<326 - Private Operation>
Papa was more perceptive than I had thought.
He actively engages in evil.
No, he goes beyond mere involvement; he creates evil himself.
He heightens the world’s tension, leading the Era of Peace towards the Era of Chaos.
The trigger for the collapse of peace: the Three Great Evils.
The Revolutionary of the Empire, the Agent of the Man God, the Head of the Gyeolsa.
The Director, corresponding to the position of the Head, possesses extraordinary insight, capable of piercing through people’s hearts, as befits a supervillain who will transform the fate of the world.
“Eh~ Is that what fishing was about?”
“Hehe. Are you playing dumb? That’s cute. In the world of children, only one exists. It’s not strange to escape from the difficulties in front of you.”
“How many fish have you caught? I have 85!”
“I don’t know about the small ones. I prefer the larger catches. If we include the big ones, I guess it’s one, or maybe two, black fish?”
He directly looks into my eyes.
Those eyes unflinchingly delve into my innermost thoughts, making a direct hit.
He knows my intentions.
While my efforts are admirable, I’m already wrong.
Papa is quite troublesome.
Even Sing was utterly deceived, but perhaps it was too much to face the Three Great Evils.
“Were you not satisfied with the Foundation’s work?”
“It was convenient!”
“Utilization is always a two-way street, provided there are no means to coerce the other party.”
“Then I’ll look for a way next time, just like Papa used a promise!”
“Hoho. I hope you realize that I’ve been quite lenient.”
“So, is the support ending here?”
“We made a promise, but there was no deadline set. Today’s fishing was merely a token of gratitude for unknown knowledge. It was nothing more than my kindness.”
“Eh~ That’s a lie. It wasn’t pure kindness or gratitude. You just wanted to observe how the ‘collection judgment’ of fishing works from the sidelines!”
Although Sing lacks perception, he’s not foolish, and his eyes widen in real-time.
The excited look and the clenched fist radiate feelings of joy, not negative emotions.
…Maybe he is a bit foolish?
Even if Papa has seen through all my plans, showing it like this without giving anything in return is not good.
As expected, Papa, now spurred by sadism, turns his arrows towards Sing.
“Sing has benefitted a lot from making friends. However, my offer still stands. If you follow the Foundation’s path, your revenge will become much easier.”
“I don’t know the details, but I understand the situation has changed. Let’s consider that offer off the table.”
“Hoho. How surprising. Is this loyalty to my daughter? Nevertheless, if you have seen my butlers, I can understand why you want your own. Just as I have been watching your fishing closely.”
Papa intended to make me his heir.
He wanted to align his everything—his worldview and direction—with me.
But as a veteran player, he was naive.
I knew what awaited at the end of that path.
A guaranteed defeat.
A step towards massive destruction.
I have no intention of becoming the master of the ashes.
From the beginning, I couldn’t walk the same path as the Three Great Evils, the Director of the Foundation, or Papa.
“Remember this. Now that you’ve rejected my kindness, my Mischief may turn towards you as well. For instance, perhaps an unusually strong assassin from the Eastern Region will frequently visit Sing.”
“…Are you threatening me that if I don’t follow the Foundation, you’ll leak information and I won’t even survive?”
“Can you handle the possibility that my kindness might turn into enmity? You’ve already seen and experienced the Foundation’s power. Aren’t you afraid of a future where you become an enemy rather than a part of the Foundation?”
No expression surfaced on Sing’s face.
However, his hand bore an undeniable fear.
Thus, he grasped his sword.
To shake off the fear.
A swordsman cuts fear down by grasping their sword.
You are nothing.
I will crush your intentions.
Just as the swordsman draws their sword against the great evil trying to suppress him, he took a stance to confront this massive darkness.
Even as butlers flared their spirit from all directions, warning him that drawing now could lead to death.
Even if he had to die, he would not allow them to force him!
“Calm down!”
I lightly tapped Sing’s shoulder from the side.
