Guardian Angel of SNS: Chapter 2 Interlude

The One Without Light

[System Timestamp]
1987-09-13T12:30:00-04:00

Edgar D. Williams had never been able to understand the existence of "humans" since he was a child.
Why do people laugh? Why do they get angry? Why do they shed tears?

His parents were world-renowned doctors, part of a prestigious elite family that had spanned generations. Born into that household, Edgar was given no future other than becoming a "great doctor". However, there was something decisively missing in him.

──"Human emotions".

He could not feel love, hatred, or sadness.
He found no meaning in meeting his parents' expectations, nor could he understand why the children around him laughed or cried. He never felt others' joy as his own, and the very concept of "empathy" was something intangible to him.

His world was composed of "himself" and "everything else".
To him, emotions were nothing more than "subjects of observation". But, by "observing", he realized one fact.

Humans have "laws".
If there are laws, couldn't he learn and replicate them to behave as a "human"? That discovery brought Edgar a sensation akin to his first "excitement".

[System Timestamp]
1992-09-20T11:42:00-04:00

When Edgar was five, he watched children playing in a park.
A boy fell down and started crying. His mother immediately rushed over, stroked his head, and spoke to him gently.

"That must have hurt. But it's okay, look, Mommy is here with you."

Then, a strange thing happened. Even while crying, the boy gradually calmed down and buried his face in his mother's chest. And a few seconds later, he wiped away his tears and started playing again.

──Why cry? Why does being comforted calm him down? Why start playing again?

The next day, at kindergarten, he tried patting the shoulder of a classmate who had fallen and was crying in the same way.

"It's okay."

He spoke the words in the exact same tone as the mother from the day before. As a result, the classmate nodded while crying and stopped immediately.
Then, a nearby teacher smiled and stroked his head.

"Edgar is such a kind boy."

──I see. So people praise you when you "treat those who are sad with kindness." This is useful.

Based on this "successful experience", Edgar began to learn the laws of humans one after another.

Learn the laws and replicate them. If he did that, he could "control" human relationships.

As he grew, the precision of Edgar's "imitation" improved. He became able to play the role of an "emotionally rich human" without actually possessing any emotions.

In front of his teachers, he was a "polite and intelligent boy". In front of his friends, he was a
"friendly and funny companion". In front of his parents, he was a
"promising son".

However, these were all nothing more than "roles". The real Edgar did not exist anywhere. His life was a repetition of
"observation" and "imitation".

"Edgar is such a good boy."
"Someone as excellent as him will surely become a great person in the future."

The evaluation of those around him became his "proof of success". He thought he had perfectly grasped the mechanics of humans. But—there was only one thing he could not understand.

[System Timestamp]
2000-09-13T15:30:00-04:00

The year Edgar entered middle school, around the time he turned thirteen, he began volunteering at the pediatric ward as a "tradition" of the Williams family. As the son of a prestigious family of doctors, interacting with patients and becoming familiar with the medical field was considered a matter of course. This was not merely a formal charity activity. The Williams family was a lineage of renowned doctors spanning generations, and
"social contribution" held an important role in demonstrating the family's dignity. Edgar followed suit, and was obligated to read picture stories and converse with patients in the hospital's pediatric ward.

He himself felt no sentiment toward it. He was simply "acting".

"Look, you'll be better soon."
"You are brave."
"It's okay, everyone is rooting for you."

Perfectly playing the "kind and intelligent doctor's son" that everyone expected. That was the role assigned to him, and to him, it was just like a game.

However, one day, he would unexpectedly witness something "incomprehensible".

Between volunteer activities, Edgar was walking down a deserted hospital corridor. Suddenly, a faint voice reached him from behind a half-open patient room door.

"Mommy... I'm... sleepy now..."

"It's okay to sleep. But you know, Mommy will be right here by your side..."

Inside the room, a young boy with pediatric cancer lying on the bed and his mother were huddled together. The boy's complexion was poor, and he seemed on the verge of losing consciousness. The mother was gently gripping his hand while tears welled in her eyes.

"Mommy... I love you..."

The mother, smiling painfully, gently stroked her child's cheek.

"Mommy loves you too... always, always... You are the most important thing in the world to me..."

The boy's eyelids slowly closed. The mother wrapped her trembling hands around his and let her tears fall softly. Edgar just watched the scene in silence.

—I don't understand.

Why does a mother smile at a dying child? Why does a child feel at ease just knowing they are loved? Why, in this situation, do they appear to feel

"happiness"?

Edgar could never understand the mechanics of that emotion.

Why does a mother smile while shedding tears, even though she gains nothing?
Why does a boy have a peaceful expression, even though he knows he cannot be saved?

"Love"—what on earth is it?

If I were in that boy's position—could I truly say I was in love?

—No answer came.

He was strongly intrigued by the concept of"love".
He could meet his parents' expectations and be an excellent son. But to love someone from the heart was impossible for Edgar. It was simply too illogical and meaningless an emotion.

However—he did not stop his thinking there.
If love is meaningless, couldn't he fully understand and utilize it to turn it into something most"beneficial"to himself?

Edgar began to study"love"more deeply. The reasons people seek love, the obsession love brings, the pain when love is lost. And, at the opposite pole, "hatred".

There is no clear boundary between love and hatred. Hatred is born because one loves, and love is distorted because one hates. By manipulating that delicate balance, human emotions can be completely controlled.

—If you distribute love and hatred correctly, you can make humans move exactly as you wish.

When he realized this"law", a conviction was born within Edgar.

"One who acts out empathy"to"a ruler who manipulates emotions".
Edgar begins to evolve to the next stage.

At this moment, the prototype of the"monster"known as Edgar D. Williams was completed.

[System Timestamp]
2002-09-15T10:30:00-04:00

Immediately after moving up a grade, Edgar launched"a certain plan". It was the launch of an anonymous bulletin board that would later be called the“School Underground Site”.

At the time, the internet was rapidly spreading into homes, and anonymous bulletin boards were beginning to permeate among young people. However, an anonymous bulletin board targeting only the closed community of a school had not yet become generalized as a culture.

Edgar set his sights on that void.

An unofficial site whose existence was known only to students. An anonymous bulletin board where they could escape the eyes of teachers and post "secret confessions" and "insults". On the surface, it looked like a playground someone had created naturally. But in reality, the administrator was Edgar alone.

He used overseas rental servers and prepared multiple mirror sites. He did not leave connection logs in one place, and switched the URL and host whenever it was discovered by the school. Even if the site's existence were tracked down, it was difficult to reach the administrator himself.

For him, this site was not merely entertainment.

──Information is power.

He was trying to see if he could use that to manipulate people's emotions at will.

The "test subjects" for this were Samantha Wellington and Cameron Howard. Samantha and Cameron had been best friends since birth. Their families were close, and everyone around them thought of them as

"like sisters." However, "the two were not equals." Samantha's family was a prestigious, wealthy old-money household. Cameron, on the other hand, was the daughter of so-called nouveau riche who had achieved success in recent years. Samantha was gentle, elegant, and naturally beloved by those around her. Cameron, meanwhile, was hardworking and ambitious, but deep down, she harbored an indelible sense of inferiority. When they were young, the "difference in their backgrounds"


didn't bother her. But as they approached adolescence, it turned into a complex within Cameron that she could no longer ignore. Samantha continued to smile, showing her the same friendship as always. Every time she did, Cameron's heart felt raw.

