264 - - 09-49 IF If it was Hitoshi who found Elena,
One day, the old man reported that one of the fifth column (Quinta) he had dispatched to various places had brought him some very interesting information.
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"Yes, but it has not been discovered yet, has it?"
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"Well, that sounds interesting. I should go there sometime."
Jin mutters, to which Reiko objects.
"Father, it's dangerous to go to such a place where you don't know what's there.
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"Well, Reiko is there too, and since it's a ruin, I'll ask Anne to go with us this time. And I'll bring my reinforced clothes and
Reiko still looked a little reluctant,
"I don't have a choice. I'll bring Momoka and the Magi Cannon. And I'll give each of the SP a paralyzing gun (paralyzer), a super high-speed vibrating sword (vibrating sword), and an electromagnetic induction radiator (induction radiator).
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He said. Jin heard this and wondered what on earth they were going to fight with, but kept his mouth shut because Reiko was likely to tell him not to go because it would be too dangerous.
"It won't take long if we go through the floating base at Lake Asur. We can arrange to arrive there around midnight.
* * * *
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Jin took off from the floating base at Lake Asur in the Pegasus 1, a VTOL aircraft dedicated to Jin, and reached the target ruins in about three minutes. .
"The fifth column (quinta) is waiting for us. There is no sign of anyone on the ground.
The fifth column (quinta) has discovered the ruins, and infrared and visual detection has confirmed that there are no people on the ground.
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Judging that there was little risk of being seen, Pegasus 1 landed at the plaza in front of the ruins. The cobblestone pavement was perfectly suited to the site, and the landing was easy and dust-free.
First, the covert task force (SP) went out to warn the area. One minute later, Reiko landed, followed by Anne. Finally, Jin landed.
"Thank you for the long trip, Chief.
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The fifth row, Quinta, in charge of the west shore of Lake Asur, bowed his head.
Thank you for welcoming us. Now, where is the site in question?
Yes, this way, sir.
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I illuminated the area with a ball of light. There are pillars and buildings made of magically strengthened stones scattered around. However, the magic of strengthening has worn off, and the buildings have begun to weather.
Jin was led by the fifth row (quinta) to the edge of the ruins. Stopping between two large pillars, the fifth-row quinta said,
"There is a large cavity here in the basement," he said, pointing to the ground.
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pointing to the ground.
Jin examines the ground with acoustic sonar magic and finds that there is definitely a large space underground. Jin then gives instructions to Reiko.
Reiko, hit here with 30 percent power.
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"Yes, father."
Reiko, seeing that Jin and the others had moved away a little, swung her pretty fist and slammed it into the ground.
At the same time, there was a roar, and the ground cracked and caved in. Reiko jumped back lightly and avoided the fall.
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When the dust settled, there was a large hole in the ground.
"It's dark.
The bottom of the hole was not visible even when illuminated with light magic. Then Quinta, the fifth row, said,
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"Chief, I'll go down first.
and jumped into the hole.
A few moments later, a report comes in on the manacam.
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Jin and his group went into the hole. Jin is carried by Reiko, while Anne and the covert task force (SP) are on their own.
The hole in the ruins they descended into was small and wide, with passages extending to the left and right. Either one was fine, but Jin headed for the smaller passage.
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After a short distance, the passage went downhill. On the wall of the passage, although dimly lit, there was a permanent luminescent element made of free magic element (ether) embedded in the wall.
"It's lower grade than the one in the laboratory."
Reiko commented as she looked at the dim light.
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Soon a door appeared. It was made of iron and rusted red.
"Goshujin-sama, this looks like an emergency escape room of an old fortress.
"Hmmm, then, what do you think there might be in the back of this room?
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Jin asked Anne.
"Yes, I think there is a high possibility that there are emergency magic tools and weapons.
"Okay, let's open it."
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Jin tries to push it, but it is so heavy that it hardly moves. Reiko pushed in his place. The hinges creak, but they break halfway, and the door falls back into the room with a loud bang. Dust rises into the air.
"Pfft, this is terrible!
Jin uses wind magic to drive the dust out of the room. Now he finally has time to look around the room.
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As Ann had said, there were quite a few magic tools in the room. Some of them were broken over the years, but a third of them still looked usable.
Jin ordered the covert task force (SP) to retrieve them. Then, he found something at the far end of the room.
"That is ......."
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It was a doll. Jin immediately recognizes it as an automata. It looked like a girl. She was lifeless, sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall. Her left arm is broken and missing from the elbow.
"Is this, by any chance, ......<
It was Anne who said that.
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"Anne?"
"Perhaps this automaton is the
"I see. ......"
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Hearing this, Jin examines the automata, trying not to touch it.
"It's so-so, isn't it?"
Reiko's cheeks puffed up when she heard that, and Jin hurriedly added.
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"......, though it's not as good as Reiko's."
Reiko's face returns to normal.
"Well, I'll recover the old magic tools, but this automata is a shame too. All right, Reiko, you take it back."
