Butcher Demon

“Forget it. We’ll figure it out later. Now, let’s get Natsuki and Yakumo into the ambulance and take them to the hospital…”

“Wait” Abigail interrupted.

“I’ll take Natsuki and the boy.”

“………… and why should you?”

McLaren grew suspicious. They shouldn’t have any connection whatsoever.

“They have been through such a terrible thing and have no home to go back to, no relatives either……. when I heard their stories, I just couldn’t leave them alone you know?”

“You —-“

“I’m from a slum, too.”

Abigail’s words startled McLaren for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

It was unbelievable, How could an uneducated person from a slum become a researcher who belongs to the central organization UCEG and whose name is known throughout Fort 88?

“…… I see ….. I understand.”

With one nod, McLaren looked at Natsuki and said.

“But I’d like you to let me at least investigate the bodily fluids remaining in her.”

“Enough of this.”

Abigail glared at McLaren, not hiding her frustration.

“Natsuki is in a state of shock. Do you know how humiliating that would be for her?”

McLaren grimaced at Abigail’s harsh accusation. Nothing is more excruciating for a man than the verbal abuse of a beautiful woman.

I told her to thoroughly rinse off the remaining bodily fluids, but in case the semen collected from Natsuki’s body matched Noah’s, Abigail’s whole narrative would fall apart and it will become a big problem.

“Hey …….what you said earlier about the slum, is it true ……?”

Natsuki asked Abigail, stretching her neck.

“Yes, it’s true.”

Abigail patted her head, and Natsuki looked at McLaren.

“…… officer, I prefer her. I don’t trust those guys in the Fort. They are all like Shigeaki. I don’t want to be in the care of a government that abandoned us while we are struggling with all this horrible, terrible life.”

Natsuki told him, and McLaren nodded weakly.

“………… understand. I’ll call one of my men to get the paperwork done.”

Abigail breathed a sigh of relief secretly.

While his subordinate was talking to Natsuki, McLaren put his mouth close to Abigail’s ear.

“…… About the disappearances case, we have evidence that men and women from the slums were still being transported in secret the other day.”

“You mean?”

“Abigail, it’s not all Shigeaki. It’s not over yet. I’m thinking it’s possible that Shigeaki is involved with a larger organization and that’s why he was eliminated.”

“……”

“You can take Natsuki if you want, but if she was on the radar of that organization, it’s dangerous. You have to be on your guard.”

“I’m….. quite used to danger. Besides, I have a powerful ally on my side now.”

Abigail turned her head, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw InoRyder and the others. She was busy having a chat with a nearby police officer.

InoRyder notices her gaze and walks up to her.

Next to her is Rudra.

Normally, Vani takes charge at this time of the day, but she is bedridden from trauma, so Rudra is replacing her abruptly.

According to her, she was frustrated for a long time because Abigail had easily escaped her.

InoRyder, however, did not ask for details about Abigail’s whereabouts during New Year.

Abigail was pleased with that.

“– So? You’re going to take those two kiddos in? What in the world are you going to do with them? “

InoRyder asked, and Abigail looked at Natsuki.

“I’ m going to move them to the central. I’m going to keep her in my room until we can figure out what to do next.”

“Now, now. you’re going to get noticed by the government for sure…….”

InoRyder crooked her mouth and said in bemusement.

Then Eugene interrupted her. His face does not hide his curiosity.

“Oh, I guess you and Fox hooked up after all. How did you pull it off, big sis?”

“InoRyder and I are in a relationship.”

“Oh-ho. How much did you pay her?”

“It’s not about money Eugene. It’s free love.”

“Oh, wow…………..”

The corners of his mouth twitched and his eyes narrowed. InoRyder puts her hand on Eugene’s shoulder. With a thug-like smile.

“Eugene — If you keep bothering Abby, you might get your precious family gems chewed off by stray dogs on the street at night. You want to try a free gender change procedure?”

“…So I guess this is what it feels like to be a frog staring a snake in the face….”

Eugene shook his shoulders deliberately.

“Abigail, please sign here.”

McLaren called Abigail to sign the papers.

Eugene then turned his attention to Natsuki and Yakumo.

“Hey ya. Are you the victims? I’m Eugene, a newspaper journalist. May I ask you some questions? And if you have something to say to the world, I’d like to hear it too. Of course, I’ll pay you for the interview.”

But right after that, InoRyder squares his shoulders, and Rudra’s cold gaze falls on him from behind his back.

Sandwiched between Fox’s mad dog and the black marten, Eugene paled and shrank back, “Oh …….”

“–It seems like I’ll die if I continue this interview. Well, I’ll just ask the inspector for more details.”

At that moment, Yakumo’s notebook fell to the floor.

Eugene picks it up.

“Hmmm? Oh, It’s rare to find a paper notebook nowadays. We seem to be on the same page. I’m a pen-and-paper man myself. Umm? What’s this …….”

Eugene’s eyes caught the page of the notebook that happened to be open.

