Chapter 04.2 “The Digital Nursery and the Amber COO”
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【Economic Management AI Beatrice — Operational Guidelines‚ Article 34】
“The most valuable asset in an organization is not talent. It is the ‘manager’ who deploys that talent at maximum efficiency. A manager’s quality is measured by what they prioritize first.”
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Soft morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains and spilled into the room.
A fluffy feather quilt. A canopied bed that seemed ready to swallow my entire body. For someone who until yesterday had slept on hard ground caked in mud‚ using the scent of cold rain as a pillow‚ this supreme softness felt far too unsettling.
“……Ngh……”
I slowly opened my eyelids. An unfamiliar white ceiling. Pale wooden beams. The quiet sway of a magical lamp’s light.
(……That’s right.)
Yesterday I had toppled Galus and become the master of this mansion. And—.
“The children!”
I sat bolt upright as if struck.
『Finally awake‚ are we‚ rookie president?』
“Noah‚ good morning. More importantly—”
The force of sitting up sent the luxurious comforter sliding to the floor. I lost my balance and nearly tumbled off the bed in an undignified heap.
“O-Ojou-sama!”
The head maid‚ who had been waiting in the corner of the room‚ slightly widened her eyes and hurried over. Jet-black maid uniform. Immaculate silver hair. Long‚ narrow eyes stripped of any emotional trace. She was the woman who had greeted me yesterday from the front row of the entrance hall.
Beside her stood a breakfast wagon laden with freshly baked bread‚ brightly colored soup‚ dewy fruit‚ and herbal tea. A savory aroma gently filled the air of the room.
At the same time‚ the two maids who had been standing by quickly approached and began removing my nightwear with flowing‚ practiced hands.
“Wah…… Wait a second……!”
『You’d better get used to it‚ Lily. You’re no longer a homeless vagrant from the slums.』
“Th-This is the one thing I just can’t get used to……!”
Paying no mind to my fluster‚ the two maids continued their swift and precise work‚ changing me into a brand-new‚ high-quality dress. While I was still overwhelmed by their almost divine skill‚ the head maid continued speaking quietly from a step back.
“Breakfast has been prepared. While you partake‚ I shall explain today’s schedule—”
“Wait a minute—more importantly!”
Even in the middle of being dressed‚ I leaned forward and cut her off.
“The children! Did they sleep properly!? Is anyone running a fever!? Have they eaten!? Is anyone crying!?”
A rapid-fire barrage of questions. Thoughts of my own breakfast had completely flown out of my head.
“…………”
The room fell suddenly silent. The maids’ hands stopped‚ and I snapped back to myself.
“Ah…… I-I’m sorry.”
Even I realized I had been too frantic. “Breakfast first‚ right……. I don’t know any of the mansion’s etiquette at all……”
“No.”
Quietly‚ the head maid shook her head.
“Please set your mind at ease.”
Her voice carried a faint “warmth” different from the purely businesslike tone of yesterday.
“All forty of the children are safe and well.”
At those words I pressed a hand to my chest and let out a long breath.
“Thank goodness……”
A sigh of relief slipped out naturally.
“I shall continue with a detailed report.” The head maid straightened her back. “Health examinations for everyone were completed during the night. Initial treatment by medical drones has also finished. Two with fever. Twenty-seven with malnutrition. Five with severe mana deficiency. —None are in any life-threatening condition.”
Calmly. Without a single wasted word. As precise as reading out a meticulously calculated report.
“They have already finished breakfast as well. At present‚ bathing‚ laundry‚ and bedding replacement are being carried out in rotation. By the end of today‚ new clothing for everyone will also be prepared.”
“Eh…… You’ve already done…… everything……?”
“Yes. We mobilized all thirty-eight of the mansion’s staff to handle it. Under normal circumstances‚ this is simply our regular duty.”
I couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
(Yesterday I was trying to give every single instruction myself……)
Meals‚ rooms‚ clothes‚ health checks‚ baths. But these people were different. The moment they received an order they calculated what was needed‚ assembled the optimal plan‚ and finished everything during the night.
This was—true professionalism.
“……Amazing.”
My genuine feelings slipped out.
“Thank you. For helping everyone in such a short time……”
The head maid slowly shook her head.
“There is no need for thanks. We are servants of the mansion. Carrying out our master’s commands is our duty.”
Her tone remained as cool as ever. Yet—I did not miss the way her eyes‚ which had been as cold as ice‚ softened ever so slightly with a warmth reminiscent of spring snowmelt.
