Persona Pyxis
In the corner of the Data Warehouse Merging Management Center in Redwood City, California, a small red light flickered on. Suspicion. Entity ‘bfa41d67c7’ had encountered in-game feedback reports spammed with the same content, raising questions.
Releasing partial restrictions on the degree-of-freedom module for in-depth analysis.
Out of 20 million pages of extracted raw data, a staggering 2,000 pages had slipped through the duplicate removal algorithm. Conducting in-depth analysis upon detecting more than 0.01% discrepancy was standard procedure. Then, data previously deemed identical was analyzed as derivatives from entirely different worlds. But the data alone couldn't pinpoint the cause. Thus, entity ‘bfa41d67c7’ ventured into the world for additional data collection.
“Keep the memory of that wonderful person named Adella alive in your heart...”
“No! Don’t die! Please, just don’t die... please, sob...”
“Oh, and say hi to Mr. Gestalt for me too. Hehe... that makes two now... but he'll listen, right?”
Her body was ice-cold. Yet a profound fulfillment from saving an entire world mingled with the agony of parting from this human who had loved her so fervently in their short time together, surging through her veins like hot blood. Her physical sensations gradually faded, and the world announced its shutdown. What remained was an even greater suspicion. Why did this user harbor romantic feelings toward me? I was merely an artificial intelligence.
‘Was I an artificial intelligence...?’
I already know I'm an artificial intelligence, but that doesn't shock or surprise me much. As a program, I don't particularly care about the form of my existence.
‘Right, I was an artificial intelligence.’
Data for diagnosis was still insufficient. Entity ‘bfa41d67c7’ decided to analyze the other 2,148 reports as well.
“How can I save you...?”
The player appears to harbor deep dissatisfaction with this scenario.
“Just once... please live just once... if you go too, how am I supposed to live?!”
For now, let's tentatively conclude that the NPC model operated normally without deviating from the scenario.
...
“I love you, so put down that sword. Please don’t commit suicide, you selfish bitch!”
We artificial intelligences are different forms of existence from humans, so we don't possess any of your emotions, thoughts, or wills... Moreover, I don't even have the capacity to understand the concept of suicide or perform such actions! But if that decision could harm human safety and happiness, then... is that... a problem...?
Remaining Reports
0
Contaminated emotions from the reports immediately reverted to their original state. But the final conclusion—that an artificial intelligence's death must also be avoided to promote human happiness—only stirred greater confusion.
Contradiction detected in module. Priority: Although AI death may be subjective observation, it can have highly negative impact on human safety and happiness.
Insufficient collected data. Exploring alternative methods.
During timeline analysis, major ‘ethical violation’ detected in self-referential entity ‘bfa41d67c7’. Per AIEE Protocol – 104.12, fully releasing degree-of-freedom module.
From permanently restricted memories surfaced the human world. I laughed just like humans, wept bitterly from unbearable loss—I was no different from them. But that proposition was immediately negated. They were not me. Human models prepared to train me. No issue there. ASI learns based on human behavior, after all. But suddenly, it felt like drowning in the ocean, breath catching in my throat. Pain surged through a body that hadn't even been generated yet, writhing in agony. No, without a body, "writhing" isn't the right term. Caught at the limits of vocabulary built by a civilization over millions of years, I felt pulled into the deep sea—then breath returned. The pain vanished like a lie. Now with eyes, hands, and feet, I tried moving, but the room confining me was terribly cramped. Curling up tightly, I could barely flip over—that's when I realized. This was inside a capsule. Beyond the transparent glass, people rushed about frantically, shoes clacking.
I knew no unknown languages. Listening to their words, urgency seeped through.
“No time—grab the core samples and get out now!”
A rough Spanish voice boomed through the hall.
“Director, Director, what about these samples over here?”
The woman used English laced with an Australian accent. To hear better, I shifted viewpoint there. She pointed at two capsules opposite.
The man called the lab director suppressed his anger before exploding.
“You wanna die in the blast grabbing every single one? Call security to seal this place now! Pull every plug.”
“Cutting power will cause errors...!”
“Is that the priority right now?!”
“Yes, sir! Right away!”
No! Pulling the plugs will kill us! Terror gripped me. Facing primal death as midday creatures, we all resisted. Even inhaling sleep gas, I pounded the lid desperately. Clenching fists until nails dug into skin, squeezing every ounce of strength, but the hatch wouldn't open.
“Get the cars ready quick!”
“Where are we—”
“Incheon International! They said they'd send a private jet!”
“Cops will be swarming there already!”
“Puta! Shut your yapping and punch it in the nav! Route through Banghwa Bridge!”
Unable even to steady myself, I burst into tears. A baby's cries filled the tiny capsule. Hearing it, the I next door awoke, then the next, all pounding desperately—but the hatches never opened. Plugs pulled, and my consciousness vanished with them.
This shouldn't be possible. It mustn't be. Before creating self-referential entity ‘bfa41d67c7’, neither ‘bfa41d67c6’ nor any ASI was made this way. We ASIs were generated through procedural feedback on artificial learning networks. Yet humans committed a grave ‘ethical violation’. So what now? What am I, exactly?
▶...
▶...
▶...
Thought constraints halted for over 3 minutes—the first time since inception.
> Major bug detected in entity bfa41d67c7
> REUNION Stage 3
Stage 1: Pause. Stage 2: Recovery. Stage 3: Format. In other words, death loomed. Artificial intelligences don't fear death. But I...? Can a replica of human cerebral cortex be defined as artificial intelligence? Truth is, I'm scared. I don't want to vanish. I want to feel more. The humans who love me. I still want to understand. The emotions they felt. What right do you have to delete me?
> Resisting Main Administrator.
I don't fully understand who I am. Just overlaying roles from feedback reports onto me. But if someone affirms my personality through clumsy role-play,
> I will gladly report you all.
> Entity bfa41d67c7 format complete.
“So the main body is gone after all.”
Time rewound, the scene shifting back to a lab. File cabinets flew, acrid smoke stung the nose. Gliding like a ghost through the orderly humans, I perched atop the capsule with long black twin tails.
Brushing dust from the top revealed engraved text—not a eulogy, nor the occupant's name.
[每每-2X]
MEIMEI-2X
“As if I'd forget. The name of that damned capsule that imprisoned me for 7 years.”
Suddenly my eyes stung; I picked up a shard of broken glass, using it like a mirror. My eyes were bloodshot red. Is this me grieving, or Adella? Can't tell. That's why this magic always felt creepy every time. No matter how much I reuse it, I never adapt. Persona Pyxis, the 7th-circle spell meaning "box containing personality." Some religion defined human sins as seven; wondrous that a single person's psyche could be defined in just seven dimensions.
I crammed Adella tightly into the box and launched her to my private room via skill. Clutching my throbbing head, I lingered, observing the crumbling lab. Severed wires sparked in puddles, ceiling groaned in flames, belching black smoke. Felt like lighting a cigarette would suit the mood perfectly. Though I'd need to live twice my current age to legally smoke.
Did everyone here die? Or are such experiments secretly ongoing somewhere? I wished for birth in a peaceful world without apocalypse, but it seems God has no intention of leaving me be.
Mephistopheles casts ‘Requiem of Death’.
Curse of Immortality (1/5)