I Favor the Villainess - CH 233

※ This is seen from Claire François’s point of view (the first loop・・・).

“Now then, I will explain the plan that will ensure the survival of mankind proposed by our research team. Please flip page A-1 in the documents that you have in your hands.”

We were currently in the press room inside the laboratory.

As the researchers spearheading the project, Rei and I were seated in front of the reporters.

Rei was about to announce the plan that would ensure the survival of mankind to them―― the eternally repeating loop system.

Although the content we were presenting was quite bizarre, I couldn’t help but feel very anxious.

When I glanced to my side, Rei, who was seated right next to me, seemed to be acting just like usual without a hint of anxiety on her face.

As always, she was somebody I couldn’t really understand.

“The first step of the plan is to have TAIM convert the soul into quantum data and store it in a storage medium. We will only be storing currently living human beings as long as they consent to have their souls quantized. From there, all of those human beings will enter a dormant period for several centuries.”

According to her plan, during the dormant period, TAIM would utilize autonomous robots such as nanomachines to restore the environment of the Earth.

“Can robots really accomplish all of that?”

“We’re not only going to be using robots. We’re also aiming to shift the focus from a scientific civilization to something else.”

Rei’s explanation created some confusion among the reporters.

It was no wonder.

When I first heard of her idea, I also thought it sounded absurd.

“You’re not aiming to recreate a scientific civilization? Then what exactly are you going for?”

“A magical civilization.”

The reporter who asked the question involuntarily laughed.

The other reporters also exchanged glances and started laughing.

They probably thought it was an incredibly unrealistic idea.

Oohashi Rei, a rarity of a scientist, and also the world’s most talented and first magic-user.

“Rather than explain it to you, I’ll just prove it. Could you please turn off the lights?”

With the remote control in hand, Lene dimmed the lights in the press room.

Rei was holding a white wand-like object.

“This is still in its early stages of research and development, but I can perform something akin to magic. ―― Illuminate.”

Right as Rei spoke, the tip of her wand shined brightly.

The reporters were in an uproar.

“T-That’s……!?”

“As I said, it’s magic. It’s just a basic spell that uses magic to create light.”

“T-That has to be a magic trick! That trinket of yours is obviously fake!”

One of the reporters denounced her.

I understood how they felt.

All of the reporters that were gathered here today were all people that have scientific backgrounds, and have been involved with scientific reporting for several years.

It was no wonder they weren’t able to accept this phenomenon so easily.

“Magic is a type of technology that is an extension of science. I will explain the principles of it. Please refer to document B-1 in your handout.”

The lights in the room were turned back on as the reporters skeptically turned their pages over to the respective document.

Their eyes were ready to criticize us and uncover our deception.

“Magic is supported by a new type of energy that we’ve been working on―― called magical energy. This is an entirely new form of energy that is drawn from the flow of time.”

Without paying any mind to the bloodshot-eyed reporters, Rei calmly continued with her explanation.

“The flow of time? How does that work?”

“While we were in the middle of creating the AI known as TAIM, we noticed there was a part of the human brain that remained unused. The human brain has the innate ability to interfere with time and vice versa, so we created a device in order to artificially excite that part.”

“We call this a ‘magical tool’,” Rei said, referring to the white wand that she was holding.

“The magic stone at the tip of this wand is actually a collection of nanomachines made up of tiny integrated circuits. It also acts as a terminal to TAIM. The magic stone excites the unused regions of the human brain, which causes all sorts of phenomena.”

Rei went on to list the types of magic known at the moment one by one.

“Which spells you can use is different for each individual. For convenience, we refer to these abilities as ‘aptitudes’. We’ve also divided the phenomena that can occur into four different categories: earth, water, fire and wind.”

The reporters were staring at the documents so intensely that they could burn a hole through them.

Many of them were still skeptical.

However, there were a few of them that were beginning to realize that this press conference was actually going to be a turning point in history.

“We will refer to the magic-based civilization as the magical civilization. Our plan is to shift from the scientific civilization and guide it towards creating a magical civilization in order to improve our global environment.”

“Why is that?”

“During the magical civilization, we can solve various energy problems that we’ve had before that resulted in environmental destruction. Magic is a clean energy source. The core technology of the magic stones are created through radioactive waste that we’ve been having troubles getting rid of.”

In other words, a halted scientific civilization could become the very foundation of a magical civilization.

This was something that Lene discovered through her research.

“You mentioned earlier that the shift to the magical civilization would be temporary. Why not make it permanent?”

That was a good question.

“The magic stones make up the core of the magical civilization, and they require radioactive waste. If we make a complete shift to a magical civilization, then we would eventually suffer from a lack of resources to keep it up.”

“The model that we’re aiming for is something different,” Rei continued.

“The model that we are proposing aims to repeat the magical and scientific civilizations. While we are in the middle of transitioning between those two, we would remain dormant through soul quantization technology.”

In other words, this was what she was trying to say.

Once all of the current living human beings are quantized and put into a dormant state, the environment will shift towards a magical civilization to allow humanity to flourish again.

Once the resources to keep up the magical civilization are exhausted, then we would transition back to a dormant state before going back to the scientific civilization.

Basically, the magical civilization would help restore the scientific civilization, and the scientific civilization would restore the magical one.

By repeating this loop- the Eternally Repeating Loop System devised by Rei- we would be able to keep humanity alive forever.

“This interview is just a brief overview of the loop system. Further details will be announced by the US Government at a later date, so please check it out then. Let us move onto the question and answer session.”

The question and answer segment that followed was heated.

The results of our research were groundbreaking, but they sounded like nothing but myths.

However, the more the reporters listened to Rei’s smooth and systematic answers, the more they began to realize that our research was genuine.

The reporters were critical, but they were also experienced professionals and rational people at heart.

Through their own reasoning abilities, they were gradually able to accept it as legitimate.

“Unfortunately, time is now up. Thank you for attending the press conference today.”

After wrapping things up, we got up from our seats and left.

On the way back to our lab, Lene, excited, struck up a conversation.

“You do it, Claire-san! These are definitely considered huge results!”

“That’s right. It was all thanks to Rei.”

When I directed my gratitude towards Rei, all she said was “thank you” in response.

“Are you unhappy? Your research is about to be recognized, you know?”

“It’s not mine alone, it’s ours. And I’m not very interested in achieving results or how I’m evaluated by other people, as long as I can do my research.”

Rei spoke as cooly as always.

“I’ve heard that many geniuses are pretty weird people, but it seems like you fit the bill quite well.”

“In that case, are you also a genius, Claire-san?”

“Compared to you, I’m just an ordinary person…… Hey, wait, what were you trying to say?!”

“If TAIM didn’t exist, my theory would’ve been nothing but a pipe dream.”

Hearing Rei say that made me feel better.

“But why did you go out of your way to call it ‘magic’ of all things? Couldn’t you have thought of something better?”

“…… It doesn’t really matter, does it? It’s easy to understand.”

For some reason, Rei looked a bit sulky.

“Hey, no fair! Don’t just go off into your own world by yourselves, you two!”

“Lene-san’s paper on being able to reuse scientific waste was also an integral part to our project.”

“Ehehe, you think so?”

“Yes, of course.”

This whole project was something we created together.

When I thought about it like that, it made me very happy.

“Ahh, but I think I’ll have to say goodbye to you guys here.”

“Say goodbye? What do you mean by that?”

When I repeated what Rei said and asked for clarification, all she replied with was,

“Well, I think you will be able to handle the rest on your own, so I’ll be retiring now.”

She spoke with a totally unchanged expression.