“Hoho, you’re quite good! There are some fantasy drawings too … Oh, isn’t this a drawing of a Bigfoot? Oh, I see you like this kind of thing! I’m also collecting a lot of stuff on this kind of topic. Let’s show each other our stuff next time……. Wow, what’s this? Erotic drawings!? How much do you want for this piece?”

Eugene flipped through the pages and was very excited. He immediately started negotiating to buy it, but all were ignored by Yakumo. He is an immovable wall.

Then Abigail returns.

“Okay, that’s it. Let’s go home. Nice to meet you, Natsuki-chan, Yakumo-kun. The woman over here is InoRyder. She’s my girlfriend. This one is Rudra. He’s my friend. You can ignore that shady guy over there.”

“Oh wai-.”

Leaving Eugene, Abigail and the others headed home.

On the way, InoRyder spoke as if she just recalled something.

“Oh, right. Abby, I think I can make an appointment with former captain Garnier.”

“Thank you InoRyder. as expected, I can count on you.”

“hmmm, that’s …. Hehehe …”

“Hey, what’s that?”

Rudra poked at the spider that Yakumo was holding.

“It’s a well-made figurine, right? The texture and hairs are just amazing. Do you like insects?”

InoRyder also poked and prodded it.

Abigail watches on with a sense of relief. As someone who knows what it really was, she is not at all at ease. Secretly, She sent Niblo a small wave and a wink.

Let Captain McLaren continue to pursue the shadow of the fictional Bigfoot instead of Gevaudan. He also has to continue his investigation of the multiple cases of disappearances. As a matter of fact, Abigail is also interested in this case.

— The connection with Eugene may be of more use than I anticipated. If I can get him to write an article at the right time, he will be more than willing to help.

— There will come a time when I will have to talk with InoRyder and the others.

Gevaudan said that someone betrayed him, but InoRyder is definitely innocent. It is unthinkable that she would harm Nigel.

Rudra and Vani are also safe. They have no contact with Nigel at the time.

I want to explain the situation to InoRyder as soon as possible.

But it would be dangerous to do it too soon. If rumors spread that I could speak with the Butcher, my position would be in danger.

–I will have to rely on Logan to help me with Natsuki and Yakumo. He is the only connection I have now that can get them a place in the central.

–And the matter of Yakumo’s ability. It must never, ever be revealed to anyone.

Natsuki now knows that Gevaudan was once called Nigel, but she has no idea about the relationship between Nigel and Abigail. She hopes that she will never find out in the future. The girls would be safer if they went to the central office without getting involved.

It is becoming a very complicated situation, but I must do it. Abigail bit her in determination.

What did Nigel, the golden grim reaper, see at Fort 89 and how did she end up there?

Who betrayed her?

Time was running out. and I was worried about Gevaudan’s mental state.

If I were to describe Gevaudan’s current state in a few words, it would be a wildfire in a deep, secluded forest.

The fire is still smoldering, and there is plenty of fuel around it. Once the wind blows and the fire starts to spread, everything nearby will be consumed by it in the blink of an eye, and the fire will spread to a devastating catastrophe that will eradicate any living creature that it swallows.

Once that happens, no one will be able to stop it, and in the end, it would turn all other areas into scorched earth and eventually end itself. Abigail had a premonition that was approaching.

The most effective way to extinguish a fire of this magnitude was to destroy the place around it.

While the fire is still small, cut down the surrounding trees in order to cut off the path for the fire to spread, then allow the flames to burn down to the point where not even a trace of embers remain and wait for the temperature to slowly cool down.

That secluded forest is Fort 88.

For that reason, minimal sacrifice was necessary.

Abigail also has a nagging feeling about this place. It may be killing two birds with one stone to squeeze the pus out of the most important alliance of the entire human race.

That is Abigail’s current perception.

I want to get it over with and then snuggle up next to him as soon as possible.

If possible, we can go somewhere far away —- just the two of us.

“–Now, what do you want to eat tonight?”

Abigail turned around.

Yakumo’s notebook was already open.

“…….Hamburger hm?”

“I also want to try Valhalla’s pound hamburger.”

Immediately, Rudra was on board with Yakumo’s idea.

“Oh, that sounds good! It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper meat dish!”

“Natsuki-chan, do you have something in mind?”

“Yes, I like …… spicy food.”

“Then why don’t you try Pepper Paradise? Heh heh heh.”

“Pepper Paradise? What’s that?”

Natsuki, who had been keeping her distance from InoRyder, who she had just met for the first time, took the bait.

“It is a taco stuffed with spicy salsa. Made with a variety of chili peppers from all over the world. Habanero and Jolokia are the base ingredients and there’re also bell pepper, paprika, hawk claw, jalapeno, serrano, and more. It is said that if you eat it, you will ascend and be taken to the real heaven, Valhalla.”

“That’s amazing!”

“It is also known as a Tear gas taco. If you can finish it, you’ll definitely become famous in Valhalla.”

Rudra added without showing any expression as Natsuki’s eyes lit up with sparkles.

Abigail looked at the scene and said with a wry smile.

“Well then, Valhalla it is.”

The snow had finally stopped falling, and the cramped sky of the Fort was covered with stars after a long absence.