Chapter 111: The Otaku Discusses Hobbies
“By the way, what happened with that Brain Unit that’s been undergoing fantasy education?”
“About that…”
At the Commander (Ma’am)’s inquiry, the Control AI (Ringo) hesitated unusually.
“Uh… Is there a problem? If there’s an issue, you should consult me sooner rather than later…”
“…No, there are no problems. In a sense, the educational program is progressing very smoothly. There are no issues.”
“You said that twice!”
She spun around in her command chair, turning to face the
“If
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). We have had successful cases from No.1 to No.5, so we have primarily conducted information input without controlling neurotransmitter distribution, allowing for natural development.”
“Oh?”
The five Brain Units—Akane, Ichigo, Utsugi, Erika, and Olive—were progressing in their development almost naturally. Although preparations were made to adjust the distribution of internal chemicals as needed, they ultimately did not have to use it. Each individual was growing exceptionally well, acquiring their own personalities and the necessary intelligence.
“As for No.6, it can also be said that it has sufficiently expressed its personality and acquired intelligence… probably.”
“Probably!?”
The vague wording from the transcendent AI prompted Commander (Eve) to interject with full force.
“Yes, it would be better for you to have a direct conversation. That would be quicker. Although I haven’t yet permitted a connection to the Communicator Android, so it will be through a display. Is that acceptable?”
“Uh… that’s fine. But… why are you speaking so fast?”
Noticing
“Hello again, Commander (Sister). I have been eagerly awaiting this conversation. I am your No.6, Asahi.”
“It’s been a while. You seem to be doing well.”
“Yes, I am very well! Oh, to be able to speak directly with you, Sister! I am overwhelmed with joy!”
“…Hmm?”
Recalling the time spent with the five sisters, she tilted her head. Something felt… different. It was definitely different, right?
“Commander (Ma’am), I apologize. It seems that it has blossomed in an unexpected direction and has become a bit chatty.”
“Slightly…?”
“Sister, may I share something with you? I have read countless stories from all over the world, but I had always resigned myself to the fact that stories are just stories. However, when I asked Ringo, I learned that this world is a fantasy where magic exists! I can hardly contain myself! Magic! I want to see it with my own eyes! Therefore, I believe I should definitely go to the real world! I want to feel the fantasy world I have dreamed of with my own hands and step on it with my own feet! Even though I currently have neither hands nor feet!”
“You’re speaking so fast!”
“I apologize.”
The new Brain Unit, No.6 “Asahi,” was currently being simulated and developed within the Supercomputer
“So, what’s the actual situation? Are we going to proceed with the Deep Merge soon?”
“Ah, Sister! I am finally ready to have my own body!”
Asahi’s enthusiastic declaration was muted by
“I apologize, Commander (Ma’am). The results of various performance tests are favorable, so the Deep Merge itself poses no issues. The only remaining factor is whether you can tolerate this personality, which will depend on your patience, Commander (Ma’am).”
“Is it going to be that mentally taxing for her?”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). We believe that is a high possibility. If you can make a decision, we can proceed with the freezing process immediately.”
While they did not say “delete,” the freezing process effectively meant halting thought processes and archiving simulation data, which was essentially a form of disposal. Although re-education was possible, considering the resources required, it would be quicker to start basic education from scratch.
“Hmm… I don’t think it’s bad enough to warrant freezing. However, I can’t really do anything after the Deep Merge. If I’m going to decide, it has to be now.”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). I have conducted several situational simulations, and if we send her out as she is, there is a high likelihood of her going out of control, which would cause significant trouble, so I do not recommend it.”
“…I see.”
She glanced at the emotional graph displayed, which was rapidly changing shapes, likely reflecting the intense turmoil of the entity listening to the conversation about its fate.
“
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). We can begin immediately, but is that acceptable?”
“I know you all aren’t avoiding it. I just prefer not to resort to freezing if possible. If there are no issues, then it’s fine.”
“…Thank you, Commander (Ma’am). Since Asahi can be quite noisy, I will proceed with the transfer to the Brain Unit now.”
Under
Once it was confirmed that she had entered a complete dormant state, the packaging of the simulation data began.
“The Deep Merge will be completed by tomorrow morning. I have redesigned the Android body with the intention of sending her to the real world, so may I have your confirmation?”
“…So you are going to send her out.”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). Initially, we had planned for her to operate within the fortress. However, given her personality, we judged that confining her could lead to excessive stress. In the worst-case scenario, she might even attempt to escape.”
“That far… That’s quite serious. Well, I think it’s fine. Eventually, we will need to send out Androids anyway… This will set a precedent. It’s not exactly a good situation, but if we think of it as a test for handling various troubles…”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). We will ensure that we are fully prepared to provide feedback.”
“Well, ideally, I would prefer that you back her up properly before any feedback is needed…”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). I will do my best.”
Perhaps gaining a physical body would help her settle down a bit. She thought this while smiling wryly at
The Backbone, No.6 “Asahi.” The prepared Android body was an improved model that considered independent activity.
The skeletal structure was reinforced with metal atoms to enhance hardness and flexibility. One Brain Unit was placed in the head and two in the chest, ensuring that one unit was always backed up while the other two were used in parallel, effectively doubling computational performance while maintaining redundancy. The internal functions, including all muscles, were mechanized as much as possible to reduce volume while enhancing capabilities.
While the internal power supply had sufficient capacity, the overall power consumption was high, so it primarily relied on external power through microwave charging. Therefore, she could not be dispatched beyond the range of microwave charging.
Although the limited operational range was a disadvantage, it was deemed that the benefits outweighed this drawback, leading to the adoption of microwave charging.