Chapter 46: Beta

Having escaped the embrace, I sat facing the now amicable bear, engaging in conversation.

“So, you’re saying there are more of your friends here?”

“Yes!”

The bear nodded vigorously in response to my question.

The bear in front of me was named Iota.

He seemed to be one of the Chimeras born in this lab.

Mistaking me for someone named Eve, Iota’s attitude had shifted to friendly, answering all my questions.

According to him, there were more Chimeras like him in this facility.

There were more of these things?

My morale plummeted.

The only silver lining was Iota’s friendly demeanor towards me.

Although it stemmed from his misunderstanding.

It wasn’t a bad situation for me.

Eve.

A name that briefly appeared in the experiment records I saw in my dream.

She was definitely a person directly involved in creating the Chimeras.

Unfortunately, I didn’t know anything beyond that.

I glanced down at the scar on the back of my hand.

Now faded, only a faint red mark remained.

When I touched the angel statue.

And when I touched Iota.

A red light emanated, and the situation changed drastically.

I knew this wasn’t just a simple scar.

But I still didn’t know what it was.

And why did Iota mistake me for Eve?

Unanswered questions kept piling up in my mind.

Anyway, how could I find Lisa?

Perhaps this guy knew something about Lisa’s whereabouts.

“Iota, have you heard of someone named Lisa here?”

“Lisa…? Never heard of that name!”

Iota tilted his head, thinking for a moment.

But he seemed to have never heard of her.

Perhaps she wasn’t called Lisa?

Then.

“What about a girl with pink hair?”

“Pink? What’s that?”

I pointed at a pink color drawn on the wall and asked Iota, who didn’t even know what pink was.

“This is pink.”

“Growl…?”

But he still just tilted his head, seemingly clueless.

Ah, perhaps he couldn’t see this color?

Come to think of it, I seemed to recall from high school that animals couldn’t see colors.

Or rather, that many animals could see fewer colors than humans.

And it seemed pink was one of them.

This was troublesome.

Just when I thought I’d found a clue, I hit a roadblock.

Did I have to search every room one by one?

As I stared at the countless doors, feeling lost.

“That name Eve is looking for, Beta might know!”

…Beta?

Taken aback by the sudden appearance of the name, I asked Iota.

“Who’s that?”

“Beta is like a senior who was born second! Beta knows everything!”

The letters AE-09 engraved on Iota’s neck.

It meant Iota was the ninth Chimera created.

The records mentioned a problem with the thirteenth test subject. Meaning there were at least thirteen Chimeras here.

And according to Iota, Beta was likely the second Chimera to be born.

Then she must know a lot.

“Can you guide me to where Beta is?”

“Of course!”

Iota nodded vigorously at my request.

On the way to meet Beta, guided by Iota.

“So you were asleep all this time?”

“That’s right!”

I had a conversation with Iota, gaining various information.

I was curious how Iota, a Chimera, could still be alive after 100 years.

Iota said he had been standing there, asleep, for a very long time.

Then he suddenly felt mana flowing into his body and woke up.

A kind of hibernation?

But even so, he would have needed minimal nutrients.

“Beta taught me all that!”

He said that after performing a certain ritual taught by Beta, everything was resolved.

That’s how he was able to sleep for over 100 years.

But.

‘Is that even possible?’

Even with magic.

I couldn’t understand.

If that was possible, why hadn’t those researching immortality among humans succeeded yet?

I asked Iota how it was done, but.

As expected, Iota seemed to know nothing.

What kind of being was Beta?

A Chimera who could wield unknown powers?

Then a question began to surface.

Chimeras who knew and even succeeded in a method to sleep for 100 years.

With such knowledge and abilities.

Why hadn’t they thought of escaping this place?

Why did they choose to sleep instead of joining forces and escaping?

As if they were waiting for something….

“Here! Where Beta is!”

Lost in thought, I was brought back to reality by Iota’s voice.

The place Iota pointed to with his giant hand.

There was a new space.

A wider open area than any place I’d passed through.

Seeing the fountain in the center.

I guessed it might have served as a resting place, like a garden, in the past.

As soon as I entered, I heard the sound of a bell from somewhere.

Tinkle

I turned my head towards the clear ringing sound.

Pure white fur glistening in the light.

A creature with the appearance of a fox was approaching with elegant steps.

But the large deer antlers on its head suggested it was no ordinary creature.

“Beta!”

“It’s been a while, Iota.”

A feminine voice emerged from Beta’s mouth.

The mana contained in her voice proved her power was extraordinary.

“Eve has reappeared!”

“Iota, this person is not Eve.”

“Not Eve…? But I clearly felt Eve’s energy!”

Although Iota introduced me as Eve.

Unlike Iota, Beta immediately realized I wasn’t Eve.

Was this a dangerous situation?

I assessed the atmosphere, ready to draw my weapon at any moment.

“Hello.”

Fortunately, Beta smiled at me, showing no signs of hostility.

“I am AE-02. Please call me Beta.”

Unlike Iota, who spoke haltingly, Beta had a polite and eloquent way of speaking.

Realizing she had no intention of attacking me, I opened my mouth.

“My name is Louis Vermore.”

“Are you a noble?”

Oh my. Beta wore a surprised expression.

She even knew about nobles.

As Iota had said, she seemed to be very knowledgeable.

“Beta! This man said he has something to ask you!”

“A question? Ask me anything.”

“I’m looking for a woman with pink hair. Her name is Lisa. I think she’s somewhere in this facility. Do you know anything?”

“Yes, I do.”

…She really did?

“Do you see that door over there? If you go through there and follow the path, you should be able to reach her.”

I followed Beta’s gaze.

A door in one of the walls, leading to somewhere.

“But there might be some of our friends who didn’t go to sleep inside.”

“…They’re still alive?”

“Yes. We are Chimeras. We’re different from ordinary creatures.”

There were creatures in this world that lived well over 100 years.

And there might even be creatures capable of surviving without consuming any food.

The Chimeras who made different choices from those like Iota, who chose hibernation, might still be alive, having been granted the abilities of such creatures.

“But you must be careful. Those beyond that door are a little different from us.”

Unlike those who chose to sleep.

Chimeras who had endured hunger for 100 years while fully conscious.

If they were still alive.

They would be far more ferocious than these Chimeras.

I had prepared countermeasures for Chimeras.

But there were still uncertainties.

I hadn’t expected so many Chimeras to be alive.

But if I had these friendly ones with me, couldn’t I resolve this easily?

“Unfortunately, we cannot enter. There’s a magical barrier.”

As if noticing my gaze, Beta shook her head.

It was a shame, but it couldn’t be helped.

It would have been easier with their help.

But I had to do this alone.

I walked towards the door alone.

Watching Louis enter through the door, Iota spoke worriedly.

“Will he be alright? It’s dangerous if he runs into something like Epsilon!”

“He’ll be fine. He’s the one Eve chose.”

After 100 years of waiting.

He was the one chosen by Eve, so there was probably no need for them to worry.

“More importantly, Iota.”

“Growl?”

“We have something to do.”

“What?”

Before Eve became free.

Before meeting her, they had one thing to do.

“It’s time to end our story.”

After 100 years, their story was finally coming to a close.