Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Project Ark
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📋 Black Princess Investigation Report (ver. Kwon Saeron)
Records confirmed information about the Black Princess.
1. Considers Herself Human
Analysis of conversations and actions to date confirms that the Black Princess perceives herself as human, not an anomaly. The moment this self-perception crumbles, the Black Princess is predicted to go berserk. Therefore, all institute workers must treat the Black Princess as human and act accordingly.
— First Research Director Jeong Yo-han
All workers must keep this in mind.
2. Overwhelming Physical Abilities
The Black Princess demonstrated abilities surpassing the Philosophy Doctor, who was evaluated as having the highest physical capabilities at the Ansong Research Institute. If this anomaly rampages, suppression is expected to be extremely difficult. All institute staff must treat the Black Princess as human.
— Sixth Research Director Kwon Saeron
Considering the above two characteristics, a card key for institute access will be issued to the Black Princess.
3. Regeneration Ability
Possesses a unique ability to regenerate severed limbs in an instant. There was a proposal to test the regeneration ability, but it was rejected due to the risk of rampage.
— Researcher Lee Sehwa
For reference, the Princess herself considers this regeneration ability normal. So let's all avoid being surprised if we see her body regenerate.
4. Anomaly Ingestion
The Black Princess can ingest anomalies. According to the Princess herself, there are tasty anomalies and untasty ones. An agent who ate an anomaly handed over by the Princess described its taste as horrific. What determines an anomaly's taste has yet to be identified. This unique ability is shared only within Republic of Korea research institutes; maintain security to prevent external leakage.
— Reacquisition Squad Leader Park Cheolwoong
The anomaly I ate tasted like a spoiled steak that's been sitting around for ten years. I recommend making up any excuse possible to avoid eating it.
5. Mouth
The Black Princess's ingestion act—or the mouth itself—is regarded as a unique ability. Observed instances include ingesting anomalies larger than her own body and later regurgitating them perfectly preserved. Moreover, the Princess effortlessly bit into the Philosophy Doctor's body, which sustained no damage from a nuclear bomb. Thus, her ingestion act itself is classified as a unique ability.
— Agent Im Yeon-woo
When I saw it firsthand, it didn't look like she opened her mouth especially wide. How does something that big fit into such a small mouth?
Proposal
Considering the above characteristics, it is proposed to store hard-to-contain anomalies inside the Black Princess's body.
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I set down the report I'd been handed.
Director Kwon Saeron gazed at me with a faint smile.
Finally unable to hold back my curiosity, I spoke up.
"What is this?"
"It's a report on the Black Princess. Can't you tell just by reading it?"
I always felt this way, but Director Saeron was utterly unpredictable.
What were those comment-like notes tacked onto the bottom of the report?
I'd only answered because she'd asked if I had anything to say to the others.
Who could've guessed those responses would end up here?
"The report's a little... unusual."
"Hehe. Doesn't that make it way more fun to read?"
I couldn't see her eyes behind the sunglasses, but I could feel Director Saeron smiling.
"Y-yeah, I guess so."
With everyone else's opinions included, it was far easier to read than some stiff, formal document.
But there was something more important than the comments.
"About that last line in the report. 'Propose storing hard-to-contain anomalies inside the Black Princess's body.' Are you serious?"
"Yes. Researcher Lee Sehwa, I'm always serious."
Director Saeron wore a bold, confident expression.
As expected of the institute's top eccentric—the nickname suited her perfectly.
"She can eat anomalies and spit them back out, sure, but there are ones she doesn't regurgitate after eating. What if she digests the institute's anomalies outright?"
"We'll start slow, experimenting with useless ones first. Not every anomaly's valuable, after all."
"Will the Black Princess cooperate willingly?"
"I trust Researcher Lee Sehwa. Haven't you gotten close to the Princess all this time? I'll have to leave that part to you."
Director Saeron flashed a grin.
I was completely outmaneuvered.
"All experiments involve trial and error. And even if this one fails, we'd only lose a handful of anomalies at worst."
Only a handful of anomalies.
The agents who went through hell just to contain one would lose it if they heard that.
"What do you say? Want to lead a new project? I granted Researcher Lee Sehwa's request—surely you won't turn down mine? I'd be so sad."
"Uh, um..."
No wonder she'd agreed so readily. This was her angle all along.
It sounded absurd, but it could genuinely help with institute operations.
"All right. But only if I ask the Black Princess and she agrees. That work for you?"
"Of course. No one in this institute could defy the Black Princess's will anyway."
And just like that, I'd been put in charge of a new project utilizing the Black Princess.
Project name: Ark.
Since it involved storing various anomalies inside her, they'd borrowed the name from Noah's Ark.
I received the paperwork for the experiment.
As I was about to leave the director's office, one question suddenly occurred to me.
"Director. Do you happen to know who that naked man was—the one with me back then?"
I remembered waking up to find some guy there with me.
An unfamiliar face I'd never seen at the institute.
Later, colleagues told me Director Kwon Saeron had looked into him.
"No need to know who he was."
"Huh?"
"Because that person... is no one now."
Director Kwon Saeron was still smiling.
Her eyes were hidden behind those round sunglasses.
"Yes, I understand."
It was answer enough.
I gave a quick bow and left the director's office.
I headed to the isolation room to see the Black Princess.
I opened the door to what was now a pointless isolation chamber and stepped into the Princess's room.
"Hello, Princess. What've you been up to?"
"Nothing in particular."
The Princess sometimes lay perfectly straight on her bed, staring straight up at the ceiling without so much as a twitch.
She was so utterly still it bordered on creepy.
Once, while peeking at her through the CCTV, she suddenly turned her head, our eyes locking across the monitor—I nearly jumped out of my skin, heart skipping a beat.
"Princess, I've got a favor to ask. Wanna hear it?"
I broached the subject carefully, and the Princess slowly sat up from the bed.
She looked so fragile at times, it was hard to believe she was an anomaly.
"If you do me this favor, you can eat anomalies to your heart's content."
The Princess's eyes lit up with interest.
She definitely loved eating anomalies.
"Just one thing to check before I explain. Can you spit all the anomalies you've eaten back out?"
"No. I pick which ones to store. I just digest most of them."
"I see. So, is there some criteria or condition for what you store?"
"No conditions. It's just whatever I feel like. I tend to save the tasty ones a little at a time, to eat later."
Storing food away to eat later.
Like a squirrel or hamster?
Cute habit for an anomaly, huh? Wait a second.
The more I thought about it, the less cute it seemed.
If she were saving humans that way to savor later... it'd be horrifying.
Thank goodness the Princess didn't eat people.
"So, how much can you store?"
"No idea."
"Huh?"
"I've never once run out of space. So even I don't know my limit."
The Princess said it matter-of-factly.
One thing I'd come to realize acutely while spending time with the Black Princess: her abilities always exceeded my predictions.
"Okay, then. Here's the favor: I want you to store the institute's anomalies inside your body. Sound good?"
"Sure."
"Don't digest them. You'll have to spit them back out intact later."
"Got it."
"...You can really do that?"
"Of course. Hehe."
The Princess gave a soft smile.
Everything had gone smoothly, yet I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling lingering inside me.
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