The Evil Scientist is Too Competent Chapter 28

I scoffed at the amount proposed by the scout.

“That’s insufficient.”

“… What do you an by that?”

I checked the numbers displayed on the smartphone he handed .

One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million—.

It was almost an eight-digit figure. Absolutely way too much for a re researcher, but…

‘Seriously, this is all you propose?’

In comparison to what I usually receive from Regalia, it was laughably low. Of course, the amount Regalia gives isn’t just as a researcher—it’s also because I’m a high-ranking mber of an evil organization, a scientist, and probably the only Earthling in this world—but still.

The fact remains: the amount w proposed was ridiculously low compared to what I already get.

“─ Does that make any sense?”

It seed w couldn’t accept this reality either, as he adjusted his sunglasses that sparkled under the sunlight and shot back at . The amount he proposed was indeed the highest reasonable figure one could imagine.

The problem was that the sum I received was bordering on the insane.

w passionately argued as if trying to convince himself that what was happening was impossible.

“The amount I propose is a salary you wouldn’t find anywhere in the world. It’s a salary only achievable if you start your own company and it succeeds. And you say that’s insufficient? Are you telling Evilus is offering you more than that?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“That can’t be true. Sure, the circuits and anti-gravity devices you made are amazing—but at the sa ti, they’re incredibly precious treasures. Even if you went independent and started a business, you wouldn’t be able to protect that technology. You know that, and that’s precisely why you’re part of Evilus, right? So, the amount you get from Evilus must be less than that…!”

“I can’t show you my bank account… So if you don’t want to believe it, don’t. Anyway, the amount you proposed is so lacking I can’t even think about it!”

“… You will regret this.”

With that, w stood up from his seat. Watching him leave, I couldn’t help but chuckle as I got up too.

“Let’s go. This is a waste of ti.”

“Huh? Uh… By the way, Eight? Do you really make that much?”

“… No comnt.”

“Wow… So scientists are really different—Eight, want to marry ?”

“I prefer to avoid people who only look at my money.”

“Ah— what a disappointnt.”

As Vira expressed a keen interest in my paycheck, Levitan, who had been fidgeting since her kick had been blocked, cautiously stood up.

“─ Vira, Eight. Sorry. I have sowhere to go.”

“Huh? Oh, okay. Take care.”

After leaving that line behind her, Levitan disappeared quickly sowhere. Just as I was looking at her in confusion, Vira, suddenly realizing sothing, let out a scream.

I stared at her blankly, unsure why, and she pointed in the direction Levitan had left.

“L-Levi-chan—she spoke without her accent!”

“… Huh?”

“Why! Think about it! She didn’t talk in her usual way; she spoke in standard language!”

Hearing that, I rembered that Levitan had spoken normally right before she left. And I was just as shocked as Vira.

‘So she’s been putting on that persona on purpose all this ti?’

Faced with this unbelievable truth, I stared in the direction Levitan had disappeared, mirroring Vira’s expression of shock. I was simply baffled as to why she walked around acting like that when she could speak perfectly well…

*

After failing to recruit , w was standing outside a back alley, puffing on a cigarette and letting out loud sighs. The pressure of having failed the Boss’s order weighed heavily on his shoulders.

While he was smoking, Levitan stealthily made her appearance in the alley behind him. Upon seeing Levitan’s rabbit ears, w smiled slyly.

“─ So you really ca.”

“… Why did you call here?”

“You’re lacking so politeness. Judging by those rabbit ears, you must be one of the L-series, right?”

Huum… w exhaled a cloud of smoke as he questioned Levitan. Upon hearing that na, she flinched and gave w a death glare. It was a na she didn’t want to rember. The mories associated with it, the ones she always wanted to forget, began to surface in her mind.

“I’m no longer… that…”

“Ah, stop whining. You’re just a patched-up beast—don’t you realize what it ans for you to be here?”

w muttered that while mumbling sothing else. Hearing that, Levitan began to feel as if her brain was being toyed with. It felt like slimy tentacles were licking her brain, and the command system engraved in her genes suddenly triggered.

“You’re quite lucky. I was wondering how to get my hands on that arrogant scientist… and here you are, a beast that seems close to him.”

“I-I…”

“Go. Beast girl. Go fetch Eight for . To City Z. To Oga Industries.”

No.

But she couldn’t say that.

Refusal wasn’t part of her genes.

In the end, Levitan saluted, tears streaming down her face.

“… Yes, understood.”

At that mont, her soul died.

All that remained was a doll wearing Levitan’s shell.

*

The next day.

Even on her day off, Levitan greeted us with the sa tone as yesterday.

“Hi hi—! So nice to see you! Hi there~!”

“Levi-chan! You’re back!”

“Um-huh? I don’t know what Levi-chan ans~!”

As Vira warmly welcod her back in her original tone, Levitan naturally approached . Draping her legs over my thighs while I sat on the sofa, she lightly kicked my arm and opened her mouth.

“Eight—We’re going out again today. We promised yesterday, right?”

“… I don’t recall making promises.”

“Why not~! You don’t like Vira coming, do you? Let’s go play!”

