Chapter 119: Stand Up! You Too! 1
A third-class Overseer’s report usually does not reach the immediate Administrator.
Most missions, whether successful or not, are finalized by a second-class Overseer under the Administrator’s jurisdiction, or a first-class Overseer if there are peculiar circumstances.
The finalized documents would then pile up on the Administrator’s desk, gathering dust, until the Administrator would remember, “Oh, it’s review day,” and speed-read through the stack.
However, the number of Overseers and Executors under Rilstia Frostia was only one-tenth of that of her peers, so all reports from Alice and Oriana inevitably ended up directly on Rilstia’s desk.
This was because Rilstia’s direct subordinates were so few that they could be counted on two hands.
Compared to other Administrators who commanded hundreds or even thousands of Overseers, it was an entirely contrasting scale.
This wasn’t due to Rilstia being incompetent or inexperienced, but rather because of the specific nature of the tasks under her supervision.
Rilstia’s assignments typically involved interspecies and external-level missions.
These tasks often required resolving issues that were outright impossible for an Overseer alone or were so broad and disorderly that they could easily take years to complete.
Of course, other Administrators also handled significant affairs for Ark and built their own divisions of Overseers.
But Rilstia was not just an Administrator of Ark; she was also one of the architects of humanity’s final bastion, which set her apart from others.
For that reason, when Alice reported the results of a lower-level mission, it had to be a private one-on-one meeting with Rilstia.
Today, however, was a little different.
[According to the electronic document, the True Ancestor was stimulated by the Artificial Sun constructed in the Caracas Heavy Industry Zone. Third-class Overseer Alice, under what authority did you build the Artificial Sun?]
“The construction of the Artificial Sun in the lower realm was entirely under the sanction of Administrator Rilstia Frostia, using only my private resources, energy, and technology. It does not violate any authority, nor is there a decree prohibiting the construction of an Artificial Sun in the lower realm.”
[That’s correct.]
[Indeed, it’s not forbidden.]
[Understood. Let’s proceed to the next question.]
Currently, Alice was undergoing an open consultation with Rilstia and four other Administrators via hologram.
Although labeled a consultation, it was more akin to an interrogation by the five most powerful individuals in Ark—practically emperors in their authority.
In the past, Alice might have thought, “What’s an Administrator, anyway, you nerds?”
But after becoming a third-class Overseer, she had gained a bit of understanding about how high-ranking these individuals were and the burdens they carried.
She also knew well enough that having a meeting with five Administrators at once was an extraordinarily rare occurrence.
Yet, Alice felt no reason to be nervous or intimidated.
With her memories from her time as the Demon King and her confidence in her recent achievements, Alice believed she deserved praise for single-handedly hunting a True Ancestor.
[…Hmm.]
[Huh….]
[Unbelievable…]
Meeting even one Administrator as a third-class Overseer was a rare feat, but meeting five at once was beyond extraordinary.
The gravity of the situation was, however, quite clear.
A third-class Overseer had hunted a True Ancestor!
This was something utterly inconceivable by the standards of Ark.
True Ancestors mimicked human forms, but at their core, they were mutated viral organisms.
Their terrifying resilience made them nearly impossible to eradicate.
Each one possessed unique abilities and magic capable of bringing hell to reality.
On top of that, the secondary infected and vampires they spawned made the idea of completely hunting a True Ancestor an endeavor that required enormous sacrifices, even from Ark’s Central Administration.
[Third-class Overseer Alice, correct? Let me ask you this first—did you truly witness the death of the True Ancestor named Agatha?]
[You do understand that confirming a True Ancestor’s death is meaningless, right? Being viral organisms, even if confirmed dead to the human eye, they might survive somewhere like spores…]
“There’s no need for concern on that point.”
Alice opened her hand, revealing glowing red particles shimmering like fireflies.
[What is that?]
“It is the True Ancestor I absorbed into my body.”
[Absorbed into your body?]
[You mean the True Ancestor tried to consume you…?]
“I was not consumed; otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing here conversing with you all so calmly.”
Alice’s confident words left the Administrators astonished and speechless.
For a True Ancestor, which corrupted both organic and inorganic matter, to fail against this young third-class Overseer was beyond belief, even for the battle-hardened Administrators who had seen everything.
“True Ancestor Agatha has been rendered irreversibly dormant within my body.”