She has "pure love." I have
"tainted hatred."

──Will this gap ever be bridged? Or will it remain unbridgeable forever?

Edgar did not overlook that "slight distortion." Edgar prepared to sow "doubt" between the two.

He first planted several anonymous posts on an underground site.

□□□□□□□□□□□□□□
　　○○学園 非公式掲示板
□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

スレッド名：
サマンサとキャメロンって実際どうよ？

1 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:31
サマンサって裏でキャメロンのこと見下してるらしいよ

2 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:34
マジで？

3 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:36
てかキャメロンもサマンサ利用してるだけじゃないの？

4 名前：S 投稿日：02/09/15 10:39
利用してるのは向こうでしょ。
私がいなかったら何もできないくせに。

5 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:40
>>4
本人？

6 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:42
サマンサってさ、キャメロンの好きな人狙ってるって話聞いたことある

7 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:44
キャメロン、昨日サマンサの秘密バラすって言ってたらしい

8 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:47
最近あの二人ギスギスしてね？

9 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/09/15 10:50
表では仲良さそうにしてるのが逆に怖い

--------------------------------
関連スレ：
・学年トップ組の裏の顔
・あの教師のひいきって本当か
・削除依頼スレ
--------------------------------

注意：
・ここは非公式掲示板です
・個人情報の書き込みは禁止
・荒らしは放置
・新スレは管理人判断で削除する場合あり

管理人：unknown

He would drop these "sparks" onto the site slowly over time.

At first, both Samantha and Cameron laughed it off, saying, "Such rumors are impossible."

But the problem is not the "rumor." What matters is
"how the people around them perceive it." Eventually, their classmates began to take the posts on the underground site at face value and changed their perception of the relationship between the two.

These voices eventually became the "reality" for the two of them.

Cameron saw Samantha's smile as a "mockery." Samantha felt
"suspicion" in Cameron's gaze.

Love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Just a slight
"fluctuation" can turn pure love into "insane obsession."

[System Timestamp]
2002-10-02T20:30:00-04:00

One day, Edgar finally made his decisive move. He created an anonymous post impersonating Samantha to berate Cameron. Furthermore, he created a post impersonating Cameron to expose Samantha's secrets.

□□□□□□□□□□□□□□
　　○○学園 非公式掲示板
□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

スレッド名：
サマンサ家って実際どうなの？

1 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:31
最近サマンサとキャメロン完全に仲悪くね？

2 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:33
前みたいに一緒にいるところ見なくなった

3 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:36
何かあったんだろ

4 名前：S 投稿日：02/10/02 20:39
キャメロンって本当に人を利用することしか考えてないよね。

5 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:41
>>4
また本人か？

6 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:43
キャメロンも相当キレてるらしいぞ

7 名前：C 投稿日：02/10/02 20:45
サマンサの家、実は借金あるらしいよ。

8 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:47
え、それガチ？

9 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:49
最近サマンサ余裕ないのってそのせい？

10 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:52
ここまで来るともう修復無理だろ

11 名前：名無しさん 投稿日：02/10/02 20:55
明日学校荒れそうだな……

--------------------------------
関連スレ：
・サマンサとキャメロンの確執
・サマンサ家の噂
・実際どっちがヤバいのか
・削除依頼スレ
--------------------------------

注意：
・ここは非公式掲示板です
・煽り、荒らしは放置
・個人情報の書き込みは禁止
・ログは予告なく削除されることがあります

管理人：unknown

The "doubt" that had arisen in Samantha and Cameron's relationship now turned into a decisive "confrontation."

What remained between them was no longer "love," but "doubt and hatred."

[System Timestamp]
2002-10-07T17:30:00-04:00

The sunset illuminated the school's fire escape, casting long shadows. In the narrow space enclosed by cold metal railings, the two girls faced each other.

“...Is that what you thought of me?”

Samantha's voice was trembling.

“No! I didn't do anything!”

Cameron denied it desperately. However, anger and sadness welled up in Samantha's eyes.

“Liar!”

“You've been looking down on me from the very beginning, haven't you!?”

Cameron's words cut through the air like a cold blade. Samantha's face twisted. Anger, jealousy, betrayal, and despair. There was a sound as if her reason had been blown away.

The next moment, Cameron's hand shoved Samantha. Samantha's body lost its balance and was pulled by gravity.

Thud, bump, clatter clatter clatter...

Making dry sounds, her body tumbled violently down the inorganic stairs—finally, a dull thud echoed.

When the sound stopped, there lay Samantha's motionless form. Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle.
Edgar watched the scene from the shadows of the dim landing.
So as not to be noticed by anyone, he held his breath and watched the entire sequence of events without blinking.

And the moment Samantha's body came to a complete stop—a tingling pleasure surged up Edgar's spine.
A sensation that traveled from the depths of his lower back, up his spine, and pierced through to his brain. The back of his throat grew hot, and his skin prickled. His knees shook from the sheer intensity of the pleasure.

—Is this what it means to be alive?

For the first time in his life, Edgar knew the reality that welled up from within himself.

Looking down at the fallen girl, Edgar's lips twisted slowly and sloppily.
—That smile was devoid of any reason.

[System Timestamp]
2002-10-08T11:30:00-04:00

Edgar was sitting in his seat in the classroom as usual. He held a book in one hand and slowly turned the page with the fingertips of the other.
The classroom was wrapped in its usual buzz, but beneath that atmosphere, a strange tension drifted.

The death of Samantha Wellington—that was the"first shock"that visited this school yesterday.

Edgar suddenly stopped his hand and turned his gaze outside the window.
And at that moment, he made eye contact with the falling Cameron Howard. The wind beat against the window glass.

In an illusion where time seemed to be slowly stretched, Edgar watched the scene as an"observer". Fear and despair were plastered on Cameron's face, and she fell as if"being guided"by something.
The same thrilling pleasure that crawled up his spine from his lower body, which he felt last night while observing the moment Samantha died,was attacking him again. And he realized.

—I see, so that's how it is.

To control humans—that it could be this pleasant. He laughed faintly in the back of his throat.
The moment Cameron's body slammed into the ground, the buzz of the classroom turned into screams.
Edgar closed the book and smiled quietly, so that no one would notice.

──Is this the end of love and hatred?

His "experiment" was a success. And on this day, Edgar D. Williams felt he had gained the ability to completely control human emotions.
And on this day, Edgar D. Williams felt he had gained the ability to completely control human emotions.

[System Timestamp]
2012-10-02T18:30:00-04:00

It had been a long time since Edgar had stepped through the door of his family home in Boston.

Since entering university in New York, he had been living in an apartment, but he was now in his third year of medical school. Clinical rotations had begun, and the time had come to narrow down his desired specialty.

His parents wanted to confirm his career path as the heir to the Williams family. Every time he spoke to his mother on the phone, she would persistently ask, "Which department are you planning to go into?".

──It's better to talk to them in person.

