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Leonardo of Norman Mining Corp to Face Fierce Competition! There Is No Telling Who Will Be the Next CEO!
Victoria claims to hold "Dominik's Legacy". The board members...
Still taking it easy, Mr. Norman?
Ah... or perhaps I should be more careful and call you Leonardo instead?
I can't believe you're here to poke fun at me when I'm already suffering.
Victoria sure is coming at me with all she's got.
This doesn't seem like just your dear little sister's doing, right? No way a little girl who's been living in a sanatorium all this time could stir up a scene like this.
Of course. The old man never truly trusted me.
He only trusts himself and Dominik, wherever he may be.
He lounges lazily in his chair, fiddling with the papers on his desk.
I may look like the political representative of Norman Mining Corp, a respected senator, except I've never been the heir he had in mind to begin with.
I acquired all the power I have now through trickery... Tch.
But I was surprised to see what's become of Victoria... And, when did that even happen?
Probably when you were out goofing around and telling her that Christina was busy working?
Well, you've got to lie to kids sometimes to put their minds at ease.
I would have been a terrible adult had I let her face this dark and terrifying world that early on in her life.
Looking back now, I don't think your lies did any good at all.
For once, Leonardo stays silent.
So, what are you planning to do now?
Raise the white flag and pledge allegiance to the great Queen Victoria.
Not too bad. You might be better off... Speaking of which, you still owe me overtime pay.
Triple pay.
All my projects are basically stalled. How am I supposed to pay you that amount of mo...
Considering your credit standing... I'll allow you to defer payment.
So what's really going on now?
Ah... Victoria's been spreading her "news" through every channel possible, and more than half of the board is on her side now.
This is happening because the old man still holds great power and supports her from behind the scenes, but there's more to that...
He looks down. The headline "Dominik's Legacy" in the newspaper seems to leap out at him, mocking his futile efforts.
Norman Mining Corp... rose to prominence thanks to Dominik's influence.
Isn't Norman Mining Corp just a simple gold mining company...?
Mining alone wouldn't have been able to sustain the corporation for so long.
I don't know what was happening back then, but the old man always said that Norman Mining Corp wouldn't have been what it is today without Dominik.
Besides, "Dominik's Legacy" sounds way more intriguing than "New Energy Exploration and Development".
Well, what's your plan exactly? I don't believe you're just gonna let things go.
Haha, you sure know me like the back of your hand.
...I think I'm just going to join Victoria if we don't drop this topic now.
My bad, my bad.
The heavy atmosphere in the room lightens up a bit as Leonardo shuffles through the documents on his desk, lost in thought.
I suspect the old man wants Victoria to become the new "Herald".
"Herald"... Are they planning to restart that project?
Didn't hit me as a surprise, though. Except for Christina and me, everyone from the old man to the workers in Norman Mining Corp firmly believes that...
The 'Heralds' of Norman Mining Corp will bring back its glory in the Golden Age to Norman Mining Corp.
They're using "information that shouldn't exist" sent by Gestalt to use Babylonia's research and to restart Project Herald.
Kurono... any news from Collins?
Him? He's been lying low these days to avoid the military.
And I'm afraid we won't be getting more out of him with Victoria exercising her pressure.
But... Victoria probably doesn't know that you're on my side.
Huh? Are you sure?
You were officially my security consultant, but I hired quite a few at the same time, not just you.
And all your previous salaries were like those of other mercenaries that Norman Mining Corp hired. Y'all get paid straight out of public accounts. Hahahaha!
?
I got you a maintenance leave when you went to conservation area 109 last time. You're welcome.
...Is that why I had a pay cut that month?! Leonardo Norman!
Ahem, easy. I'll compensate you double at the triple rate. Now, back to business.
In theory, Victoria isn't going to notice you.
Collins probably won't bother bringing this up to those old folks either.
I'll make a big announcement about competing with Victoria and push some of my projects to make life a little difficult for my dear little sister.
As for you, just keep showing up to work as usual. Cozy up to Victoria's "security consultants" and find out what clues she has about "Dominik's Legacy".
We have to stop Project Herald...
At all costs.
What...? Project Herald?
Haven't you heard? Everyone's talking about it! The power struggle at Norman is practically turning Babylonia upside down.
I have a friend working at Norman who says the higher-ups are recruiting a new batch of Heralds to push some kind of plan...
And the pay is great apparently...
...
...What's with that look on your face?
This is how I look when I hear something disgusting.
Leonardo... has got a long way to go...
Huh? What did you say? Why are you whispering all of a sudden?
...I was just asking if you'd decided who you're going to hook up to Gestalt.
Mika was going to apply, but she's the only one left in the Inver-Device research area and has to assist from outside now because her instructor fell ill.
Then Asimov wanted to get connected, but we'd have to turn him into a Construct first for him to do that. The old heads at the Science Council made it absolutely clear that they didn't want to do that, so he gave up.
I mean, I can probably do that, too...
Uh? You mean you could take your Blast Hammer in there and smash Gestalt?
We have a designated isolation zone set up already, and abandoning the contamination zone is something even a monkey could do with a button press.
Let me do it, then.
Wait, you? But you tell people you're a tech person, no...?
Just because these real-time experiments are just models doesn't mean they're risk-free. Think your frame can stand it?
