwater, it’s useless.

“That’s a shame…”

The world was too cruel to them, the Violets. Later, when Cheolkwon’s gloom lifted, she would call him to play together.

“Oh, right, Violet. I found some records about the Third Expeditionary Force. Want to see?”

“Records?”

As she tilted her head in confusion, Irene moved slightly away from the tank and beckoned her over. When she approached, Irene whispered in her ear.

“Make sure you read it. Especially the marked parts! Definitely!”

“Why?”

“It’s a guess, but it talks about what kind of person Cheolkwon used to be… so be good to the Tank Fairy. I’ll get going now.”

Irene, whose words trailed off for some reason. Her slight biting of her lip was noticeable. Irene slowly walked towards the super-heavy tank’s chassis.

“Um, Ruzilin’s Iron Fist…?”

The chassis showed no reaction. It wouldn’t appear directly unless she called it several times through the network. It seemed to be careful about showing itself in front of other people in the maintenance depot.

“I apologize again for treating you like a demonic beast last time. I thought you were just a common fusion. I hadn’t even heard the details from Violet. But that’s no excuse, is it?”

The chassis creaked.

“I don’t know how hurt you were. But one thing I’ll tell you clearly: you are a wonderful person. A truly brave and amazing person. So don’t be too depressed. And…”

Irene was about to say something more but closed her mouth. After a moment of deep thought, Irene remained silent for a long time before opening her mouth again.

“I express my deepest gratitude for your dedication.”

The chassis trembled for a moment. Irene gave a brief bow and then left.

Without understanding the situation, she finally looked at the materials Irene had given her. The bookmark must be at that part.

When she opened to the marked section, the face of an unfamiliar officer, a super-heavy tank, and a group photo of its crew came into view. This seemed to be Ruzilin’s Iron Fist.

From there, she read through the most heavily underlined sections.

[…Top tank ace commander. Super-heavy tank deployed for distinguished service in eliminating numerous threatening large demonic beasts.] […At the end of the 3rd Expedition, during retreat, supported civilian evacuation, went missing while holding the rear guard alone.] […Subsequently, posthumous award of the Federation’s highest medal, ‘Star of Indomitable Will,’ decided.]

**

While solving various assignments, animal experiments for Violet Network detection were steadily ongoing.

“Experiment ended, recording complete… The output adjustment was excessive.”

Unit 321 pulled a long face. Because she saw the limp white mice inside the acrylic box. She poked them with her finger, but they didn’t budge.

“Gasp! Mice who almost became geniuses in the future! No!” “Mister, you’re mean!”

Violet’s dream of teaching close-quarters combat and the spirit of democracy to excellent rodents shattered with the death of the mice.

“Oh dear, they’ve died… It’s natural for small creatures not to be able to withstand this output, though.”

Albert calmly checked the mice’s condition and then verified several values on the device. It had been expected that small mammals would not be able to endure exposure to the network beyond a certain level. Even humans faced the risk of ego erosion, so it was impossible for rodents to withstand being deluged with an enormous amount of information waves.

“Still, it seemed appropriate for dogs. Don’t you agree? Though getting a monkey to experiment on would be ideal.”

“Indeed. We’ve confirmed notable intelligence enhancement results this time as well.”

The two researchers analyzed the data with interest and made some marks on the chart. It was repetitive work, but they didn’t seem to grow tired of it. Violet, lying on the experimental bed, was no different. In fact, all three of them were half-excited.

Anyone would be like that if they saw a dog walking on two legs with its arms crossed.

“Come on, come on. Come here. Wait here.”

The dog, understanding Professor Albert’s words, nodded and trotted over to sit on a chair, then arrogantly twitched its front paw. It was a signal for treats.

The professor chuckled briefly, as if bewildered, yet pulled out a dog chew from his pocket and threw it.

While the dog chomped on the jerky, the researchers quietly exchanged opinions.

“We couldn’t find Violet’s characteristics in animals connected to the Violet Network. The erosion phenomenon seems to apply only to creatures equal to or superior to humans.”

“We should bring in a demonic beast and test network contact. We need to check what kind of control group a low-level demonic beast based on canids, like a Skulkit, would be. Violet’s brain, as you know…”

The two paused their words. Fortunately, Violet was busy playing with the dog. After discussing various things, they decided to temporarily suspend the experiment.

“Mister! The mice died! They were mice destined to become heroes!”

“I apologize. I’ll order more lab mice. It seems difficult to achieve long-term intelligence enhancement in rodents with just the network.”

“No, it’s fine!”

Violet felt disappointed by Yurik’s words but decided not to argue further. Because a dog with Violet’s intelligence was cooler than a mouse with Violet’s intelligence. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed. As she trudged up the stairs, Violet issued a warning.

“Alright. But you have to do it properly this time. If the dog dies, I’ll be angry!”

“That will absolutely not happen… Where was it?”

As soon as he opened the office door and entered, Yurik began rummaging through his desk. On the messy desk, books, documents, and printed papers were piled up so indiscriminately that they couldn’t even be distinguished.

“What are you looking for?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m looking for a letter. I’m going out to mail it later. Do you remember Ms. Ennis?”

As the familiar name of the person who had crafted her current magic staff was heard, Violet’s ruby eyes sparkled with curiosity. Sometimes, she felt it was a shame that they had simply let that artifact magitech expert go.

“Oh, right. That Slave No. 1 Ajumma? Come to think of it, what’s she doing these days? You used to visit her often at the detention center, didn’t you?”

He flinched slightly at the word ‘slave’, but Yurik continued speaking.

“According to Ms. Ennis, it seems the Federation showed her some favor. After she attended a hearing and testified separately with important information related to Magnabyss, her sentence was apparently reduced a bit. But a few months ago, she was suddenly transferred to another prison. They didn’t disclose the location. Now, she can only be contacted by letter, they said. Oh, I found it! It was tucked in here.”

