"So what's this about...?" Anira sighed deeply, her eyebrows furrowing to show her annoyance. "Why did you call me to come here so early in the morning like this?"
The young woman in her early twenties looked displeased. Her white lab coat was still neat, covering the casual shirt and black pants she wore. Her shoulder-length black hair was slightly disheveled, perhaps from rushing out after receiving the sudden call this morning.
Anira, 22 years old, was one of the junior researchers at this facility. Still single and too busy with her work to think about romantic affairs. Her sharp eyes stared at the man before her with a gaze demanding explanation.
"Stop being so angry," Arion answered calmly, his fingers tapping on the glass table in front of him. "There's something important I want to discuss with you."
Arion Kavinsky, 34 years old, head of the research department. His rank was four levels higher than Anira's. The man always looked formal in his navy shirt rolled up to the elbows and perfectly tied tie. His face was calm but serious, indicating there was something urgent he wanted to convey.
They sat facing each other in a meeting room dominated by sterile white. The room was minimalist—containing only a long conference table with ergonomic chairs surrounding it. A large glass wall on the right side of the room faced directly onto the pine forest surrounding the facility, showing the morning fog still hanging low.
The place they worked, Sylvara, was no ordinary institution. Even its name wouldn't be found in any government document. This secret facility was hidden far from civilization, built in the middle of a wilderness that was difficult to access, about 200 kilometers from the nearest town.
Sylvara stood as humanity's secret fortress of defense. A place dedicated to research, development, and containment. Here, the country's best scientists worked tirelessly to understand and counter threats unknown to the general public—supernatural phenomena, mysterious entities, and monsters that occasionally appeared from who knows which dimension.
The Sylvara structure itself was a marvel of modern architecture. Its facilities were located underground,
"Well?" Anira straightened her back, impatience clearly radiating from her body language. "Can you get straight to the point?"
The existence of Sylvara and all its activities was top-class information that was strictly protected. The general public didn't know—and shouldn't know—that the world they inhabited harbored so many mysterious threats ready to disrupt their normal lives.
"Hey, you can do household chores, right?" Arion suddenly asked, changing the direction of the conversation in a suspicious way.
Anira blinked several times, confused by this unexpected question.
"Of course I can," Anira answered with a slightly defensive tone. Her arms crossed in front of her chest. "I live alone in an apartment. Who else would do my housework if not me?"
"Well, that's good," said Arion, with a suspicious smile.
*Somehow I feel uneasy about that smile,* Anira thought to herself, feeling wary. *He must want me to do something weird.*
"What do you actually want from me? Just tell me quickly!" Anira urged with a slightly raised voice.
Arion raised his hand in a calming gesture. "Yes, yes. I want you to take care of something," he answered while rising from his chair. "How to explain it... that's basically it. Come with me."
*Take care of something? What does that mean?* Anira's confusion increased, but curiosity made her follow Arion's steps.
They both left the meeting room and walked along a white corridor arranged in an L-shape. The corridor walls were made of reinforced concrete painted white, with several steel doors at various intervals. The ceiling was fitted with fluorescent lights that illuminated the entire area with sterile white light.
After walking for a few minutes, they arrived at the end of a corridor that Anira had never visited before. In front of them stood a large, sturdy metal door, with a security panel beside it.
Anira looked around with amazed and confused eyes. "What is this place? This is the first time I've seen an area like this even though I've been working here for several months," she said while observing the massive steel door that looked like a bank vault door.
Without saying much, Arion pulled the identification card hanging from his neck and placed it on the panel beside the door. There was a soft beep, followed by the sound of pneumatic hissing as the large door began to open.
Cold mist burst out as the door fully opened, making Anira reflexively cover her nose and mouth with her hand. White vapor swirled around them,
"Let's go in," Arion ordered briefly, stepping into the mist.
With hesitation, Anira followed him. She was surprised to find that the room behind the door wasn't an ordinary room, but a large elevator with a steel interior that looked old but well-maintained.
The elevator control panel wasn't like regular elevators—there was only a button to go down, and that button was at the very bottom level labeled "X-7"
"I just found out that there's also an elevator in this place," said Anira as the elevator began moving downward with surprising speed. Her stomach twisted due to the rapid movement of the elevator. "Where are we actually going? And what am I going to do? Take care of what?"
"The thing you're going to take care of is very dangerous. More dangerous than any creature we've ever encountered before."
Anira's eyes widened, her heart beating fast. "Creature?" she repeated in disbelief. "You want me to take care of a creature? Are you crazy? Do you want me to die, huh?!"
"Calm down, calm down," Arion raised both hands in a calming gesture. "Although it's very dangerous, it actually doesn't attack someone willingly. It will only attack if someone dares to disturb it or make it angry."
The elevator continued to descend at a constant speed. The digital display showed they had passed a depth of 500 meters and were still going down.
"There was actually someone who took care of that creature," Arion continued while leaning against the elevator wall. "But unfortunately, he has passed away due to old age."
Anira narrowed her eyes, trying to process that information. "Before? In other words, this elevator has existed long before I came to work here?"
