The Core of Evil
Hector, Terror of the Past
{{{ The next day, noon }}}
The day has finally arrived. The day I'm gonna face Hector to straighten out the problems between us
"Hector-sama will only wake up when the nearest star has almost completely risen overhead" Fuyuki explained
"really? What kind of man would only wake up at this hour?" I asked
And based on Fuyuki's explanation from earlier, I only realized one shocking fact. That is, the fact that Hector is a slacker
Every day he would stay in his room if the Chairman or Ulysses didn't come out. The food will always be brought by someone at random until Fuyuki joins. He rarely socializes and spends his time playing games, even staying up late if necessary. And now Fuyuki explained that Hector would only wake up if time was about to enter daylight
He was the perfect image for the life I wanted...
Well, minus the part he lost some of his friends...
The fleet is also an ideal place to relax. The planet on which the Fleet was founded is as close to a star as Terra is to a Solar star. Although I'm sure the distance of the planet to its star is a little further
The only strange thing about this planet is that oxygen for everyone to breathe will only come from underground. I don't know what scientific laws explain this phenomenon, but oxygen is produced from the ground, as the air is dominated by sulfur dioxide gas
I was wondering why our air vents were downstairs. But now I more than understand the reason...
Comfortable place, refreshing air even though the place of emergence is arguably strange, and facilities filled by a very friendly group of people. Introverts like me and Hector will certainly be happy here
...
"By the way, you don't wonder why I suddenly want to talk to Hector?" I tried to find a topic with Fuyuki
"No. Besides knowing that Arthur-sama wants to make up with him, I don't need to know your other reasons"
Well, I also can't hide my ultimate intentions. But he's right. I have other intentions with Hector
"... I want to try to be friends with him"
Fuyuki just silently did not respond. But without me realizing it, he was because we were finally close to Hector's room
The place looks very ordinary, just like the other staff rooms. I'm sure he chose this little room because he didn't want to bother cleaning it too much
Fuyuki knocks on Hector's room door, thus getting a sound response from Hector
"I brought a guest who wanted to meet you, Hector-sama" Fuyuki said, replying in silence for a while
"... Why did you bring her here...?" Hector's voice faintly sounded
Wh-!
She already knows it's me...?
"You can't cover your mind, boy. And go there. I won't accept you as my guest"
...
I just kept quiet without knowing what to say. From that sentence, everyone can immediately know that he still does not want to accept myself around him, especially if I have to talk
But I didn't come here to give up
So I just stood quietly in front of the door of his room that was closed with a mind that was only filled with 'I won't give up'
So and so on, as Fuyuki just watched me from behind quietly, while Hector who was still locking himself started to sound uncomfortable
He began to feel disturbed by my presence there, so that the next sentence he issued sounded louder
"Fuyuki's. Dismiss him"
Only, Fuyuki did not heed the order and just stayed with me so that made Hector again sound uncomfortable. He even started to click his tongue
Knowing that Fuyuki would not obey him, she also had to hand herself, so the door to her room began to open from the inside and startled the unprepared me
Hector's figure was seen, turning his back to the contents of the room. The gazes we both met, so that made me a little tense, hoping that at least he would talk about this first or throw me out
But he was only silent because he knew my thoughts, so this had started to become a mental war between the two of us. Whoever wavers first fails and must obey the other side
'`You till when you look at me, boy?his voice sounded in my mind
"... As long as I can to fulfill my intentions. As long as you still insist we won't talk" I replied
I know this might be for nothing. But I want to talk to you. Because it's...
We've become partners. And I also want to help my comrades as much as I can
The rest of my mind made Hector show a slight reaction, so he started tilting his head a little more downward
Even his messy hair he rubbed as hard as he could because he could not find a gap to convince me to leave. And knowing that, he looked directly at Fuyuki who had only noticed
"You will have to pay for this by obeying my will for the next 1 month. Understood?"
I also stared at Fuyuki, as she began to nod. Hector was satisfied to see it and immediately made a hand gesture as if he were expelling and said, "Now go and make us coffee. My kitchen is broken"
Hearing that, Fuyuki showed a jerky reaction. I knew he wanted to keep an eye on our conversation, but he already agreed he'd obey Hector's will
So he resigned with a sigh, looked down deeply, and began to leave as the sound of the pumping accompanied
...
There were only two of us left, and Hector patted me on the shoulder. When I turned around, I saw him signalling that I could come in and sit at a table on the floor
And when I came in, I was quite surprised by how neat the room was. To someone Fuyuki described as a slacker, she turned out to be quite neat
Very neat precisely, so that all things look neatly arranged. Not impressive, but comfortable to see with the eyes
"If you think I'm not cleaning, you're wrong" Hector said
"Can't you read my mind all the time while we're both? Even Cassidy and Ulysses aren't so you know...?" I asked him
"You didn't come here to negotiate with me"
"And that's why I want our situation to be comfortable, Hector"
"You think we can talk comfortably even if I don't read your mind, do you...?"
