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Jeber’s plan was successful.

Every day, an enormous number of applicants came, and it turned into a harvesting machine.

Even incredibly wealthy people showed up, throwing money around while asking for rejuvenation.

However, Jeber refused to accept the money, saying that the shaman insisted on fairness. The people living there praised him for it.

I know the reason Jeber said that.

The more people from this village, the easier they are to monitor and study.

Almost two weeks after starting this event, a harvester emerged that could use psychic abilities.

It was a woman named Salevika, who lived alone. Her husband had died, and her children had severed ties and moved to another city, leaving her in dire financial straits.

She was part of the elderly impoverished class.

Due to poverty, she got involved in rough work and ended up dealing highly addictive drugs. Thus, she became a drug addict while peddling her products.

And she obtained the psychic ability to make plants grow.

Even processed plants could sprout new life from her, which was a vital ability for survival. But soon after becoming a harvester, she was caught while being monitored for a certain period and was taken away.

And what happened next?

Her head was embedded with multiple needles, turning her into a machine that made plants grow at the snap of a finger.

To grow the plants, a certain weight was extracted from her, but they resolved this by connecting her innards alive to a nutrient tank.

It’s quite a simple solution. Perhaps they have expertise in this area since it seems no necrosis occurs at the connection point.

Or maybe it’s because she became stronger as a harvester.

Anyway.

After that, none of the well-off elderly gained psychic powers. However, some of the elderly, who were facing a devastating end, did acquire abilities.

Jeber interprets this as meaning that malnutrition increases the probability of gaining psychic abilities.

In the end, that’s not entirely incorrect, is it?

And although Jeber didn’t know it, five humans took turns interviewing the elderly who had become harvesters.

Among them, there was a woman whose voice was identical to the one I once heard from an escaped bird. But since the male voice I heard at that time was absent…

Hmm. More than five people. Perhaps a massive group is currently searching for Jeber.

Jeber was curious about the psychic abilities gained by the harvesters, while the others wanted to find the missing individuals.

And as the number of attempts increases, so does the probability of being discovered.

One day, a chimera who had found a harvester with psychic abilities was caught on its way back to Jeber’s home. I watched them with the chimera’s eyes, anticipating how this would unfold.

They took the chimera into a room and faced it with a woman.

The woman placed her hands on either side of the chimera’s head and did something. It seemed like some sort of hypnosis because the chimera divulged everything it knew.

With its bronze necklace, this chimera was one that wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment. While it was higher in rank than the brass necklace, it still met its end like a consumable item.

So, I assumed Jeber must have set something up…

I don’t know.

Jeber is currently examining the memories extracted from recently kidnapped harvesters in the laboratory, embedding metal into their heads.

While the memories aren’t as coherent as what I see, they can be extracted and viewed as images.

And with that, it seems they are unable to read my thoughts.

Jeber doesn’t seem to have a chance. So, I focused on the kidnapped chimera.

Looking around through the chimera’s eyes, some things seemed slightly blurry due to lack of focus, but there were many complex-looking tools.

No, to be more precise, there were multiple tools that an elderly person would never have seen in their entire life.

Moreover, eavesdropping on their conversations revealed that human cloning is something that shouldn’t be done.

Not just from a moral standpoint, but Jeber is said to have violated the law.

Hmm. I’m starting to get a clearer picture.

This isn’t a resistance after all.

It’s linked to the state, the central government, or whichever it may be.

They seem intent on using the chimera harvester they captured as evidence, pushing it into a cold chamber.

And as the cold aura enveloped the chimera, it became increasingly difficult to see the surroundings. It was a chilling sensation, but that was all.

Well, it’s better to freeze biological materials for storage.

Speaking of which, while I was producing harvesters, there was indeed an old man among those who spoke to me who didn’t seem like an ordinary elderly person. Of course, he was processed inside, but he had tried to figure out my identity.

The designated chimera harvester reported this to Jeber each time, but he merely confirmed whether the questioner had been eliminated. When he heard they were deceased, he didn’t care at all.

After all, it’s not strange for someone who digs into identities to appear, and without information, it’s hard to suspect someone is following him.

Moreover, he’s the reclusive type.

He’s never met anyone outside to gather information.

How do I know?

It’s because he’s such a homebody that he’s hardly ever strayed from the perspective of the harvesters.

Thus, he was slow to realize a chimera had gone missing.

Initially, the pattern was to monitor and report when abilities were discovered, and if nothing seemed amiss for three days, he was to return.

I thought he’d at least set up some surveillance, but he treated the chimera too much like disposable items.

So, he was a step too late.

While pulling out important organs and the brain from a harvester, they transformed him into a device that shoots fire on the snap of a finger.

Suddenly, several chimera present there loudly shouted about a barrier.

Some of them were so cartoonishly dramatic it was laughable, exclaiming, “Is it a barrier?”

The moment I felt an anomaly I couldn’t sense, most of the chimera rushed toward Jeber’s direction.

The chimera saw me, so naturally, I saw them.

Several people dressed in what appeared to be formal attire entered the building.

They identified themselves as the Royal Inspection Bureau and demanded Jeber’s submission. They also presented a sealed letter, but Jeber scoffed at it.

He declared that if anyone deserves his submission, it’s only the Mage King. For reference, the Mage King mentioned here is a historical figure.

Based on my faded memories, it’s like when a British noble was arrested but proclaimed he wouldn’t yield unless it was to King Arthur.

In short, he was making it clear he had no intention of submitting to them.

Jeber displayed contempt toward the royal family, yet no one was enraged by this. Instead, they referred to how other noble families had reacted similarly in the past.

