Chapter 8: The Fool

Chapter 8:
The Fool

 

NEKT BROUGHT the parts of the third-generation subject to Satuhkie’s men and left it with them.

She then spent the next few hours watching with great interest as the researchers began to dissect and analyze the remains of her “sibling.”

Ottilie strolled into her room, her work for the day complete, and called out to Nekt.

“Looks like you’ve formed an attachment, huh?”

“Welcome back. It’s not quite what you think. I’ve just been thinking about how this thing was born to be what we spent our lives wanting to become…and yet here it is. A creature with no will of its own. Just meat. Our desire for Mother to show us love and affection was probably a complete waste of time. That’s all, really.”

Even still, children naturally longed for their parents’ affection. Humans were, after all, just like any other social animal in that they needed to form relationships with each other. It was both a blessing and a curse.

“Love isn’t something you can ask to be given back in return,” said Ottilie. “On the other hand, there’s nothing more tragic in this world than unrequited love.”

“Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.”

“But my love is returned, which is why I can truly understand the sadness that must bring.”

“Does Henriette love you?”

“Would I be here if she didn’t?”

Nekt felt a wave of jealousy wash over her at the sight of Ottilie and her blind devotion to Henriette.

“If I could believe the same about Mother as you do about her, I can only imagine how much easier my life would have been.”

“Who can say? People who constantly put their lives on the line are a lot stronger mentally than you’d think.”

An unshaven man stuck his head out through the wall right next to Nekt.

“Whoa, Chatani?! You really need to stop popping out of walls around me!”

“You’re one to talk. As I recall, you’re always teleporting around and spooking people.”

“Why not just walk around like normal people?”

“Why should I act out a role in this staged program when traveling through walls is so convenient?”

“Staged program? I just don’t get you…but there’s nothing new there.”

“Aah, it’s no use. You’ve no idea what programs are. Everyone here understands Japanese just fine, so I keep forgetting how different things are. I still don’t get how the once-great Japan could become a fantasy world like this.” Chatani stood at Nekt’s side, drew a cigarette out of his pocket, and bit down lightly on the end.

Obviously, this was all for show, since he didn’t have a physical body to smoke with.

“Like I said,” said Nekt, “I have a hard time believing it, too.”

“I wonder if it’s because the learning materials were left behind that the language lived on? Or was some kind of AI personality put in the box? That would help you pick up a language, too. I wonder if such things could exist… I often used those learning materials during my compulsory education. Sato used to say that the religions that preceded Origin now exist only at the bottom of the sea.”

They had wiped the concept of the written word off of the face of the planet in the hopes of converting more people into believers in their god, all while insisting that their actions were their god’s will. And yet that religion, too, had been lost to the sands of time over the course of wars waged between humans.

“It was made from the same material as Origin and I. The ‘metal that stops time.’ It’s a lot stronger than most things, since it was meant to be used in schools. Were we to salvage it from the ocean’s depths, I’m sure it would work without a hitch.”

Ottilie and Nekt had already heard this story, but they still didn’t understand a word of it. All they knew was that Chatani’s presence was proof of the existence of things beyond their comprehension, which left them no choice but to believe what he said.

“Apparently, we’re going to get started with Sato’s salvage plan once the fighting is finally over with,” he said.

“I still don’t get why you insist on using the name Sato.”

Chatani countered Ottilie’s offhand comment with a teasing smile. “I’m telling you, I’m sure that’s where the name Satuhkie comes from. That was the most common family name in Japan, you know.”

“I have no idea what this Japan you refer to is, but I’m impressed that Satuhkie manages to keep his cool around you.”

“I can’t really say for sure, but he seems to be thankful to have me around. Maybe that’s why he lets me get away with so much.”

Chatani really should have been the grateful one, considering Satuhkie had excavated him from the ruins. He looked over and noticed the researchers on the other side of the glass waving him down.

“Ah, sorry, looks like the research team is calling me.” He walked straight through the wall and into the lab on the other side.

“To be honest,” said Ottilie, “I don’t trust Satuhkie or any of the others here.”

“There’s still so much I just don’t understand,” Nekt muttered, staring at Chatani’s back. “And besides, I already said that I just wanted to focus on the Children.”

“Even if you ordered me to,” Ottilie replied, “there’s just no way that I can trust a shady group like this. That whole thing about his real body, that metal box—what did they call it, an ‘organic computer’? It was buried outside Flum’s hometown. That’s just too much of a coincidence.”

“Exactly. I don’t think there’s anything coincidental about it at all.”

Nekt cast her gaze to the ground as she recalled the item Satuhkie had shown her.

 

***

 

Satuhkie looked like a schoolboy talking about his grand dreams as he spoke.

“This reversion core was born of a young girl’s noble sacrifice.”

