The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 23

The Dark Magic Research Lab of the Demon God Cult.

It was a building established in the Evil Land near the Hyperion Empire.

At the center of the wall-like, massive, round structure, there was a small village.

Rows of small, single-story houses stretched out, with commercial buildings scattered here and there.

Bloomed flowers in every flowerbed, cleanly polished roads, and smoke rising from every chimney.

The village was so beautiful that it felt alien compared to the rough and cold atmosphere of the research lab.

The one peculiar thing was that there wasn't a single person wandering around.

Despite being an upper-middle-class village, and quite a wealthy one at that, it was eerily quiet as if dead.

A junior researcher, looking down at the village through the glass window, sighed.

"Looks like they'll just stay indoors again today?"

"Shut up and focus."

"...Ah, yes."

Scolded by the senior researcher, he grumbled as he stared at the screen.

It was Peeping Magic, created by mixing Illusion Magic, Observation Magic, and Dark Magic.

The screens displayed real-time footage of the places where magic stones had been placed throughout the village.

Among hundreds of screens, the one assigned to the junior researcher was the most important.

Because it was the only one showing a person.

Experiment No. 1, Kali.

A being born between the Demonic Tribe and humans, her species value recorded on the chart was "Witch."

"Damn... That monster-like girl...."

The junior researcher's expression hardened rapidly as he stared at the screen.

-Mother loves you, Kali. Mother loves you, Kali. Mother loves you...

It was because a dried corpse walked out of the darkness, following her hand gestures.

-I love you too.

Goosebumps rose.

Experiment No. 1's smile was closer to that of a spirit than a human.

She closed her eyes and conversed as she felt the touch of the shriveled corpse.

Black aura flowed out of her entire body, spreading along the floor.

The substance flowing out of Experiment No. 1's body was an enormous amount of life force.

Even gathering just a few seconds of that leaking energy could store enough life force to control dozens of undead.

Why does someone like her receive such blessings?

The junior researcher felt irritated.

What if he had those abilities instead of that crazy girl?

He wouldn't be a junior researcher like this but would have become the Training Director. Perhaps even one of the Seven High Priests.

Hehe, hehe, hehe.

As he silently chuckled at such futile imagination, someone approached and asked.

"How old are you?"

It was a deep voice he had never heard before.

"What?"

Judging by the polite tone, it was clear the person was of a much lower rank than him.

Just as he was about to turn his head in anger.

"I'll ask again."

Click.

The sound of a mask being removed echoed. At the same time, the junior researcher instinctively realized.

"How old are you?"

That turning around would mean death. Trembling, the junior researcher raised his hands.

"O-Oh, I'm eighteen this year."

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Why did you join the Demon God Cult?"

"Th-That's because—!"

Just as the researcher opened his mouth.

"Kali...."

An immense killing intent was felt.

He could tell that the man's gaze was fixed on the screen showing Experiment No. 1.

"Gentleman. Wear your mask properly."

"...I'm sorry."

Ian put his mask back on.

Then he followed Yuri's gaze to the screen that was playing.

And at that moment, he was horrified.

-Aaaaah!!

-S-Stop! Please stooop....

-...Kill... me....

The screen displayed a scene where energy extracted from Kali was liquefied into a drug and forcibly injected into test subjects of the same species.

Their bodies twisted grotesquely, seemingly enduring the severe pain as well.

He glanced at another screen. Above the screens, categories were written.

Solitary Injection.

Family Unit Injection.

Friend Unit Injection.

Face-to-Face Lover Injection.

It was a different method of injection than before.

They were placed facing each other, with their eyelids cut off so they couldn't even close their eyes, and injected.

Yuri asked.

"Are you still curious about those bastards' ages?"

Instead of answering, Ian swung his sword.

Slash!

The junior researcher's head fell to the floor.

"Remember this, old man."

Yuri stepped on the severed head, crushing it.

"What Moonlight needs is not a virtuous person."

"...Yes, Captain."

Ian bowed his head.

Yuri, as if nothing had happened, drew his sword and took the lead.

"Let's go."

Moonlight's raid had begun.

2.

-Crybaby Kali, my lovely daughter.

Someone's voice made her open her eyes.

-Now stop crying and give me a big smile.

Only then did she realize.

She thought she had barely opened her eyes, but she was still in deep darkness.

Kali rose to her feet.

It was a space of darkness in all directions.

A void space where she couldn't tell what she was standing on or where to go.

