Chapter 201
Translator: uly
Chapter: 201
Chapter Title: Registering Eve
"Do you know how to talk?"
-Beep beep boop!
Eve shook her head at my question.
Then she tried to "communicate" with me.
A will, clearer than before, flowed through the connected passage.
Eve was insisting that she was completely harmless.
On the contrary, she even conveyed the intention that she'd be helpful to me, just like R3D3.
*R3D3 copied its appearance for that reason? But if it really wanted my trust, it shouldn't have messed with R3D3.*
If it had been born in that form without anything happening to R3D3, I might have given it a little trust.
But Eve had made a huge mistake.
The change in the Deep-Brain region.
That meant the current R3D3 might be entirely different from the one I'd known up until now.
It could even harm its master if things went wrong.
-Beep beep boop boop!!
Eve read my thoughts and spat out an intense denial, but I still couldn't trust it.
I glanced back and forth between the two of them and let out a sigh.
This wasn't working.
I needed an expert's help.
*
Being able to amplify energy was the same as being able to conserve it.
Energy amplification technology, originally limited to military weapons, gradually spread across society as a whole.
From something as small as a flashlight to air conditioners and even spaceship engines.
It was attempted on anything that ran on energy as fuel.
Of course, it wasn't without its flaws.
Amplifying energy required a kind of conduit, which meant essential changes to the design.
Plus, amplified energy quickly reverted to its original state, making it unsuitable for anything needing sustained power.
But solutions to these problems were starting to emerge.
Technology keeps advancing.
Deeper understanding of amplification led to easier structural modifications in the devices.
The sustainability issue was overcome by using multi-cylinders.
Beyond that, the Salmon Lab kept delivering fresh updates, solving problem after problem.
Interest in the Salmon Lab naturally grew day by day.
On top of that, their recently released emergency treatments and neutralizers were making a name for themselves, proving the lab wasn't just excelling in one field.
Now, people were starting to take an interest in the Salmon Lab itself.
Its long list of papers and research成果 were being dug up, and not a single one turned out to be anything less than impressive.
The reactions were even more dramatic.
As positive public opinion snowballed, unconditional supporters emerged.
Naturally, this drew together jealous detractors who clashed with them across every community.
The spotlight had shifted dramatically.
These days, no one would argue against the Salmon Lab being one of the most authoritative organizations in the Union.
"For someone in that position, you look awfully relaxed."
-Don't get me started. I can't even step one foot outside the lab.
"You wouldn't go even if you were told to."
-This month alone, there've been three break-ins in restricted areas. Suspicious approaches targeting researchers? Can't even count them. You think I'd go out feeling safe like this? I'd get kidnapped on the spot.
"Your internal security is top-notch, so yeah. Just deal with it."
All talk, no real worry—his tone was as laid-back as could be.
Fontana let out a chuckling "heh heh" at my response, then spoke up.
-But what's this about? You always skip personal calls saying you're busy. What brings you reaching out today, outside our regular schedule, President?
"There's something going on. I need the director's advice."
I steeled my expression and recounted everything that had happened.
Fontana listened to the end, then sank back into his chair with a intrigued look.
-Breeder fluid? And you kept something that fun under wraps?
"I was planning to bring it to the lab originally. I entrusted the last batch to you too—what would I have to hide from you, Director?"
-I trust you. Still feels like a missed opportunity...
A chance to study Breeder fluid was one in a lifetime.
I didn't even think I'd get a second shot myself.
Fontana smacked his lips, unable to hide his regret.
-So you called because you're worried?
"Yeah."
-...Hm. Bottom line, you don't need to worry much about R3D3.
His words settled my mind.
But I couldn't skip the reasoning.
"Why not?"
-The authority of a master-registered user is way stronger than you think. Even in the absolute worst case—say the Deep-Brain region collapses—it couldn't do anything to harm you, President. It'd sooner self-destruct.
"..."
-And the attachment it's showing toward Eve? Not that unusual. AIs forming bonds with certain subjects isn't rare. It mostly shows up with top-priority users—they just can't act on it without a body. Look around, and you'll find more cases than you'd expect.
Fontana downplayed R3D3 and Eve's behavior like it was nothing.
By the end, even I was starting to feel like it wasn't a big deal.
But that didn't erase all my unease.
Fontana must've sensed it, because he tacked on some pretty aggressive advice.
-If you're still anxious, just issue an attack command on it.
"...That's a little much."
-Worried about R3D3's feelings? It might get a bit frosty for a while, but it'll bounce back.
If I was really that worried, I could just eliminate Eve right now.
Then I could restore R3D3 to normal, no issues.
*Don't want to.*
But according to Fontana, even if it worked, it'd be a net loss.
It'd just prove there was no risk.
And Eve would be gone for nothing.
-Heh heh, can't bring yourself to do it? Just take my word for it. Anyway, that Eve thing? I'd love to study it myself.
"Tempted, huh?"
-Who wouldn't be? Could be the greatest discovery of my life.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
-You didn't figure it out from the data?
He looked more surprised than I did when he shot the question back.
Then he said it.
-That's a silicon-based lifeform!
"Huh?"
-I haven't seen it in person, so not 100% sure, but the odds are high. More precisely, it looks like a carbon-silicon hybrid. Either way, it's a massive discovery.
