Vol 1 Chapter 24 – You’re Worse Than I Am!!

“So. Let’s hear your excuses, criminal.”

Al planted his feet wide, hands on hips.

In front of him, Hannah quaked like a fawn.

…Watching a weak creature tremble is kinda funny, isn’t it?

I like it.

“W-wait! You’re totally set on executing me! Nooo! I don’t wanna die like this!”

Hannah bawled as she

“Flail-Flail”

thrashed around.

Doesn’t she feel the slightest shame…?

Does she really think showing that pitiful display will make Al give up?

If it would, I’d be the one bawling and begging for release.

…Wow, all those tears and snot make her look seriously ugly.

“I never imagined the notorious ‘Pleasure-Driven Human-Experiment Alchemist’ was such a young girl.”

“Weren’t wanted posters circulating?”

“Apparently she kept her face hidden reeaally well. I half expected the investigation to whiff entirely…”

According to Spica, Hannah was on a wanted list—though not a top-priority criminal.

So her crimes must not have been that severe… but Al doesn’t make fine distinctions.

“Well, glad we found her. His Lordship will be pleased. Okay, let’s go.”

“Go where?”

“Capital-ward, of course.”

“No way! They’ll kill me! Or torture me for my research!”

“Stop clinging to me, criminal.”

Inside Al’s head, Hannah was already stamped CRIMINAL.

Once he had the proof, he’d go all-out and kill her.

The royal capital, huh…

Are execution scaffolds only set up there?

“I never did human experiments for my own pleasure! I even picked my guinea pigs carefully, so it’s totally fine!”

“How do you figure?”

Calling people guinea pigs already shows Hannah’s ethics are shattered…

Still, her fate means nothing to me, so I’ll listen out of boredom.

“For progress and invention, human testing is absolutely necessary. Results come way faster if you do it—that’s just fact, not an excuse.”

That… might be true.

Human civilization probably advances quicker that way.

Not that I care if society flourishes or collapses.

“Plus I didn’t use regular citizens. I rounded up criminals! I wasn’t experimenting on just anyone for my own sake!”

Al’s body twitched.

Even so—testing on crooks? I’m not sure—but the words clearly hit him.

He pondered for a long moment, and Hannah watched, swallowing hard.

Then he reached a verdict.

“…Safe.”

“YEEESSSSSSS!!”

Hannah pumped both fists skyward.

Dropping to her knees and staring up at the sky looked melodramatic, but to her it was life-or-death.

Snatching a “Safe” from Al—

I was honestly stunned.

He’s a runaway locomotive who never listens to reason…

Guess using criminals for experiments struck a chord.

…Al’s sense of ethics is warped too.

“A shocking comeback safe. You actually got Al to back down in that state.”

“Say what you will, my research helps people, you know.”

Hearing that, Al pointed sharply at Hannah.

“Alvarado Points—ten points!”

“Score! …Uh, what are Alvarado Points?”

She cheered, then turned to me in confusion.

Don’t look at me; I have no clue.

“Hmm, but this is a pickle. My orders were ‘Bring her in,’ you see.”

The dissatisfied one was Spica; Hannah was her explicit target.

Incidentally, Lulu wasn’t involved in that order and was sunning herself somewhere.

Typical laid-back cat-beastkin.

“No way. I’m not budging an inch.”

“I can’t be sure, but I doubt His Lordship wants to punish you. Maybe he wants your cooperation?”

“Even so, I’m not following some stranger just because you ask.”

She is a wanted felon after all—her guard is up.

Spica gave a helpless smile.

“Ummm… he’s a super important person!”

“Still not going.”

“Aww, that’s really troublesome.”

Her lazy tone made it hard to believe she was troubled, but…

Spica looked down and muttered.

“…Kidnap, then.”

“Hey! That’s insanely bad! Al, protect me!”

Hannah plastered herself to Al.

…A bit too close, isn’t she?

I don’t care, but Rasha keeps getting scary—

angry yet, for some reason, excited…

Humans are incomprehensible. Gross.

“Indeed, forcibly moving someone against her will is wrong.”

“Sweet!”

In Al’s book, Hannah was now fully acquitted—

a person to protect.

That drew a big smile from Hannah.

“…Hmmm?”

“What’s wrong?”

Spica stared hard at Al.

Surely she hasn’t fallen for him.

They barely interact, and girls as easy as Rasha or Hannah aren’t lying around everywhere.

What? Hannah isn’t easy?

…Yeah, sure.

“No, I just feel like I’ve seen him somewhere…”

“Flirting? With Al? Are you suicidal…?”

“That’s not it.”

Spica denied it at once, and I breathed easy.

Hitting on Al would be bad news.

…Though it might be fun to watch from the sidelines.

“However, I have no memory of you.”

“Hmmm… I swear I saw you somewhere…”

I have no recollection of knowing Spica either.

Maybe she’s mistaken, or it’s just a look-alike…

…Multiple Als in the world would be a nightmare.

While I pondered that, Spica snapped her fingers.

“Ah! I remember! I saw him on a wanted poster!”

“…Huh?”

Everyone blinked in confusion.

A wanted poster?

“Internationally wanted killer—‘Slayer’ Alvarado!”

“You’re worse than I am!!”

Hannah’s fist sank into Al’s solar plexus—

and she was the one writhing, having sprained her wrist.