The Evil Scientist is Too Competent

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A few days ago, the faces of the employees were filled with gloom, but now they bloom with smiles. Some employees were even humming a tune on their way to work.

“Good morning!”

“What’s with you? Did something good happen?”

“Yes! I won the lottery yesterday! It’s only $500, though!”

“That’s great! So, are you treating us today?”

“Absolutely!”

The stocks, which had been hitting rock bottom day after day, were suddenly soaring, and the news was parroting how Evilus Corporation had achieved another record-breaking performance.

What had once been misfortune and stagnation now seemed like a strategic retreat for better days ahead, as dazzling times were repeating themselves.

While Evilus Corporation was enjoying such glorious success, the opposite was happening in City S.

[The Spiritual Center, which had been revealed to be producing Clone Humans, is not issuing any response…]

[Officials are merely repeating statements like, “It’s just a synthesis article using AI; we will take strong action against the spread of false information…”]

[The alliance announced plans to begin an audit of City S and the Spiritual Center—]

While E City and Evilus Corporation were riding high, City S and the Spiritual Center were on a path to ruin. It was as if their fates had reversed in an instant.

Those who were working as cogs in the corporate machine felt no confusion at this unfolding scene, but those overseeing all movements could only feel suspicion. Regalia felt the same way.

“Is this your doing?”

Regalia called over a Scientist to inquire about the current situation in City S. The Scientist nodded lightly without a word. This made Regalia’s expression slightly sour.

He knew very well that this person would not harm him…

“These days, isn’t there too much happening without informing me?”

“I thought it was something you didn’t need to know.”

“…Am I being too suspicious? This feels like a scene I’ve seen somewhere before.”

“Kuhuhu— You think I’m plotting against you? How very rude.”

“Is that you? No, right?”

“I’m just joking. Boss.”

When the Boss started acting like an evil scientist from a popular children’s cartoon (a real villain, no less), it reminded Regalia of something, and she began to shudder. Eight couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the Boss.

“If the Boss wishes, I can report every little thing I do, but… that wouldn’t be very efficient.”

“It’s not a matter of efficiency; it’s a matter of trust.”

“You suspect I might stab the Boss in the back, huh?”

Regalia silently gazed at Eight. Her expression was so calm it was hard to believe her true intentions had been exposed. However, since Eight had seen such expressions often, she could read Regalia’s true feelings.

The Position of Kings is something everyone covets. The external pressures and struggles that someone destined for the throne like her has faced are beyond what a mere grad student like him could imagine. After all, even the position he had held as a grad student was filled with scheming from those envious of it.

“─You really don’t need to worry about that, Boss.”

But, as I’ve said many times, Eight had no intention or desire to betray Regalia.

He could pledge everything he had to ensure that. Perhaps she didn’t know, but if she wished, she could easily shove such a taboo down her throat.

“I won’t betray you.”

Having promised himself he would live that way.

To be a being that wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of others.

At the very least… he wouldn’t turn into a shameless person like his advisor.

“…So, there isn’t, right? The idea of making a Clone Human to replace you and controlling that puppet to rule Evilus?”

“No, I’m telling you there’s nothing like that. You’ve been watching too many cartoons, Boss…”

Yet, that sentiment didn’t reach Regalia.

***

“Graaaah—!”

“L-Let me go—!”

“I won’t take any money, just let me out!”

People trapped in the room scream out. However, those outside, hearing those screams, ignored them completely as if they couldn’t hear a thing.

Moments later, something that burst forth from the altar pounced upon them.

Gulp— Chomp— Crunch!

Eventually, a grotesque sound filled the air, and then a burp echoed from within the room.

─Come in.

Hearing those words, Liu Boss and her employees hesitated as they looked at the filthy room stained with blood and flesh. While it wasn’t the first time they’d seen a sacrifice, never had they encountered one treated in such a messy manner.

It felt as if they were seeing someone focused solely on filling their belly, disregarding any sort of etiquette. They devoured their meal in a gluttonous manner.

When would they clean this up? With that thought weighing on her mind, Liu Boss quietly lowered her head and spoke.

