Chương 66: Bonus Story : The Kingdom's Phone : Part 5 : The Map

The following day, Emma met Aldric outside his apartment building. After spending several days introducing him to the main features of his phone, she had saved one last discovery for the end. They walked through the streets of Paris for a few minutes before she took out her phone.

"A new lesson?"

"Today, I'm going to show you something I use almost every day."

"I am ready." Emma opened an app marked with a multicolored location pin. A map appeared on the screen. Streets, avenues, squares, parks, and the different districts of Paris were clearly visible. The names of the boulevards were displayed, and various symbols marked metro stations, restaurants, museums, and shops.

"Is this a map of the city? Its accuracy is remarkable." Emma placed two fingers on the screen and spread them apart to enlarge the image. The streets widened. New details appeared. Individual buildings took shape. Even some of the entrances to the parks became visible.

"You can zoom in as much as you like."

"Not even the greatest cartographers of my kingdom could have created a map this precise." Emma smiled before pointing to a small blue circle in the middle of the map.

"Now, look at this." At the center of the map was a tiny blue dot surrounded by a faint halo.

"What does it represent?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Take it. Walk a few steps." The knight obeyed. The moment he began walking, the blue dot glided across the map as well. Aldric stopped immediately. The dot stopped at the exact same moment. He started walking again, and the dot moved with him. He turned right. The dot turned as well. He retraced his steps. The dot followed precisely the same path. For nearly a minute, Aldric continued walking, stopping, changing direction, and setting off again without ever taking his eyes off the screen.

With every movement he made, the little blue dot mirrored him. Emma watched him with a smile. She already knew the question he would inevitably ask. At last, Aldric looked up.

"How does this artifact know where I am?"

"Thanks to GPS. It's a system that tells your phone where you are on Earth."

"But how?"

"Do you remember the cell towers we talked about when you signed up for your phone plan?"

"Yes. They allowed the phone to communicate."

"Satellites work in a somewhat similar way, except they're much farther away."

"Where are they?"

"High above us." Aldric followed her gaze. Above the buildings, he could see only a few clouds drifting with the wind. Nothing seemed to be crossing the sky.

"I don't see anything."

"That's normal. They're so high up that it's almost impossible to see them with the naked eye."

"What exactly are these satellites?"

"They're large machines built by humans. They orbit the Earth."

"They never fall?"

"No."

"For how long?"

"Some of them have been up there for years. Your phone communicates with several satellites at the same time. Each one sends it a signal. By comparing how long those signals take to arrive, the phone can calculate your location with remarkable precision."

"So the satellites do not know who I am."

"No."

"They simply transmit their signals."

"Exactly."

"And my phone performs the calculations itself."

"Yes."

"How many of these satellites are there?"

"A lot."

"Enough to cover your entire world?"

"Yes."

"So no matter where a traveler may be..." Emma finished the sentence for him.

"... their phone can usually determine their location." He lowered his gaze once more to the little blue dot still waiting for him at the center of the map. When he spoke again, his voice was much quieter.

"It knows where I am." The knight looked up at the sky. His eyes searched among the clouds, trying to catch sight of those satellites. In his imagination, they had already taken on a form very different from the one Emma might have described. He pictured them as immense observatories suspended above the world, built by the greatest architects on Earth. Gigantic towers of stone and metal, inhabited by scholars who watched over the continents. He knew that image was almost certainly wrong.

Emma had spoken of machines, not people. Even so, his mind kept returning to that vision.

"I would very much like to see them one day. In my world, the greatest observatories were built atop mountains so that scholars could study the stars. Here, you have built your observatories among the stars themselves."

"That's a beautiful way to imagine them." The knight looked down at his phone again. The little blue dot was still there, motionless in the middle of the map.

"This artifact now knows where I am, where I am going, and where I have stopped. For a traveler, that is an invaluable aid."

"Many people couldn't live without it today."

"Knowing where you are is certainly useful. But that is only part of what this app can do."

"It has another function?"

"Yes. Imagine we wanted to go somewhere without knowing the way."

"That happens frequently to a traveler." Emma typed: Louvre Museum Then she confirmed the search. The destination appeared on the map. She tapped a button labeled Directions. A blue line stretched across the streets of Paris, connecting their current location to the museum.

"This line represents the route to follow?"

"Exactly." Emma zoomed in on the map. Every street they would need to take became visible. Each turn was clearly marked. Farther down, several pieces of information accompanied the route.

