Chapter 269. (a (18)
[Hey, you b-o-o-o-o-t!]
The very person who had made him work as a machine for hundreds of years without even knowing he was a living b eing had appeared—there was no way anything polite would co out of his mouth. In an instant, a torrent of Alphaur i-style layered curses ca pouring out.
–I saw you slowing down and hesitating, so I ca to check just in case. I can't believe it... You've truly regained your sense of self.
[Oh, right! And thanks to that, I also rember how you gave that pointless order to speak politely to you right afte r erasing my mories. Quite the hypnotic skills you've got there, huh?]
–Don't ntion it. That was outsourced anyway, so technically, it wasn't even my skill.
For the sake of national security—and just because a handful of powerful figures feared him, to think they'd reduce a genius to this.
It wasn't the creator's original intention, but the chanization of was carried out in a way that preserved as much flesh and as many organs as possible, in an attempt to minimize the loss of the original sorcerer's magical power. As a result, the core of the living soul was narrowly preserved. Considering the technological level of the Mid Period, the m ere existence of such a biochanical entity was nothing short of a miracle.
–As expected, was it because the materials were good?
[What did you say?]
The one who carried out the modifications interpreted most matters in that light. That's how exceptional the quality of the green Alphauri reform as a machine truly was. Thus, after the first successful preservation, they beca exhilarat ed by the results exceeding expectations and boldly launched into the creation of new machines...
–Anyway, congratulations on recognizing the sense of incongruity on your own. But since the secret's been exposed a nyway, there's one thing I'd like to ask you.
What the problem was. Aside from the successful case right before us, to be honest, there weren't many examples th at could be said to have fully adapted to chanization. Up to the present day, the number of mages whose brains ha ve been placed inside containers is about 300.
However, out of those 300 surgeries, 240 ended in failure midway, and even among the 60 mages who managed to s urvive the critical phase and successfully enter the steel bodies, the erosion of their minds progressed at an abnormal y rapid rate. As a result, most of the machines have perished, and only eight entities remain in the world today. All in al l, the chanization of mages proved to be utterly unreliable in terms of stability.
–Considering the ntal endurance, you are the only one who can truly be called a success.
This technique was originally developed out of sorrow for the deaths of geniuses, so why is it that most sorcerers who have been turned into golems don't live long?
–No matter how much I think about it, I just can't figure out the reason. Do you think you might be able to spot the prob lem again if I show you the core production process?
[Do you think you could, you fool?]
Even the miraculous technology of magic still has its limits. The mage, once famous for skinning, soon makes a so what refreshing gesture.
The result is disappointing, but for now, they decided to be satisfied with successfully preserving the greatest genius i n history on this side.
–Hmm.
However, the fact that the preservation condition was very good is the cause of the problem. How can such a variable appear in the end?
–The device we had kept under perfect control suddenly started recalling the past.
What is a soul? And what is the relationship between a living being's autobiographical mory and the soul?
A chanized archmage who spontaneously regained her own identity. At least within Alphauri's technology, this was sothing that couldn't be explained. Since mory isn't sothing you can just wash away with chemical solvents li ke alcohol or carbon dioxide, in a way, as long as the original brain remains intact, this was a situation bound to erupt sooner or later.
Anyway.
[This is ridiculous. How could I end up like this, getting screwed over by so half-baked researcher?]
–Calm down,. Now that I'm your superior, you should stop talking to informally...
[Shut I've already lost so much flesh I'm pissed off enough to die, and now you co here trying to talk all high an d mighty, you damn worthless piece of @%#^$#...]
The green archmage couldn't believe he had been secretly modified by such a weakling without anyone knowing. So he raged for quite so ti. But surprisingly, the other person took the situation calmly.
–Your strength was enough to defeat everyone, but I only needed to defeat you.
[Oh, right.]
–The heights of the obstacles we each had to overco were different. And above all, back then I had overwhelmingl y more allies.
