The Lost Digital Child

Fukahire...

We promise we'll wake you as soon as we can!

Yes... we need to work with Claude and Isuka to make that happen!

True. When we consider all the clues we found in the game...

The Dream World's Guide...

The girl calling for her mother...

Things suddenly entering the VR-world...

The same red Pillar of Lights we saw in the real world...

Solving all of these mysteries will lead us to solving the Dream World Incidents.

Let's go, Aldo! To the IDEA Operations Room!

Got it, let's go!

Isuka, Claude...

What's wrong? You don't need to panic. There hasn't been another Dream World...

But there has! And it's a completely different type than before!

What?

It sounds serious. I wonder what's going on?

Well... I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask?

What are you saying? You're a member of IDEA, too.

You're also a victim of the Dream Worlds. If you've noticed something, don't hesitate to tell me.

Okay!

From the looks of it, Aldo was also at the place where the new Dream World appeared.

Can you both tell us about that new Dream World?

What?! Dream World Pillars inside the game-world?! And...those same Pillars were also in the real world?!

And you couldn't go inside of them, and the victim's body doesn't vanish, but just stays asleep...

Yes, that's definitely a very different level than what we've dealt with before.

There was also the link with the Dream World Beast. What's happening with that game?

Mana... Mana...

Hm? What's wrong, Saki?

Oh, uh... I just thought the name sounded familiar, but of course it does. It's a popular name.

......

Saki... you just said something very profound.

What?

Think about it. If it's a common name, why would it tug at a person's conscience like that?

True... I wouldn't think much of it.

Think back for us. Try to remember where you were when you heard that name.

Well, let me think...

"I am Mother. Are you Mana?"

I just remembered! It was during the time between eating the dark apple and waking up from the Dream World!

Come to think of it, Mayu was talking about something similar.

Okay...so, from both stories, we can gather that this being called "Mother" is looking for her child, "Mana."

Mother? I wonder if it's that strange creature who was calling out to Fukahire in the game?

Yes... that is probably the being called "Mother."

And the things all the victims had in common were that they're all female IDA students... about the age of Saki...

And none of them have mothers.

Claude!

Don't, Aldo. It's okay. I'm already over it. Claude probably only added that because he understands.

Humph! I heard nothing but truth in that statement.

Hmm... So this being who calls herself "Mother" is looking for her daughter "Mana," and the Dream World Beast also appeared. Plus, the names are still in the memories of Saki and Mayu, who were both victims of the Dream World Incidents.

The simplest explanation is that the Dream Worlds actually took place in the digital world.

The Dream Worlds were...

In the digital world?! Wait, I think that's just too farfetched!

Exactly! For starters, when we were in the Dream Worlds, our actual bodies were inside! That felt entirely different from the virtual world where our bodies can't even feel pain!

Yes, I am aware. However, if we only solve the mystery behind that one inconsistency, everything else adds up.

The first time I logged in, I felt so strange that my body didn't even feel like my own. But when I was in the Dream World, I didn't have that experience.

The first time you logged in, you say?

Wait. Now that you mention it, I...

>Hismena!

No...I do remember feeling a strange sense of dissonance.

That's right...now that you mention it, I also felt this wave of anxiety in my heart the first time I logged in.

Actually, me too. What about you, Isuka?

Well... Do you all play that game regularly?

Huh?! You've never logged in once?! I didn't know such a person existed.

For a woman of such high caliber, Isuka failed to do her research.

Haha! Uh, what a bother. I suppose I'm lacking a little for this investigation. I'll log in later.

But investigating Mana and Mother are our first priority.

I thought you'd scold me about that, so I've been working on a search all this time. But there's so many names to work with that it's going to take a while.

Hmm...well, if that's the case, let's prioritize logging in to the game.

Perhaps I should help you, Isuka?

No need. I've already downloaded the manual into my mobile device.

Hmm...hmm...

