Chapter 53: 48. Eltheria’s United Research facility.

I set off towards one of the buildings, this one was large, toppled on its side and collapsed. There was wood that was charred black, slightly melted metal and stone, and a bunch of trinkets.

"Hey? What was this building for?"

"... that, I believe, was the living quarters... you can open one of those... amulets, to make sure."

I hold onto one of the amulets that were under the rubble, and effortlessly pull it out. There were bumps on the amulet that suggested there used to be a pattern here, but it melted. I remove the soot, and reveal that it was made of gold.

I opened it carefully, and inside, was ash. And a slip of paper. I opened up the paper, it was slightly charred and burned, but some words remained.

Dear ...
I wanted ... ... how you are ... ... hard ... ... ... ... ... what you are researching. ... ... must be ... important.
... was ... ... you ..., ... ... we have ... ... bundle of joy. We ... ... daughter! ... name ... Adelle ... ... mixture ... ... names, ... ... you ... her.
... ... you ... ... ... my time ... of you. ... worry ... us ... ... ... important your work ... everyone.
Don't forget ... ... properly, ... ... can come ... you take care ... ...
I'll write ... ... ... ... can
Love, Belle

That's a convenient way of burning, but besides that, I guess something personal like this being here does confirm that this is probably living quarters.

"So, is this confirmation that these are the living quarters?"

"..."

"Erwin?"

"Yes, this is confirmation."

At least we confirmed it, but I personally don't think we'll find anything interesting there. And, I don't think I should rummage through the stuff of his dead men while he watches. Should I give them a burial at least?

"This building contains nothing to your interest. You should find another one."

I don't really like being commanded by you like this, but whatever, I wanted to leave them alone.

I walked towards the closest building to us, most of the buildings around were scattered across the ground, but this one was the most intact one. As I walked, I decided to ask him a question.

"So, who was that letter for."

"..."

"That letter, was delivered to Adelhard."

I have no idea who you are talking about, but at least I know his name.

"... he... ugh... he never made it back home..., he never had the opportunity to leave... I tried to get him a trip back home, but I couldn't. We all died before I could, he never even saw his daughter."

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry, I don't know what to say."

"You need not say anything, it is fine. I am sorry for acting that way."

...

Let me at least honor his fallen friends, for him.

I put my hands into the ground, and start digging a hole.

"Lisa, what are you doing?"

"Digging a grave."

"A grave huh... there is no need for you to dig one. Their bodies are long gone, there is no need for you to bury them."

"Yeah, I know it's pointless, but everyone deserves to have a mark on the world, no matter how small. It's for their memory."

I continue digging in silence. I pick up their belongings, and bury them. I pray that they'll find happiness somewhere.

I continue on walking towards the next lab, I do hope that their belongings don't burn because of the heat.

"... Thank you, Lisa. You are a considerate person."

"Heh, no problem captain."

"Captain? I shall not question it. Instead, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure thing."

"Have you ever... seen buildings like these? And have you ever spoken with people other than me?"

"Those were two questions. But I'll answer both, these ruins are the first I've ever seen. And I... haven't spoken with any people."

"Interesting."

"May I ask you a question in turn?"

"It is only fair."

I wanted to ask this question ever since I met him.

"Who is Seraphin?"

"Seraphin... there is only one man I know with that name. He is the greatest person I have ever known, wise, of unprecedented beauty, kind, strong, caring, and my mentor. Someone who I will follow no matter what."

Seems that he admires him a lot. That crystal person also asked him for help. Now that I think about it, I wonder if he knew them.

"He had fought for humanity, and saved us from tyranny, he united all of mankind as one. Falling under the collective banner of Eltheria. But he did not erase the past of each of the cultures of humanity."

"Woah, that's pretty incredible."

"It is indeed, I wonder, would it interest you to hear more about humanity. And all of what we had achieved?"

"Eh, sure, give me just the most interesting parts."

"Hah, you truly resemble a human more than I could ever imagine, very well. I shall tell you of a few notable achievements."

Oh? He is starting to see me as a human? To be honest, there are no disadvantages to him seeing me as a human. In fact, maybe he'd trust me more. But enough of this stupid utilitarian talk, I just want to talk normally to him. Man, there's so much dumb stuff I wanna say! But I just can't bring myself to say it. I don't want to be seen as weird.

"On the surface, there is no roof akin to down here, there is only the sky, which expands ... onto the horizon. But high, high above the sky. There is more land to be found. Planets other than our home."

Oh, he's just telling me about other planets. Sorry mate, but I already know all about that.

"Cool, but are there any incredible inventions you know of?"

"Your reaction... was unexpected, I do not know what you mean by 'cool', but I can see your lack of interest in a subject you have never experienced."

Oh crap, sorry man, I didn't mean it. I can't believe I just did the equivalent of replying with ok cool to someones passion.

"... sorry."

"It is alright, perhaps I should tell you something more intere-"

"... Lisa, may I ask you a favor?"

"Huh? Why so sudden?"

"Please, go to the south east of where you are facing right now."

Ay ay captain.

I turn around and look towards an area slightly to the right, I can see something glimmering there. I leap towards it, and reach it within an instant.

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Looking down, I found a greatsword lying on the ground. Melted, chipped in areas, and completely burnt black. Crystals grew from the remaining parts of the blade. And a human arm was crystallized at the handle.

