1 The escape

"Escape now! The whole laboratory is burning. people from the empire are hunting us!" shouted a man who was wearing a white gown.

"Tch. Why does the exit seem too far away?" the man with the same gown protested.

there are no particular reasons why these people are running. but the mention of people from the empire hunting them was enough to tell the whole situation.

Amidst this chaos, a 15-year-old boy was locked in a small room that seemed to be similar to a prison. his clothes were so dirty and disheveled. despite this, he did not complain or anything.

"Why are these people trying so hard to escape? it's no use, the whole laboratory itself is surrounded," he muttered.

The world was burning in his eyes. Through that cage, people are running and people behind their backs are slaying them.

Yet, he is just there, sitting without caring about what's happening behind those bars. His eyes don't have emotion. only darkness is surrounding them.

While he was behaving there, a woman of a similar age was passing in front of his room. she had a sword in his right hand. covered in blood.

their eyes met but no reaction was made. by looking at the direction she's heading and the sword she's carrying, her goal is to slay the people in white gowns.

Time passed by since then.

Only the scream of a person echoing through the hallway was heard.

No person in a white gown was able to escape. Not a single one.

soon after, the girl came back along with a knight.

"This is the last one sir." she said frigidly.

"I see. Good work," he said before destroying the door lock with his sword.

Swish- Bang!

"get up. we're going to the capital." he said impatiently after destroying the lock.

The boy looked up at him. nothing happened. not one did he mutter a word. only the sounds of Flame engulfing the laboratory can be heard.

at this moment, the knight spoke as though he had lost it. "This laboratory will be completely destroyed soon. if you don't get up now I might change my mind and kill you."

the knight said these words to intimidate him. however, it didn't seem to have worked on him.

the knight twitched. "do you hear me!" While unsheathing his sword.

The intimidation grew stronger but he was still unfazed. However..."I guess I had no other choice." he said as he started to get up. "where are we going?"

Despite he doesn't think of the knight as a threat, the boy still went on with the flow.

In his perspective, his intimidation seemed to have worked, therefore, the knight did not go deeper into this matter any longer.

"to the capital of Acrofollo empire. I will explain the details later on so don't get too worked up" said the knight.

the boy nodded.

and without wasting time, they immediately head out along with other test subjects.

***

The feeling of grass touching your skin, the beautiful sounds of birds and trees swaying along with the wind, and the majestic image of nature absorbed through my eye pupils certainly put my mind at ease.

This was my first time having to feel such exaggerated images.

Now that I see the world, the laboratory itself is really too small. After all, not even once did I touch a single leaf throughout those years.

As I marched forward, a sudden feeling embraced me.

I took glanced and observed the entire area.

We're like slaves walking in the middle of the forest where everyone is being heavily guarded by some people we don't even know. But, for some strange circumstance, everyone here does not feel any discomfort anywhere, rather, they're happily conversing with each other.

"Hey, what do you think the empire looks like?"

"I don't know but since we're going there personally, we should see what the entire empire looks like."

"Sounds fun. Can I tag along as well?"

"Of course, everyone here is free to come with us?"

"Yay!"

"Then should I come too?"

"Me too!"

"~~~~"

Everyone was having a joyous conversation it makes me envy them for some reason.

If only it was that easy.

Tapped.

While walking, I felt a hand reaching me. It was faint but I felt a hand tapping me just now. I then stopped and turned behind me to see what it is, causing the line to break.

"Hey, do you want to come with us too?"

"Uh... Mika was it?" I recalled her name.

"So you remembered my name?" She said with a broad smile.

"Well yeah. But..."

Strange enough, I was somehow greeted and invited by Mika, my former colleague inside the laboratory. However, she was later then placed in a different room where the teaching is much harsher than it was because of her excellent performance. Her outstanding capabilities are what made the administrator of that place proud. Hence, they placed her at a higher level of education.

Inside that place, each room had an individual admin. sometimes they compete with each other to see which one has a better sample. If one miserably loses, they would immediately take action and forced him/her to learn more. Positively kind and not what you think of action.