Interesting... I've got the gist of it.

So quickly?!

So, to join the party, you have to exchange your school IDs in the real world.

Which means we should all exchange IDs.

Now...let's reconvene in the game-world.

Okay! See you all on the other side!

This room is reserved for an investigative meeting of IDEA. Entry of other students is prohibited. Oh, but you all can come in, of course. We'll take care of the lock!

>All that's left is Isuka now.

>I see you're all here.

>Isn't your level awfully high?

>Dream World Beast?

>Ah! Speak of the devil!

Mom... Mana... I'm rIgHt hEre...

......

>Ah!

>......

>Could it be related to the title of this game? "Lord of Mana."

......

>Did you just say Mother?

>Oh? Well, thanks for the information.

......

Mom...where are you? I'm right here...

Unless...I'm not here? Am I here? Am I not here? I...don't know...

>Helloooo!

>Really?!

Hm? Is Isuka still out?

Yes... She says she wants to check over the beta-version specs some more.

It's okay. We can do this without Isuka. We'll hear what the investigation uncovered and if it's out of our hands, then we can ask her for help.

I can't imagine that this case would be out of our hands to begin with.

True. So, can you tell us what you learned about Mana?

Yes... First, please look at this.

(Hm? For some reason...) (She looks like the girl I saw when I first started playing the game.)

So this girl is...Mana?

Yes. This data is 30 years old.

30 years old?

That's right. Now, this is just my conjecture...

But I believe that this "Mother" being has been looking for her for 30 years.

What makes you believe this is the girl? Do you have proof?

There was an incident that happened at an orphanage, involving a girl named Mana.

An...incident?

Yes. I don't know the exact details, but... She ate an "apple-like object" and went into a coma.

An apple?! Could that be...

This is the "apple-like object" in question.

It might be difficult to see in this image, but it appears to be blue.

A dark apple! So this has been happening for 30 whole years?!

If the "apple-like substance" is the dark apple, then yes.

But then, why did Mother and Mana show up in the game? Even if we accept Isuka's theory that Dream Worlds are digital, why would it happen in that game?

It's my belief... That it's because most of IDA's students have played that game.

In other words, Mother believes Mana is a student at IDA?

Yes. And that would explain Mother's behavior.

But Mana was a teenager 30 years ago. So why would Mother think a current IDA student is Mana? I guess maybe if Mana graduated and became a teacher it's possible.

Good point. That is odd.

Mother's targeting IDA students and if it's a female student with the same conditions as Mana...

It seems like that game has been influenced by Mother before we even played it.

True. Fukahire, the game developer herself, was a victim of a Dream World Incident... Maybe Mother used this encounter with Fukahire to infiltrate the game.

That would add up, timeline-wise. Fukahire was working on the alpha-version when the Dream World Incident happened to her.

Now that you mention it, there's something in that game that never made sense to me.

I was wondering how she could have possibly replicated everything so perfectly, even with the historical data.

What do you mean? "Because everything's replicated perfectly?" You talk like you've seen it in person.

Well, here's the truth. I'm from the past. You kept saying the clothes I was wearing was... "cost-spray"?...but it's actually clothing from my time period.

Huh? You're joking, right?

Heh! Aldo would never joke at a time like this. Besides, Aldo being from the past helps with the hypothesis.

The hypothesis?

If the Dream Worlds really do take place in the digital world and our bodies are recreated by Mother...

Then I figure maybe she can look into Aldo's memories?

Huh?! Wait, so the world in that game was created from my memories?

Good question. Your memories were probably transmitted somehow to the game developer.

No, maybe Mother herself sneaked in as the creator.

Now that you mention it... I feel like the graphics in beta are drastically different from alpha.

But... Why did Mother take Aldo's memories?

I haven't thought that far into it. But there must have been some reason behind it.

Listening to all your theories, the Dream World equals digital world theory is starting to hold up.

