Episode 10
“But… what is this?”
Felix touched the necklace with a smirk on his face. With his other hand, he held mine tightly, making it impossible for me to escape.
If he tore off the necklace, I would undoubtedly revert to my female form. Moreover, the clasp of the necklace was magnetic, so it would come undone with just a little force.
“Don’t you have anything you want to say to me? Ascelia?”
His green eyes stared at me intently, as if trying to read my thoughts.
It was at that moment.
—Beep
“You found her.”
Somehow, Z-999 and Calisten had come looking for me, with a restraint around my neck.
“Z-999, are you really going to partner with an A-rank?”
“Yes.”
Calisten answered the researcher behind him without much care.
Perhaps he really had become more compliant with the researchers, just as I had said. Otherwise, there would have been no way he would agree to an experimental partner.
Even in this hellish lab, Z-ranks were the highest tier, and just being their partner was practically an enormous honor.
Though, not for someone like me—an almost powerless A-rank.
“Hey, A-888.”
Felix released his grip. My hand and the necklace were freed, but my heart was pounding with fear.
“See you later, Ascelia.”
“…Yeah.”
Calisten’s expression darkened as Felix smiled while calling my name.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
This is what happens when a higher-rank partners with a lower-rank.
Espers who have already awakened must undergo training to better control their abilities. But unawakened Espers need to practice using their powers before awakening.
Generally, interacting with someone of higher power is advantageous. Even an A-rank like me could increase my rank by continuously exchanging energy with a Z-rank, though Z-ranks maintain their status.
“Cal.”
“….”
“Calisten.”
I called him by a pet name to thank him for saving me, but he pretended not to hear.
“Did the two of you even exchange names?”
“Nonsense.”
Calisten snapped at the researcher. The researcher seemed to act casually but avoided his gaze, perhaps out of fear.
After all, he had fought one of the researchers not long ago. Still, it seemed he hadn’t actually killed him—otherwise, he wouldn’t be Z-rank but X-rank.
“A-702.”
“Yes, A-702!”
“Good work.”
“Thank you!”
He said this and swiped his card to open the door in front of us.
As we both entered, he spoke.
“I’ll be back in 55 minutes.”
The researcher said this and closed the door. Most researchers here were men, except for the higher-ups. It was a male-only Esper lab. I’d heard that female-only labs were structured similarly, though on a much smaller scale.
Of course, aside from the director, the deputy director and other executives were mostly women. Interestingly, mid-ranked Espers rarely became executives; rather, highly intelligent women without powers held these positions.
The director left almost everything to the deputy director, who was competent enough that the director didn’t need to give instructions.
And the deputy director liked Calisten quite a lot. She was the true authority.
The reason she, despite her capability, hadn’t become the director herself was simple: **status.**
The director was one of the two highest-ranking dukes of the Eldras Empire, the Duke of Magnolia.
I remembered the deputy director because this seemingly closed personal training room was actually a one-way mirror, and she could be observing from the other side.
Perhaps if Calisten had become more compliant and started private training…
It was very likely she was watching from the other side.
“Cal.”
“I can feel someone on the other side.”
He looked at the mirror behind me.
“Yeah. But I don’t hear anything.”
“How do you know that?”
I had read it in the original book. If sound from all rooms converged in one, the sounds would mix. Of course, if the deputy director chose to remove soundproofing here, the sounds could leak to all rooms.
But she liked to concentrate quietly. If she were observing Calisten, everyone else around would probably be frozen, barely breathing.
That deputy director wouldn’t want me making any noise here.
What interested her wasn’t Calisten personally, but Z-999, the Esper with the top-tier abilities.
Once the ability was awakened, loyalty could be hypnotically ensured, regardless of thoughts or friendships. All that was irrelevant.
“How do you know?”
“I’m an A-rank. I used to clean this place often. By the way, I cleaned the opposite side too. There’s an empty space there designed so you can see all the rooms from it.”
“….”
“Hehehe.”
I laughed at his subtle expression. I had been threatened with death for not laughing, so now I planned to laugh every time we made eye contact.
He softened and spoke.
“The name sounds awkward. So stop the pet name.”
“Using a pet name makes us closer.”
“Do you really want to be close to a monster like me?”
“Why are you a monster? You’re Calisten.”
Did I speak poorly? He sighed and had me sit on a wooden chair. Hard, but at least I could sit.
“Let me call you by a pet name.”
“….”
“Huh? Cal.”
“If we finish this well—”
“Yeah!”
He prepared to channel his energy into my back.
Theoretically, he would give me energy first, then I would return it.
I had read in a book why this helped with awakening. Others’ energies have different properties, and when mixed, they stimulate each other.
He had received an awakening stimulant this morning. Its effect would last until tomorrow morning.
If done right now, I could awaken.
So I wasn’t planning to do it half-heartedly.
“Let’s do it.”
“Yeah!”
If he awakened, he could destroy the entire lab in flames. Every living thing would die, including me. Insects like Alexis Rainier would rush to him and die with joy.
That’s why Calisten is dangerous.
He’s more terrifying when he can’t control his power than when he can.
He could blow up everything he saw.
“Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“Sit properly.”
“Ah, okay!”
I unconsciously leaned forward like a thinking person. When I turned back, he was faintly smiling.
“Hey, Cal.”
“Look ahead.”
“I really like you.”
“Look ahead.”
“Okay.”
He ignored my confession and placed his hand on my back as I faced forward. Energy didn’t flow; he just rested his hand there, then spoke first.
“A-702.”
I didn’t answer on purpose, hoping he would call my name.
“A-702.”
“….”
“A-702.”
“….”
“A-702.”
He sighed and finally said,
“Ascelia.”
“Yeah!”
I turned with a smile, delighted to see his ears flushed red.
“If I send energy, will it hurt you?”
“Huh?”
“…I have more energy than you, so I’m asking if there’s any side effect.”
I momentarily forgot how to respond to his unexpected question.
Perhaps he really had no close relationships with any rank, just as the lab wanted. He didn’t even know basic energy facts.
“Cal.”
“….”
“How did you come here?”
His face, which had been red, returned to normal.
“I don’t know.”
“Can’t you tell me?”
“…What difference would it make if I told you?”
If he told me, would I grow attached and survive even if he destroyed the lab? Would he spare the other experiment subjects too?
Strangely, in the original, after killing Ascelia, he couldn’t bear the emptiness and would commit suicide.
Would he feel emptiness if he couldn’t see me smile?
In the original, Ascelia could barely speak to Calisten. She feared him, and all she could do was feed him. Calisten simply watched her, like a predator observing prey.
“…I want to know everything about the person I like.”
“….”
“I really like you. I want to stay with you, hope you don’t have bad thoughts, and that you get along with others like we’re talking now.”
He rolled his eyes as if contemplating, then finally spoke.
“If I tell you, will you grant my wish?”
