Ch.5151. Guilt.

    # 51. Guilt.

    Away from the natural world where life could no longer survive, another nature created underground.

    There aren’t many moving animals here. Perhaps ten at most?

    I don’t know how long it takes for a fist-sized lump to become an animal, but compared to the number of tanks in the hallway, it’s strangely few.

    “I doubt there’s another space where many animals are living happily elsewhere…”

    Creatures created without instinct or intelligence.

    Humanity isn’t compassionate enough to provide more space and resources than necessary for such beings.

    This must be the only place where animals taken from the tanks can roam freely, even if just for a moment.

    “They really don’t show any reaction at all.”

    I poked the animal’s body with my finger.

    But the animal showed no reaction to the external stimulus.

    It just silently wanders around, periodically putting food that emerges from the floor into its mouth.

    Like a machine moving according to its programming.

    “I don’t know how long this facility has existed, but it’s a bit sad.”

    The creatures here are alive, yet simultaneously not alive.

    I felt sympathy for these animals.

    …Why is that?

    They’re just mechanical bodies without consciousness, lacking the ability to sense pain or recognize their situation or life.

    In extreme terms, they’re no different from dolls that move their limbs when hugged, yet I felt emotions squeezing my heart that I never felt when looking at broken dolls.

    Where exactly is life, and how do we recognize it? Where do emotions come from?

    I turned my head to look at Robot and Puppy. Unlike me, they didn’t seem to feel anything when looking at the animals here.

    Those two actually showed more human-like behavior when they saw the robot that stopped functioning in the park.

    That’s probably because, unlike the animals here, they could share emotions and words with those robots. Relationships are formed through such empathy and communication.

    “Is this… guilt?”

    The reason I feel sad while facing beings I can’t share emotions with is ultimately guilt for the sins committed by fellow humans.

    How many lives were born and died like this before I came here? How many lives were killed under the noble words of research and sacrifice until this facility was built and the research completed?

    The bright space illuminated by artificial sunlight seemed to be stained with blood.

    ———However, I couldn’t condemn the past humans who committed these terrible acts.

    Even though what they did was ethically wrong, they must have had reasons for building this facility and conducting this research.

    The frozen natural world, the limited space called the Ark, and the excessively dense population.

    “Unlike plants, people can’t live on just water and light, so they probably needed facilities like this to save as many people as possible from starvation and help them survive.”

    Humans are social creatures, so all actions and thoughts are inevitably influenced by others, and we cannot escape that influence.

    That’s why we must choose at every moment. Standing at the intersection of this moment and history, humanity, unable to turn back time, can only do what seems best at each moment.

    This facility is the result of that best effort. I couldn’t condemn people who did their best for everyone on a path of history that had entered the road to extinction at some point. Though I’m not entirely approving either.

    I know I’m indecisive. But I believe maintaining neutrality is exactly what a wanderer, the last observer of human civilization, should do.

    The judgment of right and wrong regarding this observed information will be made by future generations who can view this moment objectively.

    “Of course, there’s no guarantee that future generations will appear.”

    As I said this, I smiled bitterly.

    “Mori. When are you planning to leave this place?”

    “Well, I’d like to rest here at least until we run out of the food we brought…”

    Even though these animals lack will, this space was remarkably warm, perhaps because it had all the elements conducive to life, including trees.

    It felt like my cherished stove was heating the entire space…

    Despite knowing it was all fake, lying between the bright, warm light and soft soil made me reluctant to move.

    —Thud.

    But peace didn’t last long.

    “What was that sound?”

    “One of the animals over there…”

    An animal that had been moving around just fine suddenly collapsed.

    “Why did it suddenly fall? Is it sick?”

    I rushed over to the fallen animal to check its condition.

    But there was no response from the fallen life.

    From the stiff body and absence of breathing, I realized this creature had died in just those few seconds.

    Like a machine that stops in its tracks when the battery runs out.

    “…Ah.”

    This is probably how these lives were designed. They grow in tanks, come out, live until their bodies fill out, and then die immediately upon reaching their limit.

    Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to have died writhing in pain, but I still didn’t feel at ease.

    —Whirr.

    How long had it been since the animal collapsed? A previously invisible door opened from inside the space.

    “Huh? You don’t look like a researcher, how did you get in here?”

    And from inside came— as expected, a robot. It had a human skeleton, but its head was oddly replaced with a giant lens.

    “…Are you the robot that manages this facility?”

    “That’s right! To be precise, I’m responsible for feeding and managing the ‘friends’ here. There used to be other friends too, but now it’s just me and two others who repair broken parts of the facility.”

    So there really are no humans. I knew it, but I still felt a bit disappointed.

    …No, maybe I would have disliked it more if humans were still in a facility like this.

    “Originally, only authorized people could enter this place— but since there’s no one left now, it’s fine. The last time I saw a person was years ago, at least ten years have passed, so I’m really glad to see you!”

    While I was lost in complicated thoughts, the robot approached me with a bright smile and extended its hand.

    This robot has an unusually high level of enthusiasm. I reluctantly accepted the handshake.

    “Anyway, it’s a bit awkward to greet you in a place like this. There’s something that needs to be dealt with right next to us.”

    The unfamiliar robot told me to follow and dragged the dead animal through the open door.

    “…Is it okay to follow?”

    “I think it’s fine? Personally, I don’t like that robot, but it probably won’t harm you, Mori.”

    “You don’t like it?”

    “Yes! I really dislike such frivolous robots. It lowers the dignity of robots!”

    “……”

    Personal, miracle, dignity.

    I’m not sure what this robot means by “robot dignity,” but does it realize that it’s the one most frequently acting and speaking in ways that aren’t robot-like?

    “What’s with that look! Like you’re staring at some strange creature!”

    “No— it’s nothing.”

    I decided to follow the cheerful robot along with Puppy, leaving the strange creature behind.

    “Come in. There’s plenty of food inside, and many places to rest, so feel free to relax.”

    “Is that really okay?”

    “Of course. No one uses this place anymore. Just like even the finest food is nothing but garbage without someone to eat it, all objects need someone to use them to have value.”

    “It feels quite profound hearing such words from a robot that manages strange animals…”

    The facility’s robot welcomed me excessively.

    From the perspective of a facility management robot, I should be an intruder who broke through strict security locks, so why is it treating me so well?

    Almost as if it has something to ask of me.

    “Before I show you where you can rest— let me first guide you through this facility.”

    Dragging the dead animal with one hand, the robot gave me a tour of the facility.

    As I had expected, this was a food production facility.

    At the same time, it was researching ways for humanity to survive in this cold.

    As evidence… though that might be too strong a word, parts of human bodies were floating in the tanks that filled the corridor.

    “In the past, we created various plants and animal species here, but now we can only raise cow-sheep-pig.”

    “Cow-sheep-pig?”

    “Yes. The name matches their appearance perfectly, don’t you think?”

    They did look like a mix of cow, sheep, and pig features, but I never expected such a lazy naming convention.

    I don’t know if it was the robot in front of me or past researchers who came up with that name, but it struck me as quite uncreative.

    “…Hey. You said earlier that people have been gone for a long time.”

    “That’s right.”

    “Then why have you continued to raise and kill animals when there’s no one to eat them?”

    “…………”

    We passed through complex corridors and arrived in front of a tightly closed door.

    It was a room with the ominous words [Slaughter·Dismemberment] written on the door.


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