Snow falls.
People shivered in the cold as they watched snowflakes drift down from the sky.

"Ugh, it was so warm just a few days ago, and now it’s freezing."
"What do you mean 'already'? It’s winter now."

Grumbling, they turned up the collars of their coats. The apocalyptic weather anomaly that had rampaged mere days ago had already faded from their minds.

The scientist who had hypnotized humanity to eliminate the anomaly had also erased their memories of the events.

Thanks to him, the memories of being buried in snow or enduring the chaos had been forgotten, leaving people with nothing but a mild cold to complain about.

"Winter’s here…"

Eight sipped his cocoa, gazing out the window. Watching the fluffy snow accumulate and the shopkeepers and security guards clearing the snow outside, he realized it was time to get moving. Slowly, he stood up.

Moments later, Aile entered the room, fully dressed.

"Let’s go, Scientist."
"…Are you seriously going dressed like that?"
"Of course. Why wouldn’t I?"

Eight frowned at Aile’s attire. Over her villainous magical girl outfit, she had merely thrown on a coat. Blinking innocently, she seemed to wonder what the problem was.

"What if someone recognizes you?"
"Who would think I’m really a villainous magical girl? They’d just think I’m an eccentric. Besides, look! I even disguised myself!"
"That’s not a disguise; it’s just a coat…"

Eight sighed but didn’t stop her. The magical girl outfit wasn’t just for show—it boosted stamina, improved circulation, and helped her stay alert and focused.

Normally, he would’ve told her not to waste her outfit on trivial tasks like taking an exam. But today was different. Today was the day her year of hard work would pay off.

Today was exam day.
The equivalent of the college entrance exam back on Earth.
To test-takers, it was a day when they’d grasp at any straw of hope.

"Fine. Just don’t get caught. Do your best."
"…Yes!"

Aile beamed confidently.

"Um… Are you… a villainous magical girl?"
"…No, I’m not."
"You’re not…?"
"It’s cosplay!"
"Alright then…"

Under the sharp gazes of the proctor and her fellow test-takers, Aile shrank in her seat. She couldn’t help but regret wearing the magical girl outfit.

I’m still living in the boss’s mansion, leeching off her like a freeloading parasite. There were many reasons for this. First, the mansion was absurdly large, with plenty of unused rooms. Second, the maids took care of all the chores—cooking, cleaning, laundry, and more.

At this point, I’d grown so accustomed to freshly laundered, fragrant bedding that I couldn’t imagine roughing it outside. And Regalia, the boss, hadn’t told me to leave.

Of course, some of the maids occasionally shot me looks that screamed "human trash," but what could they do? Their employer was the one letting me stay.

This place was filled with perks, but it wasn’t without its downsides. The main drawback was living in the same place as my boss, meaning I had to see her every day.

"Good morning, Scientist."
"Good morning, Boss."
"How’s the preparation going?"

I froze momentarily before forcing a smile and nodding.

"Yes, of course."

What was she talking about? I racked my brain, trying to figure out what preparations she meant. Years of graduate school had trained me to never question a superior’s instructions—it was practically treasonous.

In grad school, a good student anticipated the professor’s intentions without needing explicit instructions. And I had been an excellent graduate student.

What is this? Martial law?

Was the boss planning to use Evilus’s power to conquer the entire planet? Pondering this, I headed to the lab and started designing military equipment.

Unfortunately, no martial law was declared.

The next day, she asked the same question.

"It’s almost time. Are you getting nervous?"
"Uh, yes. A little."

I went back to the lab and began manufacturing the equipment I’d designed.

Finally, the day arrived. Early in the morning, as I mentally prepared myself, I approached the boss.

"Good morning, Boss."
"Good morning, Scientist. Are you ready?"
"Of course. I’m prepared for deployment at any time."
"Prepared… for what?"

Regalia gave me a puzzled look, scanning me from head to toe before frowning slightly.

"What exactly are you prepared for? Surely you’re not planning to attend the ceremony dressed like that. You should at least wear a proper suit."
"Wait, ceremony? What ceremony?"
"Don’t tell me you didn’t know. Today is the day you’re receiving the ABC Award."
"ABC Award…?"

After a moment of thought, I realized it was this world’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. I vaguely recalled that the paper Dr. Shira and I had written about the soul had been a strong contender for the award.

I hadn’t expected to actually win it, let alone receive it today. So the "preparations" the boss had mentioned weren’t for a military coup but for the award ceremony…

"You’re completely unprepared. What exactly have you been preparing for?"
"Haha… I thought this outfit would be fine for a scientist."
"Of course not. Kitty? Fetch him a men’s suit immediately."

While Regalia grumbled, I quickly instructed the AI to dismantle the weapons I’d secretly prepared. That was close. If she had found out about those weapons…

She would’ve scolded me endlessly, possibly suspecting me of planning a coup to overthrow her. She’d been subtly expressing those concerns lately.

And no matter how skilled I was, I had no intention of turning her into an enemy. She knew my identity and my weaknesses. Even if I burned this world to the ground, she’d still find a way to kill me.

I had no interest in her position, nor was it worth risking my life for. At least, not to me.

"Scientist, this way."
"Yes, ma’am…"

I followed Kitty to the dressing room, feeling oddly comforted by her disdainful gaze.

Perhaps it wouldn’t matter if I truly became pathetic.

The ABC Awards Ceremony.
As the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in this world, the ceremony brought together the most prominent figures from around the globe. It was said that if a villain were to attack the event, humanity would face a significant setback overnight.

However, such an incident had never occurred. This wasn’t merely due to the decline in villains caused by advancements in AI; the ABC Awards also included—

[The first award goes to the ABC Hero Award, presented to Mr. Gaiser.]

An award category for heroes.

No villain dared to disrupt a venue teeming with S-class heroes.

"Thank you. Uh, thanks to my family and colleagues… yeah, that’s about it."

True to his efficient nature as a hero from G City, Gaiser left the stage after a perfunctory acceptance speech. People regarded him with expressions that said, "Of course."

Given the antics of some past heroes, his behavior was considered mild.

As the ceremony progressed, the moment everyone had been anticipating arrived.

[Next, the ABC Science Award goes to… Dr. Eight and Dr. Shira for Proof of the Soul.]

The award had been expected, so the audience’s applause was subdued. But when the two recipients stepped onto the stage, the mood shifted.

People’s eyes widened as they saw Eight for the first time in an official setting. He was young—remarkably so. While Dr. Shira was also young, Eight was beyond expectations.

"Well, I didn’t do much, so I’ll leave the speech to this guy."
"Dr. Shira… are you serious?"
"What else? I really didn’t do anything."

After some bickering on stage, the two finally took the microphone. Clearing his throat, Eight held up the golden trophy and began to speak.

"I’m honored to receive such a prestigious award. Honestly, I never expected this research to earn an award."
[Really? Many have praised it as groundbreaking research.]
"Yes. I never imagined such a simple study would be awarded…"
[…???]

The audience tilted their heads in confusion. Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted angrily.

—"This is a scam! Anti-gravity devices and AI exist, and yet this trivial soul research gets an award?!"

Security swiftly subdued the man and dragged him away. Eight smiled reassuringly at the audience.

"Oh, don’t worry. I made those too, so it’s fine."
—???
"Anyway, please don’t invite me next year. It feels a bit unfair, like stealing candy from kids."

The shocking statements continued, and the ceremony soon descended into chaos as enraged scientists turned the venue into a battleground.