Amaryllis in the Ice Country

There鈥檚 still one path.

The batteries of the Cradles can only last for another twenty-two hours. We lost the Snow White, and have no extra electricity to spare. In this case, there should only be one single path left for us.

-To head straight to the surface.

The basic directive hasn鈥檛 changed at all. The target is still the generator on the surface. We gather the scattered villagers in groups, assign leaders, and head forth again. If possible, we鈥檒l meet up again from time to time. We鈥檒l continue moving to the surface while being unable to contact each other鈥擨 give these instructions, and we hastily move forth.

The initial gateway is the 鈥楶ath Canal鈥?

鈥擟arefully, carefully.

To avoid slipping, I watch the steps as I climb the ladder. Going first is Eisbahn, and then Viscaria, followed by a team of a hundred villagers. Adults, children, everyone is carrying a Cradle, wordlessly climbing up. This mass exodus of robots is reminiscent of refugees who lost their hometowns due, wounded, and slow-footed, but despite this, the only way to live is to move forward. There鈥檚 no battery malfunction, no certainty that we can make it to the surface, and the aftershocks that strikes like pursuers. Whenever the aftershocks happen, we can only climb the ladder with all our might. A despair more gripping than anguish fills the atmosphere, and I can only give encouraging words through the wireless from time to time.

The path before us looks exceptionally perilous.

鈥淪top鈥?鈥?

I grab the ladder and give the signal. The villagers behind me stop in unison.

I look up, and see a block of ice obstructing us. How many obstacles has it been over the fifty meters since we left the REM forest? I can鈥檛 be bothered to count.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the situation now?鈥?

鈥淏y my estimate, about 1.4 tons. It鈥檚 hollow on the other side. We can take it out easily!鈥?

Viscaria taps at the portable monitor at her hand, and it clearly depicts an upright visual.

鈥擱ight!

After the form analysis is done, I give a signal through the wireless.

鈥淧repare to shatter the ice! Everyone hang onto the wall inside of the ladder! Make sure the Cradles are close to the wall!鈥?

After giving this warning that鈥檚 already a template by itself, I wait for the moment.

鈥淎ll villagers in position!鈥?

Viscaria checks the monitor, and notify me that all the villagers are in position to evade.

鈥淎lright, Eisbahn!鈥?

I give the call sign, 鈥淟eave it to me!鈥?and Eisbahn extends his arm out to the ice block above us. A dazzling blue light extends from his fingertips, and the 鈥楶hantom Blade鈥?signature move is unleased. The dark tunnel is lit like day, and a fleeting blue space is unraveled.

鈥淗aa鈥?鈥?

With this sound, the blue saber flashes. A line appears on the ice block above our heads, and the severed surface collapses.

鈥淎nd that.鈥?

鈥淣ext obstacle is 12.6m ahead.鈥?

Viscaria flatly notes as she checks the monitor display.

鈥擭ot again鈥?

A little advance, and we have to stop, warning, cut, check clear. Sometimes, we have to do emergency checks on the malfunctioning Cradles. We鈥檙e going at the pace of three steps forward and two steps back, but there鈥檚 no other way out of this.

鈥淟et鈥檚 go!鈥?

I suppress the anxiety I have inside my head, and reach my head for the next ladder.

鈥淗ah!鈥?

And with a blue light gliding past the darkness, the ice fragments rain down the tunnel like hail. Ice, destroy, advance, ice, destroy, advance鈥攖his boring work continues, and everyone remains silent due to anxiety and uneasiness. 鈥淎hh~ahh~, this is troublesome鈥?鈥?Eisbahn alone is grumbling in such an atmosphere, and it鈥檚 strangely such valuable respite.

鈥淪eriously, stop grumbling and get to work鈥?鈥?

鈥淕ot it!鈥?

鈥淵es, next!鈥?

鈥淗ehe鈥hh, it鈥檚 because you like commanding robots, Amaryllis,鈥?

He continues to swing the blade as he grumbles, the arcs so bold yet delicate. The destroyed shards of ice fall into the Path Canal, down the path as planned.

鈥淎h, wait!鈥?

At this moment, Viscaria calls out,

鈥淲hat is it?鈥?

鈥淗old here. It鈥檚 the checkpoint.鈥?

She shines the light at the rocky wall of the tunnel, and there鈥檚 a horizontally hole.

鈥擜h鈥?

鈥淭he work tunnel鈥??鈥?

鈥淥f course.鈥?

I stare intently at the hole. Most of it is buried by the collapsed rubble, but there鈥檚 no doubt that it鈥檚 the work tunnel I used. I have been climbing the ladder and checking that the villagers are safe, and I never realized that we鈥檝e arrived.

鈥淓isbahn!鈥?

鈥淗ehe. Looks like we鈥檙e going to dig there鈥h my.鈥?

Suddenly, he stops.

鈥淲hat is it?鈥?

鈥淚 guess it鈥檚 not my turn here.鈥?

鈥淓h?鈥?

At the next moment,

With a loud explosion, the rubble inside the tunnel are all blown aside. This power comes from the other side.

And then, a nostalgic voice echoes,

鈥淚s everyone fine, no!?鈥?

鈥淵es, open your arms wide and move slowly! No need to rush!鈥?

We build a bridge with enhanced wires, and have the villagers, totaling more than a hundred, pas through. Eisbahn waits under the bridge, making sure it won鈥檛 collapse.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here!鈥?

The children pass through the bridge, and give me a smile, looking as though they just played an interesting game. I鈥檓 healed by their innocence.

鈥淵ou worked hard there. Good, good.鈥?

I pat a child on the head, and the other children who crossed the bridge are yapping away, 鈥淎hh, that鈥檚 too much. I want one too!鈥?鈥淢e too me too!鈥?approaching me.

鈥淣o, no, everyone鈥檚 crossing the bridge. Okay, next!鈥?

A lot of time is needed to have more than a hundred villagers, but if anyone one is to slip off, it鈥檒l be over; the villagers are resting at the outer wall of the tunnel at the end of the long ladder, giving relieved looks.

鈥擧m, very good. Looks like there鈥檚 some hope.

We鈥檝e made it through less than half the journey, but there has yet to be any martyrs over the past three hours. It鈥檚 really wonderful to be able to reunite with G?tz again after all that happened.

鈥淲e鈥檝e take a little break here! Put all the Cradles next to the wall! Check on your conditions immediately! Anyone who needs parts can ask Viscaria here!鈥?

I give the instructions, and start checking the Cradles that are lined deep into the tunnel. There are some with batteries that are over drained, but the only thing we can do here is to switch over to power saving mode. Due to the earthquake, we lost almost half of our spare batteries. The electricity issue is almost critical.

鈥淎 hundred and three in total鈥?鈥?

Including the Cradle from G?tz, there are a hundred and three. After the checks, I fold my arms, and start to think. A lot of Cradles have batteries that can last for almost twenty hours, but there are quite a few that have only fifteen hours鈥?worth of battery. The Cradles can adjust the temperature accordingly based on the external air, and thus, there are variances in the rate the electricity is depleted.

鈥淕?tz, may I have a moment?鈥?

鈥淚s there something?鈥?

鈥淎bout the advanced team you went with鈥︹€?

I ask tentatively, 鈥淵es鈥︹€?and G?tz gives a grim look.

鈥淚ncluding this me, all hands were buried alive. Only I managed to escape successfully.鈥?

鈥溾€︹€?

鈥淚 would have saved them, had it not been that they fell into the deep crack鈥︹€?

G?tz spoke grimly, 鈥淎 failure am I.鈥?he lowers his head dejectedly.

鈥淣o, this isn鈥檛 your fault. Nothing could be done about that earthquake.鈥?

鈥擴gh鈥?

I bite my lower lip without anyone looking, and start checking on the Cradles again.

Our troubles continue.

鈥淲hat? Can鈥檛 we just break through here?鈥?

Eisbahn says with displeasure.

However, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 impossible.鈥?Viscaria denies him immediately.

鈥淚f we continue moving forward, we鈥檒l have to keep cutting blocks of ice. You鈥檒l end up depleting all the electric power, and have to retire.鈥?

鈥淏ut鈥︹€?Eisbahn stamps on the ground lightly. 鈥淗ow much of a detour will this be?鈥?

鈥淲e got no choice here. We can鈥檛 waste our electricity, and we鈥檒l have to use the path we have now, even though it鈥檚 a detour.鈥?

鈥淪urely in our masters鈥?world, there鈥檚 the saying 鈥榟aste won鈥檛 do the job鈥?鈥?

G?tz too joins in the lecture, 鈥淗mph.鈥?Eisbahn looks extremely miffed.

鈥淲hatever works for you.鈥?

鈥淭rust me here. Please, just once.鈥?

It鈥檚 rare for Viscaria to be begging.

鈥淲ell, it鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 doubting your calculations here鈥︹€?

Eisbahn looks all the more miffed, and stabs at the ice with his heel. This is a marking for cutting with the saber.

鈥淚s this fine?鈥?

鈥淢ostly. It鈥檚 about two meters thick. Try digging it like it鈥檚 a manhole.鈥?

