Does the mechanical girl dream of the Messiah?

"Um--?"

"The storm is coming."

"Yeah, it looks like the situation there isn't very good. Let's take a rest today, Luna?"

“That’s true—”

One advantage of walking in the plains is that you can directly grasp the situation in the distance.

As long as you look ahead, you can see the white storm surging in from the other side of the horizon, like an all-consuming torrent of ice, covering everything it sweeps past, dyeing the already not-so-bright sky an even deeper gray. Even from such a long distance, you can seem to feel the chill blowing in your face, not to mention the roar echoing in your ears.

“But how, exactly, should we do that?”

It looked like it would take some time for the storm to reach here. Ashetherin didn't seem to intend to do anything. She just crossed her arms and looked at Lunicia and Ella with an unchanged expression. For some reason, although she was supposed to be a mechanical puppet that couldn't show emotions, one could sense a playful emotion in her eyes.

It is indeed easy to observe approaching danger on the snowfield, but the price is the lack of cover for protection and escape.

This snowfield is not as flat as initially thought. This feeling arises largely because everything is white and certain undulations will be subconsciously ignored. However, in the area where Lunisia and her group are now, all they can see are some crater-like depressions and dense gullies, which make people imagine the battles that have taken place here, and the marks left by the magic bombings and sword dances.

Six hundred years should have passed, but these traces are still clearly visible. Perhaps they would have been deeper and more explosive. Time and the treacherous climate have smoothed their edges, but they still exist clearly. However, they cannot provide shelter in such a fierce storm like caves and canyons. If you think that you can solve the problem by just lying in the pit, you may be blown away to who knows where.

It seems too late to find a new place like a canyon or a cave right now...

"It's not that there is no way—"

As she said this, Lunesia put down the coffin she had been dragging, and then took out the giant sword called "Avenger" from her back.

"I see. Is this what Lady Luna is planning?"

Ella's ability to associate ideas was of great help at this time. Otherwise, if Lunicia had to explain at her current speed, which seemed to be frozen along with her body temperature, it would probably waste a lot of time.

"that is?"

"Dig a hole."

The blades of "Crime and Punishment" and "Avenger" pierced into the frozen ground at the same time.

It sounds like a pretty boring answer... but it is.

"I've been walking all this way - I don't feel any warmness - I hope this will have some effect -"

"Exercise your body, that's good. Lady Luna, let me help you add some fireballs."

"This machine is here to help, too."

For ordinary people with weak strength, it is impossible to dig a cave in the permafrost covered with ice shell with just their hands and shovels. Even if they use heavy mechanical equipment or magical tools, it will undoubtedly be a huge project. At least they will not be able to finish it in time, and then they will be blown away with the equipment.

However, this statement does not apply to the three ladies. The three present are all powerful people with extraordinary powers, and they are holding rare sharp blades in their hands. The permafrost that has not melted for thousands of years is no harder than butter in front of them. Soon, Lunicia and her group dug a cave on the spot, which is not too deep but deep enough to avoid the storm.

"It may not be very sturdy. I wonder if it will collapse in a storm..."

“This problem can also be solved by this machine.”

Oh, that's really reliable.

Although Ashetherin's fighting ability is probably the weakest among the three, not as passionate as Lunicia, nor as sharp as Ella, most of her work is to provide support for the two, or use her seemingly invulnerable immortality to buy time and attract the enemy's attention. But it must be said that her strange and incomprehensible ability is quite practical in many cases, and always plays an unexpected role in travel.

For example, right now, she is using the steel bars she has shaped in her hands to reinforce the temporary passage. This ability to manifest "things you've seen before" has quite a few limitations. Basically, it can only replicate metal products. If the structure is too complex, it will not work because it is difficult to be seen as a separate object. For example, if the essence of a large mechanical creation or a mechanical puppet is too high, the strength of the projected product will also decrease. For example, the effects of "Rest" and "Crime and Punishment" are much lower than before. Basically, it is only useful when used to project insignificant objects.

It must be said that what the three of them had built was too extravagant as a temporary shelter. At first, they had envisioned digging a cave, but they found that doing so would not solve the storm problem. If they did not create a deep enough trench, the entrance might be buried by the snow without them noticing, or worse, the storm would directly flow back into the cave.

"Ella, is this really okay?"

"Don't ask me. I didn't do anything like this in Hyperborean."

...So you just acted without thinking at all?

Well, after all, Ella Hepper is like this. Her body often starts to act before her brain thinks. In this respect, she and Lunicia are really compatible - after all, Lunicia often does this kind of thing, doesn't she?

"How about this——"

Finally, thanks to Lunicia's efforts, the originally planned cave turned into a, uh, basement.

Lanterns were used to illuminate the interior to ensure that this small safe haven would not be in danger due to darkness. The ground was flattened as much as possible, and the excess ice, stones, and frozen soil were either thrown out to form a small hill outside, or reserved for sealing. This square basement, surrounded by unmelted ice and permafrost, looked like dark blue crystal, sparkling under the light.

