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I was attracted to the giant, I approached it while still fully drenched.
About it’s size, I think just the length of the leg is about 4 meters. It would probably be 8 meters if it stand straight, that’s almost as tall as a three-story building.
The armor on its limbs looks like it was formed from a sheet of steel plate and the curves were molded to be aerodynamic. The fuselageMain Body armor looks like one used by the knights.The face closely resembles that of a human.
Looks like this thing hasn’t moved for a very long time, there’s rust all over the place, and some parts have even been entangled by ivy.
At first glance it’s not that too badly damaged, the left arm was missing from its shoulder but I think I can see that very same arm stuck on the cliff.
“Unreal.”
I never thought that I would see a SFScience-Fiction work in a fantasy world. No, there is possibility that it might operate under a fantasy mechanism, but it appears to have been built based on a solid principle or theory.
Its’ really like a machine just by peeking through the gaps and joints of the armor, there is even something that looks like a tube for a hydraulic pump, it stimulated the memory of my past life and my soul.
I didn’t know how long I was standing there fascinated. I pulled myself back as I quickly check the prey in my bag.
I wonder what happened to that damnable hummingbird that caused this situation.
I took out the hummingbird —- It drowned.
“Oops. I must quickly bleed it out”
No reason to be sentimental about it. Although I slightly regret it that I wasn’t able to kill it personally, right now there is a robot in front of me which I have been yearning for. Those things doesn’t matter anymore.
I took the hatchet from my waist and chopped of the neck of the hummingbird without hesitation.
If I don’t bleed it out, the meat will easily go bad, also the bad smell of the blood will spread out. Even though it’s a hummingbird that I painstakingly hunted, it will not sell if the meat smells bad.
I dug a small hole in the ground with the hatchet and let the blood coming from the neck of the hummingbird drop in that hole.
After I squeezed out all of the blood, I put back the bird in my bag.
“Well.”
I looked up again at the robot that’s in front of me.
Even though it’s broken, no self-respecting robot lover will ever not ride it.
I took off my wet jacket which had been clinging on me, activated [Aero Thruster], and jumped onto the robot’s foot, heading to the fuselage.
For a robot this size, the cockpit would be at the fuselage. I tried to examine the fuselage armor which looks like an armor a knight. However, the armor was made from a single piece of steel plate, so I didn’t see anything like a cockpit door.
If that’s the case, I will climb up to the back of the neck.
Since to enter the main body, its expected to enter it via the abdomen or at the back of the neck.
And so my hunch was on spot.
“This is it then”
At the back of the neck, there was a lever in a palmed-size hole. It’s probably the lever to open the cockpit from the outside.
I pulled it without any hesitation.
Something fell out along with a PSSHH sound when the center of the neck divided into two, the entrance to the cockpit was opened
“Ugh ……”
At that instant, a rotten stench drifts from the cockpit.
I instinctively frowned and was taken aback.
It’s only natural if you think about it. You cannot have only the robot in such a place, there has to be a pilot together with it, and since the cockpit was not opened, there’s reason to believe that the pilot still remains inside.
From looking at the appearance of the robot, I guess the pilot died from the shock when the robot fell over the cliff.
Confined in the cockpit rotting for so many years, the only thing remaining from the pilot is its skeleton. The skeleton collapsed, spilling over from the seat.
“It seems to be impossible to ride this today.”
I must clean it first before I can ride it.
As I left the cockpit door opened for ventilation, I got off the robot and looked around the surroundings.
The sky’s still blue, I could still see sunlight which indicates the sun hasn’t gone down yet. It’s evidence that not much time has passed since i came here. .
If I hurriedly return back home now and get some cleaning tools, I might have enough time to come back here.
I made full use of [Aero Thruster], and climbed up the cliff little by little.
Probably because I was washed away further along the river, the cliff here wasn’t that deep, so I was able to climb it easily.
After that, I climbed a tall tree and I looked around.
Base on the position of the sun, the time is probably around just past 3 p.m., the expected sundown this early in the spring is about half past 5 p.m., just enough time.
I have confirmed the position of the mountain, and estimated the location of the village based on the direction of the river.
“Generally, I think it’s over there, but this is strange “
It is difficult to understand it with the naked eye, but I think I see something like a smoke rising up there.
“There is nothing else I could do but go and see”
I used a combination of [Active Wing] and [Aero Thruster], I went back to the village at full speed.
As I exit the forest, I could see the village as expected, well this is village that I was born in of course.
