Don't Feed the Professor! - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Internal Agent A: “That’s beside the point…… (Sigh.) Your Judgment, we need assurance that you’ll surrender the custody of whoever the Agency requests at any time.”
Jusija: “I’ve conceived a new name. Canaria. Canaria—the name of a bird. A bird beloved by humans.”
Internal Agent A: “I understand the intent well enough. But…….”
Jusija: “A new resident on the 12th Floor of Nest Building. Twelve is a beautiful number. One humans favor, with soft, gentle cadence. Exquisitely beautiful. As beautiful as Lee ○Young’s form and voice.”
Internal Agent A: “……Sir, did you just……?”
(Negotiations stalled; internal meeting convened.)
(Internal Agent A advised to adopt a firmer stance.)
(Record resumed.)
Jusija: “Lee ○Young will remain forever peaceful and safe in my tower. She will stay with me.”
Internal Agent A: “I must stress—you cannot make unilateral demands in this manner.”
Jusija: “Canaria. My Canaria.”
Internal Agent A: “(Sigh.) That’s exactly why you can’t keep sidestepping the matter like this.”
Jusija: “Cannot comprehend.”
Internal Agent A: “We cannot hand over Lee ○Young. You’ll need to offer something reasonable in return…….”
Jusija: “Cannot hand over Lee ○Young? Cannot give her to me? Negotiations concluded?”
Internal Agent A: “No, that’s not what I’m saying. It’s just that the progress of negotiations…….”
Jusija: “Negotiations are concluded. Deception. The Agency requested. The entity is deceived.”
Internal Agent A: “Wait, just a moment…….”
Jusija: “Present the tribute. Present the promised offering.”
(Recording gap – 03 seconds)
Internal Agent A: “Sir, I think there’s a problem here.”
Jusija: “You will choose me. You will remain with me.”
Internal Agent A: “Sir!”
(Jusija subsequently transmits the same message 89 times. Internal Agent A requests communication termination.)
(Security clearance insufficient for renegotiation records. Please contact administrator.)
* * *
S#3
Amelie, Bibi, and Canaria stand in the corridor.
In the dim hallway are three doors.
To the left is Canaria’s apartment, Room 1201; to the right, Room 1202; and in the center is the Emergency Stairs.
Canaria:
(Dazed.) I can’t believe we could just walk out like this…….
Amelie:
Don’t be mistaken. We’re still ‘inside.’ We just didn’t know how far that inside extended.”
Bibi:
The 12th Floor……. (As realization strikes.) What was permitted to Canaria wasn’t Room 1201—it was the 12th Floor of Nest Building.”
Amelie:
Exactly. And if a signal is being transmitted from somewhere, then that would be…….”
All three turn their gaze toward Room 1202.
A bad feeling settles over them.
Amelie:
A bad feeling?
Bibi:
What did you say?
Amelie:
(Shaking her head.) No, I must be imagining things. Let’s go in.”
Click. The door to Room 1202 doesn’t open.
Amelie stares at the camera.
But this time, the camera doesn’t zoom in on her.
Bibi:
Amelie?
Amelie:
(Her gaze fixed on the camera.) Entity Classification Number A7802—what did you call yourself? Jusija?”
Bibi:
That’s right.”
Amelie:
So you’re the owner of Nest Building and the building itself?”
Bibi:
That’s what we’ve been told, anyway. More importantly, what’s gotten into you since a moment ago…….”
Amelie:
(Cutting her off.) What about the other floors?”
Bibi:
What?”
Amelie:
Do the residents on other floors also have to be trained like Canaria?”
Canaria:
No. I’m the only one being trained. I’m the only one who received the name ‘Canaria.'”
Bibi:
It was the first time Jusija had ever taken such an active interest.”
Amelie:
So Canaria is special?”
Of course she is.
Amelie:
……So my intuition wasn’t wrong after all.”
Canaria:
What are you talking about?”
My Canaria is special.
So don’t get foolish ideas, troublesome child.
Amelie:
(Gritting her teeth.) What the hell is in Room 1202?”
