Chapter 26
Human or Beast (3)
Misa returned home after work with Glamm.
It was to introduce Aroma, who would now be living with them.
“Is this your friend? The one who became a beastman?”
Glamm had heard about Aroma before, but this was the first time he met her in person. He stared at Aroma as she shyly twisted her body.
Perhaps because he had his own preconceived notions about beastmen, his first impression of her was surprisingly good.
She was gentler than expected, and didn’t feel like a predator at all.
“Hello… I’m Aroma. I’ve heard a lot about you from Misa.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Well, let’s go inside first.”
Misa and Glamm entered, and Ul, who had just finished preparing the meal, looked at Glamm as if he were an unwelcome guest.
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, I came to discuss where to start fixing this situation.”
Ul ignored Glamm and looked at Misa.
“Bringing men into the house all the time isn’t good habit.”
“Come on, team leader, you’re like a father figure to me, aren’t you?”
“Biologically, he’s a man. And he’s not really family.”
“Wait, are you jealous right now?”
“I’m just being cautious. It’s a perfectly natural male instinct.”
Glamm sighed as if he had grown used to Ul’s immature attitude and sat down.
“Let’s stop with the small talk and get to the main point.”
“I asked Aroma, and she doesn’t know the location of the lab. She had been trapped inside for a long time, and when she became a beastman and regained her senses, she was at the castle.”
“…I don’t remember clearly, but sometimes the windows were open. When I looked outside then, I could see dense forest.”
“Did you see any homes nearby?”
Aroma nodded at Glamm’s question.
“Not a single soul. There weren’t many researchers coming in and out of the lab to begin with. Only the people who were brought in each time.”
“Of all the people brought to the lab, were they all kidnapped like you?”
Aroma shook her head at Misa’s question.
“No. Some were kidnapped, but many were paid clinical trial participants. And believe it or not, some came of their own free will.”
“…They chose to become beastmen themselves? But how did they even know about beastmen to make that choice?”
“They were all people who had at least once met Rena. Only a small number. And many of those who chose to become beastmen themselves are now Apostles.”
Glamm asked Aroma again.
“Did the clinical trial participants come because they saw a recruitment notice and entered the lab?”
“Yes. The pay was considerable, so surprisingly many people applied.”
“They probably didn’t know it was a biological experiment to create beastmen.”
“Exactly. Most thought it was a simple experiment. The lab also promoted it as a simple new drug trial to attract participants.”
“But if people disappeared like that, wouldn’t it be noticed quickly?”
Glamm answered on behalf of Misa.
“They probably didn’t use everyone as test subjects.”
“That’s right. Among those gathered, many had no jobs or connections.”
“Even if a person is offered a lot of money, a normal person wouldn’t risk their body being destroyed for it.”
Ul put down his bowl and said,
“Most humans are opposed to using humans as subjects in biological research.”
“Exactly. Many consider it immoral. It destroys human dignity itself.”
Misa nodded at Ul’s words, and Glamm continued.
“Those in urgent need of money would gather. Most of them would be unemployed, elderly struggling to find work, or beggars on the streets.”
Then Aroma added.
“The labs are probably spread across the country. They operate systematically. Most prisoners of war were used as test subjects, and kidnappings of minority groups were common too.”
“Since the mastermind is a queen of a country, it’s quite possible. She must have organized and systematized this over a long time.”
“In that case, it would be impossible to immediately locate the labs.”
Glamm nodded as if agreeing.
“The only way is to trace the Apostles you mentioned one by one. It will take a long time and be very dangerous, but that’s the only method.”
“For now, Libido is in the investigation bureau, so she’s close. Should we exclude her from first priority and investigate someone else?”
Aroma interjected at Misa’s question.
“Focus on investigating beastmen managing territories outside the capital.”
Currently, all Apostles except Libido, Leon, and Aroma manage territories outside the capital.
“Except for Leon and Libido, all Apostles have territories outside the capital. They only visit the capital when Mother calls.”
“What about Libido’s territory? Isn’t it outside the capital too?”
Aroma nodded.
“But it seems Libido doesn’t manage it directly. She stays in the capital and uses a representative.”
