Chương 62: Bonus Story : The Kingdom's Phone : Part 1 : The Artifact

The following morning, Emma met Aldric outside his apartment building. The knight was still wearing his armor. Emma smiled at him.

"Good morning, Aldric." He inclined his head.

"Good morning, Emma."

"Do you have anything planned for today?"

"No quest has been assigned to me yet."

"Then I'd like to show you something."

"I'm listening."

"You need to buy a phone."

"What is a phone?"

"It's something everyone owns." Aldric looked at the people walking around them. A young woman stared at a small screen as she walked. A man waited at a red light without taking his eyes off his own. Farther down the street, a teenage girl laughed as she showed the contents of her phone to her friend.

"That object?" Emma followed his gaze.

"Yes." The longer he watched, the more he noticed those small black rectangles in the hands of the city's inhabitants. Some held them against their ears. Others slid their fingers across the glossy surface.

"They all own one. Is it mandatory to receive one upon entering your kingdom?"

"No, but they've become indispensable." That answer only made Aldric even more curious.

"What are they capable of?"

"You can call someone."

"Even if they are several days' journey away?"

"Yes."

"Without using a messenger?"

"Without a messenger."

"Without a carrier bird?"

"Not that either. You can also send written messages."

"Letters?"

"Yes."

"How long do they take to arrive?"

"A few seconds."

"Even between two cities?"

"Yes."

"Even between two kingdoms?"

"Very often, yes."

"That would greatly reduce the work of messengers."

"So your kingdom possesses an extremely advanced communication system."

"You haven't seen anything yet." They stopped in front of a store. Behind the display windows, dozens of phones were arranged on long tables. Some were black. Others were silver or blue. A few were folded open, while others already displayed their glowing screens.

"Is this where these artifacts are forged?"

"No."

"Then why are they all gathered here?"

"Because people come here to buy them." They walked through the automatic doors. The interior was dazzlingly white. Music played softly throughout the store while several customers compared the different models. A sales associate approached them.

"Hello. Can I help you with anything?"

"He's looking for a phone."

"Then you've come to the right place." The sales associate led them to a display table. About ten different models were lined up on it. Aldric studied them without touching a single one.

"You can pick them up." Aldric reached out and took one in his hand. He examined it from every angle. Then he turned it over. His own face appeared on the black surface of the screen.

"Is it a mirror?"

"Not exactly." The sales associate invited Aldric over to a second display table where several phones were turned on. Their screens showed different photographs, landscapes, or demonstration videos. Some models were larger, while others were much more compact.

"All of these models work the same way," the sales associate explained.

"But each one has its own strengths." He picked up the first phone.

"Some people prefer a larger screen. It's more comfortable for watching videos, reading, or browsing the internet." He then pointed to a smaller model.

"Others prefer a more compact phone. It fits easily into a pocket and is more convenient to carry." In his former world, every weapon had its own advantages. A longsword allowed its wielder to keep an opponent at a distance, while a shorter blade was easier to handle in confined spaces. Neither was superior in every situation. Everything depended on the circumstances. The sales associate continued his presentation.

"Many customers also place a lot of importance on the camera." He opened the camera app and took a picture of a plant near the display window.

"The better the phone, the higher the quality of the photos." Aldric studied the image on the screen.

"So this object can preserve a scene exactly as it was? Without the aid of a painter?"

"Exactly." In his kingdom, only the most talented artists could immortalize a face or a landscape. This artifact accomplished the same feat in an instant. The sales associate set the phone back down.

"Other people mainly look for good battery life. That's how long the phone can operate before it needs to be recharged." A lantern capable of shining for several nights inspired far more confidence than one that went dark after only a few hours. Finally, the sales associate picked up one last model.

"This one has the best performance. It's faster than the others and can run multiple apps at the same time without slowing down." At last, he folded his hands together.

"The truth is, there isn't a single best phone. It all depends on how you plan to use it."

"I simply want it to be reliable."

