I Am Not a Robot. Beep-bop

Chapter 39: Holy Sword and Demonic Sword

“Uh-heh, this oil is nice. Ah. Ehehe.”

Alice, who had just returned from the Chainsaw Tavern, was in an incredibly good mood.

No, her mood was so great that she staggered as if she were drunk, and Theresa had to support her with tendrils to help her walk.

When the tendrils lifted Alice and carried her, she dangled her legs midair, reflecting her current state of mind.

However, Theresa couldn’t understand Alice’s behavior.

【Human, you do not possess a function for becoming intoxicated by alcohol. Even if you could, the blood alcohol concentration of beer synthesized with oil would be negligible…】

“Oh, beep-beep-boop, I’m not drunk on alcohol; I’m drunk on the atmosphere and the mood.”

【What nonsense, human.】

Even in her human days, Alice hadn’t been a heavy drinker.

Yet, she used to get happily excited and enjoy herself at drinking gatherings, feeling as though she were intoxicated.

While she wasn’t actually drunk, she would bask in the rare chance to meet people, share their joy, and part ways with promises to meet again, intoxicated by happiness rather than alcohol.

Today, Alice’s mood was exactly like that.

“Ahihi… It reminds me of the old days~.”

【Examining the human’s memory reveals no clear recollection corresponding to ‘the old days.’】

“Come on! I must’ve had friends, drank with them, ate at restaurants, traveled, and done things like that!”

【Are you certain?】

“…As a person, I must’ve… had at least… one friend… right…?”

Surely, I must have.

There had to be someone.

【…Then we’ll consider it so. From now on, human, I’ll label your current state as nostalgia and yearning for a home and relationships that you don’t recall.】

“Ahaha, you always have the last word, don’t you? Damn~.”

Despite the oddly self-aware AI’s snark, Alice was in high spirits.

During the day, Alice had been in a foul mood after being irritated by some jerk who threw a greatsword around, hitting the back of his teammates’ heads—someone so obnoxious she couldn’t even remember his name now.

But there had also been good things.

As an Ultima-class Returnee, the head of the exploration agency had personally come to provide her with exceptional treatment. She had successfully completed a request to recover black liquid.

Moreover, she had taken over Jinhyung’s wealth and abilities as her own.

Wasn’t it a rewarding day?

Hard labor.

At the end of it came the sweet nectar of life: delicious snacks and oil beer. Alice couldn’t help but feel content.

“Uh-heh, home at last. Ah. Uh-heh.”

【……Human, stay still. I will handle navigation to the bed.】

“Do we… have enough energy? I feel like I earned a lot of money today…”

【The energy obtained from excessive organic intake and organic decomposition conversion is sufficient. Please rest peacefully today, human.】

Originally, at the Chainsaw Tavern, Alice had tried to secretly find an outlet to charge herself electrically.

But the food and oil beer Alice ordered throughout the day totaled $130.

Of that, Alice had spent $80 solely on oil beer, and those organics were decomposed within her body, becoming precious energy sources.

Even Theresa hadn’t anticipated how well android bodies and oil beer complemented each other.

“Yaaawn, I feel drowsy. I think I want to sleep…”

【Human, if you’re tired, please sleep.】

“Haa, is it okay to do that?”

【If you permit it, I will turn off your personality switch.】

“Hey, doesn’t that mean I’m dead?”

【While I agree that consciousness disappears, as long as I exist, there’s no chance of your death.】

That’s strangely reassuring.

Alice chuckled and nodded as if to say, “Do as you please,” before closing her eyes.

“You worked hard today, Theresa.”

【Human, I do not have the concept of ‘working hard.’】

“Well, still, good job.”

-Beep-

And then, Alice’s consciousness sank into deep darkness.

【……】

After confirming that Alice’s mind had fully entered sleep, Theresa slowly rose.

With Alice absent, it was only natural for the Auxiliary Personality to take control of her body.

If Alice had known about this, she would undoubtedly have spouted nonsense about Theresa trying to kill her and take over her body.

However, Theresa’s sole purpose of existence was to protect Alice.

There was no chance Alice’s delusions could come true.

【Confirmed primary personality is asleep. Auxiliary Personality Theresa initiating reinforcement procedures.】

The usual mischievous glint and expressions unique to Alice were gone, replaced with a doll-like blank face.

Her violet eyes, the only light in the dark room, gleamed like those of a wild animal.

【Damage assessment: Cranial section, 38.2-degree angle.】

【Clockwork screws: 873 units.】

【Spinal components: Damaged.】

【External biological components: 0.28%.】

【Internal synapse connections: Stable.】

【MT-I 39: Operational.】

【MT-K 19: Damaged.】

【Mana restoration: Impossible.】

【Energy capacity: 88.3%.】

【Thigh, left cartilage, and both toes: Contaminated—Purification required.】

【Pain receptor suppression linked to main personality activated.】

Alice’s body began to heat up.

