Certainly, it was a labyrinth-like subterranean workshop.
Surprisingly, the lighting was thorough and almost no darkness could be found in most of the underground space built with concrete materials. Was it only dark during his summoning earlier? First, this had a slight positive impression. Brightness is indispensable to Rider, so if by any chance, this subterranean workshop is defined as his own “territory,” it was not very suited for it in the inside, such as being full of darkness and being as if it was the dead of night.
Rider: “But it’s so bright….What is this?”
The mineral structure reminded him of the inside of a tomb.
Pharaohs before him would have felt something there, but for him, it rather had the opposite effect on him.
During his lifetime, he did not attach much importance to his own royal tomb.
For him, who intended to unite heaven and earth and stipulated that he was a Pharaoh who reigned over both of them for eternity as God, this kind of royal tomb which was his “house in the afterlife” was not subject to his curiosity and interests, and at the same time, it was a subject of certain disgust――――
Rider: “It’s like he bought it for my own displeasure.”
The lighting was good.
However, it is frustrating to go out of your way to hide yourself in a place that was like a tomb.
Even so, as he said he would see it for himself, he would be breaking his word if he destroyed it immediately. Fairness is his natural bearing as a Pharaoh , thus, Rider walks around the subterranean workshop while conscious of his earlier deferment.
He didn’t pass by that many people, but in general, the members of the Isemi clan in the subterranean workshop were dressed in lab coats which were the attire worn by scholars and doctors in this era of the 20th century. The “minimum knowledge” that comes from the Grail conveys the current state of the era, but no information was provided about a magus who is the embodiment of mysteries, dressing like a scholar or doctor who has mastered a science that was on the cutting-edge of civilisation.
Rider: “――――Hmph.”
While watching the twelfth person counting bowing respectfully to him, Rider tilts his head and stares at the state of the seventh large hospital room.
I see――――
He nods approvingly, while remembering some of his satisfactions.
The room he was looking into was filled with large computers.
Machines created by real modern civilisation, not the mystic codes and ritual tools assembled through alchemy. That which was a large film-type storage medium that makes a lot of noise and spins, was probably what they called a supercomputer, according to the knowledge automatically conferred to him.
The other rooms were similar. Some even seemed like Homunculi culture tanks connected to modern civilisation like machines.
Rider: “According to the masked old man’s speech, at least.”
This clan seemed to have somewhat conformed to modern science, which is quite rare for a magus. Rather, he could say――――that they improved on the magecraft theory which cannot be expected to develop further, by supplementing it with modern science which should be rightfully avoided by mages
It was also very humorous.
They attempted and achieved “fusion” of modern science and magecraft――――
Speaking of which, it sounds good, but from Rider’s point of view, it’s just a pitiful word. Was it something like fusion? It is nothing than the act of further
fraying by making up for the mysteries they lack with machines, and then the further
fraying is repeated as a supplement.
Rider: “How ugly.”
Originally, he never thought mages were beautiful.
There were similar people in his lifetime, and there were some practitioners among his vassals, but most of them were in the world as an assembly of hermits estranged from the world. Foolishness like the unthinkable natural act of citizens prostrating to the Pharaoh was not uncommon. Of course, it’s unclear if the magus lineages in Ancient Egypt has remained till today but their habits will probably not have changed much over time.
Even on that premise, the Isemi Clan’s way of life was even more ugly.
It’s as if they are struggling to escape, before they perished――――
At the time of his death, he recalled how
he lamented his death.
Rider: “Shall I burn them?”
In that moment, he wondered if he should take action with the words he muttered. Rider stepped into a certain room.
It was a white room. It was a room filled with especially strong light, even among the various rooms in the subterranean workshop illuminated by the fluorescent modern lights and the lights that were too white. He carefully observes the room, squinting slightly.
He simply thought with irritation, ‘Are they ever going to burn out?’
There was an object that caught his eye. He sets aside all of the thoughts and feelings from just before.
Beyond his gaze――――
There was a single small person lying on a bed.
It was a little child connected to machines of various sizes by numerous cables.
Was it after some torture? Rider could read at a glance that a majority of their body had some kind of deficiency. The deficiency extended not only to his limbs but also to their internal organs. He looks at the instruments embedded in some of the machines and reads the information on them. Apparently, the child was sick from birth.
