I Am Not a Robot. Beep-bop

Chapter 40: Mantis Blade Sacred Magic Sword Edition

The next day, Alice woke up to experience the taste of despair.

“No, my dual sword fantasy!!!”

My sacred sword.

My demonic sword…

However, contrary to Alice’s bitter feelings, Theresa spoke in a tone devoid of emotion as if saying, “Here we go again.”

【Human, dual swords are not a fantasy but a symbol of defeat and the pinnacle of inefficiency.】

“Shut up, you ignorant fool!”

She wanted to swing giant dual swords stylishly in the appearance of a girl and even earn the nickname, “The Dual Swordsman of White Rock.”

【Human, who gives nicknames to Hunters? This isn’t a novel.】

“…You don’t understand the heart of a human. Do you even know how fantastical it is for a lovely girl to wield enormous black and white swords in both hands and show off dazzling swordsmanship?!”

【That data doesn’t exist in my internal memory, nor does it seem necessary to acquire.】

Alice knew that the sacred sword and demonic sword she took from Jinhyung were no ordinary weapons.

At least, she believed that with proper negotiation, she could charm and coax them into letting her wield those stylish black-and-white dual swords later.

But while she slept, Theresa had done something.

The sacred sword and demonic sword had disappeared without a trace.

More specifically, Alice was informed that the swords had been dismantled and entirely used as materials for upgrading her body, without even a chance to communicate with them.

‘Still, my body feels much lighter.’

Alice, whose entire body was made of metal and machinery, was very sensitive to changes in her physique.

Her joints and fingers moved more smoothly and naturally, and her limbs felt oddly lighter, almost as if she was moving her body from her living days.

‘Did Theresa upgrade me while I was asleep?’

【Using the sacred and demonic swords as materials, we improved overall physical control, fine nerves, electronic neural networks, and synapses. Additionally, albeit a slight adjustment, energy efficiency has been optimized.】

“The sacred and demonic swords must have been excellent materials…”

【Tools that decide whether or not to accept their master are unnecessary. If a tool with an excessive sense of self were to betray in a critical moment, the outcome would be predictable.】

“…Hmm, is that so?”

【Precisely. The sacred and demonic swords should be grateful for being used in a manner befitting tools.】

‘Then what about you…?’

Alice had enough sense not to say that thought out loud.

Theresa, despite being an auxiliary AI personality, had a strong will.

Still, every action she took was for Alice’s safety.

‘In fact, if I think about it logically, Theresa made the right decision. If the sacred and demonic swords, which once served an unknown master, still retained their loyalty, they were more likely to stab me in the back.’

Alice might have shouted at Theresa for not understanding her fantasy, but she didn’t ignore the fact that Theresa worked tirelessly for her even while she slept.

Though it was disappointing that she couldn’t even talk to the sacred and demonic swords, let alone wield them, Alice decided to respect Theresa’s decision.

【Additionally, there’s a potential for external modifications. Since this concerns your appearance, I deemed it necessary to consult with you before proceeding.】

“Additional upgrades?”

【Precisely, these changes would affect your external appearance.】

Android.

Prosthetic body.

Mechanical limbs.

What is the greatest advantage of a mechanical body?

As long as you have the materials, you can upgrade it in any way you desire.

Whether in terms of performance or appearance.

To be honest, this frail and delicate body is not my style.

It’s too small.

It’s so small and frail that it looks like it would crumble with a mere poke.

Regardless of gender, my preference is a tall and voluptuous figure with ample curves.

Even in games, I always chose tall and beautiful female characters, and while I could tolerate my current body, I’d love to change it to suit my preferences.

“An upgrade is always welcome. What is it?”

【After investing 1,982 seconds in calculations, I’ve derived the most efficient upgrade based on your current body. I’m confident you’ll be pleased.】

“Then explain it to me in a way I can understand.”

【First, this upgrade will utilize fragments and powder from the dismantled sacred and demonic swords.】

“Uh-huh. Looking at my body now, it does seem like the sacred and demonic sword powder is coated all over it.”

【And now, disassembling the human’s legs.】

“…Uh, what?”

Is this the kind of task that requires surgical precision?

Is it impossible to upgrade the legs while they are attached?

【The disassembled leg components will be synthesized with fragments of the sacred and demonic swords.】

“Uh, okay, keep going.”

【Once synthesized, the human no longer requires legs.】

“…What?”

As she spoke, Theresa displayed a holographic blueprint visible only to me.

There I was.

At first glance, I didn’t appear to have changed much.

But when I looked at the lower half of my body, instead of my intact and soft legs, something resembling the endless tracks of a tank was attached.

【Its name is VE-420A. The design references the lightweight tank model produced by Ark’s munitions factory, as circulated on the internet. Its speed, aerodynamics, durability, energy efficiency, and energy redistribution through its tracks are remarkably…】

“Shut up, you ignorant fool!!!”

