COI C40
In Sea Shore Bay district office, Emerald is walking back and forth worrying something she had to report to the new officials. Alongside with a staff with a different assignment. She continues to worry as she thinks
"Myrrkei, why is it you're always the center of attention? We just met at the beginning weeks in the summer. Not even an entire month, you are already caught attention from the government"
Her worries turned to anger as she has her thought in different groups.
"Why the government? It's the department of medicine and health should've been researching this, not the government"
The meeting room door opened and the staff called out to them.
"Emerald and Belle, please enter the meeting room. The superiors are ready to commence the meeting"
Both of them entered the room where only three officials are here. All young with their auras to have powerful presence once they see them. Emerald couldn't believe what she heard before, now she sees them, there were no signs of the old government members since the changed. The staff announced
"Please listen to the reports of Emerald Diamond and Belle Aue-Gold, these reports are related tohealth and education"
The staff introduced one of them and Emerald was the one to step in.
"Thank you all, I am Emerald in the research department. I am reporting under the description and analyzation from Enders Bridge researcher sole name, Myrrkei. It is an absolute conclusion that foreign invasion of the ecosystem entangled between Isekai citizens and mana related symptoms. After the death of many suspects in the zone, including the incident of Horsin’s help, which leads to the appearance of a dark blood lurker"
She showed them a picture of a dark slime inside the glass container. The slime remained stasis until they pulled it out in the containment unit.
The slime didn't act like any slime what they envision, but it acted a snail to slither out from the container. It moves faster when it is closed to a nearby mana source and engulfed it.
"Inside the slime is a living organism incubated, you can see that's when neutral mana made it to be more proactive. More or less, future experiment will be done in an isolated and safe area. Furthermore, the source was mutated realizing one to all of the patients already had the disease. Leaving it to chase neutral mana source where it could find. Unfortunately, there was no information the amount and capabilities it could do when infecting at least one of the citizens"
Back to the video where the dark slime's insides, organism began to grow once every mana it consumed. According to the measurements, it consumed a thousand or more mana points by what magic item stored. Once a bacterial organism, it grew a second cell of itself. The officials were already expecting new dangers they would come across, but not like this. It's beyond from a fantasy perspective but more of a dark fantasy. It's like everything had magic within this world, even the microorganisms. Emerald continues
"If you wished to terminate the research quickly, then the only solution is a high concentration of cleansing or holy water . . ."
". . . As in any kind of liquid that doesn't contain any neutral mana. For example, rivers or lakes exposed by Alga's light. It also a new observation if the dark slime actually survived from the cure. Then let the research department cooperate all departments to secure the epidemic"
Emerald ended her report and explained it to them. "Myrrkei had already known about its existence, but never see its fullest extend especially their mages didn't have godlike powers such as us. You can read the short report that he too hadn't known its actual threat until now"
The officials ask her. "I heard there was a cure, but never tested a disease this big. Is there any chance to anyone will cause another accident?"
"What we found was a bit troublesome, and worse than you think. We conclude that it is common to occur to the Horsin people to release the disease, but rarely occurred with our own citizens. The citizens’ bodies are indestructible until they ran out of their own mana, they could be bleeding once they are attacked. Luckily, we are making a project to have a better diagnose to any signs of mana related disfunctions. It will be ready for upcoming of winter"
They don't like what they heard, but more logically respected time to test and release it. The great mind needs more time, and this is also a new evolved strain because of them.
"Is there any chance that it could become a pandemic?"
"Then we have to flood the area with the river water we had. Our team already storing it in a different water plant"
One of them is relief. What they are living now is much better of a paradise than surviving again like before. Other official felt a bit suspicious about the Enders and opened up to them.
"Did anything happen to the rest of those volunteers?"
"None, for more to the point, they want to continue"
The officials were doubting about them before, and it felt a bit coincidence of their survival too.
"That's a bit over committing of their work, don't they?"
"Don't suspect them, Justice, I have another report to hear about them later on"
"Or maybe they are against us"
The official at the middle nod at him, and the other one was a bit surprised "You agreed? Why's that"
"Remember the tournament, they already declared by the Lady of Agatheus City"
"Tch! Like they get a hold of our might"
"Be quiet Justice! You have nothing to argue what you seen during that goblin's challenges. Even the great Truefan fell against a doll"
"You mean the Horde Chiefs"
They continue to argue as one of the staff stops them where there are in a meeting.
"Alright, Doctor Diamond, you may leave or stay here and listen the other report. Mrs. Aue-Gold, please shows us your report"
Mrs. Aue-Gold bows to Emerald and she responds, she later bows in front of the officials.
