10. Magical species and gap technologies

We had a nice chat with the dragon Basileus.

He promised to no longer hire mercenaries and enrol kidnapped people to do his investigation of old human technologies.

And he shares his view of the story. The draconic species stemmed from a cousin to the nanites, and they worked together like humans and dogs maybe. They communicated somewhat and helped each other intuitively.

But as time passed, the system was growing quieter, while the weaponry and technologies manufactured by humanity were growing scarce.

Partially because of the monsters and the ever growing instability they forced upon society.

They were no food for dragons, but forcing the human realms to focus on these pressures and avoid collapse.

Things were uneasy for them, and they tried to understand what was going on with these magic using monsters jeopardising everything.

And although we both tried to connect to the system through that node underground, we didn't get another chance to speak with the system manager. So we didn't get more intel from the higher perspective.

It did glow however, reacting to my touch. It just remained quiet.

I began spilling the beans to my lovely friends.

Because there was not really any point keeping up with my charade, no matter how unbelievable the truth was.

About my real name as Silvia, and my previous name as Yuu.

S - And how I begin to suspect that Kami-sama used excuses at the limits to its potency and coded rules, to bring me as a grain of sand into something else. Something that has to do with the wider system developed through Technology Isekai or T.I.

J - So... Is Yuu a boy or girl's name?

S - That doesn't matter!

C - Yes but... Now we want to know.

I sighed. How come this was the most interesting thing to them now, with even a dragon waiting just behind.

S - You know what, I don't remember. Silly me.

Teehee.

Someone clicked their tongue in annoyance. Serves you right!

B - I should talk to my leaders and explain them.

S - Yes please. If something comes when we need your help, for the safety of the system or both our species, let's call each other.

Turns out dragons have phone numbers. Handy.

B - They might not be more amiable than me, and they will not be cowards like me.

S - You shouldn't self-depreciate like that. You didn't have really a choice. You were misled and then defeated. And now we're friends! That's all that matters to me.

Basileus understood there could be perhaps in the future a better relationship between them and humanity. They could cull monsters and humans could feed them more willingly. But this kind of balance of power in a relationship wasn't easy to build suddenly. Especially after a century or so of enmity.

However this day, him and I opened the door to that possibility.

Basileus took his leave and so did we. The mercenaries we had knocked out on our way in had left as well in a hurry.

The Netherlands army had begun surrounding the place, and we escaped in time crossing the border to Belgium, perhaps a bit forcefully. The tensions between the two countries would remain sparkly for a while, but no real harm done from our end.

~

People were rather happy, we had saved some people after all. We left the system and dragon troubles out of the report at the time. It would have been weird otherwise.

And the next job for us was finally a bit of a dream come true for me.

A couple of people reached out to us to hire, following the celebrations of success to this ordeal.

Zeug the elf and Izad the dwarf.

The man had cat ears on his head. He looked good. He had bits of whiskers too. Zeug was as smart as he was handsome, since he wanted to hire us especially. We were a bit flattered.

His lady friend Izad more shy behind him, was a small but bulky woman, a dwarf. She had a different kind of cuteness. I loved them already for many a reason the two of them.

They wanted to hire us for a remote duty, near their city of dwarves and elves! Oh boy, I couldn't wait to get there and was agreeing before I had heard of the job already. I wanted to see them, study them, and to discuss mining and magic with them.

Also as a foreboding parenthesis, there was a mail left for me at the guild.

Not a letter from Quinn this time, but from... Felicia?

I read it aloud.

F - We're coming to bring you home lady Siline.

C - Does she mean... In a good way? Or in a bad way?

S - Well, it doesn't say. Probably in a good way?

I was puzzled, but more importantly we had a new job to do as a private military team.

My school friends would get a reply, but have to wait a bit longer for me.

First I wanted to meet elves and dwarves! And more nekomimi! At last!

C - What are you saying with this nekomimi nonsense again Siline... Sir Zeug is an elf.

S - What... Wait. Cat-eared people are elves?

Z - Well... yes.

I held my cheeks in a bit of a shock and stupor, realising that simple truth.

Zeug had a slightly amused smile at the face I was probably making. That was how elves looked like?

The size-gap couple we were meant to escort to where the trouble was, now were already looking at me weirdly. I asked an embarrassing question about their love and their species one after another.

