CHAPTER 1.6 – “THE ASKING GIRL”

-CHAPTER 1.6 – “THE ASKING GIRL”-

Location: Koruch Vessel – Infirmary

Date: NTC 1446.07.15

“Only two hundred thousand?”

Merry’s voice rang out, freezing time itself.

The crew’s eyes locked on her, stunned.

Everyone waited for someone to respond—No one could.

Korsica was the first to break. Her eyes widened, then darted to the corner.

She lunged for the orange-bereted Mute and tore the gun from its holster, spinning back toward the bed in one fluid motion.

The weapon trembled in her grip as she pointed it at Merry.

The Mute didn’t move. But one of its hands twitched—barely. A reflex? A suppressed instinct?

Yorgo noticed. His brow furrowed faintly as he mumbled, “Where… did you guys get this?”

No one heard him.

At that moment, Kerim stepped between Korsica and Merry.

His voice was firm, meant to calm.

“Easy, Captain!” he said.

He paused to catch his breath, then added, “She’s still restrained.”

Merry tilted her head slightly. Her eyes drifted around.

She had clearly been listening.

She didn’t look threatening. But her expression dripped with mockery.

“So you’re planning to sell me, huh?” she said with a smirk.

Then she laughed, continuing, “And for only two hundred thousand? I should’ve been worth way more!”

She kept giggling.

Yusuf opened his mouth. He wanted to ask something—

But Kerim silenced him with just a look.

Merry noticed the subtle gesture.

She turned her gaze to Yusuf.

Then, with a sharp, commanding tone, she spoke aloud.

“Don’t let others tell you what to do!”

She took a breath and went on.

“You were about to ask something, right? Then ask it! Don’t be a coward!”

Yusuf hesitated. His eyes dropped to the floor.

He couldn’t speak.

“Well?! Say something!” Merry snapped, her tone sharpening further.

“Still waiting for your big brother’s approval? I hate cowards!”

Yusuf’s eyes widened. His breathing quickened.

He raised his head—his eyes were shining.

Then he turned to Merry and shouted,

“I’m not scared, okay?! I’m just being smart! I’m not talking because I might blurt out something I shouldn’t— not because I’m afraid of my brother!”

Merry burst out laughing again.

Then her voice dropped to a low chuckle.

“So that’s it... And here I thought you were just a coward.”

A heavy silence followed.

Then Korsica’s voice broke it—shaky and full of worry.

“No Inayet agents or Apostles are coming to look for you, are they?”

Merry frowned. She genuinely looked confused.

“Who the hell are the Apostles? Why would anyone come after me?”

“You’ve never heard of the Apostle Corps?” Yusuf asked, clearly baffled.

“Nope,” she replied with a shrug. “Doesn’t sound important.”

Thomas couldn’t hold back his laughter.

He spoke mockingly.

“What have you been doing your whole life? You don’t even know the Apostles?”

Merry turned and looked at him.

She only smiled at first—

Then her lips twisted into something darker.

“I was working to beat up bastards like you.”

She glanced down at her restraints.

Then began pulling at her arms and legs against the mechanical locks.

The restraints didn’t budge.

At first, no one understood what she was trying to do.

She just looked like she was struggling.

Realizing nothing was happening, Thomas chuckled in relief.

“What are you doing?” he asked, laughing. “Those locks are tungsten alloy. Doesn’t matter how much of a freak you are, you can’t break them.”

Merry narrowed her eyes.

She strained, speaking through clenched teeth.

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“I’m... not trying... to break them...”

Then, a crackling sound came from her right wrist.

"Crk."

Bone and flesh began to separate.

Korsica screamed in horror.

“She’s insane! Someone stop her!”

Kerim immediately turned to Yorgo.

“Yorgo! Activate the collar! Now!”

Yorgo snapped out of his daze.

He pulled a small remote from his pocket and pressed the button.

"Beep-beep."

Nothing happened.

“Yorgooo! What are you waiting for?!” Korsica panicked.

Yorgo pressed it again.

"Beep-beep."

Merry’s wrist tore open. Blood gushed out.

The lock was still in place, but her wrist was being shredded.

“It’s not working!” Yorgo shouted. “The collar won’t activate!”

“Why not?!” Thomas cried, terrified.

“She’s not even MT-5!” Yorgo yelled at himself. “The collars weren’t designed for something like this! Stupid Yorgo! How did you not think of that?!”

He spun around and ran to the drawers.

“You’re supposed to tell us these things, you senile old man!” Korsica screamed.

As Yorgo frantically searched the drawers, Korsica panicked completely.

She raised her gun and fired three times into Merry’s chest.

"BANG – BANG – BANG"

The bullets tore into her flesh and bone.

Blood and bits of tissue sprayed out.

But Merry didn’t stop. Not even for a second.

