"Click."
Bright silver handcuffs locked Shiho Miyano's slender wrists to the thick iron bars.
Even though she had already resigned herself to death, Shiho still instinctively pulled at the cuffs.
But these were police-grade handcuffs meant to restrain criminals. There was no way she could break free.
The door of the chamber, which resembled a gas chamber, closed with a heavy sound, leaving Shiho alone inside the empty room.
A few research staff passed by outside. They glanced through the small window on the door and sneered.
"Why is Director Miyano making things difficult for herself? She insists on resisting the higher-ups with that uncooperative attitude. When the Organization's upper management arrives, I wonder if she can withstand the punishment."
"Heh, she graduated from an American university at such a young age and got promoted above all of us. We thought she was some kind of genius girl, but she's actually just an idiot."
"Why couldn't she just behave? The Organization treated her so well. They trusted her. They gave her money when she wanted money, gave her anything she asked for, yet she was ungrateful."
"Exactly. I used to think Director Miyano was aloof, above worldly desires, but look at her bags, all Hermes and Chanel. She actually cares a lot about money."
"But our Director Miyano is young and pretty. You think we could…"
"Shh, don't even think it. We just do what the higher-ups say. Follow orders, that's all. You know what happens to people who don't."
The one who had spoken first trembled, immediately shutting his mouth.
Just thinking about the Organization's punishments made his skin crawl. He didn't dare linger in front of the gas chamber and walked off quickly.
The soundproofing wasn't great, and the researchers were speaking loudly, so Shiho could hear every word.
She lowered her head, her brown bangs casting a shadow over her eyes, and sneered in silence.
The Organization was good to her?
If the Organization really treated her well, they wouldn't have taken away her freedom. They wouldn't control her life or monitor her every move.
If it were only that, she could endure it for her sister's sake.
Even if she hated having her talent used to create poison, as long as her sister was safe, as long as her only remaining family could live a normal life, she was willing to become a devil for the Organization.
But… they killed her sister. They actually killed her sister.
The moment she thought of her sister's death, Shiho's expression twisted with rage. She struggled violently, the handcuffs clanging hard against the iron bars.
She didn't stop until her pale wrists were covered in dark red marks and her strength completely ran out.
As a highly gifted researcher who had earned two doctorates at a young age, Shiho forced herself to calm down. She began analyzing what kind of punishment awaited her.
Death would probably be the most merciful outcome. Since she was still useful to the Organization, they likely wouldn't kill her outright.
But her fate would be worse than death. Knowing the Organization's methods, Shiho even suspected they might inject her with drugs.
They might turn her brain to mush, forcing her to work for them under chemical control.
Whether the drugs damaged her mind or not, the Organization wouldn't care. Once she lost her value, killing her would be simple.
Thinking this, Shiho reached into her sleeve and pulled out a red and white capsule.
She stared at it blankly. This was the result of her own research, APTX4869.
The drug was based on her parents' earlier work.
The Organization wanted a poison that, once consumed, left no detectable toxins in the body, something that would cause sudden death.
Shiho had hated it, but under pressure, she could only continue the research.
She never expected that the poison she created would now be used on herself. Thinking about it felt ridiculous.
But when she thought of the data stored in the computer, Shiho felt unwilling.
During experiments, there were cases of lab mice shrinking after ingesting the drug. She had used her authority to conceal these results.
And in human trials, there were indeed a few cases where the bodies vanished completely, such as Shinichi Kudo… and the disappearance of the child-sized clothes from his home.
She had erased many experimental results, but the data still existed. If the Organization conducted an audit, they would eventually discover these "side effects."
If the Organization learned that the drug could shrink humans, the consequences would be catastrophic.
They would accelerate the research. If they ever stabilized the formula, the Organization would become an unstoppable giant.
Shiho knew very well that the chemical compounds she used shouldn't be capable of this effect.
Which meant the shrinking function came from the underlying drug her parents had created.
So, were her parents… researching eternal youth?
Her mind spun with chaotic thoughts, mostly regret about not deleting all the data.
"What's the point of thinking about it? Even if I delete the data here, there are cloud backups. The Organization will still get them. With my clearance, I can't erase everything."
Shiho looked down at the capsule in her hand. Without any hesitation, she swallowed it.
As soon as the drug slid down her throat, its chemical components activated within seconds.
Pain. A level of pain unimaginable.
Her heart felt as if it were being torn apart. The agony forced a strained gasp from her lips. She opened her mouth wide to scream, but her throat burned, and no sound came out.
Yes, that was another requirement of the drug. Those who took the poison couldn't make a sound, so their deaths wouldn't attract attention.
Is this what death feels like?
Is this the pain the other victims experienced before dying?
Truly… self-inflicted.
It hurts. It hurts so much. It really hurts…
Sister… I'm coming to find you.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)