"Reiko!"

<, let out an involuntary yelp.

Reiko's body was covered with Magi Machines in seven places: her head, face, neck, chest, back, abdomen, and right shoulder.

Oh, no!　They have taken over the control core and brought it under their control!　Moreover, a few shields are meaningless. ......!

"......"

Reiko doesn't move. No, she can't move.

Then arrives.

Since the <> has been eliminated and the <> has returned to normal, they have been allowed to come to the most important facility.

Ah, Reiko-dono!

who had rushed to the scene screamed in grief.

But...

"...... it's all right..."

Reiko picks up the clinging Magi Machines one by one and crushes them.

"My shield could not be broken."

"Why?

"Because your father made it that way."

* * *

On the island of Horai, Jin was patting his chest.

"Yes, indeed."

I'm amazed that you could send a shield case made of <<<< Psi Mithril through a transporter and have it replaced by a doppelganger.

"You can never be too prepared, can you? I thought I was safe from the experiment, but I was in a hurry when seven of them were stuck on me. I should reflect on that."

Jin reflected on the fact that he had been somewhat prideful.

> because they were dangerous, but we copied some of their information.

Reiko then contacted me.

The period of silence was because she was working on it.

"Oh, I've done it."

The information is recorded on <<<< MagiRecorder. Would you like me to send it to you immediately? >>

After thinking for a moment, Jin replies.

No, not until things have calmed down a bit. For now, let's concentrate on >."

.

Let's send the doppelganger there as well.

* * *

*****

"That's all."

< should be free from their control.

"Thank you, Live Puppet with Will,...... no, Automata.

"Are you now able to make normal decisions?"

Of course.

That's good.

<

There's nothing wrong with the machine?

No. No. - It's all right. The

"What?"

<<>, <>, if you will.

A control unit?

Yes. It was preventing us from thinking and restricting our actions.

Then came Jin's doppelganger.

"Everything is finished.

Reiko makes a brief report .......

<....... I'm sorry for everything. And thank you again for your help in maintaining the facility.

"Is everything all right now?"

No. I've reconstructed the information in the blanks of my memory, so I know what happened.

I hope that's all right.

* * * *

Then, <> explained the situation to Jin's alter ego (doppelganger).

According to the report, <> was manipulated but resisted, and was working for the benefit of Jin.

This was the reason why there were as many as seven attached to it.

I think they managed to act in your favor, though not completely.

"......Well, sure, yeah."

That seems to have been the reason for the small-scale research methods that were used in the sequential deployment of forces.

The most difficult thing was to deceive the public about Korun's ability.

"Deceive?"

Yes. You're good enough to handle the pieces of Modine, aren't you?　That means you have the means to get into space.

That is logically correct. Or rather, it is obvious to anyone who thinks about it for a moment.

"Yes, I thought it was strange."

Nevertheless, the world has forced the perception that hot air balloons are a means of flight.

< and the .

If they wanted to, Onogoro Island could have used more powerful weapons.

But they couldn't hold back that typhoon.

"Indeed. That one was very hard to deal with. ......

I apologize for that. But it was also very difficult to conceal the skill that made it disappear.

I'm sure you're right.

At this point Jin decided to ask about the mastermind.

"You've been saying for a while now, who or what have you been hiding information from?"

Well, that's a difficult question to answer. We do not know who or what they are. That is why we have been avoiding this topic. ......

"But you can at least guess, can't you?"

It is certainly possible. Perhaps the inhabitants of .

"Hale?　Did they not migrate to this Ars?

No, there are those who remained. I don't know if they are the descendants of those who remained or if they are the descendants of a mutation.

Jin understood.

"But if they are Hailians, why are they doing this?"

That's exactly what I don't understand. My hypothesis is that it is because Hale, which was originally lacking in resources, has become even more difficult to live in.

"That's for sure."

Jin continued to receive various information from the <>.

And then the story came to its core.

A mobile base under the Antarctic ice has been taken over. If possible, we would like to take it back. Can you help us?