Arc 9: Inheritance of Babylon.
Chapter 71: The Professor and the Monotone Boy
When the three-dimensional image of the professor held the tobacco in her mouth again, she laughed once again with a grin.
『Because I will accurately answer your question, forgive me for earlier. First of all, why is it that I know about you? It is because I possess a tool capable of peeking into the future. 』
A tool for peeking into the future? Is it an artifact? Is she a genius who can create such things… Although she is crazy.
『Combining s.p.a.ce-time magic and light magic, those are no-attribute magic… Well, I left out the minor details, but anyway that tool is able to project the future. However, that tool unfortunately can’t go beyond peeking at anything but fragmented episodes, there are defects in being able to accurately decide on the period to peek into. It is the projecting system, which crosses over the era and perceives the person who possess the same life wavelength as the user. Although in my case since I possess all attributes, it conversely became a catastrophe, and I wasn’t able to peek at anything but you who was too far』
So my life wavelength is the same as this person, is it…. Somehow that doesn’t have a wonderful feeling to it. To be treated in the same cla.s.s… Since we are absolutely different. Even if you say that we possess the same attributes, that doesn’t mean anything!
『Maa, I discovered you after using it. At first, it was from a petty interest, but gradually it became enjoyable, you know. It was fun gazing at you and your companions’ adventures, but one time, I became unable to see it in any way. Why, you ask? It is that the future has changed. No, rather than say that it changed, it is more accurate to say that it has become uncertain』
Uncertain…? What do you mean?
Ａ（Past）───────B（Future）
As for this flow of time, if it happens so that in that period change point {C} appears, the future won’t be in point {B}, it will be {B’}.
If I a.s.sume that the future professor saw until now was {B}, then something in the change point {C} has begun to occur which shook that future, while the future {B’} happened… What does it mean?
『The downfall of Paruteno… Well, this is what decided it, I think. In reality, the fact is that in your period our civilization was ruined. At any rate, the downfall of Paruteno due to the invasion of enemy of the humankind Fureizu was already interweaved into the future that I saw. 』
Fureizu…. When you say Fureizu….. ! This is the crystal apparition that Rin talked about! This is the monster who was the cause of destruction of the ancient civilization 5000 years ago!
『We also fought it, but the downfall, caused by tens of thousands of Fureizu could not be stopped. And so, due to them scattering throughout the world, the downfall of the world was drawing near before our eyes. There was probably no future. That’s why, I couldn’t see it. 』
The flow from {A}(The past in which Professor existed) to {B}(our future), while the change to the {B’}(The future in which the downfall of the world is caused by Fureizu) occurred, what is the meaning of this? Still…
『Yes, following what you also noticed, why the downfall of the world did not happen. That time, all of Fureizu have completely disappeared from the world to the boundaries. I don’t know the reason. But, thanks to that, I again became able to see the future of all of you』
Are you saying, the future {B’} did not occur. Thank G.o.d. If it happened, I might have been dropped into different world. Then, I might have also not met the others.
However, I wonder why did the Fureizu suddenly disappeared from this world…? Like in old science fiction stories, I guess an outbreak of something like the virus, which killed nothing but Fureizu, happened.
『In other words, I came to know about you because of this. Naturally, my legacy, [Babylon] was left behind for your sake. You are free to use it as you like. I also created the girls based on your preferences, so you may use them as you like too』
The three-dimensional reflection kept floating an evil smile. Kuu, I wonder why is that! This [I understand, it can’t be helped, you know, can it. Since you are a boy] type of laughter! An impression similar to an elder sister teasing her younger brother!
『Tentatively, given that it won’t be good to pa.s.sing [Babylon] over to anyone but you, I have made it decentralized, but well, it is no problem whether you discover the rest or not. You should look for it if you feel like it. It seems that in that period, too much strong power is not very much required, is it. 』
How random! I have doubts whether this person really is a genius.
『Well then, it became long, but with this the message finishes. By the way, the moment this message ends Francesca will become stark-naked』
「UeEEee!? 」
『Just kidding. See you later』
Once again I throw smartphone on the futon. Kuaaaa! Making fun to the very end, that perverted professor! Why did this happen!? Was this the person who, despite making fun of me, created [Babylon]!?
「…Should I undress? 」
「You should not! 」
I give a warning to s.h.i.+suka, who raises her hands to undress.
Anyway, that professor peeked into here from her time, and came to know about us. Considering that, I did not think that she saw the future so much and did such things as placing the transfer formation on the bottom of the Ishen’s sea, and split [Babylon] in advance.
Because it is said that you can’t peek at anything but the fragments, it might be impossible to peek with aiming. Well, when I think that I might be looked at this very moment too from the past, there won’t be a time to relax my mind. I hope that it would be so.
One more thing that bothered me was Fureizu. Perhaps the professor [couldn’t see] the future of Fureizu.