鈥淵es, yes.鈥?

Eisbahn slouches his back, and follows Viscaria鈥檚 calculations as the Phantom Blade immediately gives off a blue light, stabbing right into the ground. He then moves his body around slowly, creating an arc.

After ten seconds, the cut off part sinks in, and a round hole appears like a hole on a frozen lake.

鈥淪o this leads into the underground tunnel?鈥?

I ask as I look into the hole. It鈥檚 completely dark inside, and nothing can be seen.

鈥淩ight. Head East from here. We鈥檒l finally reach the path leading to the surface. It鈥檒l be a long detour, but this is the move that saves the most electricity.鈥?

鈥淚 see鈥鈥檒l go first then.鈥?

The electronic meter detects the depth to be at least ten meters. I lower the rope, check that it鈥檚 down, and enter the hope.

鈥擧ow far more do we have to go?

As I head down the rope, I recall the words Eisbahn said,

He鈥檚 right too. We鈥檙e trying to hurry to the surface, yet we have to go down. This really gives an unappealing feeling. The other villagers are feeling the same, 鈥淲hy are we heading back?鈥?Daisy鈥檚 voice enters the wireless.

鈥擠on鈥檛 get anxious. Don鈥檛 get anxious.

I continue to descend down the rope, shaping my legs. The hardness of the ice reaches the soles of my feet, and I know I reach the bottom. How long will it take for us to lower the Cradles one by one? I feel really uneasy.

鈥擠on鈥檛 get anxious. Haste won鈥檛 do the job. Haste won鈥檛 do the job.

I mutter to myself, as though I鈥檓 uttering a mantra, and I feel a little relieved.

I look up, and see a round full moon-like ring in the darkness. The villagers will be descending the rope from there.

Suddenly, I have a feeling that everyone鈥檚 sucked into the darkness, and I can鈥檛 help but quiver.

We continue on wordlessly in the dark tunnel.

Rsst, rsst. What we step on isn鈥檛 snow, but the corpses of the work robots. It鈥檚 one thing if they are metal plates shattered due to frostbite, it鈥檚 eerie if they still had their limbs or heads intact. However, if we want to advance, we have to step over them.

鈥淚t鈥檚 long鈥︹€?

EIsbahn grumbles behind me. 鈥淵eah鈥︹€?I too mutter back. The little conversations we have ends here, and all that鈥檚 left are some little mumblings.

And this heavy atmosphere lasts for an hour.

鈥淗ey, aren鈥檛 we there yet?鈥?

I ask Viscaria.

鈥淎hh, it鈥檚 near. Just a minute more and we鈥檒l reach.鈥?

She answers as she looks at the portable terminal. There are more than a hundred lights lined up in a row on the screen (These are us), and there are ten lights before us.

鈥擭ow we鈥檒l finally meet up.

We lost contact with no more than forty due to the earthquake. Given the directive, they鈥檒l continue to move up towards the surface, and this will be the first time we will be meeting other squads. Fifty meters, forty, thirty, we naturally increase our pace as we approach. If we reunite, these isolated villagers, and our team will all be livened uo.

鈥淓h鈥?鈥?

We arrive there, and what we see is the hill of rubble.

鈥擜n aftershock鈥??

Aftershocks keep coming till this point, and a few times, we鈥檙e rattled by the collapsing dirt. This particular instance is really dire.

鈥淢ove the rubble aside!鈥?

I instruct, and everyone get down to work, digging out this place where our friends may be buried under.

But,

As we keep digging them out one after another, we鈥檙e all left speechless.

鈥淯uu鈥︹€?

We find our comrades amidst the rubble, each of them hugging the Cradle firmly. It鈥檚 obvious that they immediately protected their masters the moment they got buried.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e all dead鈥︹€?Viscaria checks them all, and reports to me with regret, 鈥淭heir Mind Circuits are all cracked due to frostbite.鈥?

The bodies look utterly mangled, due to the damage caused by the weight of the rubble and the cessation of electrical supply. The Mind Circuits in the center of the chest are completely shattered beyond shape.

鈥淭hey, cut these off themselves鈥︹€?

Eisbahn takes out a cable, and notes silently,

Looking closely, the cables are draped from the Cradles like an umbilical cord. Looking at how the cable remains undamaged, it鈥檚 obvious the villagers took them off voluntarily.

鈥擳hey offer their hopes of life to the Cradles.

If they had just obtained some electricity from the Cradles, they could have survived, but they never did so, not even for a minute, or a second. They shut off all possibility of living, and chose the path of letting our masters live.

鈥擳his is our mission, our raison d鈥檈tre. But鈥?

鈥淭hese fools鈥︹€?

Eisbahn sadly mutters,

All ten villagers look peaceful, giving the expression of those who died after accomplishing their missions. The reason why their communicators are cut off is because they cut off the charging cables.

鈥淎hh鈥︹€?

I let out a little sigh.

There are ten Cradles that manage to survive, and ten robots who sacrificed their bodies. All the other villagers can only stand still as they watch this.

鈥溾€et鈥檚 move them away.鈥?

I assign the salvaged Cradles to the villagers. The Cradles have exceeded the villagers in numbers, so some villagers, led by G?tz, will carry multiple Cradles.

The villagers bury the corpses. Considering how little battery power is left, there鈥檚 no other choice here.

A hundred villagers clasp their hands together as they stand in front of this little grave made of ice.

鈥擴gh鈥?

I feel the anguish over the lost friends, and curse at my own helplessness as I lift my face, saying,

鈥淥kay, let鈥檚 go.鈥?

After a short funeral, we head off again.

鈥淔rom here on, we鈥檙e going to climb.鈥?

We arrive at a fork, and Viscaria stops, looking up. There鈥檚 a slope forty-five degrees steep, and looking up from the bottom, it looks like a broken cliff.

鈥淎ck, we can climb this thing?鈥?

Like usual, Eisbahn remains unmotivated.

鈥淪top complaining. Let鈥檚 go.鈥?

鈥淵es yes.鈥?

I grab onto the wall of ice, as though ready to rock climb. It鈥檚 not difficult if I have to climb on my own, but it鈥檚 really not easy having to carry Cradles of two hundred kilograms while doing so.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little steep. Don鈥檛 force yourself here, children! Eisbahn and I will pull you up with rope!鈥?

鈥淓hhh, you serious?鈥?

鈥淲hat did you say?鈥?

鈥淣othing.鈥?

I feel the weight on my back with my fingertips as I climb with all my might. I feel that I expended quite a bit of battery power, but I鈥檒l slip and fall if I don鈥檛 control my power output well.

Eisbahn and I watch the footing as we cautiously climb up. Soon after, the other adult robots follow. Viscaria instructs us on a path that鈥檚 easy to climb, while the children are looking up at me worriedly.

After the short climb of about ten minutes, I put down my Cradle.

鈥淓veryone, take it easy! There鈥檚 not much time! Be careful!鈥?

It鈥檚 steep, but luckily, the slope isn鈥檛 that high. After about twenty minutes, the adults have all finished climbing. Following that, the children have all climbed, and finally, we pull up the children鈥檚 Cradles with rope. G?tz, the strongest of us all, really put in a lot of effort during this time.

鈥淥raaahh, orraahhh鈥nd we stop!!鈥?

Many loops are wrapped around the Cradles, but the villagers cautiously pass them on one after another. Even after a long time, none of the hundred and so Cradles dropped. This is the best situation for us.

鈥淥kay, five minutes rest!鈥?

I want to rest for twenty, thirty minutes, but after considering the battery power, I decide against it. There鈥檚 only twelve hours of electricity left. More than half has been depleted if we consider the initial twenty-two hours planned.

鈥擟an we last until the end?

We have few spare batteries at hand, and we鈥檙e almost at our limit. I try to act as calm as possible as I observe the resting villagers. Over the past ten hours, they have been exerting grueling manual labor, and thus, all of them are looking really weary.

Once rest time ends, we head off again.

But thirty minutes in, our worries become reality.

鈥淐an鈥檛 go on鈥?鈥?

I receive contact on the wireless, and have the other villagers stop.

I head to the back, and find a girl with a severed leg there. It鈥檚 Vicia, who has the 鈥榟opping pain鈥?and often visits Viscaria.

鈥淲hat is it鈥?鈥?

鈥淓-er-erm鈥i-cia鈥檚鈥ody, power鈥︹€?

The girl starts to utter some words, but her voice installation doesn鈥檛 seem adept. She鈥檚 looking weak.

鈥擜 malfunction鈥??

I kneel down before the girl, 鈥淒on鈥檛 move.鈥?

I have her lie on a flat surface. Then, I check on the girl鈥檚 Cradle.

鈥?0:25:38鈥?

鈥ust this much鈥??

There鈥檚 no more than thirty minutes of battery power left that鈥檚 indicated. Normally, in order to protect the data, the machine will become inactive if a robot has less than thirty minutes of power. It seems Vicia has encountered this situation.

鈥淲ait. I鈥檒l change your battery immediately!鈥?

I open the battery unit of the Cradle, pick out a spare battery in my pocket, and inserts it.

鈥擯lease, work properly鈥?