“Ah, I see.”

She knew well that the man in front of her had frequently visited the detention center. So that must have been the situation. Violet replied without much thought.

“Well, nothing bad could happen, right?”

The Federation guys were strict and inflexible. Still, since she had even surrendered and cooperated well with various tasks as instructed, Violet thought she wouldn’t suffer much hardship.

“Ajumma will definitely be comfortable! The Federation guys will probably treat her decently. I wonder if she’s properly reflecting on her actions?”

Yurik smiled at Violet’s words.

“Yes, Ms. Ennis will surely be doing well with the rest of her sentence. No doubt about it.”

**

He was wrong.

It was natural for a postdoctoral researcher, who had spent all his time in the lab and was thus ignorant of worldly affairs, to give such a naive answer. Since the Restraid-Federation Army Joint Research Institute opened, it was impossible for the Federation, suffering from budget shortages, to leave highly educated Awakened prisoners idle.

“Um, I can’t see again…”

Ennis whispered in an exhausted voice, fumbling at her eyes. As her ten fingernail-less fingers stroked her eyelids, a nearby Federation agent bent down to examine her.

“Hmm, let’s see. This is the fourth time. Pupil reaction is normal. No bleeding or other unusual symptoms visible. Is there any stinging? Shall we go to the medical ward?”

A Plate Knight waiting nearby also quickly approached.

“Yes, that’s fine, but… Agh!”

The agent nodded and then inserted a pistol-shaped object into her neck. The darkness instantly receded. Even though she had regained her sight, Ennis had no time to rejoice before her face was gripped by a rough hand. The Plate Knight mumbled in a serious tone, asking,

“Hey, do you hear any hallucinations? Like, ‘Destroy the world,’ or ‘Burn everything down’…”

“Ah, no. Not at all…”

The Plate Knight and the agent looked at each other. The message conveyed through their gaze was clear: ‘No abnormalities, confirmed.’

Soon, the agent smiled brightly.

“That’s a relief. It’s just temporary optic nerve paralysis due to the artifact. Let’s take a short break!”

Behind Ennis, who sat with a blank expression, various voices flowed in. She turned her head and sighed.

“Wow, Team Leader-nim! Look at that? It’s a star! I see stars, is it a comet? Haha? No, it’s not?”

“Hehehe… the universe is talking to me…!”

Ennis mumbled as if drunk. Where was she, who was she.

The artifacts left by Code Omega acted like poison to both body and mind just by looking at them. Malicious meme attacks paralyzed and dulled the nerves. Like tetrodotoxin flowing through blood vessels.

In fact, apostles and pufferfish have surprisingly similar aspects. This is because their byproducts are all lethal poisons to humans, yet if handled with precision and care, they can be useful to people. Of course, it’s the same in that a novice rashly handling them can end up in trouble.

Unfortunately, the Federation and Restraid were no different from amateur chefs handling the pufferfish named ‘Apostle’ for the very first time. Until the main chefs arrived to cook the pufferfish, someone had to taste the poisonous dish. Because it was necessary to confirm which parts of the pufferfish were poisonous and which were not.

Fortunately, there were many people to act as tasters. Prisoners had to analyze everything about Code Omega with their entire bodies, just like their ancestors once learned how to cook pufferfish.

Eventually, the tasters succeeded in solving the problem. Main chefs from Eckhart and various institutions elegantly entered the kitchen and commenced their full-scale work.

That was two weeks ago. *“Aaaargh! May there be ruin! I curse you, and curse you again, you humans! Monad’s throne! Aaaaaargh!”*

There was a minor issue where the pufferfish, unable to endure the chef’s flashy knife skills, occasionally screamed loud enough to be heard outside the restaurant, but ultimately, wasn’t it good for humanity and a contribution to the world?

“Uh… I hear it again… screaming…”

“You misheard. Ignore it.”

“But I really did?”

“I said ignore it.”

“Yes…”

Though there was still a considerable amount of poison to be removed, that was the artifact team’s responsibility. In the chaos left by the Apostle’s memetic toxins, Ennis suddenly remembered a person’s face.

‘…I wonder if Mr. Yurik is doing well?’

A kind and diligent person. A good person without a single sin, so he must surely be living healthily.

.

Dismissing her thoughts, Ennis once again devoted herself to research.

The Apostle Joint Research Institute continues to operate day and night today. “Aaaargh!”

**

“Growl!” “Help me!”

Yurik was beaten by the dog and fell prostrate on the floor.

“Woof woof! Growl!”

The dog swung its front paws repeatedly.

“Agh! You, go away! I don’t have treats! I don’t have any? Please!”

The canine, having acquired Violet’s intelligence, threw jabs and stomped on the young researcher with its paw. A great catastrophe brought about by a dog’s treat-crazed gluttony combined with intelligence.

“What?! Bad dog! Come here!”

The dog, spotting Violet, quickly prepared to confront her.

“Woof!”

At the dog’s swift movements, weaving and stepping, Violet jumped around.

“Doctor? Are you alright? What on earth is that…?”

“P-Professor-nim. I think we’ve created something we shouldn’t have…”

While Albert, who had rushed over late, was bewildered and at a loss, the chase between Violet and the dog continued.

The dog, aiming for mischief, rolled its eyes. Why was it being chased by this girl? It must be because of that man.

The dog’s rear kick, aimed at an opening, flew out again. -Thwack!

Its hind paw violently slapped Yurik’s face, sending his glasses rolling across the floor.

“Aaaaaargh!”

The researcher met his end, humiliated by the evil experimental subject he himself had created.

It was spring.