Cécile and Aster were telling them not to pay attention to my looming insanity.

Never mind, I wanted to play with elf children now!

As for why did they hire us especially?

Because this couple had been split by unfortunate circumstances for a while. And we had helped free Izad just the other day from the excavation. We didn’t have time for proper introduction then, but she noticed us.

And why were that couple around that place at the time? Exactly.

I wasn't surprised to hear representative of the shun species take an interest as well into T.I.

It probably was linked to their appearance in the world. They weren’t the only researchers venturing to learn a little more.

Only these two hadn't been careful enough about their findings of this old nuclear bunker, and before they had realised it, Basileus had noticed and taken an interest as well in the name of the dragons. And he dispatched mercenaries to take control of it all, with then zeal to get forced labour to support.

They had gone over the border to stall the return of flame as the two countries were at odds. Well played.

We didn't tell the couple we had made a friend of Basileus yet. Only what we had found below.

Now they wanted to discuss it with their government, and to bring us along to clear out a possible other trouble of the same kind.

A - You've got dragons occupying your digs at home as well?

Z - Well... Yeah.

S - Okay then.

The Radiant Firebond was confident enough. We had our oath to support each other, and to bring more help and justice to the world. We were idealistic mercenaries, because we were powerful enough to allow ourselves so. And also we had already begun to reflect on how to better face dragons should there be a next time.

A dragon? Pah! It would take at least two or three to start bothering the Radiant Firebond!

While I was acting a bit smug, my friends handled the diplomacy thankfully.

We were a great team.

Leave the nekomimi, or elves, to me. You guys can handle the rest.

Josephine was giving me the stern look, shy of scolding. I chuckled it off. Aster slapped my hand before I could reach out to the cat ears to pull on them.

Almost there!

~

Thus we went our merry way through the land of sunken canyons of the kingdom of Belgium. He had granted asylum and a few miserable corners of his land to the rejects of everyone else, mainly the magical species. They had some cordial relation with his majesty, but that wasn't much.

Given they had wide autonomy, they focused on what they did best. Magic and studies.

And given they had found another dead vault from the past in their investigation into T.I, they had found themselves targeted as well recently.

We discovered a sprawling underground city with just the occasional spire coming out of the ground. They spent their life mining to get scarce resource and more space.

They made electricity playing with magic as well.

It offered no big sight but they had built their technomagical realm really.

Because they had scarce other resources.

S - Nanites, why are elves and dwarves born with a higher authority than humans?

N - For the future of humanity.

N - Are we allowed to say that?

N - I think so?

N - Fairies are an optimised symbiosis. Elves are an idealistic beauty. Dwarves a focused efficiency. Three possible pathways for the future of the human species.

N - I thought we weren't allowed to say it...

S - Hm, thanks nanites...

That was puzzling. Especially for the elves?

Fairies were more secretive or scarce, but a few were buzzing around the city.

They had weird pets they called slimes or triblles. They were essentially big warm furry slugs, that reminded me of lazy cats, without head nor limbs. They were crawling around, probably eating leftover scraps, and mostly sleeping and purring.

They were used as pets, or oh jealousy, as bedding by some fairies. I saw that through an open room along the way. A fluffy pile with cute friends napping in the middle of soft furs. My friends had to muster all their strength to hold me back from diving into that bliss we passed nearby to. That would have been impolite for me to invite myself by a stranger’s place. Oh woe was me.

Zeug was again looking at me with a conflicted expression.

None of the fairies wanted to speak with me. I was scaring them.

A - I have two requests in exchange for helping you with your local dragon problem. I want an interview time with fairies. And play time in your school with the most neko... elves children.

I received multiple knocks on the head by my traitorous friends. Aster was next bowing deeply while Cécile nervously tried to explain they shouldn't mind my whims.

Zeug's opinion of me was visibly at its lowest it could ever be. He was looking at trash apparently.

J - We'll do it for the appropriate price.

Now Josephine's smile appeared kind, but she was the real monster of us two. She would drain their accounts dry, while I only had wholesome fluff in mind.

~

We got to the area they wanted us to clear for them.

A few monsters along the way were no match for us. The dig site of an ancient industrial area was now partially sunk in the bay.

