Infinite Dendrogram - Volume 8 - Chapter 4

Chapter Four: The First Night 
Great Miasmic Demon, Gardranda. 
That was the name of the first UBM I’d ever encountered here in Infinite Dendrogram. It was the creature that had gone on to become my first special reward — Miasmaflame Bracers, Gardranda. 
Now, I was facing an entity that seemed to represent the will of that item, and this wasn’t our first meeting. 
My first encounter with her had been back when I’d passed out while fighting my second UBM, Gouz-Maise, in the middle of a dream depicting my memories. 
Back then, she had been nothing but a red-black silhouette of few words, none of them spoken fluently. Now, however, she was clearly visible and could hold a proper conversation. 
“I saw the ‘Coming Soon’ sign a few times,” I said as I looked around the room. “And it looks like it came.” 
“Mm-hm,” Gardranda nodded. “Everything is prepared... I guess?” 
Why does she sound so uncertain about everything she says? I wondered. 
“So, let’s start with a question... What are you, anyway?” I asked. 
Shu and Figaro had told me that they’d never heard of a defeated UBM showing up to someone while they were unconscious. Those two were veterans who had beaten Mythicals and even an SUBM, and yet not even they had ever experienced it. 
Why, then, was it happening with Gardranda? 
Since I didn’t know, I asked her. 
“I am what became of the power and mind that the original Gardranda didn’t use... I think?” 
You “think,” eh? 
“You can also say that I’m the child that was inside her... maybe?” she added. 
“That was a pregnant lady?” I raised an eyebrow. 
Tian lives had been at stake, so I didn’t regret beating the creature, but this revelation did give me a bit of a bad aftertaste. 
“That was the kind of creature it was... right?” she said. “It was like an egg shell... I guess?” 
“An egg shell?” 
So the Gardranda I fought was like a limbed egg, while the Gardranda I’m talking to is like a... true Gardranda? 
“We were a mother-and-child two-layered design?” she continued. “Even I don’t really understand it... I think?” 
“So how is it, really?” I asked. 
“Okay... I’m manifesting like this because I was defeated before the conditions to unleash my true power were fulfilled and I could break the shell and be born... probably?” 
The only reason why I’d beaten Gardranda so easily was because Cheshire had hinted that the core was in the stomach. So, I could only assume that, if I hadn’t known about that, the situation would’ve gotten worse, and it would’ve entered its final form — this girl right here. 
Anyway, though she wasn’t the Gardranda I’d fought, she was Gardranda nonetheless, meaning that UBMs could have a mind even after becoming special rewards. 
That fact made me concerned about something. 
“Could this happen with Gouz-Maise and Monochrome, too?” I asked. Would the man-eating revenant and the black star manifest before me again? 
“It won’t happen with Gouz-Maise... surely,” said Gardranda. “It’s nothing but a vessel now. As for Monochrome... I’m not very sure.” 
“Why not?” 
“It has a longer history and a higher status than me. But its powers are focused on a single thing, so it won’t show... I guess?” 
The “single thing” had to be the skill that I couldn’t use yet. 
That aside, if she was right, I probably didn’t have to worry about those two coming back to haunt me. 
I was ready to send Gouz-Maise back to hell if it ever appeared before me again, but if that never happened, then all the better. 
While Gardranda and Monochrome had been creatures acting within non-human frameworks, Gouz-Maise had been a wraith bursting with human malice and evil conviction, and I had no tolerance for that. 
Needless to say, hearing Gardranda’s words put me at ease. 
“So,” I spoke up. “Why did you bring me here?” 
Last time, she’d wanted to get to know me, the one who’d beaten her, and now, whatever had been “Coming Soon” had come, but I still didn’t really know what it was. 
I have a good guess, though, I thought. 
“Lend me your ear... will you?” she requested. 
“Hm? Sure.” 
We were the only ones here, so I was curious why she saw the need to whisper, but I went and did as she wanted. I gently brought my ear close to her, and... 
“Amph!” 
...she bit into me... Wait, WHAT?! 
“GYAAHHH?!” 
There was no pain, but I could feel it clearly! 
Did she seriously just bite me?! Are you kidding me?! 
“What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted. 
“My mother didn’t get to eat you while she was alive, so I just tasted you a little... I guess?” 
“...” 
Of course. How could I forget that she was a man-eating demon? Well, technically, that was her mother. I wasn’t about to blame her for her parent’s sin, but she was one step away from making a sin for herself. 
“I didn’t bite it off, but I did get a lick. It was good... you know?” 
“Shut up,” I snapped. I felt no pleasure in getting praise for the way I tasted. 
“Now, for the main matter... okay?” Gardranda said as she fixed her posture and looked directly at me before continuing. “Because you defeated a third UBM, you unlocked the third skill on the Miasmaflame Bracers... you know?” 
 
I woke up shortly after finishing my conversation with Gardranda. 
Silently, I reached into my inventory and equipped the Miasmaflame Bracers. 
