Several hours earlier, not long after Cid left the café, two figures entered and approached Kanon Kanase from behind.
One of them, a green-haired female Vampire wearing a dark red suit, leaned down close to Kanon Kanase's ear.
"You really made us search for you everywhere, you little bitch. Break time is over. Time to go back and continue the experiments."
"…I understand, Beatrice."
Kanon Kanase had already gone pale when the two entered. When she heard Beatrice's voice, a visible look of fear appeared on her face.
Yet despite the obvious malice in those words, she simply nodded, stood up, and followed the two of them out of the café and into their car.
After the car had been driving for a while, the Vampire in the driver's seat spoke.
"I really don't know what that old man Kensei Kanase is thinking. Saying something like letting you properly experience your last time in the human world. Still, I think I should remind you of something."
"You're just a tool. Next time that old man makes a request like that, I hope you'll refuse it. After all, you're the key to the experiment. If something happens to you, it'll be very troublesome for us."
The Vampire glanced back at Kanon Kanase.
Kanon Kanase's expression was blank, her eyes dull and unfocused. Her body was still in the exact posture she had been sitting in half an hour earlier.
Clearly, she had not taken a word of it in.
Beatrice tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
Under normal circumstances, if someone dared to ignore her like that, she would have already sent them straight to hell. Especially someone like Kanon Kanase, whom she considered nothing more than disposable experimental material. Just thinking about it made her anger flare.
"In that case, to save ourselves trouble, we'll have to make sure your little sweetheart won't have time to come looking for you. Or we could bring your little sweetheart to the experimental site and let him see your true form."
Although she phrased it as a reminder, the word "tool" and the threat that followed carried nothing but naked malice.
"No! Please don't hurt Cid-nii-san! I'll listen and do as you say, so please…"
Since getting into the car, Kanon Kanase had not said a single word. Even when faced with those earlier remarks filled with contempt and hostility, she had shown no anger at all.
But now, for the first time, her emotions finally stirred.
"Huh!?"
Instead, it was the Vampire in the driver's seat and the Beastman in the passenger seat who were startled. The two exchanged a quiet glance.
They both knew how dull Kanon Kanase's senses had become.
As one of the experimental subjects for the human weapon known as the "Faux Angel," most of her sensory functions had been deliberately suppressed to prevent her from being incapacitated by pain during combat.
Her physical sensations, sense of smell, and sense of taste had essentially been destroyed.
Only hearing, for receiving orders, and vision, for basic awareness, remained.
With most of her sensory nerves disabled, it was inevitable that Kanon Kanase's emotional responses would also grow faint.
After all, human emotions fundamentally rely on hormones like dopamine and adrenaline. While emotions can be unpredictable and spontaneous, without those biological processes they would not exist at all.
The earlier taunt had simply been Beatrice entertaining herself while driving out of boredom. Her anger had been more of a habit than anything else. She had not even fully processed the situation.
After all, who would seriously get angry at an experimental tool that was already doomed to die and had lost most of its emotions?
In fact, the moment she finished making that threat, her attention had already returned to driving. She never expected Kanon Kanase to respond at all.
Yet unexpectedly, Kanon Kanase did respond.
Not only that, she said she would obey them.
That was what surprised them.
"Good."
Silence returned to the car.
However, the vehicle's speed noticeably increased.
Before long, they arrived at their destination.
The Magus Craft Laboratory.
After the car stopped, Beatrice brought Kanon Kanase over to a middle-aged man.
"Kanase-san, we've brought Kanon Kanase back. If possible, please begin the experiment as soon as possible. The company has already started urging us."
Facing Beatrice's almost flattering request, Kensei Kanase did not answer immediately.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward the Beastman who had stepped out of the car and walked off to the side, holding a phone and speaking to someone.
"Ah, Kanase-san, as you know, the company has already pressed us several times. In the end, we're the only ones who can deal with them."
Hearing Beatrice's reply, Kensei Kanase finally turned his gaze toward the Vampire standing before him.
"If the Faux Angel project wants to guarantee absolute safety, then after every stage of the experiment there must be a period of observation. Only then can we ensure their bodies fully fuse with the spiritual core and adapt to it, while monitoring for any possible accidents."
"Or perhaps you intend for yourselves to handle any accidents that occur."
"Besides, hasn't the appearance of the World Battlefield already earned your company a massive fortune? What you're really after now is nothing more than stronger weapons."
Listening to Kensei Kanase's words, sharp with clear hostility, Beatrice showed no sign of anger. Instead, she greeted them with a bright smile.
"Hahaha, Kanase-san, you're quite the joker. As you know, ever since the Witches established Netheril, most of the global arms trade has basically been taken over by them."
"Since you've said so much already, Kanase-san, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll be taking my leave."
As Beatrice signaled to the other therianthrope beside her to leave, Kensei Kanase watched them for a moment. Then, without turning his head, he spoke to Kanon Kanase behind him and began walking toward the laboratory.
"Come on, Kanon. Let's go to the lab and check your body. We need to see whether the spiritual core is showing any signs of rejection."
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.
Turning back, he saw Kanon Kanase still standing where she was, head lowered, completely motionless. Kensei Kanase frowned.
"What's wrong, Kanon?"
"Father… I… I want to know. Do you really have to complete the Faux Angel experiment?"
"Of course, Kanon. The world is dangerous right now. Hidden currents are stirring among the nations. Only by completing the Ascension Ceremony can you truly be safe."
"But hasn't God already descended into the world? There's no need to continue this kind of experiment."
At her defiance, anger appeared on Kensei Kanase's weathered face for the first time. His eyes locked onto Kanon Kanase.
"That's enough, Kanon. You must understand—I'm doing this for your sake.
Those Angels who descended into the world are not true Angels. Although they've been a great help to my experiments, that only proves their so-called God is nothing more than a false deity.
I don't know what you experienced today, but forget about it now and finish the experiment."
Facing Kensei Kanase's fierce gaze, even though he claimed it was all for her sake, Kanon Kanase felt as if she had fallen into the deep sea.
An immense pressure pressed down on her from every direction. The surrounding air felt like molten iron, and every breath required all the strength she had.
I'm sorry, Cid-nii-san
You were right. I'm a coward.
I can't do it. I can't even say what I truly want.
"I… I understand… Father."
...
Meanwhile, after returning to the car, Beatrice did not start the engine immediately. She waited until the Therianthrope who had come with her opened the door and sat in the passenger seat before the vehicle finally began moving.
They drove in silence.
Only after the car had left the Magus Craft facility did Beatrice finally speak.
"What did they say?"
It was a question without context, but the Therianthrope beside her immediately understood.
"They're very interested. But they want to see the real thing, or at least proof that it's genuine, before they'll allow us to join."
"Is that all?"
"There's more. Before the evidence is presented, they've permitted us to access the Magic Network for some intelligence and limited weapons procurement privileges. The company has also agreed to give us full access to all available resources and authority."
"What about that boy?"
"The order to investigate him has already been issued. As long as we confirm he doesn't have any major backing, we can capture him at any time. Of course, to prevent Kanon Kanase from going berserk and to maintain complete control, we can't let him appear at the experiment site while he's conscious."
Listening to the report, the curve of Beatrice's lips grew wider and wider. A glimmer of excitement flashed in her eyes.
"Good. I thought this matter had already fallen through."
"Who would've thought that after searching everywhere without success, the answer would fall right into our hands."
"Once we join them, we can abandon our current identities and live openly in the world under entirely new ones."