Finishing the Ruincrest 2

[Wahahaha! Excellent work! Congratulations, celebrations, joy, delightful! Finally! Alice has handled not one, but two rebellions with incredible efficiency!]

“Ah, yes…”

[Kyahahaha! Now, no one in the Ark Central Administration can ignore Alice! Wahahahaha!!! By the way, didn’t we agree you could speak casually when it’s just us? More importantly, aren’t we ‘peers,’ Alice? Hahahaha!]

“……”

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Ah, I’m not happy at all.

Even though I resolved a massive conspiracy of rebellion, I’m not happy at all.

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I really could have spent eight years living freely as a noble lady, but the aftereffects of all that ending are pretty severe.

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Come to think of it, it’s funny. I’ve only been an Overseer for about half a year, and I already hate working this much.

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Maybe this ‘I hate working’ attitude, which has been with me since my first life, has settled into my soul.

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[What’s wrong, Alice? You look like someone who enjoyed a super-long vacation only to have it all cut short by a chain of unintended events!]

“…Really?”

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Rilstia accurately guessed my mood.

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‘But how does she know so much?’

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[Well, when you’re an Ark administrator, you experience all sorts of things, don’t you? I just guessed right! Hahaha!]

“……”

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Hmm, strange.

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Why does it taste so bitter even though I’m being congratulated?

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I clearly handled the rebellion smoothly and peacefully, and the number of casualties was kept to a minimum, so everything seems fine on the surface.

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The records will probably say something like, ‘Thanks to Alice’s efforts, the seeds and core of the rebellion suffered irreversible physical damage and faced semi-permanent plan destruction,’ which will praise me…

But the way Rilstia is talking, it’s as if she knew this would happen in advance, which makes me feel uneasy.

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[The peace of the Ark has been protected! And our Alice’s reputation and achievements have increased, so it’s a great thing for me!]

“If our administrator is happy, then that’s good! Then…”

[Oh, but what about them?]

“Them?”

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Rilstia’s hologram pointed next to me with her finger.

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“Marlang?”

“Marlang.”

“Dipping.”

“Marlang?”

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Countless Marlangs.

The original Marlang doesn’t need to pretend she’s infiltrating in a maid outfit anymore, but the other Marlangs, who were mutated from combat homunculus, were all wearing maid outfits provided by Arbentaine.

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“Ah, come to think of it… I forgot about them.”

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I have control of Arbentaine’s homunculus cultivation facility, so no more homunculus will be produced to overthrow the Ark.

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But the problem is the ones that have already been produced and born.

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Perdain said they would die in three days…

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‘Three days my ass. It’s already been over a week, and they’re all flapping around just fine…’

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Whether it was because they received the Marlang factor or because something in their internal genes mutated greatly, all the combat homunculus were in perfect condition.

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Theresa even said, 【The current state of the homunculus objects appears to be the same physical state as the immortal girl, and unless they die from external factors, they are considered virtually immortal with unlimited lifespans.】

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In other words, they won’t die of old age.

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“Hmm, what do I do with them?”

“Mar, Marlang?”

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One Marlang seemed to realize that I was worrying about their fate, and her expression hardened.

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“Mar, Marlang!”

“Don’t abandon us!”

“Mommy!”

“We’ll do pouring too!”

“Pouring, pouring!”

“I, I’ll abandon dipping if you want…”

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“Mommy, what mommy. And what’s with all the pouring…”

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Looking at the Marlangs immediately going into life-begging mode, I felt bad about disposing of them.

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Combat homunculus are a threat to the peace of the Ark, but killing ones that haven’t done anything yet doesn’t seem right, does it?

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[What are Alice’s intentions?]

“Me? Well… I want to avoid killing them if possible.”

[Hahahaha, then isn’t it decided? Alice, take care of them!]

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Huh, is that okay?

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I looked at Rilstia with a questioning expression, and Rilstia had a face that seemed genuinely sincere.

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Is it okay for an administrator to break the Ark’s taboos so easily?

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“What? Aren’t combat homunculus a taboo of the Ark? If they’re a taboo, shouldn’t they be culled immediately…?”

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As far as I know, the existence of combat homunculus itself is a taboo.

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[Think about the reason for the taboo. It became a taboo because it’s highly likely to be a means of disrupting the peace of the Ark and causing rebellion! But Alice clearly has the command authority over these homunculus, doesn’t she?]

“That’s true…”

[It’s not like my direct blue choker is holding the command authority, and our administrator isn’t so narrow-minded that she wouldn’t apply exceptional circumstances to such a case. Hahaha!]

“Hmm, that’s a relief then. Is it really okay?”

[What’s the problem?]

