9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 203 - Eve (1)

Hmm hmm, hmm hmmm.

You wanted me, you abandoned me.

Beloved, give me love, beloved.

‘Ah, damn it.’

I swore to myself. Of course, it didn’t leave my mouth but just circled around in my brain.

Before my eyes was pitch-black darkness without a single point of light.

I could feel the soft texture of the black cloth wrapped around my eyes. A specially made gag was clamped in my mouth, and my arms and legs were firmly bound to the wall so I couldn’t move an inch.

A syringe connected to something was stuck deep in my arm, and some kind of cold liquid kept flowing in. Each time it entered, I could feel my mind growing foggy. Some kind of drug? It definitely wasn’t canil. Maybe something made with magic.

Anyway, if I died, Kruger would die too, so it probably wasn’t harmful to my body. Making my mind into an idiot’s might be another story.

I don’t know how long I’ve been in this state.

A week? A month? Maybe a year?

Learning from his last failure, Kruger had bound me so I could neither get hurt nor commit suicide.

‘Should have locked me up from the start.’

After sucking out everything worth sucking and burning it all until not even ashes remained. Viciously.

Trapped in a room without any stimulation, unable to move even a finger, repeating a life of constantly dozing and waking.

Anyone who didn’t go crazy in this situation wouldn’t be human. I think I’m going half-crazy now too.

‘I wish that bastard Lucas Redan would show up.’

That guy who appeared before my dying eyes when I was imprisoned in the underground dungeon last year, hurling abuse at me.

Whether he was an apparition, a ghost, or just my delusion.

I shouldn’t have told him to get lost back then. When I told him to get lost, he really disappeared and hasn’t shown up since. Geez.

It was too boring and there was nothing to do, so I tried singing songs to myself. But I couldn’t really remember the songs I used to sing often in Korea. Even when I tried to hum just the melodies, before I knew it they’d changed into Schufaben songs.

‘I guess I really have lived in this world for a long time.’

A bitter smile came out. Of course, since I couldn’t move my mouth properly, it was only in my heart again.

Let’s see, the day I fell into this bizarre world was July 24th, 1900 in the continental calendar.

And the day I was locked up in this unknown place was September 5th, 1904.

I don’t know how much time has passed since then. Still, if I just consider it mid-September, that’s roughly 1,500 days. The calendar in this world has exactly 30 days per month, so it’s easy to calculate.

‘I really lived intensely.’

Suddenly, along with a burst of self-pity, I remembered the small notebook I’d been diligently using before entering this floating castle.

The notebook where I’d briefly organized all the information and knowledge I needed to know.

That notebook, written not in this world’s language but in Korean, Chinese characters, and English so no one could understand it, would be among my belongings that Erika took care of.

That might be the true proof of my efforts.

No matter who blamed me, I could say with confidence. I did my best…

‘What the hell, why am I acting like I’m dying? Get it together!’

My hazy consciousness snapped awake.

‘Did my best at what?’

Kruger probably isn’t dead yet. Killing that bastard is my only life goal. What do I mean I did my best?

As time passes, my consciousness gets a bit foggier. Sometimes I’m in a ‘Who am I? Where am I?’ state. Is Kruger planning to keep me locked up until I become a madman?

‘But it won’t go as you want.’

My friends will drag you down before that happens… Once again, cold liquid spreads through my veins. Nod, drowsiness washes over me.

***

The softness touching my eyes disappeared.

“Secretary, I’ve brought your meal.”

A whispered voice and dim light appeared. Though it was dim, to my eyes adapted to darkness it was too much stimulation, causing tears to flow down without me realizing it.

“Ugh…!”

“Ah, s-sorry!”

The light dimmed to the point where it barely illuminated anything. When I managed to open my eyes, a slender, weasel-like man was standing there.

Julian Kaschtel.

A Supreme Leader Department civil servant from a fairly prestigious family who was the first to join my side.

‘Ah, that’s right.’

I’d been so soaked in drugs that I hadn’t even felt hungry, but I guess you still need to eat to live.

Julian, who had removed my blindfold, also carefully removed my gag. I loosened my stiffened tongue and opened my mouth.

“How much time has passed?”

A surprisingly clear voice flowed out.

“Exactly one week.”

One week. No wonder I was going crazy.

