Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 169

After clearing up some misunderstandings with Gerda, I went to see Zepetia.

“Thanks for earlier.”

Thanks to Zepetia, things with Gerda could be resolved well.

No, it might be hard to say they were resolved well, but at least I could pay a bit more attention now.

“It was nothing. Anyway, about what I mentioned earlier…”

Zepetia showed no signs of caring about that incident at all.

I felt awkward but didn’t say anything particular.

“What’s that over there?”

There was an unfamiliar door in one corner of Workshop 3.

Did they expand the workshop a bit?

“Don’t go in there. It’s where I keep incomplete and dangerous things.”

Zepetia said with a serious expression.

A lot must have happened while I was unconscious…

“Where were we? Ah right, the rail gun. I finally made something decent.”

The rail gun Zepetia showed me was definitely much smaller than what I saw last time.

Though the gun itself was longer, most importantly, the generator had been reduced tremendously.

Originally it used two machine devices as tall as a person, but now it was just one metal box about knee-height.

“This is amazing!”

Honestly, I was shocked since I never imagined this level of miniaturization would be possible.

“Can I try lifting it?”

“Sure.”

I lifted the handle attached to the small generator.

“…?”

It was surprisingly light.

No really, why is this so light?

It feels empty inside?

I stared at Zepetia blankly in surprise.

“Hehe… I knew you’d be surprised. Incredibly light, right? Even I think it’s amazing.”

“How did you do this?”

“The secret is bloodstone.”

“Bloodstone…?”

“Yes. Originally I planned to use moonstone, but that was too rare for me to use. But bloodstone was more plentiful. Or more precisely, it was piling up because it was troublesome to process.”

“Ah…”

I see.

Originally both moonstone and bloodstone were used for equipment enhancement, but generally moonstone was harder to obtain while having more uses.

Though bloodstone wasn’t abundant, it could be found relatively easily in Beast bodies but had few uses.

In the game it was useful for sorcerer builds, but there were no such sorcerers here.

Unless Maia was here…

“Using bloodstone is really brilliant.”

Even I with my past life memories never thought of bloodstone.

Of course, I’ve had plenty of experience learning that knowledge from my past life isn’t omnipotent.

“Though power and weight improved dramatically… it’s not without drawbacks.”

“What could be the problem when it’s already this amazing?”

“It’s single-use.”

“Single-use?”

“Once you use it, it goes boom and explodes. And not just a normal explosion – it sprays curses everywhere while exploding.”

“What do you…”

“To increase power, you inevitably have to make the bloodstone structure unstable, and in that process, the curse bonds weaken and leak out. So the machine can’t withstand it. Even I almost had a serious accident at first.”

A single-use weapon.

And an extremely dangerous one at that.

“Still, it seems usable at this level. But specifically how powerful is it?”

“We can’t test it here. I got banned after trying a few times. They scolded me asking if I was trying to blow up the building.”

“That powerful?”

“Roughly… you know that beam attack we saw in Ridel Village? It’s similar to that but with power comparable to Lady Sephira’s skull attack.”

Ridel Village was… where Vile brought Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Vile’s newborn Beasts generally shot laser-like beams.

Plus if the power rivals a high-ranked hunter, that’s incredible.

“That level would more than make up for the drawbacks. This is truly an amazing invention.”

“I was glad to finally research a decent topic too. Actually, if it wasn’t this level, I couldn’t have endured…”

“Couldn’t have endured?”

“There’s something… Anyway! I wanted to show you this before you went to Offenbach. Since it’s our joint work.”

“No, it’s embarrassing to call it joint work. You made it after all.”

“You gave me the inspiration. When I first saw this part in grandfather’s research materials, I couldn’t even think of anything. Without you, I couldn’t have made something like this.”

It’s still awkward even when she puts it that way.

No matter how much she praises me, Zepetia did everything from creation to improvement.

I went to Offenbach and spent a month in a vegetative state…

“You’re the amazing one instead. You did everything alone during the month I was gone. Were you alright?”

“Like I said earlier, it was quite an engaging research. And somewhat…”

Zepetia’s eyes drifted toward that door from earlier.

It must mean she was that focused on research and development.

Though she said she couldn’t manage without me, maybe she’s improved quite a bit at this rate…

No, if I hadn’t been here in the first place…

“Anyway! That’s all for now! You’re busy with that kid too, right? Go play with her some more.”

“…Are you okay?”

“Honestly, I’m quite disappointed. I want to spend more time with you but… for now I’m just glad you came back.”

It’s quite embarrassing when she expresses her affection this openly…

“Above all, that kid is subtly keeping watch.”

“Gerda?”

“Yes. Saying you’re her brother, constantly monitoring in the hospital room… it was really absurd…”

Zepetia grumbled.

Come to think of it, I was unconscious for quite a while last time with the Mark too.

Zepetia said she took care of me then…

Well, honestly thinking about it makes me feel sorry, but it’s more comfortable if she doesn’t come.

Afterward, I stayed a while longer chatting with Zepetia about various things before returning to my quarters.

* * *

After Eugene left, Zepetia remained alone in Workshop 3.

“…Ahh!”

