PASP Chapter 93

‘Yes, this works!’

Egru was overwhelmed with joy. To release his surging emotions, he silently bounced around the room, careful not to wake the twins.

‘Now, there won’t be any need to harm the children?’

<system>

With the new route unlocked, [Kam] and [Kum] are now measured as regular NPCs, not minions of evil.

Calculating [Goodwill] plus experience points…

The status window appeared as if responding to Egru.

<system>

Congratulations. Your level has increased.

(Lv.1) → (Lv.2)

<system>

Egru (Lv.2) HP: 20/20 MP: 20/20 Class: Hero

Egru focused on the status window with round eyes.

‘Level up is… good, right?’

<system>

Unread information (1)

<system>

Would you like to view it? (Y/N)

‘B-before that, how do I complete the hidden quest?’

Egru asked while suppressing his curiosity. He wanted to free Kam and Kum as quickly as possible.

‘If by any chance another quest to eliminate Kam and Kum appears…’

Egru shook his head vigorously as if not wanting to even imagine it.

<system>

To break the [automatic transfer] connection of the [Heart of Gluttony], [Mana Wave] assimilation is required.

<system>

Mana Wave Assimilation Requirements: Twins [Kam] and [Kum]’s affection 100%.

<system>

…Achievement complete.

‘Huh? Already?’

According to the status window, the twins’ affection was already 100%. Before he could fully process this unbelievable number, the status window immediately displayed another question.

<system>

Would you like to proceed with the hidden quest? (Y/N)

Egru looked down at the peacefully sleeping children before firming his resolve.

‘Alright, I’ll do it.’

<system>

Initiating Mana Wave Assimilation. Please be cautious of sudden mental shock.

‘Mental shock?’

Before he could properly understand, Egru collapsed where he stood.

***

When he opened his eyes again, his body felt unnaturally light. It felt like being submerged in water, or as if his physical body didn’t exist at all. Confused, Egru looked around.

‘Wh-where is this?’

It was a space completely different from the palace. It seemed to be another world created by the status window.

‘Like when it showed me D’Élysée’s death…’

Egru flapped his hands and feet. As he floated through the air like a ghost, getting used to the strange sensation, the surroundings suddenly brightened.

<system>

Mana Wave Assimilation complete.

<system>

Successfully landed in [Kam] and [Kum]’s [Memory Bundle Strands].

Egru found himself looking down at the entire space as if he had become the ceiling.

‘Kam! Kum!’

The twins lay as if sleeping with closed eyes in the center of the space. They showed no reaction whatsoever, unable to hear his voice. Egru swam earnestly toward them.

<system>

Hidden Quest: Break the [automatic transfer] connection of the [Heart of Gluttony].

‘Ah…!’

Egru was startled. A pair of scissors as large as a person had suddenly appeared in his hands.

The blades were huge and sharp, like those used for trimming tall garden trees. But strangely, they felt completely weightless.

‘Break means… do I need to cut something with these?’

Fortunately, the quest seemed simpler than expected.

<system>

The connection’s color is black. Good luck in your challenge.

The status window disappeared after leaving this final hint.

‘Oh?’

Now he could understand the status window’s reference to memory ‘bundle strands’.

With a whoosh, threads of various colors spread out around the twins. Countless dense, thin lines undulated like sea anemones.

The sight of the innumerable strands momentarily made his hands go weak.

‘Wh-what happens if I cut the wrong one?’

No answer came from the status window even after a long while.

Egru gulped while staring ahead.

‘I-it’s okay.’

But soon he steeled himself again.

Manual labor was his proud specialty, after all. If there was one thing he could do better than anyone, it was simple physical work.

However, as Egru boldly advanced into the tangle of memory threads, he didn’t realize that this meant an even deeper assimilation.

‘N-no! If I lose it…!’

As Kam and Kum’s memories flooded in like waves, his body swayed wildly. Egru focused solely on clutching the scissors tightly. His gradually dimming consciousness sank into the twins’ deep psyche.

***

Kam and Kum liked their ‘teacher’. To be precise, they liked ‘only’ their teacher.

Looking back now it wasn’t for any great reason, but at the time there was cause enough. It was because the teacher was the only adult they could depend on at the orphanage.

[Star Country]

Large letters were written in colorful paint at the orphanage entrance. However, unlike its name “Star Country,” the orphanage was not a sparkling place. Even less so the laboratory where Kam and Kum stayed.

“Cold.”

“Yeah, I hope teacher gives us more clothes tomorrow.”

