Murder

No explanation needed for the drug — it’s the miraculous “VIREXIN” that Mireille claims to have developed.

But at the clinical trial stage, it’s a complete failure. The patients aren’t improving; instead, they suffer terrible complications, living in agony.

Releasing such an unproven drug would be tantamount to murder.

Yet Mireille has no intention of stopping.

“…This drug must not be released.” Amid the wind and rain, a weary, somewhat aged voice rumbled.

Mr. Shaw stepped forward, facing Mireille. His face was pale and lips gray, but he insisted, “Miss Carrington, you’ve seen it yourself. After taking the VIREXIN, these people are… worse off than dead! The drug’s properties are wrong. It’s absolutely unsuitable for human use.”

Mireille frowned slightly, but still smiled. “I told you, from now on, I’m in charge here. Mr. Shaw, you all look exhausted. Go get some rest.”

At that moment, a dozen bodyguards dressed in black suits suddenly emerged from the darkness.

“What… what are you trying to do?!” someone shouted.

Mireille didn’t answer. She simply instructed, “Please see to it that Mr. Shaw and the others rest well and are treated properly. Don’t neglect them.”

“Yes, Miss Carrington!”

Those present understood exactly what was going on. But they were too tired and powerless to resist or even feel anger.

They were quickly taken away. Mireille stood on the porch, and besides the roaring wind and rain, she could clearly hear the agonizing, piercing screams from the lab.

Turning her back to the lab, she spoke coldly, enunciating each word with grim resolve: “…Kill them all.”

“Yes, Miss Carrington.”

...

Estravia City, Wexford Lane Estate.

The rain started as a drizzle but quickly turned into a downpour.

Raina had hated rain since she was a child—especially thunderstorms. Yet oddly, as she sat on the sofa now, she found herself staring blankly at the heavy rain outside.

Raindrops pattered silently against the window frames, streaming down in rows. She propped her chin in her hand, lost in thought.

After a while, Leif came out of the kitchen and said, “Miss Carrington, dinner’s ready.”

The aroma of food immediately filled the room.

Raina snapped back to reality, holding Gale’s hand. “Okay.”

The meal was simple—four dishes and a soup, all home-style. Except for the greens (no chili), the other three dishes were quite spicy, bright red and looking especially appetizing.

She hadn’t expected Leif to like spicy food too. But with a little kid present, was it really okay to serve such spicy dishes?

Leif’s cooking was genuinely good. Since spicy food can stimulate the appetite, she took several bites. Noticing that Leif and Gale barely touched their food, she paused and casually asked, “Mr. Vexley, do you also like spicy food?”

She hadn’t paid attention to what Leif was eating, but since he cooked the dishes himself, she naturally assumed he liked spicy food too.

Gale poked the plate with his spoon, then looked at Leif.

Leif picked up a piece of boiled pork slices, calmly put it in his mouth, chewed without a change in expression, then swallowed. “Hmm, Miss Carrington, you like spicy too?”

Raina nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I’ve loved spicy food since I was a kid. I thought someone like you wouldn’t like such hot food, but I didn’t expect you do.”

Leif drank half a cup of water, his complexion looked normal, his fingers gripping the cup tightly. Then he said quietly, “Since childhood? People from Estravia tend to prefer mild flavors. How come you like spicy food, Miss Carrington?”

Raina’s fingers stiffened for a moment, then she smiled. “I grew up in Lystra. Everyone there loves spicy food.”

Lystra.

Years later, that name felt like a world away.

Her mother never liked her. After she was born, her mother sent her to Lystra, placing her with a family friend.

So her childhood was spent in Lystra.

Leif nodded. “I’ve heard that people in Lystra love spicy food. Their Pozole Rojo is famous nationwide. If you like, how about Pozole Rojo tomorrow night?”

Lystra Pozole Rojo is famous throughout the land—from ninety-year-old grandmothers to three-year-old toddlers, everyone loves it.

Since leaving Lystra, Raina hadn’t eaten Pozole Rojo. Now that Leif mentioned it, she could have declined—but the word “no” just wouldn’t come out.

After a moment, she smiled. “Sure… I can’t just eat for free, I’ll help you cook.”

Leif’s cooking was indeed excellent. Raina ate two plates of rice in a row before she finally rested her hands on her round belly and stopped.

“Want more rice?” Leif asked.

During this meal, Gale drank half a bowl of soup and ate some vegetables, but avoided the spicy dishes. Leif didn’t eat much either, mostly busy feeding her.

By now, most of the dishes on the table were empty, leaving only a pool of bright red broth.

Raina waved her hand weakly and shook her head. “No more, I shouldn’t eat too much at night... burp~”

Leif: “...”

Gale: “...”

Leif pretended not to hear and said, “Alright, then I’ll clear the dishes.”

Seeing how calm and collected he was, Raina suddenly had a scary thought — no wonder he’s Mr. Vexley!

“I... I’ll clear up,” Raina offered, feeling a bit guilty.

Being served without having to lift a finger was nice, but she always felt a bit embarrassed about it.

Leif glanced at her and asked, “Can you still move?”

Raina’s mouth twitched slightly. An inexplicable survival instinct kicked in, and she blurted, “Of course! It’s just clearing some dishes, how hard could it be…”

Clang—Crash—

Several bowls and plates smashed on the floor, shattered into pieces that couldn’t be picked up.

The scene became extremely awkward.

One small spoon spun precariously on the edge of the table, wobbling. Raina quickly reached out to catch it, but instead of catching it, the spoon clattered to the ground as well.

Raina: “...”

‘I’m dead. Seriously, if I’m not dead, I might as well dig a hole, kill myself, and bury myself in it! Am I really this useless?’

Leif seemed to silently sigh and said, “Miss Carrington…”

Raina covered her face with one hand, voice muffled through her fingers, shyly muttering, “I didn’t mean to… I’ll pay for it, really, don’t say anything more.”

Having never known the meaning of embarrassment in over twenty years, Raina now wished she could just crawl into a hole to avoid this mortifying scene.

Leif said, “Let me do it. You take Gale over there and be careful of the broken pieces on the floor so you don’t get hurt.”

Raina still covered her face but forced herself to respond, “...Okay.”

In her mind, she thought that these dishes didn’t look very expensive anyway, so she secretly noted the logo beneath them, promising herself she would buy a bunch of replacements for Leif later.

By then, Gale had carefully avoided the broken dishes on the floor and walked over to her, as if afraid she might step on the shards. Gale gently took Raina’s hand and led her to the other side.

Raina: “...”

***