05. The Human Causing a Stir
05. The Human Causing a Stir
...
Along with a short warning message, nothing happened at all.
Insufficient site area? What the hell...
"The Research Lab is a pretty big building. It's hard to utilize with the current area."
"...How much bigger does it need to be?"
"It needs to be at least three times bigger than now."
Huh?
To add just one Research Lab, it needs three times the current area?
"I calculated it generously. Building a Research Lab means you're seriously starting to construct advanced buildings... and they're all huge. Considering the Research Lab will keep expanding steadily...."
"Hmm... I see."
Looks like it's not possible right now. Gotta expand the land.
It's not difficult, but man, Nanomaterials are precious.
Maybe I should increase production buildings first and do it later?
"What did you do? Nothing happened."
Yu Ina, whom I'd momentarily forgotten about while chatting with Bari, whined.
"I was expecting something flashy since you went all bold."
"Wait a bit. There's a problem."
I wanted to think it over, but nah, no can do.
Since I decided to show this girl my power, I gotta do it right.
"Bari, expansion."
"How much?"
"How much does it cost?"
"To expand by the current area, it varies slightly depending on the ground, but usually around 0.5~0.8 Nanomaterials."
Current Nanomaterials stock is 7L. And it produces 10L per day.
"Hmm... Then for now, let's just make it about 200 meters wide and long."
"Keep the height at 100 meters?"
"No need for that height yet."
"Understood. Estimated Nanomaterials required: 1.5~2.4L."
With that, Bari placed her hand on the floor and closed her eyes like a sage.
"What are you doing?"
"Expanding this space."
"Hoh. Without magic?"
No sign of mana.
Bari could totally do it with magic, but Yu Ina is here right now. Showing off our unique(?) technology—pure science—would be more impressive than magic.
"Yeah. For us, magic is just a support tool at best."
"Is it related to that 'science' you mentioned before?"
"You bet. Everything you're seeing here was all built with science."
"Hmm."
Finally looking intrigued, she started walking around, checking things out.
Mostly around the Collectors thudding away mining resources, or the Construction Robots ppol-ppol-ing around.
Gugugugu.
And right around then.
A small earthquake hit, and the wall that had been blocking off that side crumbled, revealing new space.
Yu Ina, who had been looking around, came over to me.
"I don't feel anything. It's definitely not using any power I know."
"Told you. It's science."
"It's way different from the science I know."
Yeah, figures. Science here is practically primitive.
"Complete. Master. Nanomaterials consumed: 2.1L."
"Yeah. Good work."
The cavern had become enormously spacious.
It wasn't small before, but now four times bigger—it's seriously majestic.
Plus, bright LEDs were attached here and there on the high ceiling, so no visibility issues even underground.
"...Very clean. Seems even more reliable than spirit arts. Impressive. I don't like that you're occupying the Academy basement without permission, though."
Yu Ina looked less shocked and more deeply impressed.
I wanted to startle her, but aside from the first elevator ride, she doesn't seem that surprised.
'Actually, even that time she said it felt too lazy rather than surprising.'
No knowledge of science whatsoever, yet not even startled.
Is Noblesse society way more advanced than I thought?
If they build a similar level of society with magic or Nobling, no wonder she wouldn't be shocked one by one. She'd just admire that it's possible with pure tech, no magic or Nobling.
"Nah. Maybe she isn't surprised because I haven't shown much yet."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Nothing. Time to build the Research Lab."
I took Bari and Ina to an empty spot.
Area quadrupled in an instant, so walking around is starting to get annoying.
"Gotta make some transportation soon."
"If you build the Factory, you can produce basic manufactured goods."
A car, huh.
If I make a car, I could drive it not just underground but on the surface too.
"Maybe build the Factory in the city instead?"
"In the city?"
"Yeah. Buy some land, build a Factory there, make stuff and sell it. Seems like the best way to earn gold. Or does the distance make it unable to interact with the Base?"
Normally no, but Bari's performance is nerfed hard right now... just in case.
"...No way. It's not that bad."
"Good then."
"But to get land, you need money."
"What's there to worry about? We've got a solid money line now."
As I said that, I put my hand on Ina's shoulder.
Our heights are similar, perfect fit.
"Get off! Who said I'm your money line!"
"Why not? We're husband and wife now."
"I ain't giving you any money."
"Not that you don't have any?"
"...Shut up."
Hit the nail on the head, huh.
Well, yeah. She couldn't even buy Luna without 10,000 gold. Said her whole fortune was 1,000 gold?
"Ah. Should've asked the Clan Head for some cash."
