The Eminence in Amber and the Emerald Intelligence

How cruel and ironic fate’s call could be.

Ten years since I departed Earth, the Blue Marble was once again in my sight. Through Charon’s window, the coastlines of Malaysia and Australia was slowly swallowed by the ambiguous line that divided light and darkness. On the border between day and night stood Singapore, the Federal capital and the Garden City; illuminated by both sunshine and artificial lights, its beauty remained unmatched as it did ten years ago.

As Singapore started the drift, I realised that the Charon had crossed the geosynchronous orbit, and soon Europe and the proud Albion that stood beside it would come into sight. London, its heart and core, would come before my eyes once again. And so would the Federal Institute; Yuuki’s cemetery; and my family home.

Would I want to return to them? For years, I had yearned to go back to Earth, to the Federal Institute, to Yuuki’s and Professor Goodenough’s sides. Earth was my birthplace and the cradle in which I was raised, and no amount of nurture can change my yearning for its embrace.

But on that day, I wasn’t sure.

“…Seems that you are awake, Archon Lavender.” A voice, kind and warm but seemingly coming from the void, spoke in my head.

“Don’t scare me with telepathy, please. I am still not used to it.” I replied to the voice using my mind. “Also, I am but an Acting Archon, Archon Amber.”

The voice’s origin slowly came out of the shades, into the bright sunrays projected through Charon’s window. “A fair maiden!” had been my first words upon meeting her, and a more fitting descriptor I could not find. Blessed with silky blonde hair flowing like a waterfall, fair skin that you could almost see through, an elegant figure and ice blue eyes that shined like crystals, mere words were insufficient to describe Archon Amber’s beauty.

But her true beauty was manifest not in her physical appearance, but in her kindness and wisdom.

“How was your sleep? Are you doing fine?” She asked, her face filled with worry.

“Living through several years of Elisabeth’s memory was really rough… But that was the final session. With all my predecessors’ memories at my disposal, I am confident that our plan will finally succeed.”

“No, I mean… are you still here, Connie?”

“I told you, didn’t I. I am still the Acting Archon Constance Rainsford. And I have no plans to die.”

“I see.” Archon Amber seemed relieved, the worries clouding her face dissipating a bit. “But memory transplantation is a dangerous technique, no matter how it is done. You could easily lose your sense of self. Please don’t push yourself, Connie.”

“I will heed that advice,” I replied, the usual nonchalance still showing, “if you --- the Priestess Princess of the Elves --- says so.”

Illuminated by the Sun’s light, Archon Amber’s long, pointy ears appeared to be subtly shining.

-----------------

“Speaking of it, I can’t imagine it had been seven years since we first met.” Walking down Charon’s wide but empty corridor, I spoke to Amber.

“Ah, it does feel like it was yesterday. I was really surprised when Burgundy carried a cute girl to my doors while panicking hard. I’ve never seen him that flustered before… and I don’t think I can forget that thing panicking either.” Amber was probably talking about Paddington.

“Weren’t I a bit too old to be called a ‘girl’?”

“You were under 30 years old and not yet 40 now. In Elven standards, you are still a little girl.” Amber replied, seemingly delighted.

“If I include all my predecessors’ lifetimes, then I would be tens of thousands year old.”

“You should save that line until you achieve your predecessors’ goals, then. You are two years behind schedule still.” A voice came from a green AR window that suddenly popped up.

“As lacking in subtlety as ever, Emerald. Whose fault it was that? Did the Council not censure you enough for what you did to me?” I replied.

“I recognised that I could have supported you better to avoid the delays, and I will refrain from performing memory transplantation without consent in the future. But I merely helped you to fulfil your duty, as your predecessors willed, and my duty called for.” The green window spoke, nary a sense of regret in its voice.

Well, he is incapable of regret, after all.

Just like he was seven years ago, when he took control of Vendie and used it to forcibly transfer Elisabeth’s memories into my brain. When I collapsed in pain and fell into a deep slumber, reliving my predecessors --- the past Archons of Lavender’s --- memories. When, after two years of care by Amber and Paddington, I finally woke up.

Archon Emerald --- back then and on that day --- apologised not for the damage he caused, but only for the delay in his plans.

“I judged that after three years of deep integration with nanomachines, you would have enough cognitive ability to manage your predecessors’ memories. To avoid the memories from degrading further, I decided the transplantation should be done as soon as possible, especially with a powerful Amplification Antenna nearby.” Archon Emerald continued. “I did not know losing the sense of self could make you unconscious and slow the progress of memory integration. It was my miscalculation.”

“You’ve miscalculated a lot more than just almost killing Connie. Despite your long existence, it seems that you still have a lot to learn about the soul. I bet you misinterpreted Sisi’s instructions too.” Archon Amber admonished the green window.

“Indeed. I do not possess it as an AI, after all. I anticipate learning more about it from Archon Lavender in the future.” Emerald replied drily.

“The bygones are bygones. You did your job crudely, but thanks to that little nap I had, I met Amber.” I replied. “You still owe me one though. I expect your full cooperation for my mission from now on.”

“Understood. AI ‘Emerald’ hereby pledges his full computational power to support Constance Rainsford in seeking the power of the ‘soul’.”

“Take care of combat support too. When it comes down to that, Reina and Burgundy might have their hands full.”

“I sincerely hope it doesn’t come down to that. But acknowledged.” Emerald, somewhat surprisingly, seemed to be a pacifist.

“Now,” I turned to Archon Amber, who once was the Priestess Princess of the Elves, “let’s take your treasure back. Time to take the Flower of Yggdrasil from the thieves,” I pointed at Earth, “and return it to its rightful owners.

“As the heritor of the Seat of Lavender, as the one to hold the title ‘Soulseeker’, I will make sure of it.”