Chapter 52

Having left first, Vivi didn’t know how Costance had returned home. Like the wind, he disappeared, and he didn’t reappear the next day or the day after. As expected, Costance Orsi didn’t report her as a spy.

He had chosen to turn away from her.

“Irini……”

Irini approached and licked Vivi’s feet. The warmth of the touch made Vivi’s toes curl inward naturally. She told herself that she had to find her strength.

Now that she had rejected Costance, there was nothing left for her to fear. Not the agency that had tormented her for 14 years, not the government, not even death. Strangely, none of it frightened her anymore.

She had nothing left to lose now.

‘I’ll live the rest of my life like a paper doll, and quietly, without anyone noticing, leave this world.’

* * *

Even at dawn, the interior of the NOK One Laboratory was brightly lit.

A few days ago, Rando’s provocation had occurred. In response, the government increased funding and manpower for the NOK One Laboratory. The lab was running frantically, every second of every day.

Many researchers couldn’t sleep, even with beds in front of them, and Tiago and Alres had dark circles under their eyes.

“I don’t even know if I’m alive or dead, Alres.”

Tiago leaned his arms against the railing as he spoke. For over ten days, he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep.

“Stuck again?”

“Damn it…… It’s really damn impossible. They want us to create some kind of new nuclear weapon, but even Nergal, who discovered the atom, can’t figure it out.”

Tiago soothed his dry throat with coffee.

Was this even possible……?

Nergal Galinne had discovered the new atom, NOK, while working with the Chemical Society.

Not much was known about the atom. However, one of Nergal’s colleagues had submitted a paper suggesting that the powerful energy within the atom made it suitable for explosive weaponry.

That was the reason the NOK Laboratory was established.

The government placed Nergal Galinne, the atom’s discoverer, in charge. Under him were several chemists who had worked with Nergal, along with many skilled researchers.

The government demanded only one thing from them.

〈Create a weapon that will make Rando tremble in fear.〉

But how could such a thing be easy? Tiago stared blankly at his empty coffee cup.

“If only last year’s maritime experiment had been successful.”

“You mean the NOK-13 maritime experiment under Admiral Orsi? That was a disaster. Nothing happened at all.”

Alres responded with a sigh.

“Though it seemed like the Director gained something from it.”

Tiago straightened his back. When he checked the time, it was just about lunchtime.

Researchers were leaving their rooms and heading toward the cafeteria to fill their stomachs. Tiago and Alres spotted their colleagues, Sien and Rene, in the crowd.

“Ah, Rene……”

Tiago called out to Rene but stopped mid-sentence. Between Rene and Sien stood a familiar figure.

“Huh? Isn’t that the Director?”

Alres also noticed Nergal and spoke.

“……What’s he doing with them?”

Tiago frowned. 

Was I supposed to choke on his food now?

Rene and Sien noticed Tiago and Alres and waved at them. Tiago, unable to hide his expression, glanced at Nergal before moving closer to Rene.

“Why is the Director here?”

Tiago asked in a low voice.

“He said he wanted to go to the cafeteria with the Little Miss, so he followed us.”

“With the Little Miss? He’s been cooped up in the lab for days, and now he wants to eat with the Little Miss?”

“Yeah.”

Tiago’s frown deepened, and the wrinkles on his forehead became more pronounced. Just as he pursed his lips in frustration, Sien smacked him hard on the back. The sharp sting made Tiago’s eyes widen in shock.

“The Director is right there. Fix your expression.”

Sien commented nonchalantly. A former officer who had always shown utmost respect to her superiors, Sien found Tiago’s constant scowling intolerable. And since Tiago thought Sien was the scariest senior in the world, he kept his mouth shut.

The five of them walked together. Researchers passing by glanced at the unusual group with curious eyes.

“By the way, Director, is it true that the next maritime experiment date has been set?”

Rene asked with a worried expression.

“Yes, three weeks from now. Admiral Orsi will be in charge of the operation.”

“But our research progress is still……”

At Rene’s words, the other three’s faces also darkened. If the experiment failed again, they couldn’t predict what kind of reprimand would come from above.