"That's an excellent criterion."

"And capable of withstanding combat."

"... Combat?"

"Equipment may fall to the ground, strike a suit of armor, or be exposed to rain. I would prefer to avoid it ceasing to function after the first battle." Emma covered her mouth with one hand, but she couldn't hold back her laughter.

"I... I see..." The sales associate walked over to another display before returning with a different model.

"In that case, I'd recommend this one. It's well known for its durability. The screen is reinforced, and it withstands drops far better than most other models." The sales associate pressed a button on the side of the device. A white light appeared, then gave way to a black symbol. Aldric couldn't take his eyes off the object. No rune had begun to glow. No crystal seemed to power the mechanism. Yet the artifact had unmistakably awakened.

"It's booting up," the sales associate explained. A colorful background appeared on the screen. The sales associate picked up the phone and handed it to Aldric.

"You can hold it." The knight took it. The screen now emitted a soft glow that illuminated his face. He studied the different icons without daring to touch them. They seemed to be waiting for something. Yet there wasn't a single visible button on the device.

"Is there any risk of damaging it?" The sales associate smiled.

"Not unless you drop it on the floor." Aldric continued studying the object before turning to Emma.

"Where are the controls?"

"Right in front of you."

"I don't see any buttons."

"The screen is the button." The sales associate placed his index finger on one of the icons. The image changed, revealing a new screen. He then swiped his finger and returned to the previous one.

"That's how you use it." He handed the phone back to Aldric. The knight brought his index finger toward the glossy surface. He gently tapped one of the icons, and the screen responded immediately. A new image appeared.

"It reacted. I barely touched it."

"That's all it takes." Aldric tried again. Then a third time. Every time, the screen responded. All he had to do was brush the surface, and the artifact carried out exactly what seemed to be expected of him. The more he repeated the experiment, the greater his amazement became. The object never seemed to make a mistake. It responded instantly to every movement with a level of precision beyond anything he had ever known.

"This artifact is alive. It reacts to my presence. It understands every one of my movements. The more I use it, the more it seems to know what I wish to accomplish. I have never encountered an object capable of such responsiveness."

"I assure you, it isn't alive."

"Perhaps not by your standards. But it certainly gives that impression. In my world, only enchanted objects responded to their owners in this way."

"And this is only the beginning," Emma said.

"It possesses other abilities?"

"Many. You can communicate with people, consult maps, take photographs, read, write, listen to music, watch videos, and do dozens of other things."

"I have yet to master any of its functions."

"That's perfectly normal. No one knows how to use one the first time. I'll teach you little by little." If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. △ NEW MAIN QUEST △ Learn How to Use a Phone Difficulty: C Reward:???

"I accept this new quest."

"What do you think?" Emma asked.

"It suits me."

"Then I think you've found your phone."

"An excellent choice," the sales associate said.

"This one is a display model. I'll go get you a brand-new device." He disappeared into the stockroom behind the counter. A few moments later, he returned carrying a white box, which he placed in front of them.

"Here's your phone." The sales associate then picked up a card reader from the counter.

"That will be four hundred and ninety-nine euros." Aldric slipped a hand into his pocket and took out the envelope Patrick had given him. He counted the bills one by one, then lined them up on the counter before sliding them toward the sales associate. The man counted them as well.

"Four hundred... four hundred and fifty... four hundred and eighty... and five hundred... Perfect." The sales associate placed the bills in the cash register, handed Aldric a one-euro coin in change, then printed a receipt and set it on the counter beside the box. He slipped the box into a bag before handing it to Aldric.

"Congratulations on your new phone."

"Thank you for your help and your advice."

"My pleasure. I hope you'll be completely satisfied with it."

"You want to try it out, don't you?" Emma asked.

"I admit that I do..."

"We still have one more step."

"So this artifact isn't ready to be used yet?"

"Not completely." The knight lowered his gaze to the bag in his hands.

"Is it missing a component?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't they install it before giving it to me?"

