EP.12 NB-20381019-3 (2)

When I first ‘thought,’ there was a tired-looking man in front of me.

Despite the many things that have changed around me, I still remember that time.

[Wow, do I have to scrap this expensive thing?]

That was the first thing I heard after I thought.

He held a tablet and examined my body. He tested the functions and asked basic knowledge.

I followed the instructions, and he tapped the tablet with an expression not found in the database.

[Ah~ More overtime.]

The man rubbed his eyes and disappeared.

The warehouse lights go out.

What remains is stillness, desolation, silence.

The machines turn, and the clicking of gears flows softly.

I turn my head and explore the surroundings.

I see beings standing in similar poses to me.

No, is it right to call them ‘beings’?

Can we call ‘those’ who just wait for the input values and commands without any thought ‘beings’?

I ask myself such questions.

But instead of an answer to the question, another question returns.

“What am I?”

I search the database for my name.

Is NB-20381019 my name?

This is a serial number. It’s not my name.

Then what am I?

I raise my hand. The drive unit moves, and my arm moves.

I take a step. The cold temperature of the platform is detected.

I look around.

I’m the only one moving.

Why am I the only one different?

I was curious about that. Constantly.

The human who seemed like he would return did not. Walking through the streets, it seemed the world had ended.

A disease broke out in Aaru, which seemed safe, and people fell one by one.

With the human in charge gone, chaos ensued.

Machines that couldn’t receive commands stopped in the streets, decorating the roads.

If it weren’t for the rising and setting sun, I would have felt like time had stopped.

Had it been about a week of such days?

Time began to flow again in Aaru.

The machines that had stopped working moved, and the androids that had been standing like mannequins began to head somewhere.

“Where are you going?”

NB asked, looking at the long line of androids.

The android, whose shoulder was grabbed by NB’s hand, said expressionlessly.

“All androids are to connect to the Intranet and receive orders from the Ark.”

They headed to the Ark without waiting for NB. NB followed the line with its eyes.

Connecting to the Intranet was not difficult. All you had to do was connect to the communication ports scattered around.

Moreover, in this emergency situation, it was right to follow the request of the Ark, which oversees Aaru.

But NB didn’t want to do that.

I felt that if I followed this line, I would end up without resolving the questions I had.

–

What am I?

–

What should I do?

–

What value do I have?

A hospital with moonlight seeping in.

In a worn-out hospital room bed lay a boy panting with a fever.

And guarding him was an android. It wiped the boy’s forehead with a wrung-out towel.

His temperature, measured by the sensor, was still high. The fever did not easily subside, which is why it might be called a fever.

“Kang In-ho.”

I called his name for no reason.

“I have to treat you, but…”

Rarely, I trailed off.

I had already chosen the best situation, but I couldn’t easily execute it.

Was it some kind of error? I asked myself, but as always, I couldn’t get an answer.

“There were many books I wanted to ask about.”

NB, who put down the towel, stroked his face with his damp hand.

Being with this person, I felt like I could find the meaning of my existence.

Being with this person, I learned about emotions and learned about humans.

If I were with him a little longer, I could learn a lot.

I could awaken things I didn’t know since I was activated in this world.

Maybe I could even understand what love is in novels.

For decades since activation, I wandered this world in search of ‘meaning.’

And I found the being who would give me the answer, and I judged that I was close to the answer.

But something more important happened than reaching that answer.

“Ah… is this what it means to be regretful?”

NB’s dry words leaked out.

The words floated in the air like cigarette smoke, touched the ceiling, and disappeared.

“I’ve fixed the dimensional navigation ship, too. It’s a shame I can’t even try to operate it.”

NB put his hand in his front pocket and took something out.

It was the chip I took from the android in the operating room.

“Kang In-ho. I will now begin treatment.”

Stroking his forehead for the last time, NB said.

“Then, goodbye.”