Ch.186186. Transformation Girl Fresia

Gilbert had no hesitation in introducing himself as a veteran of Tactical Combat. After being discharged from the military with a broken body, virtual reality games were all he could manage, so he invested all his time in Tactical Combat except for eating and sleeping.

His achievement of 100% completion wasn’t something that could be accomplished with mere effort—it required obsessive perseverance and determination. While it felt somewhat empty that the result was coming to this world, it wasn’t entirely bad.

For someone who had played Tactical Combat almost like living a second life, meeting the actual living, breathing characters was both fascinating and enjoyable.

As such, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Gilbert had seen all the lore in Tactical Combat. While human memory has its limits and he couldn’t remember everything in detail, he at least knew the keywords for major events and background settings.

However, he didn’t know that Fresia was the princess of the ancient empire of Eldorado. Information about her could only be obtained by completing a sub-scenario, and even then, all he knew was that she was a super artificial spirit created by the ancient empire of Eldorado, which had mastered advanced magical engineering technology.

The reason she was created was to operate Colossus, the officially recognized 0-tier giant war machine in Tactical Combat. Ordinary artificial spirits couldn’t even handle operating the Colossus.

With the desired outcome known and the reason understood, implementing it became the task of magical engineers. After countless trials and errors, Fresia was born and became the dedicated artificial spirit for Colossus—that was the extent of Gilbert’s knowledge.

But Fresia being the princess of the ancient civilization of Eldorado?

The story was progressing far too quickly.

“I don’t understand. You were originally human?”

“You catch on quickly. I was hoping to see a look of disbelief on your face.”

Fresia smiled brightly, seemingly pleased. Apparently, she felt that Gilbert completely believed her words.

“I just didn’t think you would tell pointless stories. You tend to be rational.”

“Compliments won’t get you any gifts.”

Her slightly blushing cheeks suggested she was embarrassed by Gilbert’s praise.

This certainly happened often when he played Tactical Combat. They would bicker like frenemies, but when he occasionally gave her a compliment, she would get irritated or embarrassed instead.

Even though that was in the game, if this world was based on that game, Fresia’s reaction made sense.

“Anyway, as I said, I was originally human.”

“Was human, you say.”

“As you know, I’m an artificial spirit now.”

Was it mockery? Or self-deprecation?

Gilbert couldn’t shake the feeling that the smile hanging on Fresia’s lips was somehow self-destructive.

“I was both a princess and a magical engineer. The best magical engineer in the empire, in fact.”

“A fitting profession for you.”

“I told you compliments won’t get you any gifts.”

This time, instead of blushing, she glared at Gilbert as if telling him not to interrupt.

Gilbert shrugged. A gesture indicating he wouldn’t interfere and she should continue.

“At that time, Eldorado was a superpower that had conquered the continent. We waged and won conquest wars against all countries, and naturally, giant war machines were the foundation of our power.”

Gilbert recalled the lore of Tactical Combat that he had thought about before. Politicians and magical engineers who loved to exaggerate had discovered the lost technology of giant war machines in ancient ruins but claimed they had developed it themselves.

Restoring lost technology from a fallen civilization was impressive enough, but people always get excited about words like “first” or “original.”

As a result of political reasons and desire for glory, they announced that giant war machines were invented in the current generation, but that wasn’t the truth.

Going back to when Fresia was a princess—the era of the now-fallen Eldorado—giant war machines were first invented. That was also when Colossus, the 0-tier giant war machine of Tactical Combat, was created.

“And I was the one who handled the basic design of those giant war machines.”

“You’re saying you were a developer of giant war machines?”

“That’s right. I gathered the best magical scholars from across the continent and created the first giant war machine.”

This was incredibly surprising.

Usually, technological advancement is based on knowledge accumulated over generations, but the tipping point always comes when an unparalleled genius appears.

There are always geniuses ahead of their time, and in the Eldorado era, that genius was Fresia.

Having experienced her directly in both Tactical Combat and this world, Gilbert had no trouble accepting this fact.

“I don’t know if you’ll understand, but after the first giant war machine was created and mass-produced, I developed a certain ambition. The kind of ambition any magical engineer would have.”

Fresia said that while her ambition was extravagant, that’s what made it valuable.

As a magical engineer, she wanted to create an unprecedented and supreme giant war machine.

With this simple and straightforward proposition, she began development.

As a result, the performance of giant war machines improved remarkably day by day.

Magical engineers unanimously praised Fresia, but she herself was not satisfied.

Is this really the best?

That can’t be.

Repeating those words like an obsession, she immersed herself in research and development.

Ten years after the first giant war machine was developed,

she created Colossus, the supreme giant war machine.

