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I realized that the items I created in the Third World have special abilities.

In the Fourth World, it’s hard to experiment with those items, so experimenting with this will be difficult.

It’s convenient that Jeber is researching my abilities in my stead, so how can we create a situation where I can make items?

Hmm. I feel like it could get me in trouble if I’m not careful…

For now, let’s put it on hold.

Even without doing that, the harvesting machines are spreading smoothly.

And if the number of harvesting machines increases, won’t the world collapse?

Thinking back to the First World, at the current production rate, it would take centuries to reach the point when that world collapsed back then. Considering that I might die of old age before that happens, it seems unlikely that it will break.

So, I’m at ease to keep increasing the numbers.

Also, the rejuvenation event has started again, and my perspective is gradually widening.

Along with that, I’ve also gained various memories.

I’m learning more and more about the Fourth World.

For instance, this is the Southern Hemisphere. It gets hotter as you go north and colder as you head south.

And if you travel up past the tropical rainforest on the equator, there’s another world unfolding.

Rather than wizards being deified and living a half-secluded life like here, they’ve become unified with the surroundings.

No, to be precise, there aren’t any wizards at all.

But because of the tropical rainforest, exchanges are nearly impossible. It’s also why it was hard for South America and North America to connect overland in faded memories.

In a world with an even more severe natural environment than that, it seems impossible for now.

That said, using sea routes isn’t easy either. There are gigantic monsters roaming the waters. Of course, there aren’t such monsters in shallower waters, but that doesn’t mean there are none at all.

So, fishing mostly relies on fishing rods, which I found quite strange.

They don’t even use traps in the sea. Apparently, gigantic monsters come looking for the food gathered there!

Using traps or ships is more common in rivers or shallower lakes.

Those are relatively safer areas.

Of course, there aren’t no gigantic ships that are built to travel along the coast. So, there’s a bit of interaction with the continent in the Northern Hemisphere.

However, it’s a life-or-death journey, so it’s not too common. Yet, it’s not like there’s no reason to go, since goods from the opposite continent sell at extremely high prices.

This time, I encountered an elderly harvesting machine who shared such memories.

Well, although he looked like an old man, he was actually quite young in terms of age. He just aged from all the hardships of traveling by boat.

Of course, there were people who questioned my identity.

There were those who interviewed each harvesting machine one by one, just like the royal family used to do.

But then, he was immediately caught by an artificial human and dragged off to Jeber.

I thought they would brainwash him, but they just popped the lid, stuck metallic needles into his brain, and extracted memories.

That makes sense.

If they can grab memories like that, there’s really no need to brainwash with psychic powers.

Anyway.

Surprisingly, that guy wasn’t sent by a wizard. He was actually a journalist from another territory. He came to investigate the rumors about the miracle of rejuvenation.

Seems like seeking articles is common in any world.

Jeber fell into deep thought.

“Assistant. It feels like things like this will keep happening in the future, isn’t it strange to just keep capturing and disposing of them every time?”

He suddenly asked the assistant for an opinion.

And Jeber quickly realized that there were only artificial humans there, and he suddenly fell silent. Now, the faces of harvesting machines working in the castle aren’t all the same.

That’s because they’ve mixed in the artificial humans created from collected wizards.

Maybe that’s why he asked the artificial human created using Bardrol the same question. It was the most amusing thing to see the artificial human flustered. It’s like they’re searching for someone who’s already gone, right?

After saying “enough,” Jeber pondered in silence for a while.

“I need to create a decoy.”

He said that and headed towards the laboratory.

A decoy.

It’s not a bad idea. The decoy can meet people, show its state a few times, and then wouldn’t be suspected anymore.

But I’m not sure it can create harvesting machines from that, right?

With that question in mind, I observed how he would act.

He first created an artificial human based on Bardrol. I was also part of the artificial human made from Bardrol.

And Jeber named that artificial human Nephrabda and had it memorize a false background.

It’s a convincing backstory of being a disciple from an unknown land coming to build good karma.

Then he repaired me.

By “repair,” I mean it literally.

He re-attached long-lost limbs and removed the metal needles stuck in my head and spine.

He didn’t completely remove everything, though.

He left a short metal needle embedded in my spine. Then, around the area where my ribs end, he made a hole that could be directly connected to my insides through a hose.

