A Rider Doesn't Need a Youth Romantic Comedy [23]

In the underground laboratory beneath the Research Institute, the box that had mysteriously appeared in Rōma's schoolbag was now placed on a pure white table.

The small room held only a few items:

A table, a chair, the mysterious box for testing—

And a camera silently operating in the corner.

In the monitoring room, Rōma stood with several researchers, watching the scene unfolding on screen.

“I’ve got some unpleasant news.”

An investigator in a suit entered, pushing open the door, and said,

“It seems the dice in the box aren't unique.”

“We've found many similar dice on the market, even ones packaged identically.”

“Well, isn't that unfortunate.”

The researcher sitting before the monitor replied without turning his head, clearly uninterested in the matter.

After a two-second silence, he continued:

“I suppose you've already collected them all, haven't you?”

Though phrased as a question, the researcher’s voice held absolute certainty.

He couldn't believe the Institute would let these objects freely circulate on the market.

“Yes, Dr. Seymour.”

The investigator nodded noncommittally.

Dr. Seymour was actually a decent person, usually harboring goodwill towards others around him.

Though that goodwill generally only existed in his head—

He was still easier to deal with than some of the crazier researchers.

“Is the D-Class ready?”

“D-43426 is ready.”

“Then we can begin the experiment.”

Finished speaking, Dr. Seymour turned to Rōma standing beside him and asked:

“Could you repeat exactly how you felt at the time?”

Hearing Dr. Seymour’s request, Rōma began recalling the sensation when he had touched the dice:

“It felt like an ordinary die. Just an ordinary item.”

“But I experienced an intense impulse to use it.”

Dr. Seymour quietly listened, jotting notes in the notebook before him.

“But you resisted, correct?”

Dr. Seymour seized upon a key detail.

Though Rōma had felt a powerful urge, he hadn’t actually used the dice in the end.

“Yes.”

Dr. Seymour wanted to ask more, but the voice through the microphone interrupted him:

“Doctor, D-43426 is ready.”

Dr. Seymour temporarily shelved his further questions for Rōma.

Rather than questioning someone who hadn't actually used it, it would be more productive to observe the test subject’s reactions.

After a brief communication, D-43426 asked:

“So as long as I cooperate, my death sentence gets waived, right?”

The D-Class personnel asked excitedly.

Though many countries publicly had no death penalty, behind the scenes there were still methods like lethal injection.

Especially for influential figures who’d fallen—

Their competitors would never allow them to remain alive.

“That’s right.”

Dr. Seymour responded coldly.

Waive the death sentence? So what?

Dr. Seymour had been at the Institute long enough but had yet to see a single D-Class genuinely reintegrated back into society.

“Fine, what should I do next?”

Seeming to sense the doctor's impatience, D-43426 moved past his previous topic.

For some reason, this room gave him a very bad feeling.

“Please open the packaging and take out the die.”

Dr. Seymour's voice came through the speaker.

D-43426, seated at the table, raised an eyebrow and reached out for the package.

He briefly examined it before tearing it open.

Feels like ordinary packaging…?

A passing thought flashed through his mind before being quickly dismissed.

Obviously, it couldn’t be that simple.

Grabbing a corner of the wrapper, he pulled forcefully, easily tearing it open.

A yellow die rolled onto the tabletop.

It had no numbers on its faces.

Instead, each side was labeled clearly: "NO," "YES," "MAYBE."

Each option occupied exactly two faces.

“Fuck!”

“I mean—sorry, Doctor.”

D-43426’s heart skipped a beat, and he cursed instinctively.

Only afterward did he recall his current situation.

“No matter. Please pick up the die.”

Dr. Seymour's voice remained calm—perhaps indifferent.

Under Dr. Seymour’s guidance, D-43426 began by asking some straightforward yes-or-no questions.

But as time passed, the nature of his questions became increasingly abnormal.

His mental state had shifted from cooperating with the experiment—

To being controlled by the dice.

“Should I blink?”

“YES.”

Even without prompting, D-43426 kept rolling the die.

Whenever the result was "MAYBE," he’d continue rolling.

Until the die clearly indicated “YES” or “NO.”

Once the dice gave a definitive answer, he obeyed without hesitation.

The experiment continued, reaching a disturbing climax…

“Should I breathe?”

Everyone in the monitoring room instantly focused intently.

The yellow die rolled across the tabletop—

Then landed firmly on "NO."

Seeing the “NO,” D-43426 immediately ceased breathing.

All researchers in the monitoring room stared intently at the screen, closely observing the scene.

Yet no one made any move to intervene.

Only the sound of rapid typing filled the monitoring room.

Soon, the blue-faced D-43426 lost all signs of life and collapsed to the cold floor.

“He's dead.”

Approximately ten seconds after D-43426’s collapse, Dr. Seymour announced calmly—

With an indifference as if the one who died were nothing more than an insignificant insect.

“Shall we continue the experiment?”

Dr. Seymour’s assistant asked.

Dr. Seymour pondered the question for several seconds.

His gaze scanned repeatedly through the experimental logs.

“Continue.”

Believing the data insufficient, Dr. Seymour quickly decided.

Moments later, the body of D-43426 was swiftly cleared from the room.

A new D-Class subject was brought inside.

But Dr. Seymour paid no attention to this next unfortunate guinea pig.

“Hypothetically, if you used the dice, do you think you could resist it?”

Dr. Seymour turned to Rōma curiously.

In this world, special individuals with extraordinary capabilities were uncommon, yet not unheard of.

Though their percentage among humanity was minuscule, these people undeniably existed.

“I can't be sure. If it were just initially, I probably could resist.”

After hesitating briefly, Rōma gave a somewhat vague answer.

After all, he wasn't sure just how powerful the die’s controlling effect truly was.

Dr. Seymour nodded and instructed his assistant:

“After this test concludes, arrange a [REDACTED] subject.”

His assistant nodded and carefully noted it down.

Meanwhile, inside the testing room, the experiment continued relentlessly.

The new D-Class subject quickly followed in D-43426’s footsteps.

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This is a fan translation of 骑士不需要青春恋爱物语 by 青琮 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!