Arc 24: The King is Busy in Many Ways
Chapter 234: The Professor, and Earth
「What did you… this girl is Professor Babylon?」(Touya)
「Yes. In layman terms, this specimen has a newly cultivated body with the brain transplanted from the professor’s old body by means of magic. The body and the brain were then fused together, optimized and had the magic power fine-tuned. Though that process took a long time, she will still be the professor」(Tica)
Yuck. Just when I was thinking whether this girl was some sort of human clone, it turned out differently. Did she just say that they took and transplanted the brain just like that?!
「However, she looks around ten years of age with that appearance…」(Touya)
She should’ve been at least in her twenties, judging by the appearance that I saw on the image that had been handed over by Shesca. As I’ve feared. The restoration of youth is probably the dream of all women. Though that still doesn’t change the fact that she is way too young, right?
「If she has been made to grow more than her current appearance, the fine-tuning of magic power would’ve become difficult and there’s a fear that it would obstruct Professor’s memories」(Tica)
「… Did you transplant an adult’s brain tissue into the head of a child?」(Touya)
「It’s there, being squeezed with magic」(Tica)
Tica did a hand motion of grasping an onigiri. …That’s what I get for trying to dig deeper. I feel gross. I’ve already understood from my long experience that stuff like scientific common sense doesn’t apply when using magic techniques. Just thinking about it is useless.
I listened to the whole story, and it seemed that the professor’s’ brain wasn’t really transplanted after she has died from old age. Rather, her intention was to do it when she was still alive.
The body of a Babylon Number was far more durable when compared to the body of a regular human since according to what I’d heard from Fam, she seemed to have been operating for around 5000 years. Wasn’t that almost perpetual youth? That professor might be using cells from species with long lives like elves.
「And, what am I supposed to do?」(Touya)
「I would like to ask you to pour your magic power in order to awaken her. Master possess the same biological wavelength as the former Professor Babylon, so you will be able to wake her up. There’s no mistake about that」(Tica)
Gunuuu. I wonder, however, isn’t it better to not wake her up? This person absolutely belongs to the group of tiresome people.
According to what I’d heard about her thus far, she totally reeked of being a person who’s not good even if she was probably a genius. What should I do~? I suppose it will definitely be me who’s going to be dragged into a lot of troubles. Isn’t it also acceptable to, say, let her sleep here quietly just as how she is doing right now? Uu~mu.
「I’m sorry to trouble you with this, but there’s no time left. Can I, therefore, ask you to do it quickly?」(Tica)
「Eh？」(Touya)
Tica addressed me from the side while I was groaning over the current situation.
「What do you mean “there’s no time left”?」(Touya)
「A timer which will stop the life-support system of this capsule started up right after Master had transferred here. In the current state, the professor will likely die in another 5 minutes」(Tica)
「Wha….! What’s the h.e.l.l?! Why had this kind of timer been installed on it?!」(Touya)
「It was Professor’s decision. She said that continuing to live on wouldn’t have any meaning if she couldn’t be allowed to wake up from here」(Tica)
She has done it now! She had definitely antic.i.p.ated that I would be reluctant, and took some countermeasures!
Unununu…. As expected. I can’t let her die without helping… Kuu, even those thoughts of mine are likely a behavior she has read. It makes one seemingly want to say [d.a.m.n you, Kongming!] reflectively. However, I won’t say it!
「……Where should I pour my magic power?」(Touya)
「Place your hand right here on the magic stone of the capsule and try pouring your magic power for a little while」(Tica)
I put my hand on the crystal-like magic stone with a spherical shape that’s being pointed at by Tica, and lightly poured my magic power in it. After a short time, the machine surrounding the capsule flickered and started raising a low roar. The horizontally aligned capsule began moving automatically and aligned vertically.
An aqueous solution filled inside the capsule while emitting a glimmering light, but it had soon been discharged by a pump. I then heard a sound of something stopping.
「Biological wave motions are at normal levels. No issues with magic power tuning. Body functions are operating normally」(Tica)
I saw Tica operating the blinking switches on the panel next to the capsule. She pushed a big b.u.t.ton at the end, and I heard the sound of air coming out as the lid of the capsule slid aside and was stowed away.
A stark naked young girl about 10 years old appeared from there. Her golden hair extended up to the waist. Strangely, I don’t feel lewd. That’s because she’s a child. Or rather…
「…Why you are breathing so roughly like that?」(Touya)
「HaaHaa… Don’t mind it! Please don’t mind it at all!」(Tica)
The girl with three braids next to me even started to nosebleed with her breath going wild while staring at the stark naked young girl. Of course, I’ll mind it! As I’ve feared. This girl is also indecent!