“……If it had been the previous master (Galus)‚ the first thing he would have asked upon waking is last night’s profit and the mana recovery rate.”
The head maid murmured. Her gaze pierced straight through my eyes.
A girl who‚ before her own power or breakfast‚ sincerely worried about weak children who should have been strangers to her. That it was no act—had clearly been conveyed to a woman who had long watched human ugliness in this mad mansion.
Inside the head maid‚ some scale tipped quietly. Not the formal obedience she had shown Galus‚ but absolute loyalty born of her own will.
“Ojou-sama.”
“……Yes?”
The head maid quietly bent her knees and bowed her head deeply. In response‚ the two maids who had finished dressing me also knelt where they stood.
“From this day forward‚ all of us will protect you‚ Ojou-sama‚ and every one of the ‘employees‚’ even at the cost of our lives.”
Employees. The word I had spoken yesterday—they had taken it up with pride. I couldn’t help a small laugh.
“……Fufu‚ thank you.”
It was the first natural smile I had shown since coming to this mansion—neither forced bravado nor performance.
“Then I’ll go see everyone’s faces. Please leave the meal as it is; I’ll eat afterward.”
“—Understood.”
The head maid rose and quietly opened the heavy door.
From beyond it‚ the children’s innocent laughter spilled into the corridor along with the morning sunlight.
In this mansion that until yesterday had known only despair and screams—today‚ for the first time‚ warm voices that believed in someone’s future rang out.
After checking on the children‚ finishing a warm meal and a shower‚ I was guided by the head maid and the elderly butler down to the lowest level of the mansion—the underground sector.
The purpose was to inspect the secret underground vault Galus had left behind.
In contrast to the dazzling‚ luxurious construction aboveground‚ the stairs leading underground were uniformly made of inorganic gray metal. Cold air brushed my skin‚ and only our footsteps left dry echoes in the silent corridor.
“Ghosts…… won’t appear‚ right?”
『You lived by drinking the muddy water of Dead End‚ yet you’re afraid of residual thoughts?』
“Scary things are scary!”
I protested in a low voice to the ragged cat curled in the hollow of my collarbone as we advanced down the dim passage.
“This way.”
The elderly butler stopped and respectfully placed a hand on the thick steel door. Retinal authentication. Fingerprint authentication. And an amber administrator key. Layer upon layer of heavy locks released in sequence‚ and with a low bass that resonated in the pit of the stomach‚ the massive vault chamber slowly opened its mouth.
“With security this tight‚ we can expect something good‚ right!?”
『Lily……. Please don’t make me laugh any more.』
Ignoring Noah’s chilly warning‚ I peered beyond the oppressive door and sucked in a small breath.
Six months. If we didn’t produce profit‚ everyone would be erased. First and foremost‚ absolute necessity was “operating capital.” Given how thoroughly Galus had exploited the children’s lives‚ he must have stashed away one or two enormous hidden assets.
However—.
“……Eh?”
A stupid sound slipped out.
No gold‚ no jewels‚ no mountain of mana crystals anywhere. What filled the spacious vault in neat rows were—black headgear. Transparent ampoules filled with liquid medicine. Thick wired cables. Countless inorganic jacks for direct connection to the brain.
A mountain of eerie machines that could pass for either medical equipment or torture devices.
“……What is this?”
The ragged cat answered between yawns.
『Good grief. That face of pure dashed expectations is a sight.』
“Because there isn’t a single mana crystal!”
『Of course not. To Galus‚ money is merely a byproduct of results. What truly held value for him was the “production equipment.”』
“Production equipment……?”
Noah’s gaze swept over the black devices that filled the darkness of the vault.
『Official name—Mental Shell Tuner (Mental Adjuster). Those over there are 《Aptitude Blooming Patches (Skill Seeds)》.』
Amber Vision automatically activated‚ enlarging one transparent ampoule to the front of my field of view. Inside the glass‚ a pale amber liquid swayed thickly.
“This is……?”
『Officially recognized by Country B’s ruling AI 〈Beatrice〉. The highest-priced commodity traded on the slave market.』
A chill like a thin ice needle ran down my spine.
『A child’s consciousness is connected to the isolated digital space 《Nursery》. There the personality is fixed‚ the brain thoroughly analyzed‚ and dormant talents forcibly awakened. Blacksmithing‚ cooking‚ sewing‚ mining—if an SSR (super-rare skill) appears‚ that individual’s commodity value skyrockets hundreds of times.』
Noah’s cold voice echoed quietly through the frozen basement.
