The Assistant of the Research Institute (3)
Was it Seoyoon's mistake?
Where did it leak from?
Lucia's whispered words left Seowoo unable to hide his inner shock.
But who was Yoon Seowoo?
A man who had survived three years in a place where survival was not guaranteed.
"...... This is the first time I've heard of it. I don't know anything about it."
Without the slightest hesitation, Seowoo brushed it off and began to calm his heart.
A steady breathing that didn't get swallowed by tension.
He forced himself to maintain a calm mind so his pulse wouldn't race.
"Ah, it's not like I'm saying anything to you, Seowoo."
"Does that mean...?"
"Hah... Yes, it's not our research institute, but somewhere else."
Recalling the content she received a few hours ago, Lucia let out a light laugh.
"Isn't that quite amusing?"
'Not the research institute, but trying to escape Nectar.'
She added, snapping her fingers.
Tap!
The crisp sound echoed, and servants who had hidden their faces outside the director's office entered in unison.
With multiple hands moving, the tea table was completed in an instant.
It was made with a makeshift, rough appearance, but its completion and elegance were in no way inferior.
"Thank you for your hard work."
At Lucia's indifferent remark, one of the servants trembled slightly.
"......"
Seowoo's eyes, with nowhere to go, turned toward the servants.
From the bent waist, a small stature continued.
A cloth wrapped around the face that hid the view ahead.
Noticing Seowoo's gaze, another servant scanned the surroundings.
Unlike the experimental subjects in the livestock pen, they weren't that bad, but just a bit better than livestock.
Fifty-fifty at best.
Perhaps facing his other future, Seowoo's head was filled with ominous thoughts.
"What are you thinking so hard about?"
Lucia took a sip of the tea the servant brought and woke Seowoo from his reverie.
"...... Seeing them makes me a bit uneasy."
Not too much, but honestly.
An answer that indirectly indicated his position and clearly drew the line in the master-servant relationship.
"Ah, now that I think about it, you rarely see servants, do you?"
"Yes, that's right."
Seowoo working in the lower and middle floors of the research institute.
Servants serving high officials in the top and upper floors.
Their activity areas were strictly different.
"Um..."
"Speak."
"Is it to prevent accidental incidents that might happen by chance that they're covering their faces with cloth...?"
Like the mistake he made yesterday, looking up at her.
It was probably for a similar reason with high probability.
"No? They are all blind people who had their eyes gouged out. Because they are ugly in appearance, they are covered."
"Ah......"
Lucia, with a smile that seemed to ask what kind of nonsense he was saying, dismissed Seowoo's question in one go.
The barbarism that far exceeded his expectations brought a long sigh from his mouth.
"By the way, that's unusual. For someone who usually keeps their mouth shut, asking questions. Does that mean you've become a bit more at ease with me?"
"N, no way!"
It couldn't be that you've become at ease.
Seowoo took a submissive pose to show that it wasn't that meaning.
"Hehe... I'm joking."
Lucia, using the kneeling Seowoo as a cushion, sipped her tea.
"You've always spouted stiff words, and showing an unexpected side made me want to tease you. But don't worry too much. If you continue like this in the future, there's nothing to worry about."
This was a subtle threat and warning.
A kind warning that since she was always watching, don't do anything foolish.
However, contrary to her intention, Seowoo just silently swallowed his curses.
'That damned woman is making people distance themselves.'
Through the small bangs that fell, a small leg was visible.
The intimidation felt even from just the feet was oddly opposite to this petite body?
The answer to this question had already been learned in the past.
Hadn't he seen with his own eyes the power that easily crushed human heads?
"...... Of course, I have no intention of stepping on the same path as those foolish people. The place I have is right here."
"Good. If you're a person of Lucia Earl Grey, you should have that mindset."
If there's intelligence, there's gratitude.
The effort of grinding his teeth had meaning.
Although he couldn't see her expression, he could feel satisfaction from the slightly raised tone.
"Today's experimental subject handover was hard work. I think you can go now."
"Thank you. Then, I'll take my leave tomorrow..."
"Ah, wait a moment."
What now.
"Now that I think about it, Professor Blemish called for you."
"Professor Acid Blemish...?"
* * *
If Lucia was the director in charge of research, 'Acid Blemish' was one of the many professors in the research institute.
The problem was...
"She is a woman who can't be figured out in a different meaning from Lucia."
Should I call it a mood swing?
Unlike the director with subtle emotional changes.
Her mind, changing moment by moment like a roller coaster, made people uncomfortable.
Tap.
"May I come in? It's Yoon Seowoo, the research assistant of Lucia-nim."
Seowoo, introducing himself politely, carefully knocked on the professor's office door.
"Yeah, come in~."
Soon, a somewhat cheerful voice allowed his entry.
Unlike the director's office on a slightly higher floor, there was no need to lower his head so much that his neck would hurt, nor to lower his eyes like a criminal.
Why?
Because that was the requirement of 'Acid Blemish'.
Seowoo lifted his head straight and stepped into the professor's office.
"Ehh, come, come!"
Acid jumped from her chair and greeted him with both arms open.
She, who had a disproportionately large bust that didn't match her girl-like figure, hugged Seowoo tightly and sniffed his scent as if it was natural.
The one-sided offensive of Acid turned into exchanging body scents.
Unintentionally taking on her scent, Seowoo's eyes narrowed.
'Disgusting smell I've endured so much...'
She probably poured human blood into a wine glass and drank it as if it was a delicacy.
It was as obvious as the nose on your face.
"Kuu...! Still smells delicious! Just once! If I ask just once, maybe it won't be allowed?"
"If you can handle Lucia-nim, do it."
