Fraiziar's Note: I decided to make all internal dialogue written in present tense and italicized, while the rest of the narrative I left past tense.

Sorry for the long wait, The delay was partially due to procrastinating, partially because I lost the translation 3 times and due to that lost motivation, and partially because I've been busy. I have nothing to say but sorry, I'll try not to let this long gap happen again, and I'll try to get the next chapter to you ASAP (next day or two, depending on how exhausted I am and how long it takes).

Also, side note, looking for an editor for those who are interested. Preferably someone who knows the standards for editing and such.

Chapter 17:Research Building Completion (Ill.u.s.trations too!)

Author's note: I inserted the ill.u.s.trations before the prologue, please take a look. Also, this chapter there aren't as many misunderstandings At the end, I added an ill.u.s.tration of the protagonist.

Fraiziar: Link to the ill.u.s.trations mentioned above is (Last updated April 27, year unkown (2014?))

-----Arakawa Kouki's Perspective-----

It was lunch time in the academy.

Recently, besides just Alice-chan and Saitou-kun, I had also been eating with our new member Aikawa-san.

As if she had just remembered, Aikawa-san spoke.

「That reminds me, Arakawa-kun, when will your 『Research building』be completed?」(Aikawa)

Oi, That's the first I've heard of that.

In the first place I'm just taking ethics cla.s.ses here, so there ought to be no need for me to have a laboratory.

While thinking that Alice spoke,

「If I remember correctly, according to rumors the laboratory is in the bas.e.m.e.nt, right? I'm interested too.」(Alice)

Everyone down to Alice-chan started listening.

What's going on behind my back?

Feeling uneasy, I checked with Saitou-kun.

「Saitou-kun, what do you all mean by my research building? I don't know what you are all talking about」(Kouki)

「Fuhi? A summary should have been sent to everyone's terminals, but if I remember correctly there was a building under construction behind the 2nd research building for you to perform your dangerous experiments safely.」(Saitou)

I don't know squat about that.

I hastily operated my terminal, but I couldn't find any record of receiving such a notification. I asked for Saitou to forward the message to me, and the thing that appeared on screen looked like something that would make my head hurt.

From the academy, an announcement to all students currently enrolled.

Currently, there is a new research building under construction behind the Advanced Research Building. Because there is a high likelihood of the new building storing hazardous materials, information on the interior will not be disclosed for security purposes. For that reason, if you approach the building that is under construction without permission you may be detained by security. Under those circ.u.mstances we ask that you please cooperate. Furthermore, after completion, the building will be used by the currently enrolled 『Arakawa Kouki』.

Eh?  

The h.e.l.l is this preferential treatment!

Now that I think about it, I had heard rumors of skinheads wandering around the building currently under construction, could it be that this is connected too?

No, rather, why is it that the person in question was never informed of this?.....

I racked my brain, but I got no answer, so I decided that for the time being, I'd go consult the academy director

「Sorry, I'm going to go speak with the academy director for a moment. I probably won't come back today, so it's fine for you all to go home without me」 (Kouki)

I said to everyone, then hurried to the Director's Office.

As I enter the Director's office, for some reason I came to a face looking at me in utter terror.

I don't remember doing anything, but for now I'll just ask my questions while smiling.

「About my research building, what on earth are you all talking about? I've not heard anything about it.」 (Kouki)

「Huh? I sent it to the computer terminal in your house. Furthermore, I also properly recieved a reply.」 (Yamamoto Kaori)

Saying that she showed me a printout.

Though it certainly was a request addressed to me concerning the acquisition of a building and supplies for me, I have no memory of reading, nor memory of replying to this letter.

Something is strange,

Now that I think about it, the addressee was written as 『M-Arakawa』....

OI! What's my mom doing without my say-so!!!!

Don't go replying to messages addressed to your son on your own!

I guess there's no helping it.

when I get home I'll complain to mom about this『Special treatment』.

Even if you do something like that, It doesn't make me happy, It'll just make the other students dislike me.

I complained to the academy director, but

「There's no need for you to worry about that, There's a special budget already gathered after all, and above all I don't want dangerous research being done around the other students.」  (Yamamoto Kaori)

--is what she said back to me.

I'm not about to do any dangerous research.....

Why is it I'm getting so misunderstood?

I wonder if people see me as a dangerous person.

No, if I say anything else on that matter I think my heart might just break.

I decided to hurry up and go home and see the ringleader of this whole thing-my mom.

「Welcome home, Kou-chan」(Miki)

As always my mother greets me with a smile when I return home.

Normally I'd reply gently, but today is different.

「Mom, what's this? Why are you replying to things that are addressed to me?」(Kouki)

Saying that, I show her the paper that I got from the Director.

