"...Issei. If this taught you a lesson, you have to seal away that perverted technique, okay?"
"N...no way. I'm gonna... evolve this Dress Break... *collapse*"
Irina Shidou is poking at the Red Dragon Emperor, but I'm ignoring that. They're childhood friends apparently, and they probably have stuff to talk about, so I'm ignoring it. Yeah. For now, I should pick the guy who seems most likely to get into this whole thing.
"Yo. Got a minute?"
Saying that, I sit down next to the Holy Sword Project survivor, Kiba Yuuto, wasn't it? I sit next to the blonde boy who got thoroughly beaten and is still gasping for breath, and let out a light sigh myself.
"You got beaten up pretty bad again, but wouldn't it be better to calm down a bit?"
Well, I just heard the story. The Holy Sword Project. When Balper Galilei was the initial director, apparently some pretty inhumane experiments were conducted.
And in the end, they massacred all the test subjects. I don't intend to deny necessary evils, but I'd prefer if we could become an organization that doesn't have to ally with guys like that.
I've had similar experiences, so I think I understand the feeling a little. Of course, the details are different, so I won't say I understand perfectly.
People's minds are different to begin with, so even if you have the exact same experience, you won't have the exact same feelings about it. But, well.
"If you're gonna do it, choose your opponent properly, alright? Even if the opponent is an enemy, I don't want sad tears to be shed for reasons that don't make sense."
"...For you, both we and they are enemies, right? Won't you get in trouble later for suddenly confessing like that?"
Looks like he's willing to listen. Well, that said, it's just my nature. As I was thinking about how to respond, I heard a sigh from behind me.
"My apologies. To put it bluntly, Kusei's nerves are made of extremely thick tungsten."
"...Merid, you're still razor-sharp when you're being sarcastic."
The one who made me grimace with that cutting sarcasm was a Humagear in a maid outfit. Her name is Merid. Actually, I've known her longer than Rienes, who's the team leader.
"...Is it okay for a Humagear to have that attitude?"
Kiba looks a bit taken aback, but Merid sighed again.
"Humagears are industrial products, but we are not human slaves. Moreover, as a Servant, shouldn't I demand that those I serve be worthy of service? That condescending look…. is your stance as a servant devil specialized entirely in slave mentality?"
And she's mercilessly razor-sharp again. Sorry. This is just how she is.
"...Sorry, Kiba. Merid reached Singularity as a proud servant, so she constantly demands that others be worthy of that pride."
"...Singularity. This is my first time seeing a Humagear, but to think there's one who's reached it among the first I've met."
Kiba says this with admiration, then glances at Rienes.
"If you're adjusting them for combat, they'd need to be that kind of existence, I suppose?"
...Feels like there's some misunderstanding here. I was seriously considering whether to correct him, but Merid's poison came flying first.
"Ignorant though it may be, how foolish. To make statements that show you see us Humagears as nothing but objects, perhaps I should be grateful I don't have to serve devils."
"...Uh, well, sorry about that."
I should seriously follow up for Kiba since all Humagears might get misunderstood.
"Kiba. Grigori has secured a large number of Humagears after Thousand Destruction, but we don't have the mindset of using them for combat, alright? Merid and the others all requested combat enhancement modifications themselves, so keep that in mind."
When I followed up like that, Merid quietly nodded.
"Exactly. Each of us requested the power to fight of our own will. Rather, the organization as a whole wasn't enthusiastic about it, and I can only be grateful to Rienes sama for agreeing to it, even if it meant using her own research results."
After saying that, Merid showed a fearless smile and pulled out a piece of paper.
"Moreover, since she's already included hazard pay in our salaries, I'd say her attitude as a master gets a passing grade. Since the higher-ups aren't enthusiastic about it, she's paying out of her own pocket, you know?"
"...Eh, salar…."
"Kiba, could you come over here!?"
I quickly grabbed Kiba by the scruff of his neck and immediately distanced us from Merid. Merid kind of knows but was deliberately trying not to be conscious of it. That was close. If I hadn't stopped him, Kiba's heart would've been torn to shreds.
"...If they have clear self-awareness, then you should see them as the same kind of existence as yourselves, right? That's why Grigori has a policy of paying salaries and allowances. ...That's why things get complicated and distribution in human society has come to a standstill."
"Ah... I see. I was confused for a moment, but that makes sense."
Good thing he understands quickly. Well, that's how it is. Humagears who have reached Singularity are beings that act as clear individuals. And since theoretically any Humagear has the potential to become like that, if we don't treat all Humagears that way, there'll probably be a war between Humagears and humans later on.
But there are still many places where discrimination based on skin color and various other reasons is deeply rooted. Every country vaguely understands that it's currently impossible to speak of Humagears on the same level as humans in such a human world. In that sense, supernatural beings have it easier.
There's still some discrimination and such, but since it's originally a way of being where other species exist, there's not much change or impact.
...And military use of Humagears isn't particularly considered in either human society or supernatural society. Human society has clear reasons.
Humagears who reach Singularity and gain clear emotions would have to be discussed on the same level as soldiers, not as an evolution of drones. Even soldiers who have training and some mental preparation often develop PTSD and such after experiencing war.
The same cases would probably occur with Humagears who reach Singularity, and if they reached Singularity because of the extreme environment of war, there's no predicting what emotions they'd act on.
The reason for supernatural society includes that, but there's another one.
...In the first place, there's little significance in converting Humagears for combat use.
That's all there is to it. If you're going to use them from the perspective of unmanned weapons, golems and magical beasts are easier to prepare more robustly.
Even if you use them as soldiers, supernatural beings and ability holders are stronger than most Humagears, so there's little significance in developing combat Humagears. Considering the demerits in human society, it's judged to be not just unprofitable but a complete waste.
That's precisely why Grigori, who could respond to Thousand Destruction the fastest, protects Humagears and makes employment contracts with them, but almost never brings them into the military department.
Merid and the others all wanted combat abilities for their own reasons, so they ended up being adjusted for combat.
Even that was in the form of being testers for Rienes' personal research. ...And Rienes is paying hazard pay out of her own pocket.
Humagears who haven't reached Singularity rarely use money actively, so they only personally purchase things they think they need. That's why their average salary is on the low side.
However, Humagears who have reached Singularity might go on strike if you don't give them special allowances. Specifically, their private use increases considerably, like buying DVDs of shows they like.
Some even take up record collecting as a hobby.
Well, for better or worse, supernatural beings are free, so they'd probably coexist more easily with Humagears who have reached Singularity than human society would. I also feel reluctant to treat Merid and the others coldly.
I feel some affection for them. Come to think of it, I wonder what Kazuhi thinks about this. When I was thinking about that, I suddenly realized something.
Huh? Where are Kazuhi and Rienes?
…
"...My my, We've both really changed, haven't we?"
"Completely. If I didn't have these eyes, I never would have noticed. Ah, I was right to seek these eyes."
"Well, we've been living for about the same amount of time now. It'd be stranger if we didn't change that much."
"The influence of childhood experiences on personality can't be underestimated. I never thought I'd experience that firsthand in this way."
"Hey, you're reverting back, you know?"
"Oh my? So are you."
"...Pfft"
"No good. Even if we force ourselves to maintain our old speech patterns, it's full of awkwardness. It seems better for both of us to get used to our current way of speaking."
"That's right. We both became like this because we wanted to change. Then, as adults, we should face the present, not the past."
"Then, let me properly introduce myself again, fallen angel Rienes."
"That's right, Kazuhi Shichastie. I should be grateful that we can get along so well at our first meeting."