A white space with nothing but one bed. Every day they got injections, received ideological education, or underwent physical examinations. Every so often they even had to participate in boring territory conquest games.

The adults visible through the laboratory windows always observed the twins expressionlessly. Sometimes they would enter the room to cut into their flesh and inject various drugs.

Occasionally screams echoed from beyond the door. It seemed they weren’t the only ones experiencing this.

Researchers, magicians, engineers, alchemists.

Adults with various titles visited the twins.

Around this time, the twins picked up magic incantations the adults were chanting and gave each other names.

“I’ll be Kam.”

“Then I’ll be Ku.”

“Let’s make it Kum instead.”

“Okay! Then Kum.”

Though nothing had really changed, it felt much cooler than being called by numbers.

“Damn it, I finally became their supervisor but why aren’t they manifesting any abilities? Why do I have to spend my life cleaning up after these vermin who aren’t even human…”

The teacher was always full of complaints. They would raise their hand threateningly if proper honorifics weren’t used.

But there was one day they smiled for the first time – when the twins returned victorious from the territory conquest game.

“Well done! Cut them all to pieces! That’s right!”

That day alone they could eat meat until their stomachs burst. Kam and Kum loved the feeling of being full. Enough to think they must win again next time.

Fortunately, their desperate wishes came true every time.

“Hehe! Well done, children! Keep this up and the position of next Gluttony will be yours!”

The teacher told them they had “manifested abilities.”

“The youngest manifestation ever! Do you know how amazing this is? Never forget that my help got you this far, okay?”

After bringing hundreds more victories like that.

One day the teacher spoke with a bright smile.

“A glorious revelation has come down. Having passed the great trial, you will inherit the Dark God’s will.”

Though the teacher spread their arms affectionately, the twins didn’t move an inch. After all, there were adults lined up behind the teacher holding terrifying surgical equipment.

The twins trembled as they held each other’s hands tightly.

“Let us swear to a life of devotion as prophets of the Fruit Church.”

The oath ceremony proceeded regardless of the twins’ wishes.

Kam and Kum were each laid on operating tables. Though they struggled and refused, all they got in return was cold anesthetic needles.

After long pain and screaming, large scar marks were carved into their chests.

The teacher gave a standing ovation with a moved expression. The twins had inherited the “Heart of Gluttony.”

“H-hungry.”

“Hungry, teacher.”

“Before mealtime comes your first mission. There are very bad people interfering with our Fruit Church. They must be eliminated.”

The teacher soothed the twins while showing them a photograph.

“Look carefully and memorize it.”

The Röwugor Royal Family, the teacher emphasized.

“The King and Queen of the Demon Race Alliance. Remember the territory conquest games? Just cut them to pieces like you always do. And the Orc homeland, which is the Demon Race Alliance’s headquarters…”

After hearing the mission explanation, the twins were still distracted elsewhere. They just kept tearing apart and stuffing nearby objects into their mouths, never satisfied no matter how much they ate.

“Good, if you eat lots of delicious things at the Orc homeland and come back, I’ll praise you.”

The teacher’s “praise” meant “feast.”

Saliva dripped from the twins’ mouths. Mountains of meat. Nothing was more desperate to their abnormally hungry stomachs.

“Try to choose ones that are still alive to eat.”

When the twins nodded frantically, the teacher smiled and disappeared beyond the laboratory door.

“Send them with a large-scale self-destruct magic scroll. Set a time limit, and if need be, blow up the whole palace.”

But for some reason, the teacher’s voice came through clearly. Their conversation with other adults in the corridor carried over to the twins’ ears.

“The important parts will automatically transfer right before death anyway. Did you collect the DNA for cloning?”

“Yes, the Steel Wire^[1] has endless applications.”

The twins scratched their itchy ears. Their hearing had become keenly developed since receiving the Heart of Gluttony or whatever it was.

Kam and Kum didn’t pay much attention to the adults’ talk. They just needed to succeed in their first mission.

A few days later when the right time came, they were transferred to the slave market.

The slave market wasn’t much different from Star Country. The adults were, as always, insensitive and rough.

They were planning to exploit the Demon Race Alliance’s weakness just like that.

“Ch-children! You can’t eat that! You’ll get sick!”

An unexpected variable appeared.

“It’s dangerous to eat things that are bad for your body! Please listen to me, okay?”

It was a very strange adult. They kept interfering and chattering, then offering food.

“Wh-what are you doing! To young children…”

They even blocked incoming whips.

But they weren’t strong. After being beaten for a while, they were dragged away with a bloody nose.

“D-don’t touch the children! That’s wrong!”

Kam and Kum looked at each other.