Chapter 131 : Professor Lillian's Return

Professor ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Lillian returned to the Central Special-duty Officer Academy less than thirty minutes after Jin Crow left following his private meeting with Ideale.

“Professor?”

“I’m ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍here, everyone.”

About ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a week of confinement had been more than enough to mentally exhaust both her and her attendants, but Lillian headed straight for the Central Instructor Department building.

Her ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍stride was no different from usual, yet the rigid expression on her face alone made it immediately obvious just how furious she was.

Naturally.

The situation at the Central Special-duty Officer Academy, which she learned of immediately after being released from detention, was an absolute disaster.

Pathetic. It’s so pathetic I could lose my mind.

This was exactly why researchers hated soldiers.

Because of that damned authority, they couldn’t accept the correct answer even when it was handed to them on a silver platter.

She could still picture the ridiculous face of the soldier who had detained her.

The vapor from the electronic cigarette she inhaled irritably drifted behind her footsteps.

Would it be too much of an exaggeration to mistake it for killing intent?

Creeeak.

Ideale briefly stared at Lillian, who had opened the Headmistress’s office door without even knocking, before letting out a quiet sigh.

“Please, have a seat, Professor.”

“Release me immediately.”

However, instead of sitting down and listening to Ideale, Professor Lillian coldly spoke to her as she stood up to prepare some tea.

“And I need to take apart my Training Dummy right now. I want to know which bastard did something so insane to my precious Bidori.”

Her horn-rimmed glasses, which she always wore carelessly, slipped slightly down her nose, but Lillian paid them no attention, her gaze making it clear she had no intention of compromising.

“If there’s something wrong with the Training Dummy, then I’m the one responsible. It’s a research team under my name, and the instructor used the results of my work.”

Why were superiors considered superiors?

Because when things went wrong, they bore the greater responsibility.

Ideale silently looked at Lillian.

The conviction in Lillian’s eyes declared that there wasn’t even room for reconsideration.

Perhaps because of that, Ideale realized that what Lillian needed most right now wasn’t a warm cup of tea.

“It would be best if you calmed down first, Professor Lillian. There were others responsible for this, and they have already paid the price, whether willingly or not.”

“What do you mean...?”

Lillian stared at Ideale with a puzzled expression.

“It’s already over. More or less.”

As Ideale continued her explanation, Lillian’s expression changed by the second.

Eventually, with an awkward look, she adjusted her glasses and quietly sat down.

Naturally.

The reason she had rushed here in such fury despite hating troublesome matters outside of research had already been resolved, so the rare anger she had been feeling subsided almost instantly.

Clack.

As a result, Ideale prepared a capsule coffee that was certainly full of caffeine, though she had no idea whether it was actually calming, and handed it to her.

“...Was the Bishop T.D.'s name really Bidori?”

“Ah, yes.”

A headache came over her for a moment.

She already knew very well that sane people were rare at the academy, but even Ideale found Professor Lillian’s unique naming sense difficult to overlook.

Maybe that’s why she gets along so well with Instructor Jin Crow.

Should she say they were both full of personality?

Or simply troublemakers?

She couldn’t help but wonder.

However, Ideale deliberately stopped herself from thinking any further and looked at Lillian, who now seemed considerably calmer as she held an electronic cigarette between her lips.

“There is something I would like to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

“Before that, how likely is it that a defect in the Training Dummy contributed to this incident?”

Lillian briefly ran her tongue along the rim of her coffee cup.

Once it had cooled to an acceptable temperature, she took a sip before answering.

“There’s no chance.”

It might have been an insincere answer for a scholar, but for an engineer, it carried a certain pride.

Lillian didn’t stop there.

After casually placing the half-finished coffee back on the table, she spoke as though she already knew what Ideale was about to request.

“You kept Bidori’s remains, didn’t you?”

Ideale nodded in response.

“I’m asking for your help.”

「Sigma Satellite City」

A city built on the moon of Planet Sirt shortly after the concept of Special-duty Officers using Psionic Energy became established and the great war between the Human Composite State and the Holy Galactic Empire broke out.

Cities located near military bases inevitably enjoyed economic benefits.

After all, what kind of organization was the military?

Since the distant past, when crude stone axes were used to smash skulls, the military had always been an organization that only consumed.

The garrison district was Planet Sirt, and no small number of companies depended on supplying goods to the Central Special-duty Officer Academy.

On top of that, there were subsidies from the Federal Government of the Composite State and the Ministry of National Defense.

Planet Sirt and Sigma Satellite City had already become inseparable, and naturally, the government of Planet Sirt had no choice but to pay special attention to the Central Special-duty Officer Academy.

“All right, next patient.”

“These are classic PTSD symptoms. I’ll write you a medical opinion, so...”

For that reason, as soon as things settled down to some extent, it was only natural for the Planet Sirt government to provide large-scale medical assistance.

There were financial and practical reasons why it would never happen, but if Sigma Satellite City were ever to withdraw completely, Planet Sirt’s economy would suffer a significant blow.

“All right, please calm down.”

“...Please. Don’t make me remember that.”

“I’m sorry. Let’s move on to another question. What are your hobbies?”

And among all the medical staff, psychiatrists made up the largest group.

The cadets, who regularly endured brutal training as Special-duty Officers, were relatively better off.

The real problem was the soldiers of the 23rd Security Brigade.

Most of them were ordinary civilians whose lives depended on powered Exoskeletons.

In fact, many had already submitted applications for discharge or transfer because of this incident, and the Ministry of National Defense replaced personnel as though it had expected this from the beginning.

