Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Speaking One's Mind
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Click, click. I scrolled through rapidly, reading the informative posts while clicking the mouse.
At first, I skimmed them purely for information, but...
— MiMir Beginner Magic Basics: Easy Even for Newbies — Fran32 How to Talk to Spirits (Long Post Warning) How could I resist titles like those?
Of course, even when I tried following the instructions in those posts with high hopes, nothing happened to me.
Ah, repeating the incantation "Oh water, grant me your power!" about ten times in my empty basement did bring a wave of shame and self-loathing, though.
Anyway.
As time passed, I did veer a bit off track, but my original goal was still information gathering.
Fortunately, there were plenty of useful posts too, like the one Goat uploaded titled "Academy City Updates Today."
The most helpful one by far was a post called "Experimental Awake Manufacturing Process."
The author was Alchemi, and as his nickname suggested—taken from "alchemist"—he was an actual alchemist.
Goat handled distribution of Experimental Awake in Academy City, but this guy was the one who manufactured it.
In the story, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say every problem stemming from "drugs" originated from his hands. He was a fairly significant villain.
I read the post he'd written.
📰 Experimental Awake Manufacturing Process (Gore, Cruel) [40] — Alchemi Everyone know about Experimental Awake, the awakening drug circulating in Academy City? This is the new drug I developed and handed over to Zero One. It's a narcotic that forcibly raises a Psyker's erosion rate. The news is blabbing about Dimensional Beasts attacking Academy City and all that, but the truth is it's just a comedy of Psykers who took the drug turning into Dimensional Beasts. Anyway, I saw Goat's post, and it looks like a lot of society members are curious about Experimental Awake, so I figured I'd clear up your questions in this post. First off, the main ingredient is Psyker blood, which I procure like this. The post had photos uploaded.
In the image, a single person lay in a dark space.
Metal restraints bound their ankles and wrists.
Wires from medical devices resembling ECG machines were plastered across their chest.
Lines from blood collection devices—the kind you'd see at a blood donation center—were connected to the veins in their arms and legs.
💬 Comments — Alchemi Those in research know this, but... procuring Psykers has been tough lately. So I built this blood harvesting system to fill the gap. It was a photo that killed my appetite.
The restrained person looked just like a chicken raised in a battery farm.
Unable to control their own body, reduced to livestock solely for blood extraction.
They no longer looked human.
— Alchemi Psykers are way tougher than humans. With proper nutrition, they last about a month each, give or take. Anyway, back to the point: the drug is made by mixing the harvested blood with dimensional matter and cocaine in the right ratios... The rest detailed the manufacturing process for Experimental Awake, with graphic photos and descriptions of administering it to Psykers and observing the results.
Despite the horrific content, the reactions to the post were mostly positive.
— Fran32 Nice. Humans need to realize their place like this. — Onijjang OP a girl? (Curious about your tastes) — Sin Smart young man. — Goat Made from the mysteries of the human body? Dope ㄷㄷ Not every weirdo approved, though.
The user named Mimir was the only one to leave a dissenting reaction.
— Mimir Hmm... Even so, this method is a bit too distasteful... A true statement of conviction.
Speaking out with a lone NO when everyone else was yelling YES wasn't easy, but as expected of Mimir—who later joins the protagonist's side—her humanity was still intact.
But she probably paid a price for that conviction.
I'm no community expert, but even I knew that blurting out a tactless NO in a situation like that usually got you piled on.
— Sin ↳ Reply Such a frustrating guy. — Fran32 ↳ Reply Can't even say thanks to the guy doing big things for us freaks? What? Distasteful? Hey, you bastard, who the hell do you think you are to spout off like that? — Onijjang ↳ Reply Hmm... a masochist? (Genuinely curious) — Goat ↳ Reply I gotta say, even I think this is a bit lol... As expected, a flood of malicious replies came Mimir's way.
Once public opinion turned against her, Mimir burrowed away, and the lone voice of principle vanished from the post.
Hmm, poor thing.
But what can you do? It's a place full of guys like that.
I copied the full "Experimental Awake Manufacturing Process" post into a notepad file.
The site's bizarre security system—a mix of programming and magic—made it impossible to screenshot; it only captured a blank white image. So, annoyingly, I had to transcribe it by hand.
