◈ 7. The Ancient AI Robot
The sudden addition to the number of entrants meant one thing: just before the doors closed, someone else had entered the temple—without my permission.
I immediately turned to look toward the door, and sure enough, I spotted the face of the uninvited guest.
Argelio.
“You… No, Sir Freebern. What are you doing here? As far as I recall, I didn’t give you permission to enter.”
‘You shameless bastard…’
I swallowed the words before they escaped my mouth.
Luciana was standing beside me, after all.
I’d resolved to maintain a better image going forward, and I couldn’t afford to revert to my delinquent ways so quickly.
Argelio, that grinning scoundrel, responded with a smirk.
“There’s no need to be so cold, is there? You never know what might pop up in a ruin, so having more people could be—”
“Just answer the question. I asked why you’re here when I never gave you permission.”
“…”
For a brief moment, his brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly composed himself again.
“I came because I wanted to see for myself.”
“See for yourself?”
“Yes, the sudden discovery of these ruins, and the fact that Your Holiness managed to lift the seal in just five minutes… These are fascinating claims. Too fascinating to simply take someone else’s word.”
“So, in other words, you couldn’t believe I’d actually done something useful for once, and you had to see it with your own eyes?”
“There’s no need to twist my words like that… Still, seeing it in person is more convincing, isn’t it?”
In truth, it wasn’t that he found the discovery of the ruins hard to believe.
It was that he didn’t want to believe it.
After all, he’d made a promise: if anything valuable were found in the forest, he’d personally cover all the exploration expenses, including the wages for the exploration team, out of his own pocket.
Even though the Freebern duchy was a wealthy family thanks to their successful trade ventures, footing the bill for such an endeavour would undoubtedly be a hefty burden.
So, I could make it perfectly clear, Argelio had planted his subordinates nearby to monitor me, likely using some kind of magical item to relay real-time updates on my activities.
It explained how he was able to rush here so quickly.
‘Clever little weasel.’
I was thoroughly annoyed that he insisted on tailing me and coming inside, seemingly unable to trust me until the very end.
I even briefly considered kicking him out the door when Luciana wasn’t looking—but then thought better of it.
“If you’re that eager to confirm things for yourself, I’ll let you.”
“Thank you, Your Holiness. In that case, let’s head ins—”
“No, no. I didn’t say I was letting you tag along.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“What I mean is, all you need is proof that I earned my access to the ruins through my own abilities, right? There’s no reason for you to come in with me.”
Without bothering to explain further, I raised my voice and called out to the air.
“Guide! Summon the guide!”
Both of them stared at me with puzzled looks as I addressed seemingly nothing. Then, something red materialized before us.
[Welcome, Member ‘Nikellus’! I am Rubin, the artificial intelligence guide assigned to assist you during your visit to the temple. How may I help you?]
What appeared was a creature that looked like a red panda but with fennec fox ears and three fluffy tails swishing behind it.
It was hard to pin down exactly what kind of animal this red-furred creature was, but it was a Polydroid—an ancient AI robot created by the people of old to guide visitors through the temple.
I had encountered Polydroid before during dungeon explorations in my past life, so the sight of one wasn’t new to me.
However, for people of this era, Polydroid would probably be seen as legendary guardians or spirits of the ruins.
Regardless, my plan was to use Rubin, the temple guide, to irrefutably prove that I had been recognized and granted entry by the temple itself.
“You said members have the authority to forcibly remove companions from the ruins, right? As in, the right to expel people they’ve brought along? Also, could you speak in the language I’m using now? The people behind me can’t understand Ancient Language.”
[Well… unfortunately, I’ve only fully mastered one language, so…]
Normally, Polydroid were incredibly versatile AI robots that could execute commands with precision.
But this one seemed… clumsy.
Perhaps aware of its own shortcomings, Rubin’s large ears drooped in what could only be described as a sign of dejection.
[Moreover, my translation skill is only at grade C, so I can barely manage to understand the language you’re using right now.]
“Barely understand? You’re using your translation skills to comprehend my words?”
[Yes, since it’s a language I haven’t learned yet. Proper usage would require additional learning.]
“Ah, I see.”
