Chapter 2  : Masters鈥?Secret

鈥淚 can scrap you with just a finger.鈥?

鈥淲h-what was that about!?鈥?

鈥淵ou鈥檙e trashy, Gappy.鈥?

The one insulting is a petite girl called Daisy Stalk.

She has a vile tongue. Her appearance is that of a cute girl with soft, chestnut colored hair, but she鈥檚 actually feisty and stubborn.

鈥淚-I won鈥檛 get scrapped.鈥?

And refuting weakly is a robot smaller than Daisy. He has a semi-spherical head, a plump, grey upper body, and old-fashioned caterpillar legs on the bottom. 鈥淚-I-I-I-I鈥檓 not鈥 piece of junk.鈥?his retort is lacking in vigor no matter how infuriated he is, for his voice installation is already faulty.

鈥淚-I-I-I-I-I鈥appy.鈥?

White smoke is pumped out from Gappy鈥檚 head. Whenever he gets excited, he鈥檒l short circuit, and the sound he makes in such situations is the cause of his nickname.

Daisy points her cute finger at Gappy, and it looks like she鈥檚 declaring her victory.

鈥淪ee, you鈥檙e broken! You鈥檙e a piece of junk here! Junk! Junk!鈥?

鈥淣o-no鈥a-Ga鈥appppeeee鈥?

Gappy refutes, unable to form a coherent sentence as he rushes at Daisy. However, his sudden attack鈥檚 easily dodged.

鈥淵ay, you idiot!鈥?

鈥淒-d-damn it!鈥?

-Seriously, again?

鈥淥kay, enough already.鈥?

I stand between the duo.

鈥淒aisy, stop bullying Gappy now.鈥?

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛!鈥?

鈥淢aster taught us before, no? 鈥楾here is nothing worth disputing over鈥? and 鈥榖eing harmonious is beauty鈥?鈥?

鈥淲e鈥檙e getting along well though!鈥?

Daisy retorts. This child really is stubborn.

鈥淎re you alright, Gappy?鈥?

Worried, I check on Gappy. His head is fizzling with smoke, and screws popping out near his ears from time to time.

鈥淚-I-I-I鈥檓 fine鈥︹€?

He certainly does not appear to be fine.

鈥淲ell, never mind. Let鈥檚 go have a checkup with Viscaria later.鈥?

I pick up the screws, and get him to stand up.

鈥淭hank鈥y, Amar鈥yllis.鈥?

Gappy continues to use his faulty voice installation and thanks me.

鈥淏etter scrap that scrap as soon as possible.鈥?

鈥淗ey, Daisy. You shouldn鈥檛 be saying that.鈥?

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 true. He wanted to eat some of my oil candy.鈥?

鈥淒idn鈥檛 I say you can鈥檛 keep it all to yourself? In this situation, you should be 鈥榟alving鈥?it.鈥?

鈥淗mph.鈥?

鈥淎nyway, what鈥檚 the reason for your argument now?鈥?

I ask, and Daisy explains everything about how they got into an argument, without holding anything.

Daisy said that they were playing 鈥榟orsey鈥?that morning. Gappy was the 鈥榟orse鈥? and Daisy was riding on him, shouting 鈥榞allop gallop, heh~!鈥? However, on the third time, Gappy lost his balance, and Daisy fell, her head landing on the road.

鈥淲hy were you playing horsey?鈥?

鈥淔or an act.鈥?

鈥淎n act?鈥?

鈥淔or the Prayer Festival, of course.鈥?

鈥淎hh, I see.鈥?

The Prayer Festival is an annual festival, a ritual to pray for the masters sleeping in the 鈥楽now White鈥?

鈥淲hat are you performing this year, Amaryllis?鈥?

鈥淗mm, probably a lullaby. Like last year.鈥?

鈥淲ho will you go with?鈥?

鈥淭hat鈥檚 still undecided.鈥?

There鈥檚 a stage for the Prayer Festival, and the villagers will perform all kinds of 鈥榓cts鈥?on the stage. There is no limit to the content, we can sing, dance, play magic-of course, 鈥榩laying horsey鈥?is fine too.

