Chapter 140 Interlude – Is Progress Evil？
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
As always, I was working away in the research lab when I noticed Sarasa hovering, peering curiously at what I was doing.
For a while, I tried to ignore her—just kept my eyes glued to my work—but eventually I couldn’t stand it anymore. I sighed and asked, “Uh… do you need something, Ms. Sarasa?”
She tilted her head, eyes round with wonder. “Chief Sanai, what exactly are you working on? Ever since you arrived, you’ve been spending so much time with those strange devices…”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well… you probably won’t get it even if I explain, but this is something called an operating system. I’m coding it from scratch, based on an open-source kernel called Linux.”
Linux, I added mentally, the kind of thing that needed context in this world. Back on Earth, it was a free operating system created by Linus Torvalds in 1991, a Finnish university student who thought, man, this UNIX thing on my PC sucks—I’ll just build my own version. UNIX itself went back to 1969, at AT&T’s Bell Labs. Both UNIX and Linux were given freely to the public, source code open, which let countless derivative versions bloom across the internet even today.
The OS I was hacking together here aimed to be simple, stable, expandable, and user-friendly—basically the lovechild of that world’s famous windowed system and the one with the fruit logo, but updated constantly.
Of course, an OS without hardware was meaningless. Which meant building hardware. Which meant circuit boards, resistors, capacitors, copper etching, and yes, even soldering components with tin-lead alloy to get them to actually conduct. For display, I was stuck with old-school cathode-ray tubes—vacuum tubes shaped like funnels, shooting electron beams at phosphors to make red, green, and blue images dance on screen. The prototype computer I’d cobbled together with the otherworld crowd took up an entire room. Whatever. Details.
The point was, if I could finish this, a single machine could replace dozens of specialized devices. It could calculate faster, process more, handle data, manage documents, even create entirely new ways of thinking. It would change how people lived. That was the magic of computers.
Naturally, Sarasa tilted her head even harder, not quite getting it. So I dumbed it down.
”In short—this machine makes work easier. Anyone can use it to write documents, manage goods, save time. With the right apps, they can even edit videos or play games. It makes life richer, happier.”
That got through. Her face lit up like a flower in bloom. “Oh! I don’t really understand, but… it sounds amazing! A magical device that helps people!”
Exactly. At least she caught the gist. I turned back to my work, thinking the conversation was done—only to nearly jump out of my skin.
Because Sheris Cloriana, bane of my peace, was suddenly standing right next to me.
When had she gotten there?! My heart skipped a beat. Damn stalker tendencies.
She’d clearly been eavesdropping, because she gave me a bored look and said, “My, my. How convenient~desuwa. But if it doesn’t contribute to national defense, what business does it have in the hands of a government official?”
I froze. Sarasa reacted first—astonishingly fast, actually.
”W-what are you even saying?! As long as it makes people happy, isn’t that enough?!”
That was Sarasa. Gentle, quiet Sarasa, snapping back without hesitation. I blinked.
Sheris pressed her hand to her cheek, lifted her chin, and let out a full “O-ho-ho-ho!” laugh. “My illustrious family once developed all manner of military weaponry, you know! Compared to that, what use is a contraption that can only display pretty pictures and words? Tell me, how does this contribute to defense? If it can, by all means enlighten me~desuwa!”
She smirked. Arrogant as ever, a fallen noble clinging to past glory.
Seriously? Pretending you’re still high-born, flaunting the achievements of ancestors who’ve been dead for generations? Isn’t that just… sad?
It hit me then, the real reason she grated on me. Not the insults, but that empty, desperate pride. She wanted to restore her family’s name so badly she paraded its corpse around like a trophy. To me, it was hilarious. Pathetic, sure, but hilarious.
Damn, Ms. Sheris, respect. Zero shame, maximum audacity. Straight-up walking humiliation play, and you’re owning it. Incredible. Can’t believe you thought this was a good idea. Legendary.
Sheris’s eyes narrowed. She must’ve noticed the smirk tugging at my lips.
”You—! Are you mocking my family?!” Her face flushed crimson. She jabbed a finger at me.
And of course, she was right. Guilty as charged. I tore my gaze away, too slow.
”How dare you! To mock my family is unforgivable! If you think this… this trinket of yours has any worth, then prove it! Explain how it contributes to national defense!”
But before I could scramble for an answer, Sarasa exploded again.
