Surviving in the 121st Century - Chapter 24



Only Noblemtl

Episode 24

“Huh? What is this? This looks like ancient language. Why is this all of a sudden···?”

Morel, who was watching from the side, made a bewildered sound. And Jincheol remained expressionless.

I was looking at the letters appearing on the glass wall.

He said.

“I will take it back.”

“what?”

Morel questioned Jincheol’s words. It was because Esai’s words were not true. And that

At the same time, new letters appeared on the glass wall.

[Delegation of management authority. From now on, the new manager of this printing food court is the user.

Welcome, Admin.]

As soon as the letters appeared, a wave flowed across the entire pillar-shaped glass wall.

While Rel couldn’t hide his embarrassment at seeing that, Jincheol still had a blank expression on his face.

Said.

“What can I do if I am the manager?”

The glass wall displayed a new screen instead of any words. From simple grilled meat

A list of various foods, including fried seafood, stir-fried dishes, etc. There is a section called [Admin Menu] at the top.

It was a screen with a neck hanging. Most of the list was displayed in red,

There was a note attached to it that said [materials unavailable].

When Jincheol clicks on one of the red-annotated lists, a brief recipe description and sales area are displayed.

The enemy and the like appeared in a graph. Then Jincheol’s fingers slowly traced the graph.

When I clicked on a part, the graph’s performance by date appeared immediately on the screen.

However, the most recent dates were all written with the same date, with only different items.

[Sales performance and inventory status as of December 31, 2999]

[Sales performance and inventory status as of December 31, 2999]

[Sales performance and inventory status as of December 31, 2999]

·········

“···You idiots. Was it that hard to make a single date turn 3000 years ago?”

A dejected smile appeared on Jincheol’s expressionless face. His hand [Admin Menu]

I fiddled around with it, but other than adding or removing existing menus,

There was nothing I could do differently. Besides, the amount of performance by date was too much.

No matter how many times I flip through the list pages, only the same dates appear and no other dates are visible.

Didn’t.

“Is this all? Is there anything else you can do? Aren’t you an AI or something?”

The glass wall did not respond to the words, as if its own functions were being displayed on the screen.

As if that was all. Jincheol was turning over the list of achievements with such a desolate smile.

Soon, someone came to the glass wall next to him. He had just pulled out the grilled dish.

It was a campouni.

He seemed to have no interest in Jincheol and Morel, and he was just licking his lips against the glass wall.

I touched it. I had already finished eating and was about to pick a new one.

[Currently being adjusted.]

“···?”

But when he touched the glass wall, only strange letters appeared and the screen did not move.

Camponi kept touching the screen with a puzzled expression and one ear hanging down.

But there was no change in the glass wall.

He looked around and soon turned his gaze to Jincheol and Morel. But he didn’t say anything.

He couldn’t walk, but he seemed intimidated by the sight of Morel wearing his breastplate.

Jincheol, who was looking into the camp’s brown eyes, spoke quietly.

“Give up administrator privileges.”

[Request to waive administrator rights. Unconditional acceptance of user opinions in accordance with the ‘Last Decree’

If you give up this right, this printing food court will be converted to autonomous operation.

Are you sure you want to give up your administrator rights?]

“okay.”

[Confirmation of order. This printing food court is now self-operating. Thank you for visiting.

Dear User, In accordance with the ‘Last Decree’, all costs of your goods from now on will be

[Exempted.]

“I wish you would just tell me what that fucking ‘final decree’ is, you piece of shit.”

The glass wall did not give an answer. Instead, the food screen was blurry like when I first saw it.

It just went back to .

“This is just fucking shit.”

While Jincheol was snickering, Camponi, who was next to him, went back to watching the food video on his screen.

He was delighted to see this rising. He cautiously looked at Jincheol and Morel as if expressing gratitude.

After greeting me warmly, he picked up some food and left just like he had done a little while ago.

“···What on earth have you done?”

Afterwards, Jincheol just stared at the glass wall, looking at the situation with puzzled eyes.

Morel, who was watching, opened his mouth. Jincheol was watching the menu video playing on the glass wall.

He said without taking his eyes off me.

“Do you know exactly what this is?”

“What exactly is this ‘Wall of Food’?”

“What is this, whether you call it a food wall or a food printer?”

Morel continued speaking slowly, looking at Jincheol’s expression that had returned to a blank expression.

“···Usually known to the citizens of Shiol is just a glass wall where you pay to get food.

