MLBO 07

At the unexpected words, I widened my eyes in surprise.

To be asked to give a name—such an important task to me?

Was that really okay? Half in doubt, I asked.

“Me…? Is that really alright?”

“Yes.”

Emilian nodded without even a trace of hesitation. Even so, I still hesitated.

“A name is something really important. It’s not something just anyone should give…”

“Then are you going to keep calling me ‘hey’?”

“Ah, well…”

I trailed off, unable to find a rebuttal.

When I thought about it, he was right.

Since I knew he didn’t have a name yet, I had been calling him without any proper way of addressing him until now.

At that moment, Emilian lowered his gaze and said,

“You’re the only one. The only person I can ask for something like this…”

The researchers only called the children by experiment numbers, never by names.

And aside from the adults, there was probably no one else in this research facility who could give him a name.

“And…”

Emilian.

That name was originally one he would later choose for himself after becoming a transcendent being.

So maybe it wouldn’t matter if I told him that name a little earlier.

It wasn’t like a name alone would change the course of the story.

“Then…”

Finally organizing my thoughts, I carefully opened my mouth.

“Emilian… how about that?”

He blinked slowly.

I watched as he quietly mouthed his own name.

“Emilian…”

What if he didn’t like it?

‘I don’t even have another name in mind.’

I carefully observed his expression and asked tentatively.

“Do you like it?”

Then Emilian lifted his head from a slightly lowered position and said,

“Yes, I like it.”

Unlike my worries, he answered with a bright smile.

His long eyes curved like a crescent moon, and his ruby-red eyes shimmered with an otherworldly glow.

For a moment, I just blinked blankly.

So he could smile like that too.

When he smiled… he looked quite… beautiful.

I stared at Emilian dazedly. Then suddenly, I noticed something that had been bothering me.

I had been too flustered earlier to pay attention, but his lab coat was stained red.

Whatever else, lab coats were usually provided in sufficient quantity.

I opened the drawer and took out a clean lab coat, handing it to Emilian.

“Emilian, change into this.”

He accepted the freshly washed coat and tilted his head.

“It smells nice.”

He sounded as if he found the faint soap scent on the clothes fascinating.

Suddenly, I remembered what Emilian looked like when he first came to the research facility. He had been wearing worn-out clothes inappropriate for the season, and shoes with completely worn-down soles.

I could only imagine what life in the slums must have been like.

It wasn’t like this research facility could be called better than the slums either…

But if he didn’t find even small comforts like this, it would be impossible to endure.

I forced a smile and said,

“Here, you can wear clean clothes every day. You get meals three times a day too. Ah, it would be nice if they gave desserts too, though…”

“Desserts?”

“Yeah. Things like pudding or cake. The adults here eat them often.”

Normally, when children heard about desserts, their eyes would light up immediately, but Emilian only tilted his head in confusion.

‘So he’s never had them before.’

Meals for the experimental children were nutritious to improve their physical condition, but sweets were a luxury reserved only for the researchers.

“I’ll bring you some next time,” I said.

Emilian blinked quietly, then smiled faintly.

“Okay.”

He really could smile like that too. Until now, I had only seen him in pain.

There wasn’t much I could do for him…

But I decided that, at least until I left this place, I would take care of him properly.

‘I should go now.’

Remembering that my afternoon schedule was tightly packed, I quickly started to move.

After saying goodbye and turning to leave, Emilian spoke softly with a faint smile.

“See you later, Anis.”

I paused for a moment, then smiled back.

“Yeah.”

Anyway, I was going to run away eventually, so I should avoid getting involved with Emilian as much as possible. I shouldn’t get attached.

That resolve had already become meaningless a long time ago.

‘First… I need to find out who Emilian’s assigned researcher is.’

Why had they performed such a harsh experiment on him on the very first day, instead of following the proper manual?

Especially on a child who had suffered a severe fever just the day before.

‘Whoever did it…’

There was still time before Emilian awakened as a transcendent being and destroyed this research facility. Until then, I wanted to stay by his side. Even if that desire to not see him suffer was selfish, still…

I couldn’t just stand by and watch.