”That’s wrong! Creating things that bring unhappiness is a mistake!”
Sheris snapped back instantly. “I wasn’t speaking to you!”
But Sarasa held her ground, voice trembling but fierce. “Our knowledge should be used for the welfare of the people! We should create things that bring smiles, not weapons that bring sorrow! Hurting others with inventions is wrong, Ms. Sheris!”
Whoa. Was this really Sarasa? The quiet, deferential girl? She sounded like a nun preaching peace.
Sheris, of course, went nuclear. “To deny national defense—are you even Yugan? I cannot believe this! Traitor!”
”Th-that’s cruel, Ms. Sheris! I’m Elandric-Yugan and proud of my homeland! I’m just saying it’s wrong to make tools that spread unhappiness!”
”Appalling! That someone with Elandric blood could think like you… you’re Caesar’s pawn, aren’t you?! Leave this country at once~desuwa!!”
Their shouting ricocheted across the lab. Sarasa’s cheeks flushed with conviction; Sheris’s with rage. And me?
I activated my greatest skill, honed back in my old world: the ability to completely tune out nonsense. Head down, fingers moving, I worked silently, waiting for the storm to pass.
But then—
”Really now! When you think about it, the fact that we even started arguing like this is entirely your fault, don’t you agree, desuwa? Shouldn’t you be the one to state your opinion here?”
”Sanai-shunin is the disciple of the high and noble Madam Eva Rhines! He is nothing like a savage thinker such as you. Obviously he will share my opinion!”
Gaaaan!! The storm wasn’t passing by—it came crashing straight into me?! This was about to get very troublesome.
…Uhhh… whose side do I even take here?
Sheris stood tall, bristling with outrage, ready to declare, “Traitors have no place in this country! And if a so-called lord dares voice such opinions, I’ll report him to the Hoeibu secret police myself!” She really would snitch. Her ojou-sama fury carried that much weight.
Meanwhile, Sarasa looked at me with shining eyes, brimming with expectation, gaze pleading as if to say, “Sanai-shunin! Please, say it! Put that barbarian in her place!”
Damn it. If I tried to dodge, I’d end up disappointing both of them. No middle ground here.
And of course—as a civilized man, there was only one logical choice. Obviously, I had to back SarSar’s side—
”…Of course! Ms. Sheris’s opinion is correct!!”
Yes, I betrayed her. For the most obvious reason in the world: the state has an obligation to protect the lives and property of its taxpayers. Absolutely. That was all.
B-b-but it was not because I was terrified—half terrified—that Sheris would really report me to the the government and have me locked away as a political criminal, okay?! Don’t get the wrong idea!!
…What? I admitted half of me was afraid? Well of course I was! What sane person wouldn’t be scared of being hauled off to a labor camp just for voicing the wrong personal opinion?!
Naturally, Sarasa’s face fell. “Th-that can’t be… I believed you were a man of high principle, Sanai-shunin…” My heart twisted painfully.
But I had to answer her.
”Sarasa. You’re right, harming and killing others is wrong. But there is no class, no rank among war’s victims. That’s why the state must advance its wisdom, prepare for the worst. Evil isn’t what you think it is. There are only results.”
Of course, she pushed back.
”B-but if that progress only brings more suffering, more death—then why do we alchemists research at all?! Aren’t we supposed to be making people happy?! I don’t want a future where people are only made miserable!”
Oh great. Soap-opera heroine mode. This was getting messy.
Her eyes brimmed with tears, more emotional than ever. She had never expected me to contradict her. But fine. If she wanted an answer, I’d give her one.
”Technology doesn’t kill people, Sarasa. People kill people. The harsh reality is this: tools that help people can always be twisted into tools that hurt them. Take this very personal computer I’m developing. It will bring convenience and happiness to countless people. And yet—”
I laid out the double edge of invention.
”If this spreads, I guarantee—no, it’s inevitable—that people will use it to write insults, to spread slander, to bully others until they break. Why? Because the same machine that can share knowledge instantly with millions has no way to prevent lies or cruelty. Someone, somewhere, will use it to drive another person to despair, even suicide.”
”No! That’s wrong! More people would use it for good than for evil! We can stop the bad people from misusing it!” Sarasa fired back instantly, denying without thinking.
