Chapter 72: Karys Arawn

Now then, let’s think about how to use the information I’ve gotten.

Abacus is, by nature, a hidden organization—it doesn’t show its face in public. But apparently, in the upcoming war with the Tooth, that’s going to change.

The reason? Their latest business pitch: those flesh-worm weapons. The one in charge of that operation is said to be Marche.

The cause of the war is “unknown”—or at least, that’s what I’d like to say.

But I already know.

D.D. and the Tooth are the aggressors.

Back then, I didn’t know the “why” or the “where,” but enough time has passed for the picture to come together.

Their target is a mine owned by Amatsu Industries—a vein of variant Tree Crystals.

Which means that if I were to fight for the human side, I’d be standing shoulder to shoulder with Abacus—an organization I think deserves to die—and risking my life for a company I can’t stand.

“…”

Yeah.

That doesn’t sound appealing.

I’m a mercenary. I move for money. Neutral, by principle. But there are employers I wouldn’t lift a finger to save, even if they paid me in gold.

The top two on that list? Amatsu Industries and Abacus.

So, fighting for the humans is off the table.

That decision came easy.

Which leaves me with two choices: stay out of it, or side with the Tooth.

Naturally, I’d prefer the latter. But if I do that, the aftermath gets messy. Would I still be able to live among humans afterward?

“Rat Unit, tablet.”

—Beep!

A chirp, and a small screen unfolded from its back. A stylus popped up beside it.

I wrote down the main issues.

• I want to fight for the Tooth.

• If I do, I might not be able to stay among humans afterward.

• I have no desire to shout “I’m giving up my humanity!” a second time.

I circled the three points and stared at them.

“If I had a reason—just one solid reason—to fight on the Tooth’s side…”

Could I do it?

***

Why do people fight?

For land? For money?

No, that’s why nations go to war.

People fight for one thing only.

Yes, for love.

“So that’s why I’ve come to kidnap my beloved,” I told the lady standing before me.

“Which should I call, Eevee or Shinzo?”

Karys Arawn smiled at my words.

“Don’t call either of them.”

She said it in a way that ought to have been terrifying, and kept fiddling with her terminal. One more keystroke and either of those lines would light up. If they connected, I’d be finished—so I very much hoped she wouldn’t press it.

“All right,” she said at last. “Shall we hear you out? Why has your brain suddenly started boiling over like this?”

“…”

Her phrasing—of course I wanted to snap back, but I held myself. She let go of the device and settled into a posture that indicated she’d listen. I appreciated that and laid out the facts.

I owed Abacus a debt.

To settle it, I wanted to join the Tooth’s side in the coming fight.

If I did, it might be impossible for me to return to the human side afterward.

And so, to resolve all that and justify siding with the Tooth—

“This is a perfect excuse,” I finished.

Karys Arawn—wife of the camp’s representative Shinzo and daughter of Edram Arawn, CEO of Arawn Corporation—had been “abducted” and could be used as a bargaining chip. If I explained it that way, my joining the Tooth might be socially acceptable—at least, that was the idea.

“Do you know what happens to human women captured by the Tooth?” she asked.

“…I do. But don’t worry. I’ll negotiate with the Tooth so that no harm comes to you.”

“You mean the Tooth who helped you? The ones you owe?” she probed.

“Yes. The Leone clan.”

“After the war,” she said, “the Leone clan will be wiped out. Are you okay with that?”

“…They will?”

“Yes.”

She smiled—an awkward, troubled little smile, like a teacher trying to comfort a wayward pupil.

“Well,” I said. “I see. A warning example, then.”

“Yes. It’s unpleasant, but it’s very important.”

A card that’s too powerful is a problem in itself. Its uses are painfully few.

“…Do you have any better ideas?”

“Hm. A few things I’d like to clarify first. To start, is the Abacus not supporting the Tooth at all this time? Not even a little?”

“Well, they present themselves as humanity’s ally, so I don’t think they’d openly aid the Tooth…”

“You did make a deal with a tooth called D.D. once, right? So why did Abacus attack the Leone settlement in the first place?”

“One reason was a performance test. Another was that the Leone clan had business ties with Amatsu Mining.”

Heady stuff. D.D. had been considering a full-scale occupation and needed infantry. Abacus tried to sell them those flesh-worms—cheap bodies turned into soldiers—and, as a side effect of a field test, the Leone clan, which had been hired by Amatsu, got targeted. Apparently, the flesh-worms and their evolved Doll variants turned out to be underwhelming, so now Abacus is moving to incorporate the Leone clan instead.

“From what you’re saying, the Leone clan probably don’t have a very favorable impression of D.D., do they?”

“Right.”

If Rikan hadn’t had any constraints, he’d likely have tried to kill D.D. on the spot.

“First: can we still contact the Leone clan?”

“Yes. I’d have to go there in person, though.”

“Second: are you all right with making a full enemy of Amatsu Mining?”

“…Provided it’s not Tatara Heavy Industries we end up fighting.”

Karys frowned, assembling the pieces in her head. People like Yuri would call that the sort of thinking I tend to do, but Karys was the sort of person who could actually make it work. When she’d gathered her thoughts, she spoke.

“Alright. …Then let’s enter the fight as a third force.”

She said it with a smile—dangerous, and oddly serene.