Once he repaired me like that, I appeared to be looking like a normal person on the outside. And around my neck was a necklace embedded with jewels.

The jewel is a sort of chip, and the metal needle connected to the jewel is stuck in my chest to interlink with the metal needle at the back.

The purpose is simple. When Jeber operates the device, he can give me pain or pleasure without any wires.

Then?

I recite the contract document.

I’m made into a puppet that can move whenever.

It was quite amusing to see Jeber being so cautious and on edge while repairing me, fearing I might move. He observed from afar for quite a while while preparing to detonate the bomb embedded in my body. But when I didn’t show any significant movement, he finally felt relieved.

After that, Nephrabda memorized the fake life setup and practiced only the moments when we could switch roles during contracts.

After the contracts were completed, Nephrabda would be the one standing in front of everyone again.

Through that rigorous training, a substitute was created to act on the outside in my place.

And during the rejuvenation event, it would reveal its existence slightly by pretending to show its face or having brief conversations.

Then Jeber invited many people and introduced Nephrabda.

That scene felt less like a gathering of a king and his subjects and more like a meeting between a god and a human.

The invited guests saw Jeber as if he came from a completely different world. In other words, there were no other wizards inside him.

Using simple magic and tricks, Jeber created harvesting machines in front of those who were invited.

It’s nothing complicated.

He had someone who wasn’t knowledgeable about magic stand still while Nephrabda took a seat. Then with magic, they swapped places.

Next, he called an elderly person to stand in front and snapped his fingers.

As usual, when I felt the stimuli, I recited the contract document.

Then Zumud became a harvesting machine and rejuvenated in an instant. The man from the clan who had served Jeber for a long time burst into tears out of joy.

Jeber sent him back and subtly swapped me back with Nephrabda.

Then they took a photo of that scene together and had it published in the newspaper.

Since Jeber was in a god-like position, I wondered if he even needed to put on such a show for the citizens, but surprisingly, it had a great effect.

More people began to hope for rejuvenation.

Rumors of sinister experiments diminished, and instead, more requests to meet Nephrabda started coming in.

Jeber gathered the list of people making such requests and distributed them to those who obeyed him.

He then said this.

“You all get to choose. And I told them to benefit as they wish.”

It’s a sweet carrot.

He granted power and authority to the priests who worshipped the god known as the wizard.

As a result, the subordinates bowed their heads in gratitude. They even affirmed that it was fine for anyone to become a harvesting machine as well.

They even explained to the same person that it’s impossible to do it twice.

And then he offered that those who need it can have it right here, right now.

Half of them raised their hands immediately, while the other half held out for the next opportunity.

Those who raised their hands were either already old or unwell, while those who didn’t were relatively younger or more foresighted.

Some would immediately use the recovery potion at their disposal, while others would hold off just in case. Seems like it’s like that here too.

Then again, using simple devices, they switched me and Nephrabda to create harvesting machines.

And everyone happily wrapped up the event.

It’s strange.

From all the memories I possess and the things I’ve observed, Jeber seems to be a highly self-centered person.

If I know Jeber well, he wouldn’t have handled matters like this.

He would have found and killed anyone investigating me, and if they appeared again, he would’ve done the same.

He was smart, but he wasn’t the type to think like this.

But people change, huh?

Did he become smarter after becoming a harvesting machine?

Or was it because the toxic substances or magic that distorted his body returned to health?

He’s acting more intelligently now.

Right now, I’m curious about what he’s thinking.

Oh, of course, after that, I was stored back into my special casing and returned to the laboratory.

They thoroughly inspected my body, disinfected the parts connecting to the machinery, and re-installed me.

Interestingly, they left my limbs as they were.

Seems like he plans to take me out whenever needed.

Ah.

And another thing.

An interesting incident occurred.

Aliura is pregnant. Yep. Aliura Rempinion. The daughter of the Rempinion family who was brutally defeated.

I wonder how Jeber will perceive that child, as his own or as a target for revenge?

I have no idea how he’ll view it, but at least it seems he’s considering letting her give birth.

He started reducing acts that seem like they belong in a thin book, and began managing things separately.

Even those in the Rempinion family who can’t scream, and seeing how these folks will end up, the Fourth World seems like it could be quite amusing after all.