Memoirs of the Returnee - Chapter 310



Only Krnovel

The Regressor’s Notepad Chapter 310

Milky Way (4)

─Please save me… … .

Even now, Akane occasionally recalls Teia from that day. It is part of the countless dreams that countless dolls have.

─Please save me… … !

A black beast, panting, clinging to the melting asphalt. Young Teia.

I was about seven years old.

The guy who was hiding under the monster’s corpse was crawling on the floor begging for help, but at the time, I was a bit too rational. So I just stared blankly.

─Please save me!!!!

Teia, unable to bear it any longer, screamed and threw a fit. Only then did Akane help him up.

The guy held onto his body like a wild animal.

─Help me, help me.

─I helped you just now.

─There are other kids inside besides me!

Teia has been greedy since then. Akane found it very annoying and tried to get her away.

─Akane. Compassion is said to be the most basic human emotion.

The teacher next to her tried to dissuade her.

─If you want to handle a doll, you have to know human emotions.

─… … Really?

Akane thought so.

Again, I was pretty rational at the time.

─Here, here!

Teia guided Akane. Akane was led by her hand into the village.

A tragic scene where human entrails and pieces of flesh are scattered on the streets, and blood and debris flow out in streams.

Akane lit a cigarette on the wall of the burning house. She chased after Teia, emitting acrid smoke.

─Hey guys! Hey guys!

Teia cried out for ‘the kids’. She didn’t look for her mom and dad, because she already knew they were dead.

─Hey guys! Hey guys!

Teia wandered around desperately. Akane followed him, killing several monsters that had attacked her, drawn by the sound.

─Oh, here, here it is!

Finally, Teia achieved her goal: she found the children.

─Here it is, here it is!

Five or six bloody bastards were hiding in the playground’s underground hideout. Most of them were passed out and had pale complexions.

─Here, here!

Teia looked back at Akane. The girl was whining like a puppy asking for help.

─… … Okay, okay.

Akane checked the children’s condition.

─Nobody died. They will survive.

Just exhaustion and fatigue. No special trauma.

─Ah… … Euaaaang.

At Akane’s words, Teia cried. After crying, the tension went away and she lay down to sleep.

Akane looked at the guy as if she found it a bit bewildering.

─… … Let’s go now

Then the teacher spoke. Akane shook her head as she extinguished the cigarette.

─Should I take this guy with me?

─Huh?

The teacher tilted his head as if surprised.

─You said you needed compassion. You seem to have talent, too.

Talent is revealed in extreme situations.

Theia was hiding under the monster’s corpse.

But who killed that monster?

It was probably Teia herself.

─… … Yeah.

The teacher smiled faintly.

─Then, let’s wait here.

He built a barrier, a delicate barrier that separated the space from the flames, ash, and smell of blood outside.

… … That was the beginning of the bad relationship.

From that day on, Teia became the disciple of the Holy Knight ‘Atan’, and the three of them lived together for quite some time.

Akane learned emotions thanks to Teia. Even though he had been hurt badly, he was very expressive and since he was the complete opposite of her, it felt like she had a younger sister.

That’s why Akane was angry.

When you become a monster, when you ‘choose’ to become a monster in order to survive.

Akane was furious at Teia’s anger.

I was the one who saved your life, I was the one who took you away from your master, so wouldn’t you be able to overlook something as simple as a monster graft on your right arm?

No, shouldn’t it be like that?

This ungrateful… … .

“… … You fucking bitch.”

Akane opened her eyes, swearing.

Suddenly, he looked at his collarbone. There was no sign of it being fake, but the certainty that it was ‘real’ as Zion had testified last night was only for a moment.

Because her memories were the same for all the dolls.

Because evidence that everyone knows cannot be evidence.

* * *

Teia opened her eyes on the small bed in the workshop office. She seemed to have fallen asleep without realizing it.

“… … Haam.”

She woke up and stumbled outside.

There were many students in the lab even in the early hours of the morning, but most of them were napping on the sofa or chair. This was because of the [Jedric AI Data] that Teia had obtained.

I spend all day pouring my energy into analyzing data.

However, one guy was wide awake.

Gerken.

“… … .”

He is a man of great talent. He is a man with perfect talent as a knight.

As a swordsman, he learned swordsmanship, and as a knight, he acquired excellent martial skills.

He had the potential to surpass himself someday.

However, Teia is worried.

