Ch.182182. Physical Examination

The examination ended earlier than expected.

Just like that, at the association facility that resembled a research lab, they conducted a magic power examination.

At times like this, Yuri would let Ellie loose.

It was almost fascinating to see Ellie skillfully operating the association’s equipment and giving instructions to the staff.

The incompetent Ellie who had just been teased by Yuri was nowhere to be seen.

It was nice to see professional Ellie after so long.

Hmm…

Ellie’s intelligence was second only to the Doctor’s.

Well, Ellie and I were among the smarter ones.

It’s not like she’s lost that intelligence now.

Rather, perhaps the current environment is better suited for using that brain.

She must have taken a coat from one of the researchers.

She’s pacing around me wearing a lab coat.

But…

Shouldn’t Ellie be examined too?

Shouldn’t she be lying next to me in pajamas like I am?

“Hmm… Everything’s normal… Some aspects have actually improved compared to before. Though some have gotten worse.”

“There are parts that got worse?”

“Yes. In the calculation part of your magic power, you’re using some of Baal’s core for computation… hmm. I’ll explain it simply.”

“Simply… this is going to be long, isn’t it?”

“No. The way monsters use magic is by processing magic power through their individual cores, and based on those calculations… Well, the core functions as a brain in magical terms. But for some reason, whether to reduce the computational burden or due to some personal issue, you’ve been colluding with Baal and the Doctor, making your core heavily connected to Baal’s. So when you use magic, your core should be training accordingly, but since you’re only bearing about 80% of the burden on your core, its growth has stagnated. Hmm… anyway, that’s it.”

“…So you’re saying I can’t use all my magic because I’m disconnected from Baal?”

“Hmm… it’s not that you can’t use it. You still have your brain. But you might get tired or dizzy quite often, especially when using high-powered magic. Besides the 80% that your magic core processes, the remaining 20% still needs to be processed somewhere, but you’re disconnected from Baal now.”

“So my brain will bear that burden?”

“Normally it wouldn’t, but we’re monsters after all.”

“Ah… so you’re saying I’m not actually getting weaker?”

“Well, gradually, as you train, your core’s growth will return to its original level. By then, the headaches and dizziness will disappear. Once your core can handle 100% of your calculations.”

“Unnecessarily complicated.”

“It’s like a side effect of contract magic. I was originally in a subordinate relationship with Baal too. Now I’m subordinate to Blanc. So when I use magic now, I’m probably more efficient with light-attribute magic than the dark-attribute magic I used to use.”

“…Attributes? Do we really need to consider that? You don’t particularly use anything like that, do you?”

“Blanc is such a strong light, you know.”

“Well, that’s true. But Blanc should have some dark attributes too, right?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure. Anyway, that’s how it is. How much magic will you use in your life from now on? You’re going to wear that collar when Blanc brings it later, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Another piece of bad news is that your restrictions haven’t been properly lifted yet. You said you felt like you were steadily recovering, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Right. I double-checked with both the equipment from Eden and the association’s devices. They all confirm you’re recovering.”

“That’s good. Now I won’t collapse unnecessarily and worry others anymore.”

“Sigh… but there’s still what you might call residue. Just because the blockage is gone doesn’t mean the traces in your magic pathways have disappeared.”

“…Are you saying I need to do bad things again?”

“Well, your pathways were blocked for quite a long time. The stagnation period was prolonged too. Plus, there was an amplification effect in that magic circle.”

“…It was a magic circle?”

“Seems like it was attached as an accessory to the contract. It was designed so meticulously, with regular maintenance, that it left traces even after the contract was broken.”

“Sigh…”

“Well, considering your recovery ability, this will be resolved instantly anyway.”

“Then shouldn’t we just leave it alone?”

“Still… the energy that regularly passed through that magic circle was ‘evil energy’.”

Ellie hands me a familiar container.

Slightly smaller than my smartphone, but thicker.

“That container. You don’t need to fill it completely. Just carry it around and fill it.”

“…What?”

It’s disgustingly familiar. An evil energy storage battery.

“I didn’t bring one that wasn’t empty because we don’t know what effect it might have. For now, just an empty one.”

“But…?”

“Collect it for now. Once you fill it up, it’ll probably last you a lifetime.”

“…Did you get permission from Blanc, or the Association Director, or at least Hyewon?”

