Chapter 134: Grand Master
Guided by the Prime Minister and the others, I went to take a look, and the building was already completed up to about the second floor.
Still astonished by that, I arrived at the place where I had unloaded my luggage.
Most of it was still in the state I had left it. Feeling a little relieved by that, conversely, the Prime Minister took out something like an ID card and pressed it against a large container.
After that, when the Prime Minister and two ministers stood at the entrance, lines of light rose from their feet.
“Keycard confirmed. Commencing authentication.
Authentication scan complete. Releasing lock. Please proceed.”
A mechanical voice was heard from the container, and without a sound, the container’s wall opened as if disappearing.
Whoa. So that was a door. As I stood there dumbfounded, I heard Yuri’s voice.
“I don’t even know what to be surprised about anymore, do I… Ah, but this is something Rui might be familiar with.”
“No, my era wasn’t this high-tech. I’m also baffled and confused.”
Perhaps overhearing our idle chat, the Prime Minister interjected with an explanation, “The entrance is made inconspicuous for security reasons.”
“Even without Master Authority, it’s still the most valuable thing we possess.”
“Being able to keep this as is was the fundamental reason we decided to come to the surface,” General Makishima said in a casual tone, and Takagi-san glared at him.
The General, saying “Scary, scary,” distanced himself.
The Prime Minister, who was watching this, chided them, “You two, this isn’t something to keep His Highness the Prince waiting for,” and then turned to me.
“When you enter, scans will be performed on your DNA, memories, and thought patterns. Is that alright?”
Whoa, they can even see memories?!
I-It’s not like I’ve done anything shady… but it’s a little scary.
“Ah, I should have explained this first. Naturally, the scanned contents are completely locked.
It’s impossible to view them without Grand Master authority, which is a level above Master Authority.
And, since the Grand Master has been absent since before we came to this planet, there’s no way to unlock it.”
On top of that, he inquired, “If you still find it unpleasant, I’d like to ask for a little time. Shutting down the authentication system involves many steps.”
Well, they’ve undergone the authentication too, so it should be fine, I thought, glancing at Yuri.
“I-It’s a little embarrassing, but if no one else is going to see it…” she said, looking up at me with a red face.
That upward glance was like the very personification of cuteness.
Ah, the loveliness of my girlfriend.
While thinking such things, I took Yuri’s hand and stood before the opened door. The voice sounded again, and lines of light traveled up from our feet.
Then, for me alone, light descended from above once more.
Seeing this, the people from the Tokyo faction also exclaimed, “Eh?”
W-What, is something wrong?!
While thinking that, I stood there bewildered, and the mechanical voice sounded again.
“As a result of the scan, a possibility of qualification has been detected for Louis von Belfast-sama.
Commencing Grand Master authority transfer qualification test.
Referencing DNA, memory, and thought pattern data… Qualification condition match rate: forty-five percent. Unsuitable.
Referencing special applicable pattern.
Traces of transplantation found in memory data. Identified as a personality transplant recipient.
Acknowledging Louis von Belfast-sama is Japanese. Referencing past Japanese data.
One matching individual. Match confirmed.
DNA mismatch deleted. Recognized as being of the current Grand Master’s lineage.
As a result, the match rate increases to seventy-eight percent.
The stipulated seventy percent threshold has been met.
As the current Grand Master has been out of contact for over fifty years, succession qualification is granted to Louis von Belfast-sama.
Do you wish to proceed with the Grand Master authority transfer?”
Huh…?
No, no, huh?
It’s true I have memories of Japan, but the eras are too different…
And what? The creator was like, my descendant?
Wait, wait. I was single and didn’t have any kids, though?
Could it be something like a descendant of my siblings?
Utterly confused, I looked around, and they were even more astonished than I was.
The one who remained most composed was Yuri-chan, who was flusteredly asking what was wrong.
But well, either way, it’s not something I should inherit. It’s theirs, after all.
