Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Suppression Team
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"Hah... haha. Those crazy bastards. If I hadn't come, they really would have killed the kid..."
The researcher mutters.
He barely manages to collect himself and turns his gaze to the test subject.
"Are you okay? You're alive, right?"
He knows he won't get a reply.
To be honest, he isn't even sure if the test subject is human.
But no matter how he looks at her, she's just a little girl.
She's breathing.
Her breathing seems unstable.
She has a fever.
"They said to dispose of her. The incinerator..."
The researcher tries to find a way.
The others treat this test subject as nothing more than a humanoid magical beast.
Maybe they're right.
After all, she's shown an astonishing level of resilience.
He doesn't know exactly what kind of experiments are being conducted.
But seeing the state of the other test subjects, he can guess.
Ethics don't exist here.
It's a place filled with magical beasts, and he has no idea how they're procured.
Whatever they did, every single one of them has been made docile.
They're obedient.
Once an experiment begins, they never come back in one piece.
More often, they don't come back at all.
They would just burn the tattered corpses.
But this child, the one the researcher is holding, has somehow survived.
He doesn't know if the experiments were less intense, or a different type altogether.
But one thing is certain: she has reached her limit.
"Damn it."
Of course, no one would say a thing if he just tossed her into the incinerator.
The fact that no one would say anything is the biggest problem.
It's a crazy world.
Something that resembles a human, a type of magical beast.
But he's become unsure of what a real human even is anymore.
He carries the test subject and heads for the incinerator.
Then he hesitates for a moment.
In truth, incineration is the right choice.
He's just doing what he's supposed to do.
There's no need to kill her before burning her.
He can just burn her.
"They dispose of the trash separately, so..."
Of course, he has no intention of burning her.
He won't kill her.
Saving her, no matter what, is the right thing to do.
He was powerless and couldn't do anything.
Giving her snacks was the most he could do.
But perhaps this is his chance.
He might be able to get the test subject outside.
"Should I disguise her as trash to get her out?"
Let's drive the garbage truck and get out.
If he can get her out of the facility, he'll figure something out.
He's sure of it.
What should I do once we're outside?
Should I go to a hospital first?
Do non-human beings even go to hospitals?
He can't come up with a plan.
On the outside, she's clearly a person.
The researcher still doesn't know the test subject's true identity.
She has no name, nothing.
"Haa..."
Sometimes, a thought would cross his mind.
Maybe this child isn't a monster at all, but a real person.
With so many humans who defy common sense, like Awakeners, couldn't this child be one of them?
But that can't be.
This organization can't be one that would do such a thing.
No matter what, they said she's not human, so she must not be.
They believe she isn't, which is why they're keeping her locked up until she dies.
They said there's plenty of proof she's a magical beast.
That it's provable.
-Don't be fooled by her appearance. There are shape-shifting magical beasts, so are you going to pity every one that looks human? This is similar.
She's just a magical beast.
They should just kill her, but they're keeping her alive because she's beneficial to humanity.
-If you don't want to do it, then don't. You can just handle all the cleaning so others can focus. You'll do that? Suit yourself.
So, he's basically a janitor.
He couldn't bring himself to participate in the unethical experiments.
In reality, he's a fugitive from his duties.
Still, the pay was good, so he stayed at the facility.
And he felt it was necessary to at least bring snacks to the test subject... the little girl.
He had all sorts of thoughts—exposing the facility's corruption someday, freeing the trapped child.
But he never thought that day would be today.
"No, if I'm leaving anyway, there's no need to go to the incinerator... Is disguising her as trash more trouble than it's worth..."
He organizes his thoughts.
He needs to make a plan, fast.
She's not some monstrous-looking test subject; he should be able to hide a little girl easily.
Let's go now.
Just running away seems better.
The stairs?
The elevator is faster.
B5.
The elevator marked 'Basement 5' appears.
The incinerator isn't this way.
But this is the fastest way out.
*Ding.*
The elevator doors open.
1st floor.
He just needs to get to the first floor.
He gently places the girl on the elevator floor and presses the button.
The elevator begins to ascend.
B5.
The lower floors are barely used.
It's a storage area for large magical beasts, but transporting them is a huge task in itself.
B4.
Small but numerous magical beasts are all locked up here.
B3.
Relatively common and easy-to-capture magical beasts are kept here.
B2.
Those needed for immediate experiments are stored here.
B1.
From here on, it's no longer magical beast storage.
1.
The elevator whirs to a stop.
*Ding.*
An arrival chime sounds as the doors open.
There shouldn't be anyone here.
Someone is there.
A familiar person is visible beyond the doors.
"Director?"
The facility's Director.
He shouldn't be here at this hour.
It's late evening, almost time for everyone to have gone home.
Behind the Director are five members of the Suppression Team.
They specialize in subduing magical beasts.
They're wearing protective suits reminiscent of spacesuits.
In their hands are suppression batons coursing with electricity.
Something is wrong.
"So... where are you taking that? Didn't I tell you to dispose of it?"
"Ah, yes. I was taking it to the incinerator."
"Oh. Right. The incinerator is in the opposite direction."
"I took a wrong turn..."
The Director laughs.
"Haha. A wrong turn? I saw everything."
The security cameras.
He never imagined the Director and the Suppression Team would show up this quickly.