[If you grant me permission for ‘language sharing’, I can reduce the time needed to learn it. Will you allow it?]
Since the guide, being bound by its programming, posed no threat to me, there was no reason to hesitate.
I clasped the paw Rubin extended toward me.
Immediately, text appeared above Rubin’s head:
[Acquiring a new language…]
It was sharing and learning the language directly from me.
About a minute later, Rubin’s eyes snapped open, and its small mouth began speaking fluent Modern Imperial.
“To answer your earlier question, yes. As a member, you have the authority to request the expulsion of anyone you’ve brought along.”
As expected, I did have the right to kick people out.
I turned toward Argelio, whose face had grown noticeably tense, and flashed him a smile brimming with satisfaction.
“In that case, there’s someone I’d like to expel, using my ‘member privileges’.”
“Please state the name or ID of the companion you wish to expel.”
“The one I want to kick out is the guy standing behind me, Argelio van Free—”
“Wait! Please, hold on for a moment, Your Grace! I brought a collection of useful magical items!”
Just as I was about to expel Argelio, the guy urgently shouted, cutting me off mid-sentence.
I paused and looked back at him, raising a brow.
“Items?”
“I have potions and curse-removal scrolls! All high-grade, highly effective ones!”
“…”
I had assumed he followed me solely to spy on me, but then, in a quieter voice, he admitted to a rather unexpected hobby of his.
“The mysterious beauty and scholarly, economic value that ancient ruins hold… especially ancient temples… They’ve been the places I’ve dreamt of visiting ever since I was a child.”
“…”
“I have no doubt now, after hearing that spirit’s words, that Your Holiness has been properly recognized by this ruin as its member. I will no longer act as though I doubt you.”
“…”
“Ehem… So, would you allow me to accompany you? If you do, I’ll give you everything I’ve brought.”
Though his embarrassed expression clashed terribly with his usual demeanour and made me feel a bit queasy, his mention of potions and magical items was intriguing.
Luciana, for all her skill, was specialized entirely in combat and didn’t have any healing abilities.
The same applied to me.
Three of my skills were still locked, and one of them might turn out to be a healing skill, but with my current low karma level, I couldn’t use it even if it were unlocked.
In other words, if we got injured inside, potions—specifically healing potions—would be essential.
On top of that, magical items like potions and scrolls were absurdly expensive.
There had been a time when magic was vilified as a sinister force, but that era was long gone.
Nowadays, the utility of magical goods has driven their prices sky-high.
“Luciana, give me a moment. I need to have a quick word with Lord Freebern.”
Leaving her with that, I dragged Argelio off to a corner.
Once there, without hesitation, I swiftly, discreetly, and very menacingly narrowed my eyes at him.
“You’re aware that squawking back at me and nitpicking my words in public was overstepping, aren’t you? Frankly, there’s more than one thing about you that gets under my skin.”
“My apologies. I’ve been reflecting on that a great deal already.”
“Especially the lying.”
“…!”
“The crimes you’ve committed with those lies aren’t exactly things one can just overlook…”
I took a stab in the dark, prodding at Argelio’s two skills related to deceit and verbal manipulation.
As expected, I got a reaction.
Judging from his pale, ashen face, he had indeed committed some offenses with his sharp tongue.
“What… exactly do you mean by crimes?”
“You already know, don’t you? Do you really need me to spell it out for you? If you insist, I can tell you.”
“…”
His trembling pupils darted nervously, studying me.
Then, realizing I likely knew everything, he stopped trying to hide it altogether and, with a defeated expression, asked:
“How did you find out? Did you… secretly investigate my past? How much do you know?”
“Well, let’s just say this: be careful. People who rely on their silver tongues to cheat others usually meet a predictable end. They either get assassinated by someone they’ve wronged, tortured, or left crippled after that torture. Understand what I’m saying?”
His gaze turned deadly serious, stripped of the usual contempt and smugness.
Gone was the mocking smirk he wore when looking down on me like I was some parasite.
“I understand… I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Straighten up, and deal with the messes you’ve made before I have to step in myself.”
“…Yes.”
The knowledge that I might be watching him should be enough to keep him in check.
At the very least, it’d stop him from tormenting others.
Satisfied, I returned to where Luciana and Rubin were waiting.
