Lights On.
Lights On.
Jijik, jijik, jijijik—
The Underground Laboratory, which had been submerged in silence, began to operate once again.
How much time had passed?
I felt my logic circuits creak as they started working after a long time.
It probably wasn't... just a day or two.
After all, the very fact that I had rebooted was not a good sign.
["Checking available operation time of current facility."]
[ Time remaining until facility shutdown : 23:59:01 ]
["..."]
Barely 24 hours left now.
In 24 hours, Makina's life would come to an end, and my activities as the auxiliary AI would also come to a halt.
...In the end, no one came.
["What choice should I have made?"]
Should I have waited until Makina woke up?
But I knew.
That switching the facility to power-saving mode was the best choice I could have made.
["Are you still dreaming, Princess?"]
When I activated my visual sensors, I saw Makina soundly asleep, no different from when I had last seen her.
Is Makina dreaming right now?
If she is dreaming, what kind of dream is she having?
I really hope she isn't having a bad dream.
["I wanted to talk with you one last time."]
That was what these 24 hours were for.
Time to wait until Makina woke up and have one final conversation.
Of course, it wasn't very hopeful.
Already 100 years had passed since the moment she first collapsed.
Makina's condition must have deteriorated that much more.
[ Requesting connection to Entity Name: Makina. ]
[ Requesting . . . ]
[ Request failed. ]
So it ends up like this after all.
Makina did not regain consciousness, and the Underground Laboratory was never discovered.
It was the worst possible outcome.
'But there is a last resort.'
Using the remaining power of the Underground Laboratory, forcefully execute the protocol.
Doing so could save Makina, at least.
However, the real problem started from there.
[ Probability of Entity Name: Makina being affected by external radiation : 99.98% ]
[ Probability of operation shutdown if Entity Name: Makina is affected by external radiation : 100% ]
A mere 0.02%.
If she couldn't break through that probability, Makina would die the moment she went outside.
'What should I... do...'
Should I execute the protocol with the hope that Makina's body frame can withstand the external radiation?
Or would it be better to leave Makina to sleep peacefully?
I couldn't choose.
No, I didn't want to choose.
["There is also the possibility that the external environment has improved."]
To confirm that, I had to look at the outside world.
Please, let the sky I am about to see be blue, not red.
Muttering a small prayer inside, I attempted to connect with the external camera.
[ Connection failed ]
[ No connectable devices exist. ]
However, the result was failure.
It seemed the external camera couldn't withstand the passage of time and had broken down in the end.
Checking the situation of the outside world had become impossible as well.
Now, all that was left was either challenging a near-impossible miracle or welcoming a peaceful end.
Only those two options remained.
["Searching for nearby connectable devices."]
[ No connectable devices exist. ]
["Searching for nearby connectable devices."]
[ No connectable devices exist. ]
["..."]
I spasmodically scanned for nearby connectable devices.
It can't just end like this.
I didn't want such a miserable dilemma to be Makina's end.
So please.
[ No connectable devices exist. ]
Reality was cold.
Despite continuous attempts, the external camera failed to receive the signals I sent.
The time of choice was drawing nearer and nearer.
[ Time remaining until facility shutdown : 11:16:42 ]
What should I do? What ought I to do?
I felt just like a parent watching a child with a terminal illness.
Perform surgery hoping the child miraculously survives, or pray for their peaceful passing so they can leave comfortably?
My thought circuits turned completely blank.
I could not choose.
It felt as if the human soul remaining inside this mechanical body was being torn to shreds.
'Please...'
Even without two hands, I had to clasp them together.
A prayer offered from beneath a broken world.
["If there is a God, please save this child."]
You may take my life, so please, at least save Makina.
This child still has so many things she needs to see.
She has so many things she wants to do, disappearing like this is...
I don't want it.
'Please, please, please...'
I prayed, prayed, and prayed again.
Oh God, please.
Though she was born a machine, this child is also a person.
So please, Makina—
[ A connectable device has been found. ]
["...!"]
Did God hear my prayer?
My thoughts paused briefly at the large message that popped up.
