Ch.233Jagang Ducheon (1)

The man blowing the bottle horn threw the bottle straight ahead. The glass bottle flew in a parabolic arc and hit the TV, which let out a death rattle.

“Eidel, Eidel von Rheinland.”

No matter how many times he repeated it, it was still an unlucky name.

The man swept back his disheveled hair and slumped onto the sofa. His gaze circled around the room.

A musty smell like rotten cheese. Dirty water dripping from outdated plumbing. A wooden table covered with marks where rats had gnawed.

The civilian homes on frontier planets were this miserable.

It was because the government’s reach didn’t extend here.

Technological advances weren’t distributed at equal speeds across all planetary systems. In some villages on this Delaus planetary system, analog TVs were still considered new technology.

That was why the man had been able to reign like a king until now.

“Pina!”

At his shout, an android with pink twin-tails came running. Despite her appearance of a child about ten years old, she wore an oversized windbreaker that didn’t fit her frame.

“Yes, Burce Doctor!”

“It’s not Burce, it’s Bruce! How many times do I have to tell you!”

“Heeeng.”

“So, have you collected all the scrap metal?”

“10.4% remaining until quota fulfillment!”

“You sluggish girl.”

Bruce picked up a random stone fragment lying around and threw it. The android Pina’s head made a clunk sound. She left again, whimpering.

“This is why 4th generation models…”

He muttered as he stood up.

Bruce left the house to get some fresh air. When he opened the door, a hazy sandstorm obscured his vision. He put on his goggles and crossed through the shantytown.

The Delaus-4 planet was once a playground for outer gods.

It wasn’t affected by the Aether Belt, and many people were infected with madness. On the streets, you could see patients staggering around like drug addicts.

Now it’s different.

Bruce hid behind a wall at the sound of orderly footsteps. An army equipped with power armor was patrolling. They were there to capture and isolate those infected with madness.

“…Damn, because of him.”

Eidel Rheinland. After he ended the Southern Great War and took the position of head of the Rheinland family, many places that could be called “frontiers” disappeared. It was because the range of the Aether Belt had expanded.

“Who does he think he is to interfere with my research?”

He didn’t like it.

There couldn’t be a scientist better than himself.

“Bruce Doctor, I collected everything!”

Pina came pulling a cart with effort. It was full of scrap metal to be used for making research equipment. Despite appearances, she was quite strong.

“If you’re done, move it to the base. This isn’t a place we can stay for long.”

“Yes, Doctor!”

“And there’s one more thing you need to do.”

“What is it?”

Bruce handed her a photo and said:

“Infiltrate this guy’s lab and bring back his research materials. As much as you can, got it?”

Pina saluted and nodded.

“Understood, Doctor!”

Watching Pina run off eagerly on her short legs, Bruce stroked his rough chin.

Doctor.

It still had a nice ring to it.

***

I was in the middle of monitoring black hole evaporation phenomena while continuing a battle of wits with outer gods.

“Hello, big brother! I, I’m Pina! I came because I’m interested in your laboratory!”

A pink-haired girl came to see me.

No, since she’s a robot, she’s not really a girl.

I knew exactly who she was.

The assistant of the mad scientist, Bruce Izof.

“You came because you’re interested in my lab?”

“Yes!”

“Where are you from?”

“D-Delaus planet!”

“Isn’t that a frontier?”

“It used to be, but not anymore! Thanks to your research, the Aether Belt expanded! Because of that, the streets are cleaner and public safety is much better! Thank you so much!”

Pina bowed her head. Her face was as bright as the morning sun.

“In that sense… can I tour your lab?”

“I’m sorry, but tours are difficult due to security issues.”

“Heeng.”

She quickly became dejected.

“This is a borrowed facility. To tour, you need to get permission from the research institute and be issued an entry pass.”

“Then I guess there’s no choice…”

She’s giving up more easily than I expected.

I thought an assistant of Bruce would be more persistent.

But then.

The android suddenly pulled out a terminal and shouted:

“Hypnosis beam——!!”

It was a picture with black and white fractals drawn on it.

In the middle, there were round, complex shapes. Is this that hypnosis app or whatever?

[— You have viewed a photo concentrated with outer god madness.]

