The Prototype

Warning. Your auxiliary system reminds you that, without the master's authorization, you may not accept any repair services outside the manor.

Red One still wanted to try his luck. "It really isn't that big a deal. If possible..."

...Your auxiliary system reminds you that the master will turn his gaze upon you.

"There's really no need! It's just a little damage. I'll get maintenance when I go back!"

Blue Two and Yellow Three beside him also looked like they wanted to say something, but held back. They had received warnings from their auxiliary systems too.

"Ahem, ahem, ahem!"

Koleda gave three fake coughs, bringing everyone back to the matter at hand.

"If we go by what Grace just said, then it really couldn't have been those people."

After all, if they had those means and that technology, they couldn't have lost the bid, much less kept resorting to sending thugs to cause trouble at Belobog Heavy Industries and holding up their fire safety permits.

Hearing this, Ben asked in confusion, "Then who would want to harm Belobog Heavy Industries?"

Koleda said, "Grace, can you trace where this key thing came from?"

"That's precisely what I wanted to talk to you about most. Its source is so unbelievable that I thought I'd made a mistake at first."

As Grace spoke, her expression turned unusually serious, making everyone feel that this matter might be far from simple.

"BLG_prototype. That's the text I got after decoding the signal identification code accompanying it."

Red One and his two companions, who had just been happily fading into the background, didn't understand what Grace meant. But after hearing that string of English and giving it a little thought, Koleda and Ben both looked shocked.

"That's right, Koleda, Ben. No matter how I look at it, this signal and key seem to have come from the 'prototype.' And their source is inside a Hollow."

Ben said, "So that's what happened. The prototype disappeared along with those companies when the Hollow erupted back then, and its whereabouts were unknown. Now it's appeared again... But how did it send a signal all the way here from inside the Hollow?"

"I don't understand that kind of cross-Hollow communication technology either, but from what we can tell right now, the prototype didn't disappear along with those companies, and it probably still retains some functionality..."

Grace turned to Koleda and said with a serious expression:

"Koleda, although we don't currently know what state the prototype is in, it's still company property, after all. The first-generation logic core installed in it is extremely valuable too.

"I think we have to go into the Hollow and retrieve the prototype, no matter what. I can try using the residual data and keys in the tunneling machine and the other two to pinpoint the prototype's coordinates from inside the Hollow. But we'd have to find the pile driver first..."

Koleda raised a hand to stop Grace. Her relentless stream of words hadn't given Koleda a chance to get a word in.

"All right, all right, Grace, I get it. I never said we shouldn't take it back. I'm the president, you know! Of course I wouldn't turn a blind eye to valuable company property we've left behind."

Seeing Koleda react like this, Grace looked a little embarrassed. "Oh, I thought your mind would go in that direction."

Koleda said, "Huh? What direc-"

Grace wrapped her arms around Koleda's little head. "Nothing, shorty. Then it's settled. We're getting the pile driver and the prototype back!"

Ignoring the weight pressing against the back of her head, Koleda wore an expression of disgust mixed with envy. "...You just want the prototype's logic core."

Unable to get a word in and slowly becoming part of the background, Ben didn't know what to do for a moment.

Then he suddenly felt someone gently pat him from behind. He turned around to find Red One and his two companions, who had been standing off to the side for some time.

Red One held out a hand. "Hey, hello there, accountant of Belobog Heavy Industries. Do we need to introduce ourselves?"

Ben froze, looking as though he'd been struck by lightning. Only then did he remember what he'd originally been supposed to do tonight. He was supposed to welcome guests! Important guests sent by TOPS to invest!

Grace and the machinery rampage had disrupted his original plans. More importantly, not only had he left them waiting for so long, he'd even let the runaway tunneling machine run them over! One of them had even been stripped completely bare!

At that thought, Ben immediately bent down and clasped Red One's outstretched hand in both of his large, furry hands, shaking it as he apologized:

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Red One, and Mr. Blue Two and Mr. Yellow Three. I'm very sorry you've had such an awful experience."

Red One was a little surprised. "I thought we'd have to introduce ourselves all over again."

Ben said, "Not at all. Koleda and the others told me about you, so of course I know all three of your names. On behalf of Belobog Heavy Industries, I offer you our apologies. We'll also compensate you for every loss you suffered in this accident!"

Having escaped Grace, who had gone off to work on the grabber machine, Koleda reminded him from the side, "...Ben, I should really be the one doing this. Besides, I've already apologized to them."

Ben scratched his head. "Oh, you have?"