However, according to the history book of the main house, this place was originally a place where the sun’s grace gathered and produced food.

It is a place where. Long ago, the people of Shiol, who were starving due to the curse of winter,

With the ignition of the previous one, I received the grace of this meal and endured the spring of suffering.”

He turned his gaze to the glass wall and lifted his chin slightly. He seemed proud.

“After this, even if our ancestors of Anthera were not citizens of Shiol, they would receive the grace of this wall.

He made it possible for anyone, no matter where they came from, rich or poor, to taste it.

“If you pay the amount of coins equal to your conscience, you can receive a meal···”

“How much is the coin for your conscience?”

Even though the conversation was interrupted in the middle, Morel did not get angry. He had no expression on his face.

It was because Jincheol’s appearance looked serious.

“There is no set amount. Neither gold nor silver, not even the fake silver from that Santesia.

“Edo walls give food.”

“Not going in?”

“Then there is no meal. The wall must give something back. This is the wall.

It is also a teaching given to us-”

“Is there anything like this?”

Morel’s expression became strange. He tilted his head and asked again.

“Something like this?”

“You don’t even know exactly what it is, and you’re just calling it a myth or a legend. That’s it.

Oh, come to think of it, your temple was the closest. Let’s go in there first.

“I will.”

“···You bastard, as I said earlier, be careful with your words. Don’t make such blasphemous remarks.

If you get caught by a temple warrior while talking, it will be annoying. And seven

“A person of ‘low birth’ who is not of the family’s bloodline will never be permitted to enter the Temple of the Sun-”

At that moment, Jincheol’s hand moved in a flash and grabbed Morel’s neck.

“Ugh···”

Morel tried to quickly free his hand, even though he was making a choking sound. But

Jincheol’s grip on his neck was as rigid as a lump of iron. Morel’s

My feet lifted slightly off the floor.

And, a breath slower than that hand, Jincheol’s expressionless face looked at him.

Even under the pressure of suffocating and neck-breaking pressure, Rel felt that the face was strange.

It was like a badly drawn portrait. The face spoke slowly.

“Don’t talk nonsense and just answer the questions.”

Morel barely managed to spit out the remaining air, making a sound that sounded like a word.

“Do, book, government··· book···”

The pressure on his hand weakened. Morel quickly shook his hand away and stepped back, knocking on the door.

It was done.

“Oh my, gulp, oh my, gulp! You crazy bastard, kekekeke···”

The atmosphere in the restaurant was wonderful as he was holding his knees and groaning.

It was stiff. People sitting inside the restaurant centered around the glass wall pillar in the center.

I stopped eating when I saw Jincheol and Morel.

In addition, the two Esai who were sitting in one corner even stood up from their seats.

He was not wearing any armor, but he had a sword hanging from his waist.

Green Blades. They were the warriors of Antera.

But they soon stopped walking. Morel, who had caught his breath, reached out to them.

It was because I stopped him from reaching out.

“···Are you okay?”

“Yes. Are they trainee warriors?”

“Yes. If you need any help-”

“No. It’s not necessary, so step aside.”

The warriors who approached Morel bowed without saying a word to greet him.

He returned to his seat. Morel smiled bitterly at the sight, but in fact, it was

It was because he was now a trained warrior. The warrior chief Amu said out loud

He was a man who always kept his word.

Morel, whose thoughts were distracting, quickly shook his head to clear his mind and faced Jincheol again.

I saw. His face was still expressionless.

“···Are you in your right mind? This is Shiol. I am the Musaeng of Antera. Why are you attacking me like that?

What he is doing is declaring that he will turn all seven families of Shiol into enemies.

It’s the same. I don’t know what I saw on the ‘Wall of Food’, but I’m a little excited.

“Tongue.”

“Do I look excited?”

Jincheol said in a soft tone. Morel responded while stroking his neck.

“Then it seems you have turned around. You immediately said you wanted to enter the Sun Temple, my neck.

“Aren’t you going to try to break it···”

“What do you mean by library?”

“Outsiders are not allowed to enter the Sun Temple. That won’t change even if you break my neck.

It doesn’t. But···”

“But so what.”

“···The ‘Third Library’ is the only temple space open to outsiders. And, yes

As the saying goes, it’s a legend, or what should I call it… Anyway, there’s something strange about this place.

“Aren’t you looking for something so strange?”

“Guide me.”

Morel looked troubled.

“The Third Library’s opening hours have already passed. It must be closed now. So

Just rest today and tomorrow···”

Jincheol did nothing. He just quietly looked at Morel. Morel

Silver sighed.

