They were not exquisite cuisines and were rather common in the outside world, but Vitto felt that the child would appreciate this change of menu once in a while, considering how the common people favored these common foods.
Tomato and basil Neapolitan pizza, mashed potatoes with gravy and bacon crumbs, roasted chicken skewers with glaze, creamy shiitake mushroom soup, garlic pepper beef, and various kinds of desserts like Basque cheesecake, egg tart pastries, and more.
The researchers had been stuck inside the underground laboratory for several months.
Seeing the colorful array of food on the table, they wanted to freeload on the meal and made several comments in an attempt to secure some windfall.
“Garlic pepper beef, I want it.
Don’t fight with me!”
“It’s been a while since I last had this kind of authentic egg tart pastry.”
“Why are you feeding junk food to the kid?
The little girl should eat more vegetables.
I don’t mind helping her take care of the skewers and the pizza.”
“The trash sold outside is junk food.
The ones I cook are healthy and clean,” Vitto retorted, his hands on his hips.
“Why are you grabbing food from a child?”
Someone shot back, “There’s no way she can finish all this.”
Vitto snorted.
“Her appetite is much bigger than before because she consumes a lot of energy.
I portioned the food so that she can finish it all.”
“No!
You’re so cruel!” Everyone lamented.
Dr.
Mark finally spoke up for the devastated researchers.
“All right, Vitto, I know you prepared more.
Stop teasing these poor souls.”
Vitto rolled his eyes.
“Serves them right.
They dared to call what I cook ‘junk food.'”
In the end, everyone had a feast.
The past several months had been a very busy period, and today was the first time everyone had truly managed to get a chance to unwind from the stress.
Devouring the last of the pizza, Alice was happily thinking in her mind, What kind of heavenly delicacy was this?
But the moment she took a bite of the garlic pepper beef, she felt as if she had ascended to heaven.
The rich gravy with its strong garlic flavor and warm, peppery taste, together with the umami of the beef slices, which were tender and chewy…
A small bowl of rice was pushed in front of Alice.
A black-haired researcher suggested, “Try that with rice.
Pour a little gravy on top.”
Alice did as he suggested, took a large spoonful, and her eyes lit up.
She could not explain it well, but they paired perfectly, as if a missing piece had finally been connected, balancing everything harmoniously!
“Did you like it?”
Alice nodded firmly and bowed her head to devour the food on her plate.
“See, I told you this kid is a rice person!”
“You’re overthinking it.
Everyone eats garlic pepper beef with rice.”
“Look at her features.
She’s a mixed race of Western and Eastern; she’s got the oriental blood in her.”
“Duh, look at her eye color.
Aside from her hair, where else is she oriental?
Just because you’re from Country C, you think she is too?”
“Actually, I prefer to eat garlic pepper beef with flatbread…” another voice chimed in.
While eating, Alice quietly listened to the discussions around her.
It was noisy and a little chaotic, but this experience of eating warmly with many people, sharing food with one another, and engaging in random conversations…
This was a first for Alice.
Even before she became mute, Alice had already been a naturally silent person who was isolated from others—a socially awkward person.
She disliked being in this kind of chaotic situation.
But now, Alice did not find herself feeling averse to it.
She felt strangely comforted and warm.
With an egg tart pastry in her hands, Alice took careful bites to avoid letting the rich and creamy filling overflow onto her short fingers.
“…And they asked me, ‘Are you sure your test subjects aren’t those missing children?’ I was so shocked I was speechless.
How can they say that to my face?
Our laboratory is clearly working with the mission to benefit mankind…”
Alice paused imperceptibly but continued on eating, her ears quietly pricking up.
“They don’t understand just how much we sacrifice for the scientific progress that others keep taking for granted.”
“It’s clear that the police are not doing their jobs properly.
Now we’re being implicated.
I heard there have been quite a few incidents of protests happening in front of police stations and government offices.”
“I’m more worried that the government will start putting sanctions or restrictions on laboratories to pacify the masses.
Our laboratory can be considered clean and legal, but how difficult things will be then…” Then the researcher lowered his voice unconsciously.
“Also, we are only a level 2 laboratory.
