Episode 13
“Ugh…”
At the sound of a pained groan, I found myself opening the wardrobe door without thinking.
Inside, Calisten was collapsed on the floor, restrained with a suppression device still attached.
His eyes were closed, as if he were unconscious.
There was dried blood on his forehead, and without thinking, I brushed my hand over it.
“?!”
He suddenly opened his eyes wide and flinched back. Then he looked at me, his expression oddly strange.
“Are you okay?”
Calisten looked confused. As I wiped away the dried blood near his eyes, I realized something.
I was in my female form right now.
“Ah… um… n‑nice to meet you…?”
He started glaring at me. Even so, he looked just as confused as I felt. I gave a small awkward smile.
“I can’t take this off, but… can I at least wipe your forehead?”
He slowly nodded.
Like Alexis Rainier had done earlier when he poured water from the jug, I dampened a dry towel nearby and approached Calisten.
He watched my every move like a wary cat.
“Does anything hurt?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a relief.”
When our eyes met, I smiled reflexively. He frowned in response.
When I gently wiped his forehead, he furrowed his brows even more deeply.
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Have you seen someone?”
“What kind of person?”
“Blond hair, purple eyes. Thin, really weak-looking.”
“Hmm…”
“And he’s a man.”
He added that hastily, which made me stifle a small laugh. It seemed like he thought I might be the person he was describing.
“You mean the A-rank?”
“Yeah.”
“If it’s him, you don’t need to worry.”
Because that person was me.
“What did you do with him?”
“He got treated properly and went back to his room.”
His expression visibly softened.
“What about you? Are you okay?”
“No.”
Once I finished cleaning his forehead, I noticed other injuries. Alexis Rainier’s ability was physical enhancement—so there was no way Calisten had been brought here gently. He must have been beaten badly.
“Where does it hurt?”
“Are you an esper?”
“Huh?”
“A healing-type esper.”
“No.”
“Then don’t ask. My head hurts because of that weird scent you’re giving off.”
He tried to move away from me, but the wardrobe was narrow, and no matter where he shifted, he couldn’t avoid me.
“I’m not wearing perfume.”
“Then what is this smell?”
“What does it smell like?”
He sniffed faintly, his eyes unfocused, then muttered,
“I don’t know. It just makes me feel strange.”
“How strange?”
I noticed dried blood at the back of his neck and folded the towel the other way before reaching toward him. He flinched slightly, then relaxed as soon as my hand touched him.
“I want you to touch me more.”
“Huh?”
Startled, I looked at him. Only then did he seem to realize what he’d said.
“Go away.”
“Huh?”
His ears turned bright red.
“You really are an esper, aren’t you? Is your ability seduction or something?”
“No. I’m really not an esper. My power is so faint—what kind of ability could I even have?”
As I tried to persuade him, he stared at me as if trying to measure my power.
“Anyway, back off. You’re unpleasant.”
“Ah… sorry. I didn’t think you’d feel that way.”
“You’re not a researcher, are you?”
“No.”
“Then how did a woman end up here?”
“This one’s my toy.”
Without any sound of the door opening, Alexis Rainier appeared. His expression looked distinctly irritated.
“He’s awake, so get out.”
“…”
“P‑please untie me, Mr. Alex.”
“Hold my hand.”
“What?”
“Your hand.”
“Ah… yes…”
I couldn’t refuse his strange command. When I took his hand as if surrendering, he broke into that same foolish grin. Then he let go and cut the restraints binding Calisten.
“There’ll be a researcher outside. Someone’s been waiting for you to wake up.”
“…”
“Follow them.”
Alexis Rainier pulled Calisten out of the wardrobe, then stood there with his arms crossed, watching him stagger forward.
—Beep.
As the door opened and Calisten stepped out, he turned back to look at me one last time.
Our eyes met—his bright red ones—and without realizing it, I smiled.
He clicked his tongue irritably and turned away again, but his ears were bright red, as if he were angry or embarrassed.
—Beep.
Once the door closed again, Alexis Rainier grabbed both my hands.
