On the way back, we had a brief conversation.
“You don’t know about makeup or clothes? That’s a bit surprising.”
“Nobody ever taught me that stuff.”
Over twenty years of memories living as a man had taught me what was expected of a man, but I’d never learned how to live as a beautiful girl.
Though my mind had adapted to being a girl, it didn’t mean that knowledge magically fell from the sky.
“Nobody taught you? Not even your parents? Or friends?”
“Oh, parents? They’re dead! Friends… don’t have any.”
“…I-I’m sorry.”
I stated the facts casually, but the atmosphere froze.
Next time, I should be more careful with my words.
This damned mouth of mine, always spouting nonsense.
“It’s okay. They weren’t good people anyway.”
“Is that so.”
Parents, huh.
I didn’t get along with my parents in my past life.
It wasn’t a completely broken family, but it wasn’t something I liked thinking about.
Whenever I recalled my past, it brought up the nagging issue of forgetting my own name.
And my parents in this world?
I had no idea.
To put it bluntly, I was an orphan.
No mom, no dad.
That’s probably why I ended up being sold to a lab.
The woman who would’ve been my legal mother?
I’d smashed her to bits a long time ago.
Daphne’s expression grew increasingly troubled as she listened to me.
“…So that’s why… you were looking for your mom back then.”
“Huh? What?”
The reaction I got from Daphne reminded me of what it felt like to see a malnourished child sharing a single bowl of noodles with their sibling in a cheap restaurant.
The customers and staff in such a scene would feel so sorry for them, they wouldn’t know what to do.
They’d want to help, but then the child’s food card would show insufficient funds, leaving everyone in silent despair.
Daphne’s expression mirrored that pity.
“Daphne? Did I say something wrong…?”
“…Rugilinn. You must have had such a hard time.”
Suddenly, she grabbed my hand.
“From now on, if there’s anything you don’t know, I’ll help you! Is there anything else you’re curious about? Are you feeling unwell? If you have another headache like last time, call me immediately!”
“Uh? Ah! I’m fine! No issues!”
I spent a while calming her down as she became teary-eyed and jumpy.
To change the subject and ease the mood, I decided to ask her something.
She had asked me first, so it seemed fair.
“By the way, I’m curious. What about your parents? Do you have any siblings?”
“My parents? They were good people. And…”
She gave a small smile.
“I had a younger sibling. A sister.”
She smiled faintly.
Oh, I didn’t know Daphne had a younger sister.
She was probably kind and beautiful, just like her older sister.
“Wow! So, maybe one day, I’ll get to see your sister join the Academy too.”
“…Ah, well…”
Daphne, who had been speaking smoothly, suddenly faltered.
I started to feel uneasy, worried that I might have touched on a sensitive subject.
“…?”
“That would be wonderful. But actually…”
This time, I fell silent.
“My parents and my sister passed away a long time ago.”
What the hell is wrong with our conversation today?
“…I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s all in the past.”
We lost the thread of our conversation and wandered in awkward silence.
Silence is like glue—it seeps into the cracks between people and clings, refusing to let go.
As we neared the school gate, someone suddenly appeared from a side alley.
“Hey, you! You… Daphne Grace, right?”
“Yes, that’s me… you’re the guy from before.”
A blond male student with a nasty look.
He seemed familiar.
“Good timing. Where’s my wallet?”
“Your wallet? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb, you little punk! I don’t know what you did, but my friends all passed out that time. When I came to, everything was gone! Was it magic? Or an inherent ability?”
Ah, I understood now.
It was that blond thug from before.
I shouldn’t have robbed him.
Since it was my fault, I’d have to deal with it.
I immediately stepped between Daphne and the guy.
“Stop!”
“And who are you?”
“If you mess with us, the disciplinary committee won’t let it slide. Back off my roommate. Or how about a duel?”
“Disciplinary committee? A duel? You’re hilarious… hahaha!”
The guy burst into crude laughter.
I was puzzled.
Was this guy insane?
“You idiot. The disciplinary committee doesn’t operate outside school grounds.”
“What? No way!”
So, that’s what gave him the nerve to act up.
I should remember this trick for later.
“Fine… hold on. I have something to say. Will you follow me?”
“Rugilinn? Wait! What are you doing…”
I led the guy into an alley.
As I walked ahead, I quietly placed my hand on the wall.
Mana seeped out of me.
“So, what do you want to say?”
“First of all, my roommate didn’t rob you. So stop accusing her. And second…”
From between the walls and buildings, ten masked individuals emerged.
