Chapter 83, the Carles chapter: Surprised and suspicious by the cat...
Even someone as weathered as Kares couldn't help but pause for a moment when he awoke from the operating table.
When he opened his eyes, he wasn't greeted by the familiar dimness of the Gray River, but by blinding lights. Beside him wasn't his familiar subordinate, but a woman with a withered face and strange words.
'Mr. Carles!'
When the doctor saw him open his eyes, he immediately leaned closer and hissed rapidly in a breathy voice, like a startled snake:
'Was all of this part of the Rose Society's plan? Is that child your mole? Please, let him behave! I promise I'll keep your health condition a secret!'
Kares couldn't understand what she was saying.
All he could see were the indelible bloodstains on the white coat, the lingering smell of disinfectant, and the knife, scissors, and tweezers with red meat on them, lying on a plate. There were also chunks of meat with yellow fat, whose origin was unclear, preserved in a jar, which the cat-eared boy casually picked up and placed under his eyes to examine.
"That's very complete, and the technique is excellent."
"..."
Carles didn't know what others would think in this situation.
But looking at those bloodstained claws and the room full of evidence, Kares could only come to one conclusion—
"I never imagined that you would secretly collude with evil forces to illegally obtain residents' organs."
Ignoring the pain from his wound, he glared at the doctor, trying his best to express his anger and sorrow:
“I used to think you were a good person… The trust of the Grey River people is very precious, Doctor, you have let her down.”
"..."
"Why does he look so remorseful?!"
He was furious at the doctor's hesitant expression.
"It seems that Les has completely eroded your brain."
He sighed again as he looked at the boy observing the lesions.
Although there were still some things that didn't make sense, he felt that he had found the answers to all the questions.
I was inexplicably kidnapped, inexplicably knocked unconscious, and inexplicably found with a cut on my body. Is there only one answer that can explain everything?
"Which important figure is so 'favoring' a part of my lowly body?"
Carles grew increasingly certain as he spoke, his pride as the godfather of the Grey River and his fury at being fooled churning within him. If even the leader of the Thorn Rose Society could be captured so easily, what about the unsuspecting ordinary people of the Grey River?
The more he thought about it, the more he blamed himself, and grief welled up within him.
"I was completely unaware of such blatant and dark behavior; I have no words to face my fellow villagers..."
"Oh, is that right, Mr. Carles? Actually, you're just sick..."
"Ah, yes, yes, yes."
Mainkun pressed a paw down on the doctor's shoulder, his vertical pupils lighting up with delight, like a poor student catching a glimpse of a top student's answer and eagerly copying it down:
"You're so perceptive, so clever. I did it all. I just cut off your kidney and ate it."
"..."
Although they were puzzled by the cat-eared boy's repeated misidentifications of the location of the incision in his excitement, the "ironclad evidence" before them and the boy's "personal confession" overwhelmed everything.
Otherwise, what would be the point of cutting open someone's stomach for no reason? It can't be for medical treatment, can it?
"Your objective has been achieved. What's next? To silence them? Ha! Though I die, my will will live on forever...?"
Even as the boy carefully carried him out of the quack doctor's place, Kares continued to try to maintain his theory.
"If you're not going to kill me, are you planning to keep me alive like an animal and see if the organ buyers have any further needs? Heh, at least you won't waste me."
Kares persisted until he was carefully led, away from the crowd, to the house that once belonged to the Fools.
"Beneath a magnificent exterior often lies an unseen darkness... Mr. En, how much blood have you shed to earn such a fine place to live?"
"That's quite a lot."
The embers of the former fireplace house first sighed, then spoke with a threat:
"If you keep talking nonsense, I will wipe out your entire Rose Society."
"Ha." Kares met the inhuman vertical pupils without flinching.
"My men? Didn't you claim you killed them all? What, can the dead die again?"
His unwavering belief and cold words persisted until the door opened.
"Mr. En, you've been gone for too long!"
One, two, three toddlers, with innocent and adorable appearances.
"..."
"!?!"
"It wasn't enough to kidnap adults, they even kept children as captives..."
But before he could finish speaking, the “demon” who had just exuded a dangerous aura and claimed to have slaughtered the Rose Thorn Society was now leaning down very naturally, carefully curling his sharp nails, and rubbing the three little heads in turn with his fleshy palms.
He patiently responded to the children's chattering complaints and whining, calling them by name.
Although their conversation was strange, the pure, dazzling joy that shone on the children's faces when names like Linnie, Lynette, and Femini were called was something that could never be faked by coercion.
"..."
What happened?
This kind of family situation could not possibly be dominated by a money-grubbing, organ-trafficking addict.
With his resolve wavering, Kares began to question his own assumptions.
What truly changed his perception was...
But then came the unexpected turn of events.
*
"Round the bell if you need to."
"I have something else to ask... Mr. En?"
Amid Carles's puzzled voice, he saw the boy, who had been standing perfectly still, about to open the door and run away, suddenly bend forward—
"vomit!"
The sound of violent retching shattered the peace between the hostage and the kidnapper. Kares instinctively thought:
"Could that bag of cat food have expired? No way!"
The situation seemed more complex than just gastroenteritis or a digestive ailment. He saw the cat ears, which were always alert and perked up, suddenly and slowly deform, along with the boy's body, which had inexplicably begun to convulse. Together, they slumped down under the weight of gravity, limp in his hair, and finally crashed to the floor with a thud.
