Editing Amaryllis in the Ice Country:Chapter 4 (section)

===Part O===

And so,

It’s not the lewd video everyone (?) hopes for, but as agreed, we start the playback of the chip, Surrounding the screen from right to left are Eisbahn, me, Viscaria and Götz.

Once the video plays, everyone’s eyes are focused on the screen.

“Woah, is this before the ‘Ice Age’…?”

Shown on the Poly screen is a scenery of a city with tall buildings. Before the station, as the crowd moves along, there is a man saying something. Unfortunately, the voice is no recorded, but looking at the logo on the screen, one can tell that it is an enterprise promotional video.

—Masters…

To the audience of that time, it must have been a footage they have been very familiar to them. But to us, who lived underground for a hundred years, there is a strong sense of nostalgia. There are signs of masters, the roads our masters walk on, the laughter from our masters, the breathing of our masters—

“Look! A kindergarten! So many children!!”

I, an ex-nanny robot, get excited after seeing the footage of the kindergarten.

“Such a large maintenance plant…”

The ex-mechanic Viscaria watches with her eyes dazzling.

“There is the theater! The National Central Theater!”

Ex-actor Götz brings his face close to the screen.

The bustling streets, the relaxing suburbs, the lush plains, the unheralded ports—these images suddenly pop up on the screen along with the introduction from the reporter. Whenever a new place is shown, “Wah!” “Shocking!” “How nostalgic it is.” There are such cheers. Such a scene is akin to children visiting a zoo for the first time “Amazing, it’s a panda!” “There’s a lion there!”.

But amongst us, only Eisbahn seems different. From time to time, he stares quietly at the screen, sometimes lowering his eyes. He seemed to be somewhat uneasy.

—Speaking of which.

I have a thought.

—What did Eisbahn use to do?

It’s a doubt I used to have. Viscaria’s a mechanic, Götz’s an actor, and I used to be a nanny. However, nobody knows about Eisbahn’s past at all. I asked about it many times, but he always diverted the topic “Let’s not talk about the past.”

Blond, flirt, a powerful weapon with that right arm. Nobody knows how he end up like this, through what experiences. Even I, the closest to him in this village (though that’s also because he’s always harassing me), know little about him.

—Well, maybe he’s a bouncer at a strip club or something.

I glance at his sidelong face.

The listless, lowered eyes show a melancholic look, somewhat gloomy.

And so, three hours pass.

“Ahh…”

Once the video stops, everyone let out a nostalgic sigh.

After a hundred years, we finally see footage of our beloved masters. It is a wonderful record filled with much nostalgia, joy and melancholy.

While mesmerized, I space out for a little while.

—Eh, but, wait…?

Once my excitement fades, I start to have a doubt in my heart.

“Hey, don’t you find this strange?”

“Huh?” Viscaria, who has been checking the condition of the player, turns around, “How is it strange?”

“Didn’t they say that it’s top secret? There are a lot of masters showing up, which is wonderful…but how is it top secret?”

“Ah.”

Viscaria too seem to have realized this, and opened her mouth.

“Well, truly it is simply a daily scenery despite the record of it becoming top secret.”

Götz too puts his hand at his chin, and tilts his head.

“I say, Eisbahn, that was from the ‘top secret’ shelf, right?”

I look towards the blond next to me. “Well, yeah.”

“The words ‘top secret’ are there.”

“Now that’s weird. There’s nothing special that has to be kept top secret.”

I tilt my head.

—Ah, right.

I recall something.

“Anyway, who’s that robot anyway?”

I ask, and Götz in turn ask me, “May I inquire what you mean?”

“I’m talking about the robot in the secret room.”

“Ahh, the one that died in front of the monitor…”

“Right right. If that part is ‘top secret’, I’m guessing it has something to do with that robot.”

I try to deduce, “That’s possible.” Eisbahn mutters.

“Looks like we need to investigate that room thoroughly.”

“I’ll go get permission from the Chief.”

“Let’s just ignore the old man.”

“No can do.”

While we continue to debate this amongst ourselves.

“Wait a moment.”

Viscaria suddenly raises her hand.

“I see, so that’s how it is. Everyone, gather around.”

“What what, what is it?”

Everyone sit around Viscaria, whose eyes are staring at the operating screen.

“That was a dummy video.”

“Dummy?”

“I thought the encryption is completely cracked. Looks like I’m still missing a bit.”

“In other words, the real secret is behind this?”

“Yes yes.”

Viscaria’s right hand reaches for the feelers, Ho hum, hm hm, ooh, and she starts to mumble to herself.

“Now this is the last step!”

She tap at the keys, and the screen again shows up. “Looking forward to it!” “Heh, there’s a sequel.” “I’d say that I am looking forward to it!” all over us are filled with expectations.

The player glows. The video begins. And so, we understand—



The reason why it is classified as top secret.