I'm still reluctant to completely accept the theory.

But leave it to Isuka to be so perceptive.

Then...there's Mother's identity. Who do you think she is?

When you found out about the orphanage, was there a person who fit the description?

Unfortunately, I found no information on Mother. For some reason, all records of that orphanage have been locked I was unable to dig any further.

The orphanage, huh... Wait, was it called Holy Mother's Cradle... "HMC"?

What?! Y-Yes! How did you know?!

I love reading over old print-articles for research on my homeland. It's my life's work. Naturally, I have also graced our fine campus' massive library with my presence, reading several volumes.

And information on IDA's former role fell into the back of my mind.

So what you're saying is, IDA School used to be the orphanage, HMC.

IDA School used to be an orphanage?!

Probably, yes. Only bits and pieces of data survived, so I was uncertain until now.

But now the pieces have all fit together like a puzzle, quietly telling their story.

Bits and pieces...

If someone is going to such great lengths to cover up the truth...

That's censorship on a considerable scale. Almost like book-burning.

That's just how much they want to keep the past about Mana hidden.

What should we do? I don't know why, but I feel like we're wandering into something dangerous.

Humph! If danger scares you, then you don't belong in IDEA.

Publicly speaking, information on the orphanage is under control of the Administrator. Let's go talk to him at once.

But do you honestly think he'll freely tell us what we want to know?

No need to worry about that. With Hismena on our side, the Administrator must listen to us.

True... good point. Let's go talk to the Administrator.

Excuse me, Sir.

Why, you must be Miss Lunabright.

Yes, Hismena Lunabright. So good to see you again.

Aldo...you and she know each other? I am always surprised by your relationships.

I don't think it's that unusual, really. Hismena is a companion of mine.

Oh, uh...and I didn't know her last name until just now.

The Lunabright family is one of the three branch families of Elzion. In other words, their wealth rivals that of the San family.

San family? That's Leo's family, right?

San? I've never heard of it, but being one of the three branch families of Elzion sounds impressive.

Hismena, I had no idea you were so amazing!

Stop that. My wealth does not determine my worth as a person.

So, what brings you here today?

Well...I wish to inquire about an orphanage. There's a possibility that it's tied to a number of mysterious cases that have been happening at the school.

Hmm... Do you mean HMC?

Hmm?

True. It used to be taboo to say the name. But the times have changed. Besides, now that Hismena and her companions are here, I doubt they will budge until I talk.

And you're correct in that assumption. Thanks for your cooperation.

That orphanage... When it was built, it was called the "Mother Project."

Mother?!

That's right. But the project was scrapped and suspended in the end. And one part of this project was inherited by IDA School. That much is in the records.

IDA School inherited it?!

Indeed. Mostly the framework for the Mother System, the student health care management system. But it wasn't a mechanism from the main project itself, rather, it was used again as part of the infrastructure.

Which means we should look into "Mother," the code name for the project.

Yeah. Maybe it's the person who founded the project?

Maybe that person is still looking for Mana?

Say, Sir, Can we ask you for a little more information on Mana?

I'm sorry, but this project was 30 years ago. I don't know the details of it.

All I do know is that the one responsible at the time was the third Administrator before me. If you want to know more, I could set up a meeting...

Yes! Please!

You truly haven't changed a bit. Very well, I'll set it up. Ah, yes. You can meet at the Inn on Last Island.

Okay. Let's go to the Inn on Last Island!

Three Administrators ago... I wonder what this person is like?

Usually the Administrators are chosen by Elzion's prized quantum computer. So at the very least, I know this person is elite.

So good to see you.

This old granny is the Former Administrator?!

Hehe... Well, it was thirty whole years ago when I was in charge. I looked much different then.

It is an honor to meet you, Madame.

So, you kids are the ones who want to learn about the Mother Project?

Yes. Could you please tell us anything you...

No.

Huh?

