Chapter 41: The Arena (4)

What?

Evan swallowed hard, staring into the Oracle’s eyes, which showed only pupils.

No glimmer, no whites visible.

The word “ghost” came to mind more than “human.”

No wonder the term “witch” had popped up.

Why had she suddenly become like this?

Is she… too angry?

Didn’t they say people’s eyes change when they’re furious?

Maybe hers had changed a bit too much?

It wasn’t hard to understand.

The Oracle usually loved animals.

When reading fates, she’d sometimes refuse to speak if an innocent animal was harmed.

Especially when it came to cute ones—she was obsessed.

The alias “Teddy Bear” for No. 5 had been her suggestion.

Though, due to some error or mix-up, it became “Dead Bear” instead.

Still, that’s how much she loved animals.

And now, before her eyes, magical beasts were caged.

All in horrific conditions.

Whether from experiments or their natural state, it was unclear…

This is bad, isn’t it?

Evan gulped as he swallowed hard.

Rustle.

The Oracle’s eyes returned to normal.

As if they’d been fine all along.

Blink, blink.

Blinking several times, she touched her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes? Yes… I’m fine.”

She didn’t seem fine.

She looked quite confused.

Muttering repeatedly, “Huh? Why? It wasn’t like this before…”

Evan decided to leave her be for now.

She’d calm down eventually.

As he tried to let go of her hand—

Grip.

“?”

“…Oh.”

The Oracle tightly clutched Evan’s hand.

Her grip was so strong it hurt.

His Living Armor subtly expanded to cushion it.

Phew, almost yelped in pain.

He was so startled his face cramped.

Thanks to that, his panic didn’t show.

The Oracle, meanwhile, was even more flustered.

Despite her fluster, she didn’t let go.

“Sorry. Just… for a moment.”

“Oh, sure.”

“Just for a bit, I’ll hold on.”

“Yes, it’s fine.”

Lending a hand for a moment was no big deal.

Oh.

Evan wiped his face with his free hand.

The sensation of his face cramping.

Unpleasant.

His face wouldn’t move properly due to the cramp, which only made it worse.

But something else was even more uncomfortable.

“Hehe, do you like it?”

The culprit leading the way.

Don Quixote, rubbing his hands with a groveling smile.

“These magical beasts are perfect for experiments! All defective or overly ferocious!”

“Why use defective ones?”

“They’re not just defective! Look at this!”

Swish!

Don Quixote pulled the cloth off a nearby cage.

A small giant with one grotesquely enlarged eye.

A variant Cyclops.

Its eye was huge, but its body was small.

Hardly worthy of being called a giant.

“This one’s body is small, but its eye is massive! Extract that eye, and it’ll make a fine reagent!”

Tremble.

The Oracle’s hand shook.

Not just from fear, but from rage.

She gripped Evan’s hand tighter, glaring at Don Quixote.

Misinterpreting her reaction, Don Quixote grinned.

You’re gonna get yourself killed!

“Hoho! Your lady friend seems to like it! If you want, I’ll give you as many as you like! You could sell them for a high price in the Empire!”

At that moment—

“…Disgusting.”

A woman’s voice rang out.

Aegis.

Her usual cheerful demeanor was gone, replaced by a cold, sunken expression as she stared at Don Quixote.

Her icy gaze sent chills down Evan’s spine.

No matter how bright and lively she seemed, she was an elder of the Alchemist’s Tower.

A genius among geniuses, honed through relentless effort.

How could someone like her be careless?

“A trash den full of trash, with no reverence for life.”

Aegis looked down at Don Quixote coldly.

“You’re a rebel, aren’t you?”

As expected of a princess, her choice of words…

A bit scary.

Don Quixote’s face twisted.

“And who are you? Can’t you see I’m talking to the young master?”

Aegis didn’t respond.

She just stared.

Rumble, rumble.

The ground began to tremble around them.

As if an earthquake had struck.

Pebbles on the ground shook clatteringly.

“W-What’s that?”

Instinctively sensing danger, Don Quixote stepped back.

Evan realized what Aegis was doing.

The process of alchemy: [Understand], [Decompose], [Reconstruct].

If she stopped at [Decompose]?

She could break down everything.

She could collapse this entire underground in an instant.

That was why the Alchemist’s Tower could maintain its secretive policies.

All because of the power a single skilled alchemist could wield.

“Y-Young Master Evan!”

Sensing the crisis instinctively, Don Quixote shouted desperately.

Trying to cling to me now?

No matter how cowardly I am, this is too much.

Evan cut him off firmly.

“I’m not interested in this either.”

Don Quixote’s eyes wavered.

“Do you know how much each of these beasts is worth? In this arena, no, in the black market, they’d fetch a fortune—”

“I’m rich.”

Didn’t you see the amount I bid?

“Heh heh heh.”

Don Quixote let out a hollow laugh, as if stunned.

He raised both hands.

A gesture of surrender.

But Aegis didn’t react, continuing to stare.

Because Don Quixote was grinning.

…Sigh. If you won’t cooperate, this puts me in a tough spot.

“?”

“I’ve confirmed you’re an alchemist, young master. But if you collapse this place, you’ll die with it.”

Snap!

Don Quixote snapped his fingers.

As if responding to the sound, the beasts’ heads swiveled!

Grrrrrr—

As if their earlier pain was a lie, they bared their teeth, showing hostility.

