Does the mechanical girl dream of the Messiah?

everything is over.

It was like knocking over a sand castle on a beach called Sky Sea.

The tide surged, eroding it, swallowing it, and restoring it to its original state.

In collapse.

Whether it was the ship itself or the interior that was supposed to be extremely hard and indestructible. The white walls were covered with cracks and were now gradually crumbling into tiny particles. No matter how much magic wisdom was originally gathered, it was now just white gravel. Priceless jewelry, historic artworks, coins, treasures, and goods, all seemed to be a prophecy that prosperity must decline. They were either corroded by time or turned into fireworks that were spread over the sea of ​​clouds. The dragon crystal that was once full of magic, no matter what it was called or how noble it symbolized, was shattered under the reverse magic power and became a blue cloud blooming in this gray sky.

Everything here, everything that had been contained, carried, and shattered, collapsed. Whether it was glory, hope, great deeds, despair, death, or sin, they all lost their meaning with the collapse of this pure white, and became food for the giant beast called the past.

Everything will cease to exist.

Whether it is hope or despair, it will disappear along with that memory.

--No.

"I will never forget..."

In that gradually collapsing little world, the fallen white knight couldn't help but stretch out his hands and tightly grasp the sapphire hair ornament that slipped from the woman's forehead, as if afraid that it would slip away from his hands. Even so, the hair ornament that had long been overwhelmed, as if even its existence had been erased and only existed in this world for a short time, also decomposed into silver-white and sea-blue fine sand in the hands of the paladin.

"I will never... forget...!"

The corners of her eyes were slightly red, but even so, she still used the little remaining strength to clench her teeth and forcefully hold back her tears.

I don't want to forget. I won't forget. Everything that has long since disappeared in this sea of ​​clouds, has long since been submerged in history, all of which has been forgotten by everyone, those voices, those faces that seem to be clearly visible in front of me, just listening to those words from different voices, it's as if I see those people who once existed in this world.

They existed. They were here.

--Thank you.

It's not even clear who she is, the "Witch of the Blue Abyss", and there are others. Even so, do you still have to say such words?

“I will never… forget…!”

Even though the sapphire hair ornament had turned into ashes that flew away with the wind, leaving only a few bits of kind dust lingering in her palm, Lunicea still held it tightly in her palm as if it were a treasure.

Even if they were swallowed by malice, even if they were forgotten by the world, they had struggled hard.

Everything in front of my eyes was falling apart, and through the outer wall that was gradually turning into pieces, I could see the scenery outside - there was a dead sea that was different from the ocean, filled with gray poisonous miasma and foreign pollution. The invisible barrier coming from the ship was disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye. It wasn't long before this once magnificent aerial fortress completely disintegrated, and my body would fall into the sea of ​​clouds and fog.

And then, holding on to the memories that you don't want to forget, you will welcome the end of your journey.

She couldn't help but curl up her body, because no matter what she did, it seemed meaningless. She wanted to live. This feeling was not only clearly imprinted here, but also imprinted in Lunicia's heart. She wanted to live. Only in this way could she shoulder something and do something. Even if she was not a glorious and great savior, she still wanted to do something for everything she saw, so she longed to live - so she felt helpless in the face of this difficulty.

He was now at an altitude of more than ten thousand meters. Even if he had not died from the poisonous miasma, he was definitely not a bird with wings. As a bird in a cage that could not fly, he would only fall and then disappear.

The first death of a person is when life dissipates, the second death of a person is when he or she is recognized as dead by society, and the third death of a person is when he or she is forgotten by everything in the world - now, Lunicea will experience the first death and bring the third death to others.

The strong wind blew in my face, blowing my hair, and I seemed to be able to smell the lingering poisonous fog. The invisible shield disappeared completely inadvertently, and everything was about to end here.

but--

"Mistress Luna! Grab my hand!!!"

No matter how much strength that thin body contained, it seemed extremely fragile in the howling storm. Even so, she still shouted and tried to reach out. The two swords were used by themselves around. Even without the master, or the slave's grasp, it was still as if someone was wielding them, using the dense sharpness to tear apart the poisonous miasma and effortlessly clearing a clear space. But thanks to this, the pink-haired girl could not use the power of the two blades to teleport freely for a while, and could only adjust her body with great effort, and approach the falling body of the holy warrior little by little.