The item description proved that what I’d just seen had been no dream — the third skill was unveiled and explained. 
“Hhhh...” I sighed. 
After telling me that the skill was now available, Gardranda had gone on to explain its effects... and conditions. 
I could see them before me right here in the menu, and I could say one thing about this skill — it was on a whole different level than the skills you’d usually find on items, special rewards included. 
In fact, many would consider it broken and unfair. 
Sure, it was below the likes of Figaro’s Gloria ?’s skill Fang of Gloria: Overdrive, but the very fact that I was thinking of that when trying to come up with comparisons spoke volumes about it. 
But there was a problem... 
I sighed. “And so, I get yet another unwieldy skill.” 
Even Shining Despair was easier to use, and that one had obscene charge rates. 
The conditions for Gardranda’s third skill were so harsh it would actually be better if I never got into a situation that called for it. 
Basically, it was as unwieldy as it was powerful. 
Still, in the off chance that I found myself in a scenario where using it was my best option, it would definitely be a reliable skill. 
“Hm? Ray. You’re awake,” said Nemesis as she opened the door, ending my train of thought. Her long black hair was damp, and she was clad in a yukata that came with the room. 
Her appearance made me stare blankly and my heart skip a beat. 
“You were still in the hot spring?” I asked. 
“‘Still’? No, I went in there again. After you Fainted, I took you to the changing room, dried you up, put a yukata on you, and brought you here. It made me work up a sweat, so I needed to bathe a second time.” 
I looked down at myself and, sure enough, despite losing consciousness naked, I was now in a yukata. 
“I see,” I said. “Sorry... and thanks.” 
She fully deserved an apology for my misdemeanor, as well as gratitude for taking care of me while I was out cold. 
“Well, I couldn’t possibly leave you there in the cold,” she said. “That’s how you catch illnesses. I didn’t want something like that hindering whatever we would be doing tomorrow and beyond. Also, I don’t mind what happened all that much, but you should definitely apologize to Azurite. She seemed to be quite shocked that she was seen... and by what she saw.” 
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m not sure if she’ll forgive me, but I’ll apologize when I get the chance.” 
“Good. That aside, I have a question for you.” 
“What is it?” 
Despite us being the only people in the room, she closed in on me for a whisper. 
That made me a bit tense, as it reminded me of Gardranda’s bite. 
“You looked awfully composed back there,” she whispered. “Did you actually feel nothing about our naked bodies?” 
Now, that was a hard question to answer. I felt that she wouldn’t be satisfied with any answer I could give her. 
Still, this was all my bad, so I had to be honest, at least. 
“I only looked composed back then,” I replied. “In hindsight, I was probably panicking pretty badly. And, uh...” 
“And...?” 
Urged, I went ahead and spoke the words stuck in my mouth. 
“The sight didn’t get me excited... but I did find it beautiful.” 
Suddenly, silence fell upon the room. 
“...” 
“...” Neither of us said a word. 
It wasn’t a cold sort of silence, but it wasn’t warming, either — I wasn’t sure how to describe it. 
I belatedly realized the gravity of what I’d just said. It made it hard to look at Nemesis’s face. 
“...Which one of us do you mean?” 
“Both,” I answered without as much as a second after the question. 
Crap... I don’t like where this is going. 
“Which one of us was more beautiful?” 
“Let’s leave it at that!” I exclaimed to prevent myself from remembering what I’d seen and comparing them. 
“Gngh...” Nemesis voiced her frustration, and I was afraid to look at her. 
I said way too much, I thought. But I can’t go without saying another thing... 
“Speaking of ‘beautiful,’ you look great in that yukata. It suits you really well.” 
Those were my honest thoughts. Her long black hair, pallid skin, and facial features matched the yukata perfectly. In fact, I’d have gone as far as to say that I’d never seen a person in a yukata look as beautiful as her. 
“R-Really?” she said. “I see...” 

I expected more words, but she fell silent with just that. I was unsure of what else to say, and she didn’t speak, either. 
As silence permeated the room again, someone knocked on the door and said, “Mr. Starling, are you awake? Would you like dinner?” 
The person sounded like a young man. His voice was unfamiliar to me, but his words made it safe to assume that he was a worker here. 
“Oh, right,” said Nemesis. “He dropped by about an hour ago, while you were unconscious.” 
I looked at the clock and saw that it was seven o’clock. It reminded me that Shirley had said that dinner would be between six and eight. 
I guess it’s a good time to have some food, then. 
“Ah, I’ll go right away,” I said, as I took my inventory. 
We both left the room. 
 
The male worker who led us to the cafeteria was... different, to put it lightly. 
First of all, there was a wooden mask on his face. Unlike Azurite’s, which only hid the upper half, this one covered it whole — it only had holes for the eyes. 
Second, his right hand was a prosthetic, just like my left hand had been until yesterday. 
He didn’t seem all that aged — in fact, he appeared and sounded younger than me — and yet he’d somehow already lost an arm. 