Libido and Leon stay in the capital near Rena. Other Apostles manage territories outside the capital. They must also have assigned responsibilities.
Leon Hart and Libido Hart likely stay in the capital because their families produced the queen and have strong influence, allowing frequent access to the castle.
For other Apostles, their territories also likely contain critical responsibilities.
Misa, after thinking for a moment, spoke with a meaningful expression.
“Could it be that the labs we heard about aren’t just one or two, but actually on the Apostles’ territories?”
These aren’t just normal labs—they perform biological experiments to create beastmen. Even if there are several, there probably aren’t many. And they certainly wouldn’t entrust the labs to humans.
If the lab’s secrets leaked, Rena’s accumulated work could collapse. She would entrust it to only those she can trust completely—likely her Apostles.
Ul agreed with Misa.
“That’s possible. She’d entrust it to someone reliable, and to run a lab stably, the person in the territory must be influential.”
Glamm also agreed.
“No one has more influence than a lord.”
“It’s also suspicious that it’s managed outside the capital, in a small territory. Small territories are inherently isolated, which is ideal for hiding things.”
Ul replied to Misa’s comment.
“Investigating the territories of the other beastmen, excluding Libido and Leon, should give us clues.”
The picture started to take shape. The direction of their task, which had seemed unclear, became clearer.
“Then who should we target first?”
Glamm named one person.
“Erzebet Ferencz, Marchioness Ferencz.”
“Erzebet?”
Aroma answered Misa’s question.
“Rize is her nickname. Her real name is Erzebet.”
“Oh, Rize… the black-haired beauty we saw that day?”
“Yes. She married the Marquess of Ferencz and is the legitimate Marchioness of the Ferencz family.”
“Why choose her first?”
Glamm replied.
“There’s a rumor in the Ferencz territory of Cheite.”
“A rumor?”
“Women keep disappearing or are found dead. At night, the scent of blood is said to surround the mansion.”
Misa let out a weary laugh at Glamm’s words.
“I think I roughly understand what’s going on.”
“Yes. We can’t dismiss this as just a rumor, since we know things about that woman. It’s not something to take lightly.”
“I’ll start the investigation tomorrow. Though I wonder if Libido will let me leave peacefully.”
“I’ll cover it, saying you were sent on a business trip. I’ll stay at the bureau to investigate the other Apostles.”
“And you, Aroma?”
“I’ll stay with Mother for now.”
“You’re not coming along?”
“If I move with you, I’ll be marked a traitor. For now… I’m still afraid of Mother—Rena. I think it’s better I stay near her and observe until you finish.”
Rena’s side likely already knew Aroma had been with Misa. But it didn’t matter; Rena somehow knew Aroma was Misa’s childhood friend. Being with Misa alone wouldn’t make Rena punish her as a traitor.
She was cold and sharp but unusually merciful toward her Apostles, especially new ones.
“I’m worried it might be dangerous.”
Aroma smiled to reassure Misa.
“I’m a chosen candidate Apostle. Mother won’t easily abandon me. She’s possessive. Honestly, I’m more worried about you.”
Aroma’s gaze shifted to Ul beside her.
“Misa, please take care of things.”
“You don’t need to ask. I will.”
“Be careful, Misa. That woman has a strong scent of blood compared to the other Apostles. She kills frequently… be careful.”
“I got it.”
Everyone had their roles. Misa and Ul would depart for the Ferencz Marches the next day. Aroma would stay near Rena, observing her. Glamm would remain at the bureau, monitoring Libido and investigating the other Apostles.
By the time the discussion ended, the sun had set, and night fell. Aroma returned to the castle, Glamm went home, and Misa sat silently for a while.
Ul waited patiently, knowing Misa often sat quietly for hours when lost in deep thought.
“This is just the beginning.”
After a long pause, Misa finally spoke to Ul, who nonchalantly propped his chin on his hand.
“The road ahead is long.”
“Aren’t you hesitant? Rena… she’s someone you once loved.”
Hearing herself say “someone I once loved” made Misa feel a surge of emotion, though she restrained it.
“Can you kill her?”
“It’s been too long to dwell on old feelings. I once loved her, but not anymore. I realized it more clearly at our last meeting. My instincts are itching to twist her neck.”
