I had high expectations...
I really did...
But all that followed once we passed through the entrance — was silence. A simple, silent, brightly lit white hallway...
It was...
Just boring. A total letdown. Far from my expectations...
... Where's that feeling of mounting tension when entering something so alien?
What happened to that feeling from outside?
... Damn. I wasn't expecting much, not at all, but not even a tortured roar piercing through all the soundproofing?
... Where's the blood? Screams? Cells?... Hello?
I was ready to burn up from the density of the mana here too, expecting at least that—especially since my body had started to heat up on the outside, but no...
Nothing...
No smells. No strange sounds. Nothing.
It was absurdly anticlimactic...
For a few moments, I thought that at least the doors along the hallway would have something, but besides being locked, their contents looked the same when peering through the keyhole.
... Long and equally anticlimactic white hallways.
Only the last door at the end of the hallway was different—it led to a small hallway divided into three equal parts, with two elevators at the end.
... At least by design, they were elevators—they reminded me a lot of those decontamination hallways from old movies.
Showers in the first section. White clothes in the second, along with openings on all sides in the walls and ceiling, as if to suck in or expel something, and the last section... normal.
Of course, someone didn't seem to like us wandering around touching everything...
"... Are you idiots?"
"Tsk, hicks..."
I clicked my tongue at the irritated voice, sneaking back to her side at the beginning of the hallway. She seemed to want to bury her head somewhere, covering her face while shaking her head...
"... Don't you have any basic manners? How can you walk around like that, touching everything? How embarrassing."
I took the cue to glance at everyone.
... I really didn't expect something like this from Lydia and Theo, so I looked at them with disappointment while looking at the rest as if I'd already expected this from them.
The redhead and the ugly duckling were clearly outraged, cursing at me while flipping me off. How vulgar...
Then they complain, whispering and speculating about why they're single, while someone like me had Lydia… Who, by the way, was trembling under my gaze, but I decided to ignore whatever that girl was doing…
The rest looked at me with a small smile…
They could barely hold back their laughter at how ridiculous the situation was. They gave me a vote of confidence, leaving their hesitation behind... For that...
Well, except for Lydia — she simply came after me...
In fact, I found it quite curious how she became curious and disappointed enough to let go of my arm and see everything for herself, even if just for a few seconds...
"Thanks, Lucca. I didn't expect that rudeness either..."
Bianca sighed loudly beside me as she took a few steps toward the empty wall... She then lightly placed her hand on the wall, and then...
[Level 2 Agent, Bianca Alcaraz. Entry approved.]
A slightly robotic voice sounded as the seemingly empty wall split in two, sliding slightly backward and then retracting to the sides...
An opening. This time, a hallway... White too? How disappointing. At least this one was dimly lit—what a difference...
"Let's go"
Snapping out of my thoughts, I followed right behind...
"Master… I need you…"
We followed right behind…
What the hell is this bitch talking about? Seriously, now? Weren't you the one who just left me hanging? Crazy bitch…
"Not now… And if you don't behave, I won't touch you anymore. Got it?"
I whispered in her ear, and she did the same. I was tired of this, so I didn't even bother hiding my anger...
"Got it..."
... Damn it, don't tense your legs like that. You're not supposed to be so tense...
Sigh.
Ignoring her murmurs, I passed the group again after letting them take the lead, but it seemed like no one wanted to get too close to Bianca. The hesitation from earlier was back in her eyes...
How ironic life is, isn't it? I was dying to go through the decontamination procedure in that hallway...
So why am I at a reception desk now?
... And why is that ugly little thing talking so familiarly with the receptionists? Come to think of it... Well, looking closely... Squinting... They really did bear some resemblance...
Come to think of it... Wasn't she just hanging out in the hallway with her friend?
... What the hell is this? Glancing to the side, the redhead had almost the same reaction as mine...
I took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling... So is the ugly duckling actually some kind of swan?
Because, if not, all the genetics went to what I think is her mom and grandma... Or they had a shitload of procedures, but the way her boobs moved was way too natural for that...
Hasn't she hit puberty yet? That's not how it works, damn it...
Did she take after her dad? If so, that guy is something else, boss, because he must be ugly too.
Even without knowing the guy, a feeling of respect began to well up in my chest...
It must have been tough, huh, buddy? I get it; it's hard for guys like us...
... I felt a sense of shared pride. I ended up smiling without realizing it...
"Mom, this is the bastard who was harassing me"
... A feeling... What?
Who's harassing whom?
Lowering my gaze... I saw a finger being pointed at me. I blinked.
I blinked again...
So, why was everyone still looking at me strangely, even though the redhead didn't understand a thing...
Faced with the situation, I felt I had to say something.
"... Excuse me, but what are you talking about? If I harassed anyone, it was your friend right here."
I said, pointing at the redhead, before continuing.
"And if I were to harass anyone here, it would be those two hotties or even Theo right here. You'd be my last option."
I pointed at the two at the front desk and then at Theo, blowing him a kiss, haha... His expression was priceless... But I soon regretted what I'd said.
... My ass clenched in a way I never imagined, while my body went completely rigid, breaking out in a cold sweat at the voice in my ear!
"First you call my daughter a liar and my last resort... Now you're calling my wife a hottie? Is that right?"
... Shit. There was no use crying now.