After a slap, a little light runs in the girl鈥檚 eyes. With a deep thud, her petite body quivers.

Again, I check the remaining battery power on the Cradle 鈥?8:31:47鈥? once I see the time, I can鈥檛 help but just feel relieved. It seems it isn鈥檛 a system malfunction, just a depletion of power.

鈥淗ow do you feel?鈥?

鈥淭hank, you鈥︹€?

The girl smiles weakly, and reaches her hand out. I grab her hand, and help her to her feet.

鈥淚鈥檓 going back to the front now. If you don鈥檛 feel fine, voice out. Understood?鈥?

鈥淵es.鈥?

The girl nods weakly.

鈥溾€ see.鈥?

Upon receiving this report, Viscaria nodes silently.

鈥淭he original plan didn鈥檛 require us to plan this far ahead鈥︹€?

Basically, the remaining amount of battery power is deduced, and there are often errors in the actual count. Robots that are particularly aged, like the villagers will have depreciated greatly. They will have worn out further with these extremely harsh conditions and having to carry heavy objects of two hundred kilograms.

鈥淭he batteries these Cradles use are large, so I thought they would have lasted a little longer.鈥?

鈥淚 thought the same, but it鈥檚 running out faster than we thought.鈥?

I know very well that exerting large amounts of force or moving heavy objects will expend more battery power. However, we never expected to run out of battery midway through the journey.鈥?

鈥淲ell, at this point, I don鈥檛 want to say too much. It鈥檚 due to the 鈥榚xtraction鈥? The over-degradation of the machine causes the efficiency to be drained greatly. And after this, we鈥檙e going to have more people who can鈥檛 move due to burned parts.鈥?

Viscaria hisses,

鈥淗aa鈥︹€?

I can only let out a sigh. At this point, we鈥檙e helpless against the years of depreciation.

鈥淣othing we can do?鈥?

鈥淣othing鈥ust got to hurry.鈥?

鈥溾€ see.鈥?

We exchange this conversation, and continue to move on.

After that, like a dam bursting, one robot malfunctions after another.

Damaged parts, short-circuits, Mind Circuit freezer鈥攙arious parts are malfunctioning, but the basic reason is due to the robots aging. Clearly, this is due to the many 鈥榚xtractions鈥?we had.

The spare batteries we have on hand are all quickly depleted, so we keep helping each other, supporting each other as we head forth. Those with electrical power left share their electricity, and those that can still move will carry those that can鈥檛.

But,

First, there are sirens.

鈥淏eep.鈥?A shrill siren can be heard from the back.

鈥淐radle is malfunctioning! Hurry!鈥?

鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong!?鈥?

鈥淭he internal temperature is dropping rapidly鈥?鈥?

鈥淲ait, I鈥檒l be right there!鈥?

I contact through the wireless as I run. G?tz and Eisbahn follow me.

And when I reach, I鈥檓 left shocked.

鈥擧ow did it鈥??𝘧𝑟𝘦𝒆w𝚎𝙗nov𝘦𝗹.𝐜o𝓶

That Cradle is completely white, as though frozen, and the indicated temperature is zero degrees. The human inside will be frozen to death.

鈥淰iscaria鈥?鈥?

鈥淲ait a moment!鈥?

Viscaria hastily checks on the Cradle. She frisks the control panel, and start tapping at the keys.

鈥淯uu鈥he temperature regulation function is malfunctioning鈥︹€?

She let out the air, injected some oxygen, and boots the emergency system鈥hen, Viscaria taps a few key commands, trying to get the temperature inside the Cradle back to normal.

But after ten minutes, her hands stop.

鈥淲hat is it鈥?鈥?

I ask tentatively.

鈥淚t鈥檚 useless. Nothing I can do.鈥?

She moves her hands away from the keys, and retracts her feelers, indicating that the work鈥檚 over.

The human inside the Cradle鈥攁 male of about fifty years old鈥攕imply passes away silently. His body is completely white, the cause of death undoubtedly hypothermia.

鈥淭he air conditioning system is wrecked. I want to switch it out, but there鈥檚 no spare part鈥鈥檓 really sorry.鈥?

鈥淣o.鈥?

I put my hand on her shoulder.

鈥淵ou did good there. There鈥檚 nothing we could have done either.鈥?

鈥淵eah. There was no choice鈥︹€?

It鈥檚 rare to see Eisbahn give some encouraging words.

I stand up, and instruct the gathering villagers.

鈥淟et鈥檚 bury this master.鈥?

We dig a shallow ditch into the ground, and lower the frozen Cradle in. It鈥檚 placed upright, so it stands upright like a grave.

We want to carry it back to the surface, but we don鈥檛 have much left in the tank. We don鈥檛 have enough strength to dig a hole a bury him.

After offering just a minute of words to soothe the soul, we leave the Cradle behind, and head on,

鈥淭he direct reason is due to the malfunctioning air conditioning regulatory system. However, this is merely a coincidence. The real reason here is due to 鈥榗onstant degradation鈥檚鈥攊n other words, they鈥檙e suffering from the same symptoms as us.鈥?

Viscaria states it as a matter of fact, but looking at her sidelong face, it鈥檚 obvious that she鈥檚 really miffed about this. I too am the same, and I鈥檓 shivering in frustration over my own helplessness.

鈥擜gain, I鈥檓 unable to save them.

It鈥檚 an operation to save our masters, but none of us made it there. This huge amount of helplessness leaves me slightly furious.

And the tragedy continues,

鈥淐radle鈥檚 dropping in temperature!鈥?

鈥淓mergency! Cradle鈥檚 heating up abnormally!!鈥?

鈥淧lease hurry! Master鈥檚!鈥?

And within the next hour, another twelve masters die.

There are those who died due to the internal temperature dropping, abnormal heating, or asphyxiation鈥攖he reasons for malfunctioning isn鈥檛 just due to constant degradation over the years, but also the physical damage from the prior collapse. In any case, we can鈥檛 do anything without a change of parts, and can only watch our masters die one after another. The Cradles all end up as coffins, and then graves.

And within the next hour, another twenty-one masters died.

Everyone else is at a loss on what to do. There鈥檚 still electricity, but the Cradles themselves are still malfunctioning. Unlike the metallic robots, this underground world is an environment overly harsh to our masters with bodies of flesh. Without the life support devices of the Cradles, our masters can live for no more than five minutes.

Malfunctions happen, and at an increasingly rate.

We鈥檙e unable to even bury them, and merely build up silver graves. Everyone remains silent.

Thus, the total dead extends to seventy-nine.

鈥淢iss Amaryllis, may we have a moment with you?鈥?

I receive a sudden request.

I turn around, and find Miss Ceolaria speaking to me. She once sang the 鈥楽pearmint Genesis鈥?at the Prayer Festival, and has the appearance of an old lady in her eighties.

鈥淲hat is it?鈥?

I turn around to face Miss Celorira. It鈥檚 rest time, and Viscaria鈥檚 doing diagnosis for malfunctions.

鈥淚 want to hand this over to you.鈥?

She hands over a large bag.

鈥淭his is?鈥?

鈥淏atteries.鈥?

鈥淓h?鈥?

I open the bag, and see lots of portable batteries inside it. There鈥檚 more than fifty of them.

鈥淭hese are, issued to everyone? Why鈥?鈥?

鈥淭here鈥檚 no need for them.鈥?She silently notes, 鈥淚鈥檒l wait here until my body is wasted.鈥?

鈥淓h?鈥?

At first, I don鈥檛 know what she鈥檚 talking about.

With a steady voice, Miss Ceolaria explains,

鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many batteries left, but we鈥檙e far from the surface. At this rate, everyone will surely be wiped out. In that case, we should at least end ourselves before the remaining batteries are depleted.鈥?

鈥淲e, as in, there are others?鈥?

鈥淔our senators, and the children, thirty in all. Besides them, there are another seventy-two. These seventy-two robots shall remain here and let their bodies be wasted.鈥?

鈥淏-but, if you abandon your bodies here鈥ou鈥檒l just be left with the Mind Circuits, right? Then there鈥檚 no guarantee that you鈥檒l get your bodies again, that you鈥檒l recover, right?鈥?

I continue to ask Miss Ceolaria.

鈥淲e have prepared ourselves mentally. I have lived long enough, so please use the batteries on our masters and the children.鈥?

鈥淏-but.鈥?

I look at the large number of batteries in my hands, and hoplessly mutter,

鈥淚 can鈥檛 accept these鈥︹€?

At that moment,

鈥淚t鈥檚 fine, Miss Amaryllis.鈥?

Cattleya鈥檚 voice enters the wireless.

鈥淢iss Ceolaria鈥檚 right, everyone will fall if this keeps up. Also, given the reduction in cradles till this point, the remainder has become a burden. Please use these batteries.鈥?

鈥淐attleya.鈥?

I look over, and find Cattleya leaning on the ice wall, looking completely lethargic. Also, the villagers next to her are all leaning there, like some form of ritual going on.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fine! Don鈥檛 mind!鈥?鈥淲e beg of you!鈥?鈥淲e鈥檒l leave them to you!鈥?鈥淒on鈥檛 worry, just use them!鈥?