I won't argue anymore. I didn't come here for that either
"good. Now you have a time limit of 10 minutes"
Heh?
"Oy oy! Why is there a limit?!"
"Walking time. Choose your words well"
!!!
Urghs... He cut my sentence...
10 Minutes he said. The ground is unfair...
"Ah, and don't even talk about Jun. If so, you can get out"
...
"I came here for that"
"Then get out"
...
Hector didn't even hesitate to throw me out. But he didn't try to force it
He who pointed towards the entrance of his room immediately made me look down sad
"I won't accept any sentence from you if you want to try to make my heart better or any other nonsense that sounds the same" He said again
"... I came for that too"
"... Then you came at the wrong time"
*BRAK!*
"When is the right time?!"
I spontaneously felt annoyed by all the responses, so this point made my emotions overflow. I don't know what face I put on, but I know that Hector was surprised because I hit his desk just now
He didn't take it well at all, so the air around us started to noticeably change
"Don't try to break that table..." He threatened me, so I could smell the smell of Terror enveloping him
...
...
"See...?" I said, "You're even trying to kill me right now..."
He didn't even hesitate to use his Maledict power to threaten me
It's all frustrating for me. Everything that happened between us was frustrating...
I really, really wanted Hector to at least be ordinary. He doesn't need to like me, but at least it's better than trying to kill me right now isn't it...?
Is the relationship between us really only going to stay like this...?
...
"... If only I could, O-2507..."
Heh-h?
"If only I could..."
...!
...
...
...
No one could describe my heart the next moment, after he had said that so clearly
My heart hurts so much, and that word isn't even enough to describe it...
It felt more deadly, so I wished I had died in that place alone. And you know...?
Fuck'em...
"Then kill me now--"
When I looked at Hector seriously, he did not show any expression at all. Just a flat face and not interested in this situation, while only I was shedding tears of annoyance at that moment
"... Then kill me, and settle your grudge-it-!!"
I'm really upset. He didn't even look a bit sorry
All my efforts have been to improve our relationship. All my efforts are just so that he can also be a conversation partner who might understand me...
It was all in vain, burned by a single sentence from him...
His eyes began to look down, as if he had already regretted saying that. But I know he hasn't. He rejected that sense of regret, and replaced it with an ego
"Whether it's you, or Jun, neither of you will understand my pain..." He also said
...
Your pain...?
Your pain, you say...?
"Yes... Of course we're not-will understand..." I replied, making his eyes lift back up
But...
"But-What do you deserve to think that you alone, who have pain...?!"
"... I know you too-"
"Yes! I have one too!" I cut it off immediately. "But... You didn't even think about it at all...!"
He thought of no one but himself...!
"I killed him with my hands...! I am also the cause of the incident that can happen...! I can't even hear his last sentence...!
I've always been considered a weapon in Arcadia! Even some members of the LIONS did not see me as someone! All the media has probably put up posters at the price of my head! The Corruption Shadow still keeps making my head hurt! And I've broken a promise!
My two best friends in Arcadia don't even know how I'm doing right now-! I also have to see the reality of my identity in that cursed area--! I don't even know what the two of them think of me--!
And you still think-if only you are the most hurt in this world---!!"
I'm upset---!
Fuckin' hell! I'm so pissed-off!
No one had been able to help me all this time, and talking to Hector now made the weight on my shoulders even more heavy...
My appearance at that moment was very sad, as tears poured down the floor
Even if he doesn't remind me, I'll leave now. There's no point in me talking to him anymore
"No need to look for me anymore! I'll make sure you won't even see my nose while here, except when the chairman calls!"
With that sentence, I left Hector alone in his room immediately. Leaving him without knowing what's in his head right now
He didn't even move a bit. And I left without knowing what opinion that face had...
And not long after I came out, Fuyuki came into the room with a flat but confused face, and a tray with 2 cups of warm coffee on top
He saw me leave, but didn't know why
So, he looked at Hector who was just sitting quietly with a slightly downcast face. There was no need to read deeply for Fuyuki to immediately get her answer
...----------------...
{{{ Afternoon, Noah room }}}
Urghs...
I want to die now because I've been crying that much...
I would also be grateful if no one saw my tears fall while I was running here...
Hmr...
...
I'm not in the mood to play games...
But lying down with your face embedded like this is also unpleasant...
Noah would also be noisy to see his pillow wet with tears in my eyes if he were here right now...
Where did the boy go...? Or at least, I want Pinky here. One stupid sentence from the two of them would probably make things a little light...
I also want to eat, but I don't know what I want... Ulysses must be waiting for me right now...
I haven't seen Cassidy... Hera's been calling since, but I didn't pick up... I don't know where Raggot and the chairman are...
