Chapter 28
In the end, the murderous urge flared up again.
Saying it like this made it sound like I was in the final stages of so adolescent delusion, but in reality, it wasn’t sothing I could just laugh off.
‘…This is driving insane.’
My throat kept feeling dry.
No matter how much water I drank, there was this strange thirst that refused to be quenched, scraping at my esophagus. It was as if every cell in my body was yearning for sothing intense and unfamiliar.
‘Perhaps the reason this body beca a murder fiend isn’t just because of a twisted personality.’
Maybe sothing had gone wrong in the genetic engineering process when this body was created.
Of course, in the novel, since this villain exited the stage rather quickly, details like that were never fleshed out.
But regretting being transmigrated into a body like this now wasn’t going to change anything.
Besides, after the ruckus at the Black Market last ti, I had already prepared a plan for monts like this, so there was no need to worry too much.
But before that—
There were a few matters I needed to handle and prepare for, preferably while my mind was still clear.
That was why I gathered Iri and Miyu in one place.
“From now on, you’ll be taking care of her.”
“W–wait, why are you saying that all of a sudden…?!”
Iri seed to be getting the wrong idea, but that was a misunderstanding.
Miyu had arrived at the office first, and when she heard soone approaching, she hid behind my desk. I simply dragged her back out.
But since Iri didn’t know the circumstances, she looked as if I had just told her sothing absurd. She probably couldn’t make sense of the situation yet.
“More importantly, what do you an by ‘take care of her’…?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
I explained calmly.
“She’s also a Stingray special scholarship student, just like you. But as you can see, she’s extrely shy around strangers, so she needs a bit of looking after.”
“A… special scholarship student?”
Iri looked as if she wanted to say, “That girl?” but held herself back.
The mont Miyu t her eyes, she squeaked out, “Eek!” and tried to run away again.
It was Iri’s rough deanor, ingrained in her body language, that frightened her.
Without a second thought, I used [Cloud Spider]’s thread to snatch her back and place her on top of my desk before continuing.
“She’s a first-year in the Departnt of Science and Technology, sa as you. She’s also my exclusive modular. I can say with certainty—she’s the best engineer I know.”
“A modular… ah!”
She seed to catch on right away.
My Iri might lack so common sense thanks to her rough childhood, but she was by no ans slow-witted.
“That’s right. She’ll fix your module problem. It’d be good for you two to get along.”
“But… I didn’t keep my promise. And besides, that—”
“So you’re aware you did sothing wrong?”
“Ugh…”
When I teased her, Iri lowered her head, looking guilty.
Flipping off the high-ranking officials from various corporations during the [Showcase] wasn’t sothing you could pull off with ordinary guts.
If I hadn’t stepped in to smooth things over, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to get punished in so way.
Of course, I knew Iri’s personality from the start, so it didn’t bother much—but that didn’t an it wasn’t a problem.
“This will also serve as punishnt for that incident. If you take care of her while I’m away, I’ll consider all your previous troublemaking as water under the bridge.”
“R–really? That’s all?”
She was implying it seed too light for a punishnt. But from the start, I hadn’t intended to give her anything harsh.
After all, the gains from the [Showcase] were substantial, and we’d dealt a considerable blow to Militech as well.
And more than anything, my real goal was to gradually ta Iri this way.
‘First, build trust.’
She still had more wariness toward Stingray than fondness for , so for the sake of my future plans, this step was necessary.
Besides, there were countless upcoming events all the way until graduation that couldn’t happen without “Iri Elisbell” in them.
And…
“It looks easy, doesn’t it? Taking care of her.”
“A–Aaron…”
At my words, Miyu, who was crouched like a kitten on the desk, timidly turned to look at . I couldn’t tell if her expression was frightened or displeased.
“Y–you talk like I’m so kind of nuisance…”
“You’ve been skipping classes for two days straight. Don’t you think you have no right to complain?”
“Hii…”
When I replied, Miyu let out a deflated whimper, unable to argue.
And honestly, I didn’t feel particularly happy seeing her like that.
Leaving behind such a small, fragile girl while I went away—how could that be pleasant? It was like leaving a newborn alone at ho with the gas stove on.
That was why I entrusted Miyu’s care to Iri, the most reliable person I could count on right now. It’d be even better if the two got closer.
“What exactly do you an by ‘take care of her’? You’re not saying I have to dress her and feed her like a baby, right?”
“I already assigned that to the android attendants, so no.”
“No, I an… is this really necessary?”
“I an help her adjust. Treat her like a new little sister.”
“…Fine. I get it, for now.”
Iri still looked a bit confused.
But since it was my order, and Miyu was a skilled modular, she didn’t seem inclined to argue or complain further.
Alright then.
Now that I had settled matters between these two, it was ti to leave.
“Both of you—rest here for a bit, then make sure to attend the next class. I’ll be away for a while, so I hope you don’t cause trouble in the anti.”
That’s what I said. But I knew.
Trouble was bound to happen.
If my prediction was right, while I was gone, Iri would go through quite the ‘unpleasant experience.’
Just imagining it made my heart ache—but it couldn’t be helped.
It was necessary.
Shff.
I grabbed the coat hanging on the rack and put it on. Just in ti, a flying transport vehicle pulled into the parking lot outside. Not the usual sedan I took, but sothing armored like a troop carrier.