“···Since that day on the boat when you slapped Suka’s cheek, there was something wrong with his head.

I guessed it was this… This is what Ishanka meant when he ordered you to guide Shiol.

It wouldn’t have been···”

Morel shook his head and muttered something, then turned around and said.

“Follow me.”

He took the lead and walked out of the ‘Wall of Food’, and Jincheol followed behind him without saying a word.

The two began to go back the way they had come. They were walking in the square of Antara.

To the streets of the castle, to the docks. The steps were the same as those taken by Ishanka and Antera Musas.

It continued. Jincheol headed towards the Temple of the Sun, a huge building he had seen as he entered Shiol.

It was west.

I walked like that for a while. At some point, I couldn’t find any shops on the street.

The road was neat and quiet, and the people who used to hang out there were nowhere to be found.

There was no light. Only the light of the regularly placed streetlights twinkled, and Jincheol and Morel’s feet

The sound of footsteps echoed.

He said without stopping walking.

“If you happen to run into anyone, just be quiet. I’ll talk. Damn it, ah

“It’s a good thing I didn’t take off my armor···”

Soon a broad bridge appeared before them, across the Sedalia River.

When the divided rivers surrounded the buildings of the Temple of the Sun like a moat,

At the door, there appeared to be a bridge built to cross it.

Of course, the bridge goes beyond simply connecting this side of Shiol and the Temple of the Sun, and

It was a structure that clearly distinguished the city. This side of the bridge was the free city of Sioux, and the other side was Esai.

The Sun Temple of the Aristocrats.

But Morel’s footsteps did not cross the bridge. Not beyond the bridge, but this way.

It is directed towards a square building erected in .

As expected, Jincheol’s steps stopped.

“Are you kidding me?”

“What? Why?”

“Does that look like a temple to you?”

“To be exact, it was a ‘temple’. The building that was originally inside the temple was dismantled and moved.

Because it was put down···”

As Jincheol’s eyes narrowed, Morel continued speaking quickly.

“I tell you again, I cannot allow you to enter the temple even if it breaks my neck.

Instead, you will see something similar to what you saw at the ‘Wall of Food’!”

Morel’s face showed a firm determination. He was determined to protect this even at the cost of his life.

Will. Jincheol, who was looking at that face, spoke briefly.

“Take the lead.”

The building was noticeably smaller and more worn-out than the temple across the bridge.

Unlike the Temple of the Sun, where the walls were smooth and the glass sparkled, it had gray walls.

Stone was used as the material, and windows were also rare.

Of course, compared to the messy buildings I saw on the streets before coming here,

It was a very clean building using consistent materials, but the magnificent new building across the bridge

Compared to before, it was inevitable that it would appear small.

There was no particular wall or anything around the building. There was just a wide park.

There it was. Jincheol and Morel crossed the park and headed toward the building entrance.

The two opened the door without hesitation and went inside, soon sitting at the reception desk inside the door.

I ran into Dun Esai.

“Who are you?”

“This is Antera’s Morel.”

The person sitting down stood up to greet Morel, who was stepping forward confidently.

The librarian’s eyes were quickly scanning Morel’s attire.

“I am Lisser Ronto. It is not common for a noble warrior to visit this place, but it is my pleasure to meet you.

“I am so happy to be here.”

“Ronto. Nice to meet you too.”

The librarian was Esai, who looked not young. He was more than embarrassed by the sudden visit.

It seemed like they were very happy to have met someone, but it didn’t mean that the two of them just went in.

I didn’t put it in the catalog.

“The third library’s opening hours are now over. If you are looking for a book or material,

“Come back tomorrow.”

“I have something I need to check urgently right now.”

“Is that so? But···”

“If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility.”

“but···”

The librarian’s eyes left Morel and turned to Jincheol. Those eyes were of someone whose identity was not even clearly known.

It seemed to say that the character could not be brought in right now.

“Jincheol is a warrior under the protection of Lord Ishanka.”

“Well, under his protection… then… there is such an important book here.

No, that’s not true.”

At Morel’s continued words, the librarian came out from inside the reception area and opened the inner door of the library.

“It’s way past lights out so I can’t turn on the interior lights. Instead, I’ll borrow this.

“I will give it to you.”

The lantern that Jincheol gave me was a lantern in the shape of a lantern, but it wasn’t something that used oil.

Got it. Morel nodded to the librarian and took the lead again.

