Chapter 302

The Return of Fire was the key to the past of District 49. Exactly what it was, no one knew for certain.

All that's known is that a tremendous rain of fire poured from the sky, completely obliterating an entire district.

That destruction, which defied all natural principles, went beyond just destroying District 49; it inflicted permanent damage. It killed even the earth's vitality and caused mutations in living organisms.

'Just hearing about it, it sounds like a nuclear explosion or something of that scale.'

This was an era where both science and magic had developed simultaneously. Even if it wasn't a nuclear weapon, something similar or even more devastating could have existed.

'Whatever it was, the Return of Fire turned District 49 into a wasteland, and there were almost no witnesses left from that time.'

But now, Don Quixote had brought up the story. He wouldn't have chosen such a topic simply to divert their attention elsewhere.

"Did you see it? The devastation back then?"

"The Return of Fire happened more than 50 years ago. I was just a very young child at the time."

But Don Quixote's eyes were seeing a different fire beyond those sparks. The flames from 50 years ago.

"The whole world suddenly turned red."

Don Quixote poked at the pile of logs with a fire iron.

"The brilliant and beautiful city collapsed in an instant. Tall skyscrapers melted, buildings crumbled helplessly. Vehicles, roads, most of them evaporated, and people turned to ash in an instant."

Some of the charred logs collapsed with a rumble, as if showing the exact scene from back then.

"It caused massive casualties and property damage. It was truly a catastrophe. But don't you find it strange? Neither the people here nor those outside know about the Return of Fire."

"That's..."

David started to speak but stopped.

He too only knew roughly about the Return of Fire, not the details. Most of the people in District 49 who knew about it had died of old age. Even what they said was spread among the people of District 49 as mere nonsense.

But what was even more curious was why rumors about it hadn't spread to other districts. Just looking at the place where they were now was proof enough. Even after all these years, some of the city's structure still remained.

That meant the city had been built with a solid foundation. How could such a massive and brilliant city disappear without rumors spreading?

"Sir Don Quixote. What kind of disaster actually happened here?"

"Many people believe the Return of Fire was some kind of natural disaster. That's mostly what people have heard. But that's not what it was."

Don Quixote revealed the shocking truth.

"The Return of Fire was a man-made disaster. This catastrophe in District 49 was created by humans."

"Is that really true?"

David couldn't close his gaping mouth. Osian was equally surprised by those words.

"Humans erased District 49? Was Tirna attacked by external enemies?"

"It might have been better if that were the case. If it had been a disaster created by war, there would be some justification for the state of this district but that's not what happened, because the destruction was carried out by Tirna's city government itself."

It was the city government itself that had erased District 49. That made it even more incomprehensible. Wasn't it they who had spent enormous sums to create District 49 in the first place?

After spending all that money, they turned it into a complete wasteland? In Tirna, where capitalism was rampant, this was something impossible to imagine.

"The information being blocked to such an unusual degree is because the city government prevented it."

At the same time, it made sense why such a catastrophe hadn't been reported outside. The city government must have deliberately blocked any information from leaking out.

"The Return of Fire was an operation name for Tirna's District Defense Force. It literally meant putting a district into 'disposal.'"

In other words, the rain of fire that was said to have poured from the sky was actually the merciless bombing by the District Defense Force. How much firepower had they unleashed for the land to still not have recovered even after decades?

'This wasn't just projecting firepower. They never intended for this place to recover in the first place.'

But questions still remained. If the city government had done such a thing, the reason why they had done it had not been revealed.

When he asked, Don Quixote didn't give the answer he wanted.

"I don't know that much either. What I do know is that the city government took action to completely demolish this district. This scene is the result of that action."

Whatever the case, the truth about the Return of Fire that Don Quixote revealed was truly shocking. It would have been more believable if it had been described as a divine punishment, but to think it was a man-made catastrophe carried out by humans.

"Why are you telling us this?"

"I thought it would be alright to tell you this much, since we're traveling together for now."

"...Is the current situation related to the Return of Fire back then?"

Osian asked a pointed question but Don Quixote smiled wryly and shook his head.

"That would be an excessive delusion, I must say. I simply mentioned it because I am a survivor from this place, and naturally I needed to explain why I had to return here to find him."

"You mean telling a mere fixer the truth that the city government desperately tried to hide?"

"A mere fixer? Didn't you say knight?"

"..."

"I am a knight. A knight who upholds chivalry and advances toward his goal. If you were a knight, you would understand. Just walking the same path makes us comrades. Would there be anything I should hide from such a comrade?"

Don Quixote raised his cup of soup high into the sky.

"My thoughts have not changed. I live a life without a single shred of shame as a knight. I swore by the stars in the sky."

There was a certain aspiration in Don Quixote's voice. Instead of the heaviness and seriousness he had when talking about the Return of Fire, what enveloped him now was the romanticism of someone pursuing a dream.

A vow toward the stars. Don Quixote's eyes were directed at the stars densely scattered in the night sky.

"So I ask for your cooperation for a while, my knight comrades."

It might have seemed absurd to suddenly be called comrades by someone they had just met today. Especially coming from an old man who had aged considerably.

Somehow, such behavior from Don Quixote wasn't entirely displeasing. Perhaps this kind of audacity was his charm.

Early the next morning, Osian quietly opened his eyes.

