My Wife is Tim

It seems that they turned the planet into hell, but still want their place to be a paradise...

Rick laughed sarcastically, and stopped at the "destination" he wanted to investigate together with Hubby.

"It's almost completely destroyed, but only the ground floor is not damaged at all."

Rick crouched down in front of the only building that still remained of its original shape among all the burned-out ruins.

"...Probably...the elves...their defensive magic..."

"But everything else has been destroyed, which means that this is the first building to be defended in the event of an attack by the Flügel."

It seems that the things in this building are very important.

Rick murmured, while Hubby scanned the ruins with Ex-Machina's abilities.

"...A compound camouflage technique is applied to the basement...below...the space is discovered...is there a basement...?"

After Hubby released the camouflage technique and checked the reaction of the surrounding life, the two walked down the stairs, and then——

"……what is this?"

In front of the long underground stairs is an incomprehensible scene, Rick said in surprise.

In the center of the spacious hall, there are several huge pillars standing side by side.

The pillars are strangely twisted, and countless red patterns are carved on the surface.

"The 180 six... pattern is the protection engraving of Kainas, the god species? No."

Hubby instantly grasped the quantity and wanted to analyze its truth, but she turned her head sideways and felt puzzled.

"...It doesn't match the data...the elves used...all the engravings, the spells...don't match...?"

"Probably they were originally making a 'new weapon' that even Hughee didn't know about, or maybe it's already been made, just like the goblin species. Now no matter what those guys do, even to split the planet, I No surprise - leave that alone."

From the perspective of human beings, there is not much difference between splitting a continent and splitting a planet.

Leaving this question aside, Rick went under the juxtaposed marvelous pillars, brushed the dust off the bases of the pillars, and read out the words on the sign.

"—Void Zero Protection · Theoretical Verification Test Furnace?"

"...Rick can understand Mori Jingyu?"

Seeing that Rick translated the language of the elves, Hubby asked.

"Goblin, elf, goblin, goblin, orc—which language would you like me to answer in?"

Hearing Rick's nonchalant answer, Hubby's eyes widened in surprise.

"...Why do you study so much?"

"Because you can't survive without learning. The hard-earned information is worthless if you don't understand it."

With a grim look on his face that was different from anger and hatred, Rick continued.

——Hubby knew Rick's expression and eyes.

That's the look in Rick's eyes when he really wants to beat Hubby at chess.

"Humanity has not just been ravaged in perpetuity to this day. Humanity has passed on the qualities, languages, and even habits of other races—through word of mouth, written records, every conceivable method—to this day."

The black eyes that did not reflect any emotion tell that humans can only flee fragilely.

But hidden deep in those eyes was the opposite will, and that was exactly what Hubby wanted to know.

Rick's "heart" roaring——don't underestimate human beings.

"Anyway, it's useless to stay for a long time, although I don't know if there are any left... Let's go out quickly after searching for the remaining documents."

After writing down all the characters he saw, Rick turned around quickly.

Hubby nodded in agreement and collected the remaining documents neatly.

On the way, Rick's eyes fell on a piece of paper in his hand.

"...Even the developer's name is written in a cipher, so what the heck is that..."

Seeing this roster full of ciphers, Rick couldn't help shuddering, and quickly walked out of the mysterious research institute converted from the library.

then……

He quickly hurried back to the waste capital.

"It's nerve-racking... It's impossible to move in such a climate."

A death storm was blowing outside, a phenomenon in which black and ash with increased ash fall reacted to each other, creating a blue-light cyclone.

Once this phenomenon is encountered, no matter what protective measures are taken, the spirit skeletons contained in the ash will penetrate through the protective clothing, contaminating the human body.

"At times like this, we can only wait for the storm to pass."

Rick sighed and asked Hubby, "I said Hubby, did you bring a chess board?"

"……sorry……"

As if to hide her face, the mechanical girl took out the chessboard from her backpack while apologizing.

Only bring the bare minimum - because Rick said so, so Hubby probably thought he was going to be blamed...

That movement—the way the Ex-Machina was afraid of being scolded by humans had a strange sense of disobedience, and Rick couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"I'm not blaming you... there's nothing to do until the storm stops anyway, let's play games."

"……is it okay……?"

Hubby seemed surprised, and seemed very happy to finish speaking, and then started arranging the pieces.

Rick stared at the board and thought about his record with Hubby in the past year.

——180 zero wins in World War II.

Not to mention that it is better than Hubi, not even the local one.

However, he made moves that surprised Hubby several times, forcing her to think for a long time.

That is to say, he is not absolutely unable to win against Hugh.

Rick unconsciously showed a smug smile, but at this moment, Hubby suddenly asked: "Rick, why... you can't win, and you have to continue the battle...?"

"What? It's a strange question. The person who asked me to give me the information I want if I win, isn't it Hubby?"

"...Liar...Rick...couldn't have noticed..."

Yes, impossible.It's impossible for someone as smart as Rick not to notice.

"... The information that Rick wants... Hubby... all... I've given it to Rick..."

A heavy silence shrouded, and with only the sound of the wind blowing, Hubby said:

"...Rick...great...hard work..."

"—don't console me."

Coincidentally, Cron had said the same thing in the past, and Rick's answer was the same.

That's it, the conversation ends.Rick thought so, however—

"...Hubby...just stating the facts..."

Hubby widened his eyes in surprise and refuted Rick.

Then, Rick opened his eyes wide as if he saw something rare.

The expression on Hubby's face clearly expressed "hesitating whether to say it or not", and finally she still said:

"...The current planetary environment... For humans, it is fatally bad... For living things, being alive... is already abnormal."

It was a year ago that made Rick lose himself in anger and choked on Hubby.

Even though he knew that it was a sentence that hurt Rick, Hubby continued to speak tremblingly.

"...Such an anomaly—correction, great cause...it was possible...because of Rick's [heart]...will."

Looking straight at Rick's eyes that showed no emotion, Hubby said.

"...human survival...is a subjective fact...but Rick doesn't admit it...and doesn't want to accept this statement...why..."

"Ha! What are you trying to say? Is the Mechanic assuring me that my humiliating repeated defeats will help mankind?"

"...Hubby...I don't know Mechanic-sama...but that's how Hubby judged. But—"

Hubby continued to stare at Rick very seriously, with eyes like red glass beads.

"...Rick doesn't accept, such a result..."

"Of course, you can survive in this world and—"

"……no."

Hubby decided immediately.She interrupted Rick and continued:

"...Before...I didn't understand...but...now I understand..."

Hubby looked into Rick's eyes and said decisively.

"...Rick wants...not to let anyone die...no matter who it is, even...a race that destroys humanity—even Hubby."

Rick's expression changed.

There is no room for refutation, the so-called speechless refers to this situation.

Since the [Heart Lock] has been pried off——then if he tries to be brave, he will only embarrass himself even more.

In the room where only the wind blew, Rick raised his head slowly, resting his hands on his cheeks.

——His eyes clearly reflected the figure of Hubby, and said in a voice that seemed to have nowhere to go: "Then I ask you, what's the point of living in such a world, constantly struggling to survive, but after that?

"What should I do after that? You tell me what to do? Will it disappear silently like dust?!"

"If I didn't want to do that and sacrifice 1001 people for the lives of 999 people, would the world change?!"

"...Rick."

Hubby stretched out his hand and gently touched Rick's cheek as if he was about to cry.

Rick lowered his head, closed his eyes tightly, and muttered like a confession:

"...Tell me, Hubby, what else can I do? What should I do?"