The “appreciation” he had for Chatani was due in part to how he’d helped return these memories to Satuhkie.

“I want to rip the world away from Origin’s control and put it back in humanity’s hands. I’m sure the ancients in the time before magic and those of us reborn into this world all hold the same dream in our hearts. It’s all quite a romantic notion, don’t you think?”

Nekt was only half-paying attention. She was more focused on the body suspended in the glass case.

“She, too, wanted it so badly that she willed herself to have the power to reverse. That’s right: Origin’s counterpoint, the one who gained the power to create the energy of reversion, gave up her life.”

Satuhkie smiled proudly in front of the case as he revealed her name.

“The hero who gave her life to save the world was called Flum.”

 

***

 

Nekt gazed up at the ceiling and sighed. Ottilie looked over at the young girl and quickly guessed what she was thinking about.

“He really thinks that body is Flum’s,” she said, “doesn’t he?”

“I think there’s a connection. Looking at Flum, I want to believe people can make miracles happen through desire and tenacity alone. What a pain. Life would be so much easier without dreams.”

All the Children, except for Nekt, had already committed atrocities of their own. And yet, she still couldn’t give up on them. It was a feeling that had been entirely foreign to her until she met Flum.

Nekt laughed in spite of herself and sighed again just as the door opened.

“Ah, there you are, Ottilie. I was looking for you.” Satuhkie handed her a piece of paper. “It’s your next job. I’d like you to pick up Foiey Mancathy.”

“Leitch Mancathy’s wife? I don’t think she has anything to do with this, though.”

Ottilie’s face grew dark as she skimmed the paper. None of this seemed to have anything to do with Nekt, so she left the room to let them talk it out and made her way back to her own quarters.

 

***

 

As the darkness lifted and the sun began to peek over the horizon, Flum was surprised to find that her daily letter hadn’t arrived. She waited next to the door for some time in the hopes of capturing the culprit.

Flum let out a loud yawn, probably still exhausted from the previous day’s fights. She gently massaged her eyes through closed eyelids in the hopes of staving off the exhaustion that threatened to take over.

“Looks like a long night.” Eterna inspected Flum’s face.

“Huh, you’re up early,” said Flum.

Eterna took the first shift to watch the door just around midnight, and it’d only been two hours or so since she’d gone to bed.

“I couldn’t really get to sleep. Besides, you’re exhausted and I’m still pretty fresh, so I’m taking over.”

Eterna originally planned to stand watch all on her own, but Flum insisted. She still felt responsible for the fact that she couldn’t save Cyrill.

Letting Flum take a two-hour shift was Eterna’s way of compromising. She’d already decided that she was going to take over no matter what, even if Flum resisted and she had to resort to force.

“It wouldn’t be right for me to rest. Besides, Gadhio’s staying up all night to watch over Slowe.”

“That guy’s practically not even human. You shouldn’t compare yourself against him. Besides, you’re our ace in the hole, so we need you to be fresh and ready.”

Flum was exhausted, and she knew it. Even if she went to bed now, she knew that she still wouldn’t be fully rested by morning.

“What is it?” said Eterna. “You can’t sleep?”

“There’s that, too. I saw so much death today. No matter how much I think I’m used to it, it’s still tough to see.”

“Maybe you’re just not taking enough time to get your mind off things.”

“I don’t have time like that, not now. Who knows when we’ll be attacked next.”

“Then I guess you just have to make the most of what little time you have.”

“What should I do?”

Eterna shrugged as she felt a wave of annoyance wash over her. Wasn’t she the one who brought this up in the first place? She clearly wasn’t thinking this through.

“Hmm…get closer to Milkit?”

That was the best she could come up with.

Flum’s shoulders slumped at Eterna’s response, though a wry smile came to her lips as she looked back at the older woman.

“That’ll happen naturally on its own, you know. That’s just how she and I are.” Her voice oozed confidence.

It was Eterna’s turn to express her exasperation. “Heh, you sure sound confident. But I wouldn’t be so sure. You definitely don’t seem like lovers to me.”

Flum chuckled. “We’re both girls, you know. Though I still want to be together forever, for what it’s worth.”

“Hmph.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I was just wondering if it really was okay for you to just neglect your relationship like that.”

Eterna figured it best to just stand by and watch as their relationship progressed.

“Anyway, you should get to bed and think about how you can refresh yourself later. I’m taking over; now go.”

“I… You’re right. I’ll leave it to you then.”

Eterna shot a thumbs-up in her direction before Flum headed upstairs and returned to her room, letting out a sigh of exhaustion. Truth be told, she felt a certain excitement at the thought that she could finally go back to sleep. Flum approached the bed and gazed down at Milkit’s face. She looked so soft and adorable when she was sleeping, her face so perfectly composed that she looked like a doll. It was hard to resist the desire to just crawl into the bed with her right then and there.

