Aira noticed the change in the smallest things.
The morning coffee she used to hate now tasted… empty.
Not weaker—just absent.
She stared at the cup for a long moment, waiting for something to stir inside her chest. Nothing did. Only silence.
Her phone lit up.
"Early symptoms detected."
She wasn't surprised.
"What symptoms?" she asked quietly.
The reply came instantly.
"Reduced emotional response.
Adaptation proceeding normally."
Adaptation.
The word should have terrified her.
Instead, she gave a small nod, like reading a weather report.
She left the house without a jacket despite the cold air. Her body shivered slightly, but her mind didn't react. She used to complain. Now—it made no difference.
Inside the train, Aira stood in a corner, observing people.
A nervous young man.
A woman holding back tears.
A child gripping his mother's hand too tightly.
All those emotions flowed into her—clear, sharp, yet never reaching her heart.
Like watching the world through thick glass.
Her phone vibrated again.
"Active observation initiated."
The screen shifted, displaying the face of the nervous young man nearby.
"Subject unstable.
Risk: High."
Aira looked at him.
His grip tightened around his bag. His breathing was shallow. His eyes darted.
She knew what would happen—not because she predicted it,
but because the contract wanted her to know.
"Stop…" she whispered, unsure to whom.
"Standing order: Do not interfere."
When the chaos finally erupted, screams filled the carriage. People backed away. Security was called.
Aira didn't move.
Her heartbeat remained steady.
No panic.
No sympathy.
Only observation.
And that was the most terrifying part.
That afternoon, Farid called.
"Aira," his voice was tense. "I feel like I'm being watched lately."
She closed her eyes.
Her phone vibrated at the same time.
"Recognized subject.
Emotional attachment detected."
"You're just tired," Aira replied, her voice flat. Too flat.
"Aira… you don't sound like yourself," Farid said softly. "Are you okay?"
The question should have mattered.
But Aira only said, "I'm fine."
The call ended.
And for the first time, she felt no guilt.
That night, one final message appeared.
"Primary emotions nearing severance."
Below it:
"Upon completion,
you will become a Full Witness."
Aira stared at her reflection in the window.
She was still human.
Just… not for much longer.