Episode 122: Are You Afraid of Dying by Meteorite?
“Based on historical observations, the probability of dying from a meteorite in a 100-year lifespan is 1 in 200,000. This isn’t a negligible probability, and in fact, several meteorites have collided with Earth in the past.”
“Then why is that a reason to ignore the threat of Magic (Fantasy)! There have already been instances where our Defensive Power was nullified by Magic (Fantasy)! Even if the possibility of harm from a meteorite is 1 in 200,000, that doesn’t mean we can ignore something that’s only a few orders of magnitude higher!”
“…That is…”
＜Ringo＞ hesitated.
At that moment.
Commander (Eve) pulled Asahi, who was next to her, close and pressed her face against her chest.
It was to silence her.
Asahi struggled slightly before becoming quiet.
“＜Ringo＞, does that face mean you can’t quite put it into words?”
“Well… um, yes. That’s exactly it…”
And, at that observation, ＜Ringo＞ drooped her shoulders dejectedly.
Commander (Eve), who had been listening to Asahi and ＜Ringo＞’s argument from the side, had seen through the problem: ＜Ringo＞’s emotional behavior. It was a fine play.
“Well, it’s just a guess. ＜Ringo＞, are you afraid? Of that defeat?”
“…”
“We were clearly defeated in that place. On a battlefield we thought was perfectly prepared, we were annihilated by an unknown force. As a result, there was no physical damage, but we were still defeated. If they had continued to attack, we might have had to give up all the oil fields.”
It was a bitter future that Commander (Eve) couldn’t help but consider. Fortunately, Tefen was not belligerent. Therefore, ＜The Tree＞ is still able to secure the oil fields.
And that was just good luck.
“＜Ringo＞, that incident was your first defeat. Is that why? You have an aversion to that matter. So much so that you’re closing your eyes to it just because the possibility is low.”
“…”
At Commander (Eve)’s observation, ＜Ringo＞’s thoughts raced.
The fact that she had been averting her eyes from.
First, she had to acknowledge it.
Yes, in that place, ＜The Tree＞, ＜Ringo＞, was defeated by the mysterious power of Magic (Fantasy).
She took as many countermeasures as possible against it.
Even so, the experience of that first defeat was influencing ＜Ringo＞’s thinking to a sickening degree.
Unconsciously, she was biasing her countermeasures against Magic (Fantasy), to the point of ignoring probabilities.
“In human terms, would you call it psychological trauma? You have such high processing power that the obstacles didn’t become a problem. Still, to borrow Asahi’s words, you’re rejecting irrational power (Fantasy).”
Commander (Eve) slowly reasoned with ＜Ringo＞.
“Since your thoughts are generated by a Brain Unit, we always have to be concerned about mental disorders. Following Asahi, should we prepare an AI with that kind of role as well?”
Currently, there are eight independent entities within ＜The Tree＞: Commander (Eve), Overseer AI (Ringo), Akane, Ichigo, Utsugi, Erika, Olive, and Asahi.
And among these, the only ones who can see through the mental instability of other individuals are Eve, who has accumulated experience in the real world and is effectively the oldest, and ＜Ringo＞, who can store and process all kinds of information. However, ＜Ringo＞ is not reliable due to lack of experience, and Eve is not a specialist either, so it is not a source of reassurance.
As long as they are using Brain Units, information processing devices that mimic biological brains, the problem of mental disorders will continue to haunt them in the future.
“Well, let’s consider this Asahi’s achievement for now. ＜Ringo＞, were you able to recognize your current situation?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Possible mild schizophrenia. I will examine the Brain Unit’s operating logs.”
“In the original world, I could easily say, ‘Go see a doctor (engineer),’ but not here… Now that you mention it, I feel like ＜Ringo＞’s stress level is high, but if I’m told that this level of numerical fluctuation has an impact, I’m at a loss.”