“Ella—”

Reaching out, the palm stained with blue and silver-white sand stretched out, reaching out to the direction of the sound, as if to grasp the non-existent hope and miracle, grasping again and again, but still unable to touch the fingertips that seemed so close. Whether it was Ella or Lunicia, they were just ordinary intelligent species without wings. It seemed that in just a moment, the distance between the two would become farther and farther because of the blowing of the strong wind.

"This machine has not stopped working. Silently, eternity is waiting at the crossroads of the stars, just like the river of night flowing in the courtyard."

The mechanical girl who could not laugh, cry, get angry or feel sad, and whose face never seemed to have any emotion, spoke softly with words that seemed to be mixed with tenderness - the six mechanical wings spread out behind her, and the vector nozzles emitted a pale light. She flapped her wings and soared like a messenger from the sky in the myth.

"The ring of poor language and doom, the intersection of marble and flowers, come, hold my hand, my dear people, dancers who make the evening pale in comparison."

She raised her hands at the same time, and held the hands extended by Ella and Lunicia respectively, and then, she held them in her arms, one on the left and one on the right.

"Ash!"

"You guy, at least take a look at the atmosphere..."

Lunicia was almost on the verge of tears, and Ella looked helpless. She seemed to want to reach out to Lunicia, but in the end she timidly pulled back.

"This body is a tool that you can use as you wish - so it's okay for it to become wings."

Her body was still falling, passing through the thick and undispersed poisonous cloud. Even so, Lunicia did not feel any panic at all. She just put a little force on her arms and hugged Ashtherin and Ella, her important travel companions. It seemed that even the breath of death was blown away by the wind that brushed across her cheeks, leaving only the fragrance of a short-lived cereus.

—But you’re not alone, are you?

The gray fog that covered the sky was naturally not safe, so the three of them each lit a lamp in their own way to illuminate the surroundings. In the shadow cast by the lamp, a small flame burned quietly, speaking in words that no one could hear.

——So, it’s different from me.

Interlude: Nameless Diary

[Diary found in the wreckage of ancient relics]

[The diary was found at the crash site of the Gleipnir airship, presumably near the Central Power Department and the office area of ​​the government departments. Most of it has been destroyed, and only the last part can be identified. The diary is not signed.]

[The handwriting is very neat, but the grammar is rather unfamiliar]

[The first person to discover this diary was Lunicia Agris, who has been carrying it with her ever since. The old paper is protected by magical power and has not become fragile due to the passage of time. There are water marks and wrinkles from different eras. In addition, Lunicia wrote names unrelated to this diary on the remaining paper at the back.]

If anyone can find this diary, it means I'm dead.

It's a very clichéd beginning, isn't it? But for me, it feels very fresh, because such an ordinary thing is also very precious to me.

As for the result, I still did not stop anything. I was entrusted with important tasks because of my ability, but as for the result, my performance was disappointing. Or maybe, no one was disappointed, and there might not be so many people who had high expectations of me. For example, although I have high operating authority, my authority is very low. I can only manage this small department. If something like this really happens, there is no way to solve it.

Technically, it was foolproof, or so they thought. I don't know much about technology. This country is proud of magic, but I don't have any spellcasting ability. I'm just a little luckier than others, and I only half understand the ship. But, in fact, their judgment was wrong.

So, even though I didn’t need to do anything originally, now I should do something.

The core power department has been blocked. The administrative departments and the departments under my jurisdiction, which don't have too many people, have also been swallowed up. They completed their work before that, and everyone is amazing.

If it was the captain, if it was the difficult uncle, he would have thought of letting the ship crash, thinking that this would solve the problem. But it won't work, it will only expand the scope of the disaster. Everyone here calls themselves technicians, showing off their understanding of magic. Including me, there are at least five people on this ship who can be called "Grand Mage", but it won't work, they don't understand.

I didn't understand what that was.

This ship will never fall. If anyone can find this diary, it proves that either you have reached the most dangerous place on this ship, or you have accomplished something that I cannot accomplish, something that none of us can accomplish. No matter which one, you are a hero, a great hero.

Time is short for me, and I can do little to help you. Let me tell you all I know about that thing, so that, at least, it will not be completely useless to you.

My words may seem difficult and hard to understand, because I was once a slave and was not good at writing. If it were not for the teacher's teaching, I would not be able to write even this level of description. Please read carefully what I am going to write next.