The dragon had probably long left after concluding its local investigation. However monsters roamed behind. A good number of these weird animals was seemingly guarding the place. We disposed of them through might and magic, easily.

Inside the temple from the higher industrious levels, we found as I suspected other bits and bobs from Technology Isekai, but nothing worthwhile.

I messaged Basileus but he didn't reply.

Aster was cutting through the giant lizards with her sword like a mighty anime samurai. Cécile charred everything stepping close to her and Josephine impaled them on spikes. I didn't need to lift a finger most of the time. I was their trump card.

We reached the partial prototype of a beacon that still shone there. It looked like the monsters had been building a temple to their divinity around it. It was an odd nest we cleared.

I touched it and nothing happened. Not even a glow.

S - Is it just not a working one nanites?

N - We're...

N - Access denied.

Something was off this time. Very off. I pulled back, after hearing some fear in their voice at first?

S - What was that?

N - You should leave this place Silvia... Fast.

Not a dragon this time.

Just small fry, and a machine no longer working.

Then why was I shivering?

I was feeling as if another eldritch veil was slowly slipping.

~

C - Siline! What is that!

What my friend pointed at was a whimsical glow appearing over the seemingly dead diamond, which I was no longer touching.

A reddish hue and glow spread over it until it became bright, and like an open door to a different field.

Then wind blew in, dishevelling our hair and surprising us.

I couldn't believe it. But now that monstrous feet were stepping in the research centre we were at, I had to admit it.

This had turned into a teleporting ring. A portal, through which monsters were now rushing in.

Aster's sword met the first teeth, while I was still in stupor facing it. We were getting surrounded and before we knew it, the beasts were reaching close quarters with us.

I heard my friends again yelling.

~

I yelled too as I jumped into the fray, my own sword mincing our enemies into gooey lumps.

The air was becoming toxic and the explosions from Cécile's incendiary spells shook the ground and walls.

Eventually we prevailed and managed to save each other until we were the last ones standing. But my hair that hadn't regrown yet had burnt again, from enemies attacking.

We were trembling, stepping knee high in gore, out of breath and hurting.

We looked again at the machine. The system beacon... turned hostile? The glow had dimmed and then disappeared.

S - Nanites! What was that!

N - We're... sorry.

I didn't scold them, that would have been futile. They were just machines, coerced by their programming.

Something could use the system to do these things.

And it couldn't do a thing against its own rights programming.

So monsters didn't just multiply around like critters.

They were teleported in...

This was a weird form of terrorism that had only grown over the decades all over the world.

Something evil was using this most odd way to asymmetrical fighting, slowly pressuring down against humanity globally.

We bandaged our wounds feeling a bit grim.

S - Now that the place is clear, we'll have our rewards! Cheer up guys!

That put a thin smile on Josephine and Cécile's faces. Yes, money...

Then on mine. Until I got another knock on the head. Cécile had sensed impure thoughts and used her magic staff to hit me.

Aster had a shy chuckle at the scene.

They were good and bad friends I thought, holding my head where it hurt.

~

Zeug was waiting outside. He had followed us and witnessed the end of the fight. He was rightfully speechless, and we were able to discuss things a bit on our way back.

They had known this was an apparition point, but never had it turned this big.

Z - Something must have really pissed them off this time.

S - They just have no taste.

Back in the city we were thanked reasonably, even me. I was provided enough fur slimes to float in bliss for a while. And I was finally allowed to befriend some fairies a little. Because they had the size of a bird, they could be killed by someone's incautious elbow. This was mostly why they kept to themselves most of the time.

Izad showed us how they used extensive magic, and the old pickaxes to dig their tunnels. It was heavy labour like mining always had been. I was pretty sure with our levels of skill and nanites approbation, we could do their job ten times faster, but I thought I shouldn't crush their life's work insensitively.

We spent a few days there, learning all we could.

Crossing the information a little bit, the puzzle was getting gradually clearer.

A - What did you learn from the fairies Siline?

S - Well... Because they can fly, they sometimes witnessed or studied other teleportation events. Apparently it can happen in the wild, it doesn't always need a relay. They say this one is now corrupted, and staying near it weakens their magic. As for the villain behind it...

I shook my head. Too soon to say.

Though I could begin to form my own educated guesses.

~