At the same time... In the Bepnis Strait.
Mount Albur — Hidden Base.
In another room, Sam woke from his sleep, and with a lazy expression, he said with ease:
—Haaa... So good, this... this is what real rest feels like.
I stretched and looked around the room where I found myself. It was different from the other one; its design was a very comfortable standard but extremely modern. No, wait—can I even call it modern? Technically the word advanced or futuristic fits better.
"Hmm, interesting... Even if Artia explained this to me last night, that there are more of these rooms prepared for so long."
It annoyed me now that I thought about it... why did Artia deliberately hide this information from me? If she had told me before, I wouldn't have stayed at the tavern, on that rustic and uncomfortable bed... But I guess it's my fault for not asking.
I looked around, the anti-gravity bed, the room. And I questioned it.
"This is too intriguing... If Artia is one of the last bases that keeps this hidden history of ancient humanity... Does that mean there are more bases, or that more once existed?"
I shook my head side to side. It was too early to get tangled in my thoughts, so I left the room and started walking through the halls.
Now that I had my mask secured, all I had to do was return to the city of Atris. Receive Bang's message, which I would have to deliver to the guild master. But before leaving I needed to design, with Artia, the city I would found at the foot of the mountain.
I had been postponing it... and something Artia said last night, that talk about "speaking with me," left me unsettled... Though now, that wasn't the focus...
"Damn it, why is it harder for me to focus now?"
Anyway, from what I remembered from Quincy, when I discovered this base... that immense uninhabited plain, it's the banks of the strait that separates the territory of the Kingdom of Lichstein from the Gregorian Empire. Interesting...
If this strait is so important geopolitically, why didn't they build a city there?
"Was it because of the extreme tides that they decided not to build something there, or is it Artia's fault?... Nooo, I'm getting distracted again."
I went up to the control center, by way of an elevator.
Finally, I explained to Artia my plans to build the city. Then I asked her:
—Artia, what do you suggest?
[Marshal, I believe it should have a design that not only allows it to expand. But also to be remodeled and continuously modified.]
—Sounds good, but I'll warn you right now... I've never studied engineering or architecture.
[Well, if you agree, I'll create a design to the standard of the LXXXI century.]
—What?
At that very moment Quincy spoke to me from his pink screen:
[Master, it's not advisable to have such technology... nobody in this world would understand how to live such an automated life.]
—What do you suggest, Quincy?
[Use the design models of this era, Master (= _ =)]
—Sounds good... except I don't like medieval architecture...
It was in that instant that Artia confronted me...
[Marshal, now that you are doing this again, I must confront you.]
—About what?
[I've been observing you, I've tried to let it pass... but, are you suffering from dementia?]
—What?
[I have experimental treatments. Although you might die, I'd rather take that measure... than risk inefficiency if the Marshal is suffering, because of such a compromised mentality.]
—Artia, I'm not insane...
[Then who is Quincy? And why do you speak to nothing?]
Now I was against the wall... what could I tell this war AI? Are you part of a new game? Are your millennia of preparation nothing but codes written by a programmer? WHAT THE HELL DO I SAY?!
[Marshal, answer my question: what is Quincy?]
I took a breath before Artia's confrontation, I couldn't panic, this AI was sharp enough to notice... to hell with it, let the lie flow:
—Quincy is my assistant AI, implanted in my brain. She's the one responsible for accessing your services when we first met...
[I understand. Then your dementia is, in reality... is it the bridge of communication with your Mental AI?]
—Correct. Changing the subject. What do you think of medieval architecture?
[Marshal, in my opinion. Whatever you decide, will be done.]
It was in that moment, after hearing Artia... that inside I screamed with euphoria: "Yes! Yes, damn it! That's how you lie! I wasn't a Dreifus for nothing!"
Even though inside I was chaos, I could only smile, and say:
—I think I have a vague idea of what I want.
[Then proceed to explain it, Marshal.]
—We need security... it'll be good to have an underground system that deploys robots or drones in case of emergency... plus an electrical system.
[Brilliant idea, Marshal, please continue.]
—Also a waste or sewage system in fine 21st century style.
[A questionable idea in sanitary terms, but feasible, Marshal.]
—The essential thing is a potable water system... available for everyone in the city, but controllable and able to be modified or repaired.
[Impressive demands, Marshal... is that all?]
—No... We need walls, but not of this era, from your era, Artia... with anti-air and ground defense systems with high firepower.
[In my era there were no walls, that is too archaic... What did exist before the great cataclysm were good defense systems, Great Marshal.]
—Then can you do it?
[Of course I can, Marshal. I will make the preparations.]
—Good... wait!! The most important part—architecture will be based on my favorite centuries, the XVII and XVIII.