鈥淚鈥檓 definitely going to win a prize this year! Watch me, Amaryllis!鈥?

Daisy beams confidently as she enters my embrace. 鈥淚 suppose.鈥?And I give her a smile in return.

鈥淚 too鈥a, do my best鈥py.鈥?

Gappy enters the conversation, and Daisy yells again 鈥淭ime to practice!鈥? riding on him. It appeared that she was 鈥榩iggybacking鈥?on the shoulders instead of playing horsey.

鈥淲ait, Gappy needs to go for repairs.鈥?

鈥淵ou鈥檒l break down soon anyway.鈥?

鈥淓ven so, Gappy needs to prioritize his repairs鈥iscaria! Viscaria!鈥?

I called for the best repairman through the wireless communicator. Most of the villagers have a wireless receiver in their mind circuits, and as long as the microwaves are within vicinity, we can contact anyone at any given moment.

seconds later.

鈥淲hat is it, Amaryllis?鈥?

Viscaria鈥檚 voice rings in my mind.

鈥淕appy short-circuited. Can you help check on him?鈥?

鈥淲hat? Again? Okay, I鈥檒l go take a look.鈥?

鈥淚鈥檒l leave it to you.

Once I鈥檓 done with the communicator, 鈥淣ow then, no practice until Viscaria arrives.鈥?I told Daisy, and turn to leave.

Ga, ppy, I can hear the voice from behind.

鈥淎maryllis, I want a hug~鈥?鈥淐arry me please~鈥?鈥淧at me~鈥?

I entered the village, and the children approach me. Whenever that happens, I鈥檒l either hug them or carry them or pat them. No matter boy or girl, child-model robots like to fawn around.

After playing around with them for 5 minutes or so, 鈥淪orry.鈥?鈥淪ee you again.鈥?鈥淣ext time鈥?I apologized, and pushed aside the fawning children who were forming a wave. If I promised them all, I won鈥檛 be done even when the sun set.

鈥淥kay, the kids over there, reach your hands over!鈥?

The houses carved out of ice were lined side by side, forming a beautiful scenery of silver and white. The children are playing some games in the garden of the nursery, and there鈥檚 about two weeks until the prayer festival as everyone practises without thinking about anything else.

-Now, what shall I do鈥?

I hear the cute singing voices of the children, wondering,

-The problem here is that rule.

Every year, there is some rule in play for the prayer festival, and this year, it is a 鈥榤ale-female鈥?pair. To add on, last year, it was 鈥榯o pair with a child鈥? and two years ago, it was 鈥榞roup with three or more people鈥? Every festival would have been the same if we didn鈥檛 change the rules a little, but even with this kind of mindset, it鈥檚 a little tricky.

-I have to find a partner鈥?

I have a lot of options in choosing a child as a partner, like what I did last year. This year though, there鈥檚 a limitation of 鈥榗hoosing a robot of the opposite gender and a similar age鈥? My strong point is definitely singing, so i need to find an adult male who鈥檚 able to sing a duet with me.

鈥淕oodness鈥ow I have to look for a partner, and I don鈥檛 have a lot of options left for me鈥︹€?

Right when I鈥檓 muttering to myself, brooding over this,

鈥淒on鈥檛 you have me?鈥?

Suddenly, my shoulder was grabbed.

鈥淧lease do not touch me so casually.鈥?

I slap the hand off. 鈥淥w, it hurts.鈥?Eisbahn pretentiously shouts out, combing the blond slicked back hair he鈥檚 so proud of.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be shy.鈥?

鈥淗uh?鈥?

鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you have a passionate makeout kiss with me? That鈥檒l be the best act.鈥?

鈥淚 rather be scrap metal than do that.鈥?

I roll my eyes at Eisbahn, and he jokingly shrugs, showing no intent to reflect on his actions.

鈥淎nd I already thought of who I want to pair with.鈥?

鈥淗eh. So, who?鈥?

鈥淓rm鈥?tz.鈥?

鈥淵ou idiot. That foolhardy guy won鈥檛 do. He can鈥檛 sing or dance to save his own life.鈥?

鈥淭hen the chief鈥︹€?

