Chapter 16
My Record as the Villain’s Handler —
A man was being dragged out. He struggled fiercely, shouting at the top of his lungs. It sounded like he was cursing. The curse must have been pretty severe. The atmosphere around them grew solemn, and you could feel it just by watching.
The interrogator raised his hand high. The birds holding the man scattered. The man fell straight down. One of the names on the list in the interrogator’s hand turned into red smoke and dispersed. Everyone in the birdcage who had been protesting suddenly went silent.
They all stared fearfully at the birds holding the cage. If those birds scattered, the whole cage would fall. And that depended entirely on the interrogator’s mood.
“I can’t let this go.”
Irix said.
“Huh?”
“I said I can’t let this go.”
Irix jumped up and threw open the window. The wind howling through the gorge rushed in violently.
“What are you doing…?”
Irix grabbed the windowsill and leaned forward. I instinctively wrapped my arms around his waist.
“This is dangerous!”
Irix shouted in alarm.
“What are you doing to me! Let go! Let go!”
“It’s dangerous! What are you doing?”
“Let go! Now! Damn it, let go! Take your hands off me!”
I wanted to smack his back, and I actually almost did, but a flapping sound came from below and stopped me. A paper crane drone was caught in Irix’s hand.
“Why did you grab that?”
“Can you let go of my hand first?”
“…….”
I almost pushed him away.
The dark mastermind would disappear, the novel would end, I would die instantly, and everyone would be happy.
The small sign attached to the window faded, and new letters appeared.
You must not kill.
“…….”
The letters soon vanished, and the sign returned to its original text.
Please do not open the window while the train is in motion.
I let go of Irix. He straightened up, still holding the paper crane drone.
“Why did you grab it?”
“I had a use for it.”
Irix tightened his grip to prevent the drone from moving, then brought its head close to his face. The button-like eye vibrated.
“Can you see me?”
The vibration in the eye stopped.
Irix pressed the drone to his face.
“It’s me, the Church.”
Irix said.
“Irix Berkhart. The gigantic vessel you’ve been desperately wanting all this time.”
What kind of self-introduction is that…?
The snake seemed to feel the same, opening its mouth and letting out a sigh. Shii….
“What are you doing now?”
Irix released the bird. The snake flew at it like an arrow and swallowed it whole. Irix was stunned.
“What are you doing right now! You can’t just eat someone else’s property like that, you venomous snake!”
“Don’t call me a venomous snake.”
“You should’ve raised it better if you adopted it. Teach it not to eat other people’s things. And it is a venomous snake!”
“It’s not adoption, I told you. I just picked it up. And I told you not to call me a venomous snake. That makes it a name.”
“Everyone raises them like that! And it is a venomous snake, so why are you acting like this?”
“Is it a stray cat or dog? And yes, I know it’s a venomous snake, but I told you not to call me that. Is that so hard?”
Dephor flinched. He had just realized that it really was a venomous snake. Maimon and Anerica looked at the snake with worried eyes.
“What’s the difference? And if you tell me to raise it, then I’ll raise it!”
“Then your house must be full of dogs and cats you picked up from the street. Ah, then you’d be better at disciplining adopted animals, so teach the snake. And if you keep calling it a venomous snake, I’ll shut that mouth of yours myself.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“What’s so hard about it? I just grab that sharp mouth and twist it shut.”
As they fought, they realized something.
It was quiet.
No sound could be heard anymore. The interrogator’s search suddenly stopped.
“What did you just do, Lord?”
Dephor growled, glaring.
“What kind of commotion was that, Irix Berkhart?”
“What do you mean? I just let everyone in the Church know I exist.”
He had revealed a fact that only a few Church executives thought they knew. Everyone now knew.
Everyone must have been planning some grand scheme involving Irix, but now it was over. Everyone would have to watch their steps.
The Church had a strict hierarchy. If someone lower tried to do what a higher-up wanted, it could lead to serious trouble.
“You brought the people who were summoned to protect you here, but you brought them here on purpose?”
“It’s just that things get done a bit faster.”
Dephor’s face twisted further.
Then.
A sudden tingling ran through my whole body. I felt dizzy, and my mind briefly went blank.
What is this?
It felt like my veins were filled with electricity. I’ve never felt this before. Why now?
Irix looked at me urgently.
“Senpai.”
I raised my hand.
“I’m fine.”
But perhaps it showed, because Irix, eyes wide, stepped closer and grabbed my wrist. The tingling eased.
“Senpai, no way…”
No way, what.
Looking at Irix’s widened eyes, I realized the situation was serious.
The tingling returned. This time it was my neck. Irix placed his hand there.
How did he know exactly where it was tingling?
Maimon spoke.
“Something is coming.”
Maimon was staring toward the door. I felt uneasy about that direction too.
A moment later, the area began to darken as if burned by fire. It felt like a black evil spirit was creeping in.
Thud… thud… The door trembled. Everyone stared, tense. The shaking stopped, then suddenly—
Bang!
The door was ripped out.
They could’ve just knocked, why do it like that? It wasn’t even locked.
A mass of blackness poured in. It spread out like a bird unfolding its wings, wrapping around us, and instantly transforming into a giant hand.
The giant hand, filling the entire carriage, narrowed sharply at the wrist and stretched outside the door. It looked like a black sack tied with thread.
Irix stepped forward. His hand was still on my body.
A man with an arm connected to the giant hand stood where Irix was staring.
“Hello.”
The owner of the massive black hand was a thin, crane-like man. His face was hidden by a mask. Only his eyes shone brightly with desire.
“Who are you?”
Irix asked.
In this situation, he asks that first? Is he not even surprised by this sight?
Well, this is a fantasy world. Maybe this is normal here.
I decided to stay calm. I would not show that I was from another world. Calm…
No, I can’t.
Damn it, what is that?
While I screamed internally, Irix said nonchalantly,
“You’re an unusual one.”
In this world, that was the level of “unusual,” huh.
I tried my best to stay calm to fit in with the locals.
“Oh, me?”
The man tilted his head and laughed loudly.
Irix’s neck veins bulged. He was irritated. Even seeing this, he wasn’t surprised—he was annoyed first. Well, it’s a fantasy world…
“Haha! Do you think I’d tell you who I am?”
And he laughed again.
I almost forgot to adapt to this world out of sheer annoyance. Having a giant arm is one thing, but I was just irritated.
Irix closed his eyes, frowning. When the laugh finally subsided, he spoke.
“I’m asking because I don’t know who you are. Not because I’m pretending.”
The snake nodded its small head. I nodded too.
“So please, just tell us.”
“Oh, my name will come later. There’s something I want to show you.”
Just tell us your name.
Irix tilted his head and sighed.
“I only want your name.”
He said it several times, but the man wouldn’t listen.
“No. You must see it.”
How great could it be for him to insist on showing it?
The giant shadow hand wavered, then bubbles began to rise.
What is that?
One bubble popped, revealing a red eyeball.
One after another, bubbles burst, releasing more red eyes. From marbles to soccer balls in size.
The eyes glimmered and turned toward Irix.
Suddenly, the electricity in my body surged.
“Senpai.”
Irix tightened his grip on my hand. It eased. I regained consciousness. But what use was that? There was a hand covered in eyes right in front of me.
The snake just flapped its wings while looking at the eyes. It wasn’t on guard. That was a relief. Maybe despite its appearance, it wasn’t dangerous.
I tried to act calm.
Don’t show that you’re from another world…
No, no. I can’t.
Damn it, that startled me. What is that?
If something like this appears this early, what on earth is going to show up later?