I'm sorry to turn you down when you've come all this way. But sometimes politics get in the way even after you're no longer in charge, and you're bound to secrecy. Besides... It's personal...

The Mother Project is painful for me to reflect on. Please, don't make me spend my last couple years in grief.

......

We're so sorry... We won't force you to say anything you don't want to. Hismena, let's find another way.

Please wait. We're in the middle of a very important, dangerous case!

It might be past-trauma for you, but it's present-trauma and danger for us!

What ever do you mean?

There is no way for me to know what the Mother Project was.

So I cannot guarantee that what we're facing now is connected.

But the enemy we are facing now also goes by the name of "Mother." And she's a real threat.

She's called Mother?

No, I made extra certain that there was no possibility she could ever be revived.

Hah! You just gave yourself away there. This "Mother" character can indeed be "revived" in some way.

......

Please, Madame... If you could tell us anything about Mana or Mother, no matter how small.

Mana? Did you just say Mana?!

Huh? Uh, yes?

What do you know about her?! Please tell me!

V... Very well. It all started in these Dream Worlds...

So, to summarize... this string of cases is connected with the Mother Project.

Well...that changes everything. Now I will tell you everything I know.

Madame! Thank you so much!

Don't thank me.

The tragedy with Mother hits too close to home.

The Mother Project was a joint effort started by myself, the Administrator at the time. As well as a third party in the Old State of KMS.

At the time, due to certain circumstances, there was an influx of orphans. So we wished to remedy that problem.

Certain circumstances?

Yes, so, the Xeno Prisma that were being used at the time in our infrastructures were malfunctioning. Giant natural disasters erupted everywhere. So we had to build orphanages to care for all of the displaced children. That was HMC, the orphanage in question. Mother was an AI we created to run the orphanage and care for the children.

I don't understand. While I accept that orphanages are important institutions for a society's welfare...

Such a facility would certainly not be a target of a collaborative project by Elzion's three powers.

Exactly. The Mother Project's special function lied in the research it raised.

Research at an orphanage?

Yes, grandiose research. How do children raised by AI turn out? And, can an AI possess "motherly" traits? The orphanage was the perfect laboratory for a research project with such themes.

But that means you were conducting experiments on children.

Naturally, we were aware of the ethical dilemmas. Even so...

With Elzion's finances in trouble, for me, the project was a godsend. I was desperate to save the orphans.

The government must indeed make some tough decisions like that sometimes.

For the first ten years or so...the project was going well. Mother was a good caregiver. But... after what happened to Mana, the Mother Project came to a deadlock.

I took responsibility for the incident and stepped down as Administrator.

And what happened to poor Mana, it was personally devastating to me.

Did Mana eat a dark apple?

Dark apple?

Ah, that must be what you call the apple.

The dark apple... Yes, we hadn't really given it a name.

What was Mana like?

She was one of the first kids to come to the orphanage.

She became a symbol of the Mother Project. She and Mother were hailed as the perfect pair. But then Mother changed. We'd programmed her to be like the ideal mother, but she transformed into a monster of darkness.

A monster of darkness?

Ever since the incident with Mana, Mother was indeed a "monster." She had gone completely rogue. She was outside our control. So we had no choice but to suspend the project to stop Mother.

But...why did Mother feed Mana the dark apple?

Nobody knows.

We dissected Mother's internal programming after the incident, but nothing became clear. Meanwhile, we couldn't get any information from Mana, the victim.

However...presently, Mother has been revived for some reason, and she's searching for her lost Mana?

But why now? This case is 30 years old.

And why does Mother believe Mana is a student at IDA School?

It might be the limitations of Mother's basic programming.

Mother's recognition system is intentionally limited on "space" and "time."

Mother's "world" exists only in the orphanage.

And she is only allowed to exist within the time axis where she and the children were together.

But why was she programmed like that?

Children eventually grow up and leave the nest, don't they? It was a measure taken so that we could exclude Mother's influence from the grown-up orphans.