With that determination, I quickened my steps.

*******

Senior researcher Franz pushed up his slipping glasses and looked down at the chart.

The experimental results for Subject 175 were extremely satisfactory.

No—honestly, they were astonishing.

‘I never thought that kid had this kind of potential…’

Those unnatural crimson eyes were unpleasant, and his arrogant attitude was even worse.

That subject was extremely irritating.

But separate from whether he was likable or not, his qualities as a test subject were outstanding.

Normally, regeneration experiments required a long-term exposure phase with extremely small doses.

Otherwise, the subject would suffer too much pain.

But Franz had deliberately skipped the initial phase.

All for the sake of inflicting pain.

He had handled many test subjects before.

Some of them were rebellious, but without exception, all eventually broke under pain.

“Please… save me. Sob… I’m sorry, please… sob…”

“It hurts. It hurts so much. Stop… please stop…!”

Franz had assumed Subject 175 would be the same.

But that insolent child had only fainted—he never uttered a single weak complaint.

Franz tapped the chart and muttered,

“I wonder how he’ll react if I increase the pain.”

Would he still endure it?

He sounded like he was experimenting on a lab rat.

“Either way… this will be interesting.”

Franz grinned and stood up from his chair in the lab.

It was time to begin the experiment.

*******

Winter mornings are a little hard to wake up to.

My breath turned into white mist in the air.

I didn’t want to leave the warmth of the blanket, so I squirmed a little.

The dark sky was slowly being tinted with faint light.

‘…I’m going to be late like this.’

Suppressing my desire to cling to the warmth, I quickly got out of bed.

Today’s tasks were also piled high.

Laundry, dishwashing, cleaning, and errands for the researchers.

Only after working nonstop did I finally get a short break in the afternoon.

The faces of the children, briefly freed from exhausting labor, brightened.

There were five of us children, including me, taking turns for rest. We gathered in a corner and squatted down.

The researchers spent their break playing simple card games or drinking tea to relieve stress, but that was unthinkable for us children.

All we could do was sit quietly or talk in low voices.

“Anis, where are you going?”

One of the children chatting nearby asked me.

Normally I would have joined them, but I gave an awkward smile and replied,

“Well… I’ve been assigned a task by a researcher…”

The children looked at me with a little sympathy.

“You’re still working even during break… that must be hard.”

In reality, I wasn’t going to work.

I smiled awkwardly and quickly said I’d be back soon before leaving them behind.

I hurried to the kitchen.

Then I stood on tiptoe and reached deep into a shelf. Soon, I felt the cool texture of ceramic at my fingertips.

‘Found it.’

I carefully took out the plate I had hidden from the adults.

Then I quickly left the kitchen, making sure no one saw me.

I hurried to Emilian’s room.

Through the bars, I could see Emilian.

He was sitting curled up on the bed, staring at the small window.

“Emilian.”

At my call, he turned his head. Life returned to his previously dull crimson eyes.

“Anis.”

A clanking sound came as he got down from the bed.

He looked at me through the bars and asked,

“What brings you here?”

“Um, well…”

Stretching my words on purpose, I suddenly pulled out what I had hidden behind my back.

“Tada! I brought it, like I promised.”

Emilian looked at the plate, then at my face.

“This is the dessert you mentioned?”

“Yeah.”

It was the perfect afternoon for a snack.

While running errands for the researchers, I had secretly taken a slice of chocolate cake.

If I got caught, I’d be in trouble—but I had never been caught before, so it should be fine.

Emilian accepted the chocolate cake and said,

“…Thank you.”

As he spoke, his eyes curved gently.

‘Ah, he smiled again…’

His smiling face was so beautiful that I unknowingly stared blankly. Then I suddenly came to my senses.

“Th-then… enjoy it.”

After saying that, I turned to leave—but Emilian’s voice stopped me.

“Anis.”

“Yeah?”

He opened and closed his lips as if he wanted to say something.

After hesitating for a moment, he said,

“Would you… like to eat the cake with me?”