「But Kou-chan, You don't know anything about things like safety standards or research materials right?」(Mom)

While it is true that I don't know about those sort of things, I don't think it's necessary for there to be an isolated laboratory 30 meters below the surface.

There are other radiation chambers and vacuum chambers available.

In the first place, There's no way I'd need a research building three stories underground!

When I said this to my mother slightly angry, she replied more angrily.

「What are you talking about! Safety standards such as these are normal you know. Kou-chan, as a researcher you have to think about the safety of other people you know. When people do research on viruses, you don't  just say 『I vaccinated myself, so it's fine』, when something goes wrong it's normal to close down each and every building! That's why I had the building made to regulation standards.」 (Miki)

Why are you talking under the premise that I'm going to be researching something dangerous?!

Isn't that strange?

Or rather, there were times where mom did research in her room to, weren't there?

I wonder if that's alright or not.

「My room is encased in a lead frame you know? It's locked up away from other people in case something wrong were to happen」(Miki)

Seriously!?

I've lived in this house for 15 years, but this is the first that I've heard of that!!

s.h.i.+t, I was going to complain, but it seems it's ended in me being in the wrong due to me not knowing about what apparently is common sense...

At the very least, I want to fight back. Driven by my childlike instinct, I think.

And, though only one, I had come up with a counterargument that mom could not counter.

「for things like the shower room and such, I wouldn't need things like sleeping quarters or cooking room would I? It would cause problems with sanitation wouldn't it? 」(Kouki)

Saying so with a looking slightly triumphant, My mother replies with an even more triumphant face.

「Well yeah, It might not be necessary, But you know, Kou-chan, with those things you'd be able to stay at the research building for long periods of time right?  I think it would be nice to have a shower for when 『Alice-chan』 has been studying all night, and in the cooking room she could prepare meals. Well. if you say that you don't need it no matter what, then I could always have some other equipment carried in their place.」(Miki)

「I am incredibly sorry honorable mother, I have no excuse. I will never talk back to you ever again. It was a mistake of the younger generation, please leave it as it is」(Kouki)

In order to keep my mother from sending her communicae out, there was nothing I could do but kneel before her in Dogeza.

「..is how it went, why is it that I'm a dangerous character huh?」(Kouki)

「Fuhihi, Arakawa-kun, you have your own issues too huh?」(Saitou)

The next day, I arrived at the academy ahead of time and was spouting complaints at Saitou-kun while sitting at the cafeteria table.

Saitou-kun, who was listening to my story understood my feelings like usual, and I earnestly felt glad that I've made such a good friend.

「Saitou-kun, We're close friends right?」(Kouki)

「Yeah, that's what I think」(Saitou)

Fumu, I think it's good that you think the same as I do.

If he had said that were weren't friends, I think I would have become a truant, but I suppose I'll do my best

「Then, would it be alright to call you s.h.i.+ngo from on?」(Kouki)

「Fuhi!? is that okay?」(Saitou→s.h.i.+ngo )

Yeah of course! Rather, I wanted to do so earlier but I couldn't find a good time to do so.

He helped with getting me together with Alice-chan after all, I think it'd be better to call him by name.

「Thats right, Araka.... I mean, Kouki, after you went home yesterday I was asked by the academy director to give you the security card for the research building. From today onwards you can go inside」(Saitou)

s.h.i.+ngo pulled the card out of his bag and handed it to me.

Just as I was thinking that it would be nice to go see it together with everyone, Alice-chan and Aikawa-san arrived.

Shall we go see my research building? I just received the security card from s.h.i.+ngo, and can go inside starting today」(Kouki)

When I say that, Shogo and Aikawa-san agreed with me, but Alice-chan went silent. And then she looked back at me.

「Me too... Just 'Alice' is fine.」(Alice-chan)

she said.

What do you mean?

I ask her than without quite understanding, and while looking cross she spoke.

「My name! don't call me『Alice-chan』 anymore, just call me 『Alice』!」(Alice)

Oh it was that huh....

Laughing, I called out her name 『Alice』, and she looked a little happy.

「This is Kouki-kun's Research building? It's amazing」(Alice)

Though Alice seemed to be surprised, she wasn't the only one. I was surprised as well.

What the heck is this, right before me was a building as amazing as the Next Generation Research Laboratory that I had visited before.

The front entrance is protected by three layers, and throughout the facility rooms can only be entered by performing a retina and vein scan.

There's no way I can use this place all alone.....

when I said that aloud,

「In that case, why not have the Member's use it?」(s.h.i.+ngo)

s.h.i.+ngo's Idea sound pretty good, doesn't it? Everyone agreed.

That's right, if I ask the other members and they all agree, then that course of action is best.

