Editing City Series:Volume8a Chapter5 (section)

===Algo’s Board Mode: In the Southfield District of North DT===

'''<Algo’s Over Reload>

You are in Castle Entrance, a Top Page of Castle Street, North Castle District.

The current time is 9:34 AM.

There is a wooden bridge spanning a castle moat in front of you and a large castle gate on the other side.

To your left and right, you see a large dirt road, a castle moat, and a castle wall.

There are many Bodies around. Your speech is restricted to those immediately around you.

Algo: “The morning market is even busier than normal what with the festival preparations.”

'''<Algo’s Over Reload>

A morning market is set up alongside the moat. It is bustling with energy thanks to the approaching festival. There are simple foods like fruits for sale, but most places are selling secondary products like sweets.

Almost everyone is discussing the boost settings change and the open release.

A digital clock is set up in front of one shop. It indicates five and a half hours until the Day of the Oracle.

Alternative is walking alongside you in white.

Alternative: <It’s been so long since I was out and about. I wish I could stay full size forever.>

Algo: <nowiki><I</nowiki> can imagine. If only you were simply taking a pleasant stroll with your father.>

'''<Algo’s Over Reload>

Suedomsa is behind you in a green robe.

Behind him are two robed figures with the hoods up. One is a black man dressed as a butler. The other is a young man carrying a long metal staff.

The passersby make way for your group.

Algo: “This market puzzles me. Almost none of the ingredients are grown in DT.”

Suedomsa: “Because the DT OS’s metabolism restriction affects the growth of all forms of life. Just as the DT residents’ lifespans are about a hundred times longer than in the outside world, DT’s crops and livestock have their lifespan boosted 100x. A bean sprout that grows in a week in the outside world would require 700 days to grow in DT. Removing the boost setting for each individual bean sprout would be a pain and increase the cost, so no one bothers doing it.”

Algo: “So any supposedly fresh meat I see here was imported from the outside world?”

Suedomsa: “Pets and decorative plants are the same. They live 100x as long as in the outside world, but that means they require 100x as much food and water. Thus, they become luxury items that cost 100x what they do outside the city. That’s why most people get by with dummy data or an NPC Body.”

Algo: “I see one place willing to pay for that kind of luxury.”

'''<Algo’s Over Reload>

A giant wooden bridge spans the castle’s moat. There is a checkpoint at the end of the bridge.

Knights stand on the left and right sides of the bridge. They wear simple white armor and carry a long sword on their back and a submachinegun at their hip. Two dogs wait next to the knights. The large black hounds stand a yard tall.

Algo: “Those are real, aren’t they?”

'''<Algo’s Over Reload>

The butler behind Suedomsa walks toward you.

Algo: “There you are, Anon1 – no, Excel Raphael…what’s your Word Race?”

Excel: “The Raphael-class acted as the foundation of the Sys Word Race. I cannot be anything else.”

Algo: I see. Now, Excel, you’re up first today. Those two are both negative, so you win the initial bet. Prepare the virus program.”

Alternative: <What bet?>

Algo: “Whether or not the NPC Bodies at the castle checkpoint would be the ones swapped in by Excel’s group. 10 of the castle’s guard NPC Bodies were replaced using Suedomsa’s Demigod Program, Alter Ego. We were hoping all of them would be the ones guarding the audience chamber.”

Alternative: <You made a bet over something so important? What does he win?>

Excel: “His praise.”

Algo: “Excellent work. Have a gold star.”

Excel: “I am truly honored.”

Alternative: <…>

Suedomsa: “Excel, what are the guards up to?”

'''<Algo’s Over Reload>

Excel turns toward Suedomsa and bows.

Excel: “They are suspicious. The Yard’s main force was moved to their castle station this morning, but they do not appear to have considered the possibility of you entering the castle to perform a godtact experiment.”

Algo: “Sounds like they don’t have any solid proof of a connection between Master Suedomsa and me.”

Excel: “Once they realize the full truth, they will likely analyze my program and develop a countermeasure. Master Telyb is a strict man. …But it should still function for the time being.”

Excel: “After all, the only person capable of opposing my programs is in this very castle, not with the Yard. Only Lady Yuo poses a threat and only because I once taught her my Celestial Program Activator.”

'''<Algo’s Board Mode has ended>