Summer, year 3154.

"Ah, this is a nice view.

Arnold said to himself at the summit of Mount Onouni, a solitary peak.

The 360-degree view from the summit of this solitary peak. The sky was clear and the wind was light. The temperature was just right for wearing long sleeves.

Pretty alpine plants were blooming under our feet, and Capri (goats) were grazing on the remaining snow along the stream to rehydrate.

"...... won't be able to come here for a while."

<>...... late in the year, was raging.

As a magical engineer, his surroundings were also becoming tense, and it looked as if he would not be able to enjoy his hobby of mountain climbing for a while.

"Well, let's make camp anyway," he said.

We pitch our tent on a flat area a short distance down from the summit.

There is a spring five minutes down, and the wind from the north is sheltered, making it a good place to pitch our tent.

Ever since he was fascinated by mountains when he was a student, he has been climbing mountains here and there on holidays.

He is an indoor person in all other hobbies, but for some reason he was fascinated by mountain climbing.

After finishing dinner in the light of day and making his bed, he would have tea while looking at the sky at dusk.

This was the best way to refresh his tired spirit, and Arnold was visiting Mount Onouni by himself at the beginning of summer.

It's a beautiful sunset. It's a beautiful sunset. ...... even though there is a war going on in the north."

Nature's workings repeat themselves day after day, oblivious to the thoughts and feelings of the smallest human being.

As the sun sets, the dusk clouds that have colored the sky lose their color and give up their place to the stars.

The stars are best seen at this time of day, when the moon has not yet risen.

When the moon rises and hangs high in the mid-sky, the stars are obscured by the moonlight.

Arnold looked up at the night sky to enjoy the stars before that happens.

"It's not a bad thing that I was transferred to the south," he said.

In the northern part of the Kingdom of Dinar, there is a long mountain range called the Krüger Mountains, and it was his dream to someday traverse the entire mountain range.

He used to fantasize about doing so with a golem of his own making ...... in place of a porter.

But now, the <> had become a natural barrier against the demons, and it was no longer an area where one could climb mountains.

"Maybe someday when there is peace..."

Arnold sighs a sigh as he drinks his cold tea and slips into his tent.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"<>?

Is the situation that bad?

The order came to the military workshop where Arnold worked.

"No, it's not that bad. But we should at least make preparations for such facilities while there is still time to spare. It takes time to build facilities.

That's true, isn't it?

"Isn't that right?　It's all right if you don't have to use ....... We can use it for something else at the time.

I understand.

"Okay, now that you are satisfied, let's get to work. First, we'll divide you into three teams.

Let's divide them into three teams. - What's the breakdown, Mr. Workshop Chief?

One team will build an evacuation facility on an island in the southern ocean. One team will build a facility in the basement of Fort Lutgla. And the last team is to build a facility further underground from the basement of the fort."

"More underground facilities?　What is the purpose of this?

"I don't know the details. The army gives orders without explaining in detail.

In this way, Arnold, a magical engineer, was put in charge of the underground facilities.

* * * *

From time to time, meetings are held with the rest of the team.

Even though it is an urgent project, it is essential to have at least a minimum exchange of information.

(...... magic brain and battle golem, you say?　(...... Why would you set up such a sequence?　I don't understand ......)

Perhaps the people in charge of the <<1st basement>> are in such a hurry to complete the work that it seems to Arnold that they are ignoring the fatal flaws in the work.

（Fortunately, our <<> facility is smaller. (Fortunately, our facility in is smaller, which gives us some leeway. Let's use it to perfect our magical brains.)

Under Arnold's direction, the brains and golems in the <> were made of high quality.

And then.

"Automata and magic brains or ......"

We were working on this project in parallel, but we could not decide on the specifications until the very last minute.

"I still think it should be paired with ...... the magic brain. ......"

An automata that can be a restraining force when the magic brain is about to go out of control.

Of course, the opposite is also true.

But this proposal was rejected by his boss and not understood by his colleagues.

"It can't be helped. Let's go the other way and make it completely independent.

This policy was finally approved.

So Arnold first completed 90% of his magical brain, and then began work on an independent automata.

The appearance of the automata is gray hair.

It was not because of a lack of dyes for artificial hair.

He did not like the concept of automata that were popular at the time, and tried to differentiate them.

（An automaton that does not flatter people, does not get along with its friends, but is able to harmonize with them.

Arnold wanted to be called the best automaton in the world, but at the same time he was aware that this was a presumption.

Although his skills were high, they were not the best in the world.

He knew that the materials he used were second-rate and that he could never call himself .

Nevertheless, Arnold put all his energy into the automaton that would probably be the end of his work.

"I name you ."

"Yes, I am ."

As with the series of blue-haired automata, I followed the custom of giving them short names and named them <>.

Although it is a one-syllable name, he may have been a little proud of his five-letter name: .......

And then, in a very real sense, his job, the administrative magic brain.

Arnold entrusted his to it.

A small wish that he could not fulfill. .......

* * * *

The first thing completed was Arnold and his team's <<>.

Therefore, those who were available were sent to help with the .

Arnold was no exception.

Arnold wanted to make our magic brain a little more decent, but he could not do so under the watchful eye of his superiors.

He was barely able to link the <> to be activated only if the <> was neutralized.

* * * * *

And <> was nearing completion.

However, the construction of what is now called the <> has been delayed considerably due to the materials required.

In particular, the magical brain for management has not been completed at all.

Engineers who can build a magic brain are very precious.

< were asked to help out at the , and some of them moved their work to that base.

However, Arnold refused to move to the island base because it was not yet completed.

He wanted to improve the degree of perfection of the automata he had worked so hard on.

That is, the cultivation of .

Arnold believed that education of the creator himself was indispensable for this purpose, and he put it into practice.

"Chelle, I love the sunsets from the top of the mountain.

"Yes."

"Be in harmony. But don't get too comfortable with each other.

Yes.

Value all life. And take care of yourself.

Yes.

In his spare time, Arnold educates himself on the principles that he could not engrave by default.

"If you meet a good engineer in the future, far in the future, ....... I hope you will tell them that there were others like me."

"Yes."

And he left a <> to Chelle as well.

* * * * * *

Then one day, the "Aether Stampede" occurred.

The remaining engineers in the base, all of whom were mages, were wiped out.

Fortunately, <> and <> were completed, and the technicians were quickly buried.

And the two facilities remained in the basement of Fort Lutgla, quietly waiting for the time to come when they would be able to fulfill their role.

Chelle is no exception.

He left behind a maintenance golem that could barely continue to operate even with the lowered concentration of , and went into a long sleep.

With the memory of its creator, Arnold, in his heart: .......