The young girl opened her jade green eyes. She then rubbed them and began looking around. Before long, she noticed me who’s in front of her, showed a complacent smile and nimbly jumped down from the capsule to the floor.
「Yaa-Yaa, Mochizuki Touya-kun. Nice to meet you. I wonder, will this greeting will be like that? I don’t feel like I’m meeting you for the first time though since I could often look at you guys through [The Jewel of Future Vision]」(Regina)
「Are you… really Professor Babylon?」(Touya)
The young girl answered my question with a faint smile while grinning.
「d.a.m.n right! I am Regina Babylon. A magic scholar and a magic engineer of Paruteno Holy Kingdom, and your eternal lover────」(Professor Regina)
「No thanks. I’ve enough of that. Also, hurry up and wear some clothes」(Touya)
「Huh!? Why is your response so cold?!」(Professor Regina)
I’d already learned that my health wouldn’t keep up if I reacted to every single thing she would do.
The professor approached the wall in the laboratory, pulled out a white robe hanging on it and wore it albeit loosely. This white robe didn’t have front b.u.t.tons, so it wasn’t hiding anything at all. The front portion was completely open.
Though I did hear of the meaning of something like a naked ap.r.o.n or naked s.h.i.+rt, but the naked white robe that doesn’t hide anything would only make you a pervert… At least wear panties or something.
「Wearing that robe doesn’t have any meaning…」(Touya)
「On the contrary, it’s nice!」(Tica)
I honestly withdrew from there, seeing Tica raise her thumb while having a nosebleed. Where did the diligent girl I encountered a while ago go to?
「Hey professor, isn’t this girl strange?」(Touya)
「Ah, That’s because Atlantica likes little girls」(Regina)
「Don’t say something unpleasant so lightly」(Touya)
Is this why she didn’t kiss me like everyone else?
「By the way, I also don’t hate them」(Regina)
「I should’ve guessed so!」(Touya)
After all, this woman was very much the original and the basis for the other Babylon Numbers. She was the kingpin of wickedness.
「This is a problem. It’s natural though, but I don’t have clothes for this size. I didn’t foresee this situation」(Professor Regina)
Should I go back to the castle and borrow from Rene or Suu?….I-it’s inevitable that I would be scorned at if I borrow it just as it is… I can’t ask them to even lend their underwear. Should I speak about the circ.u.mstance with Yumina and the girls……
「Or rather, don’t tell me this white robe is from 5000 years ago, eh?」(Touya)
「That’s right. Is there a problem? Ah, it’s always clean because it’s enchanted with protection magic. It won’t deteriorate too」(Regina)
No wonder I’ve thought that it was good as new. This coat of mine has also been enchanted with [Protection], and it doesn’t require was.h.i.+ng.
At any rate, the problem of the front part of the robe being exposed still existed. I took out the belt of my coat, places one end above the front part of the professor’s white robe, and wrapped it around her waist. It became similar a Yukata, but this was good enough as a temporary measure.
Hmm, how about we have the[Laboratory] go toward Brunhild the time being?
Tica operated the monolith on the corner of the room, and the [Laboratory] started to move. You could now wipe your ma.s.sive nosebleed.
「This body is easier to move than I’ve thought. Though it’s regrettable that my growth stops here. Well, shall I accept this as compensation?」(Regina)
「Eh? Won’t you grow up anymore?」(Touya)
「This body consists of tissues different from humans. It will only grow inside the capsule, and its growth will be fixed once it has been woken up. Even Atlantica has that figure for a long time, right?」(Regina)
Indeed. Tica and the girls would probably keep their figures until they died even though it might be impossible for them to live forever. This was already the same as being similar to elves or dwarves. They were probably already a kind of race similar them. They couldn’t multiply naturally since they didn’t have a reproductive capability.
「Now then, I saw you moving restlessly when I was using [The Jewel of Future Vision], but they had only been fragmentary memories. Although I’m also interested in you, I’m more interested in the artifact you are holding」(Regina)
「Artifact? What you are talking about?」(Touya)
「It’s a black plate-like communication device. It’s what you’re calling a [Smartphone]?」(Regina)
「Ah, this one?」(Touya)
I took the smartphone out from my pocket and showed it to the professor.