"Thank you, and this is the official future plan for the education committee"
The powerpoint shows the schools within this city, including different courses. One of them have different facilities and their own services. A more troubling fact that there is only one college but only suited for public government training.
"I am Belle Aue-Gold, a council member from the education department. As you can see, we can't have enough facilities to teach all the students from elementary to colleges. We need segregate all professions what each school can master. We found out different kinds or types of people with different abilities and profession. Neither academic nor practice would help the students to improve but training outside. The mental behavior for being called as overpowered will be blind in each in everyone of them when come across danger. Many first timers had experienced it, and punished severely at the locals"
". . . Before summer starts, more reliable employees from Agatheus City came and fill the role of practitioners. However, the first school actually operated an expensive trip to learn to gather ingredients and more by Sister's hope highschool"
Emerald recognized that school, Myrrkei mentioned one of his guildmembers is working there. She was about to leave, then notice the information about that school’s relationship with Enders Bridge.
"Owned by the former members of the city guild community, and also the survivors of the first Rune Isles expedition, we assumed that they hold great connection in Enders Bridge"
Looking at the power point, many reports of connecting the students’ achievement and failures. It is sad to see the relatives of the famous guilds were giving a bad impression, but others give good results. From other schools, they didn't have any activities during those one last week before the suspension.
"The teachers from Sister's hope request collaboration for their new simulation room, which was a rare item from the Enders Bridge. Even though they are willing to share of making those rooms for the school department, they requested other schools make their own simulation room . . ."
". . . The simulation room is the only of its kind to have an identical world to have such immersion, yet still under development, they can finish it on the new semester after their other projects to make it more modern version than the first one they received"
After reporting about the rest of the schools and their plans, the officials were focusing on the Enders working with that school.
"Care to explain, oh not you Mrs. Aue-Gold. I'm talking with him and this Enders Bridge agreement"
"Then may I take my leave? I am planning for the autumn classes and . . ."
However, Emerald wants to hear about the Enders Bridge situation.
One of them agreed and said "You may take your leave. This meeting is over for you and we will be busy further on"
The staff pointed Emerald to the door and she reluctantly leave. One of the officials noticed her disappointed but a researcher meddled with public service is in a different act of their expertise.
"Anyway, regarding of Enders Bridge planned helping a school"
He look at Justice, yet justice continued "You and Case had troubled to do anything. That's why you are here in the hearing"
"The connections are already there and we already involved in this"
"Case is right, you've been in the public service since coming to this world"
"It's ok Grimoire, Justice will understand"
Justice don't need to listen of his own argument and ask Grimoire for his reason for the Enders involvement.
Grimoire said to them "They offered one of their technologies, we can't judge them lightly and they survived a never-ending siege"
Justice argued "I'm not buying it. I have something to lose when there something more dangerous out there instead of here"
Case had witnessed a lot of things, but not about recovering old techs within this world.
"True, but it was the adventurers bring back new ideas and experiences from the outside world . . ."
". . . Haven't you experienced the new technologies remade with this world's resources?"
The city had turned into an advanced modern fantasy state, Justice wants to admit but reports of deaths scared him. His sole reason for not coming out is this world's rivalry. The rebellion invaded this continent and take over the North coast down to the east coast, and the guilt of his own people what made the east coast more dangerous than it shouldn't been.
Case continues "You mean those same resources were needed for the foundation?"
He wasn't trying to be rude, but that will be an issue for him in the foreign affairs.
Justice admitted it without them knowing. He joined in and said in a straight face
"We are not getting anywhere from this. The impeachment of the mayor was the problem, and we were replacing the old ministries. You two will be handling on your own, but if problems like this that needs authoritative actions. Don't blame me for following the law"
He left the meeting with an unprofessional response. He admits a lot of things being afraid from the outside. He looks back the impeachment and thought
"If we have done it sooner or worse, those guys would never thought about the impeachment"
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Grimoire and Case continue to review about the city’s situation then quickly engaged the analysis about the outside world.
Case takes on it first "Do you found anything about those "dungeons?""
He missed tone on his last word as he is suspicious about it. Grimoire had found something strange about it too
"Loots and rewards are too . . . what our world expected. Something is really odd, right?"
"I agreed, even the city guild higher ups found the monsters between the surface and the dungeon to be . . ."
Grimoire opened up his laptop and show pictures between monsters. From weak monsters to strong monsters, it’s like to see that it is zoned rather than natural.
". . . That's the suspicion, each dungeon is found only closely to the east coast. Where somewhere like the west area only ruins are there but had secret dungeons moved directly east for some reason"
They look at the laptop for any more information, each dungeon is unique and honestly take time to identify.
