“We will begin the experiment using Copy-chan.”
I was reading from the script when she immediately cut in to correct me.
“It’s Selene.”
“Huh?”
“My name is Selene. I chose it myself. Hmph!”
“Right, right. This is an experiment to construct a physical body for Selene-chan, formerly known as Copy-chan. Hey, Wifey, what did you tell that bastard Amada?”
Selene-chan had been acting as something of a personal secretary to Amada.
“I informed him that a marriage proposal from the Imperial Family might be forthcoming,” Shiyun replied.
If I recalled correctly, Fairy had recently had her Imperial Registry restored. I suppose Selene was being categorized as Fairy’s sister.
“Nobody will even notice if the family grows by one or two members,” Shiyun added.
“I see.”
That was why we hadn’t invited Amada. It wasn’t about trying to surprise him; we just knew he’d probably object. For us, the subject’s own will was the top priority. We didn't even know if she truly had a soul—there was no scientific way to measure such a thing. That meant there was risk involved. This was the first experiment of its kind, after all.
“Alright, I’m going in!” Fairy announced.
Fairy’s consciousness returned to the Imperial servers. She was a being who was simultaneously everywhere and nowhere at once. Honestly, even if she lacked physical attack power, her abilities were a total cheat code.
From here on, we watched via broadcast. Selene-chan’s body had already been prepared, currently housed within a Zork Cocoon. Apparently, this was how female-type Zorks reconstructed their physical forms. Because of that, we didn't know what she looked like yet.
“Oryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Fairy let out a battle cry as the equipment hummed to life. A dazzling light erupted, glowing with the chaotic brilliance of a high-end gaming PC for some reason. Fairy had said some half-baked things about transferring personality data via optical communication, but I didn't really grasp the specifics. Regardless, her unique ability was handling the transfer.
The probability of failure during a personality transfer was considered low. Fairy claimed she’d successfully performed the process on herself many times. It seemed female-type Zorks utilized a similar mechanism. In short, this was a combination of existing technologies.
One-oh-one’s eyes sparkled beside me. “The birth of a new comrade, for-it-is!”
Ah, so she really was being treated as a Zork. If the Zork Queen said so, it must be true.
A heavy thud echoed, and the screen shook. Experimental Subject-chan watched the monitor intently. Tatiana, unusually for her, remained silent. She was a clever girl; she knew better than to make flippant comments about things she didn't understand.
A young girl emerged from the ruptured cocoon. However, she couldn't find her balance and flopped onto the floor. The standby nurses rushed to her side.
I was glad we’d laid out those thick, shock-absorbing mats.
“I... I can’t move my body...” Selene whispered. It seemed her vocal cords weren't quite synchronized yet. She looked like a butterfly that had just crawled out of its chrysalis.
“I can’t... get up... H-help...”
She struggled feebly until several nurses managed to lift her onto a stretcher. I took it as a sign of success, but the part we were truly worried about came next.
Immunity. Being a female-type Zork, she would be incredibly resistant to disease. However, the Zork philosophy of reproduction was essentially 'produce in bulk and hope they survive,' so we couldn't be complacent. A significant number of them reportedly died from either emergence failure or post-emergence illness.
From here on out, she’d be in daily rehabilitation with constant blood tests until her immune system stabilized. Her physical strength was expected to surpass human limits within days, so she’d have to learn how to control it for everyday life.
“Hello, Selene. Do you have any last words for your big sister?” Fairy teased.
“I thought becoming a Zork meant I’d automatically get huge boobs,” Selene groaned. “I’ll never forgive whoever made me flat-chested.”
How tragic.
“Um, you know... I didn't have a large chest when I first became a girl, either,” Kevin offered, trying to be supportive. “It took about six months for them to grow.”
If that was the case, Amada would be pleased... Probably. We’d set Selene’s physical age to her mid-teens on the assumption that younger nerves would recover faster.
“We actually did it. This is going to change history...”
We planned to edit the records of this experiment and share them with friendly nations. Even we didn't understand the exact mechanisms; without Fairy, it couldn't be replicated anyway. Tatiana’s Saint Barrier, Fairy’s ability to transfer souls and information, and the recovery power I’d received from the Elder were all mysteries to science.
Heck, between Tatiana and One-oh-one’s warping and my own Gloom Flag Evasion Ability, we were dealing with things that couldn't even be measured. We understood nothing.
Even if other countries got their hands on the data, there was no way they could reproduce the results. I’d already made it clear that I had no interest in eternal life. Neither I, Wifey, nor even Fairy desired to live forever. The major powers had no room to complain.
Regardless, the first phase was a success. Now we knew we could build bodies for Fairy and Experimental Subject-chan. We might even be able to save the middle-aged men who had been turned into female-type Zorks—though most of them didn't seem to want to go back, considering they’d been rejuvenated.
One month later.
Concealing her true identity, Selene-chan had her arranged marriage meeting with Amada. We were watching the whole thing through Kevin’s camera. No, it wasn't just for fun! This was a scientific observation... Okay, fine, I’m lying. We were just curious.
Selene-chan appeared elegantly dressed in a kimono. Even that bastard Amada had gone all out to look his best. After the initial greetings, the Chamberlain made the introduction.
“May I present Her Imperial Highness, the 129th Princess.”
Amada tilted his head, looking confused. “You... no, Your Highness... are you Reneko?”
“How did you know?!” Selene—aka Reneko—shouted in shock.
How did he know before they even spoke? Was it some kind of ESP? No, his tests had come back negative.
“I mean... the way you move... you’re definitely Reneko.”
“Good grief, I give up. You like me way too much, Amada-kun!”
“W-wait, before that—were you actually human?!”
“Fufu, it is the glory of the Empire’s science! So, Amada-kun. Do you have anything to say to me?”
“The kimono suits you,” Amada said sincerely. “You’re really cute.”
“Hehehe. I do have a lovely face, if I say so myself. So, what now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you like me?”
“I’d like to start as friends, if that's alright...”
And that was the notification of Amada’s surrender. The girls immediately brought out the juice and started a party with a loud “Cheers!”
I figured I’d get to work, too. “Is takoyaki okay for everyone?”
“Yes! Please!” Wifey chirped happily.
So, I set about making snacks.
“I’ll help,” Kevin said, joining me. She had been busy compiling the experiment data with the medical team and was set to be a co-author on the paper, yet she still found time to help out. Nina-san jumped in as well.
“Isono, go bake some baby castellas.”
“On it! Let’s go, Nakajima.”
Thus, Amada was caught in the trap. Soon enough, he’d be a married man just like me.
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