Story Reader / Main Story / 22 Renaissance du Fantastique / Story

...Now we've collected three pieces of Cervantes' memory data.

But I can't help but have this feeling that something's missing...

Seriously... You've gotta be the lamest detective I've ever seen.

Trojan slumps wearily against the edge of a severed stump. The intense battle has taken a toll on her M.I.N.D., leaving her completely drained and unable to muster the energy for another one of those cool speeches she delivered before the fight.

I think his plan is to let us wander through all the exhibition halls he built. I think we are still missing a few of them.

If we take a positive outlook, there might be even more challenging stages waiting for us down the road.

I thought joining this squad would give me some much-needed chill time. Man, I should've just asked for early retirement instead...

...

Hey, Lena? You've been quiet all of a sudden. Did something catch your eye?

Since the battle came to a close, Lena has been fixated on a particular direction inside the exhibition hall, her face wearing a contemplative expression laden with deep meaning.

No, but... did you hear any "sound"?

You mean... something like a symptom of M.I.N.D. corruption? I didn't notice any...

Well, there's definitely no Punishing Virus around here, that's for sure. But it could be some kind of disruptor to create an environment that mimics where the virus thrives. My M.I.N.D. has been acting up, so it's hard for me to tell.

I didn't hear any strange sounds either. It could be because my frame utilizes the latest technology, and the Inver-Device has a stronger filtering capability.

After numerous encounters, Ayla's Kaleido frame shows minimal signs of damage. Remarkably, Ayla herself appears to be in the best condition among all the squad members.

Are you seriously flaunting right now...?

Forget about it... It's probably just my exhaustion playing tricks on me. The flame particle effects in this place are insanely dazzling... I feel they went a little overboard with the recreation.

Anyway, let's move to the hall first—

Sica claps her hands together, igniting a burst of encouragement to uplift her team and propel them toward their next destination.

Warning—unauthorized intruders detected. Initiating cleansing program—

Warning—unauthorized intruders detected. Initiating cleansing program.

Deafening alarms reverberate throughout the hall, filling the space with an unsettling cacophony. From within the stereoscopic images, mechanoids emerge, their red lights glaring ominously.

What's going on? Isn't it over already?

Wait, this is not like a "trial" or "test"...

This situation... It's similar to what happened when we first stepped foot in this museum!

Tsk... I'm pretty sure I've disabled the hostile recognition in the security system. Did someone tamper with it or...

Lena's gaze lands on Trojan, who in turn offers her a helpless expression.

Let's withdraw to a safer spot first! Even if we end up having to face the enemies, this place is definitely not in our favor.

The entire space is nothing but a visual illusion upheld by intricate projections. However, now that the mechanoids will no longer show up according to the environmental arrangement, the inability to discern the enemy's whereabouts would undoubtedly place them at a significant disadvantage.

I'll create an opening. Everyone, retreat in the direction we came from!

Ayla quickly catches onto Sica's line of thinking. Among the squad members, she is the only one still in relatively good condition. Replicating their previous strategy can be hardly feasible this time around.

Her blade unleashes a relentless barrage of beams, slicing through the attacking mechanoids with precision. Meanwhile, Trojan stands by Sica's side, fiercely defending her. The four of them fight together, retreating in a fan-shaped formation.

CLEAR—INTRUDERS—

Ugh... Give me a break!

The gunlance in Ayla's hands releases a blast of hyper-cold refrigerant, instantly freezing a horde of enemies in their tracks. Utilizing the forceful air expelled from the weapon's end, Ayla swiftly follows up with a precise strike, shattering the frozen foes into countless fragments.

Ayla, hurry over!

With swift precision, an arrow fired from Lena's bow finds its mark in the operation core of a menacing mechanoid, ensuring Ayla's safe retreat.

Initiating advanced safety protocol. Engaging closure of all Level Two safety valves.

As the emotionless warning voice echoes once again, Sica's realization dawns upon her, propelling her to rush toward Ayla. However, her progress is abruptly halted by Lena.

Hold on, don't go there! Do you really want to put even more burden on her?

But—

Before she can complete her sentence, the weighty passage door descends abruptly, sealing off the path between the exhibition hall and the corridor.

Well, well, look at me, playing this unexpected role... Talk about a cliche twist!

I'll catch up with you all later. Keep moving ahead!

In a situation like this, my true value as the squad captain really shines, don't you think?

After speaking those words aloud, she wastes no time and ventures deeper into the hall, with her weapon in hand.

...

This door... With our gear in its sorry state, it's gonna take forever to bust it open.

And there's no guarantee that we won't stumble upon more enemies down the line.

Sica's fists involuntarily clench as she hears Ayla's footsteps fading into the distance. After a brief moment of hesitation, she shakes her head and reluctantly turns around.

...Ayla is right. We'll meet her further down in the place.

Taking the lead, Sica strides down the passage, while Trojan and Lena exchange glances and follow closely behind her.

Well, now that I've dropped that cool line... what should be my next move?

Ayla persists in clearing out the ceaseless waves of mechanoids. Operating solo affords her significant flexibility in devising combat strategies, yet she remains aware of the pressing need to secure an escape route.

Since this place is designed as an exhibition hall... there's gotta be some manual emergency escape routes around here.

CLEAR—INTRUDERS—

UPDATING—SAFETY PROTOCOL—

Just as another mechanoid lunges at Ayla, she prepares to block the impending attack with her gunlance. However, in a sudden turn of events, the red light emitted from the mechanoid's camera scatters, giving way to a flickering blue light.

