30:07

[Leo]-Very well... So, what did you prepare for me here?

They have arrived next to the body of the deceased person that CHE5TER found in the past. Leo simply looks around with his eye lighting up, while the robot simply scans the area first to see if it can get an answer.

[CHE5TER]-This is... the body that I suspect to be his. Do you think that VERA can scan it?

[Leo]-She certainly can, but let her attempt to uncover any information about this place first. If this indeed is X4NDER's corpse, then maybe with a bit of luck, we might find the reason behind his disappearance as well.

[X4NDER]-...I actually got the chance to come here with him once, but I didn't recognise myself in this body at all.

[Leo]-Really? Did you happen to recognise at least the environment around you?

[X4NDER]-Not really... I felt like I have been somewhere in this place before, but I don't remember any detail from what I have seen then and even now.

[Leo]-Like a déjà vu?

[X4NDER]-I think yeah, pretty much.

[CHE5TER]-...Sorry, deja what?

[Leo]-Right. Your species isn't aware of this language or expression. X4NDER is acquainted it because I have shared him a lot of information about my kind in the past. "Déjà vu" refers to the sensation of experiencing present events as if they've already occurred in the past. The phrase originates from one of my kind's languages, as various countries had distinct dialects. This one, for example, comes from French.

[CHE5TER]-Oh, so something like us and the crevaators?

[Leo]-Yes, but it was more complex than that. My species had over seven thousand languages that came from around two hundred countries. My country, for instance, was using English, the very language we are speaking at the moment.

[CHE5TER]-S-Seven thou... A-And do you know how to speak them all??

[Leo]-No, but we weren't obligated to either. Still, selective individuals among us were choosing to be multilingual, knowing even up to eleven languages or more. In other cases, societal demands compelled some to speak multiple languages, while others did so due to the obligation of relocating themselves to nations where their language wasn't spoken. I am not a prime example, as I moved from an English-speaking country to another with the same linguistic norm. But that doesn't mean I am prohibited from learning a new language, as during my time of protecting the machine, VERA has helped me with learning some of my kind's languages. After all, I did possess ample leisure time those two thousand years...

[CHE5TER]-And how many do you speak?

[Leo]-Well, I've learnt Crevaarian as it was getting quite commonly used by your kind in the past few centuries, for instance. Then I have my initial attempts at speaking Spanish, Italian and Chinese after my species extinction, and then after a few more years, I have embarked on the journey of learning Arabic, Japanese, Turkish, German, Hungarian and many more, including French, to bring us back to our initial point. Of course, my main disadvantage was the inability to converse with native speakers and learn their true interpersonal communication rather than relying on the learning process, but I do possess the skill of constructing sentences.

[CHE5TER]-Is it... really a difference?

[Leo]-Absolutely. It's not just the matter of acquiring the language itself. Many native speakers tend to adopt peculiar sentence structures and even idiomatic expressions that lose their meaning upon translation. That's why it is wiser to grasp their conversational style as well.

[CHE5TER]-You sure got bored, huh... But may I ask why did your people choose to create so many languages instead of speaking one like us?

[Leo]-It's rather similar to the rationale behind the crevaators' approach though: we aspired to cultivate distinct modes of speech within our lands during the need of communication in specific groups of people. Some languages evolved due to geographical isolation, while others stemmed from ancestral languages of bygone eras. There were multiple factors which contributed to this decision being taken, and it wouldn't have been wise for us to adopt the same language over the entire planet anyway. Such a move would have led to numerous conflicts.

It sure feels as if you are in a class and learn about a subject. Or at least that's how CHE5TER feels right now, and strangely enough, He enjoys it. Sure, it isn't really joy, but He wished His entire life to find out the truth and He finally found a man that could have all the answers in the world registered in a simple machine. Maybe not exactly all, since he too has his own limits, but he knows a lot and experienced so many things that no being from His kind ever did.

But then, the robot gets back and does a conclusion on the scans so far, speaking to Leo who gets rather disappointed.

[VERA]-I am sorry, Leo, but my scans cannot detect what kind of area this is to be so special to the point of leading to X4NDER's death. However, I can say for certain that this cave is artificial, made by being's hand.

[Leo]-Well, as you observed, Helio-Homo Sapiens appear to inhabit this location, VERA. They likely made the cave during the night.

[VERA]-No. It is impossible for them to create such a cave out of nowhere. It has roots from a different event.

