A happy occasion is something so joyous that you want to tell everyone about it.

When one comes along, people want to boast to the whole world. They congratulate each other and share their joy, deepening their friendships in the process.

I was no different.

I headed to the storeroom to receive congratulations on the joyous occasion of the Earth Sage's arrival. On the way, I greeted the Regressor, who was leaning against a wall, lost in thought for some reason. Then I entered the storeroom and stood before a closed box.

Some unfortunate being was trapped inside this box. I opened the lid to bring that being...

"Meow?"

A wild Nabi appeared. My eyes met those of Nabi, who had squeezed herself into the cramped box.

"Why are you in there?"

"Why are you disturbing my rest, meow?"

Nabi glared at me as if to say, What are you looking at? I gestured to her.

"Let me get that thing out from under your butt."

"Meow?"

Somehow, Nabi managed to move even inside that tiny box. With a few wriggles, her head dipped down and her tail shot up. She rolled over once like a fetus swimming in the womb, then poked her head back out.

In her mouth was the golem, twitching in its wire bonds.

"Meow. Take it. I don't need a tin-can toy like this, meow..."

As she spoke with it still in her mouth, the golem's body rattled up and down. I scratched Nabi under the chin and took it from her.

She muttered at me through slightly upturned eyes.

"Meow. That big female smells dangerous."

"Can't be worse than the mana herbs you smell of."

"Offerings are sacred, meow!"

No chain-smoker I'd ever met called tobacco sacred. Just how addicted was she?

Nabi grumbled inside the box.

"But that one is dangerous somehow, meow. Stupid doggies wag their tails without even noticing anything strange, but I know... You can't fool me, meow..."

Big talk from someone who'd been trained with drugs and tricked into doing a cat beastkin's bidding. I couldn't help myself.

"Anyone you can't beat would be dangerous. In that sense, aren't most of the people here dangerous to you?"

Stung by that undeniable truth, Nabi hissed at me.

"Hiss! Count yourself lucky I'm in here, meow! Otherwise I'd teach you a lesson right now..."

Her voice faded as I closed the lid. Once it became too cramped for her to move, I could hear her purring contentedly even from outside.

An animal that liked cramped spaces. What a curious creature. Some golems groaned when you tied them up.

Leaving Nabi where she was, I began putting the golem back together.

First, I reattached the speaker to its mouth, untied the wires around its arms and legs, and removed its blindfold. Then...

『... Phew!』

The golem came back to life.

Despite regaining its senses after so long, it kept its mouth firmly shut for some reason. I tapped its head as I spoke.

"You have a general idea what's going on, right?"

『...』

"Heh heh heh. So you do. The Earth Sage is here, you know?"

Of course it knew. It was monitoring the surface.

It probably knew why the Earth Sage had come, too. Perhaps because this communications officer was Tantalus's administrator, it seemed to know a strangely large amount.

I boasted about Tantalus's happy news to the communications officer, who could do nothing but watch the situation unfold.

"Hahaha. What are we going to do? It looks like we'll be getting out soon!"

『... Urgh.』

"And the brigadier general herself is getting us out! Wow. Doesn't that make it legal?"

『Negative! Absolutely not! Convict laborers such as yourself must serve their sentences under military law. Leaving your assigned workplace without authorization before completing your labor is a serious crime!』

"But the brigadier general says she's going to erase the bottomless pit. What are you going to do about it? You're just a... captain."

『... Ugh!』

"Why not come down and stop her?"

『If only I could!』

It really was fascinating. This was definitely a golem, yet its voice had more range than anyone I knew. Right now, it even sounded as though it were biting its lip.

『That will never happen! But even if the military authorities do release you, I will not forget your cruel and inhumane actions...!』

What had I done that was so cruel and inhumane? All I'd done was play with a golem and force it to answer me.

Still, for someone whose thoughts I couldn't read, this golem was easy to understand.

I asked slyly,

"Say, Administrator. Would you like to see what's happening here right now?"

The golem answered as though it had completely forgotten the resentment it had been pouring out at me just moments before.

『... I-if possible?』

"And what should you do to make that possible?"

Learning wasn't exclusive to humans, but human learning was somewhat faster and had an a priori element to it.

After all the conditioning I'd given it, the golem hesitated a little, but still made its decision faster than before.

『... Sh-shall we go for a walk together, big brother?』

"What? Who's your big brother? Do I look like a sucker who'll do anything just because you call me that?"

The golem's joints creaked for a moment. Then it lifted its head and looked at me pitifully.

Because human learning was somewhat faster and had an a priori element, humans also quickly registered when an established reward circuit broke down.

It would be fun to ignore its request and shove it back into the storeroom, but breaking it already would be a waste.

"That's right! I am a sucker! Now, let's go!"

Before the golem could say anything, I scooped it up and walked away.

Out in the yard, food and supplies had been neatly packed and stacked in boxes. We'd canned most of the food. The Military State's cans were reusable as long as you knew alchemy, so we'd decided to take full advantage of them.

Which had meant a fair bit of work for me, the only person here who could use alchemy.

I took a can from one of the boxes and opened it. Inside, tightly packed cooked Immortal rice gleamed white. I held it right in front of the golem's eyes.

"Here. Look at this. We're packing our things. This is what's going to feed us once we break out of here."

『... Gah!』

Seeing it with its own eyes seemed to make it real. Carrying the groaning golem, I walked on, boasting about our happy news.