I transferred the post's contents to the notepad and steadily prepared materials to pass the info to Yubyeol-ha.
Once I messaged the gathered intel to her, she'd relay it straight to the Federal Guidance Bureau.
After sending the documents, I considered shutting down the computer, but then I remembered Mimir getting flamed in the Secret Society.
Hmm.
⭐ Top Comment — Dracula T-Truthfully... chaining them up and exploiting their blood... feels like some niche gore porn with weird tastes... Perfect—a comment that's humorously on-point while showing some conviction.
I hit enter.
They say a true friend is the one who stands by you in your darkest hour.
My plan was to side with Mimir in her moment of getting dogpiled and win some favor with her.
It might sound silly to think one community comment could earn affection, but it was my own show of sincerity toward Mimir.
Stamping my presence like this would come in handy later when persuading her.
— Goat ↳ Reply What are you even saying... Dracula... Is this guy addicted to the community or what?
He seems perpetually online every time I check.
Seeing Goat's lightning-fast reply, I shut down the computer.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Academy City's 1st District, home to the airport and harbor, housed the Federal Guidance Bureau.
The organization responsible for law and order in a city teeming with Psykers wielding superhuman might.
The Federal Guidance Bureau—the only administrative body mixing adults and students—was a unique feature of Academy City alone.
It was Yubyeol-ha's first time visiting the Federal Guidance Bureau.
As she entered, she drew the eyes of everyone in the room.
She was a celebrity in Academy City, after all.
Yubyeol-ha pulled her uniform cap low with an air of irritation and addressed a student who looked like a Guidance Squad member.
"Hello. I'd like to see the Guidance Chief."
"The Chief? What's this regarding...?"
"It's a personal matter. Please tell her Cadet Yubyeol-ha is here."
The Guidance Squad member was the curious type, full of questions, but one look at Yubyeol-ha's prickly expression shut him up. He hurried off.
Moments later, Yubyeol-ha entered the Guidance Chief's private office.
"Hello, Senior Cheryl."
Yubyeol-ha gave a polite bow to the Guidance Chief, who was seated and monitoring the surveillance screens.
"Hello. Nice afternoon, isn't it, Byeol-ha? You never come no matter how much this senior begs, so what wind blew you here?"
Cheryl Bloomingrose, the Federal Guidance Bureau's student Guidance Chief, flashed a playful smile at her courteous junior.
"Well..."
Uncharacteristically, Yubyeol-ha averted her eyes, looking deeply troubled.
Cheryl Bloomingrose was a third-year senior at Arcana Dimensional Beast Hunter Academy, just like Yubyeol-ha.
She'd been inviting Yubyeol-ha to join the bureau's student division since enrollment day, but Yubyeol-ha had always refused.
Yet here she was, rushing over the moment she had business. Naturally, Cheryl had some grounds to tease.
"I have something to tell you directly, Senior..."
"Hehe, just kidding. Go ahead."
"Ahem."
Yubyeol-ha pulled some documents from her pocket.
Cheryl dropped the playfulness and eyed the papers with a serious expression.
"This is..."
"Information related to the recent Dimensional Beast incidents."
The documents Yubyeol-ha handed over had been prepared by Baek Do-hyun.
They covered everything from Experimental Awake to the frequent occurrences among students in the 5th District.
Cheryl looked over them with keen interest.
At this unexpected development, she drummed her fingers on the desk with a smile.
"Byeol-ha."
"Yes."
"Where did you get info like this?"
"Just... here and there..."
Baek Do-hyun had repeatedly warned Yubyeol-ha never to reveal his identity to the Federal Guidance Bureau.
Yubyeol-ha was bad at lying.
Her honest nature showed every emotion plainly on her face, making it obvious.
Aware of that, she agonized over how to respond.
But Cheryl didn't press further.
It was her way of showing consideration for a junior seeking help.
"Alright. I can always tell the Director it was something I handled with my abilities."
"Thank you."
"But I have a condition. I'd like to borrow your hand for this incident... Possible?"
The weight of Cheryl's steady gaze was burdensome.
Yubyeol-ha had no choice but to nod.