Chapter 1071 – Experiment

000

Uni was regretting.

If it were my past self, I would definitely have been looking at it with resentment, saying, ‘Why didn’t you prepare?’

But he couldn’t help it, he never thought something like this would happen.

Yes, no one can predict what will happen in their future.

Even though he was a four-legged animal, he suddenly woke up one day after suffering from a high fever and realized that walking on two feet was more natural for him.

If Yuni could have predicted such a reality, she would probably have heard this story from other demon beasts, that is, her family.

‘Yuni, are you out of your mind?’

─Haha…

It must be such nonsense that she can only smile helplessly and nod her head.

Nevertheless, Yuni was regretting it.

She received various items from her family for the reason that ‘since she has become human, she will not feel strange when meeting humans.’

As for the source of the item… Let’s not worry too much about it.

Probably, it was left behind by humans who unfortunately lost their lives on this mountain.

Clothes draped over her body – I mean, this white dress is one of them.

Certainly, thanks to the lightening of her body hair, she became quite cold at night without clothes, and was unable to go outside in the winter.

At such times, she wears more layers of clothing and endures the cold by being hugged by a sheep with golden fleece.

Nevertheless, she was unable to cover ‘just one part’ with a man-made object.

That is the part that stands out among her pure white porcelain-like skin, and is famous as a place where some perverts feel sexually excited.

It was ‘feet’.

Her precious moving organs used to be four, but have now been reduced to two.

I don’t like wearing socks or shoes.

Because it’s frustrating.

My past self could confidently kick the ground with all four legs and feel the depth of the vibrations returned by the ground.

After wrapping her in soft socks and wrapping her in hard shoes, what she was stepping on was not this earth or a natural mountain range, but only a sole with an artificial texture returning to it.

Moreover, what is even worse is that most shoes, such as shoes, are made from materials such as animal skin.

In this way, it is no different from humans who hunt animals for reasons other than ‘food’.

That reluctance led her to not use clothing on her feet.

Of course, no one forced her.

There was a time when none other than DIA worried about me.

“Uni… My feet aren’t as strong as they used to be. Won’t walking barefoot hurt them?”

Hehe, thank you for your concern, but she is a unicorn herself.

Now that I’m in human form, my feet have definitely become a bit softer, but I still don’t get hurt that much when I step on slightly sharp stones or tree branches.

Well, there were times when my feet got cold, but in those times, I just need help from the sheep.

─, He confidently laughed off Dyer’s concerns.

And Yuni broke into a cold sweat as she looked at the sticky object under her feet, which was too murky to reflect herself, and she couldn’t tell if it was liquid or solid.

“… Are you going in here?”

Raise your head and look at the stinking hole gaping in front of you.

Was that mechanical doll human called a ‘wasted instrument’?

This is because it was thought that in order to enter it, one had to walk on the liquid.

001

The moment Cleon knocked out the automata guards and was able to go inside.

The group couldn’t help but frown as they looked at the source of the foul smell coming from inside.

It just flows, and several bubbles rise and burst repeatedly.

Moreover, every time, it seemed as if a very small, ‘sigh…’-Like scream was heard from inside the liquid.

“What on earth is this?”

Cleon will not be able to hold back and will ask questions.

Then, Descartes speaks while looking at the terrible thing that came out of the waste device.

[I told you. It’s a place to dispose of leftover materials from experiments or unusable materials. This is one of those categories.]

Descartes was speaking calmly, but Cleon, who heard him again, immediately understood.

“Is this… A ‘living creature’…!?”

[To be exact, he is a ‘living creature’ young man. Creatures that have been injected with Darwin’s elixir of evolution and fused with machines… Ah, they are similar to those who attacked you yesterday. It would be good to think of it as a failure.]

“!”

As soon as Cleon heard those words, he finally couldn’t hold back and pulled out a slash.

The tip points to Laplace and Descartes riding on top of him without the slightest wavering.

“…”

However, Cleon is quiet behind him without swinging his sword.

Descartes talks to Cleon.

[That anger. I understand. Obviously, a person with ‘normal sensibilities’ like you would not be able to define and acknowledge this act as ‘evil’. Therefore, you cannot stand it anymore and draw your sword to reveal your hostility towards us. Up to this point, it is an action based on ’emotion’.]

