I arrived at the entrance, observing the three men: two guards and a scientist.

Waving at the scientist, I asked. "Is Alren busy?"

"Indeed he is," the scientist said, slumping near the portal.

Before the guards could even ask me, I showed them my identification.

The guards placed their lances back into their sheath, allowing us passage into the portal.

The experience of having your body transported instantly never got old. Almost like death, there were a few seconds of tranquil yet uneasy peace. Regardless, it always ended up being taken away by the light...

I opened my eyes to chaos. Many scientists performed their work, running across the area while others frantically wrote information on their notes.

"Would you mind following me?" The scientist cleared his throat.

Nodding my head, I walked beside the scientist. He seemed somewhat familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Walking forward, the scientist shook his head, becoming uneasy. Gradually, he grew even more frustrated, looking around. "We'll be operating a transplant, so we'll need your presence for visual representation."

"Alright," I nodded, not paying much attention to him but to the commotion.

Narrowing my eyes, I glanced at countless scientists, who furiously wrote down notes near a cubicle platform.

I wondered what was causing the commotion.

Nearing the glass, I looked down at the cubicle.

In the area were two strapped men with several scientists operating on them.

Tapping me on the shoulder, the scientist cleared his throat. "Please follow me."

Looking at the scientist, I finally remembered him. He was the man who botched the operation on me, causing me not to fully sleep.

Both he and I went down the platform, entering the area.

"You're here!" Alren released a sigh. "These shitty images don't help at all."

I also noticed the lady who performed the blood-boiling magic on me. She was behind Alren, following him.

Nearing the strapped men, I could witness a crazed man violently fidgeting. Thanks to the straps, he was seized from moving. The other metal bed admitted an old man. He seemed brain dead — drool leaked down his mouth.

"Idiot one, are you just going to stand there or do something?!" Alren yelled, punching the wall.

"Sorry, sir," the female whispered, pushing me towards a seat. She whimpered, forcing me to sit. "Five straps, please."

Alren ground his teeth, eyeing the scientist who brought me. "Hey, idiot two. Will you bring her some damn straps, or do you want to daydream?!"

Jolting his head, the scientist brought out some straps from a cupboard. "Sorry, sir."

"Put the specimen to sleep and create a visualization of magic." Alren snickered. "Only if your sketches were competent enough..."

Strapping me against a chair, the male scientist put his hand in front of my face. "Sleep."

My body gave in, slumping. I couldn't move a single centimeter even if I wanted to. All I could do was watch as my eyes remained open, glancing at the spectacle.

"Take off his shirt and pants, you incompetent fools!" Alren yelled.

'Talk about humiliating,' I thought, as my clothes were stripped off me, thankfully exempting my underwear.

"Visualization is arranged," the female affirmed.

She kept inserting her magic into my body. Each second grew more painful, but I would be lying if I said it was the worst experience. It felt slightly worse than a broken bone, but instead, someone decided to keep touching the area.

Attempting to ease my mind, I tried reviewing lectures. 'If the scientist manipulates my inner magic, technically, she's affecting my mana.' Mentally I grew more anxious. 'Hold up, does that mean she's adding her mana into me, or is her magic affecting my mana?!' Growing confused, I tried to delude my thoughts by counting the scientists.

I counted around four scientists near the old man and five or six near the other. I couldn't fully discern the strapped man who seemed to be in more pain than me because of the Angle.

The two idiots remained near me. Alren was out of sight, but I still could hear his vexatious voice.

"Affirmations on the tendon!"

Pressing my tendon, the female yelled gibberish. My understanding of everything was slowly growing disoriented.

I was thankful that at least the pain was easing. I assumed it had to do with the other idiot operating on me. This time, I actually grew sleepy, falling into slumber.

*FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER*

"Scalpel," a scientist yelled, causing me to wake up.

Alren slammed something onto the floor, shouting. "Don't you guys dare let the specimen die!"

Walking near the strapped men — operation area — Alren began helping. He attended to the quaking man, who was bulging red. The specimen gargled out blood, spasming on his bed.

Slamming his hand onto the man's chest, Alren roared. "Bring out the next specimen."

