episode_0316

Unlike the start of the noisy commotion, the violent experimental dog’s rebellion ended in just one minute.

-Crackle! “Whimper, whimper…!” “You beast, how dare you defy a human? Huh?” The dog’s fur, flattened on the floor, smelled of burnt char. Professor Albert’s lightning-fast electric shock and a single kick had instantly knocked it out. Since it was just an ordinary animal, not a magical beast, it had been easily subdued from the start.

“Growl…” It whimpered as if greatly wronged, but when Yurik Ahjussi approached, it bared its sharp teeth as if nothing had happened. I couldn’t understand why. Let’s start by giving it a good whack on the head.

“Hey! Look down!” -Thwack! “Whimper…growl…!” It didn’t react this way to Professor Albert or me, so it was strange that it was only doing this to Ahjussi.

“Professor, this one’s a bit strange. It doesn’t resist us. As you can see…” “Really? Let’s see…Alright, lie down.” “Whimper…” Held by its leash, the dog immediately lay flat on the ground, feeling the magical pressure.

“Now, Ahjussi, you try.” “Understood. Come here, good boy-” “Growl!” “Oh my!” The experimental dog lunged with its sharp teeth. As the startled Ahjussi fell backward, the dog’s muzzle quirkily lifted. Its muzzle felt strangely familiar. It resembled the sneer of a thug mocking an easy target.

“This one, it’s smiling!” “…Hah, I didn’t realize its intelligence had risen to this extent, beyond merely increasing. It’s possible it even inherited your aggression.” The professor firmly pressed down on the dog’s head, then bent down, grabbed its muzzle, and inspected it all over.

“It seems this one only acts like this towards people it sees as easy targets.” “Easy targets? Surely not…” Both our gazes turned to Ahjussi, who was wearing a lab coat. He was tall but slender, with a slight potbelly. Now that I thought about it, Ahjussi clearly didn’t exercise enough.

*“Hmm, anyone can see he’s an easy target.”* *Whenever I glanced into the office, Ahjussi often looked like he was being dragged around by Bernike, and now I knew why.* *It wasn’t just his personality; it was because he lacked physical strength.* *Between Awakened individuals, there’s no difference between men and women, you see.* *Since he’s essentially an ordinary person far removed from fighting, he’d clearly be easily subdued even by non-combat Awakened individuals.*

*“Wouldn’t Daphne beat Ahjussi with her bare hands? She could probably knock out an entire squad even if they brought one!”* *“At that level, she could probably beat a whole platoon?”* *“Hehe! Ahjussi is weak!”* *It wasn’t just me thinking that, as I heard Professor Albert click his tongue.* *Helping the fallen Ahjussi up, the professor let out a playful laugh.*

“Tsk tsk… A man shouldn’t be so easily startled. You’re quite a coward.” “B-but that’s a dog! If I get bitten, it could be serious. And I’m not an Awakened like you all!” “Ah, that’s right…” At Ahjussi’s excuse, the professor shrugged.

“Look at this. Your flesh is so soft, how can that be? And now that I think about it, your stamina seems a bit poor. You seem to be suffering from fatigue. It would be good for you to exercise regularly from now on. You can’t live being disrespected by dogs, can you?” “Ugh…” No. 221 threatened the dog a few more times, then securely tied it with its leash and headed outside. The professor followed, letting out a short sigh.

“…I’m afraid of what kind of trouble might erupt if we experiment with highly intelligent animals like monkeys. I think we’ll need an electric shock collar.” “An electric collar? I have one! I’ll bring you one right away! Ah, don’t you think Ahjussi will need a self-defense gun too?” “Yes, I was forgetting that! Thank you for reminding me.” I’m worried that Ahjussi might end up being exploited by the lab animals at this rate.

*“If he’s that weak, he might even get his feed stolen by animals.”* *I’ll have to get him a bulletproof vest or a weapon.*

***

While animal experiments were in full swing, No. 5821 headed to the hospital, carrying an armload of gifts. It was none other than at Lucian’s request.

