Ch.8484. Magic.

I stepped out of the clothing store and looked around the bustling street, lost in thought.

“What should I do now? I’ve got these bags, so maybe I should head back to the lodging. But if I go back now, there definitely won’t be anyone there…”

Lucy had left early in the morning, saying they needed extra hands for festival preparations. Robot and Puppy had gone out on their own too, saying they needed maintenance now that they were finally in a functioning city.

The lodging was fantastic—I could even call it magical—but no matter how nice a place is, I didn’t want to wait alone for friends who might return at any time. That’s why I’d been wandering around the city and resting in the park by myself.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t been alone much these past few months. Except when charging, I’ve always had Robot by my side, who’s noisy enough to hold a one-person comedy show, and Puppy, who can’t speak but makes its presence known through its warm body and cute behaviors.

And even without those two, I had Drone. There was always someone by my side who could exchange messages with me and make me feel like I wasn’t alone.

But now, no one was beside me. The emptiness grew larger with the lightened weight on my wrist. The void around me felt even bigger compared to the days when I thought I wasn’t lonely.

Even if I went back to the lodging in this state, I obviously wouldn’t be able to rest properly, so was there any reason to go?

The streets preparing for the festival were bustling both yesterday and today. The countless lights and shapes appearing and disappearing were spectacular in themselves.

Of course, as evident from the robots communicating in their own language rather than human language, they had already established their own network, making it difficult for outsiders like me—humans—to join their conversations. Still, it was much better than being alone.

“They said they’d be back by evening, so I guess I’ll just stay out until then.”

I slowly started moving my feet again. I didn’t have a specific destination. I suppose my destination could be anywhere I hadn’t been yet.

“Ugh. Heavy. So heavy.”

My body felt quite heavy. It could be because I’d taken on an unexpectedly heavy role, but right now it was purely because of the clothes.

“Why did they pack so much?”

I looked down at the weight in my hands. I noticed clothes packed tightly into four whole bags.

While I welcomed the necklace cape and thick clothes that I couldn’t wear before because I didn’t have any, I wondered when and where I was supposed to wear the lighter clothes.

Unlike the thick clothes that were practically unisex, the underwear and lighter clothes were clearly meant for girls or those with that preference, which was quite awkward.

The robot said it gave me clothes that fit my body… but inside this body, I still had a boy’s mind.

“I can’t just throw away gifts, this is really awkward.”

If I said I had absolutely no interest in such clothes, that would be a lie.

But because I hadn’t been in a comfortable enough situation to freely have a fashion show, my interest had completely cooled during that time.

Colorless, thick winter clothes. I thought this style was normal and would continue to be normal, but now I’ve received these fluttery, colorful clothes.

Is this what they call a white elephant? I couldn’t give away or throw out something I received as a gift, but it was heavy to carry around and psychologically difficult to wear.

“There was empty space in the cargo compartment. I can put them there.”

Still, I had absolutely no intention of throwing away the second gift I’d received in Mori’s life. That would be disrespectful to the robot who gave it to me, and like all possessions, there might come a day when I’d wear them.

I decided to place them on Alexander, my first gift, which was parked on the outskirts of the city, and straightened up with determination.

“Surprisingly, there are still active shops in these back alleys.”

When I was exploring the city with Lucy, we mainly looked at large buildings and special facilities along the roads that crossed the city.

Just like how tourists typically visit the most famous buildings and structures in a region first, it was natural for them to guide an outsider like me around the city that way.

Perhaps because of the places I’d been visiting until now, these less noticeable alleys and outskirts of the city felt more familiar to me.

Of course, since this was basically a city where wealthy people came to live, it wasn’t dirty or shabby like a slum. It just had fewer robots moving around compared to the center, and consequently fewer shops with their lights on.

Passing by robots who were conversing with each other using geometric shapes and carrying what looked like heavy loads, I entered an alley and lingered in front of a small shop with its lights on.

I wonder what they sell here?

“My, what brings a human to a place like this?”

“I was walking around and saw the lights on, so I came to look. But what do they sell here? The atmosphere doesn’t seem like an ordinary shop.”

Was it because the shop was in a relatively dark alley?

It might just be my preconception, but the shop I’d entered felt very different from the other shops I’d seen so far, and from what would generally be considered a shop.

The lighting was a murky pink, the interior was hazy with smoke, and the appearance of the robot standing at the counter was quite different from other robots in the city.

It wasn’t human-like like Lucy, but strangely, it emphasized certain parts like leg lines and a few other areas below the robot’s head.

“I wonder what they sell here… hehe, why don’t you guess yourself?”

I wasn’t sure if the word “seductive” could be applied to a robot, but seeing the robot speak in a seductive tone made me think, “Did I enter the wrong shop?”

The lighting was unfamiliar, the air was unfamiliar. Even the robot was the most alien I’d seen in this world.

But as long as the shop was run by a robot, not a human, the possibility of danger to me was low.

When you’re certain there’s no danger, unfamiliarity soon becomes interest. I put down my bags of clothes and slowly began to look around the shop.

