Chapter 136: Another Possibility
“If Lord Elder is with us, we’ll have the strength of a hundred men.”
“Stop it! Calling such a handsome man ‘Lord Elder’ is just wrong.”
As they exchanged light banter, the two were swaying on the ship, heading towards the familiar pure white giant vessel anchored slightly offshore. It was the flagship of the fleet dispatched from the Paraiso, the Panas.
“However, is it really alright for such a young lad to join us all of a sudden?”
“Hahaha! Don’t worry; he won’t be underestimated based on looks. After all, they appear to be nothing more than girls. In fact, if it’s Lord Amagio, he’ll make quite the picture standing alongside them.”
One of them was Alban Breias, the Supreme Admiral of the Kingdom of Repuitari’s Navy. The other was Amagio Silverhead, the Chief of the Technical Bureau. The two men, standing at the pinnacle of the Kingdom of Repuitari, continued their conversation while gazing at the approaching battleship.
“I’ve gone through the negotiation records, but honestly, I can’t read their intentions.”
“Yes, I feel the same. We’re honestly troubled since we can’t see a resolution. Yet, surprisingly, the finer details have been settled quite smoothly. The common sense we’ve relied on until now doesn’t apply at all.”
Then there was the recent blunder by the Colonel of the Army. The diplomatic department was struggling with an unprecedented situation.
“However, that brave Army is a shadow of its former self.”
“It’s lamentable. Most of those who participated back then are no longer around, and the upper echelons have completely changed. It’s truly a sight to behold. Well, I think it’s a good opportunity to make some changes.”
“I see. Just handle it well. I have no intention of getting involved from now on.”
“I understand. However, I do hope you’ll take an interest in matters concerning the ship.”
At the Admiral’s words, Amagio shrugged. He was clearly tired of political struggles.
“Well, we can see it now.”
“I observed it a bit from the port yesterday. I understand what you all were saying.”
The pure white fleet floated on the sea. As he gazed at it, Amagio murmured.
“Depending on the direction of development, we likely have a technological gap of over a hundred years. It could even be two hundred. It’s not something that can be bridged in ten or twenty years. And as we progress, they will likely advance in kind.”
“Even from your perspective, huh? It seems futile to resist with military force…”
The ship had a refined hull, and there was no visible steam during movement, nor was there much sound from its power source. If that ship was manufactured with scientific prowess, its power would likely be electric. This was something the engineers had somewhat anticipated. The Duke Silverhead had once said that electric power held infinite possibilities.
“Still, I can’t tell if it’s purely scientific or if they’re also using magical technology.”
“We are completely behind in magical technology. We can’t extract information from the Forest Country or those detestable priests.”
“If they could control the production of Redstone, various negotiations would be possible. However, I’ve heard about that issue, and I won’t get involved to that extent.”
“I understand. Just listening to my complaints occasionally would be enough.”
“Honestly, I’d rather not…”
As they continued their conversation, their ship drew closer to the Paraiso fleet.
“…There are no seams on the hull, and I believe it’s made of metal, but how did they construct it? There are no irregularities…”
Looking up at the approaching Hedgehog-class hull, Amagio muttered to himself.
And it was no wonder. Although it was constructed using block methods, the hull had been manufactured with atomic-level adjustments by a large-scale printer. Moreover, through precisely controlled heating vibrations and electromagnetic interference, the components were joined together using intermolecular forces without changing their composition. The appearance and bonding strength were indistinguishable from a monolithic structure.
“Lord Amagio. As you can see, that is the flagship Panas. It’s over 1.5 times the size of our latest battleship. Just that alone is a threat, but in live-fire exercises, we are lagging behind in acceleration, top speed, accuracy, loading speed, and shell power. I don’t even think they’re showing us their full strength.”
“Ah, I’ve reviewed the reports. If what’s written is true, unless it’s a close-range brawl, we’d be shot at without a chance to retaliate. I’m glad we’re able to make friendly contact.”
Amagio said this with a sense of deep reflection. Just like always, the gangway was lowered to the side of the flagship Panas.
At the bottom of the gangway stood a rare sight: a Communicator Android.
“Welcome aboard the Panas.”