Usually when I enter the forest, I enter it from behind the village, but since I was washed away by the river that when I came back, I have returned to the side of the village where the women are working on the fields.
And so I was confined on the spot.
“Just a minute, Eldo kun!?”
As I was walking towards the village my name was suddenly called out by a very loud voice, all the women working on the field immediately looked towards me in unison.
I sigh as I faced the person who called out to me.
There she was, It’s Anjou. She is in the middle of harvesting but the vegetables are all over her feet, she probably dropped it when she got surprised.
“Hey, the vegetables are gonna get spoiled if you drop it”
“A, Ah! Don’t you move! Why are you sopping wet and why are you wandering around here! Here, wipe yourself dry!”
Anjou came to me in panic as she passed me a towel.
I received the towel and wiped my hair vigorously.
The women are grinning while looking at us. And then they quickly returned to work.
“My bad, my bad. I fell in the river earlier”
“You fell in the river, you mean you fell down through the valley!?”
Anjou looked at me in surprised. Well you see, there was no person in the village that fell down in the valley that came out safe. I even barely survived.
“Don’t worry about it”
“Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere! ? “
She ran up to me touching all over my body. That guy who saw my nakedness just a moment ago, blushed and went somewhere.
“Nothing’s wrong. Also I was able to hunt three hummingbirds”
“That’s not the problem right now! Anyhow, you need to warm your body! You’re gonna catch a cold if you stay as you are now! “
“I know. Anyway, can you release me now since I want to go home? “
“Wa-u.”
She didn’t noticed that she had been touching my body, Anjou’s cheek became slightly red. Because it’s not evening yet, I can’t tell if it’s being reddened by the setting sun.
Taking the opportunity, I handed the bag that I have been carrying to Anjou.
“It’s the hummingbirds. It’s a little wet, but don’t you worry for I have already bled it out. Please hand it to the chief. “
“I understand, now go and get dry quickly!”
“Yes, Yes.”
I pushed backed Anjou and went back to the village.
It wasn’t possible to return to the bottom of the valley for the robot this day after all
I came home drenched and I was startled when Mama screamed in surprised when she saw me, Papa rushed over when he heard the scream and was also surprised when he saw me.
Two of them together questioned on me on what happened, I explained that while I was chasing the hummingbird I fell off in the valley. Of course, I received a sermon.
While they did that, it became evening already that I gave up going back to the bottom. The forest during the night is truly dangerous, even for me.
Oh well, I’ll just go there everyday starting tomorrow.
When the sermon ended, it was dinnertime. It seems to be venison stew today.
“Good grief, I always told you to watch out for that valley.”
“I understand already. I know what I did was really bad, so forgive me already. Anyway, I’m expecting a sermon from Anjou tomorrow”
I sighed deeply after drinking the goat’s milk in one go.
After getting a sermon from mama for more than one hour, I don’t want to get another sermon from Papa until I eat my dinner first.
“Hah …… it can’t be helped huh.”
“Papa is so sweet. Because Eldo has done everything flawlessly, you get carried away easily. I have to properly scold you or you won’t reflect your mistakes”
“I truly understand. I’m repenting already “
There isn’t a single person who won’t repent if they sat in seiza for at least one hour. Also, it’s not an absolute sermon if the other guy enjoys it.
Of course I don’t have any special propensity towards it.
“I don’t trust your words. You are prohibited from entering the forest for one week starting tomorrow.
“No way!?”
You’re telling me I can’t go to the bottom where the robot is! ? It’s too painful to wait for that long! This level of punishment is too much!
“Your reaction is evidence that you didn’t repent! For one week you’re gonna help Mama on the field “
“Papa ……”
I clung on to Papa as I look to him.
Papa was eating a mouthful of stew when he saw me, he just then slowly shook his head. Is there really no other way! ?
“Do you understand?”
“…………Yes”
“Good”
As I reluctantly nodded, Mama was laughing with satisfaction.
But, I will not give up. Surely it’s impossible now to go to the bottom, where the robot is for one week, but I’m sure I could investigate various things related to the robot in this village.
First of all, I could determine whether or not the existence of robot is common for the people of this world.
Maybe because I’m still a kid that they haven’t told me this yet, there might be a lot of robots in some town.
“Oh yeah Papa, I found something strange while hunting today.”
“Something strange?”
“I saw a giant made of iron walks toward the mountain. It made this amazing thumping sounds that the forest became terribly noisy”
Indeed, I should ask Papa if he knew something like a robot. He will be able to tell me if he knows something.
