My Measurement: The Villain Desires a Satisfying Payback

After arriving home with everybody, I immediately made my way down into the lower levels of the mansion after grabbing a quick bite to eat.

Out of the many subterranean floors I had installed below the surface, there was one in particular to which only I was allowed access.

The place where I mix my chemicals, synthesise my materials, and produce my poisons.

A place I had kept firmly under wraps and behind strict security measures.

From now on, within this place most fitting to call a laboratory, I will begin working on something remarkable.

Something plausible only in theory, but something I am nevertheless determined to realise.

An Artificial Measurement Evolution serum. Or solution, potion, tonic―whatever you would like to call it. In summary, a very specific composition of chemicals that will, hopefully, artificially induce an evolution of the subject's Measurement.

I could even call it something absurd such as 'The Elixir of Measurement Evolution'.

That is what I am aiming to create.

I previously dismissed the idea as plain silly without thinking any deeper into it, but after witnessing Yuu Shimura's evolution earlier today, I decided to give it some more consideration, and I realised that it is possible, albeit theoretically.

The goal is to successfully synthesise a drug with the effect of inducing A.M.E. and to administer it to either myself, Liam Chiba-Wallace, or Selina.

Of course, there is a list of priority starting at me and ending at Liam, so Liam would be the first test subject as the least valuable of the three.

I won't get ahead of myself, however, as first thing's first is to actually make the thing. Now, I only know that it is possible in theory because the Measurement of Truth said so, as well as my own anecdotal knowledge of chemistry, but there are a couple of reasons why I'm not certain about the actual plausibility of such a drug.

For example, if I just straight up ask 'is it possible to artificially induce a Measurement's evolution?', the answer I receive is that I am not allowed to know.

This is because such questions barely tread over the line and cross into the territory of Forbidden Knowledge.

It's similar to how I cannot ask about the true origin of Measurements―the evolution of Measurements, as well as how to create them artificially, is all classified as basic Forbidden Knowledge; knowledge that isn't going to do anything to you just because you know about it, but that is incredibly difficult to actually learn anything about.

So, I have to rely on the few clues I am allowed, as well as the foundation that is my own subject knowledge.

From all of this, I concluded that it should be possible to artificially induce a Measurement evolution.

If you think about it in the most basic form, we already know that extracting the 'essence' of a Measurement and using it to manufacture separate Measurements to give to others is pretty much possible, as that is exactly what Supernatural Abilities are, and hence, tapping into that 'essence' to try and induce an evolution should also be possible.

In theory, that is.

It's a task one might find monumental at first, and in reality it is, but I don't think it's quite as difficult as it first appears.

By that, I mean there's an easy bit, a hard bit, and a harrowing bit.

The easy bit is the last step of manufacturing the drug―step three―and the hard step is successfully tapping into the Measurement's essence to try and figure out how to make it evolve―step one.

The most toilsome task, at least in my opinion, is the step right between tapping into the essence and actually synthesising the final product; in other words, the middle step, step two.

Just like any good scientist, I write down all of the steps in order so that I know exactly what the plan is.

So.

Step One: Tap into the essence of the Measurement and figure out what exactly prompts it to evolve.

Step Two: Figure out a drug (combination of chemicals/substances) that will trigger the conditions for evolution.

Step Three: Synthesise the final product.

Now, of course, this is a remarkably condensed and dumbed down three-step project of what I plan to do, however, this is the baseline. Now, to dive into each step with a little more detail, let's solidify what I'm going for.

Firstly, as a matter of course, comes Step One.

For this, because each Measurement is likely vastly different, I will need to run a few experiments on whoever I plan to make the final product for. In this case, because the plan is to have Liam Chiba-Wallace be the first experimental subject, I will need to test him specifically.

Needless to say, I'm not absolutely certain that I actually need to test him in particular to make it work, as it's impossible to find out without spending a lot of time researching that specifically, so I'm just going to assume that each Measurement has its distinct properties and thus will require its own series of testing in order to make the final product work.

I could also argue that, because natural Measurement evolutions all occur in seemingly random circumstances and situations, the idea that each Measurement has its own conditions for evolution or that each Measurement has its own characteristics or properties, is a safe assumption to make.

