Many questions came to mind at once, but there was only one I needed to ask first.
“Why did you make someone like that an executive?”
– I didn’t.
“Then what? Does Ex Machina have a separate Human Resources manager or something?”
– Not that either.
“Then what is it?”
– In Ex Machina, executive positions aren’t given. They’re taken. Even you could become one right now.
“I wouldn’t take it even if you offered.”
– Knew you’d say that. Anyway, back to the point….do you still have the token you received when you became part of Ex Machina?
“I do, for now.”
I pulled the token from inside my coat.
I didn’t want to carry something this ominous around, but leaving it behind felt even scarier.
– Becoming a member of Ex Machina is easy. You just need to be a genius. Of course, you’re an exception. You didn’t qualify, but you proved yourself through your results.
“Right, thanks.”
– And to become an executive, you have to decode the token I gave you in your own way. It’s essentially a puzzle.
“Is that so?”
I thought it was a complete item as is. But then again, someone like the Scriptwriter wouldn’t bother making something so intricate if it served no purpose.
– Emily deciphered it through magic engineering and became the Helical Gear. And First Princess Lapis…
“Deciphered it through bioengineering?”
– Exactly. She took the token from an Ex Machina member she personally killed and refined it into a gear.
So that’s what qualifies someone?
But is it really okay to kill a fellow Ex Machina member and take their token?
Or is that what’s meant by “seizing” the position?
“That’s surprisingly lenient of you.”
– Not exactly. I did hesitate for a moment. Since the target was an imperial member, I considered taking it back.
“But you gave up on that.”
– No.
Unlike his usual sly tone, his answer was firm.
I instinctively straightened up at the sudden chill that ran down my spine.
– I’ve killed Princess Lapis a total of three times. First, I took off her head. The second time, I made her ingest a lethal poison. And the last time, I incinerated her entire body in flames.
“……”
– And yet, she didn’t die. As if it were the most natural thing, she just appeared again from somewhere.
What the hell is that?
– Then she sought out another member of Ex Machina and stole their token again.
It suddenly felt like the entire genre had shifted.
– So I watched to see what she’d do with the token… but she just kept it, as if it were a decoration. Didn’t seem like she intended to do anything with it.
As far as I knew, First Princess Lapis was just a side character.
She had no role in the story, no involvement. She was just someone who broke down after failing to survive the succession struggle.
That was the extent of my awareness.
– What’s even more shocking is that the Ex Machina members she killed weren’t even active. She specifically tracked down unremarkable, low-profile members whose existence wasn’t even widely known and killed them. Isn’t that strange?
“Wait, hold on.”
– I’ve investigated several times trying to figure out what “it” is trying to do, or what it’s thinking, but haven’t uncovered anything solid. I’ll have to keep looking into it.
“No.”
You’re seriously dropping this now?
I hadn’t thought much of Lapis before, but now I was getting scared.
And for good reason….I had met her just recently.
Worse, it seemed like she had deliberately sought me out.
– So if you can help it, I wouldn’t recommend making direct contact. At least not until we’ve figured out what she really is. I’d prefer you didn’t provoke her unnecessarily.
“So there is something you don’t know.”
– I’m a genius, but that doesn’t mean I know everything. I’m someone who uncovers the obvious and creates the new. If you’re looking for someone with vast wisdom, not knowledge, go ask the Great Sage.
“You say that like I’m best friends with the Great Sage or something.”
– Aren’t you?
“I’m not.”
– Well, never mind then.
…What? What am I supposed to say to that?
“So, what did you even come here for? I doubt someone as busy as you just dropped in to give a warning out of kindness.”
– True. Actually, I’d forgotten all about it until you brought it up.
“Forgot? You forgot?”
– Yeah. Shocking, isn’t it? It seems that thing has the ability to slip out of even people’s memory.
“……”
– Anyway, since it came to mind just now, I figured I’d ask. Have you considered modifying the sword yourself?
“If I had the ability to do that, don’t you think I would’ve done it already?”
– Then I’ll lend you that ability.
“I refuse.”
– Why?
There’s no way he’d lend such power for free, and I wasn’t desperate enough to crave that much additional strength.
To be honest, I’d gotten by just fine without it.