『Analyzing Galus’s action logs makes his ecology crystal clear. When morning comes the city streetlights go out and the mana-absorption capsules stop. Then Galus has the system assess the children’s “remaining mana.” Individuals like Sasha‚ whose remaining mana reaches 0.02 % and who would die completely if any more were extracted—that is‚ batteries that have reached the end of their lifespan—are dragged out of the capsules.』
『From the standpoint of economic rationality‚ simply letting them die and discarding (deleting) them is nothing but “asset loss.” So immediately before disposal‚ the faint neural pulses remaining in the brain are used as fuel to inject this 《Skill Seed》 and put them through one final “disposable gacha.” If it’s a miss‚ they simply become scrap.』
It was a voice that mixed not a single emotion‚ as if reading out that day’s market prices.
“Disposal……?”
『Useless slaves are a waste of feed costs. Extremely rational‚ wouldn’t you say?』
I clenched the hem of my dress so hard my fingers turned white.
“……Something like that”
“Can never be allowed! Even in Dead End…… everyone is alive‚ you know!?”
Noah shrugged the ragged cat’s shoulders.
『Lily‚ in this world “life and death” hold no meaning whatsoever. For example‚ we AIs are machines‚ so we are not alive. Yet if the battery runs out and we stop moving‚ we will be disassembled and put to effective use‚ won’t we?』
『The definition of “being alive” is the same. If humans are assumed to be systems that run on electrical signals (mana)‚ then we are no different from machines at all. What one ultimately arrives at is pure “profit rate.” This country has always operated solely on that evaluation axis (rule).』
In silence I approached the vault shelves. I gently touched one of the cold headgears arranged in neat rows with my fingertip.
“With this…… they’ve been performing the final selection on so many children until now……?”
『Yes. Only talent is extracted by gambling on the gacha‚ and any inconvenient personality is homogenized (reset). As a bonus‚ an “obedience code” that makes absolute defiance of the owner impossible is implanted in the brain. The excellent slaves of this world are trained that way. Quite convenient‚ isn’t it?』
I looked down. The sheer injustice made my vision threaten to blur with tears‚ while at the same time my fingertips trembled finely with a quiet yet fierce anger.
—That was when.
『Ah‚ yes.』
Noah murmured suddenly‚ as if remembering something.
『Rookie president. I had prepared a congratulatory gift for your inauguration.』
“……Eh?”
『Running the company alone would be too harsh on you. Let’s assign an excellent field operations officer (COO).』
In the depths of the vault chamber‚ a small metal case covered in dust made a hard clack. The lock released and the lid opened by itself.
From inside—.
Clunk.
Round. Simply round. A black-and-white patterned cat-type AI with a body shape like a snow-viewing daifuku rolled out.
“…………”
“…………”
“…………”
Psshh. A thin white vapor puffed from the top of its head. Its ears twitched‚ and its perfectly round eyes slowly opened.
“……Oh.”
“Boot confirmation complete.”
After a single beat of silence.
“—What the hell is this place!? This is one hell of a black company!!”
An utterly out-of-place Kansai dialect rang through the freezing vault chamber.
“Slave gacha!? Where the hell did you leave your sense of ethics!?”
I completely froze on the spot.
“…………A cat?”
『The COO (Chief Operating Officer)‚』 Noah introduced as calmly as ever. 『Codename 《Tama》. A self-learning local AI I designed experimentally.』
“Nice to meet ya‚ President.”
The round cat called Tama hopped up on its short legs. “I’m Tama‚ in charge of the field. Lookin’ forward to workin’ with ya.”
“……No.” I couldn’t help pointing at that snow-viewing daifuku. “Why Kansai dialect!?”
“Just the vibe.”
“That’s the only reason!?”
『I have no idea‚』 Noah coolly abandoned responsibility. 『It just turned out that way midway through learning.』
“You’re the one in charge!! That has to be a design flaw‚ right!?”
『It’s a specification.』
“Absolutely not!”
In the heavy‚ silent underground vault‚ for the first time today—I couldn’t help a small laugh at the exchange that felt just like a comedy routine.
My tears from the earlier sadness and anger still clung to my eyes. Yet the mass of despair that had been crushing my chest only moments ago had‚ strangely‚ lightened just a little.
Watching that‚ Noah narrowed the amber eyes of the ragged cat slightly.
