Chapter 1

Stinging wires, like a spider's web, coiled around my limbs. And then there was that noise—a relentless drone that seemed to drain my mind... Their presence was irritating. It had been a long time since my body had been jolted by a shock, and I no longer felt that suffocating weight that used to overwhelm me.

​I suppose that’s a good thing.
​Who am I? What is this place? These were questions I had grown tired of asking. Now, my primary concern was simply enduring the buzzing and the pressure crushing my skull. Before I knew it, this agony had become my daily routine.

​Coldness filled my body, and a dark void shackled me.

​Was I dead? Or was I somewhere in between?

​And more importantly... Was this voice in my head a normal thing? How strange.

​I squeezed my eyes shut as a sudden, blinding light pierced the darkness, threatening to burn my retinas. The wires coiling around me fell away, and the weight in my head finally vanished. I slowly opened my eyes. So, these are the people who unfettered me? Several figures in white lab coats entered. One woman among them spoke:

​"R-2 is ready now, with full consciousness to perceive her surroundings."

​R-2? Is she talking about me?
​At that exact moment, a young man with golden-blonde hair appeared in the center of the room. He wore a uniform similar to those who had freed me, but far more elegant. He curled the corners of his lips into a smile and stepped toward me.

​"Calling her R-2 is quite rude."

​He leaned down to where I sat on the floor.

​"Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. From now on, your name will be Iris. Do you like it?"

​Iris? My name?

​"A name?" I rasped.

​"Yes, a name. It’s what we call each other. My name is Darian. Call me that from now on."

​"Darian..."

​"Yes, exactly like that. You’re a fast learner. From now on, you are one of us. The scientist here will explain everything you need to know about the world."

​He reached out his hand, and our palms touched. Then, he pulled me toward him as if I were as light as a seagull's feather.

​I felt his warm embrace before he pulled away. Even through his gloves, I could feel the warmth of his hands as he led me toward the scientists—specifically, to the woman standing in the middle.

​"Iris, I’ll introduce you. This is Nayla, the scientist who oversaw your transformation into a human."

​"Was I not... human before?"

​"Unfortunately, no."

​So I wasn't human... Then what was I, exactly? And who were humans? We began to walk, leaving the room I had seen explode in my mind so many times that I was certain it had happened, though I didn't know why. We passed through a strange area filled with those white-coated scientists, but Nayla soon led us to a more private space.

​"This is my office, Iris. You’ll be visiting here often in the future, so it’s best to remember it."

​I nodded.

​"Is it alright if I leave you two now? I feel like Iris won't need me to explain anything," Darian said.

​"You’re the one taking Iris to her room, so no, you’re staying," Nayla countered.

​"Fine, fine..."

​He said that, but I didn't notice any frustration in his voice. Nayla, sitting across from me at her desk, looked at me intently.

​"To put it simply, we are being threatened with extinction by monsters. These creatures, with their vast numbers and unique powers, constantly attack us. Even though we’ve built these camps, they still threaten our safety. And you, Iris... you were once one of those monsters."

​"I was... a monster?"

​I looked down at my hands.

​"Nayla, don't be so harsh," Darian interjected. "Iris, you might have been a monster, but it's not like you ever hurt anyone. You were too small for that. Now you're human, so don't let what Nayla says bother you. We’re going to be comrades."

​"Can you please be quiet and let me finish the explanation?" Nayla snapped.

​"Alright..."

​"...Ahem. Our goal is to save young monsters whose Nature and Extension haven't been corrupted by the world yet. This makes it possible to shape their consciousness and turn them into humans. You are our first successful attempt."

​"Like Nayla said," Darian added "we don't believe that killing monsters is always the answer. As long as there's a way to save them, we will do it. So, Iris, welcome to our side."

​I listened to their explanation with very little surprise. I didn't truly understand what they were saying, but I didn't really care either.

​"By the way, Nayla, are Iris's clothes ready?"

​"Yes, they are."

​"Iris is still dazed by everything that’s happened, so she probably won't be able to change on her own. I'll step out; you help her."

​Darian left the office and closed the door.

​"This isn't exactly a dressing room, but I suppose it doesn't matter since I expected the Commander to do whatever he wanted anyway."

​"The Commander?"

​"Yes, Darian. He’s the commander of this camp, known as the Nature Camp."

​"Nature...?”

​"Enough explaining for now. Come back tomorrow and I’ll finish. For now, let me help you change."

​She quickly brought the clothes from a cabinet. With fluid movements, she stripped me of my strange white uniform and replaced it with a warm white shirt and a pink skirt. Her hands weren't as warm as Darian’s, but they were comforting nonetheless. The fabric felt soft against my skin.
​"Alright, you can come in now," Nayla said as she unlocked the door.

​Was Darian not supposed to see me while I was changing? His pupils dilated as he looked at me.

​"You look cute, Iris."

​"Now, aren't you going to lead her to her room? She definitely needs rest."

​My room? As if he had read my mind, Darian added:

​"I’ll take you to your room now, Iris. It’s the place where you’ll be living."

​"Also, you must come here tomorrow, Iris," Nayla reminded me. "I need to finish explaining things you need to know. And don't take off those two small devices on your head; I’ll tell you about them tomorrow."

​"Okay."

​"Goodbye for now, Nayla," Darian said.​His warm hand led mine toward the place called "my room." We walked through many corridors and rode in something called an elevator before reaching our destination. Darian opened the door.

​"This is your room, Iris. I hope you like it."​A bed, a desk, and a closet. I stared at the place called "my room" for a long time.

​"You must like it."

​"Like it?"

​"It means you love it."

​"This is complicated..."

​Darian laughed. "It’s okay. It must be overwhelming for you right now. I’ll leave you now, Iris, because it’s late. I might come by later, or one of the soldiers will come to show you the dining hall. You’ll find pajamas and other things in the closet; Nayla must have put them there. For now, goodbye."

​He bid me farewell, his lips curled into what was called a "smile," before closing the door. From what I had seen in my mind, a smile is what people do when they are happy. I looked around the room, then set off to explore every single inch of the place called my room.