The thug’s face twisted in confusion at the sight of us.
“Who the hell are you guys?”
Oh dear, not recognizing us?
We’ll make sure he remembers.
“Huh? W-wait! Don’t come any closer! Argh! Aaaah!”
We surrounded him with makeshift weapons and beat him senseless.
He didn’t even manage to draw his knife before collapsing.
This shortcut to avoiding duels was effective.
The fool had cornered himself.
When he tried to speak, we paused.
The guy, bleeding from his nose, wailed pitifully.
“Ugh… do you know who my sister is? You damn freshmen…!”
“Freshmen”?
What an absurd word choice.
The fact that he had a sister was surprising enough.
“Your sister? Is she a star at the red-light district?”
“What? You crazy bit—argh! Stop! Wait! Let me talk! My sister’s on the freshman council! Martina! You’ve heard of her, right?”
That rang a bell.
Irene had mentioned something similar.
-“Rumor has it she’s a troublemaker who harasses younger students. Be careful. Call me if you need help.”
So, the thug with a perverted streak among younger girls was this guy.
“Wait. Is your name Martin?”
“Yeah!”
“Aha, now I remember. I know who you are.”
Despite his injuries, the guy smirked nastily, finding confidence from somewhere.
“Yeah! Finally realized, huh? I’ll make you regret it so much. Get on your knees right now and—”
We raised our weapons again.
-Clang! Clang!
“Argh! I’ll kill you! Aaaagh! S-stop! Sister…! Aaaagh!”
“Your sister? Like I care.”
Unfortunately for him, his sister was far away, but my weapon was close.
Trash like him deserved a beating.
Life is a lonely road, and being alone is best.
The guy sobbed like a pig before fainting.
Annoyed by his audacity, I stripped off his uniform and carried it away.
Dusting myself off, I stepped out of the alley.
“Are you okay…? Oh my gosh… what is that? Are you a pervert? Put it back immediately!”
“But he started it!”
Daphne scolded me seriously, so I reluctantly returned the clothes.
Feeling a bit awkward, I ignored the discomfort and laughed it off when Daphne continued to fuss.
What could possibly happen?
Violet was invincible, and the Clone Technique was all-powerful.
“I don’t care, just go for it.”
“If they come, we’ll smash them. I’ve been feeling irritated lately anyway, so this works out.”
The other versions of me spoke in unison.
Even if that thing cried and whined, it couldn’t harm me. I couldn’t die.
If things got messy, I could just run away.
No one could touch me.
Somewhere in the underground facility, No. 65 woke up.
The only thing that distinguished the wall inside the room from the outside lab was the dim light filtering through a pinhole in the wall.
“What time is it now? Dawn?”
“7 p.m. Want to sleep more?”
“I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Argh! My back! My neck!”
The underground facility was massive, and exploring it took a long time.
Unfortunately, areas with people had surveillance cameras or guards.
On top of that, the mental exhaustion from battles and the loss of identity left us drained.
The Violet clones assigned to investigate also grew bored and slacked off due to the lack of results or progress.
There were even suggestions to withdraw entirely, but the majority agreed that at least a minimal number of personnel should stay behind.
After all, we could always multiply if we had enough magic power.
However, waiting in a confined space for extended periods was exhausting in many ways.
To manage this, we used our ability to swap consciousnesses among our bodies, setting up shifts for rotation.
If we needed to wash or relieve ourselves, we simply created a new clone, then reversed the previous one, solving hygiene issues that way.
Eliminating fatigue or hunger was a bonus.
It did cost some magic power, but hygiene was non-negotiable.
Unfortunately, the ventilation ducts, storage areas, and gaps in the walls or ceilings weren’t suitable for resting.
They were narrow, damp, dark, and hard.
As a result, the biggest discomfort for the investigation team was the lack of proper sleeping arrangements.
I considered taking a sleeping pill.
There was still a long time left before the next shift.
After some deliberation, I accessed the Violet Network to pass the time by watching the others amuse themselves. Then, I heard the sound of several footsteps beyond the wall.
When I perked up and focused, I realized there were more footsteps than usual.
The researchers here rarely moved in such large groups.
I carefully inserted an endoscopic camera through the hole in the wall.
About ten people wearing name tags labeled “Visitor Pass” were visible.
“Look at them. It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone like that working here.”
“Yeah, have we missed them before?”
Before we stopped operations, we had roughly mapped the faces and behaviors of the researchers here.
Some had black-rimmed glasses, others wore red checkered shirts—features like that were categorized.
Personnel changes were rare, and schedules were strictly managed.