“I bought everything you asked for! But what are these gifts?” “…It’s nothing much. I just thought the kids seemed a bit bored. They can’t go out much, can they? And I figured they couldn’t focus on their studies.” After getting permission, when I connected the game console in the ward, the boys and girls in hospital gowns immediately cheered upon seeing it.

“Wow! Amazing!” Strangely, the children who had fallen ill in the Erosion Zone back then were still not discharged, with various excuses being made. Though, seeing them sometimes run fevers, they didn’t seem to be in perfectly healthy condition.

*“What kind of endless diagnoses and tests are there?!”* *From the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like they were conducting human experiments.* *From what I overheard while coming and going, the hospital staff seemed clearly troubled as well.*

“…Discharge is still not possible. As you can see, whenever they seem cured, their symptoms consistently recur…” “Isn’t there any cure?” “We aren’t even sure what kind of illness this is in the first place. The academic community is investigating, but no conclusive results have emerged. This is a case we’ve encountered for the first time as well.”

This is troublesome. Even Daphne, who could restore a half-melted Violet, could only manage to alleviate their condition. It was obvious that not only Ariel but also the other children in the same ward would be quite depressed. At times like these, it was time for Violet, the guardian of innocent children, to step forward.

“Kids! That’s enough now, I’ve brought some delicious food, so let’s eat together!” “Whoooa!” I had packed a lot of delicious food and decided to eat with the children. Might as well give them the gifts I prepared too.

“Ariel! How’s your studying going?” “I think I’ll be done soon! Lucian Oppa teaches me well!” “Really? If you keep working hard, you’ll be able to enter Aegis!” “Yes!” Ariel replied cheerfully with a confident smile. As if he heard that, Lucian, who was playing games with the other boys, snapped his head towards us. A fleeting change of expression crossed his face. It was an arrogant look, as if saying, ‘How about that?’

“Wow! That’s insane! Hyung! Over there! Over there! Ah, what if we miss it now!” “What? You missed it, why blame me? Here it comes! Hey! Catch it!” That guy, he actually gets along surprisingly well with kids.

When the lively atmosphere of playing subsided somewhat, Lucian and I excused ourselves for a moment and stepped out of the hospital room. “You’re surprisingly good at tutoring. The kids seem to have gotten close to you too!” He snorted briefly at my words, then grumbled in response.

“Gotten close? You can’t imagine how annoying those little brats are. Every chance they get, they ask endlessly, ‘What’s the academy like?’, ‘Have you caught a magical beast?’, it’s so tiresome. Answering those questions every time really tires me to death. It makes me wonder why I even listened to a request from someone like you.” “Still, the kids reacted well, didn’t they? And your teaching skills seem quite good!” Lucian snorted again.

“What’s so great about this? Teaching those little brats isn’t that hard. You’re just too dull, so it looks that way to you. Ariel said so too? That my tutoring is much better than when her older sister teaches her!” *“Gasp! Ariel!”* *The Violet group couldn’t help but be aghast.* *Could it be that the wicked Lucian had stolen Ariel from us?* *Since he was skilled in magic, he might have cast hypnosis or a mind-control spell.*

“That can’t be!” “I’m afraid Ariel and the kids think studying with me is better, idiot.” Outside the hospital room, a girl slightly opened the door and poked her head out. It was a patient child who lived with Ariel.

“Lucian Oppa, why are you so late? Are you done talking with Violet Unnie?” The children cried out again, raising their voices. “Hyung! The pizza’s getting cold! Come in quickly and eat!” “Aargh! This one stole my share!” Lucian shook his head and gestured towards the inside of the hospital room.

