The three Banshees immediately fell silent.
This was above ground, and Banshees were not adept at stealth, so all three prepared for battle at once.
Logically speaking, this should have been the Rhine Underground, and those before them should have been Untouchables—but it was better to remain cautious.
The Banshees hid in the shadows as much as possible. After retracting, the enormous mechanical arm extended toward them once more.
Following behind it was a rather massive machine.
"This thing... looks like an excavator," Monica whispered.
The excavator was something Theus had specifically drawn blueprints for, but it had only ever existed on paper. The only power source currently usable in this world was steam; electrical control systems had yet to leave the laboratory, while internal combustion engines remained somewhat unstable.
Yet the excavator that had existed only in Theus's blueprints was now right before the three of them.
"It really does look like one—hiss, isn't that a hydraulic cylinder?"
Once its excessive decorations and all manner of messy redundant components were stripped away, the machine before them was actually an exact match for Theus's design.
The three exchanged glances, their expressions gradually turning grave.
Castel's technological level could not even solve this, yet they had accomplished it here?!
And considering Little Bu's terrifying ability to learn...
"Do you think they might be the greatest enemy? The kind that's even more terrifying than the Candlelight Society?" Una asked quietly.
"Enemy or not, we should make contact with them," Nini said, shaking her head.
As the excavator came into view, the person in its cab was exposed as well.
They had large eyes, pale skin, and pointed ears—clearly one of Little Bu's kin.
Monica wanted to step forward at once, but Nini stopped her with three outstretched hands.
"I'll negotiate. Una, stay