鈥淗e鈥檚 old! You鈥檙e always so enthusiastic, yet a late bloomer when it comes to dealing with men.鈥?

鈥淪h-shut up. I鈥檓 not going around wooing people like you. And besides鈥?

At this moment.

Boom. A loud, booming sound echoes everywhere.

鈥淓h鈥?鈥?

That鈥檚 an earthquake. The underground world of ice shakes, and it鈥檚 an intense earthquake. Before I know it, my hands are on the ground.

The tremor lasts for 10 seconds or so. However, this earthquake, which hasn鈥檛 happened in a while, causes a huge commotion in the village, and all the children are crying.

鈥淗ey, you alright, Amaryllis?鈥?

鈥淓ehh, I guess鈥︹€?

-That was a huge one鈥?

I look around, and the nearby buildings don鈥檛 seem to be obviously damaged. However, as the massive earthquake might trigger an earthquake, we鈥檒l probably have to go around looking.

Right when I have this thought.

鈥淎ll Senators are to gather for an emergency meeting. I repeat. All senators are to gather for an emergency meeting!鈥?

The Chief鈥檚 order enters the communicator, and we exchange looks before darting off.

All the other members are already present the moment we enter the Chief鈥檚 room.

The 鈥榟ead鈥? Village Chief Chamomile, is on the table, with the 鈥榤echanic鈥?Viscaria beside him. Seated by the side is G?tz, dubbed the 鈥榠ron arm鈥?

鈥淎re you both fine?鈥?

G?tz raises his massive trunk-like right arm, cheerfully greeting us.

鈥淵es, we are.鈥?

鈥淭hen, good.鈥?

He has a tendency to end off his lines formally, as though it is a play, probably because he was originally a performance type robot, and rid himself of the artificial skin on his face to be able to portray all kinds of characters on the stage. Thus, the only parts left of his expression are the wrinkles between his eyebrows and the smile on his lips, and even as he was just sitting there normally, he seems a little terrifying. This masked man has a mask on, and as he鈥檚 dressed in a black collared suit, he looks like a mannequin dressed in a soldier uniform, giving off a really surreal vibe.

鈥淪orry, we鈥檙e late.鈥?

鈥淣o, no. I would say that I have just arrived.鈥?

G?tz nods away with a stoic look. He may look scary on first glance, but he鈥檚 actually a kind person. The five of us, including him, are the 鈥楽enator鈥? Anyway, the Senators here refer to the members of the 鈥楥ommittee鈥? There are basically two kinds of decision making bodies in the city. Things like changes in issuing supplies, treatment schedule and performances for the prayer programme will be decided by the 鈥楥ommittee鈥? In contrast, if it鈥檚 a big issue that can affect the future of the villagers, it will be decided by a 鈥榁illage Meeting鈥?where everyone is involved.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no special reason to organize this meeting. Simply about the earthquake from just now.鈥?

The chief raised the topic. That head rolls down the down.

鈥淔irst, let鈥檚 have a look at this. -The Birdmap.鈥?

In response to that voice, a faint light is given off from the table before us, and a map shows something resembling an ant hive. This is the 鈥楤irdmap鈥?that shows the entire village.

鈥淎h!鈥?

This loud cry comes from Viscaria.

鈥淭he 鈥榬ight wing鈥?got blocked.鈥?

鈥淵es.鈥?

All of us look over at the map in unison. There鈥檚 a red light flickering on the path leading to the 鈥榬ight wing鈥? This is the signal indicating a problem.

Out of habit, we describe the appearance of the village as a 鈥榖ird鈥? The center of the map is called the 鈥榖ody鈥? the core area with 80% of the villagers living here. In the 4 areas around the 鈥榖ody鈥? there are six sections gathered around it, the 鈥榟ead鈥? 鈥榯ail鈥? 鈥榬ight wing鈥? 鈥榣eft wing鈥? 鈥榬ight foot鈥?and 鈥榣eft foot鈥? In any case, the 鈥楽now White鈥?masters sleep in are located in the 鈥榟ead鈥? and right now, we鈥檙e in the center of the 鈥榖ody鈥? the village hall. The reason why there are so many areas isn鈥檛 simply because the 鈥榖ody鈥?isn鈥檛 big enough to contain everyone, but also to avoid the risk of complete annihilation of the villagers in case of a cave-in.

