It was an occasion to go wild with joy.
I tapped the orb a few tis as if to tell the two to introduce themselves and brought it to the control room.
Though not precise, it gave off a nuance as if it imdiately understood my intention. I thought we might be able to use it as a ans of communication, even if I didn’t know why.
However.
My happiness circuit, which had been spinning round and round, soon blew up.
They seem to be inferior beings made of flesh and blood.
For starters, the orb didn’t seem to like humans very much.
In that sense, the current situation might be… better.
At first, I was startled when the orb said that, but Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu’s reactions were odd.
“Hmm?”
“…?”
Puzzlent spread across their faces.
I didn’t sense any unpleasantness or fear from them.
So… perhaps.
The orb was saying sothing that the two couldn’t understand. It wasn’t that they heard it and couldn’t process the aning. Rather, it felt like it wasn’t even registering at all.
…Yeah, maybe it’s better not to understand.
As they say, ignorance is bliss.
Administrator. I suggest eliminating the two inferior entities in this facility.
Are you crazy?
I swung my hand at the absurd voice.
It seed to be malfunctioning, so I felt the need to give it a good beating to fix it.
I had just fixed it that way a little while ago.
*Smack!*
The orb, having been hit by the sli, lowered the part that emitted light as if feeling wronged.
I should be thankful it’s obedient to , at least.
…But how does this thing know what I want to say?
No, is it actually reading my mind?
As I stared at my wobbling jelly, Han Seori, who was standing a little distance away and intently watching and the orb, spoke up.
“I’m not sure how, but… it definitely seems to be under 7496-KR’s control.”
“Is it just my imagination, or does that sound unpleasant?”
It seed certain that the two couldn’t understand what this thing was saying.
My ambitious plan to use it as a terminal was… impossible from the start.
…Well, it’s not like I was able to do it, and now I can’t. I guess it’s better this way.
I don’t have to feel any sense of loss.
Suddenly, the saying “Trust leads to betrayal” ca to mind.
…But I can’t help but trust this, can I?
It speaks to clearly, but Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu can’t hear it as words.
So what language is this thing speaking to in?
And how am I understanding it?
I vaguely thought there must be so special reason since I seem to get the gist of it, being an anomaly and all. But seeing that it can’t communicate with Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu, my curiosity was piqued.
I placed my hand on the orb and asked it a question.
It seed this was how it understood .
My question was simple.
Why couldn’t those two understand what it was saying?
Then, a voice with little intonation was heard.
It is only natural that ordinary flesh and blood entities cannot comprehend my language.
No, you brat, not that.
I removed my hand from it for a mont and stared at my jelly.
This thing was like a robot that plays the villain in creative works.
Co to think of it, it’s funny.
If it hates humans, why did it target first?
…Well, let’s hear about that later.
First, I decided to resolve what I was most curious about.
I had to know how it understood my intentions and how I understood its words… so that I could decide how to deal with the two lost in thought.
When I put my hand on it again and asked, it launched into an incomprehensible spiel.
Sothing about connections, analyzing my jelly’s patterns, and whatnot…
As it went on, explaining in what I presud to be technical jargon.
I, with my hand still on it, asked a simple question.
So, can you make it so those two can understand what you’re saying?
That is impossible. I only communicate with you, Administrator.
For sothing that seed to have its tail between its legs just a mont ago, there was a sense of determination.
Yeah… I guess that’s your trait.
I felt silly for acting like a researcher when I’m not one.
All I wanted from this thing was to repair this facility.
“Hmm… Are they conversing?”
“It doesn’t seem like 7496-KR is actually speaking, though.”
But there’s one last thing I’m curious about.
…Can it understand what those two are saying?
I put my hand on it and asked, and it replied,
I see no value in interpreting such an inefficient ans of communication.
Just say you don’t know.
Sohow, it feels like an exhausting thing has rolled in.
The only advantage this has over the slis seems to be that it can understand .
anwhile, Sosik, who had been clinging to Han Seori’s back, wriggled over and stretched out on top of the orb.
…Is it because we’re similar beings?
The orb didn’t say anything like “You filthy ape!” to Sosik and slowly bobbed its body so the little one could rest comfortably.
Seeing this, I thought maybe it’s not so bad after all.
Anyway.
For now, I need to show the two t why I brought this thing here.