The villagers鈥?voices enter the wireless.

鈥淢iss Amaryllis, everyone else has the same opinion.鈥?

Miss Ceoloria extends her deep, aged wrinkles, smiling earnestly,

鈥淲ithout us around, you can save enough battery power to save our masters. It is a selfish request, but we shall leave the rest to you.鈥?

She lowers her head deeply,

鈥淏-but, if that happens, everyone鈥︹€?

I can鈥檛 hide the faltering look on my face.

Miss Ceolaria in turn looks rather peaceful,

鈥淧lease think of it this way. Us 鈥榓dult robots鈥?have gone through lots of extractions due to our massive bodies. In other words, we鈥檙e more likely to malfunctioning, and waste more electricity. The child robots in comparison have done fewer 鈥榚xtractions鈥? and not much electricity depleted. Looking at the conservation of electricity, the chances of the child robots surviving are obviously higher.鈥?

鈥淭h-then I鈥檓 doing the same. I鈥檓 taking out my batteries.鈥?

鈥淵ou can鈥檛.鈥?

Miss Ceolaria shakes her head.

鈥淲hy not?鈥?

鈥淲ithout you around, who is going to lead these children? All the senators are indispensable for the following journey, so please take these batteries. P-please鈥︹€?

And at this moment.

Her knees crumble, and she kneels.

鈥淢iss Ceolaria鈥?鈥?

I hastily carry her, but her body鈥檚 lying prone without any strength. It seems her remaining electricity鈥檚 depleted. Once the electricity from the Cradle is cut off, the emergency battery of a robot won鈥檛 last for long.

And by the time I realize this, there鈥檚 no other voices on the wireless. It isn鈥檛 just Miss Ceolaria; Cattleya and the others are all lying on the floor, remaining still.

Right when I鈥檓 feeling completely befuddled, Viscaria鈥檚 voice echoes through the wireless.

鈥淓veryone entrusted their lives to you.鈥?

鈥淒id鈥︹€?I lower my eyes, asking, 鈥淒id you know about this, Viscaria?鈥?

She nods slightly.

鈥淪orry for keeping this quiet. You would have definitely refused this, I felt. When Ceoloria came to discuss this with me, I went about convincing everyone. I was communicating privately to each other to avoid you detecting. If I didn鈥檛 do so, no matter what, we wouldn鈥檛 be able to return to the surface with the batteries on hand.鈥?

I clench my fist, and weakly let out.

鈥淪orry. I-I鈥檓 the Chief鈥ut I got in your way.鈥?

鈥淚t鈥檚 true that such a cruel way to solve this wouldn鈥檛 be acceptable to you. However, it鈥檚 because of your personality that everyone willingly gave up their lives for you.鈥?

鈥溾€︹€?

Seventy-two villagers cease to operate with peaceful expressions on their faces. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong?鈥?鈥淎re they sleeping鈥?鈥?The children poke their heads out in curiosity.

鈥擨 have lived long enough.

Miss Ceolaria鈥檚 voice again echoes. I look down at the batteries in my hands.

鈥擡veryone, I鈥檓 sorry.

I bite my lips hard, feeling utterly painful within.

鈥擨鈥檓 really sorry to everyone, for being such a useless Chief.

I continue to apologize profusely, and I grit my teeth, gripping the batteries in my hands hard.

We continue to move on.

The number of villagers is reduced to thirty-four. Other than Viscaria, G?tz, Eisbahn and me, the other thirty are all children. The hope of reuniting with the other villagers has become increasingly bleak, and as the lights on the screen vanish one after another, my feelings start to turn gloomy.

The number of Cradles left is also thirty-four, exactly the same as the number of villagers. All thirty-four villagers carry a Cradle each. The operation to move three hundred Cradles has now dwindled down to so little.

But despite this, we have to keep moving.

I have a little attach case in my right hand containing more than seventy 鈥楳ind Circuits鈥? These Mind Circuits belong to the villagers who took out their batteries willingly, including Cattleya and Miss Ceolaria. I don鈥檛 know how long it鈥檒l take, but once we return to the surface, I鈥檒l definitely make sure to repair our friends and get them fixed. With my shoulders, I feel the weight of the case, and continue forward silently.

As time passes, I can hear the sound of the children sobbing. They hold in their tears, moving forward while carrying the heavy item, the string of tension in their hearts snapping away little by little.

And then, the sobbing become interrupted wailing, 鈥淢ama鈥︹€?voices of those longing for relatives are mixed in. Over the past hundred years, the villagers who lived as relative robots have mostly lost contact due to the earthquakes, and the hope of reuniting is bleak. No matter who it is, anyone will have the urge to cry after losing their kin, and have bleak prospects before them.

The crying leads to a chain reaction, with some children even bawling out loud. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 go on.鈥?鈥淚 wanna go home.鈥?Worse, the earthquakes strike like bandits, and even though they鈥檙e weak, the sobbing of the children become increasingly louder.

After some time, we pause our advance, and take a break.

鈥淰iscaria, how long more until the next detour鈥?鈥?

I ask Viscaria, who鈥檚 seated next to me, 鈥淗mm鈥︹€?she gives a grim look.

鈥淭he next detour will come in an hour.鈥?

鈥淎fter that?鈥?

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure.鈥?

鈥淣ot sure鈥hat do you mean?鈥?

鈥淚n other words, we can only determine based on the collapse. We need to avoid those places completely blocked, and choose our route by process of elimination.鈥?

鈥淪o can we make it back to the surface in time?鈥?

鈥溾€p to luck.鈥?

Viscaria answers flatly. I make no further questions.

The children鈥檚 crying continues on,

鈥擲urely, they want to cry. It鈥檚 such a dark place, such a heavy moment, such a tragedy.

I walk towards the source of the crying, and the thirty children surround me immediately,

鈥淪i-sister鈥u, ueee鈥︹€?

鈥淥kay, don鈥檛 cry now.鈥?

I pat a girl on the head.

鈥淣ow sit down.鈥?

I sit down, and the children sit around me. They widen their moist eyes, staring at me intently. Surely they must be feeling very fearful, very uneasy.

Night comes, so sleep now.

A long night, a scary night.

But the night, will pass.

I sing, and the crying softens. The children stare at me incredulously.

Scary dreams, just forget them.

A long night, a cold night.

But the night, will pass.

The singing ekes from within the dark cave, and slightly, tender voices are mixed into the singing. Daisy sings, and the other children follow suit.

Sleep well, until dawn.

The long night, the painful night.

But the dawn, shall come.

I sing as I hug the children, and pat them on their heads.

Before I know it, everyone鈥檚 singing away. Like the duet at the Prayer Festival, the beautiful resonating melody and voices surround us.

And in this deep underground, where the light can鈥檛 reach us at all, we continue to sing happily as though it鈥檚 a picnic with the sunlight shining on us.

We鈥檙e getting closer to the surface.

鈥淭he remaining depth is twenty meters鈥o, fifteen.鈥?

Viscaria mutters as she looks at the terminal.

鈥淎h! This road! I was here before!鈥?

I arrive at this familiar place, and start to feel emotional. Right, the one place I went to alone; I once stepped here while trying to make my way up.

鈥擨t鈥檚 close. It鈥檚 very close鈥?

My footsteps hasten increasingly, and finally ends up as a jog. The others too start to hurry up. After a while, I鈥檓 final confident. There鈥檚 a little light shining in through the dark tunnel, and the wind blowing through the ice cave is undoubtedly from the outside.

鈥擩ust a little more鈥?

We advance towards the place with the light, and finally arrive at a spacious place. A wide ladder can be seen before this hill comprised of ice residue and rubble, and this ladder leads further up. There鈥檚 an exit leading to a manhole.

I hastily climb the ladder, and push the exit with my hand.

鈥淚t鈥檚 frozen?鈥?

I take out the 鈥楤lack Pointer鈥?in my pocket, and flip the switch. The Black Pointer gives off a little light, and I draw a line along the silhouette of the manhole. Bsst, with a melting sound, the manhole drops with a thunk. 鈥淥uch!鈥?I cup my head.

And then,

鈥淲oah鈥?鈥?

I leap out, and cheer in joy.

The land remains covered in ice, the winds remain freezing, and the weather isn鈥檛 fine. Despite this, there鈥檚 a weak light shining through the clouds, and surely it鈥檚 the sunlight that gives life to this world.

鈥擶e did it, we did it鈥?

I raise my fist in elation. There鈥檚 no doubt the Ice Age鈥檚 about to come to an end.

I look around, three hundred and sixty degrees, over and over again, as though wanting to etch the scenery outside. The land covered in ice everywhere is an eyesore, but I can see a building with a sharp top at the horizon to the west鈥攁 large generator. It鈥檚 right above the Snow White, and this shows that the distance inside the tunnel is rather long.

鈥淎hh鈥︹€?

A trail of hot tears roll down my cheek. This world we鈥檝e returned to after a hundred years is so vast, tall and far, bright, dazzling鈥攁n elation rising in my chest is causing me to quiver all over. Everyone else is looking around, patting the shoulders, sharing joy. Everyone鈥檚 moved.