“Well, I’m on board!”

While the two social butterflies progressed with their plans, I decided to bring up a topic that might get her flustered.

“─ But, Levitan. What happened yesterday?”

“Yesterday~?”

“Yes. The mont you suddenly disappeared…”

“If you don’t call Levi-chan, I won’t tell you~!”

“… Vira, can you ask her for ?”

“If Eight doesn’t do it, I won’t say a word~!”

This human, being a rabbit beast, was quite the expert at wriggling out of situations. I pondered which was greater: the embarrassnt from saying “Levi-chan,” my curiosity about what she did yesterday, or the hassle of going out with her.

Naturally, the forr was much larger, and under rational judgnt, I shut my mouth and stood up from the sofa.

“Alright, shall we go out on a date then?”

“Kyaah—! Eight, what boldness! You plan to date with two beauties? That’s no good!”

“Ah, in that case, the date is canceled. Let’s just hang around the headquarters.”

“That’s not an option either! Choose between and Vira!”

“Then it’s Vira. Let’s take a break at the headquarters.”

“Eeh—!?”

As Levitan protested, unable to comprehend how I could choose Vira over her, Vira looked back at with a disappointingly expressive face, realizing we wouldn’t be going out.

But what could they do? I was the one refusing to go out. In the end, Levitan shook her head in resignation and said.

“Wow— Eight, I never thought you were such a playboy… But, I guess today I can forgive you because I’m in a good mood!”

“No, I said I’m not going—”

“Vira! Prepare the car! We’re going out!”

“Okay-!”

At her command, Vira quickly dashed down to the parking lot. Levitan grabbed my waist and lifted up. With her beastly strength, I, a re powerless human, found myself unable to resist and was effectively kidnapped.

Dragged down to the underground parking and tossed into the prepared vehicle, I sighed and asked Levitan, now sitting in the driver’s seat.

“… So, where are we going?”

“That’s a secret!”

“Wait, you’re not even going to tell ?”

“It’s an amazing place!”

Since it was described as a great place by a beast, I surmised it might be a zoo… Sighing to myself, I quietly observed the vehicle moving.

Levitan’s car sped out of the city faster than usual, making it seem like we were in a hurry. Our destination must be on the outskirts. As I contemplated that, Vira’s cheerful expression looking out the window gradually turned serious. With a slightly worried expression, she discreetly showed her smartphone. Not understanding what she was pointing at, I looked over at her, and she tapped her finger on the screen.

[Sothing’s off. We need to escape.]

“What? What does that an—?”

Before Vira could explain, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and zipped into so place. Realizing the situation, Vira scread.

“─ Levitan! Are you betraying us!”

“… Uh, sorry. Really. I didn’t want to end up doing this—”

Boom—!

The vehicle shook violently, as if it had collided with sothing.

Startled by the impact, Vira grabbed , and I briefly lost consciousness due to the sudden shock. When I regained my senses, a wide-open desert welcod . Just how long was I out? Considering we were on the outskirts of the city just a mont ago, it was astonishing.

“Are you awake?”

“… Vira?”

“Yeah. Don’t you dare leave my side. The mont you do, I won’t be able to protect you.”

Taking Vira’s words into account, I scanned the surroundings. All around us were animal-headed beasts glaring at us. Among them, a familiar face erged.

It was w, who had failed to scout the day before.

“─ Nice to see you, Mister Eight.”

“… You.”

“I ntioned you would regret this, didn’t I?”

Saying that, w adjusted his glasses once more and made another proposal.

“However, Oga Industries is a rciful company. If you join us now─.”

“Enough—”

Pew—!

A laser mounted on my watch shot straight at w’s face. Surprisingly, despite being hit, w’s skin only peeled slightly, and he stood there unhard.

That laser had even pierced through Galm’s belly…

Surprised for just a mont, w, dripping blood, glared at with a furious expression.

“… It seems words won’t cut it, after all.”

“And if words won’t work, what will you do? You really think you can break through Vira’s barrier?”

“W-wait, Eight? Provoking them like that could be a problem… We’re in the enemy’s territory—”

“Heh heh— right. The protection from your side has so pretty troubleso abilities as well. So, you’ll have to co out willingly.”

With a snap of his fingers, w made Levitan, who had betrayed us and brought us here, walk forward. Attached to a cross, she stared vacantly into space with no emotions filling her eyes.

Just by looking at her gaze, I could guess sothing was quite wrong.

“─ If you don’t co out of there, I’ll have to torture this woman. She was a colleague you were sowhat close to, so seeing that would surely sadden you, right?”

w said this and snapped his fingers.

The beasts gestured as if they had been waiting for this mont, grabbing sharp objects and heading toward Levitan.

I shouted at the approaching beasts.

“Hey, wait!”

“Heh heh, if you want to stop it, you’ll have to co out of there right now…”

“Will you at least leave her head intact?”

“… Yes? Well, I didn’t plan on killing her, so sure.”

“Then that’s fine.”

Upon hearing my words, w looked at as if he couldn’t comprehend what I was saying. But this was extrely crucial.

Having or not having a head made a massive difference.