YGTWHV [59]

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–

With the restraint removed, the dark red chains constricting Odin’s body disappeared into thin air.

Flap!

Jumping at the chance, Odin spread his wings.

“Change back to your normal appearance.”

But the moment Lakis’ order fell, Odin’s attempt to escape couldn’t help but fall through. The black crow that had just taken off became human and fell to the floor.

“Ugh…”

Odin groaned at the pain all over his body. He opened his mouth to curse at Lakis who was in front of him. But as before, no sound came from his clogged throat.

‘F*ck, what the hell is this! Why am I like this…!’

Confusion began to fill Odin’s eyes.

He was shocked that one word from Lakis made him turn back to human, regardless of his own will. Deep vigilance arose on Odin’s face.

Seeing that, Lakis hummed and tilted his head like he was seeing something interesting.

“You seem to have a lot to say, so let’s hear it.”

Once Lakis gave his permission, Odin suddenly felt like his throat could breathe. He swallowed drily then he looked straight at the man in front of him.

“F*ck…screw you.”[1]

That very moment, Lakis narrowed his eyes. However, his smiling eyes were frosty.

“Kneel.”

Thud!

“Uk…”

This time as well, Odin was forced to kneel.

“You’re quite ungrateful, Crow-ssi. You trespassed into my house first, yet here I am letting you live but you don’t know how to be grateful.”

“How the hell is that your house…! You—, this bastard! Don’t tell me you killed Arachne?!”

“Just shut up.”

“Mph!”

Odin glared at Lakis, his eyes ablaze.

After completing the request Arachne gave him, Odin only wanted to tell her as soon as possible so he went to her house. The news related to Siren was quite urgent as well, so he went against his efforts not interfere in Arachne’s private life more than necessary and went to her house that day.

But then Lakis Avalon, this evil bastard—! He was right there, in Yuri’s house!

And the thought that maybe this cruel and evil bastard had harmed Arachne in any form made Odin’s insides turn black.

“All that nonsense you’re babbling is making my ears sore. Why would I kill Arachne?”

However, Lakis spoke drily, as if he was hearing the most ridiculous thing.

“She’s my precious housemate, afterall.”[2]

“…?!”

And at his following words, Odin’s eyes bulged.

“Mph! Mmm-mph!”

Odin clamored to say that was impossible.

“Crow.”

Lakis slowly lowered himself to where Odin knelt, as if he didn’t hear or see Odin’s flutter.

“You, are you always like that?”

A low voice laced with an ominous feeling dug into Odin’s ears. Lakis’ eyes also had an extremely cold gleam to them as he looked down at Odin.

‘Wha, What?’

Odin didn’t know what Lakis meant by his question and his eyes shook quietly.Seeing that, Lakis opened his mouth again, still looking at him.

“Turning into a crow and entering the house as you like without permission. I’m asking if you usually do that.”

Lakis tilted his head slightly.

In that moment, cold sweat flowed down Odin’s back. He wasn’t sure why, but his instinct told him he had to answer that question the right way.

“Answer me.”

Once again, the ban on Odin’s voice was lifted.

“Uh, t-that…”

Odin stammered. He couldn’t figure out why he had to make such an excuse to Lakis. But he was forced to open his mouth because of the intangible energy coming from Lakis.

“I-I never do that…it was just urgent this time so…”

Lakis quietly stared at Odin as if he was trying to discern if Odin was saying the truth or not. Then he spoke again.

“Lie down.”

“I didn’t lie; why…!”

“You talk a lot for a crow.”

A ruthless voice came from above Odin’s head.

“Keep your trap shut and roll.”

*sfx for rolling*[4]

“Stand up.”

Fwip!

“Sit down. And roll again.”

Plop! *sfx for rolling*

Odin quickly became covered in dust. He rolled on the floor at Lakis’ command and trembled with humiliation.

‘D…Dammit. Do I look like a dog like Leo, what kind of dogsh*t training…!”

However, as if saying this was just the start, Lakis made Odin kneel in front of him again and began to interrogate him.

“Your name.”