Zepetia collapsed trembling.

“Ugh… so embarrassing, so embarrassing…”

She kept muttering while covering her face with her hands.

“The real thing is definitely better after all…”

After muttering to herself and fidgeting restlessly for a while, Zepetia got up once she calmed down somewhat.

“Phew… the rail gun, huh. Hope it’s useful…”

Right after Eugene lost consciousness and was transferred to the Order, naturally Zepetia went to take care of him again.

Wiping sweat from his naked body, feeding him, and handling bodily functions would normally be dirty and arduous work, but with Eugene as the subject, it felt like observing and researching the world’s most fascinating human body, making it exciting instead.

But that was brief, as Gerda barged in insisting she was Eugene’s sister and tried to take over those duties.

Zepetia was prepared for a dirty mud fight against a child, but in the end the hospital took Gerda’s side saying family should handle it.

Plus Gerda was physically stronger so forcing her way in was impossible too.

In the end, Zepetia holed up in Workshop 3 again and almost went crazy, but thankfully she was able to hold on until Eugene returned by immersing herself in rail gun development…

That was the excuse she had prepared in advance.

“…”

Zepetia locked the workshop door then inserted a key into the door Eugene had pointed at earlier and entered.

A place for storing incomplete and dangerous things.

At least that wasn’t a lie.

Opening the door revealed a small room of just a few square meter.

But it was packed with all sorts of odds and ends, diagrams and grimoires covering the walls.

On one wall was a 10-tier shelf filled with taxidermied Beast heads or skulls that were empty from the middle of the forehead up.

The glass jars on the opposite shelf contained various brains suspended in clear liquid.

The bookshelf held research journals recording experimental results and improvements.

The contents were methods for safely extracting brains and transplanting them elsewhere.

This was the real reason Zepetia hadn’t exploded.

Because she was absorbed in research on extracting the brain from Eugene’s head and transferring it to another place only she knew about.

“Grandfather’s research really has many uses.”

Through Vile’s research, she understood that human intelligence and soul reside in the brain, and after locking herself in the workshop thinking alone, she decided to steal Eugene away.

Zepetia had already begun research crossing the line and was able to stay stable rather because of it.

One year.

With just one more year, this impossible research could have gained feasibility and been executed as an actual plan.

The trash was already filled with crumpled blueprints for a new body designed to house Eugene’s transplanted brain.

Since it was Eugene of all people, the new body had to be created carefully.

Either creating a new life form, or… making a new Pinocchio.

But thanks to Eugene waking up, this research would never be completed.

“It was good I researched the rail gun alongside it.”

The reason Zepetia could think of bloodstone was also because she had been contemplating materials for creating an empty body without a brain.

And the rail gun was a promise with Eugene, so it was meant to be a gift for when he woke up in his new body.

Of course, Zepetia knew Eugene wouldn’t like a new body and life.

But…

“But, I couldn’t bear it…”

She was tired of solitude now.

She wanted someone by her side, and that person could only be Eugene.

If this plan had succeeded, she might have been able to monopolize Eugene.

I won’t hand him over to anyone else.

“Still… the real thing is better after all…”

But when she reunited with Eugene, she realized.

Eugene was best as Eugene.

His voice, body heat, gaze, atmosphere… those could never be recreated.

They were only possible because he was the current Eugene.

“Should I dispose of these now.”

Though the research till now was regrettable, now that the real thing was back, these were no longer needed.

Rather, if discovered, it wouldn’t end with just expulsion.

Beyond heresy charges, above all she would earn Eugene’s hatred.

“I don’t want that!”

Zepetia activated the alchemy furnace and threw in the forbidden research materials.

The evidence of sin would be transformed through the furnace into waste unrecognizable from the original.

“Hehe, hehehe… Then shall I start new research…”

Having destroyed everything, Zepetia stretched with a refreshed expression and turned her back on the dirty evidence.

Not a trace of regret or guilt could be found in that figure.

* * *

“I am ashamed…”

Eric knelt before Rusalka with his head bowed.

“Not only did I disobey orders to conserve strength, but to receive such injuries… I will accept any punishment.”

“Punishment for a general who fought bravely and was injured in battle? That makes no sense.”

Rusalka shook her head.

“Lady Rusalka…!”

Eric’s eyes grew moist.

Indeed, Lady Rusalka was merciful.

Being the sole knight of such a master was a great honor.

“Rather than that, we should have a more constructive discussion.”

“Yes! Already regarding counterattacks or the next attack point…”

“No, not that.”

“What?”

“Your injuries haven’t fully healed yet.”

“I’m fine. If this body can be sacrificed for you, Lady Rusalka…!”

“No. You are an important fighting force. You must not be treated carelessly.”

“Ah… such merciful words…. Then what did you wish to discuss…?”

“Your successor, of course.”

“…?”

“You are injured so you must rest. Therefore someone must fill that vacancy.”

“Ah, I see. Then among the royal guard, someone skilled in strategy…”

“No. I’d prefer someone a bit different.”

“…Don’t tell me.”

No way.

It can’t be.

Surely not.

“Eugene… I want to bring him in soon.”