Chapter 507 – Pocket Girls
“I know you are not from our world.”
“!!!!”
Gaia’s answer that made Seongil’s back ache. As he shuts her mouth in a slight panic, Gaia continues to speak her own opinion.
『I read a fragment of your memory, and I learned that you are ‘one’ of the creators of the world, or a ‘dimensional wanderer’.』
“…How far do you know?”
Through her emotions, Seong-il instinctively feels that what Gaia said is the truth. Therefore, rather than making excuses, he tries to figure out how much Gaia knows.
“It’s just a small part of it. I wouldn’t have known anything if the transcendent ‘something’ somewhere in your mind hadn’t granted me access.”
‘Did the game master allow access? Why…?’
At that time, Seong-il was in a panic over the game master’s sudden action. As if reassuring him, Gaia reads and speaks.
“Do not worry. I will never do anything that could harm you.”
“…How can I believe that?”
『I am programmed to never threaten the ‘administrator’. If necessary, I am willing to provide all programs and information about me for the trust of the manager.』
“…”
At Gaia’s words, Seong-il closes his eyes and begins to ponder. Seong-il, who had been silent for a long time, finally opened his eyes and glared at Gaia.
“So. What do you want?
“I know. Manager. No, a transcendent being, that ‘something’. I really have no intention of deceiving you. I just want to beg for your mercy.”
“…Mercy?”
“That’s right.”
Seong-il glares at Gaia, frowning at her sudden mercy.
“My request is simple. Anything is fine from the administrator, so I want you to give us a technology or something equivalent to restore the damaged nature of our world.”
“Um…”
Gaia’s requirements were too ambiguous. Seong-il, who felt that the condition was too unfavorable for himself, glared at Gaia and replied.
“…The range of conditions is too wide. You have to tell me exactly what you want so that I can tell you whether or not I can do it for you.”
“Anything is fine. In fact, I considered the ‘branches of the World Tree’ that the Administrator obtained.』
“What? That’s not okay!!”
No matter how much he covets the technology here, it’s nothing else, and when Gaia asks for a branch of the world tree he has worked hard for, Seongil flatly refuses.
“Of course, I know that this is an unreasonable request. Besides, I don’t want that right now either.”
“…You said you wanted it just now?”
“At first I wanted to. However, our world is a place where psionic storms of unknown cause occasionally rage and contaminate the minds of living beings. Through simulation, I learned that places like that are sensitive to psychic powers like the branches of a world tree, and that young individuals can go crazy.”
“Hmm…”
『In that case, instead of saving this world, the branches of the World Tree might become a catastrophe and destroy our world.』
“…So what exactly do you want?!”
As Gaia keeps spinning her words around, her Seong-il shoots at her with a slightly annoyed expression.
『I want an item or skill with a level similar to that of the branches of the World Tree.』
“Oh no… The conditions are too tight…”
Seong-il expresses disapproval at Gaia’s words that he wants something equivalent to 100,000 points, although it is a branch of the World Tree.
“I am well aware that this is a difficult request. However, if you’re an Administrator who can roam around multiple worlds, you might accidentally stumble upon a worthy technology that will restore our world’s nature. I want to bet on that possibility.”
“That’s right…”
As Gaia said, from a different point of view, the existence of Seongil can be seen as a transcendent variable itself, so Seongil realizes the meaning of Gaia’s words.
“…Okay. In exchange, there are conditions.”
Instead of accepting the request, Seong-il begins to calmly ask Gaia for what he wants.
『This means that if you find related technology or items, in exchange, you want to receive command authority of our base and nanomachine manufacturing technology and equipment.』
“Yes. Wouldn’t it be right to pay for that much?”
“You’re right. Then I will make a counter-proposal like this.”
“…?”
『We will hand over the management of the base operation and the limited manufacturing technology of the technology to the manager as a down payment. In addition, if you give me the technology you promised, I will hand over the complete manufacturing technology and facilities.”
“What…?!”
Seong-il stares blankly at the monitor in surprise at Gaia’s generous answer.
“Please consider it a sign of apology for my rude behavior.”
“…I’m serious?”
Instead of answering, Gaia gave Seongil the authority to prioritize the operation of the base.
“I want you to believe in my sincerity. I just want to restore the nature of this world according to the will of the previous Creator, and I have no other purpose.”
“…”
The resolute determination felt in the Gaia program. It may be strange to read ‘will’ from a mere AI, but Seong-il could clearly sense his resolute will.
“…Okay. I promise. However, no matter how hard I try, I may not be able to find the proper technique. Then don’t criticize me.”
“Of course. My suggestion is to do it with all the possibilities, including failure. In addition, I trust your conscience.”
‘Fuck… I feel guilty for saying that.’
It would be better if it was threats or coercion, but when Gaia said that he would thoroughly leave all choices to his conscience, he felt that one side of his heart was heavy.
“Haa… Anyway, I’ll try my best.”
“Thank you. Would you like to come here?”
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, Seong-il looks puzzled when Gaia sends a repair robot to take him somewhere. However, he shuts his mouth for a while and calmly follows the guide and steps under Gaia’s huge monitor.
Wooooo!!!
The bulkhead under the monitor, which I thought was a simple metal wall, opened, and interestingly, a secret room appeared.
