Chapter 239: The Spirit Beast Slayer (2)

Dr. Edric’s plan was simple.

“Since she brought the Half-Moon Wolf cub, a strong bond must have formed between her and the spirit beast. You, her father, will sever that bond. In front of her eyes. Then she will feel terrible loss and sorrow, and I aim for that moment.”

“So you’re telling me to push my daughter into the abyss of despair with my own hands! Do you think I would do something like that-!”

“Hmm. Then do you have any special way to escape this situation?”

As if to ask, Dr. Edric slightly raised his arm.

Then the vines that had gone into the ground popped out again and wriggled right in front of Ianco’s eyes as if they would constrict him at any moment.

Ianco flinched and trembled.

It was as he said.

Ianco could not escape this situation on his own.

However, that didn’t mean he could help Dr. Edric either.

“I’d rather die than do that to my daughter with my own hands.”

“Hmm. I don’t understand? You’ve already punctured holes in her heart several times in the past in the same way, yet you say you can’t do it now. Is that logic or nonsense?”

Looking at Dr. Edric tilting his head, Ianco yelled out.

“You, who lack emotions, wouldn’t understand! And back then, there were unavoidable circumstances. I was planning to fold the business!”

“Is that so? Even so, she isn’t your daughter anyway, is she?”

“Kugh…….”

“Why are you trying to throw away your life for a ‘thing’ that isn’t even your blood relative, and on top of that, not even human? Think calmly.”

Ianco bit his lips.

Dr. Edric’s subtle conciliation and threats naturally didn’t work on Ianco.

He was just blaming himself for not being able to solve his daughter’s crisis as a father.

Ianco lowered his gaze.

His empty sleeve caught his eye in his lowered vision.

‘If my body were normal, could I have solved this situation?’

It’s impossible to know.

But, he would have done anything.

Just like that time when he sacrificed his eye and arm to save his daughter.

Then Ianco opened his eyes wide.

‘My mind had become weak.’

It didn’t matter what condition his body was in from the start.

What was important was the single-minded determination to save his daughter.

Ianco, who quickly regained his reason, racked his brain.

In any case, Dr. Edric was trying to conciliate him right now.

The reason was that he was the only person who could give Yuria a great sense of loss, and this was a clear fact.

‘If I use this point, I can evacuate Yuria.’

Ianco immediately went into acting.

“……If I refuse until the end? What were you planning to do then?”

Dr. Edric answered while smiling leisurely.

“Then inevitably, Johnny would have to step up. Although not as much as you, Johnny is also close with her, isn’t he? Right?”

“That is correct. While resolving the misunderstandings accumulated yesterday, we became closer. If you just give the order, I am confident I can run right now and kill that wolf cub as cruelly as possible in front of Yuria’s eyes.”

At Johnny’s answer, which showed excessive loyalty, Ianco furrowed his brow.

“Now, you heard him, right? There is nothing good coming from holding out. Because we will create a way somehow.”

Ianco let out a deep sigh as if to show them.

“……That makes sense. However, I also feel wronged, so I need to receive something.”

“Eh? Wait a moment. Does that mean you will help us now?”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Wasn’t this the answer you guys wanted from me until now?”

“That is true, but it’s strange because your attitude changed suddenly?”

When Dr. Edric looked at Ianco with eyes full of suspicion, Ianco spoke with a desperate feeling.

“Looking at my only arm, I suddenly got angry. The fact that I ended up like this feels bitter too. It’s not like that child is just lovely to me either.”

“…….”

“Why. Are you still suspicious? Afraid I’ll ruin the plan? As you can see, I’m a cripple whose body isn’t even intact. What power do I have to ruin your plan.”

The corners of Dr. Edric’s mouth went up.

“The human race is originally like that, right? Thinking only of themselves when a moment of crisis comes. Cunningly.”

“I hate to admit it, but anyway, I am human too.”

“Good. What do you want?”

“I heard you decided to give that guy a position in the Naimus Empire.”

When Ianco gestured with his eyes toward Johnny, Dr. Edric nodded.

“I did, didn’t I? Even though I look like this, I have quite a bit of influence in the Empire. Ah! Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself, have I? I am Lorenz Edric, Head of Development at the Naimus Research Institute.”

“So your name was Lorenz. Can I call you Lorenz?”

Dr. Edric shrugged his shoulders.

“Fine, then the great Lorenz. What can you promise me? Can you give me a higher position than that guy?”

“I’m sorry, but that is impossible. Because the position promised to Johnny is the highest position I can give.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. Then what about money?”

“That is possible. How much do you want?”

“No more, no less, exactly 100,000 gold.”

For a moment, Dr. Edric’s expression hardened.

“……You know how much that amount is, right?”

“Of course. For reference, I won’t accept currency that can only be used in the Naimus Empire. Because I can’t live in a country where that traitor is a noble. All in spot goods that can be used in other countries as well. And, guarantee my life until I cross the Empire’s border. This is my condition.”

“…….”

“Why is there no answer? Is it perhaps impossible? The great Dr. Lorenz Edric?”

Dr. Edric’s eyes staring at Ianco narrowed.

“…….”

A moment of silence.

Dr. Edric, who seemed to be pondering like that, slightly pushed up his spectacle frames and said.

“Let’s do that.”