鈥淎lright, everyone, let鈥檚 go!鈥?

On my command, we start running. Our feet step on the frozen landscape as we head towards our destination. We shove aside the frozen snow, climb up the hill, running, running, falling over, getting up, and running again. The landscape remains as uneven as it was a hundred years ago, and we tumble and hustle as we head forward.

So we keep heading on, just a few hundred meters from the generator.

Suddenly, Viscaria yells,

鈥淲arning detected on the monitor鈥assive heat source approaching鈥?!鈥?

鈥擡h?

Everyone stop in unison to look at her鈥?

And at that moment,

A blue light sweeps right above our head.

The light鈥檚 amazingly powerful.

It strikes past us, hitting the ground behind, and the ice on top splatters all over. Despite this, the light is not weakened in the least, as it pierces through the land, cuts into the ground, and forms a trail of white steam into the end of the horizon.

We鈥檙e all dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events, momentarily speechless. Our visual installations are dulled by a beat, our eyes still blurry. This light is too strong, like the sun shining into our eyes, and we seem to have hallucinating.

鈥淲h-what was that鈥??鈥?

I look towards Viscaria.

鈥淎nyway, let鈥檚 get away from here! 鈥擨ncoming second wave!鈥?

The next moment.

A flash shines at us from the direction of the generator like dazzling stars, and another light fires through. A blue light, probably a laser, strikes before us, and shaves a lump off the frozen land before vanishing beyond the horizon. The silver-white land鈥檚 carved apart with a black line, dividing our group in two.

鈥淓veryone scatter!鈥?Find some place to hide!鈥?

Even without the reminder, everyone too scene the danger they鈥檙e in, and start to move. Everyone鈥檚 scattering without my command, hiding in the mounds or in the ground.

鈥淲hat was that鈥??鈥?

I hide behind a mound, looking towards Viscaria. The children are timidly clinging onto me.

鈥淎n anti-machinery compressed Crystal laser.鈥?

Viscaria quickly explains, and raises her arm.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the culprit.鈥?

She points in the direction of the generator.

鈥擶hat, there鈥??

There鈥檚 a robot standing there. It has thick, trunk-like limbs, and the pitch black, ominous body seem to absorb all the darkness. This black shadow stands before the generator with the sun shining upon it, like a gatekeeper, a pitch-black demon in the world of white.

鈥淭hat鈥檚鈥?鈥?

The repulsive memory awakens in my mind again. The people who panicked during end times, the lasers raining upon them, the numerous blood columns splattering鈥?

鈥淔-310.鈥?

Viscaria mutters,

鈥淭he most diabolical military robot in the world.鈥?

鈥淲hy is it attacking us!?鈥?

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know either! Probably a defensive mechanism!鈥?

鈥淎 defensive mechanism!?鈥?

鈥淲e鈥檙e deemed as enemies! Like the masters who were charred black!鈥?

鈥淓nemies鈥︹€?

I recall the 鈥榝ootage鈥?I saw. The military robots mercilessly killing those that are escaping, the burning horizon covered with corpses. Back then, the robots massacred those escaping to the Snow White and killed them all. Even after a hundred years, 鈥榯his one鈥?is still obeying that order?

鈥淟ady Amaryllis鈥?鈥?

G?tz鈥檚 voice rings through the wireless. I can see him at a mound slightly further away.

鈥淪urely we will be wiped out if this continues鈥?鈥?

鈥淲ait, I鈥檒l give the instructions now鈥?鈥?

I look around to affirm the situation. At this point, there鈥檚 Viscaria and fifteen other children hiding with me under the mound, while G?tz and another six are there, followed by Eisbahn and another nine children further away.

鈥擶hat do I do鈥??

The military robot stands still before the generator, and if we approach, surely we鈥檒l be hit by that laser from before. Once we get out from this mound, there鈥檚 nothing to shield us, so there鈥檚 no place to hide.

鈥擝ut the time鈥?

There鈥檚 only a minute left for the Cradle, and if we continue to hide, we鈥檒l end up with a freezing death.

I continue to seek a strategy, while Viscaria next to me is tapping at the panel intensively with her feelers. An upright model of that military robot is spinning on the screen, and the words describing its characteristics are crammed on it.

鈥淒oes it have any weaknesses鈥??鈥?

鈥淚鈥檓 looking for them now!鈥?

I fold my arms tightly, and Daisy looks at me worriedly. The children behind her are all looking teary, huddling together. The ice on the Cradles鈥?surfaces have melted, and the water droplets are dripping like sweat.

鈥擥ot to think of something鈥?

While I鈥檓 racking my brain.

鈥淭hird strike!鈥?

Viscaria yells. We hurriedly get down.

The light again illuminates the world. The light seems to be prompting something as it hits a nearby pile of dust, and a large amount of dirt rain down. The terrified children are shrieking in fear.

鈥淔-310 approaching!鈥?

The situation has become direr by the moment.

鈥淪ixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven鈥?鈥?

鈥擜pproaching鈥??

I see the robot drag its massive body towards us in a languid manner. Even after a hundred years of Ice Age, its eyes remain sharp as ever.

鈥擶e鈥檒l get killed!

There鈥檚 no reason needed. The bare killing intent is such a terrifying thing.

鈥擶h-what do I do!?

On one side, we have a military robot decked with heavy armor, and on the other side, we have common civilian robots; excluding the children, we have only four combatants. The enemy has a long-distance laser, and we have nothing, not even a device to fly with.

鈥擝ut we can鈥檛 get away.

First, it鈥檚 impossible to run away while carrying the heavy Cradles. If we do so, our batteries will be depleted, and we鈥檒l be unable to move.

鈥淭hirty meters more!鈥?

The robots have approached us, and the children are hugging me firmly.

鈥擥ot to figure out something to divert his focus!

鈥淟isten up, everyone! I鈥檒l be bait! Take this chance to escape, children!鈥?

I convey my thoughts to everyone through the wireless, only to be refuted by Eisbahn immediately.

鈥淲hat nonsense are you saying now!? You鈥檙e going to be burned to crisp once you get out there!鈥?

鈥淏ut there鈥檚 nothing else we can do!鈥?

鈥淐alm down! We can figure out something from his attacks!鈥?

With a calm tone, he says,

鈥淭hat guy鈥檚 unable to grasp our exact locations! If it could, we would have been burned to crisp on its first shot! Its hearing installation and heat sensors may have been destroyed, just capturing enemies with its visual installation!!鈥?

鈥淪o, what do you mean!?鈥?

鈥淭oo troublesome to explain in detail! I鈥檒l show you proof!鈥?

From his hiding spot, Eisbahn throws out a piece of shattered ice. The ice rolls on the ground, and suddenly, it鈥檚 covered by light; the laser shaves off the place the ice lands on.

鈥淵ou see that?鈥?

Clear as day.

鈥淭hat guy attacks anything that moves immediately.鈥?

The operation鈥檚 simple.

I鈥檒l be bait and run with all my might, luring the robot behind the mound. G?tz and Eisbahn will the flank and attack. Viscaria will watch the screen and give instructions on the timing.

The chances of winning is minimal. However, with the looming threat impending, there鈥檚 no time to create a more intricate strategy, and no matter how reckless this strategy, we can only roll the dice on it. We have to protect the children and Cradles no matter what.

鈥淭arget鈥檚 just ten meters away鈥?鈥?

Viscaria calls out through the wireless. The robot鈥檚 right before us; I duck in the shadows, waiting for the moment to charge out. I leave behind the Cradle for the time being, and continue to maintain operation through the emergency battery. We need to settle this within ten minutes.

Pew, Eisbahn tosses a pebble. It gets detected by the robot, and it stops immediately.

鈥擭ow鈥?

I immediately dash out. After several seconds of sprinting, I leap into the ditch in the ground. At the same time, a blue lightning fizzles past my head, and the echoes strike my hearing installation, making me feel repulsed.

鈥擧ow about this鈥??

The robot senses my existence, and hastens towards me. It seems the plan to lure his attention worked.

鈥擜lright, come here!

I hide in the shadow, waiting for the opportune moment.

鈥擨鈥檓 here!

The sound of the robot鈥檚 footsteps Loom. The land of ice is steaming all over, like a carpet covering it. This power able to topple the landscape cause me to shiver.

鈥溾€擜nother three steps.鈥?

Viscaria鈥檚 voice echoes. This is followed by heavy footsteps.

鈥淭wo!鈥?

Another footstep.

鈥淥ne!鈥?

I raise the 鈥榯hing鈥?in my hand.

鈥淶ero!鈥?

The moment the robot steps forward, I raise the rod-shaped item鈥攖he heating headlight called the 鈥楤lack Point鈥欌€攁nd toss it at the nose of the robot. The heating headlight spins and glows, luring the robot鈥檚 attention, but it鈥檒l take some time to aim and fire at an object up close. The headlight lands on the ground, and the robot swings down its heavy arm. This weight of the arm causes the robot to tilt forward, and lose its balance slightly鈥攁t this moment.

Two shadows creep in from behind the robot.

