From the half-broken speaker of the damaged cleaning golem, a noise-filled, emotionless voice played. The tone was odd and the noise sounded eerie, but.

 

“Well, come in, young ones. It’s an unchanged space, but make yourselves comfortable.”

 

The three could imagine Abraham’s voice from the noise emitted by the cleaning golem. The gentle tone of the old man that made the listener feel at ease.

 

“If it were my mansion, I might have offered you some tea, but it’s regrettable. As you can see, there’s nothing in this room but dust and bits of scrap metal. There’s only one chair⋯⋯.”

 

The wheels of the cleaning golem creaked as it moved.

 

Tara hesitated for a while, watching the scene with her eyes, then, with earnestness, she asked, perhaps close to a scream.

 

“Is it really⋯⋯ Abraham?”

 

When the answer came, whether to be happy or to suffer, she couldn’t discern, even within herself.

 

“Yes, it is,” resonated the response.

 

The lens of the cleaning golem blinked red. As if contemplating.

 

“I have already deeply contemplated on that philosophical discourse. Even though my body is now confined in this tin can… I consider myself to be Abraham.”

 

The broken cleaning golem made a full circle, as if guiding the way inside the cramped room. Only then did Tara notice the cramped shape of the room.

 

The space where the golem was stored was, naturally, not suitable for human habitation. The narrow room, without a single window, was filled with similar cleaning golems lined up in a row. It was a space consisting only of walls and an entrance, with no interior design, and there were no tools for living.

 

It was a given. Golems were not human.

 

If there was one thing that stood out, it was a shabby chair, assembled forcefully from collected scrap metal. A profound loneliness could be felt. Was Abraham waiting for someone?

 

So if someone were to live here… in a space that literally had nothing, and had to spend an indefinite amount of time, how could they maintain themselves?

 

The three of them could read Abraham’s answer from the wall.

 

Words etched into the wall with scraps of iron. Sometimes it was like a diary, sometimes vague impressions, sometimes an exploration of the surroundings, or a reflection on oneself. And every line of those writings reached the final destination: humanity.

 

There was a map drawn on the dungeon wall, depicting the internal structure. It indicated the location and power of traps, and provided strategies for overcoming them. And next to it, there were writings about observing the stars and cooking delicious fried eggs.

 

It seemed like he had decided to write about his own final moments in this bizarre situation, for the sake of others. Abraham said.

 

“Defining one’s own existence is believing in oneself. So I believe I am Abraham.”

 

That was indeed Abraham.

 

Even with a deteriorating body made of rusty metal, even with a speaker emitting unpleasant noises, and a cogwheel turning inside, barely attached, and only one mechanical arm for cleaning, he was Abraham.

 

—–

 

[How did you end up like this…?]

 

“Well, I don’t really know either. I was definitely stargazing, and then when I opened my eyes, I was here. At first, I thought I had fallen into hell, but soon realized it was another life.”

 

Abraham replied solemnly.

 

Although they asked how he ended up like this, the group had a hunch about the reason behind Abraham’s situation.

 

Putting a human soul into an inanimate golem that doesn’t even have blood flowing through it. It must be one of the many ways that demons torment the souls they have claimed.

 

Bennett gritted his teeth. He was furious. As if being brutally murdered wasn’t enough, he had to go through this ordeal. Why. For what purpose.

 

Meanwhile, Abraham searched his memories. No matter how hard he tried, there was no information about them. Perhaps, it was contained within the lost 20% of his memories.

 

“You seem to know me, but I apologize. I have no recollection of you.”

 

“Abraham, we…”

 

When Tara tried to speak of past memories, Bennett reached out his arm to stop her. Then, he stepped forward and succinctly summarized the situation.

 

“We are individuals indebted to you. Abraham, you kindly invited us to your mansion when we had nowhere else to go.”

 

“Did I?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“hahahaha, I see…”

 

The laughter sounded ominous due to the distorted mechanical noise. Abraham decided to restrain his laughter to avoid giving an unpleasant impression to the guests he hadn’t seen in a while.

 

“Could we hear more about our… encounter? Our meeting.”

 

“We met near the slum’s disposal station. We had been victims of a robbery, and in Abraham’s eyes, we must have looked pitiful. So, you showed us mercy.”

