Chapter 156
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Expansionist Moves (4)
“Okay. Then let's go with Nocturne Town. But what are we gonna do when we need to expand the site later?”
For now, a small personal lab like this with a few attached rooms is plenty. But when you're shelling out cash for a building, you can't help thinking about the future.
My skill might end up specialized for mass production someday. And I can't keep making clones by overlaying them on human body models forever.
"Nocturne Town might look like a place where money can buy anything on the surface, but surprisingly, they don't sell land to outsiders easily. It's a closed-off city built by people shunned by the Association and the surface world."
"But aren't you not an outsider, Master?"
"...Well, it's not just decided by the fact that you were born here."
On top of that, Nocturne Town was right at the heart of Tartaros, making it nearly impossible to snap up land indiscriminately.
Aira pondered my words for a moment before speaking up.
“What if we expand downward?”
“Downward?”
“Yes. Nocturne Town's structure is like a massive underground cavern encircled by ring-shaped districts. If you keep going deeper underground, you hit the underground auction house at the core of the black market, and at the very bottom is Witch Laupe's swamp mansion. If we can utilize the space going down, we could secure plenty of room.”
“I see...? If you say so, then it must be.”
Her explanation convinced me somewhat.
Yeah, expanding downward could work. The ground here isn't soft or anything.
If we can sort out the legal side, this could be a solid option.
As I mulled it over,
Aira was tapping away furiously at her tablet PC with an energy I'd never seen from her before.
Unlike her usual dead eyes, she was brimming with life.
“Even though this plan came together on a whim, I see it as a blessing in disguise. It means you're finally ready to dive headfirst into doll-making, Master.”
“Uh, well...”
“I'll draw up a report right now on the mass production project and doll production and sales plans.”
She looked just like a kid who'd finally gotten her hands on a toy she'd been longing for forever.
Aira kept typing rapidly into her tablet while starting to talk about my skill.
She softened her voice a bit and asked for permission first.
“That said, this business now and any in the future all hinge on your skill, Master. Would it be okay if I shared a few of my thoughts? Please forgive me for pointing out your weaknesses.”
“It's fine. Go ahead.”
She cleared her throat once and continued.
“For your clone creation skill to break into the surface market, there are a few issues to resolve. First off, since your clones are made by straight-up duplicating a single person, you need detailed physical data on that one individual for each one. That's not a big deal right now, but it'll definitely become a huge roadblock when scaling up to mass production.”
Her point was spot on.
All the clones I'd made so far were of people I'd met in person and gotten data from.
It was clearly a method with limits for mass-producing for random customers. And the more you scale, the bigger the portrait rights issues would get, increasing the chances of legal restrictions from the Association.
But listing out these academic flaws could go on forever.
Overcoming skill limits ultimately came down to leveling it up or getting new skills.
That was something I knew, and Aira knew too.
"What, you got some useful skill for that? I just learn it and we're good?"
"No."
"Then?"
“Experiments.”
Experiments?
The word rang in my ears with an oddly violent vibe.
“I think we need a clearer, more precise analysis of your skill at this point. We have to test its limits and possibilities directly through experiments.”
“I feel like I already know everything there is to know... Like what?”
Aira showed me her tablet screen.
It listed several lingering questions she'd compiled, along with potential skill developments.
“For example, can we make two clones from one person at the same time? Or create non-human clones? And if so, what's the efficiency like? I'd like to test those directly.”
"Hmm..."
One person having multiple clones.
Honestly, I'd thought about it plenty of times.
But I'd never tried because I had a gut feeling it was impossible.
If you could infinitely multiply the really strong ones, I'd just crank out protagonists like crazy.
'Especially back then, it took months per clone. No way I was investing in something that sketchy.'
I still doubted it would work, but like Aira said, it was worth a shot. Non-human clones sounded intriguing too.
If we could make clones of the slaves that pop up in the black market often, it might solve a few problems at least.
"Alright. Let's give it a try."
Under Aira's lead, we jumped straight into the experiment.
The test subject was naturally Aira herself.
'In a way, a clone of a clone.'
Several work dolls bustled about under her direction.
Come to think of it, this was my first time watching her make a doll up close.
Aira manipulated her mechanical dolls like she was commanding a pioneer squad on a mission.
“Alpha, start on the skeletal parts. Follow the blueprints I sent.”
“Beta, neural circuits and mana circulation components.”
“Gamma, prep exterior and skin tissues.”
At her commands, the lab turned into a massive factory, humming nonstop.
Over several days, the dolls assembled her designed parts like intricate plastic models, piece by piece.
“Would you like to help too, Master? I think it'd be good experience for you.”
"Sure. What do I do?"
"This part's a bit short on strength. Inject a little more mana. And the leg circuit's disconnected. Reconnect it."