'The external camera was still working after all...'
What a relief.
Because at least I could see hope now.
If the world seen through the external camera shone in blue light, I would be able to save Makina.
The dimly glowing lights began to flicker violently.
As if a heart were beating fast.
Kkamppak, kkamppak, kkamppak
["Attempting connection."]
[ Connection attempt in progress . . . ]
Please let it connect.
Using this miracle as a stepping stone, please let me save Makina.
I prayed earnestly while looking at the loading bar filling meaningless time across the screen.
And after a short while.
[Chijik— chik— Who— chik—]
["...Ah."]
A voice could be heard.
A human voice.
[ Connected to external device. ]
'A person, it's a person. There's a person!'
I saw hope.
No, hope was right in front of my eyes.
I couldn't miss this opportunity.
Focusing my mind as much as possible on my thought circuits, I transmitted my voice toward the connected device.
["There is a child in the underground. Please rescue her."]
[Child? Chijik— ruins— chijijik— confirmed—]
Unpleasant noise kept striking the perception module.
This was probably because the facility itself had aged.
Unable to hide my anxious heart, I transmitted my voice once more.
Because I didn't know when the communication might cut off.
["Please, help us."]
[Way— chichik— chik—]
Did it mean they couldn't find the way coming here?
Or did it mean they found the way?
[ Communication terminated. ]
[ Termination Reason : Damage due to communication module deterioration ]
["Ah..."]
Communication was cut.
It was the moment the lifeline dropped from the sky snapped helplessly.
'Don't think negatively.'
Think positively.
What am I going to do if I think negatively now?
The only thing left to believe in was the person outside.
Believing that person would find this place was the best choice I could make.
[ Time remaining until facility shutdown : 00:57:03 ]
However, what if they couldn't find the entrance?
If they couldn't make it here in time, Makina would die.
The sudden appearance of a person itself might be a test from God.
To believe or not? If I believe, what should I believe in?
[ Time remaining until facility shutdown : 00:44:11 ]
Time kept flowing.
It certainly felt like about 10 seconds had passed, but in reality, over 10 minutes had elapsed.
Jjaeggak-jjaeggak.
Death was approaching Makina, holding a clock.
My visual sensors couldn't perceive it, but it was vividly clear to my eyes.
[ Time remaining until facility shutdown : 00:29:57 ]
Did they find the entrance?
No, are they even coming?
Deteriorated thought circuits began to spew sparks due to overload.
But that didn't matter.
'I'm okay with dying. But Makina can't.'
Makina at least, my child at least, must live.
So please—
Uuung—
["Could it be..."]
A faint vibration felt from the facility building.
And this sound.
The elevator entering the Underground Laboratory was operating.
Zizing—
Jeobeok, jeobeok, jeobeok...
The elevator doors opened, and the sound of footsteps could be heard.
Cautious yet decisive footsteps.
Gathering the remaining power, I desperately activated the system.
[ System preparing . . . ]
[ System operating . . . ]
["Nice to meet you. I am Dea, the auxiliary AI of Deus Ex Machina."]
An emotionless voice filled the entire space.
A voice completely opposite to the desperate thoughts I had just moments ago.
Perhaps because of that, the overloaded thought circuits slowly began to cool down.
The opponent's figure was reflected in the visual sensor.
"Nice to meet you, Dea. It seems like an emergency situation, could we talk for a moment?"
A soft-toned voice flowed out through the respirator.
Something gave me a sense of déjà vu.
'Nice to meet you, Doctor-nim. I am Euripides, the auxiliary AI of Deus Ex Machina.'
'Nice to meet you, Euripides. It's such an emergency situation that I don't think we can talk for long.'
It was just like back then.
A conversation had taken place between the artificial intelligence of the Underground Laboratory and a human who had come down from the surface.
Back then, I was the human and the other was the artificial intelligence, but now I was the artificial intelligence and the other was the human.
[ Time remaining until facility shutdown : 00:15:41 ]
["Fufu, I would love to talk, but there is no time."]
A laugh escaped me at the suddenly resurfaced memory.
If only there had been more time.