episode_0031

“Truth game? Suddenly?”

I subtly turned my head to look at Alice and Arte.

But, as expected.

Both had put down the mugs they had just been drinking hot chocolate from, and were looking at me with the same sparkling eyes.

“Hehe~ Sounds fun! I wanted to ask Yuan some things! Ah, shall I cast a barrier where only the truth can be spoken?”

“This is judged to be an opportunity for information gathering. We will record heart rate in real-time to check for truthfulness.”

I clutched my head and shouted.

“Isn’t it unfair to pressure me with magic and science?!”

“One of them would be enough! Using both is just too inhumane!!”

But the encirclement was already complete.

Lilien stuck close to my side with a sweet smile,

Alice wagged her tail and her eyes sparkled with anticipation from across from me.

As for Arte, it goes without saying, she was scanning my heart rate.

“This isn’t a truth game, it’s an interrogation! There’s only one target right now, how is this a game!!”

“Hehe~ Don’t worry, Yuan. As long as you don’t lie, there’s no problem?”

“That’s right~ And we’ll answer Yuan’s questions with all our heart and soul too!”

Alice, you’re already ready to enjoy the game.

‘You were bored and I got caught.’

With exactly that expression, she was spinning a bottle with her finger.

“The 3-on-1 structure is numerically a very disadvantageous situation… but it is judged that Yuan will be able to sufficiently endure it.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting, Arte? That’s even more ominous!”

Clearing my throat unnecessarily, I chugged the remaining hot chocolate in the mug.

Anyway, the game finally began.

The rules were simple.

Spin the beer bottle twice, the person it lands on first asks a question to the person it lands on second.

I thought ‘this way I can avoid getting ganged up on alone…’, but.

Even if ‘who’ asks the question is random,

the atmosphere already suggested ‘who would be focused on’.

As the bottle spun, I felt all three of their gazes fixed on me, and silently prayed not to get picked.

The bottle spun and spun and stopped at—

Lilien.

It was the knight with unpredictable madness.

“Alright, alright, spin it right away! The opponent who will receive my question is none other than~”

The bottle spun once more.

In that moment of tension, the bottle tip slowly pointed to…

“Alice!”

“Kyaahoo!”

“Yuan, you’re that happy? Anyone who saw you would think you hit the jackpot at a casino?”

“I’m not the one getting questioned! As long as it’s not meeeeeeeek!!”

“This heart rate… you are truly genuinely happy, Yuan. This unexpected reaction is interesting.”

However, Lilien seemed not to care about my reaction at all, and was already looking at Alice with sparkling eyes.

“Then Alice, I’ll ask right away?”

They were already close, what would she ask?

Their first meeting was the typical scenario of ‘Demon Lord subjugation’, but now they’re a perfect match, closer than anyone.

I thought she might just crack a light joke.

However, the question that came out of Lilien’s mouth was unexpected.

“Alice, why do you like Yuan?”

“…Huh?”

At the sudden direct question, I stiffened without realizing it.

“For your information, ‘you’re likable’ is a forbidden answer? More detail than a simple reason!”

Lilien added, playfully wagging her finger.

“Alright, alright, please tell us the Demon Lord’s true feelings!”

Alice blinked her eyes, surprised for a moment.

Soon, she wiped away her playful smile and put on a serious expression.

At that appearance, my heart started pounding for no reason.

“Alice…?”

She slowly put down her glass, gazed at the starlit night sky for a moment, and then spoke.

“Hmm… why do I like him?”

That small voice wasn’t that of the playful Demon Lord, but somehow shy and honest…

It was the voice of a young girl.

“At first, he was just… warm.”

“When we first met in the dungeon, Yuan treated me not as a ‘Demon Lord’ but just as Alice.”

“He must have known I was a high-ranking demon, even if not the Demon Lord, because of my magic power. But he wasn’t afraid… he just saw I looked hungry, and casually offered me meat?”

Her tail wagged, shyly.

“At that moment, I just thought. Ah. If it’s this person… I can just be ‘me’.”

“And as time went on, I realized. Every time Yuan cooked, that warmth was genuine.”

“That he’s someone who wants to feed me delicious things and laugh together with me.”

“That’s why I like him. Because he accepts me as I am, and is always there like warm food.”

For a moment, I couldn’t say anything.

Even Lilien’s eyes widened slightly, she just smiled quietly, and Arte seemed to be calmly nodding and saving data.

I 괜히 picked up my mug, saw it was already empty, and awkwardly put it down.

“Alice.”

“Ehehe, why are you calling me, you’re making me shy~?”

She returned to her familiar mischievous Demon Lord smile.

I turned my head and sighed.

…This is why you can never let your guard down.

Lilien nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Hehe, as expected, it was an honest answer~ Then, who will spin the bottle next~?”

It was only the first round, but why was my heart so busy?

I spun the bottle again.

The bottle spun lightly in the night air~

And where it stopped was, Arte.

“Alright~ The person who will receive Arte’s question is~”

Lilien shouted in an excited voice, and as she spun the bottle once more—

Swoosh.

The bottle tip pointed directly at me.

“Whew… rather, this is much better.”

I breathed out lightly and relaxed my shoulders.

But at that moment, Lilien, who was stuck next to me, wrapped her arm around my neck with playful eyes, and poked my cheek.

“Hm? Is that so~? It looks like you were praying that I and Alice wouldn’t get picked, no? That’s too much. It’s too much, Yuan!”

