Since awakening my status window, I've been organizing my thoughts. Mainly about the game's background.
If I want to survive, I need to understand these things well from now on.
'I didn't know the Witch of the Infinite came from here.'
Did she become a villain because she lived in this trash-like environment? There wasn't much coverage of her backstory either in or out of the game.
Well, Director Jin and the scenario team's approach was far from 'this one was actually a pitiful person too.'
Whatever the case, I wanted to escape this place.
So these days I'm practicing my superpower. Of course, it's not entirely voluntary - I do it because the researchers make me.
Footsteps drew closer, and a guard opened the door and called me.
"Follow me."
"Yeeees..."
I obediently followed the guard.
Since regaining my proper consciousness, there's one thing I've been paying attention to first. Acting like I'm dim-witted.
If someone who acted stupid suddenly starts speaking clearly, it only draws unnecessary attention. If I'm unlucky, they might decide to split open my brain.
I arrived at that testing chamber again. This time, I entered with two researchers and one guard.
"Alright, Violet. We're going to try a new exercise this time. Can you see the tools in front?"
While a slick-haired male researcher operated computers and various unknown electronic equipment on one side, a ponytailed female researcher I'd never seen before explained to me gently.
After I awakened my unique ability, the researchers' attitudes seemed to become more conciliatory. Their gazes appeared incredibly warm.
"Yeees... eeeng... I understaaand..."
Click-!
"Eehiik!"
No. It's the same as before! My body jerked from a light electric shock.
"Pay proper attention. 10-6-8. How can you follow properly like that?"
The male researcher, disliking my way of speaking, activated the collar on my neck. Though it seemed to be a weaker output than before since it hurt less. Still stings.
"Yes... I'm sorryyyy..."
"Answer properly!"
"I'll do it properly..."
This strict researcher keeps getting angry at me. It's really hard to keep speaking haltingly.
Meanwhile, the female researcher put a brainwave measurement helmet with dangling electrodes and wires on my head. Could this thing possibly read thoughts too?
'Trash! Abuser! Your mother was a goblin!'
"Hey, you're not having any suspicious thoughts, are you?"
Wait, how did they know? Was it really a thought-reading brainwave detector?
"If you don't want to taste electricity again, concentrate, understand?"
Ah, they were just trying to scare me. When he showed me the electric collar switch in his hand, I pretended to cower in fear...
No, I really did cower. Conditioned reflex, good grief!
Watching this, the ponytailed researcher stood in front of me protectively and tried to reason with Slick-hair.
"Stop! Lewis, you're scaring the child. Our Violet is so good and obedient... right?"
Hey lady, it's nice that you're defending me, but since when did we become 'our Violet' when we've only known each other for a few days? It's kind of burdensome.
Ponytail turned her back to Slick-hair. She looked down at me and spoke as if cooing to a baby.
"Did it hurt? It's okay now. It's not because Violet was bad. Just don't make mistakes next time."
"Yes..."
"It's okay, you won't get hurt if you just do a few things big sister and uncle ask. Our Violet is good, so you can do what big sister asks, right?"
"..Yes... I'll work hard..."
Hearing my response, the ponytailed researcher stood up with a gentle face and exchanged subtle glances with Slick-hair. What's this about?
Soon they gave me several instructions.
First, I manipulated the ether in my body and stretched out my arm.
The invisible flow of ether flowed through my arm, and a human form emerged as if sprouting from the floor on the opposite side of the room.
As the form materialized, a girl resembling me appeared.
"Well done. Now let's try some simple exercises!"
Now I manipulated the clone according to the researchers' instructions. We started with light exercises moving arms and legs.
One, two! One, two! We did jumping jacks with counting, and stretched arms and legs out fully.
Thinking of it as puppet control, the clone moved naturally.
"10-6-8, can you see the equipment in front of you? Now pick up and put down each one as instructed."
Next, we practiced moving tools using the clone. In front were household items like baskets and bowls, dolls, various sizes of dumbbells, and a barbell with several plates loaded.
I controlled the clone to lift and put down objects one by one according to instructions. Heave-ho, heave-ho!
Things like baskets and dolls were very easy to lift. I could somehow manage to lift the dumbbells too. But I couldn't lift the barbell. The clone's strength was similar to my own level.
The clone struggled with the barbell for a while before disappearing into sparkling dust when its duration ran out.
But when I turned around thinking we were done, Slick-hair ordered:
"Who said we were finished? Lift that."
"..Clone... disappeared.... Can't lift heavy things.."
Come on, isn't it obvious?
How can a girl like me lift that thing that even you look like you couldn't lift? When I tried to protest while stammering, he gestured toward the barbell with his chin.