Initially, "that thing" was discovered in the northern border of Nasaland, this country. This discovery was shocking, and several "witches" present at the time proposed to "neutralize" it, but it was not accepted. At that time, I was not an adult who could stand on my own, and I learned all this later.

"That thing" has a much higher essence than initially estimated, but it suddenly appeared there like a falling star. If it weren't for the abnormal phenomenon caused by its high status, it might not even be discovered in the first place. We conducted some investigations around us, and the results were also amazing. The clergy of the Alexandria Church and the great wizard of the time field all said that "that thing" drifted here due to some kind of time disorder. It is very likely that it is the effect of a powerful artifact of time nature. It is precisely because of this that "that thing" not only comes from the future, but its own time is also solidified.

"That thing" was judged to be the shadow of a "false god". This statement sounds incredible, but this is the final conclusion. Even if it is just a shadow, even if it does not cause distortion or pollution to the surroundings, and even if it is sealed and stopped in time, it still has this level of power. Its source must be a being that is more powerful than any recorded false god, but we have no ability to trace its source.

Not being rendered harmless means making the best use of it, which is the origin of the "Sky Lock Project".

The device designed for "that thing" is called "Belvo's Coffin". I don't understand its principle, but the effect is very simple, that is, to fix and restrain "that thing" and use its excessive essence to extract infinite energy from it. The "Satiation Plan" acting on the mainland is already in progress, so the "Sky Lock Plan" will use the "Belvo's Coffin" to create an unprecedented and strongest aerial fortress, the "Restraint Ship Gleipnir" with infinite energy.

This flight is a test voyage of the "Restraint Ship Gleipnir". If all goes well, this airship will continue to add functional modules and be used as a frontline fortress against the End North. What happens next is what you have seen.

Three days after the sea trial began, the headquarters confirmed the operating status of the entire ship and the fact that the "Belvoir Casket" was operating well. On this basis, one week after the sea trial began, the operating rate of the "Belvoir Casket" was increased to the maximum, and the research department affiliated with the military began to analyze "that thing". In the second week after the sea trial began, "that thing" woke up.

Contact with the outside world has been terminated. "That thing" does not show the pollution ability of other false gods. The insurance installed on this ship has a certain effect, but it is meaningless. "That thing" has corroded the entire airship. Other excellent magicians have also been swallowed up. Is it because it is speculated that "that thing" has a nature close to that of a shadow that they chose me to come? The remaining power on this ship can no longer stop it. There is indeed a plan that can reverse the situation and even cause it to suffer heavy damage, but it may not succeed when "that thing" is completely unrestrained. Even if it succeeds, no one will give it the final blow.

The crashed airship will probably land somewhere in this world.

Whether it is an island in the sky or the deep sea, the worst case scenario is that it falls on the mainland. When "that thing" loses its restraints, it will expand in size by assimilating the surroundings, and eventually, it will become a "divine disaster."

The only thing I can do is to minimize the damage it may cause.

That, then, is all I have to say.

If you are the one who failed to solve what happened here and had to survive in this small room, I'm sorry, this record can't bring you any comfort. If you are the one who will challenge that existence, I'm sorry, this record can't help you, it can only tell you our crimes. If you have succeeded, just take this worthless paper as a trophy. There may be other things on this ship that are enough to be rewarded, and those are what you deserve.

Next, I will go to the power core, where the "Belvo Coffin" is located, and use my ability to bind "that thing" and myself in the coffin. If it is a being with its own will, wisdom and personality, this plan will definitely fail, but this is our only luck, it is a completely opposite existence, so it can succeed.

After that, "that thing" will be suppressed in terms of its ability to move, assimilate, or be active, and its power will be reduced. Its essence is immortal and part of the shadow realm, but if it is suppressed to this extent, there is a possibility that it will be expelled from this world for a while.

And I will actually be "dead".

……

Anyone who sees this record, whether you are the hero, or someone who was picked up by chance after the hero's victory, or a member of the world that has been destroyed by the "divine disaster", you will find it incomprehensible.