I wonder if wasn’t that cricket-type Fureizu, which we came across in the former royal capital, being sealed by any chance. It might be that 1000 years ago the Fureizu invasion also happened. And because of that, the former royal capital was abandoned, since there was no choice but to relocate the capital….. When I think that way, it is consistent.
A survivor of that time, it was discovered by us… It might have been captured for the sake of searching some weakpoint or something.
But… If that is the case, then… what was the deal with the snake-type Fureizu, which Rin and the others happened to encounter? Isn’t it a sign that the thing that occurred 5000 years ago, happened 1000 years ago?
5000 years ago the downfall of the world didn’t happen. 1000 years ago the royal capital was ruined. It may be also be said that the scale has diminished. Even if the same thing happened this time, it might be that there won’t be any damage to that extent… Is what I’m thinking but it is overly optimistic, isn’t it.
「Has something happened? 」
「No… there is nothing. 」
This is all just hypothetical. It would be good if this was just my imagination. However, if something does happen, then…
「…There’s no use thinking about this. It would only worry everyone, so we should stay silent」
「About my night visit? 」
「Not about that! However, be silent about that! 」
「Yes, Master」
If infidelity and the likes are made known on the very same day of betrothal, it won’t be received too well. I hurriedly drove s.h.i.+suka out (of course she was properly given her own room) and crawled into the bed.
Next day, I alone depart for the commercial district, the south district of royal capital.
The destination is jewelry store. Er, it’s for the engagement rings, I thought that I should buy them.
Well, I thought I could use [Modeling] to make them myself, but I’d certainly be called stingy for giving those to my fiancées.
Nevertheless, I do not know how much the market price for those things is. It is said that [Engagement rings are worth three salaries] or something, but I also heard that it is no more than a tagline propagated by the jewelry companies. In the first place, my earnings are not a salary…
When I tried checking the net for a bit, the engagement ring is given to the woman at the time she is betrothed with the man. It is the one, which said it should be worth three times salary or something. Then the spouses’ pair usually exchange the wedding rings during the marriage ceremony to put them on. Since they are starting the married life after that, it looks like it doesn’t need to be expensive. It also seems that it is normal to not have a jewel in it.
If it was a normal marriage, then I would need to buy a total of three rings, but in my case I have four brides, so for marriage and betrothal I would need 9 rings in all…
Aree? I just noticed, but this custom is the custom of my world. In this world it might be different.
Well, I should try to confirm it just in case with the jewelry store a.s.sistant-san.
While I’m thinking about it walking through the south trade district, I hear some voices in dispute. What’s going on? When I try to go in the direction of food stall where the voice is coming from, there was a food cart shopkeeper folding his arms and glaring at the customer.
「Listen, an-chan. I don’t know from where this money is, but you can’t pay with them. Understand? 」
「It is troubling. I don’t have anything but this… 」
His age is almost the same as mine, I think. Wearing black jacket on white s.h.i.+rt, long white scarf and black trousers, a beautiful but monotone boy scratches his head looking troubled. On that head was pure white hair. He is carrying two half-eaten crepe in his hand.
「In that case you’re leaving without paying. I will hand you over to the guards then」
「Eeeh, As I said, can’t I pay with this? It is also money, isn’t it? 」
「As I said, in this country, you cannot pay with this money…! 」
「Anoo~… 」
Without enduring it further, I call out to them. It seems like by my guess, this boy has eaten the goods while not having the currency of this country.
「What, who are you? 」
「I am a person that happened to pa.s.s by here, but I will pay this cost. Will that be okay? 」
「As long as I receive the money, I will have no complaints… 」
I pay one copper coin, and I receive two more crepes. Four crepes for one copper is really cheap. I left the food cart with the boy.
「Thank you. You saved me there. 」
「No, we are all equal in the face of trouble. By the way, do you not have the common currency?」
I tried to ask the boy, who expressed his words of grat.i.tude. From what countryside did he come from. When even the far-off Ishen uses the same common currency.
「Earlier, I could pay for goods with this」
The boy with the scarf took out from his pocket with a ching a silver coin and showed me.
(Ed: ching sound from a jiggling coins.)
「The shape is different. 」
The common currency, the gold or silver coins we use everyday has a round shape. A perfect circle. But this has an octagonal shape. How unusual. I take the coin from the boy’s hand, and turned it over to examine it
「If you like, I will give it to you. As grat.i.tude for earlier. After all, it can’t be used here. 」
「Really? Then, I will receive it in exchange for the crepes without reservation. 」
Honestly, I didn’t do much, but if he puts it that way, there’s no harm, so I accepted it.
「I am Touya. Mochizuki Touya. You are? 」
「End. Nice to meet you, Touya」
I grasped the hand of the boy who called himself End. I randomly thought that his hand was very cold for some reason. It was my first encounter with End.