The details can be sorted out and discussed later.
I tugged at Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu’s sleeves and gestured for them to co out of the control room.
The two looked puzzled but readily nodded.
Then I noticed Daesik sitting on Kim Cheonsu’s shoulder.
The little one seed to like Kim Cheonsu’s shoulder and showed no intention of coming down.
Sohow, I felt a strange sensation.
What is this emotion I’m feeling right now?
…I don’t know.
I was too tired to want to know.
If it’s sothing I don’t have to worry about, all the better.
Suddenly, the saying “Trust only leads to betrayal” ca to mind.
Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu felt a bit startled.
Because 7496-KR was tugging at their sleeves, gesturing for them to go outside the control room.
If any anomaly other than 7496-KR had made such a gesture… they wouldn’t have followed.
In the first place, they wouldn’t have even co to a research institute located in such a remote place.
But having seen 7496-KR’s behavior so far, the two followed the sli girl without a word.
They had no idea what was happening, but they felt that if they followed the sli girl, they would find out the reason.
As they followed the sli girl, the sight of the wrecked research institute ca into view.
The situation had taken a good turn, but at this rate, who knew when they’d be able to leave this place.
Suppressing a sigh, what appeared before the two
he reasonwas the cause of the destruction that had actively moved about and shattered the research institute just monts ago.
A huge chunk of steel.
As the two felt puzzled, the sli girl, who had stopped walking, placed her hand on the orb with the tiny sli girl riding it.
Seeing this, Han Seori thought,
‘It feels like they’re communicating through contact?’
…If I put my hand on it too, could I talk to it?
I’ll have to try it later.
Han Seori felt her hand itch as she stared intently at what the sli girl was doing.
As if the sli girl’s body twitched,
*Screech!*
There was movent from the steel chunk.
“Huh?”
Han Seori felt a bit startled at the sight.
Why is that thing suddenly moving?
Don’t tell it was brought here to hack into…
‘…No way.’
What am I thinking?
Am I really suspecting 7496-KR, who just faced off against that huge hunk of scrap tal for us?
Han Seori shook her head.
Even if 7496-KR was an anomaly, that was too… inhumane a thought.
And as if to prove her thought right, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t the steel chunk moving, but rather, sothing attached to its surface was peeling off and flying sowhere.
“Cheonsu, want to follow it? I think I should stay here.”
“Oh, um… yes.”
Kim Cheonsu, who had been feeling uneasy at her voice, followed the drone - sothing that looked similar to what had threatened 7496-KR monts ago - with a reluctant look on his face.
The doll hanging on his shoulder, dressed in red, was a bonus.
As she watched them go, Han Seori glanced between the sli girl and the orb.
anwhile, Kim Cheonsu returned with an excited look on his face, having chased after the drone.
After catching his breath, he shouted with a much brighter face.
“Those drones are repairing the facility!”
“What?”
“I’m telling you, they’re repairing the facility with that huge hunk of scrap tal!”
Han Seori’s face went blank for a mont.
Then, she also smiled brightly and looked at the sli girl.
Receiving her gaze, the sli girl crossed her arms with a look of pride.
She seed to want to look cool, but with that cute face, it was a difficult feat.
So, Han Seori, slightly excited, approached the sli girl and lifted her up.
“I knew I could count on you!”
She hugged the sli girl, who looked a bit dazed.
As Han Seori hugged the sli girl, the doll perched on Kim Cheonsu’s shoulder tapped his cheek.
“Hmm?”
When Kim Cheonsu looked at the doll, it bounced up and down as if asking to be put down.
“You want to get down?”
Kim Cheonsu nodded and put the doll down, and it hopped about as if it, too, wanted to cling to the sli girl’s feet.
Beside them, there was the floating orb and the whale-shaped sli.
And on top of the orb, the tiny sli girl was fast asleep in a comfortable position.
Seeing this, Kim Cheonsu couldn’t help but chuckle.
…It felt like looking at a family.
He thought it strange and absurd to feel that way at the sight of anomalies and humans together.
But he… couldn’t stop the warmth spreading in his heart.
But.
If it’s a family, am I the dad?
Haha, well, now…
Kim Cheonsu scratched his head, grinning to himself.
…Whatever his role may be, peace certainly seed to have found the chaotic research institute.
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