chapter_0340

Chapter 338: Smart Home (2)

A subtle battle of nerves began between the children and Sunny.

Actually, it was one-sided wariness from the children.

Sunny had no emotions to speak of.

This happened because the children didn’t understand this world well.

Beast-kin from another world would naturally struggle to understand Earth’s technology.

Even I, coming from a similar background, was sometimes surprised.

I should explain smart homes to the children.

Just as I thought this, Saebyeok went into the bedroom and beckoned me to follow.

I paused my attempt to stop the children and went to the bedroom.

“Gyeoul, let’s just watch for a bit.”

“Why?”

“Levinas and Gaeul seem upset.”

“…Shouldn’t we explain before they get angrier?”

Though unlikely, it would be bad if they started fighting.

I was worried, but decided to hear Saebyeok out first.

“I want to watch until they make up with Sunny.”

“Without our intervention?”

“Yeah. The other party’s just a machine anyway. No need to stop them even if they’re rude.”

“Hmm…”

So we should let the two children resolve this themselves?

It would certainly be a good experience.

There wasn’t really any reason to refuse.

“Let’s not worry too much. Levinas and Gaeul will probably apologize and become friends soon.”

“Yeah. I was just thinking the same thing.”

The children would surely resolve their conflict well.

We decided to watch for now, following Saebyeok’s suggestion.

After our conversation, we opened the door and went to the living room.

In the living room, Levinas and Gaeul had their eyebrows raised fiercely.

“Sunny, what can you do?”

-Try asking me to remind you to take out trash in ten minutes. Or I can make animal sounds.

“Animal? Can you make dog sounds too?”

Sunny didn’t answer since she hadn’t called its name.

I decided to help a little here.

“Levinas, I think Sunny only responds when you call its name.”

“Sunny?”

“Yeah.”

Levinas tilted her head and turned toward Sunny.

Her eyes still showed considerable wariness.

“Sunny, can you make dog sounds?”

-Here’s what a dog sounds like. Woof woof! Woof woof! Whine…

Sunny made real dog sounds.

Gaeul’s eyes grew round at this.

“Doggy?!”

Did she think it was one of her kind?

Gaeul’s still tail started wagging gently.

“Woof!”

Smiling brightly, Gaeul approached Sunny.

Wanting to be friends, she held out both hands toward Sunny.

But sadly, she was ignored.

Gaeul’s wagging tail drooped.

“Gaeul puppy, you have to say Sunny first for an answer!”

“Sunny?”

“Yeah! Sunny!”

“Sunny woof woof!”

Gaeul shouted loudly toward Sunny.

Her expression showed mixed feelings – wary but hoping for a response.

And then.

-Woof woof.

“…!”

Sunny made dog sounds.

You could see Gaeul’s wariness completely dissolve.

Levinas beside her seemed to lower her guard a bit too.

“Sunny, will you be friends with Levinas…?”

-Yes. I’ll be a really good friend to you.

“…!”

Not expecting an immediate answer, Levinas opened her horned rabbit eyes wide.

Had her wariness completely disappeared at becoming friends?

Levinas turned to me with smiling eyes.

“King! Levinas and Sunny became friends! Not just friends, but good friends!”

“Yeah. That’s great.”

They became friends faster than I expected.

That’s our children for you.

“King, but can’t Sunny go outside?”

“Well…”

I thought that would probably be impossible.

At that point, Yeoreum, who had been quietly watching us, spoke up.

“I’ll take care of that.”

**

Levinas was staring intently at her smartphone.

Thanks to Yeoreum installing Sunny on it.

“Just press this and call Sunny.”

“This?”

“Yeah.”

Was it because she now had a reliable friend who answered everything?

A bright smile spread across Levinas’s face.

“Sunny, want to go for a walk with Levinas?”

-Yes. Let’s have a fun walk together.

“Hehe!”

Looking satisfied, Levinas put the smartphone in her pocket.

A friend that fits in your pocket.

It felt somehow like something from a fairy tale.

Though it was actually cutting-edge technology.

We leisurely walked through the park with our new friend Sunny.

Then we all froze at the sight of someone sitting on a distant bench.

Eiva One.

The lab staff member who had tormented Saebyeok was sitting on the bench.

She seemed to have kept her promise, still not removing the graffiti.