Deciding this, Edgar chose to return home for the first time in a while. The Williams family dining room was enveloped in its usual serene atmosphere.
The light from the high-end oil lamp reflected off the chandelier, falling softly onto the polished marble floor. Only the sound of silver forks touching plates echoed rhythmically.
On the table were lobster thermidor, green salad, and crystal glasses reflecting the red of the wine. Everything was perfectly arranged, as befitted the dining table of a prestigious family.

Edgar folded his napkin lightly and spoke up quietly.

"I am thinking of going into psychiatry."

At that moment, the "composed atmosphere" that filled the dining room wavered slightly.
His mother, Catherine, placed her fork on her plate. His father, George, stopped tilting his wine glass and stared at Edgar for a moment.

"……What does that mean?"

His father's voice was tinged with slight confusion and irritation. Edgar smiled gently.

"There are still many areas of the human mind that have not been elucidated. I want to further develop the 'medicine of the heart.' I don't believe medicine is just about healing the body."

It was a plausible-sounding reason at first glance.
In fact, the development of psychiatric medicine is attracting attention in the medical community as well. However, his parents' reactions were as expected.

"Edgar, you are the heir to the Williams family, aren't you?"

Catherine said, gently but firmly.

"Psychiatry? The successor to a prestigious surgical hospital?"

George continued in a low voice as he set down his wine glass.

"It is ridiculous for someone born into a family of doctors to be dealing with psychiatric patients."

Edgar quietly took a sip of his wine.

"Psychiatry is an important field for the future of medicine, Father."

"Irrelevant."

George declared in a detached tone.

"As long as you carry the Williams family name, there is only one path for you."

Catherine also smiled with a sigh.

"For a child as brilliant as you to be a psychiatrist... your grandfather would weep in heaven."

Edgar slowly swirled his wine glass.
The red of the wine swayed slightly in the soft light of the candelabra.

—I see... not "feelings," but "family pride," then.

There was little room for persuasion. As always, it seemed impossible to manipulate them by appealing to their emotions.

—It is far too inefficient.

Edgar quietly set down his wine glass.

"…I understand."

He stood up with a smile.

"Father, Mother, you need not worry. I will choose the path befitting the heir of the Williams family."

His mother said something softly, but he was no longer listening. Edgar's thoughts were already turning in"another direction."

—It is not my parents I should be manipulating. I should choose more efficient targets.

And the answer was obvious.

"Patients.".

Those whose minds are disturbed and whose boundaries of thought are wavering.
That is where the"laboratory"he seeks lies.
Within Edgar, the curtain was about to rise on a new study.

[System Timestamp]
2012-10-10T08:30:00-04:00

The conference room at the Feynman Psychiatric Institute was so sophisticated that it hardly felt like part of a psychiatric hospital.
Books were lined up neatly across the walls, and the interior was furnished in calm, muted tones.
Dim indirect lighting created a serene atmosphere, giving it the air of a high-quality private library.

A dozen psychiatrists, residents, and medical students were seated at the table, and the morning conference was about to begin.
Here, diagnoses and treatment plans for new patients are discussed.

Edgar, while pretending to take notes quietly among them, was carefully observing the scene.
For him, the purpose here was not merely"learning".
"Selecting an experimental subject"──that was exactly what he was focusing on most at today's conference.

During the third-year clinical clerkship at medical school, students rotate through major departments to learn the basics of diagnosis and treatment through actual patients.
Edgar had requested a psychiatry rotation and was assigned to the Feynman Institute of Psychiatry for his training.
On the surface, it was training to determine his future specialty.

──However, his goal was not"deciding on a career path"or anything of the sort. He decided to go into psychiatry to studyhow to freely manipulate the human mind.
And the ones he could experiment on most"efficiently"were none other than patients suffering from mental illness.

In the center of the room sat a woman.

Veronica Feynman──

She was a direct descendant of the Feynman family, the founders of this hospital, and the granddaughter of the current board chair.
However, she was the one actually handling the operations, and she was the de facto highest authority at this hospital.

She is in her early 30s, but her expression conveys an intelligence and coldness beyond her years.
With a slender frame, a silk blouse, and a tight skirt, her appearance, with her black hair neatly tied back, was both alluring and flawless.

Veronica is a widely known figure in the field of psychiatry and an authority on psychopathology and cognitive behavioral therapy.
She is a prominent doctor who has published multiple papers and is frequently invited to academic conferences and lectures.

Edgar felt intrigued when he first met her. In her eyes, there was a"color"different from other doctors──a calm intelligence and an unfathomable ambition.

"Now, let's move on to the next patient."

As she said that, information about a patient was projected onto the screen.

Edgar's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Experimental subject"The time had come to determine if he could be one.

### 患者データ

名前: ダニエル・ハリス（Daniel Harris）  
年齢: 28歳  
診断: 統合失調症  
症状: 妄想、被害意識の増大、自傷行為の既往あり  
背景: 元エンジニア。極端な社会不信と陰謀論への傾倒が見られる  
現在の治療方針: 抗精神病薬＋認知行動療法

Edgar's gaze sharpened for a brief moment.
He had his eye on this"Daniel Harris".

Social distrust, conspiracy theories, paranoia.
──He possesses the trait of"being easily influenced by external information".
If he were given the right"information"and the environment were adjusted──his will could be rewritten.
Daniel's diagnostic data was displayed on the screen. Veronica placed her hand on the documents on the table.

"This patient has strong resistance to previous treatments, and the prospects for social reintegration are slim. The object of his delusions is expanding, and the boundary with reality is wavering."

She slowly looked around the room and finally turned her gaze toward Edgar.

"Williams, what do you think?"

As a rotation trainee, this was also an opportunity for evaluation. After"pretending"to think for a moment, Edgar carefully chose his words.

“I believe that information reception bias is involved in the reinforcement of the patient's delusions.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Another doctor asked. Edgar continued without changing his expression.

“By adding changes to the content of the information he believes in, I think it might be possible to control the direction of his symptoms to some extent...”

Some of the doctors frowned.

“Control?”

Veronica bit her lip lightly, looking intrigued,

“...I see.”

she whispered quietly. She crossed her legs and slowly interlaced her fingers.

“So, you mean to rewrite his belief system 'within a therapeutic framework'?”

Edgar nodded slightly.

“It differs from conventional treatment, but by utilizing the influence of information, there is a possibility of transforming the content of the delusions themselves.”

A brief silence fell over the room.

“...Ethically, we should proceed with caution, however.”

He maintained the form of a"cautious proposal"to the end. But—Veronica's eyes were smiling faintly.
“A wonderful idea, Williams.”

“A wonderful idea, Williams.”

She tapped the documents lightly with her finger.

“Then, let's proceed with the normal treatment process while also considering your idea.”

“...Yes. Dr. Feynman.”

Edgar nodded quietly. On the surface, it was just a
"consideration". But Veronica was clearly interested in his plan. Although it could not be made public here, he would likely be given a
"chance to test it"later. —Thus, the stage for the"first experiment"

was set.

[System Timestamp]
2012-12-21T21:30:00-05:00

Veronica's bedroom was so modern and sophisticated that it didn't seem like part of the hospital director's residence. A large screen was set up across from the bed, and the blue light flickered irregularly in the darkness.

