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“The Underground District, huh… I expected this, but are you sure?” (Mana)

“I can confidently say that no one from the Surface District would do something like this. Would you prefer a more accurate explanation?” (Tachibana)

“Please do. I’d like to understand exactly what happened.” (Mana)

“In that case, let’s take a short break. Everyone, take a break!” (Tachibana)

After seeing the nod from Lord Tateno, Dr. Tachibana stopped his investigation and led them to a tent. His subordinates also took a break, and the three of them resumed their conversation in a tent where no one else could hear.

Once they were seated around a portable table, Dr. Tachibana poured synthetic coffee into a cup and glanced at the two of them, as if testing them.

“Do you understand how significant this is, Lord Tateno?” (Tachibana)

“You’re saying that the contamination of the Element Powder in the Dream Island has been eliminated, right?” 

Lord Tateno responded as he sipped the coffee he’d received, but his attitude suggested that he didn’t fully grasp the gravity of the situation. 

Dr. Tachibana sighed. 

It is natural for him not to understand, as he isn’t a scientist, but a little more surprise wouldn’t hurt.

“Father, do you realize how big of a deal it is that the contamination is gone? It’s unbelievable that the contamination of this entire Spirit Ward has been removed. We’ve been experimenting with this on the Surface District, but we’ve never succeeded.” (Mana)

“I understand that you don’t intend to change your disappointing tone, Mana. But isn’t it an exaggeration to say that it has never succeeded? There have been many successful cases at the laboratory.”

The removal of Element Powder has been a long-cherished goal of humanity. The contamination caused by Element Powder creates distorted spirits and artificial spirits, in other words, monsters. If this issue were resolved, humanity could regain its former prosperity.

“With our resources, we can only manage to clear out a single room, but in the Underground District, I believe large-scale removal of Element Powder is possible.” 

Lord Tateno assumed that the removal of Element Powder was possible with enough resources and time. It has succeeded in the laboratory after all. 

If humanity united its efforts towards the removal of Element Powder, the world could undoubtedly be restored. However, even children can’t unite, so there’s no doubt this wouldn’t ever be achievable.

Dr. Tachibana and Mana couldn’t help but smile at his misunderstanding. They understood that most people shared the same view.

“In the laboratory, we have been conducting the removal of Element Powder in a sterile room, removing only the Element Powder in the air. However, the true Element Powder isn’t just present in the air.” (Tachibana)

Dr. Tachibana began to explain in a manner resembling a lecture to students. He tilted his cup and let the coffee spill onto the ground. He placed the cup down as they watched the coffee soak into the ground.

“Tateno-san, this coffee is made from synthetic coffee powder and water. Now, you’ll understand if we compare the synthetic coffee powder to Element Powder. It’s not just in the air. Do you think you can remove the synthetic coffee powder that’s soaked into the ground?” (Tachibana)

“Hmm… I have to admit, that’s difficult. Would we have to change the soil altogether?”

“That’s a method often used in soil improvement for farmland. But the problem is that the coffee keeps spilling. Even if you replace the soil, it would soon be contaminated again.” (Tachibana)

“…That’s impossible, isn’t it? You would have to isolate the space… I see.”

Lord Tateno frowned and looked around, realizing what Dr. Tachibana was trying to say here. Beyond the Dream Island Spirit Ward, the boundary was covered in thick fog, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead like a white wall.

“The Element Powder is still flowing into this zone. And replacing the soil isn’t an option.”

“That’s right. So, it’s impossible to remove the Element Powder from the outside world, even in small spaces. Element Powder contaminates all matter and is continuously contaminated after all.” (Mana)

Mana twirled her spoon and smiled wryly. That’s why removing Element Powder was considered impossible in large areas.

“But this Dream Island Spirit Ward is completely clean. Even if you disturb the space with magic, it quickly returns to normal, and if Element Powder flows in from outside, it turns into regular spirit energy. I have no idea how this works. I can’t even imagine what technology they’re using, and I have no clue where to start if I wanted to analyze it.” (Tachibana)

“Something like this happening naturally is impossible. As expected of Underground District technology, it’s beyond imagination. I wish I could go to the Underground District to learn this technology.” (Mana)

These were Mana’s true feelings. She wanted to learn technology that was incomparable to that of the Surface District. However, she also understood that the highly secretive Underground District wouldn’t teach her.

Realizing how significant this event was, Lord Tateno showed a confused expression, which didn’t go unnoticed by Dr. Tachibana and Mana, so they looked at him suspiciously.

“Did something happen?” (Tachibana)

“Yeah, the more I hear about this, the more incredible it seems. I can imagine the enormous resources that were used. But when I inquired about this with the Underground District…” 

“What did they say, Father?” (Mana)

“Hmm… They told us to do as we please. It seems they only care about the results of the experiment and have no intention of claiming the uncontaminated land that resulted from it.” 

