episode_0402

A broken machine can simply have its parts replaced, but the human body is not so simple. While a rusty screw can be replaced with a new one, damaged muscles or bones are difficult to fully restore even with advanced medical technology.

Ignoring these principles of the body and acting recklessly will inevitably lead to paying a price. Like a debt with exorbitant interest, an overtaxed body will one day relentlessly demand its full repayment.

Like a creditor from whom one cannot run or hide.

That’s why Daphne was currently groaning, face buried in her bed.

From the excessive strain of last night, her body felt as if it had shattered into pieces. Even she, who always woke before sunrise, had no choice but to skip classes today.

“Ugh… my legs feel like they’re tearing apart…”

While the assigned guard Violets massaged her stiff limbs, Daphne forced a smile. Perhaps due to last night’s fierce battle, her mana consumption was extreme.

The option of healing herself with her unique ability and getting up was already far away.

Healing itself was possible, but it couldn’t soothe the pain.

It was clearly the price for overusing her ability.

This must be how a rubber band feels when stretched to its breaking point. Her ruptured muscles, nerves, and messed-up hormone system screamed throughout her body as if protesting against their reckless owner.

The price of abusing her body like a machine, using her healing ability as lubrication, had returned in full.

Without missing a single bit of interest.

“Daphne! What on earth did you do all night? You’re still like this!”

Violet #12404, who was massaging her legs, asked in a worried voice.

Daphne turned her head slightly, glanced at Violet’s furrowed face, and vaguely brushed her off.

“Haha… I guess I overdid it…”

“Ugh! Who just recklessly fights because they have healing abilities?!”

Violet’s sharp gaze instantly turned sorrowful. Seeing that, Daphne bit her lip and decided to completely gloss over what she had done.

If her friend, who was unusually concerned about her safety, found out what she had poured into her body all night, a major disaster was sure to happen. She would probably mobilize an entire division to tie her down.

Even just self-harm training had caused an uproar; if they found out about drug use, it would be utter chaos.

‘That’s not something Violet should be saying…’

Daphne smiled bitterly inwardly. Everyone already knew what drugs Violet took. Consuming combat stimulants and high-concentration painkillers that were dangerous even for Awakened Ones as if they were water was truly characteristic of a wicked terrorist.

Did Violet even have the right to lecture her alone?

‘Come to think of it, I also scolded Violet for using suicide tactics…’

Daphne felt embarrassed by a situation that felt just like looking in a mirror.

There was nothing she could say, one way or another. Moreover, her current body ache-like condition felt more embarrassing the more she thought about it.

‘This is just… a drug side effect. What is this, I’m not even a drug addict… Ugh…’

Daphne’s face flushed crimson.

Violet, unaware of the situation, saw her expression and looked even more worried, wondering if she had a fever.

“Alright, do you feel a bit better now? Get plenty of rest today. I’ll contact the academy for you!”

“Ah, yes… alright… Ow!”

Thus, Daphne unwillingly received care from the Violets throughout the morning.

Thanks to them, her recovery was faster, but she also painfully realized that even an Awakened One’s body was ultimately not a machine.

‘Next time, I really need to adjust the drug dosage better…’

Thinking that, Daphne slowly closed her eyes.

The thought of having to visit the Violet Research Institute (tentative name) suddenly struck her, but her body was too heavy.

“Haaah…”

Right now, all she could do under Violet’s care was groan.

Now was simply the time to get some proper rest.

**

On Saturday morning, Daphne headed towards Eckhardt University. The Violet Research Institute was unexpectedly located in a quiet and secluded area for a university town.

‘Bernike, that person, chose a truly clever location.’

Daphne thought.

She suddenly recalled Dr. Yurik excitedly chattering when he first met her.

“Miss Daphne’s friend will be a crucial key that will shake the very foundations of human history!”

“Is it that significant?”

“Of course! Perhaps… ahem, it’s still hard to say.”

It was unclear exactly what was happening at the Violet Research Institute (tentative name). Even Violet herself seemed to be unaware.

Nevertheless, Daphne instinctively felt that something unusual was going on inside. Just by observing the frequent visits of high-ranking officials from Cascadian and the scholarship student siblings during her first visit, it was clear that it was no ordinary research institute.

It was also suspicious that an unusually large number of crows were seen on nearby street trees and building rooftops.

Violet’s loyal animal servants would occasionally show themselves to allies or friends.

Daphne lightly waved her hand at a crow on a utility pole. The crow responded by saluting with its right wing.

“Caw!”

Daphne tilted her head, watching the crow caw briefly.

‘Did they learn things like that from Violet…?’

The increasingly militarized appearance of the V-animals brought her complex emotions. Animals that gained intelligence and could even speak were truly adorable at first. Not only were they well-behaved, but they also acted charmingly as if they’d leaped out of a fairy tale, and ran errands, making them the ideal pets.

However, as time passed, the animals’ behavior became stranger.

“Behold our dream, running across the sky!”

Daphne’s heart often sank because of the crows that would caw while singing.

Not to mention the mice that would march in formation inside the dorm room when no one was watching.

The multi-colored mice tightly gripped multi-tool knives in their arms as if they were rifles, walking on two feet and squeaking.

