As the evening descended and the fading glow of the setting sun painted the sky, Lynn had been adrift at sea for almost a day!
Since the troublesome longsword had been borrowed from Jonny, Lynn had hesitated to part with it. Instead, he had spent two hours learning to swim and doggy paddle under the guidance of his smartbrain.
"071, next time we encounter a situation like this, you should alert me in advance," Lynn said, struggling to swim and avoid colliding with the protruding rocks ahead.
[In accordance with Directive Target 17 hours, 23 minutes, 50 seconds ago, the warning tone has been disabled...]
"Well, then turn it back on for me now!" Lynn blurted out without thinking, and immediately regretted it.
[You have an unprocessed criminal record. Do you wish to make an online defense statement?]
Lynn sighed in resignation, almost facing the projected divine being. He couldn't help but wish that a federal officer would fly him out of this wicked medieval realm. Perhaps he'd even receive a substantial reward for being the first to discover extraterrestrial life on a planet.
But, alas, this fantasy was destined to remain unfulfilled. Before his time travel, the range of federal spacecraft was limited to the solar system and lacked the capability for interstellar travel.
Furthermore, there was no signal, which was odd.
Lynn, who understood the logic of his smartbrain's operation very well, suddenly spoke.
"071, based on the current information, identify the star I'm on."
[The planet has been detected to possess an unknown energy called 'magic,' and it is beyond the signal tower coverage of Uranus. The current location is predicted to be in an unknown galaxy outside the Milky Way - Orion Arm - the Solar System, and it cannot be determined if it's in the same universe.]
"In that case, please describe the definition of protecting extraterrestrial life in the 'Intelligent Management Act,'" Lynn inquired again.
[The 'Intelligent Management Act' contains no provisions for the protection of extraterrestrial life.]
071's response was concise. As the federal exploration of the cosmos had yet to discover extraterrestrial civilizations, there was no need for any provisions in the 'Intelligent Management Act' to protect extraterrestrial life.
"So, you mean that aliens have no rights, right? In fact, I haven't committed any crimes!" Lynn said earnestly.
The high-speed operation of the smartbrain seemed to stutter for a moment. After consuming one-thousandth of its energy for computation, it provided an answer.
[The logical chain is valid, and the criminal record has been erased!]
Hearing this, Lynn finally breathed a sigh of relief. He understood that, no matter what he did in the future, he wouldn't be bothered by annoying warning tones anymore.
After all, federal law couldn't reach this otherworldly realm.
Lynn secretly resolved that when he became a full-fledged wizard, capable of freely using magic, he would research whether he could modify this artificial intelligence.
Just as Lynn was lost in thought, a sea of twinkling lights appeared on the vast expanse of water. As he got closer, a towering city wall came into view, and the previously seen lights turned out to be bonfires used for illumination on the battlements.
After a day of drifting on the water, Lynn's mood was slightly excited as he finally saw something different. However, he decided not to approach recklessly. Instead, he opted to land nearby and explore this place tomorrow.
The commotion from the battle outside the town of Ull had been quite substantial, and not all the people had been annihilated. The news had likely spread by now.
Lynn had no doubt that the entire Nordland territory was under strict martial law. His hair color, age, and physique were all distinctive signs that could easily get him arrested if he didn't do some kind of disguise. Therefore, Lynn changed his swimming style from effortless backstroke to less proficient doggy paddle as he prepared to make his way to shore first.
Just then, something heavy dropped from the towering city wall in front of him. Accompanied by a dull thud, a splash of water shot high into the air. Ripples on the water's surface gradually expanded, indicating that something was struggling beneath.
"A person?" Lynn's pupils contracted slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he swam over swiftly.
Although it seemed like a crime scene, he happened to need someone to answer some questions.
Water splashed everywhere, and the clear lake had already been stained red.
Lynn became even more certain of his earlier suspicions. Before he could provide any rescue, a hand reached out from the lake bottom and tried to pull him down.
This was a common stress response for drowning victims and could sometimes drag rescuers down with them. Fortunately, Lynn didn't have to worry about oxygen and was able to swim to the shore while holding onto the other person's collar.
...
An hour later, inside a natural cave outside the city, a roaring fire gradually lit up, providing both illumination and dispelling the night's chill.
During the interval while his clothes dried, Lynn turned to look at the young man he had "rescued."
This young man appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, with an ordinary face and hair color strikingly similar to his own. What made Lynn sigh in frustration was the deep scar on the young man's chest, which seemed to be the result of a knife wound that pierced his heart.
Had he known, he might have left him alone. He had put in so much effort and, after all, ended up saving a lifeless body.
Lynn shook his head in resignation but still went through the routine of searching the body. After all, this was likely a noble's offspring, and who knew what valuable items he might find.
Three gold coins, over ten silver coins, a few exquisite trinkets, and a book with no name on the water-damaged cover were all the young man had in his possession.
For a noble's offspring, this seemed quite meager, but for Lynn, it was an unexpected windfall.
In the Sekas Empire, a copper coin could buy a dark loaf of bread, which, along with water, could provide a meal's sustenance. The exchange rate between silver and copper coins fluctuated around 1:80, and the exchange rate between gold and silver was over 100, even higher in times of war.
After all, gold was considered a rare element throughout the universe, with very limited reserves...
However, since these items were still with the body, it was unlikely that the motive for the murder was simple robbery.
Lynn tossed the coins in his hand. He wasn't a professional detective, but after examining the wound on the victim's chest, his expression suddenly froze. Then, he mimicked holding a dagger with his right hand and tried to stab himself in the chest at a similar angle.
The angle of the wound was exactly the same...
This is... suicide?
Lynn immediately realized this possibility. After thinking for a moment, he reached for the book he had overlooked and gently lifted the water-damaged pages. The writing was scribbled but deep, as if it had been carved into the paper.
"Perhaps without me, everything will get better..."
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