And Descartes sits with his arms crossed, and his legs crossed, looking at Cleon as he continues his speech.

[But you do not swing that sword. No, it would be better to say that you ‘can’t’ swing it. The ultimate goal, victory. The judgment that in order to get what you want, it would be better to act according to ‘reason’ rather than ’emotion’. The ‘fact’ that her lion behind her has been injected with her Darwin’s medicine, and that she must join us to save her. Because there is an unwavering standard. Then let me tell you one more thing.]

As if sitting on Cleon’s head, he moves his arm and points to the liquid flowing on the ground.

[The life forms that make up that are all ‘artificial life forms’ created by Darwin for his own needs. In other words, they are beings close to ‘homunculi’. Or, there may be various types of ‘replicas’ and ‘clones’.]

“Even so—!”

[Even so. If you feel sympathy for them. There is one more thing you must do. A weapon held by the automata you just cut down.]

When Cleon’s eyes followed it, there was indeed a cylindrical weapon held in the hand of the automata that Cleon had cut down.

[As you have seen, it is an object that emits ‘flame’. Their regenerative power, enhanced by the leap of evolution, is what keeps them alive even when their bodies collapse. So…]

“… Using these automata, we were putting the finishing touches on it. … Is that so?”

[That’s right. ─This is probably the ‘waste’ generated from yesterday’s experiment. Darwin hasn’t moved the lab since then, so he won’t be out anymore. So, please give this poor creature an end.]

Cleon said nothing for a moment after hearing that, then returned his slash to its sheath.

And then he trudged over, separated the weapon he was talking about from the arm of the fallen automata-

I aimed the tip at the ‘thing’ under my feet and pulled the trigger.

─Kwaaaaa…

A refreshingly strong flame leaps forward and surrounds the creature.

Although it could not be compared to Lila’s magic, it was a fairly powerful flame.

“…”

And that’s the end.

The thing under my feet is gradually surrounded by fire, and the screams that were coming out disappear as they are drowned out by the sound made by the flames.

The odor, life, and even the remaining ingredients of the medicine are destroyed and disappear due to the heat.

Finally, after confirming that the ‘liquid’ had evaporated and disappeared, Cleon threw it aside in his hand.

This time, he must have used too much force when he threw it to the ground, but it hit the wall and the flamethrower was shattered.

“… One more reason to destroy this coffin.”

When Cleon said that with quiet anger, Descartes responded.

[Then let’s go inside. It’s better not to waste time.]

Without listening to his answer, Cleon walks steadily.

There was no longer any foul odor or terrible liquid flowing out of the discarded equipment.

Unido reflects that her worries just a moment ago were really trivial and nothing special, and follows Cleon with Nemeia.

Nemeia stares at the place where the being that collapsed and melted moments ago was, then moves her feet.

And, Laplace and Descartes confirmed that they all entered.

It was Laplace who spoke first.

“For some reason, you seem a little in a good mood. Descartes. It seems to me that you have ‘intentionally made him angry.’ Is it my mistake to think that you seem a little ’emotional’, despite having told him to make rational decisions? ?”

[Laplace. You can understand people’s minds so easily, but I don’t know why you only open your mind to animals and demons, not people.]

Descartes speaks to Laplace’s words as if they were the correct answer.

“I don’t know what to say, but… Are you feeling something called ‘guilt’? You.”

And Laplace expressed his slight discomfort that he had been feeling subtly ever since he met Descartes.

It had been many years since Descartes and Laplace had spoken to each other.

Probably, the last time I saw him was when I received the Kshat from him.

After that, they couldn’t see each other because they were both busy with work, and when Fleur imprisoned her grandfather, they couldn’t see each other even more.

Of course, we have been in contact with each other, but it has been several years since we have met each other face to face and spoken in person.

There, Laplace.

As someone who had been friends with Descartes for a long time, I quickly grasped his ‘change’ when I met him again.

Probably, you don’t know ‘Darwin’.

She loves playing with humans in her hands more than anyone else, but ironically, the subtleties of humans-

In particular, she does not notice ’emotions that she does not understand’.

Of course, just because Laplace uttered the word ‘guilt’ does not mean that he also had such feelings.

Rather, Laplace only understands emotions in a ‘mechanical’ and ‘lexical’ sense because he judges humans objectively and recognizes them as beings different from himself.