"I knew this would happen. How many times do I have to tell you that a magical beast is just a magical beast?"
"That's..."
"I kept giving you chances because I thought you were a talented individual. But this is a problem. It'll be hard for you to even be a janitor now, trying to smuggle a magical beast outside."
"It's a misunderstanding."
"Put it down and we'll talk."
The researcher carefully sets the girl down.
She couldn't move, but she seemed conscious.
"Bring it here."
"Wait...!"
Without a moment's hesitation, the Suppression Team drags the girl away.
They drop her in front of the Director.
"Where did I put that golf club? Bring it here."
What is he planning to do?
"This is just a magical beast. Didn't I show you the mana detection chart? It's not human. I told you not to be fooled by its appearance."
"I know. I'll take care of it myself. So there's no need for you to get involved, Director."
If he leaves her in their hands, there's no hope.
The rescue, everything, will be over.
"Ah, right. You brought it. Here."
He holds out the golf club to the researcher.
"Hit it."
"What?"
"You said you'd take care of it, didn't you?"
"I don't understand what you mean."
*Thump.*
He kicks the test subject, shoving her in front of the researcher.
"Does this look human to you?"
She doesn't look like she's in pain at all.
Maybe she really doesn't feel pain.
Does that mean it's okay to do anything to her?
"Haha, this?"
She looks human.
Ironically, it's the Director who doesn't seem human.
"Full swing. Hard."
He means to beat her to death.
"......"
The Suppression Team stands menacingly.
He's afraid of the consequences of refusing.
She's just a test subject.
A magical beast.
So he should be able to do it.
But he shouldn't.
This is something he must not do.
He knows this better than anyone.
The little girl looks at the researcher.
He still hasn't cut her bangs.
He couldn't give her the snack, either.
If he makes the wrong choice here, it will haunt him for the rest of his life.
He might regret it forever.
That's as good as being dead.
"...I can't do it."
He has no choice but to say it.
"Well, if that's the case, I can't force you. Give the club back and go."
He takes the golf club.
"Still, I'll take care of this test subject, so please trust me this one time..."
*Whoosh.*
The golf club is raised.
He intends to do it himself.
Stop him.
How?
*Thwack.*
The one who was hit wasn't the test subject, but the researcher.
There's no way to stop it.
He just threw his body in the way, but...
"...there's no way."
*Thud—*
A simple kick.
With just that much force, the Suppression Team could shove magical beasts into their cages.
And the one kicked was a human.
*Thump.*
The researcher was sent flying to the elevator entrance.
"Such a waste to throw away a talented person like this... Well, you can just stay in there for now."
The Suppression Team opens the elevator doors.
They shove the researcher inside.
And the doors close.
"And... what's this?"
The bread and milk lying on the floor.
They fell to the floor when the Suppression Team kicked him.
It was the food he brought to give her as a snack.
"A snack? Hmm. Were you planning to give this to the test subject?"
It seems he'd grown attached to the test subject.
Why would he do something so pointless...
*Crunch.*
He stomps on the bread.
"Clean it up."
But no one answers.
*Shlck.*
Only a strange sound is heard.
"I told you to clean this up... wha...?"
He turns around and sees why.
The members of the Suppression Team, clad in their protective suits, are frozen in place.
The faceplates of their helmets pierced by large black thorns.
*Clatter.* A suppression baton slips from one of the men's hands and falls.
They're dead.
Quietly and quickly.
"Huh?"
He doubts his eyes, but it's reality.
She had silently pierced them through.
Behind the thorns stands the test subject.
"Wait, what? How."
There's no time to wait; it's over.
*Shlck.*
He can't even scream.
The Director, too, could only stand frozen.
As if fixed in mid-air.
"Aha."
The test subject laughs.
*Shlck.*
*Crrunch.*
*Splat.*
Sticky blood seeps out.
A terrifying sound is heard.
*WEEEEEEE.*
The sound of a siren rings out.
If the Director dies, the facility automatically goes into lockdown.
Five members of the Suppression Team are dead, too.
This is an extremely dangerous situation.
If the magical beasts were to escape into the city, the chaos would be uncontrollable.
The white hallway is stained red by the light of the warning lamps.
*Stab.*
*Stab.*
*Stab.*
It's hard to tell if it's the red of blood or the red glow of the warning lights.
She just keeps stabbing.
She's a magical beast.
That's why she kills humans.
It's the fault of the facility for its poor management.
*Stab.*
*Stab.*
*Stab.*
She stabbed him until she was satisfied.
The wailing siren is loud.
The lights flash.
The test subject turns her gaze to the snack on the floor.
She sees the crushed bread.
The milk carton hasn't burst.
She picks it up and dusts it off.
Other than the bag being slightly torn, there's no problem.
The bread has lost some of its shape, but it's okay.
Still, she should get permission before eating it.
The researcher is in the elevator.
She opens the elevator doors.
The researcher is lying collapsed.
*Poke, poke.*
He doesn't get up even when she touches him.
She tried shaking him, but it was no use.
He's alive.
So, what now?
The elevator doors close.
It's quiet, the sounds from outside muffled.
*Nom.*
She takes out the squashed bread and eats it.
It's delicious.
And so, she waits for Researcher A to wake up.