"Hey, it's noisy outside."

"Someone from the Foreign Entity Management Bureau came. They say they're taking this person away."

"Hmm."

Zernya, who was changing Ireh's wet towel, stretched her arms.

"So, where to?"

"The Northern Foreign Entity Biology Research Institute."

"That's where they do human experiments."

Ireh, who had been groaning in pain, suddenly opened her eyes wide. Seeing that, I pretended not to know and replied:

"You're messing with me."

"It's not a lie. Everyone from Adelbein knows."

"Even so, should you really be telling me this?"

"You're fine to tell, I guess."

I stared at Zernya.

She cleared her throat and casually loosened her scarf. The barcode tattoo on her nape was clearly exposed.

"Besides, broadly speaking, I'm a victim too."

***

I think I need to update the Zernya Roulette.

Before: 30% chance per second of picking a fight.

Now: 25% chance per second of picking a fight, and 5% chance of saying something conscientious or doing something mischievous.

These are the default values.

When she's treating a patient, she becomes notably gentler. She still grumbles, of course, but compared to the days when she used to step on my feet, it's practically endearing.

I pondered why this change occurred.

Father.

As the southern front stabilized, my father joined the university as a professor and secretly instilled ethical awareness in Zernya while teaching her.

A fairly logical deduction.

Zernya, who had been caring for Ireh, flew out the door to implement her conscience. Since Adelbein is the ruling family in the north, most officials back off when they see her face and receive some money.

"We'll see you in a week."

The Rakdalman group bowed their heads and scurried away with their tails between their legs.

Zernya puffed out her chest and raised her eyebrows.

"What on earth did you say to make them leave in such a hurry?"

"Well..."

She swallowed and answered.

"Just that I'm the legitimate daughter of Adelbein, that even government officials can lose their jobs, that this woman is a patient, and that I'd cut off all the circular investments to research institute-related companies?"

"You applied pressure from multiple angles."

I think again.

She is, absolutely, someone I should never make an enemy of.

Returning to the room, Zernya helped Ireh sit up. Ireh's back was damp with cold sweat.

"Hey, clean this kid's back while I look away."

"I'll just wait outside."

I decided to chat with Sonia until Zernya called me back. Sonia handed me a few homemade cookies and asked:

"Is that resonator research or whatever going well?"

"I need to finish it within a week."

There were two problems.

First, two professors had thrown out their backs, leaving the lab without supervisors.

Second, I needed to transport Ireh to Iruiel Academy in a sane state.

These two issues intertwined to create a maddening situation.

"Can this be done in a week...?"

The latter especially troubled me.

"If it's you, young master, you'll find a way."

"Don't pressure me."

"It's neither pressure nor a joke."

Sonia embraced me with open arms. It was sudden. She patted the back of my head and said:

"There, there."

"...What are you doing?"

"I learned this from observing what human mothers do for their children. I hope this gives you strength, young master."

"Am I a child?"

"From my perspective, you're definitely a youngster."

Sonia pulled away and raised just the corners of her mouth with an expressionless face.

"Of course, this statement too is something I learned to say."

***

Zernya von Adelbein and Ireh Hazlen were mortal enemies.

After becoming the student council president of the college, Zernya's arrogance reached the heavens. She dreamed of being above all others and made a contract with a foreign entity to reach greater heights.

The entity had one condition:

'Sacrifice everyone in the college.'

By then, Zernya had fallen so far into corruption that she used her medical knowledge to torture resisters and place them on the altar.

Ireh fought to stop this, banging her head against walls in the process.

In most timelines, her attempts failed, but she won dramatically a few times. And each time, Zernya met a terrible end.

Sacrificing everyone in the college.

That "everyone" had to include the person making the wish.

When Ireh succeeded in stopping Zernya, she would flee the college to Academia. Hiding in any building, she would eventually face penalties when the contract conditions expired.

The school would be engulfed in flames, and demonic guardians would appear.

With her lower body severed and being burned alive, as she was being devoured by a fire entity, she realized.

That she had been too arrogant.

Denying it until the very end, the girl would reach out to Ireh, who arrived too late. Help me. Save me.

But by then, Zernya's heart had already been consumed.

With vacant eyes, she looked at Ireh,

And the girl passed away.

Ireh would carry all those memories like broken glass. Because that's what she wrote in her diary.

That's why she wouldn't understand the current situation.

"Your body's completely on fire."

Changing towels, wiping her back, prescribing fever reducers.

That's all a first-year pre-med student could do.

But it was enough.

Sometimes, who provides care matters more for recovery than how the care is provided.

After twelve hours of dedicated care, when the fever finally broke, Ireh managed to speak.

"Why. Just why."

Her voice was trembling.

"Why would you do all this for someone you've barely met?"

I watched their conversation from a distance.

Zernya let out a hollow laugh.

"I'm a doctor, and you're a patient."

People change.

Some say humans can't be rewritten, but even such people can change when they experience meaningful transformation.

"Stop groaning and stay calm."

Ireh's pupils dilated as if they would consume the whites of her eyes.

"This guy is making something incredible right now. Once it's complete, all the monsters in your head will be finished."

Now Ireh wouldn't know who was the villain,

And who was the hero.

***

I needed a decisive move.

A decisive move to bring the protagonist completely to my side.

The time limit was one week, and within that time, I needed to create a vaccine or something to deliver a big "screw you" to Safaul.

"So... you're asking to borrow the right to use the lab for a while?"

"Yes."

Professor Stranov smacked her lips. Lying face down, she peeled an apple and popped a piece into Professor Feynman's mouth, who was lying beside her.

Both of them groaned almost simultaneously.

"How are your backs?"

"Please don't mention that."

"Okay."

Both were lying face down. I took out two tablet stands from my bag and offered them.

"What are those for?"

"You must be bored. I thought you might want to read some papers with these."

It's a gift from me.

Professor Feynman choked on his apple.

"Would you like some water?"

"Please... *cough* *cough*."

As I brought water, I couldn't help but notice the professor's neck and arms were covered in kiss marks. Oh, shit.

"Are you okay, Professor?"

"I have no feeling in my lower body..."

"...ANYWAY!"

Professor Stranov cut in.

"So you want to run the research equipment while we're gone?"

"Yes."

"Not possible."

I figured as much.

"It's impossible for an undergraduate to lead a research team. Even if I allowed it, the external researchers and postdocs would strongly oppose it."

I know you're capable, but that would mess up the hierarchy.

"Besides, test operations aren't simple."

If something goes wrong and an experiment blows up, a written explanation won't be the end of it.

"I know this paper includes your efforts, Eidel, but the fate of two doctoral students as co-authors is also at stake."

If they don't graduate this year, they're screwed.

"That's not the only issue. The reason this research received so much funding is because many important people or their children are possessed by foreign entities. There's naturally a rule that they should get priority."

Will you take responsibility if funding falls through for the next project?

She was firing away fiercely. A professor through and through.

"How many can you put in the resonator at maximum?"

"Calculating the crystal's strength, roughly ten. It's not many, but considering what humanity has endured, it's tremendous progress."

I nodded.

In short, it was already reserved. There was likely no chance for Ireh.

Of course, one solution would be to build multiple resonators, but then materials would be the problem.

Where would we find another crystal as pure and reflective as the white one?

"So you can only contain that many foreign entities..."

Feynman, who had been staring blankly at the tablet, clapped his hands and suggested:

"Eidel, I have a good idea. Would you like to hear it?"

"What is it?"

"Find someone to collaborate with."

What?

Does he mean increasing the number of graduate students?