Fuyuki also must have felt bad that I left the room without any explanation to her earlier...
"I want to die..."
"I hope you don't mean it, Arthur-sama"
!!!
Fuyuki-!?
I spontaneously woke up when I heard her very close voice. What shocked me was not that, but because he had a place beside this bed, without making the slightest sound at every step
He still uses the same eggplant, but he scares me now
Fuyuki really is the embodiment of a hit man in some of the action movies I watched...
"I'm sorry, but I didn't mean to surprise you" Fuyuki said as she bowed slightly as if apologizing
"I'm more concerned about why you're here..."
Yep. What's he here for?
Fuyuki was not someone who met others just to take some time, especially if not invited or invited
The answer came out without making me wait for long
"I brought you a guest, Arthur-sama"
Eh? A guest?
Fuyuki also stepped aside a little as if allowing me to see who the guest was. And that guest doesn't seem to be coming in if I don't invite him in
Wh who?
I quickly moved and quickly opened the door, only to be startled by a familiar figure
Hector, standing across the door, leaned back against a wall
And he again just looked at me, as I tried to process what was on my mind in shock at his presence
When my mind had begun to die down, I just stood back to my room, before Fuyuki asked to come out so I had to reset my position
So, he's here huh...?
"Liver change?" I asked
"No. I just thought about that sentence of yours"
"Good then. But I told you -"
"-- I might be able to train you, O-2507"
...!
...
What...?
"I'm sure I heard it wrong..."
"No. You didn't hear me wrong"
"Then the world must be upside down"
"Please think as you want. I'm making an offer"
...!
It's not just a pleasantries, huh...?
"Ulysses has offered to train me. Why should I accept your offer after being rejected all this time?"
"You'll only kill yourself if you train with him. The power of Ulysses is not just to control the mind"
Hmphc...
"I'd better think about it. I can't see your face anymore"
I intended to turn around, but a cold hand immediately touched my shoulder and forced me to turn back
And when I saw that the culprit was Fuyuki, I also understood that Hector had given the order
He still wants to talk apparently
"My mind is tired right now, Hector. Let's talk about it again tomorrow, please"
...
...
...
"Yuki"
"Yes, Hector-sama?"
"Go and find the chairman. He's probably in Hera's lab right now"
"understand"
Eh?
Why did he tell Fuyuki to leave?
"The offer. Choosing Ulysses wasn't an option for you" Hector said, to my surprise at the meaning of the sentence
"Why indeed?!" I retaliated
"Because it's dangerous, I told you
Cassidy is also not an option to help you because she won't understand anything. That's why the chairman always insisted that I train you"
So he forced, did he...?
...
But, he might have a point. Ulysses can help, but I don't think forcing your way into the void of consciousness is something that should be done
Cassidy won't understand. I doubt he even knew what Malefic was, because of how innocent the boy was
So, that leaves only one option for my coaching position. And that person is Hector himself
...
But is he sure?
This morning, he said he would...
...
"I thought, O-2507"
...!
"I thought, maybe being buried in my grief would be of no use"
...
"That's why you're coming here now?" I asked too
He replied with a nod, and said
"But I still won't forgive you completely. I'm doing this, to make sure that we can all succeed in the future so that no more failures can happen"
...
Hm
"You said it yourself. We're partners, and we'd better act as partners
But that doesn't mean I have to like you, does it...?"
Hm
"So, get ready soon tomorrow in battle simulation area 3. I won't wait long"
Hm
I just nodded slowly replying to her every sentence, as she began to close her eyes from being satisfied with my response
Well, at least he wants to talk to me
But somehow, I also feel happy that she is. Maybe it's because I see there's a chance I can do to keep understanding everyone here
And I just wish this place could be like home. Even though my precious time in Arcadia used to be a lie and an illusion...
I really wish I could find a more comfortable place for everyone here...
While I was daydreaming with a smile on my lips, Hector just stayed there, waiting for me to move
He began to sigh, but remained silent afterwards. He kept waiting for me to move, to at least get the final sentence or so that he could leave immediately
But, we stayed there for 5 minutes, and I haven't moved at all
Till...
"Hectors! Arthur-sama!"
The sound of the call shocked our ears so much that the two of us immediately turned towards it
Fuyuki seemed to be hastily walking towards us with a worried look
His face was filled with terror, as if he was harboring the worst news that could be delivered in this universe, thus making Hector consciously move to calm him down
"Take your breath and tell us" Hector said, as if giving an order
Fuyuki followed suit, and after she was relieved...
He really, really gave the worst news that could be delivered in this universe
"An ordinary staff attacked Noah-sama and decapitated him. He's being held in a cafeteria right now"
!!!
"And I suspect, that the culprit is an enemy Maledict!"
I've never heard of Fuyuki that serious
But when I listen to it, I wish I was deaf now