I nodded grimly. “Yes… but that’s wishful thinking. Even your beloved Madam Rhines couldn’t stop her anesthetic potion from being misused. You know the story, don’t you? Even as an alchemist-in-training, you must.”
Her eyes widened. I pressed on.
That potion had been intended as medicine, a boon to patients writhing in pain. But its side effects—hallucinations, paranoia, altered senses—made it ripe for abuse. And abuse it was. At first, only a few patients rioted when denied their fix. But soon, corrupt doctors and alchemists began selling it under the table. Then the underworld itself acquired the recipe. Before long, the narcotic potion spread like wildfire, across Yugan, across the world, leaving collapsed families and broken lives in its wake.
Even Rhines herself had believed it safe. The government too. But they had underestimated greed, underestimated human weakness. What began as a medical miracle had become a drug and an aphrodisiac, banned under penalty of death, yet still traded in shadows.
I softened my voice. “…So you see, Sarasa. There will always be people who misuse technology. There has never been a tool that wasn’t abused by someone. Understand now?”
I meant it kindly. But Sarasa shook her head, lips trembling. “B-but! Madam Rhines’s potion saved more lives than it hurt! I’m sure of it!”
Her “rebuttal” was hardly a rebuttal at all. It left me blinking, speechless. “…That’s true. But isn’t that true of every invention ever?”
Sheris leapt back in at once, seizing her chance. “There you have itꐦ! Even weapons save Yugan lives when used in defense! My argument was correct all alongꐦ!”
Oh, how glorious—shoving the hard job of being hated onto me, then swooping in the moment she saw herself vindicated. Truly, Sheris, the fallen noble, your methods are filthy in a way that’s almost admirable.
But Sarasa wasn’t much better. Her line of thought was little different from saying, “Don’t arrest criminals, because it’s cruel to make them criminals!” The world didn’t work that way. Whether it was calling the police on a thief or mobilizing armies against invaders, no country, no house, no person could live without confronting such realities. And yet—even here in another world—an idealist flower field bloomed before my eyes.
”In any case,” I said at last, “we don’t reject inventions simply because someone might be hurt by them. That’s not how progress works. And one more thing—though I hesitated to say it until now—military and civilian technology can never truly be separated. If a discovery can be turned into a weapon, someone will do it. And if we don’t, the enemy will.”
I took a breath, braced myself, and spoke the truth they both needed to hear.
”This machine I’m building—this magical device—it may not be a weapon in itself. But combined with others, it can become one. It can guide weapons more accurately, calculate trajectories, control fire, even track enemies before they know they’re being watched. Information, targeting, fire control—the possibilities are endless. And that too… is reality.”
The Magical Device, I explained, wouldn’t need to be a weapon by itself. Combined with our existing arms, it could locate enemies before they noticed us, allow for reconnaissance and detection without ever being seen, even provide fire-control systems—targeting adjustments, ballistic calculations, all the things needed to strike enemies at a distance with deadly precision.
Naturally, Sarasa’s face crumpled the instant she heard it. Tears welled in her eyes as she stammered, “Th-that’s awful, Sanai-shunin! What’s gotten into you?! Making something that could kill people—that’s just wrong! Miss Rhines would be crying in the afterlife if she saw this! Please, think again!”
In contrast, Sheris’s expression brightened like a dawn sun. Smug smile, hands on hips, she declared, “Fufun! But of course—desuwa! For one entrusted with His Majesty’s confidence, such resolve is only natural~desuwa!” Her mood had completely turned around, as if she’d never been sulking in the first place.
”Uh, well… you see, SarSar,” I tried, fumbling for words, “as a lord, I can’t just ignore the duty of protecting my people. Guarding one’s country isn’t exactly shameful, right? I mean…”
Sheris cut in smoothly, tossing her hair. “A traitor like that needn’t be heeded at all~desuwa!”
…Easy for you to say! You don’t have to work with Sarasa every day. I do! Some of us have to keep this workplace functional, Sheris. Honestly, give me a break.
”Anyway—can we end this here? Please? I’ve got other things to do.”
With that blunt cutoff, the argument fizzled. The girls scattered back to their stations. But Sarasa wasn’t done. Even after, she muttered in a voice that stabbed my conscience raw: “I still believe… technology should be used to make people happy. Sanai-shunin—if your invention ended up killing thousands, would you really feel nothing at all?”
…How was I supposed to answer that? Seriously, what was the right response? (Cue me, rolling my eyes into the back of my head.)
