Tomorrow
09:43 a.m.
Hurts... my head is throbbing so hard. Ugh, fuck. Did I drink too much last night? Damn it, I—I need water.
I forced my eyes open, but the world was a blinding, solid white. It was pure agony for eyes accustomed to the dark. Ugh, this isn't my bed. Where am I? What did I do last night?
I tried to reach out for water, but I couldn't move. Panic spiked through my hangover as I realized my hands were tied tightly behind a chair, and my feet were bound just as securely. Fuckkk. Did Rai pull a prank on me?
"RAI, you bastard! What did I do wrong to you, fucker? Release me this instant or I f—"
"Or what? Do you even realize where you are, dumbass?"
A heavy, distorted voice boomed all around the room, but I couldn't see anyone. Just where the fuck am I? Calm down, Edgar. Listen. You were once a genius rivalling the legendary Albert Einstein. Think, and remember what you did last night.
I tried to force the memories, but my skull throbbed violently at the effort. Ugh, fuck. I just did a killing spree... with gold and silver all over the place. Hmm. HOLY SHIT, my gold! Where is it? It was twenty-three fucking pieces of gold! And the pouch? Where? Shit. Where are my trousers, even?
"Hey! I know my little guy down there is pretty impressive, but did you really have to take my trousers too?"
Silence. This was the absolute worst. I didn't know where I was or who kidnapped me. The future looked pretty bleak if I thought it through. What should I do? Should I apologize like I usually do to avoid trouble? No. Definitely no. I'm already stuck in a room with no one to talk to face-to-face, so I can't talk my way out of it or use my ability. This is the absolute WORST! DAMN IT!
"Hey, I know you're all listening! If you want information, just ask me. I'm gonna answer all your questions without resisting."
"Please, somebody... anything is fine."
"Oh, please don't include pain. I absolutely hate pain."
"Fuuuckkkk! ARE YOU DEAF, MOTHERFUCKERS?!"
Fuck, fuck, fuck. The worst part about having no one to talk to means I can't extract any information either. Am I gonna die today? Shitttt.
"You're loud as hell, you little shit," the voice rumbled back. "Hmm. This one should probably keep you a little quieter for the time being. Hope you like the gift."
"Finally, what is it? Why don—"
Ping... Ping...
What was this, sonar? The sound vibrated from a speaker high in the corner.
Ping... Ping... Ping-Ping-Ping—
VRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
"FUUUCCKKKK! IT HURTS! MY HEAD... AAAGGHHHH!"
It wasn't just a sound; it was a physical drill boring straight into my brain.
ZREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
"AAARRRGGGHHHH! JUST KILL ME, BASTARD!!!"
I was dead. Dead, dead, dead for sure. My head felt like it was going to burst at any second. I couldn't even reach up to claw at my ears.
Saliva and foam bubbled from my mouth, and hot, thin blood began leaking from my eyes, ears, and nose. I kept squirming violently on the floor, still tied hand and foot to the heavy chair. Every single vein on my face bulged to the snapping point.
ZREEE... VREE... Ping... Ping...
Ping.
"Hurts... hurt... j-ju-just k-kill m-me..." I wheezed.
"Finally, some quiet," a voice muttered near the controls. "Sir, it's already 09:55 a.m. How much longer do we wait for Madam?"
"You're right. Go in and take him to Madam's room now. The high-frequency countermeasure should be a good lesson for him to behave later."
"Copy that, Sir."
Shhhsss. The sound of a hydraulic door sliding open echoed from the outside. A man in a sharp black suit stepped into the room, looking down at my miserable, blood-and-sweat-soaked form lying unconscious on the floor.
THWACK!
"Wake up!"
THWACKK!
THWACKKK!!
"Ugh, just what the hell... w-water please... and a cigarette if possible..."
THWACK!
"Asking for a favor even in this state, huh? I applaud your tenacity. Want another kick?"
"N-No. No please, no more beating. I'll oblige to anything you tell me." Ugh, my head hurts so much, my vision is blurred, and I don't even have the strength to lift my face off the floor. Just what the fuck is happening to me? What a stroke of luck.
Seeing that I wouldn't talk back anymore, the guy seemed satisfied and untied me from the chair, one limb at a time.
"Now follow me. Grit your teeth and stand up!"
FUCK, how can I stand up in this state? You crazy motherfucker, just you wait. I'm gonna kill you very slowly. So slooowlyyy that you'll beg me for death instead. Fuck him.