A ssage ca in right after.
– Please board quickly.
“Alright. I’m coming.”
I replied casually and started toward the terrace. That was when Iri suddenly stood up and called out to .
“W–wait a second.”
“What is it?”
“Uh… well…”
When I turned back, Iri avoided my gaze, fidgeting. Then, as if making up her mind, she finally asked—
“When will you be back?”
“I’m scheduled to return in a week.”
“Ah… a week… I see…”
“But it might be a bit later.”
“Why? Why’s that?”
Iri asked.
I didn’t answer.
Even I couldn’t say for sure. There were still too many uncertain factors to make a judgnt yet.
“If you need help while I’m gone, go find Ciel.”
“You an that android?”
“That’s right.”
With that last bit of insurance in place just in case sothing happened, I headed for the transport vehicle, seeing the two of them off.
The exterior of the flying transport had no markings whatsoever. It was so no one could tell which company it belonged to.
Its exterior was wrapped in thick armor made of special plastic, with a coating designed to deflect energy-based rounds.
– Let’s get moving before we draw attention.
“Don’t rush .”
As I approached, the rear door of the transport cracked open, revealing the inside.
Contrary to its rough, utilitarian exterior, the interior was decorated in a rather luxurious style, even featuring a VIP minibar.
‘Impressive.’
I should’ve been used to luxury by now, but this was on another level—it scread of soone putting in maximum effort to show off.
Still, being swayed by that wasn’t the Aaron Stingray way. I took my seat without the slightest change in expression.
“Let’s go.”
“Understood.”
Soone behind a black privacy screen replied.
The transport smoothly lifted off the ground. A side panel lit up, displaying the outside view like a window.
Before long, we were cruising at normal altitude. I leaned back against the cushion and spoke briefly.
“Water.”
[Would you like sparkling?]
“Just plain water.”
[Understood.]
The AI bartender built into the vehicle responded. A glass of still water rose smoothly from the cup holder in my armrest.
My throat still burned.
While I tried to soothe the unshakable thirst with water, the person beyond the screen spoke up.
“How shaless, Aaron Stingray. Acting like you’re in your own living room.”
“All I did was ask for a glass of water, and now I’m shaless? Or has Militech’s situation gotten so bad you can’t even afford that much?”
“You know all too well. Thanks to a certain soone.”
“My apologies, then.”
I shrugged, and the privacy screen between us slid upward. A weasel-like face, augnted with cyberware, ca into view.
Vladimir Kharitonov.
Chairman of the Militech Foundation.
“Don’t feed lines you don’t an. Since when have you been the sort to apologize?”
“I’m being sincere.”
“Shaless.”
Vladimir’s face twisted.
“You won’t tell you’re unaware of the consequences from yesterday’s [Showcase].”
“I’m not aware.”
That was the truth.
I hadn’t even read the reports, passing everything on to Benedict. I only assud Militech must’ve taken a hit—details, I didn’t know.
But apparently, my honest answer grated on Vladimir’s nerves.
“You son of—!”
Click.
A pistol appeared in Vladimir’s hand.
“Because of you, even my position is at risk. The board was in an uproar to discipline yesterday—my father barely talked them down.”
“You’re the one who picked a fight first.”
“You’re the one who blew it up into sothing big when it could’ve been settled like a kids’ squabble.”
That was the nature of the [Showcase].
Like duels between dieval nobles, refusing a challenge was considered a serious disgrace.
But once it began, one side always had to bleed, so over ti the frequency of [Showcases] had declined despite their tradition.
In the end, [Showcase] was a mock battle.
What had once been a soldier’s pasti bet eventually turned into a way to size up each other’s forces before a real war.
“I’d love nothing more than to put a round right between those smug eyebrows of yours right now.”
“I’m sure you know toys like that don’t work on .”
“Of course. But if I blow up this entire transport, you won’t walk away unscathed.”
That was possible.
The last ti I’d seen him, Vladimir had a Lv.5 Shield Module. It could easily block most explosions—and protect him even from a fall at this height without a scratch.
I, on the other hand, wasn’t so fortunate.
If I were at my peak, maybe—but in my current state, the odds of survival weren’t good.
I wasn’t sturdy enough to tank an explosion, and even if I survived that, a fall from here would finish .
Still, I knew.
“You won’t do it, Vladimir.”
“…”
“If you really ant to, you’d have done it already in an ambush. And you’re not confident a self-destruct would finish for sure—telling in advance just gives ti to prepare.”
“…Fair point.”
Vladimir admitted it cleanly.
He put the gun away and sat down again, though his expression remained sour.
“In a situation where our relationship has soured this badly, the fact that you still have a proposal… wouldn’t anyone be curious?”
“Smart thinking. And it’s not bad news for you, either.”
“I’ll decide that after I hear it. The self-destruct button is still live, after all.”
It was almost pitiful, how desperate he was to cling to the initiative. That ant he really was short on options.
“It’s nothing complicated. You agree to one request of mine, and I’ll provide you with sothing useful in return.”
“Tell what you want first. If it’s outrageous, I’ll drop you off right here.”
“…Alright, fine.”
I nodded and answered without hesitation.
“In two days, I want you to attack the vehicle I’m in.”
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