"Bang—"
The robbers who had been swaggering in front of the Rose Society suddenly disappeared.
Only one ailing beast remained, trembling in agony and on the verge of collapse.
"Mr. En? Mr. En? Hello!"
Carles suspected he had epilepsy or some other serious neurological disorder, so he quickly dragged his still-recovering body out of bed.
"Brother En, Brother En, what's wrong!"
Faint calls came from outside the door, and the lock made a clunking sound as if the gears were not working properly. A child was trying to open the heavy door, but it was locked and could not be opened.
"What happened? Don't scare me..."
Thump! His legs gave way, unable to support his adult weight, and Carles fell to the floor the moment he touched the ground.
"It's okay, it's okay! He just tripped and fell!"
Kares shouted words of comfort to the children, then, enduring excruciating pain, half-crawled and half-moved toward the trembling, silvery-gray mass. All the hatred of being held hostage and the mystery surrounding the organs seemed pale and powerless in the face of the possibility of losing his life.
What illness do you have?
Carles turned his face and saw that the upper half of his face was as white as paper and his pupils were beginning to dilate. He immediately patted his trembling back to comfort him.
"Where's the medicine?"
"Hoo, uh..."
Despite human efforts to soothe him, Mainkuhn's condition worsened, and even his previously steady breathing became unsteady.
"How can this be... Breathe, give me some air!"
Cares became worried. He was angry with Mainkuen, but he didn't want him to die. In fact, he hoped that the boy in front of him could turn over a new leaf rather than suffer. So he did everything he could to save him and reached out to pull the scarf that was wrapped around the boy's neck and was soaked with cold sweat. The scarf was now like a deadly noose.
"!!!!"
As if a fatal switch had been flipped, the boy, who had been limp as mud a second ago, suddenly burst out with astonishing strength. One of his claws moved with lightning speed, and with a crisp clang, five sharp nails dug deep into the floor. His other hand pressed down hard on the scarf on his face with all his might, his knuckles twisted and deformed from the excessive force.
"!!"
Cares was taken aback by this counterattack, which was full of primal defensive intent, and immediately withdrew his attack:
"...Are you alright?"
"..."
The other person lay on the ground in silence, their body still trembling, but their pupils had begun to focus and rotate.
"Awake?"
"..."
"Tsk."
Cares guarded the bandit who imprisoned him for a while, but finally couldn't suppress his resentment. His face darkened, and his one-eyed man, with the dignified air of a superior, belittled him:
"Seeing how recklessly you act, I thought you were some kind of god who could do whatever you wanted."
"I didn't expect him to be just a mortal who gets sick, huh."
"..."
Mainkuhn didn't retort, but quietly extended his trembling arm and moved away from Cares.
"Why aren't you arrogant anymore? Weren't you very cocky when you made my daughter cry?"
He didn't retaliate, but Kares had no intention of letting this bad boy off the hook, and despite his weakness, he stabbed him.
"Weren't you laughing loudly when you kidnapped me from your men? Why are you so dejected now?"
The opportunity was rare, so Kares leaned against the wall and said many similar things, venting his frustrations without restraint. After all, there weren't many experiences that could make the leader of the Rose of Thorns feel so bad.
He continued to berate Mainkuen until he calmed down from the overwhelming emotions that had suddenly returned. The hurtful shame, regret, and confusion and fear about the future were all washed over him as if by a baptism. Finally, Mainkuen rose shakily and faced Carres's wary gaze:
"What?" Carres waited expectantly for a retort: "Getting angry? Who do you want to kill with your mouth this time?"
"..."
The arrogant and unruly young man fell silent for a moment.
"sorry."
He suddenly lowered his head, avoiding Carles' gaze, and apologized.
"I'm sorry... Waaah."
The apology was tinged with tears.
"..."
"???"
The expected retort did not occur.
Mainkuen cried with his ears drooping.
Carles was completely bewildered.
He stared intently at Mainkuen's face, trying to find a hint of arrogance in it:
Who are you?
"Waaah... I'm sorry"
The half-demon trembled again under his gaze, and his sobs grew louder.
"..."
no.
Kares, who had traversed the Grey River for many years, had never encountered such a situation before.
He suppressed his doubts and confusion, and asked the teary-eyed cat directly:
"I'm the victim here."
Why are you the one crying?
“…Ugh.”
Mainkun desperately tried to back away, trying to get as far away from the aggressive Carles as possible.
Me! Me, who's taken the medicine! You bully the old and young, hurt good people. I'm sad and in pain, but I've tried my best to endure it for my brother's sake. But why did you bring this source of terror, these strange humans, into your home?!
"I want to go back to the Rose Society."
Kales looked at the half-demon who was sincerely apologizing and tentatively asked:
"Since you know you're wrong, you should let me go back and let me know I'm safe."
"..."
Mainkuhn had tears in his eyes and avoided looking at him.
"Is it okay or not? Just say it."
Carles was getting anxious.
"……No."
"You know you were wrong and feel guilty, but you won't let me go?"
"Ugh..."
The cat whimpered, looking extremely aggrieved, and pressed eighteen locks on the door in front of the victim.
"I'm so sorry... Waa ...
"..."
The metallic sound of the locking tongue snapping shut seemed particularly absurd against the backdrop of crying.
Kares has something to say.
I'll say it again.
Who exactly is the victim?
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