The third library is full of large bookshelves and thick books, befitting the name of a library.

In addition to books with simple covers and pages, there are also scrolls or simple bundles of paper.

It was also full of them.

For a moment, Morel’s steps took him down a path that looked like a dark tomb of books.

Stopped in a corner of the west wing.

“think.”

“···”

In front of him are intuitive objects such as a full-length mirror, and a person’s waist height.

A variety of miscellaneous items, from the obscure to the smooth, gray rectangular box.

There were piles of books. It seems that there were things left in the library other than just books or documents.

It looked like they were gathered together.

Jincheol held out the lantern he was holding.

The light came on and the first thing I noticed was a large painting hanging on the wall beyond the clutter.

It was.

“···Is that a map?”

“What? Oh, that’s right. It’s a map that explorer Tokin completed over twelve years. Only Sidalia.

The interior of the continent is known to be somewhat inaccurate, except for rivers and coastlines. However,

“That’s not what I was trying to show you···”

Jincheol also knew the shape of the world map. At least he knew the location of each continent.

And I also knew where the big countries were located, especially in East Asia.

It was very familiar to me. Not only what I learned in school, but also what I experienced during the war.

There was also geography that was learned through experience.

So, he knows that what he knows and what the map on the wall is like now are very different.

It was definitely different from the East Asian map at least, and I saw similar terrain.

It seemed like he had no memory.

His face, which had been expressionless until now, brightened up a little.

“The terrain doesn’t change for thousands of years···”

Yes. We don’t know yet. It takes hundreds of thousands of years at the fastest for the shape of the land to change.

It would take a while, but I don’t think a map with such an unfamiliar shape could be made. I don’t know yet.

Then Morel went into the pile of junk and took out a large full-length mirror.

He came. Then he placed it in front of Jincheol and dusted off the mirror.

“This is what I was trying to show you. You asked if there was something like a ‘wall of food’? This is it.

“It’s a similar artifact.”

“Food coming out of the mirror?”

“No, that’s not it. This mirror is also related to the legend of Antera Shijo, just like the ‘Wall of Eating’.

This is what you said. Isn’t that what you meant? It’s a worthy

There is a legend that you can meet a wise man in the mirror, but the person who actually saw it…

“Hey, just try it.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Morel spread out his palm. The meaning was clear, and Jincheol slowly turned to the mirror.

He reached out. His hand met the smooth mirror.

At that moment, a faint wave flowed over the surface of the mirror and onto Jincheol’s body reflected there.

A blue line was drawn. The light beam seemed to measure the shape of Jincheol’s body.

But the beam of light disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Jincheol looked around wondering what it was.

I looked into the mirror with all my might, but then I was startled and turned around. I saw a suit in the mirror.

A tall, upright old man wearing a robe was seen standing behind him.

“what?”

But Jincheol turned around and saw no one. He saw a dark and gloomy book.

All I could see was a graveyard of paper.

I quickly turned my gaze back to the mirror, and the upright old man I had just seen was approaching me.

The image of Jincheol’s upper body stretching out was reflected. Jincheol saw it in the mirror.

I realized that this was a scene that was just happening.

“···A person who moves only in the mirror? What is he? A mirror tailor?”

Did he hear Jincheol’s words? The old man’s image in the mirror suddenly disappeared and soon

He played the scene of her bowing politely. Jincheol’s eyes widened.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The old tailor greeted again, as if he understood. Jincheol stopped talking for a moment.

As I was looking at the old man, Morel, who was standing behind the mirror, spoke softly.

“···Damn, are you really seeing the ‘Sage in the Mirror’? This is still a working art

It was a fact, right? Since the time of the founder Antera Moden, anyone who has met that sage has

“It’s to the point where I can’t even count it···”

After the Antera sijo. That is, a very long time ago. Jincheol, whose thoughts had reached that point,

I shouted without even realizing it.

“···Date! Today’s date!”

At that shout, the image of the tailor in the mirror stuttered and stopped. Immediately afterwards, for a very short time,

It disappeared, then reappeared with a scroll. Then the tailor came out carrying it.

He unfolded the entire scroll and showed it to Jincheol.

It was a calendar.

Top. 12098.

June in big numbers underneath.

And among the many dates below, the one marked with scissors was the 15th.

It was Sunday.

“···”

Jincheol looked at the calendar with a blank expression and blinked his eyes silently. He

Without saying anything, the tailor in the mirror started moving again in a jerky manner.

