Chapter 143.2. Research Institute
"In the 5th basement floor-nya. You can't enter without vein authentication and a card-nya."
Karin was pressing her index finger on the button, there was a beep, and the elevator moved with a low sound towards the basement. Pretty high-tech.
"So? Did you go to see? What happened?"
"The 5th basement can only be accessed by Serika and me-nya."
"[This is the 5th basement]"
Karin frowned troubledly as the mechanical voice of the elevator was heard, while the door was opening.
"Plain white walls with nothing distinctive about the lights. It's a spacious but ordinary underground floor, nya. Serika seems to have made various modifications to prevent infiltration by skills, meow."
"Oh, I see... an ordinary underground floor, huh?"
Indeed, with a ceiling that is 20 meters high, it shines brightly without even fluorescent lights, and the walls and floor show a dull metallic luster of lead color. In the silence, as the elevator closed the door with a 'ding', I looked around while getting out of the elevator.
"The door ahead is made of sturdy metal. Iris authentication and biometric authentication are required there, nya."
"I see. Laboratories have a certain romance to them, cool."
There was a thick metal partition that was 15 meters high and 30 meters wide. It seems like a partition that could withstand even a nuclear war. Laboratories do have a certain romance to them. Yeah.
"...S-So, Serika seems to have remodeled it-nya? I saw it only five days ago, but it seems to have been remodeled somehow-nya."
Tilting her head with a thud, Karin, her cat ears trembling, sweated coldly.
I grabbed Karin's swaying tail tightly. It feels fluffy and comfortable.
"Hey!"
I grabbed the tail of the catgirl who tried to jump and escape tightly and didn't let go. This cat girl, she's totally different from before.
"That's not just remodeling. The ceiling is clearly too high, and the space seems to get distorted!"
"I knew that. But, you're slow-nya! Serika seems to have been conducting dangerous experiments-nya. But I couldn't ask for help-nya. If it's revealed that such experiments were conducted here, it's the end for Serika-nya. She'll lose everything she's worked for-nya!"
Midway through the conversation, Karin's expression turned sorrowful, and she shouted with tears in her eyes. Indeed, it would be bad if something like this were exposed.
"Serika was trying her best-nya! And she saved me-nya. So, I want to help her too! I wanted to contact the Sakimori-nya. But I couldn't because I couldn't switch places with Serika-nya!"
"Sigh... you're so naive."
While squeezing the tail, I sighed. Karin seems to like Serika. I think it's okay to ask for help, but if you do, there's a high chance that all your assets will get seized. Not to mention, you'll likely be confined and forced to continue crafting endlessly. I understand why she can't ask for help.
"You thought you'd be fine even if you didn't show your face for a week because there was food?"
"Of course, there were cup ramen in large quantities in the 5th basement-nya. And maybe this space is Serika's research result, and Serika has a personality that doesn't die even if she dies-nya."
"You're making quite generous assumptions about her personality, huh? Putting on cat ears too. Don't you think you're trying to deceive me? You're not that young."
With a wry smile, I looked around. This is a dungeon, isn't it?... I'd be surprised if it was made through remodeling. It feels futuristic, but it's a dungeon?
"Can't be helped. I don't want Serika to die on me, so I'll go help."
It would also be profitable.
"I'm saved-nya! Well then, please take care-nya."
"Aren't you going?"
"Well... I want to go-nya. But thinking calmly, there's a high chance I'll be a hindrance-nya. If I should go, should I go-nya?"
Crossing her arms, Karin answered with a pained expression. Isn't this the scene where, even though you might become a hindrance, you say you'll go to help your benefactor?
Usually in movies, you end up being a hindrance, and a skilled soldier sacrifices themselves to protect you. This cat doesn't seem to be moved by emotions and acts coldly in such situations.
"No, you don't need to come-nya. I also have various tricks up my sleeve-nya."
It's easier alone. Plus, there are the Shadow Cats. But...
"Is a blank check okay for the reward? Karin-san?"
"...Can't I get a discount for the tail you're touching right-nya? You can touch the cat ears too-nya."
"Do you think you're being generous with that? Putting on cat ears too... You're not that young to deceive me with that."
While gently touching the tail, I grinned. It may not be too hard-boiled, but this tail feels good to touch.
Karin and Nyanko looked troubled and took something out of their pockets.
"This is my trump card-nya. It's a substitute ring I received from Serika-nya. A magical ring that protects against one fatal attack only-nya."
It's a valuable-looking ring with a large sapphire attached to it. It also contains strong mana.
"A Substitute Ring... Is that true?"
[...It's a famous item that occasionally appears in dungeon treasure chests, probably genuine. It prevents a fatal blow. In other words, it won't react unless it's an attack that's instantly fatal.]
While considering something, Shizuku informed us, but an instantly fatal attack? That's not normal. The conditions are too strict. It won't react unless it's an attack that destroys the heart or head in one blow. Still, it's amazing.
"Wow, it's a great item. I'll take it as a deposit. Well then, I'll go ahead. But can Karin open this partition? With iris authentication or something?"
"That's... there's nothing left-nya. You can open it with that lever over there-nya."
Karin pointed to a large lever next to the partition. It looks very authentic.
"Got it, Karin, go back upstairs. I'll go on from here alone."
"I'll wait here imitating Serika again, so please-nya."
While seeing off Karin returning to the elevator, I sighed.
[So, what are you thinking about, Shizuku? You didn't say anything back to Karin's words at all.]
Calling out to Shizuku, who had been squinting and thinking hard since earlier. She usually always has a comeback, but this time she didn't say anything to Karin.
Shizuku turned her face to me with a stern look.
[This place is just like the airlock on the space station 'Tirnanog'.]
[Nice name. It's a place full of romance.]
It seems like Shizuku knows this place. But I have a bad feeling about it.
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