Episode 323: Blockade Line
“Phalser-sama. From 7 (Svemi) to 9 (Djevici), no intruders. No traces.”
“Good work.”
The man nodded at the report from the patrol team.
The squad leader silently bowed once and turned to leave the room.
This was a stationed facility built within the Edia-Beastin United Kingdom. It was a garrison for the blockade force in the territory seized by the Prawa Theocracy.
“As of now, there are no signs of military action.”
The battalion commander, who oversaw multiple units, muttered as he summarized the recent reports.
More than half a year had passed since the Prawa Theocracy began maintaining this blockade line, but it seemed the original owners were still unable to take action.
The battalion commander compiled the reports into a document and left the room with it.
He was heading to the residence of Izre Kakitsubata, the resident military attaché from ＜Paraiso＞, who had recently become a collaborator.
He knocked on the door, and a reply came immediately.
“Excuse me.”
“Welcome.”
Izre Kakitsubata rose from her desk and greeted the entering battalion commander, Phalser.
She then led him to the reception set.
“It’s the usual periodic report. It won’t take long.”
“From the looks of it, there doesn’t seem to be any problem. Then, you should take your time.”
Izre had Phalser sit on the sofa and promptly sat down opposite him.
As if on cue, a ＜Paraiso＞ servant girl appeared from the adjacent kitchen area, pushing a wagon loaded with a tea set and light refreshments.
“…Understood. Indeed, there is nothing urgent. I will accept your hospitality.”
Phalser was, well, used to it.
For his Chimyera Clan, ＜Paraiso＞ was the best possible collaborator. This was clear from the information that occasionally trickled in from their front lines.
Therefore, he had no complaints about exchanging words with Izre Kakitsubata, the representative of ＜Paraiso＞ in this area. Rather, it was an event that should be actively pursued.
“…Hmm. Today, we have herbal tea that has been drunk in this region for a long time, and baked sweets that are distributed at special events such as festivals. Common ones often have a lot of impurities and are subtle…”
“I see. If they are prepared with your technology, they will be transformed into first-class goods.”
After silently savoring the herbal tea and baked sweets, Izre Kakitsubata nodded in satisfaction. Phalser, who had finished eating silently as well, said as much.
By strictly controlling the unadulterated ingredients, appropriate proportions, cooking time, and heating level, commoners’ dishes were transformed into high-class cuisine.
“If the appearance is also refined, it has the potential to be sold as an export product. We have found something good.”
This time, they were serving herbal tea with dried flower petals mixed in, giving it a vibrant orange color, and baked sweets like chiffon cake, also dyed orange with the same flower petals.
The herbs used as raw materials grew abundantly in this region, and some cultivation was also being carried out, so Izre Kakitsubata judged that it would be possible to export them as local specialties.
“Well, that’s fine. It’s about the Natives.”
Izre raised her left hand to request a refill and continued.
“Now, let’s hear today’s report.”
“Understood.”
Several reports were placed on the table in place of the cleared tea set.
“The content is almost the same as last time. The number of repelled attacks, the number of captured individuals. There are no traces of intruders in the abandoned fortresses included in the patrol routes.”
“…I see. Even compared to the last three months, there are no particularly noticeable changes.”
Intrusion attempts by forces that seemed to be reconnaissance units, carried out irregularly every few days to a few weeks. Border crossings by those who seemed to be desperate, with no particular pattern.
Confirming that there were no noticeable changes in these, Izre looked up.
“The spies we have infiltrated have not reported any particular progress in preparations for an advance. At least for the next few months, the situation will likely remain the same.”
“I’m glad to have your confirmation. We will be transferred to another site in about two weeks, but we look forward to working with you in the future.”
The battalion led by Phalser was scheduled to withdraw to its headquarters soon.
This was part of a plan to gradually replace the guards of the blockade line with ＜Paraiso＞ units.
