Immortal Children

City of Ruins — Ep 05 part 2 “Elixir of Life”

“Well, I don’t think that’s what they really want.” 

I said this and straddled the wreckage of the mechanical doll lying on the road with the debris.

“Is it the vengeance of the bereaved families of those who died in the war?”

“I wonder. Maybe it was, or maybe there was some other good reason.”

One would assume that the leaders of the time would have envisioned what it would be like to be imprisoned. The thought of oneself who has to dwell in a confined space for all eternity would drive them insane.

And so those responsible for the war disappeared from this world.

The new drug concession was up in the air. Countries around the world resolved to reveal how the new drug was made in order to avoid another war.

“That’s surprising.” Misuzu said.

“I guess they were tired and fed up with the long war.” I answered.

Although it took more than a decade, the public sale of Sentan began under a new organization formed by a coalition of powerful people and experts from throughout the world, along with numerous new rules regulating the new drugs.

“After that, I know very little about world history.” I said.

The world was entering a new age of human affluence and thriving, one of the most prosperous on the earth.

This is the so-called “old civilization period.”

I don’t know how long that era lasted, and there is no way for people today to know, but everything comes to an end.

Because too much information in the databases to which Kaguya may access has been purposely erased or cannot be accessed owing to a lack of authorisation, little information regarding the period of the old civilization was obtainable. As a result, we don’t know much about that time period. Despite this, it was evident from the little bits and pieces of fragmented information I could gather that the anthropomorphs were regarded as one of the final war’s kickoffs.

“Weren’t the anthropomorphs annihilated…?” Misuzu tilts her head.

“A few anthropomorphs may have been captured by the UN research organization for study.”

“Did the anthropomorphs manage to flee?”

“Maybe they were, or maybe they intentionally used  an anthropomorphic virus in the war.”

We know nothing about the ivilization’s destruction. Perhaps there was a conflict between superpowers, or maybe there was a rebellion of mechanical weapons that gained an ego, or maybe there was an invasion from outer space. One of the theories that almost seems like a joke might be the true cause of the war.

In any case, the old civilization period ended with a situation involving nuclear weapons and new bombs. In the collapsed world, just a few survivors, anthropomorphs, and mechanical dolls survived.

The reconnaissance drone above us transmitted data on a fight going place a few blocks away. The looters looked to be fighting with the merchants who were traveling between the Birdcages to do their business. I resumed my walk after making a few small alterations to the path depicted on the map.

“How did the anthropomorphs become a threat to the people?” Misuzu asked me, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a towel. “From what I’ve heard, it’s very hard to imagine that they could be a threat to the people of the Old Civilization period.” 

“Why?”

“The weapons and equipment of the time were surely much more powerful than anything we could get our hands on. There were also security droids at the Tokyo facility, and it is obvious from the mechanical dolls. Using mechanical dolls in combat with anthropomorphs would have eliminated the fear of infection and would have given them an overwhelming advantage in battle.”

“I can only speculate based on the few documents I have available.” I said. “I think the infectiousness of the anthropomorphs disease of that era was extremely high, making airborne infection possible.”

“Airborne infection?”

“Yes. The infection targets nearly every human being on the planet.”

“Everybody? Were all people in the Old Civilization immortal who took Sentan?”

“I think a lot of people took Sentan because it was something that could be manufactured inexpensively, although it sounds like continuous dosing was required.”

“Such… The anthropomorphs who attacked us were the people of the Old Civilization period?”

“Not everyone back then was infected, though.”

Misuzu almost got her foot caught in the debris and said to cover it up.

“Are these people not taking Sentan?”

“Maybe.” I said. “No matter how inexpensive the drugs were, I’m sure there were more than a few people who were financially unable to afford the new drug. And there were countries and religious officials who did not accept the new drug itself.”

“Do such countries still exist?”

Misuzu’s expression brightened. Though, it was only for a moment. 

“No, Even if the government prohibits it by law, there are many loopholes. So infected people were present in countries all over the world. There’s still documentation that people infected with the disease have been identified all over the world.”

“Couldn’t they have done something about it with the technology of the old civilization period?”

“As it turns out, a vaccine appeared to have been developed, though it took some time. A person with antibodies easily and quickly confirmed it. The birth of the vaccine and subsequent humans, as well as their offspring, are said to have been genetically transformed to be born with antibodies to the anthropomorphic disease. So, it appears that everyone in this day and age has antibodies to prevent anthropomorphic disease transmission in the air. That, however, does not prevent contact infection through wounds, which is also the cause of the anthropomorph population’s unending growth.”