“You’re back, Member. Would you like to proceed with using the forced expulsion authority?”
“No, instead, just help guide us around. I’d like to take a full tour, starting from the first floor.”
“Oh! A guided tour, is it? Leave it to me! Then, let’s begin with the Crimson Moon Chapel, located on the lower floor!”
At the mention of needing help, Rubin’s expression brightened immediately.
I couldn’t help but think—had Rubin been waiting for this moment for thousands of years?
Longing for visitors to come, eagerly anticipating a chance to fulfil its purpose as a guide?
Alone in this empty temple, clinging to memories of a time when it bustled with life… Just imagining it tugged at my heartstrings.
Better not dwell on it too much.
Following Rubin’s lead, we soon arrived at a vast temple.
The expansive space felt almost overwhelmingly empty, but Rubin proudly introduced it.
“This is the Crimson Moon Chapel. It was here that warriors would gather and offer fervent prayers before heading into battle. They sought the blessings of Nerbloka, the god of war and victory who resides within the crimson moon.”
“And those statues over there?”
“They represent the four guardians who serve Nerbloka. Each one embodies a weapon—sword, shield, spear, and bow—and protects the warriors.”
Hearing this, I leaned in close to Rubin, lowering my voice so Luciana and Argelio couldn’t overhear.
“Sword and shield, huh? Didn’t they have, like… guns back then?”
“…Guns? I’m afraid I don’t know what those are.”
“You know, things that explode from the sky? Boom-boom, taking everything out in one go…”
“Ah, are you referring to meteor summoning magic?”
“Hmm…”
Given that the ancient world seemed advanced enough to build computer systems like the one I’d seen, I’d assumed they might’ve had modern weapons like guns or missiles.
Apparently, while their technology had progressed, it didn’t follow the exact same trajectory as the world I came from.
‘No wonder I haven’t come across any gunpowder-based items in these ancient dungeons. So, this is why.’
Even with the development of artificial intelligence robots like the Polydroid, weapons were still swords, arrows, and magic… It was all rather perplexing.
Still, one thing was clear: ancient weapons were far more powerful than the ones of this era.
I studied the four guardian statues Rubin had described and the weapons they held.
‘Those are items.’
I thought.
While the statues themselves appeared to be made of ordinary marble, the weapons they carried—sword, shield, spear, and bow—were all identified as usable items by the information window.
[Bow of Nerbloka (S)]
—A bow used by the warriors of Nerbloka, the ancient god of war and victory.
—Converts divine energy into arrows, eliminating the need for ammunition.
—Its destructive power increases in proportion to the user’s divine energy.Special Effects:
—10% chance to immobilize the target upon hit (Duration: 3 seconds).
—If the user lacks archery skills, spirits will take interest and offer assistance.Notes:
—A sacred object. Touching it may invoke the curse of the ancient god.
It was a good item.
The line about a curse if touched was a bit concerning, but I had a solution in mind.
In other words, to claim it, I had to do one thing.
“Rubin, you probably already suspect this, but everyone who once sought this temple has long since vanished.”
“W-what? That… that can’t be—”
“The people of this era call them ‘ancients,’ Rubin. This place is now a ruin of the past. It’s nothing more than a relic of a bygone age.”
The glimmer of excitement in Rubin’s black eyes dimmed, as if a light had been snuffed out.
For a moment, he looked like a child reeling from hearing a painful truth for the first time.
At the same time, he resembled a Polydroid overloaded with information, struggling to process it all.
I gazed at the emptiness now visible in his eyes and continued.
“That’s why we’re going to take these items, which are just collecting dust here, and bring them outside.”
“Take… them outside? But… if you take the items, what will the future worshipers use to offer their prayers—”
“There won’t be any more worshipers, Rubin.”
I knew how cruel that sounded.
But wasn’t it even crueller to leave Rubin here, to languish in this place after we’d taken the items?
He’d cling to the hope that someone—anyone—might come, even if it meant waiting hundreds or thousands of years.
That kind of waiting would be nothing short of torture.
Rubin’s tail trembled slightly; the motion barely perceptible.
I extended my hand toward him, cautiously.
“Why don’t you come with us instead?”
why’s bro so heartless