Vol 2 Chapter 14 Experience
The private research lab arranged for Erald by the Counterasure Bureau was located in the bureau’s comrcial property district, tucked inside an office building that didn’t see much foot traffic.
The benefit: quiet in the midst of the bustle, and not easy to discover.
The downside: small and not exactly impressive.
During the site selection discussion, Erald once felt that such treatnt was unworthy of soone wielding a Jewel Scepter, and she made so pointed remarks about it. But Lin Yun wasn’t willing to entertain her demand of “an entire floor,” so they ultimately compromised on just two rooms.
Riding the elevator to the hallway of the building, Lin Yun walked side-by-side with the Fairy Doll, arriving at the door of Erald’s research lab.
“Transform first,” Erald said abruptly.
Lin Yun raised a brow slightly but didn’t question her. She took out her Heartstone and transford into Veronica. The mont the transformation was complete, she noticed sothing had changed—the door in front of her looked different now.
What had previously appeared to be a regular security door now shimred with complex rune carvings and magical glow, transford into a tal gate pulsating with magic.
“——”
Standing before the door, the Doll opened its mouth, emitting a series of sounds completely unlike any human language. With each syllable it uttered, one of the previously dim runes on the door lit up. By the ti it finished speaking, the glowing runes had ford a full circle.
Click.
The door unlocked with a sound.
Veronica followed behind the Doll into the completely renovated and unrecognizable room, looking around—there was no sign of the original office space left.
The room was dominated by copper and iron elents, with a wooden floor made from so unknown material. The decor was magical, tinged with a sci-fi vibe.
Tall bookshelves were cramd with texts and journals written in unknown scripts, exuding an ancient, serene atmosphere. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting golden specks of dust across the shelves. On the lab bench by the window sat variously shaped reagent bottles, each filled with dazzling, multicolored liquids that were hard to ignore.
On a nearby wall, several massive mirrors were embedded among the copper-iron patterns. Above them, densely packed data and runes were displayed—it looked like a control screen.
In one corner of the lab stood a particularly eye-catching piece of equipnt.
If Veronica guessed correctly, it was a treatnt bed. Though it looked quite different from the ones found in hospitals in the Material World, its size and outline evoked exactly that kind of dical equipnt.
“So? The reason you insisted I co here—what is it?”
After scanning the lab’s layout, Veronica turned to the Fairy Doll. “Was it just to show off your new place?”
“Don’t be so hasty, young one.”
Erald’s voice ca lazily, “Surely you realize that if I called you here, it must still be about the deal.”
“If it’s still the sa conditions as before, then I still won’t agree,” Veronica responded with a frown. “I told you— the better your offer, the more I’ll question your motives.”
“Oh co on, I already said—don’t rush.”
The Doll tilted its head, probably trying to mimic a shake. “Since I called you over, of course I’m bringing new terms to the table.”
While talking, it raised a paw and gestured toward the nearby treatnt bed:
“For example, take a look at that.”
“…What’s it for?”
“As you can see, it’s a treatnt bed. Basic functions are similar to those in Material World hospitals, just optimized for magic and soul.”
The Doll walked over to the magic curtain, twisting the knobs on the control panel:
“If you had agreed to our earlier deal, that bed would’ve been used to prep your condition.”
“Prep my condition?” The term made Veronica arch a brow.
“Yeah, repairing the cracks in your true form is a big project. You’re Flower-tier in scale, and your injuries are severe. It’s not sothing that can be fixed overnight.”
The Doll, without turning, continued, “You’ll only be able to go to the Kingdom next year for the final repairs, but the prep work can start now.”
“Specifically?”
“Specifically, we need to stabilize your condition—stop your magic from leaking or deteriorating. At this rate, you’ll regress to Bud-tier before next year even arrives, young one.”
The Doll looked up at the screen. “It’s too much to explain. Just lie down and experience it for yourself.”
“Now?”
“Now. No strings attached.”
The Doll’s fuzzy fairy face broke into a wide, innocent smile. “Consider it a trial session. Just enjoy the results.”
Veronica said nothing, but her suspicious look was obvious.
She walked closer to the treatnt bed, touched its surface, and then examined her fingers. “Doesn’t seem to have any weird magic fluctuations. Doesn’t feel like a trap.”
“There wouldn’t be such things.”
Erald sighed. “I’ve said it a dozen tis, but let say it again—I’m a person of pure, noble character. I don’t play underhanded tricks.”
Veronica didn’t respond. She silently placed her hands on the bed’s edges, pushed herself up, and lightly sat down.
After a pause, she spoke again. “Surprisingly comfortable.”
“Just basic optimization for the body. You know, it’s one of the most advanced dical achievents in our entire institute.”
The Doll stepped away from the screen wall and ca over to the bed. “Even smuggling it into the Material World took a ton of effort.”
“…Smuggling?”
“Yep. Smuggling. I had my trusted aide bring it here through black-market routes.”
The Doll stroked the machine with a paw. “You should feel honored, young one. This is the first ti I’ve set up a lab in the Material World. Only you and I know about this place.”
“That so.”
Her tone was flat as she glanced around. “So, may I ask: is there anything in this room that ca through official channels?”
The Doll pointed proudly behind it.
Veronica followed the gesture and saw a large experintal desk.
“…That desk?” she asked, uncertain.