“Love doesn’t last forever, it seems.”
“Maybe if circumstances were different… but looking back, it might not have been love. Perhaps it was a relationship off from the start.”
Misa moved to the living room and sat on the sofa. Ul, following her, transformed into a wolf.
“Are we leaving now?”
“Rest.”
“…?”
“You like fiddling with me, don’t you?”
“…Ah.”
“Calm down. Once you relax, you’ll sleep better.”
Ul sat on the floor, and Misa buried herself in his fur. As she stroked the soft fur, she felt her mind steadily regain calm.
“This must be why people keep animals.”
“You’re not an animal, though.”
“But in this form, I am.”
His fur was soft, warm, and smelled wonderful. It comforted her.
“Oh… it heals my heart. If you stayed like this every night, my insomnia would be cured immediately.”
“You’re pampering me.”
“You secretly care about everything, you know that, right?”
“You make it impossible not to care.”
“Me?”
“Always overthinking, meddling, causing trouble if not watched.”
Misa smiled, half-closing her eyes.
“Do you still think of yourself as a monster?”
“I’m not thinking it—I am one.”
“Before I met you, I thought beastmen were absolute evil. Harmful and useless. Monsters.”
But seeing Ul and Aroma changed that.
“Maybe not all are monsters. Beastmen might be… pitiful victims.”
Realizing some were victims of cruel, forbidden experiments, she let go of some prejudice.
“There might be more like Ul and Aroma, struggling against fate to avoid becoming monsters.”
“You are not a monster.”
“…”
“You’re not a violent beast.”
Even if the body is beastly.
“You’re human.”
Misa closed her eyes completely. No more words were exchanged. Soon she was breathing softly, asleep in Ul’s fur.
‘Human…’
To hear this definition of herself from another was overwhelmingly moving.
“…Human.”
Hearing it after a millennium made her heart ache. For the first time, someone recognized her as human, not monster. It was unexpectedly joyful and overwhelming.
The white wolf closed his eyes and resolved: he would give everything to the girl who called him human.
The obligatory, symbiotic relationship between them ended. Feelings began to change.
Her black hair, like the night sky, gleamed as if dusted with powdered stars. Beneath it, her pale skin and blood-red lips contrasted sharply.
Her nose was delicately sculpted, perfectly proportioned.
Everything about her was beautiful, but Rize especially loved her eyes.
“Rohana.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Don’t you think my skin looks a bit dry?”
“You still look beautiful to me.”
“The capital is dusty, the air is polluted… maybe that’s why my skin feels a little saggy.”
For a beastman like Rize, nearing immortality, aging wasn’t an issue. Yet she inspected her reflection closely and was sensitive about her appearance.
Even as a peerless beauty, she was dissatisfied with her reflection and, frustrated, shattered the mirror.
Her attendant, Rohana, calmly cleaned the shards and replaced the mirror.
“Do I look ugly now?”
“Not at all. No one in the world would think so.”
“Why?”
“Because you are the most beautiful in the world.”
“Mother… no, even more than Her Majesty the Queen?”
“Of course.”
A faint smile touched Rize’s lips. She sat before the mirror, inspecting her face, but her satisfaction didn’t last. She continued to touch her face for a long time.
“It’s still rough.”
Rohana waited for Rize’s command.
Without disappointing her, Rize spoke.
“Prepare a bath.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Bath time meant terror engulfed the mansion.
Rohana knew this beautiful monster would kill many again for her beauty. Although incomprehensible, she had no choice but to obey.
Initially, the shock made her heart drop, but as a human, she adapted. That was how she survived here.
Rohana quietly went outside and called the maids.
“Bring them out.”
The maids obeyed instantly.
They descended secretly to the underground, where iron cages stained with blood held young girls.
The rusty squeal of the cage made the women inside tense.
Rohana pointed to one, and the maids roughly dragged her.
Even if the gagged girl screamed endlessly, no sound escaped. She struggled in terror, but several strong hands overpowered her.
The girl was thrown into Rize’s private bath.
Rize, disrobing and entering the bath, examined the girl’s face and nodded with satisfaction.
“Let’s begin.”