The sleeping area, stairs as entrance and exit, even includes a small cubicle that serves as a toilet.

"Okay, that's it!"

The intense activity seemed to warm up Lunicia's body, so at least she didn't have to drawl when she spoke. Of course, she was now in an airtight basement, not in the open environment of the North, which was also very important.

"You living beings need to breathe, right? Whether you are a flower or a baby bird, if you don't breathe..."

"I'll take care of this problem."

Although the area of ​​this temporary basement is not small, if you breathe without restraint, the oxygen inside will not last long. After all, in order to prevent the blizzard from pouring in, the entrance to the basement must be sealed, and air cannot be exchanged after that. This problem is not uncommon for adventurers. Even if their courses include training on how to hold their breath for a longer time, they will inevitably face the possibility of death due to lack of oxygen when facing underwater, deep in caves, and closed environments.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, Dragon Crystal Technician Kane Wilhelm invented a convenient little prop that anyone can use, the "air ball". Depending on the type purchased, this processed ball will continuously and slowly decompose itself into air or pure oxygen after opening. The speed is roughly consistent with the frequency of normal human breathing, so as not to cause a surge in oxygen concentration in the area and cause accidents.

What we are talking about here is the situation when using legally produced regular products. If it is an inferior product produced by a black workshop, not only the purity of the oxygen cannot be guaranteed, but it may also be mixed with toxic substances, or explode because the oxygen is released too quickly. Therefore, adventurers, please make sure to buy genuine products.

That being said, given the current chaos in the world, how many of the "air balls" available on the market are qualified products? This should be questioned. Since there is no threshold for using "air balls" and the circulation is extremely large, although there are better alternatives to magic props, such as the type that directly draws air infinitely from the air elemental plane, most adventurers will still choose this small prop in the end.

At least this way, the problem of the shelter is solved.

The height is enough to stand and walk around, the length and width can put down three or four sleeping bags, and there is also space for Ella to put a folding desk and an iron coffin. Except for the cancellation of the originally scheduled fire pit due to smoke and oxygen consumption, it can basically be said to be a perfect small residence. This basement camp was actually dug out by three people without borrowing any large equipment, and it didn't take long. It can only be said that strength is indeed a useful thing.

"So, I should keep my mouth shut?"

"Thank you for your help, Lady Luna."

"Please."

Put the last ice brick at the exit and pour water on it. In the extreme cold of the north, it quickly becomes a cold and hard natural adhesive. There is no air leakage, no danger of collapse, and the temperature is much more pleasant than outside. In this small space, I always feel that I will become lazy unconsciously.

After all, this place is like an ice-carved birdcage, narrow but reassuring.

Chapter 4: Rest

"You are the youngest holder I have ever met."

She suddenly said this.

"Young, eh?"

"You are young."

She looked like she wanted to curl herself up in a corner, but this space and this world clearly made her feel out of place.

After all, this world only has black and white water, dividing the sight into the outside and the inside. The only thing that can be seen is each other and the horizon that can never be touched. There are no corners here, no obstacles that can be used to hide. The only thing that the two people who exist here can do is to face each other directly.

Was it because he had let down his guard? Or was it because he had used her once again?

There was no flaming barrier between the two of them, but Lunicia still couldn't see her face as she wished. What was quietly burning in her eyes was a ball of orange human-shaped flame: horns extended from the forehead, bat wings were folded, the body was curled up, and even the tail was wrapped around the body. It was obviously a fire demon with a terrifying appearance and power, but it seemed to be afraid of being hurt, and used this posture to protect itself.

Unlike Lunicia who was engulfed by the orange flames and turned into a fire demon, the fire demon in front of her was not covered with an armored outline, but rather showed the female curves directly as if she was not wrapped in any clothes. Because it was just a flame, it didn't matter at all. The other party didn't feel anything wrong about it, and Lunicia had no reason to feel shy, but she felt a little regretful - she was extremely curious about what kind of face the other party had, but there was only flames flowing silently, and all she could see was the heat burning her pupils.

"Are you stupid?"

"Eh?"

"You and I... aren't that close. But you seem to believe everything I say... Didn't your teachers teach you not to trust others easily? There must have been some, right? I'm a stranger, but you never seem to doubt what I say. What are you thinking? Have you ever considered the possibility that I'm lying to you?"

"Ah ha ha……"

This unknown friend - although only a friend that Lunisia unilaterally recognized - was also saying the same thing today. She seemed to dislike the feeling of being cared for by Lunisia, so she always said such thorny words, trying to make Lunisia distance herself from herself. Eh, is that so? To Lunisia, the components of those sentences were really complicated, and perhaps they could not be simply classified into any one of them.

Naturally, there was an element of wanting Lunicia to hate herself, just as she must have hated herself.

Of course, there is also her concern for Lunicia. Whether it is sarcasm or annoyance, it is always directed at Lunicia's careless style in her eyes, just as if she doesn't want her to suffer because of these reasons. It really has a parental style. Should I say it is like a mother or a sister? It can't be a precocious sister, after all, she is still older.