Nobles in this country are magicians. I knew that, but judging by their words, it seems the royal authority is quite weak.

Come to think of it, none of the harvesters obtained from the memory had shown any interest in the country until now, right?

So, I decided to recheck the memories of the harvesters concerning the concept of a nation. And I barely understood it. The concept of a nation is elusive.

Looking at it through the lens of faded memories, it resembles relationships among the various countries in Europe and the EU.

If we consider whether Jeber is a noble or a king, he’s closer to being a noble, but the concept differs from the literal meaning. In a way, he could be seen as a king.

The one who owns everything on this land.

To put it simply, if the EU Human Rights Commission were to visit the leader of this land to question him about wrongdoings, that roughly matches the current situation.

Jeber seems to plan to bury them entirely, as he amassed the chimera harvesters to attack.

A brass necklace-wearing chimera charged at them like a deathless soldier, while a bronze necklace-wearing chimera fired small spells.

A silver necklace-wearing chimera prepared a powerful spell, directed by another chimera acting as an assistant.

And as they turned flesh into meat on the frontline, the Royal Inspection Bureau advanced on Jeber.

But Jeber didn’t simply accept defeat.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, and I could see immensely lethal magic spilling onto the opponents from Jeber’s side.

But, how should I put it…

It gives the impression of feeling like I’m playing a subpar game alone. While others are watching dazzling spells, I’m stuck staring at clay?

I never expected that not feeling magic would feel like this.

As Jeber regained control and perhaps found his confidence, he chuckled while declaring some villainous line about not resisting and just dying.

And indeed, the Royal Inspection Bureau, which had been advancing so far, halted.

As time passed enough for a cup of tea to brew, they promptly resumed their attacks again, though.

Jeber’s face turned pale, and the diminished assault of the Royal Inspection Bureau became fierce once more.

The slightly unfortunate part is that as time goes on, the souls of the harvester chimeras perish, turning the battlefield increasingly obscured.

Just when it felt like things were becoming dangerously tight, the assistant ordered the silver necklace chimera to bring in the children.

Then, the silver necklace chimera brought each of their designated children to the battlefield. Hybrids.

They entered the battlefield one by one.

“Don’t bully Daddy!”

It sounded unmistakably like a child’s voice.

However, the phenomenon they stirred was potent. Some children emitted light, and upon that light shining, several individuals gripped their heads and crumbled as if in a daze.

Thinking back to the hybrids who burned themselves to death, it seems they possess abilities that affect the mind.

But that didn’t last long.

Initially, the attacks aimed simply to suppress, but gradually they sharpened, and soon the hybrids began losing their lives one by one. The hybrid shouting about protecting Jeber ultimately got designated as a monster and sustained fatal injuries.

Some children sought help from Jeber. However, when the circumstances turned unfavorable, he abandoned them and fled.

He ran together with the assistant and a few silver necklace-wearing chimeras.

The others charged with their lives on the line to halt the Royal Inspection Bureau.

And not long after, they were all defeated. Most were dead, and a very few reached an incapacitated state.

Meanwhile, Jeber desperately retreated while pouring out magic. But most of his attacks failed to land effectively.

According to a mocking remark from a member of the Royal Inspection Bureau pursuing him, it seems Jeber is not adept at fighting with magic.

Well, that makes sense.

Even if he can use magic, it’s different from using it for research and knowing how to fight with it.

Compared to the Royal Inspection Bureau, Jeber isn’t particularly weak.

Moreover, while the chimeras aren’t weak either, based on what the Royal Inspection Bureau members said, their types are limited, making counteractions relatively straightforward.

Ah.

It happens often. To put it as an analogy, it’s like Jeber is only solidifying earth properties while the Royal Inspection Bureau brought primarily fire properties.

Jeber fled for his life.

However, it was tough to confront trained individuals skilled in capturing people like Jeber.

With each close call, a chimera fell victim.

And eventually, it was the assistant’s turn.

Despite indifferent to who died, whether hybrid or chimera, Jeber stopped his feet. The assistant tried to urge Jeber to escape, but Jeber yelled that he couldn’t leave the assistant behind.

And there wasn’t even time for such a quarrel.

In an instant, they were caught up, and I couldn’t understand how the situation was unfolding.

Because there were no harvesters visible to them.

Thinking about it, it was clear that they had no likelihood of winning.

If I just wait patiently, will I perhaps be rescued?

While I pondered, the chains rattled, and I sensed a vibe.

After quite some time had passed.

Suddenly, an overwhelming jolt shook the place I was in. Then, the area behind me became suddenly cool.

And the restraints connected to the beginning parts of my upper arm and thigh all became unfastened.

Clang!

With everything securing me gone, I fell backward weakly.

The liquid that filled half my body was rather viscous, so I wasn’t hurt. I flipped over and lifted my head to see a man not far from me gripping some handle.

On the opposite side of where I was looking was a monitoring area for those overseeing my management and bizarre actions. This spot.

Jeber was visible.

His left arm was twisted at an odd angle and covered in blood. And on that bent left arm, there was a chunk of flesh attached.

It was alive, but I wasn’t inside it.

Hmm. The assistant, huh?

Jeber staggered toward me, lifting the assistant while screaming.

“Please, please save the assistant!”

Ah. He asks for the assistant, not himself. After being indifferent to the fate of so many chimeras, he holds one precious.

As I silently watched, he approached me and bowed his head, shouting.

“If there’s something you desire, I’ll do anything. Please, save the assistant, Cyclami!”

Unfortunately, it seems attachment has formed.

So, I proposed a path of misfortune for both of them.

“I’ll present myself to you. But later, once you’ve finished everything, I want everything you have in return. How about it?”