Of course, they weren’t the only ones undergoing examinations.

Ideale ordered every cadet involved in the incident to receive counseling.

That order also included Instructor Jin Crow.

...Psychiatric counseling.

The words left him with a slight sense of discomfort, but Jin Crow soon accepted that there was no avoiding it and headed toward the medical wing.

He didn’t really have any complaints.

At least, not until he came face-to-face with Viper and Sigmund Nihel.

“Why exactly do I have to see you instead of another doctor?”

“The cadets are one thing, but we can’t have an outsider recording the instructors’ psychological evaluations.”

Jin Crow stared at Sigmund with an indifferent expression before placing a cigarette between his lips.

Of course, they were sitting inside Sigmund’s consultation room, where No Smoking Indoors was clearly displayed.

But neither of them particularly cared.

“Smoking is prohibited indoors, Instructor.”

“Take that electronic cigarette out of your mouth before saying that.”

After all, even Sigmund Nihel had a cigarette hanging from his lips.

In the end, the two silently agreed to spend a while filling their lungs with carcinogens.

About five minutes passed.

The first to speak was Viper, who switched on a classic Bluetooth speaker and pointed toward a recliner.

“Have a seat.”

Accompanied by his blunt tone was classical music soothing enough to make anyone sleepy.

Naturally, Jin Crow looked at him as if asking what the hell he was doing.

Viper merely shrugged.

“If I ask you questions, are you actually going to answer honestly?”

“No.”

“Then hypnosis is our only option. Superhumans usually don’t fall for it anyway. Most just end up taking a nap.”

Jin Crow understood his meaning without much difficulty.

If he wasn’t going to cooperate anyway, he might as well get some sleep before leaving.

He wanted to walk out.

But Ideale had already threatened him.

‘If you don’t undergo a proper examination, you’ll never be allowed on a frontline inspection again.’

So even that wasn’t an option.

Besides, after an incident this serious, headquarters required the results of a psychological evaluation.

Maybe getting some sleep isn’t such a bad idea.

How long had it been since he’d had a proper night’s rest?

It wasn’t his body that was exhausted.

It was his mind.

In the end, he settled into the recliner Viper indicated.

As if he had been waiting for this, Viper slowly spoke.

“Close your eyes and relax your muscles.”

As he followed the instruction, he felt both body and mind slowly sinking beneath the surface.

“Deeper. Even deeper.”

Whatever the case, the combination of Viper’s deep voice and the classical music made for a surprisingly decent lullaby.

...Looks like I’ll finally get some real sleep.

With that final thought, he shut his trembling black eyelashes even tighter.

After briefly checking his condition, Viper scratched his cheek, exposing the snake tattoo on his wrist, and muttered.

“...Huh? It worked?”

Even he was genuinely surprised.

Why did this actually work?

Momentarily bewildered, he tilted his head.

Then, deciding this was actually a good opportunity, he thought for a moment before asking.

“What kind of life have you lived?”

“......”

Jin Crow didn’t answer immediately.

“...I.”

But before long, his lips trembled a few times before finally speaking.

“...When I enlisted, I thought the two Koreas would be reunified. Fuck.”

“Huh?”

It was an answer Viper couldn’t possibly understand.

In 2025, the Russo-Ukrainian War came to an end through mediation by the Western world, burdened by the economic cost of continued support, and China, which was facing a systemic crisis.

The world celebrated having overcome a crisis that had lasted nearly four years.

But once peace had been broken, it never truly returned.

Russia became economically dependent on China and desperately sought a way out.

China, meanwhile, needed a new achievement to quell its growing democratization movement.

The first place they turned their eyes toward was Taiwan.

However, the moment China touched Taiwan, the United States warned that it would immediately trigger World War III.

China had no choice but to hesitate.

Then, at that very moment, a coup erupted inside North Korea.

“C-Corporal Kim!”

“...Ah, hold on.”

The man wearing a T-shirt with R.O.K.A. printed across it was doing bench presses.

Looking at the junior soldier sprinting toward him with a deathly pale face, he asked in disbelief.

Then the blaring sirens immediately shattered that disbelief.

〔A-Attention all personnel! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! All personnel...!〕

Working out instantly became the least important thing.

As he grabbed his gear and sprinted toward the bunker, the company commander, his face stiff with tension, began speaking.

“A coup has broken out inside North Korea, and under the pretext of protecting its citizens, one division of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Northern Theater Command has crossed the North Korean border.”

Before he even had time to register the familiar weight of the rifle in his hands, one unbelievable statement after another followed, so surreal it felt like a dream.

The man whom the private had called Corporal Kim only moments earlier rubbed his chin in disbelief.

“...When I enlisted, I thought the two Koreas would be reunified. Fuck.”

And at that very moment—

An unfamiliar, yet incredibly irritating voice brushed past his ear.

—What the hell are you talking about?

Everything around him twisted.

The nameless private beside him.

The company commander who had long since given up on promotion.

Even the psychotic senior trembling inside the bunker.

Reality warped.

And then he realized something.

The old me. The day my life fell apart.

He relived the memories of that day—the memories he had forgotten the moment he possessed this body, or perhaps had deliberately refused to remember.

The instant he came to that realization, Corporal Kim—

No, Jin Crow—

snapped his eyes open and instinctively grabbed Viper by the back of the neck.

“I thought you said Superhumans couldn’t be hypnotized.”

Viper had better answer carefully.

It wasn’t a pleasant memory.