Her nitpicky demands had me breaking a real sweat.
We threw ourselves into clone production day and night for days.
And finally,
another clone identical to Aira stood before us.
But this wasn't the end.
This was just a doll made without my clone skill.
The real test was whether it worked properly.
I took a deep breath and activated the skill.
‘Clone Creation.’
Sure enough, the familiar system message popped up before my eyes.
Just as expected, huh.
[Clone─Type 2]
[Combat Power: 0%]
- Mechanical consciousness activation impossible.
Impossible.
The message summed it up in one word, and I clicked my tongue.
'Hah, knew it was coming.'
It registered as a clone, but... this was just a mannequin that couldn't even handle mechanical consciousness.
Failure.
"Guess it was pointless after all."
“Wait, Master.”
Then Aira stopped me.
Experiment's an experiment—maybe tweak the method and try again?
I sighed.
"You saw it too, Aira. The system's blocking it outright. Continuing experiments won't change—”
"That's not what I mean, Master."
Aira reached out toward the new doll.
Then, its arm began to move slowly in response to her gesture.
I didn't grasp what it meant at first.
It's moving? The arm?
Without any consciousness?
“Wha...? Why's it moving?”
"I'm... not entirely sure either..."
Aira looked surprised too.
She glanced back and forth between her hand and the doll's arm, then murmured softly.
“It seems... this second clone can move under my consciousness.”
“Your consciousness?”
“Yes. It feels just like an extension of my body.”
Aira started manipulating the doll with her will as she spoke.
At first, it moved clumsily, like a newborn baby.
But as time passed, the motions grew more precise and natural.
Like a seasoned puppeteer working marionettes.
'One consciousness, but switchable bodies? Hive mind? Spare body?'
I didn't know the principle, but one thing was clear.
This experiment wasn't a total bust.
Aira said,
“It's a tentative guess, but... we could put this to good use by controlling multiple clones at once. Especially for running a factory like this.”
She was right.
One mind controlling multiple bodies simultaneously.
It was a revolutionary way to maximize productivity.
Especially for clones like Aira with their fine motor skills—the effect would be huge.
'Not sure how many she can handle at once, but it could definitely cut down on headcount...'
As I pondered various applications in my head,
Aira approached me with her Mk. 2 clone in tow.
Two Aira Petrovnas.
Identically pretty faces.
Identically calm expressions.
Identically violent curves.
They sat side by side before me and looked up.
“Huh? What's this all of a sudden?”
“Master. I'd like your help with my doll control experiment.”
“Of course I'll help... but how?”
In answer to my question, both Airas began stroking me all over.
Two pairs of hands.
Ten fingers.
They glided softly over my pants.
“Th-this is...”
Despite my flustered reaction, the two Airas calmly carried out their plan.
“I'm not quite adapted to the new body yet.”
“We need to sync the sensations from both bodies using your 'tool', Master.”
“Please cooperate with us, Master.”
Was this genuine experiment zeal, or an excuse from a woman whose body was heating up after so long?
Aira's face flushed as she looked up at me.
The black domination mark etched into her body seemed to glow brighter, flickering like a flame.
'She's been pretty forward lately.'
Come to think of it, as my de facto secretary, she was always by my side, soaking up the pleasure essence that naturally leaked from me.
Maybe she was in a perpetual state of heat...
“...Fine. Do what you want.”
At my permission, the two pairs of hands began to move slowly.
One undid my belt buckle, the other pulled down the zipper.
"Haa, Master's scent..."
"I always want to be by your side just to smell this..."
My still-dormant member was exposed defenselessly before the two Airas.
They buried their noses in my balls and soft shaft, sniffing deeply.
“Hngh, so good...”
Their hair tickled my inner thighs, and each hot breath against my groin sent tingles up my lower belly, goosebumps racing across my skin.
Soon, a soft, wet sensation enveloped my left ball.
And exactly 0.1 seconds later, the right one felt the exact same—perfectly symmetric tongue work.
When one licked up from the bottom, the other licked down from the top. Their methodical, relentless caress made me swallow hard.
"Does it feel good, Master?"
"Are you satisfied, Master?"
My cock started reacting, hardening bit by bit.
They didn't miss the change, soft hands wrapping around the shaft.
One gripped firmly from the base, the other softly on the sensitive spot just under the head.
My cock swelled ferociously in an instant.
Veins bulged prominently, the glans flushed deep red and glossy, ready to burst.
The Airas gazed at the long, thick, monstrous erection and smiled ever so faintly.
“As always, it exceeds expectations with superb expansion, Master.”
“This will be... a huge help for our sensory sync experiment.”
Gulp.
Their bodies blurred together now; I couldn't tell which was real.