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The man who approached me was a middle-aged man with a friendly smile.
"I was just watching."
"Is that so? Still, the way you were looking at that one wasn't exactly... ordinary. I hope you weren't thinking of disturbing its rest."
The man—clearly a follower of the Machine Cult—gazed at me with a thinly veiled edge. His eyes were smiling, but I could tell there was a weapon concealed beneath that casually stroked sleeve.
"I had no such intention. If my behavior caused misunderstanding, I apologize."
"I see. Understood. In any case, I don't believe I've seen your face around before—you must be an outsider. What brings you to the Purple Line?"
The Machine Cult follower instantly recognized me as a foreigner.
That wasn't surprising.
The Purple Line, where more people died or fled than were born, functioned like a closed society.
And I knew well—
In most closed societies, outsiders were rarely welcomed.
Just like how the Ark once rejected me.
"I heard an interesting rumor."
"A rumor? What sort of rumor?"
"They say a Messiah has appeared in the Purple Line."
The man's smile deepened.
"A Messiah, huh… Now that you mention it, I've heard that story myself. But it's just a baseless rumor. I live here—I'd know better than anyone. If that's all you came for, maybe you should head back."
"Is that so? But I find the rumor rather fascinating. I have a personal interest in it."
"You take things like the Messiah seriously? You're more naïve than you look."
The man chuckled, but it wasn't mockery.
It was a smile of caution, not amusement.
"Everyone seeks salvation. Especially in a world like this, where we never know when everything might end."
"Do you believe that so-called Messiah could be the answer to that salvation?"
"Who knows. I'll find out if I meet them—if they exist at all."
"Haha. I hope they do. I doubt there are many in the Ark who don't wish for salvation."
As our dance of veiled words began to feel stale, I brought it to an end.
"If you're done here, I'll be going."
"Where to?"
"Do I have to tell you?"
"Not necessarily. But since you're looking for the Messiah, I'm just curious. Wouldn't want you going on a pointless search."
"I'll manage."
"I see. Understood."
The man nodded and walked away without resistance.
["…What was that? That ended quickly."]
Esther's tone was full of disbelief, but if he'd intended to walk away that easily, he wouldn't have approached in the first place.
'Not yet.'
["Ah."]
Finally catching on, Esther frowned—realizing the man was still loitering nearby.
["Looks like he's contacting someone… Shall I check?"]
'No. Leave him be. Let's see what they do.'
An outsider visiting the Purple Line.
And not just any outsider—one looking for the Machine Cult's Messiah.
Suspicious, no matter how you looked at it.
Good or bad, the Machine Cult would have to act.
["Oh, more are gathering now."]
'Let's keep waiting.'
I waited.
And waited.
When I turned into a secluded alley, I felt presences reveal themselves—almost as if they had been waiting.
"You can come out now."
At my words, the man I had spoken to earlier was the first to step forward.
This time, flanked by armed personnel.
"You noticed us?"
"With a tail that obvious, how could I not?"
"Please don't misunderstand. We approached because we have some questions."
"With armed men in tow."
The fact that such a heavily armed group could move freely through a district told me everything I needed to know about the Machine Cult's influence in the Purple Line.
"Then let me ask—what brings you to the Purple Line?"
"I told you—I'm looking for the Messiah."
"I already said there's no such thing."
"If that were true, you wouldn't be standing here right now."
"Hmph…"
At his signal, the armed group surrounding me raised their weapons.
"I'd prefer to resolve this peacefully... What is your purpose here? Why are you searching for the Messiah?"
"You open with raised weapons and then ask questions. Quite the welcome."
"We had no prior notice of your visit, so I hope you'll forgive this level of precaution. I'll ask one more time—why are you here?"
"As I said."
The man's gaze changed.
Gone was the gentle smile, replaced by a hardened stare.
"You should answer properly, Carl Marcus. A man of your caliber—why have you come to the Purple Line?"
"So, you knew."
"How could we not know someone like you entered the Purple Line?"
So even the Machine Cult had been informed of my movements.
"Then you should also understand how dangerous it is to point weapons at me."