Displayed on the screen was news titled 【Breaking News: Williams Hospital Explosion Incident】.

“The scene is in total chaos, and police and fire departments are responding. As of now, over a dozen deaths have been confirmed, with many more injured. Dr. George Williams, the director of Williams Hospital and a renowned surgeon, and his wife, Dr. Catherine Williams, were also said to be inside the hospital at the time of the explosion...”

The announcer's voice calmly conveyed the outline of the incident.

Veronica watched the screen with a wine glass in one hand, wearing a silk nightgown. Beside her, Edgar lay on the sheets, looking relaxed. He said nothing, tracing the rim of his wine glass with his fingertip.

“...Now then, I wonder how sharp the authorities' noses are?”

Veronica said, swirling her wine playfully. Edgar replied calmly, swirling the wine in his glass.


“You won't be troubled by them, Doctor. Don't worry.”

The screen cuts, and an Asian female news anchor begins reading from her script.

“According to information just received, the suspect is a patient at the Feynman Psychiatric Institute, where Dr. Williams' only son, Edgar Williams, is currently doing his clinical internship—'”

Edgar wears a faint smile on his lips.

“See? They took the bait immediately.”

“...The patient's history would have come out eventually, but did you leak it?”

Veronica asks in a probing tone.

“'Truth' changes depending on someone's convenience.”

Edgar says, gesturing toward the mobile phone on the bedside table.

“Though, I dread the thought of turning my phone on tomorrow.”

Veronica stares at his profile.

“The whole world will be in tears at your words tomorrow.”

“Who knows?”

Edgar shrugs.

“People only see what they want to see. If you give them a 'story they want to believe,' no one will doubt it. Patients, the public—they're all the same.”

He turns his gaze back to the screen. The news footage shows the blast site, displaying the charred exterior walls of the building and victims being rescued from the rubble.

Watching this, Veronica exhales slowly.

“...So, your parents have passed away.”

Edgar replies, but his voice is devoid of any emotion.

“But they will be remembered as 'great doctors.' As noble figures who contributed to the advancement of medicine—”

The wine in the glass ripples quietly.

“—In memory, they can remain perfect people. More so than when they were alive.”

At those words, Veronica smiles quietly.
His cold, calculating thoughts and measured words were, to her, more attractive than anything else.

“...Hey, Williams.”

Veronica places her glass on the side table and lets her fingers crawl toward his chest.

“Tonight isn't 'over' yet, is it?”

Edgar narrows his eyes and takes her hand.

“That's right.”

The wine spreads slowly in the glass.
In the darkness, the red liquid bled out as if dissolving into the night.

—His“experiment”had only just begun.

[System Timestamp]
2012-12-23T12:30:00-05:00

The Boston winter was freezing cold.
Even so, countless reporters crowded in front of the main entrance of the Williams residence, and a storm of flashes dyed the cloudy winter sky white.

【Williams couple dead in explosion】
【Culprit is a psychiatric patient; what is the hospital's responsibility?】
【What is the statement from the only surviving child, Mr. Edgar Williams?】

As news with such headlines was reported one after another, Edgar quietly stepped out of the black car.
He wore a dark gray coat, a simple outfit stripped of unnecessary decoration.
Gaudiness was unnecessary—for him to act as the“tragic orphan,”that was more appropriate for now.

As soon as he was spotted, the reporters surged forward all at once. Countless microphones and cameras were pointed at him, and questions were hurled at him without mercy.

“Mr. Williams! How do you feel now that your parents have passed away?”

“Is it true that you were involved in the suspect's treatment as part of your internship?”

“Was any information shared by the Feynman Psychiatric Institute?”

Edgar lowered his eyes for just a few seconds.
Then, he looked up quietly, put on an expression filled with grief, and began to speak in a low, calm voice.

“...I still cannot believe it. That my parents are gone feels like a bad dream.”

He takes a slow breath and continues, looking pained.

“Both my father and mother dedicated themselves to the advancement of medicine and saved many lives. Yet, to lose their lives in such a way... it is simply too unreasonable.”

He lowers his eyes and sheds a single tear. The cameras click, desperate not to miss the moment.

“It is all my responsibility... brought about by my own immaturity...”

He clenches his fists, his voice trembling.
A momentary silence falls among the reporters.
Edgar slowly begins to tell the "truth".

“...As you have pointed out, I was in a position to be involved in the suspect's treatment as part of my residency. As I held sessions with him, I noticed the dangerous ideology lurking within him, and after consulting with my supervising physician—while trying to be gentle—I firmly rejected his ideology.”

Edgar continues to stare into the cameras.

“It is true that I tried to understand his suffering when I saw him possessed by the delusion that 'I am the chosen one—a child of God, and therefore have the right to toy with the lives of others.' However, there was not a shred of justice in that delusion, and it was consuming him as well. I told him that.”

Many among the press corps nod deeply, showing their agreement.

“However, because I rejected his delusion... in his eyes, I appeared as a devil, my parents as those who raised a devil, and Williams Hospital as a 'womb of the devil.' And so, he executed his own brand of justice—”

Edgar bites his lip until it almost bleeds.

“While I rejected his delusion, I still faced him head-on and tried to listen to the voice within him. Even though I noticed the danger lurking inside him, I believed somewhere that 'I could understand and guide him.' But perhaps that was my overconfidence—a manifestation of my arrogance... and the punishment for that sin has become this tragedy.”

Edgar quietly lowers his eyes, not even attempting to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Not only my parents... but unrelated patients and their families... the staff... so many irreplaceable lives... I have... done something irreparable—”

He cannot finish his sentence. Choking back his breath, he bites his trembling lip. At his pained expression, the reporters hold their breath, hesitating to ask the next question. The room is wrapped in a heavy silence.

The scene is broadcast repeatedly, becoming deeply etched into the hearts of the viewers. Many people begin to recognize the young man named Edgar Williams as a "tragic hero".

However, the "treatment" that Edgar and Veronica actually performed on Daniel Harris was the exact opposite of what he described at the press conference.

Far from rejecting Daniel's persecutory delusions caused by schizophrenia, they actively affirmed them, sympathizing with him by saying, "I am also being targeted by the organization.". Falling into the illusion that he had "found an ally", Daniel gradually places deep trust in Edgar.
There, Edgar skillfully planted a "doctrine". "We are children of God and are being targeted by devils. If we do not eliminate the devils hiding in human society, there is no future for humanity.". By clarifying the "enemy" and "guiding" the direction of Daniel's delusions, they manipulated his thoughts and actions.

And then, in the final stage—they fed him the "story" that they had "found the devil's hideout", and had him carry out an act of destruction in the name of "executing justice"."executing justice".

[System Timestamp]
2012-12-23T22:55:00-05:00

After finishing his dealings with the media, Edgar flew straight back to New York and was pouring wine into a glass in the suite of a five-star hotel.
On the television, the footage of his press conference was being replayed over and over under the title, 【The Heartrending Plea of a Young Man Who Lost His Parents】.
A beautiful young man speaking to reporters with a sorrowful expression—in the footage, he was perfectly playing the protagonist of a tragedy.