“Contact infection through wounds…” She must have remembered her attacked comrades. Misuzu’s expression darkens. “Couldn’t they have prevented the infection altogether?”

“I’m only speculating, but I don’t believe anthropomorphs were the only threat. I suppose that as they sat on their hands trying to exterminate the disease, people all over the world became infected with it, and in the process of spreading it, it evolved into a more potent chimeric disease.”

The problems faced by the old civilization period were not limited to anthropomorphs.

“War between nations?” Misuzu said. 

“I don’t know if the nation was considered a leader at the time, partly because it was a time when several corporations emerged that had more money and influence than the nation. However, traces of the integration of many nations under the new organization can still be seen in the facilities of the old civilization.”

“How do you know?”

“Thanks to me.” Kaguya’s voice resonated inside my ear. 

“Well.” I said. “I have not checked all of the facilities in Japan, but the standards used in the facilities, as well as the money, are standardized. Electronic money with a unified unit of measure was used.”

“I see that… the concept of a ‘country’ was already gone. Is that why you asked me about Japan?”

“That’s part of it, but I was curious why they were educating people prior to the old civilization period in an old civilization period facility.”

“I see. Oh, but it could have been a facility for people who cherish Japanese traditions.”

“That’s a possibility. But those said facilities are the good ones. How many cults there are in this world that hold up and impose doctrines that are believed only by themselves. Religion alone is still a good thing, but decidedly they are occupying a facility from the old civilization period and the threat level is high.”

“You’re right…”

“I don’t mean to speak ill of the facility where Misuzu lived.”

“No, it’s okay.” Misuzu laughs dryly. “I thought it would be a somewhat conservative group. And there were no foreigners like Reira at the facility.”

“Being conservative is never a bad thing, you know. I have more to say than that. I’m Japanese.”

“Um… But your hair is gray and your eyes are red.”

“My hair is black. It’s just dirty with dust from the ruins. And as for my eyes, it’s another effect of human modification.”

“I see. Sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize.” I said, sweeping the dust from my hair. “Anyway. Back to the point, there was definitely an impetus, and the war went around the world. Eventually, it led to the first and last world war of the Old Civilization. And the world collapsed.” 

“It’s rude and inappropriate, but it’s kind of a waste.” Misuzu said.

“Wasteful?”

“Yes, I can’t believe that the people and technology of the old civilization, which created a magical world with overwhelming technology, would be lost in a barbaric war that seems to be the furthest thing from their minds.”

“Certainly.” Kaguya agreed.

A world far removed from barbaric warfare?

“Well, but I don’t think it’s done.” 

“Are there survivors of the human race from the Old Civilization period anywhere?”

“Where’s Paradise?” Kaguya, who was busy, teased her.

“Space.” I said as I looked up at the sky.

“Space…?” Misuzu stopped as she said this and looked up at the sky with her hand on her forehead, creating shadows around her eyes.

Her beautiful, well-proportioned limbs were a picture in themselves.

“Right. I am sure this barbaric world was tight for them. I’m sure they are traveling through the abyss of the universe.” Misuzu said.

“That’s quite romantic. Do you have feelings for people from the old civilization?”

Misuzu shakes her head at my words.

“No, that’s not it. I grew up in a facility on the bottom of the ocean all my life, so I have a yearning for that… adventure. It’s kind of childish and embarrassing.”

“You don’t look shy.” Kaguya said.

“It’s about time we see the safe house.” 

I said this and carefully checked the reconnaissance drone’s video.

Together with Kaguya, we scrutinized the information we received  from the drone in the sky. No one was in pursuit, and there was no sign of looters in the vicinity.

At this time during the daytime, the anthropomorphs are also hiding in the back of the building and do not come out very often.

“It’s okay here.”

I nod at Kaguya’s words and start walking towards an abandoned nursery school.

There was no change in the traps we had set on the property, and the area was awfully quiet.

Passing through an archway that depicts animals, we enter the grounds of the nursery school.

To prevent Misuzu from getting caught in the explosives-based trap I had set, I walked slowly with her hand in mine.

The uninhabited park was dominated by a strange silence. We continued through the building and Kaguya opened the entrance to the underground facility behind the bulkhead.

“Welcome to our base,” said Kaguya.

I say to Misuzu, who gazes blankly at the entrance, which opens and closes with a dull thud.

“Birdcage is still a long way off, so we’re going to rest at this base today.”