The dragons that once ruled the world have been forgotten, reduced to mere VTuber concepts.

The truths of mages buried in netspace.

And no one cares about such things anymore.

In an age where magic has become a vulgar joke.

One ordinary person couldn't believe the truth.

"...Don't talk nonsense."

Perhaps it was because he was a (garbage-like) skilled player who chose the thief class yet couldn't beat warriors, but he seemed unable to easily trust others' words.

Of course, this was partly due to his cyber prosthetic hand that hadn't received proper maintenance or scaling.

Additionally, Teddy's arms were different lengths. Looking closely, his fingers varied wildly in size and shape, as if he had modified them himself.

Actually, the fact that he could play the game properly in that condition was truly impressive.

Realizing this, I decided that I, as a kind-hearted warrior, should be understanding.

"I'm telling you it's true."

"Where did you pick up such strange rumors? Even the underground moles wouldn't believe you."

......

Seeing how he still didn't believe me.

It seems everyone who chooses the thief class has a fundamentally flawed personality.

Anyway,

I pulled my chair back slightly.

I frowned with my head tilted.

"What do I need to say for you to believe me?"

At my words, Teddy clapped his hands as if pleased.

Since his hands were prosthetics, they made a metallic scraping sound.

Teddy thrust his menacing face toward me.

"Let's hear what you have to say. Where did you hear this rumor? From a homeless person on the street? A conspiracy theorist high on mental care drugs? Or an anonymous board in netspace?"

I muttered quietly.

"The mayor of Neon City."

"Hmm."

My answer brought Teddy back to his senses after his excitement.

"Then it might actually be true."

That was an extremely quick change of attitude.

I stared at him blankly with cold eyes.

41. Truth That Sounds Like a Lie (2)

"But how do you run a power plant with mana?"

His immediate acceptance of the truth and attempt to change the subject was truly exemplary of a thief.

...I should ask Eve for a thief nerf instead of a warrior buff.

I leaned back in my chair while contemplating such plans.

"I don't know exactly. I just heard they use mana to turn turbines."

Perhaps they use fire magic.

Using the mystical power of magic that transcends physical laws just to boil water....

In truth, this world should be called steampunk rather than cyberpunk.

In the sense that all electricity is generated by steam engines.

Anyway, Teddy spun his mechanical eye in a complete circle at my words. With a face resembling a mad scientist, he muttered innocently.

"Turbines?"

"Ah."

It seems his long life underground has left him lacking in basic common knowledge.

"I see... You don't know...."

"Cut the crap right there."

"......"

Perhaps because we're hometown friends, his words were too harsh.

I kindly began explaining at his level for my foolish friend.

"You probably didn't know, but most power generation structures create electricity by 'boiling water' to turn 'turbines'."

Thermal power uses flames, wind power uses wind.

Even advanced nuclear technologies like fission and fusion ultimately couldn't escape the structure of 'boiling water to generate electricity.'

Probably even if technology advances to the point where we can extract dark energy from space, we'll still be boiling water to turn turbines.

Sometimes while browsing netspace, you'd come across short jokes like this:

"Hahaha! This device can absorb all negative human emotions and use them as an energy source!"

"...What do you plan to do with such evil power?!"

"Boil water to turn turbines."

"?"

Instead of shouting "That can't possibly be true!!" and losing SAN points after realizing this hidden truth of the world, Teddy simply said:

"I get it roughly. So that's how power plants work. I guess incinerators also turn turbines with waste heat."

"That's right."

"But then...."

He asked me one question.

"...Can magic do that?"

Thinking his explanation might be insufficient, Teddy pointed at Moon, who was bouncing on a soft sofa in the corner.

"I know a bit about magic too. Moon over there playing is also a mage."

Moon, noticing he was being talked about, waved at Teddy.

Teddy waved back at Moon's greeting, then turned his head back to me.

"Frankly, creating a fireball in mid-air isn't that easy. But using that to run a power plant? That doesn't make sense. Even if I don't know much about how the world works."

"That's true."

It wasn't an appropriate response for someone like me who could create massive fireballs in mid-air, but Teddy's words had some merit.

All social structures revolve around 'efficiency.'

Taxing the lower levels of the city more than the upper levels, giving corporations all sorts of privileges.

All are choices based on efficiency.

I nodded in agreement with Teddy's words.

"You're right."

"Hmm."

"Yeah. I wonder why?"

"...?"

Teddy looked at me with a strange expression.

Despite his face being covered with scars and wearing cheap replica cyberwear, his expression wasn't hard to read.

Teddy muttered dejectedly.

"...Wait, why did you bring up the power plant to me then? Did you think we knew something? Unfortunately, I've never heard of it."

Hmm.

That was indeed my original goal.

Since they had lived underground for many years, they might have heard rumors about the mana power plant.

But that wasn't the only reason.

I switched to Plan B, continuing the topic as if this had been my intention all along.

"I told you earlier."

"What?"

"That there's probably a mana power plant right next to the incinerator in the city where you lived."

"So what does that—"

Teddy cut off his own words.

His voice was so rough that it felt like a noisy TV screen going dark.