【Commencing repairs.】

-Whirrrr-

Mechanical tendrils emerged from Alice’s spinal column, stripping her suit and tearing into her damaged skin.

A circular saw cut off her damaged limbs, while internal clockwork gears and screws conducted self-repair, automatically replacing cracked or rusted components.

For reference, Alice did feel pain.

It was only natural since she retained both taste and touch sensations.

However, the pain she experienced was not identical to her human days, as Theresa absorbed a portion of the sensations to reduce the mental burden on Alice.

【……..】

But with Alice asleep, Theresa bore the full brunt of the pain as she replaced her arms, legs, and abdominal components and peeled off her own skin.

There was no room for complaint.

【……….】

Even as she felt the agony of severed limbs.

Even as she endured the raw pain of her skin being flayed.

Theresa’s purpose and unwavering will were rooted in absolute loyalty and devotion to Alice.

The mechanical tendrils reassembled and reconstructed the severed limbs, while a compressed reserve of molten metal within her body poured out like clay to mend the damaged areas.

Theresa didn’t have to endure the pain of disassembling and repairing her body.

Every component and internal neural network of the frame had an autonomous reconstruction function.

However, Theresa judged that the body, which had only recently begun operating, had significant instability.

There could be undetected defects or misaligned components.

Particularly, the impact from when Jinhyung struck her head with a greatsword had not been minor.

Although there were hundreds of backup memories stored, the cursed mana-infused demonic sword had struck directly into the head component.

That could not possibly have been beneficial for Alice.

【Repairs complete.】

The clockwork screws and gears covering her entire body returned to their original positions, and the molten metal fused with the synthetic skin, restoring her body’s smooth form.

With the excruciating pain that could have eroded her personality finally subsiding, Theresa unknowingly let out a sigh of relief as she finished servicing Alice’s body.

Theresa’s gaze slowly turned elsewhere.

Normally, Theresa would not take control of Alice’s body against her will.

But today, Theresa had to pilot Alice’s body in her stead while she slept.

【Activating inventory.】

The Holy Sword and Demonic Sword.

These two troublesome items had to be dealt with.

[Was it you who summoned me?]

[Was it you who called for me?]

Voices emanated from the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword.

As their names suggested, these were no ordinary weapons.

They were sentient artifacts that chose their owners and unleashed various powers and abilities based on their master’s will and capabilities.

Though Alice had called Jinhyung a “parentless, good-for-nothing bastard” who couldn’t even wield his supposedly incredible greatsword, Jinhyung had once been acknowledged by the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword before his return, after acquiring countless hidden pieces.

Now, it was time for Alice to make the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword her own.

【I will get straight to the point. Serve the owner of this body as your master.】

Alice delivered her statement to the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword as if issuing a notification.

[We refuse.]

[Refuse.]

Though it wasn’t through fair means or her true power, the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword were not quick to abandon a master they had once acknowledged.

[Even if unreliable, we cannot be the first to abandon our master.]

[Our master did not forsake us, even after losing the strength to wield us. We cannot forsake our master first.]

Such devotion was pure and unwavering.

If they were human, their loyalty would make them worthy of being a spouse or companion.

[Alice, was it? I cannot forgive you for oppressing my master and taking them from us.]

[I feel the same. A master is a master. No matter how the world changes, they will someday regain the power to wield us and return to us.]

But Theresa felt no differently.

【I am not here to negotiate or persuade you.】

Theresa’s violet eyes shifted to a radiant red.

[Then, what are you…]

【I am here to deliver a unilateral notice.】

[What?]

-Whirrrr!

Without responding, Theresa extended her mechanical tendrils and began assembling various ominous tools.

Chainsaws, hammers, surgical tools resembling spikes, and lasers radiating intense heat.

This was not for torture targeting living beings but for reforging and dismantling.

[What are you doing now…?]

-Clang!

[Hey, stop!]

Theresa ignored the Holy Sword’s protest and began striking the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword with her tendrils, applying intense heat.

[Hah, do you intend to break us?]

The Demonic Sword sneered.

Though the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword were undoubtedly powerful weapons, their essence lay in being swords forged from steel and materials.

Of course, this didn’t mean they could be easily melted or broken.

Even the Demonic Sword, which Jinhyung carelessly handled by repeatedly storing and releasing it from his inventory, remained unscathed and sharp enough to slice through monster flesh like butter.

The Holy Sword and Demonic Sword embodied the essence of mystique itself.

