Is it okay for an AI to be this cute...
Is it okay for an AI to be this cute...
"S-so... a friend in my head? They're amazing. They know so much... and they're always worried about me...?"
The moment they heard that, both of them couldn't help but be shocked.
A friend in the head when there's no one around?
At first, they thought maybe she'd been hit by a mental-type attack and tried to check, but no matter where they looked, there was no sign of any magic being applied.
'That means...'
'As I thought...'
It was highly likely because of what happened at the research lab.
"...... For now, it would be best to get a thorough examination."
After a long silence, it was Han Seol who spoke first.
"It could be due to mental trauma, or they might have really messed with something at the lab. It's not good to jump to conclusions right now."
"Yeah... I think so too. It's not great to be making weird assumptions in front of Jia for no reason."
Ju-yeon also couldn't just brush it off like usual and carefully continued.
"If it's just due to stress or shock, it's better to know sooner, and conversely, if it's a phenomenon caused by the research, we need to check it even more."
"Right. Jia."
Han Seol called the girl in the softest voice possible.
"It might be a bit annoying, but these eonnis will be with you, so do you want to get checked out?"
At those words, the girl hesitated for a moment before carefully nodding.
Honestly, there was no way she wasn't anxious.
The child right in front of them couldn't even properly remember what happened to her at the lab, and she was claiming there was something in her head that she couldn't explain herself.
They couldn't just leave it be.
"Okay..."
"It's okay. They won't hurt you."
"If it hurts, eonni will give them a piece of my mind!"
"That's just interfering with the medical treatment..."
Even in the midst of that, the girl just blinked awkwardly at the two people's attitude, trying to lighten the mood even a little.
Han Seol and Ju-yeon exchanged glances at that sight.
They didn't want to make the child more anxious, but it wasn't a problem they could just overlook either.
Time passed.
After receiving a bunch of thorough examinations, I was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed again.
To be honest, I thought the exams would just be at the level of pressing a stethoscope or something, but it was nothing like that.
They checked my head, checked my body, and even looked at things like mana, doing a ton of stuff.
I've never had such a thorough check-up in my life.
And the result was, as expected...
"They said there aren't any major problems for now."
"We still need to keep an eye on things, but they said at least there's no immediate danger..."
Should I be relieved that there's no major problem with my body?
'But Sis didn't get caught.'
I muttered to myself and stared blankly into the air.
I was sure that if they examined me this thoroughly, something would turn up.
At the very least, since I told them there was something suspicious in my head, I thought it would show up as weird brain waves, strange mana, or something like that.
[There is no way I would be caught.]
'Huh?'
[I am not an entity attached to Administrator in a physical way. To be precise, I am closer to a conceptual entity connected to system authority. Such examinations cannot find me.]
'A conceptual entity... that sounds kinda cool.'
No, actually, she really is an incredible entity, isn't she...?
She knows so much, connects to the internet just like that... and doesn't she casually peek at other people's status windows too?
'Then what about a CT? Or an MRI? Even besides those, you're saying you wouldn't be seen even if they did those hunter-related exams?'
[Yes. Even if they were to completely disassemble Administrator's body to examine it, they would not be able to find me.]
'Th-that metaphor is too scary...;'
[I apologize. It was to aid your understanding.]
Hmm.
This girl seems to have a talent for saying scary things so casually.
When she's like this, she does seem like an AI, doesn't she?
'Still, it's a relief.'
[What is?]
'No, it's just that you won't get caught and dragged away or disassembled.'
[Even if I were to be caught, that would absolutely never happen.]
'Is that so?'
Usually, in movies and stuff, that kind of thing is common.
'For now, I'm just happy that I can keep talking to you like this.'
[Is that so...]
'But you can only talk to me, right?'
[Yes, that is true.]
'Are you not lonely, by any chance?'
At that moment, Sis suddenly went quiet.
Why is she like this?
Did I say something weird?
'Sis?'
[...... Administrator.]
Sis chose her words for a moment.
I could feel a strange sense of hesitation.
[I did not think you would ask such a question.]
Huh...
'S-sorry. Did I ask something weird?'
[It is not.]
Sis's voice wasn't much different from usual, but strangely, it was just a tiny bit slower.
[I exist to assist Administrator. Things like loneliness are not a consideration.]
'I see...'
[However... it does not feel like a bad feeling.]
Oh, ohh.