It's highly likely an unsurprising course of action since that facility was made to create more intelligent and powerful people in society. However, during those days of treatment, they treat us as nothing but tools they can use anytime. But that only goes for us fodder. People who were excellent in everything were treated like a god in which is why most of us are forcing ourselves to learn and become stronger than anyone else. A place of devourers.

It was the complete opposite of me. The lowest and weakest specimen ever alive inside the laboratory. Other than being a complete average in the eyes of people, I showed no talent whatsoever. A reason why almost all admins there did not pay attention to me.

It was a situation where my life is in tough situation because I had a high chance of being executed there for showing no talent at all. However, they couldn't bring themselves to do so. There is a law that prevents them to kill a sample like me.

And with that information regarding the laboratory, Therefore, I now can hardly tell what they did to her after that.

Even though I showed no talent whatsoever, I vaguely remember myself being thrown into a place full of monsters for their enjoyment.

However, coming back to reality, Is this really an offer or...

"We will stroll around the empire and have fun. You should come with us as well. I think having you would be quite a joyful journey."

before I could ask her a question, she went ahead of me as though she had read my mind.

"Uh well..."

"Hey, don't break the line or I kill you! Just save the chattering for now until we reached the capital."

And again, before I could put the best part of my answer, the knight beside us, scold us with a little intimidation.

I don't think it worked on any of us but...

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." I said as I bowed to him

"Uh, me too..." She said with the exact same reaction as mine.

"Tch, if you want to apologize that badly, go and keep up with the line

We both sincerely apologize for breaking the line before running ahead to keep up the pace with others who went ahead of us after breaking the line just as he said.

We did not mutter a word since then nor did those who were having a pleasing moment just now.

I guess they'd realized we're still being held up by these people.

Still, I can't just keep silent after that so I answered her in a low voice. "Sure. why not"

A smile opened up on her face.

One hour of traveling had passed and by that time, we arrived at a designated place. There, we aboard in the wagon especially sent to transmit us.

This whole plan made traveling became smoother and promptly.

Still, thinking about it, it doesn't make sense why we were being sent to the empire right now.

There are a few numbers of answers to this judging from their actions an hour ago. It's either we were being kidnaped by these people to do labor work or whatever it is to help their empire grow or they were sent to help us escape.

Of these two options, only the first one is a reliable answer.

However, I cannot make an abrupt decision right now so I should continue marching forward; At least for now.

Another hour had passed.

During that time, we arrived inside the empire.

Multiple people had their eyes on us.

Giving a kind of expression that makes you shy for being the first time here.

Through them, some had valid curious and sad expressions. unsurprisingly, we did not complain.

This was our first time seeing it.

A room with just bars preventing you to get out is certainly one step away from having a tragic life.

At any rate, we have now escaped that gloomy place. All we have to do is to wait for our real faith the moment we see the king. whether we will be allowed to live a normal life or not is up to him.

***

Arriving inside the castle, we were greeted by several excellent-looking people dressed in valuable outfits.

Each of them wore a different outfit style with some of them having jewels in their clothes.

But it wasn't them who made us amazed, but how well they decorated the entire place. Having seen such a beautiful place can be classified as an extraordinary sighting to us. Even just a small spot was decorated so adequately. This was too grand for us.

Well, this is the king's castle.

It's highly likely made to be like that.

At this moment, the butler came and guided us.

"Please follow me." He said before deliberately walking to his assigned destination.

It also indicates us to follow him immediately.

As we step forward, the people around us began discussing as if the words that came out of their mouth was deliberately made.

"They look cute."

"Yeah, especially that red hair boy in front."

"But that girl is also cute, right? Her expression is so cold but that's what makes her even more beautiful."

"I agree. Should I adopt them?"

"Hey. Better not let the king hear it."

Among these people, women in their 20s were the only ones whose thrilled to see us and speak that way. Unfortunately, their behaviors are only based on our body traits.

Some had those expressions seemingly trying to find out who's more useful out of everyone here. And of course, negativity always exists.

"Ugh, these commoners. They can't even wash their clothes."

Was that intentional?

