Site Expansion.

When a Facility arrived at a pivotal moment – which was usually when the Site Core’s demand for Liquid Nex grew past an uncertain threshold – the Site would expand according to its Will.

This was how it was supposed to be.

Departments, sectors, wings, and workshops were all things that were made prior to a Site’s awakening. Afterwards it was all up to the Will of the Site Core to determine when, where and how it expanded.

All of it was done through the ‘Spatial Distortion’ phenomenon as far as she was aware of.

But where did the material come from in the first place?

The thought stuck with Papilia as she swiftly returned to the Command Room. Cold air instantly beckoned her towards the Cognition Terminal. It was where Papilia firstly wanted to go to continue observing 01-00 ‘Essence of Light’, but Aisyle’s hand brushed against hers as she instead led her into the Lobby.

Her hand was far colder than the air itself. It was as though she was made from ice.

“A Site chooses when to bend reality depending on its demand. General Sites – as you call it – must be steered to adapt.”

“That sounds like a lot of work. How are we going to do that? I’ve never read that anywhere in the Manual.”

Papilia rubbed her hand, following the steel-hearted woman through the lavish corridors until they reached a steel door. She was unaware of the possibility of directly guiding a Site’s evolution. As a matter of fact, it was explicitly stated that it was impossible.

But Aisyle’s unchanging demeanor told her that this was not the case.

“G-Z7. ‘General’ designation. How many other Sites are out there with the same designation that you are aware of?”

“None. This is the only one. And it’s already undergone a Zeroed Horizon event in the past.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“Excuse me?”

Aisyle did it again. Her cryptic questions always threw a wrench into her overworked mind. But in a way it allowed her to stop overthinking. Was it because Aisyle realized Papilia needed a break?

“I do wish that you would respond properly instead of staring into the air.” Aisyle said.

… I guess not. How the hell does she expect me to always answer her when she’s asking me things like that.

“How about you tell me the answer for once?” Papilia asked but Aisyle only stepped through the doors, ignoring her inquiry. “Hey? I’m talking to you? Aisyle! Hey –!”

“A Site Core Expansion will be no different to commanding a ship.” She coldly added, arriving at the front desk.

“You’re so rude, you know that!” Papilia pouted crankily, causing a snicker to emerge at the Reception desk.

The cheerful and beautiful Receptionist – Vergillia – leaned over the desk, slicking her emerald hair back as she looked up at them with joy.

“Isn’t she? Later than I expected~ Ah! Sorry for interrupting. Go on.”

Annoyed. One could tell that Aisyle greatly despised this person.

Not again. Just what kind of history do these two have. An Eclipse from the Main Branch would have terminated them before sending them here.

“… Therefore, an Overseer and a Navigator are an allegorical Captain and a Charter of the stars and metaphorical seas. One wrong move from either will send their sink their ship. It will be this place where you can interact with the Site Core’s expansion.”

Vergillia nodded eagerly in response.

“40ml of excess Nex. It’s not enough to open anything, never mind upgrade something. But it can be used for other things. Like a reroll.”

“Reroll?”

Papilia’s head tilted, but she was familiar with the term.

 

* * *

 

Reroll. This was the term given to the process of selecting a Corrupted. Generally, a Site was given three options to choose from when it was time to take in a Corrupted. There were no exceptions to this rule.

But this was where the ‘Reroll’ feature of the Corrupted Reception came into play. At any time a Site could use their excess Liquid Nex to pay for a Reroll – the equivalent of refreshing all three choices at a permanently increasingly high price.

A Reroll was basically a Site’s privilege to tell an Accumulation Site, “No thank you. Someone else can be burdened with those.”

It was not uncommon for Sites to engage in a Reroll war depending on the Corrupted they were being given. After all, it was also not uncommon for a Site to know what those Corrupted were in the first place.

But a General Site was different. The Corrupted sent to a General Site was both from an Accumulation Site and from raw sources elsewhere, such as those captured by the ARU teams.

 

* * *

 

“Can a General Site Reroll? That never crossed my mind.” Papilia was thankful to hear this. “We’re also an Accumulation Site too. So that… doesn’t make sense to me.”

Why didn’t anyone tell me this before sending me here? Did they expect me to figure this all out on my own? Tch…

“Aaawoooo~ I wanna squish those cheeks!” Vergillia was barely able to contain a sudden urge to mush Papilia’s cheeks. “Skip the details, dear Navigator. When you make a face like that it might make me want to pounce on you~!”

“I’d like it if you didn’t.” Papilia grumbled. “Can we see what we can use the Liquid Nex on?”

“You’ve come to the right place then~!”

Suddenly, a prompt appeared over the wooden counter. It was a map of the currently known rooms, floors and corridors of G-Z7. Underneath it was three options.

