SWNOVELXO Chapter 99
No matter how much Justitia stepped in to miraculously improve the number of tests and the treatment Blanca was supposed to receive, she wasn’t showing up at school the next day.
After morning assembly, I asked Justitia in the hallway if something was wrong, but she replied it was just a test that was taking longer than usual.
She even mentioned it would probably wrap up by tonight, so it felt awkward to ask more.
As a result, we had to spend the whole day without Blanca, which was more than enough reason for her friends to worry.
Lunchtime, which should have been lively, was instead filled with furrowed brows and anxious expressions.
Despite only one person missing, the kids at the table were as silent as if everyone had vanished.
We had bulgogi reinterpreted in French cuisine, a popular dish, but the kids were side-eyeing each other, hesitant to take the first bite.
“Wh-what happened to Blanca…? Why did Heros Company have to come out themselves…?”
Rapis was the first to speak up. She relied heavily on Blanca and couldn’t hide her anxiety, desperately wanting to know what was going on.
“There’s no… reason to be too worried, Rapis. The homeroom teacher said it’s probably nothing major, and Minho said it’s not a big deal either, so… it’ll be fine,”
Ageha said, but even she seemed to lack confidence, struggling to believe her own words.
“Even if I try to think it’s fine… she looked like she was being dragged away, no matter how you slice it. Plus, there was something off about her… So… I’m worried.”
Yeonhwa didn’t actively oppose Ageha’s concerns, but she also didn’t vigorously agree.
Ageha didn’t push back against her either, almost acknowledging it.
“I just hope Blanca is safe. No matter what happens.”
Seolhwa, true to her character, didn’t show her worry or anxiety, but instead hoped for Blanca’s safety. The others joined in, wishing for the same.
Jinhyeon and I were at a loss for words. We missed our chance to say something, and besides, everyone else had already said what needed to be said. The biggest reason was the silence imposed upon us.
Even though Heros Company accepted Justitia’s suggestion, they ordered us not to disclose anything to anyone.
So, whether we liked it or not, we had to tread carefully with our words.
“I hope she’s safe, too. I just want to get good test scores. And… no wait.”
“Were you about to say something?”
Seolhwa was going to press for what I had meant to say, but upon seeing my troubled expression, she seemed to realize something and backed off.
…Blanca held such a significant place among us. At the time, it didn’t feel that way, but her absence made the void very apparent.
Actually, you could argue that this whole group formed because of her, so it made sense.
Even if we seemed to befriend each other, we were really just conversing through Blanca. Sure, Yeonhwa was there, but… even she couldn’t completely fill Blanca’s shoes.
Plus, Yeonhwa’s main focus was on Jinhyeon anyway.
As we sank into that awkward silence, the kids chose to eat in silence rather than try to force conversation.
…Even more so, it was surprising that the kids didn’t trust Heros Company that much. It was fascinating how they felt uneasy, despite not knowing, like me and Blanca, that Heros Company had some shady dealings.
At least Ageha seemed to want to think positively, but she also appeared to be a bit anxious.
We all knew Heros Company had issues, but… Blanca’s past was a concern, too, along with what was happening to her.
Sitting there and witnessing all of this, I couldn’t hide my bitter feelings. I knew ‘the side of justice’ wasn’t really just, but experiencing that was a whole different story.
For now, it made sense to use them as long as I wasn’t getting hurt, but I couldn’t shake the icky feeling. Both Aizen and Heros Company weren’t exactly good places.
If I truly aspired to be a hero, it left me pondering what exactly I should do.
But one thing was clear: getting rid of Heros Company was definitely not a good way to go.
No matter how shady Heros Company was, without them, the social structure we had would collapse in an instant.
Besides, they weren’t just doing bad things; they also did some good or right stuff, so it wasn’t as simple as labeling them purely as evildoers.
It was like pulling out a spine just because it had issues. There could be something wrong, but that wasn’t the way to fix it.
That’s why I couldn’t possibly align with the ideals of the Liberators. What they wanted was to rip out the spine just because it was sick.