This act of his is tantamount to declaring war on Zedrick and Libra. An enraged Zedrick will surely cause suffering to himself and those around him.

“Gerken.”

Teia called him. Gerken looked back at himself.

Teia walked over and sat down next to him.

“… … You said your dream was to become a member of the National Assembly, right?”

I was puzzled by the sudden question, but soon nodded.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But why are you still here?”

“… … I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Don’t you know? You can’t be a member of the National Assembly next to me.”

Teia’s speech is friendly. This is because there is no “switch” on her these days.

“Switch” is her spectrum. Perhaps, the most powerful form of ‘self-suggestion’ and ‘restraint’ on the continent.

She changes her ego by setting conditions and situations, as if turning a switch on and off.

During work hours, when he stands at the podium, he concentrates on his lectures as a “professor”, and in a “combat situation”, he invests all of his physical resources into fighting.

This is not a mere suggestion as an expression. It is a real change, a very dramatic amplification.

For example, when the switch called “Battle Situation” is turned on, Teia’s strength increases numerically by more than 30 times.

You can trust the data values ​​as they were derived through direct inspection.

“… … I’m a bit far from being a member of the National Assembly.”

Now, Teia, whose “switch” is not turned on, is her true self. More simple than you think, more emotional than you think… … .

“I never intended to get help from a professor to become a member of the National Assembly.”

“……what?”

At Gerken’s words, Teia unconsciously frowned.

“No, that’s ridiculous. Even if I can’t help you, it won’t be a loss. You can get out of this.”

“no.”

Gerken shook his head. As expected, he was a stubborn guy.

“why?”

“Isn’t that the right thing to do?”

“… … .”

That was right. The disciples were all outraged, angry, and saddened by the artificial intelligence that was created by capturing humans and bleaching their souls.

Jedrick deserved to die.

“……okay.”

Teia answered softly.

“Still, I’m sure of this.”

He continued speaking, looking at Gerken with a slightly relaxed expression.

“If, by any chance, something goes wrong and I am in the worst possible situation… … .”

A simple smile appeared on her lips.

“Then you can become a member of the National Assembly.”

And then it was exactly four in the morning.

Her face hardened coldly. The “switch” that had been set for the time had flipped.

“Wake up everyone.”

“yes.”

At first glance, it seemed like he had multiple personalities, but now he was used to it, and Gerken woke up his disciples.

* * *

While waiting for the Ortu Symposium, I planned a double operation. First, I manipulated certain documents from the Intelligence Service, and then I uploaded the files to Jedrick.

“… … The content was good.”

To be precise, it was a business plan.

The topic is ‘autonomous driving’, which will actually appear in the near future.

“It’s autonomous driving using a degraded version of artificial intelligence. Not bad.”

As soon as Jedrick received this report, he called me.

These days, it’s common to be granted exclusive access, which means it feels good.

“I heard you recommended a cafe to Jade. You definitely seem to have a knack for business.”

“That’s too much praise.”

“So, who does the person in charge recommend?”

The intelligence agency has an advantage in personnel recommendations. Although it has a separate personnel department, it does not investigate as thoroughly as the intelligence agency.

“I recommend Dr. Killian as the person in charge.”

“You mean Dr. Killian? I guess he has a good reputation in the intelligence agency?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jedrick chuckled at my words.

“Then to Vito… … .”

He paused as he was about to discuss Vito.

I smiled inwardly.

As such, there is no need to provoke or tease Jedrick, as he is a suspicious person from the start.

“no.”

Jedrick pointed at me with his finger.

“You make the proposal directly to Dr. Killian himself. Tell him it’s my message.”

“yes.”

This is Vito and Jedrick’s estrangement.

Vito is cooperating with Jedrick, but he is basically Sheiloch’s man.

Jedrick also knows this fact, and because he is a narcissist who wants all the genius aspects for himself, he secretly does not like Vito.

But Vito is also a person who would be sad if he were to be second in pride, so the two cannot get along even if they try.

“I will pass it on to Dr. Killian, as ‘Duke Jedric’s idea.’”

I am not.

You can bring any business item you want to Jedrick.

“Yeah, good. Right. On the way.”

Jedrick smiled with satisfaction and cut out the check.

“I’ll give you a bonus too. That doctor seems to have a lot of things he wants to buy. Haha.”

I saw the check.

This time it was a Libra gift certificate.

“……yes.”

It’s a bit annoying.

