Chapter 345
About 10 minutes passed.
Mimir’s data copy is over.
It was a surprisingly easy job.
Even so, shouldn’t the main computer, which contains the essence of research, be protected with maximum security?
How can you be so deceitful?
The existence of this institute is questionable.
“really… … It’s too easy even if it’s easy.”
Elena-sama seemed to be thinking the same thing as me.
“Major research records are kept elsewhere, not here. Is it like that?”
There was no defense like defense, and there was no security like security.
It seems that Elena-sama saw this laxity not as carelessness, but as laxity with a reason.
There is no security or defense because there is nothing to protect here.
You must be crazy to think like that.
“Maybe.”
It’s not really unlikely.
Usually, research records in these classified research facilities are often stored separately.
As this is an unauthorized experiment, it is common to keep all research records hidden somewhere in case something happens.
As Elena-sama said, there is a high possibility that there is no information left on this computer.
“no. That’s not right.”
Then Mimir intervened.
Opening her closed eyes, she looked at me and Elena in turn with a serious expression on the world.
“I checked the contents while copying the data… … .”
Mimir moved his hand, and a hologram monitor floated in the air.
Strange pictures appeared one after another on the hologram monitor.
“I don’t think this looks fake.”
All of them were photographs of the results of chimerization research.
“Here, the research journal is also divided into minutes.”
Mimir moves his right hand, pushing the photo aside.
Opened a research journal.
As Mimir said, the progress of the research and its results are recorded minute by minute.
“This is stored for 621 days.”
It’s not even a day or two of data, it’s a whopping 621 days of data.
This amount of data can’t be broken into minute-by-minute chunks.
No, it would be more accurate to say that although it could be made into a pile, there was no point in making it.
Whether this is a dummy or whatever, this log is enough to arrest them.
There is no need to create such meaningless piles.
“It must be real.”
That being said, these research records are genuine.
Researchers at this lab stored this confidential information on their main computer without any defense.
I didn’t even think about protecting that information, I just left it unattended.
To sum it up, it goes like this.
“… … My head hurts.”
When a person encounters something beyond his or her perception, the way one’s thoughts stop.
My condition right now is exactly that.
Facing a process that was incomprehensible to my common sense, I momentarily lost my mind.
“Is there any information about the ringleader in the copied data?”
“there is.”
Mimir controlled the hologram monitor again, and a new screen appeared.
“Mafia. Among them, Marco, who is said to be the representative of the hardy faction. He’s sponsoring this lab. here. I also have a ledger.”
“… … There’s even a ledger, so it’s so lax?”
Do you even have a ledger?
What the hell are the people in this lab doing? How can a person be so lax?
“… … That’s strange.”
Adela, who had been silent all along, spoke for the first time.
“As far as looking at this research record, it seems that the researchers belonging to this institute are quite detailed and detailed personalities. I don’t understand why people like that would leave such important information unattended.”
If it was just that the research institute built by third-class villains had a poor structure like this, well, I would have thought so.
However, this laboratory is not an insignificant laboratory created by third-class villains, but a top-notch secret laboratory created by a giant force called the mafia.
You can tell just by looking at this research journal how talented the researchers at this institute are.
I couldn’t understand how such outstanding people would do things like this.
“Apart from the researchers, wouldn’t the person entrusted with data management be just incompetent?”
Elena-sama came up with a hypothesis that at least makes sense.
“If the subordinate that Marco sent as a surveillance role was in charge of managing the data… … .”
“… … Maybe.”
The mafia was ‘sponsoring’ this lab.
In other words, this lab feels like a mafia subcontractor.
If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be too strange if the mafia sent a subordinate to the boss.
If the pants boss was an incompetent person with only a high rank, it would be understandable to handle such a lax job.
In addition, the discrepancy that is contrary to the details of the study is somehow resolved.
“Have you heard that and looked for other data?”
Mimir manipulated the hologram monitor again and displayed a new picture.
“I think Elena is right. The institute is headed by Paul Carla. He’s a third-rate bully who has nothing to do with research.”
“A bully who didn’t fit the subject held power and handled things like this. Just this.”
“right. If you look at it, all the authority itself is concentrated in this man.”
“… … It seems certain.”
If the person who has all the authority is an incompetent person, this is natural.
The top is rotten, but the bottom can’t be clear.
“I understand. You don’t even have to think more deeply. It just ended.”
The question has been resolved.
It doesn’t seem necessary to go deeper than this and complicate things.
“I, but… … .”
Then Adela spoke cautiously.
It is the expression that there is something that I still do not understand.
“Didn’t you do that earlier? Judging from the quick movements of the assailants who attacked us, it is clear that a highly skilled person is in charge of the command… … .”
“that… … .”
Adela’s question pierced my head like a sharp dagger.
“… … Certainly that sharp movement is a pole collar. I can’t believe the move was made under the command of that incompetent bastard.”
When the sense of distance was resolved, another sense of distance filled my head.
Somehow, the things that happened in this lab didn’t mesh properly.
Will you be incompetent or competent?
I wish I could do one or the other.
“Mimir. Other than Paul Carla, do you have any information on other powerful people?”
“I was just looking for it. doesn’t exist. All power in this lab is concentrated in Paul Carla.”
Mimir’s pupils move quickly.
He must be examining the data using a screen that only he can see.
