Chapter 8: You Are the Outsider

Upon arriving at the mechanical settlement...

This place was different from the silent, pitch-black Boulder Town. Thanks to the energy cores providing warmth, the surroundings were cleaner and brighter—but only to a certain extent. Above, the sky remained shrouded in darkness, with only the faint glow of massive gray gears and ore-transporting pipelines visible.

The most frequent occupants here weren’t humans but Automatic Mechs: from common Hound- and Beetle-types to specialized Spider-types for tactical use, and heavy-duty Bear- and Wolf-types for combat. Most were battered, some with exposed wiring dripping oil. A few were even dragging the parts of self-destructed Spider-types for recycling.

As soon as Clara saw these battle-worn mechs, she rushed over to help. Despite her young age and innocent appearance, her mechanical engineering skills rivaled those of seasoned experts. Even Svarog acknowledged her talent. Nearly every mech in the settlement had undergone her repairs and modifications.

However, just as Venti arrived, Clara was already occupied with these mechs.

And then—

Venti turned to a Beetle-type robot, which greeted him in a gentle, synthetic male voice:
"Greetings, Miss Venti. Svarog requests a meeting with you."
It added a recorded message:
"—Discussion results will assess risk factors related to the target. If below safety thresholds, a two-month observation period will commence, during which contact with Clara is prohibited."

"Whoa, so serious?" Venti scratched his cheek nervously, muttering to himself.
"...Looks like I’m the troublemaker here."

The Beetle-type—let’s call it Beetle T800—continued in its polite, gentlemanly tone:
"According to the Mechanical Settlement database: Your background: unknown. Gender: unknown. Motives: unknown. Trustworthiness: under review. Classification: unknown entity.
Conclusion: You do not belong to the Mechanical Settlement. In human terms: You are the outsider. This way, Miss Venti."

"Alright, alright. Can’t blame you—I am an uninvited guest." Venti chuckled, shifting topics. "By the way, why ‘Miss Venti’? Your database lists my gender as unknown."

The Beetle T800’s LED eyes flickered red and green. "Insufficient biometric data. Note: This designation was input by Miss Clara."

"Ah, Clara. That explains it." Venti grinned.

These mechs felt eerily advanced, their linguistic systems surpassing even Khaenri’ah’s ancient "Field Tillers." It hinted at Jarilo-VI’s lost technological glory—now a mere speck in the cosmos.

Following the robot, Venti reached the settlement’s core—a plaza where retired mechs sparred for entertainment. Crowds, especially children, cheered as Beetle-types clashed like "cyber crickets." Compared to Boulder Town’s deadly underground fights, this was wholesome.

At the plaza’s edge stood Svarog, connected to data ports outside a militarized structure. Heat rippled from the energy core above, warming the area to a stifling degree—likely why Clara preferred bare feet.

Svarog’s hulking frame, clad in alloy armor, radiated authority. His single crimson eye glowed as data streams cascaded across it.

"Hey, Boss Svarog!" Venti waved casually.

The robot’s eye dimmed as he turned.
"—Biological heat signature detected. Identity confirmed: Bard Venti. Hostility level: none. Routine scan complete.
Results archived: Construction Era ████/██/██."

Venti grinned. "So, besides flexing your authority, what’s this meeting about? Let’s cut the small talk!"

"Maintain appropriate social distance," Svarog replied coldly. "Given Clara’s trust in you, you will receive one opportunity to clarify your intentions."

"What if I said I’m here for the future of the lower districts?"

"Meaningless rhetoric. You are not native to this world. Do not waste this planet’s remaining time."

Svarog’s tone left no room for theatrics.

Now what? Venti mused.