Chapter 61

“…….”

“…….”

Silence lingered.

Iri and Miyu sat facing each other on the floor. Between them was that thing.

“So…….”

Iri’s gaze was fixed on the object.

It looked like something that would require a mosaic if it aired on public television. She turned her head away, feeling awkward just looking at it, and continued.

“So, this is that amazing tool… no, item… ah, seriously, what am I even supposed to call this…….”

Tool and item.

Even using ordinary words, they sounded weird. The meaning got twisted in an entirely inappropriate way.

“A multi-tooool…… Multi-tool…….”

“Yeah, multi-tool.”

Hearing it like that, it didn’t even look all that obscene anymore. It just looked like an upside-down hammer with a spherical head instead.

“Wait, forget how it looks! Anyway, it’s supposed to be great, right? I mean, I don’t want to misunderstand!”

“Ah, yes! It’s not weird or anything!”

Iri shouted out to shake off her embarrassment, and Miyu also raised her voice in sync.

“It’s a tool you can use for everything from module creation to tuning and removal! Even though it looks like this, if you open ‘this part’ here, it includes all kinds of measuring instruments……”

“S-Sorry, but… can you put that thing down for now? Seeing it up close is a bit much……”

“Ah…… okay……”

Silence returned.

Miyu cautiously packed up the multi-tool and hid it behind her back.

Her face, originally pale as a sheet, had turned slightly flushed—she must’ve realized how embarrassing it looked.

Well, anyway.

Ahem.

Iri cleared her throat and changed the subject.

“The truth is, I came because I wanted to ask you for a favor.”

“A favor?”

“Yeah. I was wondering if you could maybe make a custom combat module just for me.”

Iri explained about the upcoming test. Miyu listened silently, then responded once the explanation ended.

“So basically… you’d like a module that can strike enemies from a distance, or one that has some other useful function……?”

“Yeah. That’s exactly it.”

“Hmm. Utility… utility……”

Miyu thought for a moment, then spoke.

“There are a few things I can make right away, but……”

“But?”

“I’d need Aaron’s permission first……”

Miyu bowed her head, looking guilty.

“It’s just… actually, before you came by, Aaron made a very specific request……”

“What did he say?”

“He said if you showed up asking for a module or something like that, I had to get his permission first……”

“What? When?”

“About three hours ago……”

Seriously, what even is that man?

How is he reading my actions so perfectly?

It was creepy, but that wasn’t the issue at hand.

“So basically, without Director Aaron’s approval, you can’t do anything, right? I kinda figured that’d be the case……”

“S-Still, maybe if I ask him nicely, he’ll say yes? Aaron does seem to care about you quite a lot……”

“Hmm……”

Iri thought for a moment.

It wasn’t that she was scared of being rejected—she was just hesitating because it was hard to ask directly.

Wouldn’t Aaron also want the student he’s sponsoring to get a good score on the test?

“Then… do you mind asking him for me?”

“Sure! Leave it to meee!”

Miyu answered confidently.

She immediately sent Aaron an email.

“Denied.”

“What?! W-Why?”

***

It didn’t even need explaining.

Adding an unnecessary module to Iri right now would only backfire.

I had both Iri and Miyu summoned to my office to speak in person.

“It’s commendable that you thought of this to get a better score on your own. But you already have a Lv.4 Arcane Module, don’t you?”

“You mean [Thousand Pound Weight]? I just didn’t think it’d be enough, so I wanted to ask……”

“No, it’s enough.”

Iri responded with dissatisfaction.

But I was firm.

“Trying to equip an additional module when you haven’t even adapted to [Thousand Pound Weight] yet would only get in the way. Didn’t I already tell you before? Your senses are especially sensitive, so it takes you longer to adapt to new modules, and if you don’t, they just feel awkward.”

There wasn’t much time left before midterms. Even if she got a new module installed, between preparing for other exams, she wouldn’t have nearly enough time to get used to it.

“So I said no.”

“But still…!”

“There’s no changing my mind. You’d be better off using this time to practice more—that would help your score much more.”

“Grrr…!”

At my response, Iri gritted her teeth in frustration. But I didn’t care and turned to scold Miyu next.

“And Miyu.”

“Y-Yes!?”

“I told you already. Even if Iri asks for something like this, you’re supposed to firmly refuse.”

“S-Sorryyyyy……”

Miyu hung her head low.

She was probably too thrilled about receiving the ‘Neo Armstrong’ something multi-tool I gave her. Likely got excited thinking of testing out a new tool under the excuse of helping Iri.

“Phew……”

A sigh escaped me.

Of course, I want to give my girls all the best and prettiest things. And seeing them strive to grow stronger on their own? That’s just heartwarming.

But when they’re about to head straight toward something that’ll clearly backfire… well, as their father—no, as their sponsor—I have to step in.

“That’s all I have to say. Go back and prepare for the test. Especially you, Miyu.”

“Huh?”

“Experimenting with the multi-tool on your own to get used to it is fine. I hold your abilities in very high regard. I firmly believe you’ll produce something amazing before long. But do you remember what I said to you before?”

“You told me not to reveal what I have without permission……”

“Good. So you didn’t forget.”

I’ve said it many times.

Miyu’s genius is extremely dangerous.

If used well, she could get far ahead of others—but one misstep, and she might end up twisting the entire foundation of the scenario.

That’s why I put extra effort into managing Miyu.

Especially fending off those greedy stares from the Headquarters’ Technology Department, making it clear both inside and out that Miyu is ‘mine.’

