HSR: A Passing Crimson

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere was... quite awkward, truth be told. Between the two who were eating their meals, a silence that was so ironically defeaning silently choked Merris in his mind.

'Shes not saying anything... Did I do something wrong?'

That ominous thought flashed through his mind. Why wouldn't it? He was, after all, facing a person more formidable than most people in the universe. As for him, he was a detestable creature that someone like her won't hesitate to eliminate.

And that person's silence was... quite pressuring.

'Well... At least I'm no longer feeling hungry; so there's that...'

Distracting himself from the awkwardness of the situation, his mind wandered over to his previous dilemma.

With his hunger satiated, his body was no longer emitting any strange sounds, nor was he acting impulsive anymore. His mind felt clearer and... he felt more safe, to say the least.

'Fortunately, Acheron has the proper ingredients for a decent meal.'

He thought, slightly relieved. Truth be told, if there haven't been any finer options, he would have resorted to eating anything remotely edible— be they raw or... something else.

Of course, to prevent his reversion to his grotesque form, he would have no other choice but to do so. After all, eating something odd was still far better than eating the blade of an Emanator of Nihility.

Imagining himself turning to a grotesque towering creature facing Acheron's indifferent face as she draws her blade, he gulped.

'Yeah... I just hope it won't come to that...'

While Merris was eating his meal, his thoughts full of worry, Acheron at some point in time turned her head and looked at him.

As usual, her poker face remained consistent, devoid of any kind of emotion, accompanied by her usual flat tone.

"You must have been a chef."

"Yes?"

"Sorry. I meant your culinary skills must have landed you on a spot similar to a cook in the IPC."

"Oh, um, perhaps?"

Suddenly jolted by her sudden strike of conversation, Merris once more conceived an innocent façade.

Then, replying to her, he nodded faintly.

"So... were my skills adequate in your eyes, miss Acheron?"

"Yes, indeed. The lingering taste of the spices melded well with the texture and flavors of the meat, and bring out a savory taste that linger in my mouth. Suffice to say, it is quite the delicacy. You did a decent job."

'I didn't put any spices other than just plain salt though...'

Faced with her sudden review, he couldn't help but silently retort in his mind.

It was the truth. He just rubbed the meat with salt, grilled it, then basted it with its own fat.

There were no thymes, rosemary, butter, nor other additional herbs or condiments. In other words, it was just a plain old salted steak.

He wanted to tell her this, but seeing her deliberately acting like she enjoyed his dish's taste— even though he knew she can't taste them— he decided to keep these thoughts in his mind in the end.

He ought to respect other people's lies.

Looking at her, he smiled faintly.

"I'm glad you liked it. Though, I don't think I'd be someone fit for cooking for others frequently."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, simply put... I can't be trusted with kitchens. Haha."

Not with his current true self being a monstrous creature, after all.

Hearing his reply, she shut her eyes for a moment, as if pondering over something, before opening them and looking back at him once more.

"Judging from your words... I'm guessing you have an inkling of who you were in the past? If so, I'd take it that you have also recalled a few of your memories?"

'Here it is...'

His faint smile disappearing, he looked down to his plate and closed his eyes, his mind racing.

He had been preparing for this moment for quite a while now; ruminating over what he should tell her if she were to ask that question again.

He knew that his excuses wouldn't get him far with her, and soon her suspicions of him would only continue to grow.

He had to act now if he doesn't want that suspicion to bloom into an intent to kill.

"To tell you the truth... I..."

He hesitated. His hands slightly trembled and he began to feel cold sweats. Acheron never noticed his nervousness, however.

"Go on."

"I'm..."

He paused again, cleared his throat, and looked at her in the eyes, his voice ringing out solemnly tremulous.

"I... I remember bits and pieces. I think I was part of something... significant. Maybe even dangerous. But it's all hazy, like looking through a cracked mirror. I'm afraid of what I might uncover if I dig too deep."

Acheron's eyes narrowed as she listened intently to Merris' words. Then, curious about his choice of words, she asked him a question.

"Significant? How so?"

He paused, carefully choosing his next words in his mind. He had to be careful, for even the slightest inconsistency could be used against him; and thus, he needs to be extremely cautious.

"Well, for starters, I was indeed a researcher aboard that ship. However, I am only an outsourced person invited by the Technology Department; and am thus not directly part of the IPC."

Merris knew his limits. He could keep lying over and over again, but in the face of a colossal entity like the IPC that controlled the lives of countless planets, he knew his lies could only get him so far.

Sooner or later, he would be exposed to not having any valid ID or affiliation with the IPC, and if that happens, then he truly does not know what to do.

As such, he fabricated this lie that would distance himself for quite a bit.

Acheron leaned back, placing her utensils down the table, and crossed her arms.

"Alright, I'll believe that. But you and I both know what I want to know, Mr. Merris."

"Yes, indeed. I was just about to get into that."

He exhaled faintly, then, with a tremulous voice, he continued.

"From what I could recall, we were called in for classified research. However, during one of our tests, an anomaly happened, and, before I could even grasp what was happening, I already passed out."

Hearing this, Acheron remembered the bizarre creature she fought. "...could that research you were conducting happen to have something to do with a mass of squirming biomass?"

"Legally speaking, I am not allowed to confirm that. But you're free to believe that."

Of course, that was exactly what he wanted her to believe. After all, the best lies are often the ones mixed with the truth.