"Look."

"Estimated time..." His eyes moved farther down.

"Distance... Metro... Transfers..."

"The app automatically calculates the best route. It tells you how long the journey will take, the distance you'll have to travel, and, if you're using public transportation, which lines to take and where to transfer." Emma then tapped another option.

"You can also choose to walk." The route changed.

"Or travel by car." The blue line changed once again.

"Or use public transportation."

"So the route adapts to the traveler."

"Exactly."

"Just as an experienced guide would." She then handed him her phone.

"Walk a few steps." Aldric took the device and began walking down the street. The blue dot moved along the route. When he reached an intersection, a message appeared: Turn right. The knight followed the instruction. The knight obeyed. The map immediately reoriented itself, and a few meters later, a new instruction appeared: Continue straight.

"It's guiding me. At every intersection, all the way to my destination. In my world, every expedition began by searching for a guide. Unknown lands were the most dangerous. Taking the wrong path could cost several days of travel. A single mistake in a forest or the mountains was sometimes enough to doom an entire caravan. The most experienced scouts were almost as valuable as the finest warriors.

They knew the mountain passes, the river crossings, the villages, the shortcuts, and which roads were passable depending on the season. Without them, some routes were simply impossible to travel. Here... there is no longer any need for a scout. No need for a guide. All one has to do now is follow the directions." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"You still have to pay attention sometimes. Roadwork, closures, or unusual situations can change a route. But overall, this app helps millions of people find their way every day."

"I understand now why so many travelers look at their phones while they walk. I remember an expedition through the Eastern Mountains. We lost three entire days because an old trail had disappeared beneath a landslide. Another time, we wandered through a forest for nearly a week before realizing we had been following the wrong valley. We eventually reached our destination... but almost ten days late. This is an artifact that would have saved many expeditions." Aldric's stomach growled.

The knight lowered his eyes, visibly embarrassed, while Emma struggled to hold back a laugh.

"I think someone is starting to get hungry."

"It would seem that my stomach shares that opinion."

"Perfect. That gives me the chance to show you another very useful feature of this app." Emma opened Google Maps. She tapped the search bar and typed: Restaurant. The moment the search was confirmed, a list appeared. Dozens of establishments now filled the screen. Each displayed its name, a photograph, its address, and several additional details. Some images showed the building's exterior, others a lively terrace, and still others photographs of the food.

"These are inns? And they're all listed here?"

"Exactly." Emma selected one of the first results. Several photographs filled the top of the screen. They showed the main dining room, a few dishes, the counter, and even the kitchen. Below them appeared the address, phone number, opening hours, and a button for calculating directions. Aldric examined all the information.

"So travelers can see the inside before they even enter. They also know the opening hours. That way, no one travels all the way to a closed inn."

"That's exactly the idea." The knight continued reading. A few swipes were now enough to scroll through the rest of the page. He discovered the menu. Appetizers, main courses, desserts, and their prices were all listed. Some specialties were even accompanied by photographs.

"The dishes are described before they are even ordered. And their prices are known in advance. That would prevent many unpleasant surprises."

"That's exactly how many people choose where to eat." In his world, a traveler usually discovered an inn by chance along the road. He almost never knew the quality of the meals, the prices being charged, or even the condition of the rooms before stepping inside. Here, only a few seconds were enough to obtain all of that information without ever leaving the street. As he continued examining the page, his eyes stopped just beneath the name of the establishment. Several small yellow stars appeared beside a number: 4.

7"What do those stars represent?"

"That's the most important piece of information."

"In my kingdom, some inns occasionally received a distinction awarded by a merchants' guild or by a lord. The most renowned establishments would then display that symbol above their entrance to reassure travelers. Is this the same sort of reward?"

"Not exactly." She scrolled down to a new section. Dozens of reviews appeared. Each one included a first name, a date, a profile picture, and sometimes even photographs taken by the customers themselves. Aldric read several of them.

"Excellent service."

"The desserts were delicious."

"The service was a little slow, but the food was excellent."

"Who wrote these accounts?"

"The customers."

"The people who came here to eat?"

"Exactly." The knight immediately returned to the reviews. The more he read, the more he realized that each one described a different experience. Some praised the staff. Others recommended a particular dish. A few criticized the waiting time or the way the meat had been cooked.

"Do you understand the idea?"

"Travelers describe what they experienced."

