๐๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป
I split up with Himura.
'It seems he's here for something after all.' I thought as I was trying to find a way to the second floor of this giant library.
Then I found a small staircase near the corner, heading upstairs, I arrived on a deathly quiet floor.
"MUHAHAAHAHAHAHA, I AM A GOD!!!" A maniacal laugh reverberated throughout the room and I, although a bit disturbed, followed the voice before soon arriving in one of the rooms.
I peek inside and a middle-aged man maybe in their 50s or 60s was making some weird abomination of technology while snickering to himself.
"Ehm--" I tried to call to him but. "hahahahaHaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I AM TRULY A GOD!!! Hey, girlie take a look at this!!!"
The madman of Kliyer, Likru grabbed my hand and dragged me to his many inventions.
As he rambles on about his inventions, I tried everything to get his attention but every time, I was interrupted by even louder ramblings.
The inventions that he was showing and rambling on about are an armor that practically crushes you if you broke some obvious wire sticking out, A new kind of prosthetic that explodes whenever you tap a small button in its hand, and many more inventions that a madman or an idiotic genius would create.
"AHEM!" After an hour of rambling, I finally snapped so I forcefully got his attention.
Likru became calmer and looked at me with a business-like expression. "Right, sorry about that, and you are?"
"Alice Darkrin, I'm here to ask you about resurrection or more specifically, those replica souls." Ever since I found out about those replica souls in the artificial's bodies, I became restless.
I thought that by recreating the souls of my parents, I would be able to "resurrect" them.
"Resurrection by replicating their souls eh? Gotta admit it this is new. But tell me Darkrin, do you know how these replica souls work?"
"It's kinda hard to explain but it works by putting certain knowledge into it so technically you can revive them by putting everything you know about them."
"Correct, but tell me, do you really think they will be the same person, and let's not forget the fact that they are not truly alive," Likru said as he organized some papers sprawled around the giant room.
"You need to know practically everything about them, their mannerisms, motivation, weaknesses, and so many more, and even IF you do "Revive" let's say your friend. Your relationship will only be the creator and the product" Likru adds.
"But--"
"Answer me Darkrin, are you able to live in a lie? Even if you are happy in the lie, are you willing to throw away everything just to live in a lie? because a single thing can easily break that lie." Likru said with eyes that clearly says that he knows what he is talking about.
I became silent, was I willing to throw everything she has now for a parent that has no will?
Himura, Astoria, and Freya welcomed me as their companion and treated her with no respect.
"If you can live with it, then you can come back here and I will give you what you have been wanting the most but until then, please do not show yourself here." He said not looking at me. As for me, I didn't know the answer to his question but for some reason, I leave. As I passed Himura, He also followed suit since he finished the books that he wanted to read.
Likru sips his coffee brought by a certain individual.
"Thank you, dear." An old-looking woman dressed nicely was on his side as he watched Himura and me in the streets.
"Of course honey. Is there anything. You want?" The woman asks.
"I'm fine for now," Likru responded as he focuses on Himura.
"That boy, I think he will be a pillar that she cannot do without."
"How can you. Say that?"
Likru stands up and heads to his workshop again but looks he looks back at the woman before going.
"Just intuition."
Likru responded with a smile unbefitting him.
*****
๐๐ถ๐บ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ล
I follow Alice as we were returning to the inn.
I know something clearly up but getting close meant helping her in a method I didn't know how to do so I kept my distance.
After a while, Alice finally turns to me.
"I'm gonna need to be alone for a while so you don't need to follow me."
She said with that lying cute smile of hers.
"...alri.ght, ju.st be car.eful," I said brokenly.
"Yep." She responded, her back already turned to me. I watched as Alice left, I looked at her with eyes of envy for some reason.
'Not my business.' I said to myself to make myself feel better about something.
With that in the back of my mind, I leave to go to some random store.
Alice enters her dark room, in the table was multiple books about summoning and resurrection. She lays down on her bed with a complicated yet defeated face.
Complicated because of what Likru said, was she willing to throw away everything to live in a lie?
And defeated because after 96 years of living she has still learned nothing about true resurrection. She spends the rest of the day with her mind a mess.