Fundamentally, it's just a waste of time to figure out if that truly is the case, so I'll just run with it like this. Furthermore, doing it this way dramatically raises the potential stability of the final product anyway, due to the fact the product was created with the specifically targeted Measurement in mind from the very beginning, so this is better.

Then comes Step Two, which I intuited to be the most complicated and damning process, right before Step One.

Figure out a drug that will trigger the evolution conditions.

What bullshit.

Obviously, I worded it so vaguely because the task itself is something so horrendously obtuse and unfathomable that I am half-inclined to just give up here and now.

'Figure it out'.

Yes, that's the plan―just up and figure it out! I'll manage to do it somehow, right?

Fuck, of course I will!

If I cannot do something that relies on nothing but knowledge, then what on Earth am I even good for?

One way or another, I'll get it done.

...And when I do, I'll have the third, final, and fortunately easiest step to work on; creating the final product.

This part's easy because I'll already have everything I need and I'll know everything I've got to know, so all I'll need to do is put it all together and make the damn thing.

Once again, let's not put the cart in front of the horse, however. That part will follow later on; only after everything else is done. First thing's first, it seems I'll need to arrange more of these 'study sessions'.

Without further ado, I withdrew my smartphone from my pocket and began writing a text message.

❖─────❖─────❖

The next day, once school had come to an end and we arrived home as usual, I almost immediately headed back outside after dropping everyone off. There was no need to explain to them where I was going, and they wouldn't dare to ask me in the first place.

Ding-dong~!

Of course, it's not like I was going anywhere dangerous or shady.

"Oscar, good afternoon! Here, come in."

Ella Chiba-Wallace greeted me as I rang the doorbell, quickly welcoming and bringing me inside. Closing the door behind me as I entered the two storey semi-detached house, I completed the same-old routine of taking my shoes off at the foyer and walking across the polyurethane-coated wooden floor towards the living room, where I took my seat atop a pink-beige sofa behind a standard yet quality coffee table and laid my backpack beside me. Then, "Liam!" Ella called up the carpeted staircase before making her way to the open-concept kitchen, offering me a drink, and boiling the kettle.

A sequence of actions I had become acquainted with even during the few times I had visited the Chiba-Wallace household.

Each time I observed this same series of events, something that appeared identical no matter the occasion, I found myself falling into a state of wonder.

As if peering through a window of normality, glimpsing something almost incomprehensible for reasons immutable.

For someone like me, it was a priceless vision; strange, unfamiliar, yet somehow one that soothes the heart and induces a peculiar sense of yearning.

Frankly, I didn't like it.

A feeling of desire for something I would not be able to achieve, no matter how small, presents itself to be rather repulsive in my eyes.

It wasn't like this six months ago, so I wonder what changed?

In any case, I shoved all those complicated thoughts and feelings away to concentrate on the matter at hand.

"Here. Sorry for the wait."

Clack.

Having approached me with a cup in each of her hands, Ella placed them down atop two patterned ceramic coasters on the coffee table and apologised.

"It's fine. Is Liam okay?"

Accepting the cup of hot tea into my hands, I blew on it slightly and asked only for formalities. He seemed to be taking a while, but I knew there was nothing explicitly wrong with him.

"Oh, he should be down in a minute. Would you like something to eat?"

"What do you have?"

She offered, and I accepted. Ella seemed like she was going to eat something herself, and if Liam also joined her in that, then me eating alongside them would help to close some distance between us, even if only subconsciously.

Normally, I wouldn't bother with small details and minor psychology such as this, but in order to accomplish my goals, I feel that having as close a relationship as possible with these two siblings would be ideal.

After all, who would let some random guy from school experiment on their little brother? Well, it's not entirely accurate since she's not going to be aware that I'm doing it, but you get my point.

Being as trusted as they'll let me be will lead me to the best outcome here, so that's exactly what I'll do.

Thump thump thump-!

All of a sudden, with loud thuds being heard descending the stairs, a boy appeared leaping from the door.

"Liam! What did I tell you about jumping around the house?!"

It's time.