It’s been nearly a year since I escaped from the laboratory, but I still often suffer from nightmares.
Every time I open my eyes, there’s always the white lab filled with the smell of disinfectant.
And then comes that unpleasant bespectacled researcher, Team Leader Eva Liston, bursting through the door.
“Hehe… Violet… follow me…”
Of course, we Violets are adaptable beings. Now, I immediately recognize it as a dream.
“Hey! Lady! You’re dead already, so go back to the afterlife!”
“Aaaahhhh!”
That way, tearing and killing Team Leader Ponytail in various ways within dreams has become almost routine, but when faced with her again, there’s no escaping the fear.
「Waaah! It’s that evil Ponytail Lady!」
Professor Bernike has always felt awkward, and now she gives me chills down to my spine.
According to what the Scholarship Officer said, this woman is related to the President of Laplacian.
Our Violet’s Ponytail Theory hits the mark once again today!
「Laihan is related? Can that woman be too?」
Now all the pieces fall into place.
Considering how they’ve modified monsters, and their deep knowledge of biology or medicine…
「It was all foreshadowing!」
Moreover, how did she figure out our identity so quickly after just a few encounters?
「Do you remember meeting on the ship? They placed some strange detection equipment on our heads. Could it be because of that?」
「Impossible!」
No matter what, we Violets find this person extremely unsettling.
Why did the Scholarship Officer assign such a crazy woman specifically to us?
The Violets recalled the information provided by Eckhardt University.
Bernike may look young, but she’s actually quite old.
Among the people we know who carry the title of Doctor or Professor, excluding Professor Albert, she ranks first.
While Unit 3231 and Unit 2511 were guiding the professor outside, Unit 2211 asked a question.
“Scholarship Officer! I don’t like her! Why did you assign her to us? She’s related to the president of Laplacian, right?”
“Precisely because of that, I assigned her to you. Professor Bernike is an important figure, but she isn’t trustworthy.”
“If she’s not trustworthy, why save her at all? What makes her so special…?”
I complained while glaring at Seijis.
Certainly, trouble is bound to come from her.
Seijis smiled rarely—a bitter and weary smile.
“Sorry for always asking favors of you, Violet. But there’s no one else I can trust. For now, please escort and monitor the professor while reporting daily on what she does. Please, I’m asking you. It shouldn’t be too difficult for someone like you with multiple forms.”
“Reward first! No money, no deal!”
“Of course, I’ll pay you. And… let me see.”
After pondering for a moment, Seijis pulled out a sword from mid-air.
What appeared was a Zweihänder larger than my height.
At the sight of it, I momentarily felt dizzy.
I scratched my head and asked.
“What is this?”
Luckily, I hadn’t removed my mask yet, so my expression remained hidden.
Pretending not to know, but in reality, I recognized it.
「Ah… wasn’t that it? The weapon given for capturing the Infinite Witch.」
The Scholarship Officer glanced at me briefly with an expressionless face before continuing her explanation while walking forward.
“This weapon was obtained from the deep area of a dungeon in the northern region. It boasts high durability and superior power. From what I’ve seen, you usually use a shield and one-handed weapon, so I thought you might need something stronger.”
I gently touched it, and my guess was correct.
[■̬͙̞̟̗͉̞̄̊͊̓̈̄̏͟■̬͙̞̟̗͉̞̄̊͊̓̈̄̏͟Vengeful End■̬͙̞̟̗͉̞̄̊͊̓̈̄̏͟]
It’s been a while since I last checked an item using my status window.
The translucent silhouette in front of me was quite damaged, but the name was still clear.
Vengeful End, the main weapon wielded by the Infinite Witch.
If memory serves, it was originally crafted from materials dropped upon defeating her. Its effects were simple—just immense attack power and increased critical hit chance.
Since we’re in the real world now, it seems transformed from a dungeon item. How its abilities have changed remains unclear.
Still, excitement wells up inside me. After such a long time, finally wielding a 5-star weapon. Classified as a two-handed sword.
Though I can’t clone it, it should prove quite useful.
Recently, during training with Eegis and at home, I’ve started practicing with two-handed swords alongside one-handed ones, so it might work decently.
