Angel of Eden
Today, as always, I arrived at work right on time at ten o'clock, changed into my lab coat, and sat waiting in the chair. It had been exactly one month since I started this job. With four weekends in between, that meant thirty-two working days, and the money I'd earned came to a whopping 160,000 tunes. After paying for gym membership, procedure costs, and various other expenses, I had about 50,000 tunes left as pocket money.
Krr, fifty thousand tunes of disposable income. Working in the lab had definitely been the right choice.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Master.”
“Shall we begin another pleasant experiment today? Are you ready?”
“I’m always ready, sir.”
Master filled the syringe with today’s drug using the same practiced movements. The measurement markings on the syringe that was filled with medicine every day had gradually crept higher, and lately it was almost completely full.
The moment the drug entered my neck, which I had obediently offered, my previously racing heart filled with calm. Recently, if I didn’t receive the injection, my chest would flutter for no reason or I’d feel slightly anxious. Master had said it was one of the drug’s effects, so I didn’t worry about it, but it was still uncomfortable.
“Haa, it feels good.”
“It’s going smoothly. Your body has become quite accustomed to the drugs. Would you look into my eyes?”
“Yes.”
Within my clear, vividly colored vision, Master’s face stood out sharply. Even as the surroundings blurred, his face remained strikingly beautiful.
“Hmm, your pupils are quite dilated. The color of your irises has changed as well. The progress is good. You don’t feel sleepy anymore, do you?”
“No, I feel a bit hazy, but I’m fine.”
At first, I would always fall asleep after the injection, but now I was okay. That was why lately I could give my own opinion about how the drugs felt.
A little later, I received a brief explanation of today’s experimental drugs.
“The first drug today is one that develops the cells in the mammary glands and breasts. It was created for women with modest breasts like yours, Elisha.”
Master held up a pink vial as he explained. A drug that enlarged breasts—if it grew them naturally rather than artificially, it would probably sell incredibly well.
“The second drug strengthens the natural regenerative power of uterine cells. It allows a uterus damaged by menstruation, childbirth, or other reasons to heal naturally with enhanced recovery, making it resistant to various diseases.”
“Does it reduce menstrual cramps too?”
“Of course.”
Ooh, this would be amazing for Kate. No matter how diligently she massaged, the effect was minimal and she was still taking painkillers.
Come to think of it, all the drugs we were testing today seemed to be first-time experimental ones. Just how did Master make drugs like these? With such incredible effects, there were probably side effects too.
“What are the side effects of these drugs?”
“The first one causes severe pain, and the second causes intense itching.”
“That sounds pretty bad.”
“Hmm… quite a lot?”
Considering Master’s habit of always downplaying side effects, this was probably going to be extremely unpleasant. I could endure pain well, but I was weak to tickling. I wasn’t sure if I could handle it.
“Let’s restrain your body first.”
When Master touched the control panel on the chair as usual, leather straps emerged from the seat, wrapped around my body, and tightened firmly. The straps that had automatically tightened and loosened several times stopped at a moderately tight level.
“Now I’ll administer the first drug.”
Master skillfully pulled aside the lab coat covering my chest and thrust the syringe needle deep into my nipple without hesitation. A stinging, piercing pain surged through me, but thanks to the drug’s hazy effect, my mind was floating and it didn’t hurt too badly.
He adjusted the needle’s position a few times before beginning the injection. I had received countless injections while serving as a test subject, but there was always something about them that made a person flinch. Ugh, I really hated needles no matter how many times I got them.
As the liquid in the syringe decreased, the tight, aching pain in my breasts grew stronger. Once both nipples had been injected, Master touched my breasts with his hand and said,
“This drug is still in development because the pain side effect is quite severe. The duration varies by individual, but it usually lasts about an hour. Just endure it and then tell me how much it hurt.”
After Master left his seat for a moment, I had to fight the pain that tormented my dazed mind. It felt like my chest was burning and melting at the same time—an excruciating agony. If it hurt this much even for someone like me who had a high pain tolerance, it definitely wasn’t ready for the market.
Because my head was fixed facing forward, I couldn’t even see the clock on the lab wall. I simply closed my eyes and tried to endure. After holding on for what felt like forever, the burning pain in my chest gradually faded, replaced by a cool, refreshing sensation. It was similar to the refreshing feeling after finishing an intense workout.
Even after the drug’s effect ended, Master still hadn’t returned, so I remained tied to the chair, unable to move, only able to wiggle my fingers as I waited. Some time later, Master finally came back, sat down, and asked,
“Is it over?”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“How was the pain?”
“It felt like my chest was burning and melting at the same time.”
“On a scale of one to ten?”
“About six? I think around there.”
“Hmm. If you rate it a six, it should be considered at least an eight. You have a high tolerance for pain, after all.”
Master entered the information into his tablet and immediately prepared another syringe. The one filled with pink liquid had an exceptionally long needle compared to the others.
“The needle on that syringe is really long.”
“It has to go in deep. This one is injected directly into the uterus.”
