Chapter 1 Part 14: People Are The Enemy

“I’m truly curious.”

Lady Enencia’s hand slid down my cheek and descended to my chest.

She pressed lightly against my sternum.

When she touched my cheek earlier, I’d felt an inexplicable strange sensation, but now I felt nothing of the sort.

“When you’ll finally become like us.”

Thump, thump, my heart raced violently beneath her palm.

Lady Enencia, of all people, couldn’t possibly be unaware of why my heart was beating like this.

But Lady Enencia didn’t remove her hand from me.

She didn’t take her eyes off me either.

My heart pounded even more fiercely.

Lady Enencia’s expression had somehow turned blank.

Her lips moved mechanically.

“Only when you become like us, sooner or later, will you stop running away.”

Was this what it felt like to be in front of a beast of prey?

No, the word “beast” was too weak.

What was scarier than that?

A murderer?

A monster?

Yes, a monster.

It felt exactly like being in front of a monster whose name and identity I didn’t know.

No matter how scared I was, the thought briefly crossed my mind that such an expression was rude to Lady Enencia, but no more appropriate word came to mind.

I couldn’t do anything, just kept trembling, and Lady Enencia clicked her tongue.

“As expected, boring.

Because there’s no reaction.”

At the same time, my body could move again.

The magic must have been released.

“Go.

I need to get some sleep.”

I lightly moved my limbs to test them.

My clothes were already soaked through.

I hurriedly ran to the door.

It was extremely rude behavior, but Lady Enencia didn’t mind and lay down on the bed.

Anyway, she was terribly fickle.

She was the one who stopped my body from moving in the first place.

Just then, Lady Enencia spoke with her eyes closed.

“You just thought I was fickle, didn’t you.”

That perceptive woman.

Lady Enencia continued, still with her eyes closed.

“And now you’re thinking I’m perceptive.”

Would she believe me if I said I absolutely did not think that?

I stood dumbfounded in front of the door, and Lady Enencia turned her back to me completely.

“I’ll believe you, so go quickly.”

“Goodbye.”

As expected of Lady Enencia.

She could figure out anyone’s thought patterns easily.

I fled from Lady Enencia’s room.

“Your conversation is already over?”

Ms. Hilipa stood before me, as if she had been about to enter.

Clutching a stack of documents to her chest, she asked.

“Did you talk well?”

“Yes.

I got my salary raised.”

“That’s good.

But why is your complexion so pale?”

I must still look very pale.

Ms. Hilipa tilted her head.

“Come to think of it, your clothes are soaked through.”

“…”

“Lady Enencia must have made another mistake, I suppose.”

It wasn’t a mistake, it was one hundred percent intentional.

But I couldn’t say that out loud.

It would definitely sound like gossip.

It was best not to talk about or listen to talk about others at work.

Above all, they might get hurt.

I couldn’t say anything.

“If it’s difficult, you don’t have to force yourself to speak.”

“Thank you.”

“How is Lady Enencia?”

“She said she’d get some sleep.”

“That figures.

I heard the king didn’t leave her alone for a moment.

She must be tired.”

Ms. Hilipa held out a handkerchief.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead with it.

Ms. Hilipa and I stood side by side, leaning against the wall.

When I asked if she wasn’t going in, Ms. Hilipa shook her head.

She’d finished her urgent work and didn’t particularly want to disturb Lady Enencia’s sleep.

I was getting tired of standing, so I leaned my back against the wall.

“Why didn’t the king leave her alone for a moment?”

I asked while magically cleaning the handkerchief.

Ms. Hilipa tapped her face with her finger.

“He fell for this.”

“Ah.”

Just looking at her appearance, she was like a lotus flower.

Ms. Hilipa clicked her tongue.

“A king of a country having such poor judgment.

Not knowing that ugliness is hidden beneath that beauty.”

“We’re in front of Lady Enencia’s room.

Aren’t you saying that a bit too boldly?”

“So what?

Anyway, Lady Enencia doesn’t care what I say.”

“Why doesn’t she care?”

Ms. Hilipa answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Because she doesn’t need to.”

Every time I heard that phrase “doesn’t need to,” I felt like I’d get neurosis.

It felt like I’d just had a similar conversation with Lady Enencia a moment ago.

I asked Ms. Hilipa.

“Why doesn’t she need to?”

“No matter what I say, Lady Enencia’s value doesn’t change.

So there’s no need to care.”

Even if her value doesn’t change, couldn’t she feel betrayed?

Anyone hearing that from a coworker would…

Ah, right.

People here weren’t “anyone.”

I’d forgotten that again.