Ah, that's a bit rude, I'd better take it back.

And there is...

"It's like she's just acting like a spoiled brat."

"Sa...what did you say?!"

The voice sounded just like a frightened cat, and it suddenly rose an octave. Normally, a person with this kind of reaction would jump up, but instead she shrank even more.

"Ah, nothing, I just accidentally..."

Lunicia suddenly realized that it felt strange to say this, and her voice became weaker and weaker, until it finally became like the sound of a butterfly's wings fluttering.

"W-what! Explain it to me!"

"Eh, well, that is to say... because you said something like that, it proves that you didn't intend to lie to me, right?"

What kind of liar would say something like "Aren't you afraid of being cheated by me?", right?

"Perhaps it was to allay your guard—"

"You said something like that, so it's even more impossible that you were trying to deceive me."

"Uuuuuuu..."

Completely unable to refute, the Flame Demon could only hug his knees tightly and let out a very unwilling sound from his mouth.

"Don't worry, I don't trust everyone I meet unconditionally."

"But... you'll still try to trust me, right?"

"Well, probably."

"That will be a disadvantage."

"Then wait until you suffer a loss before you talk about it."

I don't know whether to say that Lunicia is lucky or not. Although she does have the "Realm of Honesty" which can effectively protect herself, she has never met anyone who deliberately deceives her since she started traveling. But even if the other party can evade Lunicia's intuition and the detection of the Realm of Honesty, there is still Ella, a travel companion who basically doesn't trust others, so Lunicia is not very worried.

"Anyway, let's get back to the topic at the beginning." Lunicia clapped her hands gently, "How do you say young?"

"You are only... twenty-one."

"It has been mentioned before."

Lunicia nodded.

At the age of 21, she is considered a rare genius in the entire Glory God Court. Even though the Holy Knights of the Glory God Court have a method to quickly improve their strength through "pilgrimage", only a few people in history have achieved the level of Lunicia. Solid basic skills, top-level swordsmanship, powerful weapons, reliable companions, and immortality, these factors together have made it possible for Lunicia to continuously challenge powerful enemies and tear through desperate situations since the beginning of the "pilgrimage". If it were an ordinary Holy Knight, he would not be able to do this, and the speed of improvement would be slower.

However, Lunicia herself did not realize this. After all, she had not even seen a colleague during this period of time.

Unlike the west side of the continent, the three glorious faiths on the east side of the continent have not occupied much status, or it can be said that the faith atmosphere on the east side of the continent is not strong. Even in the core area of ​​the Alexander Church, Myland, not everyone believes in Alexander the God of Time. This is impossible in Zelhar. This can also be seen as the residual influence of the Kingdom of Nasaran.

"Those previous... holders, although they were much stronger than you, the youngest one was probably twice as old as you. As for humans,...

"Wow……"

Twice as old, which means the youngest one is also over 40 years old?

This is not surprising - it is only a little difficult to understand for people like Lunicia who have always witnessed young talents - the one who can wield the "Avenger", except for a "saint" like Lunicia who is favored by others and God, must be a holy warrior with powerful strength. Forty years old is already considered a genius at this level.

By the way, the life span of modern humans is generally between 120 and 150 years old. Compared with the long-lived elves or dwarves, they reach their peak faster, but if there is no breakthrough, their strength will decline faster. I don’t know whether this is a blessing or a curse.

"They are all holy warriors who are much more mature, powerful, and formidable than you... and holy maidens as well, though their evaluations are the same."

"This statement is really hurtful..."

There was no sign of hurt in her tone. After all, although Lunicia kept saying to her travel companions, "You can rely on me," she still felt that there was a big gap between her and the seniors in the Divine Court—especially the gap between her and the "Black Summoning Blade," so big that Lunicia could not see the possibility of catching up.

However, defeating an enemy that could only cause mutual losses to even Sethin, this can be considered as progress, right?

"Only you."

The Flame Demon said this softly while curling up his body.

"Only you, the one I have been watching since you were the weakest... a clumsy, immature, green, weak, powerless, reckless paladin, and a saint. Every time you try to be strong, you mess yourself up and leave yourself covered in scars, and in the end I have to clean up the mess."

"Does it bother you?"

"This question... has been answered before..."

She was clearly scolding someone the moment before, but the next moment her voice became even lower.

"The previous owner... only needed to use a portion of my power at most. Only you would let me take over your body completely because of your chaotic fighting style... Knowing that you will lose control, don't keep doing this kind of thing..."

"Ah ha ha……"

She is worried about herself.

She was not the first, nor the only one who cared about her, but even so, this feeling still made Lunicia feel warm in her heart. She felt that as the number of such conversations increased, the distance between her and herself was getting closer and closer, and there was no longer such a thick barrier between us like at the beginning.

However, she has not yet fully accepted herself as the youngest and weakest holder.

"Also..."