I started measuring the body size of Cheol. It wasn’t really measuring the body size of Jincheol.

Yeah, it looked like some kind of waiting screen.

“···What happened? Where did everyone else go?”

Jincheol’s quiet voice. At that question, the tailor in the mirror disappeared again. Stopped.

When he reappeared in a crawling form, he was holding a ledger in his hand.

Fortunately, Jincheol brought his face close to the mirror to look at the ledger.

There was no need to push. The tailor pretended to look at the ledger while the mirror was on the table.

This was because the contents of the ledger were engraved in different letters.

The mirror is filled with various names, dimensions, costs, payment statements, notes, etc.

It was printed. But Jincheol didn’t need to read it all. Because there were so many

It was because among the letters, three or four specific words particularly sparkled.

As if I was being told to read this.

The combination of those words is not very long, but the meaning is completely new.

Made a word.

[4th. World. War.]

“···”

Neither Jincheol nor the tailor said anything. As the silence continued, the image that had been floating above the mirror

The ledger entries disappeared, and the tailor went back to pretending to measure Jincheol’s measurements.

All. As if the computational power allowed to him was limited to this extent.

But it was enough for Jincheol not to have to press him for more answers.

Atukai and Tobi. The mother tree of their camp. The lost and wandering Ologs.

A dinosaur that makes devil sounds, a fish-man gentleman who rides a cargo ship, and Esai who casts magic.

The flying ship in the sky. The story of Mr. Parm. The myths of each race. The forgotten

The fall of the empire. The city of Shiol was built on ruins, and the Temple of the Sun shines at its center.

A food court past its due date. A mirror tailor right in front of you.

After waking up on the riverside, all the events and stories that had happened in the past time were in Jincheol’s mind.

It melted and became one in my head. It was forged through experience.

Should we call it insight or just the delusion of a soldier with no imagination?

Jincheol couldn’t know.

But that toothless blade of insight ultimately points to one very clear truth.

Who was there?

To be exact, it was an obvious truth that we had been ignoring for so long.

“···ha ha ha···

Jincheol laughed out loud. Even laughter that comes out because it is absurd is laughter, he said.

I didn’t bother to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.

“···Haha, these idiots··· Even after going through that war, that shit, and all that, they still

You didn’t get the shoes. So you just finished them all off? Hahaha…! Yeah.

“So you’re saying that in the end, they all died out, leaving behind only the most pathetic human beings···?”

“Ji, Jincheol?”

Morel, who was watching Jincheol’s expression from behind the mirror, called him out in embarrassment. But Jincheol

Silver laughed as if he couldn’t hold back the laughter that suddenly burst out. He laughed loudly.

“···Phahahahaha-! Ehahahaha-! That nonsense, it was caused by a few psychopathic guys at the top.

After destroying a billion people like that, you’re doing that again? You’ve already stumbled

“You tripped on that lump again and fell? Does that make sense?”

Jincheol laughed, arching his back as if he found what he said really funny.

The lantern he was holding clattered to the floor.

“Poohahahaha-! No, no! They were such idiots from the beginning, so they did the same thing three times.

You did! Then you can’t do it four times! Hahahaha-! You fucking idiots! How many people died?

But you’re going to do that shit again? You’re going to do that shit again, you’re going to do that shit again? Hahahaha-hot!

Some of these fucking nerds are dead!

But···! That fucking retard···! He did it again, again-! You fucking retards, you fucking retards!

The end of the battle was a scream. The last words of the sole survivor.

Jincheol’s knees buckled as he screamed. He felt the floor pulling him down.

He knelt down like that, as if he was praying.

“···Then why did we fight···? Why did my parents, my friends, my squad members all

Dead···? If we’re going to end up like this again, what was our war?

What are you talking about···? And I··· I···”

The light from the lamp that fell on the floor illuminated his crouching back, so his front was

He was buried in the dark, and the shadow his back made was on the cold library floor.

It went on for a long time.

The tailor in the mirror, who was pretending to measure his measurements, was measuring his body while he was sitting.

He kept stuttering and stuttering for a while, then disappeared, and Antera, who guided him here,

The warrior heard the scream and explained the situation to the librarian who had come into the library.

For that reason, he left his seat to prevent him from calling other warriors.

Eventually, the soldier fully accepted that he was left behind alone in this distant future.

So, turning her back to the light, burying her face in the darkness, she quietly sobbed.

He cried for a long time among the unfamiliar maps and musty-smelling old books.