I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened for him to end up like this. 
He noticed my gaze and greeted me. I apologized for my inappropriate staring and asked about him. 
Apparently, he had been heavily injured in the war and then saved by the owner of this inn, a soldier himself. However, the injuries had made him lose his memories, and he hadn’t had anything on him that could prove his identity, leaving him with no place to go. And so, after the inn’s owner had cared for him, he’d gone on to become a worker here. 
Apparently, the kingdom had a large number of people in situations similar to his. Many had ended up in their circumstances because of the Tri-Zenith Dragon, Gloria, rather than the war that had followed, but regardless, the scars on the kingdom ran deep. 
Liliana and Milianne, for example, had lost their father in the war. 
Things might’ve gone differently if more Masters had fought for the kingdom. 
Alas, the Masters who’d participated were few, and the Superiors, Shu included, hadn’t been among them. 
I’d heard that this was due to the kingdom choosing not to reward any participants, instead relying only on the Masters’ personal choices. 
The Superiors had all had their reasons for not participating, such as Figaro’s condition (although I wasn’t too sure about Miss Eldritch having a good reason). 
I felt like the outcome of the war had been the result of circumstance. 
Even so, that didn’t change he fact that many tians had probably felt abandoned. 
That fact left a bad taste in my mouth. 
I hadn’t been here during that war. But if something like that were to happen again, I... I would surely... 
 
As the masked youth led us towards the main building’s cafeteria, we passed by many other people who were staying here. They had probably just finished eating. 
Many of them were fellow Masters, who were surely here for the ruins. Some of them were even wearing yukatas, just like me. 
As we walked, I ran into someone particularly unique. My gaze met theirs. 
“Ah.” 
“Oohh?” 
The gaze my eyes met weren’t those of the person — those eyes were completely hidden by the front bangs. The eyes I was looking into right now were those of the chubby cat on the person’s head. 
Indeed, it was a young man with a cat on him. He looked curious even by Dendro standards, and I knew who this person was. 
“Ohhh?” he said. “Well, if it isn’t Nemesis and Raaay. I didn’t expect to see you heeere.” 
“Likewise,” nodded Nemesis. 
“Hello, Tom,” I said. “Why are you in this town?” 
This person was Tom Cat — the second in the kingdom’s duel rankings and the bearer of the nickname “Monster Cat Mansion.” His job was “The Lynx.” 
He had been the reigning duel champion before Figaro took the crown, and he was now keeping Kashimiya — who was in third — from advancing any further. 
Needless to say, he was a big deal. Even if the cat on his head and his mild demeanor made that hard to believe. 
“I’m here to explore the ruinnns,” he said. “Kashimiya seems to have come baaack, so I decided to re-train myself and make some money heeere.” 
“Ah, I see,” I nodded. 
The top three rankers could only be challenged to a ranked duel by those one rank below them. Now that Kashimiya, ranked third, was back, he could challenge Tom for the throne of the second. Tom had every reason to prepare for that. 
This reminded me that, because no one had been there to challenge him, I’d never actually seen him fight. 
He’d never participated in the mock battles, either. Hell, we’d only became acquainted because of a chance meeting during lunch with other rankers. 
“Are you after the ruins, toooo?” he asked. 
“Yes,” I replied. “I’ll be changing my job.” 
“Oh, right, they found a lost job heeere.” 
Leave it to a seasoned ranker like him to already know about it. 
“We might meet in the ruins, thennn,” he said. “Let’s be friendly if that happens. Goodniiight.” 
“Goodnight,” I replied. 
“You too, Grimalkin,” said Nemesis as she looked at the cat on Tom’s head — his Embryo. “Sweet dreams.” 
Grimalkin meowed in response, and Tom walked off, casually waving as he left. 
“What an unexpected meeting,” said Nemesis. 
Seriously. He was a particularly rare encounter among Gideon’s rankers, so I never would’ve expected to meet him in a place like this. 
Also, why can’t I shake the feeling that I met him before our introduction in Gideon? 
 
The cafeteria was really crowded. Which made sense, considering that it was dinnertime. 
“Ah! Mr. Ray!” Shirley saw me and ran up. “I’ll lead you to your table! Thanks for bringing him, Lefty!” 
The masked youth responded with a light nod and walked away to do some other work. 
“‘Lefty’ is his name, I assume?” asked Nemesis. 
“Yeah!” said Shirley. “The name’s based on a Master word!” 
So instead of a name referring his lack of right hand, they’d gone with a name pointing out the fact that he did have a left. The glass is half-full, huh? 
Anyway, Shirley led us to a round table, which looked somewhat off, given that all the others in the room were rectangular. 
I could only guess that the rectangular ones had originally been here, and they’d had enough of them for all the guests in the main building, but not enough for those in the annex, and that was why they’d brought this round one here. 
Azurite was already sitting on one of the chairs around it. 
“...” She silently stared at me through her mask. 
It was awkward, to say the least. It almost made me remember what I’d seen before passing out. 