"Yes!" Arion nodded, his expression serious. "I want you to take care of that creature. That creature is now deep underground, very far from the surface. If someone wants to go there, they must use this elevator."
Anira hugged herself, feeling the temperature getting colder as they descended deeper. The digital display now showed a depth of 1000 meters.
"Why does it have to be me?" she protested, starting to feel frustrated with the minimal information. "Of all the researchers at Sylvara, why did you choose me for this dangerous task?"
Arion answered casually, "That's because you're the only one who can do household chores in this place!"
Anira smacked her forehead, regretting her honest admission a few minutes ago. "I really regret admitting that," she muttered in an annoyed tone.
"Haha, come on, don't worry too much," Arion chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Just do it like you're taking care of a small child!"
*Like a small child?*
After 30 minutes of travel, the elevator finally stopped with a small jolt. The door opened, revealing a very dark room. Only a few red emergency lights illuminated the long corridor in front of them.
Arion stepped out of the elevator and handed an access card to Anira. The card looked different from regular identification cards—thicker and had a gold chip in the center.
"Alright, I can only go this far," Arion said suddenly, surprising Anira. "You just go straight ahead. There's an iron door there. You just use this card and the door will open."
Before Anira could protest, Arion had stepped back into the elevator. "Well then, I'm going now."
"Hey! Explain properly what kind of creature I'll be taking care of?" Anira shouted, trying to stop the elevator.
But it was too late. The elevator door closed, and Arion had already gone up quickly, leaving Anira alone in the darkness of the underground corridor.
"Damn that guy!!!" she shouted in frustration, her voice echoing in the empty, cold, and damp corridor.
Anira stood alone in that dark hallway, accompanied only by the sound of her own breathing and the dim red light from the emergency lamps. Feelings of annoyance still enveloped her heart after being left just like that by Arion.
"Oh well, can't be helped," she muttered while squeezing the access card in her hand. "Let's go there now."
Her footsteps echoed in the cold concrete corridor. This quiet and mysterious atmosphere made Anira's thoughts drift back to her decision to accept the job at Sylvara.
"Somehow I feel regret after working here," she complained to herself.
Even so, she couldn't deny that the salary offered by Sylvara was far above the standard of other research institutions. That was the main reason that made her accept this position without asking many questions. A young researcher like her could get three times the standard salary by working at this secret facility—of course, with the consequence of double the risk as well.
The corridor became darker as she moved forward. The air felt increasingly cold and damp, reminding her of ancient caves she had visited during her college days. The walls around her were no longer covered with metal panels like other Sylvara areas, but were made of natural rock reinforced with concrete structures—indicating that this section might be older than the entire facility above it.
After walking for about five minutes, Anira finally arrived in front of the large iron door that Arion had mentioned. The door looked ancient, with strange engravings on its surface that had faded with time. Beside it was a simple control panel with a slot for inserting the access card.
With slightly trembling hands, Anira followed Arion's instructions. She inserted the access card into the panel. The sound of electronic humming was heard, followed by a series of mechanical clicks indicating that a complex security system was opening.
The iron door slid open with a creaking sound, revealing white mist flowing out like when the elevator was opened earlier. Anira took a deep breath and stepped in through the door.
What greeted her behind the door was truly unexpected—so surprising that it stopped her steps and made her mouth open wide.
"Wow...!" she exclaimed in amazement. "Is this really underground?"
The scene before her was in stark contrast to the dark corridor she had just passed through. Not a cramped room or laboratory as she had imagined, but a vast world spread out before her. The ceiling, which was very high, perhaps as high as 100 meters above her head, shone brightly resembling a blue sky with clouds slowly moving,
"This place is really vast and large," she muttered, still not believing what she saw. "There's even a sun here? Is this really in an underground room? How could someone create a place like this?"
Anira took off her lab coat, suddenly feeling hot from the sunlight that felt very real. Surrounding her stretched vast green meadows, along with some shady trees scattered about and dense forest in the distance. Birds chirped, butterflies flew among wildflowers blooming along the path.
Even more surprising, she could see various domestic animals—freely roaming chickens, several cows grazing peacefully, and even a small pond with ducks swimming on its surface. Everything looked so natural, so alive, so... normal. Like an idyllic countryside scene that somehow was placed thousands of meters underground.
"Huh?! A house?" Anira's eyes were fixed on that house,
In front of her, about a hundred meters from where she stood, was a fairly large traditional-style wooden house.
Driven by curiosity, Anira walked toward the house. The stone path she took was flanked by colorful wildflowers that smelled fragrant. The closer she got to the house, the more details she could capture—intricate wood carvings on the veranda, windows with stained glass, and even a simple wooden swing hanging under a large oak tree beside the house.
However, when almost reaching the fence of the house, Anira felt a strange sensation—as if something was watching her. Her hair stood on end. Her natural instinct warned of danger.
With slow movement, she turned around.
There, no more than five meters from her, stood a large panda. But not an ordinary panda—the animal's eyes were glowing red like embers, reminiscent of fresh blood. Its body was larger than a normal panda. Its sharp claws gripped the ground, ready to attack.
Anira's heart seemed to stop beating. She was frozen in place, not daring to move an inch while the panda began to lower its body in a ready-to-pounce position.