Grimoire said "Before going to the dungeons, the strange thing when our citizen prospected the area. They have different maps and found out the dungeons are moving"
"Compared by the other locals never seen something like that moved frequently"
They opened up an older file and it was the picture documents made by the elves.
Case continued "An old true dungeon lied beneath the east mountain or the overgrown roots. That is the true dungeon, where the rest are fakes. An old quest handed down before we came to this world, I don't know how the city guild continue to thrive this way"
"That's for them to deal with. It's still the most important fact to know about it"
Grimoire nodded to himself, if they need more data, they should research at Rune Isles.
"The elves already sent the updated version to us. Are we ready to face this new formed dungeon?"
In Ender Bridge, some of the of the Raker Mawn guild members are outside waiting who are left for the Ores quest to return. Archivist is with them talking about the condition of the new member.
"It's been how long? She didn't even take a single quest when she is here"
"Can a person that fall down to our world could handle this dangerous continent?"
"I heard and believed what the other people said. They've blown away of how powerful they are"
"Powerful? They have only neutral mana, the center of all energies. I would be impressed that they have Eldessea"
"It's pronounced Eld'es-se'a, but it’s a pure elven mana. Only that race could bear it, I think?"
"Ehem* about the recruit, did anyone of us managed to get someone there?"
They laughed to each other of the unbelievable, and citizens from Isekai City want to stay a ruined bridge. People here had only three reasons to stay here; Ores, artifacts, and retake the continent.
"About that girl, it's the first time I heard of a common disease to be lethal for them. Is the ‘duyrbld’ really that terrifying to a high mana pool?"
"The blood crawls out from your vein and searching any magic source. It's a good child horror story if you mention it"
Under the bridge, something big coming out from the water. Water surface rose up as it something moving really fast.
A crystal with a size bigger to the bridge width itself. Everyone saw it and the magic users look closely what it is inside. An Enders foreman shouts out from the distance of the bridge.
"There it floats! The ruined recycler"
Many had no idea what the man had said. Others only said something obvious by the look at it. ‘Dexter's’ They can't prove that the guild did that, and saying something they couldn't comprehend that's for them to see next. The Enders guild returned with a massive size of different ores. They sprang out from the waters with more horrifying creatures floating up with them.
Underwater machines floating one by one, the infamous submarine arises with marks by the attacking sea creatures, and others with scuba gears are all accounted and set. The cranes, made with runes and aged machines, are setting up to pull the crystal. Joining in with the Isekai's power machines made from neutral mana, they joined hands on hands. The crystal pulled up with immense force. The Isekai machines took the whole force of carrying it up, leaving many others below saw its efforts with raw strength. Once it reaches the level of the bridge. The Isekai machines were disrupted and loses its power.
The crystal fell a bit, and stops there when it reaches between them.
The foreman yelled "Stop! Stop! The cranes are reacting to the crystal, repeat, the cranes are reacting to the crystal". Looking closely, the people felt like their mana being drained. People who had mana that reacted to the crystal, moved away. The Eldesunes and Rusic noticed them and said
"Another Hero's era artifacts"
"As an archeologist, do you think Rune Isles were controlled by the hero's influence?"
"I have age to remember being part of history, but we never interfere back then"
"That's kind of bad, I read tales about the first well was located in Rune Isles"
"There's nothing we could do after it fell"
Covered by the view at top, people below saw a magnetic trails of ores back down. The difficulty to balance the polarities between their ships and equipment. The crystal with a metallic roots down under water. What they have found was not useful at the time for them, where it attracts metals and powered by neutral mana to get it. They believed it was a superweapon, having such a powerful magnet close to an underground city. Unfamiliar place for them to recognized where everything had no remnant to understand. Rusted and infused of impurities, they are sure that this thing they carried was a weapon.
They went back to their guilds as they already wary of their excavation. Daygen and the others are reading the letters now as they speak.
"Benedictus!? The converts are at it again"
"The cityfolks talk about wanting to meet with them someday"
They thought about the lady who carried Tabitha like a doll.
"We already in the middle of their answers"
"Don't bring out our new recruit into this. She will be researching about the foundation's origins"
"I agreed, but I heard she will be waiting for her recruiter to return"
Daygen looks at the members who stay and watch over the guild. He is an apothecary and Daygen starts to worry.
"Is something wrong with her?"
"Well yes actually, an old disease evolved for some reason. I don't know how much mana she carried, but it was the historians recommended the other treatment"
They thought that they would forget the connections of the past. If Juela would have heard them about it, she will be doing something on her own. The other guildmember warned him with his finger blinks a bit of light.