"When they leave a restaurant, they can give it a rating, write a review, and sometimes even add photographs. They explain what they liked, what they liked less, and share their opinion with future customers." Aldric examined the new photographs appearing on the screen. They looked nothing like the carefully prepared pictures posted by the owner. Some simply showed a plate sitting on a table, others a half-eaten dessert or a dining room full of customers.

"These are not the restaurateur's photographs. They belong to the travelers."

"They're much more natural. That's exactly what makes them useful." Emma then opened another restaurant. This time, the rating was much lower. The tone of the reviews changed completely.

"Look at this one."

"Very slow service." Then another.

"The food was cold." And another.

"I don't recommend this place."

"So they warn other travelers."

"When a restaurant is excellent, customers recommend it. When they have a bad experience, they can also warn other people. Everyone shares what they experienced."

"So an owner can no longer hide poor service for very long. And an excellent inn will eventually attract more travelers. Can anyone read these reviews?"

"Yes."

"Even someone who lives several hundred kilometers away?"

"Yes."

"Before they even begin their journey?"

"Exactly." His eyes kept returning to the hundreds of reviews displayed beneath the restaurant's name.

"Two thousand three hundred and eighteen travelers... Every one of them has shared their experience. And now anyone can read it. In my world, travelers exchanged this kind of information as well. When a caravan arrived in a town, merchants would often ask which inns deserved their trust. Pilgrims shared the safest roads. Soldiers recommended certain taverns and advised against others. Information spread around a table, beside a campfire, or along the roadside.

The finest guides were often those who had traveled the most."

"That's still true to some extent today."

"But there was one great difference. Those stories disappeared with time. You had to meet the right person, in the right place, at the right moment. If a traveler left the kingdom or disappeared, their experience often vanished with them."

"Here, every account remains." He scrolled farther down the page.

"This one was written three days ago." Another swipe.

"This one, two weeks ago." Then another.

"And this one was written several months ago. So travelers continue advising others long after they've left. That is a remarkable idea." Emma closed the restaurant page and opened another one. Once again, hundreds of reviews appeared.

"You can do this for almost any business. Restaurants, hotels, cafés... and many other places as well."

"So a traveler can learn about the quality of their lodging before even booking a room. How many miserable nights could have been avoided..."

"I think many travelers would say the same."

"In my kingdom, only a fortunate few benefited from the advice of an experienced merchant or a pilgrim they met along the road. Here, the entire kingdom benefits from everyone's experience."

"There is one important thing you should know, though. Not every review is equally useful."

"What do you mean?" Emma scrolled down the page and selected the first review.

"Read this one."

"Excellent service. The waiter recommended a vegetarian dish that was delicious. The homemade dessert is absolutely worth trying. Be sure to make a reservation on Friday evenings because the restaurant fills up quickly."

"This account provides several useful pieces of information. It describes the meal. The service. And it even offers advice for future visitors."

"This one is very useful." She scrolled a little farther and opened another review.

"Now this one."

"Very good."

"Is that all? This person doesn't mention what they ate or what they enjoyed. Their review is therefore of very little help to other travelers."

"Exactly."

"I understand." Emma continued scrolling before stopping on another review.

"This one is a little unusual."

"One star. It was raining when we arrived."

"Is the owner responsible for the rain?" Emma burst out laughing.

"No."

"Then why remove stars because of it?"

"I've wondered the same thing."

"That seems unfair."

"Many people agree with you." She opened another review.

"This one's amusing too."

"Five stars. My dog loved the patio."

"The dog... So it was the dog who rated the inn?"

"I think its owner was just joking."

"That is a criterion I never would have considered." Emma scrolled through a few more reviews.

"This one is a classic."

"The portions were so generous that I couldn't finish my meal. Five stars." He continued with the next one.

"The portions were far too generous. Three stars."

"They're describing the very same thing. And yet one person is delighted by it while the other complains."

"That's because everyone has different expectations. You have to learn to distinguish honest reviews from exaggerations. That's why it's better to read several reviews rather than relying on just one."

"That is very similar to the stories adventurers told in taverns. After every expedition, companions would recount their exploits over a mug of ale. Some described the events faithfully. Others exaggerated the size of the monsters or the number of bandits they had defeated. A few even neglected to mention that they had fled at the first sign of danger." Emma couldn't help laughing.