 

LIQUID NEX

< 40ml >

 

< EXPANSION >

< The expansion of the Site itself. Includes unlocking corridors, installations, departments, corridors, and the unshackling of the Site’s restraints >

 

< ENHANCEMENT >

< To upgrade the redundant. Newly purchased and already existing aspects of the Site may be enhanced until maximum level whether for proficiency, efficiency, or accessibility >

 

< ENFORCEMENT >

< Hire new personnel with Nex. Personnel may also be upgraded using Nex. The Codes, security systems and other defensive installations will fall into this category >

 

Papilia peered into each of them, catching brief glimpses of a fraction of what they were offering.

 

< EXPANSION >

 

< Retrofitter’s Hold >

< A section dedicated to a Retrofitter to allow the blueprinting of Atelier Items >

< LOCATION: Administrative Floor >

< 3,000 NEX >

 

< Artificer’s Workshop >

< A section dedicated to an Artificer to allow for the creation of Atelier Items >

< LOCATION: Administrative Floor >

< 5,000 NEX >

 

< Department of Security >

< A newly formed section will be dedicated to the security of G-Z7 >

< LOCATION:  Level 1 >

< 1,500 NEX >

 

< ENHANCEMENTS >

 

< Research Division >

< Lv 1 -> Lv 2 >

< M and few K-Classed Corrupted may have their ‘Materials’ analyzed >

< 500 NEX >

 

< Central Elevator >

< Lv 1 -> Lv 2 >

< Increases the elevator speed (after initial compression and decompression time) by 50% >

< 1,000 NEX >

 

< ENFORCEMENT >

 

< Hiring Bodies >

< Retrieve personnel to work for G-Z7 >

< 500 NEX >

 

< Tempering Bodies >

< Upgrade the Attribute Score of a Worker >

< Cost is determined by Attribute Score >

 

< CODE ‘???’ Protocol >

< Call upon an unspecified force to fight in your time of need >

< 10,000 NEX >

 

The reason why Papilia only caught a glancing look was because the Site tremored. She nearly lost her footing and was luckily saved by Aisyle’s arm.

“There’s not enough Nex for anything, hmm.” Vergilla noticed just moments before the chandeliers above flashed with a red light. “Sounds like that will be changing soon.”

“Huh?”

Papilia was shocked as an alarm blared. It was not a beeping sound. Rather, it was the sound of chains being unraveled.

“The Corrupted Reception. Hurry.” Aisyle spoke without a hint of fear in her voice, as though she was already prepared for this exact scenario.

“Why are we… already getting another Corrupted…?”

Days. A week even. This was how much time they should have had before they were to receive another Corrupted. She followed Aisyle closely but not without listening to the mused call of the Receptionist.

“Papilia. Don’t you think it’s time to choose an outfit? A shorter skirt would suit you.”

“… what are you talking about?”

“Three main selections have just arrived. You can think of them as dresses. What dress will suit your heart the most? That is a choice only you can make. Now then, choose wisely. Don’t judge the book by its cover.”

The Receptionist’ tone shifted sharply. It became one of warning. Papilia didn’t know if it was because of the red lighting of the Lobby…

… but Vergillia’s eyes were like that of someone in immense anguish.

“This is insane! What is the Main Branch thinking sending our understaffed Site another Corrupted!? Idiots! Morons! Imbeciles!” Papilia shouted as she hastily followed Aisyle across the metal catwalk.

“Fear not, my dear Navigator. This is only the beginning.”

“Dammit… Are they already planning to run this place to the ground!?”

“That would depend on you.”

Papilia swallowed her next set of increasingly coarser words. She was right. ImpulseWorks cared little for factors out of their control. What mattered the most was whether they succeeed or not.

“Tch… This – it has to be a test. There’s no way they’d be this stupid!” She growled, finally entering the space beyond the white pillar of light.

 

//////// < WARNING > ////////

 

< ENTERING THE CORRUPTED RECEPTION >

 

And within that expansive space, hovering above the fifty-meter spear-like apparatus were three singularities – black holes wrapped in chains that glowed with an ominous, white light.

Symbols overlayed those objects. They became words, then letters which formed the names and designations of the Corrupted within as a faint ticking could be heard in the back of her mind.

“Make your choice.”

She was certain that Aisyle was standing behind her.

And yet… she felt like it was someone else that had spoken to her.

< 223-01 “Tomorrow’s Inhumanity” >

< Yesterday’s grief for tomorrow’s certainty >

 

< 59-05 “The 30th Seed” >

< And from the bowl the upside-down fish asked: “Why?” >

 

< 432-04 “Sightings From Beyond The Veil” >

< Their mouths moved but no voices came out. Yet it was the loudest scream of them all >

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