“Was the sacrifice satisfactory? We will clean the room immediately.”

─Ah, well. However, do you have any requests for me?

“Excuse me? What do you mean…?”

─I asked if you have any requests for me.

“None, really—.”

─You should have something.

Liu Boss realized at that moment that the Divine Spirit was coercing her. Even after devouring so many sacrifices, and planning to devour many more tomorrow…

Had her mindset changed after gorging on such a significant amount in one go?

“If that’s the case… recently we have been sensing some kind of attack against our corporation, could you please prevent it?”

─Attack? Ah— I see. Understood. This will be cheap. Just bring me 15 sacrifices.

“What? You’re not just going to grant it…?”

─Do you want to die?

“I-I’m so sorry!”

Realizing it was futile, Liu Boss immediately bowed her head and exited the room with the altar. She needed to quickly procure more sacrifices. Cleaning? After they devoured sacrifices again, it would just get dirty anyway…

As she hurried out to gather the sacrifices, one of the bewildered employees from earlier hesitantly spoke up.

“B-Boss, are you out of your mind? How could you possibly ask for more after that?”

“…How many years have you been working here?”

“Excuse me? It’s my third year this year…”

“You’re still young. Your thinking is naive. Pathetic.”

“W-Wait— what are you trying to do…!”

Without a word, Liu Boss grabbed the employee’s head and transmitted her thoughts through telepathy. As much as she wished to use him as one of the fifteen sacrifices she had to offer the Divine Spirit, being an employee of the Spiritual Center meant he was far too valuable to waste like that.

In fact, having just seen the Divine Spirit devour over a hundred sacrifices raw without batting an eye, it was plausible he might have been too panicked to be comfortable at the sight.

Regardless, understanding the Divine Spirit’s intention through telepathy, the employee trembled, foaming at the mouth.

“Ugh—!”

“Now do you understand? What was that being thinking when they asked me for a request?”

“A-Ah, I see now… I was lacking…”

“It’s nothing. Just keep doing exactly as you have been.”

“Thank you…”

After deeply bowing, the employee set off again to gather sacrifices, leaving Liu Boss to check her schedule. While she was rushed to gather sacrifices, she was also the president of a corporation.

This meant there were many layers of duties piled on her. Especially since there had been a leak about a combination of synthetic humans being created in secret, causing significant trouble.

The busy president’s workload had only increased.

“Secretary. What’s on the agenda today?”

[Yes, Liu Boss. Today’s agenda is…]

As she received a report about the day’s tasks from the AI, Liu Boss realized there was a particularly bothersome task wedged in there. A task that hadn’t been scheduled in advance.

It was a visit from Evilus Corporation’s guest.

For a meeting with her.

“Evilus Corporation? I hadn’t heard about that…”

[Yes. It’s a matter that suddenly came up this morning.]

“That sort of thing is out of the question. Decline the meeting.”

[That’s impossible. Madam President. This matter holds the highest priority.]

“…Have those Evilus folks lost their minds?”

Liu Boss laughed hollowly at how the AI from Evilus Corporation was intervening like this and headed towards the meeting room.

There, a man dressed in white sat alone, seemingly sipping on some coffee that the secretaries had brought him.

As Liu Boss scrutinized his face, she cleared her throat and presented herself before him.

“Are you the guest from Evilus Corporation? How rude to show up like this?”

“I-I sincerely apologize. It’s an urgent matter.”

The man smiled brightly and bowed his head to Liu Boss. Then, he immediately lifted his head and began introducing himself.

“I’m a Scientist from Evilus Corporation. Call me Eight.”

“I’m Liu Spirit.”

“I know, Madam President.”

With that, Eight turned his head around, looking around the room as if searching for something. It was an extremely rude behavior, especially in front of the President, but… what came out next rendered Liu Boss unable to address such rudeness.

“─Where’s that Divine Spirit?”

“…What?”

“I came to see it in person.”

Our Boss is rather proactive, after all.

Unable to make sense of what she heard, Liu Boss swallowed hard and glared at Eight.

…Just how much does this guy know?