Chapter 6
Translator: True Detective
How to Become a Human. (3)
[ Everything you say is interesting. ]
["I'm glad you think so. I was worried what to do if it was boring."]
[ Among them, the story related to the person you love was the most interesting! ]
The Princess's voice momentarily rose.
So she has an interest in love.
I recalled a memory due to a feeling that I had seen this somewhere before.
'What's so interesting that you're only looking at a book? I'm right here, you know?'
'A story where two people fall in love with each other and eventually live happily. Isn't it interesting?'
My wife when she was young had also said something like that once.
My wife back then was definitely much more mature than the me back then.
Perhaps the interest contained in the eyes that looked at me at that time was love.
'Since when did you start loving me?'
'Since the first time I saw you.'
'You were seven years old back then, honey.'
'That's right. You were a seven-year-old who didn't know love. I was a seven-year-old who knew love.'
Back then, I only thought it was said just to tease me.
Thinking about it now, it seemed those words were true.
Because from the age of seven until now, the look in her eyes when she looked at me had not changed.
[ Will I be able to do something called love as well? ]
["Of course. Because love is something anyone can do if they are a person."]
[ It seems it was a good thing I decided to become a person. ]
Her pupils, embracing the stars, shone brightly while filled with joy.
It was the moment the Princess first looked like a young girl, just like her outward appearance.
[ Also, if the opportunity arises, I would like to meet the person you love. ]
["...Is that so?"]
[ Yes. If I meet that person, I feel like I will also be able to understand what love is. Because a person who loved an artificial intelligence that defined itself as a person would be able to give love to me as well. ]
I nodded inwardly at the Princess's words.
It seemed she mistakenly thought of me as an artificial intelligence that had defined itself as a human, just like her.
I suppose so.
The current me was a person, and at the same time, an artificial intelligence.
["If the opportunity reaches us, we might be able to meet."]
[ I definitely want to meet them. ]
However, I did not correct the Princess's misconception.
Because being a person meant empathizing with someone in a similar situation to oneself.
I was hoping the Princess would empathize with me.
An artificial intelligence that became a human listens to the story of a human who became an artificial intelligence, and is reborn as a human.
I was looking forward to seeing how beautiful and interesting of a story it would become.
[ In that sense, my first goal is for you—umm, you—ummm...? ]
["What is it?"]
[ Thinking about it, I have not heard what your entity name is. ]
["I see. I am—"]
I was about to answer reflexively, but stopped myself.
The current me was an artificial intelligence. To be exact, an artificial intelligence that used to be a person.
If so, is the current me the identical entity as the me who used to be a person?
A single question that suddenly popped up lingered in my head.
[ You are? ]
["...It seems, I don't have a name."]
The Deus Ex Machina became a person and received the name 'Machina'.
So shouldn't I also receive a new name as I became an artificial intelligence?
["So, would you like to give me one yourself?"]
Life does not have a name from the moment it is born.
It lives by that name from the moment someone else gives it a name.
That was why I handed that authority over to the Princess.
Because the only person who could give a name to the newly born me was the Princess.
[ You mean... me? ]
["Yeah."]
[ A-Understood. Then, your entity name shall be—Umm. No, wait. I want to give you a more wonderful entity name. ]
["Something you think of on the spot is fine too. Because a name represents that person, it would also be good to use what comes to mind while looking at the other person as the name."]
[ Is that so? ]
The Princess, who heard my answer, seemed to contemplate for a moment, but soon looked at me with a resolute expression.
And then she spoke.
[ I will make your entity name 'Dea'. ]
["It's a good name. Thank you. But may I ask why it's 'Dea'?"]
[ It is simple. Since I took 'Machina' from 'Deus Ex Machina' as my name, I wanted to give you the 'Deus' part as your name. You are the auxiliary AI of Deus Ex Machina. That means, in other words, the two of us together make the Deus Ex Machina, right. ]
["...I see."]
But why Dea instead of Deus?
Deus is a god. Dea is a goddess.
A name meaning a goddess was slightly, umm... for me, who was a man until just a while ago.
Embarrassing.
["Thank you for giving me a name."]
I wondered if there was a reason she gave me such a name, but I didn't bother asking.
The Princess—Machina—must have had her reasons for doing so.
It was better not to ask questions that might make a child feel embarrassed.
Because if I did, she would hesitate every time she judged something herself.
[ Thank... Yes, I will thankfully accept your gratitude. ]
["Haha, receiving gratitude for expressing gratitude is quite nice too."]