“See? Those idiots are always squabbling among themselves. I’m going in first. Hey! Everyone quiet down! Shut up! Do you want to get hit by an electric arrow?” “Wow! An electric arrow! Just one more time! Please, show it one more time!” “If you don’t quiet down, I won’t show you?” “Wow! Wow! It’s real electricity! Amazing!” Lucian’s voice, as he played with the children, spilled out from the hospital room. Watching the children enthusiastically react to magic, the Violets felt suspicious.

*“It must be a mind-control spell! How could that rude guy be so popular with the kids?”* *There must be a dark conspiracy lurking here.* *I must devise a clever plan to snatch these pure and innocent children of the future from the clutches of that wicked battle-mage and guide them to the right path.*

*“Let’s tell them we’ll let them ride a tank! When they’re discharged, we’ll let them ride a tank and drive them around! They’ll love it!”* *The Violets burst into exclamations of admiration at the idea proposed by No. 332.* *Next time I come, I’ll definitely put them on Ruzilin’s Cheolkwon.*

***

Frightening rumors always circulated about the deepest part of the secretly sealed Joint Research Institute. There were rumors of the most evil being tortured, and stories emerged of cruel research continuing, comparable to the exposed experiments of Magnavis. It made sense. Anyone entering or leaving the institute, the moment they stepped even a little deeper inside, could always hear a bizarre discord lingering in their ears.

*“Unintelligible cry!”* *The closer one got to the deepest part, the louder the discord grew.* *Those with senses sharpened by prolonged exposure to the mysteries held within magic felt the sound even more clearly.*

*It was an unmistakable scream.* *“Aaaargh!”*

In the deepest part was a colossal isolation chamber. Partitions and protective walls several meters thick, made of the hardest alloys and materials created by humanity, along with various defensive spells and magic-blocking systems, surrounded the area seamlessly, like the walls of a prison holding heinous criminals. Its purpose was to seal what lay at its center. Up until now, the containment had proceeded smoothly, but unfortunately, considering the caliber of the prisoner trapped within, that alone was insufficient to completely conceal its aura.

*-Partition Wall 5 opening. All personnel except for Grade 5 individuals currently entering are to immediately evacuate to Partition Wall 1. Artifact Analysis and Development Team Leader and 3 others. Prepare for work after entry.* *Ennis, upon entering the isolation chamber in the deepest part, had the opportunity to directly confront the source of the screams that had been lingering in her ears.*

*“More lowly insects are crawling in! A pathetic attempt to break the spirit of a great being!”* *That was the last sound she heard that day.* *As soon as the magical beast’s scream ended, Ennis felt something hot and sticky trickling from her ear.* *Soaked in a gloomy mood, she pointed to her ear.*

“…Um, everyone. Is that really a magical beast? And… I can’t hear anything…” The monitor in front of her flickered, displaying a message as if admonishing her. *-Team Leader, questions are not permitted under the Grade 1 confidentiality oath. If there are no other sensory abnormalities besides hearing, begin work immediately.*

After installing and checking the artifact, the Grade 5 personnel covered their ears and heads and left. A moment later, a booming voice echoed from the speaker. “There’s nothing as refreshing to start the day as hearing the screams of your enemy. So tell me, how does it feel to be humiliated by insects? ‘Great’ Eidos’s servant, sir.” At Cordo’s sneer, the Apostle spewed out violent rage.

*“I will not surrender! I will not be broken! All attempts to destroy my spirit will fail!”* *”Oh really? Everyone talks big before they experience pain. Flip the switch.”* *As the artifact equipment activated, the Apostle was instantly engulfed by overwhelming helplessness and even more extreme pain than before.*

“This is the suppression device developed by the Joint Research Institute. How is it? It’s the result of thoroughly analyzing your body, the equipment you possessed, and other anomalous artifacts. Don’t even dream of escaping. You foolish alien bastard, do you think you’re something special? You can never leave this place.” *“Aaaaargh! Cordovado Restraidna! You dull megalomaniac dreamer! My defeat was merely bad luck. Don’t mistake your current victory for eternity. I will surely kill you with my own hands—Aaaargh!”* *The Apostle screamed agonizingly once more.* *Even in its suppressed state, the powerful telepathic waves it emitted caused researchers and guards to gasp for breath under an indescribable pressure or lean against the walls.* *Their appearance was no different from that of prey hearing a beast’s roar.*

Among the deathly pale faces gripped by fear, only two people remained calm and composed. *“Aaaargh!”* “So, Professor, what are your impressions after observing that fellow until now?” Cordo hummed and chuckled at the Apostle’s screams. Bernike gazed at the Apostle beyond the screen and replied dispassionately.