I saw many kinds of weapons and armor and I couldn't help myself but feel amazed that I was in a steampunk-like era the more I explore Kliyer.
Looking around, multiple although primitive inventions were on display.
'Though they are not as far as I thought.' Soon I found Freya and Astoria browsing, looking at Freya, she was preventing Astoria from splurging all her remaining money, Astoria had a gauntlet which had parts that extended to protect her entire arm and greaves which also had other parts which protected her thigh
'Considering her strength, that armor probably won't get in the way of her speed and flexibility.' I thought as I approached them.
"Hmm, hey Himura!" Astoria waves happily. In response, I waved my hands somewhat robotically with an expressionless face.
Freya as well greeted me and we all decided to go window shopping. "So Himura, you have any coins with ya?" Immediately she asked and I responded in my broken accent. "....I'm n.ot givi.ng it to y.ou."
"Awww, come on, please? just a measly gold will do enough"
"...Is sh.e alrea.dy br.oke?" I asked Freya.
"Yeah that armor actually cost more but after haggling for 30 or so minutes, we managed to get it to a price where she is left with 3 coppers."
"....so s.he can't p.ay for tod.ays food an.d cost for th.e inn."
"Pretty much, so we'll have to go on a quest tomorrow."
"I see," I said briefly.
I particularly found Freya focusing on magic tools and she even bought some like a charm that hardens something tenfold which she attaches to her steel staff.
Whenever Freya and I bought something, Astoria would look at us with jealousy, and only when it came to food that shared it with her.
Soon we somehow stumble our way into one of the towers for industries.
Since it was only in the afternoon, we decided to enter the tower. When we entered, we immediately saw many windows that we couldn't see through outside of the building.
'One-sided windows?" I thought to myself.
Freya and Astoria marveled at the windows before we decided to continue exploring each floor.
The first ten floors were full of future inventions or prototypes mostly from Likru.
Though looking at the areas with fewer people with it are Likru's outlandish and sometimes just idiotic inventions.
'Guess he really is a madman.' I thought as I look at one of his inventions. On floors, 11 to 20 are many public workshops. Each workshop has a glass that both protects the public in case something goes wrong but it also cancels out noise from the outside so that the artificers can focus.
As the sun was going down we decided to leave the tower and went back to the inn. Astoria as if it's natural, starts heading to the adventurers guild.
She was promptly yet forcefully carried by Freya. Even in that armor, she can still carry Astoria easily. Astoria complained about being carried as we head to the inn.
After calling Alice who had messy hair, we all head downstairs for dinner.
The tables in this inn were perfect for three people so I decided to eat alone at the next table as he listens to their conversation.
Even back in Bellken, they always tried to make me join them for dinner but like always I listened in the distance and only listened.
I was in his room late at the night and was in a certain mood. Usually, it was hard to let it out because I was in a shared room but now that I was alone. I left the inn and went into a certain district.
During the day with Astoria and Freya, I was looking for the red light district and thankfully I eventually found it.
As I was walking, he waited for someone to call out to him instead of just going inside an establishment. Eventually, an older woman approached me and showed no resistance to her only blushing slightly.
I left the establishment with a calmer mind but also a bit more confidence. I usually deny the aphrodisiac that each establishment offered so I was often complimented on his stamina.
Eventually, his face became expressionless again as I approached the inn but then, I met someone unexpected.
"Eh Himura?" Alice was in front of me, it seems she came in the direction of the library. Before she noticed me, I saw her face full of defeat and desperation but now it was a questioning one.
"Eve.ning." I briefly said as I enters the inn.
Alice also joined but looked at me with a cheeky grin.
"Did you have fun there?"
"Where exactly?" I questioned while betraying emotion. Thankfully I had a great poker face so Alice doubted herself for a bit.
As we were both about to enter our room, Alice said something before entering. "Don't worry, I won't tell them that you went to "That" place."
I immediately broke down but managed to calm myself. I was not only embarrassed about being found out but was also angry for being the easiest one to tease.
I also hated the fact that I was probably the youngest out of the group.
I dropped myself into the bed, somewhat embarrassed.
As I was slowly falling asleep, he felt dread not from what Alice said but something else.