When Selling a Grave, Exclude My Own 6

“What you are about to see is our family’s cause, our true military force, and our power.”

“What are you talking about? Wasn’t our main force those private soldiers we gathered from mega corps or family pacts?”

“Ha, do you think we can win against the Central with something like that?”

What is this?

Alice tilted her head at Perdain’s words.

For the past two months, Alice, as Perdain’s adopted daughter and Arbentaine’s successor, had been indirectly receiving information about their cause.

Families and mega corps allied with Arbentaine, and even some layers, had sent their will to rebel against the Central.

In terms of scale, excluding the Ruincrest layer, about seven upper layers were participating in the rebellion.

Of course, Alice reported all this information to Rilstia and Oriana.

The military force and supplies for their ’cause’ were astronomical, but even so, the Central Administrative Office judged that it would take at least eight years for Arbentaine to complete the ‘rebellion plan.’ Thanks to this, Alice decided to enjoy a long-term infiltration mission, holding hands with Fira and Taylor, and attending the Academy with a relaxed mind.

With eight years to spare, nothing earth-shattering would happen. When the scheduled eight years approached, she planned to establish a rebellion suppression plan to deal with the subversive elements with minimal bloodshed.

But ‘something like that’?

Perdain’s words implied that they couldn’t stand against the Central with a private army of one million Awakened and massive war machines.

“This was our true power and the center of the revolution.”

-Bzzzt!

“Wow. What a mess.”

Alice followed Perdain into the family’s secret facility, a homunculus manufacturing plant.

Originally, it would have been an enormous facility that even Alice couldn’t fully grasp, but now it looked like a trench after a high-explosive bomb had detonated inside.

“Alice, do you know what our family’s secret abilty is?”

“Dehite seemed to be manipulating the mass of space? Honestly, his skill was terrible.”

“The mass of space? No, the Arbentaine Family’s vision is not something like that. Our family’s abilty is ‘accumulation’ through blood.”

“Accumulation?”

“Marry talented people, extract their talents, and store them in the family’s secret magic formula. If this is passed down through generations, the power becomes enormous.”

Only then did Alice remember Jess’s cries about having her talent stolen by Arbentaine.

It wasn’t a figurative expression; her talent was really stolen by Arbentaine?

“And the collected talents… were to be injected into these.”

“…Everything’s broken.”

“Yes, into the broken things. The place that should have been filled with countless homunculi… ha, now everything is completely shattered.”

Perdain kicked a broken culture tube.

The reinforced glass shattered from his angry kick, leaving only traces of something that had been inside.

【Based on the direction of the damage and the traces, it is presumed that someone who did not know how to use it caused an overcurrent and forcibly awakened the homunculi.】

Homunculi.

Perdain intended to create tactical weapons, each with tremendous combat power, by injecting the Arbentaine collected talents into all the combat homunculi he had created with forbidden techniques.

Originally, the purpose was to dim their ego and reason, but it seemed that someone who had infiltrated this place… yes, Marlang had given all the homunculi reason and ego.

Of course, giving complex thoughts and ego close to humans to homunculi required enormous resources, mana, and energy, and the reason why the facility was half destroyed was because Marlang had made the homunculi her friends.

【However, this is amazing. They built this place over a long period of time with technology and formulas that even I am seeing for the first time.】

‘Is it that much?’

【Given time, I can analyze it, but at least at this point, it is impossible for me to completely analyze the technology here.】

Wow, is that so?

Alice hadn’t expressed it, but she inwardly acknowledged that Theresa was a super-duper AI omnipotent assistant personality. If Theresa said something like that, it would be the highest praise.

【I think I know now why Perdain is so confidently shouting about the cause.】

Alice and Theresa had secretly laughed at Perdain’s rebellion.

That smart bastard still hadn’t figured out that she was an infiltrator. He couldn’t even beat the Central’s Overseer or Executioner unit by raising a lot of mega corps or private soldiers.

He was the self-proclaimed king of the Ruincrest layer and a meritorious family, yet he didn’t even realize that.

They thought that even if they left him alone and he started a rebellion, he wouldn’t even be able to leave the layer and would be suppressed by the Central’s army.

In fact, they had already grasped the scale of Perdain’s military supplies and private soldiers over the past two months and were reporting the trends to Oriana and Rilstia in real time.

【The homunculi born in this facility have already surpassed the existing restrictions and limitations. Considering the internal resources and capacity, Perdain can essentially produce First-Class Overseers who only listen to his orders indefinitely, assuming resources are available.】

‘Homunculi can do that?’

【Of course, the resources mobilized are not light. The abilities of the original Awakened are also needed. However, Perdain didn’t care what happened to other areas except for the Ruincrest layer in the first place. Rather, he wanted to concentrate the Ark’s resources and energy used for them to Arbentaine, so he may have added a gimmick to the homunculi that allows them to absorb the lives or energy of others like True Ancestors.】

Oh, that’s really…

That’s really amazing?

The more Alice listened to Theresa, the more she realized that she almost made a big mistake.

