028. Massage (1)
028. Massage (1)
※ This chapter contains illustrations of a suggestive nature. Please be advised before reading.
I went to find Sumire and explained the situation.
I told her I needed Laika to be able to equip the Last Bloom Seo Se-rin had left behind by tomorrow.
And as a secondary matter, I asked her to look into the core that had been delivered along with it.
About ten minutes had passed since Sumire took the two items.
After rifling through various analysis devices, documents, and even the internet, Sumire cautiously spoke.
"W-Well... to put it very roughly... I-I don't think I can avoid expressing the opinion that using it for tomorrow's mission may not be entirely impossible..."
"So it's possible? Just answer yes or no."
"...Y-Yes..."
Sumire gave her answer while warily gauging my reaction.
So, I had no choice but to ask.
"How?"
"W-Well, that is..."
Sumire fiddled with her fingers nervously in front of her large chest and explained.
Laika's current Strength was B-Rank, short of her maximum B+, so naturally she couldn't use Last Bloom.
However, if she equipped the core [Overdrive-01] that Seo Se-rin had packed together with the equipment, things would be different.
Overdrive-01 could raise some of her reduced stats by half a rank.
In other words, replacing her core with Overdrive-01 would boost Laika's Strength to her maximum of B+.
As a result, she would be able to use the Last Bloom in tomorrow's mission as well.
"Really...?!"
Laika, who had been listening quietly, lit up.
I, on the other hand, reacted with obvious reluctance.
Unlike her, I knew just how fraught a choice 'replacing the core' really was.
The core's role was to supply phase power and energy to the phase circuits extending throughout the body, and to sustain biological functions.
In human terms, it was the heart, and unlike other components, it could not be recklessly swapped out.
Whether the core was replaced incorrectly—or even if it was replaced properly—side effects were likely.
The biggest problem was Phase Maladaptation Syndrome, which occurred almost without fail immediately after replacement.
"Euhye? Phase Maladaptation Syndrome?"
"It's a kind of allergy."
As I mentioned, the core was the organ that supplied phase power.
If you replaced that core, the quality of phase power circulating in the body would change completely.
When that happened, the body's parts governing immunity and circulation would misidentify the radically altered phase power as something forcibly injected from outside (= a Legion attack).
Eventually, the distorted signals would cause the body's internal defense system to malfunction, and combat power would plummet drastically.
"...Then if you swap the core, you have to live the rest of your life with reduced combat power?"
"No, not for the rest of your life."
If that were the case, who would ever dare replace their core?
After a certain amount of time—roughly a one-month adaptation period—the stats would return to normal.
For that reason, bases with personnel to spare sometimes carried out a core replacement while giving the affected biodroid about a month of leave. But... we couldn't afford that luxury.
We couldn't even guarantee whether Laika would be alive a week from now.
"Then... that Phase Maladaptation Syndrome? Isn't there some kind of medicine that can cure it right away?"
"There's no specific medicine for it."
There was no medicine, but...
"There is one... treatment method."
It was Sumire, not me, who interjected with the answer.
"W-Well, it's called Phase Resonance Therapy... If the patient receives a 'special treatment' from a Commander whose Phase Resonance Rate is above a certain level, the maladaptation syndrome can be made to subside within a few hours."
Immediately, Sumire turned to me and asked.
"They teach this at the Academy too, so I assume you, Commander, would know about it. I-Is that not the case...?"
To answer her question: of course I knew.
Knowing was precisely why I hadn't dared to bring the topic up.
For exactly that reason, I desperately tried to change the subject.
"Look, let's just pretend this conversation never happened. In the first place, we don't even know if Sumire can perform a high-difficulty job like a core replacement..."
Right then, Sumire cut in and started boasting without being asked.
"Ah, n-no...! It's a little awkward to say this myself, but core replacement is actually the field I'm most confident in. E-Euheut..."
Hmm.
This girl really was an A-rank washout.
But it was already too late to lament that.
Core replacement was possible, I could treat the side effects, and Laika was already dead set on swapping out her core and heading to Ice Shell with her new equipment.
...To be honest, I wished that could be the case, too.
Wouldn't it be good? Raising her stats and equipping better gear would allow her to carry out the mission much more reliably.
More than anything, Laika wanted it that badly.
No, really. She had the air of someone ready to sell her soul to a devil if it only meant she could use Seo Se-rin's equipment for this mission.
As proof of that, Laika pestered me as I hesitated.
"What on earth is it? No, anything is fine. Laika can endure it."
Right. I knew you were determined.
That was exactly why I couldn't bring myself to say it.
But now that things had come this far, I couldn't keep trying to muddle past it.
I explained, unable to bring myself even to look at Laika.
What the essence of the Phase Resonance Therapy Sumire had proposed was.
It wasn't particularly difficult.
If anything, it was extremely simple.
"Phase Resonance Therapy is a treatment where the Commander massages a completely naked biodroid."
Even after hearing my explanation, for about five seconds, Laika just tilted her head with a blank expression.
She probably didn't quite grasp the meaning of my words.
