Free Web Novel"Whir—Rumble rumble rumble—"
The hangar door was opening.
It was a massive, heavy metal door.
Over twenty meters high and thirty meters wide, the entire door was composed of three layers of armored plating, with shock-absorbing materials and acoustic cotton filling the gaps between each layer.
The surface of the door was covered in a complex system of hydraulic pipes and gears, resembling the muscles and bones of some colossal organism.
When the activation switch was pressed, the entire system began to operate.
Steam hissed sharply from the joints of the pipes.
The gears began to turn, producing a low, rhythmic clicking sound.
The hydraulic rods slowly extended, pushing the heavy door panels apart to either side.
Bright white light shone through the gap in the door.
The light widened as the door opened, eventually illuminating the entire corridor.
"Creeeak—Clang!"
The door was fully open.
Dr. Lovelace walked in.
She was talking incessantly as she walked.
"I'm truly very sorry."
Her voice sounded very sincere.
"I know the treatment process might have been a bit... uncomfortable."
"But you have to believe me, it was the fastest and most effective method."
"And look, aren't the results great?"
"Your current physical condition is definitely the best it's ever been in your life."
"So—"
She turned her head to look at Pavela behind her.
Her emerald-green eyes were full of expectation.
"Forgive me?"
Pavela held an ice cream cone, licking it as she walked.
It was vanilla-flavored, sprinkled with some crushed nuts.
It tasted quite good.
The sweetness was just right, not too cloying.
She took a lick, then looked up at Dr. Lovelace.
A few seconds of silence passed. frёewebηovel.cѳm
"...Barely."
She said.
A radiant smile immediately bloomed on Dr. Lovelace's face.
"That's great!"
She looked truly happy.
Pavela took another lick of the ice cream.
She had to admit that Dr. Lovelace's ability to coax people was absolutely peak.
Less than half an hour had passed since the treatment ended.
Dr. Lovelace had started with an apology.
A very sincere kind of apology.
Then came the explanation.
A detailed explanation of why it had to be done this way, why other methods wouldn't work, and why she hadn't told Pavela beforehand that it would be so painful.
Then came the compensation.
"What do you want?"
Dr. Lovelace had asked at the time.
"As long as it's not too unreasonable, I can fulfill any request."
Pavela had still been huddled in the corner then, not saying a word.
Dr. Lovelace waited for a moment, then said:
"Then I'll get you something to eat first."
"You must be hungry."
She then disappeared.
When she returned two minutes later, she had an ice cream in her hand.
A vanilla-flavored ice cream with crushed nuts that looked very exquisite.
"Want a taste?"
Dr. Lovelace held the ice cream out to Pavela.
Pavela stared at the ice cream for a few seconds.
Then she reached out and took it.
She took a lick.
It was delicious.
Very delicious.
The sweetness was perfect, the texture was delicate, and the aroma of the nuts blended perfectly with the vanilla.
Pavela took another lick.
Then she realized her emotions were already starting to settle.
That "I'm never talking to you again" anger was rapidly fading.
It was replaced by a helpless "Forget it, it's already happened" feeling.
She repeatedly tried to build herself up mentally.
Don't forgive this woman so quickly.
Don't be bought off by a single ice cream.
Maintain your stance.
Make her realize she was wrong.
But—
She was still coaxed into a better mood.
Once the emotions subsided, it was a bit difficult to maintain the silent treatment.
Moreover, this woman had genuinely healed her body.
Pavela could feel it.
She couldn't tell right when the treatment finished.
But now that she was moving around, the sensation was particularly obvious.
Her body had become much more flexible.
Every movement was smoother than before.
Her limb control precision had improved by at least a whole level.
Previously, if she wanted to perform a precise movement, she had to first calculate the angle, force, and timing in her mind before executing it.
Now, she didn't need to.
She only had to think "I want to do this movement," and her body would complete it automatically.
It was as if the latency between her brain and muscles had been completely eliminated.
Her strength had also increased.
An overall, continuous, and stable improvement.
She could feel her muscles becoming firmer, her bones stronger, and her joints more flexible.
The same went for her speed.
She tried jogging a few steps in the corridor. freewēbnoveℓ.com
Her steps were as light as if she were flying.
Every footfall landed precisely in the most optimal spot, and every push-off exerted maximum propulsion.
This feeling—
It was like she had finally obtained a fully functional mecha.
Instead of that thug-iv covered in weld marks that could fall apart at any moment.
From the doctor's mouth, she learned that this treatment wasn't free.
In fact, it could be called extremely costly.
To heal Pavela's countless old injuries without leaving any hidden issues, Dr. Lovelace had consumed fully half of the entire facility's energy reserves.
Although Pavela had spent the most miserable few hours of her life, considering that she had also suffered a heavy loss...
And for the sake of this ice cream.
Pavela decided to barely forgive her.
Now, they had arrived at the mecha hangar of the Seventh Division.
This was a vast, empty space.
The ceiling was so high the top couldn't be seen, with only countless thick steel beams extending into the black background.
The floor was polished concrete, coated with a layer of anti-slip paint that gave off a dull luster under the white light.
Rows of display racks were lined up along the walls.
Each display rack held a mecha.
Some were complete, while others were mere wreckage.
Some looked brand new, while others were already rusted.
But they all had one thing in common—
They were all Prototypes.
Before the design of the new mecha began, Pavela wanted to see what the past Experimental Units were like.
Dr. Lovelace naturally didn't refuse.
"Of course,"
She said,
"These are all my works."
"Although most of them were failures, every failure taught me ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) something new."
"Come, I'll give you a tour."