Still, I couldn’t really act like it hadn’t happened. 
“Azurite,” I spoke up. “What happened was all my bad. I should’ve been more careful... Sorry.” 
Seriously, I could’ve figured out what was happening the moment I’d realized that someone was inside. Also, no matter how perplexed I’d been, actually joining them should have been an obvious, really big no-no. 
“It’s all right,” she said, as she kept staring at me. “You forgave me for attacking you because of a misunderstanding. I can do the same for you.” 
And so, it was all water under the bridge. 
“Thanks,” I said. 
“Again, it’s all right. Anyhow, it’s dinnertime. Let’s indulge ourselves.” 
“Let’s!” said Nemesis, clearly ecstatic. 
In conclusion, the food was really good. 
The delicious, locally-procured ingredients were well-prepared to make a number of excellent dishes. I particularly enjoyed the wild vegetable-chicken quiche. 
Once we finished that main course, I started in on the fruits for dessert. 
Since we’d each only gotten a single person’s portion, I was sure Nemesis still had vast amounts of space in her stomach. She’d probably ask for a midnight snack at this rate, so it would be better to feed her now, but... 
“All I have is Shu’s popcorn,” I told her. 
“Delicious, but not exactly filling.” 
“Some place nearby might still be open. Go get something,” I said as I took 10,000 lir out of my wallet and handed it to her. 
“Very well,” she said as she took it and left. 
It just hit me that I casually handed her an amount of money equivalent to 100,000 yen, I thought. Thanks to all the windfalls I’m getting and Shu’s influence, I seem to be getting a warped sense of money. 
“All righty, then,” I said. 
Azurite had already excused herself, apparently having seen something, so I was the only one left at the table. She’d said she’d pass on dessert, and left the cafeteria. Naturally, her dessert was now in Nemesis’s stomach. 
Anyway, I’m done with dinner, so what do I do now? I wondered. This is a hot spring inn, so now that the girls are out, maybe I should take a relaxed dip? 
Speaking of hot springs, the main building obviously had some, too. This was evidenced by the fact that a lot of the guests here in the cafeteria were wearing yukatas, just like me. 
It wasn’t every day that you got to wear this Tenchi-style clothing here in the kingdom, so it was probably popular just because of the novelty value. However, they clearly didn’t know how to put them on properly. The way they were wearing them was messy, and you could see exposed chests and legs everywhere. 
Most of those wearing them like that were men, though. The women either wore their normal clothing, or had plain-looking innerwear underneath. 
All sexual interest or lack thereof aside, that was actually pretty sad-looking sight. I felt like I was looking at a girl wearing a skirt over sweat pants. 
Thinking this and that, I left the cafeteria. 
Upon entering the lounge right next to it, I found a strange gathering of people. 
“Hm?” I murmured. 
Their ages and appearances told me that they weren’t part of a single group. 
Curious as to what it was all about, I went over to the crowd, discovering that they were surrounding a single man. 
He wasn’t wearing a yukata, but he had no upper clothing on, making him look pretty casual. 
He was wearing a thick set of glasses, so it was hard to tell precisely, but he looked around thirty years old. 
“Doctor, I’m thinking that this is my biggest catch today. Is it?” said a muscly guest, clearly a tian who had explored the ruins. He handed a fist-sized, diamond-looking object to the man with the thick glasses. 
“Ohh, bello... Molto bello, but this is no real gem, yes?” he said. 
Strange how he can sound so foreign when we have universal translation, I reflected. 
“It’s-a false diamond for-a the laser lenses,” he continued. “Bene and largo, but ah, how you say... worth less than a real one.” 
“Oh...” The man with the diamond slumped his shoulders. 
But then the man with the thick glasses smiled. “But there are dilettanti who collect-a many things like this. To them? Molto... Molto prezioso! 200,000 lir.” 
“Seriously?! That’s great! Now I can get something for my mother back home! Thanks, Doctor!” The tian man joyfully put the artificial diamond into his inventory. 
“Who is next?” the man with thick glasses asked. 
“Me! I wanna ask about this metal plate.” 
“Che bello! It’s-a plate used in the pre-ancient civilization’s battle units. Even before any processing, it’s tougher than the weaker magic shields.” 
One after the other, guests presented the man with things they’d found in the ruins. 
I could tell that this was basically a meeting for appraising antiques, but who was that man with the glasses? 
Shirley happened to be passing by, so I took the opportunity to ask, “Who’s that person they keep calling ‘Doctor’?” 
“That is Dr. Mario,” she answered. “He’s a doctor of archaeology who’s been staying with us since yesterday. He said he travels the world investigating the ruins of the pre-ancient civilization!” 
“I see.” 
I guess it’s only natural for ruins to attract archaeologists. I’ve gotta say, though... 
“That name makes it sound like he jumps really high and dives through pipes. Maybe kills viruses for fun on the side.” 
“Wahoo!” the man laughed. “Cinque... That would be-a the fifth time a Master has-a told me something like this.” 

