episode_0003

Ever since I awakened the status window, I had been organizing my thoughts. Mainly about the game’s setting.

If I wanted to survive, I needed to understand things like this thoroughly starting now.

‘But I didn’t know the Witch of Immeasurable was from here.’

Did she become a villain because she lived in such a terrible environment? There was no particular mention of her past in or out of the game.

Well, Director Yeom and the scenario team’s policy was far from ‘this guy was actually pitiable too.’

No matter what, I wanted to escape this place.

So these days, I’ve been practicing my superpowers. Of course, it’s not entirely voluntary; the researchers make me do it.

Footsteps approached, and then a guard opened the door and called for me.

“Follow me.”

“Y-yes…”

I meekly followed the guard.

After my consciousness became clear, there was one thing I focused on first: acting like a simpleton.

If a kid who used to act stupid suddenly starts speaking clearly, it just draws unnecessary attention. If I’m unlucky, they might even try to dissect my brain.

I arrived back at the same testing facility as last time. This time, however, I entered with two researchers and one guard.

“Alright, Violet. This time we’ll try a new exercise. Do you see the tools in front?”

While the male researcher with slicked-back hair operated a computer and various unknown electronic devices from one side, a female researcher with a ponytail, whom I hadn’t seen before, explained things to me softly.

As I awakened my unique ability, the researchers’ attitudes seemed to soften. Their gaze seemed very warm.

“Y-y-yes… I understand…”

*Click!*

“Eek!”

No. It’s the same as before! My body flinched from the light electric shock.

“Pay attention. 10-6-8. How can you follow properly like that?”

Perhaps displeased with my way of speaking, the male researcher activated the collar around my neck. It was a weak output, judging by how it hurt less than before. Still, it stung.

“Y-yes… I’m sorry…”

“Answer properly!”

“I’ll do it properly…”

This stern researcher kept getting angry at me. It’s so hard to stammer like this.

Meanwhile, the female researcher placed a brainwave measuring helmet on my head, covered in electrodes and wires. Could this possibly read thoughts too?

‘Trash! Abusers! Your mothers are goblins!’

“You’re not thinking anything suspicious, are you?”

No, how did he know? Was it really a thought-reading brainwave detector?

“If you don’t want another taste of electricity, focus, understand?”

No, he’s just trying to scare me. As the guy raised the electric collar switch in his hand and showed it to me, I pretended to be scared and cowered…

No, I actually cowered. Good grief, conditioned reflex!

Seeing that, the ponytail researcher stood in front of me as if to protect me and admonished the slicked-back hair.

“Stop! Louis, the child is scared. Our Violet is so good and obedient… isn’t she?”

Excuse me, Auntie-nim. It’s nice that you’re defending me, but when did we, who’ve only known each other for a few days, become ‘our Violet’? It feels a bit much.

Ponytail turned her back to Slicked-back Hair. She bent down to look at me and cooed as if consoling a baby.

“Did it hurt? It’s okay now. It’s not because Violet is bad. You just need to not make mistakes next time.”

“Yes…”

“It’s okay, you won’t get hurt if you just do a few things that your unnie and ahjussi here ask. Our Violet is a good girl, so you can listen to unnie’s request, right?”

“…Y-yes… I’ll try my best…”

Upon hearing my answer, the ponytail researcher stood up with a gentle expression and exchanged subtle glances with Slicked-back Hair. What in the world was that?

Soon, they gave me several instructions.

First, I manipulated the aether within my body and extended my arm.

An invisible flow of aether coursed through my arm, and then a human figure surged up from the floor on the opposite side of the room.

As the figure materialized, a girl resembling me appeared.

“Good job. Now, let’s do a few simple exercises!”

Now I manipulated the clone as the researchers instructed. At first, we started with light exercises, moving arms and legs.

With calls of “One, two! One, two!”, I did a few jumping jacks, and stretched my arms and legs out fully.

Thinking of it as puppet manipulation, the clone moved naturally.

“10-6-8, do you see the equipment in front of you now? Now, pick them up and put them down one by one as instructed.”

Next, I practiced moving tools by manipulating the clone. In front were household items like baskets and bowls, dolls, several large and small dumbbells, and barbells with multiple plates.

I manipulated the clone to lift and lower the items one by one as instructed. *Heave-ho, heave-ho!*

Items like baskets and dolls were very easy to lift. The dumbbells could somehow be lifted too. But the barbell couldn’t be lifted. This was because the clone’s strength was similar to mine.

The clone struggled with the barbell for a long time. Its duration expired, and it turned into shimmering dust and vanished.

But just as I thought it was all over and turned around, the slicked-back hair guy commanded.

“I didn’t say you were done, did I? Lift that.”

“…The clone… disappeared… I can’t lift heavy things…”

No, can’t he tell just by looking?

How am I, a girl, supposed to lift that, when even you look like you can’t lift it? As I tried to argue, stammering a bit, he gestured at the barbell with his chin.

