Chapter 125: What a Happy Occasion
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 125: What a Happy Occasion
A joyous event you want to share with everyone is called a happy occasion.
When such an occasion arises, people want to boast to the world, congratulating each other and sharing in the joy to deepen their bonds of friendship.
I was no different.
To receive congratulations for the happy occasion of the Earth Sage’s visit, I headed for the warehouse. On the way, I greeted the Regressor, who was for some reason leaning against a wall lost in thought, then entered the warehouse and stood before a box with its lid closed.
Trapped inside this box was a certain unfortunate being. I opened the lid to release that being…
“Nya?”
A wild Nabi appeared. Our eyes met as she squeezed herself into the cramped box.
“What are you doing in there?”
“What are you doing disturbing my rest, nya?”
Nabi glared at me as if to say, What are you looking at? I gestured to her.
“I need to get what you’re sitting on.”
“Nya?”
Nabi somehow managed to move her body within the tiny box. With a few wiggles, her head went down and her tail shot up. Like a fetus swimming in the womb, she did a full flip before her head popped back up.
Clamped in Nabi’s mouth was a twitching golem, bound with wire.
“Nyaa. Take it, nya. I have no need for a tin can toy like this, nya…”
As she spoke with it in her mouth, the golem’s body jerked up and down. I tickled Nabi under the chin and took the golem.
Nabi glared at me with slightly upturned eyes and muttered.
“Nyaa. That big female, she has a dangerous scent, nya.”
“Better than the smell of mana herbs coming off you, don’t you think?”
“Offerings are sacred, nya!”
I’ve never seen a chain smoker call their cigarettes sacred. Just how addicted is she?
Nabi grumbled from inside the box.
“Compared to that, this one is dangerous, nya. The stupid mutts can’t even sense anything is wrong and just wag their tails, but I know, nya… You can’t fool me, nya…”
Rich words coming from the one who’s been tamed by drugs and tricked by a catkin. I couldn’t help but retort.
“If it’s an opponent you can’t beat, I guess they’d be dangerous. By that logic, aren’t most of the people here dangerous to you?”
Struck by an undeniable truth, Nabi hissed.
“Nyahiss! You should be glad I’m in here, nya! Otherwise, I would have taught you a lesson right now, nya…”
When I closed the lid, the noise subsided. The space became so tight she couldn’t move, and I could hear a satisfied purr from within.
An animal that likes small spaces. What a strange creature. Especially when a certain golem groans when it’s tied up.
Leaving Nabi as she was, I began to assemble the golem.
First, I reattached the speaker to its mouth, untied the wires from its arms and legs, and removed the blindfold covering its eyes. And then.
『…Hah!』
The golem was revived.
Having regained its senses for the first time in a while, the golem kept its mouth firmly shut for some reason. I tapped its head and spoke.
“You have a rough idea of what’s going on, don’t you?”
『…』
“Hee hee hee. You do, don’t you? The Earth Sage came here, you see.”
There was no way it didn’t know, not when it was monitoring the surface.
And it would also know why the Earth Sage had come. This Signaller, perhaps because she was the administrator of Tantalus, seemed to know a strange amount of things.
To the Signaller, who could do nothing but watch this situation unfold, I boasted about the happy occasion that had befallen Tantalus.
“Hahaha. What to do? It looks like we’ll be getting out of here soon!”
『…Urk.』
“And what’s more, the Brigadier General herself is getting us out! Sweet. Doesn’t that make this legal?”
『Negative! Absolutely, unequivocally not! A laborer such as yourself must be punished according to military law, and abandoning your post without permission before completing your sentence is a grave offense!』
“But what are you going to do when the Brigadier General says she’s going to get rid of the Abyss? You’re just a… mere Captain.”
『…Ugh!』
“Come down and stop her, why don’t you?”
『If only I could!』
It was truly fascinating. It was definitely a golem, yet its vocal variations were greater than anyone I knew. Right now, it sounded like it was biting its lip.
『It will never happen, but! Even if the military authorities were to release you! I will not forget your cruel and atrocious acts…!』
How many cruel and atrocious acts had I even committed? All I did was play with a golem and force it to answer me.
Still, for a golem whose thoughts I couldn’t read, it was easy to understand.
I asked slyly.
“Hey, Madam Administrator. Would you perhaps like to see what’s happening here right now?”
The golem, as if completely forgetting it had been pouring resentment on me just moments before, replied.
『…I-If it’s possible?』
“And what would you have to do to make that possible?”
Learning is not exclusive to humans, but human learning is a bit faster and has an a priori element to it.
The golem, having been taught by me thus far, hesitated for a moment but made its decision faster than before.
『…Sh-shall we go for a walk together, oppa?』
“What? Who’s your oppa? Do I look like some sucker who’ll do anything if you just call me oppa?”
For a moment, the golem’s joints creaked. Immediately after, it looked up at me with a pathetic expression.
Human learning is a bit faster and has an a priori element, so when the existing reward circuit is broken, it provides feedback quickly.
It would be fun to deny its request and shove it back in the warehouse, but it’s too early to break it completely.
“That’s right! I am a sucker! Now, let’s go!”
Before the golem could say anything, I picked it up and started walking.
In the yard, food and supplies were neatly stacked and organized in boxes. Most of the food was stored in cans. The Military State’s canned goods could be recycled with a bit of alchemy, so we decided to make active use of them.
Thanks to that, I had a bit of a hard time. I was the only one here who could use alchemy.
I took a can from a box and opened it. Inside, packed tightly, was celestial grain rice, shining white. I thrust it in front of the golem’s eyes.
“Here. Look at this. We’re packing our things. These will feed us when we escape from this place.”