"…Even so, we can't just lead a threat like you to that one without precautions."
"'That one,' huh. So, the Messiah does exist."
"You knew that when you came."
"True. But I needed confirmation. I'd like you to take me to them."
Of course, I wasn't just asking politely.
Now that I'd confirmed the Machine Cult was aware of my presence, there was no reason to waste more time.
[Heehee…]
[Can't hold it in───!]
[Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.]
The ether around me trembled.
"What the—"
The man glanced around in confusion—but it was already too late.
"Gaaak!"
"I—I can't breathe…!"
"Ggk, gggrkk!"
With the ether swirling violently, the soldiers who had raised their guns began to convulse.
To me, it was nothing but a mild etheric ripple.
But to them, it triggered a spiritual overload.
"Gggh…!"
The man managed to stay conscious—perhaps he had some resistance or compatibility.
Still, he collapsed and vomited on the ground.
Not dead, but far from unharmed.
"Urgh!"
Watching, Esther shook her head.
["Ugh, gross."]
As I withdrew the ether, the man gasped for air—barely clinging to life.
Any longer, and he would've suffocated.
I had no intention of killing them.
"That was more intense than I expected… I knew you were a powerful ether-compatible, but this…"
"Feeling ready to guide me to the Messiah now?"
"I… have no choice…"
"Then let's go."
Perhaps sensing his life was truly in danger, the man grew markedly more obedient.
I had assumed he'd be a fanatical zealot like those in the Church of Morte, but this was unexpected.
'Hmm.'
Maybe I should've done this from the start—but provoking them too early might've turned the Machine Cult into enemies.
This level of escalation—simply responding to a threat—was just right.
"Where's the Messiah?"
"…They're currently visiting a nearby branch."
"That's convenient."
I asked,
"By the way, what's your name?"
No real reason. I just didn't like that he knew me, while I knew nothing about him.
"…Alvin."
"And your position in the Cult?"
"I'm a preacher. My duty is to spread the doctrine."
"Got it. Let's go."
"…Yes."
Alvin took the lead.
His footsteps were noticeably heavier.
* * *
The Machine Cult branch Alvin led me to was a small cavern connected through the Purple Line's sewer system.
Due to harsh religious oppression in the Ark, even a powerful sect like the Machine Cult had no choice but to operate in secrecy.
"This way."
The deeper we went into the sewers, the more believers we encountered.
Though the space wasn't large, there had to be at least a few hundred people.
No wonder the streets above felt deserted—most of the remaining Purple Line population must have gathered here.
—For someone to die. For our family to die, our friends to die, our comrades to die. We have watched, helpless, for too long.
A speech was being delivered from within the chamber.
—But that ends now. Science is our faith. Steel and gunpowder, our belief.
—With that faith and belief as our weapons, we shall rise again. We shall stand against this world of injustice.
Strange.
I had never heard this voice before, and yet it felt so familiar.
"That is the Messiah."
Alvin gestured toward the figure giving the speech—a beautiful blonde-haired girl.
"…That's the Messiah?"
I'd expected a grizzled scientist or engineer when I heard a Messiah had appeared in the Machine Cult.
But no.
Standing at the podium was a girl so stunning she seemed otherworldly.
"She is the one who will lead us to a paradise without pain—Lady Carmen."
"Carmen?"
I knew that name.
No—I couldn't not know it.
Then it hit me—
I finally understood who, or what, the Messiah truly was.
From her unreal beauty to her name, Carmen—everything added up.
'So that's what happened. I was wondering how a Messiah suddenly appeared…'
There was a reason the name Carmen was familiar.
She was the central core of the Machine Cult's engineering legacy—an artificial intelligence that surpassed even human spirituality.
Her name… was Carmen.
'If the Machine Cult's so-called Messiah is named Carmen… then this is no coincidence.'
Typical of the Machine Cult.
Their Messiah wasn't a normal human.
In fact, she wasn't human at all.
'An android.'
A machine that thinks like a human—or more precisely, possesses intellect and spirituality that surpasses humanity.
The Machine Cult had finally succeeded in creating a true android.
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