「Yup-yup! It’s this. I’ve tried making a similar one, but I was lacking a clear understanding of its functions. Can I borrow it for a little while?」(Regina)
「I guess it’s alright. You’re not going to destroy it, okay?」(Touya)
It wouldn’t easily break since I’d added a lot of [Enchant] spells on it, but it would be troublesome if it had been strangely fiddled with and had its settings changed.
She would probably understand the general function. Otherwise, she would’ve been unable to make an attachment to it in Shesca, or a magic startup imitation. Was she perhaps interested in the functions that were not based on magic?
「Mu. What are those letters and pictures….? Hmm, do you operate this just by touching….? What country are those letters from?」(Regina)
「j.a.pan」(Touya)
「j.a.pan? I’ve never heard of that place. Is it a country of this era? Is that Touya-kun’s birthplace?」(Regina)
「Haー… I guess you’re right. How about letting everyone hear it as well since now is a good time as any? I’ve been thinking about saying it to everyone for quite a while now」(Touya)
「?」(Regina)
Professor Babylon continued checking the functions of the smartphone while looking puzzled due to what I’d said.
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「Ha────…. You don’t say that this kid is Professor Babylon herself…」(Rin)
Rin was surprised at the professor same as how I’d been. Both Elzie and Yae had a similarly surprised face while watching the professor be surrounded by the Babylon Numbers.
「Oh well, we have seen a lot of things until now…」(Elzie)
「I end up thinking that it’s not that impossible to happen」(Yae)
Linzie, Hilda, and Luu nodded towards that mutter.
The professor in question was talking with Shesca, Rosetta, and Flora about something. The clothes she was wearing had been borrowed from Suu. Having a get-up like that just made her be seen as a normal kid
Monica was struggling on the sofa while being hugged by Tica from behind. The tissues stuffed in Tica’s nose were already dyed in red.
「Release me already! I feel gross!」(Monica)
「Ufufufufufufufu」(Tica)
I understood what Monica meant when she had said that she’s not very good at dealing with the manager of [Laboratory]. As far as that Loli hobby of Tica went, Monica was the best catch. By the way. Suu, who was suddenly hugged sometime ago, was so scared that she wasn’t leaving my side.
I had my fiancees and the people related to Babylon gather in one room in the castle, but only Noel of [Tower] was resting her head on Liora of [Rampart] while sleeping this entire time. Was it even necessary to bring this fellow…?
Fran Shesca of [Sky Garden].
High Rosetta of [Workshop].
Bell Flora of [Alchemy Building].
Fred Monica of [Hangar].
Pure Liora of [Rampart].
Pamela Noel of [Tower].
Iris Fam of [Library].
Lilulu Palas.h.i.+e of [Warehouse].
Atlantica of [Laboratory].
And Professor Babylon.
It has become a large family…. Though Fam, Noel, and Liora don’t come down to the ground most of times.
Do Monica and Rosetta not come down very much due to them being too devoted towards development?
I’d also ordered Pals.h.i.+e not to go down as much if possible because I wanted to avoid suffering the damage due to her blunders.
Looking at Monica who hated being hugged by Tica, I ended up thinking that it’s better for Tica not to go down to the ground as well. I would feel a lot of guilt if she did something to Rene and Rene ended up traumatized due to her obsession.
「Now then, Touya-san. What kind of talk did you gather everyone here for?」(Yumina)
Yumina, who’s sitting on a side, inserted herself between Suu and me and asked me that question.
「Yeah. I was asked about it by Professor, but I thought that I might as well let everyone properly hear it as well. It’s about the circ.u.mstance I’ve been keeping quiet up until now」(Touya)
Everyone’s gaze focused on me. I stood up and steeled myself while looking at everyone.
「The reason why I didn’t speak about this before is that I was worried that you might not believe me, and also because I’ve been wondering whether it’s necessary to even speak about it. However, I’ll be living with everyone else from now on, so I’ve come to the conclusion that I really want you guys to know about it after all」(Touya)
I operated the smartphone and projected a large image on the wall. I displayed various streets one after the other by forwarding a video from a video site. London, Paris, Was.h.i.+ngton, New York, Jakarta, Bangkok, New Delhi, Beijing, Moscow, and finally Tokyo.
Everyone was at a loss for words to the sight of the different metropolises that I was projecting.
「What is being projected here is my former world. [Earth] is what we call it, and I’m a person that came over from that world」(Touya)