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“What’s going on? These guys call themselves demon worshippers, and yet they’re behaving like sickly patients?”

“A.D. said he would do something. Could it be because of that?”

“Wasn’t it just a joke? You’re telling me he incapacitated those guys from this far away…?”

As the executives marveled at Eight’s accomplishments, the heroes and police responsible for City B started to make their entrance belatedly.

Confronting the villain organization’s corporate raid, they wore smiles as if they were fish that had found water and unleashed their powers.

“That’s enough! You villain bastards!”

“Anyone moving is a villain! Anyone not moving is a trained villain!”

As the heroes rushed in, subduing and arresting the ordinary combatants one by one, Galm turned to Lize.

Lize, who had been on the phone with someone, trembled her lips as she endured the humiliation. After a moment, she stepped forward and shouted loudly.

“What’s all this commotion?”

“Anyone moving is definitely a villain—!”

“Hey, hey—! You crazy bastard! That’s the president of Baphomet!”

“What? Oh, um. President, please come over here. We’re here to save you—.”

“I really hate to ask twice, but what exactly is going on here?”

Upon hearing Lize’s words, the heroes of City B began to tilt their heads in confusion.

However, Lize, who had already reached an agreement, spat out angrily at the heroes.

“We are currently in villain response training. And yet, you’re causing this kind of ruckus?!”

“Excuse me? What does that even mean—?”

“I said we are in villain response training. Binding our precious employees? Are you out of your mind? I will formally protest this matter.”

At the mention of a complaint, the heroes hurriedly released the ordinary combatants they had captured. The combatants looked back at the heroes with resentful eyes as they rolled their wrists. They had simply grasped the situation and gotten involved.

The president of Baphomet’s words, the utterly unvillain-like reactions of the combatants, and the fact that they had never faced a villain in such a long time—all of this left the heroes’ minds reeling.

In the end, the heroes and police that had rushed in quietly lowered their heads and exited the building.

“…We apologize. We will offer our apologies later, so please reconsider filing a complaint—.”

“No need. I don’t want to see your faces for even a moment. Please leave.”

“Understood…”

After the heroes and villains exited, Galm looked at Lize with admiration and whistled.

“Calm as can be. I guess it’s because you’ve devoured several humans already?”

Lize completely ignored Galm’s comment and picked up her phone again. Bringing it to her ear, she carefully opened her mouth.

“…It’s resolved. Now, as promised—.”

[Yeah. I’m leaving the Baphomet affairs to you.]

“Thank you…”

[However, don’t forget the fact that you brainwashed my subordinates and attacked my territory. That will be an original sin you must carry for life.]

“I understand…”

As she stared at the disconnected call, Lize let out a few exhausted breaths and looked around. The Thousand-Year Kingdom. For Baphomet, which had once been prosperous under the devil’s might, to collapse so easily was surreal.

If there had been a direct confrontation, perhaps it would have been different. But abandoned by the devil for an unknown reason, they could do nothing and simply succumbed…

Even now, it was hard to believe. The screams of the devil mixed with pain and horror. The incomprehensible words that followed.

‘What did I touch…?’

Lize cautiously glanced at Galm. He clearly looked like a beast, and judging from how he spoke, he seemed like the dumbest one, and she thought he might just spill the beans easily.

Adopting a light tone, Lize gazed at the beast and opened her mouth cautiously.

“…I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Now that I’ve joined under your command… I can be considered your ally, right?”

“If the boss said so, then sure.”

“Then I guess I can learn now… Who exactly did I touch?”

Upon hearing that, Galm grinned and replied.

“The scientist.”

“Scientist…?”

“Yeah. Our proud scientist.”

However, upon receiving the answer, Lize tilted her head repeatedly, unable to comprehend. A scientist? You mean to say that this whole situation arose from just touching a mere scientist?

She couldn’t figure out how that could be possible; nothing made sense to her.

Even though she had devoted herself to the devil, still…

* * *

Unlike City Z, which could not function at all, City B was operating as a city in its own right, and naturally, the Baphomet president who ruled City B was not someone easily swallowed by Omega Industries.

If City Z and Omega Industries were akin to a chicken rib that’s not worth much when eaten, then City B was more like a mountain of meat that would cause a belly burst if swallowed carelessly.

If one got greedy and tried to swallow City B whole? Their belly would be too full and, while staggering around, would be met with a total attack from other cities. Regalia explained it like that.

