Chick 321
by Cristae321
“Wow, we really made it.”
On Ijo beamed as she held Groo’s hand and stepped off on the fourth floor.
Staring down the white hallway, Groo felt the world spin before his eyes.
This is…
‘A… another world?’
But in fact, it wasn’t another world.
As if she knew the way, On Ijo walked briskly down the corridor, and Groo followed until they stood before the entrance to a ward secured by a passcode.
Groo’s mouth fell open even wider.
‘It really is a secret ward!’
But without the passcode, there was no way in. Was today’s adventure going to end here?
Groo pouted, glancing about at the security system.
“I want to come back with Dad next time.”
“Why?”
Why would she ask that here? Groo gently consoled the uncle who’d suddenly become foolish.
“Because we can’t go in right now. Next time, I’ll come with Dad and ask him to unlock it.”
“We can open it ourselves, can’t we?”
“But we don’t know the passcode.”
“I doubt Dad knows it, either.”
“Dad can just smash it open with his fists.”
“Ahaha! Right, that’s true. Hmm~ Groo, is there a number you like from zero to nine?”
“Umm… One and two and three… and seven!”
On Ijo promptly pressed the keys on the keypad: beep, beep, beep, beep.
“…?!”
Groo gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
In places like this, if you get the code wrong, don’t alarm bells go off and people come running?
‘I need to run before we get caught!’
Sensing trouble, Groo grabbed On Ijo’s hand to escape.
Click! Whir!
The lock disengaged, and the door slid open automatically.
On Ijo clapped her hands, eyes sparkling.
“Groo, you’re amazing! When I typed in your favorite numbers, the secret door opened!”
“I did that?!”
“How did you know?”
“Huh!”
Groo covered her mouth with both hands, sucking in her breath.
Was it really me?
“J-just intuition… I guess…?”
“Wow, really? That’s incredible!”
On Ijo laughed and scooped up the suddenly bashful Groo.
“I’m so proud I could just kiss you, can I?”
“A little bit.”
“Okay, just a little bit.”
On Ijo showered Groo’s cheek with kisses.
White walls and floors. An unreal space resonating with the subtle sounds of machinery.
Steel doors lined both sides in close, neat rows.
Suddenly, from one of the rooms, the howl of a beast slipped out.
Startled, Groo was comforted as On Ijo gently patted her like a child.
The two continued moving, following the ladybug.
“It seems there’s nobody here. That’s weird.”
At that moment, Mephisto peeked his head out from within Groo’s arms.
Mephisto sensed himself being pulled back by an unknown force whenever he tried to leave the room, and his eyes widened.
“…?!”
It was definitely an artificial interference. Someone didn’t want Groo and her companions discovered.
“Bii!”
Mephisto spread his wings wide in warning.
He was just about to accuse On Ijo of being behind it, when—
On Ijo met Mephisto’s eyes with a smile. For an instant, her eyes turned a coral hue before returning to normal.
Mephisto paled and began to tremble.
“Hm? Mephi, what’s wrong?”
“Bii…”
Stiffening, Mephisto burrowed deeper into Groo’s arms.
Groo worried, noticing how unsettled he seemed.
Suddenly the spy ladybug spun around and headed straight for a room.
“This must be it!”
They opened the door and stepped inside.
Beep, beep, beep—
On the bed, a boy—no, a girl—lay sleeping, entangled in cords running from the machines.
Just like Rea.
She must have been hiding her true identity behind thick glasses.
“Yurian…”
Groo gave her a few shakes, but the sleeping Yurian didn’t stir.
“We won’t be able to take her like this,” said On Ijo.
Whimpering like a puppy, Groo glanced at On Ijo.
Uncle = incompetent
Groo = competent
Problem solving => Groo’s strength needed!
If I turn her back into a puppy, it’ll be easy to take her with us.
It should be fine, right?
Even if my hidden power is exposed.
Because we’re family…
The word ‘family’ made strength well up within her.
“Uncle, actually…”
“…?”
“I have a hidden power.”
“Hi… what?”
On Ijo was nonplussed, but Groo nodded firmly.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m hiding my strength.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a chill swept over the room.
On Ijo’s eyes widened in an instant.
‘The snowy field?’
That chill from the 99th floor.
Groo used her skill before he could recover from his shock.
[Activating skill ‘Mold and Shape.’]
Yurian’s body began to distort and ripple.
Perhaps because she already knew the shape, Yurian soon became a small Maltese puppy.
Success?!
In a daze, On Ijo asked,
“Groo, what just happened?”
“It’s my power.”
“The snowy field?”
It felt odd—that Uncle spoke as if he knew about the snowy field—
“Yes.”
Groo simply nodded.
On Ijo pressed a hand over his mouth.
“Incredible… Absolutely incredible.”
His expression was that of someone struggling to contain a joy that threatened to burst forth.
Swaying, Yurian furrowed her brow at the touch waking her.
Within the drifting haze of her mind, memories flickered.
‘I was a dog, wasn’t I?’
It was a dog-dream fit for a wretch, in which other wretches used her as a mount.
And the last thing she remembered…
Those wretches kept feeding her S+ items, driving her into a frenzy.
Unable to control her strength, she ran around, then reverted to human form.
After that, her final memory was blacking out at someone’s hands.
‘There was that laboratory woman’s scent…’
Just then, as someone shook her again, Yurian slowly opened her eyes and saw white shapes hovering.
What are all these white things…?
Blinking, she saw a star-adorned hamster and a rabbit with a sprout on its head.
“Kkyu!”
“Myu!”
“…!”
Startled and confused, Yurian shot up.
But something felt wrong.
She looked down in alarm—only to see short, stubby puppy paws.
Shit, this can’t be!
And with that, Yurian fainted once again.