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Eldritch Horror? No, I'm A Doctor
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"Uh, please clarify a bit, Dr. Nox," Ralph said carefully, his voice strained. "We can't just give away a couple of death row inmates. They're still human after all."
Ren paused, considering his words carefully. I can't just outright say that I'll use them as an avatar. That would definitely cause problems.
"Well, let me say it like this," Nox began, his plague mask tilting thoughtfully. "I can use their life as an ingredient for something that will make this operation more... interesting."
A chill ran down the spine of every military officer in that room.
Steven felt his blood run cold. Shit. I forgot that he doesn't value human life the same way we do.
"Well, Doctor," Ralph said slowly, choosing his words with extreme care. "Although they are inmates, they're still citizens of the Empire. We can't just give them away."
"But what I want is a death row inmate," Nox countered reasonably. "They're going to die anyway, right? It's probably fine. And if they've committed enough heinous crimes to be put on death row, are they even human anymore? I think they already forfeited their human rights when they decided to do those things."
All of the officers' faces turned grim.
"Wellll, Doctor," Axel said carefully, "it's not that simple."
The officers exchanged glances. This was dangerous territory. They needed to explain the political reality without offending the doctor or making him think they were making excuses.
Ralph took a deep breath. "The Empire is an authoritarian state, Doctor. Death row inmates come in all types, but not all of them have committed heinous crimes."
"What do you mean?" Nox asked.
"Political dissidents," Daniel explained quietly. "Anyone who opposes the military government too loudly gets classified as a traitor. That's a death sentence."
"No matter how old they are," Steven added. "Even if you're a child or elderly, you get the same sentence if you're labeled a political threat."
"But there are still real criminals too," Axel said quickly. "Multiple murderers, serial rapists, terrorists. Those exist as well."
They explained it all in careful tones, watching the doctor's body language closely. If he decided to develop some strange sense of justice now, if he got angry at the Empire's laws, it would be catastrophic for all of them and the country.
But then the unexpected happened.
"Why do you all look like guilty puppies?" Nox asked, his tone almost amused. "Just find me a murderer or rapist criminal with an S-rank ability then."
"Huh?"
The officers stared at him.
Nox sensed something in their expressions. "What? Spit it out."
"Well, we thought you would find the law of the state unfair," Kai blurted out.
Immediately, all the other military officers lunged forward, covering Kai's mouth with their hands.
"Sorry!" Ralph said nervously.
"We're very sorry!" Axel added.
"Please forgive his rudeness!" Daniel said quickly.
Nox tilted his head, the plague mask's beak shifting to look at each of them in turn. "And why do you think I care about the laws of your state?"
"Huh?"
"It's something that Empire citizens should worry about, and I don't care either way." Nox's tone was matter-of-fact. "Let me tell you this: the sense of justice is a luxury that only the strong can have."
"But..." Steven said hesitantly, "aren't you plenty strong already?"
Nox slapped his knee, laughing out loud. The sound was genuine, amused, and somehow made the situation even more unsettling.
"If you ever met someone or... something that is strong for real, you wouldn't say that."
The room went quiet.
"Is the being you've met stronger than you?" Ralph asked carefully.
"Yes. I was not comparable to a germ in front of them."
Ren thought of the Skin God's avatar. The Plague God Morvexis. The One Above All. Beings whose mere presence could warp reality. Entities that existed on scales of power that made even his current abilities look like child's play.
All of the officers swallowed their saliva.
What the fuck has he met? Steven thought, his hand unconsciously moving to his eyepatch. His newly restored eye throbbed beneath the patch, as if responding to the mention of such overwhelming power.
Ralph's face had gone pale. Axel's analytical mind was racing, trying to comprehend what kind of entity could make someone as powerful as Dr. Nox feel like a germ.
Daniel's fingers trembled slightly on his laptop keyboard. Kai, Ash, and Jack all looked at each other with expressions that mixed terror and morbid curiosity.
The dinosaur clock on the wall ticked loudly in the silence.
What the fuck has he met?