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Spring has arrived in the Third World, but the Fourth World is now facing the rainy season.

In the meantime…

Jeber has validated his abilities.

Hypnosis Ability.

It activates instantly, but its duration is short. With multiple applications, a tolerance builds, and those under its influence lose consciousness, comprehending only simple commands.

In Bern City, similar psychic abilities might have weaker effects, but they grow stronger with each use, and the difference is significant compared to the way individuals usually live.

However, while its duration is short, it can be incredibly powerful in the short term.

Most of those who came to kill him fell under hypnosis, losing consciousness, and even those who resisted were rendered unable to move.

Many took the term “self-harm” not as ending their own lives, but as injuring themselves endlessly.

They were unfortunate.

Those who died had a cleaner end.

Those who survived ended up as parts in a factory, their heads filled with needles.

A finished product is produced in a week. Rapid growth products begin to age after around four years, and start dying within three months due to aging.

Turning it into a harvesting machine increases its lifespan to about 50 years.

From conversations between Jeber and his assistant, it seems that once it becomes a harvesting machine, the entity is remade into its optimal state again.

Since the raw material was a person, they are reborn as humans from that point onward.

Moreover, their brains rapidly develop, and while fuel efficiency declines, physical abilities increase.

The problem is that all the suppression devices put in place during the process get broken.

Not just material or magical, but even aspects related to the soul are cleansed.

Seeing that the soul gets purified, I guess they don’t realize that I filled myself within the light using that technology.

When I confirmed the part related to the soul initially, I thought I’d finally been discovered…

I still lack the skill, huh?

Hmm.

Expecting to learn everything from just this person would be quite unreasonable, right?

But I believe they will continue to fill my knowledge through various experiments.

Additionally, preparations for war are also steadily being made.

Outside the mansion.

Gradually, the castle walls are taking shape. Unlike Highpion, Jeber doesn’t care about ordinary people.

That’s why he hardly uses the media.

Yet even without the media, the people living in the city do not raise concerns while seeing the walls go up.

This is the ordinary person’s perspective.

Looking through the eyes of an old harvesting machine might not capture all opinions, but after experiencing free rejuvenation, they were suddenly attacked, weren’t they?

So, everyone assumes their lord is doing good deeds, hence the appearance of thieves wanting to take advantage of it, resulting in the deaths.

With that incident in mind, it makes sense that they’re not troubled by the rising walls.

However, there’s disappointment that the rejuvenation event has vanished. The aging old man laments that it’s his turn this time and prays for its return.

Overall, they are optimistic.

I worry that they don’t understand the power of information well.

It wouldn’t do to falter before starting a war…

I hope Jeber diligently produces good troops to gain the upper hand. It would be even better if he promotes the harvesting machines along the way.

By the way, I returned to the laboratory.

Originally, I should be oblivious to my surroundings since most of the harvesting chimera I referred to as harvesting artificial humans were destroyed during this attack.

However, perhaps due to Jeber becoming a harvesting machine, the vigilance towards harvesting machines has greatly decreased.

They turned the cheaply made artificial humans directly into harvesting machines. Suddenly, an artificial human expected to last four years now has its lifespan increased tenfold.

Moreover, their performance also rises for free, so there’s no reason not to use them, right?

In fact, it has completely changed so that I am included in the basic production process.

Previously, they would first produce a body and implant various devices to prevent betrayal.

However, using that method meant that when it became a harvesting machine, the functions had to be reinstalled. So now they produce a body, turn it into a harvesting machine, and then implant various devices.

Once it becomes a harvesting machine, rapid regeneration doesn’t occur.

Thus, only a week has passed, but the artificial humans inside the mansion have been restored, in their harvesting machine state.

Even though they were restored, Jeber didn’t stop there. He is now planning to build a new production plant for the future.

Speaking of which, he distributed the newly created version of artificial human made from the materials obtained this time to his subordinates.

Jeber has become a means to control his subordinates, while they gain a high-performance sorceress and a beauty to satisfy their desires.

I didn’t know how he procured materials since he doesn’t engage in many external activities, but Jeber is overall in control and has his subordinates handle the rest.

In general, Jeber is closer to a researcher than a ruler.

However, due to his vast power and history, he is simply the ruler of this region.

And that’s good.

That’s why it’s good.

Thanks to that, I not only gather a lot of information about myself, but I also hear that he will start a war, right?

When a life is lost and the cause is tied to the harvesting machines, I can gain some warmth.

Unlike killing directly, if I can command them to go kill and a large-scale massacre occurs, then the warmth gained from each individual is somewhat less.

Yet the numbers are overwhelming.

In a world where the Third World and Fourth World are somewhat connected, those who are exploited emerge.

Then, just by purchasing goods, a very faint warmth occasionally comes to me.

