Chapter 286: Pure White (2)

Chapter 286: Pure White (2)

I brought Theia to the base camp. It was a modular housing unit set up at the edge of the Icefield.

About twenty people, I guess.

Theia counted the number of survivors. Since not even a day had passed, there werent many rescued, and most of them were in bad shape.

They must have had a tough time.

Well then. Professor, you do your thing.

I pointed to the door with my thumb.

lll be leaving.

The evaluation is still underway. I dont know how much the bonus points for saving the professor, 10 points, are worth, but I plan to score as much as I can.

Theia looked at me silently. I shrugged my shoulders.

Dont worry about what Tei. Just ah, my head hurts. Forget it.

She seemed to know something about Tei, but I didnt feel like prying.

After all, we shouldn't get too close to each other. She will soon become Libras biggest enemy.

Come visit when you have time.

She handed me her business card. It had her name, [Theia Esil], and contact information on it.

I smiled faintly.

Yes.

Theia Esil before my regression.

She was killed by Libra.

I still dont know the details, but I wont lose her in this life. I wont let my benefactors die.

Even if it means choosing the lesser of two evils

ITI visit when I have time.

I will ensure that Theia Esil of this life enjoys a long life.

The 96-hour evaluation period ended. I rescued 7 people, and my results were quite high-ranking.

lt was incredibly tough.

Soliette said, peeling off the seaweed strands that clung to her head.

Really?

Yes. It turns out, if the survivors don't send out signals while struggling, the rescue team can never find them. I was floating on a drifting ice sheet, an ice sheet. Seals were teasing me!

She burst out in frustration. I casually played along while checking the scores on my smartphone.

WOW. Gerkhen rescued 18 people?

Hmm.

Then, a cough came from the right. Gerkhen was right next to me.

When did you get here?

He glanced at me.

Shion Ascal.

What? Why are you calling my name?

It seemed like the first time he had called me by name.

Hmm.

Gerkhen coughed awkwardly again. And then

Are you interested in neuroscience by any chance?

He threw out a bizarre question.

What are you talking about all of a sudden?

Hmm.

Gerkhen coughed for the third time. He seemed reluctant to ask, as if he didnt want to, but had no choice.

lf you ever feel like youve forgotten something, something that you cant remember, go see Professor Theia. Shes quite knowledgeable in neuroscience.

His words sounded rehearsed, as if he was reading from a textbook.

Ah.

So hes been put up to this by Theia. Thanks to this guy, Im pretty sure now. Theres definitely some connection between Tei and Theia.

Are they actually related?

Got it. I'll think about it.

Hmm .

Gerkhen nodded in satisfaction. I smirked as I checked the number of people monitoring me.

There were exactly 57 people monitoring me.

Johanna must be one of them.

Hmm

I looked up at the sky and sighed.

The seeds have been sown.

Now, its just a matter of time.

At Johannas mansion. She lay in bed, staring at her tablet. She had been fixated on the tablet all weekend.

Watching scenes of Shion Ascal smiling, tearing apart a beast with his sword, and rescuing survivors from an avalanche She kept rewinding and replaying them over and over.

But whenever she saw him with another woman, her blood seemed to boil, and a murderous intent to kill the other person surged within her.

Johanna knew what this feeling was.

Jealousy.

It was an emotion she had no need to feel. A completely useless emotion.

Yet it was like a thorn stuck in her heart, one that she could simply pull out if she chose to.

Perhaps because it was her first time experiencing it, Johanna couldnt help but feel it. Inescapably, unavoidably.

Eventually, she took out the beta-blockers prescribed by Yu Hains. She popped the pill into her mouth.

H aa h

Instantly, she felt at ease.

She picked up the tablet again. Even looking at Shion in the video, she felt no emotion.

Now I can finally get some work done.

At the same time, in the capital Edsilla, at Johannas mansion.

Johanna also heard the news about Derek.

So he was up to something. This was it.

It was quite a smart economic maneuver. Even to her, it seemed like Verns cleverly hidden enterprise had been well targeted.

Should she interfere?

She briefly considered it, but didnt feel the need to go through with it.

In the past, she would have spread counter-articles to make Derek suffer more losses and gain less, but

Really.

Lately, she felt as if she had lost her drive.

Johanna sighed, looking at the ceiling of her office.

Again, she felt sick to her stomach. His face was about to come to mind.

Damn it.

She hurriedly took a blocker from Yu Hains.

Gulp.

She swallowed two pills whole, but the effect wasnt as strong as before.

It was due to tolerance.

The drug couldnt stop her from thinking about Shion Ascal, and as soon as the effect wore off, his face would reappear in her mind.

The crossing of emotions made her feel powerless.

It made her want to see him.

This is messed up

Johanna wanted to distance herself from him. She was trying to forget him by force.

Honestly, she didnt want to confess.

Her pride wouldnt allow it.

But two months had already passed.

During this time, Johanna realized that she could not overcome it. She acknowledged that she was doomed to fall.

At the same time, she was curious.

Shion Ascal.

Does he feel something similar to what she does?

He hasnt seen her just as she hasnt seen him.

Does he also long to see her, to meet with her, feeling this burning desire?

Confession

If possible, I could do it.

But a confession isnt the start of a relationship. Its the stamp that seals it.

Above all, Johanna had never experienced the kind of love where she confesses first.

She was fairly certain that he loved her, but what if, by some chance, it was all a misunderstanding on her part?

Where in the world would there be such a disgrace?

If she were to be rejected in her current state, she would either have to kill him or herself.

Therefore, a situation was necessary.

A situation where she could be certain that he loved her, and he could be certain that she loved him.

Johannas mood turned cold. She abruptly stood up and sat at her desk. Thanks to the effects of the beta-blockers, she regained her composure, if only for a moment, and began to devise a plan.

This should do.

It was a strategy she had been considering in her head for a while, so bringing it to the forefront was easy.

Vitro.

She called for Vitro.

Yes.

Come to my office. I have an operation to discuss with you.

Understood.

Johanna brushed her hair back.

She was planning a terrorist act.

A plane hijacking. Or a train hijacking.

Either way, during the event, Johanna would be kidnapped along with Zia. Then Shion Ascal would be deployed, and he would be given two choices.

Johanna, or Zia.

If he came to her, it would be tantamount to a declaration of love, and she would confess her love to him as well.

However, if he went to Zia

ITI have to kill her.

Johanna would have to murder Zia.

Meow

?

A beasts cry came from the side. Johanna turned to look. A cat was sitting on the newly installed windowsill.

What are you?

Johanna opened the window and grabbed the creature with one hand.

She was about to burst it when

Meow

The creature meowed and rubbed its fur against her hand. Surprisingly clean, and not bad-looking at all, it didnt seem like the kind of animal spies would use for scouting.

Tsk.

It seemed like a stray, but was there any need to needlessly take a life?

Johanna simply put it down. Then the creature intently looked over her office desk. As if it was reading the operation plans she had written.

Get down.

Meow

The creature responded and jumped down.

Clever thing.

Knock-knock

Just then, Vitro knocked. Johanna, tidying up the papers, said,

Come in.