Chapter 139
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 139
"Yeah, that's right. I am interested. But that's all."
Jenath answered as though it were of no consequence.
A lie.
Anata had harbored a faint hope that Flone Young Lady might prove to be the key to controlling Jenath.
"I have to be different from you, don't I? Right, Anata?"
Anata studied Jenath's expression carefully. Yet she still could not discern his true intentions.
His deliberate, measured speech made him sound as though he were playing word games.
"...You seem to be under some misapprehension, but I constructed Alea Island. You know that, don't you? I am the one who created the Alea System."
Anata spoke through gritted teeth.
Her magical power fell far short of Jenath's. But in exchange, she had conceived magic that excelled in the 'technical' aspects.
While Jenath had overseen the general operations concerning The Experiment and the world they originally inhabited, the research into other dimensions fell to Anata.
Thus, Jenath did not fully comprehend the true meaning behind 'Alea'.
"Yeah, I know. That's why I didn't kill you."
"What...?"
"You don't actually think I spared you out of some familial sentiment, do you?"
At Jenath's arrogant question, Anata nervously gnawed her lower lip and swallowed her curses.
Damned bastard.
"Well, Alea Island was built on luck and chance, after all...."
"...."
"Your survival until now is also a matter of luck."
"You...!"
"Congratulations. You lived thanks to the system you created."
"Now look here, just because you can say whatever you want...!"
"Anata, do you know something?"
Anata, who had been struggling against her restraints in the chair, went still. Jenath remained kneeling before her, his gaze fixed upon her.
"There's a human among that group who can use magical power."
A human capable of wielding magical power. This was something Anata herself had not known.
But if only one person in that group could use magical power, the most likely candidate was Flone Young Lady. After all, she had traveled to another dimension.
"So I sent them to the Monster Nest."
Anata, who had been lost in thought, looked up at Jenath in shock.
"What?!"
"We can't dispose of it with our own hands anyway."
"You sent the test subjects there? If they all die, if the experiment is ruined, we're finished too."
"Much has already gone wrong. You know this better than anyone."
At Jenath's words, Anata bit her lower lip firmly.
The Regression Gate was a door that could not be opened without Jenath's manipulation, yet she had forcibly opened it by sacrificing Yuanna's soul.
He was clearly referring to that incident.
"Let's disregard the rules of The Experiment now. This is the final experiment—we can't afford to fail here. This is Alea Island, Anata. Leave it to chance."
Whenever he found himself at a disadvantage, he always invoked the word Alea. Anata glared at Jenath with an expression of utter disgust.
"You still haven't found another way out of here, have you?"
"What are you talking about? We'll be leaving soon. The Experiment is almost complete."
Jenath's unwavering response sounded almost like self-hypnosis.
They had been trapped on this Island for a thousand years by rules they had created themselves. Since the design allowed them to leave once The Experiment was finished, Jenath's claim that they could depart upon success wasn't wrong.
They simply hadn't anticipated it would take this long.
"Don't trust 'those people' over there too much. Sure, they revere you as Jenath now, but once The Experiment succeeds and they've secured their own interests, do you really think that will continue? You know it yourself."
"Hahahaha—hahahaha!"
Jenath burst into laughter with an innocent expression at Anata's words. Even Anata, watching him, felt oddly refreshed by his bright, clear laughter.
"You think I'm a fool. You may have constructed the Island, but I was the one who planned this Experiment."
Jenath gently patted Anata's head with his small hand as he spoke.
"Those people can't be above me. They're nothing but my chess pieces. How about it? Aren't you curious what I'm going to do?"
Jenath spoke slowly, word by word, in a calm tone, his eyes crinkling with a beautiful smile.
"I'll show you something fun."
Anata feared Jenath's madness.
"...Jenath. We're going to be punished. We've committed too many sins."
Jenath merely laughed without a hint of disturbance in his response.
"I know. I'm going to hell."
* * *
The Flower Field was remarkably vast. The ceiling stretched impossibly high, and the space before and behind us extended beyond sight.
There was no sign of Diego, whom Enoch said he had seen.
"It's so expansive."
Rujeep muttered helplessly while scanning the surroundings. After wandering through the Flower Field together for some time, Kaiden finally lost his patience and grew irritated.
"I think we should split up. Since the space is so large, as long as we don't stray too far from each other's sight, it should be fine. What does everyone think?"
"I agree. As long as we don't go too far, it should work."
