Mephisto, holding both of Guru’s hands tightly, spoke again as if to emphasize it.
“G-r00. In this time, you don’t exist, so I created a temporary identity for you. Sorry, it was the best I could do. Otherwise, you would’ve been erased.”
At his urgent words, Guru furrowed her brows in distress.
“Dun, dun undewstand.”
In response, Mephisto pressed ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) his forehead to hers.
As their foreheads touched, the words he wanted to convey flowed directly into her mind.
The meaning of Mephisto’s words was implanted straight into her thoughts.
'Six years ago?!'
They had moved into the past, six years ago.
But since six years ago was before Guru was even born, in this world’s terms it was like an intruder suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
When the laws of the world threatened to erase her, Mephisto had intervened.
For Guru, who didn’t exist in the past, he had forged a new identity.
And in doing so, he had exhausted all his strength.
“We have to return after I recover my strength. Otherwise......”
As if spent, Mephisto couldn’t finish his words and reverted into the form of a small chick.
Guru, holding the peacefully sleeping Mephisto to her chest, turned her head back almost unconsciously.
According to the knowledge Mephisto had passed on, this was a research facility where certain experiments were carried out—and Guru was one of the test subjects here.
Through the glass walls, she could see the hands of children.
Locked in rooms barely a pyeong wide, the children stared back at her through the glass.
Without any expression. Without any sign of emotion.
On the small wall beside the glass hung plaques.
G-r01, G-r02, G-r03...... up to G-r20.
Names for about twenty children.
All twenty pairs of eyes staring at Guru were coral-colored.
'Scawy!'
Every bit of down on her body stood on end.
Hiding Mephisto in her arms, Guru’s lips trembled as she quivered.
'Wha... what shouwd Gwuu do now?'
Chapter – Caregiver of the Past
Chloe Han sat on the toilet, glaring at the pregnancy test.
Two lines. No matter how much she narrowed her eyes, it was undeniably two clear lines.
That meant pregnancy.
“Ha.......”
The sigh she had been holding back spilled out at last.
Unbelievable. From just one drunken night? Could her luck really be this rotten?
She shoved the test into the trash can and came out to wash her hands.
Then, staring in the mirror, she touched the face beneath dark circles and sallow skin.
The face of a miserable woman who couldn’t even take care of her own body, much less a child.
The conclusion was already clear.
Even aside from her personal reasons for not wanting a child, as a researcher she could never bear that man’s child. So there was no need to tell him.
She had just firmed her resolve and stepped out of the bathroom when—
[“Sisi, there you are. I’ve been looking for you.”]
[“......Bill?”]
An even worse ordeal was waiting for her.
Glancing at the child Bill had brought, Chloe folded her arms and sighed deeply, staring up at the ceiling.
Trouble always came in threes. Misfortune never came alone.
[“I hear Double Zero tried to escape again.”]
[“Yes. That makes the fourth—no, the fifth time now.”]
[“I understand that, but why bring him to me? You know the Company’s research isn’t my jurisdiction.”]
Chloe shot him a sharp retort, glaring at Bill holding Double Zero’s hand.
Bill, head of the Korea–US joint project Wilderness, only gave a smooth smile.
[“So cold, Sisi.”]
[“Don’t call me Sisi.”]
He only called her that when he wanted her to do something shitty.
Chloe raised her voice sharper on purpose.
But unbothered, Bill went on.
[“It was you who said it. That since the subjects are children, their attachment levels could be a meaningful variable in the research.”]
[“I... might have said something like that.......”]
Why was he bringing this up now? Chloe’s eyes slid away.
When the success cases implanted with On Ijo’s power had shown dulled emotions and eventually turned into idiots, she had tossed out a remark.
That perhaps the lack of emotional response was leading to idiocy, and they should try filling the gap through emotional exchange.
She had never meant she would do it herself.
Besides, the lab was split into two factions. Chloe worked directly for the government, handling On Ijo, not the Company side.
Experiments with children were supposed to be done by Company researchers.
[“I place a high value on your hypothesis. That’s why I’m giving you the chance to help with this study.”]
[“......What the hell kind of bullshit is that?”]
[“Hahaha! Go on, say hello.”]
Bill patted Double Zero on the back.
“Ha-hewwo......”
The one called G-r00 (nicknamed Double Zero) pressed a hand to his belly and bowed politely.
A tiny, cute voice.
From the reflexive greeting, it seemed the child had been prepped beforehand.
The pale blonde-haired boy raised his head. Huge, pale coral eyes gazed at Chloe.
Clearly the frightened eyes of a child.
His light blond hair looked eerily similar to her own.
Chloe irritably ran her fingers through her own pale hair.
She had never wanted to see a Company test subject like this up close.
She had grown up rough in the slums, but experimenting on children was something she herself could barely stomach.
Yet Bill, unfazed by her sour expression, went on.
[“His Korean is fluent. Perfect for you, isn’t it?”]
Perfect, my ass. So what if I’m a quarter Korean? I’m still an American.
Chloe swallowed down the anger rising hot in her chest.
She knew well enough that venting it would only frighten the child, and it would never work on Bill.
So she had no choice but to crouch down.
G-r00.
The Company’s first test subject.
He had received an On Ijo transplant, but since it hadn’t properly fused, he was the weakest of all.
Now that there were many more successful subjects, she’d heard they were considering disposing of him.
This must be their last experiment before disposal. For the sake of the other subjects.
Until now, the researchers had failed at every different attempt.
And because of that, rumors circulated that the Company was secretly resorting to embryo experiments.
Though who knew if the Tower would wait for humanity until those embryos grew.
'Should I just refuse.'
Even as Chloe debated, the child stared at her with an innocent face.
Did he know what these wicked adults were doing to him? Was that why he kept trying to run away?
Her throat tightened, suffocating with frustration.
And then, a reckless impulse hit her. She wanted to see this child smile.
So instead of refusing Bill’s proposal, the words that left her mouth were—
“Do you like frozen pasta?”
A fleeting whim.
The child rolled his eyes, as if trying to gauge her meaning.
“What about frozen pizza? I can’t live without it. Pop it in the microwave and it’s the best thing ever.”
Even with her grand declaration to feed him frozen pizza, an awkward silence hung heavy.
Damn it, emotional exchange, my ass.
When she glanced toward Bill, searching for some way to wriggle out, suddenly a small, soft hand touched hers.
The child had reached out and grasped her hand.
“Y-yeah... I wike it.”
He gave a clumsy little smile.
No, she wanted to see him smile wider than that.
Chloe swept her hair back and clasped his hand firmly.
It was a small, soft hand that fit neatly in her palm.
As she led the child away, she suddenly glanced back.
[“Bill, why are you really leaving him with me? Because I’m a woman?”]
[“You resemble him. Humans are inclined to feel affection toward similar beings.”]
Chloe looked down at the child.
At his clear, innocent face.
[“You see it too, don’t you?”]
Chloe gave no reply.

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