“—Well done.”

Veronica Feynman smiled while draped in a silk gown on the bed.

“It’s as if you’re truly grieving.”

Edgar muttered as he gently swirled his wine glass.

“People see what they want to see... and if you guide them, even more so.”

Veronica stood up slowly and moved behind him as he sat on the sofa. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned her face toward his ear as if to enjoy the aroma of the wine.

“By the way, Dr. Feynman...”

Edgar turned off the television with the remote and turned his gaze toward her.

“It’s impossible, but... what did you intend to do if, by some chance, an unexpected situation occurred?”

Veronica’s expression froze for just a moment, but she immediately wore a meaningful smile.

“Even if the worst-case scenario were to happen... it would never fall back on me.”

She leaned in so close to his ear she might as well have been biting it, and whispered quietly.

“I place myself in that kind of 'world'.”

“Oh...?”

Edgar’s eyes gleamed for an instant. Was it curiosity, or perhaps...

“I would like to know more, Dr. Feynman.”

Veronica smiled as if lightly licking her lips.

“Hehe... you want to know?”

She leaned forward slowly and placed her fingers on the buttons of Edgar’s shirt.

"If you call me Bella... I might just tell you?"

The very moment her fingers began to slowly undo the button—

"…Don't get carried away."

Edgar's cold voice rang out.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine."

He brushed Veronica's hand aside and slowly stood up. His movements were by no means rough. Rather, they were elegant and calculated. Yet, the atmosphere dominating the room had completely changed.

Veronica's eyes widened in surprise for a fleeting moment. However, she immediately put on a forced smile. She knew that Edgar was not a man she could "control." Even so, she could not afford to lose him here.

"Wait."

Veronica's voice echoed quietly. Edgar had his hand on the closet door and stopped without turning around.

"You want to know, don't you? About the 'Order'."

At those words, Edgar's fingers moved slightly. But he did not turn back. He stood motionless, waiting for Veronica's words.

"…I'll tell you."

Veronica caught her breath deep in her throat. How could she convey to him that LUX AETERNA was not just some "secret society"? If she made one wrong move, he might not just lose interest—he might become suspicious.

She chose her words carefully.

"Our order, 'LUX AETERNA', is a gathering of those who seek the 'truth' of the world."

Edgar finally turned around. A cold light dwelled in his eyes.

"…The truth, you say?"

Veronica nodded quietly.

"The world we know is far too much of a 'surface'. It is a 'constructed world' illuminated by false light. Don't you want to know the real world?"

Edgar smiled. It was not a smile of interest, but the composed smile of a man who realized he was being "tested."

"Hmm... interesting."

Veronica's heart raced deep within her chest. He was undoubtedly a"seeker of knowledge."He might be the"chosen one"that the leader—Luminari—is looking for. She spun her words further.

"I will recommend you."

At that moment, Edgar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Recommend?"

"Yes."

Veronica smiled.

"It would be a waste for someone like you not to touch the truth of the world, wouldn't it? I want you to undergo an interview—an 'inquisition'—by the leader himself."

Edgar sat back on the sofa, picked up his wine glass, and swirled it slowly. The red liquid in the glass swayed, reflecting the light.

"...I see."

He brought the glass to his lips and drank it slowly. Then, placing the empty glass on the table, he looked at Veronica again.

"Then, I shall certainly take the opportunity to meet this so-called leader."

Veronica's lips trembled slightly with joy and excitement.

"...The 'inquisition' for you and several other candidates will be held the day after tomorrow, on Christmas. The location is 'a certain church' in the suburbs of New York. That is where it will be decided whether you are 'accepted' by the leader."

Edgar smiled. His expression was filled with complete composure.

"—That sounds... quite enjoyable."

Veronica felt a slight irritation at his cold attitude, but she did not show it. He still did not know just how strange and powerful the existence known as the

"leader"truly was—

[System Timestamp]
2012-12-24T20:55:00-05:00

Deciding that returning to his apartment would make him easy prey for the media, Edgar decided to stay at the hotel. Veronica had left the room once to handle press inquiries at the hospital, but as soon as she finished, she returned to the hotel as if nothing had happened and was elegantly enjoying a room-service dinner.

"Hey... are you at least a little nervous about tomorrow's 'inquisition'?"

Edgar took a sip of wine and laughed quietly.

"No. If it's someone you've 'prepared' this much, I can pretty much imagine what it's like."

Veronica exhales softly.

"I'm sure you think so. But the leader... the 'Luminari' is a being beyond imagination."

Edgar raises his eyebrows slightly at her words.
"Luminari"—the person she calls by that name. The individual standing at the pinnacle of the organization known as
"LUX AETERNA".

"That is interesting."

Edgar sets down his glass and leans back into the chair.

"For a woman of your caliber to hold someone in such high regard... What kind of 'magic' have you been put under?"

Veronica gently rests her chin on his shoulder.

"It's not magic. It's just... I have 'understood'."

"Understood what?"

"The 'true form' of this world."

Her voice had the ring of a true believer. Edgar felt a slight sense of unease at her tone.

—This woman is already 'being controlled'.

Edgar looks up at her while tilting his wine glass.

"You are always so assertive, yet you become quite humble whenever the topic turns to the 'Luminari'."

Veronica smiles faintly.

"Humble? No, that's not it. I am in awe."

"You are?"

"Yes. Because... the 'Luminari' is on a different dimension."

"A different dimension?"

"Would you believe me if I said they transcend the human realm?"

Edgar tilts his head slightly at her words.

"Is this an occult hobby? Or are you saying you've met a 'god'?"

Veronica laughs softly.

"It's no wonder you think that. But by tomorrow... you will understand as well."

Edgar narrows his eyes slightly at her words. A sense of
"devotion"bordering on"reverence". To Edgar, it was something extremely"unpleasant".

He quietly sets down his glass and runs a finger along Veronica's cheek. Then, he smiles elegantly.

"Between me and the 'Luminari'—who is more captivating?"

Veronica blinked, looking slightly surprised. But immediately, she smiled softly.

"A foolish question. Of course, both as a man and as a human, you are the best."

"In other words, you mean I am 'in a different league'?"

Veronica's fingers stroked his neck. However, Edgar coldly cut her off.

"To speak of me within the 'framework of a human' sounds like you mean I am 'inferior,' doesn't it?"

Veronica was momentarily at a loss for words. That silence was the answer.
Edgar's hand grabbed Veronica's breast roughly, stopping her movements.

"How unfortunate. I was planning to enjoy myself from here on, but you've ruined the mood."

Veronica stared at his cold gaze for a brief moment.
However, the next instant, she quietly pulled back as if to "accept" it.

──This was not calculated.

Edgar had thought Veronica would immediately change her attitude. But she did not waver.

──Within her, there is already an existence prioritized over me.

Edgar felt a humiliation as if he had been "robbed of his prey." It was impossible for him, who was supposed to dominate someone, to be perceived as "inferior" to that very person.

Veronica had already been "dominated."
"Luminari"──He was certain that meeting him tomorrow would not be a "trial" for Edgar, but a "hunt." Not as the one being dominated, but as the one who dominates...

