After waiting a few seconds outside the door, there was finally some movement from the other side.
"Senior?"
Only a narrow crack opened. Komini's exhausted face peeked out from inside.
"If you don't work, your daily energy quota won't meet the standard." Seeing her condition, Arthur didn't use his usual cold tone and merely reminded her gently. "Don't blame me if you get 'dismissed'."
"Mm…"
"Are you feeling unwell? I brought bread and food from the cafeteria." Arthur lifted the plastic bag in his hand. "Eat first, then go work with Fairy Festival. Even though they look disgusting, they're actually not that scary."
"…"
Komini lowered her gaze and said nothing, but she nodded.
"Can I come in? It might be better if we talk about some things."
The door opened wider.
Arthur followed Komini into the room.
It was his first time entering a female dormitory, but the layout was no different from his own.
The room wasn't messy.
Still, Arthur noticed that Komini's uniform was badly wrinkled.
She hasn't changed clothes at all…
He sighed quietly, wondering whether this child could truly recover from such a breakdown.
Placing the bag of food on the table, Arthur took out a loaf of bread and handed it to her.
"Eat. I didn't know what you liked, so I just grabbed something random."
Komini obediently nibbled at the bread in small bites. Gradually, the room fell silent.
Only after she finished the entire loaf did Arthur speak again.
"Are you scared?"
Though he didn't say it explicitly, Komini understood what he meant.
She paused, then nodded slightly, avoiding his gaze.
"Do you regret coming to Lobotomy Corporation?"
She hesitated, then nodded again.
"Do you want to leave Lobotomy Corporation?"
This time, she hesitated for several seconds—then shook her head vigorously.
"Why?" Arthur was surprised. He had already assumed the answer.
"My family needs money." Komini lowered her head, her words breaking. "A lot… a lot of money."
"Money is important," Arthur said calmly, "but is it worth trading your life for?"
"..."
She was silent for a moment. Then, as if making a decision, she spoke again.
"Senior… can I tell you a story?"
"Go on," Arthur nodded.
"Senior, do you know? I have a friend. She's also an employee of a Wing… but unlike most, she wasn't originally a resident of a Nest."
"Her family lived in an Examination Village in the Backstreets."
She laughed awkwardly.
"A Nest resident like you, Senior, probably doesn't know what life in the Backstreets is like…"
Arthur only thought silently:
…Actually, I know a little.
The Backstreets were made up of countless streets and innumerable people, spreading throughout the City like veins around the Nests.
Each street had its own hierarchy. Adults and children alike were branded by the rank of their street. Clothing, behavior—even posture—had to match one's status. Failure meant contempt, violence, or death.
For those born there, there were only three paths upward:
Rats, Fixers, or the Examination Village.
Rats were street thugs scraping by in desperation, often engaging in illegal organ trafficking.
Fixers were mercenaries ranked from Grade 9 to Grade 1, with Colors standing above all. They survived by taking commissions—and sometimes executing mandatory orders from above.
And the Examination Village was the last hope for those without strength or connections: recruitment exams held by the Wings, offering a minuscule chance to escape the Backstreets.
If you succeeded, there was a saying:
If a Wing invites you from an Examination Village, be careful—because they probably want something else from you.
"In many people's eyes, the Examination Village is foolish," Komini murmured. "But her father… succeeded."
"When she was little, her father rose from the Examination Village… no, he was invited by K Corp."
"Her family moved into K Nest. She and her younger brother lived the life of Nest residents because of him."
"When she was young, she thought her family was happy. Entering a Wing became her dream too…"
Her voice trembled.
"But in her final year of university… her father died."
"At the dinner table. In front of his family."
"He dissolved."
"Muscle… blood… bone… none of it belonged to him anymore."
I see…
Arthur finally understood.
K Corp.
A Wing publicly known for medical nanotechnology—Regeneration Reactors, healing equipment, ammunition used by Lobotomy Corporation.
But its most infamous products were the Healing Ampoule and the Dissolving Ampoule.
Both derived from K Corp's Singularity: the diluted tears of the Tearful Thing.
(T/N: Did a lil search for this one, I think its called Helapoiesis)
Those tears returned matter to its most fundamental subconscious state.
At proper concentration, a severed limb could regenerate.
At excessive concentration?
The subject would continuously regress—until nothing remained at the cellular level.
Employee?
Her father had been nothing more than a test subject.
Such things were not rare in the City.
But Arthur didn't interrupt—until now.
"Then you should know how Wings operate," he said quietly. "Why did you still join Lobotomy Corporation?"
"Wings have nothing good about them. You should know that better than anyone."
Komini didn't stop.
"Her father died… but K Corp's compensation wasn't enough for permanent residency in K Nest."
"Time ran out."
"If they couldn't pay, the remaining family would be expelled into the Backstreets."
"And Nest-born families are the most hated targets there…"
"With no protection… no one would accept them."
"Their fate was obvious."
"And then…" her voice softened, "…she received an interview invitation from L Corp."
The story ended there.
Arthur already had his answer.
"So you came," he said softly.
"Mm." Komini nodded. "I had no choice. My mom and my brother are still waiting for me."
"And returning to the Backstreets would have led to the same ending anyway."
Silence filled the room.
This was the City's reality.
The Head allowed the upper class to monopolize power and technology.
The lower class were resources—cheap and replaceable.
People in the Backstreets worked their entire lives yet could never afford Nest residency.
Worse still, in the City's moral framework—
This transaction was considered fair.
That father had given everything for a chance.
K Corp had allowed him to choose.
And by City standards, that was almost merciful.
But—
Arthur wasn't a native of the City.
For some reason, Komini's story reminded him of their first meeting.
"Senior, I really want to stay here! My family needs money!"
And his reply back then…
He sighed inwardly.
…I said the wrong thing.
Scratching his head, Arthur finally made a decision.
He wasn't a saint.
He wouldn't trade his life for another's survival.
But if simply extending a hand could change someone's fate—
He wouldn't refuse.
"Hmph."
"What's wrong?" Komini looked up, startled as Arthur stood.
"You were shocked by reality far too easily."
Recalling how she'd been scared off by Yulia, Arthur sighed again.
"Your resolve isn't enough yet, kid."
"..."
Komini lowered her head in shame, misunderstanding his words.
Arthur knew she didn't remember the reset timeline.
"Let me tell you a story too."
"I once had a junior. Like you, she wanted to stay in Lobotomy Corporation for money."
"I told her that slacking off was the best way to survive."
"But later I realized something."
"In a place like Lobotomy Corporation… without strength, can you really survive?"
"Eh…?" Komini asked softly. "Did she die?"
Arthur stretched lazily.
"Who knows. She was transferred later."
"But I regretted not telling her one thing."
"What?"
Arthur turned, meeting Komini's eyes with rare seriousness.
"Lobotomy Corporation is hell."
"But if someone can crawl out of true hell and look back—"
"Then they won't be afraid anymore."
He extended his hand.
"For a senior's sake, I'll give you a hand."
"But I warn you—what lies ahead is not paradise."
"You must decide carefully."
Komini didn't fully understand.
She only knew this wasn't a joke.
Hell… again?
Looking at the warm hand before her, she thought of her father.
Even knowing it was hell… he went anyway.
Slowly, she closed her eyes.
Arthur waited.
Then—
She opened them again.
The confusion was gone, replaced by determination that even surprised him.
The City never gave Backstreets people a choice.
And between trusting the City—
Or trusting this senior—
She chose the latter.
Komini took Arthur's hand.
He pulled her up from the bed.