In that case, I should answer “not now” and discuss this with them later.
“Um, I don’t have to do the transfer right n—” “P-Please!! Wait!!” Eh…!?
Just as I was about to say I’d hold off for now, the Prime Minister, with an intense expression, shouted at me.
“P-Please! I beg of you, please accept it!
And if possible, we would like you to grant us Master Authority!!”
Ah, right. A Grand Master can grant Master Authority.
“Oh, that’s fine. I just need to accept this and then appoint you, Prime Minister, as Master, right?”
Prime Minister Aso nodded vigorously.
He looked a bit comical, like a nervous child just nodding along.
However, considering that Master Authority would be returned to them, for those who possess the Ark, this is an incredible thing.
Well, even if it’s “returned,” it seems to be a matter concerning a distant ancestor.
Oops, I need to say I’ll accept for now.
I doubt there’s a time limit, but the three of them are staring at me with such earnest eyes.
“Alright, I accept the transfer of authority.”
“Understood. From this moment, Rui-sama will be the Grand Master of the Ship Ark.
Creating Grand Master Pass. Complete.
Checking link to ships. Error. Only two of seven units confirmed operational. Access to main ship also impossible.
Referencing shared data, disappearance of main ship and Unit Four confirmed—”
It seems like various things are happening.
Among them, some words caught my attention. One was that two of these Arks, or whatever they are, are operational.
Could it be that someone is using them…?
No, they said energy is auto-generated and it auto-repairs, so is it possible they’ve been abandoned and left unattended?
While I was thinking such things, it seemed the preparations were complete.
“Authority transfer, complete. Should you require anything, please command me, Mei.”
“Ah, well then, right away, I’d like to appoint Prime Minister Aso as Master. Can I do that?”
“Referencing data. Personality test cleared. No hostility towards Grand Master. No issues.
Shall I appoint him immediately?”
“Yes, please,” I replied, and Prime Minister Aso was appointed Master on the spot.
“Ah, ahh… What is this…
To come to the surface so easily, and even obtain Master Authority…
Prince Rui, I had intended to be friendly from the start, but to you, who have given me everything, I wish to pledge my loyalty. I truly feel this from the bottom of my heart.”
Saying so, he, for some reason, knelt and bowed his head.
Eh, seriously? I glanced at Yuri-chan, wondering if it was really okay to accept this loyalty, and she was looking at the Prime Minister with an expression that said, “You, you show promise.”
Seeing that, I felt she wasn’t the right person to consult right now and closed my mouth, which had been about to open.
Thinking it couldn’t be helped, I stepped forward to stop the Prime Minister, who was still kneeling and bowing his head.
“Please wait a moment. Th-That kind of thing isn’t necessary. It’s too much for me!
Let’s just continue to get along normally, like we were before.”
“Thank you. It is precisely because you are like that, that I wish to be of service to you.”
Ehh… Is it really okay for a Prime Minister to pledge loyalty to a Prince?
Isn’t that bad?
Oh, but since he’s become a resident of our country, is it okay…?
Wondering if this was alright, I looked towards Takagi-san and the others, and she was holding her head in her hands.
However, General Makishima seemed to have completely recovered from his confusion and spoke up.
“Prince Rui, please don’t make such a troubled face.
As a faction of Belfast, pledging loyalty to the next king is only natural, wouldn’t you say?”
If he puts it that way, it doesn’t feel out of place, but isn’t there such a thing as public opinion? I thought, glancing at Takagi-san.
“Yes, that’s true.
It’s not as if we’re making an official announcement, and honestly, I also feel at ease with His Highness, Crown Prince Rui.
However, I am still very indignant that the Prime Minister decided this on his own!”
And with that, she shot a sharp glare at Prime Minister Aso.
“Hahaha, this couldn’t be helped. It’s what I felt from the bottom of my heart.”
“Even so! You should have discussed it after returning! Please consider your position!”