But just when I was going to try asking the others,

「Well then, I will use the third floor okay? Alice-chan, are you okay with the 2nd floor?」(Aikawa)

「Yeah, and since I use chemicals it'd be better if I had solid shelves to hold them. Since Saitou-kun's work seems the least dangerous I think it would be good if he had the interior of the first floor」(Alice)

The female team had already begun to allocate rooms.

I see, following this pattern, I'll be given the 『Underground』 huh?

I look towards s.h.i.+ngo with a face ready to cry, but he averted his eyes in haste.

「Shogo, I don't want to go in the bas.e.m.e.nt」(Kouki)

「It's impossible, even if we were to say something, Emi-chan would never listen to us you know?」(Saitou)

Naive! You're too naive, s.h.i.+ngo. Of course I knew that from the start.  what I wanted to say was 『Let's use the first floor together』.

when I told him that,

「I'd be fine with that, but will you be okay? I'll be bringing my 『Friends』 from home over here you know」(Saitou)

And like that the plan was overturned.

There's no choice but to give up on that, there's no way I'll be able to get along with s.h.i.+ngo's 『Friends』.

After a short while, the room allocation became:

The 3rd floor and rooftop with the high-speed communication equipment...... Aikawa's domain

The 2nd floor with the Medicine related equipment...... Alice's domain.

The 1st floor with the electronics and engineering equipment...... s.h.i.+ngo's domain

And finally the Isolated laboratory underground......My Domain.

All other facilities such as the shared areas, sleeping area and shower area were to be taken care of by everyone.

Everyone began preparing to move things they were going to use in the laboratory, but I could not make such a bright expression.

After all, I was the only one being segregated into the 30-meter-below isolated area that had not particular purpose as of yet.

Just as I was thinking to myself that I was going to have to bite the bullet and go to s.h.i.+ngo's place, I noticed Alice acting shy.

「If Kouki-kun were to take the underground area, we would be able to be alone together without being disturbed by anyone」(Alice)

Unexpectedly, I've come to think that the bas.e.m.e.nt is great!!

----Arakawa Miki's Perspective----

「yes, I understand. Yes, if you would, goodbye」(Miki)

I cut off communications while feeling a little tired.

I had just finished talking to Kouki's Security officer.

In case something were to happen to Kouki, Security guards will always be on standby in the 『hidden room』in the wall of the research building.

In addition to keeping him safe, they are there to stop him if that child were to lose his mind and produce 『Items of Utmost Danger』, or rescue and evacuate him 『if an accident occurs』. That's right.... I forgot one more thing.

Remembering the equipment needed by the garrison, I make one more call.

「I'm sorry, there was one more piece of necessary equipment i forgot about. Be sure to have 『CBRNE protective clothing』for each person. If there are not enough, I will procure them myself if necessary.」(Miki)

I headr a reluctant voice from the other side of the call, but I got irritated and shouted at whoever was on the other side.

「You don't seem to understand the importance, I see. Alright listen. In the past, he has used chemical weapons in our garden, do you really have the courage to enter Kouki's laboratory without protective clothing?」(Miki)

As I said that, the person on the other side finally seemed to understand the situation and said that he would prepare, and cut off the call in a panic.

Next is the academy director.....

「is this Yamamoto san? This is Arakawa Miki calling, thank you for taking care of my son」(Miki)

When sent the call, the Director replied, seemingly fl.u.s.tered.

「If I remember correctly, you have an intimate relations.h.i.+p with the self-defense military, do you not? no........ that's right. It's not like I'm blaming you or anything」(Miki)

It seems she misunderstood and thought I was upset about the dispatch of the self-defense military to Kouki, though I do feel a little angry over that matter, that's not what I'm calling for. However, I do want you to see the thorns in my words.....

「Can you ask the self-defense military to 『Deal with the situation at full power』should an accident occur at Kouki's research building?」(Miki)

Of course, I made sure to add that the should do so after making sure Kouki and his friends successfully escaped.

Though it seemed like it would take some thinking, it seems I'll be able to negotiate with the self-defense military after they realized my meaning.

Yosh, with this we should be able to deal with whatever Kouki ends up making.

It should be fine so long as that boy doesn't make any nuclear weapons....

though he probably won't do that, there could be some chance that he could think『I was irritated, so I went and made nuclear weapons.』...

no, I'm definitely overthinking it.

There's no way he'd violate any international treaties.

「h.e.l.lo, Shuuichi-san? Hey, if Kouki were to--by chance, just as an example, create nuclear weapons.....」(Miki)

I'm probably going to be losing sleep today too.

Author's Note:I've finally created the home base for the protagonist. I've waited too long to get to this point, and I regret it.