“Ha, the arrogance of the Underground District isn’t new, but this is hard to believe. So they’re saying they don’t need safe land because they have it underground.” (Mana)

“That’s probably the case. Well, it works out for us.”

Lord Tateno agreed with Mana’s words. In the past, things that were extremely valuable or advanced in the Surface District were handed over freely by the Underground District. 

It was likely that they didn’t consider it an issue, but that attitude also revealed a certain arrogance, as if they were bestowing charity on the pitiable Surface District. Many people disliked the Underground District for that reason.

“Well, it’s the same old attitude, isn’t it? If this technology succeeds, it could restore even more land. Whether the Underground District will use that technology to save humanity remains to be seen.” (Tachibana)

One method of maintaining power is to monopolize limited resources. 

The Underground District might not save the Earth even if this dream technology succeeds, fearing it would disrupt their power structure. Even Dr. Tachibana, who wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about politics, could predict that.

“But the population is increasing year by year, and food supply is decreasing. It’s good news that this much land could be used for agriculture, isn’t it? In the Farming Sector, monsters are born daily, making it hard to harvest crops, but that wouldn’t happen he—Hm? What’s the matter?” (Tachibana)

Food supplies were gradually decreasing. Dr. Tachibana thought this land could help alleviate that problem, but he noticed that Lord Tateno seemed uncomfortable.

“Monsters are appearing anywhere, and dungeons occasionally form. Unfortunately, a monster appeared in the house of the favored grandchild of the lord of Yarita, and…the timing was bad.”

“What do you mean, Father?” (Mana)

Seeing Mana tilt her head curiously, her ponytail swaying, Lord Tateno let out a weary sigh.

“It means this land will be used to build houses for each of the noble families. They’re planning to build mansions on land where monsters will never appear.”

“What?! Are they really going to do something so foolish?! There should be a limit to stupidity.” (Mana)

Mana kicked over her chair and shouted in protest, while Dr. Tachibana sighed, not as surprised.

“If this is an experiment, more safe land will be available, which can be turned into farmland. Well, the next piece of land might be hard to use as farmland though. They have plenty of money, power, and military strength. But they can’t buy safety. They’re afraid that a monster might appear by their bedside one night.” (Tachibana)

“Doesn’t that only happen once in several decades? Ah, so that’s why the timing was bad.” (Mana)

“Exactly. To make matters worse, the granddaughter was seriously injured and almost lost her life. Several servants also died. The news made the influential people start worrying about their bedsides. This decision is final and won’t be overturned.”

“…It’s foolish. There’s no other word for it.” (Mana)

Mana realized that the Tateno family also plans to build a mansion and resigned herself as she sat back down. Power structures are complicated. If the Tateno family didn’t build a mansion here, rumors would spread that they were short on money or losing power. It’s truly foolish.

“Construction of the mansion will begin in spring, so the investigation is only until then. Please take care of it, Dr. Tachibana.”

“Resisting this would be pointless, right? Understood, I’ll hurry and investigate.” (Tachibana)

“Ugh, it really is no good without your own power. Humans are scarier than monsters. Now I understand why politics is often compared to a den of demons and beasts.” (Mana)

With that, the three of them stood up and went about their separate tasks.

◇◇

A small bird perched on a branch of a tree in a nearby forest while the humans were investigating. At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary sparrow with brown feathers.

However, its eyes were blood-red, and it gazed up at the sky, seemingly observing something invisible to human eyes.

A robotic voice emanated from the bird’s beak:
[Element stream normal. Possible interference detected.]

Despite its appearance as an ordinary bird, the sound it made was disturbingly unnatural.

[Possibility of resumed human resistance. Report to the Lunatic Library.]

But the bird’s head was severed before it could complete its report. The bird’s lifeless body tilted and then dissolved, transforming into a small crystal.

“Fufu, the current player…is hopeless.”

Standing atop the thin branch where the bird had perched was a girl with black hair. The branch was so slender that it seemed impossible for anyone to stand on it, yet the girl balanced there naturally, as if she weighed nothing, the slender branch not even creaking. She casually reached out and caught the falling crystal.

“Letting a rare item slip away makes you unfit to be a player. It proves that the support is completely useless. I suppose I have to deal with these information drones. Well, since I’ve already received part of the contract payment, I’ll take care of it myself.”

The girl flicked the crystal with a smile.

“I’ll offer this crystal as a gift, so they should hurry up and formally employ me. I’ll put this away for now. Though, I might forget about it since I tend to stash things away carelessly.”

After placing the crystal in her pocket, the girl vanished, as if she had never been there at all from the very beginning.

The only sounds were the gentle rustling of leaves and the cool breeze blowing through the trees in the now empty forest.

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