"Then lift it together with your clone? Two people should be able to do it, right?"
"Don't have strength... can't feel ether..."
"Liar. The readings show you still have half left."
He muttered while looking at his tablet. When I hesitated, he manipulated the switch.
Bzzt-!
"Ack! I'll do it...!"
I created a clone while crying and eating mustard. Unlike creating the clone earlier, extreme fatigue hit me.
Hating the electric stimulation, I barely managed to lift and lower the barbell with the clone's help. Clang! The barbell hit the floor with a sound.
From behind, the ponytailed researcher came over and made a fuss saying, "Well done! Violet! I believed in you!"
What do you mean you believed... you crazy woman... oh my aching back!
After repeating various pointless acts, I left the testing chamber. So this is what it feels like when your body is as heavy as water-logged cotton.
The girl's body was incomparably weaker than my previous male body. Behind me, Slick-hair was talking with Ponytail about ECG responses during ether depletion or something.
I left the testing chamber following instructions. But this time, Ponytail said something to the guard and personally escorted me to my room.
"Our poor Violet... was it very hard?"
"Yes.... I'm okay.."
She suddenly hugged me. Wait, this doesn't feel like just comforting. What are you doing?
"This is all for your sake. You understand? Just endure a little longer..."
"Eck...?"
No wait. Lady...? Where is your hand going?
"Our cute Violet..."
The ponytailed researcher's hand that was patting me was subtly moving below my waist.
Hey, where are you groping with your hand? To someone with an adolescent appearance? This is creepy!
For a moment, I barely held back curse words from bursting out.
"Hieek.. I.. I'm.. okaaay..."
"Oh dear... that mean uncle bullied you and made you very upset. But if you work hard just a little more, it'll be okay. Understand?"
No, I'm not upset. So please stop groping, okay?
The ponytailed researcher looked me over with a strangely sticky gaze, smiled, and left.
I heard the door's lock click shut. I collapsed onto the bed in the worst mood.
"Ha... shit.. this is really terrible..."
Curses burst out of my mouth automatically. Surprised at myself, I carefully looked around for a moment before collapsing again.
There's a CCTV in this room. Though it doesn't seem to have audio function, I still made a mistake.
I resented whatever being sent me here. If they were going to possess me anyway, they could have put me in a comfortable position like nobility or a rich person. Why did they make me a lab rat? I can't even curse because I have to be careful.
'There's nothing I can do.'
God, if you were going to possess me in a place called 'Academy City,' why not send me to a girls' school with halos on their heads, or if not that, at least to the school with middle school girls shooting railguns with coins - why dump me in this sewer?
If I became a beautiful girl, wouldn't it make more sense to send me somewhere comfortable where I'd receive people's praise and affection?
In novels and manga, an ordinary guy suddenly becomes a beautiful girl one day. Then they become an invincible idol sweeping up money and popularity through internet broadcasts and donations.
But I became a beautiful girl and get electric shocks instead of money, and surveillance instead of attention.
I thought my life would be a romantic comedy, but it was an theater of the absurd!
I quietly opened my status window. Fortunately, this is only visible to my eyes.
──────────────
Name: Violet Dunhind Rugilinn
Alias: Test Subject 10-6-8
Status: Laboratory Test Subject
Health: 900/1000
Magic Power: 0/1500
Unique Ability:
■■■■:???
Lv1 Clone Technique:???
Your fate lies in your hands
──────────────
'Used up all my magic power.'
Using the clone technique roughly twice, each clone creation consumes about 750-800. The magic power consumed when this clone moves is small but needs to be calculated separately.
I was too tired because that bastard Slick-hair overworked me. I just learned that extreme fatigue hits when you deplete all your ether. Health gets reduced too.
Thinking about it now, those researcher bastards were playing good cop & bad cop.
It's a classic gaslighting technique. The male researcher intimidates me while the female researcher pretends to protect me while inducing obedience.
Was my stupid act too effective? Even though I was once briefly in education as a working adult, they're trying to deceive me.
And what's with that female researcher's preferences, the sensation of her hand groping down below my waist was horrible.
A fatally attractive beautiful girl who seduces regardless of gender, oh how wonderful.
Still, if the first person to try such a thing had been a dark-skinned old man, I would have exploded forgetting even to act, so let's think of it as vaccination...
Positive thoughts, positive thoughts...
An "ughek" sound came out of my mouth automatically. I covered myself with a thin blanket, closed my eyes, and pressed down all the bad emotions inside.
Though I'm a powerless level 1 girl now, I will surely repay them in the future.
'The grudge of being electrocuted!'
'The grudge of being harassed by an old lady!'
So let's remember all future grudges. When I return as a king, I won't let any of them off.