The Abyss of Corruption
The Doctor’s Corruption Plan @@ Edward plunging into an endless abyss, and herself watching it happen. Then the thick, passionate kiss between her and Jihyeok… From a third-person perspective, the Doctor observed that scene and thought, So I’m having this dream again.
She truly hated it. If this had been a normal dream, she might have found it ominous yet somehow pleasant. But because of the situation she was now in, only dread remained. She wanted to wake up as soon as possible.
Shwaaaa—!
Did her desperate wish reach someone? Near her floating body, a tremendous gust of wind suddenly surged upward from below, launching her high into the air. Then, accompanied by a crackling noise, the scene abruptly changed. Only complete darkness, without a single speck of light, surrounded her.
This place…
The Doctor instinctively realized she had awakened. Before doing anything rash, she steadied her breathing. A soft, cushioned sensation enveloped her from head to toe. It felt like she was lying on a bed. Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she roughly understood where she was.
This was a room. A narrow one, about eight or nine square meters. The wallpaper was pitch black, and in the corner stood a small rectangular table. On it were items from a break room—coffee pot and the like. In the center of the room was a small table for two. And on one of those chairs… it seemed someone was sitting.
It was a human silhouette. The figure had its legs crossed. Judging by the body shape, it was a woman. Two deep violet lights hovered elliptically where her face should be. Those lights drifted slightly toward the Doctor’s own face before vanishing again.
When the tense Doctor unconsciously twisted her body, the silhouette spoke.
“Looks like you’re awake.”
Recognizing the voice and realizing the figure was Sehwa, the Doctor sat up and asked,
“Are… are you going to kill me…?”
Sehwa burst into laughter. The tone suggested she found it genuinely hilarious. The Doctor’s heart pounded unpleasantly. After laughing heartily for a while, Sehwa stood up and turned on the light.
Click!
A dim bulb with very low luminosity illuminated the room. The Doctor saw Sehwa wearing comfortable shorts and a t-shirt, staring at her with a mocking look, and asked again.
“Are you going to kill me?!”
“Why would I kill you, Doctor? We’re colleagues, aren’t we?”
She had clearly defected to Tyrat’s side, yet she called them colleagues… And after knocking her out earlier, now she was acting like this… The events at the park flashed through the Doctor’s mind, and she unconsciously touched her neck.
Watching her, Sehwa spoke in a gentle tone.
“There was a bruise, but I treated it. You shouldn’t feel any discomfort. The medical equipment’s performance is excellent.”
Medical equipment? Could this place be near the lab?
“Where… where am I…?”
“Not the place you’re thinking of. By the way, you must have been very tired. You slept for a long time. Are you not hungry?”
“Where is Yuria…? Did you capture her like me…?”
“Not very hungry, I see. Shall I make you some coffee?”
“Where is Yuria?! Answer me!”
The Doctor screamed. Sehwa’s eyes changed instantly. She shot up from her chair, strode over, and met the Doctor’s gaze at eye level.
“Doctor, are you not aware of the situation you’re in right now? Answer my questions first.”
The violet light the Doctor had seen earlier now gleamed in her irises, giving off a terrifying aura. Her eyes looked ready to commit murder at any moment. The Doctor felt utter despair. Toward Sehwa, who had completely turned.
But if even a shred of humanity remained in her, there might still be a sliver of hope that she could return.
Avoiding Sehwa’s gaze, the Doctor pleaded.
“Sehwa… please… please go back to how you used to be…”
“You got angry a moment ago, and now you’re on the verge of tears… Your emotional state is a mess. Our Doctor has really broken down… How did it come to this?”
One corner of Sehwa’s mouth lifted slightly as she reached out and tidied the Doctor’s disheveled short hair. The Doctor shuddered at the touch of Sehwa’s ice-cold hand and said,
“I miss the you I used to know… Sehwa… I’m begging you…”
“So you’re switching to an emotional appeal strategy? I’m truly disappointed…”
Sehwa let her words trail off and snapped her fingers using her middle and thumb. Shortly after, a knock sounded from outside the door. The door opened, and a beautiful woman with bright red ponytail hair wearing a white lab coat slowly walked in and bowed to Sehwa.
“You called?”
Sehwa moved to the woman’s side, placed one hand on her shoulder, and looked at the Doctor.
“This child will be attending to you from now on.”
The woman gave the Doctor a polite bow.
“My name is Marcela. My Korean name is Kim Minji. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Jennifer Cash.”
The Doctor couldn’t comprehend what was happening. They had kidnapped her, yet now they were saying this woman would serve her? It was also strange that the woman called Marcela had a look of favor in her eyes.
While the Doctor stood there with her mouth slightly open in confusion, Sehwa pointed a slender finger toward the upper corner of the ceiling.
“You are being monitored, Doctor. So don’t even think about doing anything strange. Not that it would do you any good even if you tried to scheme something.”