Enoch turned to look at us with an expression suggesting Kaiden's words made sense. I was inclined to agree as well, so reluctantly, we decided to split up and search for Diego.
I did wonder if Diego was really here, given how utterly empty this Clearing was.
I walked slowly through the Flower Field, holding my flashlight. The space, vast enough to raise goosebumps, had an overwhelming presence.
Moreover, except for the flashlight I was holding, there was no other light, yet I could still see ahead without difficulty.
It felt as though magical energy was subtly flowing throughout this entire Cave.
Fluttering.
Suddenly, I heard loud fluttering sounds from inside my flashlight. I looked at the flashlight containing the firefly insects.
"What's wrong?"
As I shook the flashlight, I realized these creatures were shining their light in one direction. It was toward my back.
"...Huh."
I hesitated for a moment at the ominous feeling. In the distance, I could see the three men searching their surroundings diligently. It should be fine to check it out, right? I needed to find Diego anyway.
I slowly turned around. Tension made my palms sweat.
As I fully turned my body and looked back, I saw someone kneeling in the middle of the Flower Field.
Though his head was bowed low, it was unmistakably Diego at first glance.
"Diego!"
I rushed toward him in one breath. I called his name and grabbed his shoulder. Diego, with a haggard face, slowly lifted his head to look at me.
"Everyone, come here!"
I called out urgently to my companions. But Enoch, Kaiden, and Rujeep—none of them seemed to hear my cry. That was strange. In a Cave like this, sound should have echoed clearly.
"Young Lady."
Diego called out to me then.
I turned back to face him. Something about his condition seemed deeply wrong. His face was deathly pale, and his eyes had lost all focus.
"What's happening?"
"I was... bound over there, but there's something strange. Please, follow me."
He struggled to his feet, speaking to me with difficulty. What...? So suddenly?
Diego looked exactly like someone under some kind of spell.
"Wait. Let me call the others first."
I turned around and called out to the three men again. But they didn't even glance in my direction, as if my voice hadn't reached them at all.
"Time... is running out! Please hurry. They're all visible from here, so couldn't we confirm their location first before calling the others?"
Diego grabbed my arm and spoke urgently. His eyes still lacked focus, and his cracked, parched lips trembled as if he were enduring something unbearable.
No, this really was strange. The situation was far too bizarre to blindly follow Diego like this.
Sssss—
Silver Earthworm, who had been at my feet, crawled up my leg and bared its fangs warily at Diego.
Right, because Silver Earthworm was here...
I pulled a flare from my crossbody bag, loaded it with an extra round, and began walking behind Diego while keeping a careful eye on the three men's movements behind us.
Firing a flare inside here wouldn't be the wisest choice, but what else could I do when it was my only weapon?
Fortunately, Diego didn't walk far before he stopped. But the "something strange" he had mentioned was nowhere to be seen.
I had a bad feeling about this. Could this actually be a trap...?
Diego turned around to look at me, then dropped to his knees and collapsed. His hands were trembling violently.
"Stop... stop...!"
"What? Stop what? Diego, are you really all right?"
Diego clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. Again, his face bore the expression of someone enduring something. As if he were fighting against himself...
"Diego?"
Diego shook his head. Tears dripped down onto his knees, one after another.
I stood frozen, at a loss for words, simply staring at him.
The pale-faced Diego was gripped by terror. He reached out and grasped my jacket with his right hand as if it were his lifeline.
"Sir?"
His trembling right hand was seized by his left hand, as if he had no control over his own body.
"...Cough."
He coughed up blood.
"Sir! Are you all right?"
"I'm sorry. My body... I can't control it. I've been threatened with my life. They're targeting you, Young Lady."
They? What on earth are they?
"They were planning to use me as bait to drain your magical power...! Hack!"
"Sir!"
A pure white vine pierced through Diego's abdomen. It looked as though it had sprouted from between the flowers in the Flower Field.
I stood frozen in shock, my mouth hanging open as I could only stare at the sight before me.
"Cough...! I should take your place instead...!"
What?
"Young Lady, you must survive. I... I think this is where I end."
Blood streamed vividly from Diego's lips.
Frozen in shock, I couldn't move, but Diego staggered and picked up the flashlight that had fallen to the ground. Then he pressed it into my trembling hands.
"Keep holding the lantern. Those creatures are weak to light. You... hurry and escape. Cough...!"
With those final words, the wooden tendril that had pierced Diego's abdomen dragged him away without hesitation.
"Diego!"
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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