Red One waved a hand and explained casually:

"Exactly. What are you apologizing for? It was just a little accident that caught you off guard too. We haven't suffered any emotional distress, and didn't we just discuss the damage to our bodies with Miss Grace? We'll cover that ourselves."

Ben was surprised. Grace had kept him from getting a chance to speak with them earlier, and afterward he'd only heard Koleda briefly describe them as easygoing and unpretentious. But he hadn't expected them to be this easygoing.

Blue Two added, "If we had to name a loss, it would be time."

Red One smacked his fist into his palm. "Oh, right! I forgot how much time had passed!"

Ben said, "I'm very sorry, Mr. Red One. These incidents really have taken up far too much of your time. I'll go get the contracts you brought right now and return them to you, or destroy them in front of you."

"Yeah, now that's..."

Red One realized something was wrong. "Wait, what do you mean, return them or destroy them? You're not signing? You don't want this investment that's fallen into your laps?"

Ben said, "Huh?"

Surprised by Red One's words, Koleda asked, "What? You still want to invest in us after everything that's happened?"

Blue Two shook his head. "Oh, dear. We're just small fry accompanying this little investment tour. Looks like you've been overthinking things."

Red One said, "What are you thinking? Let me put it this way. Our master's orders were that we had to get these contracts signed with you, no matter what!"

Ben and Koleda were stunned. They hadn't expected these investors to operate like this. Was this how the big shots at TOPS did things?

Koleda couldn't understand. "But this master of yours-what's he after?"

Red One said, "Good question. I'm wondering that myself. Our master shouldn't have anything whatsoever to do with you, right? Why would he give us this mission?"

Blue Two said, "That's not our concern. Let's get down to business."

Red One said, "Right, right, right. Hurry up and sign those things. We've still got things to do!"

Ben said, "Oh, I understand, I understand. I'll get right... Oh, Mr. Red One, Mr. Blue Two, I have a few questions about that investment contract."

Red One said, "What, is there something unreasonable in the contract? Or are there terms you're unhappy with?"

Ben said, "No, no, there's nothing we're unhappy with. The investment plan is very reasonable too. It's just... are you sure you want to sign as well?"

Koleda, Blue Two, and Yellow Three said, "Huh?"

Red One thought for a couple of seconds. "Ohh, you saw the part we have to sign, right? That was one of the mission requirements. We definitely have to sign. Is something wrong?"

Ben said, "Uh... how do I put this? I looked over those contracts of yours, and the contents..."

Blue Two said, "Accountant, what exactly are you trying to say? Is there something wrong with the contents?"

Koleda said, "You don't know?"

Red One said, "Like I said, we're just here for the tour. Who has the patience to read something that thick? But you read the contents too?"

Koleda said, "No, I just assumed you knew."

With everyone looking at him, Ben said what he'd been trying to say:

"Do you accept our company's employment regulations?"

Red One said, "...What do you mean?"

Ben said, "The contracts you're supposed to sign stipulate that you'll work here at our company unconditionally and without pay. They also state that someone named Hawking Hongke will have the final say over your working hours."

"...Huh?"

For a moment, Koleda suspected she'd misheard. Working without pay sounded a little fantastical to her. But the reactions of Red One and his companions told her she hadn't heard wrong.

Red One clutched his head and cried, "What?!!"

Blue Two couldn't believe it. "N-no way?"

"..."

Yellow Three fell flat on his back. Having spent a good while as part of the background because he couldn't speak smoothly, Yellow Three had already understood everything. Their master, who had always been softhearted, had finally hardened his heart and decided to exile them to the wastelands.

Red One said, "No, no! This is an unequal treaty! I absolutely refuse to sign! Not even the master can make me!"

Blue Two said, "I'm telling the young lady. I'm telling the young lady..."

Yellow Three said, "Accept... fate..."

Warning. Units designated "Red" and "Blue" show signs of disobeying orders. Central system "Butler" has connected. Now...

Red One and Blue Two stopped wailing and stood at attention instead. Seeing this, Koleda and Ben thought something had gone wrong.

Koleda said, "Mr. Red One, Mr. Blue Two, are you all right?"

The two machines remained strangely quiet for a moment before answering Koleda.

"Red One" said calmly and politely, "We're quite well. You needn't worry."

"Blue Two" said, "As for those contracts, we agree to sign."

Looking at Red One and Blue Two, who seemed like entirely different people now, Koleda finally turned a dubious gaze toward Yellow Three.

"What's going on with them?"

Yellow Three kipped up onto his feet and said, "Situation, normal. Yellow Three, also, signing."