“I hope you haven’t forgotten what happened ‘back then.’”

The prologue.

I was referring to the incident involving the Blood Wolves. Framing it like this should help Miyu be a little more cautious going forward.

“Yesss……”

Miyu’s face grew gloomy.

She looked like someone who’d make the sound “Hiiing” if she could. Still, this should be enough for her to understand.

After sufficiently warning Miyu, I turned my head back toward Iri.

Alright. Now what should I do?

War Chariot, Iri Elisbell.

The main heroine of this story.

Because of the conversation I had with ‘Araya,’ she was likely suspecting me as her brother’s enemy. It was part of my plan to lower her dependence on me in preparation for Act 4 of Part 1.

Iri needs to grow stronger.

Whether that’s through hatred or admiration toward me, she must draw on those feelings and gain the strength to stand on her own.

If I just wanted her to pass the upcoming test, I could’ve given Miyu funds and materials to create a module for Iri…

But that would be a house built on sand.

Pursuing only physical strength may be efficient, but I plan to raise Iri as the central figure of the team, replacing the protagonist.

In other words, she must become the spiritual backbone of the group I’m going to build.

Above all, when facing [Mystics], just having high overall output won’t be enough.

Mana causes distortion phenomena.

Distortion phenomena eat away at the human psyche.

And when someone is mentally cornered, even the best weapon is useless.

That’s why I need to instill this habit early, while she’s still a beginner. Not to rely solely on a module’s power, but to fight using everything she has at her disposal.

I was hoping she’d realize that on her own… but I suppose giving her a little push isn’t a bad idea.

Having made up my mind, I summoned a secretary other than Maria to check my schedule. Maria was currently busy leading the Ashita-kyo subjugation operation under my orders.

Of course, I was also managing a packed schedule trying to block the influence of Ashita-kyo within the Academy.

Thanks to my original story knowledge, I already knew the headmaster of the Minjung Faction was an Ashita-kyo follower—so I was brainstorming how to erase him cleanly.

Once they’re gone, my kids can take the midterms without interference.

“If we push back the 2PM appointment, it should be fine.”

“Then let’s do that. Also, contact the Academic Affairs Department and arrange to rent a cyberspace training ground.”

“I’ll have it ready immediately.”

With the schedule adjusted, I stood up from my seat.

“Follow me.”

“Where are we going?”

“You still don’t seem to understand, so I’ll show you myself.”

What you have.

And how you’re supposed to fight.

Cyberspace Training Ground.

In simple terms, it was a place designed for simulating real combat in virtual reality.

Once a user’s biodata and moduling info were uploaded to the computer, it could recreate a near-realistic training environment inside the virtual space.

You could freely set the enemy types and terrain, and since it didn’t cost much to operate, it was widely used for the general student body’s classes.

But my reason for choosing this as a training location wasn’t to fully simulate real power—it was to match Iri’s current level.

……Well, I also just kind of wanted to try it myself.

It was often described in the original work.

“Miyu.”

“Y-Yes?!”

“Sit at the main computer in the training room. I need you to configure the access avatars.”

“H-How should I configure them……?”

“She stays exactly as she is now. As for me, scale my specs down to match her. And don’t forget to encrypt the moduling data.”

My moduling data is classified under Stingray. I must avoid leaving any records in the Academy system.

“O-Okayyyy……”

After giving the instructions, I laid down in the dive capsule next to Iri. As the electrodes connected to the deep dive port, a countdown began.

Connecting.

In an instant, my consciousness, which had felt distant, awakened elsewhere. I stood alone in a perfectly white cubic room—resembling an old psychiatric ward isolation chamber.

So this is what it feels like.

I clenched and unclenched my fists in this oddly unique sensation. Soon, Iri’s avatar appeared next to me.

She looked nearly identical to reality, though the slightly lower resolution made it clear we were in cyberspace.

[You’re both connected successfullyyyy……]

Miyu’s voice echoed from the air.

She must have been observing the virtual space through the control computer outside.

[What should I do next……?]

“First, summon a humanoid enemy. And this background is giving me a headache… Iri, do you have any preference?”

“I don’t mind.”

[T-Then I’ll go with the default settings……]

Srrrr.

Countless pixels swept across the space. The pure-white environment transformed into a standard training area, and a humanoid dummy robot avatar appeared in front of us.

I took one step toward the dummy robot.

“What are you trying to do?”

“I’ll show you directly.”

My current specs should match Iri’s exactly.

Strength, reflexes, even the moduling state. The only difference might be the avatar’s height, affecting line of sight or arm reach.

“Just to confirm—your only installed module is the Lv.4 [Thousand Pound Weight], right?”

“Yes. That’s right……”

“Because it syncs well with your nanomachines, your physical abilities are extremely enhanced, but you haven’t installed any strength-enhancing modules, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Then no matter how hard you hit this dummy, it shouldn’t break……”

As I spoke, I threw a punch.

KWOOM!

The moment my fist connected, the dummy’s HP dropped to zero and it vanished.

……No, that wasn’t supposed to happen.

“……Miyu.”

[S-Sorryyyy…… I accidentally input your original specs…… I-I’ll fix it right awayyy……!]

A flustered voice.

Until Miyu corrected the settings, a strange silence lingered between Iri and me.

“……”

“……”

Iri murmured absentmindedly.

She probably didn’t think I could hear it—but my hearing was too sharp.

“…Is this guy… really even human…?”

“……”

Yeah.

Sometimes I wonder that too.

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