Chapter 106. Earth’s Assistants #1
58th day in the labyrinth.
Before Omega arrived at the hideout.
I crossed the warp device first and visited the Machine Factory.
【Bubble Bubble】─This teleportation magic tool is really convenient. After all, humans should use magic tools.
【Rise Nova】─That’s not a magic tool.
I had four monsters with me.
Kinogine Arachne, the Blood Jellyfish Princess, the puppet Niara Nepensis, and Jafan.
We weren’t invading enemy territory or anything.
This number should be sufficient for an escort.
【Rise Nova】─Three mothers and daughters together… this feels like a family outing.
【Bubble Bubble】─Don’t talk nonsense.
【Bubble Bubble】─Wait, hold on. Jafan is a woman?
［Jafan! This place looks fun! There are so many cool things!!］
［Piii! Hello, everyone!］
The princess waved at the robots in greeting.
By the way, after sleeping one more night, the princess recovered completely.
［Welcome.］
［Nice to meet you.］
The robots, recognizing the princess, bowed their heads politely, while towards me, they bowed at a full ninety degrees in respect.
It seemed that Omega had left my presence imprinted in the robots’ memory.
As we were exchanging greetings with the robots—
［Huh?］
Omega, passing by the warp device, spotted us and tilted her head in confusion.
［Gauntlet. What brings you here, Huh?］
“I just came to hang out. The exploration team has been here once, but I haven’t visited myself. I wanted to take a leisurely look around the village.”
［Huh! Then I shall personally guide you!］
“Aren’t you busy?”
I asked, glancing at the mechanical parts dangling from Omega’s body.
It was obvious she was in the middle of transporting parts to build something.
［I am busy. There’s a lot to make with the parts of the Mechanical Hydra, Huh Huh.］
“Then, you don’t need to guide us. We’ll just wander around on our own.”
［That won’t do! Huh!!!］
“Why?”
［Being with you, Gauntlet, is far more enjoyable than building machines! That’s why I vowed to visit you at least once every day! Huh Huh!］
Omega threw the mechanical parts she was carrying aside and clung to my side.
【Bubble Bubble】─I’ll let it slide because it’s a machine.
【Rise Nova】─What do you mean by ‘let it slide?’
［But it’s strange, Huh Huh.］
“What’s strange?”
［Originally, I had no interest in anything but building machines. But that’s no longer the case. While I still enjoy building machines, I like you, Gauntlet, even more now. The power of the Assisted One is truly great and remarkable, Huh Huh.］
No matter how much I analyze it, I can’t figure out this emotion.
I couldn’t even uncover the source of the ability.
Perhaps the true power of the Assisted One is the strength most fitting for the ruler of the Ancient Labyrinth.
Omega added this with rapid-fire speed.
“So, did you give up on researching the taming ability?”
［No, I haven’t given up. I plan to research it slowly over time. Of course, for now, making machines from the Mechanical Hydra’s parts takes priority. Studying the ability of the Assisted One isn’t something that can be done quickly. Oh, and more importantly, being with you, Gauntlet, is the top priority. We must spend at least two hours together every day, Huh Huh.］
【Bubble Bubble】─Omega has become quite talkative.
【Rise Nova】─Indeed. It seems her affection for Gauntlet has grown even stronger. She’s even more of a chatterbox than yesterday.
Omega guided us while chatting endlessly about various topics.
When we reached the center of the village, she pointed here and there with her tail, introducing the village.
［Jafaaan! It’s amazing! So much fun! So exciting!］
Unlike Jafan, who was eagerly looking around with sparkling eyes, my reaction was a bit lukewarm.
Of course, the village was impressive.
It felt like I was experiencing a slightly distorted futuristic city, and there were mysterious machines I had never seen before, making it a feast for the eyes.
But these merits were overshadowed by some clear disappointments.
‘There’s absolutely nothing here that an ordinary creature could eat.’
This was a village of machines.