I rolled my eyes to look at the syringe and tube stuck in my left arm. A red liquid was flowing from a transparent medicine bottle installed in the corner.

It was a familiar sight.

‘I didn’t expect that. Am I an idiot?’

Kruger hardly ate meals. He drank alcohol often though. He simply replaced food intake with that red liquid—the “nutritional supplement” invented by Dr. Moritz Riepen.

‘He said he sleeps with it stuck in his arm.’

It wasn’t perfect, so every few days he’d eat simple bread, vegetables, and meat. Even that was very modest.

‘What kind of pleasure did he live for, I wondered.’

Kruger didn’t seem to particularly enjoy luxury. He wore good clothes, drank good alcohol, and received all kinds of magical benefits, but these were natural things for someone with this level of power to enjoy.

If I had to pick something, maybe raising the gold dragon? But even that dragon was disabled, so excluding the point that it was the Supreme Leader’s pet, its actual value might be terrible.

In the end, that bastard’s pleasure was probably taking rest in a place where no one could disturb him.

I just opened my mouth to receive the porridge Julian was feeding me. My arm and leg restraints had spells on them making them hard to remove, he said.

“Ossel’s collapse has become a foregone conclusion. They say they’re mobilizing police personnel due to the security vacuum. All the Ossels from headquarters and branches have fled, mainly escaping to foreign countries it seems. Several were caught and dragged in…”

“Ah, don’t tell me they called her? The Mage of Truth, was it?”

I asked after swallowing the porridge. It’s delicious, nom nom.

Mage of Truth. A snow-white human from head to toe. The universe swirled in her eyes, and if you met her gaze, she could read your memories.

That seemed to be the principle. I wasn’t certain though. In the end, she couldn’t read my memories.

“No, there was no need to use her—just a little torture was enough to make them confess everything, according to rumors. Based on their confessions, Colonel Johann Werner issued simultaneous orders to all Ossel branches. Ossel is dissolved as of this time, so everyone should fend for themselves. He burned all documents including the personnel roster, making it impossible to identify Ossel members.”

So the Ossels who crossed into other countries could potentially wash clean all their past criminal acts and live comfortably. Even if Kruger falls, it would be difficult to punish those collaborators. Since there’s no evidence.

‘This wasn’t done out of loyalty or sympathy. He simply intended to cause chaos.’

Most Ossels were orphans, I heard. Or adults who had lost their entire families for some reason.

But Johann probably didn’t sympathize with his subordinates for such circumstances. Rather, it’s more reasonable to assume he used their mass exodus to hide his own tracks.

‘Clever bastard.’

As expected, he only cares about himself. Whether Schufaben’s future goes to hell or not, as long as he can save his own life.

‘Well, the problem of putting former Ossels on trial isn’t something I should interfere with, and it’s too premature to worry about…’

I gave him a look while mindlessly chewing the spoon entering my mouth.

“Other news?”

“Cortana has been liberated. The missing king joined hands with the Elven Federation to support guerrillas and reclaimed the country. The military governor was executed there.”

“The Supreme Leader’s reaction?”

“I can’t know for certain, but according to rumors, he laughed heartily saying he expected as much…”

Well, it was something that had been predicted from when he cut off support.

After feeding me the last spoonful of porridge, Julian picked up the blindfold and gag with an apologetic expression.

“I should head back now, Secretary. If too much time passes, I’ll be suspected.”

“Wait, am I the only one you handle meals for?”

“Originally orders came down to assign it randomly, but I arranged things. I also selected all related personnel to be those loyal to you, Secretary, so there shouldn’t be any leaks.”

“Can you avoid Eve Clothier’s eyes?”

“Don’t worry. Many have already turned away. Secretary Clothier also seems anxious.”

Anxious, that iron-willed woman? I felt a chilling unease.

“I see. You’ve worked hard. Go ahead.”

“Then I’ll come again, Secretary.”

Julian bowed politely, then put the blindfold on me and the gag in my mouth. The sound of the heavy stone door opening and closing, and footsteps fading away.

***

After Julian’s visits, enduring this dark solitude and silence became much easier.

Once a week, that guy would come to give me meals and tell me about the outside world.

“The Elven Federation seems to have officially begun establishing diplomatic relations. Information came in that they’re first pursuing trade agreements with Cortana, then Rubellia.”

