Chapter 239

Huh?

The fact that my chance to obtain power just flew away was pretty shocking, I guess.

Jeber didn’t show up at the lab all day. The Chimera Harvesting System is mostly confined to the lab, so info’s limited.

Though, he might just be busy.

Even if you’re in a high position, you still gotta do the bare minimum to keep it, right?

So, I decided to check out the easily accessible Chimeras.

First off, warmth.

Hardly any.

To be honest, they’re on par with insects.

The only thing that has even a sliver of light and warmth is the assistant-level Chimera Harvester, and that’s barely at the level of a dying kid in the slums.

Simple clones don’t really help gain warmth.

Speaking of clones, though… maybe Harvesters could help. Soldiers could go out, kill people, and bring back warmth.

I could create soldiers myself, but using biological enhancement while staying hidden in the background and harvesting warmth works too.

The person who starts the war will bear the responsibility.

In that sense, I hope Jeber uses the harvester well.

If he sees the benefits and acts proactively, that’d be great. But if he loses interest or thinks it’s uncontrollable and seals it away…

It’s fine either way.

I’m sure they’ll eventually unseal it. Just like in the Second World, they’ll call me when the time comes.

That’s why I stay still like a machine part.

***

In any world, beginnings involve waiting.

Given my nature, it’s hard for good people to summon me.

The ruthless types always do. Especially ones like Yasure or Daegon.

They arrive through summoning methods that abandon basic ethics.

Rather than fight them outright, I pretend to be the victim and observe.

Anyway, even if I don’t actively antagonize other beings, they give me warmth on their own. In the First World, Yasure used the harvester recklessly, not understanding the risks, and turned soldiers into tools.

In the Second World, we couldn’t make many harvesters because I couldn’t resist eating Daegon and the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign.

And I don’t regret that. Even though I didn’t get much warmth, I gained tons of knowledge and connected to the Third World.

The Third World is very stable.

There are plenty of harvesters out there, but not so many that they’re uncontrollable.

Even if they reproduce, it’s fine. The offspring are bound to me by contract, but since I’m not inside them, the world won’t break like it did in the First World.

Plus, this body called Bell is in a pretty respected position here.

No income, but no need to work either. If I needed wealth, I could turn some rocks into gold.

Relaxing like that, one winter day at the building in front of the Royal Academy…

I got notice to vacate my dorm.

Finally, it happened.

“Eviction, huh.”

“Yes, that’s correct. Mr. Bell. Next year, foreign royalty will be attending the Royal Academy, so you’ll have to move elsewhere.”

Ah, right.

This building is meant for that purpose. I heard the staff dispatched from the royal family works here.

Maybe because I stayed indoors so much during winter, the maids became my companions.

Through them, I learned some interesting facts.

Surprisingly, all the maids are from noble families, including some countess lineages. Of course, they’re not heirs but rather third or fourth daughters with little chance of advancement.

So, these are people who can chat with important guests and make proper judgments if needed.

Frankly, most people working here wouldn’t let even unpleasant nobles mistreat them. Some seemingly simple noble-born butlers were actually collateral royals.

Anyway…

“Foreign royalty is coming?”

“Yes. Before I explain, do you know the current situation of the various countries?”

I briefly searched my memories, confirmed I hadn’t seen anything with my own eyes, shook my head, and said no.

The butler then brought out snacks and tea to start a proper conversation.

He explained about neighboring countries: one had a machine-opposing movement that led to cultural decline, another overpressed three companies causing conflict between commoners and the government…

Big nations’ ripple effects alone caused smaller ones to face serious economic crises.

The whole world is in chaos.

Some memories flickered like “I knew it” regarding economic depression and such information.

Because of this chaos, several royal families are seeking refuge here. After saying that, he paused briefly.

Harvester memories tell me that pause held meaning.

I don’t really get it.

The butler said these royal families would live in nearby buildings, including this one.

In short, evicting me.

“There are a few places prepared. Please take a look and choose one you like.”

Then a few memories lit up.

This seems respectful, giving options, but it’s actually a way to send someone to a lower-class place.

I understand.

It’s hard to maintain multiple places fit for important people, right? And having foreigners stay in the royal castle long-term might be burdensome.

So, temporary guests must leave.

“Yes, understood.”

I nodded readily. The butler waited until I stood up, then called someone.

The maid who mainly worked in my room.

She led me outside where a car waited. We drove around to see six houses, from upscale urban residences to large suburban mansions.

I chose the smallest one.

The maid looked at me with an oddly sympathetic expression, but I’m fine. Compared to where I lived in the Second World, this place is properly civilized.

Plus, it’s near a commercial district, making errands convenient.

Sure, I don’t have money right now, but I can earn it.

“Are you really going to live here?”

“Yes. It’s not too far from the Royal Academy, and I can manage everything.”

She’s implying there are better options, but I’m really okay.

From the collapsed First World, I gained lots of memories from people doing similar jobs. Some adjustments are needed due to different material properties in other worlds.

Especially cooking.

While I can follow recipes from memory, I don’t know how to make delicious meals with unfamiliar ingredients. This shows my lack of creativity.

Had I been more skilled, I might have shown off dishes from previous worlds and made a name for myself.

But that’s beyond my ability.

Still, I know housekeeping well.

Not just housekeeping—most tasks in my memory are manageable.

The only thing I absolutely can’t do is use magic power.

“Since Mr. Bell has chosen, I have nothing more to say.”

Meaning he has many things to say but is holding back.

With the promise to deliver my belongings by tomorrow, we shook hands and parted ways. As the door clicked shut, I noticed the slightly dim interior.

The place changed quickly.

Now I’ll live alone.

Thinking about it, I’ve always been with someone. Now I have my own place.

Feels strange.

With that thought, I entered the house to thoroughly inspect it.

Inside was neatly arranged.

The interior design was tidy, and furniture was placed appropriately. Luckily, it wasn’t completely new.

I also checked the kitchen, bathroom, and such.

It’s a bit empty, but I know what to buy.

Since maids took care of me before, I’ll just follow that routine. I carefully checked not just the layout but also plumbing and such.

I examined every hard-to-reach spot and dismantled empty spaces.

The house is old but recently renovated.

No sign of insects, small mammals, or reptiles crawling around.

Fortunately, using water and fire doesn’t require my magic power. More precisely, I don’t need my magic to operate things here.

The items themselves might use magic, but since I can’t sense it, I don’t know.

After checking every detail, I cleaned the entire house.

Time flew while cleaning, and before I knew it, night fell.

Then several people arrived carrying lots of luggage.

Mostly the maids who worked at the dorms—well, former maids now.

“Hey, did you clean this place, Mr. Bell?”

“Yes.”

For some reason, everyone inspected the house meticulously. When they entered the rooms, the maid who first guided me gave a wry smile as she approached.

“I heard you could handle things, but I didn’t expect this level of skill.”

“I have specialized knowledge. By the way, what’s all this luggage?”

“Oh, we brought everything you used.”

Things I used.

Right. Since my clothes are all second-hand, they should be discarded or kept. Looking around, there were not just clothes but also jewelry and various cosmetics.

Then it hit me.

I looked at the people staring at me with eerie expressions and asked,

“Is this a housewarming party?”

“Exactly?”

“Huh? Housewarming? What are we eating?”

These people seem unusually lively compared to when we lived in the dorms.

So, we ended up having dinner together.

A small party happened.

Later…

We exchanged pleasantries about visiting sometimes or meeting whenever something came up.

When the noisy crowd left…

I sat alone in the quiet house.

Now it’s time for Bell’s body to rest while I organize the memories gathered from the harvesters.

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