— So, babe, aren't I getting even a cigarette?
Vicente, while being held hostage, was sitting outside a tent, eating an orange as he looked at Karen and the scout standing beside her.
— And why would you get one? Besides, where did you get the idea that we even have cigarettes here?
— You people seem to be able to get anything.
— We can't get the most important thing, which is our freedom.
Karen looked at the other scouts gathered around. They all seemed impatient and restless.
The scouts were used to moving around every day and always having something to do. Sitting around and waiting wasn't in their nature, which was making most of them increasingly stressed.
— Looks like your men aren't very fond of waiting. If you want, you can tell them to leave. Being alone with you could be fun.
— If that were the case, I wouldn't be worried. You know you're in my hands. If you kill me, you die. If you knock me unconscious, when I wake up, you die too. There's no way you're getting out of here, Vicente.
— I know, sweetheart. I don't want to get out. I just want a fucking cigarette.
— Watch your mouth when you're talking to him, you piece of shit!
The scout beside Karen became irritated. He was a slender man in his thirties, with a thin beard and unusually wrinkled skin for his age. But as he approached Vicente, he suddenly felt a sharp sting in his knee.
Vicente had thrown a needle at him, leaving him paralyzed.
The man collapsed to the ground, stretching his arm toward Vicente, while the other scouts drew their daggers and became alert.
— Stop! He provoked you too. Just ignore the idiot.
Karen gestured for no one to approach, and Vicente smiled as the woman helped the paralyzed scout.
— Heh, are you defending me? How cute. I can reward you later.
— Why are we keeping him alive, Karen? Haven't we already accomplished the objective?
One of the other scouts at the camp, a man in his early twenties with blond hair sprawled across his face, spoke angrily. Karen, however, seemed irritated.
— You idiot. All of you, shut up.
Vicente noticed that the man had said something he shouldn't have and immediately caught on.
— Objective, huh? What was the objective? To separate three of us from the others? Try to kill someone? Lure them into a trap? I already knew about that, but what exactly was it? I'm in your hands, aren't I? What's the problem with telling me? If you were going to kill me, you would've done it already. So you still need something else, don't you?
Vicente stood up and approached Karen, but the other woman at the camp stepped in front of him.
— You said you could get us out of here! Let's go to that damn crystal already! I don't give a shit about Karen's orders or CHamt's! Some of the others agree with me, don't you?
The woman looked at two scouts who seemed to be on her side.
— What's this? Are you rebelling against your "little boss"? What are you going to do, Karen? Tie them to a tree too?
Karen put a hand on her head in frustration.
— Listen, fuck the objective. We're only sitting here like idiots because that white-haired guy who left with the others is a high-level Returner. I know all of you must have noticed. He was basically controlling us here. I only pretended to be "poisoned" so we could protect ourselves from him. He started threatening us, but because of the power I had over everyone, he backed off a little. Still, he said he wanted to continue with the "objective," and once he succeeded, we could get the hell out of here.
— Huh. So that skinny bastard was strong, huh? But do you really think he can defeat Omar? You people really are kind of illiterate. No offense, of course, just because you're scouts.
Everyone became angry at Vicente's remark, but Karen stopped them from advancing again.
— Anyway, we're not sensing his presence anymore. Or his friends'.
— So you want to get the hell out? Like I said, let's go to the crystal. I'll figure out how to get someone from Central to pick you guys up.
— The problem is, that plan isn't possible for one reason.
One of the scouts began speaking—the same blond man who had been impatient earlier.
— Huh? Why not, Lemon?
— Because the fucking Central was the one that opened that portal where they went. Why would they bring us back? We only wanted to get rid of that damned hero.
— Well, well, well... That changes everything. So Central was the one behind all this? Looks like they left you out in the cold.
So they knew it was Central, but they could only accept it and "hide" the truth. They obeyed that Returner because they were under threat. I just don't understand why they kept me here too. If it was because I was "poisoned," they could've assumed I'd eventually get rid of it. But then they really did think I might betray my friends, deep down.
— Hehehe. So you're outcasts now. I really don't know if Central would want to hear from someone who knows they opened a portal on the fucking 32nd floor. Hate to break it to you, but you're going to have to keep crawling your way through the Tower.