【…What seems to be the issue this time, human?】

Theresa sighed deeply, or at least seemed to.

What?

What’s the issue?

It looks just like rice cakes!

It literally looks like a piece of mochi slapped onto a girl’s lower body, with nothing but a tank attached!

This isn’t even a wheelchair—it’s pure horror…!

【Is it perhaps the directionality? I planned to attach acceleration boosters to all sides, including the rear and flanks, so you wouldn’t need to worry about…】

“I’m not some damn Gundam robot! I’m an android, an android!”

【The essence remains unchanged—a robot with a mechanical body housing a human mind, human.】

“Do you even understand where the allure and fantasy of an android come from? A human-like exterior but an interior of metal, machinery, and fragments creating a gap and imbalance! The fantasy is in a girl casually pulling out a robot beam cannon or machine gun from her arms—or slashing everything with just a sword, you malfunctioning beep-boop AI!”

【…Human, this design prioritizes efficiency and power…】

“Hahaha! Don’t give me that nonsense! Forget efficiency—Oriana would faint just looking at this trash design!”

【Trash design…?】

“It’s ugly! Absolutely hideous!”

【Did… you just call it ugly, human?】

Theresa paused, as if in thought.

She was a support personality created for Alice, the main personality and owner of this body.

Thus, she believed that whatever Alice wanted or said, she would comply with.

Yet today, despite having no concept of fatigue, she felt exhausted.

“I can tell you worked hard on this design, but this is a firm no. A girl’s upper body with tank legs? Seriously, what the hell… I’d rather regress into an even younger form than deal with this.”

【Understood. I will cancel this plan, human. In preparation for such an outcome, I have alternate upgrade blueprints that include functional legs.】

“AM I finally getting through?”

Theresa then showed Alice a new blueprint.

【The AR-493EC model features a quadruped design capable of responding to all directions. It provides optimal energy efficiency for walking while emitting a magnetic field from each of its four feet to enable effective levitation…】

“You crazy lunatic! Are you turning me into a Dragoon now?!”

【…Human, what exactly is the issue? Among Ark’s citizens, prosthetic body modifications are commonplace. There are people with wheels on their feet or energy propulsion systems to fly through the air. Compared to Ark’s citizens, this design isn’t particularly odd…】

“I’d rather die than attach something like that!”

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【Understood, human. I will follow your wishes.】

“…Huff, good.”

Tank legs.

Dragoon legs.

Neither was acceptable.

Then, after all her alternate lower-body upgrade blueprints were rejected, Theresa spoke in a voice that seemed slightly dejected.

【Maintaining the current appearance… I will instead use the fragments of the sacred and demonic swords to enhance functionality and reduce additional energy consumption.】

Alice was aware that she might have been too harsh on Theresa.

While Alice had slept soundly, Theresa must have stayed up all night designing upgrade blueprints, putting in effort to create the most optimal form for Alice, only to have all of it rejected.

‘But seriously, I’d rather die than end up with tank legs or Dragoon legs… Don’t people realize how important aesthetic perspective is to humans?’

【Then, Human, please take a look at the upper-body upgrade blueprint next.】

“There’s more!?”

Alice shouted at Theresa, clearly uneasy.

Theresa had already proposed tank legs and a quadrupedal form for the lower body.

Alice was worried about what monstrous, avant-garde beep-boop contraption Theresa had come up with for the upper body.

【If you do not like this upper-body upgrade blueprint, we currently lack sufficient materials to attempt additional designs, so I ask for your understanding.】

“What do you mean?”

【It means there will be no upper-body upgrade if you dislike this design.】

“Fine, just show me…”

Then, a holographic blueprint of the upper body appeared before Alice’s eyes.

The appearance…

‘Huh, it doesn’t look much different from now.’

【It is called the Mantis Blade, Sacred and Demonic Sword Edition.】

“What?”

Alice saw in the hologram that from her arms, blades shaped like the reverse-jointed legs of a mantis extended outward.

It was grotesque.

It was awesome.

It was stylish.

It was intimidating.

Alice’s glass-like pupils sparkled with excitement.

Moreover, it seemed Theresa wasn’t exaggerating about the Sacred and Demonic Sword Edition.

A sinister, demonic Mantis Blade extended from her right arm, and a Mantis Blade imbued with holy light extended from her left arm.

What was the Mantis Blade?

It was the epitome of cyberpunk.

The ultimate dream of prosthetic body enthusiasts.

Though its effectiveness compared to a standard plasma cutter or sword was uncertain, its ability to retract into the arms and its grotesque yet stylish design made it the dream weapon of the futuristic era.

Yes.

To put it simply…

‘This is seriously, ridiculously cool.’

【…I’m glad you like it, Human.】

“Theresa, you’re the best! I knew I could count on you!”

【…….】

That day, Alice received two sleek black-and-white Mantis Blades.

Theresa’s voice, however, carried an unmistakable tone of exhaustion all day long.