Looking down at Milkit, Flum reaffirmed what she already knew: she was going to make Milkit happy no matter what.

She reached down and softly brushed some hair away from her cheek. “I really don’t deserve her.”

Her skin felt as soft as silk. She could just go on touching it forever.

“Hn…?” Milkit’s eyes fluttered open, and she tilted her head to the side before focusing her gaze on Flum.

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“No, not at all. I’m a light sleeper anyway. I guess I just can’t sleep when you’re not around, Master.” Milkit smiled faintly and tugged on the hem of Flum’s pajamas.

She looked only half-awake, but even that looked adorable to Flum. She wanted to shout from the rooftops about what a beautiful partner she had at her side.

“Well, I guess I’ll climb on in then.” Flum slid in next to Milkit. The bed was already warm from the heat of the girl’s body.

Milkit took hold of her master’s arm and intertwined her legs with Flum’s. “Aah, Master…”

She rested her head on Flum’s shoulder like a pampered kitten and fell back to sleep.

Milkit hadn’t exactly woken up so much as she’d crested from the depths of a dream.

“I guess you’ll forget all about this tomorrow morning,” said Flum. “Too bad. I love seeing you when you’re embarrassed.”

Eterna’s words came back to her. Even these simple interactions were enough to clear her mind of all the awful memories. Not even five minutes would pass before the exhaustion took over, drawing Flum into a deep sleep.

***

 

The sun rose over the capital, bathing the city below in its brilliant rays. The night passed without incident, and no letter had arrived.

Perhaps the deliverer realized that someone was standing watch and decided to stay away. Or at least Eterna began to think so, until she heard footsteps approaching outside. Their footfalls were light, suggesting a small person. As soon as she heard the sound of the postbox opening, something being dropped in, and the figure turning to leave, Eterna sprang into action.

The young boy froze in his tracks, clearly not anticipating that someone might catch him.

“I’ve got a few questions for you.” Eterna clasped her hand tightly around the boy’s shoulder and was met with a look of sheer terror.

“Wh-what? I didn’t do nuthin’.”

“Did you write the letter you just put in our postbox?”

“No! A girl asked me to do it yesterday. She just told me to drop it off, and that would be it.” Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes.

Just to be sure, Eterna cast Scan on the boy, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. He was just a normal kid on the street.

“All right, I believe you. Now get out of here.”

The boy took off running the moment her hand came off his shoulder.

“Girl, huh. It’s not hard to imagine that the church would use a child, but then…” Eterna opened up the letter and looked it over. “Two days remain. Three seeds were planted and the rest bloom magnificently, but we cannot let ourselves be distracted by them. What we truly seek is still buried deep in the earth. Gah, it reads just like a sappy poem.”

She shoved the letter back in its envelope and walked back inside.

 

***

 

Shortly after waking, Flum, Milkit, Ink, and Eterna made their way to the guild. Considering the state of the capital, they figured that the guild was probably the safest place to be, given all the adventurers camped out there.

So a girl gave him the letter…huh…

Flum mulled over Eterna’s story as she walked. Assuming the author was the person Flum suspected it was, that would make things even more complicated.

Fwiss and Mute said that they were out to murder the residents of the capital. But is that really all they’re after? Putting a stop to them is obviously important, but assuming that murder was only one of their goals, then that could turn everything on its head. The Children are more than just weapons; they’re humans, too. Humans who know sadness and suffering like the rest of us.

“Good morning.” She greeted Y’lla with a wave as she led the party into the guild.

“Morning.” The receptionist was resting her chin in her hands, looking exceptionally bored as she offered up a simple greeting in return.

Milkit and the others gave only a quick wave; Y’lla was a stranger to them.

“Where’s Slowe?”

“He’s in back, doing the books.”

“Huh, I see. Did he stay at Gadhio’s place last night?”

“Yeah, he and his mom did, apparently.”

“Aah, I guess that makes sense. Hahaha…good to know.”

“What do you mean, ‘good to know’?? I had no interest in staying with them, I’ll have you know!!”

“Seems like you’re protesting a bit much, no? I mean, you’d feel a lot safer being with Gadhio, I’m sure.”

“Hmph. You’re up to something, I know it. I’ll have my revenge for whatever it is.” Y’lla chewed on her thumb in frustration.

Once things settled down between the two of them, Eterna finally interjected from where she stood reviewing the job board. “There’s a lot of adventurers here for how early it is.”

Flum took a look around. There were about ten sitting there, all suited up in their armor. The youngest had to be in his teens, while the oldest looked to be in his forties. She hadn’t seen the guild this active in the morning since Dein was around.