「Impressive, Scholarship Officer! Giving away something this amazing! You’re awesome!」
With this, rejecting the job becomes impossible.
However, a question arises.
“Alright, Scholarship Officer. I’ll do the surveillance, but… will this professor listen to us? Besides, she knows our true identities! She’ll definitely betray or escape.”
“Don’t worry about that. She personally promised to follow both your and my instructions. I’ve also cast a powerful Confidential Security Magic Formula, so she absolutely cannot divulge anything related to us. All indirect means have been blocked as well.”
The Scholarship Officer handed over an object he had been holding.
I carefully examined it.
A smooth black rectangular device with a protruding antenna and buttons.
“It’s an Electric Shock Remote Control. Both you and I will each hold one. If the doctor attempts any dangerous research secretly, observe and stop her using this.”
Ah, so now we have a way to control Ponytail. This reassures me somewhat.
One more thing.
“How did you make Bernike obey us?”
As soon as I left the room, I felt a brief surge of magical energy, followed by complete silence.
It seemed like soundproofing, but could it have been torture?
「Probably beat her up!」
「Maybe electrocuted her?」
The Violets began speculating about the Scholarship Officer’s hardened physical persuasion methods. What tricks did he use to subdue this unruly professor?
To my surprise, the Scholarship Officer shook his head.
“No, nothing like that. Just talked her into it with good reasoning. That’s all.”
“Talked her into it?”
We fell into doubt. What connection exists between the Electric Shock Remote Control and persuasion?
Bernike silently grumbled to herself while being guided by two dimwitted mercenaries.
I have no idea how things turned out this way.
No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. Even so, suppressing my anger was unavoidable.
Despite priding herself as the greatest intellect of Rustroom, she never imagined her future self would send her past self into such a predicament.
In some distant future, when hordes of monsters swept through the final defenses of the Federation and Clans, tearing the sky apart as alien ships and overlords descended, she was in a bunker where the Scholarship Officer questioned whether beating her up would work.
Bernike chuckled faintly, indicating disapproval.
“Sorry, I forgot something crucial. Beating me up or torturing won’t help much. There are only two outcomes: if I were in that position, I’d pretend to comply while secretly plotting against you—or worse, actively team up with your enemies. Even if it meant allying with those Reins.”
Even while coughing, she insisted that indiscriminate violence and threats were merely necessary hurdles.
“First, I’ll ignore you completely. So, start by knocking me out cold a couple of times. Use that opportunity to implant control devices—like trackers or security spells. Since I’m unpredictable, without these measures, I’d likely cause trouble like last time.”
“Got it, next?”
“Once you’ve subdued my thoughts adequately, begin persuading me. Only then will I take you seriously! Just spill everything. ‘I’m from the future, and I need your cooperation,’ say that! Past me will surely cooperate with you. What? Don’t believe me? No, I’ll believe you outright. Show undeniable proof—like meeting future me—and that’ll suffice. Listen carefully. Never forget…”
As Bernike whispered distorted words into his ear, Seijis was momentarily stunned.
Would such a method even work?
“It works, trust me! This is something only I know, something unique enough to convince any version of me across worlds and times. Remember one thing: I am, above all, a thorough scientist. Given clear and verifiable evidence, I prioritize reason and truth above all else. Personal emotions are secondary, pushed aside internally.”
Though skeptical, the Scholarship Officer followed future advice once more.
“From the future, you say? Are you exhibiting delusions now?”
Seijis countered.
“I have solid proof… I’ve memorized everything here. These are the contents of the letters you yourself wrote, right? Correct?”
The effect was evident.
Recalling that shocking moment, Bernike silently gritted her teeth throughout the ride to the Inspection Bureau’s safe house.
“How do you…”
“There’s no need to feel embarrassed. Love letters written during school days and mistakes are everyday occurrences around Academy City, happening hundreds of times daily. Anyone experiences them occasionally. I’ve even offered counseling for such issues before. Still, that student went too far—throwing away painstakingly written letters into the trash…”
“Shut up! d*mn it! Stop it! Close that dirty mouth of yours!”
Fueled by humiliation, Bernike ground her teeth furiously.
Why on earth did future her reveal such embarrassing school-era love letter scandals to the Scholarship Officer at the Inspection Bureau?