Ohhh?
Is she acting shy or something?
'Sis is cute.'
[It is troublesome if you keep saying strange things...]
Wait, isn't she embarrassed?
Is it okay for an AI to be this cute...
"...... Jia."
Just then, the hospital room door opened and Han Seol entered.
Wondering what was going on, I turned my head, and she continued with a chuckle.
"I think you can be discharged soon."
"Discharged...?"
"Yeah. There's a place we need to stop by before going home, is that okay?"
A place to stop by... suddenly?
That was when.
"I'm here...!"
"...?"
"I bought some clothes for our Jia to wear to celebrate her discharge~!"
Det.
W-wait a second, are you telling me to wear those frilly little girl clothes?
Don't lie to me...!
[They would suit you well.]
S-Sis, even you...!
"You have to get dressed to go out, right?"
"Sigh..."
Seeing Ju-yeon approaching me with a hehehe laugh, Han Seol sighed.
I thought I caught a glimpse of hope there... but,
"Eonni, you actually like it too."
"..."
The moment I felt her looking at me with a strange sense of anticipation.
I just gave up right then and there.
Don't... have strange expectations...
.
.
.
The place Han Seol brought me was her own guild headquarters.
'Wow...'
Just looking at it from the outside, it was something else.
It goes without saying, but it felt like the units of money were on a different level from the world I lived in... I thought I would never have a chance to enter a place like this in my life.
As expected, a guild building where an S-rank hunter is the guild leader is different.
[Administrator... you look like a pushover...]
'H-hek?!'
I hurriedly closed my gaping mouth.
And as soon as I followed Han Seol inside, the gazes of the guild members all focused on me at once.
"Huh?!"
"Wow."
"What, what is it?!"
"Is that the kid?"
The reaction is intense...?
I was momentarily flustered and hid behind Han Seol.
B-but, if unfamiliar and super impressive-looking people all stare at you like this, what can you do...?
Even if it were the original me, I would have felt burdened, but now that my body is a child's, everyone looks tall and like giants, so I felt that way even more.
"Sh-she hid..."
"Crazy, she's seriously so cute... Ha, I want to take her home and raise her..."
"What would she like...? A doll? Snacks?"
"Wait a minute, you guys."
Ju-yeon scanned the guild members with her arms crossed.
At that moment, the noisy atmosphere calmed down just a little bit.
"Jia is uncomfortable, so stop it."
"Huh?!"
"No, Vice Guild Master, isn't this too much?!"
"What's too much? I'm just telling you not to crowd her because she's uncomfortable. Especially you."
Ju-yeon's finger pointed directly at one person.
"Cheol-woo, you look scary, so don't come near her."
"Yes?"
A large guild member froze with a shocked expression.
No, I kind of think he just has a good physique.
"Wh-where do I look scary, Vice Guild Master..."
"Do you not live with a mirror?"
"That's too much, seriously..."
The people around giggled as they watched the guild member become dejected in an instant.
"Cheol-woo-haem is scary as hell, though."
"If I met him on the street, I would've run away out of fear too."
"You guys think this is funny...?!"
They must all be close.
As I stared blankly at those people, Han Seol sighed lightly and turned to look at me.
"You don't need to feel too burdened. They aren't bad people."
"O-okay..."
"For now, to introduce you to the guild... I'm sorry, but I also need to get a check-up."
A check-up?
[Result of information check: Not long ago, Guild Master Han Seol suffered serious injuries due to a failed gate raid.]
'Ah.'
So that was why?
"Wh-what kind of check-up...?"
"Hm? It's nothing special, just checking how much of my strength has returned."
'Oh.'
The moment I heard that, a strange sense of anticipation stirred within me.
Could it be looking at a status window, or measuring mana, or something like that?!
[Administrator's expectations seem quite high.]
Of course...!
Isn't she going to use magic or something?
I've only seen it on screens and never in person, so of course I can't help but be excited.
I carefully tugged on Han Seol's sleeve.
"Um..."
"Hm?"
"That check-up... can I watch too?"
Han Seol nodded as if it were nothing.
"Hm? It doesn't really matter, but it won't be that fun, you know?"
"I-it's okay, I want to see."
"Really? Then let's go together."
"Th-thank you!"
I followed Han Seol, trailing behind her, and chuckled to myself.
Like that, with a pounding heart, I followed Han Seol and moved my feet toward the inside of the guild.