[— You have received 100 Pron.]

What is this now?

That Bruce fellow has made some strange things.

“…Gasp.”

“The pattern is pretty. You must like these things, huh?”

“O-One more time! Hypnosis beam!!”

[— You have viewed a video highly concentrated with outer god madness.]

[— You have received 200 Pron.]

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ is curious about a device it has never seen before.]

Well, thank you.

“W-Why isn’t the Doctor’s invention working?”

“Our android friend seems very interested in repeating fractal structures. Did you know? Fractals exist in nature too. Here, I’ll print out some interesting papers for you to read when you have time.”

“Eek!”

The android stepped back.

“T-Then I’ll come back another time! Goodbye!”

And with that, she ran away.

“…”

One thing’s for sure, Bruce has his eye on me.

I should set up some simple countermeasures before the outer gods get involved.

“Cartesia?”

[“…Damn kid.”]

***

“So, you just ran away?”

“I’m sorry, Doctoooor!”

Bruce slapped his forehead. He was eating and stabbed a sausage with his fork.

“There’s a limit to incompetence!”

The sausage Bruce threw hit Pina’s forehead. Pina picked up the fallen side dish from the floor, gobbled it up, and bowed her head.

“I’m sorryyyy!”

“This is why 4th generation models…”

He was angry at the obsolete robot’s level of work, but he also gained useful information.

Namely, that Eidel, like himself, was resistant to the madness of outer gods.

It felt like finding a comrade, or perhaps a worthy rival.

Bruce revealed his yellowed teeth in a smile.

“Go back again. This time, avoid him and secretly steal his research materials.”

“But Doctor, that person seems to stay in his lab all day! He orders androids to bring him water and meals, and even goes to the bathroom in just one minute!”

“Why aren’t you thinking? If he doesn’t go out, then create an environment where he has to go out! Have the director summon him or something!”

“Ah, yes! Understood!”

Pina was about to leave but turned her head.

“Doctor, we only have enough money for a one-way shuttle ticket.”

“…”

Budget.

It was the most sensitive issue for Bruce.

“Can’t you teleport me?”

“Find your own way back.”

Pina gave a sharp salute. Bruce snapped his fingers, and her form disappeared to another location. Bruce’s nose stung.

“Damn it…”

A spatial jump skill using dead constellations. Using it once requires draining all the Aether in his body. The rebound causes rapid exhaustion, so he only uses it when absolutely necessary.

Poof!

Pina set foot in the Southern Observatory again. Just then, a researcher wearing an ID card around his neck was coming toward her.

“Heeng heeng.”

Pina plopped down and pretended to cry.

“Oh my, little one. Are you lost?”

“Hypnosis beam!”

“Ugh.”

“Now go to Eidel Rheinland’s lab and say: The director is calling you, please go down to the director’s office right away!”

The researcher staggered away. Pina giggled and went up to the director’s office.

Using the same method, she put the director under a one-hour hypnosis and commanded:

“Talk with Eidel Rheinland until the hypnosis wears off! You must not let him leave!”

The plan was perfect. Pina hummed a tune as she went up to Eidel’s lab. The researcher from earlier was talking with Eidel.

“The, the director has, has business with you, he, he says come.”

“I’m busy right now, so I’ll do it later.”

“He says it’s, necessary.”

“Then by phone.”

“In person, in person…”

“If it were really urgent, wouldn’t the director have come up himself?”

Pina was dumbfounded.

Come on, even if he is the head of the Rheinland family. How could a mere master’s student talk to the research director like that?

Isn’t he being disrespectful?

Eidel patted the researcher’s shoulder.

“I’m joking. If the director is calling, I should go right away.”

Great.

Luckily, Eidel left the door open. Peeking inside, she saw no one was there. It was an opportunity as good as divine providence.

Pina entered the lab and quickly gathered various items.

Research notes?

Oh my, I must take these!

A tablet with top-level security?

Oh my, I should take this too!

The computer… wasn’t visible. He must be using a wearable screen system or a laptop. Pina decided to return with what she had.

“Still a pretty good haul!”

That’s when it happened.

Whirrrr!

With an eerie electronic sound, the door closed.

“…Huh?”