“Oho. Is that true? You can give 100,000 gold all in gold?”

“Certainly, 100,000 gold is a burdensome amount even for me. However, we might discover a path for humans to evolve into transcendental beings called Divine Beasts. Mere money cannot be an obstacle.”

Dr. Edric extended his hand to him.

“Then I look forward to working with you?”

“Me too.”

Ianco clasped his hand and stood up.

“Then I will give the first order? First, stop her from returning to the Academy tomorrow. She wouldn’t even pretend to listen if it were anyone else, but if you, her dad, speak, she will understand, right?”

Dr. Edric asked while sneering smirkingly.

Ianco, who hated seeing that, spoke his true feelings without realizing it.

“……I don’t know about that either.”

Having spat out the words, Ianco immediately blamed himself inwardly.

‘Oops, I have to pretend to cooperate as much as possible to evacuate Yuria safely.’

So Ianco hurriedly added afterwards.

“Still, I should catch her so she can’t go back as much as possible…… I will take care of it.”

“You won’t have to feel an unnecessary burden. If Big Brother speaks, she will listen well enough on her own.”

It was Johnny, who had been keeping silent until now.

When Ianco looked at him asking what he meant, he answered.

“Yuria wants to reconcile with Big Brother.”

“How do you know that?”

“She asked me. To help her reconcile with Big Brother. If we use this point, delaying her return to the Academy by a few days won’t be hard.”

“Huhu. That is truly a touching narrative.”

Even at Dr. Edric’s laughter mixed with ridicule, Ianco couldn’t say anything.

He just limped his injured leg and left the room.

Thud, thud-

Johnny, who blankly watched Ianco’s back, asked looking at Dr. Edric when he completely disappeared from view.

“Will Big Brother really move as you expect, Doctor?”

“Without a doubt. Then execute the operation.”

“Yes.”

***

Thump! Thump!

At the heavy footsteps heard from the hallway outside the room, Yuria hurriedly called the Half-Moon Wolf cub.

“Bandal. Quickly!”

Bandal, who was sleeping prone on the bed, raised its head at Yuria’s call and jumped on the bed, and Yuria quickly lifted Bandal up and hugged it, opened the wardrobe, and hid it between the clothes.

“Shh. You have to be quiet.”

Hek! Hek!

Almost simultaneously as she closed the wardrobe, the door opened.

“Hmm? What are you doing standing in front of the closet?”

“Uncle Johnny.”

The one who entered was Johnny.

“Please knock.”

“Ah, right. Sorry, sorry.”

“……I’m going up to the capital tomorrow. So I was organizing my clothes.”

While saying that, Yuria asked the business for which he came to find her.

Johnny scratched his head, then took something out of his bosom and held it out.

“Ta-da. Do you know what this is?”

It was a snack.

Precisely, a biscuit combined with chocolate and a cookie.

The name was ‘Sandheim’.

“……This is Sandheim, isn’t it?”

“Right. The snack you liked most in your childhood. You really liked it. Take it.”

Yuria, who received the Sandheim in a daze, looked up at Johnny with a somewhat bewildered expression.

“Do you still like snacks?”

“I do, but why are you suddenly giving this to me?”

“I’m not the one giving it?”

Yuria, who was about to ask ‘Then who-’, opened her eyes wide.

“……Don’t tell me?”

“Right. Big Brother. Your dad is giving it.”

Johnny giggled.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I would help from in between so the two of you could return to how it was before. When I subtly sounded him out, Big Brother also started to bring out his inner thoughts little by little. The conclusion is, that.”

“…….”

“You know what? On the day you came, he bought that Sandheim you liked and just left it on his desk. Kekeke. But he felt awkward giving it himself, so he told me to give it instead. Brother is surprisingly timid too, you know?”

Following that, Johnny asked.

“What are you staring blankly for? Aren’t you going to try eating it quickly.”

“Ah.”

Yuria snapped out of it and looked at the snack box in her hand.

Then carefully opened the lid.

The lid opened easily.

“I dropped it by mistake earlier, so the seal must have come off.”

Yuria nodded without much suspicion and took out the biscuit that was on the very top.

A sweet chocolate smell stimulated her sense of smell.

Sometimes, smells evoke nostalgia of the past.

It was so right now.

Looking blankly at the Sandheim, it seemed she could hear Ianco’s voice smiling affectionately at her in her ears.

‘Is it that delicious?’

‘Yeah! Buy it for me every day.’

‘Hahaha. Okay, got it. I’ll buy it for you every day!’

Crunch-

Yuria put the biscuit in her mouth.

“How is it? Delicious, right?”

“……Yes.”

Yuria recalling memories while eating the Sandheim.

Johnny, who visually confirmed her eating exactly two biscuits, asked in a subtle tone.

“If you don’t have to go to the Academy right away, why don’t you try talking with Big Brother?”

Yuria nodded her head silently.

“Okay. Then rest.”

Johnny turned his body, pretending to be considerate so she could be alone.

Afterwards, the place he headed to was Dr. Edric’s bedroom.

“Did she eat it?”

“Yes. I confirmed it with my own eyes.”

“Then get ready? Because the two of them will run away from here tonight.”

Dr. Edric expected it.

That on the night when everyone is asleep, Ianco would take Yuria and secretly escape from here.

And that expectation hit the mark precisely.

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