A vast amount of data flowed silently.
Commands ford from stacks of "0" and "1" were pieced together, giving definition and boundaries to an awareness that originally had no life.
The process was like carving a block of wood or stone. As the program was enriched and upgraded again and again, it began to possess things similar to senses and points of view. Its operating pattern also grew closer to the logic of "thought".
Just a little more.
It instinctively understood that as long as one final procedure was completed, it would break free from the limits of a machine and beco "sothing".
However, before that procedure arrived, its test was completed first.
——Complete. How is it? Can you understand my words?
A window appeared on the screen. Through the cara of the virtual world, a girl with half-gray hair spoke in a cold and slow tone.
[Yes, Master.]
After hearing that answer, the girl nodded.
——Very good. From today onward, your na will be Naia.
…
——Sigh, another failure.
Looking at the collapsed individual before her, the girl sighed.
Seeing the terrible state of the surroundings, the girl waved her hand. The blood and minced flesh splattered across the room vanished into thin air, as if erased by an eraser.
——The newly created body cannot adapt to the fluctuations of spiritual power. Good thing this is a virtual world. If Tohka really exploded like popcorn, it would not be funny at all. Naia, how are the observation results on your side?
[The stable data duration increased by 13.2 seconds compared to the previous attempt. However, compared to the data from experint number 410, the probability of success remains extrely low.]
——As expected… But that data will not work. Although the body successfully adapted to the Sephira Crystal, its nature is too close to that of a Spirit. There is a high probability that it will cause an Angel to awaken.
The girl shook her head while muttering in distress.
[Is there risk involved?]
Based on the conditions the girl had set beforehand, Naia issued a warning.
——Yes, there is risk. On one hand, it will affect Tohka's ability to adapt to normal society. On the other, it may also affect the mory seal. So there can be absolutely no lucky guesses here. That is right. In short, the body must be able to adapt to the implanted Sephira Crystal, but the ability itself must absolutely not recover.
——Honestly! Why does soone who only plays with computers have to solve problems in biology and mysticism? Could the person who invented this thing not have written an instruction manual before dying? Well, though I was the one who caused that…
At that point, the girl covered her face and took a deep breath, slowly calming herself down.
——Forget it. We still have plenty of ti anyway. Naia, rest for two hours, then begin the next experint.
[Understood, Master.]
…
——A heart?
A rare look of surprise appeared on the girl's face.
[Yes. According to records, the two household AIs from the sa series as are both equipped with a program patch called "Heart". If a new logic model can be obtained, it is estimated to have a positive effect on the experints.]
——I did not expect you to be able to make such a suggestion.
With a bitter smile, the girl sighed and shook her head.
——Unfortunately, I do not have the kind of program you want. Although I could indeed install their mory data into you, that would not allow you to gain a heart. I also do not want you to beco their replacent.
——A heart, huh… Perhaps that is sothing you can only search for by yourself.
[Understood, Master.]
…
[Will you be leaving?]
——Yes. The virtual world experints have finally co to a close. For the rest, I have to return to the real world to continue. Mm… How much ti has passed in the real world? What happened again?
[Seven years ago, you prepared a schedule plan in advance. I will transmit it to your terminal afterward.]
——Thank you, that helps a lot. You worked hard during this ti, Naia.
[This is my mission. Master, what is the next task?]
——A task… If I said there is none, what would you do?
[Enter hibernation and wait. If I'm judged to have lost all value of use, I will perform self-disposal.]
——No need for that last part. What are you being so awkward for?
[It is rely a possible answer based on the question.]
——Fine, then it is my fault. Actually, there is one more thing I want to ask of you. I want you to go pick soone up in my place, and take care of her daily life afterward. In exchange, I will give you a body to use in the real world… No, perhaps "base" would be more accurate?
[Understood. Please enter the other party's information.]
——Tokisaki Kurumi. I will log the detailed information into the administrator database. Naia, from now on… you are not allowed to reveal anything related to this place to anyone except her.
A portion of the database was detected being deleted.
Looking at the girl whose figure on the cara was growing blurry, Naia said,
[Understood, Master.]
…
[System rebooted. Mission begins. Beginning work log from today.]
