2345 – The Failed Investment
“You’re giving me a chance?” Hedrick flashed a wide grin. “How kind of you.”
“…If it were anyone else mocking me like this, I would have either abandoned them or killed them by now,” Robin declared. “But I’ve invested too much in you to lose you so easily.”
“Invested in me?” Hedrick furrowed his brows. “You’ve done me one favor after another—I admit that, and I’ll repay them all soon. But the word ‘invested’ is a bit much. I was already strong when I met you, and I haven’t gained anything since then.”
“You’re still breathing,” Robin tilted his head. “Something you wouldn’t have managed if I hadn’t helped you in your war.”
Then he sighed and continued, “Generally, what I mean by investment isn’t just pouring in money or making the person in front of me gain power so they’ll owe me or something like that. For me, investment aims for multiple outcomes depending on the person.”
Robin spoke calmly. “For example, Kaylis. I treated her poorly at first, then recently invested in her so she would owe my son and become a good mother-in-law to him. She sees him as her family’s savior. Even if she hates me, she’ll watch over his care and happiness. That’s Kaylis’s value now—she lives to be a good mother-in-law.”
"You have Arkail the Temporal… I invested in him through arrays, buying his products, and improving them for one reason: to secure an ally against Zargul. But now Zargul has been sentenced to death, and I no longer need an ally. I no longer need to invest in him or try to appease him with money and deals. Arkail has no value anymore. If he doesn't listen to orders and act wisely, I will crush him just as I will do to others."
"Then I invested in Zavarus with a massive deal to pull him out of the chaos of Middle Sector 101 and make him apply pressure on Darvion, after you failed to do anything of value. But once I sentenced Darvion to death, Zavarus lost his value. So I had to restrain him by force—either he listens to the voice of logic or the voice of the sword."
"And you…" Robin pointed at Hedrick, "I invested heavily in you to be my sword and my armor, but you are far too slow. You couldn't keep up with me. All my investment is slipping away before my eyes, and I have one chance to salvage it: to make you strong enough to be my sword. If you are not, then you are useless… You will stay here until the 105 years pass, only to find yourself in a different world you never imagined—my world."
"…?" Hedrick was utterly bewildered. "Are you admitting with your own words that you are a despicable materialist with no friends?"
"Materialist? I am the material." Robin was clearly annoyed. "All of you, the Allies, covet one thing or another. Did you share with me for the beauty of my eyes? Or did Arkail go to fight Zavarus because he's convinced of my cause? Every single one of you has a goal, so why can't I have one? The difference between me and my Allies is that you all become dead weight after a while."
Then he pointed toward him. "While I move forward, you and they remain standing in your places like bottom stones, motionless. And the worst part is you don't even try to change how you treat me. You keep demanding the same level of appreciation and respect, taking and never giving anything back. To hell with partnerships and those Allies."
Then he lifted his head slightly. "That's why I decided to take this journey of mine... No more allies or partners. I want loyal followers. That's what will benefit me on the path of subjugating Universe B-14. As for allies, partners, and investing in their personal problems... that no longer interests me. I've matured, and I've realized that these trivialities hinder more than they help, adding to my burdens with no return."
Hedrick's eyes trembled with rage. There were things said in the middle that he had missed; every word Robin spoke was a stab to his chest. "Me?" Hedrick muttered, his eyes wide open. "...I'm a burden?"
"You are the biggest burden, you scoundrel." Robin raised his voice slightly. "Your problems with Zavarus and his sons have cut off my communication with them, and it will be a problem if you join them after Zavarus swore allegiance." Robin listed, "Because of you, I have a direct enmity with Helmor from the start, and now I cannot communicate with him to reconcile our views, nor can I find out who is funding him with those strange technologies."
Then he raised his voice even more, "Because of you and Virilion's stupid dream, Middle Sector 101 was destroyed, the Behemoths were hastened into the wars, and rumors about the Cosmic Elder spread—all because you're a fool who stirs up problems you don't have the strength to handle!"
"Enough!" Hedrick stood up, staring into Robin's eyes with force and anger. "Don't utter another word." Then he continued at a slower pace, looking Robin up and down: "There are two things that might make you speak to me like this. One is that you can threaten my physical body. The other is that you've become stronger for some reason and think you can stop me once I emerge from my seclusion, so you came here trying to make yourself feel powerful against someone who can break through and can't fight back."
"...." Robin looked down and shook his head. "I felt my investment plummeting off a waterfall, so I tried to catch it at the last moment, that's all... Don't worry, your body is safe. No matter what happens between us today, I won't touch it. In fact, I'll increase your protection if we don't reach an agreement. I'm not that low of a scumbag."
"You're someone who abandoned all his allies the moment he felt he no longer needed them..." Hedrick stared into Robin's eyes. "You're undoubtedly a scumbag."
"If that's what you've concluded from my words, then I won't bother explaining another word." Robin shrugged. "Now, Hedrick, I've come to sever our partnership and free myself from thinking about anything concerning you. It's not logical for me to consider the feelings of a useless partner when I give orders to profit from Virilion."
Then he raised his hands. "But since I'm here, I've decided to give you a choice while I'm at it—a choice I know you'll refuse. But take it anyway to ease my conscience..." He continued seriously, "Follow me, and I'll make you as strong as Marlik, even stronger."