In a given situation, the most appropriate emotion to bring about change for ‘Descartes’ would be the emotion he felt when he reflected on himself while he was confined.

Since he understood the intention of Laplace’s question, Descartes smiled ‘huhu’.

[No way. That can’t be possible. This Descartes? Returner’s Mechanicus? Who is this man with a heart of steel who has risen to his current position by calculating profits and losses with the cool-headedness of a machine?]

“…”

[He is different from people like you and me. If you shock the vessel called ‘heart’, you will suffer damage. Nervousness, anxiety, guilt, loneliness. Such emotions are more than enough to crack the heart and ultimately break it.]

“In other words, you want to break the magic swordsman’s heart…”

Laplace nodded once at Descartes’ words.

And he will ask Descartes once again.

“What is the ‘result value’ you are trying to achieve by doing so?”

Experiments have a purpose.

Breaking the heart is a ‘process’ and a ’cause’, not the result.

What does he want to prove?

[Well! That part is truly uncharted territory! A good person like him, or a strong person. What kind of trajectory will the sword wielded with a broken heart take? Even if I’m not an expert in human psychology, doesn’t it bother me?]

“──.”

However, Descartes just gave a vague answer and moved on.

Laplace was silent for a moment.

And he answered him.

“I have no intention of getting caught up in that trajectory. It’s a little different from breaking his heart, but… I understand what happened to him when he gave himself up to the impulse of anger. I have learned and understand that this life is thrown away once.”〈 Br〉

002

Crashing.

The closed iron window on the ceiling opened with a sound.

What you see before your eyes is a mechanical yet clean hallway.

Cleon glanced left and right, up and down, then carefully went down the hallway.

“… I don’t think there are any sentries. It’s just like Descartes said.”

[That’s right… Now, you can come down too.]

Descartes answers Cleon’s words and speaks to Uni, who was looking down in front of him.

“Ugh… There’s too much metal, it doesn’t calm down.”

And, after landing lightly, Yuni stood up, looked around, and said that.

And next, a huge lion fell from the ceiling, making a clicking sound.

Cleon looked at Nemeia, whose fur was covered in dark dust, and thought that she had somehow managed to get through the narrow vent in the ceiling with her body.

They entered through the waste pipe, moved around through a complicated maze-like passage, and finally arrived at the underground corridor through the ventilation shaft.

The location of those who came in like that-

“We have arrived. Basement 2, B-rank experiment area.”

It is said that this building, which has four underground floors, is also a place where relatively light experiments are conducted.

Thanks to that, there are no such expenses.

“… But since you’re inside, isn’t Darwin detecting you?”

[Not yet. Thanks to the ‘Meteorite’ I dispatched, she has no time to worry about this right now.]

“Meteorite…?”

Cleon, feeling uneasy about something, asks the name, but Descartes shakes his head.

[There is such a thing. Ruler. Laplace, so where did you decide to go?]

And when you ask Laplace about the destination, he talks as if he is tracing his memory.

“Ah. It’s a place where experimental data and results of the leap forward in subspecies evolution are gathered… 2-C.”

“Is it a dangerous place?”

Even though he asked, Cleon thought it was obvious.

[There is no safe place underground. … However, it is relatively safe there. This is research that Darwin stopped paying attention to a long time ago. In the end, he realized that perfecting the pure elixir was more effective than researching the subspecies elixir.]

“… Anyway, let’s move if it’s safe. Is Nemeia still okay?”

When Cleon asked that question, Yuni tried to look at Nemeia.

If you don’t convey it yourself, Nemeia won’t understand.

At that time.

“Ah. No problem.”

The voice I heard for the first time flowed.

Both Uni and Cleon must have turned their heads in a hurry, surprised that there was someone other than themselves who spoke human language.

Could it be that he was discovered by the security?

But there, only Nemeia stood.

“… Just now, who─”

“… Why are you looking at me like that? Uni. Human.”

“!?”

Cleon’s eyes turned to Nemeia’s mouth as the voice flowed out once again, fluent in the common language.

“… Nemeia, you are now… A ‘common language’…”

“──!?”

Only after receiving Cleon’s criticism did Nemeia look like she realized something.

Then she rubbed the area around her mouth with one of her front paws a few times.

“Uh, huh…”

I tried to make a roar like a lion, but all I got was a human-like voice.