Thus, I can calm down a bit more. The warmth obtained in this manner holds the memories of people who died due to severe labor after accidents or overwork while working in places in the Third World based on that world’s standards.

Well.

The world flows like that.

So, I don’t mind if I suffer from wars, and I don’t mind if people die while civilizations progress in its shadows.

Whatever it may be, I can gain warmth from it.

See?

Just by waiting, humans will provide me with warmth.

In the Fourth World, a body is confined in a small metal box, enjoying creating new artificial humans into harvesting machines.

*

The Third World.

Despite having synchronized time so that a day in the Third World passes while a week goes by in the Fourth World, it made me laugh that the Third World is denser when measured by my moving body.

Over there, they can automatically produce harvesting machines, and since those machines supply warmth, they have it easier.

Here, I have to live life, after all.

“Let’s have a quick look at your face.”

“Yes.”

After the afternoon classes, Kanna opened the classroom door and called me.

Even though Freesia was in a different class, I thought she would channel through her to call me, but she called directly instead.

Polaris went out first, and I calmed Victoria down as she glared at me before heading out.

No, having gone through half a year’s worth of events, she might have changed, as it quickly turned into a dangerous situation, charging up her murderous intent. The moisture floating in the air turned sharp like needles, then became metallic.

That’s strong.

Morris’s parents. Well, when living at her original home, Victoria encountered a fierce wild beast, and when several sharp objects embed into her, those parts freeze.

It seems that she doesn’t manipulate the body’s moisture to the extent of controlling it like the ultimate water manipulator, so that’s somewhat fortunate.

Still, if it were in the past, I wouldn’t have hesitated to shoo her away or evade, but seeing that she kills without hesitation makes me realize she has changed.

Thinking that such a change in Victoria is commendable, I followed Kanna.

The place Kanna headed was not the location we met last year, but a completely different wing of the building.

And while it was originally an empty classroom, we entered a space assigned to each faction by mutual understanding.

Before coming to find me, someone was already placed there, so it was a quiet room with just Kanna and me. By the way, all the furniture in the room belongs to Kanna.

Since it was bought when I was in that large room, entering here brings a more comfortable atmosphere.

Kanna Temrane Shiodore.

She’s the daughter of the Duke Shiodore, so it isn’t too difficult.

After entering, I exchanged brief greetings and sat down.

Then she stared at me closely, and softly asked,

“How is second year?”

I quickly recalled Kanna’s memories. Up until yesterday, I had been hard at work coordinating among the factions.

This person seems to do this sort of thing every time.

Wondering what the best response would be, I picked the most human-like answer.

“I’ve reconciled with Victoria, who we weren’t on the best terms with.”

“Ah. That’s something to celebrate.”

The fact that she didn’t ask who Victoria is shows that Kanna remembers everyone here in the Royal Academy.

Though Kanna can be a bit excessive, at least Polaris remembers students above her, so it seems this is the average for this neighborhood.

“That doesn’t suit the princess.”

Ah, indeed.

Aurora is in the same class.

I’ve had no intersecting points with her, so we’ve only passed each other. Occasionally, I’ve felt her gaze upon me, but she hasn’t directly spoken to me.

And since coming to the Royal Academy, I’ve been getting information about myself directly from Highpion.

It isn’t serious reporting but rather everyday conversation over dinner, recounting events from the day. Anyway, from this, I learned how the royal family perceives me through Highpion’s words.

I’m a witch who assists the royal family.

By nuance, rather than an evil witch, I’m closer to a fairy godmother in a fairy tale.

Yes. In short, I’m seen as a significant guest of the royal family.

When I learned that for the first time, I wondered if I had achieved that much, but since no one opposed it, I just memorized that status.

So, I understand the reason Kanna is asking like this.

“I don’t block those coming close.”

“That means if they don’t approach, you won’t meet either.”

I nodded.

I can see from the harvesting machine’s perspective, but I don’t know the thoughts of the harvesting machine.

So, I decided to ask.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing. I’ve just been wondering since you meet so many people, especially since I hadn’t heard you had met someone first.”

There’s a hint of concern hidden within, whether there’s any bad relationship.

Ah, that’s right. It’s easy to be suspicious. So I answered her with the truth.

“I’ve had a brief chat with the royal family.”

I packed in a reply indicating that was the case, but Kanna opened her mouth as if to ask me something, then closed it again.

Instead of questioning, she briefly engaged in small talk, saying she heard I moved and if there’s anything inconvenient to let her know.

Then we parted ways.

Next year is graduation, and Kanna indeed seems to be busy.

No, she must be busier. That’s because Solindiges also graduates from the Royal Academy next year. Consequently, students both male and female vying for a chance are flocking around.

And that target has even spread to Aurora.

I pondered whether it was something that Solindiges should be doing originally, and then I returned home.