“Come here. I’ll put the necklace on you.”
“You brought it with you?”
“Of course. I brought earrings too.”
“Haha… you’re amazing.”
He seemed pleased by the compliment. Ever since earlier, praising him made his expression soften immediately.
“You don’t have your ears pierced.”
“No.”
“Want me to pierce them for you?”
“Ah, n-no. I’m scared.”
“Then want to pierce mine?”
“Ah…”
Somehow, piercing his ears sounded less scary than having mine pierced.
“Next time.”
“Yeah, next time.”
He looked oddly cheerful. Maybe something good had happened when he went to see the deputy director.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“I have to go out on a mission now.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Will you stay here until I get back?”
I didn’t know what the right answer was, but I didn’t want to say yes.
“Well… um, I’m more comfortable in my own room…”
“That’s too bad. Alright then. I’ll just wait until this place becomes comfortable for you.”
“Thank you.”
It was hard to meet his eyes when he spoke so generously.
I felt something cool against my neck—it was the necklace being fastened around me. The gemstone sparkled beautifully, and it looked expensive enough to make me uneasy.
“It’s pretty.”
“Thank you.”
He gestured with his chin for me to look at the mirror across the room, so I did.
The necklace, adorned with glittering jewels, matched the evening dress perfectly.
“This.”
“Yes?”
“It’s yours.”
“Ah… thank you.”
I didn’t really need something like this. To need it, I’d have to go outside the lab—and inside, it was completely useless.
Even so, I didn’t refuse.
Alexis Rainier was a dangerous man, and I didn’t want to get on his bad side.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
It seemed Calisten had really started obeying the researchers, because his treatment improved.
Though Alexis Rainier had once dragged him to his room, that incident seemed completely forgotten. Now Calisten looked fairly free, wearing only a collar around his neck.
“I’m here, Cal.”
I approached him carrying a tray.
His body was freer now, but his eyes were still hazy, as if he’d been experimented on again.
Judging by the lingering effects of the awakening stimulant, they must have used a strong dose suited for a Z-rank. He sighed softly and sat obediently.
Then he looked at me blankly.
“Don’t….”
“Hm?”
“Don’t say anything to me.”
“Why?”
“I was injected with a truth serum.”
The way he admitted it so calmly made me feel strange. Researchers often used truth serum—it was probably to test whether he was lying during experiments.
“Cal.”
“I like it when you call me that.”
He didn’t even seem to realize what he was saying.
He stared blankly, looking oddly at ease.
As I scooped up some sweet potato salad, something came to mind.
“Did you say you don’t like sweet potatoes?”
“No. I don’t dislike them.”
“Then why did you say you didn’t last time?”
“Because you were hungry.”
Judging by how strong the effect still was, he must have been returned here less than ten minutes ago.
I couldn’t clearly remember from the original story, but this truth serum might erase his memory once it wore off.
“You cared that I was hungry?”
“Yeah.”
I held out a spoonful of salad. He obediently ate it, slowly, like a baby bird being fed.
I mixed in the pills that came with the meal, and since he barely chewed, they went down easily.
I spread jam on some bread and handed it to him. He chewed quietly.
“Cal.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m glad you’re not hurting.”
“Yeah.”
He smiled.
It was the first time I’d seen him smile, and it made my chest feel strangely ticklish.
As he kept smiling at me, I froze without realizing it. Beneath his long black lashes, his red eyes sparkled like jewels. His black hair, pale skin, and vivid red lips were all beautiful.
“Aselia.”
“Yeah.”
“Aselia.”
“Yeah, Cal.”
I scooped up some soup for him, and he accepted it obediently again. Taking advantage of that, I quickly fed him the rest. Then I handed him today’s soft bread, which he accepted after staring blankly at my hand.
After finishing the entire tray, he looked at it, then at me.
“Aselia.”
“Yeah?”
“I ate it all.”
“Yeah, you did.”
“You should praise me.”
He said that, then leaned his head against my shoulder. Like a puppy asking for affection, he rubbed his head slightly.
“How should I praise you, Cal?”
“I want to bite you.”