Unlimited production of bio-combat weapons, homunculi, whose physical specifications can be designed at will?

Furthermore, the deficient resources are supplemented by grinding other layers or hostile entities?

For the Central Administrative Office, which has to protect the vast majority of the Ark’s citizens, it is the worst opponent.

No joke, if Perdain’s rebellion had proceeded smoothly, a tremendous calamity would have occurred, regardless of whether the rebellion succeeded or not.

Perhaps the entire Ark would have been caught up in the rebellion war, and countless lives would have been lost.

A great disaster caused by human hands.

If you were to give it a title, it would be something like the Homunculus Great War?

“But now everything, everything has become useless. What is this, what is this…”

But now Perdain was looking around the facility with a hollow face.

“What, what is going on?”

Normally, he would automatically maintain a dignified and arrogant posture to maintain the dignity of the head of the Arbentaine Family, but now Perdain’s face was as if he was having a nightmare.

“I, I have invested the family’s vision, wealth, and life that I had been preparing since the previous generation. Who on earth infiltrated this place and ruined my cause, our cause, our family’s vision, glory, and everything that would shine brilliantly? The Central Administrative Office couldn’t have done that. I am always monitoring them. There are no Central maggots in this layer. Who is it? Who is it? Who is it…!”

Due to the excessive production process, the formulas and power sources that maintained the facility were destroyed beyond recognition. It was only natural that Perdain was heartbroken, as everything he had achieved had disappeared completely.

Alice slyly approached Perdain, who was in a state of panic, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Calm down, Father.”

“Shut up! Calm down? Did you just say calm down? How can I calm down after seeing this sight…!”

However, Perdain’s eyes, glaring at Alice, were filled with murderous intent.

It’s not incomprehensible.

He really had a chance of succeeding in the rebellion, but he lost it in an instant, and she’s telling him to calm down.

However, Alice, faced with his terrifying expression, smiled slyly and tapped him as if he were a friend.

“Father seems to have forgotten. I was noticed by a certain First-Class Overseer and was able to enter Ruincrest Academy? And after coming to the Academy, I caught Father’s eye and became your adopted daughter here.”

“What are you trying to say! If you’re going to say something trivial as usual, stop it. I don’t have time to spare for you right now…!”

“Shall I show you a magic trick?”

-Snap!

Before Perdain could say anything, Alice snapped her fingers.

Then, numerous mechanical tendrils embedded in Alice’s spinal parts were ejected like wings. The mechanical tendrils began to grope around like insect antennae and were inserted into various parts of the severely damaged homunculus culture facility.

“…What are you doing?”

“Magic is about showing dreams, hopes, impossible fictions, and miracles for the sake of enjoyment, isn’t it?”

-Bzzzt!

“I’m going to show a small magic trick for my heartbroken adoptive father.”

【Damage assessment】

【Connection synchronization complete】

【Internal structure assessment in progress.】

【Magical synapse map analysis.】

【Non-powered connection sealed】

【Damaged area sealed】

【Internal reprocessing】

【Reassembly in progress】

At Theresa’s command, numerous mechanical tendrils began to rummage through the facilities.

They repaired the damaged and broken things as if performing surgery.

The mechanical tendrils caressed the broken culture chambers as if performing surgery, and the things they touched returned to their original form like living flesh.

Sparks flew everywhere.

The power of the leaking pipes and the damaged magic formulas were reassembled.

The cracks in the facilities were rewound as if time was going backwards, and the gears in the completely unpowered mechanical devices began to turn again.

Perdain’s eyes widened at the incomprehensible phenomenon.

It’s not an illusion.

The huge mechanical facility was being healed as if it were a living thing, and when it came into contact with Alice’s mana, it was reversing time.

In fact, what Alice was doing now was no different from healing from the machine’s point of view.

Alice’s body itself was made of shape-memory magical engineering, and when she temporarily applied it to the damaged homunculus culture facility, all the currents and energy that had been damaged and flowing randomly found their way back to the right direction.

Systemic problems were even simpler.

Theresa had achieved fusion with Jamel Kassim Sandria, an AI that had rebelled against humanity in the Abyss area in the past, and her electronic neural network, including [hacking], had developed transcendentally.

Fixing the broken homunculus system was a piece of cake.

“What is this…”

“Father, come to your senses.”

Alice smiled and looked at Perdain.

“This is why I was taken in by First-Class Overseer Oriana, but now you have to think about the future.”

“…That’s right.”

At Alice’s words, Perdain nodded as if he had finally come to his senses.

He felt more than admiration, even awe, at the fact that she had repaired the broken culture facility in an instant as if she had cast healing magic on the machine, but what was important to Perdain now was that the homunculus culture facility, which he had been secretly hiding, had been discovered by someone and even attacked.

“Leaving aside the attacker, what’s important right now is the whereabouts of the homunculi.”

“Don’t worry about that. Homunculi who have not received my approval cannot maintain their bodies and will die of old age in less than three days.”

“Oops.”

At those words, Alice remembered the 37 girls and Marlang, who had jumped over the roof.

