Chapter 55: Experiment and Curiosity
In the central autonomous district of Kisou Academy, countless buildings stood in disarray.
In one of those buildings, on a floor just above one that was known only to the relevant parties, Miroku was present.
It had been three days since Aoi Hoshi Miroku had transferred herself to Kisou Academy.
By the third day, she had become accustomed to spending time in the sterile white room.
(I have nothing to do…)
Aside from meals and bodily functions, Miroku was not permitted any actions. After all, what could one do in a room that only had the bare minimum of necessities?
She sat on the bed, simply waiting for the moment to come. Eventually, it arrived.
“Well, how are you doing, Aoi Hoshi Miroku?”
“…Professor.”
A girl with a disheveled appearance entered the room after unlocking the door. The professor’s look was such that one might believe even a corpse could be moving, as she laughed while scratching her neck.
“Hmm. You seem to be in good health. Some people fall apart in a day. Indeed, one must be selective with materials.”
The professor nodded with satisfaction.
“Now, shall we begin today?”
Miroku had no choice in the matter.
Taken out of the room, Miroku was guided to the usual indoor laboratory.
The upper part of the stark white room had some glass walls. It was from behind this glass that the professor always observed the experiments.
The professor sat in a chair at the edge of the wall and urged Miroku to sit as well.
“Please have a seat. It seems Ciel’s transport is delayed, so let’s have a little chat.”
“…There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Ah. It’s not good that you lack curiosity. For instance, this syringe that you’ve been injected with during the experiments over the past three days.”
The professor said this as she took a syringe out of her attaché case.
“It’s a device that can be easily handled even by amateurs in Academy City.”
“This was something I created while developing Demons Gear. It can increase the compatibility rate with Demons Gear. Well, if the body has a rejection reaction, it results in this.”
The professor pointed at herself with a laugh. Without caring about Miroku’s reaction, she spoke freely.
“By the way, what do you think about Demons Gear?”
“I don’t really care. It’s just a dangerous dive gear.”
“Not at all. It’s fundamentally different. Dive Gear is the crystallization of human wisdom. And Demons Gear is an artificial god made from a single relic.”
“A god…?”
“To be precise, it is the manifestation of six myths designed to end in tragedy. Those are living myths.”
Excitedly, the professor began to scratch herself. Then, while wiping away the blood that seeped from her torn skin with her lab coat, she continued speaking.
“Wonderful. To think such things could be made twenty years ago. I can’t hold a candle to the researchers of that time. That’s why I wanted to create Demons Gear myself. In fact, I was just a step away. If I had the final piece, the relic, I could have created something new.”
“I see.”
Not noticing Miroku’s disinterest, the professor became even more animated.
“Twenty years ago, the six Demons Gears created by Factom General Academy were divided and preserved among various prominent academies after the runaway incident. That much can be confirmed by records. However, there’s one thing that is excluded—the relic that was responsible for controlling them, the origin of Demons Gear.”
The professor continued, speaking with the exuberance of a child sharing their favorite topic.
“If only I had that relic, I could create new Demons Gear. Without a doubt, I could have made it… But the Board of Directors wouldn’t understand. They only replied that six Demons Gears were necessary for the plan. What foolish people. They expelled me from my professor position and welcomed such a useless individual as their new professor. It’s lamentable…”
While the professor chattered on, Miroku stared at the ceiling.
“However, if Ciel can get a new contractor, along with Eina, that would give us data from two Demons Gears. Then, even without the relic, Demons Gear can be created. I could give the Board of Directors a run for their money!”
“I see. That’s impressive.”
“Ah, it’s impressive! I’m impressive! Therefore, it’s wrong for me to be lingering here…!”
The professor began to slap her own thigh repeatedly without restraint. Then, suddenly becoming calm, she looked at Miroku.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect much from you at first. The material is good, but that’s all. I thought you were just a foundation for my experiments. I apologize for that. You are a blessing that god has given me.”
The professor took Miroku’s hand and smiled.
“Perhaps it’s the influence of Solciera’s magical power. You have the highest compatibility with Ciel that I’ve seen so far. It’s wonderful. If you become the contractor, my experiments will progress significantly!”
“I see.”
“Yes! At that time, I’m glad I didn’t ignore the Board of Directors and abduct Sakura Rikka. Waiting has well paid off, as you have come to me.”
“…You know Sakura Rikka?”
“Ah, of course.”
As if it were obvious, the professor affirmed her knowledge.
“After all, she was the first to be recognized as S Rank by the Board of Directors.”
“…What?”
“Oh, right. The formal announcement of S Rank was first made by Tenken. Sakura Rikka was born as an S Rank. Therefore, she was certified as a production sample for other S Rank explorers.”
“The professor was… S Rank?”
That was something she had never heard before.
The presence that had always guided them turned out to be someone of such stature.
It was too significant a title to dismiss her ignorance.
“Didn’t you know? …You weren’t trusted enough to be told the secret. How pathetic.”
“…Shut up.”
“Come on, it’s true. Besides, you don’t trust the other students either, which is why you’re here, right? Trying to deal with your debts alone in silence. What’s the difference?”
“Ugh.”
Miroku couldn’t retort.
At that moment, she was undoubtedly engaging in the very behavior she hated most.
“In that sense, you are certainly fitting for a junior. One dedicates themselves to me for their debts, while the other dedicates themselves to Academy City. Is there a teaching in Factom General Academy that values self-sacrifice as a virtue?”
“…Do you know anything else about that person?”
“I don’t know. I’m not interested. That’s already a completed entity. My purpose was to complete it, and afterward, I couldn’t care less. Why don’t you ask the Board of Directors?”
Miroku opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the professor stood up.
“Ah, it seems they have arrived. So, I’ll leave the rest to you. Please be kind to Ciel today as well.”
With that, the professor placed a syringe into Miroku’s hand and set the attaché case beside the chair.
Then she left the room and moved to the other side of the glass, as usual.
“…Even without being told.”
Miroku understood this was her role.
She was aware of her position within Factom General Academy.
Sounds came from the door opposite to the one Miroku entered.
A massive metal door designed to allow the entry of something larger than a person opened with a loud clank.
What entered were several researchers clad in protective suits.
And within the massive cylindrical tank they carried floated the form of a girl resembling a monster.
The researchers brought the tank up to Miroku.
Then, after performing some operation on the stand, they hurriedly left.
The operated stand began to extract the liquid from the upper tank.
After the liquid in the tank was completely removed, a light sound echoed as the tank opened.
“—Indeed, it’s a reunion after nineteen hours.”
The girl stepped onto the floor with her wet bare feet.
Then, completely nude, she gazed at Miroku and smiled, a smile imperfect for a human.
“Shall we begin?”