[You said within your body? Could you elaborate?]
“In Ark’s terms, I am an android, with a fully mechanical body including my brain and organs. My Auxiliary Personality supports my Main System by analyzing and disassembling True Ancestor Agatha’s cells and particles in real-time, utilizing mana and absorbed life force. Agatha attempted to take over my body 184 times during this process, but as you can see, there’s no cause for concern.”
[Huh….]
[A fully mechanical body retaining human consciousness and rationality…]
[She’s classified as an Ultima-grade Returnee, so it’s not surprising, but still…]
Amid the Administrators’ amazement, Rilstia’s shoulders visibly rose in pride.
It looked as if they were bragging, saying, “How’s that? Isn’t my Pardak amazing?”
In fact, other administrators couldn’t hide their envy of Rilstia, saying things like, “Wow, I’m so jealous,” “We third-grade folks only ever submit failure reports,” and, “Hah, after seeing only filthy men all the time, to have someone like that as a third-grader…”
[Oh my, Lord Rilstia. I envy you for having such a subordinate. How about I give you 300 million shillings to transfer her to my division?]
[Ahahaha! Shut up, Administrator Hindred. If you touch my precious Pardak, I’ll make you bald.]
[Still, I truly envy you. My subordinates only care about money…]
[Rilstia’s division truly is elite. Haha.]
[Now that we’ve received all the information, let’s wrap up the final report here. Third-Class Overseer Alice, please declare the session closed.]
“This concludes the final report on the subjugation of the True Ancestor Agatha, who attacked Silion Residential Zone in Subsector D-197.”
[Thank you for your hard work.]
With light applause, Alice’s final report came to an end.
The circumstances leading to the solo subjugation of the True Ancestor and the general reasons for creating the artificial sun in the Caracas Heavy Industry Step were explained in detail.
In reality, Alice had impulsively created the artificial sun after getting annoyed with academy students, declaring she’d make a better tomorrow, but it was packaged as if she had pitied the inhabitants of the lower realm and created it at her own expense and using her unique skills.
Naturally, the administrators were moved.
After all, they were people who sought to save and support humanity in their own way.
While they had sacrificed and cut away what needed to be cut, it was inspiring to see a third-class overseer accomplishing what they could not.
Thanks to this, Alice had essentially received the tacit approval and support of Rilstia and the other four administrators.
As the other administrators logged off from the hologram, the only one remaining was Rilstia, whose smile hadn’t faded.
[Ahahaha! Truly, well done, Alice! When you said you were going to make a sun after being assigned a simple investigation, I honestly thought you had lost your mind!]
“Well, even I think it’s kind of funny. Getting mad at those ridiculous academy students and suddenly building a sun? There wasn’t much logic to it.”
[That’s not what’s important! Alice single-handedly hunted a True Ancestor, which even Ark would suffer massive damage to capture! This achievement is so monumental that even if you emptied Administrator Baden’s treasury to create hundreds of artificial suns, it would be forgivable!]
“Honestly, while the True Ancestor Agatha was dangerous, given my Drain ability and physical traits, I’m a perfect counter. But frankly, I was lucky. If two True Ancestors like Agatha had attacked me simultaneously or my body had collapsed before adapting to their attacks, I would’ve surely lost.”
[But the fact remains that you won! That’s what matters! Hahahah!]
Creating an artificial sun alone was astounding, but subjugating a True Ancestor solo was something even Rilstia found hard to believe.
Yet my precious Pardak had accomplished it.
Ah, my precious Pardak is this amazing.
[In any case, there will be separate rewards for the artificial sun development and the True Ancestor subjugation in the lower realm. Apart from monetary compensation, is there anything you personally desire, Alice?]
“Hmm, are you alone right now?”
[Gasp, are you suggesting a date with me? How bold, Alice!]
Rilstia joked playfully, but she soon noticed the serious expression on Alice’s face through the screen.
Looking around briefly, Rilstia used her materialization ability and stepped through the screen, appearing right beside Alice.
“What’s the matter? Did you want to discuss something confidential, Alice?”
“There’s something I didn’t mention to the other administrators.”
Alice spoke as she looked at the flickering remains of Agatha in her grasp.
“The True Ancestor Agatha… she knew my name, position, and even my residence in the lower realm.”
“…What did you just say?”
