"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! In the end, I was just talking nonsense! Don't take it seriously!"
Facing the murderous glares of her three teammates, Frenda covered her head and squatted down, shouting apologies. Even she knew she had dug her own grave. Her words about "whips and wax" had just given that pervert ideas. "Waaaaah! Why am I so unlucky?!"
"Clap! Clap!"
Yuuya clapped his hands, drawing their attention. "Okay, that's enough easing the tension. I know you will never be truly convinced by force alone. So... let the professional tell you."
He smiled, a wicked glint in his eyes. "Board Chairman Aleister... you've been watching this show for so long. Shouldn't you give a reply?"
He decisively sold out the boss. If he didn't find a target for their hatred, these four would never work for him in peace. He needed a scapegoat. And who better than the man who sent them here?
The four members of ITEM froze. Upon hearing the name "Aleister," their pupils shrank to pinpoints. It was a name far more terrifying than any Level 5. Aleister Crowley. The General Superintendent. The King of Science. The mastermind who controlled 80% of the world's secrets.
Buzz... Buzz... Buzz...
Suddenly, the air vibrated with static. It wasn't just Yuuya's phone. Kinuhata's, Takitsubo's, and even Mugino's phones began to vibrate in unison, emitting a sound like an old-fashioned radio tuning into a dead frequency.
"Gulp..." Kinuhata swallowed hard, holding her phone like it was a bomb.
"Transferring hatred to me? What a childish method."
A calm, mechanical voice echoed from all four speakers simultaneously. It was genderless, emotionless, and absolute. "You surprised me, Takahashi."
Kinuhata nearly threw her phone away. A chilling coldness swept over her. It was really him. The man who held their fate in his hands. He could disband ITEM, purge them, or send them to a lab for disassembly with a single word.
"Although it's childish, it's effective, isn't it?" Yuuya said nonchalantly, talking to the phone like an old friend. "Aren't you using me, too? So what's wrong with me shifting a little blame onto you? Besides... you're already blamed for everything in this city. You're beyond caring."
"Indeed," the mechanical voice replied. "We are using each other. But do you not think it is crude to say it directly?"
"Heh. You still care about niceties? Old Fox, stop testing me. I'm too lazy to play mind games."
"Today I have seen a completely new side of you," Aleister mused. "It has been quite pleasant... Little God."
"Hurry up," Yuuya scoffed. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. Since you gave me ITEM as a 'gift,' explain the situation to them. Tell them to behave." Yuuya grinned. 'Take the blame, Aleister.'
The scene fell silent. Even the wind seemed to stop. Mugino, Kinuhata, Takitsubo, and Frenda stood frozen. They understood now. This was the Truth.
No wonder a 10 Million Yen mission appeared out of nowhere. No wonder the intermediary pushed them to take it. No wonder the intel was wrong. It was all arranged. The True Controller of Academy City wanted to give his "Tools" to this man. They were just merchandise in a deal between monsters.
"The Fourth," Aleister's voice spoke from Mugino's phone. "This is the first time we have made direct contact. You know what you must do. Correct?"
Mugino Shizuri gritted her teeth. She clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms. She wanted to scream. She wanted to refuse. But she couldn't. To disobey Aleister was to be an enemy of the City. There would be no place for her to hide. She would be hunted down and erased.
"I understand..." Mugino lowered her head, her voice trembling with humiliation. "Board Chairman Aleister..."
She had been defeated. Not just by Yuuya, but by the System itself. She was a tool, and her ownership had been transferred.
Buzz... Click.
The call cut off instantly. Aleister didn't need to say goodbye. Yuuya beamed. "Now you know the whole story, right?"
He looked at the silent quartet. Kinuhata looked down at the rubble, kicking a piece of metal to distract herself from the frustration. Frenda looked like she had lost her soul.
"This... what should we do...?" Frenda stammered.
"Mugino..." Takitsubo sighed, accepting her fate.
"Tch... Betrayed by the City itself, huh?" Mugino clicked her tongue. Her expression shifted between rage and resignation. Finally, she looked at Yuuya. "I understand." Her eyes were cold, but submissive. "I will follow your orders. Since it is the Board's will."
"Good. I'll command you properly," Yuuya laughed. 'I'll definitely train you properly.' Frenda shivered at his tone.
"What is the point?" Takitsubo asked suddenly. Her voice was rational, cutting through the emotion. "Why did the Chairman go to such lengths to put us under your command?" She needed to know their value. Why were they sold?
"Heh. It's simple." Yuuya spread his arms. He decided to spin the narrative to his advantage. "Aleister wants to tie me to Academy City. He needs a bond. A leash. And since he knows my... preferences..."
He looked at the four beautiful girls with a predatory grin. "He is using your beauty to keep me happy. You guys... In ancient terms, Aleister acted as the Matchmaker. And you four are the Concubines sent to keep the Emperor satisfied. Understand?"
The four girls looked at him in shock. Political marriage? Concubines? It was absurd. But in the twisted logic of the Dark Side... it made perfect sense.
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