Edgar silently grabbed Veronica's slender shoulders and small head, pulling her in and pressing her against "it."
"It""it" beneath his gown was hot, hard, and erect, as if Edgar's humiliation and discomfort, having lost their place, had solidified.
Veronica began to devour it like a madwoman—but as usual, the brain-melting pleasure that would crawl up from her waist never came.

A few hours later—.

Watching Veronica breathing quietly in her sleep beside him, Edgar slowly swirled his wine glass and then threw it to the floor.

──What kind of man is he?

An unknown existence lurking in the depths of the darkness.
Edgar intended to discern "it" tomorrow.

[System Timestamp]
2012-12-25T19:26:00-05:00

In the suburbs of New York.
Deep in the silent forest, a black car slowly made its way along the snowy road, eventually arriving at its destination.

An abandoned church—a place where believers were once supposed to offer prayers, it had now become a desolate ruin that no one visited.
Many people visit churches on Christmas night. But there is no light shining in this church. Ivy clings to the crumbling outer walls, some of the windows are broken, and the entrance door is adorned with rusted iron decorations.

Veronica reached for the door with practiced steps.
Creeeak...A sound that felt heavy with the weight of many years tore through the silence.

Edgar frowned slightly. The scent of aged wood and the smell of slightly damp stone.

"It's quite an atmospheric place, isn't it?"

Edgar smiled coldly.
An empty church on Christmas night—it felt like a symbol of a place abandoned by God.
Veronica wore a smile as she said,

"LUX AETERNA is not just any organization."

she whispered, her tone filled with hidden meaning.
As they stepped inside, dust swirled into the air.
The stained glass was shattered, and moonlight created distorted shadows through the broken shards. The ceiling, where hymns must have once echoed, still held faint traces of its former glory in its cracked decorations.
And at the back of the altar stood a cross. However, it was different from a normal one. A cross made of jet-black iron—with a serpent coiled around its center.
An iron snake was wrapped around the crucifix of Christ, its head raised as if whispering something into his ear.

Edgar stopped and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"This is... a snake...?"

Veronica whispered beside him.

"It is the 'essence' of LUX AETERNA."

Edgar stared at the strange cross in silence.
This church did not belong to"God."It was a place for"those who deny God."

Veronica walked toward the back of the church without hesitation. Edgar followed her.
Small wooden doors were lined up against the back wall.

A confessional—a private room where believers confess their sins and seek God's forgiveness.
Usually, a confessional is divided into two rooms, one for the priest and one for the believer.
There is a lattice window in the partition, so they cannot see each other.
Veronica stopped in front of one of the central rooms. Then, she slowly opened the door.

Creeeak...

The sound of wood creaking echoed. The inside was surprisingly narrow and dark.
Veronica entered without hesitation, and Edgar watched her calmly.

Click...

At that moment, a small window opened. A quiet voice echoed from the darkness on the other side.

"Comrade Feynman, is your companion the 'Initiate' you recommended?"

The voice, though it should have sounded gentle, carried an unsettling quality that seemed to see right through to the depths of one's heart. Veronica knelt respectfully and answered solemnly.

"That is correct, Luminari Cain. Please, proceed with the 'Inquisition of the Soul'."

Veronica glanced back at Edgar for a moment, then left the room in silence.

The confessional—a space wrapped in silence.
Beyond the lattice window, there was a darkness whose very outline was uncertain. The leader of LUX AETERNA—a man called Luminari Cain. Edgar does not yet know his true identity. But the awe, bordering on worship, that Veronica displayed—that alone was enough to sense that the person on the other side was no ordinary individual.



“Are you... the ‘Seeker of Knowledge’?”The voice was calm and strangely lacking in inflection. Neither age nor emotion could be read from it. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Edgar knelt in silence. It was a calculated gesture, intended to show respect to his counterpart and lower their guard.


“...Pleased to meet you. My name is Edgar D. Williams.”

“Stand up. Those knees are not showing respect to me.”It was an unexpected remark. Edgar’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

The voice continued, detached, from beyond the lattice window.


“Lower yourself, give the other person a sense of superiority, and lower their guard. Then, read their desires through their breathing, voice, and pauses in speech, and seize the initiative in the conversation—that is the method you have used many times before. I have no need for that performance.”A short silence.

Edgar stood up slowly.


“You seem to have investigated me quite thoroughly.”
“There was no need to investigate. You are not as complex as you think you are.”



“Oh?”The smile vanished from Edgar’s lips.

The very structure of the confessional was disadvantageous to him.
He could not see the face. He could not follow the gaze. He could not read the breathing. He could not observe the movement of fingertips, changes in posture, or the contraction of pupils.
When Edgar looks at a person, he first searches for their “
flaw.” What do they take pride in, what do they fear, who do they cling to, and what do they believe in? To him, conversation was not an exchange, but a “medical examination” for the purpose of control.But in this room, most of the information necessary for that examination was blocked.


—A room prepared for my sake, then.

“You are currently guessing my age from my voice. Next, you considered the reason for using this room. To hide my expression, to make myself appear mysterious? Or perhaps—to strip you of your weapon of observation.”
Edgar does not answer.


“And then you chose silence. Waiting for the other person to fill the void. That, too, is a method you favor. Truly faithful—to the ‘laws’ you discovered yourself.”
A faint laugh could be heard from beyond the lattice window.
Edgar breathes in quietly.


“Then, what is it you wish to ask?”“Your confession.”

“Confession...”


Edgar put on an expression filled with sorrow.


“I sought knowledge, and in exchange, I bore the sin.”“That face is unnecessary.”


His words were cut off.


“Slightly trembling your voice, lowering your gaze, slowing your breathing. You used the same act at the press conference the other day. You are about to play the ‘pitiful son whose life was decided by his parents.’ Next, you will speak of your actions as the acquisition of free will, and finally, you will observe whether I affirm or deny you—I have had enough of that script.”There was no emotion in the man’s voice.

Yet Edgar felt an illusion that, with that tone, his escape routes were being closed off one by one.

“Samantha Wellington. Cameron Howard—the first emotional induction experiments you conducted when you were fifteen.”
Edgar’s fingertips moved slightly.

All expression vanished from his face.


“...Where did you get those names?”“The remnants of an anonymous bulletin board the school deleted. The death records of the two. And the slight connection traces the administrator thought they had erased. People like to believe that they alone can completely erase their own traces.”

After calmly listing the facts, the man threw a question at him.



“However, that is not what is important now. Do you believe you controlled them?”After a silence, Edgar answered calmly.



“The results speak for themselves, don’t they?”“No. You merely found a crack that already existed and inserted your finger into it.”

“It’s the same thing.”

“It is not. Completely manipulating a human being is different from choosing a person who is already breaking and pushing them in the direction of their collapse.”


Those words pierced him sharply.

“You always choose vulnerable targets. A girl suffering from an inferiority complex, a girl afraid of losing love, a patient who has lost the boundary between delusion and reality, and the masses who depend on social evaluation—you are not manipulating humans. You are just searching for the fragile parts and applying pressure until they break.”
“There is no difference in the result.”


For the first time, a faint irritation seeped into Edgar’s voice.