Remember how many times you turned me down when I offered to come up with new frames for you? All you did was change up some parts and coatings unwillingly...
Karenina... Hmm? Just in time, Teddy's here, too.
Commander Nikola?
Norman Mining Corp will be part of the Inver-Device experiment this time.
We've reached an agreement with Norman Mining Corp. They'll pass along some initial construction data about Gestalt, including some confidential files from the time of the Great Evacuation, to help with relocating part of it.
Norman Mining Corp's request is to participate in selecting the first Construct for the connection experiment. Additionally, they hope to send in technicians to be involved in the entire experiment.
...Tch.
So, who did they choose?
You.
Nikola looks thoughtfully at Teddy.
...
You have the right to choose and the right to veto.
Nope, don't think I'm going to do either of that.
The test model is built, and I can start the experiment anytime once the tuning is complete.
The Gray Raven Commandant has already accepted the orders and is returning urgently. [player name] will ensure your M.I.N.D. remains as stable as possible.
Mind you, though, that the assignment isn't completely risk-free...
Of course, I know what I'm getting myself into.
There's no need to waste time. This is part of my job anyway. We only lose more lives on Earth with every minute passing by.
"Never forget the value of life," right?
Karenina shifts her gaze to the space behind Nikola, frowning in disapproval as she looks at her.
"Seriously, I can handle this experiment on my own. You all are just going to get in the way." Any idea who said that?
Hey! This isn't the time to bring up old grudges!
The transport carrying [player name] has arrived at Babylonia.
Don't worry, everything will be fine.
With a grin, Teddy walks away without looking back.
Still feeling a little dizzy from the flight, you find yourself standing at the entrance of the testing ground that the Engineering Force and the Science Council have established jointly.
The new testing ground is located next to the computing power center in Babylonia, which is intended to make it easier for Gestalt connection experiments to be conducted.
After numerous steps of verification, you're finally in the testing ground and seeing several faces you recognize.
—Hand me another X22 control stick.
Are you munching on parts? Where did you put that control stick just now?
Huh? [player name]? You sure got here fast.
Give us a few sec here. Teddy! Another X22 control stick, I said!
On it, on it!
Uh... are you sure this thing you made isn't just going to send me off somewhere?
Hey, [player name], been a while since I last saw you.
Are you ready? We'll get the show on the road once Captain Smart puts the last part in place.
And I sure hope her invention isn't going to end up sending me off somewhere.
Commandant.
I asked to be temporarily reassigned to Asimov's research team to lend a hand when I learned about all this.
Don't worry, I'll be following the experiment closely.
Hey, [player name], are you all set? We'll get the show on the road once Captain Smart puts the last part in place.
And I sure hope her invention isn't going to end up sending me off somewhere.
TEDDY!
Teddy shrugs and walks over to your side.
Not far away, a few researchers stand scattered about, wearing white lab coats bearing unfamiliar symbols.
Who are you talking about?
Blind followers, unrealistic dreamers, and practitioners with hollow ambitions.
They're researchers from Norman Mining Corp.
Norman Mining Corp struck a deal with the military. They traded in some classified information about Gestalt in exchange for a chance to be part of this experiment.
Just them and their unrealistic fantasies about things that don't exist, I think.
They're dead sure that the Punishing Virus would just be scared into leaving Earth if they could dig up even a tiny bit of information about Dominik from the grave.
Just one piece of "impossible information" was enough to make them swarm like flies. God only knows what's going to happen if they ever learn about Dominik...
She chuckles as she lowers her voice.
I still can't quite wrap my head around this thing, though...
...This whole Dominik thing.
When I was young... I used to dream about heroes like this, but I grew suspicious the older I grew.
Are we really going to bet all we have on Dominik?
Nobody would spend time trying to reinvent wheels when there are answers ready for them to just copy.
But... there will eventually come a time when they run out of answers to copy, no?
Shouldn't we be thinking about where the problem actually lies?
What worth do we hold if all technology does is rely on archaeology to find "answers"?
Can a hero from the past really save the present?
Faced with Teddy's question, you find yourself at a loss for words.
There is Dominik—who carries everyone's hopes—on the one hand, and there is mankind—who's dumped on Dominik everything they can't solve on their own—on the other hand...
Can heroes from the past save the world as it is today...
Can a hero from the past really save the present?
We've got to walk the walk ourselves... if we want to go far.
She gazes at the machinery in the distance, lost in thought.
****! Ta-da. Done.
The signals on the terminal screen begin to flicker one by one.
Device No.1 test completed, all clear.
Device No.2 test completed, all clear.
Overall system debugging completed. All clear.
[player name], remember that time when I explained to you how to dive into Gestalt's program?
Just in case, you know.
I'll load the Constructs' M.I.N.D.s into the virtual space in the form of a "virtual program", and then I'll install authorization on your commandant's terminal.
When you guys are in there, we'll test for the Punishing Virus concentration here. Don't worry, though, since I've put a risk threshold alert in place.
Understood?
Now...
Asimov looks around as he lowers his voice.
I've got an additional mission for you while you're in there.
I'll need you to check Gestalt's internal data.
Yes.
Based on our hypothesis from early on, we believe it's highly likely that Dominik still "exists" in Gestalt.
Except I can't be sure if they like or hate each other after all this time.
Teddy will be following you closely as you go. Best of luck now.
