2. Asgard, The Remote Land

We were walking in a vast forest. The trees are so thick that even sunlight is blocked.

“This is hell… let’s go home, Vigna, Boman… …… let’s go to some new city and change our names.”

“You …… just what the hell were you blustering about a minute ago, bring back that excitement, you idiot.”

After saying that, she wiped off the demon’s blood and put her sword away in its sheath. 

No, no, no, what’s with this place? There are so many demons here! It’s not even a frontier anymore. This is a dungeon. Who said we’d be fine with just me and Bowman? If it wasn’t for Vigna, we’d have been demon prey right away. ……

“Oh, that’s a tough one, I can’t imagine what the future holds. Are you sure we’re on the right road?”

“Yes. The map is old, so there are a few errors, but no problem. For now, let’s use the Mad King’s mansion near the waterfront as a base. It’s got a roof, so it’s better than a tent.

“…but we’re going to lose our sense of direction with all this.”

I used the “World Library” to open a map of the area in my mind and answered Bowman. On the map, the roads around here used to be well maintained, but now there’s no sign of them.

But there’s no despair on my face. I have two people I can trust, and I have my skills. I touch a beautiful blue flower on the ground and use my skill.

“Water Moon Flower: A flower that only blooms where there is a water source nearby. Its leaves have a healing effect and are used to make potions.』

This is one of the powers of my skill, “World Library”. It can tell me what things I’ve touched are even if I don’t know it. Of course, it can’t tell me everything, the information I can get depends on my level of knowledge.

If I had been more familiar with cooking this time, I might have been able to learn how to use it as a seasoning. I’ll try to study that next time.

“Look at this flower, it only blooms where there’s a source of water, which means there’s a river nearby, so the road must be right along this path.”

“Wow, you’re right, Grace. It’s true, I can hear the water now.”

Vigna was right. After a while, we walked, and we could hear the sound of running water. That’s great! To be honest, I was a little worried. I went onward, inwardly pulling a guts pose at the fact that my knowledge was coming in handy.

“Oh… that’s quite something. It’s a shame that it’s beat down. Well, it looks like it’s going to be worth fixing!”

We went to an open area with trees and found a dilapidated mansion standing there, lonely. It must have once been a beautiful white building. Ivy curled around the walls, and it was a little sad to see the holes in the walls and ceiling that had been ravaged by demons.

“There might be golems and the like, so we have to be vigilant from here… Arms of the Thunder Emperor, grant my wish.”

“Oh, as expected of the strongest of the King’s Guard, your Mithril sword goes well with magic.”

“Yes, it depends on the quality of the Mithril, but once you cast a spell, it could last for a day.”

With her words, lightning clung to her sword. The sword she carries is made of the highest quality Mithril, the proof of the strongest knight of the King’s Guard. It’s very reassuring.

“That’s …….”

“What is it? Human?”

When I entered the terrifying mansion after Vigna, I found a hall with a humanoid statue lying in the middle of it as if asleep. The statue’s pure white skin and silvery hair looked very human and somewhat mysterious. But why was she wearing a maid uniform?

From this outfit and her excellent looks, perhaps she’s not the vicious golem I’ve heard so much about, but a housekeeping golem.

“Oh, a golem! And what a beauty! Come on, guys!”

“Hey, Bowman! Don’t go any further. It’s unsafe.”

“No no, someone has to guard me, I’ll die if I’m attacked by a demon! I’m really feeble!”

With eyes glowing with curiosity, Bowman runs up to the golem, and Vigna and I hurry to follow. “Wow, what kind of technology can be used to get people to this point …” Bowman enthusiastically touches it.

I stared at the golem, thinking that from a distance it looked like a bearded old man sexually harassing a girl.

Her entire body is made of some kind of metal, and there’s not a scratch on her. And even though her eyes are closed, she has a very beautiful face, like an extreme beauty.

“It’s indeed amazing…”

I’m not as interested as Bowman, but I was drawn to touch it. It’s really amazing. There are certainly golems that resemble humans, but I’ve never seen one that’s so beautiful and human-like.

The cold touch of the metal stimulated my fingertips.

“You have been exposed to the knowledge of another world. Some of it will be shown to you.”

“Ohhhh…”

At the same time as the voice of the “World Library” echoed in my brain, I felt a new bookshelf open up in me. At the same time, the golem I touched, or rather the knowledge of the number 00000, came in.

I gained knowledge of the thing in front of me. But what the heck is this?… It’s not a golem.

“Come on, Vigna, let’s apply some magic! This is a great golem! I’d like to see her move.”

“I’ve been trying for a while now, but it won’t budge. I think it’s broken.”

I could hear their voices somewhere in the distance. I hold my head in shock at the new knowledge I’ve gained, and make a timid suggestion.

‘No, …… Vigna, she isn’t magic. Give her thunder.”

“What? You want me to use thunder magic? Well, okay, but it won’t break, will it? Arm of the Thunder Emperor, grant my wish.”

As soon as she chanted, a lightning bolt shot out from her right hand and hit the thing in front of her, it was sucked in as if it were absorbed.

Vigna and Bowman stare at me in surprise, but don’t look at me like that. I honestly didn’t know this was going to happen either…

After a while, the eyes of the person in front of us glowed for a moment, and then he or she stood up.

“Whoa, the golem is on its feet! Way to go, Vigna.”

“Grace, how did you know? This is amazing!”

“Bowman…, this is not a golem, this is…”

When I tried to tell him what she was, she got up and bowed gracefully, like a human being. And then, with a human-like smile on his face, said.

“Hello, my name is Galatea. And let me correct one misunderstanding. I am not a golem, but a robot. Who would be the Lord of this place?”

“Robot…?”

Vighna and Boman parroted back in unison, exchanging looks of confusion.

Yes, she is not a …… golem, but a robot. What’s a robot?

“A robot is a device or machine that autonomously performs some action or task in order to fulfill a person’s command or wish. It’s a technology from another world, a different world from this one.”

“I learned that earlier when I touched that robot. But what’s another world … a different world?”

The “World Library” answered my question. But, what’s another world? …… I could only listen to the strange words in a daze.

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