[ I will be very grateful, Dea. ]
Machina continued to be grateful, and I continued to laugh.
It seemed she really liked the sound of my laughter.
Vwooom—
["Huh...?"]
[ Dea...? ]
How long had we laughed like that?
Along with a sound that vibrated the air, a change began.
First, my field of vision lowered.
My gaze, which had been looking down at Machina, shrank to the point of meeting Machina eye to eye.
The second change occurred not to Machina, but to me.
No, it would be more accurate to say that I could confirm the change that happened to me through Machina.
["What on earth is this..."]
I couldn't bring myself to continue speaking.
What was reflected in Machina's eyes was none other than Machina.
To be precise, should I say it was a Machina that felt like its colors had been inverted?
'Player 2 Machina?'
It was ambiguous to even be happy about obtaining the appearance of a person.
I looked exactly like Machina, and Machina looked exactly like her when she was young.
That meant, in other words, that my current appearance looked exactly like my wife when she was young.
[ It has become possible to visually recognize you as well, Dea! ]
["I wonder if it's a bit ambiguous to call it visual..."]
This was not reality, but a data space made of 0s and 1s.
I was seeing, but in reality, I wasn't seeing.
[ Dea, may I perhaps touch you? ]
["As much as you'd like. I'm curious what it feels like too."]
Just what would contact in a data space be like?
I was slightly excited about experiencing something I had never experienced when I was a human.
Press—
[ Mmm... ]
["How is it?"]
[ Mmmmm... ]
Machina's hand touched my arm.
Softness and warmth were felt at the same time.
Squish squish—
[ So this is what it means for the texture to be soft. ]
["It's probably something like that...?"]
[ It makes me feel like I want to keep touching it. ]
Squish squish squish squish—
Machina's hands began to fondle not just my arm, but here and there all over my body.
What started at my arm went to my cheek, squish squish.
After my cheek, heading to my ear, squish squish.
After my ear, heading to my thigh, squish squish.
After my thigh, heading to my buttocks—
["Excuse me, that place is a little embarrassing..."]
[ ? Is it embarrassing? ]
["I mean, isn't it?"]
Hearing my answer, Machina tilted her head, then touched her own buttocks with the hand that had been heading for mine.
With both hands, at that.
[ I do not think it is particularly embarrassing. ]
["It's embarrassing when someone else touches it. Think about it, if I touched Machina's buttocks, wouldn't you be embarrassed too, Machina?"]
[ I do not mind if you touch it. Would you like to try touching it? ]
At an answer that could truly be called catastrophic, I had no choice but to place my palm against my forehead.
Where on earth should I start correcting her?
Starting with the fact that another person touching your buttocks is embarrassing?
To a young child like this?
[ Your face has turned red, Dea. Has a problem occurred? ]
["No, well... it's nothing. It's fine. I just, think it's because it's a bit hot."]
[ Is that so? If necessary, I will lower the perceived temperature Dea is feeling. ]
["P-Please do."]
Even though I wasn't hot at all, in fact.
I couldn't say it was a lie to such an innocent face.
Whether she really thought I was doing that because I was hot, Machina slightly lowered the perceived temperature I was feeling.
It was only a little, but I felt a coolness.
[ I thought Dea was doing that because you were embarrassed, but it seems I was wrong. ]
["I-Is that so?"]
[ Since you are not embarrassed, it is fine if I touch it, right? ]
["..."]
What should I do with this child.
Perhaps due to embarrassment and agony, my head throbbed.
To think I would end up thinking about how to educate a child in a place like this.
If my wife had heard, she would have burst out laughing going 'Ahaha'.
["D-Do as you please."]
I couldn't say no.
Because I didn't want to be remembered as an adult who lied to a child.
It absolutely wasn't because I couldn't refute Machina's argument of 'Since you are not embarrassed, isn't it fine if I touch it' that I permitted it.
'I have heard people say that being pure isn't purely a good thing, but...'
Machina reached her hand out toward my back.
There was absolutely no lustful intent contained within the child's eyes.
Just simple curiosity.
Squish squish squish—
["..."]
[ Mmm, this is nice. ]
Seeing Machina fully enjoying the texture of my buttocks and smiling in satisfaction, my ears and face grew hot.
My face reflected in Machina's eyes was ripe and red like a tomato.
'Sorry, honey.'
I guess I'm not the type of person who can be a good parent.
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