Chapter 52 – A Little Scary (1)

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Chapter 52 – A Little Scary (1)

The maid who landed from the sky looked around.

Her appearance put Catherine, Andrea, and Drake on alert.

Catherine was ready to draw the gun she was carrying on her back.

Andrea was aiming a giant gun that matched her giant mechanical arm.

Drake held his breath, aiming the projectile launchers attached to both hands.

If the situation had been normal.

There would’ve been no need to deal with an unarmed maid so carefully.

But considering the aftermath of the maid’s appearance, it still felt lacking.

The hacked ninjas struggled to get up with clumsy movements.

But no one succeeded in getting up, as if they were being crushed by something invisible.

Not caring about the surrounding reactions, ‘Eve’ moved her steps.

The direction was where William Kojaka and his brother-in-law, Koichiro Kojaka were.

“S-stay away!”

Koichiro Kojaka, who had rainbow-colored hair, shouted frantically.

He looked around in panic.

The ninja unit that was supposed to help him was already neutralized and crawling on the floor.

For what purpose was she approaching him?

My question was resolved in an instant.

The maid stood in front of Koichiro Kojaka.

‘Eve’ punched him straight.

“Ugh!”

Koichiro Kojaka rolled on the floor like trash with a short groan.

I knew it when she landed heroically from the sky.

Her physical specs also seemed to be beyond any ordinary people.

Koichiro Kojaka rolled on the floor a few times, then collapsed.

He looked so terrible, that no one would even mistake him as the eldest son of a Mega Corp.

“…”

Eve was satisfied while looking down at her fist for a few seconds.

At the same time, she turned her gaze to William Kojaka who was next to her.

Eve’s movement felt accurate and swift just like a robot.

“William Kojaka”

“…Yes.”

“There should be no falsehood in the fact that you’re hostile to ‘Smile John’, who has a connection with the human ‘Lee Siwoon’.”

It was an out-of-the-blue remark.

But perhaps he noticed Koichiro Kojaka foaming from the mouth and collapsing.

William Kojaka nodded hastily.

“Lee Si-woon… You mean Shun Lee. Of course, I have already signed an electronic contract with a mercenary named Drake.”

When did that happen?

Did he do it while coming here with Drake? Or perhaps inside the driverless taxi on their way here.

Despite hearing William Kojaka’s answer, Eve looked somewhat dissatisfied.

For some reason, I felt it even though her face remained expressionless.

Eve slowly opened her mouth to speak.

“If.”

She raised her hand.

“If you do not fulfill the contract.”

At the same time.

The surroundings of the amusement park.

The Kojaka headquarters, even the lights visible from the outside.

In an instant, everything was engulfed in darkness.

The 3D holograms and neon signs that had been flashing around just a moment ago.

They disappeared like they were turned off.

“…!”

We stared at the scene with doubtful eyes.

Eve continued to speak.

“This is a light demonstration of a fraction of my abilities.”

The only thing visible in the darkness was Eve’s eyes.

Then, those shining eyes soon looked at me.

Was it because of her artificial body?

This level of performance didn’t seem possible before.

I swallowed dryly, unsure of what I had brought into the world.

A little later.

We used the shower facilities at Kojaka Amusement Park to wash ourselves.

We had to take off all the clothes we were wearing, being around landfills and sewers all day.

The clothes we wore were sent to a professional laundry service.

Now, We were dressed in high-end ready-made clothes provided by William Kojaka.

We left the amusement park.

Originally, we would have had a detailed talk with William Kojaka about the contract or Smile John but…

We were very tired, and William Kojaka didn’t seem to be in the right state to discuss such matters.

I took a moment to reflect on the day, leaving behind William Kojaka who looked somewhat dazed.

Hmm.

It was a spectacular day.

It was almost unbelievable when I thought about it.

We had jumped out of an airship from several thousand meters in the air without parachutes.

We raided a Mega Corp’s airship carrying the Vice chairman and unintentionally saved him.

We escaped from the airship that crashed into a landfill and visited my underground hometown.

We even encountered ninjas while exploring a nasty sewer.

If I told this to a stranger, they’d probably tell me to stop watching movies.

I was exhausted.

I desperately wanted to go home and collapse on my bed.

The Vice Chairman wasn’t the only one who was dazed.

However, I pondered that they could wait until we were safely out of this situation.

Catherine’s golden eyes looked at me.

Drake and Andrea also looked at me.

“…So, who is she?”

I couldn’t immediately answer Catherine.

All our eyes turned to one ‘woman’.

The woman, ‘Eve,’ was sipping coffee and savoring its taste.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

“Molecular coffee, approximately 3 Kcal. It doesn’t contain coffee beans, but it does have synthetic caffeine extract, showing a caffeine content of 251mg.”

……

“This is called a ‘bitter taste,’ I have learned.”

She seemed to be analyzing something strange along with the taste.

Currently, we were at a cafe in the middle level, ‘Saint Hills’.

Previously, when I came to catch the information broker, ‘Underdog’, I had taken note of this place.

Of course, it was also because it was a cafe located near the Kojaka amusement park, ‘Pete Mac Land.’