The area indicated by the blinking red light is one of the separate areas, a residential space called the 鈥榬ight wing鈥? This is the place where Viscaria came to deliver supplies the previous day.

鈥淚s it sealed off? What about the bypass routes?鈥?

I ask, 鈥淣o can do.鈥?and the village head just rolls about as he answers.

鈥淟eaving aside the route leading directly to the body, the bypass route from the right foot is completely blocked off.鈥?

鈥淒o we have contact with the right wing?鈥?

鈥淐attleya just gave a report. We have some young who are injured, but everything鈥檚 fine after some treatment.鈥?

鈥淩eally? Thank goodness鈥︹€?

For the time being, I heave a sigh of relief.

鈥淲hat was that about? Just a cave in?鈥?Eisbahn grumbles, putting his legs on the table. 鈥淗asn鈥檛 those been happening recently? Can I go back now?鈥?

鈥淗ey, be serious.鈥?

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 troublesome.鈥?

鈥淒on鈥檛 you have a sense of responsibility?鈥?

鈥淚 might consider if you spend a night together with me.鈥?

Eisbahn鈥檚 bares his teeth, showing a glint as he waves his hand over his golden slick hair. This guy鈥檚 hopeless.

鈥淭o help each other in times of difficulty鈥his is the teachings of our masters.鈥?

G?tz notes with a serious look, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e noisy, shut up.鈥?Eisbahn glares back.

鈥淭his is just me stating principles.鈥?

鈥淎lways yapping away non-stop, shut up already, you bastard.鈥?

Eisbahn鈥檚 glares with his blue eyes, and G?tz鈥檚 silver mask gives a grim look. It鈥檚 common for the hardboiled faction鈥檚 G?tz and the flirty faction鈥檚 Eisbahn to clash.

鈥溾€擝ack on point!鈥?

Chief hastily cuts off the conversation, attempting to get back on point. This strange forceful habit shows up all the time.

鈥淎nyway, we need to make sure the cut-off routes are back to normal. If batteries and supplies are not provided, lives will be affected鈥iscaria?鈥?

鈥淲hat is it鈥?鈥?

Viscaria has been scratching her head, staring at the Birdmap the entire time.

鈥淎s the lead mechanic, what do you think of this?鈥?

鈥淚 think鈥︹€?

Viscaria answers while she continues looking, 鈥淚 think we should try to attack the 鈥榖ypass route鈥?鈥?

鈥淗uh? Isn鈥檛 the 鈥榙irect route鈥?closer?鈥?

I raise this question that naturally comes. The routes leading the 鈥榖ody鈥?and the 鈥榮cattered areas鈥?are called the 鈥榙irect routes鈥? the main routes leading to the village. Conversely, the paths linked everywhere are called 鈥榖ypass routes鈥? narrow and only used for assistance.

鈥淥f course I want to use the direct route鈥︹€?

Viscaria operates the control panel by her hand, and switches the screen.

鈥淎s you can see, the direct route leading to the right wing is very close to the energy cables of the 鈥楽now White鈥? If we have to remove the ice through explosions and melting them, we need to be thoroughly careful in consideration how it will affect the 鈥楽now White鈥? In contrast鈥斺€?

Viscaria again switches to another screen.

鈥淥n the other hand, there isn鈥檛 any facility around the bypass route between the 鈥榬ight foot鈥?and the 鈥榬ight leg鈥? so there鈥檚 no problems with any violent works. As the lead mechanic, I do recommend this option.鈥?

鈥淚 see.鈥?

I agree with her explanation, and summarizes everything. We can鈥檛 let the meeting drag on for too long.

鈥淚 agree with Viscaria鈥檚 proposal to repair the bypass route. We can leave the direct route repair for later鈥hat do you think?鈥?

鈥淭his side agrees.鈥?

G?tz nods. 鈥淚鈥檇 say that I agree.鈥?Chief too.

鈥溾€ell, since Viscaria says so, I don鈥檛 mind.鈥?

Eisbahn puts his legs down from the table, look unenthused as his neck lets out a creak.