Everyone lowered their heads, clenching their fists in anger. They had already expected this.
But Karen hadn't.
— I'm not giving up. We can use this information to blackmail Central.
— Okay, lady, but what did that Returner say? I'm sure he's some kind of Central's lackey.
— He just... said he wanted to separate them, but keep you behind.
— Me? And what the fuck is so special about me? I'm just a br—
— Nobody knows that. Maybe you're simply the most useless one. But I think he took your friends to their deaths.
I can't sense Omar's presence either. That was bothering me. Neither Omar nor that Returner. But I don't believe Omar...
I might die if he got to him, but I can still sense Vick and Sally, even if they're far away...
— So let's assume that's what happened. Now what? What are you going to do?
— You're going to take us to that damn crystal and tell them we're scouts who were injured and need urgent first aid.
Karen answered while looking at everyone around her.
— So you're planning to injure your own comrades to put this plan into action? Are you all okay with that?
Vicente stared at the blond man in front of him, who seemed to hesitate.
— We don't have any other choice. It's either that or nothing. We can say that you attacked us after we did what that Returner asked us to do.
The other woman spoke as she stood up.
These idiots were obviously used by Central. Did they send that guy to eliminate us? Or was there someone specific among us they were after? Do they know who the traitor is? That would be a problem.
The fact is, they sent that Returner to split our group apart and used these scouts as bait to make it happen. They were used and ended up seeing something they weren't supposed to see: Central opening a fucking portal in the middle of the 32nd floor. That could never be considered normal.
First of all, we didn't even know portals could be opened like that, especially on poorly mapped floors. The fact that Central is hiding technology like this means they don't trust us. Maybe they're working with those three. The fact that they were already ahead of us was suspicious enough. Now I'm almost certain they're Central's dogs.
They're "mapping" the floors and creating these points for portal openings. But that still doesn't explain why they used that guy to separate us. If his intention had been to kill us, he could have used Karen's curse. But apparently, I really wasn't the target.
That means they need me... or they don't need Omar.
— You're thinking way too much. Get up already. We're going to the crystal.
— And what if we get there and they kill you? It's a possibility, kid. You saw too much. Wouldn't it be natural for them to erase you?
Vicente smiled ironically, but Karen seemed genuinely concerned about the subject.
— T-There's no way! Why would Central do something like that? Don't they want to complete the Tower too? What about the Grail fragments? Whether they like it or not, we're useful!
One of the scouts began speaking loudly, his voice desperate and anxious.
— You said it yourselves earlier, for fuck's sake. We're just pawns being used. And I'm starting to think my group is part of that chessboard too.
Vicente finished eating the orange and threw the peel onto the ground.
— I'm not taking responsibility for anything, but when we get to the crystal's entrance, I want you to remove this curse from me.
The man looked at Karen, who seemed determined.
— I'm only not doing it now because we need your guarantee that you'll contact Central. If it's just us, they might not even care. But if one of the twelve asks for help...
At that moment, one of the scouts looked at Karen.
— Then wouldn't it be better to hurt only him?! It's more likely that Central will send a rescue team. We can use that opportunity to leave together.
— No. I think it's better if we all do it. We'll say we were attacked by demons or something. I'll activate the poison and hurt you. You can blame everything on me.
Karen clenched her fists, determined.
— Oh? You're going to sacrifice yourself for them? You're going to say you attacked everyone? And why would you do that?
— Because I'll probably be arrested. That's better than being healed and then sent back to this hell. If I commit a crime, they'll arrest me outside. So I can leave as a criminal, but I'll be free.
Everyone looked at Karen, somewhat stunned.
— If anyone wants to be my accomplice, feel free.
She looked at the other scouts, but no one volunteered.
— Ha. They're afraid of getting arrested. But she's telling the truth. They'll heal you and send you right back to work.
Vicente brought up a point that made some of them stop and think.
— But if we're arrested, we don't know what might happen... And before we're sent away, we'll find a way to escape. We can just say we don't want to be scouts anymore.