[Leo]-What do you mean by that?

[VERA]-The cave seems to have more than two hundred years since its creation, but it wasn't existent before that period of time. Since the yearly storm came so many times, the sand and rocks that had come this direction had covered the area in which we are in to form this cave. But for that to happen, it will mean that this area used to be a crater. Since no natural craters on this planet look any similar to this one, I assume that the Homo Sapiens-Nyx have made it in the past. The reason behind it is still unknown to me, however.

[Leo]-So, something truly occurred in this place.

[VERA]-That is correct. My assumptions will be that it was meant to be a village, given that it might be close to the years of the war. People were trying to find safe zones during that time, so it will make sense for those that weren't taking part in the war to create a new village far away from danger. But I cannot understand why X4NDER will be here from all the other people. Do you happen to know if you chose to lead the construction of this new village, X4NDER?

[X4NDER]-I-I'm sorry, VERA, but I don't remember any "new village" discussion.

[Leo]-But it could aid us in forming a notion of what happened... For instance, perhaps you have decided to retreat to this zone under the assumption that the war would conclude, a reason why your recollections conclude on it to have met its end. Or perhaps you have been abducted, given your reputation as a dreaded warrior, resulting in people coming up with the idea of execution. Though these theories appear implausible to you, it is crucial for us to brainstorm until we arrive at the final conclusion. Don't take it to heart.

VERA then begins to scan the corpse itself to prove if it really is this boy to begin with or they had made the worst ideas from the start. Her scanner proves right though, having the result of ALEX4NDER HAYATO as mentioned, which then Leo's eye lights up again and receive the message, getting the conclusion of Him being actually dead.

[Leo]-...Well, we've done our task here. We've demonstrated X4NDER's demise and subsequently revived through employment of the ruby. Any other suggestions on how to kill the time now?

[CHE5TER]-Wait, that's it? You just came here, scanned the corpse and now you want to go back?

[Leo]-Do you see us being able to find any concrete evidence of what transpired here, CHE5TER? Beyond just confirming your initial suspicions, our options are limited. Retrieving X4NDER's memories is essential if we're to uncover the truth, and I'm skeptical this place will help him in any way considering that he didn't even recognise it. But... truth to be told, now I am eager to see more of the world beyond and witness extent of changes during the time I kept myself hidden. Although, I'm doubtful we can embark on that venture within the City of Perfection now, given that they unlikely to accept my identity as The First Man, which could lead to my execution, leaving this planet with no humans left and a guardian of the machine.

[CHE5TER]-What about VERA? Can't she remain to protect it on her own?

[Leo]-Given your initial manifestation towards her, I doubt others will understand her true nature either.

[CHE5TER]-...I have my own fears. Doesn't mean everyone else have them too.

[Leo]-Well then, if there are no other plans here, I have seen enough. We can head back to your people's city and settle the necessary matters there, or you're welcomed to continue your journey elsewhere once we arrive. I do not mind at all. But I do require a way of returning, given that the M military will think of me as a beast due to my partly mechanical appearance.

Leo then begins to make his way towards the location in which they first arrive. No, not the demon, but the above land where they came with the vehicle. VERA still follows him, but CHE5TER stops him only with a single sentence.

[CHE5TER]-...Aren't they your people too, "First Man"? Why are you saying it as if you aren't one of us? You have created us to begin with.

The sentence seems pretty innocent to the ruler, but to the human, it sounds as if you insult his own blood. His joy has faded away almost completely just hearing it, as he stopped from walking and forgave the unknown being.

[Leo]-...No. They are not my people as I will never be one of them. I am an alien to both this planet and your culture. My sole role to them is the guardian of the very thing that sustains their existence. But we do not belong to the same species, nor do we share the same home. I am a Terran. You are a Helionyxan. If you wish to learn about my people, then be my guest. But we will never be the same. At least not as species...

[CHE5TER]-...

[Leo]-Once again, if you're interested in learning anything about the past in particular, you know where to find me, CHE5TER. I possess most of the answers about this world in which we live, but bear in mind that I have my own limits. My storytelling is more vivid if I personally witnessed the events, rather than simply hearing. However... do not entertain the notion that my kind will ever return. I abandoned that mindset a long time ago myself. Beyond occasional conversations, your assistance has its limits as well. Humanity has foregone its final chance of redemption.

...Liar.