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"Yes, I will."
Reiko, carrying a magic cannon on her back and a peach blossom on her waist, carried the automata.
The eyes of the automaton opens, sensing the slight magical power that Reiko emits.
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"Did you ...... wake me up? ......Wait a minute, what are you doing?
"Oh, you're awake. I knew I had set myself to wake up by detecting magic.
"Hey, hey, let go of me! I am the queen of automata! I can't listen to my queen's commands!
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Reiko's arms are like a vise, and no matter how hard the automaton tries to break free, it's useless.
"Oh, are you, by any chance, Adriana's ......!
"Oh, you're so picky. My mother's name is Adriana Barbora Tsezi.
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I knew it! Let go of me!
I told you to shut up!
Reiko's hand holding the automaton tightened.
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There was a cracking sound, and the automaton's skeleton was distorted.
"Aaahhh!"
The automaton's scream echoed, as if it had some sense.
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"It's too loud! Father, please shut her up."
At Reiko's request, Jin approached the automaton and put his hand on its neck. And then..,
"<
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He stopped the automaton half-forcibly.
"Oh, it's quiet now."
"I guess this automaton is the golden princess of destruction after all..."
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Anne said, looking down at the automaton being held by Reiko.
"Hmmm, I wonder why she has such a personality. I'm a little curious."
Jin looked down at the limp automaton as he said this.
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The walk home was uneventful.
The return trip out of the ruins was uneventful. When we left the hole, the covert task force (SP) climbed up first and pulled Jin up by a rope.
He then boarded Pegasus 1 and returned to Horai Island via the floating base.
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Now, in the workshop at the research institute in Horai Island, the automata brought back were being analyzed.
"Well, the skeleton is made of light silver, and the muscles are made of magical fiber. There is a mana driver, but no ether converter.
Father, what does that mean?
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Reiko asked while holding the automata down to prevent danger.
"Yes, Reiko and the others use an ether converter to convert free magical elements in the air into magical elements (mana), and then convert those magical elements (mana) into energy in a magical furnace (mana driver), right?
"Yes."
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"This automata, instead of having an ether converter, has an ether tank, which is converted into energy with an ether driver.
"And what happens when you do that?"
Reiko knows enough about the different structures to understand the differences, but not enough to understand things like efficiency.
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"Normally, we would use a combination of a mana tank and a mana driver, but with this automata, it seems that we can sacrifice efficiency and gain output instead.
"I see, I have never heard of an ether driver. So you are saying that the efficiency is low because it converts the free magical element (ether) directly into energy?
"That's right. If you think about it, the free magical element (ether) in the air was probably denser than now before the "ether stampede" occurred, so this would have been fine.
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Jin speculates.
"But your mother made me in the same way as now, didn't she?"
Reiko questioned.
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"Yes, that means of course that the previous generation is superior in terms of technology and design philosophy.
One is a structure that makes power by brute force, and the other is a structure that obtains power efficiently through delicate control. It goes without saying which is better.
"And then there's this control core, but there's something wrong with it."
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"What do you mean?"
"Well, it looks like it was overwritten with a used one. There are some old MagiFormulas that have been lost in some places.
Jin looked at the relatively large control core and said.
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"I wonder if this is one of the reasons why this automata went crazy.
Saying this, Jin completely erased the old Magi Formula.
"Then there's also the possibility that the will of the creator has something to do with it.
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Saying this, Jin searched for the part using the engineering magic of "read" and "decompile. After 30 minutes of searching, he found it.
"Here it is.
"<
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Reiko, an automata who had also lost her maker once, could understand the danger.
"Hmmm, <
Jin nodded his head.
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"That could be taken any way you want to put it. You can be the best, or you can be the most wonderful.
Jin thinks about it. And then,
"If it were me, I'd want him to say that you were the best.
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Reiko says.
"Well, that's what most people would say.
Jin agreed with Reiko.
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"Well, let's just repair the parts that are worn out or deteriorated.
Jin repaired the defective parts of the automata. Then he restarts the automata. Of course, Reiko was watching him. Or rather, with Reiko restraining him.
"...... where am I?
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The automaton opens its eyes.
"Did you fix my arm?"
There is no madness in his tone.
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"Yes, I did. Is there anything wrong with it yet?"
With these words, Jin slowly released Reiko's restraints. Then the automaton tried to move her body,
"No, nothing. She is doing very well. Thank you very much.
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He bowed.
"I would like to serve you in return for your help in fixing me. Please give me a name."
He bowed again.
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Jin thinks for a moment. Suddenly a name comes to mind. This is unusual for Jin.
"Well, how about <
He said.
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"Yes, I am Elena. I am looking forward to working with you, Goshujin-sama.
Elena bowed deeply and turned to Reiko and Anne,
She turned to Reiko and Anne and bowed to them.
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She bowed her head.
This is a world where "if" is allowed. This is the world of what if Jin had found Elena. This is a story of the "what if" world in which Elena would have had a happy life afterwards.