Published at 1st of December 2020 10:33:57 AM
Chapter 313
On the other side of the hatch, there was a passage that looked very similar to the one I had gone down before . There black walls made of an unknown material, and glowing lines that ran along the sides . It was as if these lights were leading us deeper down .
We saw no doors along the way . There was a part of me that hoped we would find something, an Automata or items, and so I was a little disappointed . We had discovered a ruin, surely they could have left us something…those stingy old elves .
“…Hmm . ”
Daniela was walking ahead of me, but she suddenly stopped . I looked over her shoulder to see what it was . The passage had curved a little to the side, and there was a door . A door without any handles . It made me think of an automatic door .
“It is different here . ”
“That’s a door, right?”
“A door? But it has no handles . ”
“…Well, it’s one of those doors that open automatically, I think . ”
“Such doors exist…?”
Sometimes, I wondered just how close the great age of magic was to modern-day Japan .
They were advanced enough that something like this didn’t really surprise me . Though, it was quite different for Daniela .
“Well, let’s go inside then . ”
“I hope there is nothing dangerous…”
We were surrounded by the unknown . Though this was my second time being in a place like this, so I wasn’t as cautious as I might have been . But Daniela seemed very tense . I wasn’t sure if she was being needlessly paranoid, or I had my guard down . Still, we could balance each other out . And so I stepped in front of her and approached the door .
“Unless I’m wrong…ah . ”
“Oh!?”
“See . It opened . ”
It was an automatic door after all . The only thing it was missing was a bell ring and a ‘welcome . ’ That being said, it wasn’t every day that I got to see an expression of surprise on Daniela’s face .
In fact, she still looked hesitant, and so I gave her back a push forward .
“Wait, Asagi . Do not push me!”
“Now-now-now . ”
“You idiot! I am in no mood for this!”
But Daniela was oddly adorable when she was like this, and I couldn’t help but tease her .
There was a wide room on the other side . But there wasn’t anything there . Just another similar door on the opposite side of the room . Maybe this was like an antechamber .
“Well, nothing is happening . Let’s go . ”
“Ahh…haa… You… I will remember this…”
“Sorry . I will stop fooling around . ”
“Good…”
I felt just a little bad .
We went through the next door and came out into another plain hallway . There were an odd amount of turns as we continued down if for half an hour . Then we reached another door .
“…”
“I won’t do anything . See? After you . ”
“Hmph…”
Damn, she was scary… Daniela glared at me and then turned back to the door and stepped forward . There was the hiss of air and then the door opened up into another room .
However, this time there was something in the center .
“Ah, that…!”
“Daniela, you go in first . We don’t know what will happen if I do . ”
“Very well…!”
It was clearly some kind of ancient elf machine . It looked like the one that we saw in the underground of Reserentrible . In that case, it would be better for Daniela to enter first, as she was a descendant of the ancient elves .
Daniela gulped and slowly entered the room . I had Legs of the God Wolf activated, in case we needed to make a quick escape, and watched her from behind .
Then the lines along the floor and walls all gathered to the terminal in the middle of the room . The gathered light shone blindingly as a voice echoed in the room .
‘This is Estarosta . Facility 68 . State your business . ’
A woman with short, platinum hair appeared within the light and looked down at us . I had been expecting something like this, but it was still a surprise when it happened .
‘If you do not have a legitimate reason…’
“We-we do!”
I interrupted it hurriedly, before it prepared to drive us out . The Estarosta machine looked over to me .
“Monsters have been making use of this facility . We came to stop them and to investigate . ”
‘This is not some trading city where monsters can easily enter . Your tale defies belief . ’
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“One thousand years have passed since the age you were created . There are no pure elves like you anymore . ”
Daniela said . And the holograph looked away from us and fell silent . She was probably making calculations, much like Karma had done in Reserentrible .
‘…I see . According to the report from facility 215…’
“Facility 215…”
“Reserentrible? I think it was . ”
So, Karma had made a report of the events to someone . I didn’t know how or where the report had gone .
‘According to the database… You are the foreigner, Asagi Kamiyashiro . And you are Daniela Villesilf . The descendant . Your names have been confirmed . ’
“What?”
‘Welcome to Estarosta . Please accept our humble hospitality . ”
The sudden show of kindness was confusing . We were now confirmed and welcome .
‘There have been reports about you two in Karma’s database . We have confirmed that you are not hostile forces, so do not worry . ’
“Oh, uh . Umm, thanks . ”
‘No, thank you . ’
This machine was more polite than I was .
‘Your sudden arrival was most surprising, but it makes sense given who you are . Now, would you please tell me the rest?’
The Karma of Estarosta asked, and so we told it everything that had happened . The goblin stampede . The abnormally evolved being that had led it . The facility and the mutated monster . And that we had destroyed it .
At the same time, we asked it how much it knew about us .
