She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (WN) Chapter 16

Chapter 16 The Latest Technologies

 From the light novel~ Fish. X3al = translator; Fish = editor. If you guys find any errors or any awkward language, feel free to post them.

“Let’s continue then. The largest difference with players and normal people is in our bodies. As you can notice, it doesn’t seem to age.”

 Telling that, Solomon showed his figure, spreading his arms. The same as Mira and Luminaria, his appearance was carefully constructed with vanity cases.

“And that’s why you haven’t aged even after thirty years?”

 “Yes. I can’t tell for sure because we still don’t know a lot of things but it looks like either we don’t age at all or simply don’t change our appearance with age. I still don’t know if we have a life span at all. Though it’s not like we have any way to confirm it without waiting another 40-50 years.”

 The fact that there is no aging with time means there is no degradation of body with age. Thus, the skin’s tension is preserved. A large part of reason why Luminaria praises this world as the best lies in the perpetual youth of that form. If you’re handsome, you’ll remain that way forever.

 Judging by this explanation, the unchanging appearance is not a property of this world but just a privilege of former players.

 However, for Mira ‘lifespan‘ was more important. It’s natural that in thirty years you still don’t die from age. But what about other causes?
In a game, when monsters defeated you, you resurrected with weakened status in the country or place you was linked to. But it only applied to game. Does it still work now, in reality? That’s what bothered Mira.

 “By the way, what about death in this world? Do you still resurrect with the status penalty?”

 “Hmm…”

 On this question Solomon folded arms and pondered with a troubled expression.

 Gathering his thoughts after a short pause, Solomon lifted his face with words “I don’t know for sure.”

 “Honestly, I haven’t yet heard about death of players. But it’s related to the fact there aren’t much players. Also there is a possibility that this information is restricted.
But my personal opinion is… probably, you do die.”

 A plain voice of Solomon told it extremely seriously.
As long as it’s reality, it’s definitely not a strange thing. And Mira, while hoping that it’s not true, actually understood that things can’t be so convenient and smoothly accepted those words.

 “Thus, if you said “probably”, you do have some basis?”

“It’s the friend list. Do you know that I check the friend list every day? Because, well, all of you tend to appear unexpectedly.
But, you see, there was an opposite case. Well, even when friend list told me he was online, I couldn’t know where he was.”

Telling that, Solomon stopped his monologue to wet his lips. In the moment his voice vanished from room, there was only the sound of papers being bundled by Luminaria.

“One night when I checked my list like usual, he became offline. Since then, he still hasn’t came back.”

 “Indeed.”

 If you a.s.sume that presence in this world makes you to appear online in friend list, then becoming offline means one of two possibilities.
First is, by some means he managed to log out.
Another is, he simply disappeared from this world. In other words, he died.

Trusting to the logic of Solomon, Mira decided to act even more carefully.

“About all that die-don’t die thing. Honestly, the primary cause of death is a battle. And I think that it’s hard to die in action for us. With all our strength, even if we face a stronger opponent, we can run away for sure, so be it the king of beasts, Maou, or dragon G.o.d, we always have a way.” 

As Luminaria stated in the middle of arranging papers while charmingly sitting on the table, for them it’s not that a big issue. They could trust in strength that they got through various means in the four years since the official release.

 “Surely, it’s that.”

 “Also, it’s just the worst case, so let’s put this topic aside for time being. Right now we don’t have neither need to answer, nor any humane way to do it. I think we should just take extra care.”

 Returning his smile, Solomon confirmed the time in the menu of his bracelet.

 “Well, it’s already the appointed time. Let’s go. Mira, you’re going with us too.”

 “Hmm. Well, it’s fine. Do you have any other task?”

 “That will be a surprise.”

 With those words, smiling like he had something in thoughts Solomon walked to the door of the office.

 “I’ll show you how this world has advanced!”

 Luminaria, turning her table to the door, jumped down from the table.

 Following them, Mira stood up and left the office. To get away from the unbearable glances of Reynard and Joaquin, she quickly slipped into the shadow of Luminaria.

Five of them went down on several ladders while moving through the corridor. Silence gradually took over, only the sound of footsteps, coldly echoing from cold gray walls, resounded in their ears.

When Mira went on down, by her count, the tenth ladder, she saw a large steel door with guards staying on it’s sides.

Recognizing Solomon and Luminaria, the guards reported “Nothing abnormal sire” with the usual military salute.

“Good job.”

Solomon made a short nod switching in the king mode. Luminaria did the same.

“Everyone has already gathered.”

“Fine.”

“It’ll begin soon. Your highness, can you tell us who she is?”

Guard looked at Mira.

“This person is Dunbalf’s pupil, Mira. Her skills could help in an experiment we’re going to do so I brought her.”

“She was a pupil of Dunbalf? My apologies.”

After that the guard pushed a card-shaped key to the door. A white corridor  appeared behind it.

Mira followed Solomon and Luminaria. Suddenly, the Middle Ages scenery changed to a cutting edge-looking inst.i.tution.
This scenery made Mira to recall a certain foreign s.p.a.ce station she saw at TV once.

(It looks like they’re having some fun.)

Considering the deep bas.e.m.e.nt, strong door, and experiments the first thing she thought about was a secret research inst.i.tution.

“We are here.“

Saying that, Solomon stopped before a large door. The door slowly opened itself.

“It’s quite amazing too.“

A huge white s.p.a.ce opened behind the door. The size of this s.p.a.ce was comparable to a domed stadium.