It was the illusion she saw every day after following those who called themselves the Salvation Church.

Kali's lips curled up.

Coming to this place meant that happy times were about to begin.

As she quietly waited for the moment, someone whispered right behind her.

"Kali."

Whoosh.

The moment Kali turned her body, a bright light poured into the space that had been filled with only darkness.

She reached out her hand, chasing the voice.

Anxiety crept in, wondering if it might disappear while she floundered like this.

"Ah, Mom!"

Kali was desperate.

Without waiting for her sight to return, she threw herself toward the place where the sound had come from.

One.

Two.

Three.

As she counted to three in her mind, her body, which had been thrown into the void, stopped.

A warm warmth.

The fragrant smell of bread.

Delicate fingers stroking her head.

"Oh my, why is this child like this?"

It was Kali's mother, Connie. She gently embraced the sobbing Kali.

"Did something happen?"

"I...! You see, I...!"

"Shall we talk slowly without crying?"

Connie crouched down to her seat.

"Actually...."

"Actually?"

For a moment, Kali's mouth closed.

- Were you about to say it?

It was always like this.

After moving into a happy memory, the moment she brought up a story from reality, the illusion ended.

Squeeze.

Kali clenched her fist.

She wiped away the constantly flowing tears and smiled toward Connie.

"No, it's nothing."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Let's go home quickly! I'm hungry."

"Shall we?"

Connie held Kali's hand.

It felt as if her body had shrunk back to the time in her memory. Because of that, her outstretched arm tingled.

"Can you hold me?"

"Usually, you just jump on me, don't you? Why are you suddenly asking for permission?"

"...If you don't want to, then forget it."

As Kali turned her head and tried to walk ahead, she was suddenly lifted up by a gentle touch.

"Our daughter seems to have grown up already."

Naturally, she climbed onto Connie's back. Then, the village scenery came into view at a glance.

Small one-story houses were lined up, with commercial buildings scattered here and there.

Bloomed flowers in every flowerbed, cleanly swept roads, and smoke rising from every chimney.

Wherever they went, people bustled about.

It was so beautiful that it was hard to believe this land had been devastated by the demonic tribe.

Kali asked as if entranced.

"...What happened to the plague?"

The plague.

It was the disaster that had destroyed this place and the reason she had no choice but to follow the Salvation Church.

"The plague?"

The moment Connie asked back, Kali came to her senses.

- Do you already want to wake up?

No, I absolutely don't want to wake up.

Kali scratched the back of her head and mumbled.

"It's nothing."

"Hmm?"

"I'm hungry! Let's go home quickly."

"Oh! Our daughter must be hungry, huh?"

"Yeah! I want to eat what Mom made!"

"When was it that you said my cooking was bad?"

Chatting, they headed home.

Familiar faces occasionally seen, sculptures in the village she often gazed at, and even the drawings she secretly made to show Connie.

Kali walked with a bright smile.

Later, hugging Connie's head, she whispered softly into her ear with a cheerful voice.

"I want to live here forever."

Happily, just like now.

3.

It was an alien village.

It seemed as if a village from somewhere else had been placed here, but there were no people.

It wasn't just people.

Flowers were in bloom, but they had no scent, and food was present, but it had long since spoiled.

"...Here."

Yuri unfolded the map he had obtained during the raid and compared it to where he was standing.

The other houses had no markings, but this house had a red number 1 written on it.

- Experiment No. 1.

- What?

- That was my name.

Kali from a previous life had told him.

They had created a village inside the laboratory and called her Experiment No. 1.

- How did you escape?

After hesitating for a moment, she answered.

- Because my mom woke me up.

I chuckled.

- I should have woken you up.

- Right.

Kali gave a sad smile.

- You should have woken me up a little earlier.

I placed my hand on my sword.

"This time, I came quickly, didn't I?"

For the first time in a while, I drew out aura instead of mana, wrapping my whole body tightly.

Just as I was about to blow away the building itself.

"[Shh.]"

A black form appeared in front of me.

"[They just fell asleep.]"

It was Adora, the Queen of Nightmares.

I smiled at her.

"Then you should get some sleep too, noona."

A comet.

The drawn sword neatly sliced through Adora and Kali's dwelling.

"Morning call. Successful."

The Half-Split Nightmare and the open-type house were bonuses.

Then, suddenly, an uneasiness crept over me.

"There's no way... Kali isn't dead too, right...?"

I sheathed the sword and started running.

"Kaliiiiii!!"

You're alive, right?