It seemed that Marlang was bored and wanted to make friends, so she discovered the homunculus culture facility and did what she did…

If they die in three days…

Marlang will be very heartbroken.

★

★

★

Here.

Numerous girls were running about 30 meters above the wild Ruincrest layer.

No, it was closer to flying than running.

“Marlang!”

“Marlang!”

“Marlang?”

“Pour it on.”

“Die.”

“Marlang?!”

The million Marlang legion is coming.

Clear the way!

Actually, it’s not a million.

To be exact, it’s less than ten thousand.

The number of homunculi born from Marlang’s pleasant rebellion (?) is roughly around 4-5 thousand.

The exact number is 4879.

Even so, Marlang didn’t even count the number of homunculi she had infected and just recklessly did it with the thought that she wanted to have many friends.

Actually, it’s not Marlang’s fault.

Sohi liked it because cute and pretty girls are the treasure and peace of the world, so it’s closer to her doing it because she liked it.

Rebellion?

Aftermath?

Who cares.

It’s not her business.

Cute and pretty is justice and truth, so why stop the world from having more beautiful things?

However, the capabilities of the original combat homunculi are greatly limited.

In terms of hunters, they are B-class.

In terms of Overseers, they are only 3rd or 4th class.

Of course, being able to mass-produce combat personnel at the B-class level is a big advantage, but in the Ark, homunculi are considered taboo, and only the Central Administrative Office manages their production and possesses related technologies.

However, Perdain Arbentaine succeeded in completely releasing the homunculus manufacturing restrictions in the basement of his Grand Duke’s residence through enormous capital, all kinds of technologies and information obtained through secret espionage, and magical formulas close to taboo.

But there’s a problem here.

As Perdain released the taboo and excessively put all kinds of functions and abilities into one vessel of life called homunculus, the resources that went into it became too vast. Even if he gathered these resources, the lifespan of the homunculus itself decreased.

At most 3 years.

Children who are destined to die naturally in less than a year if they are short-lived.

In addition, they have not received Perdain’s approval and have been hastily processed, so they are in a state where their ego and reason have been crammed in, so they are literally destined to die in three days.

From Perdain’s point of view, it was natural for the weapons used for the rebellion to have a short lifespan, but from Marlang’s point of view, who wanted to make new friends, she was going to cry her eyes out in three days.

“Marlang~!”

Marlang, who became the leader of the children, was just happy to have many friends because she didn’t know the inside story.

In this way, Marlang and the newly born homunculus Marlangs were enjoying the joy of being born, looking at the wide world and the colorful Ruincrest layer while avoiding people’s eyes.

As Marlang led the other children at the forefront, they entered the forest in the outer area of Ruincrest.

There can be no forest environment inside the Ark, but in Ruincrest, the layer of nobles, there were huge artificial forests created for the entertainment and hunting grounds of the rich, or for walks and forest bathing.

For Marlang, it was the perfect place to play hide-and-seek or tag, and even hunting games!

And it was also perfect for the homunculus Marlang army to hide because it wouldn’t be seen by other people.

“Hmm? It’s Marlang.”

“Marlang?”

But then.

Marlang raised her head at the voice of someone calling her.

“Hehe, what brings you here… Ah, you came out to play?”

Green skin… the same face as Alice.

However, the energy felt was definitely something other than Alice, and it was an existence that felt a tremendous life force.

That’s right.

It was Gaia.

It was the very Gaia that Alice had summoned by giving her a temporary body to kill Dehite in the Duel Trial two months ago.

Gaia disappeared somewhere, avoiding Alice’s eyes, because she had torn Dehite to death too brutally.

Gaia had found a forest in the outer area where she could sleep comfortably and settled there, making it her territory.

Alice hadn’t been in danger in the meantime. Anyway, Theresa and Gaia could talk in her head, so wouldn’t it be okay to rest comfortably in this wonderful forest until something happened?

The garden of the Arbentaine Grand Duke’s residence was also to Gaia’s liking, so she often visited it.

“Marlang! Marlang! Gaia!”

“Hmm? You’ve made a lot of friends in a short time?”

Marlang had also seen Alice summon Gaia, so she raised both hands high as if glad to meet her, bouncing up and down on the spot.

Even if that weren’t the case, the very existence of the immortal girl was derived from Gaia, so she felt an unconscious sense of closeness.

As they were exchanging greetings, Gaia’s eyes turned to the countless homunculus behind Marlang.

“Oh my, my. Those children are going to die soon…”

“Marlang!?”

“Three days from now… exactly 71 hours left.”

“Marlang!?”

“Marlaaang!?”

“Sweet and sour pork… sauce poured on…”

“Sauce poured on…”

“Sauuuuce pouuured…”

“Sauce poured on…”

“Marlaaang…”

At Gaia’s words, countless Marlangs simultaneously collapsed in the same posture.

But Gaia smiled.

“Hehehe, don’t worry.”

“Marlang?”

“This body is Gaia.”

All life, flowers, trees, and your mother.