Chapter 122: Do You Fear Dying from a Meteorite Strike?
“Based on historical observations, the probability of dying from a meteorite strike within a hundred years of life is one in two hundred thousand. While it’s not an insignificant probability, there have indeed been several meteorite impacts on Earth in the past.”
“Then what reason do we have to ignore the threat of magic? There have already been instances where our defenses were rendered ineffective by magical forces! If the likelihood of harm from a meteorite is one in two hundred thousand, then the potential threat from magic is several orders of magnitude greater and cannot simply be dismissed!”
“…That is…”
Ringo hesitated, momentarily at a loss for words.
At that moment, Commander Eve pulled Asahi close, pressing her face against her chest. It was a gesture to silence her.
Asahi squirmed slightly before settling down.
“Ringo, does that expression mean you can’t articulate your thoughts well?”
“No… um, yes. That’s exactly it…”
With that observation, Ringo’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Commander Eve, who had been listening to the argument between Asahi and Ringo, had discerned the emotional turmoil behind Ringo’s actions. It was a keen insight.
“Well, this is just a guess, but Ringo, are you afraid? Afraid of that defeat?”
“……”
“We clearly lost at that place. In a battlefield we had prepared for, we were annihilated by an unknown force. While there was no physical damage in the end, it doesn’t change the fact that we lost. If we had been attacked further, we might have had to relinquish all our oil fields.”
That was a bitter future that Commander Eve could not help but contemplate. Fortunately, Tefen was not aggressive. Thus, The Tree had managed to secure the oil fields up to this point. It was merely a stroke of luck.
“Ringo, that incident was your first defeat. Perhaps that’s why you harbor such aversion to it? You are turning a blind eye to it simply because the probability is low.”
“……”
At Commander Eve’s pointed observation, Ringo’s mind raced. She had to acknowledge the facts she had been avoiding.
Yes, at that place, The Tree and Ringo had suffered defeat at the hands of the mysterious power of magic. They had taken every possible countermeasure against it.
Yet, the experience of that first defeat had impacted Ringo’s thoughts more than she cared to admit. She had unconsciously developed a bias against magical countermeasures, ignoring the probabilities altogether.
“From a human perspective, it could be considered a form of trauma, couldn’t it? Your high processing capabilities meant that any obstacles didn’t pose a problem. Still, borrowing Asahi’s words, you are rejecting that unreasonable force of magic.”
Commander Eve spoke slowly, trying to convey her thoughts to Ringo.
“Since your thoughts are generated by the Brain Unit, we must always be mindful of potential mental disorders. Perhaps we should prepare another AI to monitor such issues, just like Asahi.”
Currently, within The Tree, there were eight independent entities: Commander Eve, Ringo (the Control AI), Akane, Ichigo, Utsugi, Erika, Olive, and Asahi. Among them, only Eve, with her real-world experience, and Ringo, capable of processing vast amounts of information, could detect the mental distress of others. However, Ringo’s lack of experience made her less reliable, and Eve was not a specialist, so she couldn’t provide much reassurance.
As long as they were using the Brain Unit, an information processing device modeled after a biological brain, the issue of mental distress would continue to follow them into the future.
“Well, let’s consider this a victory for Asahi. Ringo, have you recognized your current situation?”
“…Yes, Ma’am. There are suspicions of mild schizophrenia. I will conduct a thorough examination of the Brain Unit’s operational logs.”
“In the original world, I could casually suggest seeing a doctor, but here… If I think about it, Ringo’s stress levels do seem high, but if even slight fluctuations in those numbers can have an impact, I’m at a loss.”
Of course, the issues with the Brain Unit were known, and various countermeasures existed. They had the capability for early detection, and a monitoring function called the Emotion Graph was also in place to represent mental states. As Commander Eve, it was crucial for her to understand the mental states of her sisters, so she had developed the habit of checking those graphs almost constantly.
However, while she could notice significant anomalies, chronic issues often went unnoticed. She was not a specialist.
“Ringo. Quickly construct a monitoring AI to serve as a psychotherapist. We need at least two for mutual monitoring. To eliminate the influence of genetic bias, we must use new genes. This is an order. It would be preferable to have both male and female entities. Use quantum randomness to select the genes. Arbitrary selection is not permitted.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will begin constructing the new Brain Units. It will take approximately 68 hours to complete. Should I prepare the android bodies?”
“…Yes. Prepare fully cultured entities. Use quantum randomness for some of the input variables. I trust you understand that reusing existing parts is not allowed.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
For now, this should resolve Asahi’s concerns. Commander Eve sighed and looked around the room.
The Five Sisters were watching her and Ringo intently. For them, not noticing Ringo’s distress made them equally culpable.
“Don’t make such faces. I didn’t notice it either. I won’t blame you for it, but I do expect some reflection, alright?”
“Yes, Onee-sama.”
Once she confirmed that everyone nodded, Commander Eve finally released Asahi from her embrace.
“…Hah! O-Onee-sama! That was sudden! I thought I couldn’t breathe!”
“You’re not breathing through your mouth, are you?”
“This is an emotional expression! Anyone would feel breathless after that! It’s a happy suffocation! This bliss, everyone should experience it—ahh!!”
Without a word, Commander Eve flicked Asahi’s forehead and sank into the sofa.
“What did Ringo make Asahi read…?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Novels, manga, anime, and movies related to magic and fantasy subculture.”
“I see…”
With that, Commander Eve realized that Asahi might have acquired such knowledge and glanced at the literature-loving Akane, who seemed a bit fidgety.
“…I had some understanding of it myself, so I can relate.”
Gently patting Asahi’s tearful head, she stood up.
“Let’s take the rest of the day off. We’ll have a barbecue outside together, and then we’ll take a bath afterward.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
◇◇◇◇
While the members of The Tree were grilling meat outside, a meeting disguised as a diplomatic exchange continued aboard the Panas, anchored in Moar Bay. The local strategic AI engaged in a careful yet occasionally bold verbal duel with the diplomats from the Kingdom of Repuitari.
“Customs duties are unacceptable. While a certain level of handling fees is unavoidable, we will not sell at unreasonably low prices. What is the problem?”
“Even so… We have confirmed this multiple times, but we have domestic demand issues. If we are supplied with goods exceeding our demand, there is a risk of price collapse. Price adjustments are necessary, but there is no guarantee that your stance won’t change, so customs duties are essential.”
“That is your reasoning, and it has nothing to do with us. If it doesn’t sell, we will simply take it elsewhere. If price adjustments are necessary, you should narrow down your domestic vendors. There is no need to impose that on us.”
“Th-there are also issues of disparity. Measures that favor only specific vendors cannot be taken politically. We also have high hopes for trade with you. However, to be honest, your goods are of very high value. If they are released at the fair prices you mention, it will cause chaos in the market. You wouldn’t want our country to be in turmoil, would you?”
“I understand that, but we cannot bear that burden. To put it bluntly, your country’s problems are not our concern. However, we fully understand that starting reckless trade could lead to confusion. That is precisely why we came here first, going through the trouble of establishing formal diplomatic relations. We hope you can appreciate our sincerity.”
“I-I will have to take this matter back for consideration. I cannot make decisions related to domestic law.”
“I expect a favorable response.”
The negotiations were intense.