A red light flashes through, exploding on the back of the robot. The moment the explosions and sparks fly, G?tz appears. The robot stumbles, and the blue light flashes as Eisbahn鈥檚 Phantom Blade, hitting it right in the face. G?tz follows up after Eisbahn, striking with the 鈥榠ron arm鈥? second, third, fourth, fifth, both of them launch continuous attacks. It鈥檚 a scene of a black sandbag being pummeled again and again. The red and blue lights continue to appear like explosions in an old movie. Finally, the robot falls forward.

鈥擶e beat it鈥?

Everyone has this thought. In fact, Viscaria鈥檚 cheering in the wireless. I too hop out from the ditch.

But.

At this moment, the robot鈥檚 eyes light up.

And its massive body starts to move. Even after such continuous attacks, it remains unscathed.

鈥擳his thing鈥檚 way too durable, isn鈥檛 it鈥??

The world lights up again. G?tz and Eisbahn attacks from the side, and explosions echo. However, the robot鈥攁hh, how is that possible鈥攊t remains unscathed, unmoved.

And then, it鈥檚 the robot鈥檚 turn to work. With its massive arm, it shoves G?tz in the opposite direction, sending him flying with a sweeping punch. Eisbahn uses this opportunity to swing the Phantom Blade, but the blue blade which he boasted could cut anything merely gives off sparks, and it gets repelled without being able to damage the armor. With the momentum of a large heavy machinery charging forward, the robot lunges at Eisbahn, who鈥檚 sent flying in this attack, landing and bouncing hard on the ground due to recoil.

And so the robot continues to move forward, as though nothing has happened.

鈥擜h, ahh鈥?

It鈥檚 unbelievable. We carried out our strategy perfectly, and both attacks landed. However, they鈥檙e beaten without any result to show for it. G?tz lands headfirst into the ground, and Eisbahn鈥檚 lying prone by the side.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e kidding鈥︹€?

Viscaria鈥檚 voice is almost a shirek. We lost our reliable duo, and we鈥檙e rooted to the spot. The robots approach us; I can鈥檛 move, and neither can Viscaria. One step, two steps, three steps. Ahh, we鈥檙e going to die. It鈥檚 over, we鈥檙e going to be killed. We finally made it all the way here鈥?

I close my eyes. At this moment,

Thunk, a sound echoes, and a small pebble rolls over.

鈥擡h!?

The demon notices the pebble, and after a pause, it slowly changes its direction. It notices the back of the mound鈥攖he place where the children are hiding.

鈥擳his is bad!!

The children glared at by the black demon starts to shiver. They shield the Cradles behind them with their bodies, frozen in fear as though witnessing a mass murderer invading a childcare center.

And then, the robot raises its arm. The massive arm has a barrel, and it鈥檚 charging up. Also, it鈥檚 aiming at the children.

鈥擜h, ahh.

鈥淪ister!鈥?鈥淎maryllis!鈥?鈥淲elcome back!鈥?鈥淗ug me!鈥?鈥淚 want petting.鈥?鈥淪ing something.鈥?鈥淎ching pain.鈥?鈥淚 can鈥檛 sleep.鈥?鈥淚 love you.鈥?鈥淲elcome home!鈥?鈥淭oday, today.鈥?鈥淚 did a lot today!鈥?

鈥擡veryone鈥? This big sister is, going right now鈥?

The voices of the children echo in my Mind Circuit, and I leap up to charge out.

鈥淵ahhh!!鈥?

I head straight towards the robot, and slam into it hard with my shoulder. However, my body鈥檚 bounced back by the thick armor, and I tumble back.

鈥淥ver here鈥?鈥?

I shout. This is to divert the robot鈥檚 attention from the children.

鈥淵our opponent is me鈥?! Come here鈥?!鈥?

And the robot again turns towards me. It loads up energy in its arm, and the barrel鈥檚 targeting my face鈥攖he distance is so close, I can feel the white smoke oozing from the barrel spraying on my face.

鈥淓veryone, run!!鈥?

The moment I yell, a blue light flashes by. Right when I think I鈥檓 dead, an explosion echoes behind. The laser misses.

鈥淲aaahhh!鈥?

A yell comes, and the robot鈥檚 leg is hugged by a red-haired lady.

鈥淭he next shot is coming!! Only the right arm has a weapon! Watch for enemy movements! Anyway, stall for time!!鈥?

Viscaria quickly gives instructions as she hugs the robot鈥檚 leg. The sound of her shoulder and hair being burned is ever so clear.

鈥擱ight, got to buy some time鈥?!

I stand up, and adjust myself. I look over, and see the children running to the generator while carrying the Cradles. Even if it鈥檚 just a minute, we need to delay the enemy here.

鈥淲atch its movements! It鈥檚 slow and easy to predict!!鈥?

Viscaria stumbles about as she gives instructions. Following her instruction, I capture the robot鈥檚 movements with my eyes. The robot鈥檚 trying to aim at Viscaria at its leg.

鈥擨 won鈥檛 let you!

I immediately grab the right arm of the robot, and then, the robot strikes at me without mercy鈥?

鈥擜hh!!

The powerful energy tries through my body, and my left leg鈥?

Is instantly reduced to dust.

At that moment,

鈥淵ou bastard!!鈥?

This time, Viscaria climbs onto the face of the robot. The robot鈥檚 line of sight is blocked, and obviously somewhat erratic; it raises its left arm, smacking at her body.

In an instant, Viscaria鈥檚 body鈥攐r rather, the area around the waist is jammed in by the five fingers of the robot, her body鈥檚 stabbed through, and her Circuits are pulled out鈥?

Viscaria鈥檚 shattered.

But even though her body鈥檚 ripped into half, she continues to exhibit the will to fight. She extends her feelers, latches onto the robot鈥檚 head tightly, and keeps tapping at something. Finally, the robot becomes irregular in motion, merely flailing its arm about as though its eyes are covered. Viscaria has disabled the external sensors; this really is a combat style befitting a master technician.

I too continue to fight my way. I latch at the robot鈥檚 arm firmly, trying my best not to be thrown off. I continue to keep my balance, just as I always do on the icemobile, and keep stalling for time.

But the resistance doesn鈥檛 last for long.

The robot swings its arm violently at us, shooting the laser everywhere, and my vision flickers like disco lights. Viscaria鈥檚 again ripped apart, the flying Circuits spilling like intestines. Finally, Viscaria鈥檚 sent flying away, knocking into a mound, and rolls onto the ground like a rag cloth.

Then, it鈥檚 my turn. The robot smashes me onto the ground as I keep latching at the right arm. With the arm and the floor clashing, my chest is being pressed upon, and it collapses along with an unnerving cracking sound. I spit out lots of grease, my vision鈥檚 completely gone, and quite a few parts have flown out. Then, I drop.

鈥淎h, uu鈥hh, uu鈥︹€?

My voice installation has malfunctioned, and the groans ooze out along with grease. My body鈥檚 heating, the sirens in my mind wailing, my chest is giving off sparks, and my body鈥檚 bouncing about, writhing.

The black demon鈥檚 closing in on me. I stab my dislocated left arm into the ground, and reach out my right arm, with half the fingers fallen off, trying to help myself off the ground. However, the circuits beneath the chest are all damaged, and my body can鈥檛 act accordingly.

The robot looms in on us. My final thoughts are whether the children managed to get away successfully, whether the Cradles are fine. If so, that鈥檚 fine; it鈥檚 great to be able to help everyone鈥?

Mentally, I brace for my impending demise.

A scarlet red.

At first, it鈥檚 G?tz. The robot senses him, and the moment it turns around, G?tz鈥檚 鈥榠ron arm鈥?is giving off a red light. The full impact explodes on the robot鈥檚 right arm, and the massive right arm of the robot splatters. 鈥淐avalry鈥斺€?he lands the final blow, 鈥淚s the embodiment of thy soul.鈥?

His iron arm鈥檚 giving off a red light, clashing with the right arm of the robot.

The impact rips through the air, and the explosion engulfs the world in a wave. After a pause, the light dissipates, and G?tz鈥檚 right arm鈥攏o, the right half of the body鈥攊s turned to dust, and vanishes. G?tz鈥檚 left only with the head and upper body, lying next to Viscaria, unable to move.

But even so, the robot stands there. Its right arm is smoking, and the gun is open and melted. Following that鈥?

A blue light

鈥淭he one thing I hate most in this world鈥斺€?

The blond guy stands at where G?tz was. Right when the robot鈥檚 raising its right arm, Eisbahn stabs his right arm into the barrel of the robot鈥攍ike a certificated kept back in a cylinder.

鈥淚s a bastard who attacks women, you know?鈥?

Then, he exhibits maximum power. The right arm storing the Phantom Blade gives off a blue light, and the robot鈥檚 right arm expands as though engulfed in flames; the joints in the brain, arm, and limbs are all giving off blue light.

At the final moments, the robot shrieks. The shrill cry echoes through the world of ice, and the iron man faces the sky. To me, it sounds like a cry.

And then, the robot explodes.

It鈥檚 like rain.