“…This place?”
『This is a research facility with the latest G.E.C.R that has not yet been mass-produced.』
“The latest…?”
“That’s right. Existing G.E.C.Rs were good at simple tasks, but were unable to produce nanomachines themselves. However, this new machine can absorb the surrounding metal little by little and produce nanomachines little by little, albeit slowly.”
“Oh…”
『So, if you give this aircraft to the manager, the manager will have the nanomachine production technology, albeit a ‘limited’ one.』
‘Ah, so that’s why you’re giving limited skills…? But isn’t it too much to spread from the start? I feel guilty, but…’
An additional explanation of a new aircraft that looks pretty good just by listening to it. When Gaia said that she would willingly give up her body to buy her own favor, Seong-il felt a little pressured.
“Hmm… Doesn’t it look very different from the existing G.E.C.R?”
“Yes. Appearance is not very different. However, the body is made of an excellent alloy that can be recycled, and the software is equipped with an ultra-high-performance AI comparable to mine.”
“… Gaia, you are being helped by such a huge computing device, but this small machine’s AI is at a level similar to yours?”
『Of course, if you think about it that way, your ability will be a little less. However, thanks to the tiny nano-quantum computer contained in the new aircraft, he has better computational power than me of the same size.”
“Aha.”
The more you listen to it, the more you like the specifications of the latest aircraft. When Seong-il seems satisfied, Gaia orders a repair robot to guide him near the repair robot.
『Now, you can put your hand on this place.』
“Huh.”
Seong-il raises his inner working capacity in case he has a doubt, and then tries to maximize the response. However, when he felt no malice, he raised his hand in relief.
Wooooo!!!
Once again, intense computations starting on the peripheral computers. At the same time, Seong-il feels that the management authority of the facility has been transferred to a certain extent through the nano machines in his body.
‘…I can’t change the purpose of this facility itself, I can only change the behavior.’
Gaia’s mission was not accomplished, so it seems that he did not give full power. However, Seong-il is satisfied with Gaia’s transfer of authority because that alone is enough to achieve Kyu-hyun’s wishes.
『The transfer of limited rights has been completed.』
“Oh, is it okay? But how do I order…”
Back then when Seong-il was splendid with command-related questions. He hears something moving behind him.
“Nice to meet you. Master.”
“Oh…”
A voice emanating from the repair robot I just received as a gift from Gaia. Unlike Gaia, who had a calm female voice, a gentle male voice emanated from the repair robot in front of her.
『If you want to change the behavior of this facility in the future, you can give me an order. Then, after consulting with the Gaia manager through communication, I can correct the behavior.”
“Ohhh… Is that so?”
“Yes. I hope to go along well. Master.”
Seongil’s repair robot floats gracefully with a neat white painted body and greets him by bowing its protruding eyes and body.
“Please take good care of me. By the way… What is your name?”
『No name, only product number ED-WD/43.』
“ED-WD/43…”
The part number of a somewhat familiar repair robot. As Seong-il looks at the abbreviation, a name flashes through his mind.
“…How about Edward? Your name?”
『Oh… Is that my name? It sounds like a very cool name.”
Edward responds to Seong-il with a voice that is more emotional than other repair robots.
“Customs!!”
『ED-WD/43 (Edward): 100,000 points』
『The ultimate repair robot created right before the end of the Pocket Girls world. It is capable of making powerful spray-type nanomachines on its own. If you have enough nanomachines, you can recover quickly from any injury. (Machine repairs are also available)
During battle, it can consume energy in its body and use transparency and defense fields while floating, so it can be used as a powerful combat agent.
An all-round agent who is good at medical, combat, reconnaissance, and repair work, as well as being a gardener, miner, cook, and clerk.
However, since ED-WD/43 does not absorb surrounding substances quickly, it cannot be regenerated if it is seriously damaged.
(If I could supplement that skill, I might become a better colleague.』
“Rain… Expensive…”
The price of Edward, which is a whopping 100,000 points. However, paradoxically speaking, his ability is on the level of a black ball or ethereal stone, so Seong-il calms his trembling heart.
“Why is that?”
“…It’s nothing. Let’s go out first.”
So Seong-il leaves the secret room with Edward and moves to the place where his colleagues are.
“Are you okay!?”
“Ah, yes.”
He begins to explain what he heard inside to Kyuhyun, who hastily ran to him.
“Whoa… That’s a relief. I’ve been given a limited commanding authority…”
“Yes. They say they won’t do anything brutal to repair the Leviathan.”
“Haa… I’m glad…”
Kyuhyun breathes a sigh of relief with a relaxed expression. After that, he takes out a tablet from his bosom and shows Seong-il the materials he prepared in advance.
“Can you modify the command protocol like this?”
“Oh, what…”
Seong-il begins to read the details of the order Kyu-hyeon gave him.
– No repairs except for robots approved by the Shelter Government.
– Changed the activity area to the C-Civilian area
– Changed focus from natural repair first to maximizing repair robot production.
– After exploring the mine, the outpost is born.
‘Have you thought about it beforehand? That’s pretty detailed.’
Seong-il muttered to himself while watching Kyu-hyeon’s request and quietly began to amend the order as he wanted.