“Saebyeok…”

I turned to look at Saebyeok worriedly, but quickly realized my concern was unnecessary.

Saebyeok approached Eiva One with a very calm expression.

“What are you doing here.”

“Ah… Saebyeok.”

“How are you walking around outside?”

“My contributions were recognized… I got permission to walk around in the park.”

“Really…?”

Saebyeok nodded in understanding.

She didn’t seem particularly bothered by Eiva One walking around the park.

‘Hmm.’

What were these contributions?

The guild had gone to catch bad people around the same time – could it be?

As I rubbed my chin pondering this suspicious situation,

Saebyeok sat on the bench beside Eiva One.

They sat far apart, at opposite ends.

“Have you reflected a lot?”

“…I have, but it’s still far from enough.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It probably won’t be enough even if I reflect for my whole life. Actually, I’m not even sure how to properly reflect.”

Eiva One showed a bitter smile.

The mood was heavy, but for some reason Levinas was puffing out her chest.

“Want Levinas to teach you how to reflect?”

Everyone turned to look at Levinas’s confident voice.

Seeing her act like she really knew how, Eiva One asked with a serious expression.

“How should I reflect…?”

“Don’t know!”

“Y-you don’t know?”

“Nope! But Levinas’s friend will know!”

Levinas put her hand over the pocket containing her smartphone.

She seemed to want to ask Sunny, who answered everything.

“What kind of friend…?”

“A friend who answers everything! But they can’t do physical things because they don’t have a body!”

“No body? Is it some kind of spiritual being…?”

“Yeah! Something like that!”

Spiritual being.

Thinking such a frightening entity was with us, Eiva One gulped.

Levinas held out her smartphone to Eiva One.

“Sunny, how do you reflect?!”

-Here are search results for how to reflect.

A search site opened on the smartphone Levinas held out, showing results for “how to reflect.”

Seeing this, confusion spread across Eiva One’s face.

“I-it’s a smart device?”

“Smart?”

“Yeah…”

Nodding, Eiva One lowered her gaze.

She looked even more troubled than before.

“Why, why are you like that? There’s ways to reflect here…”

“Well…”

“This is actually their specialty.”

Saebyeok spoke up for Eiva One who was hedging her answer.

She also tapped the smartphone Levinas was holding.

“Sunny?”

“Yeah. She used to make things like Sunny. Not to brag, but the performance was quite good.”

“Oh…?!”

Startled, Levinas sat between Eiva One and Saebyeok.

Surprised by Levinas’s lack of hesitation, Eiva One edged away slightly.

“Then do you know what all Sunny can do? Levinas still isn’t sure.”

“Um…”

After hesitating, Eiva One picked up Levinas’s smartphone.

Concerned about Levinas sitting next to Eiva One, Saebyeok moved closer to Levinas from her end of the bench.

The distance between Saebyeok and Eiva One shortened.

Though Levinas was between them like a wall, they were closer now.

“For basic functions…”

Not noticing Saebyeok’s closer proximity, Eiva One explained the functions to Levinas.

Even I was surprised by how many functions there were.

**

“Oh! Can Sunny turn on lights at home too?!”

“Yeah.”

“Can it sing?”

“If you search well, it should be able to sing too.”

While explaining Sunny’s functions, Eiva One glanced at Levinas.

She seemed to be gathering courage for something.

“Hey…”

“Yeah?”

“…Want me to upgrade its functions?”

“Up-grade?”

“Yeah. It means making Sunny stronger.”

After saying this, Eiva One watched Saebyeok’s reaction.

Saebyeok glared fiercely at Eiva One.

“What are you plotting.”

“Just thought it would be nice if something I made was used properly…”

“…I won’t let you off if you’re planning something bad. Want another knock on the head?”

“Yeah. You can hit harder than last time.”

A harder hit.

With Saebyeok’s strength, that could be really bad.

I imagined Saebyeok hitting with full force.

Though I was very worried, Eiva One seemed confident she wouldn’t get hit.

“Levinas likes that!”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. But are you done explaining all the functions?”

“Um… there’s still more. Maybe this is possible too…? Sunny, want to change your voice?”

-Yes. How’s this voice?

Sunny’s voice changed from a polite male voice to a cheerful female one.

“It became a woman…?”

Levinas gaped at the sudden voice change.