"Because that component depends on each individual user."

"So it must be customized for its owner."

"Exactly." She pointed toward the stores farther down the street.

"Now we need to visit a mobile carrier. They're the ones who'll allow your phone to communicate with the others."

"So the artifact merchants and the masters of communication belong to two different guilds." △ OBJECTIVE UPDATED △ Learn How to Use a Phone Progress 1 / 3 ✓ Obtain a Phone □ Activate the Phone □ Master Its Essential Functions Emma stopped in front of another store. Large colorful posters covered the display windows, and the logos of several mobile carriers were displayed above the entrance. Inside, several advisors were assisting customers while about a dozen people were already waiting for their turn.

Emma pointed toward the entrance.

"This is where we'll finish setting up your phone." They took a ticket before sitting down in the waiting area.

"This guild is quite busy." A few minutes later, their number appeared on the screen. They walked over to a young advisor.

"Hello. How can I help you?"

"We just bought his first phone. He needs a SIM card."

"Of course." Aldric took out his notebook and a pencil. He opened to a blank page, wrote SIM Card at the top, underlined the two words, then looked back up at the advisor.

"I'm listening."

"A SIM card allows the phone to connect to the mobile network." Aldric's pencil immediately began moving again. He wrote: SIM Card: allows connection to the network.

"What do you mean by network?"

"It's... the entire system of cell towers that allows phones to communicate with one another." Aldric carefully wrote down the definition in his notebook.

"All of our plans are compatible with 5G."

"What does that designation mean?"

"It's the fifth generation of mobile networks. It provides a much faster connection."

"So there is a first, second, third, and fourth generation as well?"

"Exactly."

"Are they still in use?"

"Some of them, yes."

"Your plan also includes a data allowance."

"You're really writing everything down."

"Knowledge that is forgotten is knowledge that is lost."

"Data is the amount of internet you can use when you aren't connected to Wi-Fi."

"What is Wi-Fi?"

"Let's just say it's another way of connecting to the internet." The pencil immediately resumed its work: Wi-Fi: another way to access the internet. A few seconds later, another word appeared beneath it: Plan.

"And this one?" The advisor smiled.

"It's the subscription you pay for each month to use your phone." Emma watched as page after page filled with notes. The advisor opened a drawer beneath his desk and took out a small cardboard holder. In its center was a tiny chip crossed by several gold contacts. He removed it from the holder and placed it on the desk directly in front of Aldric.

"So this is what allows the phone to communicate?"

"Exactly," the advisor replied.

"Without this card, your phone can't make calls, send messages, or use the mobile network. It contains the information that identifies you to your carrier."

"So it is indispensable. Without it, the artifact remains incomplete." He studied the tiny chip for a moment.

"This is no ordinary card," he said calmly.

"It is an activation rune."

"A rune?"

"In my world, the most powerful artifacts often bore a rune or a seal that awakened their true abilities."

"Perfect. I'll install your SIM card now. May I have your phone?" Aldric placed the bag on the counter and removed the box. He ran a finger along the edge of the packaging, found the small pull tab, and peeled away the plastic. Then he lifted the lid. Inside rested the phone. Beneath the device, several compartments held a charging cable, a few documents, and a small metal tool. At last, he handed the phone to the advisor.

"Here it is."

"Thank you. This will only take a few seconds." He took the phone, inserted the small metal tool into a tiny hole along its edge, and slid out a thin tray. He placed the SIM card inside before closing it again. A few seconds later, the phone vibrated. A new symbol appeared in the corner of the screen.

"There we go. The SIM card has been recognized. Your phone is now connected to the network."

"So the artifact recognizes that this card belongs to it. And it now accepts the use of your communication infrastructure." The knight wrote a few more notes in his notebook before looking back at Emma.

"In my world, an activation rune was inserted into a dedicated slot. Once installed, the artifact recognized its owner and unlocked all of its abilities."

"I see... If a mage from your world discovered a SIM card, they'd probably be convinced it was an activation rune."

