Upon hearing the call, Oedipus, who had intended to leave, turned his head slightly.

"Today is full of surprises."

"Who does this insignificant person think he is, calling me by my name so directly?"

"Is Maria too scared to come and stop me?"

Oedipus seemed to emanate a tangible wave of magic, like the grand undulations of ocean waves, and the weary words of death accompanied the rising sense of despair in Merka's ears, pouring out a haunting prelude.

As Merka reached out to assist Turing, his movements suddenly froze, and his hands and feet trembled like wilted eggplants.

Merka knew Oedipus was terrifying, but he never expected it to be this terrifying.

He was drenched in sweat, feeling like he was facing a great enemy. No words, no matter how worried or dangerous, were enough to describe Merka's current state.

The immense wave of magic felt like a giant's hand tightly grasping Merka's throat.

Even Merka's magical vision was affected by this wave of magic, becoming as blurry as a television screen filled with static.

Poor Merka couldn't even determine what kind of magic Oedipus was using at the moment to emit this wave of magic. All he could do was concentrate on controlling his leg muscles so that he wouldn't collapse.

"Your name is Merka, right?"

Oedipus slowly turned her head, her peach-colored hair drifting subtly in the air, emitting a sinister glow like a blood moon.

"I..."

Merka bit down on his trembling teeth.

He was well aware that Oedipus was most skilled in delving into people's hearts and creating terror.

In short, she was just a woman who was exceptionally good at deceiving others.

If he let her take control of the conversation, something big would undoubtedly happen.

"I have heard your name several times before..."

Oedipus came to Merka's side and spoke softly.

"Oedipus, you made a move against Turing."

Merka tried to maintain a calm tone and quickly interrupted what Oedipus was about to say.

"...So what?"

Oedipus furrowed her brow and asked.

Merka laughed, shaking his head as if reluctantly.

"You lost."

"You can't handle it."

"Turing never had any intention of attacking you."

"But you still took action."

"You, as a mother, can't even reason with your own child, so you resort to physical violence?"

"It's just a few decades of foolishness."

"You..."

Oedipus was momentarily caught off guard, not expecting the other to provoke her with such lowly language.

"But your anger has a reason."

"From what I know, Turing was made using Prometheus's sperm, right?"

"But what about Prometheus? Did you have permission from him?"

"Oh, right, he's dead."

"You stole the bodily fluid from his corpse."

"This is how lowly you are, and that's why you envy Turing, isn't it?"

"Let me guess, why did you resort to such means?"

"Is it because they originally wanted the real Oedipus, not you, this monster?"

Oedipus was starting to lose control.

Bits of green veins appeared on the forehead of this self-proclaimed watertight and absolutely rational woman.

She looked at Merka with a gloomy expression, already envisioning several tragic death scenarios for him in her mind.

Just a slight movement of her finger, and these scenarios would instantly become reality.

Merka, seeing Oedipus in such a state, felt a lump in his throat and swallowed hard. But even so, he had no intention of stopping his verbal attacks on Oedipus.

He reached into his pocket for the twisted staff, giving himself some measure of comfort.

"Do you know why the project is called the Cuckoo Plan?"

"I guess it's to commemorate failures like you."

"The cuckoo likes to lay its eggs in the nests of other birds and let them raise its offspring."

"And what you're doing now, living secretly under someone else's identity to make a living, how is that any different?"

"You're right, there is no difference."

"At least Turing tried his best."

"But everything you have is deceitful, stolen!"

"You're just a petty person who envies others' better lives, not even worth Turing's little finger!"

At this point, the fear in Merka's tone had completely disappeared, and he angrily confronted Oedipus.

Being a person of kindness and tolerance, he was rarely this angry.

But when he saw Turing being attacked in that moment.

He only knew he had to fight back, he had to.

He couldn't let someone like this walk away without consequences.

"You've got it all wrong."

"Merka."

"You shouldn't play hero here."

"You're not the protagonist at all."

"You're just a pawn in Maria's ignored life."

Once again, Oedipus raised her shiny right hand.

Her fingers mimicked a gun, lightly pointing at Merka.

But this hand was blocked by a tall figure.

"Merka is right, this time you've lost."

"Run away with your tail between your legs."

Maria calmly withdrew her hand from her robe and slowly placed it on the tip of Maria's finger.

In Oedipus's astonished gaze, Maria gradually pressed down her own finger.