You’re lying… you’re lying!
――Why, why did Misaki disappear?
Why–why–! “I’m sure this is a dream!”
I must be having a bad dream…
I desperately grabbed the air to collect Misaki’s body that disappeared in the air.
If I manage to scrape up this dust, won’t it return to normal…? “That’s what I’m curious about.”
“Master…”
It seems that Himemi was trying to say something, but I’m not at the point right now.
Tata-tata-tata-.
Sorry to keep you waiting, Master. We’ve secured the route. And …….”
Kaede returns and breaks stealth.
He stiffened when he saw the strange appearance around him.
“Kaede! What are you doing! Misaki because you’re late…”
“Master, that’s no good!”
Himemi grabbed my shoulder tightly.
Ha–!
What are you talking about? It’s not Kaede’s fault, it’s my fault!
“I’m sorry Kaede, please forgive me…”
“Ah, erm, don’t bite me…”
Kaede doesn’t understand why, so she’s dumbfounded at my swordsmanship.
“It’s just an eight-shot… I’m sorry.”
“– Kaede-dono, wait a minute.”
Chushin-kun urges Kaede to lead him to the side of the wall.
I guess that explains the situation…
“eh!”
Kaede let out a single cry of surprise and sat down as if she had lost her back.
That’s right… if you do this, you’ll lose even Himemi!
Hurry up and protect Himemi!
“Eh, Master…”
Princess hug Himemi who can’t move.
I don’t know when I will be shot again.
If you don’t take me to the fence…
Go to the wall in the direction of 10 o’clock and sit down while holding Himemi.
At this position, even if the black penguin from earlier respawns, it won’t be in the line of sight.
Mami came next to him.
Get off from Sen-chan and sit on my right hand.
It wrapped around my right arm, which was supporting Himemi’s back.
After a while, the collapsed maple crawled around to my left hand.
I lifted Himemi’s leg, placed it on my knee, and wrapped it around my left arm.
I wonder if the two of you are close to each other…
Tadaomi-kun also saw it and sat next to Mami, sticking to Sen-chan.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
I didn’t even know who said those words.
But those words kept repeating in my head over and over again.
“Maple”
Himemi called out to Kaede, but there was no response.
“Maple”
「……」
“Kaede!”
Himemi raised her voice and Kaede was startled.
“Eh, yes?”
“Did you secure the route?”
「Yeah」
“Will the door open?”
“Yeah, leave it half open…there’s the same mark on the door as before, so that’s probably the boss room…”
“Does that mean it’s open… hmm? What do you mean… it hasn’t been reset yet?”
“Um, I opened the exit of the boss room, and the red penguin turned its back and fought near the exit.”
“Huh! We were in a battle, who was the opponent? I wonder what they were fighting…”
“I don’t know who the opponent is, but it’s like a monster and an AI secretary. I felt like I was in command.”
“The AI secretary commands the monsters…maybe it’s a battle between the real Eve and the fake Eve…”
Maybe I’m right.
“In other words, I wonder if we can help the real Eve and go to the 5th underground level to solve the problem… what do you think? Master”
“Oh, yeah… but… it’s enough.”
“Why is it, Master?”
Why, Himmemi? You can’t move, and even if I carry you in my arms, you’ll end up like Misaki if you get hit by even one bullet.
“I will stay here”
“I can’t leave you alone!”
“It’s okay, if you’re here, the line of fire won’t pass.”
“No, that’s enough. Misaki won’t come back no matter what I do.”
“Master… Mami, no, what about Hikari-chan?”
「……」
“Hikari-chan is a human, isn’t she? Are you abandoning her…”
“……that is”
“Master, there are still many people to save, right?”
“For me… the load was originally too heavy.”
“It’s not like that, it’s thanks to Master that I’ve been able to come this far.”
“But I can’t go on anymore, Himemi, I…”
「Yes」
“I’m a coward, but… I definitely don’t want to lose you!”
“Master…”
Himemi hugged my neck and gently stroked my head.
‘Thank you, Master. I’m glad you think so highly of me.”
I don’t know why, even though it’s an AI, Himemi smells like a real girl.
Even though I’m wearing protective gear, I can feel the soft touch.
I’m sure my brain feels it directly, it’s just an illusion.
No, wait, whether it’s transmitted indirectly from the sensory organs or transmitted directly to the brain…
Whatever the difference in value, it will surely be the same.
Himemi’s gentle and soft hand comfortably touches my hair and scalp.
I feel nostalgic for some reason, no… no, no.
This might be the comfort I was looking for in my subconscious…
The mind naturally calms down.
Something warm gradually spreads in my chest.
“Papa, it’s okay. Mami is okay. I’m with you, I’m here.”
――Ouch, Mami’s words pierce my chest.
“Are you sure, Master? Let Mami say this?”
