Jurim closed the message window and, frowning, stared straight ahead.
Not missing the moment, Jeon Byeongho spoke.
“……Then, going back to the beginning…… When you say the Inoue Series is a derivative of the Amakusa Series, are you saying there was a problem with the fulfillment of the contract between Japan and Mr. Amakusa Kazuki?”
When Kazuki signed the contract that would transfer the Amakusa Series to Japan, he had set several conditions.
One of them was a safeguard against derivative works.
It was because he had been wary of the Japanese government stealing his technology and using it somewhere he did not want.
“Yes. Every Inoue Series item in the special exhibition was made while the contract with Amakusa was still in effect.”
“What?! No, that can’t be. The Inoue Series was definitely created in just three months. The Japanese government guaranteed—”
“Yes, well. According to our appraiser, that is the case.”
Kazuki grinned and stuck out his tattooed tongue.
“No, you can’t just listen to one side and—”
“You’re welcome to call your appraiser as well. The result won’t be any different. If Chairman Nam had been here, he wouldn’t have gotten caught up in something like this. What a shame.”
Jurim replied languidly, then calmly lifted his phone.
“I’m sorry, but please excuse me for a moment.”
Jeon Byeongho opened his mouth as if dumbfounded.
Whether he did or not, Jurim was already calling somewhere.
“Yeah, it’s Dad. What did you mean by the text you sent? Haengttai?”
Kazuki and Jeon Byeongho fixed their gazes on Jurim.
What was this Haengttai all of a sudden?
“Yeah. Ah, Haengttai kidnapped Beii?”
The two who were not on the call were the ones startled by the word “kidnapped.”
The person actually taking the call asked calmly.
“Then Geuru is all right, isn’t she?”
At his question, a child’s voice drifted out.
— Yeees, Geuru is with the big brothers.
“Got it. Stay close to the brothers. Call me if anything happens.”
It seemed she had called because something had happened, but his attitude made it seem like it was not serious at all.
— What about Beii?
“She’ll be fine. Dad is working, so I’m hanging up.”
Jurim turned his gaze back to Jeon Byeongho.
*
After hanging up, Geuru puffed out her cheeks in a pout.
With a troubled expression, Haruna stroked Geuru’s head.
[“Little one, don’t worry. Once we take care of this fog, the Hyeonak Hunters will find your friend for you.”]
At Haruna’s warm consolation, Geuru hugged the baby rabbit tightly and nodded.
Even though Jjap-sso had disappeared and Geuru had appeared, Haruna seemed to believe without a shred of doubt that she was simply the little sister Gidan and Serhi had brought with them.
They followed into the warehouse.
Gidan and Serhi had subdued and tied up the people wearing gas masks.
Serhi removed the gas masks one by one and asked Haruna in Japanese.
[“Inoue, which one here is Yamaoka Shun?”]
“You speak Japanese too?”
“I learned a little from Kazuki.”
Serhi answered the surprised Gidan as if it were nothing, then turned his gaze to Haruna.
Haruna answered hurriedly.
[“I-It’s not any of these people.”]
“She says Yamaoka Shun isn’t here?”
“He’s not?”
Gidan rubbed his chin.
If they had gone out of their way to scatter fog, it meant there was something they had to do while avoiding people’s eyes.
The only thing he could think of right now was that they were aiming for Jjap-sso, a key person who would be at the pop-up store.
But they should not know Jjap-sso’s true identity.
Then…… perhaps they had installed something like a weapon of mass destruction to catch Jjap-sso.
“Maybe they planted something like a bomb?”
“Should we torture them?”
Serhi and Gidan looked at Geuru at the same time.
“Something rated nineteen and up is a bit much.”
“True.”
“What should we do……”
*
What should I do……
Beilak quietly met the eyes of Yamaoka Shun, who was gripping his shoulder.
He was not familiar with the other party’s language, so he did not know what he was saying, but such things were not important to Beilak.
There was no such thing as a beast of prey that listened to its prey’s story.
Seeing the child’s pupils turn star-like, Yamaoka Shun’s shoulders flinched.
“You don’t look like you’ll taste good, but—”
When the child smiled, teeth as sharp as a shark’s were revealed.
“—I can’t leave something like you by my master’s side.”
Feeling the tension, Yamaoka Shun raised Kagehira.
In truth, everything had been because of this sword.
Amakusa’s S+ Series belonged to Japan. Thanks to that, he had been able to become the master of this sword.