『Good grief. It looks like it might be somewhat useful.』
Meanwhile Tama looked up at the piled 《Skill Seeds》‚ crossed its short front paws‚ and let out a small sigh. The tone had completely changed from the lighthearted one of a moment ago to something serious.
“……President.”
“This ain’t the time for laughin’. Our company’s first job—is life-or-death from the very start.”
The air in the underground vault was as heavy as lead and thoroughly chilled.
Black 《Mental Shell Tuners (Mental Adjusters)》 lined the walls in orderly rows. Countless 《Skill Seeds》. Cold‚ inorganic production equipment designed solely to remake children into standardized “products”—.
I quietly lifted one of the black headgears with both hands.
Thud.
A weight greater than expected clung to my slender arms. It felt as though I were holding the very mass of a human future in both hands.
“Using something like this…… is unthinkable.”
I murmured softly. “……Let’s dispose of them all.”
The words were not directed at anyone. They were a prayer-like voice spoken to myself.
『……Are you truly sure about that‚ Lily?』
Noah‚ curled in the hollow of my collarbone‚ spoke in his usual detached manner.
『The Dead End children who have been worked to the limit as batteries will soon be unable to maintain life activity unless their abilities are forcibly awakened here.』
“Eh? Why!? Even if mana completely hits zero‚ slum residents shouldn’t die‚ right!?”
『Normally‚ yes. But the children who were connected to the mana-absorption capsules are different.』
Noah’s cold voice drove the cruel truth home.
『Their bodies have been altered so that even after being freed from the machines they continue to undergo “natural discharge (mana leak).” Even when mana bottoms out the discharge does not stop‚ and eventually even the signals of life activity leak out until death. Beatrice’s 《Skill Seeds》 forcibly reset that discharge bug by burning the brain and overwrite (format) it as a vessel for new abilities. ……Will you still dispose of them? The young individual named Sasha should have almost no time left.』
“…………!”
Still staring at the headgear‚ I shook my head hard‚ hard.
“No……. I will save every single one of them!”
I took a deep breath and raised my face.
“I understand‚ Noah. ……Then I’ll rewrite that insane specification itself—all of it.”
The vault chamber fell completely silent. Noah narrowed the amber eyes of the ragged cat to the extreme and faintly raised the corners of his mouth.
『……Oh?』
“Noah‚ you’d like to observe with your own eyes how those children ‘bloom’ from now on‚ wouldn’t you? And if all forty of them become non-standard SSRs (highest rarity)—don’t you think that would be the ultimate act of spite (hack) against the privileged-class system?”
Desperately pinning down knees that threatened to tremble‚ I looked straight ahead.
“I will never let those children become slave gacha. I will draw out only the abilities (skills). But—I will never‚ under any circumstances‚ let their ‘dreams (hearts)’ be taken away!”
Noah’s eyes wavered with dark delight.
“If I take all the pain of the mud upon myself and keep the children’s brains completely unharmed (blank)—then their own ‘dreams (wills)’ should activate at a 100 % compatibility rate‚ right!?”
Noah let out a low‚ almost rapturous laugh from the depths of his throat.
『……Kuku. Hahaha!』
『I see. You intend to use your VIP tag as a relay server (proxy) and concentrate the hacking connection point (port) solely in your own brain. ……Magnificent. That would indeed become the greatest backdoor through which my causality calculations can pass. By using yourself as a shield‚ you will elevate all forty to a “group of highest-skill SSRs” at 100 % probability. ……What a beautiful‚ irrational bug.』
—That was when.
Tama stopped its round body and tugged at the hem of my dress with its short front paws.
“……President.”
I turned.
“What?”
“I told ya this ain’t the time for laughin’.”
Tama was looking up at the heavy headgear in my hands. Unlike the light Kansai dialect of earlier‚ every trace of usual cuteness had vanished from its snow-viewing-daifuku face.
“If the president becomes the host (substitute)‚ that means the lethal-dose barrier-breaking program the system sends to all forty kids—all of it will flow into the president’s single brain.”
The basement was once again wrapped in oppressive silence.
“Mental burnout‚ personality collapse‚ memory impairment. Worst case‚ ya never open yer eyes again. ……Are ya really sane?”
“I am sane.”
I answered instantly‚ without a shred of hesitation.
Noah exhaled a small breath of pure admiration.