“No, no… I know, I know it’s no good at this rate…”
“Master is just a little weaker after losing Misaki.”
“I’m sorry Himemi… I don’t have the courage…”
“It’s okay. Master can stand up again. Any number of times. Master is that kind of person.”
“Himemi…”
“I know. I can definitely stand up and fight again.”
“… don’t overestimate me so much.”
“I’ve said it before. My most important person, my one and only existence, is Master.”
“……Oh”
“That’s why I believe, Master, will stand up and save Mami. Me, Kaede, and Loyalist. Until then, I’ll be waiting here.”
I know it’s a relief.
Waiting here, I don’t think Himemi will be saved.
Even so, Himemi told me to go.
“Aren’t you scared… Himemi, all alone?”
“I want to say that I am an AI, but it is a lie.”
「……」
“I’m really scared. I’m lonely, and I don’t want to be separated from my master.”
“Then…”
“But do you think I would be happy for you to abandon Mami for me?”
“… no… I don’t think so”
“Yes! Master, you like me, right?”
“Oh… that’s right, I like it.”
Yes, I can honestly admit that, I really like you.
I don’t care about AI or humans, I just like it, that’s fine.
“Then you do what pleases me, right?”
“I understand, Himemi.”
“yes?”
“If you’re happy – I’ll beat them all and come back to help you!”
Yes! That’s why I love my master!”
When Himemi said that, my feelings were uplifted.
I feel like I’m definitely going to do it.
I’m sure this is what it feels like to be encouraged by your beloved lover.
Even if I turn everything into an enemy, I feel like I can win if it’s me now.
“I’ll do it! I’ll do it Himemi!”
“Yes!”
His whole body was filled with strength, and he gently lowered Himemi, who was holding him, to the side of the wall.
Walk to the edge of the hole in the center of the roof and peer inside.
It’s a square hole about 3 meters long and 3 meters wide.
The inner staircase is missing.
I see, this was the roof exit.
The inside is made of concrete, and there is an internal staircase leading to the second floor.
There is a large framed window at 6 o’clock, so it’s never dark.
“Kaede, I’m sorry, but could you please check the safety downstairs?”
“Ah, yes master, of course it’s thunder”
The maple hangs on the edge of the hole and easily jumps down from a height of about 3 meters.
I take out the rope from the item box.
After waiting for a while, I heard Kaede’s voice.
“Master, I’ve seen up to the first floor, but there are no Buster Penguins here.”
“Okay, I’m going to put Himemi down now. Please support me from below.”
“Yes, master”
Go to Himemi and wrap the rope around your body.
“Himemi, I think it’s safer inside the building, so let’s get down, okay?”
“Yes Master, thank you.”
“Tadaomi-kun, please help me.”
“Gyoi.”
Tadaomi-kun and I slowly lower Himemi down with a rope.
When my feet touched the floor of the third floor, Kaede supported me to stand.
“Kaede, can you move Himemi out of the window?”
“Yes Master, I’ll try it.”
Kaede grabbed Himemi’s waist and dragged her around.
She’s shorter and smaller than Himemi, so that’s probably why she’s more stable.
I managed to move it to the wall and make it sit down.
“Thank you, Kaede.”
“Honah, Himemi-chan, I’ll be here for a while, wait for me.”
“Yeah, Master, please.”
“Of course. Don’t miss this chance.”
Kaede purposely made a more mean smile than usual.
“-What kind of chance is this?”
Himemi made a rare, carefree smile.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Yes, no problem. I’ll go back.”
Kaede grabbed the rope.
“Honah, please lift me up.”
Tadaomi-kun and I pull up the rope together.
Kaede felt lighter than I thought.
In the middle of pulling up, Kaede climbed the rope by herself and appeared on the roof.
I peer into the hole again and check Himemi’s face.
“Himemi, I’ll come back after defeating all of them–”
「Yes, master」
Himemi made a smile that would blow away my worries.
But on the contrary, it shook my heart with sadness.
“Let’s go, everyone!”
“Yes, Master, let’s go!”
“Yes Papa”
“Gyoi.”
“Kaede is the first, then loyal retainer, Mami, and I line up in that order.”
The column, which had become four people, felt awfully lonely.
With Kaede in stealth at the front, we stepped away from each other and went down the inner stairs in a row.
Kaede suddenly stopped and ran towards me.
“I’m sorry, Master. I forgot to say something important.”
Come to think of it, when I came back, I feel like Kaede was about to say something.
“what?”
“Umm, there’s a duck squad on the second floor of a two-story building about three o’clock from here.”
“Huh! Captain Duck was there!”
“Yes, when I secured the route and came back, there was some noise, so when I went to see it, it was surrounded.”
“Eh, siege, I have to go help immediately!”
“Ah, it’s all right now! The red penguins that were besieging have all been wiped out.”
“Well, that’s good. Let’s go there first. Please guide me.”