“There is a difference. If you could truly control humans, why did you need to keep expanding the scale of your experiments?”
Edgar does not answer.



“The first success was not enough. Two girls were not enough, so you used patients. One patient was not enough, so you blew up the hospital. Even that is not enough. How many hundreds or thousands do you intend to manipulate next?”“There is no end to the pursuit of knowledge.”

“No. You are not seeking knowledge—you are seeking proof. Proof that you are superior to others. Proof that you can determine the lives of others by your own will. And above all, proof that you truly exist.”


Edgar’s throat moved slightly. His fingertips twitched faintly.


“You lack the function to feel the emotions of others as your own. You have no attachment, no guilt, no empathy. Many human emotions, such as joy, sadness, and fear, do not form in a normal way within you.”
Edgar answered coldly.


“...That is correct.”“To borrow the words of the world, you are undoubtedly a ‘psychopath.’ But being ‘empty’ is different from ‘nothing existing.’ At the bottom of your emptiness, there is one thing that exists.”


Edgar’s expression froze.

“You can only feel that you are alive in the moment when the lives of others are destroyed by your own will.”
“...”


The “record” of that day played back in Edgar’s mind, accompanied by all five senses.


“That is why you continue to seek control. It is not a low-level ‘desire’ to manipulate others for your own benefit. It is a more fundamental ‘craving’ that drives you as an individual.”The figure of the girl tumbling down the stairs. The body that stopped moving with a dull thud. That strange sensation that raced from his lower abdomen up his spine and numbed his brain. The moment he felt, for the first time in his life, that he was truly alive.


“—Yes. You can only feel that you are alive in the moment when the lives of others are destroyed by your own will.”
Edgar’s lips twisted slightly.



“Cheap psychoanalysis.”“I thought you would say that. Next, you will ask for my purpose. You will wonder if I, too, am trying to use you. And then you will choose silence again, waiting for me to speak unnecessary information.”


Edgar closed his mouth.
A faint laugh leaked from beyond the lattice window.


“Unfortunately, that too is within the scope of my predictions.”Inside the confessional, Edgar understood for the first time that he was the one being observed.

Expression, words, silence, thoughts—everything was being read in advance.


“You divide the world into two. ‘Yourself’ and ‘everything else’—but in reality, even you yourself are formed by three layers. Fact, truth, and story.”
Edgar listened in silence.


“The fact is that you manipulated people and killed many, including your parents. The truth is that you are a tragic young man who lost his parents to terrorism and suffers from the responsibility. And the story is—”

The man deliberately cut his words off there.
Silence.
Unable to bear that void, Edgar stared into the darkness beyond the lattice window. The moment he sought an answer—

“That you are an evolved monster who transcends human emotion and freely dominates others.”

Edgar's face stiffened slightly.

“You hid the first fact. You gave the second truth to the world. And the third story—you believe in it yourself. You have given stories to others and controlled their thoughts. But you thought you alone were outside the story. That is your greatest error.”

Edgar tried to say something. But he could not find the words.

“Then... what am I?”

To the voice he finally squeezed out, an answer came immediately from beyond the lattice.

“You are a subject who believes himself to be a ruler.”

Those words pierced Edgar's chest.

“What dominates you is your own emptiness, which can only confirm its existence through domination. You are not a king—you are a slave bound by the chains of domination.”

Edgar's fingertips were trembling. A formless rejection that could not be classified as either anger or fear.
With just his words, this man was stepping into a place no one had ever touched before.

“...Why did you call me here?”

“You have finally arrived at the question I anticipated.”

The voice contained a very slight satisfaction.

“It is not because you are superior, nor because you are complete. You are incomplete. But if you understand your own structure, you can become a being incomparable to what you have been until now.”

“What do you intend to make me do?”

“Nothing.”

“...What?”

“I do not seek faith from you. I do not seek loyalty or obedience. Just one thing, answer me—what is it that you fear most?”

Edgar tried to laugh. But his throat would not move.

“I have no fear—”

“If you do not like the word fear, ‘rejection’ will do. What is the outcome that you can never allow to exist?”

Edgar did not answer.

“If you cannot answer, go home. Those who cannot face their own emptiness are not qualified to eat the fruit of knowledge.”

Click, the small window began to close.

“Wait.”

Edgar's voice echoed in the confessional.
The movement of the small window stopped.
A long silence.
If he answered, he would be admitting defeat. But if he did not answer, he would never be able to touch this man's“knowledge”again.
And above all—he wanted to know what this man, who had read him completely, was seeing.

“...That I will disappear without changing anyone's life, without being feared by anyone... without being anyone at all.”

His voice was hoarse.
Those words were the first confession Edgar had ever made in his life that was not an act.
A calm voice returned from beyond the lattice.

“That is the first ‘truth’ you have spoken tonight.”

Edgar's knees slowly fell to the floor.
It was different from before.
It was not to feign respect, nor to catch the other off guard. They were the knees of someone who had admitted his own defeat.

“...Please teach me.”

In the darkness, he sensed the man smile.

“Very well. However, do not misunderstand. I am not saving you. I am simply killing the story of ‘Edgar D. Williams’ that you have believed in.”

Edgar slowly raised his face and stared at the dark lattice window.

“...Eventually, I might take that ‘knowledge’ and your seat, everything, from you.”

For the first time, a clear laugh leaked from beyond the lattice window.

“You are welcome to try. Our goal is ‘God-killing.’ If you cannot kill someone like me, you will not be up to the task.”

The small window was closed without a sound.

That night, Edgar D. Williams decided to join LUX AETERNA.
Not because he was saved.
Not because he was infatuated with the leader's ideology.
He decided to stay by the side of the only man who had completely dismantled him—until he could steal everything of how he saw the world.

But at that point, he did not yet understand.
That the hand he extended with the intention of stealing was already within Luminary Cain's“story.”

[System Timestamp]
2013-01-03T09:30:00-05:00

Nine days after the night he decided to join LUX AETERNA, Edgar D. Williams's“baptism”was performed. In that ceremony, he was simultaneously granted the title of“Dei Electi.”Dei Electi (The Chosen of God)
—it is a rank that only the“special talents”recognized by the leader are permitted to reach. At the core of LUX AETERNA, it means being aninner disciplewho distinguishes himself from mere followers and directly inherits the leader's ideology.Usually, those chosen for this rank were limited to those who had shown loyalty and devotion to the order for many years, or those who belonged to LUX from birth.
For a new member to be chosen as Dei Electi was not just unusual; there was no precedent for it.
Whether that unprecedented decision would become the order's greatest blessing—or the first move leading to future ruin. At this time, no one yet knew.

He had no hesitation in dropping out of medical school at the same time he became a LUX member.
Medical knowledge was now nothing more than a tool.
Because he had gained the opportunity to learn it through“practice”as a tool to dissect the human heart.

“Lost his parents to terrorism and disappeared after suffering a mental breakdown.”—Leaving that story behind, he vanished from the public stage.

What Edgar learned under the leader Cain, also known as Simon C. Evans, was not merely a philosophy.
Under Simon's direction, Edgar embarked on a new "experiment".

"A social media platform that strongly highlights the darker aspects of human emotion".

That was the system that would become the prototype for the later "EVANGEL".