"And yet experienced adventurers always learned to recognize the accounts that deserved their trust. They compared several testimonies before setting out on a mission. When the same information appeared again and again, they knew it was worth taking seriously."

"So, in the end, the Internet hasn't changed travelers all that much."

"It has simply given them a common tavern. That is an excellent idea."

"Perhaps you'll leave reviews yourself one day."

"I shall take care to judge every inn fairly." A sudden vibration interrupted his thoughts. Aldric slipped a hand into his pocket and took out his phone. A notification had appeared at the top of the screen: Low Battery: 5% Remaining. The knight read the message again. His eyes then dropped to a symbol in the upper corner of the display. The small rectangle was almost empty. It had turned red. He turned the phone over in his hands. He examined the case, the sides, and then the screen.

Everything appeared to be functioning normally. The colors were still vivid, the brightness had not changed, and the device responded whenever he touched the screen.

"I believe my phone is trying to warn me of a problem."

"What does it say?"

"It says that only five percent of the battery remains."

"Ah... your battery is almost empty."

"And yet nothing appears to be broken."

"Because nothing is broken."

"Then why is it warning me?"

"Because it has very little energy left. If you keep using it, it will eventually shut down."

"It will shut down... permanently?"

"No. Fortunately not."

"So it grows tired. And when it reaches zero... it will no longer have enough energy to function."

"Does that happen often?"

"To everyone."

"Even you?"

"Of course."

"Even the wealthiest people?"

"Yes. Money doesn't change anything. Every phone needs to be recharged." Aldric locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

"This is the first time this artifact has asked me to take care of it."

"It's an energy reserve. Your phone needs energy to function. Every time you use it, it consumes a little. When that reserve is almost empty, it warns you. Just like a waterskin that gradually empties over the course of a journey. And once it's completely empty... the phone shuts down." The explanation seemed perfectly logical to him. No object could function without resources. A lamp needed oil. A fireplace needed wood. A horse needed food. Why should this artifact be any different?

"How do you replenish this reserve?" Emma opened her bag and took out a neatly coiled white cable.

"By recharging it." She showed him one end.

"You plug this into an electrical outlet." Then she pointed to the other end.

"And this goes into your phone."

"So the energy flows through this cable... until the battery is full again."

"Exactly."

"I understand. My artifact is wounded. It gradually loses its strength until it can no longer act. Then it must receive more energy to recover all of its abilities."

"I understand why you'd think that, but it's not a wound. A wound is abnormal. A battery running down is perfectly normal. That's how it's designed."

"Then perhaps I chose the wrong word." He paused for a moment.

"My artifact is not wounded..." Another brief pause.

"It is exhausted." Emma smiled.

"That's much closer to the truth."

"The more I use it, the more energy it consumes. When it has almost none left, it can no longer continue its mission. I must then allow it to recover before we set out again."

"Exactly."

"In the end, it's very much like a soldier."

"You're about to make another military comparison, aren't you?"

"A soldier who marches all day eventually grows tired. That doesn't make him a poor soldier. He simply needs time to recover before continuing. If his captain forces him to march without rest, he will eventually collapse."

"I have to admit, that's actually a pretty good comparison."

"In that case, a good owner should care for their phone just as a commander cares for his men. He should never wait until it collapses before restoring its strength." Emma burst out laughing.

"You really can't see this phone as anything other than a traveling companion, can you?"

"It accomplishes many things at my side. It therefore seems only natural that I should make sure it keeps its strength." When they returned to the apartment, Emma set her bag down on a chair while Aldric placed his phone on the table.

"It's time to restore its strength," Emma said. She took out a small white charging brick with a cable attached.

"This is the charger." Emma walked over to the wall and pointed to an electrical outlet.

"All of its energy comes from here." She plugged the charger into the outlet before connecting the other end to Aldric's phone. A soft chime sounded immediately, and a lightning bolt appeared on the battery icon.

"There."

"It's already receiving energy?"

"Yes." He watched the screen. At first, nothing seemed to change. Then the number displayed in the corner of the screen changed: 6%"It is recovering."

"Little by little." Another minute passed. The number changed again: 7%"It's slower than I expected."

"A battery doesn't recharge instantly." He nodded. The slow pace now seemed perfectly logical. No horse regained all its strength in a matter of seconds. No exhausted man recovered immediately after drinking a single mouthful of water. A few moments later, the phone vibrated. 8%"So it is well on its way to recovery." Emma burst out laughing.