"My... light..."

"Wait, this was your sword?"

"Yes, this... was my partner. The blade I used to fight a thousand battles. The blade I carried through immeasurable carnage, bloodshed, and piled countless corpses with."

"Woah, I'm sorry about that. Do you hate this sword or something?"

"No, this blade was given to me by my mentor. I would never come to hate it. Even with every battle I endured, I still long for those days."

"Hey, do you reckon this sword can be fixed."

"If I were to say, I would say it possibly could, this weapon is not made of rare materials. You would only require sufficiently strong iron and steel. But perhaps, some things are best left as memories. This sword died with its weilder, it would have no master."

"Hey, I can use it."

"You could indeed, but have you any of the materials or skills necessary for such repairs? Despite my credentials as a scientist, I do not know how to smith."

I could lug around this broken sword until I get the materials to fix it. I'm already carrying him, and a bunch of papers. Although one of them is heavier, hint hint. But that's besides the point. Besides, it isn't the sword that I care about.

"Erwin, I don't care about the practicality of it. I'm asking if you want to see it fixed, or do you want it to remain broken?"

"...!"

"Wether I wish for it to be repaired, or for it to remain broken? It does not matter... but, I do not wish for the final relic of my past to fade away with everything else. Although my comrades may be gone, I wish for my blade to remain. Very well, you may repair it."

"See? Now was that so hard? Nothing wrong with displaying emotions or asking for stuff... locking your emotions like that... yeah. That's no good." I stared towards the roof as I finished talking.

...

I grabbed the sword, and then broke off the crystallized arm that held onto it.

"Hey, is this your arm?"

"... Yes."

... I have an idea to break the ice between us, and lessen the heavy atmosphere. I just gotta deliver the line with confidence!

"Do you want a 'hand'?" I say as I hold his arm towards him.

"Hm, amusing. I see your witticism."

Oh god, he didn't laugh! Yikes, maybe using something like that was totally inappropriate. Now that I think about it, it's completely inappropriate!

"Uh, sorry for being insensitive like that. I don't mean to disrespect your corpse or anything like that!"

"What are you upset over? It does not bother me. It is simply an arm without a body, it is nothing more than flesh."

"I mean, like, this was your arm you know? We should have a little respect for the dead... even if the dead person in question is staring me in the face right now."

"I see, although, the dead care not for what you say or do."

Silence loomed around us, and I decided to just move on, I left his arm as it was, and I grabbed the sword. And walked back towards my original direction.

No one broke the silence, and I kept on walking till I reached the largest building. I saw shattered glass on the ground, and the structure was about to completely collapse in on itself.

I held it with telekinesis, then I rotated it to be upright. When I set it down, it rumbled, and one of the walls fell down. Luckily, the building was relatively fine.

"Hey, what building is that?"

"That is the laboratory."

"Oh cool, what sort of experiments did you conduct?"

"Experiments... hm, we experimented on discovering the natural law of the world. How everything worked, such as EP, and the far more curious system. We also conducted experiments to cure disease, and heal damage to any living being."

"Woah, that's really cool!"

"By 'cool', I assume you mean awe inspiring. You could refer to it as that."

"I have to say, you had a much stronger reaction to this than the idea of planets."

"I mean, what you were researching sounds a lot more useful and exciting than astronomy."

"It would appear so if you had never been to the surface, I suppose."

Hey, what was that now? Are you mocking my interests damn it!

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, that you have likely never been to the surface. For mankind, we thought that our planet was the only thing that exists. But, it turns out there is much more than just the sun, earth and moon."

Huh, I guess I always took things for granted. Wait, oh I see now. He's just a space nerd! So does he regret studying biology?

"Huh, you just like astronomy? So why didn't you study it?"

"I am devoted in my work as the head of Eltheria's United Research facility. I have no complaints over my work, and I fulfill it with all of my ability. I do not study astronomy due to the importance of my own work."

Damn, what a mechanical answer! Eh, but fine. I'm not gonna give him a mid-life crisis. Especially after his life already ended. Wait, won't that be a post life crisis?

I got inside the building, most of the rooms had collapsed, and glass, metal, lamps and a few strange instruments covered the floor.

I stepped over them, and looked through every corridor and hallway. One of the halls were gone, and instead there was empty air in its direction.

Eventually, I found papers trapped under the stone. Some of them unreadable from either being burnt, torn, or being covered in god knows what.

I picked up the readable ones and added them to my stash. I now had a books worth of papers. Wonder how much time it'd take me to study all of it?

In the end, at the very back of the building, I found a room more contact than the others. This one was at the back, and was made of reinforced metal. It even had its door there.

I opened the door. Inside, I saw white colored stone on the walls and roof, there were a few lamps on the walls.

A few papers were on the ground. They had drawings on them. They were childish to describe them best, so it was anyone's guess to know what they were. In addition to mathematical problems.

I looked elsewhere, and saw a bunch of toys, although a few of them were ruffled and had cotton sticking out of them.

"Hehe, did you guys have a child here?"

"..."

"Erwin?"

"..."

Why is he so silent?

I kept on looking around. In the corner, I saw a bundle of worn out pillows with some writing and a smiley face on the wall.

The writing read: "To my dear, Megalos."

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