~Chapter 39~
“It’s a simple question, and the answer should be even simpler, shouldn’t it? Candidate, you knew what that monster was going to ask, didn’t you?”
The moment that question was asked while I was nestled in Father’s arms, I knew the inevitable had arrived.
The answer slipped out whether I wanted it to or not. That was the nature of brainwashing.
I need to get out of this place as quickly as possible.
Thankfully, Father sensed something was wrong and stepped in.
Before he and Usher could clash, the trial began.
And as it started, a thought crossed my mind.
That mutt-headed monster is capable of negotiation, isn’t it?
As long as fairness was upheld, anything was possible for that creature.
I darted a glance at Usher, then swept my gaze over the rest of the team.
Truth be told, it wasn’t only Usher who bothered me. There was also Antonio—the so-called priest with his eyes swathed in bandages, using a false name. That spy was just as troubling, though…
Not as much as the fanatic.
On top of that, I was still under the effects of brainwashing.
The right to refuse a question? That’s practically meaningless.
The moment I refused, it would be the same as giving away part of the answer.
Which meant staying here with him was absolutely the worst option.
So—
“Honorable Judge, might I propose a negotiation for this next trial?”
—A negotiation?
As expected, the judge, who had already developed an interest—perhaps even a liking—for me after the previous trial, readily accepted.
Or at least, that’s what I thought.
—But we’ve changed our minds.
The judge’s voice turned capricious.
—If you wish to send a companion away, not under those terms. Sacrifice a hostage, and we’ll allow it!
…What?
I blinked.
The terms… just got better.
I quickly raised a hand to my mouth, hiding the smile tugging at my lips.
Originally, I had intended to lay out terms for negotiation and use the opportunity to send my team members out one by one.
But this makes executing the plan even easier.
Anyone watching me now might think, What kind of heartless monster is she?
But that didn’t matter.
Game Category [Forum Post]
Paranormal Phenomena Edition
“The Judge’s Law”
(…omitted…)
To avoid the trap, one preparation is necessary.
“But Your Honor, I have a question.”
I deliberately cupped my hands around my mouth and whispered. The judge, who had been arching his brows, suddenly approached.
-What is it?
-What is it?
“Earlier, you told Team 1 that if they sacrificed a hostage, one of their teammates could leave… but that was a lie, wasn’t it?”
-…
-And how would you know that?
-Indeed?
-Did we ever say that?
-Did we?
They never said it.
But anyone could tell just by watching Gerek, Gidme’s guardian, get dragged into that strange blue portal.
“I just thought that blue portal looked strange when one of Team 1’s members got pulled into it.”
-Hmm… well, fine.
-That rule doesn’t apply to your team.
-Right, because we were the ones who offered it?
So that’s how you avoid the rule that sacrificing a hostage means the sacrificer dies too.
‘Getting those mutts to make the offer first is tricky, though.’
Game Category [Forum Post]
Paranormal Phenomena Edition
(…omitted…)
The judges can change the rules here to a certain extent.
At last, the deal was struck, and I nodded. Then I glanced back.
A smile crept onto my face.
Team, are you listening? I just pulled off one hell of a negotiation.
I’ll put you all in a limousine heading straight out!
“Alright, I’ll sacrifice a hostage.”
I caught a glimpse of Dad’s horrified face and Usher’s wide-eyed stare.
For some reason, it felt just a little satisfying.
‘Sorry, Dad, for the shock.’
But there was no other choice!
-Oh? Really?
-Really?
-You’ll abandon the defendant?
“Yes, that’s right.”
The three dog heads looked at one another. Shadows behind them rippled as though laughing.
And then—
-Khuh, khahahaha!
-Howl! Howl! Howl-how-how-how!
Of course they sounded like dogs. When the judges laughed, it was like a deafening canine roar.
Though it was closer to the cry of some massive beast from the canine family—or a strange, tearing screech.
‘God, can’t someone file a noise complaint?’
In the game, you could just turn the volume down. In reality, it was a maddening sound drilling straight into my ears.