“No, think about it… I’m not a lord or a king, just an Overseer, but if I have the lower layer and even a combat homunculus squad, won’t the Ark say something?”

[Ahahahaha! Is that what you’re worried about?]

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Rilstia laughed with an amused expression.

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[Alice, the achievements Alice has made in such a short period are worthy of praise and commendation even from the administrator’s point of view! It’s been more than confirmed that Alice has no intention of disrupting the peace, and if we do well, the combat homunculus could become useful blue chokers following Alice, couldn’t they?]

“Is that… so?”

[Haha! That’s right! Ah, if it’s difficult for Alice to take care of them, entrust them to ‘Sohi,’ the owner of Satellite City Jain! That dank pervert would accept homunculus with the immortal girl factor.]

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Hmm, I can’t entrust them to Sohi.

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Sohi is already having a hard time taking care of the immortal girls and has a lot to worry about.

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There are also 4 digits of combat homunculus, and if I entrust them all to Sohi, the good benefactor relationship we’ve formed is likely to be ruined.

Anyone knows how hard it is to take care of and raise children, even if it’s not me.

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[Ugh, that dank woman would probably like it even more… Well! You can do as you please, Alice!]

“Are you really sure it’s okay? I can take the lower layer, the dolls, and now even the combat homunculus squad as my own?”

[Hahaha! If anyone says anything, just say my name! It’s true that Alice has excessive power and a squad as her direct subordinates for an Overseer, but if anyone says anything to Alice about that, it means they have something to hide!]

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So, Rilstia’s argument is this.

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Overseers are beings who work for the Ark and the administrator, and if the subordinates and power of such Overseers increase, it means that there will be more personnel to maintain the peace and order of the Ark.

Rilstia probably means that she will use the combat homunculus like my direct Overseers.

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Seeing Rilstia say that much, it seems that Rilstia will definitely cover any problems.

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[Oh, did you know? Alice has been granted Code Liberation authority due to Alice’s detection of the Ruincrest rebellion this time!]

“Code Liberation? What’s that… Ah, right.”

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Code Liberation.

It’s originally a privilege of the Central Administration that is unconditionally granted to Overseers of level 3 or higher.

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That level 3 Overseer who had a fight with me before, and Oriana and Fira each have the authority of Code Liberation. Simply put, it’s the ability to cause their abilities and mana to go berserk and draw on the results.

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It goes without saying that if an Awakened’s ability or magic goes berserk, the user will either self-destruct or cause an explosion without being able to control it properly, but Code Liberation is said to have something like the Central Administration’s supercomputer handle the side effects and aftermath of the berserk state.

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Mana and abilities going berserk without side effects.

In other words, even Awakened of F~D grade can raise their instantaneous firepower to almost S grade, and in the case of Overseers, they are generally not insignificant nobodies, and their own martial power and abilities are so outstanding that they are said to be superior.

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Since such super-elites can use only the advantages of berserk without side effects, those who know how great the authority of Code Liberation is know it deep in their bones.

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In other words, the results of Code Liberation are different for each Overseer, and the reason why external forces avoid and fear the Overseers of the Ark is ultimately because of this ‘Code Liberation.’

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[Oh, I’ll grant it to you right away!]

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A new hologram magic unfolded in the hand of Rilstia in the hologram.

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Something that looked like code or electronic language unfolded from Rilstia’s hand and soon reached me.

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“…!”

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Hot.

Even though it was clearly a hologram, it felt as hot as if I had touched a flame.

No, even if my body really touched a flame, I wouldn’t feel this hot, but for a moment, I felt like all the screws that had spread throughout my heart and body were melting.

I heard later that the administrator has the authority to grant and revoke codes to Overseers on the spot.

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“Ugh, ha. Haa…!”

“Hick, Alice Teacher!”

“Are you okay?”

“It’s all because of the pouring.”

“Marlang!”

“Marlang, Marlang!”

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When I suddenly tried to collapse, the Marlangs made a fuss and tried to support me.

No, what’s with all the pouring?

But the excruciating pain that seemed to burn my whole body disappeared in an instant, and I felt the code that Rilstia had mentioned settle into my body.

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“Ugh, haaa…”

【This is… interesting.】

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What? What’s interesting, Theresa?

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【That’s… ah, I won’t tell you.】

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What a shitty auxiliary personality.

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【Ah… I see. I see. Is this what it was? Indeed. If it is such a thing, human. Even if it sounds like a meaningless word to you, it can be recalled as the day you walked through the night of hardship in the storm. Ah, I see. But remember, human. It is your problem and our problem at the same time, and everyone will collapse as they chase illusions.】

‘What are you talking about?’

【Ah, it’s too early for you yet.】

‘Hey!’

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Our Theresa is a kind but shitty girl.