"It won't take long."Witchasha, the chief of the Hupa tribe who kidnapped Mei-rin, held up a red cloth and stretched his arms over her head."......?"She had tightly closed her eyes, but cautiously opened them a slit. She expected him to strangle her or blindfold her with it, but it simply settled on her shoulders, the cloth falling below her chest.It turned out to be just a red apron with a carrot character drawn on it."???"Suddenly, a dining table descended in front of her, a large roasted turkey steaming hot was set, and fried dishes and mushroom soup were arranged around it."I command you to release her."At Witchasha's words, one of the burly men came behind her and untied the ropes, freeing her hands. The ropes binding her legs and waist remained.Click!Dick, who was now dazed from the neurotoxin, was also seated in another chair, and food was being served in front of him too."Please eat comfortably!"The men bowed at the waist.Soon, the atmosphere changed.Unfamiliar yet clear flute and drum sounds, seemingly traditional Hupa instruments, echoed like background music. And two shirtless men fanned her from either side with leaf fans.Mei-rin was so dumbfounded that she stared blankly for a moment, then burst out in anger."What in the world are you doing?!""We have one condition."Witchasha said."That you stay here for just one day."".......""We will not lay a hand on your bodies or threaten your safety beyond this. Our methods may be clumsy, but we will do our best to make you comfortable while you stay here."Mei-rin let out a sarcastic snort."This is beyond ridiculous! Whether you feed us or fan us, this is clearly kidnapping. Did you think you could just imprison someone like this and gloss over it?""We know."Witchasha nodded and approached. Mei-rin turned her eyes away in disgust at his uncomfortably twitching muscles and overtly exposed chest. "We kidnapped a Kizen student. It is our responsibility to bear the consequences. However, we have only conveyed our demands to you, and we state that we will not pose any threat to your safety unless you attempt to escape from here."Mei-rin crossed her arms. She was still cynical and cold, but there was now room for dialogue."Let's hear it. Why are you holding us here?"Witchasha spread his palm."I will answer that question too. But before that, I ask if you would like to eat first. The food is getting cold."In the distance, two muscular men in red aprons were stirring ladles, and when their eyes met Mei-rin's, they gave her a thumbs-up."We worked hard to prepare it.......""Go die. You perverts."Mei-rin retorted coldly, and the two chefs lowered their heads with dejected expressions.Witchasha said with a hint of pity."Eura and Hake are tender-hearted.""I don't care about that! And why should I eat something made by those perverted boob-men? What if it's poisoned?""If we intended to poison you, we would have done so by force already. But we will not.""No matter what you say, I won't eat a single bi.......!"Grrrrumble.Her stomach rumbled at the perfect timing. Mei-rin's face flushed hot.'Ugh, this is so embarrassing! Why now of all times!'Witchasha smiled meaningfully."I point out that you haven't eaten anything since waking up this morning.""......Kuh!"Her face contorted with frustration and embarrassment."I repeat, we are not trash who tamper with food. If you do not eat it, the food will be thrown straight into the trash. The decision is yours.""......."Mei-rin fell into thought.Of course, she didn't have to eat the food given by kidnappers.No, but. This was just her being annoyed and throwing a tantrum, and as he said, if they were going to poison or drug her, they would have done it already.In fact, as long as she was captured, there was no choice. The best option was to pretend to cooperate and be docile, then launch a surprise attack when they let their guard down.This was all a strategic decision. It definitely wasn't because she was hungry.At the end of her train of thought, Mei-rin picked up a fork. Then, she gently pressed a piece of the large turkey dish in front of her. Like cheese, the fork smoothly sank into the tender meat, and juices flowed out.She used the fork to tear off a piece of meat, carefully held it in her palm, and took a bite."!"Her pupils widened.'......Damn it, it's so good it's infuriating. It tastes like the barbecue I had at Professor Hongpeng's house in the first semester.'Her hand holding the fork trembled, and she silently tore off another piece. Witchasha nodded."I'm glad it suits your taste.""Ah, shut up! But it is good!"At her words, the two men in aprons who were cooking visibly brightened and high-fived. Witchasha also smiled contentedly."Eura and Hake are weak to compliments.""I don't want to know that!"***The day was getting darker.Simon and Kamibarez were running through the streets, utterly exhausted. "Let's split up and search. That might be faster."Kamibarez nodded at Simon's suggestion."That's a good idea! But how do we let each other know if we find them?""Wait a moment."Simon opened his subspace and took out the lantern sets he had made yesterday and had left over. There were still two sheets left.Since he had made them several times before, folding them was quick. Simon quickly finished two sheets and gave one to Kamibarez."There's still some time before A Thousand Lights begins. The one who finds them first will launch a lantern. And."Next, Simon took out Dick's music box from his pocket.It was an item he had used before in Deathland to attract zombies, and Dick had gotten an idea from it to modify it for attracting zombies.Last night, when they were drinking, Dick had proudly shown it off as a hit and given one as a gift to each of the three of them."The first one to find them should launch the lantern and hang the music box on it so it makes noise.""Okay!"So the two split up, searching every corner of Langerstein and asking people. 