 

“Yes, that’s right! Thanks to Abraham, we got… clothes. And more.”

 

[Thanks for telling us various things for a few days. It was enjoyable.]

 

“We explored together, saw what kind of research you were doing, oh, and even visited the university. And…”

 

[A wonderful breakfast too.]

 

As their words flowed, Niole and Tara began sharing various stories. Perhaps they wanted to reestablish the severed ties of their relationship. However, the more they spoke, the clearer it became. The days spent with Abraham, the more vivid they felt.

 

A gap. A relationship that might have been tied as family, even if only slightly. That relationship had already disappeared. Tara choked back tears. Overwhelmed with sadness and pain, she couldn’t utter another word.

 

Abraham silently observed such a scene through his old lenses.

 

“It’s strange. It seems there’s a difference in time between us.”

 

“…That seems to be the case. How long were you trapped in this dungeon?”

 

“So this place is called a dungeon. I don’t really know how to estimate the passage of time since there are no objects that can indicate it. Here… aren’t there any windows?”

 

“Indeed, it’s not a pleasant living space. Did you… personally make this chair?”

 

Benedict pointed to the crude chair. It wasn’t something sharp or comfortable enough for a person to sit on, but it must have required a lot of effort and time to assemble such a rough mechanical arm.

 

“I made it just in case a guest would come. I thought that someday, someone would come to this strange place as well. Seems like I hit the mark.”

 

“What are those things left on the wall?”

 

“This place is quite dangerous. I don’t know who installed them, but there are many deadly traps that could easily harm a person. That’s why I marked them.”

 

Benedict looked at Abraham’s broken body. He could understand the reason for the damage. It seemed like it had been shattered while revealing the traps and marking their locations.

 

Tara covered her mouth and turned away. It seemed like she didn’t want Abraham to hear her crying. Neore, on the other hand, was staring intently at Abraham’s scars. He seemed lost in thought.

 

[……]

 

“If there’s one good thing about having a mechanical body, it’s that you can do these dangerous things without hesitation. Since I’m trapped in a lifeless body, I didn’t have to fear joint pain the next day, so it was good.”

 

“You’ve been repeating these things in a place where no one comes.”

 

Abraham’s actions were incomprehensible to Benedict’s reasoning. With Abraham’s amount of information, he didn’t know that this structure was a dungeon and that people occasionally entered. So, it wasn’t certain if his dedication would be of any help to others.

 

If it had been an abandoned dungeon where no one came, all of Abraham’s efforts would have been in vain. Yet, he still acted. For some reason.

 

“May I ask you one question, Abraham?”

 

“You can ask as many as you want.”

 

“Even in this state, in this situation… how could you… how could you do it?”

 

“To be honest, I did it because I had nothing else to do. I mean, you can’t just sit here and do nothing as if you’re already dead, right? And…”

 

Abraham hesitated for a moment.

 

“I believe. I believe that there is power in kindness. I believe that in human kindness, there is a mysterious power that guides the world correctly. That’s the only occultism I worship. That’s why I did it. Because I believe that it will be a little help in the world.”

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

 

“And… Isn’t it cool? Helping others, I mean.”

 

Perhaps Abraham would have smiled with a touch of charm. Sometime when Bennett asked the old man why he continued his research despite being threatened. Just like when he had answered with a sparkle in his eyes, like a young boy.

 

Even though he was trapped in a cleaning golem, ironically, he was living remarkably human-like. It was as if the external transformation or lack of ability didn’t matter, he was walking unwaveringly in the direction where the starlight in his heart shone.

 

The records left by Abraham on the walls of the dungeon seemed to indicate something greater than just the location of traps or knowledge. What was contained here was the life of an old man.

 

Even if it couldn’t be understood rationally, it could be understood emotionally. It was a belief that kept humans human. The future was still dark, and waves of all kinds of suffering were crashing down.

 

If you know where to go. There is no reason to hesitate.

 

Bennett nodded and smiled. He had thought of the pitiful old man suffering under the tricks of the devil, but not entirely. Even in the terrible situation of his soul being trapped in a golem, he was taking such firm steps forward.

 

From Noble mtl dot com

 

The hesitant sorcerer decided not to feel pain or sadness at the sight of the old man. Instead, he decided to be amazed. And to show the appropriate respect. Because Abraham would have wished for it as well. He honestly spoke.