Especially in such a trashy manner…
I was about to tear open that letter.
“Still, I can’t help but accept it for now.”
It was difficult to refute the recounting of embarrassing incidents from my childhood school days or the anecdotes from my graduate studies while writing papers.
Listening to her explanation of time reversal methods and how she contributed to them seemed imaginative but wasn’t entirely fabricated either.
“So, you said your name is Ariel? What kind of abilities do you possess?”
“It’s not Ariel! Lady. That’s our organization’s name. We each have our own real names!”
Hmm, so these dimwits were assigned as guards, huh?
She suddenly felt a spark of interest. While researching Apostles, personally studying the brains of these fools might not be such a bad idea.
“Well, I was going to try it anyway.”
As soon as the car stopped, the soldiers from the Ariel Group dragged her out.
“Hurry up! Lady!”
Bernike glared angrily at the skull-masked face.
“Look, aren’t we supposed to cooperate from now on? Show some respect. ‘Lady’? Call me ‘Professor’ or ‘Teacher.’ I’m still young. They don’t teach proper etiquette in schools these days, but did your parents neglect teaching you manners too?”
“I don’t have parents. And the documents say you’re old, so you’re an auntie! How could someone educated not know this?”
Professor Bernike snorted derisively and spoke with contempt.
“Age on paper? Focusing on such superficial numbers is foolish. We are Awakened Ones. Thanks to magical power, our aging process is incredibly slow. My telomeres are at the level of someone in their early twenties, and starting with the brain—our neuroplasticity is far beyond ordinary people. The speed of neuron generation in my hippocampus and prefrontal cortex remains at a twenty-something level. It’s not just the brain; looking at telomere length? My cellular telomeres are also at the level of someone in their early twenties. Is that all? My mitochondrial function is top-notch, and ATP production efficiency is perfect.”
“W-what?”
“Hehe, you don’t understand? Let’s talk about something else then. At the cellular level, the muscle fiber regeneration rate, bone density, hormone secretion, vascular elasticity, cardiorespiratory function, and immunity of Awakened Ones who contain magical power are always maintained in top condition. I am better than even a normal person in their twenties in every aspect. The key point is simple—I’m biologically in my early twenties. Calling me ‘miss’ wouldn’t be strange at all. This is a clear medical fact. Try refuting it if you dare, fool.”
Feeling dizzy, Violet hesitated before speaking.
“But, no matter how young your body is, you’ve lived a long time and accumulated experience, right?”
“Hahaha! Lived a long time? Experience? Judging me by those subjective standards? Your narrow perspective makes me feel sorry for you. My brain works more efficiently than others’. The balance of neurotransmitters is perfectly controlled, and synaptic plasticity is maximized. What do you mean by ‘experience’? Isn’t it the memories stored in the brain and the cognitive changes they bring? My brain processes all information as quickly and efficiently as a twenty-year-old’s brain. It’s incomparably superior. Moreover, I constantly absorb new knowledge like students in their prime. While you’ve been idly living through those years, I’ve been evolving every moment. The ‘aunt’ you refer to applies only to those with degenerated brains, fluctuating hormones, and declining physical functions.”
Bernike tapped Violet’s head with her finger.
“None of that applies to me. In terms of thinking ability alone, I should be seen as a younger and more efficient woman. So, who’s the aunt here? Me, or you, the dull one? You already fall into one category. Do you understand? Or should I explain it more simply? Oh, sorry. Your cognitive abilities probably can’t grasp it.”
Violet was completely overwhelmed by the sudden barrage of technical jargon and sharp criticisms. She stood there speechless, dazed.
“Come on, let’s move. I have important things waiting after finishing work here—students’ graduation theses, company and university business to wrap up. Much more critical tasks await me!”
Watching the professor march ahead confidently, the Violets thought,
“Indeed, worthy of Evil Ponytail. Not easy to deal with!”
“Though defeated now, I’ll uphold justice!”
The Violets decided to step back for now, carefully looking for opportunities to use the electric shock device and love letter given by the Scholarship Officer.
On a rainy day in March, in an empty classroom tucked away in a corner of the academy building,
Violet was passionately recounting her heroic tales to Irene.
