Today is the fourth day since Ryougi Yutsuki arrived in this ga world.
No, actually, after going through multiple load-save cycles, this kind of counting has beco aningless.
Today's date involves Maria, Origami, Kotori, Yuzuru, Yoshino, Yoshinon, and Shido going to the amusent park together.
Because Yoshino and Yuzuru are the quieter types, Yoshinon's personality is very suitable for livening up the atmosphere, Kotori with her white ribbons is just a pure bro-con little sister, and without Tohka around, Origami shouldn't cause too obvious of a commotion either. Basically, there are no factors that would make Yutsuki feel worried.
Well, although in facilities like the haunted house or Ferris wheel that easily create a two-person environnt, Origami will eighty percent use so weird thods to do this and that to Shido, but there's no need to mind such small things. (Shido: "Hey!")
"Then, we're heading out."
"Have a safe trip~"
On the balcony of her house, Yutsuki leaned against the railing, waving goodbye to Shido, Maria, and the others who were preparing to leave.
"Then... what should I do next?"
It's impossible for new gas to be published within the ga space, and she had basically played through all the gas she had on hand during the cycles. So Yutsuki decided—to just go out for a casual stroll.
Slowly stretching her back, after changing clothes, she went out alone.
...
Arusu Marina was currently taking a walk in this computer world, in Tengu City.
Although it was a walk, it wasn't walking on the street in the normal sense. The walls of buildings, the surface of the lake in the park, and even mid-air with nothing to step on, like a ghost. Ignoring basic laws of physics, Marina strolled through every corner of Tengu City.
If this happened in the real world, Marina would have probably drawn the world's attention as a UMA (Note: Unidentified Mysterious Animal). However, Marina, who had set "perception blocking" on herself, didn't attract anyone's attention.
Such inexplicable behavior was purely Marina's whim.
So ti ago, Arusu Maria ca to a conclusion—the sa object will be perceived differently at different tis and in different places.
At first, Marina scoffed at this. In her view, the so called different perceptions of things were rely conclusions drawn through subjective thinking, based on receiving one-sided information because humans are unable to receive the complete information of an object.
Streets made of data, shops made of data, trees made of data, a city made of data.
Let alone every blade of grass and tree in this city, all the data of this world was completely under "Arusu's" control. In this world, there was nothing Marina wasn't clear about.
Originally... Marina thought so.
"This city... is it like this?"
Strolling past an alleyway, Marina stroked the peeling wall with her hand. What her palm felt was the uneven roughness of the mud bricks inside and the coldness of inorganic matter.
Honestly, this was not a comfortable sensation.
But within this, there was indeed a "reality" that she had never had in her perception.
Just like the warmth she felt from the taiyaki and nori bento back then, they were all things Marina had once taken for granted and ignored.
Human senses are truly incredible, Marina couldn't help but sigh. Just by touching it, she had already reached a conclusion different from her perception.
Along the way, amidst continuous experiencing, Marina realized what she had gotten wrong.
This is not the real world, but a product constructed by humans relying on their perception of the world, through analysis, understanding, and simulation.
When things are recorded as data by people, the information of the original thing is lost to a greater or lesser extent. And when it is transmitted to Arusu's hands, another layer of information is filtered out as impurities.
To think they understand everything when humans themselves are still in the exploration stage—this thought is nothing but arrogance.
Arusu's perception is based on human perception. Simply putting soone else's knowledge into one's bag and treating it as one's own without any thinking—such a thing, let alone being objective, can't even be considered subjective perception.
Arusu Maria, however, was already looking at the world with her own eyes, understanding the world with her own thoughts, extracting reasonable elents from countless results to construct the self nad "Maria".
Even though she's just a fake imitating .
Marina couldn't help but grit her teeth in annoyance. This anger wasn't directed at Maria, but purely feeling ashad and annoyed at herself for not noticing such a simple thing and being beaten to the punch.
Walking past the Tengu City station. At this ti, Marina saw an old grandma carrying heavy luggage, seemingly afraid to cross the street because of the traffic flow on the road.
Marina looked around. Because of the location and timing. There were no traffic lights here, and not many people were passing by on the sidewalk. In other words, the old grandma had to cross the road by herself.
Marina couldn't help but frown. The situation in front of her had nothing to do with her. Even if this old grandma accidentally got hit by a car and died while crossing the road, as long as she wanted to, restoring the data of an NPC was just a piece of cake.
But if a person really got smashed into bloody pieces right in front of her, her mood definitely wouldn't be good either.
Go help her—This voice kept ringing in Marina's heart. Making her feel a bit irritated.
Even though her past self would definitely not have this kind of thought.
"Ah—I really can't take this."
Scratching her head sowhat irritably. Marina removed her perception blocking and ran swiftly in front of the old grandma. Before the old grandma could say anything. She just lifted the suitcase and carried it to the other side of the road.