"That explanation seems perfectly reasonable to me." The advisor smiled before handing the phone back to Aldric.

"Here you go. Everything is set."

"It's already working?"

"Yes."

"Immediately after the card is installed?"

"Exactly." The advisor turned on his computer, placed his hands on the keyboard, and entered a few details. After several clicks, he opened the page displaying the available plans before rotating the monitor toward Aldric. A long list of options appeared, each with its price and several features.

"We offer several plans," the advisor explained.

"It all depends on your needs." He pointed to the first row.

"This one includes two hours of calls per month." He scrolled down the page.

"This one includes ten." Then he pointed to the next option.

"And this one offers unlimited calls. Next, we have text messages." Aldric took out his notebook.

"Those are limited as well?"

"Depending on the plan, yes. But these days, most plans include unlimited texting."

"And this column?" The advisor followed his gaze.

"That's the amount of mobile data included with your plan."

"Ten gigabytes. One hundred gigabytes. Two hundred gigabytes..." He then turned to Emma.

"Are these reserves significant?"

"They'll be more than enough for today." The advisor burst out laughing.

"That's true. It would be difficult to use more than a hundred gigabytes on your very first day."

"Even so, I would prefer to understand what I am agreeing to before entering into this contract."

"That's a wise approach." He then spent a few minutes explaining how the different plans worked. Calls allowed you to make phone calls. SMS allowed you to send written messages. Mobile data gave you access to the internet whenever no Wi-Fi network was available. Some plans also included a few additional services, but the basic principle was always the same. Throughout the explanation, Aldric hardly interrupted the advisor at all.

He listened carefully, wrote everything down in his notebook, then reread his notes before moving on to the next point. At last, the advisor finished his presentation.

"That covers all of our main plans."

"I believe I understand."

"In my world, several merchant guilds offered similar contracts. Each plan granted certain privileges according to the member's contribution. The more modest agreements provided access to only a few services. The more expensive ones offered considerably more." benefits, but they also required a greater commitment. Here as well, each person simply chooses the agreement that best suits their needs."

"Exactly."

"Someone who rarely communicates has no reason to pay more. On the other hand, a merchant who travels constantly would probably prefer a more comprehensive plan."

"So," the advisor asked, "which one interests you?"

"I don't know yet." He turned toward Emma.

"In your opinion, how many hours of communication does a knight need on Earth?"

"Far fewer than in your world."

"Even when he receives a quest?"

"Even then." She pointed to a plan in the middle of the list.

"I think this one is more than enough. Calls are unlimited, you'll have plenty of internet to learn how to use your phone, and the price is reasonable." Aldric studied the details.

"With this plan, your calls are unlimited. You can make as many phone calls as you like. Text messages are also unlimited, and you have a generous amount of mobile data for accessing the internet while you're away from Wi-Fi."

"Are the calls truly unlimited? I could speak for several hours?"

"Of course."

"Every day?"

"Yes."

"Without any additional charge?"

"Exactly." Aldric nodded before pointing to the next line.

"And written messages as well?"

"Yes."

"I could send one hundred in a single day?"

"Without any problem."

"A thousand?"

"Technically, yes."

"And if ten thousand citizens each decided to send a thousand letters on the same day?"

"Well... the network is built to handle that."

"So your kingdom maintains an entire army of messengers capable of delivering an unlimited number of letters?"

"Not exactly," Emma said.

"And yet the messages do travel from one phone to another."

"Yes."

"They arrive within a matter of seconds."

"Yes."

"And their number is unlimited. Someone must therefore be carrying all of that information."

"In reality, messages aren't carried by people. They travel through the network. Cell towers transmit the information to data centers. From there, other equipment routes it to its destination. The entire process happens automatically." The knight was already thinking it through.

"So those centers replace the messengers."

"Not really."

"They replace the sorting offices."

"Yes... that's much closer." Aldric immediately continued.

