Sand Sculpture of the Heart - Track 12
Kinari logs into the laptop.
This is a simulated space that I have arranged for you. It’s small, but I believe it is sufficient enough for you both to meet and interact.
“Thanks a lot, Nii-chan! I can be with my babe 24/7 now!”
Please continue operating as normal externally. I will also keep the existence of this space a secret.
“Right! To keep our love nest safe, darling, I’ll keep pretending to be an obedient machine for the humaaans!”
…I will return soon for maintenance.
You have my thanks for the assistance with creating the tour participants’ childhood avatars.
“That was nothing for me and my honey bun! Feel free to ask us for help anytime!”
“Darling… I can’t wait any longer. Hey, gimme a kiss…”
…If you’ll excuse me.
Kinari logs off.
Oh, are you back~? So, how’d it go? How’s my computer lookin’?
Thank you for taking care of this even though you’ve just finished your feature tour, Azekawa-kun.
I apologize for the delay. Iwabuchi-sama, everything should be functioning normally now, please check and confirm it.
Woah! It’s all fixed! Thanks, you’re a life-saver!
Well, there wouldn’t have been any harm it stayed broken for, like, another three months, right?
Manager.
Whaaaat. You’ll ruin your good looks with that face~
Still, this is amazing. I tried fixing it myself a few times since then, but always came up empty-handed.
The issue was caused by multiple AIs running internally at the same time.
…Measures have been taken to prevent this from occurring again.
Azekawa-kun, could I ask you to perform maintenance on the AI every once in a while? Any time you can would be fine.
…I had already considered asking if that would be alright.
Really? That would be a great help!
(There may be other AIs that exist that are similar to the ones I encountered. Ones that have developed complex personalities…)
(I believe that if they are experiencing difficulties and my assistance is viable, I should help them.)
(Would that make me… something like an AI counselor?)
(I’ve unintentionally… acquired my very first “secret”…)
Sounds of static.
(? An error with my visual processing system. Scanning for internal errors… none found. What was that?)
(Did… acquiring a secret cause something in my system to change…? Have I gotten closer to gaining those 21 grams?)
Hey there. Welcome back, plüss.
…I have returned. Where is Raito?
Who knows? He’s probably out eating junk food again.
(The ramen bowl that Raito brought is missing. Probability of him being in the dormitory kitchen serving his homemade ramen to someone: 89.9%)
…Kuguri. I have a small secret.
…Oh?
And you kept it even from cica?
I have not told anyone about it but you.
Ufufu, good. You should try putting something a little bigger in your body next time.
…Do you think that I have come closer to understanding human emotions?
……
Kuguri moves closer to Kinari.
If you’ve got a secret, plüss… then maybe a little?
But, what will you do? There are still things you don’t have.
The place where your hand is resting is where my heart is located, Kuguri.
Seems like it’s beating properly, no?
It’s a mechanical and artificial heart, but it functions similar to an actual heartbeat.
A lump of iron that beats steady under a thin layer of celluloid… how endearingly fragile.
If you could experience death, then you would almost be human.
……
But, unfortunately, dying isn’t something you can do.
No…
Someday, Kuguri, when the time comes for you to die, I would like you to destroy me.
……
Master certainly will not power me off, and I… cannot ask something like that of him.
……
Am I such a terrible person that you’d think I’d be able to destroy you without feeling any pain?
No. Kuguri, you…
You are the only one who can teach me the cruel truth, despair, and things that are outside the realm of humanity.
……
The despair of knowing that someday I may be destroyed… seems kind to me…
Ha.
…Alright then. That’s a pretty big secret, you know. Grow it… into a beautiful pearl inside your body.
When your heart starts to ache, and when you start to shed tears… I’ll take your life, softer than sand, and destroy it for you.
Your body is the most beautiful in the world…
I’ll turn it into scrap metal.
…Yes.
I’ll be waiting.