“Wow, we really got here.”
On Ijo beamed as he held Guru’s hand and stepped out onto the 4th floor.
Staring at the white corridor, Guru felt her vision spin.
'Is this... another world?'
In the end, it wasn’t another world.
Following On Ijo, who strode down the hall as if he knew the way, Guru stopped in front of a ward door that required a password to enter.
Guru’s mouth dropped wider.
'It really is a secret ward!'
But without the password, they couldn’t get in. Maybe today’s adventure ended here.
She glanced around at the security device, lips jutting out.
“Gwuu wiww come back wif Daddy wayter.”
“Why?”
Why was he asking why here? Guru gently humored her silly uncle.
“Cuz we can’t go in now. So next time we come wif Daddy and teww him to open it.”
“We can open it.”
“But we don’t know da passwowd.”
“Your dad won’t know it either.”
“Daddy can go thwough it by punchy-punch.”
“Ahaha! True. Mmm~ Guru, do you have favorite numbers between 0 and 9?”
“Umm... 1 and 2 and 3... and 7!”
The moment she said it, On Ijo quickly tapped the keypad. Beep-beep-beep-beep.
“...?!”
Guru gasped and covered her mouth.
Normally, if the password was wrong, wouldn’t alarms blare and people come running?
'We hafta wun before we get caught!'
Guru was about to tug On Ijo away when—
Clack! Whrrr!
The lock released, and the door slid open automatically.
On Ijo clapped his hands, eyes sparkling.
“Guru, you’re amazing! You entered your favorite numbers and opened the secret door!”
“Gwuu did?!”
“How’d you figure it out?”
“Huuhp!”
Guru slapped both hands over her mouth and sucked in a breath.
Did I really do it?
“J-just went wif da feewing...?”
“Wow~ really? Incredible~”
On Ijo laughed as he scooped up the shyly flustered Guru.
“I’m so proud, can uncle give you a kiss?”
“Jus’ a wittwe.”
“Yeah, just a little.”
On Ijo peppered her cheek with smooches.
***
White walls and floors. A faint mechanical hum filled the surreal space.
Steel doors lined both sides of the corridor.
From one room, the sound of a beast’s roar leaked out.
Startled, Guru jumped, and On Ijo patted her gently as if to soothe a child.
The two kept following the ladybug.
“Looks wike nobody’s hewe. Stwange.”
At that moment, Mephisto poked his head out of Guru’s arms.
Sensing some strange power forcing whatever was inside [N O V E L I G H T] a room back, Mephisto’s eyes went round.
“...?!”
It was clearly an artificial force. Someone was making sure they wouldn’t be noticed.
“Bbi!”
Mephisto spread his wings wide, ready to expose On Ijo as the one responsible.
But On Ijo smiled and met his eyes. For a brief instant, his eyes flickered coral, then returned to normal.
Mephisto paled and trembled.
“Ung? Mephi, what’s wong?”
“Bbi...”
Stiff as a board, Mephisto burrowed back into Guru’s arms.
He looked frightened—just as the [Spy Ladybug ver.2] suddenly spun and darted toward one of the rooms.
“Is it hewe?!”
They opened the door and stepped inside.
Beep—beep—beep—
On the bed lay a child—no, a girl—sleeping, tangled in tubes from the machines.
Just like Lea...
It seemed she had been hiding it by covering her face with thick glasses.
“Yuwiaaan...”
Guru shook her gently a few times, but Yurian, deep in sleep, didn’t stir.
“It won’t be easy to take her like this.”
Guru whimpered like a puppy and glanced at On Ijo.
Uncle = useless
Guru = capable
Problem to solve = Guru’s power needed!
If she turned her back into a puppy, carrying her would be easy.
It’ll be okay, right?
Even if I show my hidden power...
We’re family...
The word “family” filled her with strength.
“Uncwe, actuawwy Gwuu is...”
“...?”
“A hidden stwong.”
“Hidden... what?”
Even though On Ijo didn’t understand, Guru nodded firmly.
“It means Gwuu hides her powew.”
The moment she finished, a chill swept through.
On Ijo’s eyes shot open.
'The snowfield?'
The same cold from the 99th floor.
Before he could mask his shock, Guru activated her skill.
[Activating skill ‘Squeeze-Squeeze.’]
Yurian’s body twisted and warped.
Because Guru already knew the form, in moments she had become a tiny Maltese puppy.
Success?!
On Ijo, dazed, asked:
“Guru, what... what did you just do?”
“Gwuu’s powew.”
“The snowfield?”
It was strange that uncle spoke as if he knew the snowfield well—
“Yesh.”
Guru nodded obediently.
On Ijo covered his mouth with his hand.
“Amazing... truly amazing.”
He looked like he was holding back a joy that wanted to burst free.
***
Shaken, Yurian frowned at the touch waking her.
In the haze of floating consciousness, old memories flickered.
'I definitely became a dog...'
A filthy dream of being ridden like a mount by those disgusting things.
And the last memory—
Those wretches had kept feeding her S+ items until she went berserk.
Unable to contain the power, she rampaged until she reverted to human form.
Then someone had knocked her unconscious.
'I smelled the lab woman then...'
Now, stirred again, Yurian slowly opened her eyes to a white blur.
Something white...
Blinking, she saw a hamster with stars in its eyes and a rabbit with a sprout on its head.
“Kkyu!”
“Myu!”
“...!”
Startled, Yurian bolted upright.
But her body felt strange.
Looking down in panic, she saw blunt, tiny puppy paws.
Fuck. No fucking way!
And just like that, Yurian fainted all over again.
