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Winter is nearly over in the Third World.

That means it’s almost time to return to the Royal Academy.

Surprisingly, Victoria decided to come back to the capital. Morris and Beatrice worked hard to persuade her.

It would have been better to just give up and stay there…

Regardless of my feelings, it seems she will come up just in time for the new term.

By the way, some interesting tools have started being sold in the capital.

They are tools that use life force.

These tools are infused with Daegon’s technology.

Supposedly, unlike traditional power devices, these don’t have that telltale sensation of magic power building up around them. In other words, it’s difficult to be detected even while using mechanical devices.

If you recklessly use mechanical devices, mobs tend to invade. Once created, a grudge doesn’t easily disappear.

And even if it logically seems strange, if society recognizes it as evil, it becomes acceptable to do.

So, tools that can be used bypassing that have started to be sold in the shadows.

Moreover, these are far superior in performance to the ones made by Morris.

It’s only natural considering they brought back technology from a more advanced world. However, that leads to problems.

The problem arises because they are copying someone else’s work.

They skipped the sequence of steps that one needs to build towards that technology. As a result, they missed out on many things they should have learned along the way.

For example, something like a feature that stops functioning when life force drops below a certain level—a safety mechanism added after one has absorbed blood.

Honestly, I expected Daegon’s technology to flourish in Bern City.

Considering the many individuals who have been crushed and resolved to survive only for themselves amidst the ruins, I figured they would abandon all ethics and develop cruel technologies.

But I was wrong.

Interestingly, Bern City adopted the technology of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign. It doesn’t mean Daegon’s technology wasn’t developed there.

It means that they chose to adopt the technology of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign after seeing both technologies.

Is this a reflection of their growth built on painful past experiences?

However, their closed-minded nature remains, so it’s hard to tell how things will unfold. From what I know, closed groups often get trapped and fall apart easily.

I’m curious about how it will turn out.

The two places I care about are flowing this way.

And overall, the harvesting machine has integratively blended into society. Even ordinary people experience improvements in body and mind when they become harvesting machines.

It’s not odd for superior humans to rise to the top, right?

The harvesting machines, which started relatively early, are quickly climbing to high positions above everyone around them.

Moreover, during this past winter, many people died.

There are many vacancies now, and the harvesting machines took those spots first.

Now, all that’s left is to marry and have children.

If one side is a harvesting machine, then their children are bound to end up in a concluded contract with me. And being mutated into harvesting machines seems to pass on genetically.

Their skin is equally pale, and their hair is purple.

After about three generations, it seems to fade a bit.

However, it’s not certain. There aren’t many harvesting machines that have reached three generations, so nothing is guaranteed. The next generation might suddenly see the traits of harvesting machines become pronounced.

Including the First World, not many have reached three generations. But in this World, I feel like I might see several generations.

And a future where that seems possible is approaching, which makes me happy.

Oh, and one more thing.

The place where the Mechanical Knight School used to stand has now been transformed into a memorial park. There are harvesting machines among the construction workers, so I know a bit about it.

Inside, there’s a graveyard and a small museum that tells what happened there.

Surprisingly, only the facts are recorded there.

In a monarchy, they could easily omit any unfavorable truths about themselves, but it recounts how large corporations committed such acts and, as a result, damaged mechanical devices, which worsened the economic situation. When the situation deteriorated, the mob stormed the Mechanical Knight School to vent their anger.

Moreover, the day after the incident, there were photographs of the corpses Victoria collected and the execution of the ringleaders showcased.

They really maintained a sort of neutrality while recounting it.

Except for the minor detail that the ones labeled as ringleaders weren’t actually the deserving ones.

They were just unfortunate individuals who got caught.

It’s true they became a mob, but they were merely swept up in the collective madness.

That’s a bit of a distortion.

Even so, the nation hasn’t completely abandoned mechanical devices.

Sadly, there are no high-ranking officials among the harvesting machines. While Princess Aurora and some generals have become harvesting machines, they are not involved in running the country.

But it’s not like they’re completely oblivious. That’s just like how I found out about the facts within the memorial park.

The harvesting machines also possess strength and stamina. They can earn a lot of money at construction sites without any special knowledge. And through them, they become my eyes and ears.

On the outskirts of the capital,

buildings are going up on the vast, vacant lot near a military base.

There are harvesting machines working there, and through them, I learned what is being built.

The Mechanical Knight School.

They completely moved the Mechanical Knight School from the center of the capital to the outskirts. Furthermore, they built it in a place where soldiers could be moved quickly, preparing for any future incidents like that.

It’s like learning from the past.

Well, it’s only natural that parents would send their children to dangerous places if they have such measures in place.

In this way, they’re trying to retain the technology behind mechanical devices.

Starting from scratch and completely abandoning mechanical devices would be impossible given the multitude of civilizations built atop that knowledge.

They may have once sunk, but it looks like they still intend to rebuild the civilization of mechanical devices.

