Chapter 34 …
“Kal….”
Aselia saw the fire extinguisher that had been sprayed over Kalisten—and XX-321, now lying quietly on the floor, stained with the extinguisher’s white residue.
“H-how…?”
Her eyes widened when she noticed that the space above her looked as if it had melted in the fire. Standing there, looking down at them with his arms folded and an air of boredom, was the Deputy Director.
“Behave.”
At his voice, the guards began to enter. They stepped in front of the researchers, raising guns that fired with magic.
Kalisten couldn’t approach Aselia and instead stood where he was. If the guns had been aimed only at him, he would have moved. But the muzzles were pointed at Aselia as well.
“Don’t do that to Aselia.”
“Very well. Since you’ve succeeded in Stage Two, I’ll give you a reward.”
Even as he said that, the Deputy Director didn’t dismiss the guards. Aselia trembled at the number of guns aimed at her. But the thought that in five days Kalisten might truly awaken and destroy the lab helped her push through her fear.
“Kal.”
As Aselia slowly rose from the floor, the guards’ guns followed her movement.
“What reward would you like?”
Kalisten answered without hesitation.
“Give Aselia back to me.”
“For today.”
At the Deputy Director’s gesture, the guards stepped back. Then they brought over something that looked like restraints—a magic-control collar—and placed it near Kalisten.
“If you wear that.”
Kalisten instinctively knew it was a magic suppressor. If he put it on, he would become weak again. Recently, he had stopped wearing it to let magic circulate freely through his body.
“Put it on quietly.”
At those words, he took the control device from a guard and moved to fasten it around his neck.
“Kal.”
Aselia had approached at some point and grabbed his hand.
“Will you put it on me, Aselia?”
She didn’t know whether she should. But reading the fear in her eyes, Kalisten squeezed her hand tightly and met her gaze.
“Okay…”
Looking into his eyes, Aselia found herself answering without thinking. She stood on tiptoe and fastened the collar around his neck, and he watched her silently.
“Take them.”
Once the restraint was secured, the Deputy Director gave the order. Ivan appeared, flustered, bowed, and led them away.
“Don’t cry.”
Seeing Aselia’s face, Kalisten said it blankly.
“Ah… okay. Sorry. I didn’t mean to cry…”
“Don’t apologize.”
“Okay.”
She knew he wasn’t fully conscious again—he was under the influence of drugs. His gentle eyes and considerate manner only appeared when he was drugged and saw her as a woman. It wasn’t kindness—it was desire.
Thinking that, she lowered her gaze and wiped her eyes.
They walked in silence for a long time until they reached the corridor leading to Building Z. As always, it was deserted, and their footsteps broke the stillness.
“Sorry, but I have to keep my promise too.”
Ivan said that and stepped back.
“Your timing really sucks, huh?”
Alexis, looking irritated as if angry he’d arrived late, struck Kalisten.
—Thud!
“Ugh…!”
“You’re drugged and still don’t pass out.”
“Alex!”
Alexis looked at Kalisten as if he were annoying and swung his hand again. Though his magic was suppressed, Kalisten caught the blow with one hand.
“Coward.”
“So what?”
At that moment, the drug’s effect intensified and Kalisten’s consciousness blurred.
“Aselia…”
“I won’t put her in danger. I’ll take her somewhere safe.”
“That promise…”
“I’ll keep it even without promising.”
At Alexis’s words, Kalisten seemed reassured. Unable to hold onto his fading awareness any longer, he passed out.
“Alex…”
“Ha.”
Alexis grabbed Aselia’s wrist as if still angry and tried to pull her away.
“A-Alex, Kal—no, Z-999…”
“Hey.”
“Yes, Z-898.”
“Take him.”
“Yes.”
Just as Ivan was about to hoist Kalisten onto his back—
“Ah…”
Aselia’s tension finally broke, and her eyes slowly closed.
“Aselia!”
By the time Alexis caught her in his arms, shouting in alarm, she had already fainted.