“Protecting this land, our nation, together~ We march through a sea of fire! We are the mice!”

Her thoughts paused for a moment as Daphne, having arrived at the research institute’s destination, witnessed a bizarre sight once again.

Upon entering a room filled with noises typically heard in an ironworks, the first thing that caught her eye was a peculiar sight.

-Crunch!

On the laboratory floor was a dog eating iron.

“…Hey, Cookie? What are you eating?”

She called its name a few times. The young yellow-furred hunting dog wagged its tail and stood up when it heard the familiar voice.

“Woof! You’re Master’s friend! Hello?”

Daphne rubbed her eyes blankly. What she clearly saw was a dog chewing on a metallic-colored dog chew toy.

Cookie the dog was exaggeratedly chewing on a gleaming bone as if showing off its strength.

After a light gesture to ask for understanding, she bent down and picked up the bone.

A distinct cold sensation was felt from her fingertips.

“Whine… Give it back quickly, I need to train!”

“Train?”

She couldn’t help but be slightly surprised. It wasn’t a bone after all.

It was a bone-shaped piece of steel. Only then did Daphne look around.

Amidst the strange noises, other dogs were also gnawing on steel bones.

‘Wait, how?’

The dogs’ condition was unusual. Their pupils seemed unfocused.

“Growl! I am an invincible hunting dog!”

And that wasn’t all. On the opposite side of the laboratory, a monkey was pounding on a steel plate with its bare fists.

The steel plate dented every time it collided with the monkey’s fists.

-Clang! Clang!

“Hehe, big sister Daphne is here?”

It was then that a playful voice came from behind her.

A girl, dressed somewhat casually apart from a white lab coat, was grinning.

Daphne faced Phoebe, who was holding ampoules filled with liquid.

“Dr. Drexler. What is all that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. You could say it’s a mission our boss, Violet, entrusted to me a while ago. Do you know about nano-enhancers?”

Phoebe winked and placed the ampoules on the desk.

The shimmering blue liquid sparkled with iridescent colors as it met the light.

“Nano-enhancers, you mean the drug that had issues with rampant distribution and side effects a while ago?”

“Yes, well, I was asked to improve it anyway! And it just so happened that our research needed something similar. Though that clumsy Yurik Oppa couldn’t understand why it was necessary!”

“I see, Dr. Drexler. Are there any side effects?”

“Side effects? I assure you, there are no serious ones! I’ve almost completely removed the original side effects. Though it consumes a lot of mana since it draws on all the body’s mana as a supplementary source.”

“Are there any other precautions?”

“Like it’s harmful if you move too excessively? Oh, but…”

Phoebe, who had been giggling, tilted her head and then suddenly stared intently at Daphne.

“Why would our smart big sister Daphne suddenly ask about something like that? Are you perhaps interested?”

“Huh? Wh-what do you mean by that… I-it’s just, you’re doing experiments like that on animals. Of course I’d be worried!”

“Puhaha! You’re really funny, unnie. I just asked, why are you reacting so intensely? Oh, no way, that can’t be it. I was just kidding. Why are you making such an uncomfortable face?”

Daphne was about to retort that it was natural to feel uncomfortable when someone old enough to be her mother kept calling her ‘unnie’ every day, but she decided against it.

After all, it was true that she was intrigued.

“Well, our good unnie wouldn’t be using something like this, would she? And won’t in the future either! Anyway, you came for that symptom-relief medicine, didn’t you? As for mass production…”

“Actually, I do need it, Dr. Drexler. Is that medicine usable?”

Phoebe’s smiling face twisted. Even the animals, intoxicated by the enhancer’s power, were startled by her words and jolted up.

“Un… Miss Grace, you’re joking, right?”

Daphne’s expression remained unchanged.

**

Countless girls ran through the night streets.

The little Violets ran playfully, blinking their clear, blood-red eyes.

“Where is it? Where is it?”

“Not here!”

The little Violets soon stopped and scanned their surroundings.

With a lantern in one hand and a weapon in the other.

The girls felt proud. Their actions were clearly righteous, illuminating the darkness for anyone to see.

“This is crime prevention!”

All of this was an effort to catch the wicked murderer who had touched their friend.

Just as the forward deployment of the Little Violet reconnaissance unit began, other shadows, accustomed to darkness, also expanded their activities.

“Exile-nim, do you sense anything?”

At the agent’s question, the red-haired woman, Exoria, shook her head.

“No, nothing. The Baptizer seems to be well hidden.”

It was around then that an eerie sensation suddenly brushed past her senses.

‘…!’

Looking towards where the ominous premonition pointed, Exoria stared intently at a small girl who walked past in the distance.

The girl turned into an alley and disappeared elsewhere.

“Did you see that girl just now?”

“Yes, I confirmed it. Her behavior was a bit peculiar, but she was a civilian.”

Despite the agent’s words, the Exile-nim felt an ominous sensation.

What on earth was that sensation, even if it was just for a fleeting moment?

‘After leaving the Monad’s Court, I thought I would never feel that again…’

The Exile-nim of Arsight remained silent.

Because it was too difficult to explain to humans.

The sensation she felt from the girl just now was clearly similar to the feeling of a frog with a snake in front of it [a feeling of extreme fear and helplessness].