At 9:00 AM, true to the previous day’s promise, King Cesar of Celuroa summoned Jix.
The venue was a small meeting room within the Second Guest House. In attendance were Lagede, the First Military Minister; Latant, the Chief of the First Ministry of Technology; and Kirk-at, the Captain of the Royal Guard. Also present were Donald Callow—the man formerly known as Alpha—and Jin.
Elsa was taking her ease in a separate room. In truth, however, both she and Jin were attending via their Doppels.
"Now then, Jix. As promised, let us hear what you have to say at our leisure," King Cesar began, seated at the head of the table.
"Yes, Your Majesty. My request is simple: I ask that you adopt golems of the same model as Phantom, with the ultimate goal of replacing human soldiers entirely."
"Hmm. I am not averse to commission high-performance golems, but I cannot promise to do away with human soldiers."
"..."
Jix fell silent, ruminating for a moment, before suddenly standing up and raising his voice.
"Those are hardly the words I expected from the valiant King of Celuroa. To annex the surrounding nations and expand our borders, my golems are a necessity. Do you not agree?"
"What did you say?"
"Furthermore, as you have seen, my golems can master an opponent's martial techniques in a matter of moments. Moreover, I can produce them in any number using the magic of Copy!"
"Did you say Copy?"
It was a term Jin had never heard applied to magi-craft before.
"Indeed. I can duplicate a golem's control core."
Jin realized it must be a degraded version of Trans Info. There were likely significant restrictions, but he chose to keep his silence for now.
"O King! Use my power! Use it to annex the Kingdom of Egerea!"
Jix’s rhetoric was becoming increasingly dangerous. Jin and Elsa both felt a profound sense of dissonance. However, it was King Cesar who felt it most keenly.
"Hold, Jix. I have no intention of annexing the Kingdom of Egerea."
"But Your Majesty! Until last year, that was—"
King Cesar raised a hand, cutting Jix off mid-sentence.
"It seems you are under a grave misunderstanding. Unlike the Predecessor, King Richard, I have no desire for territorial expansion. My resolve to bring prosperity to my people is unwavering, but I will not seek it through conquest."
The words struck Jix like a bolt from the blue.
"N-No... that can't be..."
His previous bravado vanished instantly. He slumped back into his chair, looking utterly defeated.
"I see. You came to this country to sell your services under the assumption that the Former King’s policies were still in effect." Cesar had finally found the source of the friction he had felt since their first meeting. "Tell me... why do you crave war so much?"
"Revenge... I suppose," Jix muttered, his voice hollow. "My family, my brother’s family... no, our entire village was wiped out ten years ago during a conflict. It was a tiny settlement near the border of the Kingdom of Egerea."
"I see," King Cesar nodded. He recalled that skirmishes had been frequent along that border a decade ago.
"My father was drafted and sent to the front. He never came back. I thought that if there must be war, we should let golems do the fighting instead of dragging humans into it."
Jix snapped his head up, his eyes burning.
"For that purpose, my brother and I spent years investigating ruins! We apprenticed ourselves to engineers! All for this... I dreamed of this day!"
His face was flushed with a mix of rage and desperation.
"Your Majesty! My golems can be mass-produced! They can overwhelm any neighbor! So please...!"
King Cesar met his gaze and spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"I sympathize with your past. However, your goals do not align with my path. I have no taste for unnecessary conflict."
"...!"
Jix gritted his teeth, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.
"Furthermore, the end does not justify the means. Your methods have been far too reckless." King Cesar produced a piece of parchment from his coat. "I was curious, so I did some digging. A short while ago, an unusual golem appeared in the Kingdom of Egerea. It made a habit of destroying security golems and assaulting local thugs."
"That was in the Kingdom of Egerea! That country is the enemy—!"
Jix had admitted to the deeds before the King had even finished accusing him.
"They are currently a friendly nation. As I told you, we have no time for war. The world is on the cusp of change."
"How is it supposed to change!" Jix shouted, his eyes bloodshot with agitation.
"The Magi Craft Meister, the Lord of Kunlun, is one such catalyst. And he is not alone. There is also the organization known as Nostalgia. Both aim to lead society toward peace and a higher standard of living."
"The Magi Craft Meister! Nostalgia! What do they matter? The technology my brother and I obtained is far more advanced than anything they have!"
King Cesar shook his head with a look of pity. "You truly do not understand... It is a shame."
"What is so special about the Magi Craft Meister? Yesterday’s match was a draw only because it was a mock battle! In a real fight where anything goes, I would never lose!"
"Jix, a golem's purpose is not limited to combat. You saw the maid golems he presented on the first day, didn't you? they manage a household and cook better than any servant. They are the kind of presence the coming world will need."
But Jix was beyond reason. "No! Wrong! Wrong! A golem's raison d'être is combat! Its very essence is the destruction and annihilation of the enemy!"
King Cesar let out a heavy sigh. "Our views are parallel lines that will never meet. There is no point in continuing this discussion."
At that moment, Jin’s Doppel spoke up. "Even if we only consider your Craft Magic of Copy, it is a magnificent technique. Have you never considered using it for the greater good of the people?"
The suggestion only served to stoke Jix's fury.
"Shut up! What could you possibly know? Someone like you could never understand the heart of a man who lost his family, his friends, and his home!"
"..."
"You, who have everything! How could you understand the despair of seeing my life's work vanish into thin air!"
Jin stopped trying to interject, seeing how unstable Jix had become.
"...Your Majesty, how shall we proceed?" Lagede and Latant asked, clearly uncomfortable with how far the meeting had veered from their expectations.
"Well, as a kingdom, I would have been happy to commission superior golems," King Cesar murmured regretfully.
Hearing this, Jix turned back to the King once more.
"Your Majesty! I beg of you, order one more match against the Magi Craft Meister’s golem!"
"To what end?"
"I will show you the true power of Phantom! Once you see it, I am certain you will change your mind!"
"Hmm..."
The King looked toward Jin, seeking his opinion. "Lord of Kunlun, what say you? I cannot force you to accept. I leave the decision to you."
"Well..."
Jin hadn't expected the conversation to take this turn. As he considered his response, Laojun’s voice whispered in his ear. Following the advice, Jin addressed his rival.
"...Master Jix, I see no benefit for me in such an arrangement."
"Then name your price. What do you want?"
"If I win, you must tell me what sources you used as a reference to create your golem."
For a split second, a look of genuine surprise flickered across Jix’s face, but he masked it instantly.
"...Fine. But if I win, I get to use Decomposition on your golem and see exactly what's inside it. Do we have a deal?"
"We do."
And so, the stage was set for a rematch between Jin and Jix.