— And what are you going to be? If you're not a scout, you'll have to work outside. And there are more demons out there than here. There aren't any other jobs in this fucked-up world. Either you collect corpses or you fight with the army. Women who have any level of power will be used for that too, or they'll become janitors for Central. You think you're going to be free, but you'll just be entering an even bigger prison.
Vicente had touched on the one subject nobody wanted to hear, but Karen had already made up her mind for everyone.
— I've made my decision. If you want to stay, then stay. But I'm getting the hell out of this Tower.
She pointed toward Vicente, who prepared to move, but both of them suddenly sensed Vick and Sally nearby.
— Wait. My companions are coming back.
Karen looked worried, but waited for the two women to arrive.
Everyone was shocked to see the two of them covered in blood, their expressions somewhat shaken.
Omar really isn't with them... So that's what happened?
Vicente immediately understood the situation.
— What happened to you two? Where are the others?
One of the scouts asked, but Vick smiled and scratched her head, changing her expression back to her usual one.
— They're dead! We were attacked and they died. You all wanted to eliminate us, didn't you?
Vick grabbed her spear and pointed it at the man's head.
— Wait, Vick. They were used by that guy with the white hair too. By the way, where's Omar?
— That guy you mentioned took Omar, and the two of them entered a portal. Yeah, just like that. We couldn't do anything...
Sally looked down, disappointed in herself and unsure of what to say.
— So that's what happened. Well, in that case, I think I understand the situation.
Vicente approached Karen and the other scouts again.
— Basically, Central sent that Returner to separate us. His main target was Omar, since he didn't try to take Vick and Sally through the portal with him. In other words, Central issued an order for all of this to happen. And to accomplish it, they used these exhausted scouts to lure us into a trap, already knowing beforehand that Karen would be cursed and would make the other scouts obey her orders.
— But the Returner already knew about it too. Somehow, he either knew or manipulated Karen into becoming cursed and then cursing everyone else. That's the only way he could control the scouts through her.
— In other words...
Vicente paused and looked at Karen with a malicious grin.
— You either already knew about all this... or you were manipulated really well.
Karen's face turned red with anger, but before she could say anything to Vicente, she noticed the other scouts staring at her suspiciously.
— Actually, those scouts who were with the Returner threw themselves in headfirst and killed themselves. They must have been receiving orders from someone much higher up!
Vick said something that immediately caught Vicente's attention, his expression turning surprised.
— So that explains why Chamt assigned them. He was very specific about it. That means those other scouts were already working for Central. Haha, looks like you were left out, little Karen.
— They only called those guys because they didn't trust you or the others. But I can understand it. Too many people involved in a plan can become a problem.
— But for them to fight until they died there... either they were offered an incredible deal, or they had family members being held hostage.
— The fact is, now that they've fulfilled their roles, you're on your own.
Vicente looked at everyone with an ironic smile.
The scouts turned pale and desperate, but Sally raised a point.
— And what guarantees that they're not involved in this whole scheme too?
Sally looked at Karen, who also seemed uneasy.
— Exactly! Can we really trust them? Sorry, but I was taught back in Rio never to trust anyone.
With those words, Vicente snapped his fingers, and all the scouts, including Karen, suddenly began choking.
They dropped to their knees, clutching their throats as they struggled to breathe.
Karen tried to cast a spell, but Vicente approached her and kicked her in the head. She fell backward, and he tied her arms with a rope while she continued choking and struggling.
— What did you do?!
Sally asked as she tried to help one of the scouts, but Vicente smiled and spoke softly.
— There's no point in saving them. The poison has already spread. They couldn't go without drinking water, could they? After all, it's a basic human necessity.
— You poisoned their water?
Vick, her expression dark as well, watched helplessly as those people died.
— They were going to kill me anyway. All of us, actually. We'll be lucky if Omar is still alive.
Vicente answered as he took out a needle and drove it into Karen's neck.
She became completely paralyzed and stopped moving, like a block of stone.
— A paralysis spell? — Sally asked as she watched the other scouts die one after another, sprawled across the ground, their skin turning purple as white foam poured from their mouths.
— She still has the power to kill me. So the only thing I can do is turn her into a statue.
Vicente picked up her body and carefully placed her inside the tent.
He stood up and wiped his hands.
— You said it yourself, Lady Sally. They could have been involved, right?