 

“Indeed, it’s impressive, Abraham.”

 

“⋯⋯Ahem, I’m embarrassed.”

 

To Abraham, whose lenses were rapidly flickering with a red light, Bennett spoke. There was something he needed to find out from him.

 

“We need the password for the vault where your research materials are stored.”

 

“It won’t be used for something bad, I presume?”

 

“No. Abraham, your research will save many people. That’s what we plan to make happen.”

 

“In that case, I’ll tell you. 0714, my daughter’s birthday.”

 

The group obtained the password for the vault.

 

—–

 

“I guess you had your own busy work and explored this dangerous place, so maybe I was holding you back for too long.”

 

“No, no. We have plenty of time… Sniff.”

 

Tara’s eyes were reddened, and she sniffled. Despite using two handkerchiefs, her tears didn’t dry. She intentionally avoided blinking to dry the moisture.

 

Kneeling in front of Abraham, she held onto his mechanical arm and spoke.

 

“Um, Abraham. Come with us. Out of the dungeon… outside. There’s a lot I want to show you.”

 

“……”

 

Bennett tried to stop Tara, but Abraham was quicker. A refusal spilled from the half-broken cleaning golem.

 

“I appreciate your consideration, but I’ll stick with my thoughts alone.”

 

“Um, why, Abraham! In a place like this, instead of staying here…!”

 

“Tara, that’s enough.”

 

Bennett grabbed Tara’s shoulder and pulled her back. The cleaning golem was almost at its limit. The shocks from trap disarming had accumulated, and its current movement was nothing short of a miracle.

 

Looking at Niole’s expression, she seemed to have realized the situation. Abraham’s life was hanging by a thread. Whether taking him to the golden tower for repairs immediately was possible remained uncertain.

 

Before that, living with a golem body would be painful for Abraham.

 

Whatever the reason for calling it a cursed sword, it was because souls couldn’t endure the inorganic form and eventually went mad. The soul infused into the golem was no different. Keeping Abraham alive was a selfish desire.

 

If Abraham had wished for longevity, that would be another matter, but he seemed uninterested in extending his life.

 

“Those who need to leave, should leave.”

 

“……”

 

Tara looked at the cursed sword hanging from her waist and then at Abraham. She seemed to have understood as tears streamed down her face.

 

Bennett sat beside Tara, patting her back, offering advice.

 

“Say what you want to say, Tara.”

 

“……”

 

Emotions overwhelmed her, making a choked sound from her throat. Tara, with difficulty, conveyed her thoughts, one or two words at a time.

 

“I, I… though brief, I spent a very happy time with Abraham and Tara, like family, warmly welcoming me. I truly did. For treating me so kindly, like family. I…”

 

“Tara. Take it slow, take a deep breath.”

 

“…Uh, I, so. Although I had to leave hastily, too early to say it. I really wanted to say this. I should have said it earlier, but…”

 

Tara, holding back the rising sobs with utmost effort, stumbled and mixed her words with tears. With Bennett’s assistance, she could finally articulate what she wanted to say.

 

“I was very… happy, you know…”

 

“I was happy too. The time I spent with you was undoubtedly enjoyable.”

 

Tara embraced Abraham tightly and burst into tears. For quite a while.

 

—–

 

Abraham’s spirit, trapped within the mechanical body, operated intelligently. In the silence between the words spoken by the young ones in front of him, he could gather a lot of information.

 

Perhaps there had been a change in himself. He might have been entangled in something very strange, severely injured, or… perhaps even dead.

 

From their gazes and actions, he could sense something beyond the worn-out lenses. They were deeply saddened by his death. Some carried guilt. Although he had no memories, it seemed that he and they had been quite close.

 

So, consciously, he didn’t dig any further. Weren’t they turning their backs and crying sorrowfully? He pretended to be lively and unaffected intentionally, as it seemed it would make them even sadder if he acted gloomy.

 

The old man trapped in the machine thought.

 

There was no regret in life. He had lived doing what he wanted, and even in the confines of the mechanical body, he had lived with integrity. There was almost no regret because he had lived proudly.

 

However, the only thing that lingered in his heart was about his daughter.

 

The day they gazed at the stars together.

