Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Chapter 4 - Pursuit
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I stared at the question mark Alraune had drawn, lost in thought. This symbol hadn't existed in the mermaids' language.
A sharp pain stabbed at my head.
“Wait a minute, you…!”
I had dismissed the random headaches, but now I realized they were a side effect of Alraune accessing my memories.
She had delved into my mind, searching for the meaning of the “fingers” I had mentioned.
It seemed her roots had reached my brain as well.
“Stop! Stop it!”
Startled, I clutched my head and screamed, and the pain subsided. It was an incredibly unpleasant sensation.
“Fucking…! If you ever do that again, we both die…!”
I could tolerate the physical changes,
But I wouldn't allow her to invade my mind, my thoughts.
My thoughts, my consciousness, were the only things I could truly control on this hellish planet. I wouldn't let her take that away from me.
“…S-so don’t do that. Ever again.”
I had never lashed out at anyone like this before.
Perhaps the drugs had made me more irritable.
Or perhaps it was the encounter with the moon, or the constant struggle for survival, that had frayed my nerves.
Anyone watching would have thought I was a madman, yelling at the empty air.
But Alraune was inside me. Her consciousness intertwined with mine.
A small Alraune sprout emerged from my skin, its stem bowing low, as if apologizing.
“It’s fine.”
Our conversation ended there.
I hadn't learned anything about the fingers, but survival was my immediate priority.
“Amy, let’s go outside. It’s been a while.”
“Yes.”
Daytime, when the sun was high in the sky, was the only time I could safely move around.
And now, more than ever,
I had to avoid the [moon].
***
We,
Or rather, the three of us, established a base camp near the altar cave.
The surrounding area wasn't particularly dangerous, inhabited mostly by small, bird-like creatures and hamster-like rodents.
“Ah, it’s up there again.”
But there was one inconvenience:
The forest canopy often snagged supplies from passing spacecraft.
So I carefully climbed the tree. This particular supply pod was from the Paradise, so it might contain human rations. I had to check.
Even though I had never climbed a tree before, Alraune’s influence gave me a surprising agility and control.
I felt stronger too. While my body was thinner, weakened by the constant demands of the females, my physical capabilities had improved.
Thump- thump-
I reached the branch where the supply pod was snagged and began hacking at it with my knife.
I had to knock it down.
“Ugh…”
“Doctor, I recommend striking it at an angle.”
But despite the changes within me, I wasn't invincible.
I was still vulnerable,
And I still had to fight tooth and nail to survive.
Thud-
The branch finally broke, and the supply pod fell to the ground.
“Yes!”
These small victories fueled my determination.
I rushed towards the pod and ripped it open…
“Amy, look! Rations! Human rations…!”
“Congratulations, Doctor.”
And there, within the pod, were the long-awaited rations.
Nutritious food, designed for humans…
“I’m not going to die! Just you wait…! You bastards! Just you wait!”
Inside the ration kit were five vacuum-sealed meals, including a main dish and a side.
Twisting the small valve on the corner initiated the self-heating process. I had heard that twisting the valve released a small amount of water, which reacted with a heating element.
Hiss-
I offered a silent prayer of thanks to the engineers who had designed this ingenious technology. They were the reason I was still alive.
Honestly, preserved rations weren’t known for their flavor. They were often dismissed as bland and unappetizing, a necessary evil…
Anyone who said that deserved to be stranded on this planet. I used to sneak ration packs as snacks, even back at headquarters.
So, you can imagine my excitement at smelling the warm beef stew after weeks of foraging.
To borrow Dan’s expression…
This was fucking sex.
“Gasp… mmm…”
I scooped up a spoonful of the thick stew, the chunks of beef swimming in the rich gravy, and it felt like angels were singing in my mouth.
Tears welled up.
When had I become so emotional?
“Sob, sniff… th-this is so good…”
The honey had been sweet, but this was even better.
Perhaps, having merged with Alraune, the honey’s sweetness no longer held the same appeal,
But I wanted to sing the praises of this incredible human invention. And with the added bonus of being human-made, the rations were the clear winner.
“Doctor, please eat slowly. Obstructing your airway with food would be problematic.”
“Mmm…”
Even as I reveled in the deliciousness, Amy chided me, but I thought I saw a faint smile on her usually impassive face. Perhaps it was my imagination.
Just as my emotions had become more volatile,
Amy seemed to be exhibiting some unusual responses.
“Is it that delicious?”
“Yes, it’s amazing… better than honey. Really.”
Alraune, seemingly displeased by my comparison, tapped my hand with a vine, but I didn't retract my statement.
Humans should live like humans.
With these rations, I could survive.
“I’m curious. What does it taste like?”
My enthusiastic eating slowed as I considered Amy’s question.
Amy was curious about my emotions,
About what I was experiencing.
Even AIs could be curious.
AIs designed for specific tasks often exhibited a focused interest in acquiring related knowledge. We called it machine curiosity.
“…I’m curious because you seem to enjoy it so much.”
“Ah, well. Yes.”
I cleared my throat, considering her question.
Even though Amy couldn't feel emotions, had she developed a sense of [lack] during our journey?
A sense of helplessness, being unable to do anything but scan and analyze.
Unable to protect me,
Always relying on my help,
Yet witnessing everything, every moment of my suffering.
“My apologies. That was an unproductive statement.”
“No, I enjoy these conversations. It’s fine.”
Amy simply blinked, her beautiful face expressionless.
I felt a pang of sympathy for her.
Unlike me, struggling for freedom, she was trapped, unable to experience anything freely.
“…Deliciousness is a human emotion. Eating this warm protein mass makes me incredibly happy. The thick, brown gravy coating my tongue and cheeks brings a sense of comfort and well-being.”
“I see.”
A profound pleasure for humans,
But something lacking in an AI’s experience.
“Yes, warmth is comforting.”
“I do not understand.”
Amy’s response was as impassive as ever.
“Hmm, is that so?”
I lifted her head and held her close, resuming my meal.
She rested between my thighs and navel, her eyes blinking as she looked up at me.
“You know how you warmed me up in the lake? It feels like that. Feeling warmth when you’re on the brink of death… it gives you hope.”
“Yes.”
I didn't know,
What Amy was thinking,
What she was feeling…
“Thank you.”
But for some reason, she activated her thermal units again, warming my skin. I wasn't sure if she was trying to comfort me or simply testing the function.
“Yes, it’s nice and warm. Thank you.”
“Yes? Ah- yes.”
I was careful not to spill the beef stew on her face,
But holding her close as I ate made the meal even more enjoyable.
“…Your body temperature is also warm. It is pleasant.”
“Really?”
The phrase “it is pleasant” was a lie. Amy couldn't experience or evaluate such sensations.
But she was learning, based on my expressions.
I didn't know what she was trying to learn.
Where was her machine curiosity leading her?
“…”
Perhaps I would find out someday.
But not now.
Now…
“Wait a minute.”
Goosebumps rose on my skin.
Alraune’s vines stirred within me,
And Amy’s eyes switched to scanning mode.
“Doctor, it’s them.”
As the sun set,
that grotesque moon creature, unable to find me during the day, began its search.
“…”
Alraune hastily carved a word on the cave wall with a vine.
It read:
[къан джанавар (Blood Beast)]
Night, Day 62 of isolation.
19:53, planetary rotation standard.
Overcast.
15°C, rather chilly.
Note - Injured crew member detected within 500m radius. Requires assistance.
***
Chapter 4 - Revelation
End.
***