The reason we came to the cafe was to satisfy my colleagues’ curiosity.

They were eager for answers to their questions.

Eve sipped her coffee without saying a word.

As time passed it seemed Eve wouldn’t answer.

Their gazes shifted towards me, who knew Eve’s true identity.

“Umm.”

I felt extremely pressured.

I casually opened my mouth.

“Let’s talk when all the drinks are here. By the way, the interior here is quite nice. Maybe we could look around–.”

“Cut the crap and explain.”

“…Shall I?”

I deliberately cleared my throat a few times.

Alright.

They had witnessed Eve heroically landing from the sky, hacking into the Kojaka headquarters, and dozens of ninjas fell in one swoop.

It would be a lie if they weren’t curious about Eve’s identity.

The people in the cafe were also sneaking glances at our table because of Eve’s attire.

Even in a cyberpunk world, a maid outfit is a very unusual attire.

“Whoa, those breasts are insane–.”

The man who had been watching us from inside the cafe collapsed on the spot after that comment.

I thought maybe he had a heart attack but seeing him clutching his eyes.

It seemed his ocular implants had malfunctioned.

That’s why people should maintain their implants properly.

Well, anyway.

I sat and tapped the table lightly.

Where should I start explaining?

I pondered for a moment.

…….

I should just be honest.

I didn’t feel the need to lie anymore.

Catherine had already heard Eve’s name and everyone had witnessed Eve’s abilities.

I thought it would be best to start from the beginning when we first encountered Eve.

Honestly, it wasn’t exactly a topic for a cafe conversation.

But with everyone looking at me expectantly, eager to have their curiosity satisfied, I had no choice.

I calmly looked at my colleagues.

“Remember the last mission we did? The one that came from Neon City?”

“…Of course, it was related to Rise Corporation.”

Drake answered my question.

I nodded and continued.

“Yeah, the tactical nuclear bomb terrorist incident.”

I lowered my voice a bit.

“Eve is the artificial intelligence I brought from there.”

“…She doesn’t seem like an ordinary AI.”

Drake said with a look of disbelief.

He was right.

What kind of AI in the world appears with an artificial body?

“I think she might be the only superintelligence in the world.”

It was a story I had kept secret my whole life.

I never thought I would end up telling everyone like this.

Andrea, who had been listening to our conversation, quietly spoke up.

“So, her whole body is artificial…But, isn’t it difficult for just anyone to own such a body?”

I agree with Andrea’s point.

“The price is very high, and the conditions are tough.”

Just then, a serving robot arrived at our table.

I skillfully placed the drinks we had ordered on the table, each according to our preferences.

By the way, my drink was a fruit juice made with sweet artificial fruit.

Perhaps due to the short wait, I was craving something sweet.

As I calmed my brain with the drink and said.

“I don’t know much about that part. Maybe she earned credits through broadcasting.”

“…Broadcasting?”

“Yeah, net streaming.”

“…”

When you mention a streamer named Eve, she’s seen as a rising star and a new legend in the VTuber world.

Of course, I didn’t think she would have earned that much, but it was just a guess, and

it wasn’t impossible.

As I spoke, I looked at Eve.

Eve met my gaze.

Her transparent eyes seemed to penetrate me.

Those subtly glowing eyes were memorable.

“Of course, I also engaged in stock activities.”

Was it because she had a human body?

Eve’s unique way of speaking had changed.

Wait, she did stocks?

“Then can I do stocks too–.”

“No.”

“…”

Catherine, who had been silent until now, directed a question towards Eve.

“Well, let’s assume she’s an AI, and let’s say everything else Siwoon said is true.”

Catherine continued without even touching the drink that had been placed before her.

“However, what’s with the outfit? Is it a maid’s costume?”

Hmm.

“And why did you specifically choose a female body form? In terms of physical specs alone, a male body would be more efficient for an AI.”

I looked at Eve at this point.

Honestly, I was curious too.

Eve, an artificial Intelligence.

She even rejected the name ‘Adam’ that I tried to give her.

And when I asked her gender a few times before, she only answered, ‘This AI has no gender.’

Yet, Eve who appeared in an artificial body was a woman with a very beautiful appearance.

Even the last words of the customer who collapsed passing by were true.

The size of her chest drew everyone’s attention.

By the way, Catherine’s sharp reaction right now, I cautiously guessed that it wouldn’t be entirely unaffected by Eve’s chest size.

It was also my type.

Anyway, everyone sitting at the table looked at Eve.

They awaited her answer.

Even in such a situation, Eve seemed to feel no pressure at all.

Maintaining her expressionless face, she continues to sip her molecular coffee.

After a brief pause, Eve gently places the empty cup back on the table.

“That”

Eve slowly begins to speak.

“It’s for serving the human, ‘Siwoon’.”

…….

A brief silence.

Everyone’s eyes turn towards me.

For some reason, those gazes seemed particularly sharp.

“…Siwoon.”

“Wait, why are you all looking at me like that?”

This makes it seem like I’ve instructed Eve to do so (wear a maid outfit, choose a female body).

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]