『…Kuh!』
Seeing it with its own eyes seemed to make it real. I walked on, holding the groaning golem, and boasted about the happy occasion that had come our way.
“And who do we have to thank for all this? None other than the Earth Sage, who came here!”
I pointed to the Earth Sage, who was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the yard. Sensing the pulse of the land, she felt our footsteps and turned her head.
“Ah. A messenger of the Military State, are you? It has been a long time… But what should I call you?”
“Please call me Hughes! If we’re not close enough for you to use my name yet, you can just call me hey, you, or you bastard, that’s fine too!”
“How could a mere traveler such as I be so presumptuous? I shall take the liberty of calling you by your name.”
“Thank you! Yes, the Earth Sage said my name!”
To be called by name by the Earth Sage herself. A life achievement. If I bragged about this to the old engineers back in the city, they’d die of envy.
Anyway. I held the golem tucked under my arm out in front of me. The golem, as if overwhelmed, hurriedly saluted.
『Salute. This is Captain Abbey, Signaller of the Military State! I am tasked with the surveillance and administration of Tantalus, and I would first like to welcome the Brigadier General’s return!』
“My thanks. However, I have not returned. I am here solely to eliminate the Abyss.”
『I have something to report on that matter! Brigadier General, would it not be possible to grant a short grace period on the elimination of the Abyss?』
At the golem’s suggestion, the Earth Sage’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Is that the will of the Military State?”
『Affirmative. The military authorities have not yet conducted an environmental assessment on the disappearance of the Abyss. There is no certainty that the Abyss can even be eliminated, and…』
“There is no need for concern. I have confirmed it time and again.”
『…In addition to that, the drastic changes to the international political climate this will cause, the sporadic problems arising from the trainees’ escape…』
“That, too, is not a matter for the Military State to worry over. The disappearance of the Abyss and the return of the earth’s essence to the land is the will of Mother Earth, and it is for humans to adapt. Furthermore, from what I have observed, the people within this place are too good to be in the Abyss.”
Was she planning to send us to Mother Earth’s side in one fell swoop if we had shown any evil tendencies? Phew, what a relief. I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?
“Moreover, the Military State has no right to say such things. Have the truly wicked not already escaped? You should look to yourselves before you censure me.”
『In that case, at the very least.』
Despite the successive rebukes, the golem steadfastly continued its persuasion.
『…Should you not inform the followers who looked up to you, Brigadier General? Should they not also witness the moment the Abyss disappears?』
For a fleeting moment, a crack appeared on the Earth Sage’s face. Still sitting cross-legged, she let out a deep, heavy sigh.
“How much longer must I wait?”
When the Earth Sage asked, the golem, mistaking it for a change of heart, spoke in an excited voice.
『One year, no, it can be moved up a little sooner than that. During that time, Brigadier General, please contact your followers scattered across the Military State. The State’s Public Affairs Office will assist you.』
It probably thought it was making a very important proposal, but unfortunately, it was wrong.
The Earth Sage had little desire to meet them.
“…How can I make them wait any longer? I was the one who led them down that thorny path. To instill great hope in those who remember that disastrous failure, only to cast them into the abyss once more…”
A resolute light shone on the Earth Sage’s face as she muttered bitterly.
“I shall act first. After eliminating the Abyss, I will simply deliver the news that Mother Earth’s anger has subsided. Along with the words… that I am sorry for granting their wish so late.”
『Brigadier General.』
“My mind is made up. I care not what the Military State does hereafter. I shall attend to my duty.”
The Earth Sage’s words were like a rolling boulder, impossible to stop or divert. Realizing this, the golem simply looked at her, then raised its hand in a salute once more.
『…I pray for the Brigadier General’s good fortune.』
It acted like it would kill me if I disobeyed a State order, but it wished the Earth Sage good fortune. Isn’t this discrimination?
Then again, someone like the Earth Sage deserved special treatment. I’ll admit that.
It wasn’t the time for more conversation, so I picked up the golem and headed back into the prison. The golem hung limply at my side.
I said to the golem.
“Anyway, you get it now, right?”
『…Get what?』
“I didn’t abandon my post; my post disappeared. There’s as big a difference between that as there is between falling and jumping. In other words, I’m not guilty in this matter. Understand?”
『Say what you will, it does not change the fact that you are a conspirator in the Starfall incident.』
“I told you, I didn’t kill anyone. How could an ordinary person like me harm a general officer? I wouldn’t even be able to lay a finger on them.”
『The Military State is not aware of that fact. If you wish to prove your innocence, turn yourself in and cooperate with the investigation after you leave Tantalus.』
“Like that’s ever going to happen.”
『…My thoughts exactly.』
The golem let out a groan.
『Though she is a gray star, the Brigadier General’s name is renowned throughout the Military State. Many in the State, from general officers to enlisted soldiers, respect her. Therefore, I warn you, you must not harm the Brigadier General in any way.』
“What are you talking about? Why would we harm the Earth Sage?”
『…I am merely emphasizing the point, just in case. Everyone who has fallen here until now… has met a terrible end.』
“That’s ridiculous. Setting aside the fact that we have no intention of doing so, we don’t have the ability either!”
With the exception of one person, that is.
Still, from what I’d heard and the memories I’d read, the Earth Sage didn’t seem like the kind of person who would do something to be remembered in the Regressor’s memories.
What in the world was going on?
It had to be one of two things.
Either the Regressor was a lunatic who just believed she was a Regressor.
Or something was hidden at the bottom of the Abyss that would change the Earth Sage to her very core.
Just as I was wondering if I should seriously reconsider the first hypothesis, it happened.