Directly into the uterus? That sounded incredibly painful.
First, Master removed the lab coat covering my lower abdomen and pressed firmly on my belly to locate the spot. Thanks to all the massages I’d received, I could clearly feel where my uterus was, and it was caught beneath his hand.
“Found it. Your slim build makes it easy to locate.”
“Ugh… Please be gentle.”
The syringe’s fine needle soon pierced deep into my abdomen. It went in astonishingly deep, eventually stabbing my uterus with a stinging pain as I felt the cold liquid spread inside.
“This drug causes more itching than pain. The cellular changes stimulate the nerves so intensely that it’s supposed to be extremely ticklish.”
The moment Master spoke, my uterus began to grow increasingly itchy. I was already tied down and couldn’t move, but the sensation of an internal organ itching was unbearable, causing my stomach muscles to tense involuntarily.
“Ugh, this… it’s so itchy!”
“There, there. Be a good girl. You have to relax for me to pull the needle out.”
Master kept talking to distract me, but it was hard to endure. Ugh, now I understood why tickling was used as a torture method. While I desperately tried to relax my body, he safely removed the needle and applied a medical bandage. The itching then spread across my entire lower abdomen, bringing a strange new kind of torment.
“Aah! It’s too itchy!”
“Endure it.”
“Hngh!”
The torment of itching while unable to move was beyond imagination. I thrashed and screamed mindlessly, but I couldn’t budge an inch. I clenched my teeth and bore the itching, unsure how much time had passed, but I could feel it slowly beginning to subside.
“Haa… haa. It’s starting to lessen a little now.”
“How bad was the itching? This was an improved version, you know.”
“Ten out of ten. I thought I was going to die.”
“Since you’re weak to tickling, Elisha, I’d rate it about an eight.”
Master muttered to himself as he filled out the chart. I had noticed it before, but it seemed my opinions were rarely recorded exactly as I stated them.
“To commercialize it, we need to bring it down to at least a five, but we still have a long way to go. It must be because of the rejection response…”
“Rejection response?”
So the pain and itching side effects were due to some kind of rejection response?
“I can’t tell you the details, but just know that monsters are used in the manufacturing process.”
“Monsters? Oh my.”
Hearing the word “monster” gave me a strange feeling—I wanted to know, yet I didn’t. I was curious, but if I heard some horrifying development story I couldn’t even put into words, it would probably just leave a bad taste in my mouth.
“More importantly, could you untie me now?”
While I was distracted, I must have tensed up without realizing it, because the restrained areas were aching. When Master operated the chair again, the leather straps loosened, retracted into the seat, and disappeared. By then, the remaining itchy sensation had completely vanished.
“The injection sites aren’t still painful or itchy, are they?”
“No, it’s all gone now that some time has passed.”
“It’s extremely rare, but there have been cases where slight pain remained as a side effect. It only happened with the very early versions of the drugs, though.”
“But I don’t feel any changes. Is the drug not working?”
“The effects appear gradually. There are also differences based on genetic factors and other variables. I’m not sure how it will be for you, Elisha. We’ll check again later.”
“Understood.”
Looking at my naturally endowed body, the breast drug probably wouldn’t have much effect. At that moment, the communicator in Master’s shirt pocket beeped. He stepped away to take the call, then turned back to me with a surprised expression. It was rare to see Master look so startled. Had something big happened?
“You still haven’t bought a communicator? Making someone else deliver such important news—go get one immediately.”
“What’s going on? I haven’t bought one because they’re expensive…”
“You’ve finally been assigned a role. The message is to come to the Immigration Bureau as soon as possible.”
“Huh? Really?”
I was bewildered. I hadn’t done anything yet, but I was being given a role? In Eden, being assigned a role meant becoming a full citizen. I currently had a temporary ID with many restrictions, but once I received a formal ID, I would gain benefits like loan services.
“So suddenly? I haven’t done anything special.”
“They’ve been processing your paperwork alongside the treatment support. Normally a role assignment device would determine it quickly, but reusing it on someone who lost their memories is difficult. Since this is the first case where memory loss was the only outcome, it drew quite a bit of attention…”
Ah, I hadn’t known they were reviewing my documents. After moving to the dormitory, there had been no news, so I thought I would have to undergo a separate review once I regained my memories. Apparently not.
“I put in a little effort myself. You’ll be given a good role.”
“You did, Master? How?”
“Well, just a bit of simple document manipulation?”
Master winked playfully. Wasn’t that basically forging official documents? It was dangerous and illegal. The way he casually mentioned such a serious thing gave off a real mastermind vibe.
“So the reason you were surprised earlier wasn’t because of the role assignment, but because I didn’t have a communicator?”
“Obviously. How can a modern person not own a single communicator?”
“I have to save money.”
Aside from the cost of the device itself, the monthly communication fees alone exceeded ten thousand tunes—even on the cheapest plan. That was outright price gouging.
“Go check today and let me know when you come in tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’ll go right now.”