I only thought, “The more tools I have at hand, the better.”
– I see… You’re just overly greedy. Oh well.
“No, wait—”
Clack!
The mechanical device transmitting Deus’s voice suddenly lifted something resembling a gun.
“…Thanks?”
– Tsk. Greed beyond one’s means is bound to be self-destructive.
Then the gun-like object was brought right up to my token.
Zzzzt!
The Ex Machina token sparked as if it were being welded.
…Ah. So it wasn’t meant to threaten me. It was just a lab tool?
Well, if it had been an actual threat, Emily probably would’ve helped me. …Maybe.
– Here. Take it.
After toying around with my Ex Machina token for a while, the Scriptwriter finally pulled something out of the flames and tossed it my way.
I caught it without thinking, and thankfully, despite coming out of the fire, it wasn’t hot or anything.
“What is this… Aaah?! What the hell?!”
The moment I looked at what I was holding, I couldn’t help but scream.
The token, which had definitely been made of metal, had somehow transformed into what looked like a chunk of flesh.
Never mind how it felt….it was pulsing as if it were alive.
– That’s the Babel Gear. From today onward, you’ll temporarily refer to yourself as Babel Gear. Even if you’re not quite on par with that grotesque monster, you’re better than her. Do your best as an executive.
“No, thank you!”
– I told you, didn’t I? You’re too greedy. This is as far as you go. Giving you that position was an act of generosity.
“No! I’m saying I don’t want the position!”
– You fool!
At that moment—
The small device that had been relaying the Scriptwriter’s voice suddenly expanded.
After a rapid series of fusions and transformations, the machine morphed and swung something the size of my head right at me.
– How can one person be so greedy?!
Craack!
I heard a sound from my body that definitely shouldn’t have been there.
***
The next morning.
Morning.
“Why is it morning?”
An unusual awakening.
The events from just before I passed out were bizarrely vivid in my mind.
Which naturally led to a number of questions.
Where am I?
If I got knocked out like that, how did Emily respond?
“……”
A warmth radiated from my right hand.
The sensation of bare skin against mine.
“…No way…”
No matter how clueless the kid might be, there’s no way it could be that bad…
I braced myself and slowly opened my eyes.
And there it was….a pair of eyes staring right at me, belonging to a black puppy sitting on top of my body.
“Johan Damus.”
“Mepisto?”
This little brat. How dare he sit on someone’s body like that?
“Stay calm. Don’t move.”
“Huh…?”
“Oh, dear God. My God, why must you do this to your humble servant?”
“What are you talking about…?”
“Deep breaths. Start with deep breaths.”
When even a demon is calling out to God, you know things aren’t going as expected.
Following Mephistopheles’s advice, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself.
“Now, slowly lower your head. Don’t be too shocked. Take it slow…”
“……”
I slowly lowered my head.
The warm sensation I’d been feeling from my right hand now began to creep me out.
And then, I came face-to-face with the truth.
Thump! Thump!
Something was stuck to my palm.
Something that looked like the flesh of a living creature.
“Babel Gear…?”
The device that the Scriptwriter Deus had more or less forced on me was stuck to my hand.
No…
It was fusing with it.
“Ah.”
***
I dreamed of my past life.
…It’s been a while since that happened.
In the dream, I was playing a video game.
Not Promotion Tale, the world I’m in now, but a fighting game.
I was struggling against an opponent whose hands transformed in bizarre ways.
After trying again and again, I finally reached one conclusion:
—Isn’t that character totally broken?
Can’t beat them?
Then why not just pick the same broken character myself?
That’s the thought that came to mind.
***
“……”
I had the worst dream.
A dream that felt like some kind of omen. I squeezed my eyes shut again.
Was that conversation I had earlier with Mephistopheles just a dream? Or did I pass out again?
I really hoped it was the former…
“You’re awake?”
When I forced myself to open my eyes, I saw Emily standing by the door.
Wearing pajamas that looked a bit too big for her, she was sipping coffee with a sleepy look on her face.
Her defenseless appearance made a few ideas pop into my head, but unfortunately, none of them stirred my heart.
There was something far more pressing weighing on me.
Before saying anything, I slowly sat up and checked my hand.
“Was it a dream?”
My right hand had returned to its normal shape.
