Never in her life had Walnut been so harshly rebuked. And yet, now, she could understand the meaning behind the fool's words. The girl lowered her head, her hands clenching the fabric of her dress with trembling fingers. She dared neither to stay nor to flee. In her heart, she was certain—if he were to free his hands, the very first thing he would do was kill her.
Free his hands…
But when would that moment come?Walnut sobbed, tears mingling with the rain as they streamed down her cheeks.
At last, the small child named Bread, having received the precious potion, was dragged back from Death's cold embrace. Color returned to her pale cheeks, warmth crept slowly back into her chest. Her breath, her heartbeat—she was alive again.
The fool's dark eyes were firm and unyielding. The tension in his shoulders eased at last as he exhaled, cradling the infant gently in his arms.
And then—Cracks began to split open across his body. One after another, each fissure peeled apart to reveal eyes, blood-red and unblinking. In the span of a heartbeat, those crimson orbs burst forth, spraying blood like thick mist from every torn wound.
"Hmph. As expected. For an eleven-year-old child, enduring the 'Second Hell' is far too much. Even with intensive enhancement training, the backlash is still this severe. Heh… fascinating. Never mind. We'll seal the Second Hell away for now. Once he matures further, we can gradually coax him into wielding it."
In the darkness, the bloodied eyes sneered coldly—then closed. The fool collapsed to the ground in a heap, unconscious. Rain poured relentlessly over his broken frame. He did not move again.
The sight shocked Walnut to her core. The blood mist in the air clung to her face, allowing her to feel the warmth of life fading into deathly chill. She stared at the unconscious fool, paralyzed, uncertain of what to do next. And just then—
Footsteps—hurried, urgent—echoed behind her.
"Princess? Why are you here?!"
Camper arrived at the scene, leading a group of teachers. Their expressions shifted to horror at the chaos before them: the corpses of six royal guards, two executed convicts, a shattered rooftop blown apart by an unknown force, and towering stone spikes rising from the earth—each nearly three meters tall. Every sign pointed to an event far beyond the ordinary.
"Establish a perimeter! Check the area immediately!"
Camper issued commands swiftly. The teachers scattered—some to patrol, others to examine the spikes and bodies. Camper himself rushed to Walnut's side, urgently assessing whether the princess was hurt.
"What happened here?"
"Ah… Ah! Headmaster Camper! He… he… please, save them!"
After much stammering, Walnut pointed to the blood-soaked fool and the baby in his arms. Camper's face darkened. Without hesitation, he tore off his cloak, scooped up both children, and dashed down the mountain with two teachers in tow.
"Emergency team, now!"
...
In the infirmary, the fool and Bread lay side by side on a pristine white bed. Bread's cheeks were flushed with warmth, but the fool's complexion was ghostly pale. Electrodes were affixed to his chest, and a thin line on the monitor pulsed steadily with soft, rhythmic beeps.
"Miss Zorn, please take a rest. I'll handle things from here."
"But Headmaster, the child hasn't awakened yet. As the school physician, I…"
"It's fine. You may go."
"Then… I'll take my leave. Your Highness, goodbye."
The physician exited, closing the door gently behind her. Now, only Camper and Walnut remained. She sat with her head bowed, wrapped in a clean change of clothes, still sobbing quietly. Her small hands clutched the edge of her skirt, shoulders quivering with emotion.
"So… that's what happened. He… saved you."
Camper spoke softly.
Walnut hesitated, then nodded in silence.
A heavy pause fell.
Then, suddenly, Walnut looked up, her voice urgent:"He… he turned into a monster, Headmaster Camper! What… what was that?!"
Camper lifted his gaze, pondering for a moment. At last, he sighed deeply.
"Your Highness, since you witnessed it yourself, I have no choice but to tell you the truth. But can you swear… never to speak of this to anyone? Not to His Majesty, not to your brothers. This matter is classified. Should His Majesty learn that you know, I may very well lose my head."
Walnut drew in a sharp breath, shrinking into her seat. She nodded.
"Very well. Then let me be frank. That child's transformation—it was not natural. It was triggered by an artificial substance. A drug I've been researching in secret… called Heaven's Voice."
