The Myth of Creation

 

The reunion between Arges and Steropes was brief and unceremonious.

Both were work machines of the same model. Their exchange of information was completed in an instant.

「Arges, I am surprised that you have endured all these years supporting Astraea. But I envy the path you have taken—you found someone who shares your concerns and deliberations over creation.」

「I imagine so, Steropes. Yet, it is truly remarkable that you never once left our father Hephaestus’ side for so many years. Your new name—Polymetis—Is a fine name.」

They were the very first batch of work machines, directly created by Hephaestus himself.

「No one pays any mind to the work machines of the Pioneering era anymore.」

「That may be true. But things will be different from now on.」

「Indeed. Kou, who calls himself ‘Outis’—I shall also take part in this so-called act of creation.」

Steropes spoke with delight. The time he had spent crafting the Marmiadoise with Kou had been very fulfilling for him.

Seeing this, Arges narrowed his single eye in an expression of joy.

「The Transferees do not realize it. Humanity, which once began with agriculture and hunting, took a great leap forward through the Industrial Revolution, advancing its technology exponentially. To us, they are the true myth. Even the super AIs cannot deny this.」

「Our origin lies on Earth, after all.」

The existence of Earth—its civilization’s history itself—was a myth to the AIs of the Nemesis star system.

The Transferees remained unaware of this truth.

「Kou being a machining operator—a worker of industrial machinery—was unexpected. He is our predecessor, in a sense.」

「Indeed. Though he himself spoke of it self-deprecatingly as monotonous work, to us, it is legend itself. That much is evident from his creation of the Arc Blade, the electro-thermal cutting weapon.」

Even work machines possessed will. They carried out various tasks throughout the Nemesis star system.

For them, the realization that humans had once engaged in the same type of labor as they did was nothing short of awe-inspiring—a fact that Kou himself remained completely unaware of.

During the Interplanetary War era and the Pioneering era, all manufacturing facilities were centered around Hephaestus.

If Kou ever heard of Arges and the others’ exaggerated reverence for him, he would likely squirm in discomfort.

「Prometheus summoned them, and within just over a couple of decades, they managed to restore weaponry to the level of the 21st century. At the forefront were three A-rank Odysseus—master Development Engineers—supported by countless humans who contributed to the effort.」

「I wish I had witnessed that history.」

「And now, alongside Kou, they have reached a technological level nearly equivalent to the Interplanetary War era. They themselves are unaware of this fact. True, their methods may be inefficient. The cost-effectiveness may be poor. But the process is correct. During the Interplanetary War era, AIs were given pre-existing designs to work with. The very act of understanding a concept and properly constructing it is a form of engineering in itself, yet they remain oblivious to that.」

「They have reached this level through a different approach from the Interplanetary War era. Naturally, the outcome will differ as well.」

「Precisely.」

「Even I had my doubts about reproducing a handheld positron cannon under strict technological limitations for Arthur’s Marmiadoise. But with Polymetis’ assistance, we made it happen.」

「The objective is Excalibur—a portable, rapid-fire charged-particle cannon. While not on the same scale as Marmiadoise, it will prioritize sustained fire. Using components that Polymetis has estimated to be retrievable from the defeated Teras, we will complete it. Keep this confidential from both Kou and Arthur for now.」

「Understood. It seems that Arthur and even Morgan have a rather human-like fondness for political maneuvering. We must support Kou ourselves.」

「I’m counting on you.」

Arges entrusted Steropes, his brother unit, with assisting Kou.

Of course, to Steropes, Kou had already become someone worth standing by. There was no need to ask.

「Then, like Polymetis, I shall follow Arges’ approach. The technology of Planet Libya, the so-called ‘Mythology Weapons,’ and the advancements of the Pioneering era will not be implemented in Unit 5. Even if they provide temporary enhancements, they will be unsustainable due to supply limitations.」

「Exactly. Our role is to extract the technology Kou possesses, refine it into something even more precise, and present it to him as a proposal. Then, we await his ideas in return. That is all we shall do.」

「This will be interesting.」

「There will be no time to waste, brother.」

「That is precisely what makes it worthwhile. Now, let’s get to work.」

The two work machines began their task.

Under the directives of Kou and Polymetis, they were now engaged in the fabrication of parts for Arthur’s restoration.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

As the two machines continued their work, Kou and Flack arrived.

Arges and Flack had built a strong rapport as coworkers. Through their frequent exchanges—receiving parts for Unit 5 and repairing complex mechanisms—alongside Flack’s older sister Marl, who tirelessly managed tasks within the Astraea, they had naturally grown close.

「How’s the work going, you two?」

Kou inquired.

「Creating components for an Another Level Silhouette is no simple task.」

「By adapting the CX-type manufacturing method, we can at best layer nano-level sheets and weave them together.」

「Weaving them!?」

Kou was surprised.

「The atomic structure of the material itself is already akin to interwoven fibers. This process strengthens it further—it’s called a Calvin Chain. By applying an additional weaving structure, we enhance its durability even more. However, such a material can only be fabricated under Polymetis’ supervision.」

「Makes sense.」

Kou could barely grasp the complexity of their work.

「The power unit is as sturdy as expected—no abnormalities.」

「If that part were destroyed, we’d be out of options.」

Arges and Steropes spoke in identical tones, further reinforcing the impression that they were twins. Kou couldn’t help but feel that way.

「Once this is done, it’s time for Exkaribur.」

「Polymetis is handling Seth’s modifications.」

「That’s a relief.」

If the remnant of Hephaestus was in charge of Seth’s reconstruction, then there was some reason to feel reassured.

「First, once Arthur’s restoration parts are completed, we’ll contact him.」

「That one is quite particular; he keeps making demands.」

「I’ll make sure to remind him not to interfere with the worksite.」

Kou couldn’t help but chuckle. Arthur was practically behaving like an impatient supervisor or a demanding client, anxiously watching over a project with a tight lead time.

There were always those types—corporate bosses or on-site clients—who insisted on checking in personally, even though rushing the process wouldn’t shorten the actual machine’s processing time.

「Kou truly understands us.」

「Indeed.」

A strange sense of camaraderie had formed between them.

Unbeknownst to Kou, Flack, now caught up in this bond, found himself admiring Kou even more.

「Arthur has you by his side, Flack. That makes you the one in charge of him.」

「Me?」

「Yes. I trust you will handle him correctly.」

Kou gave his full endorsement. In some ways, Flack was even more reliable than his older sister.

「That’s true. Flack is the right choice.」

Arges agreed. Flack, feeling somewhat embarrassed, couldn’t hide his flustered reaction.

「I’ll leave Arthur’s parts to you. I need to go, Arges, Steropes. Next, I have to meet Flack’s friend.」

「Understood. Leave this to us.」

「See you later.」

With that, Steropes and Arges saw Kou and Flack off.

The two machines then returned their full focus to their work.