…….
…….
Bibi:
Amelie?”
Stand by…….
Amelie:
Answer me. What’s in there?”
Stand by…….
Bibi:
Amelie, who are you talking to right now?”
Amelie:
(Still fixed on the camera.) Your precious Canaria is wondering, after all.”
……There is a Vessel of Blood.
Amelie:
What?”
Cheap deception.
It will not work on me or my Canaria.
Amelie:
“Move the vessel filled with blood into the burial chamber”…….”
Bibi:
(Grabbing Amelie’s arm.) Are you okay?”
Amelie:
That’s what was said. In the oral testimony of Agent 2A-○940……. (Looking up at Bibi.) What does that even mean? Is it some kind of code?”
Bibi:
(Confused.) Not that I know of. Why are you…….”
Canaria:
Let’s open it.”
What?
Canaria:
(Facing the camera.) Open the door to Room 1202. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
Bibi:
What’s she…….”
Amelie:
Wait, you can see that too?!”
Canaria:
Only partially. But I need to know what’s making me so anxious.”
Anxious…….
Anxious?
Canaria:
Of course! Did you think I wouldn’t notice? (Pointing at the window.) The day length has been getting shorter! The lighting’s grown dim!”
And suddenly you’re playing that ‘Meditation Music’ or whatever it is!
That……, that’s…….
Canaria:
I’ve raised birds before, so I know what it means! You think I’m so stressed I might die! What’s going on?!”
Don’t be angry…….
Don’t be angry, Canaria…….
Canaria:
Then open the door!”
Amelie:
(In wonder.) That voice projection is no joke.”
Bibi:
(Claps.)
Stand by…….
The door to Room 1202 opens…….
Amelie:
Is that…… blood?”
The silhouette of a fallen man lies within.
There is a Vessel of Blood.
The remnants of arranged offerings lie scattered, though there is no food among them.
A failed ritual.
Focus out.
Record unauthorized.
(Inconsistency.)
(World Inconsistency.)
Bibi:
Watch out!”
There is a Vessel of Blood.
There is something hideous.
Jusija pushes the troublesome child back slightly to protect Canaria.
Amelie:
Wait! Just now, who was that—!”
Something hideous rushes forth.
K4N_8■?JN:
Sustenance.
* * *
Listen well, Lee Yuri.
The Fortress has places that are peculiarly unstable.
If you’re injured there, your existence will become irrevocably scrambled.
I may not be able to restore you.”
So don’t go there alone without me.”
Promise me.
A promise.
* * *
‘A promise?’
Crash!
“Get your wits about you!”
Bibi’s rough shake snapped me back to awareness.
“What, what’s…… happening?”
The air is acrid.
“Get your head together. We’re heading for the Emergency Stairs.”
Bibi hooked my arm over her shoulder, supporting me. Half-dangling from her, I looked around.
Dust filled everything.
“Where’s Canaria……?”
“Right now, we need to worry about you and me. Focus on getting out.”
“Did I lose consciousness? Why…….”
“I didn’t get a good look either. There was something in the room, and when it tried to come out, part of the building collapsed.”
The building collapsed?
“Bibi, wait, hold on. Where exactly are you taking me?”
“The Emergency Stairs, like I said. We’re on the 12th Floor.”
“We can’t.”
I tried to stop Bibi. Or rather, I intended to.
“What are you doing?”
What—a wild boar, that’s what. Why is she this strong?
Bibi clicked her tongue watching me strain.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but we can talk later. If there’s another collapse…….”
“You can’t go down the Emergency Stairs. No—more than that, where is Canaria?”
Bibi’s expression turned exasperated. Well, of course it did. To her eyes, this was just a collapsing building.
But hadn’t Jusija just said that she was both the owner of Nest Building and the building itself?
If that’s the case, then blindly escaping isn’t enough. Jusija would surely be where Canaria is.
And besides, Mallo had made it clear not to take the Emergency Stairs…….
Wait.
〈Just call me when you need me. Then I’ll come to you. In whatever form you want, safe and harmless.〉

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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