Chapter 155. The Conductor, No. 11 (1)
The moment the word weapon left Yukgap’s mouth, silence fell over the room.
Yukgap quietly avoided the elderly couple’s eyes.
He could not bring himself to face them.
How disappointed would they be if they learned that someone with the exact same face as their son had lived as a weapon?
Just imagining it filled Yukgap with crushing self-loathing.
“It doesn’t matter.”
His father suddenly spoke in a hurry.
“We never cared about that in the first place.”
His voice trembled as he continued.
“Ever since Changi died, we’ve lived like sinners.”
His mother was already crying.
She pleaded with Yukgap.
“Our family was poor.”
“We always felt like we had sold our son off to a battlefield because of money.”
“Every single day, we thought the same thing.”
“If only our son were alive.”
“No matter what he looked like, if only he were still alive.”
“We dreamed that useless dream over and over.”
The desperation in her voice was something Yukgap could hardly begin to understand.
She continued in a trembling voice.
“You don’t have to become our son.”
“But as parents, we couldn’t just stand by and watch someone who looks like our child die.”
“That’s what parents are like.”
His father quickly added,
“When that young alchemist came to us and asked for our help saving you, it felt like the sky had fallen.”
“It was like our son was dying somewhere all over again.”
Apparently, Victoria contacting them to save Yukgap had struck them with tremendous force.
His mother desperately grabbed Yukgap’s hand.
Her fingers tightened around his as though she were afraid he might pull away.
“If you, wearing our son’s face, died too...”
“We would spend the rest of our lives feeling like sinners again.”
“That wouldn’t be living.”
Her voice sounded ready to break.
“Please.”
“You don’t have to become our son.”
“But...”
“But please let us be your parents.”
Something impossible to describe surged through Yukgap’s chest.
Before he knew it, two unfamiliar words escaped his lips with great difficulty.
“...Mom.”
“Dad...”
The elderly couple immediately pulled him into a warm embrace.
Yukgap cried in their arms like a child.
The embrace between parents who had lost their son and a man who could never truly become that son lasted far longer than any of them expected.
[So you lost Victoria?]
Alpha asked irritably from inside the monitor.
No. 2 lowered his head.
“My apologies.”
Unexpectedly, Alpha remained fairly calm.
[It’s fine.]
[I can’t calculate Victoria anymore, but I can still calculate where my sixth friend is.]
[They’re probably together.]
[We can bring them back whenever we want.]
No. 2 immediately stepped forward.
“Give the order and I will move at once.”
He looked ready to chase them no matter where they had gone.
It was a loyal response.
But Alpha shook her head.
[There’s something else that needs to happen first.]
“What is it?”
This time, someone other than Alpha answered.
“No. 2, I’ll explain.”
No. 11.
Lambda.
He limped forward, leaning on his usual cane.
Alpha glanced toward him.
[The final project is about to begin.]
[My eleventh friend will take the Archons and direct everything.]
“No. 11?”
No. 2 asked in confusion.
Until now, commanding the Archons had always been No. 2’s responsibility.
Naturally so.
That was the very purpose for which he had been created.
As though reading his thoughts, No. 11 spoke quietly.
“Of course, I understand that I am not a combat specialist.”
“But this project would be meaningless unless I take the lead.”
“After all, the role Abraxas gave me was Conductor.”
No. 2 gave a short nod.
“Understood.”
Alpha’s orders were absolute.
No one understood that better than No. 2, who had been by her side longer than almost any other Archon.
If Alpha had chosen No. 11 instead of him, then there had to be a reason.
There was no need to question it.
[Everything else is fine, but don’t hurt Victoria.]
[She’s going to be my friend.]
Alpha emphasized the point repeatedly.
No. 11 bowed.
“Of course.”
“I will direct the operation so that Victoria comes to no harm.”
No. 2, who had been silently watching, asked,
“What do we do?”
No. 11 immediately gave the order.
“Gather all of the Archons.”
“And after that?”
“We’re going to Korea.”
No. 11 grinned.
“That is where our final project will begin.”
“There you are.”
Yukgap spotted Victoria sitting in the backyard of the Herrington Convent and walked toward her.
Victoria looked him over carefully.
“What about those two?”
“I sent them home.”
“It seemed too dangerous for them to stay here.”
Victoria hesitated before speaking.
“I’m sorry.”