For reference, the "allies" that scholars just ntioned refer to the nobles of a specific country during the Middle Age s. So of those stubborn ones were still alive even beneath the Alphauri seas in modern tis. While soone was t rapped inside a tin can, the world had already developed transcendent life magic.
[I'm dood.]
Moreover... what if the very person who created that life-extension technology was none other than himself? im diately spat out a curse.
The primary task carried out by the high-ranking mages known as the Magic Master in the modern era is the creation of divine rituals. The problem, however, is that even after their massive oceanic planet completed over a hundred revo lutions, no genius capable of replacing the great heroes of the Middle Ages has been born.
–Let's look on the bright side. Because it underwent terminalization, it actually gained knowledge that can't be undone. In a way, isn't this even beneficial for you?
The green mage maintained a position at the top even in this distant future. At least in the field of magical studies, no one surpassed the green mage's level of understanding. As a result, the rulers of this planet increasingly relied on the capabilities of the First Magic Master—that is, his intelligence—as ti went on.
After loading all the information they had into the golem, as if facing a mirror from a fairy tale.
[Great Magic Master, we want to build an even more magnificent castle from now on. Could you create so new rit uals we can use for that?]
It's simple. Just input a single command, and the lump of tal that swallowed a person will quickly bring your wish to life.
That's right. The sudden, rapid advancent of magical studies on this planet was all thanks to the survival of a single mage. In just a few short centuries—easily countable even on six tentacles—they approached a technological singular ity, because this ancient personality continuously produced new techniques without end.
Bam!
An Alphauri, upon realizing the truth, suddenly struck their own head with a tentacle. But instead of a wet smack, only a strange tallic clang echoed through the ocean depths. And to make matters worse, there was no sensation comin g from the end of their limbs anymore.
[I lost my flesh and mories, and for these worthless things, for hundreds of years...]
It was only natural. The archmage, trapped within a cold machine, was soon consud by furious rage. And then, he s et out to kill the enemy who had operated on him.
[Aaak!]
But unlike in his pri when his body was intact, his revenge did not go as planned. 's brain was already layered do zens of tis with newly developed, highly advanced spells. The planet's rulers had thoroughly sealed off all artificial Magic Masters. Among these was even a curse that prevented him from realizing he was still a living being. The fact t hat the green war hero has regained his mories is, in many ways, beyond their expectations...
–Oh dear. You're not supposed to beat up your boss. That's just common sense in any society.
That was where his luck ran out. The green archmage tried again and again to kill the enemy before him, but ultimately failed to cast any spells—all thanks to the countless restrictions entangled within his mind. Moreover, escaping the st ate of being a re tin can seem unlikely because of fundantal limitations.
① All golems are prohibited from using magic against mbers of the ruling class.
② They are also forbidden from self-harm or attempting to replace their external (bodily) components.
③ Magic of rank 5 or higher may only be activated with the administrator's consent.
Just like the Three Laws of Robotics in so worlds, when implanting a personality into a golem, an unbreakable fund antal principle is established.
[Damn it.]
Even the most skilled mages can't easily unravel this evil, which is the combined power of an entire planet's technolog y. So, how about using a roundabout solution while you're at it?
[Oh, co to think of it, one of my main duties also includes the guidance and punishnt of criminals.]
Until now, the planet hadn't restricted that aspect—even for work's sake. But now that the personality has returned an d can temporarily ignore the boss's commands, it can affect every Alphauri except for a few specified subjects within the grand premise.
[If they won't accept my resignation, then why not just eliminate the very reason my employnt has to continue]
The archmage trapped inside the golem imdiately reached a dangerous conclusion. He predicted that if the Alphauri ni population on this planet were nearly wiped out, no one would need artificial Magic Masters anymore. Moreover, po wer usually shines only when there are beings beneath it. Above all, the planet's ruling class would never want such a thing to happen.