My head throbbed.
‘This actually took HP damage in the game too, if I remember right…’
I was a fragile little baby!
Because I was closest, I took the full brunt and trembled—when suddenly a deep blue light surrounded me.
‘Dad?’
It was Dad’s holy power.
‘I can breathe easier now…’
-This is fun!
-Fun!
-After that last trial, and now this choice?
Just as I had whispered before, the judge approached, their expression completely different from before.
‘Oh hell, this mutt is excited.’
Those gleaming eyes—if I saw them at night, I’d be terrified.
-We love contradictions!
-You said you’d sacrifice, right?
-Who goes first?
I spoke calmly, without glancing at the hostages.
In my mind, I recalled the seating arrangement.
“The hostage sitting at the very front… sacrifice them… and send one of my teammates outside!”
-Very well!
-We allow it!
-Bang bang bang!!
At the same time, chaos erupted behind me.
“You call yourself human?!”
“Ahhh! Stay away! Stay away!”
I saw a person floating in midair. Like the previous hostage, they were bound, but the situation was different.
“This is all your fault!!”
It was one of those who had been clapping with the back of their hands.
“That damned brat!”
The man glared at me with bloodshot eyes, thrashing and cursing.
“Die! Die! I’ll remember this even in death!”
If I’d been an ordinary child, maybe I would have faltered here.
Soon, a blue portal appeared, and the hostage was sucked in.
-Sacrifice complete!
-Heh heh heh, this is getting interesting!
-So fun!
The judge happily nodded its three heads, ears twitching in excitement.
“Your Honor, can I now name the teammate to be sent back?”
-We allow it!
-You may speak!
-We’ll send them immediately.
Leaving behind their gleeful voices, I turned my head and exhaled deeply.
‘The youngest child’s already been sent out first.’
All that remained were adults.
Common sense said I, the youngest, should leave next. But how would the rest get out then?
This decision was set from the beginning.
I beckoned to the judge and whispered something only the dog-heads could hear.
-Very well! It’s decided.
Soon, a red portal appeared right next to where the team was being held.
I didn’t hesitate and shouted.
“Dad!”
Even with the distance, our eyes met—as if he’d been waiting.
The lump in my throat was gone in an instant.
I grinned.
“Send that bastard through!”
Father, please take care of this trash.
“Huh? Haha, you’re joking, right, Candidate? Someone as valuable as me?”
Before Usher could even finish panicking at my pointed finger—
“Wait, this setup is familiar—no, wait, aaahhh!”
Dad grabbed Usher by the collar and hurled him into the portal without a moment’s hesitation.
At the very last moment, my eyes met Usher’s. I smiled even brighter.
‘Answer every question? Yeah, right!’
Your free trial is over, you bastard.
The portal swallowed Usher and vanished instantly.
All of this was resolved in mere seconds, leaving the space in stunned silence.
The judge chuckled, clucking softly.
-Do you care about that teammate?
-Team spirit?
-That too is noble!
-Indeed.
“Of course.”
I smiled.
“I care about my teammate so much that I wanted to send him out first.”
Yeah, that was sarcasm.
‘No more wondering when the fanatic might pull something.’
Now, the next step.
“Your Honorable Judges, before the next trial begins…”
I donned a calm expression as though I’d never smiled at all.
Then I spoke casually.
“I’d like to sacrifice two more people… and send two of my teammates home.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw the shocked face of Laura and the slack-jawed Antonio.
I could feel my reputation shattering in real-time, especially with Laura, but there was no helping it.
Is it right to sacrifice civilians like this?
‘Absolutely not.’
But what if the hostages assigned to me… weren’t really human?
What if they were cleverly disguised beings?
What if they were on the same side as those judges?
‘Yeah. I’d send them without an ounce of guilt.’
“What are you waiting for? Hurry and proceed.”
Execute.
These hostages were, in fact, the very trap that guaranteed rookies’ deaths.
“I’ll sacrifice two more!”