"And who do we have to thank for all this? None other than the Earth Sage, who's come to visit!"

I pointed decisively at the Earth Sage, who sat cross-legged in the middle of the yard. As she felt out the pulse of this land, she sensed our footsteps and turned her head.

"Ah, a messenger of the Military State. It has been some time since I last encountered one... But what should I call you?"

"Please call me Hughes! If we're not close enough to use names yet, 'hey,' 'you,' or 'you punk' is fine too!"

"How could a mere guest presume to address you so rudely? I shall take the liberty of calling you by name."

"Thank you! Yes! The Earth Sage called me by name!"

To have the Earth Sage herself call me by name. A lifetime achievement. If I bragged about this to the old engineering corps veterans back in the city, they'd die of envy.

Anyway. I brought the golem out from under my arm and held it forward. It hastily saluted, seemingly overwhelmed by the honor.

『Loyalty. Captain AB, Military State communications officer! I am responsible for monitoring and administering Tantalus. First, allow me to welcome your return, Brigadier General!』

"Thank you. However, I have not returned to duty. I have come solely to erase the bottomless pit."

『I have something to report regarding that! Brigadier General, could you postpone erasing the bottomless pit just a little?』

At the golem's suggestion, the Earth Sage raised her eyes slightly.

"Is that the will of the Military State?"

『Affirmative. The military authorities have not yet conducted an environmental assessment of the bottomless pit's disappearance. We are not even certain it can be eliminated...』

"There is no need to worry. I have confirmed it time and again."

『... Furthermore, there is the drastic impact this will have on international affairs, and the scattered problems arising from the trainees' escape...』

"Those, too, are not matters for the Military State to worry over. The disappearance of the bottomless pit and the return of vital energy to this land are Mother Earth's will. Humans must adapt accordingly. And from what I have seen, the people here are far too good to belong in the bottomless pit."

Had she been planning to send us straight to Mother Earth's side with a single blow if we'd shown an evil side? Whew. What a relief. I hadn't done anything wrong, had I?

"Besides, the Military State has no right to say such things. Have the truly wicked not already escaped? You ought to reflect on yourselves before reproaching me."

『Then, at the very least.』

Despite the repeated rebukes, the golem doggedly continued trying to persuade her.

『... Should you not inform the believers who followed you, Brigadier General? Should they not also witness the moment the bottomless pit disappears?』

For the briefest instant, a hairline crack appeared in the Earth Sage's composure. Still seated cross-legged, she let out a deep, heavy sigh.

"How much longer must they wait?"

Mistaking her question for a change of heart, the golem answered excitedly.

『One year. No, we can bring it forward a little more than that. During that time, please contact the believers scattered throughout the Military State. The Military State's public relations department will assist you.』

It probably thought this was an extremely compelling proposal. Unfortunately, it was wrong.

The Earth Sage didn't particularly want to meet them.

"... How can I make them wait any longer? I was the one who drove them down that thorny path. If I were to fill those who remember that miserable failure with great hope once again, only to send them plunging into despair once more..."

Though she murmured bitterly, determination shone on the Earth Sage's face.

"I shall act first. Once I have erased the bottomless pit, I shall send them only the news that Mother Earth's wrath has subsided. Along with an apology... for taking so long to fulfill their wish."

『Brigadier General.』

"My mind is already made up. Whatever the Military State may do afterward is of no consequence. I shall carry out my duty."

Her words seemed as impossible to stop or turn aside as a rolling boulder. Realizing this, the golem watched her silently, then raised its hand in another salute.

『... I wish you success, Brigadier General.』

It acted like it would kill me if I disobeyed the Military State's orders, but it wished the Earth Sage success. Wasn't that discrimination?

On second thought, someone like the Earth Sage deserved special treatment. Fair enough.

This was no time to keep talking to her, so I picked up the golem and headed into the prison. It hung limply at my side the whole way.

I spoke to it.

"Anyway, you understand now, right?"

『... Understand what?』

"I'm not leaving my workplace. My workplace is disappearing. There's as big a difference between those two as between falling and jumping. In other words, I'm innocent in this matter. Understand?"

『Whatever you may say, it does not change the fact that you were an accomplice in bringing down a star.』

"I told you, I didn't kill him. How could an ordinary person like me hurt a general? I couldn't touch a hair on his head."

『The Military State has no knowledge of that. If you wish to prove your innocence, turn yourself in after leaving Tantalus and cooperate with the investigation.』

"Sure, like I'd do that."

『... Agreed.』

The golem let out a pained groan.

『Though hers may be a gray star, the brigadier general's name is renowned throughout the Military State. In particular, many in the military admire her, from generals to rank-and-file soldiers. So be warned: you must not harm the brigadier general under any circumstances.』

"What are you talking about? Why would we hurt the Earth Sage?"

『... I am emphasizing it merely as a precaution. Everyone who has fallen here thus far... has met an unfortunate end.』

"That's ridiculous. Never mind that we don't want to—we couldn't even if we tried!"

With precisely one exception.

Still, even after hearing her story and reading her memories, the Earth Sage didn't seem like the sort of person who would do something to leave such an impression on the Regressor.

Just what was going on?

It had to be one of two things.

Either the Regressor was actually a lunatic who believed she was a Regressor...

Or something extraordinary was hidden at the bottom of this pit, something that would change the Earth Sage to her very core.

I was just wondering whether I ought to give that first hypothesis some serious consideration.