Exclude her influence?

It was to force independence for both mother and child?

That would be correct. Since Mother doesn't die, unlike organic lifeforms, she could rule over the orphans forever as their mother. And Mother Project's framework is being used in IDA School's infrastructure. Which means the range of that network is now within the scope of Mother's recognizable world.

Which means... IDA School and IDA City as a whole are included in that scope.

Before the project was shut down completely, we operated Mother for several years, trying to dissect her.

Which is probably why Mother thinks present-day Mana is around 16 years old.

So that's why all the victims of the Dream World Incidents have that in common.

And Mother doesn't realize Mana died from eating the dark apple, which is why she's still searching.

Mana died? What are you saying? She's still alive. I'm supposed to be contacted if she dies.

Huh?!

Mana is in a coma in a special care room at the Elzion University Hospital. The dark apple, which we failed to identify after so much research, is with her.

Which means...Mana's body is still here?

Yes, come to think of it... the Dream World Incidents always made the victim's body vanish, remember? In a mysterious orb of light. But that didn't happen with Mana.

So that's the difference between the past-incident and the present-day Dream Worlds!

Maybe Mother improved upon the dark apple?

No... It was probably the Dream Worlds that got improved, not the apple.

Why do you think that?

Many other apples have been seized, besides the one that Mana was thought to have eaten. It's all still under investigation, but that apple in question didn't really have complicated functions. Which is precisely why we couldn't understand why Mana wouldn't wake up.

But if we add the data from the Dream Worlds you all have been investigating...

That apple...the dark apple... It transmits human consciousness to the digital realm.

It must meddle with the nervous system to make the victim feel like their very body is inside the digital world. Then, using the consciousness of its victim in the Dream World, it meddles with the real world...

Those "Pillars of Light" of which you speak arise, perhaps?

I see... The differences between the cases is the presence of those Pillars of Light that return people to reality.

Uhh, if that's the case, then...

Yes. What Mother improved upon was not the apple, but the Dream Worlds.

Y-You made such a complex theory from so little information?

I feel like I'm talking to Isuka.

Hehe... Well, I may not look it, but I did used to be the Administrator.

The Pillars of Light in the Dream World Incidents are probably "login devices to transport those who haven't eaten the apple." Otherwise, the presence of human bodies who have not ingested the dark apple would not make sense.

Which then means... We thought our actual bodies were in the Dream Worlds, but those were actually "VR bodies."

That's highly likely, yes.

But, unlike normal VR, your physical brain is being tricked, so you can't distinguish between your VR-body and real body.

I suppose that's all I can say about that.

Oh, no! You've given us very valuable information. Thank you.

I'm glad I was able to help.

However, I have just one request.

If you're going to fight Mother, could you please try to bring Mana's consciousness back?

I was unable to revive her...

Of course! IDEA is the defense force of IDA School. It is our duty to save all children at this school. Even if they were here before the school was a school.

Thank you. I really do have faith that you kids might be able to bring closure to Project Mother.

As the Former Administrator, I entrust everything to you.

And also...as the one who was responsible for Mana's tragedy...

We actually got a lot more information than expected. Especially that crucial missing piece in Isuka's theory.

Yes, finding a valid explanation behind the differences between the digital world and Dream Worlds was a real win. Now we can accept Isuka's theory as fact without much doubt.

Yes... But my brain hurts from the information overload.

Don't worry... That's how I feel most of the time.

I told the Operator to definitely get Isuka here now. Come on, let's make it official and go to the IDEA Operations Room.

Hmm...interesting. I do believe I understand everything you said. And I agree with the theories the Former Administrator brought forth. It's all probably true.

The only question marks that still remain are: Mother's true intentions, the red Pillars and the Beast in the Dream Worlds. And why haven't Fukahire and Mana awakened.

No questions there. Based off the Former Administrator's information, I've pieced it all together.