[Bring a fresh, living body right now. Or I will lift these damn curses!]
The long-feared machine rebellion had arrived. A being covered head to toe in sand-colored stone—the typical materi al used in the latest golems—threatened with thrashing tentacles. The genius, now transford into a re thinking m achine, recognized his situation and within an hour activated magic that required no permission.
He trapped every planetary resident he sensed within a makeshift barrier and threatened that if his demands weren't t imdiately, he would crush and kill them all.
This is why the green archmage, even after reincarnation, easily fell into despair. He had a history of killing others just to achieve his goals. Though his innate nature made him hesitate sowhat, he was close to actually carrying it out. H e also just reminded that his heart, brain, spinal cord, and so on were ripped out overnight and exploited for centuries fo r this planet's developnt, he had no mind left to consider feelings like guilt.
–No!
But even that desperate struggle was ultimately blocked by a petty enemy.
–Calm down. It might sound strange coming from , the perpetrator, but you've already undergone additional modifi cations during the process of transferring your brain core, so you can no longer return to an Alphauri body.
used the grand principle of the golem to hastily subdue the First Magic Master. Under normal circumstances, such a weakling would never stand a chance against a war hero. But the archmage's brain was already heavily burdened wi th new restrictions, so the outco was completely overturned.
[Ugh...]
–Oh my, it's hard.
Finally, a state of peace arrived. After the planet rulers' desperate sealing attempts, the genuine archmage was finally restrained. Though the archmage fud fiercely for a while, even with all six legs bound, no matter how hard he tried, it was essentially over the mont he was trapped inside this shell.
Soon, he also admitted defeat.
[There's no answer.]
The skull and a golem's skeleton are fundantally different. The forr is an organ evolved by mammals and others to protect their internal organs, but the latter is rely a container or box ant to imprison a genius, with nothing insi de that could be remotely described as a brain, brain spinal cord, and so on—there no taphor here—as if his shell has be en stripped off and he's dangling helplessly in the enemy's hands.
[My brain... now it's no longer a guardian, but rather surrounded by watchers...]
Damn these core principles! Because of that twisted Golem code forbidding us from tearing apart that genius worship per, he doesn't stand a chance. No matter how much chaos he causes by killing the planet's inhabitants, soon enough the rulers will clamp down and cast even stronger spells on this brain.
The excitent subsides.
[Hmm.]
Then let's look for a new solution. Since things have co to this, how about just enduring and living with it?
[If I negotiate well, maybe they'll ease so restrictions and promise to preserve my self.]
Imrsed in research, riding atop an advanced golem—co to think of it, this way of life was what he desired even i n his pri.
Besides, having a mineral-based chanical body definitely had its own strengths. As long as he kept his mind sharp, he wouldn't die of natural causes. Only a handful of wealthy leaders had achieved above-average longevity—Alphauri s technology, even this far into the future, hadn't truly reached immortality. For ordinary planet dwellers, simply renewi ng their skin led to irreversible damage accumulation. Moreover, the success rate of the newly developed body transp lantation technique was practically abysmal.
So.
[Huh? Maybe I wouldn't mind just enjoying this immortal state while I'm at it?]
In a fleeting mont, the Archmage also thought this. Sure, those typical political sches that use fake beta beings t o stir up fear—and then exploit that as an excuse to squeeze taxes and dependence out of the citizens—were endless ly irritating. But honestly, he had no real choice here.
[Given what I've beco, the best I can do is to just accept the orders. Still, that one has managed the world in a way that keeps the people under their care from dying. Maybe they're not the worst leader after all...?]
A brief hope flickered that living as a research and protection machine, watching over this world, might not be so bad. But as he reminded himself repeatedly, his positive outlook didn't last long. And the reason had been loudly proclai d even before the soul of a certain male Alphauri had succeeded in reincarnation.
In fact, the main setting of this story was that the planet was already 'going to ruin.'
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