What if…”
Another researcher glanced at the person speaking sharply.
The person’s voice trailed off, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.
His fellow colleague understood what he was trying to say and waved a hand dismissively.
“You really worry too much.
First, we have the higher-ups to hold up the sky for us if anything happens.
Second, didn’t we all get it clear on paper?
Our test subjects for the clinical trials are orphans under the charity group looking for treatment, and there are also family members of the laboratory who volunteered for the sake of scientific progress…”
Listening to this strange conversation, which had caught her attention, Alice was thoughtful.
This was the first time she heard people talk about the current events in the outside world directly in front of her, and the topic seemed very serious.
Missing children, test subjects…
No way, that researcher’s reaction clearly looked down on the idea, so this laboratory shouldn’t do such things, right?
There was a strange feeling that something felt off, but Alice could not tell exactly what it was.
Since these adults had no qualms talking about this in front of her, maybe she could ask a few things.
Alice, who did not know social cues that children should not interrupt the adults’ conversations, thought of what questions to ask.
Well, if the question was about Alice herself, then it would not be too strange for her to be curious, right?
After quickly coming to a decision, Alice put down the unfinished egg tart pastry on the plate, wiped her hands on the napkin, pulled out the tablet on her lap, and typed some words.
Then she silently pulled a corner of a researcher’s white coat.
“Hmm?
What is it, C3?”
“Oh, what’s this…”
[Did my parents volunteer for me to join the experiment for scientific progress?]
Considering that her parents were both researchers back in the Holy Tree Sanatorium’s laboratory, Alice thought that she must have belonged to the category of family members.
Alice initially thought this would make a nice opening question, but the response she received was unexpected.
“What?
No, that’s not it.
They let you join because they hope you can regain a healthy body,” the researcher said, then thought about it and added, “Although they probably also wanted to contribute to the progress of our research.
After all, it’s a glorious thing…”
Alice was surprised and typed curiously: [I used to have a healthy body?]
“You don’t know?
Your new parents didn’t tell you?” The researcher was surprised.
“You were in an accident when you were three years old, and everyone in your family died—”
Another researcher interrupted: “Hey, why are you talking about such things in front of a kid?”
“But this is about her, and it’s not like it’s a secret…”
Alice was shocked.
What do you mean my entire family died?
My parents are clearly still alive!
[What accident?] she asked, a guess forming in her mind.
The researchers looked at each other.
They themselves were just nerds who had no idea how to properly interact with children, aside from treating them as their precious test subjects.
They did not know if they should just say it outright or…
Was there even another way to say it?
They looked at the medical staff and passed the ball.
“You guys tell her.”
Dr.
Mark sighed and dropped his spoon on the plate helplessly.
He glared at the highly intelligent idiots at the table before looking at the little girl with a kind expression.
“Actually, Alice, I think this is something your parents should tell you in person.
But if you really want to know, we can have a quiet talk inside the suite.”
Alice naturally did not want to wait any longer.
Who knew how long it would take for her nominal parents to come here?
She was just hoping to fish for information, but to think she immediately got this big revelation!
Soon, after a long conversation with Dr.
Mark, Alice finally knew the original body’s background.
When she was three years old, she went on a long family vacation with her parents and grandparents.
Unexpectedly, they got caught up in a violent car collision, and everyone in the family died, leaving her, a little orphan, all alone.
Alice’s face was expressionless, but inwardly, she was berating herself.
Although it’s normal that an amnesiac child would not wonder if her parents were biological or adoptive, Alice believed that there must have been hints that she ignored.
As someone with the soul of a mature adult, failing to know more about her actual situation was big mistake, and being unable to speak was not an excuse.
She had been far too careless indeed.
It helps me a lot~ The salted fish finally realized that she’s being too much of a salted fish, not even bothering to know about her own body’s background.
It might seem unbelievable, but I’ve analyzed it from several angles.
It was initially because Alice could not understand their language before, and as an amnesiac, when her new parents introduced themselves, she naturally assumed they are her real parents.
Eventually, having no way to know more about her background (cannot communicate) and still be able to eat and sleep well, Alice just forgot about it.