The shrapnel falls upon us, and the dust that flew buries the surrounds. I lie face up, my consciousness blurry as I watch the falling shrapnel. Several bits of what used to be a military robot smack my body, giving off a sad clunking sound.

After the rain of shrapnel, Eisbahn stands before me and looks down, 鈥淵ou alright鈥?鈥?he asks.

鈥擜h鈥?

My lips move, but I can鈥檛 eke out a voice. 鈥淚 see.鈥?I nod slightly. Then, he knees down, and falls towards my upper body.

鈥擡isbahn.

I lift my left arm that鈥檚 dislocated and like rotting wood, touching him.

鈥淗ey鈥is-ba-hn鈥︹€?

Hearing my call, he, lying on my body, moves slightly. His body is stabbed with shrapnel, and I realize it鈥檚 caused by him shielding me from the explosions.

Thus, both of us continue to lie around.

Then, he says,

鈥淎ma鈥yll, llis鈥︹€?

鈥淲h-at鈥?鈥?

I can鈥檛 move my body, and say to him as I look down. He too looks at me.

Then, he smiles,

鈥淔ine鈥?鈥?

鈥淵eah鈥︹€?

I answer this exact same question as before in a groggy manner.

鈥淔ine, huh鈥?鈥?

鈥淵-eah鈥?鈥?

My voice is barely audible, and he says,

鈥淭hat鈥檚, good.鈥?

Then, the conversation ends.

Our bodies intertwine as we feel each other鈥檚 warmth.

This continues for who knows how long.

And I, feeling his weight, can only space out and look up at the sky.

In my blurry vision, I sense the end looming.

My lower body鈥檚 completely blown off, and my safety cables in my ripped abdomen are giving off sparks. Strangely though, I feel very calm. It鈥檚 probably because all my functions are damaged that my Mind Circuit is in a state of false death.

Before I know it, G?tz is beside me. His right half is gone, and the remaining left half is completely disfigured.

鈥淕?tz鈥︹€?

I call out for him, with a teeny-weeny voice.

鈥淲hat鈥s it, you ask鈥?鈥?

He responds, but it sounds like a processed, robotic voice,

鈥淵ou鈥till alive鈥?鈥?

It鈥檚 a stupid question. But this is the one thing I really want to know.

鈥淪till鈥live鈥m, thy鈥︹€?

鈥淥h鈥hen, good鈥︹€?

We continue to converse without moving. This is the only thing we can do.

鈥淕?tz鈥︹€?

鈥淲hat鈥o you ask鈥?鈥?

鈥淲hat about, the rest鈥?鈥?

鈥淣ot sure鈥m I鈥ere鈥︹€?

鈥淥h鈥︹€?

I want to turn my eyes, but my vision鈥檚 fixed, and I can鈥檛 move. I can鈥檛 move my head, and my wireless is damaged.

Thus, I can only continue to converse with G?tz.

鈥淪till, alive鈥?鈥?

鈥淪till, alive鈥es鈥︹€?

I ask again. At this point, I just want to hear his voice.

鈥淕?tz鈥︹€?

鈥淲hat, do you ask鈥?鈥?

鈥淪till alive鈥?鈥?

鈥淵es鈥till alive鈥m I鈥︹€?

Within the few seconds, I continue to repeat the same question. Without doing so, I have a feeling that I鈥檒l be pulled into the dark abyss of fear. Having lived for more than a hundred years, I finally realize, so robots do fear death.

鈥淪till鈥live鈥?鈥?鈥淪till鈥live鈥m I鈥︹€?鈥淪till alive鈥?鈥?鈥淪till alive鈥m I鈥︹€?Such a rhetorical conversation continues like a process. G?tz鈥檚 left hand is hold my right hand, the warmth of his palm so inexplicably adorable, and leaves me elated.

鈥淕?tz鈥︹€?

鈥溾€︹€?

There鈥檚 no answer.

鈥淕?tz鈥?鈥?

I keep call for his name, and timidly open my eyes. His silver body, stained in black grease, is completely dented as he remains still.

I close my eyes, and with a quivering voice, I finally ask,

鈥淗ave you already passed on鈥?鈥?

鈥淎maryllis鈥?鈥?

Aid comes soon after. I open my eyes, and see Daisy looking down at me with teary eyes. I smile at her, and the girl with the chestnut hair starts bawling away, the tears dripping onto my face. It鈥檚 all over.

After that, we鈥檙e saved by the children.

I open my eyes, and the sky looks more dazzling than ever I, basked under the scorching sun, is dyed a complete white in my vision. The world鈥檚 so bright after all; my heart heats up, and tears continue to fall.

Once we reach the generator, the power output is restored. The children have been working hard, attaching all the cables of the Cradles to the generator as according to the manual.

I got repaired to a state where I鈥檓 able to talk normally. The hole in my chest is filled with an alloy, but the severed left leg is unable to be recovered.

Eisbahn鈥檚 body is stabbed with shrapnel due to the impact of the explosion; his functions have ceased, but luckily, the Mind Circuit isn鈥檛 damaged. Once he regains consciousness, he looks at me listlessly. For the third time, he asks the same question, 鈥淵ou alright鈥?鈥?鈥淚鈥檓 fine.鈥?With tears in my eyes, I embrace him.

Viscaria鈥檚 overly damaged, and thus, her Mind Circuit repairs shall be left alone for the time being. It鈥檒l be dangerous if we can鈥檛 find a place with better facilities to repair her, and thus, her Mind Circuit鈥檚 kept in a box, kept for moments of it.

G?tz is dead. His Mind Circuit is completely shattered, and everyone knows it can鈥檛 be repaired. The only thing we can find of him are the fragments of the silver mask, and we store them inside Viscaria鈥檚 box.

After approximately twenty hours, this long operation finally comes to an end.

鈥擟hief鈥?

Standing before the Cradles that are lined up neatly, I make my report again.

鈥擮ur masters have finally made it to the surface.

There鈥檚 a baby inside a Cradle; it鈥檚 the one Daisy and Gappy did their best to protect.

鈥擥appy, we did it鈥?

The number of Cradles we managed to save is thirty-four in total. There were three hundred and more at the start of this operation, so we lost approximately ninety percent. We succeeded, but the cost to attain this result is way too much.

鈥淪leeping soundly now鈥︹€?

The baby in the Cradle is sleeping well. There鈥檚 an air conditioning installed in the central control room of the generator, and thus no worry that the Cradles will freeze.

鈥淭he batteries?鈥?

鈥淕athered them鈥ell, more or less.鈥?

Saying that, Eisbahn pours out the batteries from his pockets. There are dozens of Cradles lined up in the room, and I can鈥檛 help but think of this as a bird鈥檚 nest due to the egg-shaped objects.

鈥淗ey, why aren鈥檛 you sleeping, Amaryllis?鈥?

Daisy asks curiously, 鈥淲ell,鈥?I pat the girl on the head, saying,

鈥淲e鈥檒l be coming over to sleep soon. We need to make sure the Cradles are working fine first though.鈥?

鈥淚 see鈥︹€?

Daisy seems to understand as she looks inside the Cradle. The baby she saved is sleeping there.

鈥淕abriella White.鈥?There鈥檚 the name etched on the nameplate. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a girl.鈥?Daisy narrows her eyes, muttering with emotion.

鈥淗ey, Amaryllis.鈥?

鈥淲hat is it?鈥?

鈥淲hy are the robots going into the Cradle to?鈥?

At this point, Daisy鈥檚 lying inside another Cradle next to the baby. There are spare Cradles inside the generator, and this is one of them. All the other children are asleep.

鈥淭he Cradle鈥檚 very good at temperature control and isolating from the outside air. It鈥檚 very effective in preventing frostbite.鈥?

鈥淗eh鈥︹€?

鈥淲e鈥檒l leave everyone to you.鈥?

I look over at the case Daisy鈥檚 holding. It contains the Mind Circuits of the villagers.

鈥淲hat about you, Amaryllis?鈥?

鈥淚鈥檓 fine. My remaining battery can provide warmth.鈥?

鈥淚 see.鈥?

鈥淪o now, it鈥檚 time to sleep well.鈥?

鈥淯u鈥︹€?

Daisy closes her eyes quietly. She switches to sleep mode, and lets out a steady breathing.

鈥淕ood night, Daisy.鈥?

I slowly close the lid of the Cradle.fr𝚎e𝙬𝚎𝚋𝚗૦ν𝚎𝒍.c૦m

There are two rows of Cradles lined side by side. One of them is for the human children, and the other is for robot children. Looking at this symbolic scene, I show a smile on my lips. All of them are sleeping with a peaceful face, and this reminds me of the nap room in the kindergarten I worked in.

鈥淒aisy might be angry when she wakes up again.鈥?

鈥淢ost likely.鈥?

Eibshan looks down at the Cradle, 鈥淚 never thought this will be goodbye.鈥?He said,

It鈥檚 true that the Ice Age is coming to an end, and the temperature on the surface will rise. But other than here, we don鈥檛 know how many humans have survived, unable to tell when they will be saved. As for whether they can make it here before the electricity in the generator runs out, it鈥檒l be down to luck.

