In reality, everything depends on your mindset.
Whoever said that, they weren’t wrong.
You can't change what happens outside.
No matter what kind of chaotic things happen, no matter how bad the situation gets, if you can keep your mind steady on the inside, everything will be fine.

Even people who appear miserable on the outside may actually be living a happy life.
There’s no guarantee that someone living in a fancy house, eating delicious food, and sleeping in a comfortable bed is happier than someone living in the slums.

Even if, like now, you’re trapped in something like a prison.
I’m fine because I’m happy.

“You came again.”

It’s the nameless male researcher.
He looks like he’s in his 30s.
Sometimes, he comes and talks to me.
Even when I don’t respond, he keeps talking.

“Here, a snack. I sneaked it in again.”

It’s milk and bread.
I accept it gratefully.

“There’s no one here who listens to me except you.”

The bread is delicious.
The red bean filling inside is tasty.
If someone gives you food, they must be a good person.

Is that so?
I think my thoughts are becoming very one-dimensional.
I guess my intelligence has declined.
I used to be smarter, didn’t I?

Anyway, the bread was good, and the researcher’s rant didn’t last long.

“Should I cut your bangs again, like last time?”

My bangs are a bit long.
I used to have short hair.

“They don’t allow us to bring scissors in here without permission... I’ll try to bring some next time.”

This hairstyle isn’t bad.
Honestly, I don’t care.

“Oh. Give me the trash.”

He collects the empty milk carton and the plastic that held the bread.
Since he sneaked it in, leaving the trash behind would be a problem.

I wonder if this researcher is a bit lacking in the head.
There are definitely surveillance devices in this room.
Everyone can see everything, everywhere.
That’s how it must be.
That’s why I can’t do anything.

I don’t know if there’s a listening device on the researcher’s collar or if there’s a camera filming me.
Actually, the kindness itself might be an act.
Everyone here is strange.

But still, the snack was good, so it’s fine.

[384 hours 7 minutes]

There’s a lot of time.
It’s probably the amount of time I still have to stay here.
I can instinctively feel that my intelligence has deteriorated because of this.

“Well, I’m going now. I have work tomorrow... I can come back the day after.”

It doesn’t matter either way.
He leaves through the door.
I’m left alone in the white prison.

[384 hours]

7 minutes passed.

[383 hours]

An hour passed.
White walls.
A closed door.

[382 hours]

Another hour passed.

Whirring.
The sound of the generator stops.
After a bit more time, the lights turn off.
It’s time to sleep.

I close my eyes.
I open my eyes.

[371 hours 23 minutes]

10 hours are gone.
I slept a lot.

“Come out.”

Someone is here.
I follow them out.

[522 hours 27 minutes]

Wow, the time has increased.
What did I do this time?

I’m lying back in my room, and I feel strange.
But it’s a good strange.
There’s a faint sense of pleasure.

What was it again?
Something about a pressure test with some weird machine.
It didn’t seem like a machine meant for humans.
I was the only human there—everyone else was either an animal or a monster.

I have a suspicion.
I might be the only person imprisoned here.
This prison is like a zoo, filled with monsters.
I think the researcher mentioned that to me once.

“Oh.”

It’s the researcher who brings me snacks.

“Are you okay?”

I’m very okay.
In fact, I’m happy.
I’m joyful.

“Heh...”

I try smiling.
I heard it’s good to smile once in a while.

The researcher lifts me up and puts me on the bed.
The floor isn’t bad, but the bed is definitely softer.

“You can’t eat the snack, can you?”

I can eat the snack.
Or can I?
My body doesn’t move well.
The recovery drug helped a bit, but not completely.

Well, after being thrown into this room, I couldn’t move.
The floor was warm enough, though, so it wasn’t bad.

“Sorry. I’m powerless too. I can only come into this room under the pretense of cleaning.”

I’m not even sure if he’s really a researcher.
Maybe he’s just a janitor?
No, probably just a low-level employee.

I assumed that everyone working here was a researcher.
But I’ll call this nice guy something different.
Researcher A.
If another kind person shows up, I’ll call them Researcher B.

“I don’t get this place. I don’t...”

He looks troubled.
He’s holding the bread he was going to give me.

“I’ll give you the snack next time.”

[522 hours 20 minutes]

Time passes.
In the blink of an eye.

[504 hours 14 minutes]

At some point, Researcher A had disappeared.
It feels like he said something to me, but I didn’t hear it.
My mind was elsewhere.

But now my body is moving again.
Or maybe it was always moving, and I just regained awareness now.

Honestly, it’s amazing that I’m still alive.
In any case, I feel good, so it’s all fine.

I feel good.
I always feel good.
It’s like my brain has melted.
Or maybe it’s rotted away.

Anyway, it’s good that my body is moving.
I get off the bed.

Thud.

I got down.
Or maybe it’s better to say I fell.

My legs have no strength.
Even though I used the recovery drug.
It’s strange that I’m still not recovering.

Something feels wrong.
Ah.
I don’t know.

Every day passes the same way.
There’s no potential for growth, no possibilities.
Survival, that’s what this is.
Living by crawling at the bottom.

