Chapter 10

Why is someone from Class Z at Class A’s washing time?

It was useless to wonder about it.

Because it has already happened.

What will happen to me if he tells another researcher? Won’t I be ‘discarded’?

Losing my wits at that thought, my body trembled more than when I washed in cold water.

***

It’s time to deliver Kalisten’s dinner. Mindlessly going through the motions, I put food on the tray and went to see him.

I couldn’t concentrate. My identity was revealed.

I felt like a cow marked for slaughter, not knowing when I would be led to my death. Strangely, I had no tears. I was just vacant. Hopeless, imagining what would happen. Everything felt unreal.

Z-898 was a Psychic with the ability to enhance his physical strength.

Z class was because he was of the highest grade.

Once again, I listlessly acknowledged that I was only starting to realize how much Kalisten was capable of.

Even though he was docilely eating the meal that was provided to him while me tied up here right in front of me, he was stronger than all the other Espers here.

He was the one who was going to turn this lab into a sea of fire and wiped it out without leaving a trace.

The reason I remember Z-898 is because he fought Kalisten. No matter how good his physical abilities were, it was of no use against Kalisten, who could make everything explode on sight. Although, he had managed to last quite a while compared to the other Espers.

“Hey.”

“Ah… .”

He spoke to me first as I was sitting blankly with the tray.

“Z-999.”

“… .”

“Sorry, I will feed you now.”

With a forced smile, I scooped out the thin porridge.

“Ugh… .”

“Ah! I’m so sorry! Sorry! It was hot!”

It was only then that I realized that the porridge was scalding, and in my apologetic frenzy I inadvertently touched Kalisten’s lips. He looked away as if displeased, which made me feel even more guilty.

“Hey.”

“My name is Aselia.”

“Number A-702.”

“Yes.”

He sighed and looked at me.

“What are you thinking about?”

“… It’s nothing.”

Kalisten started staring at me, maybe because he was offended at not answering his question. I felt my heart was going to give out, so I retreated a bit. Then his terrible glare grew scarrier.

“Ah, Z-999.”

“… .”

“Why are you angry?”

He grimaced and sighed.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“You were scared because of what the researcher said earlier.”

“What?”

Somehow he looked a little different. Come to think of it, didn’t he say he killed a researcher?

But in the original I read, I was pretty sure the first time he murdered was the day he destroyed the entire lab.

“I-I trust you. If you did, there must be a reason.”

“I didn’t kill him.”

“Huh?”

“I taught him a lesson to watch his hand, but I didn’t kill him like he said.”

He stared at me with his despondent gaze, but for some reason his eyes were dyed red.

“I know you don’t believe me. You can discard it.” [t1v: also implying she can ignore his words/ leave him]

“No… I believe you. I like Z-999. Like I said before, I really like you. I want us to get along.”

Perhaps because of those words, he didn’t stare at me anymore.

So it was easier to feed him.

***

After dinner, it was usually a break time, but sometimes we were summoned to assist the upper-class people with physical strength training.

“Number A-702.”

“Yes, A-702!”

“Since there’s a Z-Class assigned to you, follow it well. If you get on it’s nerves you’ll be scrapped.”

“Ah… yes!”

Grade As did a lot of chores. If you were called out for such training you were to be used as consumables. If a higher grade’s training might accidentally kill someone while employing their abilities, they used those of worthless ranks.

“Take this with you.”

“Yes sir!”

I took the bag that the researcher had asked me to take and moved to the designated place. It was a high-grade private lab.

The problem was

After I opened the door—

“You’re late.”

The person waiting for me inside was number Z-898.

Alexis Rainier, the Esper with the ability to strengthen his body. The person who found out I was a woman.