Just as the panda was about to jump, the sound of footsteps was heard from the direction of the house. Light but firm steps that made the panda suddenly stop and prick up its ears.
The house door opened, revealing a small figure stepping out onto the veranda. A child—or at least what looked like a child—about seven years old, wearing a white robe resembling a traditional kimono that draped down to cover his feet. His jet-black hair contrasted with his porcelain-pale skin. His tiny face had perfect features like a doll,
"Who are you, sister? Are you new here?" asked the boy with a melodious voice that sounded far more mature than his appearance. The child's eyes—Anira just realized—were completely white,
Then, without taking his gaze off Anira, the child spoke to the panda. "Hey, don't attack someone as you please like that," he commanded in a firm but gentle tone.
Instantly, the panda's eyes changed from glowing red to normal black. The large creature appeared to bow its head in an obedient gesture, then smiled—yes, smiled in a way that would be impossible for an ordinary panda—then turned around and ran into the forest behind the house.
Anira stood frozen, still trying to process what had just happened. Her brain, trained as a researcher, attempted to process the supernatural event she had just witnessed.
"What is actually happening here?" she thought, while her eyes remained fixed on the mysterious child who was now smiling at her.
◇◇◇
The house was actually much more spacious inside. The warm wooden interior was decorated with antique furniture that looked hundreds of years old but perfectly maintained. Oil lamps and candles illuminated its rooms, creating a nostalgic atmosphere from an era long past.
Anira and the mysterious child now sat facing each other in the living room, on carved wooden chairs covered with red velvet cushions. A steaming cup of tea sat on the small table between them—served by the child immediately after they entered the house.
"Are you Grandma Lili's replacement?" the child asked directly, his white eyes staring at Anira with an intensity that made the woman a little uncomfortable.
Anira sipped her tea slowly, trying to calm herself. The tea tasted sweet with touches of herbs she didn't recognize—delicious but slightly strange.
"Hmm, I guess so," she answered after putting the cup back on the table. "From now on, I am the person who will take care of you."
Anira observed the child before her more carefully. Though appearing like a seven-year-old child, there was something about the way he moved and spoke that felt... ancient. Like an old entity trapped in a small body. Nevertheless, she didn't sense any threatening aura.
*So he is the creature Arion talked about?* she thought. *I don't feel at all that this child is truly dangerous. Are they exaggerating?*
"By the way, my name is Anira," she introduced herself, trying to build a relationship. "What's your name?"
"Name?" The child tilted his head slightly, his expression flat. "I don't have a name."
That answer surprised Anira.
"You don't have a name?" repeated Anira, not sure if she heard correctly. "Then what did Grandma Lili who took care of you call you?"
"Master," the child answered briefly, still with an expressionless face. "That's what she called me."
"Master?" Anira almost choked. *Calling a small child 'Master' is very unsuitable...*
The atmosphere in the room suddenly felt heavier. From somewhere in the house, Anira could hear the ticking of an old clock echoing softly,
"Ah!" she exclaimed suddenly, getting an idea. "How about I give you a name? Would you like that?"
For the first time, the child showed a slight change in expression—his eyebrows raised a little.
"I don't mind," he answered with a tone that was slightly more lively than before.
"Alright," Anira smiled, pleased with this small progress. She thought for a moment, looking for a name that felt right. "From now on, your name is Kazuki. How's that?"
"Oh," the child nodded slowly. "Okay. My name is Kazuki."
"Alright, Kazuki," Anira continued, feeling more comfortable now after having a name to call him by. "Do you have parents? And where do you come from?"
Kazuki looked at her with a gaze that was difficult to interpret. "I am here because I am here," he answered in a flat tone. "And parents... what are those?"
*Huh...* Anira fell silent, confused by the answer she received. *What does he mean he's here because he's here? And he also doesn't know what parents are? This child... is clearly very strange.*
Before Anira could continue her questions, Kazuki's stomach growled softly, breaking the silence.
"Sister Anira," called Kazuki. "I'm hungry. When will you cook for me?"
"What?!" Anira looked at him in surprise. "Haven't you eaten yet?"
"No," answered Kazuki with his innocent face, which now looked more like a real small child. His stomach growled again, louder this time.
"Alright, I'll start cooking," Anira rose from her chair. "You wait here, okay?"
She walked toward the kitchen located at the back of the house, passing through a corridor with old photographs hanging on its walls.
"Okay," replied Kazuki, and for the first time, a small smile appeared on his face.
Anira found an old kitchen with well-maintained traditional equipment. The cabinets contained fresh ingredients that looked newly stocked. There was a small note on the refrigerator door with instructions for the "Master's"—now Kazuki's—favorite food menu.
*Is this child really dangerous?* she thought while starting to wash the rice. *I can't sense anything threatening. Maybe Arion was exaggerating.*
While her hands worked preparing the food, her mind wandered to her initial expectations about the job at Sylvara.
*I remember this job was described as taking care of monsters or terrifying creatures,* she thought. *It turns out it's not like that. Maybe this won't be as bad as I imagined.*
Anira tied her hair and began cooking seriously. *Well, let's do my job...*