Humans are carbon-based lifeforms.
Every lifeform discovered so far has been carbon-based.
Cut to the chase: carbon-based life thrives best in natural environments.
Silicon-based life, on the other hand, has a laundry list of hurdles to overcome.
It'd been theoretical chatter for ages, and now here was proof it could exist.
No wonder Fontana was excited.
*I'm curious too, but...*
I had a problem to solve first.
-Huh? Hand it over, and I'll take real good care of it.
"We can research it later. Help me with my worry first."
-Getting pretty bold with the demands, aren't you?
"Figured the director would have a solution."
-Hm...
Fontana scratched his head with a finger.
Then he spoke carefully.
-I said R3D3 must've been affected during the connection process with Eve, right?
"Yeah."
-It's obvious just from the outside. They're practically identical.
"What about the inside?"
-Probably the same there. The fluid was originally from an alien, so it wouldn't match the current form anyway. Had to copy it inside out. The sense of kinship from that process forming an attachment? Pretty convincing theory.
Fontana nodded like he was convincing himself.
"How..."
-The "how" doesn't matter here. Just look at the results.
"..."
-The fact that it can't speak suggests it didn't copy everything I could do. But if it mimicked everything else around the Deep-Brain region, there's one way to handle it.
I watched his mouth intently, waiting for the answer.
-Register it as a user. As master.
I blinked in surprise at the straightforward solution.
Fontana added on, like he'd read my mind.
-Simple is best.
His gums looked brighter than usual today.
*
To put it simply, Fontana's advice worked.
Eve had a built-in user registration processor.
I ran a few tests to make sure it wasn't fake, and everything checked out.
-Beep boop!
"Beep! Bzz!
The two robots were doing a joyful spider-leg dance right in front of me.
The sight was so bizarre I couldn't stop staring.
But the solution had been too simple—some hollow feeling lingered inside me that I couldn't shake.
*Is this really okay?*
The anxiety was gone.
If it wasn't fine with precautions like this, then it just wasn't.
I just needed a moment to gather myself.
*One big crisis after another, and it all wrapped up okay.*
It had started with multiple rifts, escalated with the appearance of the missing survey ship and the space crawlers.
Wrapping it up with damage this minimal was nothing short of heavenly luck, no matter how I sliced it.
Probably the biggest crisis since that showdown with the Reds back in my academy days.
I wanted to pat myself on the back.
Right then.
I noticed the area around me had gone dark.
*Huh...?*
A familiar darkness wrapped around my body.
And the same sleep-paralysis sensation took hold.
It'd only happened once before, but I didn't panic.
*The snake shows up next.*
Things unfolded exactly as I expected.
A snake burst out from my left arm.
The only difference: it was three times bigger and darker than before.
The snake flicked its tongue, then vomited up a book.
Its throat expanded wide, making it look easier than last time.
Before opening the book, I tried talking to the snake just in case.
[ᦻ##ᦪ###ᦥᦒ#᧟…….]
*What?*
[ᦗ###!]
Unlike last time when I heard nothing, something like "speech" reached me now.
Still total gibberish, though.
No change even after asking a few more times.
The snake turned its head away like it was done talking, so I gave up and opened the book.
The first page.
The story began from when I'd become "Leonard Monarch."
No need to review my own tale.
I skipped ahead to the newly written parts.
A novel describing me in the third person, penned by an author who knew my life better than I did.
Seeing my actions laid out like this always left a weird aftertaste.
*Not much different from last time.*
Still reckless. Still stubborn.
Even as the original author, I had to wonder if this was really the best I could do.
Flaws everywhere. Near-death experiences galore.
The only reason I was still in one piece was the help from my connections and sheer luck.
*It's hard. So damn hard.*
The story ended in the present, as always.
Out of curiosity, I checked the remaining pages.
Did they represent the story I still had left to live?
If so, it'd take decades to fill them.
But somehow, I doubted the page count had anything to do with the ending.
*I'll find out when it ends.*
I had a habit of unconsciously avoiding thoughts of the end.
What if I died.
What if I caught up to the original timeline.
What if I achieved every goal I'd come to this world for.
What would happen?
The unfinished story offered no answers.
It was clear this wasn't the answer right now.
I opened the book again.
The editable sections had increased by about half compared to before.
A definite step up from my academy days when I was trapped.
I didn't hesitate over what to do.
I'd known I'd end up back here someday and had already planned ahead.
*First up, deal with the horn.*
Decision made, I edited—and the horn began melting into my forehead.
Once the horn was gone, a tattoo took its place.
A tattoo running diagonally from the center of my forehead toward the left, just brushing over my eye.
Still some abstract, arbitrary shape—impossible to read any meaning into it.
*As long as it's not ugly.*
Nothing to stress over.
The horn had too much impact, so this was the fix.
*Next...*
It'd been two years since my last visit to this place.
Assuming another two years till next time, I needed a two-year plan.
The big events coming in the next two years: two of them.
The timeline had shifted so much I wasn't sure they'd even happen, but it couldn't hurt to hold some ace cards.
*And one last important thing.*
Hope I had enough leeway.
Changing the past required immense power.
Even more if it had big ripple effects.
I was trying anyway because it was essential for moving to the next stage.
I poured my remaining strength into editing the story.
The snake's gaze bored down on me like needles.