"Ugh, Lucia is a bit..."
Acid frowned at his words, as if her appetite was gone.
Power had the best medicine in higher power.
"I heard from Lucia-nim. You called for me..."
"Ah, that's right? Wait a sec~."
After that, about five minutes passed.
Acid, who had been grooming her hair before Seowoo came, had no time for tying.
"Uuu..."
The golden hair woven like thread had no progress.
Seowoo, watching the series of processes, opened his mouth after much deliberation.
"Professor, if it's okay, I'll tie your hair for you."
"......"
For a moment, Acid's hand stopped.
It didn't take long for the thought 'No matter what, this is going too far...' to come to mind.
A human like livestock trying to engage in skinship?
Daring?
It was a word that couldn't be said unless they had an extra life.
"Sorry..."
"No no! Will you do that? It's a new hair tie, it doesn't tie well."
At the moment he was about to kneel, her clinking voice cut off Seowoo's words.
"...... Understood."
The brief silence felt so long that he let out an inner sigh of relief.
"Hehe~."
"So, may I ask why you called me?"
"Ah, that?"
Acid's ruby eyes sparkled as Seowoo's service made her feel good, sitting on the chair and swinging her legs.
"I need someone for the next project."
"So, me?"
"Yeah."
"May I ask what kind of work?"
"Ah~ I need someone to take care of 'the kids'! Think of it as a kind of nanny role."
"Nanny?"
Acid tilted her head back and laughed loudly.
The appearance of looking down at people and mocking made Seowoo feel oddly bad.
"Yeah! You'll find out when you see it later."
"Understood."
After all, there was no choice.
Almost simultaneously, Acid's business and hair grooming were finished.
"The hair is done."
"Hmm, not bad."
Turning a palm-sized mirror, the reaction was not bad.
No, it could even be said to be good.
"Thank you for your hard work! As a thank you, I'll do a simple favor! Since you're helping with the project, you should do this much!"
Acid laughed boisterously and patted Seowoo's arm.
'There must be someone who failed to escape from here...'
It wouldn't happen, but if Suyeon was caught, it was possible.
Then.
"Is it possible to escape from here..."
"It's not a stupid question asking if there's a way to escape?"
A lower voice than before cut off Seowoo's words.
"Yes...?"
"Ah, that's not it?"
Are you crazy?
Rather, ask to be shot in front of the guard.
Of course, while complaining only in his head, he quickly extinguished the panicked look.
"...... I wanted to ask if I could know who the person who was trying to escape was."
"If that's the case, why didn't you say it earlier! Hehe."
"Haha... That's right."
Seowoo covered the situation where his teeth were clenched with a bitter smile he forced out.
Who started accelerating before the person finished speaking.
Acid Blemish.
A vampire who combines innocence and playfulness.
She was always like this.
To provoke the other person's anger and exhaust their patience.
Or repeat pranks like bullying to gnaw at their nerves.
But even today, it was a very generous act considering her mood was a bit displeased.
"Your expression is a bit sour."
"...... No."
"What is it?"
Damn it.
I thought it would be easy.
"You don't say? Huh? You don't say."
Finally, Acid started poking his stomach with her index finger.
"Uck......"
Although it seemed like nothing, the power difference between humans and vampires was immense.
The power that crushed heads like melons was revealed in her sharpened fingernails.
Poke.
Poke.
The index finger pried into the muscle and skin.
With pain, a little blood seeped onto the white shirt.
"Kuu... Professor, sorry..."
The blood scent spreading like fire tickled Acid's nose.
"Sigh... Haa..."
"Pro, Professor!"
Shouldn't he grab her arm and stop it?
What if his neck is taken away as a price for casually touching the body?
Seowoo barely endured the pain trying to surpass reason.
"Just close your eyes once and eat one mouthful...?"
She, as if she didn't know the food moaning in pain, was soaked in the fragrance like a delicacy.
Eat?
Or not?
Like a child with a favorite snack in front of her, her eyes had been full of anticipation for a long time.
As expected, vampires are not good at self-control.
Especially the Blemish family who live according to their own whims!
That meant that one mouthful Acid was talking about would bring two, three mouthfuls, and eventually a shrunken corpse without a drop of blood left would be Seowoo.
Of course, but that couldn't be.
Seowoo, barely regaining his senses, rolled his head in the pain of tearing flesh.
Ordinary stimulation wouldn't wake her up from the blood she was addicted to.
Physical or mental, he had to give some shock somehow.
If asking for the most effective and accessible method in this situation.
It would be a headbutt.
Seowoo grabbed her shoulder firmly and pulled her head back with all his might.
"Professor, I'm sorry!"
At the moment when Seowoo's head and Acid's head were about to collide.
The world felt like it was flowing slowly.
The idea of 'headbutt' was excellent.
There was a big difference between slapping the cheek or head with hand to give impact and sacrificing his own head to attempt headbutt.
The former brought undeniable guilt and repulsion.
But the latter surprisingly opened the possibility of it seeming plausible.
It was closer to 'there must be a reason why she's doing this' rather than 'her mood is bad'.
The thought was good.
The thought was.
Logically, it was close to suicide to have a vampire's hard head and a human's kiwi-like durability collide.
Why, hadn't he been stepped on by Lucia the day before?
If he didn't go to hell in that state, it was fortunate.
So, Seowoo, who gained this realization in a flash, had no choice but to hesitate.
However, the will to defy his own strength made him collapse his posture.
So...
Tap.
"Eh...?"
How surprised, Acid's eyes widened.
In the expression that didn't understand the language, countless emotions were mixed.
"Ah, damn."
Seowoo let out a short sigh, humbly accepting that he was screwed.