“The master called them here for protection, in case the guild gets attacked,” said Y’lla. “Obviously, the guild’s paying their fees.”

“I’m impressed that Gadhio was able to make all those arrangements in-between his busy schedule,” said Flum.

With this many people on standby, Slowe had a decent shot at escaping any threat that came their way, should the worst come to pass.

“Speaking of which, where’s Gadhio?”

“Out on errands again. Apparently another body turned up. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

Things looked relatively calm when it was dark out and there were few people roaming the streets, but once the sun came up, new troubles started rolling in.

“Well, speak of the devil,” said Y’lla.

Gadhio walked in with a posse in tow. His face softened the moment he saw Flum run to his side.

“Good morning, Gadhio. So how was it?”

He shook his head. To a man, the adventurers with him looked deathly pale.

“It was a bloodbath. Not enough left in one piece to count casualties.”

“They must be pretty dumb to be out and about after what happened yesterday,” Y’lla replied.

An insensitive thing to say, but Flum and the others were thinking exactly the same thing.

“There’s an old royal army barracks nearby. It’s the church knights’ now. I imagine the victims figured they would come to protect them. In reality, though, no one had even bothered to clean up the mess.”

“Why won’t they do anything if they’re always marching around the city on patrol?”

Y’lla answered Milkit’s question in her usual disinterested manner. “Probably because they just don’t want to.”

“That’s likely the case,” said Gadhio. “I don’t believe the church knights are here to serve in defense of the kingdom.”

“But if we try to protect the capital, they’re on top of us in seconds.” Flum clenched her fist and scowled as she felt a rush of anger rise up inside her.

It was no different for the adventurers Gadhio had brought together. Several of the men didn’t even belong to the West District guild, but they too were enraged at how the church knights used the capital as their private playground.

“If only we could flush out one of the Children,” said Flum. “Not that I have any idea how.”

“Right now, the best way to do that would be to assemble a large enough crowd to get their attention.”

“But Eterna, that would mean…”

“I know. It’s too great a risk to take with the guild members we’ve got.”

If their hypothetical mob of adventurers ended up baiting Mute, it would be a trivial matter for her to turn them into a mindless death squad with the stats of the strongest among them.

A heavy silence hung over the room for a few tense moments before the door flew open like a breath of fresh air.

“Gooooood morning, you beautiful people! Hey, I see you’re all here.” Welcy gave a cheerful wave and practically skipped inside.

She looked over the scene, including the adventurers standing by, and tilted her head to the side. “Huh, are you trying to keep the news from getting out there?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The government identified the four culprits behind yesterday’s incident and posted sketches in the town square. They’ve put a king’s ransom on their heads; every fool with a working sword hand’s out there trying to sniff them out,” Welcy explained to her shell-shocked audience. “Okay, so judging by how you’re looking at me, I’m gonna guess that you’ve kept the guild out of the loop.”

Even Welcy was suspicious at the West District’s dearth of adventurers on the street. Usually, matters like this drew them in by the dozen.

Gadhio, Flum, and Eterna left the guild without a word.

As soon as they stepped outside, objects the size of a human head began to rain down all around them.

They weren’t only the size of human heads, though. They were, in fact, real severed human heads.

“Huh?!”

Its job now complete, the creature standing atop the rooftop across from the street took off running.

“Scan!” Though she hesitated just a bit too long, Flum was still able to get their adversary’s information before it disappeared.

 

Chimera Werewolf

Affinity: Earth

Strength: 6,519

Magic: 6,163

Endurance: 6,121

Agility: 6,784

Perception: 6,511

 

The werewolf was a patchwork creature with the head of a bird and arms of a bear—yet another of the church’s weapons.

“That’s one of the completed Chimeras!” A chill ran up Flum’s spine as she looked over its stats.

Gadhio leaned over and frowned as he examined the three heads.

“Gadhio,” said Flum, “did you know…”

“These were old friends of mine. Talented adventurers. I asked them to do some fact-finding for me.”

The look of terror was still etched in their faces. Were they still alive, the news from the town square would have reached the guild much sooner.

“That damn Chimera. I’m gonna…!” Gadhio clenched his fist so hard that blood began to drip from his hand.

“Should we go after it?”

“No…we’d best take our business to the town square.”

Following the Chimera would play right into the church’s hand. The party gritted their teeth, tamped down their rage, made arrangements with the guild to take care of the bodies, and took off. Gadhio led the way, running full tilt, not once looking back to see if his companions could keep up. Flum managed to keep just behind him, while Eterna summoned up a magical canine mount and matched pace with him.

It wasn’t long before they started to hear the loud thunderclaps of explosions echoing down the city streets. The calm before the storm had finally broken. Something had started, and it was going to be bad.

Flum glared ahead at the ominous plumes of smoke rising in the north.