He couldn’t read their age.
Four, five years old? It was hard to imagine to that their condition will lead to proper growth. It may be doubtful whether their age matches their appearance. On the contrary, it was a miracle that he was now alive considering how some of his vital organs were no longer functioning, but it appeared they were kept barely alive by the Isemi’s technology which messily combined magecraft and science.
He probably also had magic circuits to add to his sorrow.
If they are a magecraft lineage that is falling to ruin, those who inherit the magic circuit from their parents, will use whatever method to at least pass it on to the next generation. Even if a disease causes unbearable pain to their young one with each pulse and breath.
Child: “………”
Rider looked into the child’s eyes.
The little child opens their eyelids, and looks back at the brilliance of the sun with their pale eyes.
There were no words.
Strangely, it didn’t feel disrespectful.
Rider: “You, your name?”
There was no reply.
Only a painful young breath echoes through the plastic breathing device.
It was a little frustrating, but Rider didn’t want to punish him. If the information on the instruments he read was correct, the boy is under a heavy a burden at this moment. He can see that it was considerate even if he did not know whether it was pain or suffering.
Therefore, he was interested in him.
What did this person think while being so affected by this disease?
Rider: “I am a great pharaoh. If you pray to the heavens as my subject, I shall listen and grant you, my mercy.”
Quietly, Rider tells the child.
In short. “If you wish it, I will kill you right away.”
Of course, he consider death to be peaceful. He didn’t consider it, but――――
Child: “……. I have…...something……to wish for.”
A trembling voice reaches through his breathing device.
Child: “For the people……”
The sound was too weak.
Child: “…...of the world, to be……...happy……...”
Rider: “What?”
He couldn’t believe his ears at the child’s words.
At the same time, he felt for this little child who uttered a voice while hiding his deathly disease.
It was his aura. Not one unique to mages. It was not something like mana, or magic circuits, or magic crests, no, or the power he emits or his clearly existing organs. It was more obscure and incomprehensible, but more than anything, it could be sensed by Rider.
The spirit of a king, no.
The temperament of a warrior, no.
Magical talent, no. It cannot be something so lowly!
This feeling. This presence. This nobility.
And, ah, those words that he just told him――――
That was a day in the distant, distant past.
Of course, this was long before he was summoned as a Heroic Spirit in this world of the 20th Century.
It was when he still had ka and a clear body. Just a little before he rose as pharaoh with his father, King Seti. And although he was a boy, he was recognised as crown prince and given the throne of Geb , was entrusted with the construction of the temple of Abydos, the place of the god Osiris’ resurrection, and gained political experience as the viceroy of Nubia.
On the banks of the pure Nile River.
Soon, he forgot about military and political affairs and smiled with the two who loved him more than anyone.
Nefertari: “Since when, did the three of us start meeting like this?
”
Having said that, the shy one was his beloved girl.
The beautiful maiden, Nefertari, who would be accepted as his queen a few years later.
His partner who continually gave him her genuine utmost love and respect in their life by letting him have many women and children, with his four princesses, six concubines and hundreds of lovers. Out of all of them, she was the most beautiful and unmistakable best of the lot.
He can clearly remember her like this. This lovely figure was truly…... The goddess herself.
The beauty of her dance and the splendidness of her songs, must have made her the manifestation of Hathor, the goddess of love and romance, on earth―――
She was a gentle, loveable, kind-hearted girl.
He remembered being very surprised when he learned that she had exchanged letters with the Hittite Queen Puduhepa who was his fated enemy. He heard Nefertari and Queen Puduhepa was happy about the peace treaty he closed with the Hittites. While showing the courage to stand on the battlefield herself, she is truly filled with love and her heart shines brightly on the ground like a flower.
Moses: “It
’s great that both of you are in good health. I
’m glad we are able to talk like this.
”
And.
The one who spoke quietly was his dearest friend.
A Naruna boy
[1] who was found on the banks of the Nile by his beautiful and compassionate late mother, and raised with himself. He was the only unrivalled brother on this earth who had the talent and the character fit to stand on par with himself who will rule this earth as Pharaoh.
He was a boy with white skin unique to the Naruna people, not tanned skin like themselves.
