"I shouldn't have delved into forbidden research.
I shouldn't have harmed those innocent civilians.
I shouldn't have hunted down and silenced the witnesses to hide my actions.
For my own selfish desires, I've hurt too many people."
I was wrong. Please, execute me.
If he had managed to escape, Oster wouldn't feel he deserved death. But now that he had been recaptured and locked away in this underground prison—after witnessing the true power of an S-rank Nen user—Oster accepted his fate and resigned himself to death.
Even if he felt regret and unwillingness, he knew there was nothing he could do. Given another chance, he wouldn't change his research; he would only be more cautious. Right now, his so-called remorse was simply a hollow gesture in the face of impending execution. Oster didn't truly think he was wrong.
Salona could see his attitude. Rather than anger, a small hint of satisfaction appeared on Salona's face.
"This is more like it."
"To fall so far and still show no true remorse… at least you haven't completely disappointed me."
Oster was momentarily stunned, not fully processing what he heard.
"But you've made too many mistakes."
Salona's expression turned cold.
"What is forbidden, anyway? The rules of taboo apply only to ordinary people.
"You managed to make some progress in parasite research, which is commendable. But your first mistake was failing to keep it all under wraps, allowing that information to leak.
"Second, when it did leak, you didn't handle it properly from the start.
"Third, you seem to have some kind of misunderstanding about our Saherta United Federation's royal family. When the information became public and uncontrollable, why didn't you immediately report it to us?
"We, the royal family of the Saherta United Federation, ended up being the last to know. Fiora, Mingbo, Begerossé, Ochima… all of them caught wind of it before I did.
"That's what I find absolutely unacceptable.
"Do you realize what kind of consequences this will bring?
"Fiora, Mingbo, Begerossé, Ochima, and the Hunter Association will all head for your laboratory. The data, the information—all of it will be shared among them.
"It should have been ours alone.
"Did you think we were unaware of what you did… the innocent civilians you sacrificed… the way you toyed with and manipulated the king?
"We just didn't care.
"You don't even understand where you truly went wrong. If you genuinely felt remorse for those insignificant trifles, I would've killed you long ago.
"Such a useless weakling wouldn't deserve to live among us.
"But since you still refuse to repent, you have some remaining value.
"As it stands, I'll announce to the outside world that you're already dead.
"But I'll let you live. I'll bring your lab data to you. I'll build you a research facility down here.
"You're allowed to bring in whatever key people you need.
"I must make sure we see results before the other V5 nations do."
Oster stood there, dazed for a long time. Salona's response was something he hadn't anticipated, yet when he thought about it, it made perfect sense. If Salona cared about the country's common folk, Oster would have been dead a long time ago. The fact he'd been able to live so well proved Salona and the others didn't care in the slightest. To them, it was like watching a show, and he was the clown. Those people were just props.
"Tell me your demands."
Oster was silent for a moment.
"Salona, before I state my conditions, I have two questions."
"What is Ron's true identity? And what about the Six Herd?"
Oster already knew the fate of the Four Beasts and the Three Hounds—otherwise, he wouldn't have dispatched the Six Herd.
"Ron's full name is Ron Zoldyck. He's very young, yet he's already reached A-rank as a Nen user, and among A-rank, he's one of the strongest.
"He's a genuine genius.
"It's no surprise for the Zoldyck Family to produce such talent. So it's only natural the Four Beasts and Three Hounds were defeated.
"As for the Six Herd, they should all be dead by now. Other members of the Zoldyck Family came to assist.
"Because this information was brought forward by the Zoldyck Family, the Hunter Association and several other V5 nations accepted it quickly and took action.
"I've heard Ron also has a good relationship with the Hunter Association and is quite close to the Fiora royal family."
Oster mulled this over for a while.
"Salona, if I do manage to produce results, will you kill Ron for me?"
Salona shook his head.
"The Zoldyck Family has S-rank Nen users, and they excel at assassination. We won't risk provoking them just for your sake.
"We also have no legitimate reason to act.
"Oster, your matter has made us resent Ron, but on the surface, he's the victim. If the Saherta United Federation went after him, Maha Zoldyck would retaliate, and no one could blame him for it.
"In a direct confrontation, the Zoldyck Family isn't our match, but they prefer not to fight openly anyway. They'd settle it through assassination. Why pick a fight we can't end cleanly?
"But if you do complete your research, I can grant you freedom."
"I'll be allowed to leave here?"
"Understood. Thank you, Salona. I'll do my best."
"I hope you won't disappoint me again," Salona said. "Think carefully about any requests you have. I'll come back tomorrow."
With that, Salona left. Silence fell in the prison, and Oster could hear nothing but his own heartbeat and breathing. A cold smile spread across his lips.
"Once my research is complete, your first move will be to kill me, won't you?
"I always thought I was a scumbag, but it turns out you're all no different.
"Maybe that's just how things are in Saherta."
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