This made us cautious about engaging in any contact beyond secretly recording or collecting data.
But these people were unfamiliar.
Up ahead, the scientist who had been speaking with the chairman earlier was explaining something to the group.
I quickly recognized him.
It was Dr. Walter Sturgis, the scientist who had spoken with the chairman earlier.
Dr. Sturgis was unexpectedly famous.
A quick search yielded an abundance of information about him.
“They say he’s a top-tier scholar in the academic world. Especially in Ether Physics and research related to Awakeners.”
Ether Physics was this world’s unique academic field, repeatedly mentioned even in games.
Though it carried the term “physics,” it was actually an interdisciplinary field combining biology, quantum mechanics, and chemistry.
Because the research dealt with the nature of Awakener abilities and unique powers, no single discipline was sufficient to analyze it.
Thus, Ether Physics covered everything from the existence of ether and its mechanisms on living beings to proving the principles behind Awakener abilities and addressing issues like dimensional intrusion and ether erosion.
Of course, magic was another field that delved into ether.
However, the Deep Crimson Academia’s magic relied on mathematical processes during practice but was fundamentally rooted in personal experience and perception.
Therefore, scientists were the ones defining the principles of this world.
When Dr. Sturgis gave some instructions to the senior researcher beside him, the latter nodded and led the group outside.
Watching them walk in a line reminded me of a kindergarten teacher escorting children.
“Hey! They’re leaving! No. 83, deploy!”
No. 83, who was on standby within the network without a body, materialized beyond the wall.
I, No. 83, cautiously tailed the group as they disappeared down the corridor.
The senior researcher calmly guided them through the facility, and people of various genders and ages followed.
“…As you can see, the research building is divided into five sections, and for this project, the postdoctoral research period is…”
I understood master’s and doctoral degrees, but what was a postdoctoral research program? Weren’t professors the next step after a doctorate?
It seemed there were still things I didn’t know.
It looked like they were akin to graduate students.
As the senior researcher spoke, the attendees began asking questions one by one.
“…The duration seems short for something titled a postdoctoral research program.”
“This is the first I’ve heard of Polaris Comprehensive Academy conducting independent research in Ether Physics.”
The senior researcher explained calmly.
“We mentioned this during the previous meeting. It’s a secret project. Besides, none of you are unfamiliar with Dr. Sturgis, right?
Who here had Dr. Sturgis as their academic advisor during their graduate studies? Raise your hand.”
More than half raised their hands.
The senior researcher clapped briefly a few times.
“See? You all know each other well. The professor is offering you this opportunity out of consideration. You haven’t forgotten the salary and contract terms, right?”
“Yes.”
The attendees’ eyes gleamed with interest. What kind of contract could elicit such a reaction?
“Our project is nearing its end, but we’re short on manpower. Some are on sick leave, too. You heard the details before coming, right?”
“The contract said we’d automatically transition to regular research positions once the term ends…”
“Exactly! There’s no better deal than this. The term is short, too! Now, shall we continue?”
Just as the senior researcher was about to move on, someone at the back spoke up.
“Excuse me, I didn’t hear this part. What exactly is the purpose of the project we’re joining?”
“That’s something we’ll… cover right now—”
I strained my ears to listen.
-BEEP!
A sharp mechanical sound interrupted the conversation.
Damn, the noise drowned out their words.
The group went back into the research wing and shut the door.
From here, even a sound amplifier wouldn’t let me hear.
“Those people probably know about the project’s purpose, right?”
“Yeah.”
What a shame. That was an important part.
Suddenly, an idea struck me.
“What if we kidnapped one of them and asked directly? If we can’t have chicken, we’ll take the pheasant. They might have overheard the project’s purpose earlier.”
“That’s a bit reckless, don’t you think?”
“No, it’s not. The fact that they were brought into this underground facility at all means they have some connection to the board members here. Normal people wouldn’t be allowed into such a secure place. Maybe for outsourced work, but that’s it!”
The clones held a brief emergency meeting.
“I agree. More importantly, they used the term ‘academic advisor.’ That means they’re either Dr. Sturgis’s students or at least familiar with his research topics. And unlike the researchers here, those people wouldn’t be immediately missed if one or two disappeared. We didn’t expect to find the answer right away, did we?”
“But what do we do after kidnapping them? We’ve prepared a room and iron restraints, but then what?”
“We’ll investigate them. If they’re bad, we’ll just starve them. If not… well, we’ll figure it out when we get there.”
Should we try it?
A sense of unease crept over me.