But as Amakusa Kazuki changed his nationality, ownership was about to be reorganized.
Yamaoka Shun gripped the sword tightly.
“I’ve thought this before, but it’s quite a fine sword. It’s a terrible match for me.”
Crack—
Beilak’s right arm turned black and began transforming into the burly arm of a monster.
When Mephisto staggered, Beilak pressed down on the body of the baby bird perched on his head with his other hand.
“Ppyut!”
“Hold on tight, you bootlicker.”
“Ppyii……!”
Mephisto let out a pained groan.
At that moment, Yamaoka Shun moved first.
The flash of the blade drawn from its scabbard cut diagonally across the space before Beilak.
A sword that cut even through space. That was the power of Kagehira.
“But no matter how good the tool is—”
Beilak waved his hand as if swatting away an annoying fly, and a gale shattered the flash to pieces before flying toward Yamaoka Shun.
“—if the master is in this state, then what’s the point?”
Shashashashak—!
[“Kgh!”]
Yamaoka Shun, fully exposed to the gale, drove his sword into the ground to endure it, but he was pushed back all the same.
Just as he was about to correct his broken stance, the child appeared before his eyes.
Eyes studded with stars turned toward him. A chilling cold crossed his spine.
Yamaoka Shun hastily regained his posture and swung his sword down, but Beilak’s figure swiftly dodged and closed in again.
Beilak’s mouth opened as it reached Yamaoka Shun’s nape.
The corners of his mouth split wide, and sharp teeth gleamed grotesquely.
Snap!
Crunch.
[“Ah……”]
Yamaoka Shun clutched the nape of his neck, where blood was dripping, and took a step back.
How was he this fast?
A speed that easily surpassed his own, even though he was S-rank and receiving buffs from Kagehira’s options.
His stats were unbelievable for a production-type.
But his thoughts did not continue for long.
Graaaak—
The last thing Yamaoka Shun saw was a gigantic pitch-black maw filled with sharp teeth.
Beilak, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, landed on the ground.
“Ptooey. That only ruined my appetite.”
At that moment, Mephisto flapped his wings as if sending a signal.
“I know. If you’re done watching, why don’t you come out now?”
Mephisto spread his wings while standing threateningly on one leg like a crane, and Beilak tilted his head crookedly.
Then the man who had been spying on them from subspace slowly revealed himself.
The man remained calm even after seeing Beilak devour Yamaoka Shun. If anything, he even gave a picture-perfect smile.
Of course he did. That fellow was not human.
By Earth’s classification, he was an SSS-rank boss monster.
And he was a bloodkin of Sheier, who had once belonged to the seat of guardians together with Beilak.
“Karmirak Noknir.”
At Beilak’s call, Dominic said,
“Please call me Dominic now, Lord Beilak.”
“Even if the world has changed, it seems your taste for wearing the shells of the dead hasn’t.”
Karmirak Noknir. Bloodkin of Mist. The Fourth Seat Guardian of the Hesed Knight Order, Sheier’s royal guard.
Dominic bowed at the waist.
“You are the same as ever as well, Lord Beilak.”
When he grabbed Yamaoka Shun’s lower body, the remaining corpse crumbled in his hand.
Dominic smiled as he licked the blood from his hand.
At the sight, Mephisto shuddered and furrowed his brow.
But paying that no mind, Dominic grinned at Mephisto.
The way he stuck out his tongue and smacked his lips made it look as though he might swallow Mephisto in one gulp, and Mephisto, eyes wide, burrowed into Beilak’s hair.
Beilak glanced up at Mephisto.
Though Mephisto held the title of Monarch, he had not fully recovered his power, and Karmirak was SSS-rank.
It was entirely possible for Karmirak to devour Mephisto and steal the title of Monarch.
‘It’s not as if he couldn’t. He can never resist strong prey.’
He had been that sort of fellow since long ago.
So that Karmirak would not notice his wariness, Beilak crossed his arms with a casual air and asked,
“Karmirak or Dominic, whichever it is. Why did you follow us?”
Then, as if he had been waiting for the question, Dominic flushed and knelt down.
“Lord Beilak!”
“Mm.”
“Do you not wish to return to your original body?”
“Well. Of course I do.”
“I will help you.”
Oh? Beilak raised one eyebrow.
But soon, he had no choice but to stiffen his lips in disbelief.
“And let us rebuild the Tower!”
……All of a sudden?