If he actually draws his sword, Sing, whom I have nurtured with great care, would die.
That would be a huge loss for me as well since I had planned to trust and nurture Sing.
Losing a friend who has worked on both favor and function work would be significant time loss!
Just as a fitness fanatic can’t stand muscle loss, a veteran player can’t stand time loss!
“Hoho. Let’s end the fishing here. When will you return to the Academy?”
“I’ll just watch the murder for now!”
“You want to check the Foundation’s influence that reaches the Academy, huh? Hehe. Alright, I’ll permit that much.”
The fishing has ended.
The 20th floor of the tower.
As we reached the dormitory, Sing scanned the surroundings.
“Is this… a safe space?”
“There are no eavesdroppers!”
“Phew. Then let me ask. What’s all that been about? Was it an act to deceive the Director?”
“Of course. There’s no way I’d kill Xenia, right?”
“But you said Son Ohchun could die?”
“No Korean would mourn for a dead Chinese person, right? And no one would mourn for a dead Demon Minion either. Beastmen aren’t all the same species!”
Finally, Sing felt relieved.
“I… trusted you, but I wavered too much. Still, I remembered how I’ve seen you and felt something was off. To be honest, I was afraid of the Director. I wondered if he was capable of changing someone’s heart so quickly.”
“Umm~ Honestly, it was kind of dangerous, right? If I hadn’t raised various resistances before coming this far, I think I would have been overtaken.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“You wouldn’t know, but quite a few things happened~ During meal times, sleep times, and every hour spent on the cruise ship after leaving the tower!”
Well, it’s obvious.
No matter how I call him Papa, the Director is still the Director, not real family.
Papa genuinely wishes it to be that way.
But choosing brainwashing as a means is, to be honest, somewhat disheartening.
[Detected the component of Celibacy Substance mixed in the meal. Overcame the drug’s influence with willpower.]
[Drug Detection Experience +5]
[Drug Resistance Experience +5]
[Willpower Experience +2]
[Detected the component of Seduction from the scented candles in the bedroom, and burned another to negate the abnormal state.]
[Situation Awareness +3]
[Willpower Experience +1]
[Overcame the hidden implication of Murderous Affection in the dinner picture hanging on the wall by sheer will.]
[Cursed Resistance Experience +1]
[Willpower Experience +1]
Attacks carried out via drug, smoke, and even pictorial suggestions attempted to chip away at my mind and body little by little.
In reality, I tried to convince Papa with aggressive words as if I had been influenced.
I thought I had succeeded beautifully, but who would have thought he’d use fishing to delve into my heart and hook my true feelings?
“Tch. Papa has way too much experience. He’s got no weakness to poke at, just like Professor Destroyer.”
“Wouldn’t that be a sign that the Foundation will create incidents with that much power? Doesn’t it seem that the best thing to do is leave the tower as soon as possible?”
“It’s already too late. Besides, events that are meant to happen will happen anyway.”
“If it’s an event that will happen… are you referring to the incident involving the Crime Organization that happens in the second semester?”
Sing’s eyes widened as if he realized something.
“The Beastman Resurgence Society. It was mentioned among the crime organizations we talked about. Is this related to their plan to raid the beasts’ hometown?”
“Yes! It’s one of the deadliest failure patterns that could happen, plus the beastmen around there are real thugs.”
They would prevent such a crime organization from daring to commit a largescale massacre due to a murder case.
If a massive incident were to occur that greatly elevates the security at the Academy, then there would be sufficient possibility.
“So, if you’re going to kill, I stealthily conveyed that you should kill people from there!”
Using the poison of the Beastman Resurgence Society as the extreme poison of the Foundation.
The crime organization would be crushed by the even greater power of the Three Great Evils.
Actively practicing the saying, “Poison against poison!”
Laughing at Oknodie’s plan, Sing said,
“Only those who should die will feel wronged. They’ll end up getting crushed by the Foundation without knowing what hit them.”
