I'm Just a Regular Person (1)
I'm Just a Regular Person (1)
I lay on the bed, ruminating on a sense of emptiness.
The Smile Zone problem, which had been a headache for quite some time, was now resolved.
The credits I received as a reward were so substantial and satisfying that I almost suspected my eye implant was malfunctioning.
And the ancillary benefits were not bad either.
Yet the emptiness enveloping my whole body showed no sign of fading.
I briefly continued my thoughts.
I wondered why.
Was it because, regardless of my will, the start and end of the incident were orchestrated by 'Smile Zone'?
That could be it.
It was true that I had dashed out to finish the job and then ran out of steam midway.
So it wasn't strange to feel uneasy.
If it wasn't that...
Was it because I found out that the people living in the neighboring houses, including the grumpy old man next door, were all being paid in credits?
That was one of the reasons too.
It was true that they were all terrible neighbors.
But I couldn't say I had no sense of familiarity with them at all.
Moreover, after the Smile Zone (prosthetic body) came to my house and revealed the truth, I went to Bill's house just in case and knocked on the door, but there was no response.
The front door wasn't locked and opened, but inside was completely empty.
If that wasn't the reason either.
Could it be because I've been going out too much recently?
.......
It seemed like that might be it...
But that is over now.
Now that it was revealed that most of it was a scheme by 'Smile Zone', the likelihood of future problems was certainly low.
I had plenty of credits, and all incidents were resolved.
It should have been more than enough reason to just laze around at home.
What on earth was this feeling of emptiness?
As I lay on the bed, blankly staring at the ceiling, Eve approached me.
"...Would you like to play a game or something?"
I shook my head listlessly.
Eve, who had been watching my reaction, scurried back to where she had been and sat on the floor again.
She could play games on her own.
I felt sorry that she seemed to be unnecessarily monitoring my mood.
Of course, Eve's existence also affected my confused mind.
(Probably) the only strong artificial intelligence.
In a cyberpunk world dominated by cyberware and electronics, an entity no one could stop.
...In fact, after obtaining a prosthetic body, she seemed even more capable than before.
I couldn't guess how, but I wondered if the body played a part.
Just because I 'brought her out into the world'—
that single reason alone made such an incredible being hold goodwill toward me, and I was truly grateful.
On the other hand, it was a little scary.
Especially when we lay in bed together to sleep—I didn't know the mechanism, but Eve slept too.
It wasn't just once or twice that Eve stared at me in the dark after the lights were off.
She could sleep soundly.
She felt foot numbness from blood flow.
She could eat food.
Last time, I also saw when she cut onions or breathed in spicy fumes: her eyes teared up, and she let out short coughs like a cat.
Honestly, it didn't seem like an efficient design. All her actions were imitations of humans.
What was her ultimate goal?
Why did she manifest a prosthetic body with such functions and appear before me?
I was curious but didn't ask.
If the answer was like what she'd say on net broadcasts—'In order to conquer this world...'—it would be hard to just laugh it off as a joke.
Frankly, even if Eve outright said:
『You insignificant humans! I shall rule over you!! Kneel before my 「wisdom」 and 「strength」!』
Even if she said that,
the reality was that there was nothing I could do.
Well, anyway,
I myself didn't know the exact reason.
That was when, feeling all sorts of emptiness, I was doing nothing, just lying on the bed and rolling around like a caterpillar.
- Ding-dong.
The intercom chime instinctively made me rise.
"Ah, I'll go check."
At the sound, Eve also stood up, but it was only right for me, who had gotten up first, to go out.
I checked the intercom and then opened the front door.
"Oh, what's up?"
"...I have a favor to ask."
Unlike usual, Andrea looked at me with a hesitant, hemming and hawing expression.
I assumed it wouldn't be a big deal, so I waited nonchalantly for her to speak.
"...I'm really sorry, but I was wondering if you could go on the 'NCB24' broadcast with me."
"?"
I doubted my ears.
19. I'm Just an Ordinary Person (1)
After entering the room, Andrea looked around.