“My experiment name is Odin, real name is Asuka Ferrante.”[3]

With Lakis’ order, his mouth moved of its own will.

“Are you from the lab in Carnot?”

“Yup.”

“Change your tone.”

“Yes, I am.”

“How many years have you been dealing information?”

“It’s been three years since I began after escaping the lab…”

“Was the lab also where you met Arachne?”

“Yes.”

In addition to these, Lakis also asked Odin about other stuff.

“Tell me what Arachne likes.”

“Normalcy. Money. Things that remind her of life before the experiment.”

Lakis engraved it in his mind.

“What kind of present does she like?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“What of her favorite food?”

“She likes all food.”

“There must be something she likes more than everything else.”

“She eats to maintain basic need like a normal human being, so I don’t think there’s any food she prefers.”“This useless bastard. Are you really close to Arachne?”

Lakis gave Odin a disdainful gaze.

Odin cried inwardly at the oppression and wronging.

“Well, it’s better than nothing.”

Soon, Lakis curled his lips and gave a bloodcurdling smile.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time too but since you’re a mutant and you have quite the spirit, I don’t think you’ll break.”

Soon, his approaching hand cast a dark shadow on Odin’s face.

“Don’t disappoint me, Crow.”

The next moment, Odin felt the dark shadow penetrate into his mind and he lost consciousness.

* * *

After Lakis’ business with Odin was done, he began to head home. As he reached his destination, Lakis was just about to move to the back of the building then he paused.

—Eh, what the. Is it the landlady? Or another piece of trash?

He had definitely closed the window when he left but it was slightly open for some reason. He couldn’t sense anyone’s presence inside. Lakis quietly entered the house like a shadow.

Flap!

And after a while, he found something that was roaming around the house as it liked. Lakis seized it instantly.

Squawk!

“Chirp!”

The bird held by the neck cried out loudly.

‘The crow Odin?’

No. The feeling was different from the last time.

It wasn’t just that the bird itself was not a crow; there was something fundamentally different about the bird.

“Who are you?”

Lakis’ eyes glowed chillingly.

Snip.

That very moment, he felt the connection to the bird in his hand being severed.

“Chirp, Chirp!”

As it returned to being an ordinary creature, the bird floundered and flapped its wings in Lakis’ hand. His ruthless grip tightened more around the bird’s neck. It was no longer under control so it was a normal bird but anything could happen so he couldn’t allow it to leave here alive.

‘Was the bird looking for me, or…’

With a crack, the bird’s neck was broken in one go. His sharp blue eyes looked down at the limp bird in his hand.

‘…was it looking for Arachne?’

* * *

“Hk!”

Siren sprang to her feet in shock.

“W-Why is that guy in Arachne’s house…!”

An astonished cry escaped her mouth.

The one who sent a bird to Yuri’s house was none other than Siren. For a while, she had been healing the aftereffects of her capture at the black market auction. Then she began to feel bored and decided to get some air.

Siren was currently staying at the hideout where the watchdog, Leo lived. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t plan on getting along with the dog in the slightest. So while she paid no attention to whatever Leo did on his own, all she did was mend her wings when she was awake, and spend time sleeping to recover.

However, there was a limit to mending her wings and Siren basically had nothing to do. As a result, her bad habit reared its head again. In other words, she began wondering how Arachne was doing.

So she secretly stole a look at Arachne’s workplace which she found out before, and while Arachne was working, she sent a bird to her house.

This was because she was always curious about how Arachne lived.

“Wow, this is crazy. This is really crazy!”

How could it be Lakis Avalon…!

Translator’s Corner:

[1] You know that thing where you put your middle finger in your mouth and show it to someone? That’s what Odin says, the best equivalent in ‘screw you’ or ‘go f*** yourself’, although gfy is a bit too harsh context-wise.

[2] The nuance is lost in the translation. He says the word used for ‘people living together’ which can also mean cohabitation.

[3] I did a google search of the name and most of the results were a Japanese name so I think this is right.

[4] The sound in the raws is [guruguruguru] but I couldn’t bring myself to use it.