鈥淭hen it鈥檚 decided!鈥?

I stand up, and look around at everyone.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be leaving in 30 minutes. Everyone, gather at the south east opening once you鈥檙e done with preparations! Don鈥檛 be late!鈥?

We meet up, and get down to work immediately.

The people involved are Eisbahn, G?tz, Viscaria and me. Chief鈥檚 in the village hall, preparing for any sudden scenarios.magic

鈥淭his is鈥︹€?

Through the long tunnel, we arrive at the 鈥榬ight foot鈥? and at this moment, it has been an hour since we left.

Once we arrive at the scene, I am left taken aback. The operation this time is to repair the bypass route between the 鈥榬ight foot鈥?and the 鈥榬ight wing鈥? but the collapse is worse than we expanded. The tunnel leading directly to the right wing has completely collapsed, and there are large chunks of ice blocking the entrance, so big that we have to look up.

鈥淭his is bad.鈥?

Eisbahn mutters in shock, tapping at the massive ice blocks lying before us. We have not seen such a collapse in 10 years.

鈥淭his is where I show up.鈥?

Metal arms G?tz volunteers to work.

鈥淭hen get to work.鈥?

Eisbahn waves his hand tauntingly.

鈥淗ey, you too, get to work!鈥?

鈥淭ch鈥攈ow troublesome.鈥?

鈥淓nough already. Hurry up!鈥?

I immediately shove this unenthusiastic colleague of mine.

鈥oodness sake.

鈥淓isbahn takes the right, G?tz takes the left!鈥?

鈥淎lrighty.鈥?鈥淩oger then.鈥?

Eisbahn and G?tz face off against the large blocks of ice from left and right.

鈥淎ll acts are impermanent. everything is everchanging.鈥?

G?tz lowers his body and raises his right arm. The arm, as thick as a lady鈥檚 waist, gives off a right light, and energy can be seen flowing.鈥?

鈥淏reak!鈥?

With a yell, G?tz鈥檚 right fist slams into the ice block. Biki biki, web-like cracks spread on the ice block, and with a boom, the ice block shatters. This is G?tz鈥檚 鈥榠ron arm鈥? the number one power in the village.

鈥淓isbahn, you too, get to work!鈥?

鈥淚 get it already! 鈥hhh, this is tiring.鈥?

He grumbles as he raises his right fist above his head, his fingers reaching out as they give off a blue light, and he swings his fist diagonally at the ice block. Then, there鈥檚 a light coming out from the ice block, as it slides apart, becoming two. This is the 鈥楶hantom Blade鈥?Eisbahn is so proud of, the sharpest weapon in the village.

Buun, the blue light again slices a few blocks of ice apart. There鈥檚 a rustling sound and a red light next to him , as the ice blocks start to fall. They aren鈥檛 on good terms, but it鈥檚 strange how they have a nice chemistry.

鈥淲oah, these two are really amazing鈥?鈥?

Viscaria exclaims,

鈥淵ou鈥檙e the amazing one, Viscaria.鈥?

鈥淓h?鈥?

鈥淭oday鈥檚 operation, the repair of the three-wheel, the check up on the villagers. Aren鈥檛 they are done thanks to you? It鈥檚 because of you that we鈥檙e still living.鈥?

I give my praise, and Viscaria suddenly panics and says, 鈥淎h, I鈥檓 not that great鈥︹€?she adjusts her beret, lowering it by a lot, and the face beneath it is slightly red. She鈥檚 second only to the Chief Chamomile in terms of age, but she really can鈥檛 put on a front. This is something I find endearing.

鈥淚t鈥檚 over!鈥?鈥淲e鈥檙e done!鈥?

The voices of the duo can be heard from the shattered pile of ice. It鈥檚 really amazing to see such massive ice blocks get shattered like that.

鈥淕ood work, you two! Now leave it to me!鈥?

I get onto the icemobile, and start the engine. Now鈥檚 my time to work.

Once I鈥檓 sure everyone is on the cargo rack, I press a switch on the steering handle. With a click, the lights at the front wheels are lit. This is a 鈥榤ulti-purpose directional heat wave firing installation鈥欌€攃ommonly known as the 鈥榣ittle sun鈥? a unique machine that can fire high heat in a semi-spherical shape.

