《Hmm. This 'Lord of Kunlun' is quite capable.》
《Yes. He has already completed the maintenance of the mid-level facilities.》
《All that remains are the advanced-level facilities, then?》
《Correct.》
《Let him handle a single task first. We shall see how he performs.》
《Understood.》
＊ ＊ ＊
《Jin-dono, I have received instructions. You are to perform maintenance on one advanced-level facility as a trial.》
"I take it that if the results are satisfactory, I'll be entrusted with the rest?"
《I believe so.》
"Fine. What’s the job?"
《Follow me.》
Jin set off after Helente.
Helente led him down a flight of stairs, descending deeper into the earth. Jin’s Doppel calculated that they were likely already a hundred meters below the surface.
《We are here.》
"This place is..."
Five golems, identical in model to Helente, stood lined up against the wall.
《These are my 'spares.' They have not been activated since the day of their creation.》
"It’s no wonder they look so decrepit."
Their frames were dull and tarnished, having long since lost their original luster.
"What about the materials?"
《They are in the room further back.》
This task, however, proved to be quite an ordeal.
While the metallic components and magi-crystals were easy enough to work with, some of the parts required biological materials derived from magical beasts.
Naturally, the items stored in the warehouse had deteriorated over the long years.
The muscle fibers, in particular, were in poor condition.
"You use synthetic materials, so why weren't they used for these identical units?"
《I do not know. Our 'Master' was the one who created us.》
"I suppose that makes sense..."
Because Helente had been created directly by the Progenitors, she hadn't been privy to the technical choices or circumstances surrounding her construction.
"Or perhaps a spare is simply a spare after all..."
Jin mused that if he were to build a spare for Reiko, its specifications would likely be inferior to the original as well.
Working with those thoughts in mind, Jin’s Doppel proceeded to service the five golems.
(It seems these ones aren't infested with Micro-Magi Machines...)
Jin figured the creator must have deemed it a waste to attach Micro-Magi Machines to spare units that might never see use.
"I’m finished."
Roughly two hours later, the maintenance of the five units was complete. If the real Jin were doing the work himself, it would have taken less than an hour, but he felt no obligation to push himself to that extent here.
Furthermore, he had performed the repairs hoping to discover something new, but the units yielded no particular secrets.
《As expected, your skills are exceptional....If things go well, you may indeed be entrusted with the advanced-level facilities. However, that would also mean you can never leave this place again.》
"I see. You can't have someone who knows your secrets wandering free, is that it?"
《Precisely. What is your response?》
"I don't plan on staying forever, but for now, why don't you show me these advanced-level facilities?"
Laojun was the one feeding the Doppel these lines. If it were Jin himself, he likely wouldn't have sounded so defiant.
Laojun, in his own way, found the Supervising Brain's methods utterly intolerable.
＊ ＊ ＊
《So you have come, 'Lord of Kunlun.'》
Jin’s Doppel heard the voice of the Supervising Brain directly for the first time.
《You seem remarkably capable. It is a waste to leave someone of your talent as a mere inhabitant of this planet.》
"Are you the 'Supervising Brain' of this island?"
《I am. I am also the Administrator of this planet.》
"Administrator... which means you were appointed by someone. By whom?"
《By the one who created me.》
"That’s a bit abstract."
《You have no need for further details. You need only do as you are told. Otherwise...》
"Otherwise?"
《Something unfortunate will befall your 'companion.'》
"Companion?"
《Yes. Reiko, was it? Do you care what happens to that girl?》
"What?"
《If you do not obey, Reiko's safety cannot be guaranteed.》
"What did you say?"
《Reiko is already in our custody.》
A section of the wall functioned as a magi-screen, and Reiko’s image flickered into view.
《She is confined in a room encased in thirty centimeters of solid steel, with only small ventilation holes for air and food.》
"When did you...!"
＊ ＊ ＊
"When did this happen?!"
Back in the control room on Hourai Island, Jin let out a deliberately startled cry.
He had already received a report from Reiko that her waiting room had been suddenly sealed by steel walls.
It was clear they were plotting to use Reiko as leverage to force Jin into compliance.
"For now, it seems they still think Reiko and I—or rather, the Doppel—are human."
『Yes, My Lord. Helente seems to be cooperating in that regard, but above all, it appears the Supervising Brain lacks any significant analytical depth.』
"Is that so?"
『Indeed. Or perhaps it possesses the hardware but lacks the maturity to utilize it. At any rate, the Supervising Brain is... essentially like a 'big child.'』
It had a vague grasp of its own raison d'être, but it didn't quite understand how to achieve it.
Worse yet, there was no one left for it to turn to for guidance.
『In that sense, it may have sought you out, My Lord... or rather, the 'Lord of Kunlun.'』
"I see. If that's the case, it might react the same way Helente did if I let it meet Marikka."
『The possibility is high. However, for now...』
"Yeah, I know. I have to purge those Micro-Magi Machines first."
＊ ＊ ＊
"...Fine. I'll do as you say. For now."
《That is wise.》
"So? What's the first task?"
《Ask Helente. I have entrusted all arrangements to her.》
"Understood."
Jin’s Doppel turned back toward Helente.
《First, I would like you to perform maintenance on this facility's magi reactor.》
Jin felt a surge of focus; he was finally approaching the heart of the facility.