Chapter 73: Am I the stupid one?

Chapter 73: Am I the stupid one?

“Will this really be alright?”

“...Probably.”

“Looks like even you are aware this is a bit strange, Doctor.”

“To some extent... I admit it.”

Muttering that, Han Seori stretched.

Watching her, Kim Cheonsu let out a small sigh.

Of course... he also had a feeling 7496-KR would be able to pull it off.

Thinking it over, this reasoning seemed flimsy... but somehow, it felt like it would work out.

‘...Huh?’

Something’s strange...

“Agent Kim?”

“Ah, yes. Yes.”

Brought to his senses by Han Seori’s voice, Kim Cheonsu pressed his eyes like he was tired.

However, it wasn’t just a feeling - clear signs of fatigue showed on Kim Cheonsu’s face.

After all, he was the one who had been driving back and forth day and night, so it would be strange if he wasn’t tired.

He scratched his head with a slightly dazed look.

He felt something was off, but unable to grasp what it was... like having a sneeze interrupted midway, he had an indescribable feeling.

Eventually, Han Seori’s voice, tinged with worry, reached his ears.

“If you’re tired, get some rest. For the time being... there’s not much we can do anyway.”

“...Is that so.”

“Yes. Rather, things will get busy once your eyes are open, so sleeping is advantageous.”

“...Then I won’t decline.”

“Please do that. Ah, could you turn on the heater?”

“Yes.”

Feeling something inexplicable, he decided it didn’t matter and turned up the heater’s temperature.

Although he had nominally come out for work, the current situation itself... felt quite welcome.

So much so that he felt grateful to 7496-KR, whom he had been worrying about just a moment ago.

‘Right... she’ll return safely.’

Hopefully, not too quickly but adequately late.

Smirking inwardly, Kim Cheonsu fell asleep at once, aided by the warm temperature.

Confirming that he was asleep, Han Seori looked at the screen.

There, 7496-KR, who had arrived at the research center entrance faster than expected, could be seen.

Han Seori, who remotely opened the door before it closed, left a message for the slime girl.

A sentence as concise as possible.

Han Seori was certain the slime girl would understand it.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to solve the test Han Seori had made.

‘...Could it be?’

What if what she was hiding wasn’t that she was a genius... but something else?

Entertaining a certain possibility, Han Seori quickly erased it from her mind.

While it’s not impossible... what does it matter?

Whatever it was, it was a gesture that the slime girl wanted to communicate in her own way, so Han Seori decided to think positively.

...And.

Doesn’t it seem more likely... that she’s a genius?

So.

‘She’ll do well.’

She took in the screen, which was getting darker.

Soon, when that light disappears... the connection will be cut off.

Surely they won’t keep it closed forever until it’s resolved...?

Following a very small sound I had been hearing for a while, we went further in.

It was my first time coming here today, but the familiarity of the structure is impressive.

Do people who manage anomalies... find mental stability in the same structure?

That’s how similar the structure is.

Well... how would a mere slime like me understand the thoughts of such intelligent people?

But.

Thanks to that, it’s a bit eerie.

It’s like... a feeling that this is what my place would look like if it were ruined.

Feeling awkward, I readjusted Sosik, who was clinging to my back, to the front.

Couldn’t hug the jiggling Daesik, after all.

Meanwhile.

*Tap tap tap...*

The small sound that had been faintly heard began to grow louder.

Come to think of it, that was strange.

Whatever that sound is.

...Isn’t it odd in itself to hear any sound in a facility where there are no people?

Without realizing it, I had approached the source.

Ah, wait a minute.

I looked up.

Then.

The knowledge pouch says, “So you’re finally looking here?” and perks up.

...I just had to follow this, didn’t I?

As it can’t be understood with common sense, it must be the doing of that anomaly thing.

And my knowledge pouch is a high-performance anomaly radar.

Thinking like this, I gained confidence that entrusting it to me might unexpectedly be a good choice.

So, with the Trio, I proceeded in the direction the knowledge pouch indicated.

Before long.

A huge door appeared.

The knowledge pouch was pointing beyond this massive door.

And the noise that had been continuously heard was also coming from beyond it.

With a shrug at the journey ending more plainly than expected, I stood in front of the door.

But.

No matter how long I waited, the door didn’t open.

Blinking, I finally recalled that the choker’s light had gone dark.

Realizing my mistake, I placed my hands on the door and pulled left and right, but.

...As expected.

The door doesn’t budge an inch.

I could feel the Trio’s strange gaze piercing me.

Hey.

You can’t open it either.

It is utterly ridiculous, I tell you.

...By the way.

What do we do now?

It’s... not opening.

I already miss Han Seori.