“Ah…”
Aselia’s eyes flew open in pain. The handprints left by XX-321 on her body and the bite mark on her neck throbbed, and she let out a small groan. Looking around—
“Ah, Alex.”
Alexis was sitting nearby. She realized she was in his room—on his bed.
He sat at the edge and turned at her voice, his expression fierce.
“I didn’t do anything, like I promised. Didn’t touch you. Didn’t even change your clothes.”
“Th-thank you.”
“But…”
He turned toward her and came closer. Aselia suddenly remembered his fierce expression and the fact that her clothes were torn in half, leaving her exposed. Even though she was still in a male body, she felt embarrassed—like she were bare-chested before him.
“I’m pissed.”
“A-Alex.”
As Alexis approached threateningly, Aselia tried to push lightly at his stomach. But she was forced back down onto the bed, and his expression was so grim she couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Damn it.”
Alexis muttered lowly, staring at her neck.
“Tell me who it was.”
The way he looked at her—like he might bite—made her heart drop. She was also worried that Kalisten wasn’t anywhere in sight. But Alexis was so angry that she felt if she asked about Kalisten now, he might kill someone. She couldn’t open her mouth.
“Should I go around killing them all and ask while I’m at it?”
“N-no.”
“Then tell me.”
Though frightened by his rage, Aselia found a bit of calm when he only stared at her instead of biting.
“You’re heavy, Alex.”
“Not going to say it?”
“I-I don’t like this position. It’s scary…”
When she said she was scared, Alexis looked startled and slowly pulled away.
“Now tell me.”
Under his forceful tone, she trembled.
“XX-321.”
“That damn bastard is still alive?”
“H-he’s dead…”
At her answer, he visibly relaxed.
“Good.”
“Yes. Z-999 killed him.”
Alexis’s expression completely softened, and he let out a relieved sigh. Resting his head against her shoulder, he said,
“Next time, don’t kill him.”
“…Why?”
“I wanted to kill him myself. It’s disappointing if he’s already dead.”
“Ah…”
“I wanted to cut him into six pieces.”
Aselia squeezed her eyes shut in fear. That wasn’t a joke.
“H-how do you even cut someone into six pieces…?”
“Head, two arms, two legs, torso. Six.”
She hadn’t meant it that way—she meant how could someone do that to a person—but Alexis answered differently. Her fear deepened, and she couldn’t stop trembling.
“You’re shaking because you’re angry too. Should I at least go chop up the corpse?”
“N-no.”
“Then mince him up?”
“No…”
“Or feed him to the dogs? The Deputy Director keeps some pretty big ones.”
She only shook her head. He sighed.
“Then how should I ease your anger?”
He looked at her face and lifted her chin when she avoided his gaze.
“How should I calm mine?”
Seeing the marks on her neck and chest still enraged him. Even in a male body, it was infuriating. If she had been in a woman’s body—
He wouldn’t have been able to endure it.
“I don’t know. But I don’t want to calm it that way.”
He stared at her for a moment, then gently stroked her cheek.
“I thought of a way to make you feel better.”
“Huh?”
“Wait.”
“O-okay…”
As he suddenly rose from the bed, she felt a bit dizzy. Now that he had stepped away, she could sit up.
He walked straight to the wardrobe.
Of the two wardrobes, she had opened one before. The one Alexis opened now had once been full of uniforms. Strangely, other clothes now hung to one side, all long in length—like cloaks.
But when he pulled one out and brought it over—
“W-where did you get all this? Did you ask the Deputy Director to take them off again?”
“No. I bought them.”
“Ah…”
“And I learned something too. Apparently, you’re not supposed to ask someone to wear clothes another woman has worn.”
He frowned as if embarrassed, then quickly added,
“I didn’t know back then.”
“It’s okay. I was happy wearing pretty clothes that time.”
Relieved by his expression, Aselia said so softly.
“Then want to wear this?”
But what he held looked rather provocative. The red evening dress left the chest completely exposed.
