Chapter 61 – The Three Caskets
The thin walls that protect each country continue to expand all over the world.
Had the world been an infinite plane, new humanity would have been promised eternal prosperity. However, in reality, land is finite.
And so, each country held bad relations with their neighbors.
More people were swallowed by the growing spiteful atmosphere, until at a certain border a small conflict happened. A battle between individuals at first, the conflict grew until armed troops were dispatched from the countries that share that border, turning the conflict into a battle. Finally, it became a war, where the standing armies of these two nations fought.
As both countries were hostile to each other, a war where both sought to wash blood with blood ensued.
In such a world, the Republic of the Sages remained neutral.
In the first place, the Republic did not care much about land, and although its walls have been slightly expanded since its foundation, its expansion was overwhelmingly small compared to other countries.
In this land of sages, various studies were still underway to this day.
Furthermore, intellectuals from various countries that had escaped from war and persecution fled to the Republic, so the country was more active than ever before.
By exporting their armaments to each country, the Republic had a very large income. Each country actively imported weapons made by the sages who boasted overwhelming technological capabilities. These weapons saw use on all battlefields.
And every country wished to hold a certain weapon.
But the development of that weapon was taboo for now.
Yes, “for now.”
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The Republic continued to grow rapidly while other nations exhausted themselves from war.
In the center of this prosperous nation was a mansion.
A large and beautiful garden was spread out in front of the mansion, and several girls were taking a stroll within.
They were walking in the garden while happily chatting, but one of them staggered and almost collapsed. The others around her supported her and spoke anxiously,
The frail girl, supported by the others, answered with a rough breath.
<Sorry… I’ve worried everyone…
But it seems like I’m at my limit…>
The girls around her grew downcast at her words.
All of these children were homunculi. And of course, the frail girl was also a homunculus. The first homunculus who accompanied the Great Sage in her travels around the world.
The girl was already active in the Republic for several centuries, respected as an enigma of the Republic of the Sages. Here she was, quietly spending the rest of her life in peace.
The transport demon that travelled with the Great Sage passed away long ago. The girl was the last of the three founders.
In the Republic, homunculus technology had been successfully elucidated. New homunculi were being produced each day.
It’s become tradition for newborn homunculi to meet with the original homunculus when they grow up enough to walk.
Today as well, these homunculi come to greet her.
The old homunculus welcomed them in and they enjoyed a pleasant time chatting in the serenity of the garden, but her body was nearing its limits.
Various joints had stiffened, until she could not run. Her vision blurred, until she could not clearly make out paintings of the Great Sage. The magic stone that served as her core, her heart equivalent, had deteriorated severely. Filling mana had become a tedious task.
The girl sat down on a wheelchair and sighed,
＜…haa…＞
And then asked the young homunculi around her,
＜Can you… take me to Memorial Hall?＞
The girls understood her intentions. Some bit their lips, and some shed tears.
The Memorial Hall was a museum and tomb that existed in the Republic of the Sages.
Various artifacts that conveyed the achievements of the Great Sage were exhibited there, and it held two precious caskets where the bodies of the Great Sage and Elephant Demon were laid to rest, enshrined in a sturdy locked room in the depths of the hall.
Next to those caskets, stood an empty space.
＜Please take me to the Memorial Hall.＞
The girls understood.
They wiped away their tears and forced smiles on their faces. They pushed her wheelchair and proceeded on the road leading to the Memorial Hall.
As they travelled, passers-by and other homunculi waved at the girl in her wheelchair. She moved her rattling joints, smiling and waving back in response.
She was beloved by the people.
She supported the legendary hero, the Great Sage from the shadows, devoutly nursing her when she was sick.
Her stories had been recorded in picture books, texts, films, and plays.
Those who grew up in the Republic heard these stories from an early age, and they all loved the girl’s compassionate soul.
Shortly thereafter, the group arrived at the Memorial Hall.
When the guard saw their approach, they rushed up and gave a beautiful salute to welcome them in.
When he learned of their intentions, he hurried to get the key to the tomb of the Great Sage.
The party silently followed the guard.
When the guard opened the doors, the girl got up from her wheelchair with the support of the girls around her. When they had completely entered, the guard softly closed the door and respectfully waited in the hallway.
His eyes moistened. For he too loved the homunculus girl.
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There was a large altar at the back of the room.
To the left stood a large casket. In the front stood another made for a human.
And on the right was a small empty space.
She approached the central casket with an unsteady pace, and when she sat next to it, a wave of nostalgia washed over her.
She remembered.
The first time she met that female scholar.
The day she invited that scholar to her home, the day where they slept together.
The days where she cared for her, when she fell into a coma from an overflow of magic remnants.
The years of travelling the world, spreading books, and creating the Republic together with that scholar.
In her flashback, she remembered everything.
Then muttered,
＜It’s about time… for me to follow in her steps…＞
The girls around her could not hold their tears back,
＜Please don’t say such a thing…＞
＜With today’s technology, can’t you extend your lifespan further?＞
＜If you replaced your magic stone with the latest model and entered a nutrient solution then can’t you….＞
The homunculus replied to the girls who tried to convince her through tears,
＜To leave everyone behind makes me really, really sad.
But… my time has come.
If I don’t…that girl might drink too much and collapse.
Her physique isn’t that good.. You see… so she’ll fall down quickly without me.
I haven’t seen her for so long… maybe she’s fainted from overexerting herself in her research.
So I must go… she really is helpless without me…＞
She gave a gentle smile, and rested her body next to the scholar’s casket.
Her sight gradually faded.
Soon, a warning about her remaining mana reserves appears in a corner of her vision, but she stays still. The warning gradually fades along with the rest of her vision, and when she sees the coat of arms of the ruined kingdom in full view, she blacked out, falling into her eternal slumber. When her movements ceased, the girls around her shed more tears. Her body was later put in a small casket and placed on the right side of the casket of the Great Sage.
Soon, a warning about her remaining mana reserves appears in a corner of her vision, but she stays still.
The warning gradually fades along with the rest of her vision, and when she sees the coat of arms of the ruined kingdom in full view, she blacked out, falling into her eternal slumber.
When her movements ceased, the girls around her shed more tears.
Her body was later put in a small casket and placed on the right side of the casket of the Great Sage.
The three caskets quietly lined up, marking the end of one era and the start of another..
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