“Police Chief Mates was summoned to the residence. Voices leaked out begging for permission to use direct force since demonstrations are frequent.”

“Part of Ferint seems to have been dispatched to the eastern front. Guard personnel remain though.”

For long periods I’d just sleep under the drug’s influence or have dizzy thoughts, but the freedom of eyes and mouth given once a week helped me endure that endless darkness.

I counted the number of meal deliveries in my head. That’s how I regained my sense of time and figured out dates. The problem was that the information was getting increasingly sparse.

“Secretary Eve Clothier’s surveillance is strict. Just like before Secretary Redan was appointed, she’s monopolizing all information and continuing private audiences with the Supreme Leader. Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to have grasped the reporting structure leading to me yet.”

Julian cleverly passed rumors and information from mouth to mouth without leaving records and conveyed them to me. Even if some got distorted or lost in the process, it was better than getting caught by Eve and losing our heads.

***

What week was it now?

If my mental calculations were correct, December 1st, continental calendar 1904. So, the beginning of winter, approaching three months since I’d been locked up here.

I was quietly listening to the usual heavy stone door grinding open.

What I heard wasn’t Julian’s neat footsteps, but the clicking of dress shoes. At that moment, what I felt was closer to resignation than tension.

‘What had to come has come.’

The footsteps stopped right in front of me. The blindfold and gag were removed. Following the coping method I’d learned from being blinded initially, I kept my eyes tightly shut then slowly opened them.

As expected, Eve Clothier stood there.

The neatly pinned blonde hair I remembered. White skin and cold eyes. Everything was the same, but she looked a bit thinner.

“……”

“……”

Since Eve just stared at me penetratingly without saying anything, I stared back the same way. After a few minutes passed, she spoke first.

“How do you feel?”

“Terrible.”

At my curt response, Eve’s brow furrowed minutely.

“How vulgar, as expected.”

“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I spoke nicely in this situation?”

Eve glared at me intently. As if trying to read my mind.

“……Why did you risk your life to crawl up here? What could possibly be the reason you burrowed into this noble castle like a bug?”

“Noble? Noble my ass.”

“Recognize your situation, Lucas Redan. You didn’t expect this to happen, did you? Did you think Supreme Leader was that easy to deal with? To rush in like a moth to flame just looking at the desire before your eyes.”

My situation.

“I expected this to happen, and I’ve never once thought the Supreme Leader was easy to deal with. That’s why I made it this far. To cut off an enemy’s head, you have to be as close as possible, don’t you?”

“Enemy?”

“Yes, enemy.”

Eve came closer. Her always-perfect suit blazer gleamed smoothly in the lamplight.

Eve raised her hand as if to slap my cheek, then flinched back when I snickered.

“What do you really want to ask? Stop beating around the bush and ask whatever you want. I’ll answer anything.”

“What is that arrogant attitude?”

“Arrogant? No matter how arrogant I am, I could never match your master.”

“How dare you…!”

Smack!

This time Eve really slapped my cheek. Due to the drugs, I barely felt any pain—just a slight sting. It seemed the tender flesh in my mouth had torn as blood pooled under my tongue.

“Ptui! How brave of you. I didn’t know that Eve Clothier was such a woman who couldn’t distinguish between heaven and earth. Won’t your master scold you for this?”

When I spat blood, it splattered on the blouse of her who was standing right in front. I didn’t care and said whatever I wanted.

“Ah, but you wouldn’t know, would you? Why the Supreme Leader goes to such lengths to keep me alive. Why he didn’t execute me for treason long ago. Why he ordered that not a finger be laid on me. You could never understand.”

Eve’s eyes, which had been cold blue, were becoming cloudy. The whites were bloodshot red. Like blood had splattered there too.

“On the day Johann Werner last appeared. He—no, you…”

Her voice trembled mercilessly. She opened and closed her mouth several times as if bringing up something very difficult.

“It’s killing me with frustration. You’re curious about what me and the Supreme Leader both saw or experienced that day, right? Johann figured out what it was, so he completely sided with me. That’s why he came. Spurt!”

I chuckled and spat blood once more.

“If you want, I’ll tell you everything. How your master was born and how he lived. Curious?”

I could feel the fury and killing intent Eve was radiating.

“Then let’s have a cozy chat. We have plenty of time!”