“Oh, maybe I won’t die—just you lot.”

“If you use your power, all these beasts will die. If you want to see these poor things perish, go ahead and try.”

“Truly trash.”

“Heh. If the young master won’t cooperate, what choice do I have?”

Creak, THUD!

The door they’d entered through slammed shut.

Completely blocking their exit.

Not that it mattered—decomposition could handle it—but Don Quixote stood smugly.

“Now, young master. Decide. Will you deal with me, or fight these beasts here?”

Don Quixote spread his arms wide.

“666 magical beasts! All of them follow my command!”

“Drugs.”

Aegis spoke.

Her eyes glowed, proof she’d used [Analyze].

“You used drugs.”

“Oh, you figured it out. I paid a hefty price for them!”

Don Quixote cackled, boasting proudly.

“A special drug called Grace! Works only on magical beasts. With this, I can command an army like a god!”

“Hah.”

Aegis, her anger reaching its peak, sighed and stepped forward.

“Evan, let me show you the power of the Alchemist’s Tower…”

“Wait.”

Evan stopped her.

Worried she’d get hurt?

That was part of it.

But.

This is something I can handle easily.

The beast-control drug.

It felt vaguely familiar, and after hearing his explanation, Evan was certain.

That drug.

I made it.

It was slightly different from what he remembered.

But.

At its core, it’s mine.

No need to [Understand].

[Decompose].

The moment he channeled his mana.

The drug particles in the air were all [Decomposed] and vanished.

Fsssss—!

Dust suddenly swirled in the air.

Before Don Quixote’s eyes could widen—

Tap!

Evan touched the ground, spreading his mana, leaving not a single trace.

A slight variation?

Didn’t matter.

The key was the component controlling the beasts.

Decompose that, and it was over.

Done.

Evan nodded.

“It’s done.”

“What nonsense—Experiment No. 11! Rise!”

Don Quixote’s booming command.

The beast nearby twitched.

And that was it.

“?”

The beast looked at its limbs, puzzled.

It shook its head side to side.

Realizing the drug’s effect had vanished, it bared its teeth at Don Quixote.

Grrrrrr!

“W-What?! Obey me! I said obey!”

“The drug won’t work anymore.”

Don Quixote’s face twisted.

Nice! That feels good.

Swish!

Don Quixote glared at Evan.

As if just realizing, his bloodshot eyes flashed with panic.

“N-No way. The rumors were true?”

“?”

“T-The drug—”

“Lapis.”

Evan quickly cut him off.

“Shut him up.”

“Okay!”

Whip!

Threads lashed out like a whip, wrapping around Don Quixote’s body.

His entire body was bound.

“Mmph! Mmph!”

“Heehee.”

Lapis giggled.

“Evan gave permission for once. He must be really mad.”

One corner of her mouth curled up.

The Sin of Wrath.

Her eyes began to burn red, as if warming up.

“I’m pretty mad too, you know.”

“…!”

“You won’t die easily.”

Lapis spat out chilling words.

Evan quietly averted his gaze.

I didn’t see anything.

I only told her to stop him.

Phew, almost got my dark history exposed.

How did he know about my underworld dealings?

“W-What? How’d you do that?”

“Got lucky.”

It’d be awkward to admit it outright.

Instead of saying more, Evan mumbled vaguely.

“I’ve seen it before.”

“That kind of drug? I’ve never seen it…”

…I saw it in the family.

“Oh!”

Phew, dodged that one.

Evan sighed in relief and turned.

The Oracle was still gripping his hand tightly.

He was worried she might be startled.

“Oracle, are you okay?”

Flinch.

Evan instinctively flinched.

The Oracle.

She was staring right at him.

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

That was good, then.

Why’s she staring so scarily?

Just then—

Whine!

A faint whimper.

The cry of a newborn cub.

Evan glanced over.

Hmm, they’re all confused from being freed from the drug.

They didn’t seem hostile.

Some beasts even looked at him with friendly eyes.

Is that… a Bicon?

Its horn was a bit damaged, though.

So many rare creatures. I didn’t know a place like this existed.

A total goldmine.

If he were a player, freeing these would probably earn experience points.

Suppressing his regret, Evan spoke to the Oracle.

“Wouldn’t it be better to help the beasts first?”

“Oh, yes, you’re right.”

Snapping out of it, the Oracle let go of his hand.

Evan turned to check the source of the sound.

A puppy?

Oddly, it had two heads.

Not a Cerberus, though.

No severed marks.

Half its fur was dark blue, the other half dark red.

Even so, it was kind of cute.

Except for one thing.

This wolf… its leg?

All but one leg, which looked like it had been sliced clean off with a blade.

Hmm, it’s a beast I’ve never seen before.

It whimpered as if suffering from a fever, tugging at his heart.

Should I take a closer look?

Who knows.

Maybe he could keep it as a pet.

A missing leg… I think I could fix that.

Not regeneration, but an artificial leg?

As Evan thought this—

Click!

All the lights in the underground chamber went out.

The space plunged into darkness.

Aegis frowned and snapped her fingers.

Flames sparked to life, faintly illuminating the area.

A figure approached from the shadows.

“What?”

A man emerged, relying on the glow of a cigarette in his mouth.

He tilted his head.

“Guests?”

What.

Evan’s eyes widened slightly as he saw the man’s face.

He’s here?