Her gaze landed on the double bed, then moved to Eve, who was sitting there with an elegant air.
With a somewhat dissatisfied expression, Andrea spoke.
"...Are you two living together?"
"Ah."
Come to think of it, no one knew about it except Catherine, who used to live next door.
.......
Honestly, Andrea and I weren't in a flirty relationship, and it wasn't a situation where I needed to make excuses like with Catherine.
I answered her with no sense of urgency.
"Not two, but three."
"?"
"Catherine said she'll come later, too."
"......."
Andrea muttered under her breath.
"...So that's why you sent that message."
After saying that, Andrea took off her cyber sunglasses, hat, and mask.
The mask was one I'd seen when we went to find 'Maya' together last time.
Somehow, it had the same design as the mask I usually wore.
Andrea lightly folded her arms.
Her broad and generous 'heart' asserted its presence between her crossed arms.
Her deep, saturated red eyes looked at me.
"Wouldn't it be uncomfortable with three people living together?"
"Well, what can I do? I just have to accept it."
Still, friends were friends.
I felt that Andrea was just about the only one who worried about me.
"...Four would also be fi─."
Andrea was about to say something but cut herself off.
"Huh?"
"Nah."
She waved her hand dismissively and changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, what did you decide to do about that terrorist Smile Zone or whatever?"
"Ah."
"It ended like that in front of the headquarters building back then. I was wondering if anything else had come up."
I hadn't yet told Andrea, Drex, or Natasha about how, thanks to having a strategic asymmetrical weapon (Eve), the whole thing ended so ridiculously easily.
Hmm.
"Well, you see..."
I thought for a moment.
It wasn't a concern about how much to explain, but how to explain it simply.
"It ended well."
"?"
Even if you look at me like I'm crazy... it's hard to explain.
Even I, the person directly involved, still didn't fully understand it, so Andrea, who knew nothing, would likely have an even harder time understanding.
"All of a sudden?"
"It'll be hard to believe, but seriously."
"...It's not that I don't believe you."
Andrea looked dumbfounded.
I knew that feeling.
I completely agreed...
But what could I do about reality?
It really was over.
Seeing Andrea like that, I continued.
"It just turned out that way. I was really grateful for your help."
"......."
Andrea remained lost in thought, arms still folded.
Even if she looked at me with those suspicious eyes, my answer wouldn't change.
To be honest, I didn't understand either.
But it was real.
In the end, Andrea's response was predetermined.
"...Alright, well, I'm glad it's resolved."
Andrea nodded, as if hypnotizing herself into believing it.
"So."
Trying to change the subject, I asked about what Andrea had mentioned at the front door.
"And what's this about the NCB24 broadcast?"
Asking an I-type to go on a broadcast, of all things.
If she weren't a friend, I would've kicked her out on the spot.
At my words, Andrea composed herself and answered with a short, fake cough.
"If you've been browsing netspace recently, you'd know─."
"Ah, I've been busy lately."
I hadn't been able to check.
Time-wise, since I went to the 'Quantum Nexus' corporate party, I hadn't connected to netspace.
"...Then you wouldn't know."
Andrea then slipped back into that lukewarm, uncharacteristic attitude.
Her hesitant posture became even more pronounced.
"I'm really, really, really sorry."
.......
Honestly, her stalling was scarier.
"No, what is it? Just say it."
Only then could I decide whether to run.
Hiding those thoughts, I spoke to Andrea.
Perhaps my words gave her confidence.
Andrea took a deep breath.
"A post I made asking about bigamy got flagged, and now a dating rumor has erupted between you and me...!?"
"?"
Huh?
Biga-what?
Dating rumor, what?
My hearing must have gotten bad recently.
I should go to Drex and get my cyberware serviced again.
I scratched my ear, trying to tune out reality.
.......
For real?
I felt my mind go blank.
And what was even more amazing was that, at some point, Eve had come right up behind me and was standing pressed against me.
"......."
It was a little scary.