". . ." The apothecary stood silent and nod back to his seat.
"How far are we going to do a middle guild here?" One of them shows a total four requests, excluded from the rest from Haw and the others.
"Two Agatheans requested an advice between history and landmarks. Two city folks; one with their school and from the city guild"
"I already know the cityfolks' first request, is the Benedictus situation"
"Then that leads to the school . . . Hmm? Everyone read this"
Daygen reads the letter. Reading further as they are the survivors who Haw saved. Many reacted that it would be better off asking
"We need to tell Lord Lori'es about it"
Daygen heard one of their opinions, but none of them are against this. He asks them
"Aren't none of you opposed these requests?"
His guild looks him with loyalty in their eyes. They have their hesitations and doubts. That kind of thinking would be ruining their chances to understand Isekai City's motives.
"The ores are one thing, but the coins they offer are treated its desperation, Daygen. A leader who is ready to test us this moment already prove of your just"
Daygen understood this quote, a former lord once said that when the rebels defected. It is thanks to an old faith.
"All of you might not meet the cityfolks one day, our lord will" Everyone agreed,
but for how long when one of them spread this information to the other Enders guilds.
Guildmasters/mistresses heard more developing news about the project. Gathered together from a far distance away from both continents, in a middle of a bridge where Circoston's ships float in between. All ships from west origins were wreck and weld together into a strong barrier between north and south. The bridge's dangling structure hold together between them, and also a meeting places of such guilds.
"Whose guild that specialized apothecary?"
"I won't say its name, I have done with these forgetful youths"
"My apologies, I can't remember an Eldesune's name guild"
"Ignored it, we have massive outlook on the matter here"
They first focus on their today's work. Pulling out a Hero's era magnetic machinery from the water had taken them a long time.
"It was dangerous to go that deep underwater, I can't imagine to use up that such needed mana that both attract the dwellers and debris combine"
"We already talk about it, just write it off on a piece of paper until your stress went away even it has to be an entire book"
The masters and mistresses had an interesting conversation from the Raker Mawns Guild during their expedition.
"The progression about the sphere that it was finally operating within their city, right?"
"Many guessing it, but it was guildmaster Daygen sent the item to them"
"Then it should be working nonetheless. I have received a message from the Eldesune that we are getting replaced by the cityfolks. After they managed to take down a few reemerged underground nests or dungeons in Isekai terms, they are confident enough to ask their help"
A quiet pause, all seem to be having no expectation from Isekai City. Where the place they were going before null all neutral mana below the continent’s crust, and they noticed they gave each other indifferent expressions.
One of them continued "Then in the near future we will continue to be neutral on this forward on. However, . . ."
" . . . However, Lord Quoatel will decide during our final decisions" The meeting is now focusing on their important matter.
"We had succeeded to collect all mended ores, which are corrupted by mana. It’s useless to use its higher quality metal when the mana bend control of its existence. It needed to remove it and return its natural substances for it was made naturally to do. Now with only raw ores and need of refining, what's our agreement with the cityfolks again?"
"Cured fine metals, for every ton or kilos that is worth 10 sylvs that is less than a kilo or 100 gald for a tonne. Comparing by other cities that paid 80 gald in total together"
"Now bringing a more than 10 tonnes monthly with a recovered artifact or machine, the deposit within the scraps won't be gone. There are still more from the central isles"
"Honestly, they ask for any number of tonnes to delivered through their city is enough, but more components, parts, and even pure elements to an added bonus"
"Either they want to inflated to themselves or they have ideas to do with it"
"The trades were already done to the Purissarwell. They are trading with new types of seeds and plants that is capable only in their world's soil. Is there any good trade between Mountaiwall?"
A silent answer from her question that she didn't care about the relations between cities, and she only cared about the implosion going to happened.
"Ok then, how about Agatheus City?"
"A trade rights occurred between cities, where Isekai City became the center manufacturers for their fast productions. Lead to rivalry between Mountaiwall and them, the main problem for them is transport"
"Just like here, they need transport too"
They already made their decision, and Isekai City's recognition to stay had cause a terrible competition. The four cities themselves provide them what it needed in the past.
Purissarwell's productions of raw materials, Mountaiwall's highest smoking industry facilities on the mountain with excellent manufacturing goods, Agatheus City's production of all foods and all other consuming goods, and Enders Bridge's supplied raw ores.
"The Enders Bridge should have fishing port, but the fishes here are poisonous along with their own tainted mana"
"Again with the eating something from Rune Isles, you won't live that long if you try"
They thought about Isekai City will become a bother where every city had its monopolies, and everything what the cities had lacks the other. Since when will Isekai City become sustainable, and they think about this place.
