Chapter 640: In the Motherland, the Light Learns of Its Origins

『Quench Evolution Drive... Identification code "Q.E.D."... In the Divine Age, it was concluded that humanity could not take root on this planet as a biological species. This technology was born as a result of that conclusion.』

If there were a massive number of test tubes on the walls of the hole, looking at it from the inside meant there were test tubes here as well.

Ivory spoke to us as we descended into the interior after authenticating our accounts.

『It wasn't merely the implantation of organs to suppress the forced reactions of the Old Humanity species on this planet. By integrating it into their biology, they were established as a new human species... Those are the people distinct from you, the humans who left my hands and "took root"...』

In short, she's talking about NPCs.

But it was The Professor who called a halt to her explanation. Perhaps having too much fun "learning" and "being taught," if you isolated just this moment, his face actually matched his apparent age as he fired a question at Ivory.

"Then what about us? If those born as infants—as you call them—who eventually die are the ones who 'take root,' then we are the ones who suddenly appear and leave without ever growing old."

『A good observation, The Professor. Strictly speaking, the execution of Project Number One itself was accomplished 3000 years ago, followed by a millennium of observation. The Q.E.D. currently in operation is solely executing "Project Number Two."』

Project Number Two. My knowledge might be fragmented, but I'm definitely more informed than most players who haven't fully conquered Leviathan.

"Project Number Two... I saw the files on it in Leviathan. A human species generated with an innate 'Role' and 'LifeBackstory', right?"

『Splendid, you've studied well, Sunraku. Here is your reward.』

I just got 5000 Results. Yay. It seems the currency unit really is different for each Bahamut, though I kind of expected that given the Third Shell Layer in Leviathan where you can grind absurd amounts of money.

『I'll state this first... You are beings created with the expectation of more efficient planetary pioneering by innately possessing the strength that First Humanity took a long time to cultivate for environmental traversal.』

"No way, I never had an infant phase...!!"

"I mean, you're currently acting like a baby right now..."

"Make sure the milk's at the right temperature for me, okay?"

"This is a side of my friend I really didn't want to know..."

What a massive baby...

『Your efficiency in mana absorption and physical restoration is vastly superior to First Humanity... To put it simply, you possess bodies where "effort is always rewarded."』

I see, that's an apt way to put it. Assuming NPCs... First Humanity, are the "Citizens" of this world, there is a limit to their effort, and above all, they face the absolute limit known as a mortal lifespan.

But players... Second Humanity, are different. We can throw our lives away for rare items, and even if we die, we just revive with a temporary debuff.

『Conversely, we could not completely resolve the drawback where you simply vanish if your 'will'—to exist in this world... to keep moving forward—deteriorates...』

"Did we just subtly get called defective organisms?"

"Well, you know, retiring basically equals death, right?"

"Ah, apparently if you leave a gap of about half a year between logins, even NPCs you raised your affinity with will hit you with the 'Who are you' treatment."

"Even so, players are basically semi-immortal creatures."

Even among players deeply invested in this game, the general consensus—whether dealing with players or NPCs—is "Pioneers will be fine even if they die a bit," so this revelation didn't exactly deliver a massive shock.

But that's a separate issue. There are always those who can't just let a question remain a question.

"So you are saying we are sacrificial pawns? From what I'm hearing, Second Humanity seems to be nothing more than an existence meant to aid the prosperity of First Humanity..."

『That is incorrect, quite incorrect, The Professor. Before you are Pioneers, you are individual lives. Please do not forget that... This "Ivory," representing none other than Behemoth itself, shall guarantee your dignity.』

"Damn it, I should've crafted a baby bottle too."

"You're ruining the mood, idiot."

Perhaps some mental restraint had snapped inside Pacifier-san, as his personality started going completely off the rails. Ignoring him, I slipped away from Ivory-sensei's moral ethics class to take a look at Behemoth's true first layer.

"So this is a player currently in the middle of character creation..."

The name is... S-Spirit King Granfaerion... -san, I see. A rather unique beginner. The body of a somewhat eccentric avatar with three horns sprouting from its head was rapidly shifting shapes inside the test tube.

It seems they're having trouble deciding whether to be male or female. Every time bubbles generated in the tube obscured the body, the gender of Spirit King Granfaerion-san (Lv.1) flipped. I averted my gaze. Well, even the king of spirits has to start at Level 1. Though their species is Second Humanity.

"Hey, what do you think that is?"

"Big Sis Exploding Green Peas."

She's probably going to snap soon. Let's see...

"Looks like an empty test tube, doesn't it?"

"And it has a door attached, to boot."

『That is a device for recalculation, Exploding Green Peas, Sunraku.』

"Fuggu.........!"

J-Just when I was trying to hold back on making fun of her name, Ivory drops the bomb again... No, she probably didn't mean anything by it. Ivory simply called out her actual name. Her actual name, Exploding Green Peas...

"Recalculation?"

『Precisely. Q.E.D. is a device installed in Behemoth as part of the Baton Pass Project, designed for the creation of next-generation human species. It was establishing "minimum viable settlements" of flat-status human species... namely, First Humanity... across the entire Eastern Continent, and also carrying out similar teleportations based on the coordinates of the New Continent... but once that protocol concluded, it transitioned to continuously manufacturing Second Humanity.』

"Heeh."

"I see, I see."

I subtly made eye contact... Thank goodness, Big Sis doesn't seem to understand what the hell she's talking about either. Even if you get a failing grade, it's reassuring when you're not the only one.

『Second Humanity is manufactured and distributed with the growth mold "Job System" and the circumstance mold "Role System" engraved into them right from the birth stage. This is a regulation based on Project Number Two, and.........』

I can tell she's saying something important, but... what do I do? Neither Big Sis nor I understand it at all. I don't feel like she's saying anything overwhelmingly complex, but technical jargon and obscure terms keep coming out in rapid succession, making it impossible not to get distracted by them.

Considering it probably wouldn't have just been The Professor alone anyway, I probably should have dragged someone from Library along.

"U-Um..."

"Oh, Rei-shi."

"You're... Psyger-0-san, right? I've heard a lot about you."

"Eh? Heh, um, ah, err, hello."

『Psyger-0, Sunraku... Perfect timing. Would you like to test it?』

"Eh?"

"Hm?"

『The Reset Calculator System... or R.C.S., as I named it. To put it simply... it enables post-creation avatar building capable of completely restructuring the physical body.』

"Wait, what about me?"

"Sorry Big Sis, this is probably related to the real-life event."

Now that I think about it, I did get a ticket like that... So this is where it's used.

---

Author's Afterword

(R-Rakuro-kun is with another woman...!!)

(I-I'm going to lose my composure...!!)

"U-Um!!"

"I've heard a lot about you. (Big Sis with absolute zero interest in in-game romance)"

"(Heroine-chan getting flustered by an unexpectedly respectful reply)"