Walking near me, Alren began healing me. He then gazed at the two idiots, staring them dead into the eyes. "Get Wryn to the recreation division. Bring him back here in thirty minutes." He added, peering at the scientists. "I know you two are idiots, but you guys can at least do this..."

Alren slapped me across the face.

I jolted up, noticing that I now had a gown on. 'When was this put on me?'

The male idiot ushered me towards the magical elevator, or whatever the hell those damn scientist mages called it.

I slightly pushed off the scientist, creating eye contact. "I can walk by myself." I quickened my pace, standing tall to assert the minute dominance I had.

We both entered the platform, escalating to the main floor.

Peering down, I saw scientists wrapping the test subjects in a type of body-bag-like cover. It was safe to assume they were dead.

The scientist clicked his tongue, stomping off the platform and towards the lounge area. The scientist acted as if he was angered. I suppose he had all the right to be mad. After all, Alren did humiliate him.

And I was the cause of that humiliation. Still, why should I care if I'm a slight inconvenience to others? I can only focus on myself — for now at least.

We arrived at the lounge area, and it accommodated sofas, chairs, tables with snacks, and even a few bean bags. I sat on the sofa that I tried sleeping on yesterday. However, this time, I didn't feel sleepy. Nor was I curious enough to explore the sanctuary.

I felt pessimistic. 'I caused the death of those specs-' No, I couldn't bring myself to call them specimens. Perhaps it was because I was also treated like one.

Why did I have to involve myself in such matters? It's not like I controlled anything. I was nothing but a regular individual from a previous world. I was simply reincarnated into a new world. Why did I have to concern myself with the matters of a new world?

I didn't, I knew I didn't, but there was still an aching regret developing. Even after I left those years behind, I couldn't stop hurting. Perhaps it was from my ideology of alienating myself in this new world. I ought to fully accept this new world.

I ought to…

Clearing his throat, the idiotic scientist approached me. He stood in front of me, but I remained focused. He cleared his throat, forcing me to blink every time he coughed.

"Okay, okay, I'm getting up!" I stood up, walking back to the testing section.

"Have the specimen sit on a bed," one of the scientists uttered.

Alren smiled, puffing out his chest. "We can do this. Second time's the charm!"

He almost seemed out of character. Was this his best impression of motivation? Even those bullshit social-media motivation posts could do a better job.

I was guided to the rightmost bed. Sitting on the metallic bed, I laid down on it.

One of the scientists began moving it — wheels connected to the iron bed. I was positioned in front of the two other beds containing other specimens.

A middle-aged man was placed to the left while an elderly male was on the right. They both seemed to be put to sleep, almost like they were on anesthesia. The only indication of life was their chests puffing in then out when they were breathing.

"Idiot one and two perform an operation model," Alren said, not in my peripheral vision.

This time four scientists attended the specimen to the left and five to the right. Two remained in the middle, handing materials to the other scientists, and near me remained the meddling two idiots.

The male idiot placed his hands near my face. "Sleep."

"Not this again," I whispered as my head hit the metallic bed.

I wish I could have slept. But instead, I remained awake with my eyes mostly open. I felt completely numb, to the point where I couldn't close my eyes even if I wanted to.

The female idiot initiated her annoying, hellish magic. I felt slight burns around my body. But now, it lingered around my chest, and unlike last time, the pain felt more precise.

"Operation number 89 shall commence," Alren yelled, still out of my peripheral vision.

The sensation I felt could only be described as discomfort. Time trickled by, as did a part of my rationalization. Perhaps I was already riled up from earlier. Still, my emotions were getting the best of me.

I didn't have any right to be sorrowful, yet that's all I could feel for the time being: sorrow.

On a positive note, the scientists appeared more organized during this operation. Furthermore, even the idiots seemed to be coherently giving out information. I couldn't fully decipher the situation. But from what I could hear and see, the operation seemed organized.

Eventually, everything seemed to cool down as the noise died down. From the silence arose a cheerful voice. "Operation 89 was a success."

I could clearly discern the joyous expressions of the scientists. Even I was happy as my body wasn't in great pain, plus the idiot's numbing magic seemed to weaken. I gained the ability to slightly move.

Blinking, I tried sitting upright, but I was unsuccessful and instead was met with a ferocious discomfort in my chest.

