Ch.108″I’ve brought the product you ordered!”

Of course, since our Superhumans couldn’t see status screens either.

There was no way I’d just say “I see” and leave, so I only departed after conducting my own “tests.”

After watching various autonomous drones appear from somewhere to clean up the training grounds that had become a complete mess due to my “testing.”

Afterward, I decided to return to the Command Center and check my quest window, which was now cluttered with “high-grade” quests.

But the moment I arrived at the Command Center.

“Ah, Commander!”

Jessica, who had come to the Command Center ahead of me saying there was no need for her to watch my “testing” at the training facility.

Was welcoming me while wiggling her distinctive rabbit ears.

Of course, she always greeted me when I entered the Command Center.

But now she was welcoming me with an even brighter expression than usual.

I asked her with a tone suggesting something unusual might have happened.

“What’s going on? Did something happen?”

“Yes! Marian said she caught the pirates who raided our resource warehouse and is returning now!”

“Oh…?”

“And she managed to capture most of the raiders alive!”

“Ohhh?”

“She said she’ll be back in about two hours and asked me to let you know.”

And with her response, I felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

==========

Two hours and ten minutes after receiving Jessica’s report.

“So these are the ones who dared to raid our resource warehouse?”

“That’s right, Oppa!”

Seeing Marian’s beaming face as if seeking praise.

I patted her head while turning my gaze toward what appeared to be kneeling figures, but.

‘Wait, where are these bastards’ arms and legs?’

Now that I looked closer, they weren’t kneeling—they were just sitting because their legs had been cut off below the knees.

I thought their arms were tied behind their backs, but most had been severed below the shoulders.

With dozens of men and women of all ages with amputated limbs lined up on the Command Center floor…

Pointing at the mass of torsos made from humans, elves, and unidentifiable aliens that had been mass-produced before me.

I expressed my doubts to Marian, whom I had been diligently patting on the head, wondering why she had brought them here.

More precisely, I was wondering why she had “packaged” them in an “amputated” state.

“Marian, why are they in this condition?”

“Oh, you mean those pieces of trash?”

Marian briefly glanced at the torso group(?) upon hearing my words.

She quickly returned her gaze to me and continued with a satisfied expression.

“What do you think? I brought them back well, didn’t I?!”

“…Hmm.”

“They were unnecessarily resistant, and some tried to escape while I was bringing them back!”

“So you cut off all their limbs?”

“Yes!”

As she radiated an aura that screamed “Didn’t I do well? Praise me! Pat my head!” with her entire body.

All I could do was diligently pat her head and gently pinch her cheeks.

After praising her with plenty of affectionate touches, Marian began explaining why she had brought them.

“Well, at first when I heard they dared to raid Oppa’s resource warehouse, I was just going to kill them all.”

I noticed the shoulders of the former pirates, current maggots, trembling at Marian’s words.

But since neither Jessica nor any of the pirate officers nearby paid them any attention.

I decided to just go with it and continued listening to Marian.

“I see, but it seems you had reasons for bringing them alive.”

“Of course! After ripping out their captain’s spine, I thought about it and realized that disposing of them should be your job, Oppa.”

“My job?”

“Yes, you’re the one whose resources were stolen, and the security guards who died in the process were under your command, right?”

I nodded in agreement, and Marian clapped her hands a couple of times, pleased that her thinking was correct, then continued.

“These days, losing limbs doesn’t mean you can’t get new ones, so I figured I’d bring them like this and you could decide what to do with them.”

“Hmm.”

“Or you could execute them all as punishment for the theft.”

“…Hmmmm.”

The title “Pirate Empress” wasn’t given to her for nothing.

The youngest Superhuman-like atmosphere she had when she was with us was completely gone, replaced by a cold and ruthless side.

Feeling a slight chill, I indicated that I understood.

And upon hearing such words, a sudden choice event popped up before my eyes after a long time.

—————————————-

<Event-Choice>

<Issue regarding the disposal of the raided prisoners(?)!>

<Content: The Pirate Empress Marian, far from hindering your great work(?).>

<Has successfully captured the entire pirate crew who dared to raid and steal resources from your base.>

<And has presented you with the crew members of said pirate group, thoroughly amputating their limbs as she usually does.>

<Making them like wobbling dolls so they couldn’t even dream of escaping or rebelling.>

<And she has asked you how you wish to handle these individuals.>

<Choice 1: This doesn’t seem like something to discuss right now, let’s talk about it again when everyone is gathered. (Follow-up event will proceed)>

<Choice 2: I can’t let those who dared to steal my resources live. (Execute all individuals)>

<Choice 3: Labor shall set you free. (Ability to build forced labor camp, can put captured NPCs to work to acquire resources)>

—————————————-

‘Forced labor camp, is this Aoji?’

Seeing such an interesting choice appear, I was about to immediately select option 3, but.

Just for a moment.

‘Wait, this crappy game wouldn’t give users something that’s unconditionally beneficial.’

Just like the random event I’m experiencing now where pirates raid someone else’s resource warehouse, they wouldn’t do something so benevolent.

With that thought, I spent a moment in contemplation…

‘Well, if I’m contemplating this much, I probably don’t need to think about it further right now.’

Since the very act of contemplating was essentially the same as choosing option 1.

I promptly selected option 1 and calmly began speaking to Marian.

<Choice 1: This doesn’t seem like something to discuss right now, let’s talk about it again when everyone is gathered. (Follow-up event will proceed)><Selected>

“Alright, I understand what you’re saying, Marian.”

“Thank you for understanding, Oppa!”

“However, I’d like to properly discuss how to deal with them after the others return.”

“Oh, is that so? Hmm… certainly, it would be better to have experts from each field give their opinions directly.”

Hearing my words, Marian agreed that it made sense.

She said she would take care of them until Berial and our other senior Superhumans returned, and to call her if needed, then left the Command Center.

==========

About three hours later.

After telling the five Superhuman women who had returned from completing today’s quests about Marian’s “gift.”

“Is that so? Why not just kill them all?”

“A forced labor camp is quite an interesting topic, it might work out well if done properly.”

“Or how about giving them basic limbs and using them as slaves~♡ It might be convenient to have them attend to our needs♡”

“Pashtra, a nun shouldn’t pursue only convenience.”

“Heeeng.”

Everyone had different things to say.

Regardless of which method to adopt, everyone showed quite positive reactions.

And among them…

“Commander, if you give them to me, I think I can make them extremely helpful to our base?!”

Our ma-d scientist, Professor Griyanar.

With her characteristic purple gleam in her eyes, wearing an extremely happy face.

Looking at the maggots Marian had brought, she was even blushing and smiling.

She showed the most excited attitude, which made me wonder what on earth was making her act that way.