“Hmmm, it’s highly possible you saw an Aluminare”
Bingo! So the robot seems to be called Aluminare.
“Aluminare?”
“I don’t know the detailed principles behind it, but it’s a doll made totally out of iron and a person rides on it to move”
“Incredible! People are riding that?! “
Of course I know since I saw the real thing. Incidentally, I got a perfect view of that damn dead person.
“But it’s unusual for the Aluminare to be active around this area. This place is not near the border and they can’t afford to guard this place, but”
Papa frowned, puzzled as he says so.
“They don’t have enough of it?”
“Yeah, to mobilize one takes a great deal of money. This country has about 30 of them around. Therefore, they are usually deployed in the border or the Imperial Capital. For that thing to come to this place, it is maybe necessary to do a little investigation”
“You’re right. What kind of person that are riding those? “
“It’s a knight of this country. Story is you have to be an elite who received special training. If you want to hear more details, the you have to go to the village chief’s place”
“Village Chief?”
How come the village chief came up this time?
“I heard that long time ago the village chief ran out of the village with the aim to be an Aluminare Rider. He should know more detail about the Aluminare than me”
“To think that the village chief had that background”
I never expected Anjou’s old man to be a rascal, His eyes is so gentle, unlike my Papa, also he is gentle, calm, and his dandy beard started to turn white.
“As expected, Eldo-chan is a boy after all for having an interest in Aluminare”
Mama was listening to our talk while eating the stew, she looked at me then showed a gentle smile.
As Mama said those words, Papa nodded in agreement.
“What do you mean?”
“Boys who have seen an Aluminare once, will mostly aspire to be an Aluminare Rider. Well, during a deployment ceremony in the Imperial Capital, they are flaunted and displayed in the parade, I can’t really understand the feeling of aspiration “
“Your Mama yearned to see a person who was an Aluminare Rider during her childhood. Dressed in pure white knight clothes, they move along the parade riding on the shoulder of the Aluminare, squealing together with their neighborhood friends”
Apparently, the Aluminare Riders of this world are treated like an elite super-athletes. It is the boys number one dream job and the target of desire for girls.
Oh well, it seems that having only 30 machines made the admiration to them a premium sensation. To be able to join them immediately would usually entail a high passing mark. Wait, so it means —-
“I’m certain that Mama already saw it then”
“You’re right, It would before Eldo was born then. Me and Mama was born in the Imperial Capital. The chance to see the Aluminare was definitely higher than any of the other towns.
“Really?!”
This, this is the first time I have ever heard it.
I heard that we moved here to the village so Papa could change into a hunter, I didn’t know I was born in the Imperial Capital…… Perhaps I’m a noble, there is a chance that the noble’s blood flows within me—–
“Although I was born in the Imperial Capital, I was just however an ordinary commoner”
No chance is seems……
“Then, why did you became a hunter? If it’s the Imperial Capital, there was more kinds of work”
“It’s because I wanted to experience that flavor again”
“Ah, yes. I understand now “
He had the opportunity to taste the Three-Horned Cow in the Imperial Capital and hasn’t forgotten the taste since then.
“And then you abducted Mama”
“BUFUU!”
When I mumbled those words, Papa spat out his stew, while Mama was roughly chuckling.
“GEHOO GEHOO, for what reason did you say that!”
“No, no, I just thought it’s more likely. Papa should be more conscious your own appearance. Glaring a wild wolf to submission, ordinary people can’t do it”
There was a legend that a wolf wandered to the village and was subdued just by his powerful gaze, that story was passed down throughout the village since then.
Me too cannot forget that day, Papa just glared intensely at the wolf and then it rolled over showing its belly and became tame since then.
It should be noted that the wolf became dinner the next day. The law of the jungle is terrifying.
” That’s wrong! When I got my hunter’s license, I confessed my love to your mother”
“Huh?!”
I was surprised and look towards Mama, she was nodding in nostalgia.
“Yes. I was working at a shop and didn’t like we will be separated so I accepted it”
No way, Mama was really swaying in love. She’s pretty aggressive in spite of her appearance. I mean, she was not frightened by Papa’s powerful gaze. No, instead, why didn’t the person who looks like Mama notice it?
After that, dinnertime was moving slowly while listening to how Mama and Papa’s romance started.
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Thanks so much for all your hard work… when he saw the smoke I thought his village was getting destroyed… poor kid, I killed off everyone he knew ;_;