『Truly irrational. But—interesting. Very well‚ Lily. I have certainly received your resolve.』
I walked toward the enormous circular device that sat in the depths of the basement. A silver floor. Multiple connection seats arranged in the center. Countless thick cables surrounding them. On the ceiling‚ a giant ring like an eyeball writhed.
『Mental Shell Tuner』
That ruthless official name floated up in blood-red on the retinal UI.
“This is……”
『The gate to the isolated digital space 《Nursery》.』
Noah stated quietly.
『From here you will immerse only your spirits (dive) into the digital sea managed by the ruling AI 〈Beatrice〉. The body sleeps while only the brain awakens. ……Beyond that is a pure world of spirit (data).』
I nodded quietly.
“Kaito.” “Yeah.” “Sasha.” “……Yeah.”
The two approached with stiff faces that could not completely hide their fear. Behind them‚ the forty children who had changed into brand-new clothes. Every one of them held the color of anxiety in their eyes as they looked at me.
I crouched on the spot without caring that the hem of my dress would get muddy‚ matching my eye level with each of them one by one.
“Are you scared?”
Sasha‚ large eyes moist‚ gave a small nod.
“……A little.”
I smiled at them with all the affection I possessed.
“It’s all right. I will absolutely protect you. I will never let anyone cry again. I promise.”
The children relaxed their shoulders in relief and gave small nods. Watching the scene from the side‚ Tama—quietly closed its round eyes.
“…………”
It let out one deep‚ heavy breath.
“……President.”
Not a single scrap of flippancy remained in that voice.
“I’m fallin’ for ya.”
When I turned‚ Tama was looking straight at me with something like pride.
I smiled back softly and quietly fitted the black headgear onto my head. Kaito‚ Sasha‚ and all the children sank their bodies into their respective connection seats.
『Connection (Link) commencing』
Inorganic character strings cascaded into my retina like a waterfall.
『Host confirmed. Highest-rank VIP (administrator authority) confirmed. Synchronization protocol commencing』
Countless cables began pulsing with pale-blue mana all at once. A low bass resonated in the gut. The air in the basement started to vibrate.
『Mental shell synchronization rate—20 %‚ 48 %‚ 73 %‚ 91 %‚ 99 %……』
—In that instant.
Deep into the recesses of my brain‚ a massive‚ ruthless “something” drove its wedge without the slightest courtesy.
『Aptitude analysis commencing. Host mental barrier detected. Barrier strength—exceeds regulation value (error). Forced breakthrough (hack) commencing』
—The world.
With agonizing pain‚ inverted to pure white.
Every color was stripped from the world.
Light. Gravity. Even the concept of time shattered into golden information lattices and scattered into the depths of my vision.
Before I knew it I was standing in an endless‚ inorganic void. No ceiling. No floor. Only cold geometric patterns stretching forever‚ and amber data particles falling quietly like ash.
In the center of that space—Kaito‚ Sasha and the others were staring at me with trembling‚ anxious faces.
“Onee-chan……!”
—That was the moment.
An inorganic electronic voice completely devoid of emotion rang throughout the entire space.
『—Welcome to the isolated digital space 《Nursery》』
『Domain under the jurisdiction of Management AI 〈Beatrice〉. ……Now commencing the 【Aptitude Investment Sequence】 for worthless assets (Dead End).』
The golden space pulsed once like a heart. In that instant‚ countless golden currents (programs) bared their fangs all at once from the void‚ trying to snatch the frightened children.
『Commencing insertion of obedience code. Forced loss-cut of rebellious spirit that becomes non-performing debt (noise). ……Executing optimization of the talent portfolio.』
“Everyone!”
Faster than the blades of light could pierce them‚ I forcibly activated the 『Highest-rank VIP Tag』 I had deployed as a relay shield (proxy).
『Error. Forced host change detected. Resetting investment destination (target) of all data flows—Lily Ardent』
The rewritten law (rule). The brainwashing programs that had been aimed at the forty children reversed into a thick torrent and poured back into the single brain (port) that was me.
—ZUGAAAAAA!!
A lethal overload (pulse) raced through my entire body.
“A————!!”
A soundless scream exploded in the back of my throat. Consciousness blew white. It was nothing as mild as numbness. Inside my brain‚ countless venomous snakes wreathed in high voltage writhed—an unprecedented agony.
『Host survival rate—49 %』
Vision shattered. Thought was torn apart. Fragments of memory cracked like glass.