The ones who came to greet them were Vier and three Guard Soldiers. Swiftly tying the mooring ropes to the gangway, Alban Breias and Amagio Silverhead jumped aboard first.
“Thank you for coming to greet us, Lady Vier. Ah, this is one of our four Dukes, as I mentioned yesterday.”
“Pleased to meet you, Lady Vier. I am Amagio Silverhead, the Eternal Duke of the Kingdom of Repuitari. I hold the position of Chief of the Technical Bureau in the Navy.”
Upon hearing his introduction, Vier nodded lightly and stared intently at Amagio’s face.
“…? Is something wrong?”
“…No, it’s nothing. Now, before the meeting, let me give you a brief tour, Lord Amagio. Drei is waiting above as well.”
With a light clanging sound, Vier and the Guard Soldiers ascended the gangway. Following them, Alban Breias and Amagio Silverhead placed their feet on the stairs.
“…Huh!?”
Amagio suddenly leaned back.
“Lord Amagio!?”
Alban Breias, who had been ahead, hurriedly turned back. He felt no discomfort himself; it was Amagio who had suddenly stepped back.
“Wha… Could it be…?”
With a look of shock, he gazed up at the advancing Vier.
Vier stopped and looked down at Amagio.
“Am(a)gio・Sa(m)on. The communication protocol is a personal call. I will provide the public key later on a physical medium. Is exchange possible?”
“……Ah. Yes, it is possible. Due to certain circumstances, direct communication is not feasible. Is the common device ready?”
“No problem. I’ll provide it along with the key. …I apologize for the wait; let’s head up for now. I’ll guide you.”
“……”
Alban Breias watched the sudden exchange between the two with a dumbfounded expression.
“Lord Amagio…? Is there some connection with the Paraiso?”
“……No. This is our first meeting, without a doubt.”
Amagio shook his head and stepped onto the stairs again, this time proceeding without issue.
“Alban, there’s no problem. This negotiation isn’t directly related. I’ll explain in detail later. For now, let’s focus on today’s work.”
◇◇◇◇
“Ma’am. Regarding Amagio Silverhead, the results of the remote scan have confirmed he is not a living being.”
“……Huh? Could you say that again?”
At the report from RINGO, Commander Eve turned around with wide eyes.
“It’s Amagio Silverhead. He is likely some form of body-enhanced individual. It is believed that his information processing capabilities, strength, and durability have been enhanced through scientific methods.”
“Wait… So, he’s a… cyborg?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
This meant that there was a possibility of some super technology faction existing in this world besides The Tree.
“I attempted to reach out through several communication protocols, but it seems he has disabled external communication functions, as there was no response. However, I was able to establish communication with a specific notifier, and a partial exchange of personal data was successful.”
“Uh… So…?”
“He is a transferee or a person who has benefited from that technology, sharing the same foundational technological system as us. At this point, we cannot determine whether he is a human like you, Ma’am, or an intelligence derived from a Brain Unit like us.”
This revelation was a bolt from the blue for her. The possibility that another transferee existed in this world besides herself.
And naturally, RINGO felt that threat even more acutely than she did. As an anomaly that could jeopardize the peaceful life Commander Eve desired.
“From the investigation results so far, no factions using advanced technology have been confirmed. However, the likelihood that this has been concealed has increased. We are not hiding our activities, so it is entirely possible that information has leaked to the opposing faction.”
“Hmm, I wonder? Hey, RINGO, do you think this encounter was intentional? Or was it accidental?”
“Based on the circumstances, the likelihood of it being accidental is very high. There is no rational reason for them to attempt such contact.”
Commander Eve thought to herself. RINGO’s reactions to unknown phenomena were extremely extreme. That’s why she needed to take the reins. If left unchecked, RINGO might just start a world conquest.
“If that’s the case, the opposing faction may not be able to maintain their strength. Or it’s more likely that they have already ceased operations. We too would be powerless if our resources were depleted. If The Tree were to stop functioning, I would have no choice but to live on my own. And if the opposing faction is in that situation…”
“Yes, Ma’am. Then we will proceed with a gentle approach to contact.”
“Please do so.”