“It’s not that I look down on you, but letting them live was the more rational and efficient choice. Understand?”

“Yeah, well. I don’t really care how you handle Baphomet.”

“…Is that so? You won’t hold a grudge later or anything?”

“I don’t have the luxury to do that. Right now, I’ve found something amusing to play with.”

“Something amusing to play with…? A scientist? What the heck is that? Could you give me a hint…?”

Ignoring Regalia’s trailing words, I returned to the lab. The devil’s right arm, preserved in a formalin solution, welcomed me.

It was something I had obtained from a Baphomet apostle not long ago. Since acquiring this item, my entire interest had been focused solely on this right arm.

‘Baphomet Corporation, or whatever… But I don’t have the luxury to be concerned.’

Look at this devil’s right arm. While Galm was satisfied with merely gaining a power that disregarded distance, from a scientist’s perspective, I couldn’t think the same way, unlike that foolish beast.

I climbed up the sources of this right arm. Since it was a devil’s arm, surely there would be a devil that owns that arm, right?

As I searched dimensionally beyond to find the owner of the right arm, I found a devil hiding in a corner where it was hard to see. Realizing my approach, it started to squirm and run away.

─!@$@^#^$%$

‘What is it saying?’

This too was a research project. The ecology of these interdimensional beings known as devils. It was a topic that could potentially yield several papers even on Earth. If all went well, I might even earn a Ph.D. from just this.

Of course, now the importance of a Ph.D. wasn’t much. The way back to Earth was still elusive. However, regardless of whether or not a reward existed, the fundamental desire driving scientists remained unchanged.

Curiosity. The desire to unravel the secrets of the world had not faded since falling into this world.

‘Ah, I kind of get it now. This hand doesn’t just disregard distance…’

This was why I could never stop my research. Discovering something new was incredibly enjoyable; being the first in the world to uncover a secret brought about feelings of superiority, as if I were treading upon billions of humans of Earth.

It was a act that achieved both self-actualization and self-satisfaction simultaneously. While researching the devil’s hand, I began to slowly learn about devils. Then suddenly, a saying from Earth crossed my mind.

─When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes back into you.

I worried whether I would become the very devil I was studying, but I shook my head and dismissed the concern.

‘I’m still fine, right? I can do more.’

And above all.

For the sake of truth, becoming a devil wouldn’t be a bad thing. That’s what being a scientist was all about.

* * *

Early in the morning.

After finishing an all-nighter of research, I was thinking about getting some rest when I stepped into the corridor. At that moment, I ran into Regalia, who was accompanied by several secretaries.

“Scientist. Just in time.”

“Boss? What brings you here…?”

“I need something. Could you give me a stamina booster?”

At the request for a stamina booster, I slightly stiffened my expression.

“Drinking that won’t make you taller.”

“Even if I don’t get taller, it can’t be helped. I’m so busy right now. I might not be able to sleep for about a week.”

“…Then I guess there’s no helping it.”

While it was something that allowed an adult male to go three days and nights without a care, nothing in this world exists without drawbacks. Every item has side effects.

The stamina booster was the same. While there was no problem for an adult male, a child looking to drink it would use up energy meant for growth. Adults could face serious issues if they overused it.

Of course, I understood it was a busy time that warranted such side effects. Victims had emerged in City E due to the villains, and we needed to comfort them and arrange funerals. Additionally, with the enormous City B swallowed just like City E, she would be dealing with the aftermath there as well.

“Take care of yourself, Boss.”

“Ah, thanks for your concern. Just don’t let me cause any trouble.”

“Haha—what trouble could I cause?”

As I chuckled and handed the stamina booster over to the boss, she immediately gulped it down and swiftly left.

As I observed her departing figure, Vira quietly murmured.

“It must be tough on the young lady. Her birthday is soon, but she won’t even be able to celebrate it.”

“…Excuse me? What did you say?”

“Hmm? I said she wouldn’t be able to celebrate her birthday. You didn’t know?”

“Of course, I didn’t…”

“Hey—Eight. You’ve got a gift prepared, right?”

I shook my head fervently.

Vira looked at me in disbelief, as if she couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing.

But what could I do? No one had told me that the boss’s birthday was coming up, not even the boss herself.

‘A birthday gift, huh…’

Thinking it might be a little late to prepare now, I quietly drank some stamina booster and returned to the lab.

When was there time to sleep anyway?

The boss was working diligently as well.

Thus, I prepared a birthday gift for her. Something that would truly surprise her.