“.....”
“I’ll warn you once. Answer every question Marcela asks without fail. Have a pleasant time.”
After delivering the threat in an elegant tone, Sehwa opened the door. She then moved her fingers gracefully from pinky to thumb, as if playing a piano, and gave a farewell gesture.
Clack!
The door closed, and silence filled the room. Marcela, who had kept her head bowed at nearly a 45-degree angle until Sehwa left, now turned to look at the Doctor. She rummaged through the pocket of her lab coat and pulled out a small mechanical device.
“This is a pager. Just press it and I’ll come right away. If you need anything, please tell me anytime. Twenty-four hours a day. I’ll bring you anything you require. However, dangerous items cannot be brought in, so please keep that in mind.”
Her voice was kind. She even seemed slightly excited. The bewildered Doctor unconsciously accepted the pager. Marcela then turned on the coffee pot and continued.
“I threw a tantrum at Her Majesty the Queen for the first time, and she gladly granted my request. I’m truly grateful. You heard her warning clearly, yes?”
Her Majesty the Queen? Had she just referred to Sehwa as queen? The Doctor doubted her own ears and stood there stunned. Marcela, still preparing the coffee without even looking at her, went on.
“If you do not answer my questions sincerely and honestly, something very unpleasant will happen. Something… truly unpleasant.”
“.....”
“I’m really sorry it has come to this. In return, I’ll take good care of you.”
Marcela placed a cup of coffee on the table along with a silicone coaster and smiled sweetly.
“First question. Your fighter still has an unfinished optical weapon, doesn’t it? Its destructive power aside, the range was incredible… How did you overcome the diffraction phenomenon?”
Marcela suddenly brought up physics. The Doctor had no way of predicting where this situation was headed. When the Doctor remained silent, Marcela made a gloomy face, took out a notebook and pen from her pocket, and lightly moved the pen from left to right.
Seeing this, an overwhelming sense of anxiety surged through the Doctor. She asked,
“W-what are you doing…?”
“I’m recording how many times you refuse to answer my questions.”
“Why…? What are you going to do…?”
“I already told you. Something unpleasant will happen. Ah, don’t worry—it won’t have any effect on the child in your womb.”
She even knew about the baby…? No, Sehwa had said she’d put her in medical equipment, so it made sense that they would know. Had the lab been taken over? Did they steal the equipment from there?
“I’ll ask again. How did you overcome the diffraction phenomenon?”
Marcela’s voice had lowered slightly as she repeated the question. The Doctor stopped her racing thoughts and pulled herself together. She didn’t know what that unpleasant thing was, but it was clearly going to be horrific… To prevent it, she had to answer for now.
“I… I created an optical system… If you use it together with Polymus…”
“How exactly was it made? Oh, please don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of stealing your research results. I simply want to have a discussion.”
What did it matter if her research was stolen right now? Her life was on the line. The woman called Marcela—or Kim Minji—seemed to possess considerable knowledge of future science. She didn’t appear to harbor much hostility… In that case, perhaps they could communicate.
“I’m sorry… Could you give me some time to organize my thoughts? I’m very confused right now… Please…”
“Hmm… That’s understandable. Alright. I’ll give you ten minutes.”
“Th-thank you…”
The Doctor placed a hand on her chest, let out a breath, then got down from the bed and sat on the chair. She gripped the coffee cup handle, wondering if anything had been mixed into it, but quickly realized it was a pointless worry. She was a prisoner, a hostage. If they intended to harm her, they wouldn’t have bothered with such a shallow trick as drugs. With that thought, the Doctor closed her eyes tightly and took a sip of the coffee.
My question came as I watched the Doctor’s every move through the monitor. Sehwa clicked her tongue and answered.
“It’s Marcela’s request. She wants to talk with the Doctor while she’s still human. She said it would broaden her horizons.”
Marcela had been eagerly awaiting the Doctor’s arrival. There was no human who could rival her in future science, and the Doctor had created various weapons that had put them in difficult situations. It was only natural. Scientific curiosity. I could understand why she was acting this way.
“I see.”
“Don’t just pay attention to Silvia and Adele. Take care of your subordinates too.”
She was right. I had only thought about rewarding Marcela but never acted on it. Instead, Sehwa was doing it in my place. At this rate, Marcela might end up serving Sehwa more than me.
“She’s changed a lot compared to when I used her as a chair in the early days.”
“What was that? Are you sulking?”
“It’s a compliment.”
I chuckled and rose from the throne. Sehwa brought over a thin coat and helped me put it on. Then she hugged me tightly from behind.
“Have a safe trip, Master.”
It had been a while since I heard that title, so it stirred something in me. I placed my hand over Sehwa’s, which rested below my navel, and said,
“I’ll be back. Keep watching her closely.”
“Yes.”
With that, I stepped through the portal and returned to Korea. From now on, I had to completely erase the Magi… That was work too.