By deliberately not stating what the researchers on board that ship were studying, he made it clear that he was a researcher bound by a non-disclosure agreement to keep everything classified.

However, that didn't matter to Acheron since she already fought with the supposed specimen they were studying. She should have already connected the dots of what had happened.

In her mind, she should be picturing it right now— A group of scientists finding a strange lifeform, conducting experiments on it which resulted in it garnering hatred, and resulting in their demise.

It was so predictable, so cliché that... It sounded like the perfect excuse.

After all, in this vast universe, anything can happen. No matter how small a probability was, if it exists, it can happen in the ever-expanding universe.

Gazing up at Acheron, he saw her her eyes narrowing down as if she was contemplating over something, but, like always, he couldn't get a glimpse of what she could be possibly thinking of. He could only make educational guesses at best, but even then, they might not even be close.

Noticing his gaze, her eyes moved up and looked back at him, her pupils remaining still and tranquil as ever.

"There's something I've been curious about."

"What is it?"

"It's something that has been at the back of my mind for a while now and has indeed been piquing my interest."

She paused, then, her tone lowered.

"How are you alive, Mr. Merris?"

"Yes?"

"Looking back at it now, if you really were a researcher close to your specimen, how is it that you are still alive? Your colleagues— the other researchers— were all the first to die. Yet you remain alive. Why is that?"

This is it.

A pivotal moment for him.

If he screws this up, then he won't be sure if he'd be able to see the next sunrise— or day in this case... Or sun? Whatever the case, he won't open his eyes again.

He subtly clenched his fist under the table, trying his best to suppress his nervousness. Just the sheer pressure from her words alone made his primal instincts want to make him flee, but he held himself back.

"That's... Well..."

Gritting his teeth, he paused for a moment before continuing, his heart beating like a war drum, thumping inside his chest as if wanting to burst out.

'Damn it, let's just go with it!'

He was now about to gamble with his life. Seeing no other possible options left for him, this was the only way he could possibly save himself.

Under the stern watch of Acheron, he opened his mouth and spewed out a lie mixed with the truth.

"Ms. Acheron... I think there's something wrong with me."

"How so?"

"I have... these memories. It's strange— There are these instincts I can't explain. Abilities I shouldn't have. I think I might've been... altered in some way."

"Altered... Are you suggesting that you were experimented on?"

Hearing her question, he internally sighed a relief. Everything was going in the right direction he wanted. Seeing this, he proceeded with the lie.

"Yes, and I think... That it was done by none other than my so-called colleagues."

The IPC was an intergalactic corporation with good and bad reputation. Some view it as a savior, while some view it as the other. Although there are a lot of opinions about the IPC, most of them are not positive.

And Merris plans to take advantage of that.

"I told you that I passed out after an anomaly, yes? Well, during that unconscious state I was in... my colleagues might have done something to me to save themselves."

"Sounds like a classic case of office betrayal."

"Indeed, doesn't it? But it's the only possible explanation. After all, unlike those who are affiliated with the IPC, we were merely hired. As you know, in the workplace— especially in that of the IPC— competition is fierce; and coworkers won't hesitate to stomp on others to climb up the ladder. As for us, we are seen as nothing more than outsiders— the perfect sacrifices."

Hearing his words, Acheron once more fell silent. What he said was true, and she couldn't deny it— she had been in contact with the IPC before and have observed that kind of behavior from a lot of them. As such, she couldn't find a fault in his explanation— it just sounds reasonable.

She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, with her sheathed blade resting in between her arms.

As for Merris, he didn't disturbed her contemplation. Sitting there, he quietly finished his meal.

After a while, Acheron once more opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Alright, I've decided. You're coming with me to the Trace Space Station."

"Yes?"

"I plan to meet someone there... If what you said is true, then he could perhaps find a solution for you."

Of course, what she truly meant behind those words was... 'Let's confirm what you said.'

Staring back at Acheron with a timid expression, Merris didn't know if that was a curse or a blessing.

'...At least I'll live for a bit longer.'

---

Meanwhile, back at the abandoned IPC ship, new individuals entered and investigated the spaceship.

Two individuals, wearing sophisticated yet practical dark outfits, looked at the scene in the bridge room.

One man then walked over to the person on the computer.

"Found anything?"

"Nothing. The data was wiped clean recently."

"So someone was here before us..."

The two mumbled among themselves, while avoiding the gruesome sights around them. Everything was just too much— it's as if a terrible beast gnawed everything in sight.

"What could have possibly done this? Is it the Legion?"

"No. The Legion won't leave this ship in one piece."

"Then..."

As the two thought of a possible solution, a third individual suddenly entered the room. Carrying on his person was a book bound by leather.

"You two, send this to HQ."

The man then handed over a book to them.

"This is?"

"A logbook. It seems like this ship's demise met its end internally."

After hearing the man's words, the two suddenly had a spark of realization. Then, looking back at him, one of them asked.

"Then... Is this perhaps because of the outsourced personnel?"

"We can't rule out that possibility since there was also a specimen that they were studying here."

"I see..."

Internal conflicts are never a stranger to the IPC. The Departments, especially, are always at each other's throats to attain higher ranks and climb the corporation. As such, an internal scuffle such as this wasn't all too rare.

"Let's go back. Our job here is done and the cleanup crew would arrive soon."

"Yes, sir."

Then, with a solemn look on their faces, they all nodded and left to report back to their HQ— the IPC.

Coincidentally, Merris' lies... was also the truth.