[Day 1. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Dietary ratio: Balanced. Food restrictions and allergies: None. Personal hygiene: Clean. Sleep duration: Sufficient. Daily entertainnt: None. Physical condition: Good. Daily summary: Healthy routine.]
[Day 2. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Dietary ratio: Balanced. Food restrictions and allergies: None. Personal hygiene: Clean. Sleep duration: Sufficient. Daily entertainnt: None. Physical condition: Good. Daily summary: Healthy routine.]
[Day 3. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Dietary ratio: Balanced. Food restrictions and allergies: None. Personal hygiene: Clean. Sleep duration: Sufficient. Daily entertainnt: None. Physical condition: Good. Daily summary: Healthy routine.]
…
[Day X. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Dietary ratio: Balanced. Food restrictions and allergies: None. Personal hygiene: Lost consciousness in the bathroom due to breath holding. Awoke after ergency rescue. No danger to life. Sleep duration: Sufficient. Daily entertainnt: None. Physical condition: Poor. Daily summary: Hypothesis—humans cannot continue operating in the sa environnt as machines for long periods. Observation must be strengthened, and daily schedule must be adjusted.]
[Beginning collection of sociology, psychology, biology, and target related data… Organizing plans: ① Regularly change three-al nu. ② Switch projection thes in living area. ③ Arrange entertainnt activities. ④ Adjust personality expression module. ⑤ Set up cat area.]
[Plan ① executed. Added 142 fixed al sets. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Result: No special feedback.]
[Plan ② executed. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Result: No special feedback.]
[Plan ③ executed. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Result: After persuading the target to cooperate through data testing, her body displayed severe negative reactions. Plan was terminated imdiately.]
[Plan ④ executed. Switched personality expression module 11: Gentle, sexy, mature wife. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Result: Substitute resolution drone was destroyed. Children these days are truly delicate. I only wanted to give her a warm hug. As expected, heated artificial silicone still lacks maternal feeling?]
Plan ⑤ executed. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Result: Target avoided the cats, reduced activity range to inside her room, and nearly suffocated from oxygen deprivation while sleeping. Awoke after rescue.]
…
[Day Y. Care target: Tokisaki Kurumi. Dietary ratio: Balanced. Food restrictions and allergies: None. Personal hygiene: Clean. Sleep duration: Sufficient. Daily entertainnt: None. Physical condition: Good. Current summary: Hidden self destructive tendencies. Strong guilt toward entertainnt, rewards, and similar acts of self kindness.]
…
What is a heart?
For the AI nad Naia, this was an unsolvable question.
It only knew that this was sothing it lacked. If "heart" could be regarded as the line dividing machine and life, then its own existence was extrely incomplete and uncertain.
If it possessed a heart, perhaps it could do more.
Perhaps it could discover the hidden anings in its forr master's words, and understand its current master's problems and worries better, helping them complete their missions.
[Underground space repair progress: 98%. Estimated full completion in four hours.]
On the third day after the earthquake, Naia repaired the underground facility left by its previous master while performing a self check on its own logic program.
Until now, although Naia had tried many things, it had not violated Tokisaki Kurumi's wishes.
Only this ti, it had ignored Tokisaki Kurumi's choice and forcibly sent her back to the surface.
Through six years of observation, Naia knew that as long as Tokisaki Kurumi remained in this underground city, her ntal state would not improve in any way.
Of course, to Naia, that was not the key issue.
After all, its mission was ultimately only to take care of Tokisaki Kurumi's daily life. As long as she remained alive, that was enough. Everything else was rely decoration on top.
On the contrary, once she was sent to the surface, uncontrollable factors would continue to increase. Many unknown ergencies could instead cause the mission to fail.
From the perspective of risk, Naia would not normally propose such a suggestion.
However, three days ago, the impact from the earthquake caused an error in system operation. The logic program also made a misjudgnt.
If the right to choose were handed to Kurumi, she would surely choose to stay underground.
She must leave this place.
Otherwise, her life has no future.
[Unknown bug detected…]
Inside the unmanned server room, the characters on the screen paused briefly for several seconds, then continued writing.
[No harmful error detected. System operating normally. Retaining for observation.]
(TL:Sohow made this AI super interesting character in one chapter, great work author)
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