“There is no one who seems to have come to support in the near future… … . wait for a sec. this… … .”
Then, Mimir’s eyes stopped.
“There is no data from 3 days ago to today?”
“… … no?”
“uh. doesn’t exist. For 621 days, there has never been a single day without a record. There are no records for three days until today.”
The research journal, which had been going on for over 600 days, was suddenly cut off three days ago.
that means this.
“What happened three days ago?”
It makes sense.
“Three days ago… … .”
Adela spoke slowly with trembling eyes.
Adela seems to have noticed.
“Isn’t that the day the person presumed to be Sophia was caught on CCTV?”
“that’s right. That day.”
3 days ago.
That day was the day Sophia was caught on the convenience store’s old CCTV.
“The day the blue robe entered the Rid Furniture Factory.”
It was the day someone who looked like Sophia entered the factory.
“… … I guess more investigations are needed.”
Mimir replaced what I wanted to say with a hard look.
“I know.”
I took my eyes off the hologram monitor and met Mimir’s.
“Sophia. Or what the blue-robed person who looked like Sophia was trying to get from this lab. We need to find it.”
Mimir, Miss Elena, and Adela.
All three nodded their heads as if agreeing with me.
“Mimir. Are there any data about the interior structure of this laboratory in the copied data?”
“there is.”
Mimir manipulated the hologram monitor again, and showed a cross-section of the inside of the laboratory.
“If you need to get more information, one floor down from here. I think it’s good to go to the main laboratory on the 4th basement level. You might be able to get living information that you can’t know with simple data… … .”
“If Sophia-sama infiltrated here for something, there is a high probability that there will be some hints left there.”
“yes.”
I nodded.
“good. Then let’s go to the laboratory.”
Then he reached out to Adela.
Adela immediately took my hand.
“Mimir.”
“I know.”
And the next moment, Mimir and I overlapped again.
‘Umbra.’
‘Umbra.’
We plunged into darkness again.
* * *
4th basement floor.
It is a place where monsters are kept, and at the same time, a place where the monster’s body is attached and experimented.
Since it is such a place, it is a place that must be thoroughly guarded with considerable defense and security.
… … but
“… … I get it now.”
Security at this test site was very poor.
“Why was the security up to the third basement floor so lax… … .”
“I know.”
No, it would be a bit of a joke to say it’s lousy.
Poor ‘lost.’
It would be more accurate to say this.
“So you hurriedly restored the destroyed security.”
The fourth basement floor was completely destroyed.
The research facility, which seems to have been iron-clad, looks like it was hit directly by a typhoon, and it’s a mop.
The thick iron bars that are protected by triple or quadruple are completely cut off.
“This bloodstain… … . Could it be monster blood?”
Dried blood is visible between the destroyed facilities.
“Your blue blood seems to be that of a monster… … . I don’t know about the red blood.”
Just looking at this devastation, three days ago. I felt like I knew what was going on in this place.
“this… … . Sophia did… … That’s it, right?”
“maybe.”
It must have been that Sophia-sama had invaded alone and destroyed this laboratory as it was.
“The iron wall made of firestone melted in the flames. There is only one person other than me who can handle fire magic at a level that can melt it.”
Sofia Annechefrey.
He is the only one who can destroy this laboratory so horribly.
“There is no need to leave this as a vague possibility anymore.”
The proof is not just the melted iron bars.
Over there, the place that seemed to be a storage for monsters was destroyed by lightning magic.
The place that appeared to be the operating room on the other side was completely destroyed by wind magic.
Only Sofia-sama could handle those three attributes to that extent.
“Sofia is alive.”
this made it clear
Sophia is alive.
Alive, for some reason hiding the fact that it is alive from us.
“Sophia-sama… … .”
Adela’s expression brightened.
A world that is getting worse and worse.
He must have been relieved that a strong supporter like Sophia-sama had returned.
I left Adela behind and looked around the destroyed laboratory.
‘The question is, why did Sophia-sama hide the fact of her existence from us… … .’
Pretending to look around, I glanced at Mimir.
‘Is Mimir’s hypothesis correct?’
Mimir’s hypothesis.
Theory of survival of the Black Mage King.
At first glance, it is an absurd hypothesis that the King of Dark Mage is chasing Sophia, so he is unable to reveal himself to us.
‘If that hypothesis is true… … .’
If the Dark Mage King is alive… … .
That was when I was thinking about it.
“Heir. here. Look at this.”
Mimir called me.
“here. See this cross section? Very sharp.”
Something excited.
As a researcher, he seemed happy to find a new subject for research.
“It looks like an application of wind magic. How did you do it? Considering the magic resistance of this magic stone, this would be impossible even with 9th circle magic.”
I turned my gaze to the iron bars Mimir was pointing at.
The iron spear is cut in half like a radish.
“I know. How did you do it?”
I wondered if it was wind magic, but as Mimir said, it would be difficult to cut a magic stone of that strength with wind magic.
What kind of magic did you do?
Not as much as Mimir, but quite interesting.
“What?”
As if interest was piqued by my words, Adela came towards me.
“here. this section. I want to know how to use magic to become like this.”
“Cross section… … .”
Then, as he touched the iron spear that had been cut in half, he let out a small exclamation.
“Iknow, right. How did you do it?”
Then, he murmured softly.
“I think I would believe it even if it was cut with a sword.”
