Chapter 44

A chubby middle-aged man, drenched from head to toe, is blowing his top.

“NO! I’m as angry as I’d be for 「α ѕøηg øғ worship ғøя tнε dεvı!」”

“Wait, what does that even mean-?” S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Even though it’s not my place to say anything after spilling water everywhere, I just couldn’t wrap my head around what he was talking about. Is he expecting me to sing him a song? Asking for a song in this situation? If that’s the case, he should’ve at least given me a heads-up on the choice instead of spouting out such absurd nonsense.

‘What on earth is this…….’

Still bewildered, I looked at my colleagues, who shrugged their shoulders as if to say, “What is happening?”

“Come on— Raemon, what are you doing? Hurry up and apologize! He’s only as mad as 「๏ղє ռгคเรє ร๏ղﻮ」, right? We can whip one up, can’t we?”

“Exactly, boss. He’s willing to forgive us with just 「๏ղє ռгคเรє ร๏ղﻮ」, isn’t that right?”

“……What?”

As I watched the two of them echo the man’s ridiculous words, I realized this wasn’t just some random rant. Regrettably, it wasn’t a stand attack; it was more like a psychic assault.

‘Hypnosis brainwashing……!’

That’s one tricky ability to deal with, especially considering that the very man yelling might be its victim. Even more alarming, my colleagues have probably unknowingly fallen under this guy’s hypnosis without realizing it. The fact that I haven’t been affected must be due to the effective brainwashing countermeasures at our lab, which focus on security.

‘This likely isn’t some straight-up hypnosis that works with eye contact or anything. If it were, they would’ve just grabbed me without all this rigmarole…’

If it really was a freedom-pressing hypnosis like the one in Hitomi, they wouldn’t need to bother setting up traps like this. They could’ve just used their ability right there and taken me away.

So, this means it’s probably conditional hypnosis. Using some unknown ability to stir up a commotion and demand an apology must have triggered an emotional response.

‘A perception-altering ability based on emotions, huh.’

This type of skill is particularly sinister because it leaves no trace that people were hypnotized. Even if someone who wasn’t under its influence noticed something off about us, they wouldn’t suspect it was hypnosis. Simply saying we did something wrong and offering a slightly bigger reward leaves everyone calling us suckers but no one connecting it to hypnosis. Even if I had written a song because I was brainwashed, the boss would probably peg it as me just being a good sport, not even suspecting hypnosis.

‘Well, that’s a relief.’

I stood up. The people around me blocked my path, looking as if to say, “Where do you think you’re going?” But my goal was not to escape this place. I mean, I do want to escape, but as a total nobody without any abilities, how am I supposed to navigate through this crowd?

That’s not my role. An evil scientist should be protected by his creations.

“Boss? Where are you going─?”

“It’s transformation time.”

[HENSHIN]

Upon hearing my voice, the transformation belt activated automatically, enveloping Niberna’s entire body. This suit converts a B-rank side character into an S-rank hero in the blink of an eye, and of course, it comes equipped with a function to resist hypnosis. If she’s already under hypnosis, it even has the capability to break it.

Indeed, once Niberna donned the suit, she shuddered for a moment, seemingly realizing that she had been under hypnosis, then let out a long sigh of despair.

“Boss…… what is this?”

“Niberna, there’s no time for long explanations. Quick— carry me away!”

“……What about Vira?”

“She’ll find her way back, I suppose. Or maybe? Will she feel ashamed that her comrade ran away without even apologizing?”

If she feels embarrassed, she might fall back under hypnosis again. With a hint of apprehension, I approached Vira and used my self-defense wristwatch. Zzt-! The electrical discharge from the wristwatch paralyzed Vira’s nervous system, knocking her out cold.

I caught her as she collapsed, feeling her weight almost break my spine, and immediately handed her off to Niberna.

“Now, let’s get moving.”

“……Yes, Boss. But where to-?”

“To the Evilus Corporation headquarters.”

“Understood.”

As Niberna started to move and escape with us, people nearby jumped up and began using their abilities to stop us─ but─.

What a joke. The current presence here is an active S-rank hero. Though she transitioned to freelance work, her skills have only grown sharper, impossible to halt with average abilities.

She embodies a terrifying level of power in this era.

“─Then hold on tight.”

Niberna bolted!

The effect was tremendous!

* * *

“─Lose who? Who did we miss?”

[…] [We lost track of the target composer. I apologize, Ma’am.]

“No, how could that even happen?”

Lize asked back, looking perplexed. Just how many agents did they deploy to ensure this mission succeeded just to end up failing?