鈥淟et鈥檚 go!鈥?

I let the icemobile advance. 2km per hour, slower than walking speed.

So the shattered ice blocks are obstructing me. I maintain the original speed as I let the 鈥榣ittle sun鈥?hit them, and with a whoosh, white steam comes out, as the massive blocks before me shrink as though they鈥檙e dropped in hot water. This little sun really is needed to melt the ice.

鈥淵ep, this little sun is really convenient.鈥?

Viscaria nods away in satisfaction.

鈥淥kay, let鈥檚 get going! Hold on!鈥?

I yell, and exert my grip on the handle.

With the dazzling 鈥榮un鈥? I proceed forward slowly. The ice blocks obstructing the tunnel evaporate with a fizzle once they touch the sun, and white steam fill our vision, so much that visibility is no more than 3m.

鈥淎hh~hhaa, how boring.鈥?

Less than 15 minutes through the tunnel, and Eisbahn is already complaining. He鈥檚 lying flat on the cargo rack behind the icemobile, looking really dejected.

鈥淗ow long more?鈥?

鈥淗m鈥? hours?鈥?

Viscaria responds tersely. 鈥淭ch鈥斺€?Eisbahn voices out in annoyance.

鈥淐an鈥檛 we go faster?鈥?

鈥淲e can鈥檛. There may be a second collapse if this happens.鈥?

Viscaria coolly notes, and all Eisbahn can respond is, 鈥淚 really can鈥檛 take this鈥︹€?

鈥淗ey, where are you touching?鈥?

鈥淛ust some skinship.鈥?

鈥淪top it.鈥?

鈥淥w.鈥?

Viscaria pinches hard at Eisbahn鈥檚 sticky hand that鈥檚 fondling her butt.

鈥淭ch. Why are the Senator girls not cute at all?鈥?

鈥淓nough with the useless talk already.鈥?

鈥淎nd that鈥檚 why you can鈥檛 find a lover, Viscaria.鈥?

鈥淔or me, machines are my lovers.鈥?

Viscaria extends the feelers in her right hand out.

鈥擲eriously, that idiot. I keep on driving the icemobile, observing the cargo rack through the rear-view mirror. Behind me is Viscaria, who鈥檚 watching the surroundings quietly; Further back is Eisbahn, lying down straight. G?tz鈥檚 right at the back, completely quiet like a knight about to depart. This is a scenery that hasn鈥檛 change in a hundred years.

鈥淣n, the landscape鈥檚 low here. Slow down.鈥?

鈥淕ot it.鈥?

Following VIsercia鈥檚 instructions, I lower the speed by 3 rotations. The speed is finally at 1km per hour, and we鈥檙e moving really slowly.

Melting away the tunnel quickly is forbidden here. Given the capabilities of the little sun, we can open a path by melting the ice, even if we are moving just a little faster, but this might cause the roof, already loose due to the earthquake, to collapse on us.

鈥淛ust lower the output a little more. Yes yes, at this speed.鈥?

Viscaria continues to calculate and gives me instructions. At this point, she probably has numerous calculations going on in her head. Direction, sturdiness of the ice, output of the heat, speed of the icemobile. Nobody else can come up with some calculations.

Tremors reach my hands on the handle from time to time. The ice blocks that collapsed contain rubble of various sizes, so whenever I crash into an ice block, it鈥檒l cause a tremendous recoil on the hands holding the steering handle. I continue to steer the vehicle that鈥檚 berserking like a crazy horse, moving at a constant speed.

And so, an hour passes.

鈥淲ait!鈥?

Viscaria yells, 鈥淲hat is it?鈥?I pull the brake.

鈥溾€擯ulse detected!鈥?

鈥淓h!?鈥?

鈥淚t鈥檚 coming!鈥?

Right when Viscaria shouts out, a loud rumble trembles.

鈥擜n aftershock!

鈥淎maryllis!鈥?

Someone calls for my name, and so鈥?

The world has shattered.

鈥渦u鈥︹€?

My batteries are restarted. My consciousness is back.