"W-what? You gonna say something that insolent to the Clan Head-nim! Get some common sense."
"I make my own common sense."
"Ha... what nonsense..."
"Anyway, later for that."
After building the Research Lab today, resources will be almost zero—barely enough for one Collector, let alone a Factory. And that's only with instant construction via Nanomaterials.
"This should do."
Decent distance from other buildings, good accessibility.
=
<<Research Lab>>
LV.1 <Factory> is unlocked.
-Construction Conditions-
Control Center
Nanomaterials Production: 5/t
=
The start of advanced buildings! Research Lab!
"Do it."
I tapped to start Research Lab construction.
Then, light started from the distant Control Center, raced along the floor to here, and spread left and right from in front of me, sinking a huge area of ground.
More beams of light launched from the Control Center.
They all raced swiftly along the floor and dove into the excavated ground, and like a miracle, neat pillars rose from the dirt-covered floor, stacking up layer by layer into the building's foundation.
Shuuuung.
And then 13 Construction Robots approaching from above.
They entered the already auto-processing foundation and started assisting.
Construction speed is pretty fast. But it still takes 8 days to finish. That's down from 9 thanks to the Construction Robots.
"At this rate, 8 days for what must be huge."
"8 days is pretty fast, no?"
"Super fast, but slow."
"???"
Yu Ina tilted her head like what the hell.
Even showing a building auto-constructing right in front of her, no surprise.
Guess startling this girl was a failure.
Wanted to see an amusing face, too bad.
"But what's all this for? If it's a house, do you really need to add more buildings? Seems plenty already."
Yu Ina, for once, nailed it.
Yeah. For a house, no need for extra buildings. Right now it's just me and Bari living here.
"Doesn't look like you're farming, so a workshop?"
"Workshop... something like that."
Remove the back room and add 'shop,' close enough.
"If this is what you meant by showing off, kinda disappointing."
"Nah, the workshop itself isn't the point—the process to achieve it is. Dummy."
"Yeah, that's pretty surprising. But compared to your fussing? And this alone doesn't explain your arrogance."
"Then just accept it."
"Still, that doll called Bari is definitely no ordinary item."
"You realizing that now? And don't call her an item. Rude."
"A doll with feelings?"
"Can't you tell from her personality?"
"Well, she was pretty prickly."
Yu Ina nodded.
Even she thinks Bari's personality is unusual.
Bari's sweet and devoted to me, but merciless to others. Straight-up calls guys like Tweed 'lowly creature'—that says it all.
After giving her a Base tour, I showed her my house last.
It's just the Control Center, but still pretty luxurious.
"Furniture no average human—or even most Tower dwellers—could dream of."
"You recognize any?"
No way she knows TVs or whatever.
"Some I don't, but it's furniture. Functions are probably similar. So, quality matters."
She stroked the living room sofa.
"At this quality, it'd fetch a high price."
"Well, Bari made it."
"...Bari made it?"
"Everything you've seen and heard so far? Bari made it all."
It takes the form of 'construction,' but basically, Bari handles the core system processing.
"...I want it. Bad."
She showed her desire.
"The sofa? 20,000 gold, she'll make you one."
"...Don't talk nonsense. And I have plenty of sofas."
She sank into the cushy one, crossing her legs.
"I want that doll."
"Think I'll just hand her over?"
"Nope. You got nothing special, only thing worth anything is that doll. Without her, a guy like you would die tomorrow, right?"
"Gee, thanks for the glowing review."
"Magic calculations impossibly fast... even without it, uses science to pull off miracles on par with magic or Nobling... had serious combat power fighting that elf. I get it now. Absolute loyalty from a doll like that explains the arrogance."
She hasn't grasped even 1% yet.
Man, how do I make her get it.
"But ultimately, you got no power yourself, right? What's backing your actions?"
"What're you talking about."
"Right now that doll's utterly loyal, but who knows with the world. No magic binding or anything—could betray you anytime if she wanted."
"...Offensive. Doubting me?"
"Not doubt, reasonable suspicion. No constraints, not weak, yet absolute loyalty to an arrogant punk like you? Can't make sense of it with common logic."
"Bari's my woman too, for starters."
"...I didn't hear that wrong, did I?"
Yu Ina's eyes went wide.
"You heard right. I've given everything to Master."
"...You... do it... with a doll?"
"Didn't say that far."
"Then what. You don't?"
"Nah, we do."
"..."
Yu Ina's face turned pale blue.
The look she had in front of the Clan Head.
"Didn't think a doll-fucker with such deviant tastes was hanging around me."