“Huh?”

At that moment, a clear and bright voice interrupted them.

All five turned their heads toward the source of the sound. There stood a young girl holding a limp Olive in her arms. She wore a newly purchased pink dress, and her silver hair fluttered in the air—a cute little girl.

“Little miss!”

The scowl that had been on Tiago’s face the whole time disappeared as he smiled at the girl.

“Ah…… Brother Tiago.”

“Have you eaten yet, Little Miss?”

When Tiago asked, the girl shook her head.

“No, I came out because people suddenly started leaving…… I thought father and you all would be there. So I wanted to eat with you……”

The girl spoke shyly. Just those few words seemed to calm the urgency in the five adults’ hearts.

The girl suddenly remembered something, placed Olive back in the room, and closed the door.

She brushed the fur off her clothes for Rene’s sake.

“……Is this okay? Since you’re allergic.”

The girl looked at Rene and asked. Rene held out his hand to her.

“Yes, it’s fine. Are you hungry? Shall we go eat?”

The girl grabbed Rene’s outstretched hand. Five became six.

Even though the group had become even more peculiar, they felt a sense of warmth. Nergal Galinne, who had been watching the girl, felt the same way.

* * *

It had been a week since Vivi had parted with Costance. During that time, she decided to visit the workshop she hadn’t gone to in a while.

Since her last meeting with Costance, there had been no sign of Sampio, who had been threatening her. The workshop members were convinced that Sampio had gone to another village, but according to an elderly neighbor, no one had been at his house, and his one and only safe was completely emptied.

Where had Sampio gone, and why had he suddenly disappeared? Rumors about him frequently circulated among the villagers.

“Well, it’s good for us that someone like Sampio is gone from the village.”

A middle-aged woman said while knitting.

“Exactly.”

“He always made us uneasy.”

Other women agreed. As expected, the workshop was full of chatter about the villagers. Vivi couldn’t even imagine what stories had been shared about her absence.

She quietly continued knitting what she had learned before. Occasionally, she answered someone’s question or gave a small smile……

Time passed excruciatingly slowly. But even so, she had to completely forget Costance Orsi.

The past week had been like hell for her. She had cried so much that her eyes were swollen until the previous night, and everything she ate refused to digest, leading to constant vomiting.

‘I need to forget.’

Her hurried hands eventually made a mistake. Staring blankly at the thread that had come loose, Vivi suddenly became aware of a gaze from above.

“Are you alright, Vivi?”

The cautious question came from a lady whose face reminded Vivi of Costance. Though their gender and appearance were entirely different, Vivi saw Costance in her. She gripped her needle tightly.

“Yes, I was just…… lost in thought.”

She lowered her head and answered.

When she worked as a librarian, Costance had always been watching her. She had always felt his gaze and held her breath nervously.

Back then and even now.

‘……Even now?’

Across from her was an empty seat and a wide-open door. Beyond the door, no one could be seen.

“…….”

Yet she still felt someone watching her. Someone was looking at her.

This wasn’t Sampio, and it certainly wasn’t Costance. The strength drained from Vivi’s hand holding the needle.

Who was it, and why were they…… watching me?

She realized that the presence was getting closer. Step by step, it approached. Her hand, gripping the needle tightly, became damp with sweat.

She slightly lifted herself from her seat. If it was someone from the agency, she would have to run without hesitation. 

But if that really happened, what would happen to Irini, who was alone at home? Where could I escape to?

Countless thoughts raced through her mind in a short moment.

“…….”

A shadow appeared at the door. Judging by the build and clothing, it was clearly a man.

Finally, the gaze she had been feeling revealed itself.

“…….”

“…….”

Blonde hair and blue eyes. A tall and youthful face. The moment she saw that face, the needle slipped from Vivi’s hand and fell to the floor.

Hello, Little Miss.

It’s been 14 years.

Without making a sound, he mouthed the words.

“……Alres.”

The youngest researcher on the NOK Project and her former teacher, Alres, had appeared.