However, right after those five seconds had passed.
"...Euhye?"
Laika's face blazed bright red.
Not stopping there, her embarrassment erupted like a volcano——
In a voice that could have been anger or excitement, Laika protested.
"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you talking about...?!"
Her attitude suggested that if this was a mean-spirited joke, she was prepared to give me a chance to take it back right now.
Unfortunately, I hadn't been joking.
If anything, I hadn't exaggerated a single bit.
Because the Phase Resonance Therapy I had learned at the Academy was exactly as I had just described.
Specifically, it was the following treatment method.
1. The biodroid suffering from Phase Maladaptation Syndrome becomes completely nude.
2. Prepare a Commander with a Phase Resonance Rate of 80% or higher.
3. The Commander in question calmly and meticulously massages the areas where the phase circuits pass (= the entire body) with bare hands.
4. After massaging the entire body for roughly one hour, the Phase Maladaptation Syndrome is completely cured.
The principle was very simple.
By taking in the already-resonating Commander's phase through close physical contact, the body could rapidly synchronize with and adapt to the new phase power.
The reason it had to be done nude was that, during the treatment process, the patient could not come into contact with any phase other than the Commander's.
They had to be exposed only to the resonating Commander's phase... but, as you know, artificial objects such as clothing possess at least a tiny amount of phase power.
Therefore, with every piece of clothing removed, they had to let the Commander knead and massage them all over.
I repeat, for roughly one hour.
Even after that full explanation, Laika seemed unconvinced.
"F-For real...?"
"At least that part is real."
To aid Laika's understanding, I showed her a photo I had snapped of the Academy textbook.
Only after reading all of it did Laika start asking other questions.
"W-Well then, what should we do...?"
What do you mean 'what should we do'?
"Then we don't do it. Do you want me massaging you while you're stark naked?"
"I-I'm not sure if 'want' is quite the word for how I feel..."
Isn't that a strange way to answer?
...No, that wasn't what was important right now.
What mattered was how to shoot down the 'naked massage' idea that had suddenly emerged as our solution.
How could I reach the correct conclusion that Phase Resonance Therapy was not only psychologically unacceptable, but physically impossible as well?
...What if our Phase Resonance Rate was too low?
Come to think of it, weren't we below 80%? I thought we were somewhere in the seventy-percent range the last time I checked.
"Ah, since the two of you came back from Metropolis, your Phase Resonance Rate has risen into the mid-eighties."
Did your affection score really shoot up that much just because we went on one pseudo-date, Laika?
When I pressed her with my eyes, Laika couldn't maintain her usual composure.
She didn't even protest.
Instead, Laika simply gazed at me with damp eyes.
Then perhaps some strange thought occurred to her.
Laika abruptly lowered her head and asked.
"...Hey, that Phase Resonance Massage thing... do you actually know how to do it?"
Hmm.
Lying here would create its own problems.
I answered honestly.
"I know how. I've done it once with Sion, too."
Once I'd said it, I realized the latter half had been an unnecessary detail.
Sure enough, Laika was far more startled than the situation called for.
"Wh-With Sion, too...?! H-How did that happen...?!"
I wonder. I didn't think there was much of a 'how' about it.
As I'd said, that kid was a defective product.
She couldn't work as a partner biodroid without replacing her core.
So she replaced it, but as luck would have it, it was right during exam period.
And our Phase Resonance Rate had already passed 80% long before that, so we'd simply decided to skip the adaptation period with a massage.
...And I immediately regretted it.
Because actually massaging a naked body had been far too embarrassing.
I'd thought it would be fine since I'd often seen Sion naked before.
But there was a vast gap between merely seeing and actually touching.
By the time I realized that, there was no turning back, so I ended up going through with it to the end.
Whatever the case, I didn't want to repeat the same mistake twice.
"So it's better not to do it. No, we just won't do it."
I concluded firmly.
But Laika shook her head back and forth and said.
"Wh-What do you mean...! That's exactly why we should do it...! Doing it with Sion but not with Laika is unfair...!"
How on earth was that unfair?
"Because right now, Laika's your favorite biodroid...?"
"No, what does that have to do with this?"
"I-It doesn't...? Laika isn't your most cherished biodroid...?"
I didn't say you weren't. I said it had nothing to do with it.
When I tried to fire back with that, Laika continued her argument.
"Anyway... this equipment would be a huge help if I could use it... and more than that, since this is the mission Laika failed with Seo Se-rin... I feel like it has to be this equipment... A-And in the first place, we're not in a position to be picky right now!"
Hmm.
That logic, at least, was hard to refute.
This wasn't just any situation—her life was on the line. Refusing better equipment and a better core just because we were embarrassed would be absurd.
So.
I let out a sigh and reached my conclusion.
"If that's what you want, fine. I understand. But... this isn't something to decide on impulse. We still have some time, so rest until tonight and think it over. If you still want the replacement after that, come to my room."
With that, we ended our meeting in the manufactory.
And to give the conclusion first.
Laika did not come to my room that night.
I went to Laika's room.