Record #9: Even More Unexpected Finds!!!

Year 4667 of the Unified Imperial Calendar:

Fourth Month, Day 9. (4:09 PM)

◇Astra's POV ◇

I read the text file and was dumbfounded. It made me wonder what kind of shit this person was thinking when he made it, and the name Belle Doors is so obviously fake as it was ripping of Bill Gates. I mean, doors are just indoor gates!

Somehow, I feel like I lost a lot from reading this text. But that's not important. What's important was the final message! It was an extremely accurate treasure map that pointed to a treasure trove using the safest method! Awesome!

"Astra? Can you really read it?" a voice suddenly resounded from the side, pulling me back to reality.

"U-Uh...Y-Yeah...No problem." I stuttered.

However, it seems my reaction brought some suspicion to the audience nearby as Lillia had raised a brow in frown while her eyes narrowed. She was wary. Or at the very least, I think so.

However, unlike what I expected, she didn't lash out, vent, or even reprimand as she just stared at me like I was some sort of convict. Now that was painful. In more than one ways.

In any case, Lady Reyshia who seemed completely interested in the machine, shook my shoulder with bright eyes like a kid who found a new toy.

"Astra!" she suddenly called out. "Let's take it home!"

"Huh?" I was dumbfounded.

"Let's take it home!"

"..."

"Let's take it home!"

"Oh god no!" I instinctively denied. They were both sirprised at the firm denial, as I explained myself. "I mean, can't we just come back until we have tools for transport? It's safer for the device that way."

Yeah. Going by this pattern, I'm probably the one who'll be tasked to carry the damn unit. That would be annoying. And heavy.

Anyhow, Lady Reyshia seemed to get my idea as she put a hand on her chin as she nodded. "I see..."

But she then beamed again. "Then let's see what's in there!"

Honestly, I could have sworn I saw Lillia put a palm over her forehead, but when I looked again, she was standing like a proper maid. So it must have been my imagination.

Well, Lady Reyshia seems to be on high today, so lets just let her do what she wants. It's not like she'll be the one using the PC.

I turned to the madam. "So? Anything you want to see?"

She made a pondering expression, and then spoke. "How about picking anything in the screen?"

"You know about the icons?"

"Icons?"

"Nah. Never mind."

In any case, I just picked a random icon on the screen. Of course the one with an interesting name:

Lab.exe

And the moment I clicked it, something similar to the command prompt appeared as programmed codes started to list themselves as dizzying speed, and then it closed as the entire place shook.

Fuck my life...

◇◇◇ Third Person POV ◇◇◇

The entire place shook as the blue lightings suddenly turned red. Reyshia who had been overjoyed by the thought of bringing home the mysterious device in front of her, suddenly sobered as she returned to her usual stoic expression.

She then looked towards the maid-in-training, Lillia and saw that she too was looking at her. They then both turned to the only possible culprit of the event.

"Astra, what did you do?" Reyshia asked with wariness in her tone. Ever since she picked the guy—who was actually the same age as her—up, it was all just crazy things. On his very first day, Reyshia suddenly found the guy watching books regarding Arks. Yes, he watched and not read. With the excuse he couldn't read, he said he might as well just familiarized himself with the Arks' pictures.

And now, he was panicking more than they were as he spoke with uncertain tone. "I don't know!" he shook his head. "I just pressed something laboratory of whatever that program was!"

She suddenly perked at the sudden mention of the word 'laboratory' as she then looked towards Lillia. And just as she expected, she had a serious look on her face while she glanced back as Reyshia.

As they were about to inquire, the tremors suddenly increased in intensity as a part of the metallic wall to the right suddenly opened up to reveal a secret passage.

Reyshia's mouth gaped from the unbelievable spectacle. She had just finished scouring the place in search for anything that resembled a laboratory, but didn't find anything. Her war slave however, had just pressed a few clicks on the handheld controller for the strange data terminal, and what she searched for appeared. Or at least it was clues to.

She approached the passage as she examined it, and didn't see anything strange. It seemed to extend further as she couldn't see where it led.

She turned to Lillia, and the maid nodded. They were thinking the same thing.

Reyshia then turned to Astra. "Hey, Astra."

"Yes madam?"

"You lead the way."

". . . . .yes madam. . ." He acquiesced after a bit long of a pause. With slumped shoulders, he then proceeded to move into the passage.

Reyshia's chest tightened in guilt seeing him. It wasn't like she had something against him, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. As usual.

'Sorry Astra.'

She watched him as he entered the passage with obvious wariness. His face had visible tension while his movements were somewhat shaky. He then peeked at the inside, and started walking in.

The moment he went inside, Reyshia and Lillia followed.

After a while of walking, Reyshia noticed Astra's shoulder was still slumped. Perhaps he hated her now? If that was the case, she would hold the fastest record of how quick her war slave hated her. And that wasn't something she would like.

With a bit of guilt, she called out once more. "Astra?"

Astra stopped as he turn around. "Yes madam?"

"Are you alright?"

"Should I be blunt? Or should I be considerate?"

" . . . . . never mind. . ." Reyshia finally said. That's right. There was no choice. Probably.

They continued on for a while, until they finally stumbled upon a door. And it was a door with something resembling security locks in it.

It looks like they were finally close.

◇ Astra's POV ◇

We stood in front of a door that practically screamed 'I got some goodies!' kind of thing. If you can't get what I mean, try imagining a vault for a national gold stash. That kind of feel.

Beside the thick-looking...door? It was more like a hatch. Anyway, the hatch had some sort of security code beside it, and from what it seems, it was an 8 digit code. In all numbers.

Hmm...now then, I get the feeling that the one who made this was the self proclaimed Belle Doors. So it should be something that was easy to guess.

An 8 digit code that's easy to guess...

I tried inputting the first series of numbers that came into my head, and the next instant...

...the hatch opened along with the sound of air pressure being released.

The code was 12345678.

Genius.