Was it really just a dream? That was terrifying…
“Thankfully, the Babel Gear has fully adapted to your body. No signs of rejection. The Scriptwriter said there’s no longer any difference between it and your actual body.”
“……”
So it wasn’t a dream.
Does that mean it’s actually completely fused with my body now?
So that’s why there’s nothing visibly unusual?
That grotesque chunk of flesh is inside me right now?
“The Babel Gear can apparently analyze external materials and DNA. Using that, it might even be able to modify that sword mixed with organic tissue. And if necessary, it can absorb, synthesize, and alter its own or nearby organic matter to use as a weapon. Basically, you can use your arm directly as a weapon.”
“That sounds exactly like the kind of weapon a terrorist would use…”
“Does it?”
No, seriously. There’s no way a hero would ever have a power like this.
A horrifying ability like this is the kind of thing a mid-tier boss villain would have at the very least.
“This is why you should never get involved with a bunch of psychos like Ex Machina.”
“……”
Even with Emily standing right in front of me, I couldn’t find better words to use.
I mean, come on….my right hand has already been taken over by some kind of unknown bio-creature.
I remember a manga I read where a monster that latched onto someone’s right arm ended up bonding with them and growing together…
But whatever’s parasitizing my arm right now doesn’t seem like the kind you can reason with.
“He said you can detach it.”
“Of course. That’s Ex Machina for you. Always on the cutting edge of technology.”
Well, that changes things a bit.
“So? How do I remove it?”
“…I don’t know.”
Emily pouted and looked away.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know. She clearly did.
That pout was her way of showing she was annoyed.
Probably because I called all of Ex Machina a bunch of psychos earlier.
“Emily, what I said before…I didn’t mean it. You know that, right?”
Ugh… I really need to watch my mouth.
Now, how do I smooth this over?
***
The Imperial Palace.
In a garden blooming with flowers, First Princess Lapis was taking a stroll.
She smiled like a child as she admired each blossom.
“Oh? You’re here, Your Majesty.”
“……”
At that moment, Emperor Abraham approached her.
With a stern expression, he walked up to Lapis and pointed a sword at her.
“I’m sure I told you not to meddle in the succession.”
Slice!
Without a moment’s hesitation, he severed her neck.
“When you first infiltrated the imperial family, I clearly warned you. I would tolerate everything else you enjoy here….but any actions that threaten the succession or the Empire would not be allowed.”
Abraham had known all along.
The First Princess Lapis….or rather, that unidentified thing was never truly his child.
A monster that appeared one day and naturally took the place of the First Princess.
More than once, the Emperor had cut off its head and burned it.
But the creature never died. By the next day, it would be walking around the palace again, as if nothing had happened.
Just like now, even after being beheaded.
“That’s not fair. I was only trying to help out of goodwill. I didn’t even interfere with the succession.”
Lapis’s head which was now rolling on the ground replied as if nothing had happened.
The headless body moved as if it could see, picked up its severed head, and reattached it to its neck.
“But didn’t you feed Lobelia lies and fill her head with nonsense?”
The creature called Lapis was never human to begin with. Which meant she shouldn’t have any awakened abilities.
“Lies? Ah, you mean the awakened ability? So what? Nothing I explained was false. I simply offered help out of goodwill.”
“……”
“So let’s not waste our strength on pointless conflict. You could kill me, Your Majesty, but the cost wouldn’t be small. That’s why you chose to keep me around and let me enjoy the world, isn’t it?”
Abraham could kill Lapis. The destructive power he wielded made it possible.
But it wasn’t simple.
To truly kill her, he’d have to draw out her true form and destroy it and the collateral damage from that process would be immense.
“Don’t cross the line.”
That’s why they made a contract.
To the monster who only longed for humanity and mimicked it, he offered the best life a human could enjoy.
In return, Lapis agreed to surrender her life whenever he demanded it.
Abraham clenched and unclenched the hand holding his sword, then finally slid the blade back into its sheath.
It was still too soon to kill her.
“Of course. That’s why I’m doing my best to live life to the fullest.”
The monster that had crawled up from the abyss held the hem of her skirt and bowed in perfect etiquette.
No matter what anyone said, in that moment, she had the grace befitting a true imperial princess.
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