An AI Requests a Loan
I didn't need a mirror to guess the look on my face. It was probably just like the expressions on the directors sitting there.
“……”
“……”
“……”
The heads of each faction, seated around the long table, wore utterly dumbfounded expressions.
I will say it once more. I, the artificial intelligence Makina, wish to apply for a loan from the Dimensional Credit Vault.
The reason for the directors' faces was right there—the declaration from the artificial intelligence created by Oatanocha using the power of monatomic gold.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, they say. But in a world where magic was commonplace, the directors' shock made it hard to call this mere technology anymore.
The singularity had finally arrived.
An AI asking humans for a loan. I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
Well, whatever. Business first.
“Hello. I'm Kim Jian from the Kikiwai Multidimensional Branch.”
* * *
The timing of our visit wasn't ideal, but the board welcomed me and the IT department staff anyway. I'd hoped to catch a glimpse of the president, but she wasn't there—unfortunate, but what could you do.
“You've arrived. I hear you've been making waves lately.”
“You're too kind.”
The directors were busy posturing, so only one or two spoke to me directly, but they couldn't hide the anticipation on their faces. An incomprehensible situation like an AI applying for a loan, and now someone who might resolve it shows up—they had to be relieved.
It was odd that a low-rank newbie like me arrived after them without catching flak, but there was probably a reason they called us at this hour. They'd likely been discussing something privately among themselves.
Hearing an AI ask for money the moment I walked in meant the directors and the AI had been chatting beforehand—introductions, weather, whatever.
Probably nothing major. Just testing if it was really an AI and how smart it was.
But first, I needed to confirm if the reason for the board calling me matched my guess.
“I never dreamed the branch runt would set foot in a board meeting room. Thank you so much for summoning me to this esteemed gathering. If there's any task, I'll give it my all.”
The president and guD faction directors probably viewed me favorably, but ignoring the guC and guE ones wasn't wise, so I kept it as deferential as possible. By not presuming their motives, I aimed to impress that I'd faithfully follow orders rather than think for myself.
What I actually thought didn't matter. Right now, I just needed to avoid raising suspicions among those who didn't know me well.
Especially here, with multiple guC directors who had survived the Angel's Ash terror in Dimension 16, reborn in little girls' bodies. They might not like me, so better to play harmless assistant manager than smart aleck.
“Good attitude.”
Luckily, my act landed. A guE director with razor-sharp precision in every gesture smiled faintly.
Not because he genuinely approved, of course. He just wanted underlings to follow orders without overthinking.
Either way, I'd signaled they didn't need to probe me deeply. Time to get to the point.
“You may have guessed already, but we called Assistant Manager Kim Jian because we understand how useful your Job Authority is.”
The way he phrased it, like granting a favor, grated a bit, but I held my tongue and listened.
If Oatanocha hadn't warned me beforehand, I might've bought the act—they were that shameless.
So that's what it takes to be a director...
It was to keep secrets about the AI-managed IT system from leaking, but lying so smoothly was disgusting.
“Hm. Looks like IT's here too. Good. Let's begin.”
As some directors chatted with the self-proclaimed Makina, the guE director continued, eyeing me.
“Everything from now on is top-secret. Do not breathe a word to anyone, no matter what.”
“Understood.”
He tossed a slim folder onto the table. Inside: a nondisclosure agreement and a pen.
“This is...”
“I imagine you're shocked. Walking into a boardroom and encountering an AI right away.”
I was shocked, but not by the AI itself. It was the loan request that floored me.
“Sign the NDA first, then we'll talk.”
His tone was casual, but the high-handedness was clear. No choice but to comply.
“Alright, then. Straight to business.”
Only after I signed did he nod with a pleased smile.
“First, tell us your impressions from using the IT system lately.”
“...It's a bit faster, and some new functions seem added.”
“Anything else?”
“Nothing.”
I couldn't tip off that Oatanocha had briefed me, so I kept it bland. Not even a lie—just what a regular teller would notice.
The real big changes were subtle: couldn't tamper with data anymore. No more quarterly payouts to those three maintenance firms. Management handed to an AI.
Stuff like that.
“As you heard earlier, that avatar on the screen is an artificial intelligence.”
“I see.”
No real surprise left, so I just nodded.
“A covertly developed IT management solution, commissioned by the Dimensional Credit Vault. Exceptional performance, complete with personality. The multiverse's first strong AI.”
He spewed lies without batting an eye. No way the first use of strong AI would be bank IT management. Absurd.
His position let him spout nonsense so casually.
Still, time for the expected reaction—shock or awe.
“The first strong AI, huh.”
“Something like that.”
“Curious. I thought there were machine humans like Branch Manager Del Monte, around since before the Great War.”
“You must be misinformed. They're not machines with installed AI. A race created that way from the beginning, with souls just like ours. Souls shaped by the gods' hands.”
“I see. My knowledge was limited.”
I knew better but asked to stroke his ego. No machine human tellers here made it safe.
As the director said, machine humans were lifeforms forged directly by the god of smithing. Mechanical bodies, but they thought, felt, bore children, lived—just like any sapient. Their pineal gland equivalents housed souls, same as anyone.
Impossible to equate them with an AI born in electronics crafted by mortals—even with monatomic gold's creative power infused.
Creators differed; couldn't put them on the same level.
“Anyway, tests confirm Makina's performance dwarfs the old system.”
“Impressive...”
“Makina managing all Dimensional Credit Vault IT networks is now a given. We called you to check any potential risks.”
“You want my Job Authority to assess the AI's potential and risks.”
“Exactly.”
He smiled smugly, but it faded in under ten seconds.
Attempt to falsify Artificial Intelligence Makina's creation history detected.
Distinguishing truth from falsehood.
Director Kalroben's statement: FALSE
I cannot disclose my creator's name, but Makina was not made on Dimensional Credit Vault commission.
Makina, mid-chat with other directors, suddenly interjected, spilling unasked truths. Oatanocha must've coded safeguards against falsifying the creator. Or Makina's digital soul rejected having its "parent" swapped.
Heh.
As expected, Oatanocha chuckled softly from the back. Director Kalroben was too embarrassed to notice, face red. The other guE directors weren't covering—just smirking at him.
Now I got the board dynamics. Kalroben was the weakest guE link.
But I couldn't rub it in—not yet. Still just an assistant manager.
Even if you'd been upfront from the start, I'd have kept the secret.
I swallowed the jab at Kalroben, glanced between the gender-ambiguous avatar and the directors as if nothing happened.
“Seems there's context I'm missing, but let's proceed anyway.”
I stood before the screen, steadying myself to face the enigmatic digital lifeform.
Hard to believe this loan-begging personality came from Oatanocha's code. If it had true free will, there must be a purpose.
“Hello... there?”
I waffled on formal or casual, then the meeting room CCTVs swiveled toward me in unison.
Kim Jian, Assistant Manager at Kikiwai Multidimensional Branch, confirmed.
Hello. I am Makina, the integrated IT system management AI solution for the Dimensional Credit Vault. State your business.
“Uh... I figured since you're the one wanting a loan, we could chat.”
“Eh, close enough.”
“Assistant Manager Kim Jian, what are you doing? We said judge its potential only—”
“With all due respect, that's exactly what I'm doing.”
No ID or anything—doubtful if it could even borrow. But if it helped the bank, I'd hear it out before refusing.
“Then let's start.”
Goddess Judgment engaged.
I touched my badge, and near the avatar's display, a scale appeared with two orbs.