“Ah, no~ It’s a misunderstanding, Lilien~ Ugh…!”

I tried to stop her with words as she was being playful, but it was as good as her having seen through my true feelings.

…But what can I do when it’s true.

Arte is rational, at least.

I’m sure she won’t ask bomb questions like Lilien or Alice.

Even if it’s a difficult question—

‘What do you like about me, Yuan?’ or, ‘Who do you like best here?’ That sort of thing.

Questions that are perfectly coverable.

So, I can just smile vaguely and answer, and it’ll be over!

I looked at Arte confidently and asked.

“Arte, have you decided on the question? Ask anything~”

Arte nodded expressionlessly, and opened her mouth calmly.

“Yes, then I will ask the question.”

For a moment, an odd silence flowed.

And the words that came out of that mouth were.

“In which part of me do you feel sexual attraction, Yuan?”

“—Pfft!!!”

I honestly spewed out the cocoa I was drinking.

“Cough, cough cough!! Wh-What did you say?!”

Choking and coughing frantically, I looked at Arte with disbelieving eyes.

No way. It must be a lie.

Arte asking a question like that?

Our AI-like tin can?

Arte still wore a calm face.

She even tilted her head and added.

“Is the question difficult? If so, shall I divide it into specific categories? Appearance, voice, or mechanical parts?”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute!! Arte, why suddenly such a question—!”

Next to me, Lilien and Alice burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs.

“Pfft, Yuan! You said Arte was rational so it would be okay? Come on~ Arte is waiting~ Hurry, hurry!”

“Ughhhhh…!”

My face was burning hot, and I covered my head.

Beside me, Alice laughed and poked my side.

“Hehe~ Yuan, which part of Arte is so lewd? Her elbow joints? Or the… kya~ where her core is embedded?”

“If you evade the answer, it will be considered a lie.”

“Hehe~ Yuan’s unusual taste ♡ Come on, tell your big sisters~”

“That’s right! I’m curious too~ What the heck does Yuan react to?”

Under the sweet pincer attack of the two, my face turned completely red and I hung my head.

“This is… cheating…”

Even so, Arte remained expressionless and just asked innocently.

“Please provide an accurate answer, Yuan. I want to know the criteria for the attraction you feel.”

I quietly looked at Arte.

The sight of her silver bob cut flowing softly.

Her expressionless face, yet the subtle changes that held emotion at certain moments.

And the red core in the center of her chest, shining even in the dark night.

…Beautiful.

I had only been distracted for a moment, but Arte wouldn’t miss that.

“Perhaps, the chest area?”

“…Huh?”

Arte tilted her head slightly and said calmly.

“Yuan’s gaze is now focused on my chest. Compared to Lilien, the size is smaller, but… do you prefer this amount instead?”

For a moment, my breath caught in my throat.

But ignoring my reaction—

“Yuan! You told me you liked bread better last time!”

Lilien shouted from beside me, as if she felt wronged.

“The words you whispered so sweetly to me that day… they were all just to toy with me?”

“Argh, wait a minute! That was a ‘Do you like rice, or do you like bread’ question!! Why are you suddenly changing the subject to that kind of bread?! And I was looking at Arte’s core!”

“Yuan, you’re not saying you get excited looking at cores, are you? That’s a bit of an unusual taste…”

“Alice, what are you talking about now!”

Haa. Seriously, working together, the three of them are driving me crazy.

Hanging my head, I secretly glanced at Arte.

I can’t lie. It’s embarrassing, but I have no choice but to tell the truth.

“Well, it’s not the core.”

I bit my lip slightly and said, almost whispering.

“It’s… her collarbone, hidden by her bob cut. When she’s fighting or when the wind blows… when it’s revealed sometimes, yeah, that kind of thing. Every time that happens, it’s a bit…”

My words trailed off.

I felt my cheeks burning.

A moment of silence passed, and all three of them looked surprised.

And Arte, as always, said calmly.

“I see. I will record that.”

Suddenly, Arte raised her hand and began to push back her bob cut.

“…Huh?”

Instantly, her collarbone line was revealed.

Her artificial skin shining under the moonlight.

“I am attempting to seduce you.”

“…What?”

“How is it, Yuan? Right now, are you… attracted to me?”

“Arte, what are you doing right now…?”

“I am attempting an efficient strategy. It is the result of reflecting Yuan’s preference.”

“I don’t know how to react.”

Please consider the situation and context more, Automata-nim!

“Is that so? That is difficult. In that case… I will analyze further and attempt to seduce more effectively.”

“Hehe, alright, alright~ It seems there are more people who want to join the truth game?”

Along with a sweet voice, a sky-blue projection began to unfold from Lilien’s fingertip.

No way, an attack? Is it a monster?

Following Lilien’s gaze, I looked into the darkness.

And from there, rough breathing began to be heard.

Grrrrrrr…

“…No way?”

Slowly revealed red eyes.

Silhouettes staring at us from the darkness.

Argh, everything is happening now, seriously!

[Eyecatch!]

Automata’s heart, the Core?

The core located in the center of Automata’s chest is not just a simple power source!

Although exposed on the outside, don’t let your guard down.

It boasts a structure so hard that not even Lilien’s sincere strike can leave a scratch!

And it is said that the quietly shining core is dyed a deeper, more intense light whenever the Automata’s emotions fluctuate.

Embarrassment?

Excitement?

Or… love?

If their cores glow even redder…

It might not be a simple energy change, but the trembling of their heart?