Three months ago, the loading bar had hit 99%.
And for three months… it hadn't moved.
Under normal circumstances, each percent took maybe a month—sometimes less.
But this time, the last fragment of synchronization hung in limbo, refusing to finish.
Still, every morning, I woke up hoping today would be the day.
I stared at the faint blue window again.
[Synchronization in Process… 99%]
"What kind of system are you…?" I muttered silently.
Would it grant superhuman strength like cultivation novels?
Would it give missions to save this world?
Or—maybe—it would make me impossibly wealthy?
I didn't know.
But I needed it.
This world was spiraling too quickly.
As noon approached, a faint vibration buzzed in my pocket.
I glanced around; no one paid attention to me—not unusual, since I always sat in the very back row.
I slid my phone out and checked the notification.
[Message from: Takayuki Jinno (Welfare Agency)]
My heartbeat quickened.
I opened it.
[Ayako Fujisawa, 38, resident of your apartment complex, has been processed under the Welfare Love Dolls Act.
Two days ago, she was transferred to private ownership—acquired by Haruto Sugimoto, construction worker.
Selling happened immediately upon being listed. There is no legal route to reverse it.
I will notify you when she is returned for disposal or recycling after her owner broke her.]
My fingers tightened around the phone.
Fujisawa-san…A gentle woman.
Someone who always smiled at me.
Someone who slipped sweets to neighborhood kids during New Year.
Someone who never wronged anyone.
Converted.
Sent away like equipment.
And all I could do… was read the report.
I swallowed hard, feeling something heavy lodge in my chest.
The world had lost its mind.
The next line of the message appeared:
[Interfering with an assigned owner or attempting to retrieve a processed individual is a criminal offense. Do not do anything reckless.]
My jaw tightened.
Fuck.
So she was taken.
Not missing.
Not voluntarily gone.
Just another one swallowed by this government.
Yesterday, I had gone to the nearest Welfare Program branch myself—hoping, stupidly, that maybe she hadn't been sold yet.
That maybe I could buy her, use money, use anything, to prevent her being handed off like property.
But it was already too late.
And Jinno…
This bastard always showed up with the calm tone of someone selling household appliances, not human lives.
I paid him good money for information.
The phone buzzed again.
Another message.
[Takayuki Jinno (Welfare Agency): Kiyoshi, be advised—your classmate Eriko Yamane has just been flagged for reassignment under the Welfare Doll Program. Detainment scheduled before evening hours.]
"…What?"
My stomach dropped.
Fuck!
This time the curse burst silently from my mouth as I looked up.
There she was—Eriko Yamane—sitting in the middle of the classroom, focused on her notes, brows furrowed in concentration, completely unaware that her world was about to end before sunset.
Her fierce eyes.
Her stubborn pride.
The way she stood up for others—even if too aggressively.
Her annoying, loud, frustrating behavior.
I had known her since middle school.
And she had no idea what was coming.
No one around her knew either.
Some of them probably wouldn't care.
But I do.
I immediately stood up and bolted out of the classroom, my bag slamming against my side, causing a ripple of shock through the students.
"Oiii, Kyoshi, where the hell are you going?!" teacher shouted, but I didn't have time to answer.
I dashed out of the school grounds, fumbling with my phone as I dialed Takayuki.
He picked up immediately.
"Takayuki-san, is that true? Eriko… she's going to be… a love doll?!"
My voice trembled with a mixture of panic and disbelief as I ran.
On the other end, a hearty laugh echoed, cold and teasing.
"Don't get too excited, Kiyoshi. Are you really that happy to… 'buy' your classmate?"
Panting and forcing myself to regain composure, I clenched my teeth and slowly forced a smile.
Yes—I had to pretend. I had to act like the same trash as them.
No disgust, no anger, no hint of fear could show.
I reminded myself firmly: act the scumbag, hide everything.
"H-haha… you can't blame me, Takayuki-san," I said, my voice shaking but smiling stiffly.
"I've… liked her for a long time. That's why I'm running straight from school, heading to your office now. You know… making sure I don't miss out, right?"
I spotted a taxi approaching in my direction. Waving frantically, I hopped in as soon as it stopped, my bag still swinging at my side.
"Oi, oi… don't be too hasty. Our agents just went for her. It'll be late evening before she's brought here… all the procedures need to be completed," Takayuki said, his voice casual but cold.
"I don't mind waiting," I replied firmly.
"Just make sure my name is at the top of the list to buy her."
"Okay… but you'll have to give me 50,000 yen separately for that."
With that, he abruptly cut the call.
I sat back in the taxi seat, trying to calm my racing heart.
The driver shot me a curious glance, probably wondering why a teenager looked so tense, but I ignored it.
I knew I was acting too hasty, but I had no choice.
I couldn't stand by and let a girl I'd known for years be ruined.
Within half an hour, I arrived at the government office of the Love Doll Agency.
Takayuki was there, as expected—middle-aged, bald, and wearing that disgusting, fake smile that made my skin crawl.
I forced myself to return the gesture with a polite, if strained, handshake.
"Here," he said, sliding a stack of forms across the counter.
"Fill these out and wait for us to capture her."
Without asking any questions, I carefully filled in every detail the forms required.
Then, I took a seat in the waiting area, my mind racing as I tried to anticipate the next steps, every second stretching unbearably.
A lot of grown men glanced at me as I crossed the office, their faces twisted with amusement and whispers following me.
"Kid… like him came here directly to buy a doll?"
"Heh~ must be nice to be rich, I guess…"
"I saved for three months just to get a second-hand love doll, and here's this kid buying one… tsk…"
I ignored them, my mind focused on the task ahead.
Once the registration process was over, I sold all of my stocks in the Japanese stock market immediately.
My bank balance jumped from 286,950 yen to 12,785,390 yen.
I silently hoped that it would be enough.
Afterward, I went to a nearby hotel to grab a quick meal, returning shortly to take my seat. I put on my headset and let music wash over me, trying to calm my mind.
Sleep came before I even realized it.
Suddenly, I was shaken awake.
"Hey, Kiyoshi, wake up!"
It was Takayuki.
Blinking and still half-asleep, I looked around groggily.
"Your doll has arrived… look…", he said, motioning forward.
I turned my eyes and froze.
There she was—Eri—walking forward with deadpan eyes, devoid of any emotions, flanked by a group of agents.
"Where are they taking her?" I whispered to myself, my heart pounding as dread filled my chest.
"She will go through registration and assessment to check if she was used or not… wait here… I will be back…", the bald man said, before retreating to his desk.
I sat there, my mind racing, counting every second.
Another half an hour passed before they brought Eri to me, sealed inside the doll package.
I couldn't tear my eyes away.
The packaging listed her measurements: Bust 60 cm, Waist 49 cm, Height 158 cm, Weight 44.8 kg.
Printed boldly on the wrapper were messages that made my stomach churn:
[Love me until I break apart!][Please cum plenty in my wet, virgin pussy!][Government Social Welfare Supplies]
I swallowed hard, unable to look away, my hands trembling slightly.
Takayuki stepped closer, his usual disgusting grin fixed in place.
"Kiyoshi, total cost of the doll is 200,000 yen. Using too much, or in different modes, will break the doll quickly. Rebooting and maintenance charges will be 40,000 yen if that happens… Are you okay with processing the payment?"
"Yes…", I replied immediately, nodding without hesitation. My fingers were already opening my banking app, ready to transfer the money directly online.
Just as I was about to confirm the transfer, a sharp voice stopped me:
"Please wait a second!…"