But upon hearing the response, shecouldn’t help but accept that they had indeed failed.

[An S-rank hero was on guard. Niberna, sponsored by Evilus……]

“……I see.”

An S-rank hero. The pinnacle of current power on the official stage. While they’re not commonly employed in illegal areas, when an S-rank hero is tasked with protection, their combination of intimidation and power is thorough.

Even though the demon worshippers they sent were formidable talents, there’s no way they could seize the composer right in front of an S-rank hero. If an S-rank hero is openly guarding someone, it’s practically impossible to bring them in.

‘They’ve got an S-rank hero attached to the target……?’

They didn’t seem to even consider that their operation might have leaked. Maybe in another company, it would be a concern, but certainly not with Baphomet. It was the sole company without spies or betrayal within its ranks.

In a company that worships a demon, concepts like espionage or treachery simply don’t exist. Personnel privy to significant information are all connected to the demon, and the moment they do, their original goals lose all relevance.

‘This means they value him more than we imagined…… Could it really be a legit romance?’

Assuming the information hadn’t leaked, tying a former S-rank hero to protect a composer seems over the top. Of course, one might recognize his skills, but using an S-rank hero for a hobby with no returns is just nonsensical.

Moreover, Regalia from the Evilus Corporation is cooler and more calculated than any other businessman out there. She even earned a reputation as the “Ironblood Demon King” in some circles.

Lize realized that the composer held value beyond merely performing music.

‘……In that case, it’s dangerous.’

Whether as a lover or something of greater value.

What’s certain is that Regalia treats that man as highly important.

And the real problem is that we’ve already attempted hypnosis on him.

If we mess this up, it could spark a war between companies. With things turned this way, Lize had to choose one of two paths: either hide to ensure they wouldn’t find out or…….

“─We’ll send in a spy.”

[Eh? Boss, that’s…….]

“We have no choice. Once there’s a trace, they will eventually find us out. If it comes to light, it’s far more important to grab something now than to face a fight later.”

Either we obtain that man, who’s so crucial to Regalia or….

Of the two options, the latter was most likely to yield the greatest benefit.

Lize believed in numbers and probabilities as a businessman.

“The odds of winning are highest right now, when the opponent knows nothing.”

* * *

“You said you were under hypnosis?”

“Yes. More specifically, it seems like a perception-altering talent.”

After being ambushed on the street, I returned straight to the Evilus Corporation headquarters to have a meeting with the boss. As expected of the chairwoman of a mega-corporation, Regalia was swamped with work, but with just one phone call, I could meet with her immediately.

Perhaps because it’s rare for me to initiate a call, she seemed surprised but welcomed me into her office right away, exploding with rage upon hearing that I had been attacked.

“How dare they touch one of my subordinates…… It seems like there are more yahoos out there who’ve lost their fear lately.”

“Do you have any— clues about who the culprit might be?”

“……No. There are just too many possibilities.”

Sadly, Regalia didn’t identify the culprit immediately. After all, as a global giant, they certainly had no shortage of rivals. Just learning that they had hypnosis abilities made it nearly impossible to pinpoint the enemy.

Moreover, the very nature of superpowers—being innate talents completely disconnected from one’s character—added further complexity to identifying potential suspects. Even someone cute and good-hearted like Ayle could be powerless, while someone like Galm, perceived as trashy, might unleash beams from his eyes!

“Be careful for a while. Don’t wander around alone.”

“Yes. By the way, Boss, aren’t you going to take any precautions against hypnosis? Should I make you something?”

“That’s fine. A king doesn’t fall for such trivial brainwashing.”

Regalia smirked, showcasing her prowess. I couldn’t help but marvel. Must be nice! While some folks are helpless, others breeze through with the abilities to resist hypnosis!

As I sent her a green-eyed glance filled with envy, the boss inquired further.

“Speaking of which— how did a scientist like you avoid being hypnotized? Do you have any contraptions somehow prepared in advance?”

“Ah— sort of. You could say I prepared, or maybe I got caught early……”

“……Caught early, you say?”

I could only chuckle ruefully without delving into detailed explanations.

That’s just how it is, Boss.

Regalia’s brow furrowed, displaying her serious contemplation.

“Please tell me you aren’t up to anything weird again?”

“No way. When have I ever done that?”

“Just recently, you almost sent Arima off in that manner, remember?”

She glared at me, suspicion written all over her face. But I remained silent, offering only a wry smile. I can’t undo the past, but this time, I swear, I genuinely felt wronged.

I never imagined that my security would become compromised and that it would lead to such a frustrating situation.