Beyond the subtle warmth still remaining from the logs, a chilly coldness still pervaded. Perhaps because it was right before the sun rose, the world was still tinged with a bluish hue.

'Nothing unusual happened during the night.'

It was a very peaceful night considering they had spent it in this place. Of course, sounds of battle echoed until late into the night from far away, but the flames of combat didn't spread to this area.

'Being able to sleep so soundly without a sentry, is it thanks to this one?'

Osian gazed at the horse, Rocinante, standing perfectly still like a statue. The horse was now keeping watch for anyone approaching. It was the guard mode, one of the functions of an automaton.

'If a living being is detected within a certain radius, it automatically sends a signal, right?'

Unlike humans who had to see something with their eyes and make judgments, it had its own detection capabilities, making it much more efficient. The fact that a combat automaton had such functions showed just how extraordinary Rocinante was.

Durability that wasn't easily cut even by Starlight, strength that surpassed a tank in output alone and various other convenient functions as well.

Don Quixote, who rode this, was probably considered at least a wealthy magnate in Tirna. Such a person was now in District 49, pretending to be a ridiculous knight. From the Return of Fire story, it was clear he was from this district, but there was probably a real reason he couldn't tell them.

'I might be able to pick up something if I ask Delan later.'

Of course, that would only be possible if they successfully completed this request and returned.

By now, the surroundings were brightening as the sun began to rise.

-Neiiiiigh!

Rocinante let out a loud neigh. It wasn't coming from vocal cords, but a recording of a horse's voice being played. And the purpose of this neigh now was to wake up the party according to the set time. From sentry duties to alarm functions. It was certainly worth every penny.

"Hmm. Slept well, I see!"

Don Quixote had slept in his armor. But there was no sign of discomfort on his face. That meant his armor was even more comfortable than decent bedding.

In contrast, David showed signs of fatigue around his eyes, perhaps having stirred a bit due to anxiety. Of course, being a trained knight, he could go without sleep for days, but still.

"Well then! Shall we embark on another exciting adventure!"

Don Quixote, mounted on Rocinante, shouted spiritedly, "Forward!" Osian looked at him with an expression of disbelief.

He was not a knight. A knight must train a powerful body and know how to handle the power of the heavens. If anything, Don Quixote was a fake knight. But despite being fake, he acted like a real one. He didn't doubt that he was real.

This wasn't mere acting. Rather, like a child playing hero, he truly believed he was a knight in this moment.

"How romantic."

The muscle car followed Rocinante as it ran. David, holding the steering wheel, spoke in a voice only Osian could hear. He too had the same impression of Don Quixote as Osian.

"He's certainly not someone you see every day."

David chuckled softly at Osian's response.

"He's more than just a rare person. How many people like him could there be outside of Tirna? And in Tirna, even fewer."

Tirna was a city consumed by capitalism. Emotions and romance were considered useless.

This tendency was stronger in older people. An era of excessive competition. Pure meritocracy where you would be trampled the moment you fell behind. The elderly were those who had adapted and endured such a world.

They had lived longer than others and seen more sights. The elderly were the ones who understood this harsh reality better than anyone.

And yet, this old man was showing a purity that exceeded even that of a child.

"I thought I was pursuing a long-forgotten romance, but seeing him makes me realize I was nothing."

David spoke with a voice mixed with admiration and dejection.

Don Quixote, from Osian's perspective, was the ultimate knight fanboy. He didn't just admire it in his heart and pursue that image.

He had enormous wealth. With that wealth, he could grasp enough power to call himself a knight.

And what did he do after obtaining it? He introduced himself as a knight and acted like one.

"Just looking at that steam suit and automaton, it's clear that no ordinary amount of money was spent. The fact that he owns these means he must be that wealthy. That's what's amazing. In Tirna, those who have made vast fortunes are people who have recognized the harsh reality."

Don Quixote was different. With a childlike innocent dream, he had survived in the harsh environment of Tirna. It was even more implausible than a polar bear surviving in a desert.

Yet such a person existed. How much painful effort must he have put in to grasp what he wanted?

Rocinante, which had been running for quite some time, suddenly stopped. David also hit the brakes. Raising a trail of sand as he stopped, David asked.

"Sir Don Quixote. What's the matter?"

"This is it."

"If this is..."

Don Quixote's gaze was fixed on a massive pile of scrap metal. It rose particularly high compared to other heaps of scrap metal in the area.

"This is the center of the scrap graveyard. The place formed when the tallest building in District 49 collapsed."

And, it was the place where the AI automaton was estimated to be. Osian, sitting in the passenger seat, looked around.

There was still nothing visible. Even if they had narrowed down the location as much as possible, it was clear that finding it would take an enormous amount of time.

"Rocinante. Search mode."

Rocinante quickly scanned the surroundings. It was to check if there were any other people nearby. After completing the scan, Rocinante showed no reaction. This meant that there were no biological responses within its range.

"This is a problem. How are we supposed to find anything in a place like this?"

Just as Don Quixote was muttering that, Osian, who had gotten out of the passenger seat, looked to one side and answered.

"Hmm. If I'm not mistaken, I think we've found it."

"What?"

"Huh?"

Don Quixote and David turned to Osian, wondering what he meant. Instead of answering, Osian raised his hand, pointing to one part of the mountain of scrap metal.

Someone covered in tattered rags was looking down at them while standing on what could be described as a steel mound.