 

Abraham’s daughter, Isahak, began to delve into strange occult practices since witnessing something from the universe, as if she shouldn’t have seen it. She started living for her religious beliefs rather than her own life.

 

So, they fought, and Isahak left home. Abraham wanted Isahak to live for her happiness, but Isahak wanted to live for God.

 

He only wanted to show his daughter what he loved the most, but that choice still haunted Abraham with regret.

 

Therefore, Abraham had no choice but to leave a plea to these young ones.

 

“May I ask you one thing?”

 

“Yes, Abraham.”

 

“I have a troublesome daughter. She’s fallen into a strange belief and our relationship has soured for a while, but I believe she’ll come back someday. I believe she’ll come back and live for her own happiness. So…”

 

In this condition, I can’t wait for a daughter. Abraham conveyed his only wish.

 

“I entrust this evil to you.”

 

“…Yes. I will do as you ask.”

 

Bennett nodded his head.

 

—–

 

After composing their emotions, Tala, Niore, and Bennett bid their farewells and concluded. They were currently in the middle of dungeon practice and had tasks to attend to. They had to suppress their regrets, sadness, and let go.

 

Tala, with Niore’s support, left the room still shedding tears. When Bennett was about to leave, Abraham called out to him.

 

“Did you say your name is Bennett?”

 

“…Yes. Abraham.”

 

“You seem similar to me. That’s why I have something I want to say. It might be an old man’s delusion, but please don’t listen to it in a way that upsets you.”

 

“I will keep it in mind.”

 

“Life is tough, storms rage, and fierce waves crash as if they will devour you at any moment. Despite that, don’t lose yourself. Losing me is the same as losing your life.”

 

Bennett nodded heavily.

 

The three of them left. The cleaning golem was left alone in the room. Its wheels creaked and the leaves didn’t turn smoothly. It was fortunate that it didn’t break down before the conversation ended.

 

If it had been in a better condition, it could have checked the traps in the left fork of the path that it couldn’t have explored. Or it could have had more conversations with the young ones. It could have built new relationships beyond the lost memories.

 

Noise started to appear on the screen illuminated by the lens. The leaves gradually stopped moving one by one. It could clearly feel the functions of its entire body coming to a halt. It tried to move the arm holding the piece of iron to leave a testament, but soon gave up.

 

It had already conveyed the message. To the young man burdened with worries.

 

It felt like his body was floating. And he could sense a force. Abraham thought that his soul was being drawn somewhere. It was liberation from his mechanical body.

 

What will happen after this? Does the afterlife exist? While pondering such thoughts,

 

Abraham suddenly saw a girl in a pure white space. A girl with two braided golden hair, tears streaming down her face. Intuitively, Abraham could sense that she was his creator, or a similar existence.

 

“Oh, God, have you come to greet me?”

 

“…Yeah. You’ve been through a lot, Abraham. Inside and outside. Sniff.”

 

“So, you existed. Life was so tough that I thought you didn’t exist. I lived as an atheist for half my life… Did you give me punishment, by any chance?”

 

“No, it was an accident. I didn’t mean for that to happen… You know, Abraham, do you have any wishes? A wish to make. You can take your time to think about it, but it just so happens that we needed an educator…”

 

God seems to be more emotional and talkative than expected.

 

Thinking that way, Abraham was taken by the purple mantis.

 

—–

 

The three of them made their resolutions in their own ways.

 

Tara finished her unfinished farewell. Through her final goodbye, she was able to somewhat alleviate her resentment towards herself for not being there for her family and Abraham in their moments of death. She could move away from regret, even if only a little.

 

However, her anger towards the Twilight Sect was gradually intensifying. If it continues to spread like this, it could consume her heart entirely.

 

Niora felt something in Abraham’s attitude towards life. Instead of struggling with the unattainable life and guilt, she had to move forward. Between her abilities, goals, and self-sacrifice. She knew she had to move forward, at least in that regard.

 

However, her footsteps stood at the boundary between herself and fanaticism. Perhaps she would throw herself away for something.

 

And.

 

Bennet raised a single star in his heart. It was still emitting a faint light, but it was enough as a guiding star. Among friends and siblings, dark sorcerers and inspectors, tangled crossroads. He vaguely decided on the path to take.

 

Furthermore, whenever the star shines brightly. It would guide his heart upright.

 

And so, once again. The day of the session had arrived.