Episode 337
“butaaaaaa?”
Merlin stretched his horse’s tail like cheese.
“It won’t be too difficult for you.”
Raon looked at Merlin and nodded.
“That’s…”
Merlin stroked his long ears gently.
“Of course you have to listen.”
The red eyes of the rabbit looking this way were cute and creepy.
“What kind of request is it? Just talk.”
Merlin stomped his paw, saying he would do anything.
-Hmm…
Lars glanced at Merlin and licked his lips.
– You have an errand boy who can do anything for you. It’s a bit scary, but…
‘I don’t intend to write like that.’
It was an unexpected situation with a large number of children to protect, so all I could do was ask Merlin. I would never have called her if it wasn’t for the children.
-You’re usually like a ghost with no emotions, but you’re mild in strange places.
Lars shook his head, saying he couldn’t understand.
Raon laughed as he saw Lars click his tongue.
‘It’s clear that using Merlin is beneficial. But…’
I won’t do anything that controls people’s emotions, even if I die.
If you use Merlin’s favor to dominate her, you will be no different from Derus Robert, who put the leash of brainwashing on you in your previous life.
I don’t know anything else, but I didn’t want to be like him.
“Please pass the letter I wrote to someone else.”
“letter? Is that all right?”
Merlin tilted his head in surprise.
“okay. That’s enough.”
“You’re going to rescue the kids over there. I can help with that.”
“are you okay. I have no intention of getting your hands stained with blood as a favor of mine.”
“Oh no…”
Merlin let out an excited moan and put his feet on the floor. Her shoulders trembled slightly.
“I just got chills…”
“That’s an illusion.”
“It’s been a while since I felt like this.”
“Whoa…”
Raon let out a deep sigh. It seemed that Merlin was seriously mistaken, but he spared his words because he didn’t think it would work even if he explained it.
“I’m glad you’re worried about me, but I can do anything you ask. Just say anything.”
“You really just need to send me a letter.”
Raon waved his hand. After writing different contents on two sheets of stationery prepared in advance, I handed them to Merlin.
“Deliver the folded letter to the Rag Saint in the Yonan family.”
If you’re the Rag Saint Federick, who is researching brainwashing, you’ll be able to unleash the brainwashing of those children who haven’t finished yet.
“Ah, the saint of rags. That’s right, I saw you there for the second time.”
Merlin said he remembered that time and looked up at the sky with a blush on his cheek. Originally, it would have given me goosebumps, but since it was a young rabbit, I was able to look at it at least.
“Deliver the triangulated letter to Sir Borini Keaton of Owen Kingdom.”
“Borini Keaton? He lost to you.”
“that’s right.”
Raon nodded quietly.
‘Then I can believe it.’
I want to take those children to Sieghart, but it’s impossible because I don’t want their identities revealed. It was best to leave it to Borini Keaton, who had a place nearby and could be trusted.
If he was the role model for the knights, he would confirm everything himself and grant his request.
-Certainly, that skewer seemed to have a pretty good personality.
Lars nodded, thinking of Keaton.
-It was the exact opposite of you, the devil.
‘That’s why I’m leaving it to you.’
Raon laughed.
“It’s not really difficult.”
Merlin snorted, perhaps disappointed by the easy task.
“I could really kill everyone…”
“Enough. When can you send it?”
He shook his hand, saying he didn’t need Raon.
“I can do it right now.”
“Then let me go now.”
“okay.”
As Merlin smiled and stretched out his front paw, the paper in his hand melted like spring snow. It seemed to have been moved to where her body was.
“I did your favor, so you should do mine too.”
Merlin lowered his paw and curled up his mouth.
“If I like what I can do without harming myself or others.”
In case you didn’t know, I set up a number of conditions.
“It’s tricky.”
Merlin chuckled. She seemed to enjoy this time of conversation with Raon.
“It’s something you’ll listen to, though.”
She waved her front paws without losing her smile until the end.
“Then see you next time. Even if you don’t tell me about the next day, you know? He said he likes parsley?”
“Don’t let me do that, you…”
Raon shouted as he approached Merlin, but the rabbit’s eyes were already wild.
Goong.
The rabbit approached with a frown on his nose as if asking for food.
“Gee…”
Raon swallowed dry saliva and bowed down.
“I don’t have green onion parsley….”
Just in case he didn’t know, he got some food from Dorian. There were grains, nuts, strawberries, dried bugs, but of course no parsley.
“…You choose.”
He laid down the food on the floor with an embarrassed expression.
Quung!
The rabbit stared blankly at the prey, kicked the grains and nuts, trampled the insects, ate one strawberry, and bit the other two in its mouth.
Tuuk.
Then he kicked his own peach bone with his hind foot and ran into the bush.
-Puhahahaha!
Lars giggled at Raon, who had hardened.
-I got hit by a rabbit! How ugly it is!
The boy did not stop laughing, saying that he was cool inside.
“Haaa…”
Raon sighed deeply and sat down on the floor.
‘I’m tired.’
My head is blank as if I fought with all my might. It was difficult every time I met Merlin, so I didn’t want to run into him.