‘Karma have a unique network that makes use of the dragon vein . There is a database built off of this network where information is shared and stored . Both your names were saved in it as data . And your purpose as well . ’
“…So, uh . You don’t consider that to be a hostile act?”
‘As for the destruction of Nova, there is nothing that we can do about it . We would not resist . We are just machines that have been installed in different cities . And we are isolated from the Nova body . ’
“Isolated? But how can a terminal function without the main machine?”
‘There appears to be something wrong with the Nova body . We were cut off from it and reconnection is impossible . However, the data was not destroyed, and the Karma Network is secure . We Karma can still communicate with each other . ’
I see… They were like children who talked to each other but never contacted their parents . And as they had no orders from their parent, they didn’t attack . They also couldn’t help us . On top of that, Daniela’s presence meant they would reveal their data .
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Something like that…
“I do not understand this at all…”
“I’ll break it down for you later . ”
“Fine . I leave it to you . ”
It wasn’t complicated… It was just that the words used by the more developed culture of the ancient elves were similar to what I knew . Well, it was also possible that they were influenced by people who were transported in the past .
“Thank you . This information will be a great help . ”
‘It was no problem at all . Going forward, the Nova will not be hostile towards you . But we will not be allies either . You can think of us terminals for information . ’
That was rather sad . But it was still helpful .
“What will you do now?”
‘This place will be made uninvadable . We do not want to allow monsters to use it again and inconvenience the people of this age . ’
“So, just like in Reserentrible… We won’t see you again . ”
‘The Karma Network is connected . As long as this star does not die, you two will not be forgotten . This is not goodbye . ’
I wasn’t so sure about that… In any case, I suppose being able to converse didn’t mean you had emotions .
‘Lastly, I will disclose to you the data concerning the Nova . ’
“Huh?”
“Hmm…”
That was something . Even Daniela seemed surprised .
‘This had been debated among us ever since your data was registered . It was one week ago that a conclusion was reached . We have decided to show you the way to the Nova . ’
“I thought you weren’t allowed to help us?”
Daniela said what I was thinking .
‘Some might see it that way . However, as we are not aiding you directly, we do not see it as support . Besides, it is your decision if you wish to go down that path or not . ’
“I’m not sure that logic really follows?”
‘We have been in operation for many years . We can advance, but we can also deteriorate . And the way we think can sometimes be subject to change . ’
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The Karma said with a wink . Daniela muttered something about this being nonsense . But I chuckled a little . This seemed like a rather cliche development for an AI . The Karma in Reserentrible had also said something about personal emotions, but ended up showing concern for us . This Karma was a little easier to talk to, though . Maybe AI were just like that .
“Thank you . Will you tell us now?”
‘Yes . Right here . ’
The Estarosta Karma slid her finger through the air and a map was displayed . There were four red points on the map . Erediares, the west island, the south forest, and the Hill of Mist .
‘Eres is Facility 1 and is in the north . Kimon is Facility 2 and is in the west . Ulbesartus is the third and is located in the south . Use the ‘keys’ that are protected in these three facilities, and you will be able to enter Mistmaria, Facility 0 . And there you will meet the Nova . ’
Pretty ‘game-like,’ huh . But I suppose it made sense, given how important they were . This was the culture that existed during the great age of magic . It wouldn’t be anything easy . On the other hand…it all felt kind of analog . Perhaps it was ultimately more reliable than anything digital .
“Do we have to collect the keys in a certain order?”
‘No . As long as you have all three in the end . ’
“Understood . Thank you for the information . ”
‘We are grateful that you dealt with the consequences of our mistakes . The underground city of Estarosta will be isolated completely after three hours have passed . Please begin to depart . ’
They would not allow anyone else to invade this place . Ultimately, we had closed off two ancient elven ruins . In a way, that meant historical buildings and cultural heritage being lost forever . I couldn’t help but feel bad about that .
“Will these places ever be opened again?”
‘Yes . If a time comes that peace is assured, then the lock will be deactivated . Perhaps we will work with humans again soon . ’
That was a relief . I probably wouldn’t be alive when that happened . But Daniela might be . And the idea of the world being a better place during such a time made me happy .
“Alright, let us go . ”
“Right . Well, Estarosta Karma . Thank you for everything . Goodbye . ”
I waved before following Daniela out of the door . The hologram in the center of the light waved at us as we left .
‘Goodbye . Man from another world . And you who are one of our descendants . May you have a happy future . ’
The lights faded and Karma disappeared .
We had to leave .
Silence fell over the now empty room . There was nothing to disturb the air . Just one plain machine in the center . It made me wonder how many years would pass before a human stepped in again . While we would no doubt speak with other Karma’s, it was still kind of sad .
I looked back one last time into the empty room .
“Thank you . ”
If we did meet again, maybe we could talk about other worlds . It was with such thoughts in my head that I followed after Daniela .