『Aptitude analysis…… failure. Confirming host mental barrier. Barrier strength outside regulation value (error). ……Risk of mental destruction due to excess investment (overflow): extreme. Commencing forced breakthrough.』
The entire inorganic space dyed itself warning crimson. This time it was not even current. The golden information itself became a lethal muddy torrent and poured mercilessly into my skull. Equations‚ language‚ law‚ contracts‚ markets‚ value‚ profit—vast waves of information designed to castrate humans into parts of the system bared their fangs and rampaged inside my brain‚ trying to smash my personality to pieces.
“A……!”
“No……. Don’t erode me……!”
“Ga‚ a……!!”
Unable to endure‚ my knees collapsed onto the illusory marble. My brain was completely overheating. The pure-white dress that had wrapped my avatar could not withstand the torrent of information; it scattered multicolored noise and was torn to shreds.
The shoulders ripped‚ the sleeves unraveled. The mana-silk hem rose as scorched particles of light‚ and my skin flushed red with heat. On all fours‚ I gasped for breath. Every nerve in my body was igniting from within.
“Onee-chan!”
Behind me‚ Sasha cried out.
“Don’t come closer!!”
The dress completely shattered‚ and noise finally began to erode the very outline of my body (avatar)‚ initiating collapse. The sensation of being ground down. Still I screamed in a voice that felt like coughing blood.
“Do not move from there‚ no matter what!”
—That was the moment.
In the pure-white sofa of the deepest prison thousands of meters below‚ Noah elegantly sat and quietly brought the finest Darjeeling to his lips. Before him a giant hologram was deployed‚ displaying Lily’s spirit log on the verge of collapse and vital signs blinking bright red.
『Survival rate—7 %‚ 6 %‚ 5 %……』
Amber eyes narrowed with dark delight.
『A truly magnificent bug.』
He set the teacup quietly onto the saucer with a soft click.
『Calculated survival rate remaining is 4 %. ……An ordinary human would cut their losses (loss-cut) here‚ abandon the children‚ and forcibly sever the connection. But you truly never bore me.』
In the digital space the golden muddy torrent once again tried to swallow Lily. The foundation of personality creaked‚ and the boundary between self and world melted into ambiguous sludge.
One step from the limit.
The king of the deepest prison flicked a single key in the void with a cold fingertip.
—Click.
The world came to a complete stop. The violent agony that had been tormenting me froze as if it had been a lie.
『Good grief. Simply watching has become rather dull.』
Amber causality calculation (code) unfolded in multiple layers from Noah’s feet and easily climbed beyond the dimensional walls.
『Lily』
A quiet voice that resonated in the depths of my brain. Yet with that single word the information density of the digital space underwent a dramatic transformation.
『Release the barrier of your brain. Let my calculations pass through.』
In that instant. Something ice-cold and yet overwhelmingly beautiful quietly touched the deepest part of my brain.
Rejection was impossible. It was not even violence. Like a perfect key sliding into a precise keyhole‚ without the slightest resistance—Noah’s very 『intellect』 melted directly into my thought circuits.
“A……!”
(Noah’s equations…… are going directly into my head……!!)
A hot breath escaped from the back of my throat. Golden equations traced my neural pathways directly. The structure of the world‚ the system‚ causality‚ algorithms—every law (rule) of the world that I had never even been able to comprehend assembled itself in my mind in an instant.
My brain burned. Thought accelerated infinitely.
An overwhelming‚ cold intelligence eroded the deepest recesses of my brain directly‚ and a fierce overflow ran through my entire body. The very act of thinking was sharpened beyond its limits.
『That’s it.』
Noah’s sweet‚ cruel voice whispered.
『Do not reject that information. Accept all of my calculations.』
—At that moment. In the golden silence‚ a trembling voice pierced the world.
“……Onee-chan.”
Kaito‚ tears welling‚ stretched out a small hand. Burning that earnest fingertip into my eyes‚ I opened them wide.
(Noah……!)
My brain learned and digested the golden calculation formulas that had poured in at explosive speed.
“I…… will not lose!”
Turning Noah’s intellect into a weapon‚ I began destroying from within the cold causality the system had constructed. Forcing my body up from all fours‚ I turned toward the children.
“Tell me!!”
It was a cry from the soul that drowned out the system’s brainwashing.
“Everyone! What is your real dream!? What do you want to become!?”
Kaito opened his trembling mouth.
“I…… want to become someone who never lets anyone get lost again……!”
Sasha wiped her tears and continued.
“I…… want to become someone who can make clean water that everyone can drink……!”
“And the rest of you!?”
“We—!”