Whoops, he overheard us. 
“Ah, sorry,” I apologized. 
“It’s-a no trouble, no trouble at all... It’s clear that you’re fond of the name, after all.” 
Despite sounding like a fake foreigner, he didn’t seem like a bad guy. 
“If I may ask, what makes your appraisal different from the Identification skill?” I asked. 
“You-a cannot find out everything about a pre-ancient civilization relic with just-a Identification. Non posso,” he explained. “If you don’t-a have the, how you say... special knowledge and skills, many descriptions would-a say ‘Details Unknown.’” 
“...Ohhh.” Now that he mentioned it, Silver’s description was brief, and it ended with exactly that. 
“The explorers here let-a me see their finds, and in exchange, I appraise them for them. Valutare, si?” This way, Dr. Mario got to examine the items from the ruins, while the finders learned the worth of what they’d discovered — a win-win situation if I ever saw one. 
Wait, this is a perfect opportunity. I should get him to take a gander at Silver. 
“Um, I also have something from the pre-ancient civilization,” I said. “Would you like to look at it? It’s not from these ruins, though.” 
“Nessun problema! No problem!” 
“It’s large, so I can’t take it out here. I’ll show it to you outside once you’re done appraising the others’ things.” 
“Nessun problema,” he nodded. “Then please, trenta minuti... ah... how you say? Thirty minutes!” 
“All right.” 
Yep. This is good, I thought. 
I’d get to find out more about Silver on the very same day I’d become curious about him. What a stroke of luck. 
Now, to find a way to kill time while waiting for Dr. Mario. 
 
As I walked around the inn with no real goal in mind, I found Azurite. 
She wasn’t alone, though. She was talking to the masked inn worker, Lefty. 
“So you have no memories of anything before the war?” she asked. 
“Yes,” he said. “Nothing at all...” 
They were clearly talking about the same thing we had talked about while he led me to the cafeteria. 
However, Azurite looked strangely stern. “Are you familiar with the family name ‘Brittis’?” 
“Brittis... Sorry, it doesn’t ring a bell.” 
Azurite looked a bit disappointed by the response. “I see... Could you take off the mask?” 
“I... Apologies, but my face is nothing I can show.” 
“...Very well. Sorry. That was unreasonable of me.” 
“Not at all. Anyhow, I have tasks I must attend to, so I shall excuse myself,” said Lefty, before leaving. 
Left alone, Azurite dropped her shoulders and walked in my direction. 
“Ah!” she exclaimed as she finally realized that I was here. 
I was curious about what I’d just seen, so I went ahead and asked, “Is Lefty noteworthy, somehow?” 
“‘Somehow,’ as in... how?” 
My question had been relatively casual, but... 
“Your attitude made it look like you were confirming something, rather than just asking,” I said. 
“So you can be observant... If only you had used some of this ability before entering the hot spring. It would’ve spared us both the unpleasant experience.” 
“Again, that was all my bad... But there is something about Lefty, right?” 
“There is. His voice was much like that of a friend — one who participated and died in the war.” 
“Well... damn.” 
So this is a day of chance encounters not just for me, but for Azurite and Lefty, too. 
“But his face is supposedly injured, and he has no proof of his identity. His stature and voice are so much like that of my friend’s, though. If it’s really him, I’d love to take him to his family...” 
“Then why not ask Miss Aberratio— I mean, the High Priestess for help? If she heals his face, then—” 
“Do not mention that parasite in my presence.” 
“...Okay.” 
That livid tone had been legitimately scary. Not in the same way as my sister or Miss Aberration, but still... 
Just what had that eldritch monstrosity done to make the mere mention of her name incur such anger? 
“...” 
“...” 
Crap, that’d completely soured the mood. 
It didn’t look like I could do anything to improve this by myself, but Nemesis wasn’t here, either. 
What should I do...? 
“Ray! Ragazzo! So this is where-a you were,” said Dr. Mario as he joined the scene. 
Salvation! 
“Ray. Who is this man?” asked Azurite. 
“Dr. Mario,” I answered. “He’s a guest at this inn. He’s an archeologist who heard about the ruins and came here to this town to find out more about the pre-ancient civilization.” 
“I see... For a scholar, he was certainly quick to find out about this.” 
“Hm?” 
What does she mean by that? 
“So, ragazzo, what-a item did you-a want to be showing me?” asked Dr. Mario. 
“Oh, this guy right here,” I replied as I took Silver out of my inventory and showed him to him. 
Azurite had a far stronger reaction than he did. 
“A Prism Steed?!” she exclaimed. “And wait... this is an original, isn’t it?!” 
“Ah, yeah, he is.” 
“H-How did you get this?! It’s one of the five Flagman units! One of those that hasn’t been discovered yet! It’s on the same level as a national treasure!” 
I hesitated. Her intensity made it really hard to say that I’d hit him in a gacha. 
Looking at her reaction, I imagined that the very idea that I’d gotten a national treasure that way would probably make her faint. 