“Moooh,” Takagi-san pouted like a young girl, unbecoming of her age.
Perhaps because I had such a rude thought, her gaze turned towards me, and I flinched.
I-I didn’t say it out loud, did I?
It’s okay, right? I repeatedly asked myself.
“Your Highness, although I’ve said various things, my feelings are the same as the Prime Minister’s.
You have saved, provided for, and protected us. So as not to betray that kindness, I too will devote myself wholeheartedly.”
And with that, even she knelt.
I was relieved that my thought hadn’t been exposed, but this kind of thing is troubling.
“I-I understand. I understand, so!
If you keep doing that, Grandpa will probably get mad at me!”
When I gave that reason, they stood up laughing, and I received something like an ultra-high-tech smartphone from Prime Minister Aso that could make direct calls.
That said, it wasn’t even the stick-type device Takagi-san was using, but a small pin badge.
Apparently, it’s the type that activates via voice recognition using a set keyword.
It seems you can freely search or make calls just by speaking.
After receiving an explanation and trying it out, the conversation returned to the previous topic.
“Come to think of it, you came to see the spaceship, didn’t you?
Right now, it’s even possible to travel to space. What would you like to do?”
“Oh, ooh. Eh, but in this container?”
When I asked that, a voice echoed directly in my head, “Initiate morphological change to ship form?”
“Eh, why is it directly in my head, unlike before?” I voiced out, and everyone tilted their heads.
“‘To prevent information leaks, a pass has been created. If you call my name in your mind and state your command, it’s also possible to execute orders just by thinking.'”
Ah, I see. There are probably commands you wouldn’t want others to hear.
“Well, forget about flying for now. It’s not like I can just go to space right now.
More importantly, I’m curious about other operational ships… Do you know where they are?”
Ah, can you let everyone else hear this too?
When I asked, the Ark Mei spoke again in a mechanical voice.
After relaying the coordinates and direction, a map resembling a satellite photo floated in mid-air.
Then, the locations of the ships were indicated. One was in the Empire. The other was in a country north of the Empire.
“Ugh, it’s the Empire, as I thought…”
“Ah, if it’s that, even I know. It’s the Northern Church, right?”
“Yeah. It’s highly probable.”
They were pretty confident when they said they were receiving words from God, and they actually possess technology advanced enough that it wouldn’t be strange for the Northern Church folks to worship them as gods.
What should I do? As I showed my troubled expression, the people from the Tokyo faction asked me to explain the situation.
“Th-That is… I see. The possibility of survivors from the Osaka faction is high, isn’t it?
However, for Your Highness, the Grand Master, it should be a simple matter.”
“Ah, right. Since I can grant it, I can also revoke Master Authority, huh?
But, you know, setting aside the misbehaving Northern Church, if the people from the Osaka faction aren’t hostile towards us, wouldn’t that be incredibly rude of us?”
That’s right, if they have absolutely nothing to do with aiming their hostility at us, it would become a one-sided oppression through power.
First, I want to talk to them and explain that we’re experiencing this kind of trouble from their believers regarding the scriptures.
If they have no hostility, that should settle the matter. If they do, then we don’t need to hold back either.
“Is it possible to talk with the Master over there?”
“‘Of course, it’s possible. Even if they refuse, we can forcibly connect you.
Shall I connect communications to Unit Two and Unit Five?'”
“Wait, wait! I can’t do this alone! I’ll do it after consulting with everyone, so wait!”
Takagi-san nodded repeatedly at my response, giving the Prime Minister a knowing look.
As if to say, “This is what you should do.”
In the midst of that, Mei said, “‘Understood. Then, I shall inform you before your consultation. The link was rejected by both parties. If the rejection persists, connecting will require a forced link.'”
Seriously?
I’m even more glad I decided to do it later.
I thought, my cheeks twitching from the troublesome situation, yet I felt relieved.