<217 - The one trying to send is the one taking off, pretending to be innocent>
The Foundation administrator was about to lose it.
In what seemed like it would safely end with Oknodie being taken away, suddenly, that terrifying-looking professor emitted a murderous aura.
As the scenery of the world twisted, the killing intent was sharp enough to burn his eyes, stab his heart, and slice his neck.
In fear that made a mouse in front of a cat seem brave, all he could do was twist his face in agony and open his mouth.
“The Foundation has no intention of severing ties with the Gift Academy. Did I not say that if we seek the child’s voluntary consent, you may take them away?”
“Voluntary intention, huh? Do you think you can just pass everything off and shift the blame for this entire incident onto the child?”
Say something!
You wanted to be here!
The director turned to Oknodie, hoping for some clarification, eyes wide in disbelief.
– Ugh~ I wanna scream!!! Want a taste of Dark Mana?
– Why do you look so dead since morning?
– The Pierrot Masked Group reused last week’s menu and brought it again, it’s infuriating.
Known as the Brutal Calamity Dragon, a black dragon wreaking havoc in modern times, demanding luxurious meals every day and draining the branch’s budget.
The devil disguised as a child folded his malicious instincts away and blinked innocently like an 11-year-old baby, then slyly averted his gaze.
‘That little brat. The professor’s scaring us now and shifting the responsibility to us!?’
Even when told to go, he chose to stay!
Feeling unfairness and wanting to jump three meters in place, he couldn’t dare to move a finger, because doing so would mean losing his head.
He carefully adjusted his posture as if to declare that he had no intention of causing harm, respectfully bringing his hands together in front of his belly.
Eyes lowered.
Breath quiet and subdued.
Again, checking the atmosphere, the director said.
“We also wish to end unnecessary misunderstandings and quickly return Oknodie to the Academy. We fully support the professor’s wishes.”
“Heh. What a funny guy. You still have the energy to mock me after feeling my killing intent?”
‘Damn that academy professor.’
Maintaining utmost respect while wondering who was mocking whom.
You’re the one mocking us.
Holding back a strong desire to curse in front of him, the professor laid out his demands.
“I need to confirm how the Foundation has treated Oknodie. Let’s introduce the living area.”
Even with the Destroyer professor’s tone turning to a command, the director offered no sign of dislike and led the way.
“This is the staff dormitory of our branch.”
“Where does Oknodie sleep?”
“We assigned a room here for Oknodie.”
It was a guest room with the finest luxury and magically enchanted soft and cozy beds, saved for when important figures from the Foundation visited.
It was true that they offered a room meant for high-ranking officials to the little gangster.
How scared must he be?
At least let him rest well and reduce his filthy temperament.
Although this was such a room offered out of such malice, right now, it was one less thing the professor could pick on.
Good job, past me.
Your crisis management skills are truly commendable.
While the self-absorbed director was lost in thought in the face of life and death, Oknodie raised a hand at an unexpected moment.
“I didn’t sleep here!”
“What!? I clearly assigned a room to you!”
“Shut up. Don’t interrupt Oknodie’s words.”
As Destroyer’s eyes widened, a murderous aura began to press down on the director’s shoulders.
Wham! Crash!
Crack.
In the exhibition space illuminated by gentle lighting, the lights suddenly burst, and the vase shattered into pieces.
With a pressure that cracked the side table, the director’s legs trembled, and in a half-crouched position, he bit his teeth and pressed his hands onto his knees to endure.
While the director couldn’t even open his mouth under the professor’s crushing domain, the professor looked at Oknodie with serious eyes.
“Didn’t sleep here? Is that true?”
“Yep. Not yet.”
As Oknodie glanced around, they slyly added, as if to imply that this was somehow a way to calm him down.
“If the professor came later, I might have slept here soon!”
“…Were you planning to put the child to sleep in that bed decorated like the Light Stand’s bedroom? Did you intend to make him either carry the child or sell his body if he didn’t follow orders?”
“!!”
Oh no.
A strong regret washed over the director’s face.
It was so natural he hadn’t even noticed.
It was natural that the high-ranking officials visiting from the Foundation would all be men.
It was expected for them to request sexual favors.
He hadn’t even thought of what might be wrong since Oknodie never complained.
The reason he claimed he hadn’t slept but felt safe doing so was to deliver this one blow?
“I’m so unfair!”
The director was really aggrieved.
Unless he had some truly bad intentions, he recognized the immense potential in that child.
But he was just a child.
There were no perverted freaks in his branch willing to reach out to such a little baby.
There was no way he would be so spineless as to deflect blame so easily.
“I recognized that the guest room’s bedding wasn’t appropriate for a child’s emotional state. However, this was merely an administrative error. I had no intention of threatening the child!”
“Oknodie. Speak with your own mouth. Is what the Foundation administrator said true?”
“That’s right! There was no threat involving the castle!”
Oknodie responded emphatically, with some conscience showing in their voice.
Then they slyly added, looking around.
“…At least so far!”
“You conscienceless brat! Are you even human at that?”
As the director’s temper flared, they felt muscles tearing and bones compress while one of his knees hit the marble floor with a thud.
Even as tears fell from the agonizing pain in his knee, the Destroyer looked down at him with a fierce gaze, showing no mercy.
“Don’t raise your voice. Do you want to hasten your death?”
“Do you know how many dishes we’ve prepared for that child!? We really did our best, even to the point of breaking the branch’s budget for the sake of hospitality!”
“Verify.”
At the Destroyer’s command, thieves from the Thief Guild, already surrounding the Foundation branch and lying in wait nearby, rushed into the cafeteria, kitchen, and food storage.
“We found it.”
“Several dishes have been confirmed.”
“The price tags and packaging for local specialties have been detected. The traces belong to special products.”