“Oh, I see. I heard on the news that Cascadia had wiped out the Pirate Warlords, but I didn’t know you were behind it.”
Irene’s voice carried a hint of admiration. Encouraged by her friend’s reaction, Violet continued,
“Yeah, I went with the Scholarship Officer and subdued the bad guys. By the way,”
Violet’s voice rose an octave.
“The aircraft Irene gave me was used in a bombing operation! I dropped a big bomb, and it succeeded. It was super fun!”
Irene smiled and asked,
“Glad it helped. Do you need any more planes?”
Violet hesitated for a moment, gauging Irene’s reaction, then cautiously replied,
“To be honest… I’d like another plane. But I don’t want to burden you. You’re busy, and the clan has many expenses.”
“Are you worried about us?”
Irene gently smiled and continued,
“There’s no need. Helios’ finances are solid. Purchasing a few more aircraft isn’t much of a burden…”
Violet shook her head with a bright smile.
“No, it’s okay. Irene, thanks for the help, but I’m fine now. Plus,”
A mischievous tone crept into Violet’s voice.
“Someone else is buying me a plane!”
Just as Irene was about to ask curiously, Violet suddenly waved toward the exit.
“Sister Adela! Over here!”
A graceful beauty with flowing golden hair approached elegantly.
“Ah, there you are. It took some time to find you, junior members!”
Irene greeted politely, though her hunter instincts warned her of something amiss.
“…President of the Student Council, what brings you here?”
Adela answered with a charming smile.
“I came to discuss equipment procurement and military reform with our Violet.”
“Discuss? Equipment? Military reform?”
Irene’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as unfamiliar words lingered in the air.
Excited, Violet chimed in,
“Yeah! Speaking of which, Sister Adela agreed to buy me a plane!”
“What?” Irene’s expression twisted in shock.
Misinterpreting Irene’s surprise at her junior’s bold statement, Adela kindly began explaining the situation.
“Ah, well,”
Adela’s voice flowed sweetly like honey.
“Violet wanted a fighter jet, and since our family secured a valuable mine thanks to her, we wanted to give her a special gift.”
Adela’s face lit up with a loving smile, like a grandmother eager to shower her beloved grandchild with gifts.
“So, following the family head’s instructions, we’ve decided to establish the Violet Flight Squadron!”
Expectation sparkled in Adela’s eyes. A flight squadron composed solely of adorable girl pilots with awakened powers!
She could already picture the Violet squad striding proudly across the airstrip in her mind.
-One, two! One, two!
-Guardians of the sky, the strongest Violets!
Not only cute, but awakened pilots are relatively free from the burdens and risks of extreme inertial acceleration and loss of consciousness.
Most Federal Army supersonic fighter pilots are awakened ones for this very reason.
A squadron composed solely of superhuman pilots would undoubtedly become an unmatched force compared to regular pilots.
The excited Violet chattered on like a child boasting about a new toy.
“They’re giving me fighters! Dozens of them, I think?”
“That many…?”
Irene’s usually calm face twisted in astonishment.
“Yeah, initially, we’ll form the squadron with jet fighters and attack aircraft available on the market, and later, Sister Adela’s family will provide larger aircraft like transporters and bombers!”
“That’s really impressive…”
A sense of unease gradually grew in Irene’s voice.
And when Violet continued speaking, Irene felt as if her heart had plummeted.
“So, Irene, you don’t have to buy me a plane! Sister Adela said they’ll provide everything. Right, sister?”
Adela nodded and continued.
“That’s correct. We’re currently expanding the airstrip. Once the flight squadron base construction is complete, will you come take a look, Irene? We’re planning a founding ceremony for the Violet Flight Squadron too. Oh? It’s already this late.”
“Then, I’ll go first! I have to discuss fighter purchases with Sister Adela!”
“Yeah, sure. Take care… President of the Student Council too.”
Watching Violet walk off arm-in-arm with Adela, Irene was enveloped by an inexplicable sense of frustration.
She should have been happy for her friend’s success, yet a feeling of emptiness and loss lingered in her heart.
Why?
Struggling to pinpoint the source of her complex emotions, a sudden realization dawned on Irene.
Ah, I’ve been outdone.