Needless to say, I spent the rest of the day working with that thought gnawing in the back of my skull, trying to figure out how the hell to get Sarasa to forgive me.
But those gloomy thoughts were wiped away the moment I got home to the old government office we now called a house.
Because Yoluminette, itching to test her new blade, had been provoked yet again by Sasami’s cheeky insolence. Steel flashed free of its scabbard, and before I knew it, the knight was chasing the shrieking brat in circles—until Sasami darted behind me, clinging to my coat like I was her personal human shield.
”Kids will be kids,” I sighed, stepping between them. “Don’t lose your temper over every little thing.”
”Lord!” Yoluminette snapped, blade still raised. “As a knight, this is my final good deed—step aside! Why would you protect that damn brat?!”
It took all my patience to calm her down until the fire drained from her eyes. Honestly, between Sasami’s antics and Yoluminette’s hair-trigger temper, it was exhausting.
That night, I collapsed into bed, ready for my routine end-of-day collapse—only to feel a strange crunch and gritty texture under my cheek. (Weird. My pillow feels off…) I tore it open, and there, stuffed to bursting, was—
”…The hell is THIS?!”
Inside, packed tight, was a mountain of dagashi. The very candy I’d made with the otherworlders not long ago—knock-off Kyattsu Tarō snacks, piled like treasure inside my pillow.
No one but Sasami could be behind this.
Anger boiled over. Sure, it was hypocritical, having just told Yoluminette not to lose her head—but damn it, I’d worked a double shift and come home to this.
”Sasamiiii!” I roared, storming through the halls. “Why is my pillow stuffed full of Kyattsu Tarō, you little gremlin?!”
There was a reason to be furious. Not just because she’d gutted my pillow, but because wasting food—especially here, in a world where food scarcity was deadly serious—was utterly unacceptable. Though yeah, okay, mostly because she gutted my pillow.
”Uh-oh, busted—! The prank’s been found out, the prank’s been found out!” Sasami squealed, darting away. But I snagged her by the scruff like a stray cat.
”Sasami,” I growled, eyes blazing, “you are not sleeping until you’ve eaten every last piece of Kyattsu Tarō you stuffed into that pillow. All of it. Tonight.”
Her wails filled the building as I shoved candy after candy into her protesting mouth.
Of course, Sashima came rushing in at the noise. “S-stop! That’s so cruel, Sanai! Please, let her go—she’s just a child!” she pleaded.
But when I glanced at Sasami’s face, I saw it plain as day—that sly, smug little smirk that practically said ha, I’m off the hook now, right? And I snapped.
”No! There are mistakes you can’t undo in this world, Miss Sashima! She’s eating every bite, and that’s final!”
Needless to say, a single night wasn’t enough. By morning, Sasami was still surrounded by a mountain of Kyattsu Tarō. I forced her to keep eating, wooden plate after plate. Even roped in Sashima to help finish them. (Yes, I ate some too—angrily.) Eventually, even Rilina and the others had to pitch in, grumbling the whole time. Only then was the snack mountain conquered.
Cocoa, at least, chirped happily as she munched her share. “It’s yummy~!” she declared, tail wagging. Truly an angel compared to Sasami.
Sasami’s attitude, I tolerated, because she was from the slums. But behavior like that? She needed to learn from Cocoa’s example. More than that, I needed to make sure Cocoa didn’t get corrupted by Sasami’s influence.
By then, Sarasa’s earlier scolding had completely slipped my mind. I swore to myself, instead, that I’d protect Cocoa’s pure heart.
Of course, the moment I saw Sarasa again, I was reminded.
She glared at me, and the first thing out of her mouth was: “After thinking it over all night—I realized! Miss Rhines never intended to make a narcotic potion at all! The people who twist inventions into weapons are always the problem, and I still think you’re wrong, Sanai-shunin!”
I rubbed my temple. (Great. Another long day ahead.)
And so, half-nodding, half-droning “yes, yes, you’re right,” I endured, quietly taking notes on how best to handle Sarasa’s righteous fury in the future.
Notes:
• Rhines – A weary apothecary who serves as the protagonist’s mentor at the Alchemist Guild.
• Sashima – Family name of Hiyori. A quiet, caring girl from the library committee, empathetic toward Sanai. She followed as a Barrier Technique Adept.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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