“Wait,” I said. “You saw the broadcast of the battle in Gideon, right? Didn’t you notice it back then?” 
Considering our talk at noon, I assumed she’d witnessed me use the Wind Hoof bomb. 
“How could I?! It’s impossible to tell the difference from a replica unless you see it with your own eyes! Also, in that motion picture, it was never clear what phenomenon was caused by which item or Embryo.” 
So that’s how it is, eh? 
Oh, yeah... That might’ve been the reason why no one had tried to steal Silver from me — they hadn’t realized that he was the real thing. 
Well, I was a newbie, so I couldn’t really blame them for not assuming that he was. 
“Just how did you get your hands on an original?” Azurite demanded. 
“Well, I guess you could say I know people...” 
I’d hit it at the gacha at Alejandro’s shop, after all. 
“Oh, I see. So it’s all because of King of Destruction... your brother,” she said, nodding in understanding. 
It really helps to have an eccentric older brother in situations like this. Anything goes when he’s involved. 
“Hmm...” While I was talking to Azurite, Dr. Mario examined Silver. 
He focused on him through his glasses one moment, then switched to look at him with his naked eye the next. It was hard to tell through his thick glasses, but he had clear blue eyes that seemed somewhat weary. 
“Interessante,” he said. “Ragazzo, ragazza... this is most-a definitely an original made by Flagman — not a replica. Decisamente. However, it’s not-a one of the five Prism Steeds.” 
“Eh?” Azurite and I exclaimed simultaneously. 
It’s not one of the five? 
“But the description says that he is...” I began. 
“Sì è vero. Correct. The descriptions on Gold and Ruby told us-a that there were a total of cinque, five. On the surface, this Silver is-a part of them... but that’s actually wrong. Scorretto.” 
“In what way?” asked Azurite. 
“In primo luogo, firstly, about the five Prism Steeds that Flagman developed... the five positions are already filled. Un set completo.” 
“They have?” I asked, astonished. 
“Gold Thunder, Ruby Ignition, Obsidian Earth-Edge, and recent explorations of a Dryfean ruin led to the finding of Jade Storm, a wind-based Prism Steed. The discovery-a was accompanied by a text that implied a ‘Sapphire Wave,’ which makes a total of five. Solo cinque. Capito?” 
“So what’s the deal with my Silver?” I asked, baffled. 
Is he a fake...? No, Dr. Mario just said that he was made by Flagman. 
“It’s-a not formally in the five, but it’s close. So much so that even the basic description assumes it is. But it’s actually an unofficial prototype unit, or an experimental one — either of the two. Non ufficiale.” 
“What do you mean?” 
“It’s-a most likely a unit developed with similar standards and a similar base frame as one of the five Prism Steeds, most likely Gold Thunder. Simile, ma non autentico. That’s-a the reason for the error in the base description. This Zephyrus Silver was also equipped with some experimental systems and functions. But, ah... how you say? Non sono sicuro. I’m unable to tell whether it was created before or after the five.” 
I see. It makes sense to think that Silver’s either a test or an experiment. 
So Silver was either a prototype made before Gold’s development, or an experimental unit made using Gold’s spare parts post-development. That was probably the reason why his name was different from the others’. 
“In ultima analisi, it doesn’t seem as complete as the other Prism Steeds,” said Dr. Mario. “And it doesn’t seem as focused on-a offense as they are.” 
It was hard to argue with that. The third skill was still a mystery, but the two skills I could see were just air-running and a compressed air barrier. The Wind Hoof bomb I’d used against the RSK probably hadn’t been intended by the creator. After all, who would design something with the premise that it would use hundreds of thousands of MP? 
Though I doubt I’ll ever use it again, even if I had that much. 
“Speaking of Prism Steeds and their offensive abilities...” I said. 
During a duel race against Shu, Figaro’s Obsidian Earth-Edge had made countless rocky stakes pop out of the ground and galloped upon them with his eight legs like the divine horse from Norse myth. 
Those stakes had been powerful enough to blast Shu’s tank out of the course, and the race would’ve ended right there if he hadn’t brought it back through sheer force alone. 
Are those the kinds of skills he had in mind? I thought. 
“Well...” Azurite spoke up. “Gold Thunder could release lightning matching high-rank ultimate job skills to create an electromagnetic barrier, and use magnetic repulsion to go through the sky at extremely high speeds.” 
I wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with them having the same base frame, but that seemed pretty similar to what Silver did. 
However, I doubted that it cost hundreds of thousands of MP to use that, and the barrier probably provided more defense than compressed air... so it was probably much more reliable. 
Still, I didn’t like the idea of constantly firing lightning everywhere, so I still preferred Silver. 
Silver suddenly rubbed his muzzle on me. 
What’s up with you? 
“Regardless, it’s molto prezioso, a very beautiful thing, so please treasure it,” said Dr. Mario. 
“Thank you very much,” I said, bowing my head. 