“No, the notebook on top of it,” Erald clarified.
“And besides that?”
“That’s it.”
Erald’s lazy voice echoed from the Doll. “After all, I didn’t report any of this to Her Majesty.”
Veronica paused, then looked up again. “Your Excellency Chief.”
“Yes?”
“In the Material World, we call this kind of thing ‘illegal immigration’ and ‘unauthorized construction.’”
“Well, what a coincidence.”
The Doll crouched down and tapped the control panel. “Turns out the Kingdom defines it the sa way.”
“I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I think it’s just... illegal,” Veronica said expressionlessly.
“Well, I can’t let Her Majesty know about this, right?”
Erald sounded helpless. “Think about what we’re about to do—faking an identity, sneaking you back into the Magic Kingdom—none of that’s legal. So naturally, no one can know I’m here.”
“Hence the puppet?”
“Hence the puppet.”
The Doll nudged Veronica’s arm. “Alright, settings are ready. Lie down.”
Veronica didn’t argue and lay back on the treatnt bed.
She stared intently as the Doll tapped away at the screen. With each tap, faint waves of magical energy pulsed outward from the machine, gently washing over her.
A soft glow surrounded her, and a tingling numbness slowly crept into her limbs.
The quiet hum of the machine filled the room, with the Doll’s tapping forming a kind of rhythm. Eventually, it raised its paw and looked over.
“Alright. Now take off your clothes.”
“…How much?”
“All of it.”
The Doll replied casually, then noticed Veronica’s expression was… off. “What? Why are you looking at like that?”
“Your Excellency Chief, I rember you just said you were a person of ‘pure and noble character.’”
Veronica looked at it, deadpan. “Did that include what you just said?”
“What do you take for? I told you, it’s treatnt, not anything shady! Would you doubt your doctor this much in the Material World? I’m your attending physician right now!”
The Doll crossed its arms indignantly. “Let’s not even pretend I’m into anything sketchy. And even if I were, I wouldn’t be into a flat little girl like you. What are you worried about?”
Veronica stared at it for a few seconds. Not that she could read much from the puppet body.
After a long mont of consideration, she placed her hand on the Heartstone. Her dark blue dress dissolved into glowing magic threads, which unraveled from dense to sparse, drifting outward.
Magical Girl outfits were primarily composed of magic, so putting them on or taking them off wasn’t like dealing with regular clothes. Especially since Veronica’s abilities included threads—this was nothing for her.
But just as she was about to finish, she noticed the Doll staring at her, unmoving. Its gemstone-like green eyes glead, numbers and symbols seemingly flickering inside them.
“…Your Excellency, for the sake of personal space and basic decency, could you turn around a little?”
“My main body already turned around. This is just a puppet. You can relax.”
Erald’s voice had a slightly awkward tone.
“Then can you at least close its eyes?”
“Sorry, this puppet model doesn’t co with an eye-closing function,” the Doll replied, blinking.
Veronica slowly removed her hand from the Heartstone and stared silently at the Doll. They stood locked in mutual silence at the side of the treatnt bed.
Monts later, she sat up abruptly and jumped to the ground.
“Sorry, that’s it for today. I’m out.”
She felt there was sothing more to this setup. The offers had co too easily, the incentives too generous. With Erald’s obsession over deals and benefits, there had to be sothing else going on.
Appearing in Fangting City, offering help out of nowhere, and now this “trial experience”? Not to ntion insisting on watching her the whole ti? It all felt too suspicious.
Though she wasn’t shy about showing skin, and didn’t think Erald was being lewd, it still didn’t sit right.
So, decision made, she abandoned the treatnt and turned to leave.
“Hey, don’t go! I was just about to get the data—I an, I was about to explain the next features!”
The Fairy Doll scrambled after her. “It’s just a little undressing! No big deal!”
“‘Just about to get the data,’ huh?”
Veronica crouched, pressing her palm on the Doll’s head. “Your Excellency, mind explaining what data you were trying to collect?”
“Er… you misheard!”
The Doll waved its paws frantically, trying to reach her hand. “Everything I do is out of kindness and sincerity! Data? What data?”
It latched onto Veronica’s wrist and began tugging. “Co on, let’s go back—just three minutes! No—two minutes!”
But Veronica didn’t budge an inch.
“…This is exactly why I don’t trust you Jewel Scepter types.”
After Erald’s comnt, Veronica sighed for so reason. Then, without another word, she turned and walked toward the lab entrance.
“No need to see off. Best of luck with your research. Goodbye.”
The Fairy Doll, left behind, pitter-pattered after her with its stubby legs but couldn’t catch up. Watching her about to leave for real, it finally gave in and called out:
—“Alright, alright! Wait up! I’ll tell you!”
Still sounding lazy, Erald’s voice carried a hint of helplessness now. “You want to know why I want the Beast Core, and why I brought you here? Fine. I’ll tell you. Just co back first.”
Veronica paused.
But she didn’t return to the treatnt bed. Instead, she simply stared silently at the Doll on the ground.
Start with sothing real.
That’s what she wanted to say.
“…You really won’t move without a rabbit in sight, huh?”
Understanding her intent, the Doll let out a sigh and shook its head. “Alright, I’ll give you sothing first. A show of sincerity.”
“Let’s see… hmm…”
“Oh, how about I start with the Claw Mark?”
User Comments
0 comments from readers