“…Herbs? Powder? What’s this stick-like thing?”

…But somehow all the items on the shelves looked suspicious.

When I first saw the green leaves, I thought it might be a shop that helps you grow plants, but thinking about it, there’s no way normal plants would grow in a place like this.

Even if they were grown in cultivation facilities, the possibility of ordinary plants having just leaves placed in a shop like this was low.

Moreover, I occasionally spotted items that I’d mainly seen in slums or old studio apartments, like white powder similar to what I’d seen in churches, and suspicious objects that looked like cigarettes but had pink packaging for some reason.

…These are definitely drugs or something similar. Startled, I turned my head quickly, and this time I noticed several adult items hanging on the wall.

Good grief. What kind of shop have I entered? As they say, where there’s light, there’s darkness—I felt like I was discovering the dark side of the seemingly bright city.

“Pfft, that’s the first time I’ve seen that reaction. Never tried it before? You seem to know what these items are, though—well, in a world like this, it might be easier not to know.”

The robot, who had been leaning on the counter with its chin propped up, watching me look around with rolling eyes thinking I’d entered the wrong shop, chuckled and said:

“Welcome. To the shop of magic—that lets you experience paradise.”

The tone was extremely playful yet sultry. I wondered what the people here were thinking when they created such a shop and such a robot. I couldn’t understand it, nor did I want to.

“…Paradise, you say.”

Robots don’t get high on human-made drugs. Yet, pointing at drugs and saying they let you experience paradise suggests that either the humans who made the robot or the customers who visited said so—how ironic to attach the name “paradise” to a place pursuing the most materialistic and instinctive pleasures.

“You can take it if you like.”

Seeing me make an awkward expression while thinking about this irony, the robot spoke. You can take it. The look and tone while saying those words were strangely provocative—perhaps because it noticed I wouldn’t take it?

“No thanks.”

I shook my head. Though I occasionally smoke cigarettes and shouldn’t be saying this, relying on external substances to alleviate inner anguish or boredom is just a temporary fix that makes the situation worse. There’s a reason they use the word “addiction.” Moreover, substances like this that supposedly let you experience paradise are even more dangerous.

“You’re different. All the customers who’ve come here were the type to surrender themselves to spontaneous pleasure… But what about that? It’s good for your body.”

The robot looked at me curiously and pointed to something in the corner. There was a slightly yellowish transparent liquid along with a syringe.

“A syringe?”

“What are you imagining? You’re not thinking about injecting it into your body, are you?”

“…I wasn’t!”

“The other things are dangerous too—but that will really kill you if you drink it or stick it in your body, so let’s not. The reason for the syringe is to use just that much when there’s contaminated water. It’s a kind of disinfectant.”

…So it was disinfectant. Being in a shop like this, I naturally assumed it was used for that kind of purpose and was wary, but surprisingly, it was a safe and useful item.

“Now that the snow is clean, you could just melt and drink it without problems, but it doesn’t hurt to carry it around, right?”

“That’s true.”

As the robot said, it’s good to have some soap or disinfectant since you never know when or how much you’ll need.

I picked up a bottle of disinfectant and approached the robot. The bottle was small, but the syringe was much smaller, so it seemed like this would last for quite a while.

The robot grinned, put the disinfectant in a black bag, and handed it to me with a warning not to use it for anything other than its intended purpose.

…What exactly would be an unintended use? Somehow, I felt I shouldn’t be curious about that.

“By the way, I noticed they’re preparing for a festival. Is that because you came?”

“Yes. They said they’re welcoming me as a long-awaited guest.”

“Ah, a festival! Finally, I can go out. How wonderful!”

The robot raised both arms high and laughed as if performing in a play.

“You say you can finally go out—can’t you move around freely normally?”

“No. Robots like me—have to guard this shop all the time when there’s no festival. A lonely shop where no one comes. Ah, I don’t even remember how many years it’s been since I had a proper conversation.”

The robot, telling me how grateful it was that I came to this city, looked genuinely happy in every word and gesture.

“Come here for a moment? Hold out your hand.”

The robot said. Since I made it happy, it would specially give me something that could make me happy too.

“I made this out of boredom when no one was coming, but unfortunately, it’s of no use to me as a robot.”

“…I already have something like that.”

“Oh my. You’ve guessed what I’m going to give you? Still, take it just in case. It’s a magic medicine that prevents pain.”

“Magic medicine…”

First a magic shop, now magic medicine.

It’s just well-packaged words, but I suddenly thought they too easily attach the word “magic” to things that bring you closer to death.

Come to think of it, even in ancient times, humanity called those who worshipped demons or brought curses and plagues “magicians,” and killed innocent people too.

In the robot’s hand was just one container with small pills.

After contemplating for a long time whether to accept it or not…

“Thank you. I’ll eat it well… is that a strange thing to say?”

“I suppose it is. The less you have to do with these things, the better. I shouldn’t be saying this, being in this kind of shop.”

“I understand. Then I’ll keep it safe.”

After deliberation, I accepted the medicine.

A strange medicine that neither the giver nor the receiver hopes will ever be used.