鈥擨鈥?

Something large is pressing on my upper body. Is it collapsed ice, or is this the afterlife? No, there鈥檚 no afterlife for the dead鈥?

鈥淵ou awake now, Milady?鈥?

I open my eyes, and find a man鈥檚 face inches away from my nose.

鈥淜yaa鈥?鈥?

I send the man flying away with a slam.

鈥淥uch!鈥?

As I鈥檓 not controlling my output, the man really is sent flying away.

鈥淵ou lowlife! Lecher! Shameless!鈥?

鈥淲hat鈥檚 with you? And I just saved you too鈥︹€?

Eisbahn pats the back of his head that has collides, and slowly gets to his feet.

鈥淎h鈥︹€?

I lift my head in surprise. A block of ice above me was about to crush me, and its surface is chopped off cleanly.

鈥淲ell, good that you鈥檙e okay.鈥?

Eisbahn switches off the 鈥楶hantom Blade鈥?coming out from his right hand. The blue burner-like lights slowly shorten, and finally vanishes into the hand.

鈥擜h鈥?

鈥淒id you just save me鈥︹€?

鈥淨uite a late realization there.鈥?

鈥淭h-thank鈥︹€?

鈥淚f you wanna, thank me with your body鈥wowow.鈥?

鈥淒on鈥檛 get greedy.鈥?

I kick his naughty right hand that is reaching for my butt. I really wanted to convey my thanks to him, but seeing that gleeful face left me really disinterested.

鈥淲hat about Viscaria and G?tz鈥?鈥?

鈥淣o need to worry. Look.鈥?

Eisbahn points his thumb back. Opposite the toppled icemobile, I can see two figures.

鈥淥uch鈥︹€?

Suddenly standing before me is Viscaria. Her iconic beret has fallen off, revealing short red hair.

鈥淟ady Viscaria, may I inquire if you are fine?鈥?

Reaching a hand out to her is a silver man. 鈥淪orry about that.鈥?Viscaria answers as she holds the hand.

鈥淵ou may dispense with the thanks.鈥?

鈥擳hanks goodness. Everyone is okay.

I heave a sigh of relief. Without G?tz and Eisbahn around, who knows what would have happened to us.

鈥淎nyway.鈥?

I look around, and mutter.

鈥淲here is this place鈥?鈥?

It鈥檚 a space I have never seen before.

It鈥檚 a large space that鈥檚 very warm, so warm one won鈥檛 think of it as being in ice. There鈥檚 a huge hole in the roof, and it seems the earthquake causes the 鈥榖ottom鈥?of tunnel to fall off, and we end up falling into this space.

To deduce where we are, I pull out the Birdmap from my mind circuits.

鈥擡h? There鈥檚 no response?

Every villager has a signaler installed in their bodies, just in case, and it鈥檒l be indicated on the Birdmap in the form of a red light, but I can鈥檛 see anything.

鈥擶hat鈥檚 going on? There shouldn鈥檛 be a place in the village where the radio waves can鈥檛 reach鈥?

鈥淲ah!鈥?

Suddenly, an excited squeal can be heard.

I see that it鈥檚 from Viscaria. She鈥檚 looking around the room, 鈥淎mazing! Amazing! So this is the Full Mobile?鈥?鈥淚s this the Poly Screen?鈥?squealing away.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the matter?鈥?

I leap over a collapsed block of ice, and arrive at her side.

鈥擡h, what is this鈥??

鈥淎mazing鈥?鈥?

Like Viscaria, I too let out an impressed cry.

Rows of massive containers are stacked like dominos in the innermost section of the room. At the side of the storage are sofas lined out in a single file.

鈥淚s this鈥??鈥?

I look to my side, 鈥淵eah.鈥?And Viscaria nods away.

鈥淣o doubts about this. This is 鈥楳asters鈥?room.鈥?

Having a brief look of it, it鈥檚 about 20 square meters. We never discovered such a large space near the village.

鈥擳his is really amazing鈥?

I walk in the room, overwhelmed by this scene. Every day, I can see the 鈥楽now White鈥?our masters sleep in, but it has been more than a hundred years since I鈥檝e seen a space humans live in. The books our masters read, the water our masters drink, the sofas our masters sit on鈥?