[Do you want fountains and those rudimentary things?]
—Of course... and speaking of fountains... can you create an artificial hydrothermal system?
[Of course, Marshal, that's very easy. I'll take a volcanic vein, divert it, connect it underground with the available seawater. I'll cover it with a dense layer of Soltanium, and you'll have your hot springs.]
—The engineering explanation wasn't necessary... anyway, I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.
[Count on it, Marshal.]
—I'm leaving... Quincy, set the path to Atris.
[At once, Master ( ◠ ‿ ・)—☆]
****
Kingdom of Lichstein, City of Bourn.
Vaiolet Tavern.
At a table, Noelle and Debora had fallen asleep waiting for Sam, glasses of mead in their hands... But Sam never returned.
Seeing the two asleep, Brock crossed his arms and finally said:
Brock: —"That kid said he'd come back... and he didn't."
Jeff: —"If little brother left those two worried..."
Neil Obraham: —"They were the ones who insisted on waiting for him." —He patted Jeffrey's shoulder.
Brock: —"Even so, he didn't come back."
Jeff: —"I think he had to deliver something today." —He spoke without energy.
Neil Obraham: —"Right, surely he went back to Atris."
Brock: —"Alone, at night? I don't think so, sounds insane."
At that moment, the images of that boy doing things that were anything but normal came to Brock's mind, and he muttered:
Brock: —"Well, common sense doesn't apply to someone favored by a goddess..."
Neil Obraham: —"Hey, changing the subject, did you hear what happened in Weisberg Square?"
Brock: —"What a massacre, those 'Dark Sun' soldiers... what the hell did they eat to do something so atrocious?"
Jeff: —"I heard the soldiers were sentenced to be burned alive while priests from the Temple of Ares kept healing them."
Neil Obraham: —"'The Order of Light' and its connections to the 'Dark Sun' is no news, Jeffrey."
Jeff: —"You know what, I don't want to talk about that shit anymore... What if... we catch up with Raymond in Cartag?"
Brock: —"Hmm... Fine, let's head to the Teleportation Station."
Neil Obraham: —"That'll be very expensive, Brock."
Brock: —"Relax, I have a friend who owes me... Besides, I filled my pockets last night."
Neil Obraham: —"Well, we all did."
Brock: —"Almost all, remember..." —a smile crossed his face as he looked at Jeff.
Jeff: —"Yeah... I admit I messed up. How long are you going to keep bringing it up?" —The half-dwarf burst out begrudgingly.
Neil Obraham: —"Until you stop sighing and lamenting."
Brock: —"Back to the point, do we wake them up?" —He pointed at the two women at the table.
Neil Obraham: —"No, let them rest."
Jeff: —"Then are we going to Cartag?"
Neil Obraham: —"We'll leave after Brock talks to his friend."
Jeff: —"Okay."
Brock: —"See you in three hours at the Teleportation Station."
Neil Obraham: —"Agreed."
***
Kingdom of Lichstein, City of Atris.
Bullet Tavern.
Bang was worried about the boy who had left yesterday. He hadn't reported from the Bourn branch.
Without realizing how it happened, old Bang had grown fond of that boy... He was a strange kid, but somehow he cared for him as if he were a grandson, maybe because that face reminded him... Worried, he sighed and said:
Bang: —"Damn brat, you haven't even reported whether you're alive or not."
At that moment Raymond arrived:
—Hello old Bang, did you say something?
Bang: —"Damn brat, you were supposed to be here at 7am, how dare you arrive at 9am?"
—Sorry, I overslept.
Bang: —"No excuses... take the letter and go."
—Alright... ah, and sorry for not reporting, it's just I didn't know how to do it from there.
Bang noticed the boy was telling the truth and said:
Bang: —"Well, every time you arrive at a branch, tell the manager to contact me through the crystal sphere."
—Okay... but before I go, I'd like to know why send messengers when you have crystal spheres to communicate?
Bang: —"Kid, that's because crystal spheres are products handled by 'The Magic Tower.'"
—Magic Tower?
Bang: —"It's like a society of mages with no affiliation to any kingdom, they create and sell magical products."
—And do they spy on their clients' conversations?
Bang: —"No one's proven it but it's possible. Do you get it now? That's why messengers still exist... Anyway, who gave you that strange backpack?"
—Ah, that... I found it lying around. Anyway, I'm leaving... goodbye old Bang.
Bang: —"Hope it goes well for you, brat."
I left the tavern and told Quincy:
—Set the route to the city of Cartag.
[At once, Master (╹▽╹ )]
—Let's go meet the so-called Gregorian Empire.
[Basic skill «Infinite Speed» is now active.]