– You also have a natural enemy!
Lars smirked and teased as if he had found a weakness after a long time.
‘Be patient.’
As I shook my head and looked down at the nursery school again, a blue-haired middle-aged man walked out of the nursery school. He had a soft impression, but his eyes were cold, and a thin scar was engraved on his left cheek.
‘Was it that guy?’
The energy of the master that I felt after coming here was Lisbon, one of the ties in my previous life and Mattio’s confidant.
‘He succeeded because he was in charge.’
Is this a relationship?
Raon looked down at Lisbon and let out a terrifyingly cold smile.
‘I’m going to have a nightmare today.’
* * *
My life has been hell.
He was kidnapped before he could even lose his baby teeth and was locked up in an unknown basement.
There were zookeepers there.
They called kids like me dogs and taught them how to survive and how to kill.
Through the torture of tearing his skin and scratching his bones, he developed endurance, was stabbed with a sword, knew where the human vitals were, and fought real battles while being chased by monsters and beasts.
I wanted to cry but I had to laugh, I wanted to die but I had to live.
There was no thought of running away or running away.
I took it for granted that I was here, like the rising and setting of the sun.
As I found out later, it was because of brainwashing. The suggestion that oppresses the brain completely erased the option of running away.
I barely survived, walking a tightrope between life and death in that hell where I was killed even if I rebelled, failed, or did not live up to my expectations.
It was a place where all human desires, let alone food and shelter, were trampled on, but there was only one light.
friend.
It was the existence of a friend who, like me, was kidnapped in this basement and shared the same room.
He was called No. 9.
A cute impression with a round face. I don’t know how old he is, but No. 9 was older than me.
The only time we could meet was about 4 hours of sleep, but when I talked to him during that time, the feeling of wanting to die that had been building up all day subsided.
He accepted my words and told me that if I held on a little, good things would happen.
I didn’t remember what life was like outside, so I didn’t know what was good. It was only because he said so.
We laughed at each other in a space with nothing to eat or enjoy.
That was my only light there.
As the years went by, and towards the end of our education, all the children were summoned to an underground joint.
Zookeepers called the children who shared the same room to each other.
And made them fight. No, they killed each other.
Of course, no one was fighting.
Because in this hellish place, the person sharing the same room was the only friend.
I was like that too, and No. 9 was like that too.
We threw away the daggers in our hands and raised our arms. It was his determination not to wield a sword at his friend even if he was killed by the zookeeper.
However, those thoughts disappeared the moment the mouth of the blue-haired zookeeper with a small scar on his left cheek opened.
“Kill him.”
At those words, my head and body escaped my will.
I picked up the dagger that had fallen on the floor and rushed at No. 9.
No. 9 also struck down the dagger with blood-red blood in his eyes.
We poured out the assassination techniques we had learned so far, aiming for each other’s breath.
Until this morning, the hands that had been stitching up each other’s wounds stabbed the other’s vitals with a knife.
The skills of No. 9 and I were equal.
The raw flesh was ripped open, and white bones protruded through the skin.
It hurt. It hurt terribly, but the pain didn’t matter.
I just didn’t want to fight with my friend.
I wanted to be killed by #9, but the dagger I was holding was lodged in his heart before I knew it.
“…”
No. 9 did not leave any words. He slapped me gently on the shoulder and died laughing.
My only friend sank to death without even revealing his real name.
The last tears of that life flowed from my eyes.
My emotions that day were buried in the dark.
…
“…sir.”
“…Lord.”
“Unstoppable Lord!”
I opened my eyes to the cheerful voice. Dorian’s round face floated in front of him.
“Is it Dorian?”
Dorian, who had a similar atmosphere to #9 that he hadn’t seen in a long time, was tilting his head.
“There is something special about sleeping at a time like this. It’s time to start.”
Dorian pointed to the clouded sky.
-…
Lars was just watching quietly for some reason.
“okay.”
Raon nodded and got up.
‘To dream of this dream.’
Is it because I saw Lisbon? It wasn’t enough that he fell asleep before the attack, so he even had a dream from his previous life. It was really odd.
“Are you ready?”
“yes. Even if I die, I will protect the children!”
Dorian nodded with a determined expression.
“It doesn’t matter if you die.”
“Nevertheless.”
“I will take your heart. Live unconditionally.”
Darkness filled Raon’s eyes as he looked over the nursery school.
“let’s go.”
* * *
“Hmm…”
45, who was working as a guide under the name Fine, narrowed his eyes as he held 86’s hand.
“Isn’t it a bit strange today?”
“okay. No work, no training.”
Even with lightning and earthquakes, training doesn’t stop, but today they didn’t do any training or work, and even provided food to eat. It was very unusual when I think of the behavior of the usual zookeepers.
“I hope it will be like this in the future.”
Room 86 gave a faint smile as if it had hope.
“I am a little anxious.”
Number 45 let out a short sigh. Those who kidnapped them and raised them as assassins could not do such a thing for nothing. I was afraid of what was going to happen and my hands were shaking.
“Let’s think positively.”
#86 shook his head and held #45’s hand tightly.