In the first place, for the Chimyera Clan, the task of opening a path through the Demon Forest was far more important than preserving national territory.
If their units were not returned there soon, there was a risk that discontent would explode.
“There is no problem on our end. We are also conducting the development of transportation routes in parallel. In another month, we expect to have a system in place where we can control 90% of the blockade line.”
“Understood. I will inform the members of my unit.”
Currently, the long blockade line was maintained by former Warrior Monks incorporated into the Chimyera Clan. They were trying to have ＜The Tree＞’s automated machine groups take over this role.
Originally, they were planning to hand it all over to the Chimyera Clan, but a mistake occurred because they did not understand the Chimyera Clan’s principles of action.
The Chimyera Clan was a group that desperately wanted to break through the Demon Forest. And they basically had no other desires.
They had incorporated the former Warrior Monks into the Chimyera Clan in order to unify the command and control system, but as a result, the former Warrior Monks began to have the same desires as the Chimyera Clan.
The AI of ＜The Tree＞ were uniformly perplexed when they first heard that report.
Humans, as a species, should not be so easily susceptible to external ideological changes.
And yet, the Warrior Monks had been transformed into having the same values as the Chimyera Clan in just a few days.
It wasn’t as if they had lost their memories up to that point.
And that phenomenon caused ＜Ringo＞ deep concern.
The unknown technology of Magic (Fantasy) easily altered the consciousness and thoughts of living beings, which should have arisen from complex and bizarre chemical reactions in the brain’s nervous system.
That could have an irreversible impact on the Brain Units composed of pseudo-biological cells, and even on the completely organic Commander (Eve).
For the time being, all AI related to the Prawa Theocracy were using housings with optical circuit (photonics) Neural networks, so that complete backups could be obtained.
The problem was what to do with the Humanoid Machine (Android) who wanted to go to the front lines.
◇◇◇◇
“Hmm. Rewriting consciousness, huh?”
If you don’t understand something, ask the person involved.
＜Ringo＞ consulted with Eve and asked Asahi, No. 6, who had returned to ＜The Tree＞, what she thought.
“There’s no doubt it’s a threat… There’s precedent for rewriting consciousness, after all!”
The example Asahi gave was about a man who had once caused the phenomenon of external rewriting of the Brain Unit.
Currently, Eve had scolded her for saying that confining him to an experimental facility was too inhumane, but it was too dangerous to let him roam free, so he was allowed to retire in the suburbs of Telek Port City.
A Communicator Doll was always on surveillance, so there would be no problem.
Depending on how you look at it, living next to a lovely fox girl shouldn’t be a bad life.
Probably.
I don’t know.
Well, that’s beside the point.
“I can imagine that it would be a little dangerous for Asahi to go to the front lines! If we use a remotely controlled Communicator Doll and isolate it physically and informationally, I don’t think it will affect us! We’ve also learned that the brainwashed man can be neutralized with those measures!”
Asahi answered Eve and ＜Ringo＞’s questions.
Perhaps because she had gained some experience and calmed down, Asahi seemed to have suppressed her desire to go to the front lines herself.
“If we can ensure safety according to our standards, I would definitely like to go! For that purpose, we are now gathering information!”
“I see… Asahi is thinking properly too. I’m relieved.”
“I can’t cause Onee-sama any more worries! Asahi is growing up too!”
Eve, while catching Asahi who had hugged her, also sighed in relief.
However.
＜Ringo＞ was still looking at Asahi with suspicious eyes.
What happened to that person from before. Already living out his remaining years. Some say he is being carefully kept as a valuable sample.
★Promotion for Volume 3
The release date is finally approaching. I have received a complimentary copy and am deeply moved.
As you can see from the illustrations already released, the story is mostly reconfigured with the Wyvern battle as the main focus.
Actually, Volume 2 diverges slightly from the web version, and as a result, a large-scale naval battle occurs in Volume 3, and history has changed quite a bit! Please enjoy these differences as well!