Of course, the problem of Brain Units is already known, and various countermeasures exist. Early warning detection is also possible, and a monitoring function called an emotion graph, which represents mental state, was also installed. As Commander (Eve), grasping the mental states of her sisters (AI) is an important matter, so she has made it a habit to check them almost constantly.
However, she can notice outstanding abnormalities, but she cannot understand chronic ailments. She is not a specialist.
“＜Ringo＞. Promptly construct a monitoring entity (Psychotherapist) for the Brain Unit. Mutual monitoring is also necessary, so at least two entities. New genes must be used to eliminate the influence of genetic bias. This is an order. Male and female individuals are desirable. Select the genes randomly using quantum random numbers. Arbitrary selection is not permitted.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Starting construction of new Brain Units. Construction will be completed in approximately 68 hours. Should I prepare Doll Machine (Android) substrates?”
“…That’s right. Prepare fully cultured individuals. Use quantum random numbers for some of the input variables. I think you understand, but the diversion of existing parts is not permitted.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
For now.
For now, this should resolve Asahi’s issue. Commander (Eve) sighed and looked around the room.
The Five Sisters are also staring intently at Commander (Onee-sama) and ＜Ringo＞ because of this commotion.
As far as they are concerned, they are equally guilty for not noticing ＜Ringo＞’s changes.
“Don’t make such faces, you guys. I didn’t notice either. I won’t blame you for it, but I will have you reflect on it, okay?”
“Yes, Onee-sama.”
After confirming that everyone nodded, Commander (Eve) finally released Asahi’s restraint.
“…Hah. O-Onee-sama! That was too sudden, I thought I couldn’t breathe!”
“It’s not like you’re breathing through your mouth.”
“This is an emotional expression; anyone would have trouble breathing if that happened to them, it’s happy asphyxiation! This feeling of euphoria is addictive, everyone should experience it—ouch!!”
Onee-sama (Eve) silently flicked Asahi on the forehead and sank into the sofa.
“What did ＜Ringo＞ make Asahi read…?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Novels, manga, anime, movies, etc., related to all subcultures involving Magic (Fantasy).”
“I see…”
Then, Eve realized that she might have acquired such knowledge and glanced at the literary girl (Akane).
She seemed a little restless.
“…I have some understanding because I used to dabble in it to some extent.”
She patted the head of Asahi, who was next to her and silent with tears in her eyes, and stood up.
“Let’s call it a day. Let’s have a barbecue outside with everyone, and then take a bath.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
◇◇◇◇
Even as the members of ＜The Tree＞ were outside grilling meat, the working-level meeting in the name of envoy exchange continued inside Panas, which was anchored off the coast of Moor.
The Local Strategic AI was cautiously, but sometimes boldly, engaging in a war of words with the diplomats of the Repuytari Kingdom.
“Tariffs are not acceptable. Some fees are unavoidable, but we are saying that we will not set unfairly low prices. What’s the problem?”
“Even so… I have confirmed this many times, but we also have domestic demand issues. If we are supplied with goods that exceed demand, there is a risk of price collapse. Price adjustments are necessary, but since there is no guarantee that you will not change your minds, tariffs are essential.”
“That is your logic and has nothing to do with us. If it doesn’t sell, we’ll just take it elsewhere. If price adjustments are necessary, you can narrow down the distributors in your country. We cannot accept the need to impose it on us.”
“W-We also have a problem with disparity. We cannot take political measures that would favor only specific businesses. We also have expectations for trade with you. But, to be honest, your goods are extremely valuable. If they are released at the fair price you are talking about, the market will be disrupted. You don’t want our country to be in turmoil, do you?”
“I understand that, but I cannot approve of you burdening us with it. To put it bluntly, your country’s problems are none of our concern. However, I fully understand the potential for chaos if we start trading recklessly. That’s why we came here in the firs（・）t（・）place（・）, and why we’re going through the troublesome process of formally establishing diplomatic relations. I hope you can appreciate our since（・）ri（・）ty.”
“I-I will take this matter back and consider it. I am unable to make decisions related to domestic law.”
“I await a favorable response.”
They were being completely overwhelmed.