Countless machines were cl.u.s.tered around here. One machine attracted attention with it’s giant form. It had a large horizontal extension on a tower rising from a heavy body. People in white gowns hustled before gauges around the tower. Near the main body, stained in oil figures dressed in patched clothing with ap.r.o.ns discussed something.

“I waited for you, Solomon-sama.

Counselor Suriman appeared from a side of the door. With a nod, he moved to the side of Solomon.

“Thanks for the hard work, everyone.”

At this voice, everybody stopped, turned faces to him deeply bowed. After they finished paying their respects, their attention focused on the unknown girl standing near him.

Being weak to attention, Mira instantly tried to slip behind the back of Luminaria. But Luminaria quickly grabbed her shoulders and put her in front of them.

“This girl is Mira, pupil of the Dunbalf. She inherited Dunbalf’s skills, they should be useful in today’s experiment.

While everybody around expressed their emotions, a n.o.ble stepped forward.

“Such girl is a… May you allow me to make greetings?“

“Fine, go ahead.”

After Solomon’s permission, the n.o.ble man walked to Mira and knelt.
A man about 60~70 years old with silver-gray hair and deep wrinkles on the face showed a gentle smile to Mira. With that matured calmness and masculine expression, his looks were more suitable for the king t.i.tle than Solomon. A gorgeous costume without excessive adornments completed the refined outlook.

“Glad to meet you. I’m Edward Corse Steiner. I’m greatly honored seeing a pupil of a hero, Dunbalf.”

With this greetings, Edward took hand of Mira and made a gentle kiss in back of the hand. Mira was impressed with that refined gentlemen’s manners to the point that she did not even brush him away. Even more, she was fascinated by his manners. After all, this was the Mira’s admired bearing.

“Yes, I’m Mira.”

Looking at Edward’s retreating figure, Mira reaffirmed her devotion: “As expected, authenticity is magnificent”. Luminaria silently chuckled behind her.

(Edward? I feel I met him somewhere)

While musing at the gentleman’s manners, Mira tried to find where she heard the Edward’s name in her vast sea of memories about Ark Earth Online to no result.

“Well, preparations are over. Let’s start the first stage.“

Returning to her senses at the voice, Mira, following busily moving researchers and engineers, looked up at the giant mechanism in the middle of them.

“Could it be a… cannon?“

Muttering that, Mira looked at black pipe, extending like a gun barrel.

“That’s right. And it’s not a simple cannon“, gently smiled Luminaria with feminine manners.

A few of the researchers had quickened heartbeats looking at this Elder’s onee-sama charm. Mira, knowing the insides, with inexpressible feelings moved away.

At the edge of her vision, some device was in middle of preparations far away in direction of the cannon’s barrel.

(What is it?)

Gaping at that sight, Mira slightly tilted her body, showing smoothly s.h.i.+ning silver hairs and countless shaking ribbons on her shoulders.

“Hey, I’m feeling an amazing glance.“

“What? It doesn’t matter, just set that stuff up.“

“No, but, well, that’s.“

“Just what’s wrong with you?“

At the end of Mira’s sight, a researcher and an engineer, doing last adjustments of device, noticed the adorable girl gazing at them.

“Wasn’t that Dunbalf’s pupil…“

“Yeah, Mira-chan.”

“No, no! Chan is a bit rude.“

“But no matter how you look at her, it’s Mira-chan. How can you call her otherwise?“

“Something like Mira-sama?“

“Mira-sama… In some sense, that fits her too.”

The researcher broadly grinned. The engineer nodded, expressing agreement.
Despite the stupid talk, their pace of work went faster. Mira’s attention made them enthusiastic.

“Preparations are complete. We’re ready at any time.“

The only engineer who had a red hat reported it. He planned the main part of the cannon and was in charge of today’s experiment.

Looking at the cannon again, Mira already expected the test firing. But even judging by looks, it wasn’t a simple cannon. A cannon that shoots simple sh.e.l.ls was here even in the game epoch.  It was a generic weapon made by players with a blacksmith skill.
But it never needed neither the size, nor countless indicators connected to it.

(Well, well, what are they going to show?)

Happily cuddling her chin, Mira waited for the result.

Researchers stood on alert by the gauges connected to cannon. n.o.bles lined at the wall watching over the experiment.

“Start the experiment!“

“Starting the experiment!“

At the loud signal of Solomon, the lead engineer started the main mechanism, repeating the order.
High-pitched sound of the motor reverberated in the room. The hands of gauges started to shake. n.o.bles held their breath. Reynard and Joaquin stood ahead of Mira’s group just in case, focusing attention on the cannon.

“5 seconds till the first stage….4…..3…..“

Mixing with the increasing sound of the countdown, a noise similar to the electrical discharge was heard.

“2…. 1…Ready!“

“Fire!“

Responding to Solomon, the lead engineer pushed a lever. At this second, thunder accompanied with a flash of a lightning tore the sky. This torrent of destruction crashed into a curtain of light atop of the device in front and, shaking the room with the impact, burst into an explosion a moment later.

Everyone in this room was entranced for a moment with that destructive power of the cannon, which was enough to blow away the device producing the light curtain.

This power was clearly above cannons in past. Eyes of Mira s.h.i.+ned at that brave figure of the new model of cannon.

“Amazing, amazing!”

Luminaria put her hands on shoulders of Mira and leaned face to her side.

“This is a technique born and progressed during 30 years you was missing. It’s the Accord Cannon made with the magical engineering.“

With those words, she looked up at the Accord Cannon which demonstrated enough strength.