(???)
I still retained my sense of self.
Every unit of the Earth Crystal possessed an independent consciousness so that it could arrive at absolutely correct and rational conclusions when thinking.
As the price, every unit had to endure endless loneliness. Even death was forbidden...
To prevent units like us from sinking into negative emotions and spawning darkness, we were kept optimistic and positive through almost coercive means. Any dissatisfaction, regret, or resentment was erased the instant it arose, leaving us perpetually energized and excited like lunatics.
In fact, quite a few units really did develop mental problems.
We had no sleep or rest. Without bodies, we had no need for sleep, and the flood of information pouring in from the entire world was enough to keep us overwhelmed.
I had once thought the Earth Crystal was unfathomable, and that merging with it would probably expose me to incomprehensible, forbidden truths, erasing both my consciousness and my sense of self...
As it turned out, the truth really was cruel.
The Earth Crystal was a sweatshop where we worked twenty-four hours a day.
No, it was even worse than twenty-four hours.
Because our thoughts accelerated, our perception of time slowed instead.
A month had passed in reality, but it felt like several years to me...
Maybe that was just an illusion born of boredom. After all, my sense of time had already gone numb.
"Miluno, dear, the Simulacrum Personality contacted us again. I checked on things over there, and it seems SpiCa wants the Earth Crystal to step in and help her pinpoint Enheria's headquarters."
The other ball of light that sidled up to me, talking away uninvited, was Miss Terra.
By the time she spoke, I had already extracted what I wanted to know from the information stream. Lately, I