If you’ve earned that much, isn’t it time to start writing cash checks?

… … .

The next day, in the lab. I, furious at Killian, handed over a document to Vito’s table. It was the content of the review of the technique Vito had developed.

“Um… … . I checked.”

He accepted it and nodded with satisfaction.

“yes.”

“Ah. Wait. Dr. Killian?”

As I was about to turn around, he handed me a key card.

“Okay. This is the Hansa Hotel in Ortu.”

The Ortu Symposium is held in Ortu, Edsila. Ortu is known as a wealthy town where scholars live, and as such, there are many luxury hotels.

Among them, Hanja Hotel is a luxury hotel famous for its continental scale.

“The Presidential Room. I don’t think you have much money left.”

“Ah… … . Thank you.”

Vito treats Killian surprisingly well, much better than I expected.

Could this even be part of his doubts? Or perhaps Vito had been secretly hoping for someone who would understand him.

Although I didn’t know it, I knew one thing for sure while dealing with them.

If you are willing to become defiled in body and soul, you can become friends with the devil.

“thank you…….”

I put my key card in my pocket and hesitated in front of Vito.

Vito asked, observing the situation.

“Do you have anything else to say?”

“That’s… … Doctor.”

I looked around and handed over Jedrick’s proposal.

“Duke Jedric would like to entrust me with a new business.”

“… … New business?”

Vito glanced at the contents and frowned.

“Why are you telling me this?”

That’s quite a prickly voice. It seems like he feels some sort of betrayal.

“… …Because.”

I whispered in Vito’s ear.

“The reason I came here is not because of Libra.”

His expression sank. I spoke to him as if I was confessing something, as if I was reciting a poem.

“Because I wanted to work with Dr. Vito, learn a lot from him… … and be with him again. The reason I am here is because of the intelligence called Vito.”

Then Vito snickered.

“… … Don’t go around saying things like that. It’s embarrassing.”

He handed over his new business plan on the road.

“It’s probably because I’m Mr. Sheiloch’s guy. I’m sure Jedrick also wants to fill the company with his own people.”

I took the plan hesitantly.

“That. Don’t refuse. It’ll just make you mad.”

“I, but-”

“Listen to me. Jedrick is a man with more pride than anyone else. Instead, act as if you were Jedrick’s man.”

“… … Yes. I will try my best.”

“great.”

Vito nodded and clicked the mouse.

Click- click-

As I was fiddling with the desktop of my poor computer, I left a meaningful message.

“Mr. Riley has been staying with me a lot lately.”

“Ah, that-”

“Be careful. That guy is suspicious.”

A chill ran down my spine for a moment.

Vito noticed.

[Bancheon] Did the information leak out internally? Or was it simply a background check?

Either way, it was unexpected.

“… … Yes. I will be careful.”

Riley doesn’t have much time left.

* * *

A week before the Ortu Symposium.

Riley received a telegram from [Bancheon] while driving. It was a radio code that said, ‘Danger, stay back.’ Not only that, but for the past few days, all the warnings had been coming from the owl──that is, from him.

It meant that something was lurking in Ortu.

“ha…….”

When the traffic light finally stopped, Riley sighed and pondered.

Today, he leaves for Ortu. He is preparing a proper presentation and participating as a Libra employee to promote the product.

That’s why you have to stay there for at least ten days. Like it or not, once you join as Libra’s secretary, you can’t leave.

This means that Ortu could become his own limb.

“… … ”

Riley thought hard, but eventually turned the radio off.

Not yet.

It’s still not enough.

The information given to Teia alone is not enough to definitely take down Jedrick. There are plenty of excuses that can be easily overcome.

Jedrick is still acting inhumanly.

Again, we cannot allow the same old disaster to occur.

I remember the village burning down. My mother and father dying. I remember the countless adults who tried to save themselves while being chased by the monster. All of those people still linger in my mind.

For their sake, Riley will definitely get revenge.

Surely, Jedrick will be destroyed… … .

In the meantime, we arrived at the meeting place.

She stopped on the sidewalk in Plaza Edsilla.

Not far away stood a doctor who loved luxury.

“… … It’s here!”

Riley opened the window and smiled. Dr. Killian approached, smiling.

All the clothes I was wearing were luxury brands. They must be more expensive than my car.

“I’m nervous.”

He said as he climbed into the passenger seat.

“Yes, that’s right. Oh, I’m nervous.”

Riley nodded as if to say that it was true.