Editing Amaryllis in the Ice Country:Chapter 10 (section)

===Robot=105\Human=102===

There’s still one path.

The batteries of the Cradles can only last for another twenty-two hours. We lost the Snow White, and have no extra electricity to spare. In this case, there should only be one single path left for us.

–To head straight to the surface.

The basic directive hasn’t changed at all. The target is still the generator on the surface. We gather the scattered villagers in groups, assign leaders, and head forth again. If possible, we’ll meet up again from time to time. We’ll continue moving to the surface while being unable to contact each other—I give these instructions, and we hastily move forth.

The initial gateway is the ‘Path Canal’.

—Carefully, carefully.

To avoid slipping, I watch the steps as I climb the ladder. Going first is Eisbahn, and then Viscaria, followed by a team of a hundred villagers. Adults, children, everyone is carrying a Cradle, wordlessly climbing up. This mass exodus of robots is reminiscent of refugees who lost their hometowns due, wounded, and slow-footed, but despite this, the only way to live is to move forward. There’s no battery malfunction, no certainty that we can make it to the surface, and the aftershocks that strikes like pursuers. Whenever the aftershocks happen, we can only climb the ladder with all our might. A despair more gripping than anguish fills the atmosphere, and I can only give encouraging words through the wireless from time to time.

The path before us looks exceptionally perilous.

“Stop…!”

I grab the ladder and give the signal. The villagers behind me stop in unison.

I look up, and see a block of ice obstructing us. How many obstacles has it been over the fifty meters since we left the REM forest? I can’t be bothered to count.

“What’s the situation now?”

“By my estimate, about 1.4 tons. It’s hollow on the other side. We can take it out easily!”

Viscaria taps at the portable monitor at her hand, and it clearly depicts an upright visual.

—Right!

After the form analysis is done, I give a signal through the wireless.

“Prepare to shatter the ice! Everyone hang onto the wall inside of the ladder! Make sure the Cradles are close to the wall!”

After giving this warning that’s already a template by itself, I wait for the moment.

“All villagers in position!”

Viscaria checks the monitor, and notify me that all the villagers are in position to evade.

“Alright, Eisbahn!”

I give the call sign, “Leave it to me!” and Eisbahn extends his arm out to the ice block above us. A dazzling blue light extends from his fingertips, and the ‘Phantom Blade’ signature move is unleased. The dark tunnel is lit like day, and a fleeting blue space is unraveled.

“Haa…!”

With this sound, the blue saber flashes. A line appears on the ice block above our heads, and the severed surface collapses.

“And that.”

“Next obstacle is 12.6m ahead.”

Viscaria flatly notes as she checks the monitor display.

—Not again…

A little advance, and we have to stop, warning, cut, check clear. Sometimes, we have to do emergency checks on the malfunctioning Cradles. We’re going at the pace of three steps forward and two steps back, but there’s no other way out of this.

“Let’s go!”

I suppress the anxiety I have inside my head, and reach my head for the next ladder.