—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After the short conversation at the cafe, Drek got into the arriving vehicle.
It was a dedicated vehicle sent by Natasha.
She said it was built to withstand being run over by a tank, so there seemed to be no need to worry about other problems arising on the way to No Answer.
Also, since it was a self-driving vehicle, there was no need to be careful about their conversation.
To change the stuffy atmosphere inside the vehicle, Drek broke the silence first.
“…Wow, I didn’t expect it, but I never thought a real Super AI would exist in the world.”
Beyond Drek’s black sunglasses, his green eyes shone with a mechanical light.
He carefully turned his head back to look at the others in the vehicle.
Behind Drek’s seat were two women, each looking out a different window.
The Golden Mercenary and the Red Elf.
Catherine and Andrea.
Originally, a certain mage should have been in the vehicle with them, but he had made an excuse about having urgent business and ran away without looking back, so there was nothing they could do.
Lost in their own thoughts.
When no answer came, Drek reclined his car seat and rested his head back.
‘I’m tired.’
Drek thought.
Incidents involving MegaCorp were not something one could handle with ordinary mental fortitude.
But still, he could guarantee that the three people currently traveling in the vehicle were thinking about the same person.
‘Eve,’ was it?
That was her name.
The scene he had witnessed at the amusement park flashed through Drek’s mind.
Dozens of ninjas collapsing on the spot without being able to do anything.
A MegaCorp’s firewall, which must have had dozens of professional security managers, being breached in an instant.
The sight of the city lights, which were always bright regardless of day or night, disappearing in a flash.
It was almost terrifying.
It was thanks to the explanation from Shiun, his trusted friend and colleague, that he could accept it.
Otherwise, he might have mistaken her for an asymmetric force created by a city or a large nation, something like a ‘game changer.’
The fact that she was an AI, and the level of performance and ability that was unbelievable even when witnessed firsthand.
‘…It’s truly unbelievable.’
If this information leaked to the city, Neon City or a MegaCorp, how would things unfold?
It was a situation where their daily lives, especially Shiun’s, could be shattered in an instant.
Yet,
‘To have such an important conversation in a cafe.’
Was he not thinking straight?
Or was he not worried at all?
Drek couldn’t understand the thoughts of his mage colleague.
There must be a reason why Shiun thought that way, just as he had helped his colleagues, including himself.
But he couldn’t help but wish Shiun had trusted his colleagues and told them beforehand.
‘Well, it’s okay as long as he told us now.’
Drek covered his face with his hands.
Their current destination was No Answer.
It was a natural course, as Natasha, the owner of No Answer, had planned the operation to kidnap the vice chairman.
Then how should he explain to her how things had progressed?
Drek had no idea.
He wondered if this was why Shiun had run away.
Drek looked at the city lights outside the window.
He wondered if Shiun had arrived home by now.
He let out a short sigh, worried about his friend.
…….
And also, a woman in a maid outfit.
Unintentionally, he was surprised to learn about his friend’s new preference.
‘What a preference.’
He was impressed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Truly, humans are peculiar beings.
Take me, for example.
The AI, Eve.
In the current situation, nothing has changed between Eve and me.
AI and owner.
Lost property and finder.
Our relationship has been maintained for quite some time.
I first met Eve during the last request I took with my colleagues.
Even if it hasn’t been years, no one can deny that it’s been enough time for me to adapt to and become accustomed to Eve.
But still, Eve hasn’t changed.
I haven’t changed.
It’s just that the AI I’ve always been with now has a physical body.
But what is this feeling?
“…….”
The situation of being with Eve hasn’t changed, but the mere fact that an AI (a beautiful woman) is physically next to me in the same elevator makes me feel burdened.
I cautiously observed Eve.
Even on the way to my house, Eve kept looking around, seemingly fascinated by the surrounding scenery she was seeing through her synthetic body.
She pressed all the hologram panels that indicated the floors.
She stared blankly at the surveillance camera lens installed inside the elevator, as if she had hacked its contents.
I didn’t interrupt Eve’s actions by speaking to her.
We would have to talk in detail once we got home, but I didn’t want to disturb her as she looked around.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t curious.
Especially about the maid outfit Eve was wearing.
The stares from people on the way here were quite burdensome.
Anyway, the elevator stopped and a short bell rang.
Eve followed closely behind me as I exited the elevator.
Like a chick following its mother hen.
Just then,
“Ah.”
I groaned as I spotted someone in front of me.
Our eyes had already met, so I couldn’t just walk past.
I bowed my head and greeted the biggest old geezer I knew in the cyberpunk world.
“…Mr. Bill, it’s been a while.”
“Hmm, yes.”
It had actually been quite a while since I last saw him.
The little boy, who looked about 10 years old, responded casually to my greeting.