“Well, I told them already.”

“What did they say?”

“They said it was troublesome but they’d look into it. For now, they agreed.”

“…Sigh. So I have to accumulate that karma again?”

“Well, they wouldn’t want you collecting it from citizens. Evil energy ultimately comes from someone experiencing negative feelings.”

“…Ugh.”

“You don’t have to do it yourself. Maybe visit a funeral home or something. Just carry it around.”

“…Do I really need to go to a funeral home?”

“Or would you rather visit a prison?”

“Ugh. I don’t even want to look at that place.”

“Well, those are typical places where people have negative emotions. Should we look for other places?”

“…I think I could collect some just by carrying it around outside.”

“No. That’s dangerous.”

“…Are you thinking about that lake incident?”

“We can’t say that crazy person was the only one. Let’s find another way.”

“…Sigh. So we’re back to this again?”

“It can’t be helped. We just need to figure out how to do it.”

“…Wasn’t it subjective, based on what I consider evil? I’m sure that’s what you said before.”

“…Huh?”

“Wasn’t it like that? I remember recovering partially when I was slacking off before.”

“W-wait… what did you say?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“No, evil energy should… Oh.”

“Right. It’s not negative energy, but evil energy. It’s not about gathering negative emotions.”

“…But the research results clearly indicated negative energy…”

“What research did you do?”

“…I injected a little of the remaining energy…”

“Hey!”

“Just a tiny bit, just a tiny bit…!”

I’m speechless at Ellie’s admission that she did something to my body without my permission.

“When did you even try that…?”

“Well… before we went into this operation… I noticed this cell wasn’t completely empty… So I thought since there was some left, it might help you recover… And at that time, you still had restrictions.”

“No! You’re basing your current judgment on that experiment?”

“Umm… to be precise, I think there might be a hierarchical relationship between the two energies. The more comprehensive one might be negative energy. So…”

“Ellie.”

“…Yes.”

“Ellie-s?”

“Hii, hiik?!”

That’s right.

When I called Ellie by her full name, she seemed to finally realize the gravity of the situation and froze.

Honestly, I’m relieved there’s no effect now.

In a way, it’s fortunate she did it then and completely severed the connection, but still.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“W-well… ehehe…”

“Sigh… Well, I don’t think you did it with bad intentions. You had some left and were thinking about how it could help me, right?”

“Y-yeah…”

“So, huff… I’ll forgive you this time, Ellie.”

“Phew…”

“But.”

“But…?”

“From now on, you have to block Yuri when she comes at me.”

“W-what…?”

“Got it?”

“Hii, hiik…”

If she really hated it, she would have stubbornly refused with Ellie’s typical obstinacy.

Who could break Ellie’s stubbornness?

Well, she probably thinks it’s an appropriate punishment, or maybe she’s given up resisting Yuri too.

Anyway, it’ll be a suitable punishment for Ellie.

Huff.

“So… for now, it’s not about gathering negative energy, but evil energy.”

“You just need to do actions that you consider bad. Simple.”

“…Well, first I need to figure out what my standards are.”

“That’s right… How about something simple like installing a virus on the Association Director’s computer?”

“That’s a bit…”

“Or going to Hyewon’s desk and putting her documents in the shredder.”

“…Hmm, isn’t that too much?”

“You’d shred them in front of Hyewon. Like, ‘If you don’t follow these orders, I’ll shred these documents!'”

“That really seems too extreme…”

“Right, that’s what makes it evil, isn’t it?”

“Even so, that’s a bit…”

Is there really a need to cause trouble for the association staff?

Besides, that’s literally a crime…

“Alright… So everything’s normal?”

“Yes. Your height decreased a little though?”

“What?”

“About 0.1cm?”

“W-wait a minute! That must be an error!”

“Well… I understand if you don’t trust the association’s measuring equipment. But facts are facts.”

“That can’t be right! I mean, I might not grow taller, but why would I shrink?”

“How would I know?”

“Ugh… Okay, is there anything else besides that?”

“Not really. Everything’s normal. Your magic response is normal, and you’re not injured anywhere. Isn’t that enough? Should we call Yoonseul?”

“Huff… Alright.”

Really.

Why would my height decrease?

There’s no reason for it to shrink…

Why my height…?