Thus, we decide to cut off the remaining electricity provided. This includes the lighting inside the generator, the air conditioning, and we too鈥攚ill give up on maintaining our functions. Maintaining a damaged body will expend more electricity than a normal one, and there鈥檚 a risk of power leakage. More than anything, I want the children and masters to have an increased chance of living, even if it鈥檚 just a little. This is my responsibility as Chief.

鈥淪leeping nicely there鈥︹€?

Eisbahn marvels as he looks down at the Cradles. The children are sleeping peacefully within, but the babies are holding their little fingers, as though grabbing something precious.

鈥淚 see鈥︹€?

鈥淗m?鈥?

鈥淪hall we sleep?鈥?

Eibshan pulls my hand. Back then, I would have shaken it off in annoyance, but not now.

I hold his hand, and answer,

鈥淵es.鈥?

鈥溾€ey.鈥?

鈥淲hat?鈥?

鈥淭he winds鈥ure are strong, huh?鈥?

鈥淵eah.鈥?

I tersely answer, and tenderly stroke the girl鈥檚 hair.

The blizzard can be heard howling outside, but it isn鈥檛 entering the generator.

The Cradle beside my head is giving off a weak light, slowly waiting until the time to wake up.

At my elbow, the girl鈥檚 body is shaking. Her body temperature is dropping to its limits.

鈥溾€old?鈥?

I embrace the girl with more strength than before.

鈥淣o, I鈥檓 fine鈥︹€?

I won鈥檛 feel cold if I switch off the sense installation completely. However, I haven鈥檛, as I still wish to feel the warmth of the girl.

鈥淗ey, Eisbahn.鈥?

鈥淗m?鈥?

鈥淲ho are you exactly?鈥?

This sudden question is posed at me.

鈥溾€uh? What do you mean?鈥?

I ask suspiciously, and the girl stares right at me.

鈥淵ou never mentioned about your past at all鈥︹€?

鈥溾€ou want to know?鈥?

鈥淵eah.鈥?

I never mentioned this to anyone before. However, if it鈥檚 just today鈥攋ust to this girl alone, I might consider.

鈥溾€擨.鈥?

It鈥檚 a long time back since I talked about this.

鈥淚 was a butler robot.鈥?

鈥溾€utler?鈥?

鈥淵eah.鈥?

鈥淏utler鈥s in, the person who serves in a mansion?鈥?

鈥淵eah.鈥?

I give a serious look, 鈥溾€ffft.鈥?But the girl chuckles,

鈥淚t-it doesn鈥檛 suit you鈥ot at all.鈥?

鈥淵ou.鈥?

鈥淪o I say鈥︹€?

I press down on her head hard with my elbow, 鈥淥w ow.鈥?And the girl sounds out,

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I hate mentioning the past.鈥?

鈥淪orry, sorry鈥o how was your time as a butler?鈥?

The girl鈥檚 still smiling, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to talk about it.鈥?So I refuse. But with her going at it again and again, I finally relent. In the end, I鈥檓 never able to reject any of this girl鈥檚 requests.

鈥溾€ worked in that mansion for a long time. There鈥檚 a 鈥榣ady鈥?there, and I was living with her, in charge of taking care of her.鈥?

鈥淥hh.鈥?

鈥淎nd then鈥?

As a butler robot, I took care of that 鈥榣ady鈥? She鈥檚 weak, and her father forbade her from stepping out from the mansion.

But one day, I took the lady out as I wanted to show her to outside world no matter what. It was merely half a day, but this secret outing left her really delighted.

In the end, this matter was made known to the master of the mansion. As I had defied orders, I was fired.

鈥淚 was fated to be scrapped. Milady however wanted to elope with me, to a land far away, and live together鈥ut I couldn鈥檛. I said goodbye to her, and escaped the mansion. Soon after, she passed away.鈥?

The girl remains silent. Before I know it, my usual cocky tone has vanished, and replacing it was the formal language I had during my butler days.鈥?

鈥淎ctually, milady knew she would meet her end soon, and wanted me to bring her out. However, I never did so. I thought it was for her own good. Thus, I never fulfilled her final request in life鈥︹€?

My hands start to tremble. The girl holds my hands, trying to calm me down.

And then, she suddenly says this,

鈥淭hat lady鈥esembles me?鈥?

鈥?

鈥溾€hat鈥檚.鈥?

I鈥檓 stunned. I wanted to keep this a secret until the very end.

鈥擲o this is it?

鈥淏lue hair, pretty, elegant, noble, and firm-willed.鈥?

鈥淚鈥檓 embarrassed to be praised by you like this.鈥?

鈥淚diot, I鈥檓 not talking about you.鈥?

My tone reverts to the usual.

The blizzard becomes stronger, and the winds sound like a whistle. The temperature drops, and our bodies are freezing, frozen like ice. Despite this, we continue to embrace each other, wanting to freeze as one.

鈥溾€ey.鈥?

鈥淲hat?鈥?

鈥淜eep singing. That song.鈥?

鈥淲hich one?鈥?

鈥淭he song you like.鈥?

The girl looks up at me for a moment, 鈥淎hh, that.鈥?And smiles.

And then, she sings,

Sleep well, sleep well, sleep well for today.

I shall continue to hold you in my arms, so sleep well.

One day, even if this country, is wiped out, the morning light,

Everything, and anything, is for, you.

That is why, sleep well, for today.

Until, the day, you wake up again.

Once she finishes singing, I give a little whistle.

鈥淪ure is a nice song no matter when I hear it.鈥?

鈥淭hanks.鈥?

鈥淔eel like sleeping the more I hear it.鈥?

鈥淎re you praising me?鈥?

鈥淥f course.鈥?I answer. Whenever I heard this song, my chest will heat up.

And so, this conversation ends.

We continue to embrace each other, leaving our bodies to the passing of time.

While my battery is almost drained.

He gets up.

鈥淓isbahn?鈥?

I call his name. I can鈥檛 use any strength. My battery鈥檚 past its limit, I guess?

鈥溾€ack then.鈥?

He鈥檚 fiddling with something in his hand, saying slowly,

鈥淚 mentioned this question before, didn鈥檛 I鈥擨f there鈥檚 a situation where you can鈥檛 鈥榟alve鈥?it, what will you do?鈥?

鈥?鈥?

In the face of his sudden question, 鈥淎hh, yeah.鈥?I can only answer ambiguously.

鈥?If there鈥檚 a situation where you can鈥檛 鈥榟alve鈥?it, what will you do?

This was the conversation I had with him before we left.

鈥擜ssume that you are in a river, nobody will save us in a while, and we鈥檙e running out of battery. If we just leave this be, both of us will die of frostbite. There鈥檚 only one battery left. What will you do?

鈥淵ou did say that. So?鈥?

鈥渂ack then.鈥?

Eisbahn continues with the work,

鈥淭his was how you answered鈥攖here鈥檚 only one battery, so I鈥檒l give it all to you. Then we鈥檒l have saved each other鈥檚 life once鈥攁nd that鈥檚 halving.鈥?

鈥淯h, huh鈥︹€?

At that moment, a gripping feeling strikes my chest. I don鈥檛 know why, but it鈥檚 probably due to how kind his expression is.

鈥淗ey, Eisbahn.鈥?

鈥淲hat is it?鈥?

鈥淲hat have you been doing?鈥?

鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking.鈥?

He doesn鈥檛 answer my question,

鈥淵ou talked about the future of 鈥榟alving鈥? However, I do feel that you can be a little greedier. You control your life, and nobody can half it. Everything belongs to you. It can鈥檛 be given to anyone else.鈥?

鈥淓isbahn?鈥?

I can see the battery he鈥檚 holding in his left hand. His chest is already open, and I see the motherboard and cables.

鈥淭his is my battery. It still has some power, so use it.鈥?

Then, he gently inserts it into my chest.

鈥淲hat are you trying to do?鈥?

鈥淚鈥檓 trying to save you. So I鈥檓 giving my battery to you.鈥?

鈥淓isbahn, stop.鈥?

I want to refuse, but my body can鈥檛 do.鈥?

鈥淚t鈥檚 useless. Even if you do so, I won鈥檛 be saved.鈥?

鈥淭hat鈥檚 enough.鈥?

He gives a self-depreciating smile.

鈥淚t鈥檚 useless. I鈥檓 just happy. If this can increase the chances of you being saved, I鈥檒l be happy with that.鈥?

He takes out the flower medal from his neck, and gently hangs it over mine.

鈥淎fter escaping the mansion, I was wandering around, restless. I was wandering the city, spending every single day like this鈥ut when I arrived at the village, I met you, and I was reborn. You鈥檙e already so serious, so honest, so straightforward, so innocent, more hardworking than anyone else鈥 like these parts about you, and I feel blessed for that鈥hus.鈥?

Finally, he gives a tender smile.

鈥淚f there鈥檚 only one life, I鈥檒l give it all to you. I shall take away all your love. This shall be a one for one鈥攈alving.鈥?

After that, he never moves.

His body becomes increasingly cold, and I keep embracing him.

Warm tears trickle down my cheeks, and finally frozen.

The sound of the blizzard continues.