Daegon’s methods are replacing problematic aspects of the power device, and Bern City, which uses the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign’s methods, is also fundamentally based on mechanical devices.

It’s not entirely something new; it’s layered atop existing technology.

With time, it might branch out, but at least for now, that’s the case.

As I tried to grasp the future through my rough imaginings, I stopped by the adjacent shop. By the way, two days after moving, a considerable amount of money arrived with a letter, labeled as living expenses.

The letter was sent by King Highpion.

It was filled with flowery language but essentially said: sorry for moving you to a small house, and if you encounter troubles, to immediately let him know at this address.

So I replied with thanks.

Anyway.

I pondered how my circumstances would turn out, how this country would change, and whether this world would become a place of automatic warmth harvesting as I shopped at the store.

*

The body in the Fourth World is currently in a dire state.

It’s the third day.

All supply has been completely cut off.

Nutrients aren’t coming through the tube stuck in my back or abdomen, there hadn’t been any harvesting machines brought in for experiments, and I couldn’t sense the presence of the chimera who was managing me.

My body is drying up, and while I pondered if I could simply become a corpse and regenerate outside, I heard the distant sound of the laboratory door opening after a long time.

Then came the sounds of several feet. A heavy footfall stopped directly in front of me.

“Did you sleep well?”

It’s Jeber’s voice.

So I recited the contract document.

“You really lack proper personality. Is the Purple God merely a system of laws? Are you so lacking in intelligence that you can’t grasp pain and pleasure? Or is intelligence unnecessary?”

Jeber muttered.

Sorry, but I do possess intelligence. I have a personality too. You should have realized the moment I demand something that I possess intellect. How could you not see that?

Or perhaps you’ve already reached a conclusion and can’t delve into possibilities anymore, even if there’s still a chance?

Either way, you’re lacking skills.

Putting Jeber aside, I could hear the sounds of machines being operated around. Clicks and whatnot of mechanisms, along with the occasional sound of a pump operating.

Eventually, something came into me through a hose.

As soon as it entered, I could tell it was nutrients.

Is this an experiment?

Honestly, Jeber’s knowledge comes with so many risks that it’s not worth pursuing. I have the superior knowledge of Daegon, after all.

Instead, I have a keen interest in this world.

So while I was praying for a harvesting machine to be sent out, today I heard a strange set of footsteps.

Quiet footsteps.

Lightweight. Did they bring a child?

But since I don’t hear terrified breathing, it seems it’s not a child they simply kidnapped.

There’s one chimera harvesting machine here, and it’s so engrossed in its work that it’s not paying attention to Jeber, so I have no idea what kind of child it is.

This is a bit frustrating.

“Daddy, can I see this?”

Then came a gentle voice.

But, Daddy?

“Yes, Gina. Use your psychic ability to take a look at that.”

Oh! Psychic ability? Is that the power to read someone else’s mind? At that moment, the chimera harvesting machine finished its work and looked toward Jeber as if seeking its next command.

And beside Jeber stood a girl with bright red skin and horns on her head. She’s not the child the three chimeras had brought last time.

This implies there are many subjects produced from the experimental subjects.

Looking at her horns and skin, could it be a hybrid with a demon? She has a rather classical appearance.

The girl called Gina walked towards me.

And she extended both arms and closed her eyes.

“Mmm… Daddy! I think I need to touch this directly!”

As Gina said cheerfully, Jeber had the chimera maneuver my location. The chains connected to my severed arm were released, and my upper body was lowered to the ground.

Then Gina approached me, placing her hands atop my head.

Psychic ability.

Can she read my thoughts?

“…Wow.”

I don’t feel anything, but Gina muttered softly.

“What did you say?”

Jeber asked again. But Gina didn’t respond. Instead, her arms started trembling more. To the perspective of the chimera harvesting machine, she isn’t just shaking her arms.

Her whole body is trembling.

“It’s cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold.”

And she muttered the same word like a broken toy.

“Daddy, help me. I’m cold. So, so cold. Help me. No, I don’t want to. I’m cold. I’m cold!”

Suddenly the girl jolted up and screamed about being cold, running around frantically.

“Grab her at once!”

I heard Jeber’s startled shout from a distance, as the chimera lunged at Gina. I could see the chimera grabbing Gina tightly, but she was trembling all over, now screaming rather than speaking.

And then—

Flames ignited on her body.

The fire ignited suddenly, but the chimera’s reaction was perfect. They splashed water onto her, having drawn it from somewhere.

But the flames would not go out.

No, to be more precise, the fire ignited from within her body. When you drill a hole in a wooden pillar and set it alight, the outside may still look intact, but the inside is already burning fiercely with bright red flames, swirling within her skin.

No measures would be of any use now.

Suddenly, the screams vanished and silence filled the air. Then warmth crept into me.

Amid the peaceful silence, the sound of her burning echoed, soon fading away. Only white ash remained in the place where she had been.

“Natural, spontaneous combustion?”

Jeber mumbled in a dazed voice.

Indeed. To escape the cold, she ran away into death.

How cowardly.