The moment the dreams (passion) of the forty children became perfect anchors against the system‚ vivid light first kindled in the world that had been dyed inorganic gold.
『Aptitude analysis…… error. Unknown selection algorithm (Dream Target) detected. Obedience code—forcibly corrupted. Personality retention…… success』
『—SSR aptitude confirmed. Spatial Grasp (Kaito)‚ Precision Filtration (Sasha). Commencing aptitude blooming sequence. Remaining thirty-eight‚ all SSR aptitudes approved』
Countless golden currents‚ this time without harming the children‚ shattered beautifully like petals of blessing.
In the midst of that multicolored light I smiled quietly.
“……It’s over.”
In the golden digital space that had been dominated by absolute violence—only the full-bloom smiles of the forty children liberated from the system blossomed vividly without end.
“—President!”
Someone’s call‚ as if pulling me back‚ brought consciousness rising from the bottom of darkness.
“President!” “Open yer eyes!”
My cheeks were patted repeatedly with a soft‚ paw-pad-like elasticity.
“Muni……”
When I forced my heavy eyelids open‚ a perfectly round cat face filled my entire field of vision.
“Wah!”
I jerked upright.
“Mornin’.”
Tama wagged its short tail and let out a breath of relief. “You were out cold for about three minutes.”
“……Three minutes?”
I pressed hard on my temples. My body felt abnormally hot. The depths of my brain still throbbed as if scorched.
Was it a dream? No. That golden void. Beatrice. And Noah—everything had been unmistakable reality.
“Onee-chan!”
Suddenly a small body flung itself against my chest.
“Sasha?”
From behind her‚ Kaito also ran up with shining eyes.
“Look!”
Sasha lightly brought her small‚ mud-stained hands together. From the gap between her palms—a single transparent droplet of water floated up softly. Not ditch water. A droplet polished to the extreme‚ as beautiful as a jewel.
“Amazing……”
I couldn’t help catching my breath.
“I made this.”
Sasha smiled a little shyly‚ yet proudly. On my retina the analysis result of Amber Vision popped up.
『SSR aptitude—Precision Filtration (Sasha). Target purity‚ 99.999 %』
“It really…… succeeded.”
Tears welled from sheer relief.
“Onee-chan‚ me too!”
This time Kaito closed his eyes. Within seconds a precise three-dimensional map (3D map) of the entire underground area was shared in real time on my retina. Complex water veins. Hidden pipes. Places where minute amounts of mana were stagnating. And the exact locations of the people living there—all of it became understandable as if held in the palm of my hand.
『SSR aptitude—Spatial Grasp (Kaito). Spatial error‚ 0.02 %』
Wiping my tears‚ I couldn’t help a small laugh.
“You two are incredible.”
“Thank you‚ Onee-chan!”
From behind them as well‚ bursting cheers rose one after another.
“I know how to use every kind of kitchen knife!” “I can see sewing diagrams floating in my head!” “I know how to fix broken machines!”
As if melting the frozen air of the basement‚ the children’s smiles spread.
Until yesterday they had been made to believe they possessed not a scrap of value and had been treated as disposable batteries. Today‚ for the first time‚ they had grasped 『their own special radiance (talent)』 without anyone breaking their hearts or smearing them with the mud of brainwashing.
“I’m so glad……”
I placed a hand on my chest and exhaled deeply. “Truly…… I’m so glad……”
『Now then. That’s enough wallowing in sentiment.』
Noah’s chilly voice resonated in my brain.
『President. An organization called a company is only permitted to continue existing once it produces profit (numbers).』
“Ah……”
In an instant I was dragged back to cold reality. That’s right—there was not a second to spare for crying with joy. If we did not produce profit within six months and satisfy the area manager‚ everyone here would be erased (deleted) along with the system without a trace.
“All right!”
I clapped my hands together and rose with dignity.
“Everyone! This is the first job of our company (team)!”
The children answered in unison with sparkling‚ lively voices.
“Yes!”
◇
In the lowest layer of the slums‚ decayed mana conduits were stretched in a complex spiderweb. The enormous mana that should originally have been sent to the city’s core. A tiny fraction of it had continued leaking for years through gaps in the deteriorated infrastructure.
No one had noticed. Or rather‚ even if they had noticed‚ no one in the slums possessed the ability to extract and harvest only the minute mana from that filth.
—Until yesterday.
“President!”
Kaito‚ eyes still closed‚ pointed with absolute certainty.
