Precise Examination (1)
So the party, now joined by that unpleasant uninvited guest, began moving once more. This time, however, their method of travel differed slightly from before. Instead of walking the entire way as they had previously, they spent far longer descending on lifts. It seemed her claim that the research wing lay even deeper than the area they had just left was true. Paradoxically, the deeper they went, the brighter the facility’s atmosphere became. One could feel it on their skin—they were moving into an entirely different space. By now it was impossible to tell exactly how far underground they had come. Having already taken an elevator down and then continuing to descend like this, they must have passed at least the tenth basement level. The body could roughly sense it, but the mind struggled to accept the reality. Honestly, at this depth the place could pass for a bunker built to survive the end of the world.
Throughout the journey, silence never settled over the group. The self-proclaimed Team Leader Jeong, who had joined last, chattered nonstop like a lark. Most of her commentary consisted of brief explanations about the structures they passed. A quick glance was enough to tell that he already knew everything she was saying. Naturally, her chosen audience became me. Even though my wariness had spiked to its peak after her earlier remark, the information itself was genuinely interesting. While I kept reminding myself to stay on guard, I found myself gradually drawn into her words. As expected of the person in charge of this entire sector, her knowledge was first-rate.
After traveling a little farther, the surroundings changed completely. They entered a vast, spotless white space that looked like something out of an endless corridor. The reflected light from every surface was so intense it hurt the eyes. Between pieces of research equipment, white-coated researchers began to appear one by one. Each of them had been focused on their work, but the moment they noticed the group they bowed deeply in greeting. Naturally, their respect was directed at the woman walking at the front.
Watching from a step behind, however, I noticed something odd about the way the researchers treated her. Because my current body was much shorter than my original one, I could see their faces even while they bowed. They were grimacing with all their might, cold sweat pouring down their temples. It was the exact reaction one would have upon encountering a dangerous creature that should never have appeared here. From a subordinate’s perspective, meeting a superior was naturally stressful, but this felt excessive. Still, the question answered itself without much trouble. If even I—who had only met her minutes ago—could sense something abnormal about her, then those who had worked with her for years must know far more. Realizing that made the scene feel slightly chilling.
Meanwhile, the woman seemed to be enjoying the situation immensely. She shrugged her shoulders and spoke to the two people behind her, but the only response was a heavy, deliberate silence. For a moment the sound of grinding teeth reached my ears. I didn’t need to turn my head to know exactly where it came from.
After that small incident, the group moved deeper inside and finally reached their destination. As the thick iron door slowly opened, a small room came into view. In the center stood a single egg-shaped machine. The rest of the space was completely empty. The only notable feature was the section of the upper right wall covered by a glass partition. Overall, the room gave off a cold, gloomy atmosphere.
When I looked around with obvious reluctance, the woman standing by the entrance spoke.
“This is where the precise examination takes place. Just step inside that capsule-like machine and sit down. The scan will run automatically. You wait here for now. I’ll head up to the control room and explain what comes next.”
With those words she left the room together with him. The heavy thud of the iron door closing sent a small shiver down my spine. I stared at the narrowing gap until it vanished completely, then drew a slow, deep breath. Calm. Calm was essential. There was an old saying about thieves whose own feet gave them away. Panicking here would only make those two suspicious. Even so, I couldn’t stop my eyes from trembling. The room’s atmosphere wasn’t bright like the corridors outside. It felt like an interrogation chamber straight out of a drama—probably because the lighting was concentrated solely around the capsule. Especially the glass panel mounted high on the front wall. Although the structure prevented me from seeing through it, the placement opposite the suspicious machine suggested it served as the control room. Presumably, the two who had just left were now watching from the other side. The fact that I couldn’t confirm it only made the situation more unsettling.
While I was lost in thought, a piercing ringing filled my ears, followed by the sound of something striking metal. Turning toward the noise, I spotted a small speaker mounted in the corner. As expected, a lively female voice soon flowed out of it.
“Ah, ah. Can you hear me? We’re right behind the glass wall in front of you. Even if you can’t see us, we’re still in the same space, so there’s no need to be scared just because you’re alone.”
Those were her first words—clearly meant to reassure me. I glanced at the frosted glass. Imagining her standing just beyond it, staring this way, sent an unpleasant chill across my skin. While I tried to shake the feeling off, her voice continued.
“Now follow my instructions! Climb into that cozy capsule over there and lean back comfortably~ It’s the latest model, so the seating is excellent. It won’t hurt at all, so don’t be nervous!”
Just as I had feared, she was ordering me into the suspicious machine. Her tone was sweet, almost coaxing, like someone luring prey. Yet the target of that voice was a fully grown adult. From my perspective, the whisper felt less seductive than repulsive. I really didn’t want to go inside, but having come this far there was no other choice. Trusting the guarantee Ulthar had given earlier, I shut my eyes tightly and carefully stepped into the capsule. I climbed in first, then lowered both legs side by side. The moment I settled, a soft, cozy sensation enveloped my entire body. At least her claim about the comfort had been true. Because of my smaller frame there was still some space left, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Leaning back and relaxing my muscles felt exactly like sitting in a massage chair.
Once I was fully inside, the capsule lid began to descend slowly. When it sealed shut, a low mechanical hum filled the space, and a strange drowsiness washed over me at the same time.
Uuuuung—
As expected… even though it looked like an ordinary chair, some kind of device had been installed. Strength drained from my limbs and the tension in my muscles melted away. My eyelids grew heavy, fluttering open and closed as I fought to stay conscious.
“Good, good~ Everything’s going smoothly. You don’t have to try so hard to stay awake. It’s supposed to happen, so just think of it as taking a nice nap and relax.”
The devil’s whisper reached me through the haze—sweet, tempting, and far too easy to accept. Yet even as my mind wavered, I bit down hard on my lip. There were many reasons, but the greatest was fear. Who knew what might happen if I lost consciousness? I could wake up inside an incinerator. Worse, my human form might dissolve back into slime the moment I fell asleep. Ulthar had never mentioned that possibility, so the worry felt entirely reasonable.
In the end, I waged a fierce battle against the sleep demon throughout the entire examination. But as everyone knows, the urge to sleep sits at the very top of human desires. No matter how strange my existence had become, wearing a human body made escape impossible.
“……?! Hoo-heup…!”
A jolt like electricity shot through me and my eyes flew open. Damn it… I really had fallen asleep for a moment. Scolding myself for losing to the sleep demon, I quickly checked my surroundings. The capsule lid that had been firmly closed was now wide open. My hands and legs looked perfectly normal, so at least the body hadn’t reverted to slime on its own. I wiped the drool from my mouth and climbed out.
The room outside hadn’t changed. The only strange thing was the silence—no voice came from the speaker even though I had finished the scan. I had expected some kind of reaction, yet the room remained quiet. Their lack of response immediately sparked fresh suspicion. Had something abnormal shown up on the results? Were they already discussing how to dispose of me? The anxiety began to creep back in.
Before the thought could take root, an unexpected voice spoke from behind me.
“Nyaham~ Did the examination go well? I almost fell asleep waiting. So, how was it? Just like I said, the scan was nothing special, right?”
The now-familiar voice rang in my ears. When I turned, the one who had been missing since morning stood there as casually as ever.