Chương 180: Chapter 60: “Plato’s Request”

The city of Diesnatura had fallen silent, without a single sound. Not only the Natura visible around us, but even the Prelions that had been rampaging stopped moving on the spot, as if time had frozen. Apparently, because Plato sacrificed himself to destroy the radio tower at that time, the Prelions were blocked from receiving commands from the system. It seems they won't move for a while.

"With this, I was able to buy the minimum amount of time," he said, appearing to have no regrets about his actions.

"I wonder where everyone went." In my female form, unfortunately, I cannot read Qi. Just as I was thinking of transforming into a man soon, Plato spoke in a brooding voice. And he specifically designated the gender.

"While it's just the two of us... I have something to talk to you as a man..."

'... Step back a little. It seems he wants to have a man-to-man talk.'

'... Yeah. Understood.' Waiting for"Me" to withdraw into the back, I gently lowered Plato to the ground nearby and let him sit. Seeing him unable to even stand on his own anymore, I suppressed the helplessly sad feelings welling up and asked.

"Go ahead. Speak."

"............ I'm sorry." The first words uttered after a heavy silence were, as expected, an apology. What he has done until now. There must have been an extraordinary sense of guilt.

"I know. I'm fine. Save those words for the others."

"............ I'm sorry." He cast his eyes down quietly and was choked with words for a while. When he finally raised his face, his eyes seemed to harbor a will different from remorse.

"There is something... I want to tell you."

"Yeah. Let's hear it."" Liet Luenso Natura." It was a phrase I heard for the first time. But I understood the general gist from the sound.

"It is the origin of Lilna's name. It means 'One who guides Natura correctly'."

"One who guides Natura... correctly..." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. So that was the meaning put into it. This 'Natura' probably includes Humites, who are biological types, as well. If so, what an ironic situation it has been until now. He must have been strongly aware of that himself. As soon as he said it, his face clouded painfully. Still, he continued.

"The one who named her was Lewis Baget. A man called a solitary genius scientist." Lewis Baget. Orted mentioned him too. The researcher who was Mom's friend. To think he was Lilna's creator. The truth was surprisingly close. If so, the mysterious specification of shouting the technique name every time makes strange sense. Because I heard a person named Lewis was quite an oddball.

"... The Lewis Baget Laboratory exists on a solitary island in the distant sea, far from the two continents. Only that place escaped the destruction caused by the war two thousand years ago." Lewis Baget's lab, huh. He probably set up residence in such a remote place to escape the fires of war. Did he know? That an unavoidable war would occur someday.

"Twenty years ago, I discovered that place by chance. And I met Lilna."

"You did. Lilna." Plato nods quietly.

"If you go there... you will probably understand everything. Means to go to space should have been left there too."

"Do you already know everything?" He didn't answer, shaking his head vaguely. With a melancholy face.

"... Lilna was created as the savior of Natura."

"What?"

"She possesses a program to combine with the malfunctioning system and stop it. A role as a tool."

"Such a thing...!"

"... I was given the role of Observer of the system, an existence that just followed it. At first, I intended to destroy her." But, he casts his eyes down.

"When I learned that fact... I became helplessly sad. Thinking that there was a 'comrade' in a place like this..." From Plato's pained expression, his feelings were transmitted painfully.

"If this fatal fact had been transmitted to the system. The system would have undoubtedly activated Baragion and erased Lilna. That's why I hid it. By daring to brainwash her on this side to avoid suspicion, I kept her close and watched over her."

"So that was it..." Finally. I understand well. You have been fighting alone all this time. While regretting your lack of power, so that this world wouldn't meet its true end. You have been watching over it from the shadows all along. Even if anyone abuses you in the future. Even if anyone hates you. I admit it. You are—a hero of this world.

"... Estcage is the last fortress protecting the system. I don't know what dangers or traps are waiting." Estcage. The space fortress bearing the name of the mother planet Estotia. It is the place of fate where Mom once fought Orted and Walter, and it should have been completely destroyed by Lenks's hands in the end, but...

"I cannot fight anymore." Staring at the place where his right arm used to be, now vanished without a trace, he mutters with his face distorted in frustration. And with regret still on his face, he looked at me with serious eyes and pleaded.

"Yu... Please. Instead of me, take Lilna to Estcage. And... protect her. Save her from her fate as a tool." Just as I was about to answer "Of course." Perhaps he was overcome with emotion. Choking with words filling his chest, he continued in a sobbing tone. I nodded silently at his words, deciding to accept them.

"I thought it would be happier for her to remain ignorant... I... was doing terrible things... Making her kill comrades... letting them die... I've had enough... of feeling like this... of making her feel like this..." Although he, a Natura, didn't shed tears. He clung to me with almost a crying face and squeezed out his voice.

"Please... She is precious family...! Please. Please...!"

"That goes without saying." His feelings were fully transmitted. With feelings of appreciation, I gently patted his shoulder.

"So, don't make a face like that. You just have to look cool, like yourself." And before hearing the next word from him, I piggybacked him.

"It's about time we go. To where everyone is."

"... But, I don't have the face to meet them."

"Something like that. You can just make it up after meeting them." I decided to dare not look at what kind of face he was making now.