"Not too fast, little guy," Alren smirked, pushing me down and healing me.

He appeared happy...? I've seen Alren in this state before, but it was rare to find him looking content. He usually had something to be mad at.

Patting me on my injury, Alren then positioned me upright. I winced when he touched me on the chest, but Alren's healing made the pain mostly go away.

I quickly put on my clothes — under the iron bed.

Looking around, I witnessed the scientists wrapping the old male. They placed him into a bag since he died.

Though, at least the other male was still alive. Scientists tended to him, patching him up with wraps. He looked around fifty years old, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was younger.

Alren already became occupied with writing down information. The other scientists also were busy cleaning up and performing other miscellaneous tasks.

I remained seated on the iron bed, observing them all. Many scientists left, taking the dead body on the iron bed. They surrounded the bed, ushering him up the platform.

I looked forward, noticing the other male waving at me. The old man signaled for me to proceed near him. The man seemed poised and with a clear purpose, and he also appeared to be compassionate. He reminded me of my past self...

Nodding my head, I neared him. I lifted my hand towards the man.

The man shook my hand, whispering. "So you're the one, huh?"

Tilting my head, I asked. "The one?" I wasn't sure what the man was insinuating at first. That being said, it didn't take me long to get what he was trying to convey.

"A non-mage to a mage is quite extortionary." The man smiled, looking into the air. He then created eye contact, clenching onto what seemed like a locket. "What secret juice did you drink to gain magic." He began laughing, patting me on the head. The man stood up, slowly walking towards the exit. "My name is Waltier. It was nice meeting you."

"Nice to meet you," I muttered, watching Waltier leave the room with a scientist.

Scanning the room, I noticed the only people remaining were myself and Alren.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled then exhaled. I walked towards the exit, but Alren spoke before I could do so.

"Wryn, you need to mentally prepare yourself," he emphasized, walking towards me and standing near me. Growing a deadly serious expression, he maintained fierce eye contact with me.

We both walked into the magic elevator, moving upwards.

"I know," I said, staring at the floor. "I can't feel for the other specimens. I won't... You don't have to worry about that."

He raised his eyebrow, then closed his eyes. "Your identity will be revealed, be it a year or even months. It will eventually be revealed." We both walked off the platform. "So far, people only know of a mage from a non-mage. Your friends, neighbors, professors, and even those you don't know, will soon learn about your identity. Eventually, they will learn Wryn is the Rat who became a mage."

I rolled my eyes, arching up. "And so what, I'll be met with animosity? I quite frankly don't care about others. I made up my mind. I'll do everything it takes to solely focus on myself."

Alren grew a confused look, but then he laughed it off. Smacking me on the head. "You are quite the personality. You truly are a fool!"

We both walked towards the portal, moving in relative silence. Creating a stern face, I looked upwards. "How is it possible to keep my identity a secret if everyone here knows me?"

Alren shook his head, viewing his watch. "I individually picked all the staff. I trust them... However, it would be foolish to place undoubted trust in them. Eventually, your identity will be revealed." Looking up at me, he spoke almost like he was examining something. "The question is when."

"Wow, so reassuring," I murmured, walking towards the portal. I waved at Alren, who already had ran off to his work.

I did the standard procedures with the guards. I also had a usual dinner with my family. I knew I also needed to get back to my routine of practicing perception. I was still a neophyte when it came to magic, so I couldn't be complacent.

I had already informed Tehla about waking me early for my combat practice, so I wasn't too afraid of not waking up.

I practiced my perception for a plethora of hours. I simply viewed my own magic system. Nearing the end of my perception session, I could somewhat observe my system. It was blurry for a few seconds and not for another. I couldn't fully grasp my orbitals, but I could detect three until my vision got blurry again.

I also spent around an hour reading about the magic system from the books of my various classes. The ability to perceive magic was a natural ability for mages. However, I had to adapt to this seamless ability that was innate. I didn't want to undermine my hard work and progress, but ultimately, I knew my accomplishments weren't impressive.

I was simply catching up to a norm. I needed to learn more...

"Hopefully, tomorrow will be beneficial," I whispered, falling onto my bed.