There was no food that an ordinary creature could consume.
There were buildings that resembled restaurants.
But instead of selling food that creatures like me could derive nutrition from, they only dealt with items like oil, which was essential for the machines.
On top of that, there were no leisure facilities either.
Perhaps because they were machines, they didn’t seem to have any hobbies.
Everyone was solely focused on working.
This was the fatal flaw of this village.
‘Now that I’m seeing it with my own eyes, it really does live up to the name of a machine factory…’
Internally, I marveled at Min Hyeong-seok’s foresight.
That guy, his naming sense was surprisingly good.
At any rate.
It didn’t seem like I’d ever move my base here.
Visiting for sightseeing every now and then would have to suffice.
【Bubble Bubble】─But it’s strange. Why are the other assistants so quiet today? They’re listed on the assistant roster.
【Rise Nova】─I heard there’s an assistant gathering today as well.
【Bubble Bubble】─They meet often. I’m jealous.
***
While Kang Geon was exploring the Machine Factory.
At the same time.
Three women, following a bodyguard dressed in a black suit, crossed through the gates of a grand mansion and entered the yard.
One by one.
Seo Dan-bi, Shin Somang, and Ha Yumi.
They were Earth’s Assistants.
And the mansion they visited belonged to Seo Dan-bi’s friend, Hwang Mir, the third-generation chaebol.
“Why did she pick her family’s house as the meeting place… She even has her own private home… Ugh, I don’t know if we should be here.”
As they crossed the yard.
Seo Dan-bi glanced around nervously.
Seeing this, Shin Somang looked at her curiously and lowered her voice to ask.
“Pururu. Why are you trembling like that? Do you need to pee?”
“Why are you saying ‘pee’? Are you a child? Call it ‘urine’ or ‘toilet.’”
“Do you need to potty?”
“······.”
“If you need to go, just pee behind that bush.”
“There’s a bathroom inside, so why would I pee over there, you crazy woman… And no, I don’t need to go.”
“Then why are you trembling and looking around like that?”
“I’m worried I might run into Mir’s mother.”
“And you can’t run into her?”
“No. Her mom really despises people with lower social status or no money… People like us. She’s so filled with superiority that she doesn’t even treat us as human. At best, she treats us like slaves.”
“Really? Wow, there are still people like that these days?”
“There was even a video online of her bullying people. Since she’s my friend’s mom, I can’t curse her too much, but every time she sees me, she treats me like dirt. It makes me want to kill her.”
“Then if we do run into her, we could get kicked out?”
“Well, since we were invited by Mir, that’s unlikely, but if her mom’s in a bad mood, we could definitely get kicked out. When she’s not in a good mood, she takes it out on other people.”
Quietly.
As the assistants whispered among themselves while following the bodyguard, several women sitting on the terrace in the garden waved at them.
“Dan-bi, over here!”
“Here!”
Seo Dan-bi’s friend, Hwang Mir.
And the Dimensional Magician, Sage Lunaris.
As the three assistants reached the terrace, the bodyguard tactfully withdrew.
“Hey. Why’d you pick your family’s place for this meeting?”
Seo Dan-bi asked, sitting next to Hwang Mir.
Even while speaking, she kept glancing around nervously.
Clearly anxious about running into Hwang Mir’s mother.
“This place is convenient because it’s right in the middle between Yumi unnie’s house and Somang’s house.”
“Oh. Well, that makes sense… Wait a minute. But why didn’t you consider the distance to my place?”
“Did I need to?”
While Seo Dan-bi and Hwang Mir were chatting.
Shin Somang and Ha Yumi also took their seats next to them.
The reason for today’s gathering was obvious.
It was to hold a regular assistant meeting.
Hwang Mir and Sage Lunaris were participating as prospective assistants.
“Okay, everyone. Let’s save the small talk for later and get down to business. We have some important matters to discuss today.”
Ha Yumi clapped her hands lightly as she spoke.
And so, the assistant meeting began.