'This bottle should work.'
Silence filled the room as Silence took out a small vial.
Inside was one of Rhine Lab's newest drugs—capable of placing a person into a state of suspended animation, indistinguishable from death.
'If I can get Ifrit to take this, then later I can smuggle her out through one of Rhine Lab's internal escape routes…'
"Dr. Silence, are you still brooding over that child?"
Mobius suddenly appeared beside her.
"This has nothing to do with you, Dr. Mobius. You're no longer part of the project. I am the one in charge now."
Silence tried to remain calm as she discreetly slipped the vial back into her pocket.
"Oh~ isn't that Defense Department's newest toy? Those little 'feign-death' pills? Let me have a look."
Before Silence could react, Mobius snatched the vial, uncapped it, and plucked out a tablet.
"Mobius, you—!"
Anger flared in Silence's chest, but at the same time she couldn't quite tell what Mobius was after.
Could it be… she already noticed my plan, and came here deliberately to warn me?
"I once asked Saria to bring me a few crates of these, but she refused to give me even one. Well, since I've got the chance now, I might as well test the effect myself. If it works, I'll just steal a few crates later."
With that, Mobius tossed the tablet into her mouth and swallowed it in one gulp.
Moments later, she collapsed onto the floor.
'This lunatic…!'
Silence quickly checked her vitals—indeed, she had fallen into a perfect state of suspended animation.
Her face twisted in frustration. She vented her anger with a few sharp kicks to her limp body before finally storming out.
Hours passed. At last, Mobius stirred and slowly sat up.
"Haa… such a strong aftereffect…"
As expected, Silence isn't nearly as "mature" as her mentor believes her to be.
'Parvis… how will you feel once you realize the student you placed such high hopes in has already betrayed you?'
When Mobius had opened the vial, she had secretly left behind a fragment of her own will within it.
That bottle of pills… it will be quite useful for my plans.
All that's left is for the experiment to begin.
After all, I'm here on vacation… not to do anyone else's heavy lifting.
---
Ifrit's days had grown anything but happy.
For some reason, Mobius had doubled her workload.
Silence no longer came to visit, and even Saria, swamped with official duties, appeared less and less.
And when Saria did come, the atmosphere between her and Mobius was always strained—on the verge of eruption.
Once, the two nearly came to blows, and Ifrit had to throw herself between them to prevent disaster.
The treatments, too, had grown increasingly painful.
The only small mercy was that whenever she encountered Mobius now, that maddening buzzing in her head had not returned for quite some time.
They're married, aren't they? So why are they always fighting?
Ifrit couldn't understand it.
And she didn't dare to ask, not when they were already at each other's throats, if they really were husband and wife.
No, Ifrit wasn't stupid.
Aunt Joyce once told her in the picture books she had bought:
"Divorce means the relationship has reached a point of no return."
If she were to ask about it, and if that question only deepened the rift and truly caused them to separate, then she would be the villain.
Even though Mobius was a wicked person who loved to frighten her, Ifrit still wished that the days when the four of them were together could continue.
Mobius criticizing her carelessness, Silence defending her, and Saria acting as the peacemaker between them—
Those days had been so wonderful.
Not like now, with this suffocating atmosphere.
Once, she had asked the doctors in their white coats about it, but they only answered vaguely, speaking of strange things like "the seven-year itch."
She hadn't understood a word.
---
"Kristen! Stop the Ifrit Project at once!"
"…You know that's impossible, Saria. I've already promised the Colombian Defense Department. If we abandon the experiment now, what would they think of us?"
"…But this is terran experimentation! You've already violated regulations! There's still time to stop this."
"Rhine Lab has always had only one purpose—advancing science. You will not stop this project. All you need to do is, as always, fulfill your own duties."
"…Kristen, you've strayed from the path."
"No, Saria. You've grown weak… You will help me keep Ifrit under control, won't you? Keep her from harming Rhine Lab."
"…If Ifrit loses control, I'll suppress her."
Saria pulled open the door to leave.
"If you lose control, Kristen… I'll stop you too."
Bang!
The door shut behind her.
---
In a secluded Rhine Lab laboratory—
"Director Parvis, everything is ready. We're awaiting your command."
One of the staff in protective gear reported respectfully to Parvis, who stood facing a one-way mirror.
Behind that mirror, Ifrit sat restrained in a confinement suit, surrounded by staff in full protective equipment.
"Let's begin, Director Parvis. Everyone's been waiting for this moment."
Mobius, standing by Parvis's side, wore that same unreadable smile.
'This cold-blooded lunatic.'
At the control console, Silence looked at Mobius with open disgust as she pressed Parvis to begin.
Mobius turned, flashing her a seemingly friendly smile.
But in Silence's eyes, it was nothing but malice and mockery.
'So… you've joined in too, haven't you?'
She lowered her head to the console, fingers moving as Parvis finally gave the order.
'I'm nothing like you emotionless monsters.'
Silently, she prayed: let the pills cause no unforeseen trouble.
---
"Originium blood concentration rising steadily."
"Increase injection dosage."
"Cancel anesthesia. Keep the subject conscious. We don't want unnecessary interference from sedatives—"
---
"Director! The subject's vital signs are suddenly collapsing!"
"What?!"
Parvis snapped his head toward Silence, then turned sharply to Mobius.
Mobius only smiled at him—forming words silently with her lips:
"Doesn't feel so good, does it? Being betrayed by the student you placed such high hopes on~"
"Report, Director! The subject's temperature is spiking!"
Bang!
Ifrit, bound tightly to the operating table, suddenly surged to her feet.
The unbearable heat melted instruments, frying circuits, and in an instant the one-way mirror shattered outward.
Fortunately, the researchers of Rhine Lab had been trained for emergencies. Almost at once, they dove for cover, while their protective suits held firm—badly burned, yes, but alive.
"Success… it's a success! The experiment is a success!"
From behind cover, Parvis looked on with wide eyes.
Ifrit's body seemed to dissolve into flame itself, the very air hissing and crackling from the searing heat.
"Ifrit!"
Silence scrambled out from the safety of her cover, desperate to reach her—only to be stopped by Mobius's outstretched hand.
"Don't be reckless, Miss Silence. Step any closer, and it will be your death."
Mobius's gaze shifted toward a figure that had just arrived.
"The rest… we'll leave to her."