Bullets lodged in her chest. They stayed there — for exactly three seconds — before her skin pushed them out with a wet pop.

Her veins had burst, blood flooding out and soaking the infirmary floor.

“She’s not dying! We need to restrain her!” Yusuf shouted.

Kerim turned to the android Mutes in the corner and ordered,

“Grab her! Don’t let her move!”

The two androids stepped in, flanking Merry on both sides.

Meanwhile, Yorgo had filled a syringe and called out,

“Hold her still! I need to inject this!”

The androids grabbed her arms, but she was still thrashing wildly.

They struggled to hold her down.

Yusuf, desperate for help, instinctively looked to the orange-bereted Mute...

And froze.

It was watching.

With a face—a look—of shock.

As if it wanted to act, but couldn’t.

A being that should’ve had no consciousness, no emotion...

Was staring like it did.

“You… do you know what’s happening right now?” Yusuf whispered, his voice trembling.

The Mute turned its head toward him abruptly.

It didn’t answer.

For one instant, its eyes gleamed with awareness—

Then it faded. Blank again.

As if nothing had happened.

Yusuf took a step back in fear.

As he turned toward Merry again,

he saw Yorgo jamming the needle randomly into her flailing left arm.

He injected the serum and quickly pulled back.

But he slipped on the blood and fell hard onto his back.

Everyone froze, waiting.

But nothing changed.

Merry kept writhing, tugging at her limbs.

The blood-slick floor made standing a challenge.

Korsica had gone pale.

Her eyes locked on Merry’s shredded wrists, the blood, the torn flesh.

She noticed her own hand shaking—her gun trembling.

“I’m out!” she said. “Kerim, Thomas—you’re in charge! I’ll send reinforcements!”

She bolted. It wasn’t just retreat—

It was primal panic.

She didn’t look back.

Thomas started to move, but stopped.

His eyes flicked between the androids and Merry’s nearly severed arm.

His throat went dry. He clenched his fist.

“Uhhhh... I fix engines, not fight monsters,” he muttered.

He shook his head and ran after Korsica.

“We’ll send them together!” he shouted. “What am I supposed to do here?!”

As they both fled through the infirmary doors,

only terror remained behind.

Kerim stared after them—then turned to Yusuf.

“Yusuf! Run! Get to the bridge!”

“No!” Yusuf shouted. “I’m not a coward!”

“Only idiots aren’t afraid! You’re smart! Now go!” Kerim yelled.

But it was already too late.

Merry snapped her right hand off with a wet crack.

"CRACK!"

Blood sprayed.

The androids couldn’t hold her.

Yorgo tried to stand, but slipped again in the blood.

Merry swung her detached arm like a club at one of the androids.

"THUD!"

The android flew backward.

Then she hit the other.

"THUD!"

That one collapsed, too.

She held her severed hand to her wrist.

In two seconds, flesh and bone rejoined.

Like nothing had happened.

Kerim and Yusuf watched, horrified.

Merry smiled—her voice cold and dangerous.

“Things get easier from here.”

She grabbed her left wrist with her right hand and yanked.

"CRACK!"

Her left hand tore off.

Again, she brought it back to her wrist.

And in seconds—it was whole.

Blood was everywhere.

Kerim grabbed Yusuf’s hand and tried to drag him toward the exit.

“Yusuf, come on! We’re getting out of here!” he said urgently.

But Yusuf resisted.

His face was set with determination.

“No! This was my plan! I’m not running away! I’ll face her!”

Kerim looked at him for a moment—

his eyes full of fear… and pride.

“You stubborn idiot,” he said quietly.

And with that, he ran.

The floor was a pool of blood.

Yorgo crawled, slipping, soaked, desperate.

Yusuf looked at Merry.

She was now pulling at her legs.

He clenched his fists and shouted with resolve,

“Come on then! I’m waiting!”

Merry’s face twitched.

She answered through gritted teeth,

“Alright… I’m coming… Wait for me…”

She gripped her ankles and pulled hard—

"CRACK."

Both legs came off.

The mechanical locks held nothing now.

Her face remained calm.

She reattached her left foot in two seconds.

Her right foot had landed a few steps away.

She looked at Yusuf.

“Could you hand me that foot?” she asked.

Yusuf narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth.

“No. Get it yourself.”

Merry gave him a look—offended, almost hurt.

“How rude... Fine.”

She rose to her feet on one leg.

Hopped over to her foot.

Picked it up.

And reattached it.

Then she slowly approached Yusuf.

Her steps didn’t echo, but Yusuf felt every one of them.

She stopped right in front of him.

Looking him in the eyes, she spoke softly—

her voice slow, eerie, and heavy.

“Well done. Turns out… you’re the strongest person on this ship.”

Yusuf couldn’t even breathe at that moment.