If humans are given the opportunity to bring the negative emotions lurking within them to the surface, they are easily consumed by them.
"Anger," "envy," "suspicion," "loneliness"—and the most difficult emotion to control—the pleasure of gloating over the misfortune of others, "schadenfreude." "Immoral reward system"
・"Self-reinforcing superiority complex program"・"Echoes of evolution"・"Salvaging of karma"・"Defects of the soul"・"Basic circuitry of elitism"・"Neural proof of original sin"—there are countless names for it. But there is only one fact.

People smile at the misfortune of others. Deep in their brains, they recognize it as "pleasure."

The moment Edgar realized that emotional circuit, he trembled.

"Why didn't I put this at the core until now..."

He even felt nauseated by his own mediocrity as a designer. But at the same time, there was joy. This was the key to a platform that creates "martyrs." Finding the evil of others behind one's own justice, feeling relieved and basking in pleasure—social media as a

"mirror of curses." People can believe in their own justice by disparaging others. That structure is what most powerfully forms group psychology."mirror of curses"
as a social media platform. People can believe in their own justice by disparaging others. That structure is what most powerfully forms group psychology.

Edgar designed that mechanism, verified it, and completed it as an "extensible format." It is not just social media. It is a system that
"guides" emotions, "controls" thoughts, and "distributes" justice.

Simon watched that and smiled quietly.

"This is truly interesting. You have grown the 'fruit of knowledge' even further."

Edgar is convinced. —People can be
"moved" as one wishes. And on a larger scale, more reliably. Because the switch for
"domination" was already prepared by God in the human brain.

[System Timestamp]
2016-09-01T10:40:00-07:00

More than three and a half years later—

Edgar moved his base to Silicon Valley and launched a startup with two colleagues. The platform he created, while claiming to be for "free speech," was intended to incite people's negative emotions. That was the birth of
"free speech" while aiming to incite people's negative emotions. That was the birth of
"EVANGEL."

Anger, hatred, conflict, excitement, the desire for approval—on the stage of social media, these things gained an "accelerator".
"EVANGEL" became a massive global hit in the blink of an eye, and its user base exploded. Its influence became impossible to ignore, and it eventually grew to the point where X-Corp, the largest player in the IT industry, took notice.

"In launching a rocket, the most important thing is to 'reach orbit'."

Someone once said that.
And to head into space, you must jettison the boosters that are no longer needed.

EVANGEL was about to move to the next stage.
They were now just "dead weight".

Handle them properly at the right time—that was all there was to it. Of the three co-founders of EVANGEL, the two besides Edgar had met their ends in "unfortunate accidents".

"The unnecessary boosters have been jettisoned."

And so, the rocket proceeds to the next orbit.

As the service scaled and began to capture the world's attention, the public finally realized that

"Edgar Williams of EVANGEL" was the "tragic youth" who had lost his parents in a terrorist attack several years prior.

As soon as this fact was reported, the media scrambled to cover him.

【The Man Who Overcame Adversity】 【The Revolutionary Born from Tragedy】 【The Prophet of the Digital Age】

His life was instantly elevated into a sensational story. And the words Edgar himself spoke added further fuel to the fire. In that particular interview, Edgar spoke quietly.

"I have never doubted that saving people as a doctor is a noble pursuit. However, there is inevitably a limit to how many people one can save. If that is the case, shouldn't I choose the path of utilizing technology to its fullest to support thousands, even millions of times more people than a doctor's hands could ever reach? That is the conclusion I reached."

His voice was calm, yet it carried a tone of someone bearing a destiny.

"I do not have the arrogance to think that I myself am saving anyone. I am simply providing a 'place' where people can care for one another and save each other—I am convinced that this is my atonement for failing to prevent that tragedy, and the mission of EVANGEL."

Those words touched the hearts of many.
People empathized with his story and showed even greater support.

Thus, EVANGEL continued to expand further, until X-Corp finally made a formal acquisition offer.

This was a development that went exactly according to the calculations of Edgar and his mentor, Simon.
The "narrative" of him as a tragic hero was inflating the value of EVANGEL many times over.

On the day the acquisition contract was signed, Edgar stood on the top floor of X-Corp's high-rise office, gazing out at the night view of Silicon Valley.
A seat as an executive officer had been prepared for him.

"...This is where the real work begins."

In his mind, he already had his next plan.
What lies beyond social media—"a new" structure of control.

As the one who leads the masses, he steps forward to the next stage.

[System Status] CHAPTER_2_INTERLUDE_COMPLETE
[Next Sequence] CHAPTER_2 /　VERSE_09

[Next Sequence] →CHAPTER_2/VERSE_09

Setting Materials Collection

M-CORP_INTERNAL_ARCHIVE

[00] ■ 人物プロファイル (Personnel Profile)

Role:
LUX AETERNA “Dei Electi” / Founder of EVANGEL / Executive at X Corp

Note:
Born as the heir to the prestigious Williams family, he was born with a severe lack of empathy, attachment, and guilt. From a young age, he observed and mimicked human emotions as a "law of output for input," discerning the mental vulnerabilities of others to manipulate their emotions and actions.
Normal human emotions do not form in him in a healthy way; he only gains a vivid sense of "being alive" at the moment when another person's life collapses due to his own will. He is a psychopath whose fundamental desire is not profit or power, but domination itself.

Victim File: Samantha & Cameron
Note:
The victims of Edgar's first "emotional induction experiment." Though they were best friends, they fell into paranoia due to rumors spread on an anonymous bulletin board and mutual fake posts, leading to their deaths (murder and suicide) at school.
This incident gave Edgar the conviction that "love and hatred can be induced from the outside" and the pleasure of destroying another person's life by his own will.

Victim File: Daniel Harris
Note: A patient with schizophrenia. His delusions of being a "child of God" and a "warrior to defeat the devil" were reinforced by Edgar and Veronica, and he was used as a disposable pawn to carry out a bombing terrorist attack.

Role: Physician at Feynman Psychiatric Institute / LUX AETERNA Recruiter
Note:
The daughter of the Feynman family, an authority in psychiatry, and a capable physician. Deep inside, she harbors a dark desire for "knowledge" and "stimulation," even if it means ignoring ethics.
She discerned a part of the monstrosity of Edgar, who was a clinical intern, and became fascinated by him. She participated in his plan to murder his parents and supported the manipulation of patients and the cover-up after the incident. Since then, she has been the guide (femme fatale) who led Edgar to LUX AETERNA.

Role: Leader of LUX AETERNA

Note
:
The man who instantly dismantled Edgar's acting, psychological manipulation techniques, and self-mythology as an "evolved monster."
He saw through that Edgar was not a ruler who could freely manipulate humans, but a "subject" who could only feel alive through domination. He made Edgar confess the "truth" that was not acting for the first time in his life and made him kneel voluntarily.He is the only existence that Edgar cannot dominate, and he is the object of awe whom Edgar must one day surpass and take everything from.

[01] ■ 技術仕様書・用語集 (Technical Glossary)

[School Underground Site]

[Williams Hospital Bombing]

[Dei Electi]

[Schadenfreude]

[EVANGEL]

[Martyr]

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