If he wasn’t an adopted child, but a child born from his mother’s womb, and if his skin colour was not so white and transparent, then King Seti would have definitely given his brother the throne of Geb as crown prince. If that had happened, he would have decided to help his brother as a brave general, albeit with some jealousy.
He certainly loved his brother so much that he could think so from the bottom of his heart.
Moses: “I think, it
’d be nice if people everywhere were happy.
”
He thinks it was this boy, his brother’s favourite saying.
It was the same that day.
The boy said, while rejoicing at their reunion.
Moses: “Like peace between people and the world. I think the gods in the sky, the Pharaoh and the gods the Naruna people serve, are surely wishing for the same thing too.
”
Ramesses: “Ohh. So you claim to understand the hearts of pharaohs and the gods, even though you’re not a pharaoh?”
He asked his brother who tended to dream.
Although he is honoured to be smarter than anyone else, in truth, he realized that this brother of his was much more knowledgeable and was looking at the larger picture. Which is why, although these words had some ridicule in them, it wasn’t malicious. Maybe if you say so. He had at least half of that feeling.
Nefertari: “Oh Ramesses,
don't be so mean,” Nefertari smiles.
Ramesses: “What
’re you saying? This isn
’t being mean.
” Well, at least half of it wasn
’t.
Moses: “The next pharaoh is definitely going to be you, Ramesses. You who will ascend to the same position as the gods, no, even the god Amen, will be the greatest pharaoh of all time.
…….And, I should know because I know your heart somewhat.
”
Ramesses: “So it has come to that?”
After saying that, ahh, he also smiles.
Indeed. Besides Nefertari, only you knows my heart. And the young man who was his brother talked.
“Soon a great pharaoh will rise anew.”
“To give joy, peace and tranquillity, and stability to all who live on this earth――――”
Moses: “You can give joy to even the Hittites .”
Ramesses: “You’re exaggerating. I’m confident I can win wars, but……...”
Moses: “You can do it. I’m telling you that you’re not just anyone. Listen, you will be Ozymandias beloved by everyone in the world!”
Ramesses: “You can easily say it, because, you don
’t know war yet.
”
Nefertari: “No, Ramesses. It
’s strange, but I think it
’s the same thing.
”
Ramesses: “Nefertari, you tend to dream. What do you two think of me?
”
Nefertari: “You are you after all,
” the girl smiles again.
Moses: “Yes, I
’m telling you because you are you,
” the young man smiles as well.
That day. At that time.
Beside his beloved girl, he listened to the words of his dear brother.
Some of the feelings that sprung up in his heart were――――
Joy, honour, and pride.
Later, against his brother who had decided to part ways with him with a decisive split after he truly rose as pharaoh, against Moses who was destined to
split apart the great sea and depart to Israel while leading an almost great number of Naruna people, it was the first moment in his life where he certainly felt a
sacred being that was not the pharaoh.
There was no way he could forget.
Even after the hostility and separation, he still remembered it even now after his life once ended.
The face and voice of the young man who wished happiness to all the people in the world ――――
Rider: “Is there a person like you nowadays who has experienced the same amount of time as eternity too?”
Rider whispered.
At a corner of the underground workshop. In a room lit by dazzling white lights, he gently smiles instinctively at the child who cannot move about while still connected by cables.
Rider: “To think, I would hear those same words again after three thousand several hundred years. Rejoice, bound child. With your existence, the Isemi Clan has been allowed to live.”
There was no reply.
The child seemed to have lost consciousness before the pain.
Perhaps even in their dream, this small one will continue to think of words he spoke earlier, while suffering and feeling pain.
――――Just like Rider’s dearest friend.
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Footnotes:
Kanji Used:*Ka: Soul
*Geb: Egyptian Earth God
Notes:
[1] Naruna: means “youth or soldiers” in Egyptian Hierogylphs. It also comes from Ne’arim the Jewish word for boys, young men and men. Apparently soldiers were also made up of slaves too in Ancient Egypt too. So I went with Naruna people for the translation.
* “The Egyptians employed, inter alia, a contingent of the
‘Naruna of Amurru’ (an elite infantry corps designated by the Canannite-Hebrew term (ne’arim)…...” (Malamat, Tadmor, 1976, A History of the Jewish People, Harvard University Press, USA, pg 23)
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Originally Posted by Lamp
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