“I can assure you, Colossus is truly supreme. No existing artificial spirit could draw out one hundred percent of its performance.”

“Then developing an artificial spirit was the next step.”

“Exactly. But that’s as far as I got. With the time I had left.”

Fresia made a bitter expression as she twirled the ends of her hair. Gilbert realized something about what she meant by “the time I had left.”

“Was it an illness?”

“You’re so perceptive. Even I was a bit reluctant to say it directly.”

Gilbert didn’t bother to respond.

As if proving the saying that geniuses die young, Fresia seemed to have fallen ill after completing Colossus.

Her obsessive dedication to research might have contributed to her death.

Then he suddenly looked at Fresia.

If she had died, what did it mean that she was now an artificial spirit?

Gilbert felt a chill run down his spine.

A terrible thought crossed his mind.

“You figured that out too, I see?”

Fresia’s eyes curved into half-moons.

As if confirming his suspicion.

“Was it your will?”

“Yes. Creating the supreme giant war machine means being able to reproduce its performance at one hundred percent. If you just make it but can’t use it properly, can you really say it’s complete? So I did it. I used my soul as material to create an artificial spirit.”

Looking at her grinning face, Gilbert felt a chill.

Fresia, the super artificial spirit of Tactical Combat, had used her own dead soul as material to create an artificial spirit.

The most accurate description for this would be nothing other than “mad magical engineer.”

***

Fresia felt an indescribable emotion as she watched Gilbert quietly observing her.

It was difficult to express, but if she had to define this feeling, it was pleasure or amusement.

When she first saw Gilbert, she felt nothing beyond displeasure, so how did they end up in this situation?

There were several reasons.

His dazzling convictions were impressive, and she quite liked his firm resolve that never wavered once a decision was made.

Usually, people with such characteristics integrated well into groups and became focal points in times of crisis. The ability to unite soldiers in desperate moments was something any ruler would find attractive.

But the decisive reason why Fresia liked Gilbert wasn’t his convictions or resolve.

She was a princess, but also a magical engineer, and even facing death, she was someone obsessed with magical engineering to the point of staking her soul to create the perfect giant war machine.

She could feel the same emotions as others, but for Fresia, they were outside her priorities. Even after countless years as an artificial spirit, her sole purpose remained creating the supreme giant war machine.

The reason someone with such an abnormal goal felt pleasure or amusement toward Gilbert was singular.

It was his talent for controlling giant war machines.

The reason she immediately contracted with Ian, who had awakened her, was because of his talent for control. After making contact with him, she saw through Ian’s special skill and formed a contract without hesitation.

The reason Fresia had endured for so many years was the same as why she became an artificial spirit.

A maddening obsession with creating the supreme giant war machine.

She had succeeded in creating the supreme giant war machine and artificial spirit, but there was no knight who could perfectly handle it.

Even the renowned Lion King Terodamas of the modern era hadn’t fully utilized Colossus’s capabilities. While he certainly possessed remarkable talent, it wasn’t enough to handle Colossus.

That’s why Fresia chose to sleep, only to be awakened by Ian after a long time. Ian’s talent hadn’t fully bloomed yet, but showed sufficient potential.

With Fresia’s assistance, he could certainly grow enough to utilize all of Colossus’s capabilities.

The foundation for creating the supreme giant war machine she so desperately desired had been established.

However, Fresia’s expectations were disrupted when she met Gilbert. His skills seemed superior to Ian’s, and she sensed he had already reached a certain level.

Still, she was confident that Ian, with her support, would eventually surpass Gilbert.

In fact, when she told Ian this, it wasn’t just to encourage him. Ian’s special skill, Integration, was so unique and special that it might never exist again.

She firmly believed that time would solve everything, but that belief was shattered from the moment she began working with Gilbert.

The uniqueness of Integration?

The belief that time would solve everything?

It was all meaningless.

Gilbert was already a genius on the verge of perfection, and he possessed special skills that even she couldn’t fully comprehend.

The battles she fought with him were deeply etched in her mind and heart, refusing to fade.

That was why Ian had recently commented that she seemed distracted.

These thoughts became even more prominent during the current war.

She wondered how he could so casually use her despite her formal contract with Ian, and his mastery of control was incredibly intriguing. Even their bickering exchanges captured Fresia’s interest.

Was that why?

She began comparing him to Ian, who had been showing disappointing performance lately.

She immediately shook her head to clear the thought, but it had come to her all too naturally.

Fresia twirled the ends of her hair as she gazed at Gilbert, who was lost in thought.

His contemplative response to her words seemed quite amusing.

Watching him, Fresia thought that a moment of decision would soon arrive.

Whatever direction it took would be up to Ian, not her.