Whether you are from the Western Church, the Northwestern Empire, the Southern and Southwestern Trade States, Nasaran, or other countries on other continents, you cannot have not heard of what Nasaran did. As I have recorded before, I was once a slave, wearing rags that could not cover my body, living in a leaky isolation camp. Other people I know, as people without magic affinity, have only two choices: to be slaves or as energy. I have no choice. I have been polluted since birth and regarded as a dangerous item that may be useful but may be abandoned at any time.

You must think that I would choose to let it go and destroy the world, right?

I won't do that.

Sacrificing oneself is stupid. This country has always emphasized rationality and selfishness. However, I will still do this. I don't want to take revenge on anyone. Maybe I should take revenge on the whole world, or fate? However, now that kind of thing is over, I just want to complain a little.

My teacher, who looked cold and strict, was actually surprisingly kind. He was probably no different from other Nasarans, unable to see people who couldn't cast spells as equals, and would see people like me as freaks, but in the end he was clumsy, accepting me with an attitude that didn't match his pretended indifference, and trying to accept everything he wouldn't have accepted otherwise.

Even though he tried so hard, in the end, nothing changed.

Sounds stupid, doesn't it?

So, I will do the same.

I heard a knock at the door. Someone was calling me, and the voice belonged to the man who had been devoured this morning.

Next, I have to face the unreasonable fate that has been tormenting me and taking away everything from me, my father, mother, sister, stepmother, stepfather, and now even wants to take away myself.

As a witch, raising the flag of rebellion against the things that the world follows, don’t you think this is quite romantic?

Even if nothing can be changed.

I still want to do something.

Traveler, passer-by, or hero from the future, although I cannot hear your answer, I still want to ask you a question that sounds unreasonable.

Has your era changed for the better?

【Recording stopped】

Volume 7: The Frozen and Silent North - Hyperborean

Chapter 1: Fall to the North

I couldn't help but reach out and pat my head.

Although there was no more direct evidence, Lunicia was sure that she must have lost part of her memory. After all, since the disintegration of the "Restraint Ship Gleipnir" until it fell to the ground, her memory of this period of time always felt a little vague. It couldn't be the cause of the fall, after all, Ashtherin played a good buffering effect, and of course it couldn't be the cause of the miasma, after all, "Crime and Punishment" had been tirelessly splitting the gray clouds that swept in, and even almost suffocated Lunicia because of it, after all, even the air was swept away by the vacuum blade.

Then——the only possibility is probably that.

“Wow——!”

As if a beat late, it was only then that Lunicia made a sound that was almost a scream.

Well, he must have been frozen unconscious, so this problem occurred.

At this moment, Ashlee and Ella turned around at the same time - after all, in this silence, Lunicia, who shouted so loudly, was very eye-catching no matter what.

"Ms. Luna, if you feel cold, please come closer to me? You can even hug me to keep warm."

"No! It's so embarrassing! And Ella's body temperature will drop!"

Although she was being tortured by the cold, Lunicia still held onto her arms tightly and maintained her strange self-esteem. Of course, compared to Lunicia, the weird one was undoubtedly Ella. Why could she act so nonchalant? Lunicia never figured it out.

"This machine does not recommend hugging. Of course, it should be said that all physical contact is rejected now. After all, this machine is not an ivy cradle where you can sleep peacefully."

"I won't hug you!"

You can tell with your naked eyes that the black metal parts of Ashlee's body are now emitting a faint orange-red color, and white water vapor is gathering around her body, like a layer of white gauze wrapped around her. Although Lunisia doesn't know what the principle is, she knows that Ashlee is probably doing something like self-heating. To use an inappropriate metaphor, it's like turning into an iron plate in a teppanyaki grill. If you accidentally touch her in this situation, you will definitely get seriously burned, not to mention hugging her.

Of course, she didn't need to do this. Although the severe cold would affect her mobility, she just needed to heat herself appropriately. The reason she did this was, of course, to keep Lunicia and Ella warm. It did have a certain effect, just like a magic furnace or steam heater, but because this was an open environment, it was not ideal.

"Even if we don't have to go this far, it's okay, Ashe."

"Ah, are you worried about this machine? This machine is stagnant and peaceful, and we call this peace death. As you can see, this machine does not feel pain, nor does it feel uneasy."

So, just enjoy this warmth, said the Black Iron Mechanical Girl.

"...Indeed, your appearance is hard to look at."

"Is that right?"

"Is such that."

"What does Luna think?"

“I don’t want to look at that at all—”