It was a moment of self-pity.

When I didn’t say anything, Ms. Hilipa tilted her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just something came to mind…”

My future looked bleak again.

I brought up what I’d heard earlier.

“I heard from Lady Enencia.

That the reason the child became so fierce was because of the research?”

“Ah.”

Ms. Hilipa nodded.

“We didn’t touch him much.”

You touched him plenty.

Of course, by their standards, that amount was probably nothing.

But you shouldn’t hold that child to the same standards as yourselves.

First, I asked why they proceeded with experiments without the child’s consent.

“We tried to make him understand at first.

But he just wouldn’t get it.

He refused to communicate with us altogether, so we had no choice.”

“Of course he wouldn’t try to communicate.”

He was suddenly separated from his parents and dragged to a strange place, surrounded only by people who wanted to use him as a test subject.

They should have waited until he calmed down and then tried to talk.

Ms. Hilipa replied without changing her expression.

“But that would delay the research.”

Fine, I’d explain it in terms these people would understand.

I was completely resigned.

“…Forcibly attempting experiments will worsen the subject’s condition.

For the best results, you need to maintain the subject in the best condition.”

Ms. Hilipa had an epiphany.

“I hadn’t thought that far.

I’m sorry, Alice.

From now on, I won’t let them forcibly proceed with the research.”

“It’s fine as long as you understand now.”

I had an epiphany too.

I needed to quit this place as soon as humanly possible.

Three months?

It would be a miracle if I lasted three days.

As I walked past Ms. Hilipa, my wallet fell to the floor.

Why was this falling now?

I bent down to pick it up and paused.

It felt lighter again, somehow.

It was probably my imagination, but it still felt awful.

I secretly peeked inside the wallet.

After standing frozen for a while, I spoke.

“I need to hurry home.”

“Is something urgent?”

I smiled brightly at Ms. Hilipa.

“I need to prepare for work tomorrow!”

Hahahahahahaha.

My laugh wasn’t a real laugh.

And so, clutching my wallet tightly, I went home.

***

The next morning, I went to work with my bag as bulging as yesterday’s on my back.

It felt like I’d barely rested, and already I had to go to work.

The world was too merciless to office workers.

I couldn’t believe reality, so I checked my watch several times, but nothing changed.

I tucked the watch back into my pocket and ruffled my hair in frustration.

I didn’t understand why, when working, a minute felt like an hour, but when resting, an hour passed like a minute.

Still, today, the person verifying my identity wasn’t Pierrot but “Blody,” so I was saved.

I’d been inwardly nervous, but she showed no particular reaction upon seeing me, so I was relieved.

Come to think of it, even when I first joined, Blody was one of the more taciturn guards.

As expected, I preferred the original guards.

“Pass.”

Blody, adorned in a splendid red dress and hat, looked at first glance like nothing more than a noblewoman out for a stroll.

The parasol in her hand added to that impression.

Blody accepted the rose I offered.

“You still like red, I see.”

Just like her attire, her method of verifying identity was elegant.

Finding the rose Blody wanted from within a rose garden so vast its end was nowhere in sight.

The roses were all identical in color, shape, and size, making it an impossible task for ordinary people.

But for mages, it was very simple.

All they had to do was find the rose that felt particularly strong in mana.

“Well then, goodbye.”

I bowed to Blody and started walking, when suddenly a strong wind blew.

Rose petals swirled, obscuring my vision.

Wondering what was happening, I turned back to look at Blody.

Instead of answering, Blody threw a white card she had between her fingers.

The card rode the wind and flew into my hand.

[Welcome back.]

With rose petals all over my body, I blinked my eyes.

Wondering if this was a dream or reality, I read the card several times, but nothing changed.

As soon as I received the card, Blody covered her face with her parasol.

It might have been hard to see clearly because of the swirling petals, but it seemed like Blody’s lips were curved into a smile.

I stared blankly into the air for a moment, then entered the Magic Tower.

“Hi, Senior!”

“Hi, Clam.”

I greeted him and dodged Clam’s attempt to hug me.

I knew it.

As I brushed the petals off my robe, Clam muttered sulkily.

“This is why I hate perceptive seniors.”

“…If you really hated it, you could just stop trying to hug me.”

“I hate that you’re perceptive, not you yourself, Senior.”

Clam winked.

I didn’t want to start the morning with a frown, so I desperately controlled my facial muscles.

Clam picked a petal from my hair and said,

“So it was Blody today?

Only that guard uses roses.”

“Right.”

I was about to brush the petals off my pants too, but I stopped.

I’d properly brush them off later in front of a mirror.

Otherwise, this would never end.