UPDATING—SAFETY PROTOCOL—

What's going on?

Attention, all visitors, please make your way to Area F-23 for immediate evacuation—I repeat, all visitors, please make your way to Area F-23 for immediate evacuation.

Area F-23...?!

I've never even heard of that number before! Who on earth knows where the heck Area F-23 is?

...All visitors, please make your way to the marked area for immediate evacuation—

Following a brief moment of silence, a projection device emerges from the glowing blue mechanoid's chest, revealing a holographic map of the exhibition hall before Ayla. On the map, a distinct location is prominently marked.

Hey, this is just what I needed! Not suspicious at all, huh?

...

Well, despite any reservations, it seems following its instructions is my only option for now.

Confronted by the relentless onslaught of mechanoids closing in from a distance, Ayla makes a quick decision, sprinting toward the direction hinted at by the mysterious mechanoid.

After an arduous journey, Ayla finally reaches Area F-23, only to discover that it lies on the outskirts of the exhibition hall. To her dismay, there is no sign of an emergency exit in sight. Furthermore, a massive horde of enemies has pursued her, turning this supposed sanctuary into a dead end.

Ah, the classic off-site assistance—I knew it would be the most unreliable option in a guessing game!

She pivots on her heels, squarely facing the encroaching horde of mechanoids.

If that map is accurate, then I'm currently in the southwest corner of the hall. And from my analysis, the hidden exit should be right—

Over there!

Come here.

Emerging from behind a colossal rock, a long scythe materializes, accompanied by an emotionless voice. The weapon abruptly halts Ayla in her tracks, forcefully tugging her in the opposite direction.

Eeeh—?!

Compelled by the scythe's force, Ayla's body traverses through the rock, revealed to be nothing more than a projection. Abruptly, she plummets into a narrow and dim space.

Close the door, Spooner.

As the lock clicks into place, the door slams shut with a resounding thud. In the wake of the closure, a pallid emergency light flickers to life, casting a dim glow upon three figures, Ayla included.

These are the "Fledglings" they were talking about?

Her data fits the described characteristics, so I believe she is.

Y-you are...?

To optimize communication efficiency, I think there is no need to maintain secrecy regarding our names, Spooner.

Didn't you just say my name out loud?

Greetings, my machine identification code is MPA-01. You may refer to me as Haicma.

Spooner and... Haicma?

While Ayla takes in the sight of the two strange mechanoids who just rescued her, a peculiar sensation begins to well up in her heart.

Ayla Boo! It's time for another painting competition with Nanami today!

I'm... Ayla.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ayla decides to share her name with them.

Ayla from the Iris Warbler squad, also a member of the World Government Association of Art in Babylonia.

...So, you mean we're not the only Constructs who made it into the city. Someone else has also managed to gather information about Constellia.

They're the ones behind those alarms from earlier, too...

Right, that's all the information we've gathered so far.

I see...

What are you thinking about?

A hastily assembled squad, an enigmatic lost city, a museum crafted by a mechanoid, two storylines unfolding concurrently, and a dispute sparked by conflicting interests within the same faction...

With all these materials and a bit of tweaking, it could definitely become a best-selling story!

However, one wrong move could also turn this into an absolute dumpster fire...

Attempting to analyze potential conversation outcomes... Apologies, I don't think I can make a proper response to the thoughts you shared.

Oh, never mind... I was kinda talking to myself there.

By the way, are you really okay with telling me all this?

It was Babylonia who cooked up this whole mess in the first place. Who else is there to spill the beans to, if not you?

We aspire for a swift and seamless resolution to the situation. You can regard it as a "condition" that comes with the information.

But isn't your mission to protect these mechanoids from Babylonia? Why do you place your trust in me, even knowing I'm one of them?

Throughout these years, "we" have crossed paths with people from Babylonia numerous times... though many of these encounters led to conflicts. Nevertheless, there have been a few occasions where I've also experienced positivity.

One day, there will come a time when we officially step onto the stage, standing visible to humans. Building friendships across factions could prove beneficial in the future.

Friends... It would be a true pleasure if we could really become friends.

In the Golden Age, some humans regarded mechanoids as their friends, but I guess "you" don't fall in the same category, do you?

No need to put on a buddy act here. We're just on the same page for now, nothing more.

Hmm... My hunch is that he's using us to "verify" something, which is why he hasn't meddled too much with what's been going on inside the museum.

Have you learned anything about Cervantes' intent?

I lack detailed information... but what I can confirm is that his expedition endured for several decades.

The "end"...

Ayla closes her eyes, sinking into the nuanced regret somehow embodied by this word.

Anyway, let's meet him first.

I apologize, but consider it a safety precaution.

We're almost out of this temporary maintenance corridor, and the next exhibition hall is just up ahead.

I wonder what the theme will be this time... Akdilek's Eternal Engine? The Forsaken Headquarters? Or maybe even the Golden Age itself...?

Either way, it's gotta be another one of those human-made deals. I'm still scratching my head over why he's cranking out all these duplicates—

The moment Spooner pushes open the passage door, his words fade into silence as he takes in the sight of the exhibition hall before him.

This is...

The simplest geometric patterns are arranged intricately, lying together to create a sleek and futuristic aesthetic.

If this is not an attempt to depict the remains of an incredibly ancient civilization that perished many millennia ago...

Having perceived the subtle shift in Haicma's expression, Ayla offers a hypothesis with a smile.

I can't answer that question.

Heehee, I'll give you a pass this time.

At the same time, Haicma, you can show me the differences between the "scythe" art you represent and mine.

...?