"Heaven's… Voice?"
"Yes. The Heaven's Voice Project—an initiative developed in secret between His Majesty and myself. The goal: to push the human body to its limits and craft soldiers of unparalleled strength. That boy… was my experimental subject."
Walnut covered her mouth, breath catching in her throat.
"Before he left my lab, I gave him a pill. That pill—Heaven's Voice—restructured his entire body. It reshaped his muscles and bones. It turned a child who knew nothing of strength or martial skill… into a warrior capable of standing against three soul-tier combatants. That alone proves the experiment a success."
Walnut whispered hesitantly, "Then… the one who saved me…"
"Yes. It wasn't his own power that caused the transformation. It was the drug's final surge, forcing his body into that demonic form. He's just a beggar—no skills, no power. Without my intervention, how could he possibly grow that strong? It defies reason, doesn't it?"
Walnut lowered her head and murmured, "It does…"
Camper smiled faintly and continued, "But from the state of his body—the internal bleeding—it's clear that Heaven's Voice still causes severe side effects. My research is far from complete. I'll need to continue… until His Majesty is satisfied."
At last, Walnut raised her voice. "But Headmaster Camper! If all of this is true, then you… you're conducting—"
"Yes. Human experimentation."
"To make Heaven's Voice work, human trials are unavoidable. I know it defies law and morality—that's why I begged Your Highness to keep this secret. I chose that child because he's a nobody, a beggar no one would miss. If he were to die, no one would come looking. He's the ideal test subject."
To Walnut, this was an unbearable truth. A girl so wholly devoted to justice—how could she accept such cruelty within her own kingdom?
Finally, the young princess stood, slamming the table with a loud bang.
"No! I absolutely forbid you from conducting any more human experiments, especially on him!"
Camper raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? But Your Highness, I thought you despised that child. Why plead for him now?"
"Uh… well… it's just… I don't care! I won't allow it! You're not allowed to experiment on him—no, on anyone! Use animals if you must. Animals are enough!"
Camper sighed and shrugged. "Very well, my esteemed princess. I promise—no more experiments on that beggar. His body rejected the serum so violently, it's clear he's incompatible. I've no desire to waste further time or effort. I'll return to His Majesty with the data and recommend a shift to animal testing. He's wise—once he hears of the boy's rejection, I'm sure he'll agree."
Hearing this, a smile bloomed on Walnut's face. She nodded vigorously.
"Of course! Father is the kindest man in the whole world! …Oh, right! One more thing. If his transformation was caused by Heaven's Voice… then what about that dagger on his arm? The one that turns into a giant sword? And those chains… they were terrifying!"
Camper chuckled again. "Ah, that. A weapon I commissioned from the tech department. It's quite effective, I must say. To suit the experiment subject, I had to embed the chains into his muscles and fuse them to his bones. Why? Would the princess like one as well?"
"Ugh… maybe not. I'd never sleep again if I woke up every morning to find a giant eye staring at me from my arm…"
"Haha! Very well, Your Highness. I'll have someone escort you back. I hope you'll be… selective in what you choose to share of today's events—for the sake of this old man's pension."
"Mm! I'm leaving then. Goodbye, Mr. Camper."
"Goodbye."
The door to the infirmary closed. The once-noisy room finally fell into a true, deep silence. Camper locked the door, let out a long breath, and slowly approached the bed where the fool lay.
The boy hadn't woken. But his arms—still tightly wrapped around the infant girl—hadn't loosened in the slightest.
"Protecting her… has become your instinct now, hasn't it, beast?"
Camper gazed at the fool's sleeping face. For the first time, that expression was free of coldness and shadow. It was the face of a child—innocent and serene.
"Hmph… Why am I sighing? This is the outcome I hoped for. From now on, you must protect her, care for her with all you have. Because one day, perhaps soon… no one else in this world will have the strength, courage, or heart to stand before the chaos and shield her from it."
"Until that day comes… remain silent. Let the empty glories of this world pass you by. Gather your strength in the shadows. For the battles ahead—""…even I cannot imagine what they will demand of you."