"To think those who broke away would cause such trouble..."
At the headquarters of Nostalgia—the organization formerly known as Unifilar—the beautiful automata Elena was deep in discussion with its two leaders.
"The location seems certain, then," Elena said, her voice like the clear ringing of a bell.
"It would appear so," Jules replied.
The place she spoke of was known to the public as the Schurilee Ruins. In reality, it was the site of a fort from the Great Magic War, which the old Unifilar had renovated and used as a base. Located further west than the current headquarters at the Kashimnole Ruins, it had been a facility dedicated primarily to research and development. Now that the organization had rebranded as Nostalgia and scaled down its operations, it was one of the many bases they had abandoned.
"And the ringleader is likely..."
"Ronder, I'd wager," Donald said.
"There is little doubt of that," Elena agreed.
Ronder had once been one of their subordinates, a highly talented magi engineer. However, his overactive ambition made him difficult to work with. On the other hand, brainwashing him was deemed out of the question, as it would have stifled the very creativity they needed for his work. Consequently, he had been assigned to a remote laboratory to develop magic tools and improve golem designs.
"So, what do you propose?" Jules Rolant, the head of Nostalgia, looked to Elena for her thoughts.
"Please prepare two combat golems for me. I shall go there myself."
"You, Elena?! Isn't that too dangerous?"
"No. At present, I am the only one in Nostalgia who can move about openly without drawing undue suspicion."
"...Very well," Donald Callow, the number two and head of the Technology Department, interjected with a pleading note in his voice. "But please, take four combat golems and one Universal Golem with you. We will also prepare two hot air balloons for the journey."
"I understand. My Lord, Master Donald, thank you for your concern."
Elena and her escort of four combat golems departed in two hot air balloons—a term Nostalgia had continued to use since the Unifilar era. One balloon carried Elena and two combat golems, while the other carried the Universal Golem and the remaining two combat golems.
The distance between the Nostalgia headquarters and the Schurilee Ruins was approximately sixty kilometers. After about two hours of flight, the ruins finally came into view beneath them.
"Let us descend about two kilometers away from the site," Elena ordered.
The surrounding terrain was rocky, providing ample cover to hide the hot air balloons. After spotting a suitable flat patch of ground, the two balloons touched down.
<<Lady Elena, how shall we proceed?>> the Universal Golem asked.
"First, let us check the furthest emergency exit."
<<Understood.>>
Since Elena and the others had been the ones to originally modify the base, they knew the location of every such exit.
"That rock was the marker, if I recall."
A spire-like rock stood ten meters tall against the landscape. Exactly five meters due west from its base sat a squat rock that served as the outermost emergency exit.
"It doesn't look like it has been tampered with."
It made sense; the exit was a secret known only to the executive-level members.
<<Whether Ronder was ever told of its existence... there is no record of that,>> the Universal Golem added.
"Regardless, let us enter the base from here."
<<It is too dangerous for you to lead the way, Lady Elena. I shall go first.>>
"It's fine. Trust me."
<<Even so, there is no replacement for you, Lady Elena, whereas there are any number of replacements for me. Therefore, I must insist. Besides, in terms of raw combat capability, I am currently—>>
Had this been the Elena once feared as the Golden Destruction Princess, the situation might have been different. However, the current Elena, who had been defeated by Reiko and subsequently restored by Jin, possessed physical strength no greater than a human's, even if her reaction speed remained exceptional. In contrast, the Universal Golem possessed physical capabilities over fifty times those of a human.
"Hehe, quite right. However, Ronder shouldn't know that I am weaker than I once was."
Back when she had been defeated by Jin and the forces of Hourai Island, Ronder had been sequestered away at the Schurilee base, focused entirely on his research.
<<I follow your reasoning. However, I still wish to accompany you. On this point, I will not yield.>>
"Well, I suppose that is a fair compromise. In that case, let us all go in together."
With the matter settled, Elena performed the necessary sequence to open the emergency exit. A hidden mechanism hummed as the rock shifted, revealing a dark passageway.
"Now, let us go."
They entered the passage in a cautious file: two combat golems in the lead, followed by the Universal Golem, then Elena, with the final two combat golems bringing up the rear. The door slid shut behind them.
The tunnel was pitch black, but every member of the group was equipped with night vision, so they proceeded without difficulty. They moved with measured steps, making as little noise as possible. Elena searched her memory as they walked, confirming that as an emergency route, there shouldn't be any surveillance cameras or alarm systems installed in this section.
Finally, they arrived at the door that separated the emergency passage from the main facility.
(Everything has gone smoothly so far, but the real challenge begins now... I don't hear anything on the other side.)
<<Lady Elena, I shall open it. Please step back.>>
The Universal Golem moved to the front. Elena stepped aside, letting the golem handle the task. He opened the door as silently as his mechanisms allowed.
(Empty.)
Unlike the tunnels, the main corridors were illuminated by magi-lamps, though the light was dim. While the visibility was an advantage, it also meant they could be easily spotted. The corridor was perfectly straight, offering nowhere to hide.
(It's far too quiet...)
There was no sound of movement, and a thin layer of dust covered the floor.
(This is actually a problem.)
The dust would preserve their footprints like a map of their intrusion. Seeing no other option, Elena used the wind magic Breeze to gently swirl the dust behind them, erasing their tracks as they moved. It was a bold tactic that she could only perform because, as an automata, she didn't have to worry about the dust making her cough.
The group eventually reached the central hub of the base.
(We must be even more vigilant now.)
Yet, even here, there was no sign of human activity.
(Is he... downstairs?)
Most of the base had been carved into the heart of a rocky mountain and reinforced, meaning it wasn't "underground" in the traditional sense. It was more like a facility built inside a small-scale version of Ayers Rock. However, the old Unifilar had excavated a lower level to serve as a basement, and that was the "downstairs" Elena had in mind.
(The laboratories are down there. That is likely where Ronder is hiding.)
Elena led the way toward the stairs. Still, the facility felt utterly abandoned.
(Could my assumptions have been wrong?)
Just as the doubt began to take root, a sharp noise echoed from the direction of the laboratories.
"Someone is there."
<<I will investigate.>>
The Universal Golem spoke with resolve and stepped forward before Elena could even respond. He came to a halt in front of the laboratory door and pressed his sensors against it to listen.
After a few moments of silence, he suddenly burst through the door, a move that made Elena jump in surprise. A minute passed as the Universal Golem disappeared inside.
<<Lady Elena! In here, quickly!>>
The golem's voice was loud and urgent.
"What is it? What happened?"
As she hurried toward him, Elena felt a cold prickle of dread. Something entirely unexpected was waiting for them.