Augustus's words were gentle, yet they acted like an invisible scalpel, peeling away all of Allen's secrets and disguises layer by layer until they pressed against his Soul Core.
"How should I deal with you?"
This question carried no killing intent and no anger—only a strong being's evaluation of the weak. The veins beneath Allen's temples throbbed violently, but his Mechanical Mind suppressed the instinct to tremble in fear. He knew that even the slightest hint of unnecessary emotion right now could lead the evaluation's result straight to "destruction."
"Originally, under the threat of the Heart Eaters, they could complete a generational turnover in twenty years," Augustus's voice echoed throughout the flesh-filled space, as if stating the most ordinary experimental data. "Now, this cycle has been stretched to twenty-six years. There is even a trend of it lengthening further."
