Chapter 11: The Self-Awareness of Being a Vortex
Ying thought that because she had her back to Unit 3, the other party couldn't see her expression. But in reality, Unit 3's true form was a rune core, relying entirely on magic to observe her surroundings. Her magical projection was merely an external communication terminal, placed outside purely for appearances. So the silver-haired girl's envious expression had long been observed by the artificial intelligence.
Whatever one thinks in their heart can be seen from their expression — truly an unpretentious and simple nature.
Unit 3 did not stop transmitting data into the storage crystal. As she worked, she evaluated internally: In terms of this directness of thought, she is actually quite similar to her master.
After breaking away from the Carlis World and arriving on the Mycroft Continent, Unit 3, with the help of Joshua and the maids, had truly witnessed a vibrant and orderly world.
Flowing rivers, drifting white clouds, gentle and fresh winds, countless people living in the city — for an artificial intelligence who had faced nothing but a barren, dusty world since her birth, everything on the Mycroft Continent was the most beautiful scenery imaginable.
She still remembered the joy that stirred in her heart the first time she went with Joshua to the Black Forest to observe various magical beasts and plants.
Such a colorful land, teeming with countless lives; such a cyclical, vibrant nature... it truly fulfilled all of Unit 3's imaginings of an orderly world.
However, although these sights filled her with joy and excitement, Unit 3 couldn't help but recall that barren world of sand and gravel, the boundless plains of dust.
Before the Chaos invasion, that world of rock and ruins must have been the same, right? It had many strange creatures, numerous intelligent races living on the same continent. Whether in the sky, on the land, or in the sea, there was never a lack of life.
But now, everything had turned to dust and scattered as ashes. The fire of civilization had been extinguished a thousand years ago. Cities and magnificent wonders had become ruins. Life was extinct, nothing remained. Even the world itself was on the verge of ending.
At that time, recalling these things, her mood couldn't help but sink. However, a voice came from beside her.
"Remembering something."
The black-haired warrior was pushing a cart loaded with rune cores. He asked calmly, "Remembering the Carlis World?"
Yes.
Unit 3 remembered answering that way. After a moment of silence, Joshua, while thinking, slowly spoke to her word by word: "I know about the future."
At that time, the man was wearing a black military greatcoat, with a command sword at his waist. He was especially conspicuous in the snow-covered forest, yet the surrounding beasts had no desire to attack him. Instead, they would quietly hide and take detours around him. After saying that, Joshua fell into another silence.
Unit 3 waited for him to continue.
After a while, the warrior finally spoke. His voice was low and solemn: "Twenty-two years from now, the Mycroft Continent will face a Chaos invasion just like Carlis. Countless Abyss Demons will ravage the world. The scenery we see now will all turn into hellish scorched earth and bottomless swamps in the future — a sight even worse than the Carlis World."
Joshua's tone was as if he were stating a fact, without any fluctuation, as serious as if he had witnessed it himself.
Knowing about the future?
Even thinking about it now, Unit 3 found it absurd. Not even the gods of fate or the world itself would dare claim to know the future. But for some reason, both then and now, the artificial intelligence was willing to believe Joshua, even if it didn't align with her logic circuits.
"Although I have no desire to be some kind of savior, no one wants their home to turn into mud or charcoal. So I will do my utmost to destroy them."
Speaking directly to Unit 3, the warrior at that time made no attempt to hide his thoughts: "I brought you back from Carlis for two reasons. Half was because I didn't want a companion to die meaninglessly, and half was for the mana technology data in your memory core."
Unit 3 did not get angry at such direct words. She didn't have that kind of thinking. The artificial intelligence simply listened calmly as Joshua explained his thoughts to her.
According to Joshua, the mana technology data she possessed was a great technology capable of ushering in a new era. It could replace the power sources of the old era, allowing ordinary people to use and enjoy the convenience of magic, greatly enhancing the development of materials, weapons, and armor in this world.
Joshua said that the Mycroft Continent already possessed extremely powerful individual combat strength. If combined with the mana technology armaments of the Carlis people, it would undoubtedly be a leap forward in development.
"At the very least, after mana technology becomes widespread, those Wild Gods of the Carlis World — those servants of Chaos — will become a pushover for us."
That was what the warrior said at the time: "So, hand over all the data in your memory to me, help me, and let's kill all those disgusting Chaos monsters and Evil Gods."
...
Snapping back to the present, Unit 3's thoughts returned to this small study within the church.
The silver-haired girl was still sitting in the corner, waiting for her work to be completed. The storage crystal in her hand was almost full of data. Today's work was about to finish. Joshua had promised her that today, Ying would take her to closely observe and experience the lives of the people in the city. She had been looking forward to this for a long time.
This feeling of hope... it wasn't bad at all.
Meanwhile, Joshua, who was being discussed, was still discussing with Nostradamus the construction of the mage academy they had temporarily named [Winterfell Academy].
Due to the gravity of the matter, today they only roughly finalized the cooperation plan and future engineering issues. The specific details would have to wait until the old mage had time to personally come to the Northern Lands to inspect and select the academy's construction site.
Both Joshua and Nostradamus were looking forward to that day.
"Opening a new mage academy is something I've been considering for a long time. The nobles willing to cooperate with me basically lack the necessary conditions. Those with territories sufficient to build and develop a mage academy are mostly conservatives... The space-time fluctuations in the Northern Lands are too violent to open teleportation channels, so it wasn't within my consideration at first. But now, things are different."
The old mage's slightly echoing voice came through the communication array, carrying a hint of amusement: "Joshua, when Winterfell Academy starts construction, your name will definitely end up on the conservatives' blacklist, and many people will curse you in secret."
"What does that matter? Who cares about their opinions?"
Joshua also laughed. He tapped his fingers on the table, a hint of contempt curling at the corner of his mouth: "Only the weak and dogs howl in the shadows."
He knew, of course, that his name would be spoken by many people in the future, echoing in many minds. Whether it was his own people and knights, or the nobles and mages of the Imperial Capital, at any time, there would surely be people repeating his name, pondering what the actions and choices of the new generation of Winterfell Count of the Northern Lands meant, and what impact they would have on their plans and futures.
This was beyond doubt. And today, after finalizing the matter of the mage academy, there would certainly be even more people who loathed him, who would scheme and curse against him in secret. But Joshua didn't care at all.
He had suppressed rebellion, quelled the magic tide, closed the space-time gate, crossed over to another world, and returned safely after defeating countless Chaos monsters. His deeds in the past could be called those of a brave warrior, a hero — a true and genuine strongman.
And a strongman should have the self-awareness of being a vortex.
(To be continued.)