“Noisy and vulgar. It’s regrettable that anesthesia is impossible. Although minor reactions from the test subject won’t cause critical obstacles to research progress, if this were Luminexa, where I previously worked, we could have conducted research in a more serene environment.” “We are not Luminexa. Just remember that we always do our best. Request whatever support you need.” As the Apostle thrashed, heavy chains rattled. A researcher monitoring the isolation chamber manipulated a control panel.

Soon, the suppression systems activated one after another. High-voltage currents, potent venoms piercing veins, and a variety of slow-acting attack spells. Now, the Apostle’s screams transformed into an indecipherable shriek.

*“Unintelligible shriek!”* “Ah, of course. I have no doubt you will do even better than Luminexa. Of course you would, wouldn’t you?” Cordo almost got angry but stopped himself. The professor was finicky, but their skill was genuine. There was no need to pick a fight with a high-ranking individual. Inside the isolation chamber, folded robot arms unfolded from the wall. Bernike’s face strangely brightened, like a child opening a gift box on their birthday.

Three robot arms moved about, beginning to incise and examine the Apostle’s head and spinal cord. *“Unintelligible scream!”*

“The biggest challenge is that observing its microstructure is difficult due to the almost instantaneous regeneration and distortion that occurs when attempting tissue sampling. It’s also hard to observe with any non-invasive precise examination methods currently possessed by humanity. It’s even questionable if there’s any medication that works on this one. Unless the test subject’s concentration and magical power are exhausted, even minor wounds regenerate quickly. Nevertheless, the academic implications of this sample are immeasurable. One could truly call it groundbreaking. Hehehe…” The continued dissection amidst endless pain touched something dormant beneath the depths of its consciousness.

The Apostle suddenly let out a shrill scream. *“Eep!”* “Hoh, you said you wouldn’t be broken by words, but you’re crying like a girl! Could it be… a female?” Cordo poured scorn on the enemy’s pathetic state. Bernike felt a sense of bewilderment at the familiar cry heard from an unexpected source, but soon resumed observation.

*‘Was Violet’s influence still remaining in that one too?’* *The Apostle itself realized that fact amidst the pain.* *‘Damn it. Traces of my natural enemy still remained?!’* *The Apostle poured out self-derision and lamentation over its miserable plight, but on the other hand, considered itself lucky.* *What miserable abyss would its comrades, who had faced that terrifying natural enemy, be suffering in by now?* *Perhaps it was fortunate to suffer as a test subject rather than endure a fate worse than death.*

*‘I must, must survive. I must endure. I must inform the glorious throne of the natural enemy’s existence—’* *Around the same time, No. 2501 suddenly tilted its head while eating.*

*“That’s strange, didn’t someone just scream?”* *“That’s us beheading a magical beast!”* *“Ah! Nothing special. Let’s eat!”* *No. 2501 salivated at the sight of the pile of french fries and mountain of hamburgers laid out before it.*

Taking a bite, it felt the greasy, savory patty and crispy lettuce. And the combination of sweet yet spicy sauce with soft bread. Then, it crammed three french fries into its mouth and washed it down with a carbonated drink. A look of profound satisfaction spread across No. 2501’s face.

“Delicious!” The Apostle, trapped in the deepest part, thought.

*“I’d rather choose death than live as a lowly insect!”* *No. 2501 thought.*

*“Living as Violet is the best!”*