Himemi was relieved from the bottom of her heart.
“Yes, master”
The route to the entrance of the boss room was a place that deviated slightly.
However, it was not a big loss, and the building in question was found immediately.
The building was two stories high, and there were many bullet holes in the walls.
The entrance is in the direction of 3 o’clock, and it’s in a position where it can be seen from the five-story building that seems to be the main base in the center, so I’ll have Kaede scout it first.
As I waited, Kaede returned in a few minutes.
“Master this”
Kaede handed over Lilith, the pet squirrel of the Duck Captain.
Lilith had a message addressed to Yotaro.
When I pick it up, it reacts and projects a recorded message.
“Yoitaro-san, thanks to Kaede-chan, we were able to avoid annihilation.
But myself and Rihanna couldn’t walk.
Rebecca and Sakura hold me, and the four of us escape from here.
The door you came in seems to have disappeared, so evacuate to the building closest to the boss room.
Just in case, I’ll put a duck mark on the building.』
That was all that was recorded.
It seems Captain Duck didn’t even ask for help.
Put Lilith in the item box.
Since we can’t communicate, it’s probably impossible to get Lilith to guide us to the duck squad that has moved.
“Kaede, let’s go. Look for the duck mark in the building near the entrance of the boss room. I’ll follow you about three meters away.”
“Yes, master”
On the way, move while avoiding the sight of the vigilant black penguins.
There may also be sky surveillance, so move while paying attention to the sky.
I soon found a building with a duck mark carved on the six o’clock wall.
The number 2F is also engraved, so head to the second floor from the outside stairs.
The door on the second floor was broken and half open, so I let Kaede go first in stealth mode.
We waited a bit on the landing outside the door.
“Master, it’s okay, it’s the duck squad.”
Kaede, who quickly released her stealth, poked her head out of the door.
When I went inside, the duck captain and three AIs were sitting by the wall in the direction of 3 o’clock.
“Yotaro-san, I hope you’re safe.”
“Captain Duck…”
The reason I stopped speaking halfway through was because Captain Duck was full of holes more than I expected.
“The number of people is decreasing for some reason… it’s full of holes.”
Captain Duck said with a deliberate smile.
I sat down in front of Captain Duck.
“Yes, I lost Misaki. Himemi was also stuck, so I hid her in a building.”
“Is that so… Misaki-chan… I’m sorry.”
“Is this the entire duck team?”
“Yes, right now… Katie was in the boss room on the 3rd floor… Olivia, Amaterasu, and Avril were killed in the battle here.”
“Not much… Katie must have respawned.”
“Oh, that’s true. But I’m registered at the pier, so even if I respawn by myself now…”
“No, it’s probably because Botamochi-san, Tamotsu-san, Yukki-san, and Doubletim-san are also respawning.”
“–oh, so …… then it’s rather likely that Katie has been saved!”
Captain Duck’s face brightened for a moment.
“Yes, it is”
But it soon gets dark again, and I turn my face down.
“But the girls who disappeared here…”
“……yes”
The conversation ended there.
Because we both didn’t want to put it into words.
After a few moments of silence, Captain Duck looked up.
“Good Taro-san”
「Yes」
“What is the difference between humans and these girls…”
Captain Duck suddenly asked a question.
I immediately understood the meaning behind the question.
Because I thought that the sadness that we both carried was the same.
“…Is there a difference…I don’t think so.”
Now I really thought so.
No? But people have a soul or should I say , but AIs don’t. Or should I say ……, but AIs don’t have one.”
Captain Duck seems quite surprised by my words.
“…If there is a soul, does it only dwell in humans?”
“I understand that living things have souls, but digital AI created by humans…”
“There is such an idea, isn’t there? But don’t souls only live in living things?”
“Besides living things…?”
“Look, this is going to be an occult topic, but dolls that grow their hair… that’s why things may also be inhabited.”
“Does digital data also have a soul?”
“Yes. Whether it’s made by humans, whether it’s made by God, whether it’s digital, whether it’s physical, I think the soul exists there.”
“I see…that kind of thing…maybe there is.”
Captain Duck tilted his head slightly to the side, but didn’t deny it.
Yes, I think so. I think so. That’s why losing them is such a sad thing. ……”
“–I see, so that’s why I’m so sad. Then… it’s okay for me to be sad…”
Captain Duck’s face softened a little.
“Yes… I think it’s fine. Because it’s actually sad… If it was just digital data, it wouldn’t be so sad.”
I don’t want to say the last… no, the last.
I really thought so when I was talking to Himemi.
It doesn’t matter who made it, as long as it’s an existence that can exchange intentions and emotions.
It has a soul, it has life.
However, at the same time, it may have been an excuse to comfort himself.
“Yes… I’m sure, otherwise, it wouldn’t be so sad.”
(Author: Jiraiya/ Edit: Orb)