1428 - - 39-13 The Mystery of Mystery






 Elena greeted Donald as he stepped into the basement.

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"It's okay. I don't know how yet, but the air is not stagnant.

 She had the know-how of having investigated many ruins in the past.

"I don't think there is any danger. You know, I'm curious about that door."

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 But it was too dark to see what Elena was looking at with only Donald's lighted magical tool.

"Elena, it's a little dark in here." 

"Oh, I'm sorry."

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 Elena's eyes were bright enough to see, so she apologized and turned on the light.

"<>"

 The light was now brighter, and Donald could see the underground chamber more clearly.

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"I see, there is nothing in this room except the door. ......"

 On the other hand, there is one door at the end of the room, and I think there is something behind it as Elena said.

"Let's go there."

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"Yeah, ......."

 Either way, we will never know what it is until we go there. Donald and Elena went to the door.

 The door had an old-fashioned doorknob that creaked a little but opened slowly.

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 As soon as the door was opened, a light went on inside. The magic device was still alive and the room seemed to be ventilated.

"What is this place?"

"This seems to be a reference room.

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 The shelves by the wall are crammed with books.

 There is a bit of dust, so Donald covers his nose and mouth with a handkerchief.

"It wasn't so dusty in the hall earlier."

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"Yes, it was. I wonder if there is a reason for that, for preservation or something.

 Elena looks around the room. Her gaze stopped at a corner of the room.

"That's ......."

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 There was what looked like a magic doll, which could neither be a golem nor an automata.

 It was female in shape.

 Elena approached the golem to confirm its shape. Donald followed her.

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This is a golem, isn't it?

"Yes, it is. But it's trying to look like a human being.

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 If automata are what we call in modern Japan, then this golem would be a
in its own right.

 It is made entirely of metal, and of course its hair is also made of metal.

 It may be closest to <> that Jin made for Prince Ernest of the Kingdom of Egelea.

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"It doesn't seem to be broken."

"It seems to be just lying dormant."

 Donald and Elena gently examined the golem. It looked old, but not broken.

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"I'd like to see this thing rebooted," Donald said with interest.

 Donald said with interest.

"I'd like to see it rebooted. Maybe he's like the librarian in the reference room."

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 But I didn't know how to reboot it.

"Well, it doesn't seem to start working automatically with ......<>."

"<> doesn't seem to work either. I've tried the old one, and the new one, but there's no response."

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It doesn't seem to have lost any of its internal functionality.

"That's right. Another possibility is that there is a grimoire to activate it.


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 Elena's guess leads them to check the room. And it soon pays off.

"Elena, is this it?"

 Donald had found what appeared to be a control unit.

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 It was not, however, like a TV remote control, but rather was more similar in size and shape to a cathode-ray tube TV.

"It's a magic tool, isn't it?

"Is this the mechanism to activate it?"

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 Elena and Donald carefully analyzed the device.

"I'm sure this is the right one.

 Elena pressed the activation switch, and a part of the control unit lit up. It seems to be a magic screen.

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"Elena, there is something written on it.

"It's a little bit old-fashioned. ...... um, <>.

 While she was saying this, the letters on the screen were changing.

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"<>?

"A riddle, huh?"

 Elena read out the words and Donald groaned.

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"...... a chair, you know. The one with the backrest."

 As soon as Elena muttered this, the text on the screen changed.


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"I wonder if there are more riddles to come. ......<
"What is it?"

 Elena tilted her head and Donald twisted his head.

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 If Jin had asked, he would have immediately understood that this was an old Japanese riddle.



"Isn't that a sewing needle?"

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 A voice came from behind Elena and Donald. It was a guard.

"We have been looking for you since you did not come back. We've set up a rope ladder so it should be easy for you to get back.

 He told us to use our own judgment, so we could not complain about this.

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 He also said that there was no danger and, moreover, that "if you stand up, you will be lowered,

"<>"

 the next riddle was displayed.

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"The ceiling.

 Again the guard answered, and the screen switched.

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"Oh, it seems I was right. You're a good man, aren't you?

 Donald praised the silent guard.

"No, I've only heard such riddles back home."

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"I see. Your hometown is ......."

Donald, not now. I think we're finally going to get it up and running."

 Elena interrupted Donald.

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 Just as Donald said that, a light came on in the eyes of the halted golem.



* * * *

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"......It's definitely a riddle in the vein of <>."

 On Horai Island, Jin was watching the scene.

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"A riddle... ...... I miss it..."

 Jin remembers how the Director used to tell him riddles.

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 The guards are the fifth column (quinta).

 The answer to the riddle was given by Jin through the old man.

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"But I'm a little curious about the librarian golem ......."


 The old man apologized, but Jin said he did not mind.

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"No matter how competent you are, the continent is huge. It is understandable, don't worry about it."

.

 Jin and the others then turned their attention back to the screen from the <>.

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* * * * * *

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"Are you a seeker of knowledge?

"Oh, how do you know it's been a long time since I've seen you?

 Elena interrupted Golem's words.

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"Of course I understand. I'm the only one who has been idle, the ticking clock has been working all along. According to ......, this world has repeated the seasons 232 times since I paused.

 From these words, we know that this golem was put in abeyance after the fall of the .

 Elena asks him about that time.

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Do you know how the kingdom was destroyed?

Yes, I do. Yes, I know. This underground facility was built to avoid that terrible epidemic.

 And then the golem spoke up: .......

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