Shit, even just to stand up, I had to lean heavily against the chair. Just how badly do high frequencies affect me? I've never felt this kind of agony outside of my sudden, periodic headaches. How the fuck did they know this was my weakness? Huhhh. I just need to behave and follow him. If not, those big, shiny boots might fly right at my head instead of my torso.
I followed him, dragging my feet while leaning against the wall. The only good thing was that the corridor was narrow enough for me to easily prop myself up. Just help me not to get kicked again.
Tingg!..
"Ugh... My head," I groaned, collapsing back onto the floor the moment a lingering frequency resonated inside my skull. If only I had my cig—
THWACKK!!
"Stand up, you little punk. Do I need to teach you how to walk like a toddler, huh? Get up!"
"Ok—ok, Sir. I understand." With the last of my strength, I forced my legs to stabilize and kept walking slowly behind him. Fuck, now besides my head, my entire body aches. I swear, back when I was still a zygote, my mother must have had a masochist fetish. Heh, I might develop a new fetish myself if this keeps happening. What's it called? Masochism? No, submissive. Yeah, I should call him 'Master' soon. Haha. I'm literally going crazy. Haha.
Knock... knock...
"Madam, Mr. Edgar is here. May I come in?"
Before I even noticed, we had arrived in front of an antique door. The design looked elegant, featuring traditional wood carvings—very peculiar for this day and age.
"Sure, you may bring Mr. Edgar inside, Wilson," a refined, ladylike voice called out from within. I guessed she must be an important figure in this city. Or am I still in Krakatoa City? I'll bet anything I can't even feel the presence of the magnetic pole's wavelength here. Such a sturdy, complex building. It puts me in awe, despite my pitiful state.
"Hey, you dumbfuck," Wilson whispered directly into my ear just as he opened the door. "You better behave yourself from now on. If not? I might cut off both your hands and hang them from your head. Understand?"
I helplessly nodded my head.
"Oh my, my. What happened to you, Mr. Edgar? Yesterday you looked quite energetic. Tell me, what happened?" she asked nicely, her tone dripping with mock care.
I wanted to answer truthfully right before a sudden realization hit me.
Wait... yesterday? This lady? Wait, wait. I tried to focus my blurred eyes, peering at a figure sitting behind a massive executive desk. Long yellow hair, suffocating demeanor. I knew her. She was Lisa Choi from yesterday. I knew something had gone wrong the moment she left so smoothly. This WHORE, I knew it!!
"Ah, My Lady, it was nothing. I just caught up in a little accident," I said, putting on my best groveling face. "May I know why this lowly one has been brought into your presence?"
Look at her smiling innocently, for all I cared. I'd bet my entire fortune that all the agony I endured downstairs was by her design. But I couldn't say it out loud unless I wanted her to get any more terrifying.
"Ah, now that you mention it, Mr. Edgar. Did you forget we have a meeting here at 10:00 a.m.? I have a proposal for you. It might not look interesting based on the contract's financial figures, but compared to the value of your life, I think it's manageable."
"I agree even if you ask me to work for free, Madam! It was entirely my fault for acting inappropriately toward your son. I beg your pardon!"
"Sounds good. You've made the right decision. Now, let me explain the contract. I need you to work with me for at least two years, with a starting wage of twenty gold pieces a month. All accommodation and rations while you're here are on me. What do you think? It's a very nice offer, isn't it? But considering it's you, Mr. Edgar, it might look a bit lacking."
She handed me a document along with a small knife. I could tell it was a contract. But the way I saw it, it wasn't a bad offer at all; I had already prepared myself to become a slave. Kehh, even becoming a personal slave for a fine lady like her... I'd be satisfied just getting rewarded by smelling her feet. Kehh hehe. I am literally turning insane. Fuck. I should immediately stamp this contract with my blood before she notices I'm getting a boner down there.
"Now, I, Edgar de Lankat, agree to the contract delivered by Lady Lisa as my contractor. Proved by my signature in DNA." All right, here goes nothing. I pricked my finger and pressed it to the page.
"Well, thank you for joining us, Mr. Edgar. Now you're officially a junior staff member at CAD Solution Ltd. I expect great things from you. You may leave now. Oh, right outside the door, someone will be waiting to take you to your quarters. See you later, Mr. Edgar."
"As you command, My Lady. I shall excuse myself."
Giving her one last deep bow, I drifted out of the room. But the moment I closed the antique door behind me, a heavy fist buried itself directly into my liver.
THUD!!
"Now, welcome, newbie," a new voice growled. "You better behave yourself from now on."