I Raised A Black Dragon

“What is what? It’s one of your inventions,” said Noah inattentively as she picked up one of the blueprints on the table. The blueprint of the ‘manual chip’ used in the second stage of the replica project was shoved in front of Eleonora’s face.

“Don’t tell me this is…”

The soaring thoughts in her head had instantly concluded. Eleonora’s complexion darkened.

The experiment Noah had performed on Eleonora’s soul was actually very simple. In other words, all the power circuits built into the manual chip had been ripped out then copied and pasted into the nucleus containing Eleonora’s soul.

The difference was that the thing controlling Eleonora was not an operating device such as a remote control or control button, but starting words that were pronounced that put power into her.

Noah said kindly as she fixed Eleonora’s hair that was all messed up, “You said all the time that you want to make a clone. So I made you into one. How does it feel to be controlled by someone, Ellie?”

What better way was there to overpower an arrogant witch who used to think she was the strongest in the world?

Noah squatted down in front of her twisting body. This woman who had been talking nonsense up until now had become as helpless as a bird that had lost its wings. Noah soothed Eleonora while enjoying the cool exhilaration.

“Be quiet. Below is a scary investigator. We’ll be in big trouble if we behave unexpectedly.”

Eleonora’s lips quivered as she inhaled deeply. But not a sound came from her beautiful, thick lips. Noah smiled happily at the greatest genius and narcissist who had fallen into a clone stuck under her command.

“All right. Then we’ve established our positions in this relationship. Stay still, as if you’re going to die tomorrow. And tomorrow all you have to do is give a reply to what I ask. Got it?”

Eleonora didn’t reply a word, but she didn’t need to in the first place. Because the manual etched in her soul would never give her any freedom.

Noah one by one picked up a few papers and pulled out an ink pad. And everything she had to do today was completed after she grabbed the woman’s hand, rubbed her thumb on the ink pad, and stamped it cleanly on the bottom of each document.

“Then let’s meet tomorrow, Ellie.”

With her mind feeling refreshed, Noah sent her back to Muell’s subspace.

***

Noah carefully exited the research lab, locking the door. Muell was waiting for her with both hands holding the shoes she’d taken off.

“Let’s get out of here. The butler should be here any minute.”

The two of them tiptoed through the annex hallway like a couple of cat burglars. Now, they planned to head back down to the second floor and wait for Kyle.

The moment Noah gently stepped foot into the office, a monotonous voice sliced through the silence, piercing her eardrums.

“Set a big direction for your life.”

“Arrrgh!!”

“Ewwwccckkk!”

Noah and Muell were so startled they both shrieked bizarrely. Noah, raising her head, tripped but managed to avoid trampling Muell.

“Kyle. When did you get back?”

Kyle was sitting crookedly in his chair at his desk with his eyes fixated on a semi-transparent screen floating above. Noah and Adrian’s scene from the interrogation room from a few hours ago filled the entire screen. It seemed that he had been watching the whole thing via a real-time surveillance system.

The video rewound as soon as he pressed a button on the control panel. And it started playing again at some point.

From the screen, Noah’s voice was heard.

“If you still don’t know what you’re supposed to do or how you’re going to live, I’ll help you. …it’s still better than doing it alone.”

“I’ll set a big direction for your life to come. But as you follow me, there will be new things to fill your life with.”

It stopped there then rewound again, playing at the same scene.

“If you still don’t know what you’re supposed to do…”

What is that man doing? Noah asked in a puzzled voice, “What are you doing, Kyle?”

“Brooding over something.”

“Over what?”

“What ‘Set a big direction for your life’ means,” replied Kyle as he pressed the button again.

“If you still don’t know…”

Before the same scene was played three times, Noah hurried over to his desk and pressed the red power button on the control panel. The screen turned off with a ‘pop’ sound. She crossed her arms while trying to hold back a smile. “Kyle. Now that I see it, you have a hobby of filming without permission.”

“All visits to the prison are recorded. Especially since Adrian Rossinell is currently treated as the most dangerous suspect, and you were the visitor. I obviously have to watch it.”

It was a voice like a crisp cold wind. Even worse, he had even crossed his arms like Noah. The corners of Noah’s mouth twitched, but she endured it with extreme patience; then she put both hands on his desk and leaned toward him.

“So what do you think about the real-time video?”

“It’s not that good.”

“Why not?”

“…if I were to go to Penélope and tell her ‘I’ll take responsibility for your life’ do you think she would feel good?”