Nearly into the late weeks of summer, after messages to Enders Bridge had responded. Only 3 weeks left until autumn comes to the season. The swarms are finally bearable for them to get out, and still a nuisance when it got in. A large cargo train remained inactive inside the city, where its train tracks ended where it was summoned had left. The caravans who brought it here had the most difficulty coming here. Not even the sea itself is safe under the close influence of the Rune Isles. The important thing to see the cargo will have refine materials of metals near Taiyou industries.
In the meantime, this will be the storage area for the transports to come here. Same mobile carriage with magic possessed by the Agathean craftmanship and Maountaiwall’s dwarven runes enforced the strength and durability to survive through the forest. Alongside of these containers are filled with tools, materials, and a small amount of resource from the response of Enders Bridge. Highly known people come to this place to collect what they needed.
Along comes by are the city guild and the sister's hope highschool teachers, their familiar faces see each other with an opened glee.
"Alche!" "Illtended!" Both greet in such a happy reunion and both of them talk.
"Are you here from Thean's letter?"
"Thean? No, we are here for Haw's"
"The other teacher? The guy who host the trip?"
"Yup, what brings you here?"
"You know, any leads about east mountain"
The city guild members called out to them "Hey! containers for the school teachers"
They both walk into the cargo and saw a big container made out of a wooden chest, and it stamped by the Lord of Enders himself.
Alche is shocked "Oh my! I should be shock, then again why is there more high ranking adventurers involved here?"
Illtended found theirs and it was a concealed sphere wrapped around see through cloth. Silfa is there along with the other S ranks. They quickly opened it and the sphere turned bright color of light gold. Words coming out from the sphere and it writes "Fully made sphere, there will be no malfunctions" The S ranks’ faces grew excitement and tried their best to spread the information to their fellow adventurers, as they leave, the sphere uncontrollably glow inside their magic inventories.
Within their inventory, they see the lights of the sphere keeps seeping through their UIs. It was alluring to the public eye, and they are force it out in their arms. The look of the sphere is different from the other prototype sphere made by the city. Its golden glow shows off nearly close as sun’s dusk. The adventurers tried to hide the golden light, but it phases through it with everything they had including magic. Illtended embarrassingly told his guild mates
“We better go faster. We might have an accident”
“The light glows brighter as you hold it. Ah”
The bright light is now messing their view, luckily, they are outside of the other districts. There could be no accidents happening when using teleportation. Many people notice the ray of golden light coming near the Taiyou industries. The sun’s light was outshined by the sphere’s, causing more people to notice until they reach the city guild. Too bright to withstand the sphere, many brought their sunglasses to block their view. Somehow, it didn’t phase through it. Instead, it works but covering the sphere still phased through. What a strange logic to have here.
Once they place it, the last moment of touch holding the sphere. The sphere’s lights gone, leaving stranger interaction from the sphere.
“This thing gets more question than we sent the letters to Enders Bridge”
“It’s fine, there is a book and some instruction about this sphere”
“At least it would be your final update, huh Illtended?”
Waiting for the adventurers to see the sphere, they read the book and the instructions as they wait. After a few translations, uploaded to their webpage, and updating their social media, they finally start reading.
Meanwhile at school, Haw focuses first the materials he needed for making the students’ equipment. Thean and the others never seen him focus first the crafting materials than the resources needed for the sphere. First and Second are doing their best to study the content being delivered to them, and as for Quail, she is given by Haw himself a portrait frame.
“Here, place it next to the sphere or anywhere near it. Remember it requires the mind interact the sphere”
“Ok, I got it”
She goes to the simulation room alone, followed everything she was told except activating the sphere.
The empty frame was placed front of the sphere. By only the thought of her own fear, making the sphere react either way.
“What the fuck!? I didn’t . . . Oh shit!”
A terrifying yet quiet squeal of her last words. She closed her eyes, nothing happened. Taking a peek in front of her, she sees a portrait has an actual picture in it. A picture of a white short haired woman, neither old nor ugly, she is beautiful and wore like an Enders. Quail looks at it carefully, as the woman portrayed in a picture looks more formal in dark blackish dress. Without her seeing the picture’s face and focused on what it wears.
The picture moves its eyes in its new surroundings. Through looking with its eyes and moving along its head, and leaving no body to show any motion in etiquette. Quail looks up to the woman’s face, where its face stops and remained still. Later the picture frame fades leaving only the map of the old world.
“What kind of magic this frame has?” As she questioned about it,
her colleagues come with a magic bag containing the solutions they need to find, secure, and control the sphere.