I hurriedly changed clothes, left the lab, and headed for the Immigration Bureau. Once assigned a role, a stable job matching that role would follow. The lab work I was doing now wasn’t bad, but since it was only a contract position, there was always the chance it could suddenly end depending on Master’s or the lab’s circumstances. I recalled a book title I’d seen online: The Sorrows of Contract Workers. I’d heard that in some countries outside Eden, most workers were short-term contract employees. I wondered what it felt like to live that way. Maybe that was why so many people wanted to immigrate to Eden. Most facilities in Eden were state-run, which meant they were civil service jobs. The rest were either self-employed or full-time employees.
With these thoughts swirling in my head, I boarded the still-crowded train, arrived at my destination, and walked briskly toward the Immigration Bureau. Even among Eden’s many tall buildings, the majestic structure before me ranked among the highest. This was the Immigration Bureau, which oversaw all immigration into Eden. It was also responsible for assigning roles to immigrants—and the place where I had my accident.
I entered the building, submitted my temporary ID to a staff member, and stated my purpose.
“Miss Elisha. Please proceed directly to the Director’s office.”
“Thank you.”
I took the private elevator the employee indicated and headed to the top floor. The Director’s Office. The words were boldly displayed on the nameplate. It was also where I had received my temporary ID. Last time I had followed an expressionless man wearing black sunglasses, but now that I had a temporary ID and permission, I could go alone.
The secretary I had seen before was still stationed outside the Director’s office. She announced my arrival and opened the door for me. I bowed politely and stepped inside. Director Bill Zain, whom I had met previously, greeted me warmly.
“Miss Elisha. Come in, come in. I’m delighted to be the one delivering such good news.”
“Hello, Director Bill.”
“Please, have a seat.”
I sat down, feeling slightly nervous, and looked at Mr. Bill. He pulled a thick stack of documents and a square object that appeared to be an ID from his drawer and placed them on the desk.
“Your background, talents, the recommendation from your sponsor, and the fact that you were an accident victim all helped the document review proceed smoothly. As of today, you have been assigned a role and have officially become a citizen of Eden.”
I took the documents he slid toward me. They were filled with incomprehensible graphs and symbols, making it impossible to understand anything.
“According to the documents, your talents are truly outstanding. You scored well above average in every field, showing exceptionally high values. The only problem is that your lost memories and experiences mean you cannot yet utilize those talents properly.”
Um, I still don’t understand any of this. He knew I had lost my memories, yet he expected me to decipher such complicated paperwork?
“After much deliberation, the review committee has decided on your role. Since even God has approved it, I am confident it is the perfect fit.”
When I picked up the square device that was supposed to be my ID, nothing was displayed on it. Ah, so this was the electronic ID I had heard about. It was supposed to recognize a thumbprint and only display information when the owner held it. Just as I had been told, when I placed my thumb on the marked circle, my photo, name, and other information appeared on the screen.
“Are you listening?”
“Ah, yes.”
“You have been assigned the role of Angel.”
“Pardon? An Angel?”
“Become a noble angel and work for the sake of Eden.”
“Me? An Angel?”
Wait, weren’t Angels the bartenders who worked in bars? Or perhaps counselors like Stella, who needed a broad heart and eloquent speech to listen to people’s troubles rather than relying on physical ability…
“You will receive Angel training at a specialized educational institution. It’s the most elegant building in the Education District, so it should be easy to find.”
“Ah, thank you. I’m not sure if I’ll be any good at it, but I’ll do my best.”
“It will be fine. Once you complete the Angel training, you’ll naturally become skilled at it, so don’t worry.”
After bowing to the kindly smiling Director, I carefully placed the ID he had given me into my pocket and left the Immigration Bureau. I felt somewhat dazed. To think I had been given the role of Angel—one of the most highly respected positions in Eden. Just what kind of magic had Master worked to make an ordinary woman who had lost her memories receive such a role?
As I headed back to the dormitory, the daze gradually faded, replaced by joy. I had never imagined I would receive a formal ID so quickly, let alone be assigned the prestigious role of Angel. I couldn’t help but feel happy.
With an excited heart, I returned to the dormitory and searched on the computer for information about Angels and Angel training. As expected, everything I found was just rumors, and I couldn’t locate any detailed information. Since I now had formal citizenship, I used my unique number to register on the Angel Information Sharing Site. Until now, with only a temporary ID, I could only view publicly available information and couldn’t join.
Could I just register with my name? After entering my name, address, and other personal details, the registration was completed. The most active boards on the site were the popularity vote board and the strategy guide board. They held a weekly vote to select the most popular Angel, but it was also a corrupt board where famous Angels with large fanbases always swept the top ranks.
The strategy guide board was a kind of information-sharing forum where users analyzed each Angel’s preferences and personality traits, almost like a game. It was also a strange place where only a few people who seemed to do this professionally wrote nearly all the guides.
Among them was a strategy guide for Stella, but the most recent post was from three years ago, so its reliability was extremely low.