The words we concluded with felt like they belonged in some appraisal show, but nonetheless, I couldn’t be more glad that I had asked him about Silver. 
“By the way, are you two-a going into the ruins?” he asked. 
“Yes,” I said. “Apparently, you can get a Prism Steed-related job there.” 
“I’m going there to investigate,” Azurite added. 
Our words made Dr. Mario smile. “Ohh, molto bene! Please do-a come to me if you find something for me to look at.” 
“Sure. We’ll be counting on you for that.” 
With that, Dr. Mario went back into the main building. 
The moment he was out of sight, I spoke up. “Azurite.” 
“Yes?” 
“Is there something strange about him?” 
My words made her look surprised. “You really are observant.” 
“With siblings like mine, you have to be. So, what’s bothering you?” 
“The very fact that we have an archeologist here,” she said as she folded her arms. “The kingdom has banned all the requests and stifled all the information regarding the ruins here. It’s hard to believe that an archeologist could find out about them.” 
All right now, hold on a sec. 
“Stifled all the information?” I asked. “But I easily bought it at the DIN.” 
“Eh?” She opened her eyes wide in surprise. “Eh? Huh? So you’re not here because of some shady information source you got through the King of Destruction?” 
“Nope, this info’s on the market.” 
Azurite sat down and covered her face. “Just what is that news company...?” 
I knew exactly what she meant. The DIN was so well-informed, it was freaky. 
Then again, they had Marie, the Superior Killer, among their special correspondents, so it was far from normal, really. 
“By the way, you mentioned that you’ll also be going into the ruins, right?” I asked. 
On the road to Quartierlatin, she’d said that she was here to investigate, but I hadn’t realized that she would be going in. 
“Yes, I will,” she nodded. “I need to get a grasp on what kind of place these ruins are.” 
“What kind of place could they be?” 
“Ruins are treasure troves, full of pre-ancient civilization technology, but in some cases, they’ve contained dangerous weapons that’ve gone out of control.” 
“For example?” 
“A good one is the Fourth Seafloor Excavation Fortress in Granvaloa. It became a source of countless carnivorous monsters that almost destroyed the ecosystem. In the end, the one called ‘Human Bomb’ incinerated it along with the entire sea space. Mind you, it happened shortly before his final battle against the Dual White Whale, so it was somewhat overshadowed.” 
Human Bomb...? Oh yeah, that’s Koukin Shoyu, Master of Abura-Sumashi. 
I’d heard of him a few times, and I had always been thrown off by how big the stuff he did was, compared to the banality of his name — “antibacterial soy sauce.” 
“I assumed that ruins could only be full of treasure,” I said. 
“Of course, many ruins contain useful technology, and it would be great if this one did, too,” she replied. “If it doesn’t, a factory to create something good would be favorable, as well.” 
“And you are here by the order of some powerful individual to investigate it, eh?” 
Azurite was stronger than even Liliana — the current top of the Royal Guard. It wouldn’t be strange for her to receive such a task. 
“Yes. I... the person who sent me here has the kingdom’s future in mind. As you are aware, this country is on the verge of destruction,” she said. “As things are, it will surely be overthrown. That’s why we need the technology inside the ruins. Resisting what we haven’t been able to resist before now will require something we didn’t have before.” 
She talked while looking at the mountain where the ruins were, then threw a glance down at the sword on her hip. 
“What you didn’t have before, eh?” I raised an eyebrow. “If you’re talking about the war, doesn’t that include Superiors and other powerful Masters?” 
Suddenly, I felt her attitude change. I didn’t need to see the top half of her face to know that she was against that idea. 
“I... no... the one who sent me has no intention to ask for any Masters’ cooperation,” she said. 
I was silent. There was no need to ask why. 
This reminded me of my first meeting with Sir Lindos back in Gideon. It was perfectly reasonable for the people of the kingdom, especially those who’d gone to war, to not think highly of Masters. 
There had been few on their side, many on the enemy side, and our powers were overwhelming. 
Masters were the reason why the kingdom had suffered such a staggering defeat at the hands of Dryfe. There was no room for argument about that. 
Azurite had clearly been Langley Grandria’s pupil, so she knew the pain of having lost her mentor to a Master. The person who’d sent her here had probably lost someone dear to him, as well. 
Therefore, asking why that person was against hiring Masters would be nothing but rude. 
But there was something I could confirm here. 
“You have no intention to ask for Masters’ cooperation, huh?” I asked. “Does that mean it’s fine if we participate on our own? You know, to intercept the Dryfean Masters or something.” 
“Eh?” 
“Tian rules don’t apply to confrontations between Masters, right?” 
“R-Right. That’s true.” 
“Then I’m sure you’ll have lots of people who come, even if no one asks them to.” 
Shu’s face came to mind, then Rook’s, Marie’s, and then the faces of the many rankers and Masters I’d become acquainted with in Gideon. 
Then there was B3’s face and uh... yeah, actually, even Miss Aberration was there. 