鈥淎hh, masters鈥︹€?

I鈥檓 so touched to a point of being speechless, and can only let out a sigh.

Everyone present is moved. Even G?tz, who鈥檚 as unflappable as they come, is going 鈥淲e have a new discovery.鈥?鈥淎 grand discovery it is.鈥? Viscaria in turn is staring at one item after another. Eisbahn, who likes to lean by the side, 鈥淎mazing, really amazing鈥︹€?has been looking around like a child. We have forgotten the fact that we have fallen in here, thoroughly mesmerized by this strange room.

鈥淗ey, have a look!鈥?

Suddenly, Eisbahn shouted.

鈥淲hat is this?鈥?

鈥淒amnnn!鈥?

He picks up a multi-purpose terminal, and on that screen, it鈥檚 showing a video.

It鈥檚 a naked woman. She鈥檚 twisting her waist in a sexy manner, looking very lewd.

鈥淜yaa!! Wh-what is this!?鈥?

鈥淲hat do you mean? An ero book, ero book.鈥?

鈥淭h-th-throw it away! Right now!鈥?

鈥淏ut this is our masters鈥?belongings.鈥?

Saying that, Eisbahn switches through the as though he鈥檚 reading a book. And so, the woman鈥檚 getting more intense鈥攚oah, eh, this, she鈥檚 naked, hugging, like this鈥?

鈥淪o this is the ero book they talk of鈥t鈥檚 the first time I鈥檓 seeing such a thing.鈥?

Eisbahn鈥檚 eyes are glittering, like a child who just came across a new toy.

鈥淟ook at this G?tz. This is really amazing.鈥?

鈥淵ou have been talking about lewd all this while鈥u.鈥?

G?tz鈥檚 eyes are practically glued to the screen. 鈥淭his is too unbecoming.鈥?He mutters as he keeps flipping the pages. The naked images of young women appear one after another.

鈥淗ey, what are you doing here, G?tz!?鈥?

鈥淣o, simply trying to investigate what is inside. Erm, I absolutely have no interest in lewds鈥斺€?

鈥淚鈥檓 confiscating this!鈥?

I snatch the terminal from G?tz鈥檚 hands, and in the process, the naked lady lets out a sexy groan. I hurriedly switch it off.

鈥淕?tz is still a man after all鈥︹€?

With a strangely impressed tone, Viscaria returns from deep inside the room.

Her hands are holding a replay video of two naked men embracing each other.

After a while.

鈥淲hat is this鈥?鈥?

I continue searching, and find a really amazing scenery in a corner of the room. Over there, a massive monitor occupies the entire wall, and there鈥檚 a robot seated before it. It seems the robot has used up all its energy as it collapses on the table.

鈥淓veryone, come here!鈥?

I call through the wireless, and the other three come over. Upon seeing the robot slumped before the monitor, 鈥淲ho is this?鈥?鈥淣ever seen this face before.鈥?The men frown.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a goner鈥?Viscaria shuts the chest of the robot, and shrugs, 鈥淭horoughly 鈥榙ead鈥? The mind circuits have been wrecked for 30 years.鈥?

鈥?0 years鈥o it has been alive for the first 70 years?鈥?

鈥淵es.鈥?

鈥淲hat鈥檚 it doing all this time鈥︹€?

There are numerous panels before the robot, but all of them are cut off. Viscaria tries to repair them, but the situation is so dire that it will take a long time.

Eisbahn mutters,

鈥淚t鈥檚 like a control room.鈥?

After this, we find a rope and ladder inside, and manage to escape safely. We thought it would be difficult to escape, and we鈥檙e really lucky that it鈥檚 so easy.

Personally, I still want to investigate that space, so I do have some regrets. However, the repairs to the bypass route is of utmost importance, and we can鈥檛 delay it.

I quietly make up my mind to revisit this place, and get onto the tribmobile.

At this moment.

鈥擧m?

Suddenly, I sense a gaze. Someone seems to be staring here.

鈥擶ho is it鈥?

I quickly turn my head around.

But there is no one inside the room.