“You can’t just kill us after educating us for years.”
“That’s right.”
Number 45 nodded. They will not just throw themselves away after educating them for a long time. As #86 said, I decided to think of it as a day’s rest.
“Then let’s sleep.”
It was time to sleep, so when I was about to lie down on the bed, the door opened and the masked man beckoned me.
“Come out, both of you.”
“yes.”
“Yes…”
There is no such thing as refusal. The moment I heard the voice, I had no choice but to follow.
No. 45 went out jointly with No. 86. The other children were already lined up and seated.
Zookeeper Number 4 walked out onto the podium as the two settled down behind the other children.
“The battle begins now. Issues 45 and 86 came out last. come forward.”
“yes.”
At his gesture, No. 45 and No. 86 swallowed dry saliva and went forward. The other children also shook their shoulders as if feeling uneasy.
“Grab the dagger.”
At the zookeeper’s command, No. 45 and No. 86 each grabbed daggers that glowed blue.
No. 45 narrowed his eyes as he looked at the sharp dagger.
‘Something is strange.’
There were countless times that he had engaged in sparring while holding a real sword, but it was the first time that the atmosphere was as frightening as it is now.
“Fight now.”
As No. 45 was holding his dagger and looking at No. 86’s trembling pupils, the zookeeper’s words continued.
“Until the opponent dies.”
“yes?”
Number 45 opened her eyes and turned her head. But zookeeper number 4 said nothing more. He just gestured as if to hurry up.
“The main thing is to kill…”
“It’s literally. It means to fight until the opponent in front of you runs out of breath.”
“Ah…”
My heart sank at that cold voice.
“Ugh…”
Number 45 clenched his teeth and looked ahead. As if No. 86 felt the same way, his complexion was pale blue.
Seeing that look reminded me of the times I had spent with her until now.
The times when we comforted each other and cared for each other. My hands did not move at the memory of being the only light in this malicious underground.
‘are you okay.’
45 closed his eyes and dropped the dagger he was holding. To 86 in front of me, I thought it would be okay to die.
Wow.
But the sound of the dagger hitting the ground rang twice. When I opened my eyes, the dagger had also fallen under Unit 86’s feet. It meant she didn’t want to fight either.
“Ah…”
My heart went through. I was happy that I wasn’t the only one who thought of each other, but I was so sad that we met in a place like this. Emotions got out of control, and for the first time, tears seemed to burst out.
“I can’t fight cheaply.”
45 raised his hand. Expressing that he had no intention of fighting, he looked at the zookeeper. It felt like the eyes of room 86 and the other children behind them were giving me strength.
“It’s like this too.”
Zookeeper number 4’s voice sank. Goosebumps ran down his spine at the sound of his voice.
“…Then kill me.”
kill
The moment the word kill rang in her head, Number 45’s hand held the dagger that had fallen to the floor against her will. 86 also grabbed the dagger and stood up.
Percussion!
45 held the dagger in reverse and ran forward.
‘what.’
What is this!
body is out of control Moving faster than ever, he slashed the dagger at No. 86’s neck.
Kyaaaang!
It is not only you who have changed. 86 also aimed for the throat of this side, causing a terrible death that I had never felt before.
The two children, who shared the same room and supported each other, stabbed their swords at each other against their will, like a doll with a thread.
blood profit!
45’s blood burst around his chest, and 86’s shoulder was cut off.
As if not feeling any pain, the two children rushed in again and stabbed the daggers.
Faaaaang!
In the chilling sound of gong, No. 45 broke and bit his teeth.
Perhaps because of the difference in their usual skills, No. 86’s movements slowed down and the sharpness of his dagger skills began to decline. At this rate, his own sword would be lodged in her neck.
“Ugh!”
No. 45 looked back at Zookeeper No. 4, enduring the bone-crunching pain.
‘Stop me!’
I begged him with my eyes to stop this vicious fight.
“This fight won’t end until one of them dies.”
The keeper’s mouth curled up thinly.
“To rejoice. You will be born as true shadows through the death of the person you care most about.”
His voice was permeated with excitement different from the coldness he had been used to.
“Kill him.”
My body, which had been forcibly slowed down by the word, began to speed up again.
‘please!’
because anyone is good please stop!
I let out a silent scream in my heart, but my hand moved faster and faster toward the throat of my only friend.
Kyaaaang!
86’s dagger bounced off into the air, unable to overcome its own strength.
‘Ah…’
No. 45’s hand swung the dagger at No. 86’s neck against her will.
“okay. That’s it.”
The keeper’s eyes flashed coldly.
“Now you too are a member of the shadow… Hehe!”
I was awakened by his screams. The dagger came to a halt, tearing only slightly through No. 86’s skin.
“What what…”
“Close your mouth and disappear.”
With a low voice, blood flowed from Zookeeper Number 4’s heart.
“Kkeuh…”
A tall man appeared from behind the leaning keeper number 4. Somehow similar to us, but with a completely different atmosphere.
“I’m fine now.”
He smiled as he took the bloody dagger in his hand with sorrowful eyes.
“I’ll get your names back.”
