An ominous premonition is never wrong.
Every time I have a feeling like “This time I’m going to win the lottery!” and buy a ticket, I end up not even winning five thousand won.
Good premonitions always miss the mark, but ominous ones always come true.
Actually, is this world a simulation? Meaning, I received an electric shock and became a Jelly, and some mad scientist is observing it all with an evil laugh.
…This feels a bit extreme.
No, but every time this happens, how can I not doubt?
Strange phenomena called Singularities are wandering all over the place. Could this world, with its massive Spheres, be one giant Singularity—
I decided to stop thinking about it.
Even if it were a simulation, there’s nothing I can do about it. Every time I thought about it, I just felt like I was turning into an incredibly depressed Jelly.
Anyway.
When two people suddenly burst into my room, I thought they had seen hostile drones, but that wasn’t really the issue. What surprised me more was seeing Yang Ha-na polishing the Sphere.
It felt like what was supposed to be surprising was flipped.
The drones with weapons look more dangerous than the floating Spheres.
Hmm… If you think about it, the drones are controlled by the Spheres, so it kind of makes sense.
But that wasn’t the problem.
The two people, after asking about Yang Ha-na’s well-being, picked me up and headed to the control room.
The situation felt strangely familiar, and that familiarity made me uneasy.
Sitting in the control room, the two began to talk to me with a tone like, “Jelly, we’d like you to help us with just one more thing.”
Of course, it was about dealing with another Spherelike entity, just like the tasteless Chunk of Meat and the canned goods we had handled before.
It was no longer anything surprising, but something in me stirred.
Up until now, the things I dealt with had been to prove my necessity and to prevent something catastrophic.
…But haven’t I already proven that sufficiently?
No, it’s not that I don’t want to do it.
I’m not the type of person who acts differently after going to the bathroom.
I find it interesting to encounter such things.
…Also, maybe it’s because my current body doesn’t feel threatening anymore.
Anyway, here’s the important part.
If I’ve proven my utility, shouldn’t I get some kind of reward?
Isn’t that how it works in fiction?
When you make a contract with a demon to obtain what you desire, you have to offer… well, not “offer,” maybe “tribute.”
It’s kind of awkward to say, but to use the Singularities, shouldn’t some kind of cost be… required?
Thinking from not the Singularity’s perspective but as Jelly, who used to be a human, it feels like there should be some form of compensation.
Otherwise, isn’t this essentially slavery?
I don’t want to make Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo look like outdated racists.
What era are we in, and yet slavery? I don’t want to make these two look terrible.
So, it’s right to demand some kind of reward from them—or even the ones above.
However, since I’ve become this body, money has no meaning.
…Then why not take the chance to get something I’ve always wanted?
Like, the TV that Sosik likes so much.
Sosik is really blessed?
Yang Ha-na making clothes, and me going on a business trip to get a TV for the little guy.
…Absolutely not because I want to watch it.
If I do a good job, I might even be able to bring in other things besides the TV.
I’m not exactly sure what kind of situation I’m facing, but this offer feels like an open opportunity.
So.
…Let’s negotiate a bit before jumping in.
To get what I truly want, it’s normal to act out a bit beforehand.
If I just blindly accept, it’s like devaluing my worth.
That’s why I puffed up my Jelly body and acted like I was reluctant while looking around for a way to communicate my thoughts without speaking.
The unexpected thing was that when I acted reluctant, Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo started looking visibly uncomfortable.
Seeing that made me realize my value might be higher than I think, and I felt a bit bad about pretending.
What can I do? The Jelly is just too talented at acting. How do you stop talent when it bubbles over like this?
Hmm.
…Was I like this before?
I can’t really remember.
Anyway.
I spotted the sketchbook and pen on the control room table, deciding the mood was ripe. After careful deliberation, I wrote down some words.
I chose words that wouldn’t sound too serious, but the reaction I got wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for.
So, this time, I decided to just draw exactly what I wanted.
The last time the Jellies saw my drawing, they went on a fridge expedition, so it should work.
…Though thinking about the result of that expedition was a bit unsettling.
Still, it seems fitting for my current Jelly form.
It was fun to dive back into creating something.
When I showed the finished product to the pair…
Once again, I got an unexpected reaction. The Jelly, who had been proudly showing it off, was puzzled as the moment unfolded.
“Is this… a TV?”
As expected, Han Seori, the scientist, correctly interpreted my drawing.
After some time, I managed to secure a promise that I’d get what I wanted. While I felt a bit odd, it was still a success.
…Even Jellies aren’t perfect in every situation, right?
Maybe it’s because they’re human and find my Jelly drawings cryptic.
…Actually, I haven’t drawn much since I transformed. If I practice moving as a Jelly, maybe I’ll get better at this.
As I inwardly decided to get revenge on my poor art skills, Han Seori’s expression as she patted me felt strange.
“So, you’ve wanted the TV back, huh? Alright, I’ll prepare it while you’re out on the job. And something else…”
They promised they’d give me what I wanted and even mentioned something extra.
Is this a bad omen?
Or is it a good one?
I’m not sure whether I should dance for joy or in caution.
With this uneasy feeling…
I listened to Han Seori while determining my next destination.
Placing my hand on the Sphere, I conveyed my message.
It’s just a short trip, so keep an eye on the House while I’m gone.
…You never know what might happen while I’m away.
Better to be prepared, right?
The drones controlled by the Sphere can handle reasonable threats.
After receiving the message, the Sphere finally spoke.
[Does that include the inferior species within the facility?]
This guy is always asking obvious questions.
It’s clear that he’s always looking for excuses to eliminate people, so I’m glad I warned him beforehand.
If the Sphere decides to “accidentally” erase someone like Yang Ha-na while I’m gone, a lot of Jellies and humans will be sad.
With that stern warning, I moved on to the Jellies.
Daesik and Jung-sik came waddling and floating over as I approached them.
They’ve clearly noticed I’m leaving.
Adorable little ones.
I’ll be heading out to get the TV for you guys, so wait for me.
Just then, an astonishing sight caught my eye.
Sosik, who had been lying there like a corpse, started moving, waving his tiny hand toward me.
It can’t be a gesture to make me go away… Probably telling me to come back safely, I guess.
It warmed my Jelly heart a bit. You have a conscience after all, little buddy.
Yeah, I’m going out to get the TV for you.
…Is that right?
I stared at Sosik as he drifted back to sleep before turning around. This time, Yang Ha-na, our dedicated human, was looking at me with worry.
“Are you going on a dangerous mission? We will meet again, right?”
She’s acting like family sending someone off to the frontlines, even though we haven’t known each other that long.
…It’s right, but…
It’s a strange feeling.
I comfortingly tapped Yang Ha-na on the shoulder before strutting out of the room with an impressive squishy waddle.
When I arrived at the control room, Kim Cheon-soo was already waiting, ready to go.
And in his hand…
Something I’ve seen before was dangling.
Wait.
Before I could process it, Kim Cheon-soo approached me and whispered.
“Ah, you’re here. Shall we go?”
With that, he casually opened a familiar box.
…Instead of the impressive departure I had planned, I found myself squished into a small, cramped box.
There was no mention of moving this way!
This is fraud!
With Han Seori’s farewell wave, I…
Left the familiar facility with the commoner.
…Of course, since I ended up in a bag inside a box,
…Even though I haven’t done anything yet, I already miss home.
