Chapter 358: Ichigo
Brain Unit Backbone No. 2, ＜Ichigo＞.
Activated as the second daughter of the Five Sisters, she currently spends her days as the command AI of Fortress Two (Black Iron).
Immediately after activation, she preferred to follow Eve and ＜Ringo＞ and observe their work.
Eve also actively spoke to her and sought her opinions.
As this lifestyle continued, Ichigo blossomed with talent as an Overseer AI, coordinating other AIs.
Recognized for her growth as an independent AI earlier than any of the other Five Sisters, a Class I AI was created with her as the Backbone AI.
The first Class I AI, ＜Ichou＞, is demonstrating her considerable skill in the Royal Capital of the Afrasia United Kingdom.
One can understand her excellence by looking at the degree of development in Afrasia, Royal Capital.
Currently, Afrasia, Royal Capital, was rapidly growing as a center of economy and logistics.
Logistics warehouses lined the outskirts, and paved roads extended towards various regions.
The city walls had all been dismantled and used as building materials.
Brand new buildings lined the city streets, historical residences were repaired, and it truly boasted the majesty of a capital city.
And while the Class I Strategic AI ＜Ichou＞ managed these aspects, her operations were fundamentally advanced with Ichigo acting as a consultant.
Of course, this didn’t mean Eve or ＜Ringo＞ never intervened, but their policy was to leave it to their autonomy, not stepping in unless things went considerably wrong.
For now, the primary means of transportation within the Afrasia United Kingdom was the horse-drawn railway.
Due to the stable supply of Iron Resources, the cost of laying tracks in various regions became almost negligible.
However, as the foundation for the spread of Steam Engines or internal combustion engines was not yet laid, they effectively utilized horse breeding, a major industry of the Afrasia United Kingdom, to popularize the horse-drawn railway.
The railway, laid with technical support from
Therefore, large freight cars could be moved with fewer horses, and the improvement in logistics led to tremendous domestic economic development.
Consequently, foreign trade also changed significantly.
Where they had previously imported large amounts of food, improvements in farmland, crop storage technology, and logistics networks secured enough production to actually export.
Instead, they began importing various types of ores, including metals and some gemstones.
Of course, these were the rare resources desired by
Since these ores, previously having no use and only produced in small quantities for ornamental purposes, could now be sold at high prices, mine development began in earnest.
Furthermore, with the development of the horse-drawn railway, the demand for fodder consumed by horses had significantly increased.
Although it was cultivated domestically, a route was being established to import it from abroad in exchange for high-quality agricultural products.
And Ichigo and ＜Ichou＞, having anticipated these demands in advance, had prepared a logistics network for their efficient operation. They installed control devices specializing in the storage and transport of goods, creating a system that constantly ensured optimal logistics.
Within a few years of coming under
Normally, such a rapid change would likely have led to unavoidable friction with neighboring countries.
However, Ichigo and ＜Ichou＞ also paid attention to diplomacy.
While controlling logistics to prevent short-term losses, they even used pressure from the great western power, the Repuytari Kingdom, to suppress outbursts from smaller nations.
The fact that the Afrasia United Kingdom itself possessed vast territory and did not project territorial ambitions likely also worked in their favor.
It was judged that border disputes would not occur for at least the next few years.
Supporting the production base of the Afrasia United Kingdom was Fortress Two (Black Iron), where Ichigo served as commander.
A huge Fortress and production plant, built by developing unprecedented wilderness.
And the ever-expanding mining facilities.
The land of the Afrasia United Kingdom had shallow, widespread metal deposits originating from large-scale lava flows in the past.
They were strip-mining this while constructing facilities one after another.
Of course, the number of combat machines stationed here was also the largest compared to other bases.
Currently,
For this reason, Fortress Two (Black Iron) had multiple huge runways and secured rapid response capabilities by keeping two or more aerial carriers, ＜Gigantia＞, on standby overhead.
While the networked pseudo-intelligence built with ＜Ringo＞ at its apex actually moved these units, Ichigo handled unit management and force maintenance.
For example, with a Gigantia, simply flying a fixed route consumes fuel, some equipment deteriorates, and replacements become necessary.
By managing these consumables and appropriately replenishing and replacing them, a sufficient level of rapid response capability was maintained.
Ichigo was extremely skilled at maintaining and managing this kind of overall system.
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“Ichigo, what are you looking at today?”
“Onee-sama. Yes, I am reviewing the analysis results of public discourse collected in the Afrasia United Kingdom.”
“Ah, the weekly one. May I look with you?”
“Yes, please do, Onee-sama.”
“The overall happiness value is… 63%, huh. Is that about right?”
“Happiness value is a relative indicator, so even if the same environment is maintained, the value fluctuates greatly depending on how individuals feel. Scores for food, clothing, and shelter are continuously rising, the employment rate is improving, and personal assets continue to increase, so the survival and reproduction level as a species seems to be improving.”
“As a species… Well, yes. It’s a good thing that fewer people are struggling for food.”
“However, while material wealth is increasing, the mental aspect is still developing. Perhaps the fundamental ability to create entertainment is lacking… We could supply it, but I’ve been told that providing things of too high a level might destroy the foundation of the entertainment industry.”
“Ah… That sounds like something that would make Akane sad, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. Since it’s a field Akane likes, I intend to ask her for judgment.”
“Yeah, that’s right. She loves creative works, after all. She was excited, saying there were more stories not in the library than this planet’s civilization level would suggest.”
“There was information that a project of compiling books has started among some of the intellectual class. Akane said the content is still rudimentary, though.”
“That’s how it is at the beginning, isn’t it? Should we just supply paper and pens?”
“Yes, that sounds right. The Afrasia United Kingdom is a land with few forests, so paper production using plant materials was limited. By supplying paper from us, the field Akane favors might blossom.”
“The raw material for paper is… thanks. Oh, Cellulose is the main component, I see. Well, it’s true we can produce as much as we want. Why not export it to other countries too? Wouldn’t that advance their culture?”
“Akane says so, but paper manufacturing seems to involve very large vested interests in other countries. If we carelessly distribute paper, in the worst case, it could even start a war.”
“Oh my… A war over paper, that certainly doesn’t seem worth it. Even if we won, it would just increase the burden…”
“Yes. Therefore, we are not exporting in large quantities. We’re keeping it limited to circulating among some as a luxury item.”
“Hmm… So you’re properly handling those adjustments. You’re admirable, Ichigo.”
“Um… yes…”
“Nfufu. Oh, but you’re exporting magazines?”
“Ah… That was Akane’s idea. Something about cultural invasion…”
“Oh my… Well, I suppose so. Information is a weapon, after all… Hmm? A special feature on Paraiso soldiers?”
“Ah, that’s… depictions of Paraiso soldiers tend to be received very favorably by the general public, so if we make this the main feature, Asahi…”
“That girl… well, I guess it’s not a problem… Come to think of it, Asahi loved subculture too…”
Ichigo-chan is the modest class representative type.
She blushes when patted.
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