But even that doesn’t feel bad.
In fact, it’s all good.
None of it matters.

If my legs don’t work, I’ll just use more drugs.
That should fix it.
As long as I keep recovering, I’ll stay alive.

They said the drug was made from dragon’s blood or something.
It’s a new drug still in development.
So maybe some batches are less effective.

But I still feel good.

Maybe eating will make me feel better.

There’s a button on the wall.
When I press it, food falls to the floor.
It’s mostly chocolate bar-like things.

It’s like that.
Like those machines that automatically dispense food for dogs and cats.
You press the button, and the food comes out.

Thunk.

Something like an unwrapped energy bar drops out.
I crawl over and pick it up with my hands.

Pathetic.
But it has a unique taste.
Like pet food?
No, it’s the taste of pleasure.

[505 hours 54 minutes]

While eating, time keeps increasing.
There must be drugs mixed into the food too.
It looks like a simple snack on the outside.
But there’s something pleasant inside.

If I press the button again, nothing comes out.
I have to wait.
That makes sense.
If it kept dispensing, I’d overeat.

I managed to pick up what was on the floor.
The button is mounted low on the wall, so I can reach it.

But standing is difficult.
Someone must be watching.
Right?
There must be surveillance cameras installed.

So, they must be watching.
Then help me out a bit.

[505 hours]

The floor is all I see.
I can see the dust settling.

[500 hours]

5 hours gone.
Nothing has changed.
I’m still staring at the white floor.

Why aren’t they coming to help?

Thinking back, it was the same when the wolf attacked me.
They had no intention of saving me.

Honestly, I don’t need the help.
I’m just bored, so I’m doing this.
Staring at the same thing all the time makes me feel strange.

Am I worthless?
Not even worth monitoring?

No matter how I look at it, I’m just a disposable tool.
Useful if I’m around, but no one cares if I’m not.
But it’d be nice if they kept giving me the drugs.

[499 hours 59 minutes]

Clunk.

The door opened.
A researcher?

“Come out.”

Another experiment.
But, well, the drugs always make me feel better, so that’s good.

The problem is that my body won’t move.
My arms and legs twitch slightly, but that’s it.

“Can’t move?”

If it were Researcher A, he’d have brought me a snack.

“[Come out.]”

I should go out.
But I can’t.
An impossible command can’t be followed.
There’s nothing I can do about that.

“They injected the drug.”

He mutters something.
Do all researchers like talking to themselves?

“Well. It’s been a long time.”

I have been stuck here for a while.
Does that mean I can go outside now?
But I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.

More importantly, why am I here?
I’ve asked that question hundreds of times, but I don’t have an answer.
My memories are all tangled up, and my intelligence is declining.
At least I’m happy, so that’s something.

The researcher pulls out his phone and makes a call.

“Yes, yes…”

What’s the conversation about?
I can’t really hear.

“Ah, it won’t move, even with the Command Words.”

Just drag me out.
Why should I walk?
You always tell me to just stand still.
Is not standing really that big of a problem?

“Should I dispose of it?”

What?
Dispose?

“That’s what they said. It’s strange it’s still alive…”

What are they talking about?
Why are they talking about disposal while looking at me?

“Well, if that’s the order… Thank you. Take care.”

The researcher hangs up the phone.
He messes up his hair, looking frustrated.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

Yeah.
What are you going to do?

“Do I just throw it into the incinerator?”

Incinerator?
Are they going to burn me?
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.

“If I follow the manual, I just have to kill it and toss it in.”

What kind of manual is that?

“I don’t want to do it myself.”

He grumbles.

“Why does it have to look like a person...”

I am a person.
Not just something that looks like one.
Well, I look like one, but still.
I am a person.

“Guess I have no choice.”

He starts dragging me out of the room.
The white hallway.
Last time, there were bloodstains left where I’d been dragged.
This time, the hallway is clean.

Someone must’ve cleaned it.
I can see that someone wiped the floor.
It was probably Researcher A.

[499 hours 58 minutes]

My body won’t move at all.
It feels like things got worse after eating the food.
Maybe there was an ingredient that didn’t agree with me.
Or it’s because of the last experiment.

“What are you doing?”

It’s Researcher A’s voice.

“Oh, they said to dispose of it? It won’t move.”

The other researcher lets go of my neck.

“Dispose?”

“Yeah, it’s lucky you’re here. You do it. Just kill it and toss it in the incinerator, and it’s done.”

“What are you talking about…”

“You’ve dealt with monster disposal before. You can handle it. They said it’s strange that it’s still alive.”

That “it” refers to me.
Researcher A looks at me.
I can see the snack sticking out of his pocket.
He probably brought it for me.
Thanks, but I can’t eat it.

“…Yes. Understood.”

“Good. Thanks.”

The other researcher leaves quickly, looking relieved to have passed the task off.

Once the other researcher disappears from sight, the hallway falls silent.
All I can hear is breathing.
There are no words.

As if coming to his senses, Researcher A speaks.

“...Dispose?”

His trembling voice breaks the silence.
I want to say something too.
But my mouth won’t move.

“Incinerate?”

I can see the snack wrapper sticking out of Researcher A’s pocket.