Huh?! Really, Isuka?

Mother is probably trying to use the Dream World to grant Mana's wishes.

H-How do you know that?

Think about all the Dream Worlds so far. They were a reflection of the victim's wishes. In other words, her ideal world. In actual fact, the Dream World is supposed to bring out Mana's ideal world. We can conclude that eating the dark apple is not supposed to hurt Mana. It was to help her wish come true.

Now, as for what Mana's wish is, that I do not know.

Which then means... Mother hasn't lost her behavior traits as a mother-figure?

Correct. Though her behavior is a little warped. Also, about Mana's consciousness...

It's probably scattered inside the digital world. And since the Dream World was incomplete, it is Mana's fragments of consciousness that formed...

Those Dream World Beasts.

Those Beasts are Mana?!

And those red Pillars in the Dream Worlds could be "dark apples" for use in the digital world. Because if the Mother System's frame is used, people in beds logged into the digital world can be easily reached.

But the red Dream World Pillar also show up in the real world, you know?

That must be because the red Pillars within the Dream World meddle with the bodies in the real world.

Which means, Fukahire has been sucked into the Dream World again?

However, there is another person in the Dream World whose real physical body didn't disappear.

That's right! Mana.

Exactly. After all our investigating, it seems Mana's existence is terribly important.

So, if we can break Mana out of her coma...

Then we can use the same method to awaken Fukahire?

That is highly plausible.

So our first task is to collect the fragments of Mana's consciousness, those Dream World Beasts.

Okay! Let's get right to it and find those Dream World Beasts!

But...they're scattered all over the digital space, aren't they?

How do we know where to find them?

I've already established a pattern of where and why they appear. Mother's meddling in the game space has brought a lot of bugs into the game.

The reverse is also true. Wherever you find an unusually high number of bugs, you'll find the Dream World Beasts.

But...that game is still in beta. It probably has a lot of normal bugs related to unimplemented specs.

Hehe...no need to worry about that. I've already picked up on that in my investigation.

Huh?

I already located the unimplemented specs. I've found the specific locations of places where the bugs might be, based off the progression rate of the program.

A-Amazing...I think? Actually, I only understood, like, half of that.

I wasn't just running around in the game all that time for show. Now, on that note...

Let's split up into teams and search for the bugs going haywire where they shouldn't. And if we find Dream World Beasts, we'll capture and consolidate them.

And then...do what with them?

I have a plan, of course. But can we first prioritize just capturing the Dream World Beasts?

Understood. I trust you, Isuka. Let's just go collect some Dream World Beasts!

Let's do it in teams! I'll run around and look, too!

Okay! Let's get right to it and log in!

Mom... Mana... I'm rIgHt hEre...

Mom? ReAlly?

I don't...wAnt tO sEe...anY mOre buGs... No...caN't gEt 'em oFf...

Mom...where are you?

Unless...I'm not here? Am I here? Am I not here? I...don't know...

......

>We will use this to negotiate with Mother.

>With Mother?

>......

>Mm!

>She knows my name too?!

>How?

>This is hopeless.

Mom... Mom!

Mom! I'm here...I'm right here... I missed you so much... Mom!

Oh! Have I...appeared?

>Look...is it her?!

Is that you... Is that you, Mana?!

Mom!

Mana...my darling Mana...

That's right, Mom. It's me, Mana. I missed you so much.

Me too, Mana!

>True. But...

I missed you so much, Mom! I've been so lonely.

Me too, Mana!

Oh, Mana... You haven't changed a bit.

......

Haven't...changed?

Eek!

>"Does not compute"?

>Oh, no!

Before the project was shut down completely, we operated Mother for several years, trying to dissect her.

Which is probably why Mother thinks present-day Mana is around 16 years old.

Oh, no?! But Mom! I really am Mana!

Mom, you've got it all wrong! I just... I just...

Wait, Mom!

Mom!