Judging by his appearance alone, the way he stood with his hands clasped behind his back seemed impertinent, but since he was actually close to 100 years old, there was nothing I could do.
I could have just ignored him and gone into my house, but as someone from a country that values Eastern etiquette, that was a difficult option for me.
I tried to quickly pass by Bill with some small talk.
However, before I could, Bill noticed the person next to me, Eve, and asked a question.
“…Who’s the girl in the maid outfit next to you?”
Even he, who seemed like a complete scoundrel, found the cyberpunk maid outfit burdensome.
His tone was unusually curious.
…Hmm.
How should I explain Eve?
No, there was no need to explain in the first place.
Just as I was about to open my mouth and say she was an acquaintance, Eve moved.
“?”
Ignoring my puzzled expression, Eve walked forward and lifted Bill up.
“…Huh?”
In this bewildering situation, Bill couldn’t react.
He seemed to be unable to comprehend the fact that a woman he had just met had lifted him up.
Because Bill had the appearance of a 10-year-old, he couldn’t react to Eve’s actions.
Bill finally came to his senses.
“W-What’s going on!! Put me down!”
Ignoring Bill’s flustered voice, Eve carried him to the front door of his apartment.
At the same time, she opened Bill’s front door.
“…It was locked, how did you open it─.”
After putting Bill down, Eve closed the front door with a bang.
I heard Bill frantically knocking on the door from beyond it.
[Hey, why won’t the door open!]
The doorknob turned from the outside.
But strangely, it seemed he couldn’t open the door from the inside.
I cautiously called out to Eve.
“…Eve.”
“These actions do not violate the laws of the city, ‘Neon City’.”
“…….”
Is that so?
Thinking about it, it seemed right.
She hadn’t used violence.
She hadn’t illegally entered the residence.
She had simply put Bill down inside his house from the hallway.
I was momentarily confused.
I looked at Eve, who walked back behind me.
Eve stood there expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened.
It must have been my imagination, but between Eve’s impassive expression, I sensed a feeling of relief.
…Right.
You were also stressed out because of Bill.
Looking at Bill’s tightly closed front door, I said,
“It feels refreshing.”
“Affirmative.”
It seemed my guess was correct.
Eve nodded slightly.
“This feeling is identified as refreshing, learning.”
She added that as an afterthought.
I suddenly felt grateful to Eve.
In my current tired state, if I had been caught by Bill, respecting the elderly could have turned into attacking the elderly.
…Thank you!
I dragged my tired body down the hallway.
…….
Anyway, continuing my previous thoughts, I would have to live with Eve, who now had a human body, in the same house.
My house wasn’t very spacious.
I wondered if it would be better to get her another apartment on the same floor.
“Hey.”
“Awaiting.”
I stopped walking for a moment.
I turned around and looked at Eve.
In the middle of the condominium hallway, Eve’s white eyes stared intently at me.
I had thought this since I first met her at the amusement park, but her facial features were truly stunning.
Looking at her like this, she looked like the 3D model from Eve Streaming brought to life.
Ah.
I shook my head to regain my composure.
I had been momentarily mesmerized by Eve’s appearance.
I spoke to Eve, who was waiting for my words.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you lived in a different apartment─.”
“Negative.”
Eve’s reply was very quick.
“Currently, this AI, this entity’s purpose is to serve human ‘Lee Shiun.’ Therefore, residing in a small space in a female form is calculated as the most efficient method.”
Her precise pronunciation was artistic, like watching an NCB24 news anchor.
However, her speech was at a speed as if the video was playing at 1.5x speed.
“As furniture has already been ordered to improve living conditions at the address where human ‘Lee Shiun’ resides, I dare say it is a suboptimal choice.”
“Wait, you ordered furniture?”
When did she even do that?
Eve continued,
“Affirmative, this synthetic body has all human functions implemented. Therefore, elements such as sleep and meals are required.”
…A synthetic body that eats too.
Even with my limited knowledge, it seemed like a very inefficient design.
“This is also to serve human ‘Lee Shiun’.”
How exactly does eating and sleeping
serve me?
I couldn’t understand.
Anyway, we couldn’t continue our conversation in the hallway.
“Alright, let’s go inside.”
I walked down the hall and entered the password for my front door.
…Right, thinking about it, nothing really changes.
It was the same as living with Eve, who was stored in my data module.
The only difference was the presence or absence of a physical body.
I decided not to overthink it.
Hmm.
I’ll just live as I always have.
With that thought, I opened the front door.
…….
“Wait a minute.”
I said, looking at the room.
Besides the many new pieces of furniture, I wondered why my ‘single bed’ had been replaced with a ‘double bed.’
“…Eve?”
“Considering the room size and the number of occupants, this is the most efficient choice.”
Does an AI feel embarrassment?
It sounded like she was making excuses.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