"...Oh."

I nodded at Teddy, who was staring at me with a dumbfounded expression.

"You said a mage took care of you two at the incinerator. ...Logically, there must be a connection, right?"

I waited for Teddy's reaction.

Teddy, coming to his senses, flashed his mechanical eyes.

"...Hey."

"Yeah."

The emotion in his voice was very serious.

Somehow Moon had approached us. His presence was so minimal that I almost jumped in surprise.

Despite Moon's "chrome allergy" meaning he shouldn't touch Teddy, he didn't seem concerned about that.

In short, he looked extremely urgent.

"...Why are you suddenly acting like this?"

I instinctively tried to step back. However, since I was sitting in a chair, there was a limit to how far I could retreat.

When my body was blocked by the desk where the computer sat, my head naturally turned backward.

On the gray screen, I could see a warrior character jumping vigorously over Teddy's character who had been defeated in a 1:1 duel.

[P77648(Warrior): Loser~ Loser~]

He's still taunting over the corpse.

I wanted to type something to him.

The thief is trying to attack me.

However, before I could ask for help from my fellow Warrior Masters Alliance guild member, Teddy, who had approached right in front of me, slowly opened his mouth.

"...You said you're a famous mercenary, right?"

"...That's right?"

Since I'd often heard the nickname "lucky mercenary with good friends," I was indeed famous in the mercenary business.

Teddy grabbed my hands with both of his.

The stickiness of old oil transferred through his prosthetic hands.

I wondered what kind of story he was trying to set up with this atmosphere.

Teddy, bowing his head deeply as if praying to me, made his request.

"...If so, could you possibly go to that mana power plant place once?"

...Suddenly?

No, thinking about it.

It wasn't that sudden.

We had been talking about the mana power plant all along.

It wasn't a difficult request.

He wasn't asking me to go to the incinerator through underground sewers. If it's an officially operated place, there should be elevators going down there.

The underground mage...

The person who took care of Teddy and Moon like a parent, if I remember correctly.

Then I could somewhat understand why he was pleading with me so earnestly.

As I was organizing my thoughts, Teddy released my hands with an "oops" expression.

"...Never mind. If it's difficult, just investigate it for me."

"What would you do if I investigate it, go down there yourself?"

"......"

But it would be difficult for them.

Basically, buildings like power plants have restricted access in the city. For me..., it doesn't matter because I have so many connections.

I shrugged lightly.

"I understand why you're asking me to go down there, but let's stay calm for now."

Anyway, the period when Teddy and Moon stayed at the incinerator was a very long time ago.

The situation was unlikely to change drastically if we delayed a day or two.

I picked up a towel that had fallen on the floor. While wiping the oil from my palms, I calmed down Teddy and Moon, who had become anxious.

"I'll look into it first, so just wait a little longer."

* * *

I never thought Teddy would bow his head so easily....

Having only remembered his ill-mannered childhood self, I felt a bit strange.

I manipulated my visual interface to enter the number of someone registered in my contacts.

I was planning to ask someone else I knew for information about the mana power plant.

[Oh, what's this about!]

The face of an old man with a reddened nose appears over the hologram screen.

My second master, Merlin.

Honestly, he wasn't the most reliable person... but at least he was a mage.

There was a good chance he knew something.

It might have been faster to just ask Eve or the chairman, but I wanted to try what I could do myself.

......

Or not?

Thinking back, Merlin had a history of going underground just based on rumors about a mage. He probably wouldn't know about the existence of a mana power plant either.

Anyway, since I'd already called, I should at least ask.

"...Excuse me."

But,

Merlin's condition seemed a bit strange.

I thought it was odd that his nose was red, but his entire face was flushed. He looked like a street homeless person who had drunk too much.

"Are you with other people?"

[That's right! I've told you before, haven't I? The mage community! I'm here with colleagues from there!]

Ugh, so loud,

But this is fortunate timing.

Even if Merlin didn't know, there was a good chance his colleagues might.

However, before I could continue, Merlin's loud voice boomed through my visual interface.

[Everyone, listen! This is that incredibly talented disciple I told you about!]

How high did he set the volume?

I could even hear the voices of other people talking nearby.

[Oh... is this the amazing disciple?]

[After keeping him so secret...]

Merlin responded loudly to those voices.

[I had my reasons for not telling everything! This person is the famous one called 'Sole Mage'!]

And then.

[......]

[......]

An incomprehensible silence followed.

The bustling atmosphere disappeared in an instant.

What's going on suddenly?

Merlin seemed to feel it too, as he spoke to the other people (probably mages) in a puzzled voice.

[...Why is everyone acting like this? Do you think the nickname is too arrogant? No, that's not this friend's fault—]

Then,

Breaking the silence, another mage spoke up.

[...If it's Sole Mage, isn't that the person who hangs out with that 'Meteor'?]

Ah.

[M-Meteor...! Eeeek!!]

[Nicholas!!]

[Damn, it's a heart implant malfunction! Call emergency services quickly!]

So that's why I hadn't received any contact from the mage community...

I nodded to myself.

Come to think of it, Catherine's infamy was indeed at this level.