At least it was true that they fed the child.
But they treated him like a prostitute by claiming they were offering the guest room and harassing him repeatedly.
Who knew what kind of antics they played with the food?
“Bring it here.”
The Destroyer examined the wrapping paper, price tag, and traces.
The first few items were not bad at all.
Ten gold coins each.
The revelation that the child had eaten rather expensive dishes was significant.
But the question remained whether Oknodie ate them or if it was for himself.
“Oknodie, have you eaten the Kira Kira Pudding Grilled Eel?”
“I have!”
“The Century-Old Lizard’s Tail Grilled Dish?”
“I’ve had it!”
“The Ogo Gok Rye Porridge?”
“It was delicious!”
The verification was off to a good start.
With sounds accompanying the chewing of the fun ingredients or how the century-old lizard had evolved and was softly restructured with each bite, and the Thunder Eel glowing with electrical mana.
All the food helped in terms of fun, flavor, and growth.
‘Gourmet level delicious dishes, huh.’
Even at the Academy, such dishes required separate payment of points and advance reservations to enjoy.
And that was with the 100-times overpriced costs unique to Gift Island.
It wasn’t a bad decision to enjoy them outside.
However, as one of the thief guild members rushed in, handing over a certain ledger, the trust that had been built with the Foundation administrator completely shattered.
“Oknodie, have you ever drunk the Weeping Soul Brew?”
“Yep!”
“It’s unacceptable for a child to be drinking alcohol, but the Weeping Soul Brew is especially problematic. Do you know what that liquor is?”
“It was delicious because it enhances the body!”
“So you let him drink it, fully aware of its effects.”
The tragic nature of dealing with souls was nurtured naturally within the Foundation as well.
This situation couldn’t be tolerated.
A cruel act that makes the child see the exploitation of souls as natural, just like enjoying fine cuisine.
Crack!
The marble floor began to crack.
A scream erupted from the Foundation administrator.
As blood pooled on the cracked marble floor, where his knee was pressed down.
“The Bomb Moss Soup is a taboo food that can burst the esophagus and stomach if the consumer’s body isn’t fully developed, leading to death. Did you also give that?”
“It was tasty!”
As Oknodie licked their lips, glancing at the Destroyer with the expression ‘How can you give such a thing to a child?’ the director’s patience reached the limit.
“Arghhh!! You demon-like bastard!! We had no intention of giving something like that, but YOU were the one who had to insist on no repeating the same dishes and demanded something new!!”
“Oh, I was fine. I eat anything without discrimination!”
“This brat…! Are you aiming for a vehicular homicide!? Are you planning to kill me by using the professor’s hands!? In that case, just be honest. I would rather have eaten that and barely lived! I was even kind enough to suggest sending you to the Academy for treatment!”
The director was losing his mind, veins bulging in rage as he yelled.
“Do you know how much it costs to buy more luxurious cuisines from afar? Do you think I could find the ingredients I couldn’t buy with money, so I had to hunt down the line cooks and purchase the ingredients while overspending? The branch’s finances were already tight, so I even had to spend my personal assets that I embezzled!”
pant, pant.
Exhausted from spilling so much, he glared at Oknodie with an expression of ‘What will you do now?’
Oknodie was clever.
“Oh, what? I don’t understand what you’re saying, but it’s really scary! Help me, professor!”
Oknodie completely pushed the blame onto him!
The effect was tremendous.
As the director’s hand moved to seize him, sharp claws glinted.
“That’s enough. Just die!”
Wham!
Taking off from the ground, stretching for his claws, the director was.
“Such troublesome thrashing.”
Since he couldn’t hurt himself as a professor, the audacious plot aimed at Oknodie.
At the moment he planned to crush his body and eliminate the last resistance, Oknodie’s body traced an afterimage as they swiftly approached the Foundation administrator.
“!”
So fast.
Too close.
At this speed, he might get entangled.
As Oknodie suppressed their strength to avoid being crushed by the aura, the director and Oknodie, not missing a moment of the gap, crossed paths faster.
With a greater speed, the impact of claws came in, while Oknodie dove inwards, avoiding the attack.
The standoff was distinctly separated.
Slash!
The claws split apart, scattering Oknodie’s sleeves.
The director’s attack merely grazed him.
Thump!
Oknodie was different.
With a horrifying sound, the Foundation administrator’s neck was severed.
It was the result of a hand laced with Dark Mana.
Gurgle.
The director, staring daggers with a look filled with rage while clutching his bleeding neck, fell down with a thud.
“Were you trying something so dangerous?!”
The Destroyer was livid as a mere moment later he realized that had he been a second late in retracting his area, Oknodie might have been caught up in it.
“Didn’t you learn that recklessly interrupting an expanded area could seriously injure you?!”
“I didn’t learn that!”
Upon deep reflection, the Destroyer realized Oknodie’s words held truth.
“You’re right. That lesson starts in the third year.”
Having believed Oknodie was too strong and mixed up the progress, the Destroyer felt awkward as he closed his mouth while Oknodie wiped their blood-drenched hands on the corpse’s clothing and smiled awkwardly.
‘So suspicious.’
Doubt flickered in the Destroyer’s gaze as he stared at Oknodie.
Is this child really one rescued after being abused by the Foundation?
No matter how he looked at it, the Foundation administrator seemed to have been dealt with and met his end for his own insubordination…
“Will we ride a carriage on the way back?”
“There’s a teleporter for the Academy. We didn’t use it when coming to avoid the Foundation’s eye, but we should be able to go straight back this time.”
“Wow!”
With a natural, innocent face, Oknodie seemed oblivious.
Bearing the slightest hint of unease, the Destroyer headed for the Transfer Station with Oknodie.