I took glanced around at my peers and I can say I'm the only one who has dirty clothes.

I then glanced at her. Judging her body composure and young-looking face, I think we're of the same age. But what's important is the grin that came out on her face.

That was personal.

"... I think I'm in the street right now" I deliberately said.

Her eyes instantly sunk. She was confused by my statement.

Confused? Of course, you will, you don't understand what I meant by saying that.

But soon, she frowned as though she finally had a gist of what I meant.

After all, there's a saying that bitches live in the street.

However, she's clearly not that kind of person which made her even angrier. This is too easy. Comparing her, a noblewoman to a prostitute is absolutely a big humiliation to her and her entire family.

In which it explains a person's ego is easy to fool especially when it comes to nobility and a person with higher status than her.

In that case, it was a bullseye provocation.

Anyway, I should go back to where we're heading to. Since the king is present, there's no reason for her to be angry and protest here.

And yes, keep that anger to yourself.

The feeling of ecstasy flowed deep within my body as I saw her expression.

You deserved it. And I like it.

Upon arriving in front of the king, the king along with his sons, daughters, and wife, stand up as he was about to convey his speech.

Each of the steps carries a deeper feeling for each of us. And by the time he arrived at a certain point, he stopped.

That was the moment his speech started.

"As you know, all of you were helped by us from that worrisome, dangerous, unfortunate place, and I would like to tell each of you that you are now free and unleashed from that laboratory and from the people working behind it. That place carries a deep meaning behind your existence and I know what you feel upon arriving and listening to me. However, we cannot let that meaning remain inside your heart. That place is not where people are supposed to live. You are supposed to be born free while being taken care of by your mother and father with warmth hearts...~"

What a strange speech. My heart is sinking to an unknown place.

However, while the king himself is speaking, I immediately noticed a strange movement. I'd taken a glance at that certain place. In that place, a silhouette of a person appeared.

Is this coincidence? Maybe not. Based on the movement of his eyes, clearly says the motive behind his appearance.

He was looking at the king, observing so constantly, his eyes are so fixated on him. I can say that no observation skill was wasted in each second as each second contained valuable information.

How is that possible? Only the mysterious owner of that silhouette can answer. Though, it is even more possible for me to answer it.

Although I don't know who that person was, being alert to the surrounding is not such a bad thing. We're talking about the king after all.

The silhouette lasted longer than anticipated, and by the time, it disappeared, the king's speech had concluded.

"So, as the king of the Acrofollo empire, I openly welcomed you all to have a good and happy ever after life in this place." The king, with warm eyes and a smile, bowed as he promised himself to protect us as the people of his empire.

A massive sound of the crowd clapping swaddled the whole room as his speech came to an end.

With a little blank face, similarly, we clapped as well to show our gratitude towards the king.

What are we even doing?

Seeing us clap, his expression altered, and hastily went back to an unknown room along with his family.

I did not go deeper into thinking about their matters after that.

While eating, dressed in a formal suit, I shifted my attention towards the people who were consulting the kids who came with us.

From others' perspectives, it's just adults positively talking with kids. However...

"They're now trying to take them huh" I muttered silently.

Apparently, after the speech, a party was held to welcome us. Thus, we cleaned ourselves and put on decent clothes.

I see no people coming toward me so it's safe to assume that they don't see me to be useful enough to consult me.

Well, to begin with, even I don't see potential inside of me. It's now all up for people to judge me.

But, why was he reacting like that earlier during the speech? Was saving and helping us their real motive from the start? But why?

At this moment, many speculations shrouded my mind instantly but no matter how deep and many theories I come up with, all of them were answered correctly with rationale and definitive proof. However, none of them seemed to go along with the flow of the correct answer.

The way these nobles are reacting, the way they behave, all of them were put into consideration in my theories yet they all failed to unlock the correct answer.

What a mysterious plan. Almost no flaw.

A/N: I won't be uploading the next chapter for now. I will continue with the series at the next event. this chapter is just a preview of the novel. the story takes time to think about strategies, tactics, manipulation, etc, after all, and I hope by the next time we meet, you will not be disappointed.