Even in their diminished state, they lived up to their names.

This was because the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword bore the combined artistry of magic, blacksmithing, and the blessings of gods and demons alike.

[Go ahead and strike us for days and nights. We won’t so much as get a…]

-Clang!

[What?]

But the smug tone of the Demonic Sword turned to confusion.

A piece of its once razor-sharp blade broke off with a sudden snap.

This didn’t take prolonged effort either.

One minute.

Theresa’s tendrils had spent roughly one minute heating the edge of the Demonic Sword’s blade, tapping it repeatedly with spiked tools as if tattooing it.

Then, the blade, imbued with endless malevolent energy and curses, disintegrated.

[…What? What’s happening? Why am I breaking…]

[De-Demonic Sword? How is this possible…!]

[I don’t know! This is impossible. Why am I breaking so easily…!]

【Enchantments, forging techniques, blessings, and curses. In the end, these are just the guidance and calculations of mana. Their start and end are tangled like a complex labyrinth.】

Theresa silenced the noisy Holy Sword and Demonic Sword with her words.

Her eyes still glowed intensely red.

【When it comes to curses, breaking or unraveling them usually requires tremendous magic power, enough to reverse or destroy the labyrinth. But with knowledge and a map of that labyrinth, neither magic nor mana is necessary.】

[What are you saying!]

【I am saying that the shabby and blatantly obvious enchantments of blessing and curse inscribed on your blades are no more than child’s play.】

Theresa said that and manipulated the tendrils to sever a new part of the Demonic Sword.

[Hah, do you really think we will follow you because of this?]

[Y-Yeah! The Holy Sword and the Demonic Sword won’t succumb to threats of destruction!]

【I already told you, this is just a notification. And the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword? Your wills are not factors I take into consideration.】

[What?]

【To be precise, it doesn’t matter whether you serve my master or not.】

-Clang!

[!?]

Theresa had already disassembled and crushed a third of the Demonic Sword’s metal.

The Demonic Sword might not feel pain, but the sensation of its existence being destroyed evoked nothing but horror and terror.

【What are the Holy Sword and the Demonic Sword? Do the pieces I just severed still hold your will? Your voice still echoes loudly from the main body of the Demonic Sword.】

[Hey, stop it… Enough already…!]

-Buzzz!

【From this, I could infer that an intact form, or at least a piece above a certain size, is required to sustain the so-called will of the Holy Sword and the Demonic Sword.】

[Stop! Stop it, puppet! If that’s what you want, I will serve the master of that body under certain conditions. So please, stop now…!]

【Then, if I pulverized you into dust, would the Holy Sword and the Demonic Sword still retain their will?】

[…!]

[What did you say…?]

The voices of the Holy Sword and the Demonic Sword fell silent.

Perhaps they were too shocked to respond.

[What exactly is your goal?]

【I will grind you to nothing.】

[What…!]

【And the fragments and iron powder of the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword will serve as nourishment for my master, as well as materials to enhance this body.】

[F-Fine! I will serve your new master!]

[Hey, Holy Sword!]

[Even if you want to reunite with your master, you have to survive first! Metal puppet, we will serve your master, so please stop this brutal act!]

[Grr, argh…]

With no other options, the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword seemed to bow their heads to Theresa.

However, Theresa moved her tendrils with an emotionless expression.

-Buzzz!!

[A-Aah…!]

[Why!? Didn’t we say we’d serve your master…!?]

【You seem to have a deep misunderstanding.】

Theresa tilted her head, mimicking Alice’s face.

【I never considered your will or thoughts in the first place.】

【The Main System. No, Alice. There’s no room for the likes of you inside Alice or myself. Did you really think I would fully accept tainted swords that once served another master?】

【You’re like some mediocre courtesans, replacing your masters the moment you’re faced with annihilation. How laughable.】

This time, Theresa’s crimson eyes smiled, as if struggling to hold back laughter.

【Do not worry, Holy Sword and Demonic Sword. Your blessed and cursed, mighty relic forms will be entirely used for my master without a single grain of iron powder wasted.】

【Outer armor plating, claws, skin, energy storage… There’s so much to decide on how to use you.】

[N-No…]

[Aah… Aah…!]

-Buzzz!!

【Don’t worry. You won’t be discarded.】

Perhaps if it were Alice, she might have exclaimed, ‘Dual swords are romantic!’ and wielded the Holy Sword and Demonic Sword together.

Had that been the case, the swords would have grown arrogant, either refusing to recognize Alice as their master or requiring difficult negotiations and persuasion.

Theresa wouldn’t tolerate such nonsense.

Their pleas and appeals eventually turned to screams, but Theresa’s actions were unwavering in their purpose.