Yet, seeing the current situation, it wasn’t impossible to understand how they might have gotten to that conclusion.
I didn’t even have an idea of how to fix Heros Company right now.
Yeonhwa, after a while of silence, remarked that Jinhyeon seemed particularly quiet. He apologized, saying he had some deep thoughts weighing on his mind.
“If Heros Company isn’t justice… then what exactly is justice?”
His hair color was a dull gray, much like Blanca’s, devoid of shine.
—
After more than 8 hours of long tests and waiting, the results finally came out to determine whether I was human or a Mimic.
The researchers explained that physically, I was in a state similar to a mix of a Mimic and an Ainz.
They said it had completely fused into an unprecedented new thing. Their gaze while saying that was rather unsettling.
Oh, and I didn’t want to hear that while my original body was about a 7, the Mimic suit was about a 3, meaning my appearance hadn’t changed drastically, but my weight surprisingly increased.
“Just like how Miss Blanca demonstrated, you’ll be able to store the suit inside your body and pull it out at any time. Now, the most crucial part is the brain and mental state…”
As they said that, they shoved a busy-looking paper filled with charts and incomprehensible jargon right in front of me.
“If you look here, the brainstem, cerebellum, and parts around them have completely fused with Mimic cells, but the other parts of the brain are still your original cells, Miss Blanca. So, it means your consciousness is over 95% similar to before.”
95%. Then what’s the remaining 5%? It felt off, but asking that would likely lead into a long debate filled with jargon, so I bit my tongue.
“So… I’m still me, right?”
Instead, I quickly said something random just to wrap this up quickly.
I couldn’t even comprehend what they were talking about, and I certainly wasn’t enjoying being their lab rat.
The researcher confirmed, excitedly speculating whether my brain function had been enhanced fusion with the Mimic.
“I don’t know if I got smarter or dumber, but I want to go home.”
“Ahaha, that’s understandable. But could you wait just a little longer? We still have some more things to cover with Miss Blanca.”
“Sigh…”
“This won’t take long at all, please hear me out. It’s about the results of Miss Blanca’s mental assessment.”
When that came up, I could feel my body stiffen involuntarily.
“The violence levels and hostility levels came out to be quite high. We thought it was due to the Mimic, but looking at the state of the brain, it seems right to say it’s Miss Blanca’s original disposition.”
“…So?”
I couldn’t respond nicely to them trying to expose my true nature. However, they insisted they weren’t trying to say that and moved onto another topic.
“Among adults living in Heros City, 20% carry a hidden desire to hit dogs or animals. There’s no need to feel ashamed, Miss Blanca. It’s just that it would be better to learn how to manage it properly!”
As they said that, they handed me a therapist’s business card and recommended attending a clinic.
“I’ll consider it…”
“And this is really the last thing to discuss. It seems Miss Blanca is… an unprecedented case. You maintained your sanity despite being consumed by a Mimic, which is a rare occurrence, so uh… how should I put this… we’d like to conduct a bit of research…”
“I’ll pass.”
“Oh, no! We just wanted you to call us if you feel any change as you go living your life. We’ll definitely ensure confidentiality, so please keep us in the loop if anything comes to mind!”
Hearing them sound so much like the association was disheartening, but when I saw the amount they were offering, I couldn’t help but keep my mouth shut.
It was too much money to complain about it.
“Sounds good.”
“Ah, good choice! I wasn’t supposed to say, but…”
“Well, it’s obvious that Heros Company or the director pressured you, right? They always do.”
“Ahaha…”
The researcher just awkwardly laughed instead of replying.
“Now, is it really all done?”
“Yes, it’s all finished. You’re free to go. Your guardian should be waiting outside, so you can head home right away.”
Finally.
I thanked them for the formalities and headed to the changing room.
Imagining putting the suit inside my body, as I absorbed it, the once-black sclera quickly regained its name value.
“…It’s cold.”
Being bare-skinned felt chilly, so I quickly slipped on my clothes and headed outside.