05. The Human Causing a Stir
05. The Human Causing a Stir
+++
The Clan Head returned to her original spot after lunch.
And Yoo Hari and Yoo Hana, whom I'd first met that morning, also went back.
The Clan Head must be an incredibly busy person who could barely spare time from the start, and Yoo Hari said she'd soon be deployed to the front lines after attaining that Roza title or whatever, so she probably couldn't stay here long.
But Yoo Hana was a bit unexpected. Even though her daughter got married, she just showed her face and left. Isn't that too indifferent?
She only said something like 'Take good care of her' to me and turned away abruptly.
"Haa."
When we returned to Yu Ina's half-wrecked mansion, Yu Ina let out a sigh.
The mansion's pitiful state seemed perfectly synced with her expression.
"My life...."
Seeing her crouch in the courtyard, clutching her head and groaning, I couldn't help but snicker.
"What're you doing."
"...Shut up. I don't wanna talk."
"It's all your own doing anyway."
Seeing her so down in the dumps makes me wanna tease her mercilessly, but I probably shouldn't. She's my wife, after all.
"Bari, let's fix that thing up first. It's our house now."
Sure, it's in Yu Ina's name, but whatever—we're married, so it's mine too, right?
"Understood."
With her response, Bari stuck her hand out.
I figured she'd use Nanomaterials, but the rippling sensation around her suggested she was manipulating Mana instead.
Chwaaa
A Magic Circle of brilliant colors appeared beyond her palm.
"Magic?"
"Yes. In theory, you just reverse-entropy and apply it, so as long as you know the principles, it doesn't require much Mana. I judged it far more efficient since it doesn't consume Nanomaterials."
"I see."
No clue what she's talking about, but whatever—as long as it's fixed, who cares.
Even better if it doesn't use resources.
"...It's got a totally different vibe from last time... Haa... I just can't wrap my head around it."
Yu Ina, who'd been crouched down, stood up as the mansion restored itself in an instant.
"I never taught you restoration magic—did you sneak a peek at a Grimoire in the meantime or something?"
"I merely applied physics I already know."
"...Applied existing knowledge to magic? You say that so casually. If it were that easy, mages would've conquered the Tower ages ago."
"Please don't compare me to those incompetents."
"......"
She stared at Bari in disbelief, then turned to me.
The absurdity she felt was plain on her face.
"How are you two so alike? Your arrogance pierces the heavens."
"Bari's my AI. And it's not arrogance. Bari really can do anything. Unlike puny biologicals."
Yu Ina furrowed her brow even more.
She alternated glances between me and Bari with a face that showed zero comprehension.
......Just what the hell are you two?"
"I'm tired of explaining it now."
......No matter how I think about it, I can't understand."
Dead serious expression.
If I even joked, she'd blow up on the spot.
"You enroll in the Academy knowing nothing, become trainee rep as a mere human... and on top of that, this attitude that puts everyone beneath you... 'Arrogant' doesn't even cover it. I've lived over thirty years and met plenty of idiots, but you're a first."
"What? Calling me an idiot?"
"That's not it—I'm saying I can't comprehend your existence."
She crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly.
"Until now, we were just trainee and instructor, so I didn't pry too deep, but regardless of the process, you're my husband now. I need to know about you."
"Hmm."
She wants to know, huh.
Where do I even start explaining?
"How about inviting her to the Base?"
"To the Base?"
"Yes. You're married now anyway, and she doesn't seem like the loose-lipped type."
"Oho, showing me something? Sure. My lips are sealed tight."
"...I don't trust you much."
"What'd you say?"
"But whatever... doesn't matter."
It's not like it'll wear out.
No one can come steal it.
Worst case, I dissolve it all back into Nanomaterials and recover it.
"Come on. I'll show you."
I led Bari and Ina along.
Didn't have to walk far. The Underground Base entrance is in the courtyard of Ina's office building, right in front of the mansion.
Clang!
"......What is this?"
The elevator rose up, recognizing me and Bari.
As the heavy metal doors slid open left and right, revealing the inside, Yu Ina frowned slightly.
"Why so guarded? Nothing dangerous."
"No traces of Nobling or Mana."
"Didn't use either."
Can't use Nobling anyway.
"Did that doll make it? Feels kinda similar."
"Something like that."