'So many men in robes walked suspiciously, yet there are surprisingly few witnesses. They're probably not far from the Clock Tower lodging. Somewhere secluded and with few people around.'Simon began to search mainly in narrow, labyrinthine alleys.'Oh, that old woman?'As he entered a slum alley filled with shanties, he saw an old woman with eyes that were all white and half her face grotesquely twisted. She was the same old woman he had seen earlier with Kamibarez, who had spoken of the Spirit of Disease.She was prostrate on the ground, muttering something in a low voice. Simon approached her."Excuse me."She mumbled strange words, then suddenly snapped her head up."The rats are gone.""Huh?""All the city's rats are gone. The bugs, the crows, all of them."Simon squatted down."Why did they disappear?""They answered the call of the Spirit of Disease."She spoke in a muttering tone, then suddenly raised her voice sharply, "The Spirit is enraged! Tonight, someone else will die in this city!""......."Another murder would occur? Simon asked in a serious voice."By any chance, where can I see that Spirit of Disease?""The Spirit.......!"She was about to continue speaking when she suddenly startled and clamped her mouth shut.Shhhhhh-From various parts of the slum alley, countless insects swarmed, covering the ground in black. "They're here! They're here! The Spirit has come!"The old woman shrieked and rushed into her shanty, slamming the door shut with a bang!Simon simply stood still. Soon, the swarm of insects rushed past him in an instant.'Ah.'He had worried they might crawl onto him, given their frightening momentum, but they precisely avoided Simon and went elsewhere. Simon followed the insects, keeping a little distance.'Where are they going?'The insects were entering increasingly narrow and dark alleys.Bang!Simon startled and turned his head.Suddenly, the wall of a wooden house shattered, and a black wave of rats poured out from inside, lifting Simon's body.It was like a current. The swarm of rats, carrying Simon with incredible speed, threw him down into the alley below."Whoa!"Simon landed on the ground without impact. The rats scattered and disappeared, and Simon looked around.The deepest part of the slum. In a space filled with semi-basement buildings, Simon had arrived in front of a pub.'Are they telling me to go in here?'Simon steeled himself and opened the pub door."Excuse me....... Ugh!"The pungent smell of alcohol.Several people, seemingly drunk, were sprawled out in disarray. The man who appeared to be the pub owner was also passed out, his face beet red.Among all the fallen figures, only one person sat perfectly upright in the center.Gulp. Gulp.A woman was seen lightly holding an entire barrel, drinking alcohol with one hand.Liquid gurgled down her throat. Her legs were spread wide, resting on the table with the soles of her bare feet visible. She wasn't wearing shoes.'Who, who is this?'He had thought he had met all sorts of strange people while attending Kizen, but no one was as strange as this person.Her grayish-brown hair was spiky like a hedgehog and tangled, with two animal-like ears sticking out from it.She wore ragged clothes that made him question if they could even be called attire. All sorts of rags were loosely draped over her body, simply wrapped around her like bandages. Dirty grime and stains were visible all over her body and clothes.What in the world was this person?How long had it been since she last washed?She seemed more like a wild beast than a civilized person, like a child raised by wolves in a fairy tale. A true savage.However, she didn't emit the unpleasant odor of someone unwashed. Instead, a dangerous chemical smell stung his nose."You."Thud!She finally emptied the barrel and set it on the floor, then grinned. Her teeth were triangular and jagged, like a shark's."You're that Simon Pollentia fellow. Right?"She knew him. Simon said with a tense expression,"Who are you?""How rude. Do you answer a question with a question?"She extended her hand, and a crow flew down, dropping a bottle of alcohol from the pub. She uncorked it with her bare hands, without an opener, and immediately brought it to her mouth.Gulp, gulp.The drinking continued. She easily emptied a bottle, then let out a 'Kyah!' of admiration, wiping her mouth with her hand.'Now that I think about it.'Simon's eyes narrowed.'She looks vaguely like someone.'"Anyway, you're a Kizen first-year, right?""Ah, yes! That's right."She rested her arm on the armrest of the chair and chuckled."Do you know Hongpeng? I'm her twin sister."Simon's eyes widened dramatically.No wonder she looked familiar!Her aura, clothing, speech, accent, and skin color were completely different, but their appearance was similar. Like a wild version of Hongpeng?"Th-then, why is Professor Hongpeng's sister here.......""My name is Byulya Tun Sokum Marrat."She opened her mouth, and her shark teeth gleamed."There's no point in hiding it anymore, is there? I am Kizen's new Toxicology professor!"
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