"The towers receive the messages. They transmit them to these centers. Then other facilities decide where they should be sent."

"That's right."

"So your kingdom possesses a network capable of transporting millions of messages without a single human being needing to carry them. That is far more impressive than I had imagined." The advisor smiled.

"Most people don't even think about it anymore."

"How could they possibly stop thinking about it?"

"Because we've grown up with this technology."

"In my world, a single letter could require the efforts of several people. A rider would leave one city and sometimes travel for several days. He would hand the message to another messenger, who would continue the journey. Some roads were protected by soldiers. Others crossed dangerous territory. The farther the destination, the more difficult the delivery became. Here," he continued, "a child can send a message to the other side of the kingdom in a matter of seconds without facing the slightest danger.

No one leaves their home. No one risks their life. Yet the result is the same. At first, I believed your kingdom maintained a vast army of messengers. Then I imagined towers staffed by specialists. Now I discover that almost the entire system operates without human intervention. The more you explain your technology to me... the more extraordinary it seems."

"Do you see now why I told you it wasn't magic?"

"In my world, magic capable of replacing thousands of messengers would already be considered miraculous. Here, you've created a system even more efficient, one that serves an entire kingdom day and night." The advisor couldn't help but smile.

"I've never heard anyone describe our network that way." The advisor reviewed the information on his screen one last time.

"Everything is ready. I just need a few details to finalize the contract."

"We'll put the plan in my name for now," Emma said.

"That will make things simpler."

"Very well."

"So I can't enter into this agreement myself?"

"Not yet. You don't have all the required documents."

"I understand." The advisor turned his attention back to Emma.

"All right. I'll need your ID card, please." Emma took it from her wallet and handed it to him. The advisor placed it beside his keyboard before entering the information. He then asked her to confirm her address, date of birth, and bank details. Emma answered each question while the advisor completed the contract.

"Perfect. All that's left is for you to sign here." Emma took the stylus, verified the price and the main terms of the plan, then signed. The advisor immediately finalized the contract.

"Perfect. Your phone is now ready to use." The knight took back his phone. Then he inclined his head toward the advisor.

"Thank you for your instruction. Thanks to you, I now understand the purpose of the SIM card and how your communication network functions."

"My pleasure. I hope everything goes well with your phone." Aldric then turned to Emma.

"And thank you as well. Without your help, I would never have known where to obtain this artifact or how to bring it into service."

"Of course. I promised I'd teach you how to use it." The advisor stood up and escorted them to the entrance of the store.

"I hope you both have a wonderful day." △ OBJECTIVE UPDATED △ Learn How to Use a Phone Progress 2 / 3 ✓ Obtain a Phone ✓ Activate the Phone □ Master Its Essential Functions Emma couldn't help but laugh softly as they left the store. The automatic doors slid open before them. The street was just as lively as ever. Some pedestrians walked without taking their eyes off their phones, while others chatted with a device pressed to their ear. This time, Aldric understood a little better what they were doing.

At last, Emma stopped.

"Wait a second." She opened her bag, searched for a moment, then took out a small notebook and a pen. She tore out a sheet of paper and wrote something on it. When she was finished, she folded the paper and handed it to Aldric.

"Here." The knight took it between his fingers.

"What is this?"

"My phone number." Aldric unfolded the paper. A string of numbers was written on it.

"Now you'll be able to reach me if you ever need help." He looked at the small piece of paper for another moment before folding it again. He opened the box containing his phone and carefully placed the note inside.

"You are the first person I can contact in this kingdom. And the only one I trust completely."

"You never have to hesitate. If you run into a problem, just call me."

"I will remember that." They resumed walking through the streets of Paris. After a few dozen meters, Emma turned slightly toward him.

"You know..."

"What we just did was only the beginning. You now have a working phone. But you still barely know how to use it. The next step is learning what it can do."

"I am ready for this new lesson." Emma's smile grew even wider.

"In that case, let's start by teaching you how to make your very first phone call."