Chapter 40: That Feeling Is Surely Love... Right?

"I want you three."

"Huh?"

The woman in the white lab coat, Limient, had suddenly confessed her love to all three of us at once.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

I completely agreed with Lies. This was so sudden that I had no idea how to react or what to say.

"Now, now, calm down. My previous statement was merely a matter of stating the conclusion first. When one immerses oneself in research papers and the like, this way of speaking tends to become the norm. My apologies. The main discussion begins here. I would appreciate it if you would hear me out."

"Y-yes...?"

Perhaps she interpreted Lies’s bewildered little response, which showed absolutely no sign of understanding, as an expression of agreement.

The red-haired woman nodded with satisfaction, cleared her throat with a single "Ahem," and began to speak.

"I want you three because you are special. Surely you yourselves understand that better than anyone, don't you?"

...I'm "special," huh?

It's true that spirits are rare enough to be objects of worship on a global scale, but still.

"Me, special?"

"Ah, that's right. You had lost your memories, Miss Rene. However, you are truly an ‘SSS’-class existence. You are worthy of being called the ‘greatest’ among all those I have ever examined. That is how valuable you are."

"Me, the greatest. Heh-heh."

"...Rene. Don't let yourself be flattered so easily. ‘You're special’ followed by ‘You should join us’ is a tactic commonly used in scams and the like. You need to be careful."

"A scam... Mm. Got it. I'll be careful."

While I was exchanging words with Rene, who was puffing out her flat chest with a smug little "Hmph!" expression, Lady Limient turned her attention toward me.

"Tierra As. There is no need for you to be jealous of Miss Rene."

Excuse me? Jealous? Me?

Of whom? Rene?

I'm not jealous of her in the slightest, thank you very much!

"In the category of ‘Physical Body,’ you are ‘SS’ class. You are certainly an exquisite existence, though you do fall one rank below Miss Rene. However, in the category of ‘Mind,’ you have received an ‘X’ rating—an immeasurable value beyond all assessment. Profound yet enchanting. A mystery of the highest order. I have been captivated by that mysterious quality of yours."

What the hell is this woman? She's seriously messed up.

And what does she mean my "Mind" is immeasurable? Is she trying to say I'm some kind of freak? Don't mess with me!

It's true that my mind is a composite of three entities, one of which happens to be the "Will of the Stars." But that's about the only thing that sets me apart from other people.

Well, sure? I'd do absolutely anything to come out on top and return home. But isn't that perfectly normal?

If anything, Kizuna-kun is the abnormal one. My own mentality is ordinary and unremarkable. In other words, these are completely baseless accusations that amount to defamation. I'm suing her.

...As these thoughts ran through my head, I quickly glanced around.

I considered making a run for it, but the area was packed with all kinds of incomprehensible machinery. I wasn't naive enough to assume that the collection of machines surrounding the "city chief" wasn't equipped with defensive functions.

"And then there's you, Miss Lies. You, too, are an ‘SS’-class supreme existence in the category of ‘Physical Body.’ You may not realize it because this room happens to contain multiple beings of SS rank or higher, but this is an astronomically unlikely coincidence. SS rank is a level that may or may not appear even once in an entire era. You should be proud."

"...For now, I'll accept that as a compliment."

"For now? It is a genuine compliment in every sense of the word."

In any case, I should keep talking and prolong the conversation for now. ...It might even get me more screen time.

"...In short, this is simply intellectual curiosity. You're interested in us as research subjects?"

Well, that's probably what this was about.

My mind might be ordinary, but I'm a conceptual spirit. Rene is a priestess of the World Eater, and Lies is a half-breed between a human and an elf—in other words, two different races.

It's a bargain sale of rare species.

So, rather than a "declaration of love," this lab-coat lady wanted us as research subjects.

...Or so I thought.

"No. This is a genuine declaration of love."

Huhhh?

"Research is everything to me. The desire for knowledge is my affection. I have not the slightest desire for anything else. Therefore, my interest in you as research subjects is, by definition, identical to love itself."

What kind of absurd argument is that?!

No, wait a minute.

Having no desires other than the pursuit of knowledge means... that every single one of her feelings and desires is a form of intellectual curiosity?

"If you wish to seek sexual pleasure as an expression of ‘love,’ I have no objection whatsoever. I will ensure that you are thoroughly satisfied."

So, both "love" and "sexual desire" are merely parts of her thirst for knowledge.

I see, I see.

This woman is seriously dangerous.

"I shall direct my ‘love,’ in the form of ‘intellectual curiosity,’ toward you, and you need only direct your ‘love,’ in the form of ‘sexual desire,’ toward me. In other words, our feelings will be mutual. A beautiful love. Surely there is nothing wrong with that?"

"There's so much wrong with that, though?!"

"Mm-mm. Can't hear you. What are you talking about?"

"Rene, this is the kind of nonsense you absolutely must not listen to."

"Miss Tierra, you truly are remarkable."

Even when faced with a pervert... no, especially when faced with a pervert, I refused to abandon my role as the dependable big-sister type.

Now that I thought about it, this wasn't the sort of thing you should be saying to someone like me, who'd only been alive for ten years, or to Rene, who was even younger. There were far too many problems with this whole situation.

"Heh-heh. That is perfectly fine with me. Every single one of those reactions is fascinating in its own right. I cannot stop wanting to uncover every expression and reaction you make, to strip away every layer of your existence and lay your very being bare."

I was pretty sure I'd turned her down quite clearly, but she didn't seem the slightest bit affected. Was she invincible or something?

"...However, are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean?"

...At that, Limient gave us a bold, unsettling grin.

"What if something happens to the others... your companions?"

"Wha—?!"

She said it with a smile.