I wasn’t sure why, but I felt like these people I’d just thought of would definitely come to Altar’s aid during its eleventh hour. 
Some of them were weirdos or schemers, but I didn’t think that any of these people hated this country. 
Some had Altarian tian friends. 
Some avidly bettered themselves in the Altarian arenas. 
Some had Altarian adherents. 
...I wasn’t too sure about that one, honestly. 
Still, none of the people that came to mind actually wanted this country gone. 
Okay, sure, Marie and B3 had played a part in the blockade, and Miss Aberration was a schemer, but even so, they wouldn’t be able to sit idly by as this country evaporated. 
I was pretty sure that we all liked Altar at least that much. 
“But...” Azurite said, and then fell silent again. 
“At the very least, I know I’ll be joining the war,” I said. “Sure, I know that doesn’t mean much from a newbie who’s not in any ranking, but I can participate by briefly joining the clan of an acquaintance.” 
The idea of joining The Lunar Society scared me, so I’d probably go for Chelsea’s Golden Pirates. 
“So, even if there aren’t any requests for our cooperation,” I said, “I’d appreciate it if you accepted any Masters who volunteered to help.” 
“That’s... not something I can decide by myself.” 
“I figured. It’ll be a big help if you pass that over to the person you work for, though. Sorry if this seems a bit out of left field.” 
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” 
I could see her close her eyes behind her mask’s lenses. It looked like she was thinking about something. 
Oh, right. Speaking of cooperation... 
“Also, can you let me help you out with your ruin investigation?” I asked. 
“Eh?” She opened her eyes wide in surprise. 
“Like I said, I’m only here to switch jobs. Other than that, I’m mildly interested in history. I have the time and I’m not preoccupied with anything, so I’d like to help you out with whatever you’ll be doing.” 
I planned on joining the war, of course, but if the investigation here would also have a great impact on the future of this country, I wanted to help with that, too. 
I really didn’t want to just leave after doing nothing more than the relatively minor thing I’d come here for. 
“But this is my duty,” Azurite argued. “Also, something that could impact the fate of the kingdom might happen there. I can’t make a Master like you be responsible for something like that...” 
“You’re right. It’s your duty,” I said. “But I don’t think it’s something that you have to bear and do all by yourself.” 
“...!” 
“I’ll help however I can, as long as it doesn’t break confidentiality,” I said. 
If I didn’t help and something bad happened to her, that’d leave a bad taste in my mouth. 
“Also, you mentioned being responsible for the fate of the kingdom... I’m kinda already there, you know?” I added. “Thanks to the scheming of a certain bastard in a lab coat... Mr. Franklin.” 
“...Ah.” 
Naturally, I was referring to the battle against the RSK during Franklin’s Game. If it hadn’t been taken care of in time, a horde of monsters would’ve been released into the city. The vile asshole had even broadcast the battle to all of Altea and Gideon. 
“So yeah, considering what I went through then, there should be no problems with me helping you ou— Why are you crying?” 
Azurite was staring at me while bawling her eyes out for reasons I couldn’t fathom. 
Hold on, did I say something bad? Wait, she’s an Altarian tian. Did the very mention of the lab coat shithead resurrect some unwanted memories? That bastard...! 
“Sorry,” she said as she wiped her tears. “You’re right. You were... back then...” 
It was hard to understand what she was trying to say. 
Once done wiping her tears, she looked directly at me. 
“I understand how you feel,” she said at last. “Can I trust you to help, then? With the investigation, I mean.” 
“Of course.” 
“Thank you,” she said as she extended her right hand to me. “I’ll be relying on you tomorrow.” 
“As you should,” I said as took her hand and shook it. 
Thus, it was decided that Azurite and I would be investigating the ruins together. 
 
A record of a certain magical communication 
“Where are you now, Logan?” 
“Just entered Barbaros territory. I’ll be at Quartierlatin tomorrow night. You?” 
“I’m staying at a nice little inn not far from the ruins.” 
“Sure they don’t know about you?” 
“No one in the kingdom knows my face. And I have a web set up. If someone finds out who I am, I’ll be the first to know.” 
“All right. Then we can get this over with the day after tomorrow, just as planned. That works for me. I have things to do on Monday in real life, so... Well, just keep in mind that I can only cooperate until the day after tomorrow. You won’t have me if this takes any longer than that.” 
“Understood. I’ll prioritize your circumstances in this arrangement. I doubt this would take long, anyway... Oh, and I have some extra information.” 
“What?” 
“The younger of the Starling brothers is here.” 
“The younger... him?! The guy who messed up Franklin’s plans twice?! The Unbreakable?!” 
“Yes, the same one.” 
“That is some good news.” 
“Why? I told you about him as a heads-up — a warning.” 
“I’ve had my eye on him ever since he beat a Demi-Dragon at level 0, and him beating Franklin gave him even more value. It’s a good chance to make those who think they’re better than me shut up. So yeah...” There was a pause for effect. 
“The Unbreakable is mine.”