Chapter 94: Reason and Beast

“…”

The Monoz were looking at me as if they wanted to say something.

Rikan was grinning about something.

Endo looked busy planting bombs around the facility.

In other words, no one was going to help me. That was what it meant.

“…”

A sigh. I let it out, gave up, and decided to deal with the problem myself.

I turned around. There stood the girl wearing clothes taken from one of the researchers. Her long white hair reminded me of Yuri. But her blue eyes brought Eevee to mind, and her brown skin resembled no one.

She was probably in her early teens. Like an imprinted chick, she had been following after me.

“Why are you following me?”

“I have no memories, so I’m anxious. And because I’m anxious, I think I want to stay near someone strong.”

“I’m not very strong, though.”

“That’s a lie. I was hesitating between you and that lion over there…” She pointed at Rikan. “But I think you’re probably stronger. I can sort of tell things like that.”

“I see.”

I am honored by your praise.

“In that case, all the more reason I would like you to move away from me. If I’m as strong as you say, then it would be bad for my movements to be dulled, wouldn’t it? After all, right now, well, to put it mildly, we’re in an emergency.”

“Oh, are we?”

“Yes, we are.”

So please step away a little.

Because what I was about to do was a slightly extreme interrogation.

It was not something to show a good child.

***

How could they get a large organization to help them?

I put myself in the researchers’ position and thought it through.

It was simple. They only had to show that they were worth saving. In my case, my value would be as a soldier. Then what about them? Naturally, as researchers. Their gifts would be the Dolls, and the flesh worms, the core technology behind them. If that could be diverted for use in Monoz bodies too, then it likely had a certain amount of value.

“Who did you sell it to? Tell me honestly and I won’t kill you. First three only.”

I looked over all the restrained researchers we had gathered and said that. Behind me, Tiger and Monkey, who were capable of this sort of thing, were growing blades like feathers.

“Depending on your answer, you get mixed juice.”

Meat and clothes, that is.

When I said that, the two machines began to spin. A high-pitched iiin rang out. Even so, the researchers did not speak. Did they think I could not do it? If so, I took offense.

“I’ll take silence as an answer too, you know?”

“…”

Still, they said nothing.

I see. Then fine.

I chose one at random, grabbed him by the hair, and dragged him down. I dragged him across the floor, heading toward the spinning Tiger.

“Tiger, don’t kill him instantly. Carve him up carefully.”

“…”

Even then, he still did not talk.

In fact, he was grinning.

What was with him?

“Wondering why I’m laughing?”

“…I’m just thinking you’re quite the coward.”

Isn’t it a little early to go mad? I thought.

“I’ll tell you something good. A hostage is only a hostage because they’re unharmed. The moment you lay a hand on one, there’s no guarantee you’ll keep your promise.”

“I see. That’s educational. But I do keep my promises.”

“This is about trust. How do you trust someone pointing a weapon at you?”

“…”

“We won’t talk. Because we can’t trust you. And because we understand that the best way to trouble someone we can’t trust is to stay silent. Goodbye, terrorist. I, no, we, will beat you with reason.”

“I see. So you’re suppressing your fear of death with reason and striking back at me.”

“That’s right.”

“You place quite a lot of faith in reason, don’t you?”

“The pen is mightier than the sword. Beasts cannot surpass humans. Reason triumphs over bestiality.”

“I see. Then, let me give you this. Different strokes for different folks.”

“…Huh?”

His eyes asked, What are you talking about?

Receiving that look, I smiled. I smiled and met his gaze. I crouched, still holding his hair, and pulled his head up.

“Those are the words I’ll send you off with. Different strokes for different folks. You know what that means, don’t you? Of course you do. There are all kinds of people in this world. People like you, who can kill me with reason, and people who lose to me and beg, ‘Please let me talk.’ …I wonder how your friends will be?”

“You…”

“You can die while believing in your friends’ reason. Tiger, carve him carefully and make him cry. Don’t listen no matter what he says. He’s already out. Monkey, go call Snake, Rooster, Dog, and Boar.”

After saying what I had to say, I threw aside the thing I had been dragging.

Before long, the sound coming from Tiger grew heavier, and then sobbing and screams began to mix into it.

The faces of everyone remaining changed.

Maybe because they heard their comrade’s screams.

Or maybe because they saw my smile.

Either way was fine.

Just then, Monkey returned with the rest of the ones who could do it. I turned right around. Facing the Monoz, I gave them their instructions.

“Use Tiger as a reference.”

That was all. A simple instruction.

Then I turned right around again and faced the researchers.

“He seems to believe in your reason. How admirable. But I believe in your bestiality. First three only. Sell out your friends while you still can, white collars. …Well, I suppose I’ll hold out a little hope anyway.”

A breath.

I inhaled.

And then I…

“Now then, as reason is carved apart, show me just how strong your reason is.”

I bared my teeth and laughed.