“Then, you can lift it with your clone, can’t you? Wouldn’t two people be able to lift it?”

“I have no strength… I can’t feel the aether.”

“Lies. The stats show you still have half left.”

He babbled while looking at his tablet. As I hesitated, he operated the switch.

*Zap!*

“Ack! I’ll do it…!”

I unwillingly created a clone. Unlike when I generated the previous clone, a great weariness washed over me.

Hating the electric shocks, I barely managed to struggle with the clone to lift and lower the barbell. *Thud!* The barbell hit the floor with a crash.

From behind, the ponytail researcher approached, exclaiming dramatically, “You did great! Violet! I knew you could do it!”

Knew what, you crazy woman… Oh, my back!

After that, I repeatedly went through all sorts of nonsense before leaving the testing room. So this is what it feels like for your body to be as heavy as water-soaked cotton.

The girl’s body was incomparably weaker than my previous male body. Behind me, Slicked-back Hair was talking to Ponytail about electrocardiogram responses during aether depletion.

After hearing the instructions, I left the testing room. But this time, the ponytail researcher said something to the guard and then personally escorted me to the front of my room.

“Our poor Violet… you must be very tired, right?”

“Yes… I’m okay…”

She suddenly hugged me. Wait, this doesn’t feel like a comforting hug. What’s wrong with you?

“This is all for your own good. You understand, don’t you? You just need to endure a little longer…”

“Huh…?”

No, wait. Auntie-nim…? Where are your hands going right now?

“Our cute Violet…”

The ponytail researcher’s hand, which had been patting me, subtly slid down below my waist.

No, where are your hands groping? On someone who looks like a teenager? This is chilling!

For a moment, I barely managed to hold back the torrent of curses that threatened to burst from my mouth.

“H-h-eek… I-I’m… okay…”

“Oh dear… That nasty ahjussi must have upset you very much. But if you just work a little harder, it’ll be okay. Alright?”

No, I’m not upset. So please, stop groping me. Okay?

The ponytail researcher smiled, sweeping a strangely sticky gaze over me, then turned and left.

The door lock clicked shut. I collapsed onto the bed feeling the absolute worst.

“Hah… F-ck… This is truly wretched…”

A curse spontaneously slipped from my mouth. Startled by myself, I cautiously scanned my surroundings for a moment before collapsing back down.

There’s CCTV in this room. It doesn’t seem to have listening capabilities, but I made a mistake.

I resented the being who sent me here. If they were going to possess me into a body, why not a comfortable one, like a noble or a chaebol? Why turn me into a lab rat? I can’t even curse freely because I have to be careful.

‘There’s nothing I can do.’

Oh God, if you were going to possess me into a place called ‘Academy City’, why didn’t you send me to a school with girls who wear halos on their heads, or at least a middle school girl who shoots railguns with coins? Why did you throw me into this gutter?

If I’m going to be a beautiful girl, wouldn’t it make more sense to send me to a comfortable place where I receive people’s praise and affection?

In novels and webtoons, an ordinary Male A becomes a beautiful girl one day. And then they become an invincible idol, raking in money and popularity through internet broadcasts or sponsorships.

But I became a beautiful girl and instead of money, I get electric shocks, and instead of attention, I get surveillance.

I thought my life was a romantic comedy, but it was an absurd play!

I quietly opened the status window. Fortunately, only I could see it.

—————————————————————-

Name: Violet Dunhind Ruzilin

Alias: Subject 10-6-8

Status: Research Subject

HP: 900/1000

MP: 0/1500

Unique Ability:

■■■■: ???

Lv1 Clone Technique: ???

*Your destiny rests in your hands.

—————————————————————-

‘Out of mana.’

I used the clone technique roughly twice, and each time I generated a clone, about 750-800 MP was consumed. Although the amount of mana consumed by the clone moving is small, it still needs to be calculated separately.

I was so tired because that slicked-back scoundrel overworked me. I just found out that exhausting all aether brings extreme fatigue. My HP also decreases.

Now that I think about it, those researchers were playing good cop, bad cop.

It’s a classic gaslighting technique. The male researcher scares me, and then the female researcher pretends to protect me, subtly coaxing me into obedience.

Was my act as a simpleton too effective? Even so, I was a social adult who even had a temporary teaching position once; they dare try to deceive me.

And what kind of taste does that female researcher have? The sensation of her hand groping below my waist was horrifying.

A bewitching beautiful girl who seduces regardless of gender, oh, how amazing.

Still, if the first person to attempt such a thing had been a creepy old man, I would have forgotten to act and exploded, so let’s just think of it as a vaccination…

Positive thoughts, positive thoughts…

A groan automatically escaped my lips. I pulled a thin blanket over myself, closed my eyes, and forcefully pushed down all the bad feelings inside.

I am a helpless Level 1 girl now, but I will definitely get my revenge in the future.

‘The grudge for giving me electric shocks!’

‘The grudge for that old Auntie-nim harassing me!’

So, I will remember all future grudges. The moment I return to power, I won’t let any of you off.