As Bari and I stepped in, Yu Ina strode forward too.
"Oh, but do you even know the concept of 'machines'?"
"Machines? What's that."
"Figured as much. Got it."
"...Why do you keep trailing off li—"
Whirr!
"? We're going down."
"That's what it's for. Transports from below to above, above to below."
"Hmm... yeah?"
"What?"
"Just... feels like a lazy contraption. Can't we just use stairs?"
"Try saying that after climbing a thousand—no, ten thousand floors someday."
"It's that deep...? Wait a sec."
She suddenly scowled.
"You... what the hell did you do under the Academy!"
"What else? Built a house."
"Does the Chief Instructor know?"
"As if."
"You are just......"
"It's underground anyway, so who cares."
Someday we'll surface.
By then... yeah... I'll take the Academy. Chief Instructor too.
"Haa... No idea how deep you dug, but this kinda thing gets found out quick."
"Doesn't matter."
"...."
Ding!
Just as she was about to say more, we arrived at the Base.
The elevator doors opened to reveal my Base, diligently grown over the past ten days.
A perfect square, 100 meters on each side.
"Let me introduce you. This is my home. The forward base that'll one day conquer this planet and advance into space."
"......"
She stepped forward as if entranced.
"This is..."
Resource buildings packed tight like a factory interior, and the Control Center off to one side.
Not a huge area, so it's kinda modest, but still, pretty satisfying sight.
"Hmm... This much might actually stay hidden. Making a cavern this size underground is impressive enough."
......Your reaction's kinda lukewarm?"
"No real reason to gush. You called it a house. For something underground, it's plenty big."
"......"
She has no clue what these buildings are or how amazing they are.
Makes sense. No knowledge of Meta-atoms or Nanomaterials, so at a glance, it just looks like a few buildings slapped together.
==
<Ryu Si-hwan Nation>
<Production>
Compressed Material 1240L/t
Meta-atom 100L/t
Nanomaterials 10L/t
<Reserves>
Compressed Material 1502L
Meta-atom 103L
Nanomaterials 7L
[Facilities]
Control Center: 1
Collector: 8 +1(1 turn later)
Nuclear Fission Device: 6
Nanomaterial Synthesizer: 1
[Units]
Construction Robot: 13 +1(1 turn later)
==
"No wait... yeah... Considering you're human, this is pretty damn impressive."
"It's more than that, but... whatever, you'll get it eventually."
Guess I gotta show her the wonders of science. Bet she'll freak if buildings pop out of thin air.
First off... With 7 liters Nanomaterials, 1500 liters Compressed Material, about 100 liters Meta-atoms, time to... level up the tech tree a bit.
Everything here is basic buildings. Stuff you can build with just resources, no conditions.
But for cooler things—like pumping out robot legions or mass-producing goods to sell—you need advanced buildings with prerequisites.
And those advanced ones are usually 'upgradable.'
=
<<Research Lab>>
LV.1 <Factory> unlocked.
-Construction Conditions-
Control Center
Nanomaterial Production: 5/t
=
Right now, the only advanced building I can build is the <<Research Lab>>.
Pretty easy high-tier one since the condition is just 5+ Nanomaterials per turn.
Gotta build this to unlock other high-tier stuff via upgrades.
Some might say, 'But Bari knows all the tech already—what's the point?' Half right, half wrong.
Bari's in a massively nerfed state right now. Even so, it's enough to crush biological trash effortlessly, but compared to her main body? Pathetic.
Most tech Bari developed before was based on that 'main body.' Simple stuff is fine with current Bari, but as you go to high-tier buildings and units, the complexity is insane, so you gotta invest resources in Bari upgrades via buildings to build them.
Any building raises Bari's performance a bit, but ones like <<Research Lab>> are straight-up investments like the <Control Center>, with way bigger boosts.
"1200 liters Compressed Material, 80 liters Meta-atom... That's a ton."
Building this'll burn through almost all my resources.
But gotta do it. Progress depends on it.
"Alright. You're the one!"
"Why do you keep muttering to yourself like that?"
"Heh. You wouldn't get it. How grand this sight is."
"......"
"Don't faint from shock."
"Quit yapping. Just do it already."
I hit construct on the Research Lab.
"Ah. Master, that—"
Beep.
[Insufficient constructible land.]