The Holy Kingdom's Mysterious Facility

The area beyond the room where the black Dungeon Core was located on the side path was also quite simple in structure.

It was too simple to be called a dungeon. There were only seven rooms on one side of the passage.

I mean, it was still better than the version of [Ordinary Cave] I was summoned to by Rokuko, but it looked more like apartments or something. There weren't any doors, though.

"Guess we should check the rooms out one by one."

When we looked into the first room, there was a large glass tube connected to both the ceiling and the floor. It was big enough for a person to fit inside, and cables were connected to the tube. It seemed empty inside. There were also stone slabs like the ones attached to the black Dungeon Core.

"… Is this some kind of incubator? It looks like it could create a mutant."

[Master, what is a mutant?]

"A human-sized, humanoid monster, I guess? … There's also the possibility of it being some sort of modified human."

[Then I shall take into consideration the presence of such enemies.]

[A human-sized monster, huh? Sounds like a formidable foe, Narikin!]

"You two are also human-sized monsters, so you're pretty similar, right? … Well, they might be stronger than ordinary humans, but this world's humans all seem like mutants from the point of view of my world in the first place, what with magic and skills…"

For now, it was enough to consider that such monsters might be lurking there.

"Yeah, it would be very Holy Kingdom-like for them to try creating artificial heroes or something."

[Oh? Artificial heroes… do these humans think they can accomplish something that not even Leona-sama could?]

With that, NaanaToy peered discontentedly at the monitor.

"Is that so?"

[Have you forgotten our origins, Master? The Toy series was created in an attempt to create heroes. Of course that includes the failure you love so much—even the finished product like myself were unsatisfactory for Leona-sama.]

Seriously? Now that I think about it, Niku and Toy did have that origin.

They were actually very strong. But when compared to a genuine hero like Wataru, they inevitably fell short.

That said, they still had room for growth, so it wasn't impossible for them to become stronger than the current Wataru in the future. But by that time, Wataru would have grown even stronger.

[Even though they meet the standard of talent, they can't defeat a hero. They're just toys, after all. And you think that mere humans, who are far inferior to Leona-sama, can do what she couldn't?]

Toy spoke with a hint of anger in her voice. It was unusual to see her genuinely emotional. It seemed I had stepped on a landmine. Well, it was just a thought that came to mind, but if Leona had failed even with her cheat-like alchemy skill, it probably was impossible.

"Hmm. Then what about slightly enhanced humans due to Toy's degradation… or perhaps a facility connected to Leona? What do you think about that?"

[Oh, that could be possible. In that case, they would be our younger siblings. This is getting interesting.]

NaanaToy's mood changed completely, and she looked at the monitor excitedly… Ah, right, opposing Leona was Toy's current objective.

… It might become troublesome if Leona finds out NaanaToy is being used to our advantage, but for now, it shouldn't be a problem since we're exploring the dungeon with mice. Toy's actual body had been secured and imprisoned in Golen.

Now, let's continue the investigation.

The first three rooms had the same interiors as the front room and there was nothing to see, but the fourth room was slightly different.

It was twice as large as the other rooms and a metal hemisphere was placed in the center of the room. Several pipes extended from the hemisphere, crawling along the ceiling and floor and connecting to the walls. Maybe they were connected to the glass tubes in the next room? There was a small window with a faint light leaking through.

And despite it being the middle of the night, there were about four researchers in white coats and two security guards.

"… What sort of magic tool is that?"

[Is it some kind of research facility…? Naana, what do you think?]

[It seems to be a power reactor… Master, there's a viewing window to see inside the reactor, can you see?]

[I'll move Hamelin 6 into position… how about now?]

[Hmm, it's a bit hard to tell. I can't quite make it out.]

I checked the view from the mouse Narikin had moved.

… Th-this is… this divine light…!

"No way, [Divine Beddings]!?

"It does have a familiar-looking glow, doesn't it?"

The small window made it difficult to see the contents without getting closer, but there was no doubt that this white light was indeed from the [Divine Beddings].

… Well, it could also be another divine item. Apparently, there were divine weapons and all that, so it could be one of those.

[I'd like to confirm what it is more thoroughly, but those people are in the way… Shall I check more forcibly and risk being discovered?]

"No, wait. There's no need for that."

I stopped her aggressive investigation. Now that we'd witnessed this much, I could use my [Super Transformation] to examine what it was. Yep, just like when we disassembled the large magical tool in the orchard.

"I'll investigate the contents myself. Let's check the remaining rooms… Well, I think there's some kind of divine item inside this one."

[Oh, impressive that you can tell just by looking, Master.]

[Fumu. So, is this a mechanism to gain some power from a divine item? What do you think, Naana?]

[Heroes have the power of the Light God. Similarly, the [Divine Beddings] also have divine power. The possibility of an artificial hero is becoming more likely. Extracting the divine power and transplanting it into a person… Yes, that might indeed make it possible to create an artificial hero.]

So, they're trying to create a hero using the power of the Dark God? That makes sense… Huh? Hmmm?

"Hey, could that accidentally create a Dungeon Core?"

"A Dungeon Core? Using Otou-sama's power? … Oh, that's true!"

Rokuko, surprised, spoke next to me.

If it were the power of the Light God, one would become a hero, but what about the power of the Dark God? That's right, he's all about dungeons. Dungeon Cores come to mind.

In that case, that black Dungeon Core in the first room might have been created here… I can't be entirely sure just yet, but it's possible that they accidentally created a Dungeon Core while trying to make a hero.

"We should report this to Haku-san right away. This is quite a serious matter."

"Yeah, it's a big deal. To think they'd create a Dungeon Core with Otou-sama's beddings!"

"It's not confirmed yet though?"

There was definitely a possibility of it with that strange Dungeon Core in the first room though.

… By the way, the remaining three rooms were the same as the first three, with one empty glass tube in each room. It seemed that nothing was being made in this facility at the moment… I would have liked to see a working facility, but I guess it couldn't be helped.