Story Reader / Main Story / 21 Spiral of Chronos / Story
...And that's that. I had to stop when the earthquake hit, and I only managed to come back with this data.
And this deserted robot you found there just so happened to have the data we needed. Now, that seems anything but a "coincidence" to me.
It's almost as though someone baited you there just to show you all of that—and then destroyed it right away.
...Natural disasters are not within anyone's control, though.
How do you know the earthquake was "natural," though?
...!
We don't have evidence to say one way or the other, though. Let's try to focus on solving the issues we have here with the frame.
Speaking of "natural disasters," though, there is something that caught my attention.
Liv saw the version of the future that Ascnet predicted when she was in Empyrea and her infection reached the critical value.
During recovery, she wrote a report of what she'd seen. I have the report, and in it, she wrote about Earth's "Ever-Winter".
And that's what Bianca saw, too, when she saw the "future" in the Red Tide at Copperfield Aquarium.
It seems that both Ascnet and the Punishing Virus point to the same thing—that humanity is going to be wiped out at the end of a winter lasting for decades.
Are you saying that the recent earthquake had to do with that prediction?
Asimov nods.
A lot of things can bring about an ice age, such as changes in solar activities, or if Babylonia ever falls... and also strong geological activities.
Ever-Winter, huh...
...
...!
(...The strange interference that's messing with my M.I.N.D.... is here again... It's gone again before I could see it...)
...But as we are now, the Punishing Virus is still the bigger threat.
I hope I'm just worried for nothing... I just sent the Parliament an application a few days ago asking to put together a team of budget analysts for the situation. God only knows if it's going to pass, though.
Asimov knocks on the table as he casts a glance at the progress of initialization on the screen.
Almost there. Give me a few more seconds. I just need to do some prepping for the adaptation test.
You risked your life to bring the data back, and it's now my job to put it to good use.
Seeing Asimov at work, Lee touches his side pocket.
There is a video recording from the robot's data that Lee hasn't shown him.
Lee is feeling uneasy—precisely because of what he saw in the video recording.
...So? What's the conclusion?
In case you weren't aware, we always need to go out of our way to smuggle the things you want into Babylonia's transportation crafts.
I can tell you everything I know.
Except... you'd probably be disappointed.
I'll tell you if I am after I hear it.
I mean, I still have confidence in what you're capable of.
I'll be damned... You managed to get all the extra information from the mermaid without letting her go.
You were either very careful or you simply just lucked out.
But anyhow, Kurono isn't the only one who's aware of that. Let's sit back and see where it's going to take us.
Someone taps a glass with a finger.
...
Haha. I see you aren't surprised about the information leakage. Now, you want to be careful around Nikola.
Because the old man would probably waste no time getting rid of you once you're of no use to him anymore.
You seem to know Commander Nikola very well. Care to share with me some of your most memorable moments with him?
The person on the other side of the phone chuckles.
We're doing a business of trust here, so let's just keep our distance as is, yeah?
...Now, going back to the agents. They're a mysterious bunch.
We tried to look into them with all of our human resources but came back with nothing.
If you're trying to look into that one particular agent, then I'm afraid you'd be most disappointed.
The agent you're looking into—the one that claims to be an author—knows how to manipulate people with the "truth" he wants them to see.
No, we aren't trying to learn about him.
It's just that we keep coming across a particular name in the latter half of Shome's research documents that Babylonia didn't recycle.
The Merciful One.
Exactly.
And that's the crème de la crème.
Now, how to get our hands on it is the question.
That's something even Babylonia's Department of Information would find challenging.
Which is why I came to seek your help in the first place.
It's impossible to identify the speakers with the acoustic fingerprints, as both their voices have been processed.
Lee, however, has no trouble identifying one of them from the way he speaks.
It's Murray.
(What else is he still hiding from me...)
Lee has always known that Murray was up to something behind his back, except he never brought it up.
With battles never stopping and everyone trudging ahead, their conversations have become repetitive. Lee can't even remember the last time he enjoyed a casual talk with Murray.
He could no longer guess what was going through Murray's mind, and Murray was no longer the adorable younger brother he once was. Still, nothing made Lee prouder than seeing Murray going through life as a healthy boy.
Murray, on the other hand, grew occupied with his own life—until one day it hit Morian that Murray was no longer the little brother who would look at him in admiration.
They might not have the same blood running through their veins anymore, but nothing will ever erase their brotherhood.
They share similar feelings, hold their ground on similar issues, and fall quiet at similar times.
...And even when it comes to hiding what they don't want people to know, they're similar, too.
I'm doing a great job finishing work early, which is why I'm home early to spend more time with you, Murray.
You know, working as a mechanic is a piece of cake for me.
...
...Don't worry. It's all good now, and I'm sure you'll be out and about in no time, too, Murray.
I want to work at the World Government, Morian.
Well... I'd be happy working as a tactical liaison officer. I mean, I can't rely on you forever, right...
...
Oh, I've been doing fine these days. Haven't really felt a thing in a while. Oh, and they're probably going to promote me!
I just need to do a little test... C'mon, I'll be fine. I'm going to show you how well you've taught me.
Lee rarely ever gets upset—but here he is now in the Science Council's meeting room, looking all anxious and flustered.
If my memory serves me correctly, the World Government decided to put a stop to the remote connection technology because they found out the user would suffer detrimental effects.
Right. A M.I.N.D. connection would synchronize the consciousness of the commandant and the Construct—at the cost of the commandant's mental stability, that is.
The effects were so detrimental... that there were a few dozen commandants who had to retire early with side effects from using remote connection during the initial phase of the Reconquista Age.
Nikola looks alarmingly at Asimov—who looks up calmly at Nikola, as though trying to say, "I'm just saying it like it is."
Why is it, then... that I'm seeing Murray's name in this name list for a remote connection test?
Lee caught his own tone. He knows that, as a Construct, he isn't supposed to raise his voice when speaking to a higher-up.
Murray has great potential. We need people like him, and not to mention he's recommended himself for the role on several occasions.
Speaking softly, Hassen didn't become upset with the way Lee had spoken to him.
I'm guessing part of that is him wanting you to see him as the grown-up that he is now.
And... none of us can really ever live on our own terms, so long as we're still under threat.
But I do have the right to know what's happening to Murray as his only legal guardian. I mean, if anything happens to him...
Lee, let's take a moment to remember that you wouldn't have been here if we'd decided to come down on you for going through classified information without permission.
And I'm sure you don't need anyone to remind you that you, as a Construct, no longer belong to Kurono, because the World Government now owns the document you signed back then.
Now, are you still going to press further—at the cost of your team's sanity, that is?
...
I... am not going to stop Murray from doing what he wants to do. I'm simply asking to be looped in about the situation.
I have all his documents with me, and I'll make sure all his missions fall under my jurisdiction.
Lee, we understand that you're only trying to protect Murray.
We'll keep close tabs on Murray's health because he's the only person we can count on besides the Gray Raven Commandant when it comes to experimenting with the new remote connection.
Every person who helps us inch a step closer to victory is important to us.
Enough said. We all need to do what we are supposed to. Return to your team.
All done.
Lee comes to his senses with the sound of machines kicking into gear. Coming up to the pod, Asimov looks down at the brand-new frame.
All set. We're good to proceed with today's adaptation test.
