I had Mr. Berger and Kachiya walk me through the ruins.
“This writing style... it reeks of a sore loser playing the victim. Definitely the Zen God Race. Excuse me for a moment.”
With those words, Kachiya finally removed the hood she had been so reluctant to part with.
She was a girl with half her face replaced by machinery.
When she took off her goggles, the mechanical eye on the right side began to glow.
“This? Half my face was blown off by an air raid when I was a child. I was supposed to die right then and there, but the Professor picked me up, and I somehow managed to survive—or so the story goes.”
“What about your parents?”
“I haven't seen them since the air raid... they’re probably not alive. It was the kind of situation where you couldn't even tell which remains belonged to whom.”
“Was your enemy the Zen God Race?”
“Yes, you’re quick to catch on. That’s why I’m a total Zen God Race hater.”
Without hesitation, Kachiya began to shed her clothes.
Beneath them was a mechanical body.
A cyborg, then.
“Are there any side effects from the mechanization?”
“None so far. This is a product of over-technology called Ecological Metal. Want me to give you the manufacturing specs?”
“Wait, really? Is that okay?”
“It’s fine. No other civilization wanted it anyway. It’s not exactly a technology directly related to combat.”
Is that so?
I tilted my head in confusion. Everyone else was making skeptical faces, too.
This was a technology that might treat injuries or illnesses even nanomachines couldn't fix, all without the risk of side effects. Countless surgeries that currently had low success rates might be solved with this.
“Alright, I’ll transfer the files. Is the Latarnia Language translation okay?”
“That works. Fairy, if you would.”
“Oka~y!”
Just like that, I’d scored a brand-new technology for free.
“In exchange—though it’s hardly an equivalent—I’d like the research materials on the Proones.”
“Sure thing. Fairy, please.”
“Sending the complete Latarnia Language version now~!”
It felt like the Latarnia Language was becoming the de facto common tongue. If you knew Latarnia, the Ogre God Language and the Taikyoku Nation Language were basically just dialects. The oldest language was likely the Taikyoku Nation Language, but the only one completely impossible to master due to different vocal organs was the Proone Language.
I’d tried it once, but it was impossible. Absolutely impossible.
And so, we continued our information exchange.
“The Proones, you see... they’re monsters created by the Zen God Race.”
“I’d heard they weren't a naturally occurring species.”
“The Zen God Race basically abandons their projects and takes zero responsibility. That’s why the Professor and the rest of us were conducting medical missions in areas infested with Proones and Ghouls.”
“The rest of us?”
“Yes, several war orphans like myself. A doctor, a botanist, a zoologist... that sort of thing.”
So that’s why Mr. Berger is called the ‘Professor.’
“So, what was the purpose of these ruins?”
“Right this way.”
As we went deeper, we found a container similar to the one Aoi’s brain had been floating in. I had a very bad feeling about this.
“The plate here says ‘Fool.’”
Fools were the prototypes for Jesters. Perhaps the Fools that were released into the wild and eventually stabilized as a species became the Jesters? And then they somehow mixed into the population of the Galactic Empire, leading to the present day.
It sounded a bit like saying, ‘I come from the lineage of a legendary Hero,’ but the reality was more like crayfish being dumped into a local river. In short... almost everyone in the Galactic Empire was a descendant of the Fools. Everyone carried the Jester Factor, and it simply manifested with a low probability.
A rare class, indeed.
...Wait a minute.
Comparing it to a Hero made it confusing. It felt much more accurate if I thought of us Galactic Empire people as a Demon Race that had been sealed away by the Zen God Race. Terrified of the Galactic Empire, the Zen God Race had created Zork and goaded him into destroying it.
...I felt a sudden surge of irritation.
We weren't evil, nor were we planning to destroy the world. We had no intention of turning communicative, intelligent life forms into a food source. We just wanted to expand our trade routes and ensure our own safety. We were a moderate faction that preferred starting with dialogue.
Being treated like a Legendary Demon Race was a total insult.
“Good grief. They’re treating us like some Legendary Demon Race!”
Suddenly, everyone turned to look at me.
“I mean, yeah... You did wipe out the Proones, exterminate the Ghouls, and even the Taikyoku Nation was on the verge of collapse...” Eddie noted with a dead-serious expression.
“Basically every faction that turned Leo into an enemy has been annihilated...” That bastard Isono chimed in, looking at me with pity.
“The Duke Association was basically hunted to extinction by our very own Legendary Demon Race.” Even Nakajima’s face was solemn.
Hey, you guys are on my side, right?
“The Captain is merciless, after all. He’s basically a living disaster—encounter equals death.” Melissa roared with laughter.
“I mean, he even made a wild animal beg for its life...” Claire added, her face equally grave.
“My Lord is the strongest warrior in existence!” Ren boasted, puffing out her chest with pride.
“Hey, you guys... you love me, right?”
“We love you, but facts are facts.” Melissa shut me down in one stroke.
Direct damage to my heart!
“It’s the truth, isn't it?” Claire followed up.
Critical hit! I’m reeling!
“M-My Lord! Let’s become the Emperor of the Universe together!!”
Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! My sanity just took a direct hit to the grave!
Who would ever want to be that?!
“Oh, look, he’s sulking.”
I crouched on the floor and started poking at the ground. Hmph.
“Since there are still idiots trying to use Leo-kun as a test subject, I’ll keep spreading propaganda as a deterrent. ‘Enmity equals death.’ Perfect!”
Fairy was kind, yet so very cruel.
You guys are mean...
Just then, Mr. Berger patted my shoulder. Oh, Mr. Berger...
“Even among us Ancient People, the story of the ultimate biological weapon created by the Zen God Race had become something of a legend. I am truly honored to have met you after all this time.”
“Total confirmation?!”
How heartless.
Then, Kachiya spoke up.
“This really does seem to be a Fool's Research Institute. According to the terminal, it says they ‘attempted to capture a Fool but failed.’ It looks like they were scavenging corpses from the battlefield for their experiments. To be cornered by a creature of their own making... they truly were pathetic fools.”
Kachiya’s hatred for the Zen God Race was clearly deep-seated.
“Oh, that’s right. His Excellency the Grand Duke Leo, I have a request.”
“What is it? I have a terrible feeling about this...”
“Why don’t you and I team up to destroy the Zen God Race?”
“And what’s the benefit for us?” I asked, keeping my tone firm.
Currently, we weren't at war with the Zen God Race. Sure, they were likely the root cause of the Jester Hunting and all that, but that was ancient history. A war now would result in casualties.
Is there enough profit to justify our people dying? That was the only thing that mattered.
“Don’t you worry. The Zen God Race will absolutely come for revenge. In fact, they might have already used the Ghouls to attack you. They must be panicking by now, trembling with fear at the thought of the Fools returning. Of course, I will put everything I have into supporting Your Excellency’s Path of Supremacy!”
Stop it already!