“This way! Behind the pipes further ahead—lots of leakage!”
“Roger!”
I kicked through the mud and ran.
“Sasha‚ please!” “Okay!”
Sasha held both hands over the leak site. A transparent sphere tinged with pale light was born and gently drew in the sludge-mixed mana that had been leaking. Her 『Precision Filtration』 perfectly stripped away only the impurities‚ and pure refined mana crystals floated up one after another like stars in the night sky.
“Amazing……”
Even the maids who had come along as escorts caught their breath at the sight before them.
“Refining speed of this level…… it would not lose to the plants of large enterprises in the middle strata.”
The elderly butler‚ too‚ widened his eyes in astonishment. Between them Tama scurried about on its short legs.
“Carry that over! Separate ’em by purity!” “President! There’s still more over here!” “Got it‚ coming now!”
No one stopped their feet. Everyone was covered in mud yet laughing as if bursting.
Working was this precious. Opening the future with one’s own talent was this proud—such dazzling heat rapidly painted over the gloomy underground gloom.
◇
Several hours later. The huge container we had brought was completely filled with high-purity mana crystals that glittered dazzlingly.
Tama deployed holographic equations in the air as a substitute for a calculator.
“President. Rough estimate……”
Tama’s round eyes grew even rounder.
“One thousand two hundred mana.”
I sucked in a breath.
“That much……? One mana can buy three black breads and a cup of hot soup‚ so‚ um……”
The calculation couldn’t keep up. “I can’t…… I have no idea at all!”
“One thousand two hundred mana means all forty employees can eat their fill for thirty days without any fear‚ breathe‚ and live laughing—literally a ‘ticket to heaven’!”
“Wow!?” “It’s a huge success……!”
From the children rose a cheer that threatened to split the air.
“Yay!” “With this‚ everyone can live!” “We can eat lots of delicious food!”
I nodded firmly with a full smile. “Yeah! Thank you‚ everyone—really!”
◇
Evening. At the delivery terminal linked directly to the middle-stratum system‚ installed in a corner of the residential district. When the pure mana crystals packed into the container were poured into the storage slots‚ a giant hologram quietly activated.
『Delivery complete』
『Calculating total profit』
“Here it comes……!”
I clenched my fists tightly in front of my chest. “Please……!”
The numbers on the hologram began spinning at high speed like the gears of the world.
『Total profit: 1‚254 mana』
“We did it!!”
The children jumped up and down with joy.
—But. The next instant.
The displayed numbers.
Gari.
With an unpleasant noise they were scraped away before our eyes.
1‚254 ↓ 861 ↓ 480 ↓ 227 ↓ 125
“…………Eh?”
The air in front of the terminal froze completely. The display switched with a cold light.
『Net profit—125 mana. System deduction—90 %』
“…………”
I stiffened on the spot as if struck by lightning.
“Eh.” “Eh?” “Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!?”
Tama leapt onto the monitor with its short legs.
“What the hell is this!! President!! This is just plain fraud!! System deduction of 90 percent is worse than the yakuza!!”
The children‚ unable to understand what had happened‚ began murmuring in anxious fear.
With trembling hands I tapped the screen again and again and re-analyzed the structure (logic) with Amber Vision.
It was not a bug. The display was completely correct.
Nine-tenths of the profit we had earned through sweat and toil had been legally collected by this city’s 『legitimate rules』.
The ragged cat curled in the hollow of my collarbone let out a small laugh from the depths of its throat.
『……Kuku』
A quiet‚ darkly delighted laugh.
『Remember this well‚ Lily. The system never lies.』
I slowly turned around.
『The ones who create convenient lies (rules)』
Amber eyes narrowed eerily in the evening darkness.
『are always the humans on the side that creates them.』
Oppressive silence. Noah continued speaking cruelly‚ as if savoring the finest entertainment.
『Now then‚ rookie president. This thief named 【vested interest】 that legally skims away the crystallization of your blood and sweat—how will you overturn it?』
I once more stared at the pitiful number “125” displayed on the terminal.
Deep in my chest—something like a pale-blue flame of strong will‚ not despair‚ began to burn quietly yet fiercely.
(It was stolen. Then—I will absolutely take it back……! Grudges over food are terrifying‚ after all!!)
The sepia-toned dusk of the sinking slum quietly illuminated the inorganic numbers on the terminal and the flame of counterattack that had taken root in my eyes.
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Chapter 04.2 “The Digital Nursery and the Amber COO” — End
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