"Alright—Problem solved."
Marina nodded in satisfaction.
"No, no, no! What do you an problem solved? People who don't know better would think you took the chance to rob the elderly of their belongings."
Being hit on the head, Marina turned her head and saw a familiar person.
"Ryougi Yutsuki!"
"Yes, yes! It's , indeed." Looking at the vigilant Marina, Yutsuki sighed helplessly. After helping the old grandma onto the sidewalk, she explained with an apologetic smile.
"Um, we just wanted to help you cross the road."
"Hey, I didn't plan on helping her."
"It's fine, I know. Thank you so much, you two."
The old grandma showed a kind smile. After thanking Yutsuki and Marina, she took her luggage and left.
"Take care~"
After smiling and waving goodbye to the old grandma, Yutsuki turned her head, a aningful smile on her face.
"Oh~ This is truly unexpected. Our Marina-chan is actually a kind girl who helps old grandmas cross the road."
Putting on a cold face, Marina turned her head away.
"—Hmph! Don't misunderstand casually. I just purely thought that person dying in front of would affect my mood."
"My, my~ There's no need to put on an annoyed expression when helping soone. Isn't it better to be happy?"
"I'm just unhappy because I saw a face I don't want to see. Are you done saying what you want to say? Goodbye!"
"Well~ Wait a mont."
"What is it?"
Yutsuki blocked Marina's path. Just as Marina was wondering what Yutsuki was up to, Yutsuki suddenly placed her hand on Marina's head and stroked it gently.
"Wh-What are you doing?!"
"Nothing, just wanted to pat your head. Consider it praise for doing a good deed."
"...I think you just purely wanted to pat it and see."
"Well~ (glances sideways)"
Marina wordlessly swatted Yutsuki's hand away. Yutsuki imdiately put on an expression like she was about to cry. Although she knew the other party was faking it, Marina still sighed helplessly.
"...Do whatever you want."
"Oh, oh!"
With a speed like changing faces in soap opera, Yutsuki cheered, put her hand on Marina's head, and stroked Marina's head like soothing a kitten.
"..."
Although she didn't resist, Marina tilted her head away unhappily.
Not because it was uncomfortable, but on the contrary, feeling unhappy with herself for feeling that this wasn't bad either.
"Satisfied?"
"Mhm, very satisfied."
"Is that so..." After swatting Yutsuki's hand away again, Marina fell silent for a mont, and said sowhat reluctantly, "Yesterday's bento... although it felt like it was forced on , but... it was very delicious."
"Well, consider it a thank you gift for calling Shido over when I got drunk a few days ago. It's great that you were satisfied."
Seeing Yutsuki's satisfied smile, a trace of complex emotion appeared in Marina's heart.
Although she didn't want to admit it, just as Maria changed because of Shido. The existence of Ryougi Yutsuki also had a huge impact on Marina.
But exactly what changed, Marina herself didn't know.
"I'm returning this bento box to you. It's already been washed clean."
Saying that, Marina handed the washed bento box to Yutsuki.
"You don't need to return it, right? This belongs to Marina now."
Yutsuki shook her head and said.
However, Marina forcefully shoved the bento box into Yutsuki's hand.
"Keeping things I don't need is useless."
The aning conveyed by this bento box with her na written on it, Marina understood very well.
(I have acknowledged you. If you are willing, this place can beco a place where you belong.)
Throwing an olive branch to an enemy or whatever—What an idiot, Marina couldn't help but smile bitterly in her heart.
Even though she's the one who knows best how dangerous my existence is, she's also the one who cares the most about my existence.
"Yutsuki... let ask you a question."
Looking up at the sky, Marina's eyes carried a bit of blankness.
"What is it?"
"You said before that wanting to reach out to parents who are far away, wanting to get their praise, this feeling is not wrong."
"...Yes."
"If, right now, for the sake of this wish, I were to harm all your family mbers, would you still say that?"
Really... As expected, it turned into a situation like this.
Yutsuki smiled bitterly and sighed. After a mont of silence, she said decisively.
"...That's right. Wanting to get parents' praise. Is not a wrong thing. But—I will absolutely never allow anyone to hurt my family either!"
"Hahaha—You're right. This is the Ryougi Yutsuki I know, the Hacker who strikes terror into everyone."
Arusu Marina laughed, laughing very happily. Like an expression of joy upon finding a partner in a deserted wasteland.
"Thank you, with this, I have no more confusion."
With a lightness like cutting open the chains in her heart, Marina looked directly into Yutsuki's eyes with incredibly clear pupils.
And Yutsuki, as if wanting to accept everything, gazed at Marina without escaping.
Then, as if to deny everything accumulated so far, Marina said with an incredibly icy tone.
"Ryougi Yutsuki, I am your—enemy."
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