Not long after that, another Alphasul gave me the order to investigate, just as Alphasul had prophesied, and then promptly passed out.

　While the rest of my companions focused on caring for Alfazul, I asked Noir, Hild, and Alexia to accompany me, and we rushed to the collapsed third magic collection tower.

''Commander Luke. I don't have much of a grasp on the situation over there, but it looks like it's going to be unbelievable. ......
Well. I don't know where I'm coming from.

　While being careful to see if there were still breathing pieces of meat lurking around, it took the four of us to rake through the debris.

　It was really a great help to have Alexia with the [Weight Reduction] skill at a time like this.

　Noir and Hild are completely unable to play an active role in terms of arm strength, so Alexia is working to the hilt for that as well.

''Loki is an alchemist, but he's also trained in magic. I'm sure he has mastered the art of summoning the pseudo-artificial life created by alchemy through the application of summoning magic. Don't you think you can use that?''
There's a limit to how far you can go. What's the point?
"...... Mr. Luke?　What did you say?

　I responded to Alfazul's voice echoing in my head, and since everyone else didn't hear his words, it was like I was suddenly talking to myself.

　For the moment, I fooled myself into thinking it was nothing, and this time I'll try to come up with a response just in my head.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work. The ancient magical civilization was that advanced.)
"It's only pseudo. It is only a pseudo-organism, a synthetic organism made from existing individuals, or a modified version of the normal stage of life's development. The creation of life in the true sense of the word was an unattainable proposition, even for the civilizations of the time.
' (...... Is it like those wizards using the bodies of demons and monsters to modify themselves? I didn't know Ambrose was doing that kind of research, either.)

　As I was exchanging words with Alfazul in my head, Alexia's crackingly large piece of debris exposed a large hole in the floor.

'There's something here!　Is this it?
"It's a vertical hole that draws magic from the underground facility. We know that Loki has gone down there.
Let's go down to ....... Everyone follow me.
Then we'll use that ladder over there. It looks like they were provided for maintenance purposes.

　The diameter of the vertical hole is about two to three times the height of a human being, and the edges and walls are smooth and completely free of snagging.

　This makes it extremely difficult to descend a rope, but fortunately, as Alexia discovered, there are sturdy-looking metal ladders along the walls.

　As far as the preparations for maintenance are concerned, we are reminded that this is a modern facility for a city.

"(To continue with the artificial life thing I mentioned earlier: ...... Are those guys that Loki was summoning actually the ones that look like human girls and big dogs?

　He asks Alfazul again as he descends the ladder.

"(In a scene where a house like Loki's home is recreated, the kid who calls Loki 'Father' says, 'Feel free to summon him out anytime.' I didn't think that was a good idea. ......)
'Hel and Fenrir. The other two are Jormungandr, the serpent's favorite. Both of them were created by Loki using alchemy.
(...... It's hard to believe for the sake of hindsight, but ...... the divine beast that killed you was also Fenrir, right? Is it a coincidence that they have the same name?

　Just because it's the same name doesn't necessarily mean there's a direct relationship between the two.

　For example, naming something else after a pet you've fondled in the past would not be an out-of-the-box idea.

　We made it down the ladder and to the bottom of the vertical hole before Alfazul could give us a response.

　The magic light ball activated by Hild illuminates the surroundings, illuminating the horrific scene to the point of speechlessness.

　-- the same muddy chunks of flesh that had stuck to the base of the collection tower, filling the floor and walls from corner to corner.

　And after staring at it from this distance, I finally noticed a number of what looked like eyeballs floating on the surface of the flesh mass.

　Noir staggered a little, as if he felt sick.

　However, the internal structure seems to be different from the real eyeballs, and I can't help but think that they were just shaped to resemble each other.

It's not ...... a real one, it's ...... a glow of magic, a glow of magic, a glow of ...... for the sake of The medium ......, I think ......
'It's in bad taste. No. ...... Maybe you made it from the prototype of an eyeball?
'They seem to have stopped functioning either way. It looks like the earlier attack was the deciding factor.

　Originally, this mass of flesh had spread deep into the hole, but a blow from Alpha Zulu destroyed something like the core, and the whole thing collectively died out. ...... I guess that's about it.

　Still, there's too much to do.

　I want to investigate this place, but I also want to inform Noir and the others of my current situation.

　It's also troublesome that we can't even determine whether or not we have enough time to spare because we don't know at what time the place(s) will be transformed.

Let's split up and check out the surroundings. And just listen to me while I move my hands around. This world is a lot more complicated than I thought.

　As we begin our search, I'll tell you in turn what information we've found out so far.

　That this world is not the memories of the original owner of the Right Eye of Wisdom, Alfazul, but the memories of Loki, who was a member of the Wild Hunt, a team of bounty hunters led by Alfazul at the time, are recreated.

　That Loki is the person who once created the divine beasts that destroyed the ancient magical civilization - the medallions that created them - and that I'm now being forced into the role of Loki at the time.

''What's that?!　It's a hell of a thing!　While we're enjoining ...... and struggling to adapt!
Did you have to rephrase that?　It's perfectly predictable.

　The way Alexia's eyes are shining with advanced precision under Ivaldi can easily be recalled without bothering to check.

　Since that was the intention from the beginning to examine the 'right eye', it's not a subject for us to get angry or complain about, either.

...... Anyway, Loki was trying to show me something, and Alfazul couldn't get a grip on the true meaning of .......
'Luke ......!　There, that's funny: ......!
What?

　Noir suddenly raised his voice.

　Immediately after I stop moving, not understanding what the hell is wrong with me, something strange happens to the wall where I was trying to stretch my arm out.

　A part of the wall, which is higher than my current head, covered in sludgy flesh, cracks noiselessly as if it were an insect cocoon or something.

　And from inside the raw crack, a white-skinned child, neither boy nor girl, slipped out slyly - the moment I stopped the child in my arms, the scene around me switched to a horrendous gray sandstorm.

　It's another change in the field of memory.

　The figure of Noir and the others, let alone the child I held back a moment ago, has completely disappeared, leaving me alone between memories.

''d*mn it!　Noir!　Alexia!　Hild!　You're not here!　...... Alfazul!　You're still here!　Don't you disappear!
'No need to be told. It's a long shot from here.

　The dust storm disappears and the surrounding landscape becomes clearly visible.

　It was a room in Loki's home that I had visited before.

'...... Bastard Loki, how far do you have to go to play with me to make me feel better!
Welcome home, Father. No. ......

　I turned around, startled by a voice I heard from behind me.

　Hel--that girl who calls Loki my father was staring at me with a smile on her bloodless face that covered the right half of her face.

　And the one word the pale lips spun was more than enough to blank out my thoughts.

...... Welcome to ...... Welcome, Haruka-san, the un-coming guest. I, Helu, welcome you as the representative of Loki, the Creator.