As soon as she heard this, the sharp-minded Rilstia immediately grasped what Alice was implying.
It was impossible for an ordinary Ark citizen to access personal information about individual overseers.
While S-rank Hunters, who thrived on fame, were exceptions, overseers who undertook countless critical and secret missions for Ark had to remain unknown.
Information about overseers was restricted even from administrators and first-class overseers.
For Agatha to know not only Alice’s name and position but also her residence and her involvement in the rapid creation of the artificial sun required insider knowledge or skills beyond mere hacking.
“…Ah, this is serious.”
Thus, Rilstia realized someone had sold Alice’s information to the True Ancestor Agatha.
Not just anyone but someone central, with access to deep-level information.
“This isn’t just a case of dealing with mosquitoes. It feels like there’s a traitor who sold their soul lurking somewhere.”
“…I’ll send Oriana.”
“I heard Oriana is already on a long-term mission.”
“Isn’t someone who sold their soul trying to hand over our Alice to those mosquitoes?”
“I’ve heard that the missions of a first-class overseer are tied to more than just one or two tiers. Such a major affair shouldn’t be disrupted because of me.”
In reality, Oriana was currently hunting down human-farming monsters that had invaded the uppermost sectors.
If Oriana left her post, the frontline might collapse, and the entirety of the sector could be excised from Ark.
“This means heading up for now is impossible. Besides, there might be someone in the higher ranks who doesn’t like me.”
“Hah…”
Rilstia nervously scratched her head and bit her lip.
Trivial defectors can be found anywhere.
Corrupt academies are abundant, and the entrenched high-ranking families in the central powers are no exception.
But to think that even among Administrators, such rotten individuals could exist.
“So, here’s the thing. Is this possible?”
“What is it you’re asking for? If it’s something Alice wants, it’s likely I can accommodate it.”
“Appoint me as the Governor of the lower realm.”
Rilstia blinked several times at Alice’s request.
“Alice, I’m sorry, but the central powers do not interfere with the lower realm in any way. There is no such position as Governor, nor is there any authority associated with it. Besides, as a third-class Overseer, you already have broad leeway in the lower realm.”
“I know that.”
Alice had already decided to stay in the lower realm for the foreseeable future.
“But you know this too, don’t you, Riri? The existence of even nominal authority matters. Being known as ‘Governor Alice’ of the lower realm might resonate better with the people here than as a third-class Overseer dispatched from the upper realm.”
“So, Alice, you genuinely intend to oversee and manage the lower realm?”
“I’ve already planned to spend more time here. Not just in the Caracas Heavy Industry Sector but also in other zones, constructing Artificial Suns to eliminate more of the lower realm’s darkness. And if the True Ancestors target me in the process, well, I’ll endure it. If I’m lucky, I might even catch someone in the central powers colluding with them. Besides, judging by how the True Ancestors refer to each other as nobles and ladies, it feels like they’re playing at royalty. Of course, all of this depends on your approval, Riri.”
“Huh.”
Alice alone drawing the attention of True Ancestors or someone in the central powers—it wasn’t a bad idea.
If Alice became the de facto Governor and manager of the lower realm, it painted an ideal picture.
The abandoned zones would be revived, and even criminal organizations would begin to restrain themselves.
Alice had already gained a positive image by single-handedly installing Artificial Suns and holding joint memorial ceremonies during the hunt for the True Ancestors.
Moreover, her success in the True Ancestor hunt had made her famous throughout the vast lower realm.
No one was better suited than Alice to manage the lower realm.
The problem was that Alice, as the sole focus, would attract the attention of not only the lower realm’s residents but also the myriad criminals, monsters, and True Ancestors dwelling in the abyss.
“Alice, to be honest, this is quite dangerous.”
“Well, wasn’t it always dangerous?”
A life as an Overseer was inherently fraught with peril.
“Still, if I can make a world that’s better than yesterday’s, why not try?”
“…”
Rilstia unconsciously repeated Alice’s words to herself.
“Alice has always exceeded my expectations.”
A better today than yesterday.
A better tomorrow than today.
A slightly improved world.
The words had a nice ring to them.
I like them.
It was something I briefly wished for once, long ago.
Rilstia gave Alice a deep smile and said, “Then, I’ll have high expectations this time as well.”
With those words, Rilstia dissolved her physical manifestation and disappeared into the void.
Good news will likely arrive soon.