episode_0026

I continued operating the pojangmacha.

Taking orders and cooking frantically, I had become quite busy before I knew it.

At first, it was just Wilmarina alone, but perhaps her smiling face as she ate began to attract the attention of passersby?

Customers began to pour into the pojangmacha one by one.

“Yes yes~ Additional order received! Just a moment~!”

Flipping the meat sizzling on the grill plate, just then, as I was busily moving.

The sound of a wooden chair slightly shaking.

A small sign quietly seeping into my busy ears, indicating someone’s seating.

“Ah, welcome customer~ What can I get… Ah, Arte?”

Short silver hair.

A red core shining on her chest.

Arte, the Automata, was sitting neatly in the seat.

With her hands neatly placed on the table in silence, she was looking at me with eyes that held a little expectation.

“Yes, Yuaan. While on a walk, a delicious and warm smell was detected from this place. So, my steps unconsciously turned towards here.”

Still an analytical yet honest tone of voice.

But even those words sounded somehow cute.

“Haha, that’s so Arte. Ah, customer. The Neobiani you ordered is ready! I’ll bring you a beer soon too~”

Rummaging through the grill plate without missing a beat, I placed the just-cooked Neobiani on another table and returned.

Arte was still looking at the inside of the pojangmacha as if scanning it.

A night where small lanterns flickered.

The sound of the wind seeping in from the roadside.

And a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, full of the smell of food.

“This kind of scene… if analyzed, it’s just a simple night market scene but.”

Tilting her head slightly, she carefully added one more word.

“Right now, I quite like this atmosphere. Eating here has started to become as anticipated as a dungeon exploration.”

“Then how about a drink for you too, Arte? I’ve also prepared some snacks that go well with beer.”

Smiling towards her, I poured beer into a glass.

Arte received the glass.

Tilting her head slightly, she asked in a low tone.

“Beer… if it’s beer, what kind of menu would pair well with it?”

“Hmm, well—”

Heading towards the cupboard in the back, I took out a few glass bottles and ingredients one by one.

“How about fried crab meat?”

Along with those words, long ago, the red and thick leg meat of the ‘Emperor Crab’ caught at the end of a fierce struggle in the sea dungeon revealed itself.

“It’s a dish made by preparing the front leg meat caught then, tearing it along the grain, aging it slightly, and then frying it. The inside is moist, and the outside is crispy. It’s a perfect beer snack.”

“Then, may I ask for it? Yuaan’s special imitation crab meat fritters. I wish to input the taste of new affection into my data.”

“I’m confident I can capture the taste of my strict Automata customer~! Look forward to it!”

Along with the sound of the fryer operating, the pojangmacha was once again ready for the smell of a delicious dinner to spread.

I carefully took out the pre-prepared front leg meat of the Emperor Crab from the glass bottle.

The thick texture of the meat had already undergone simple aging, subtly infused with umami.

“Even if it’s crab meat, tearing it along the grain is important.”

While delicately tearing the meat piece by piece, I maintained an appropriate size so that the texture would remain alive.

Now it was time to apply the prepared frying batter.

For a crispy texture, I dipped the crab meat in a light batter made by mixing cold water, flour, and potato starch.

“The fryer is exactly 180 degrees… Good.”

As I carefully placed it on the oil as if lightly tossing it, Ziiiiiik! The savory sound spread.

Golden bubbles burst and the crab meat began to bubble and fry.

Inside soft and moist, outside crispy!

Flipping each piece until golden brown, I lightly shook off the oil.

“Can’t forget the cabbage salad prepared as a side dish.”

Finely shredded, lightly mixed with a dressing made by combining salt, vinegar, and sugar.

Now, carefully placing the fried crab meat and salad on a warm plate is the finish!

“Here, Arte. Eat this with the beer.”

I carefully handed the plate to her.

A single grain of salt lightly resting on the golden-brown fritter.

The savory smell of the freshly fried crab meat subtly spread.

Arte quietly nodded, then raised her chopsticks with her small, neat hands.

While doing so, she was still holding the beer glass in one hand in a straight posture.

Her eyes, slightly.

took on a very subtle light.

Analysis? Scan?

Because whenever I gave Arte new food, she would always quietly record it.

Finally, the Automata’s small mouth carefully bit into the fritter.

“Nyaam.”

Quietly, slowly.

Munch munch— with mechanical yet soft jaw movements.

The fritter, crispy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside, was enveloping her taste sensors.

With her lips pressed tightly together, Arte slowly took in the lingering taste of the fritter with very small breaths.

Soon after, she quietly lowered her head and raised the beer glass.

The glass tilted slightly.

The yellow beer wet her small lips, and the flow slowly descended below her neck line.

Gulp.

The beer’s subtle carbonation seemed to tickle the inside of her cold metal.

And, she quietly raised her head and looked at me.

While her expression still seemed emotionless, small and warm emotions were contained within her eyes.

“I always think this, Yuaan.”

For a moment, a soft pause like a sigh.

Arte’s words spreading in the quiet night air.

“Your food… it feels like the only moment in this world that makes me feel like a human.”

Very slightly. With a truly small movement, she raised the corners of her mouth.

“It’s cozy. Warm, and soft. Your color quietly spreads inside my cold body.”

“Your taste remains as a memory. Not data… but somewhere else. Is this what humans call a heart?”

At those words, I couldn’t say anything, just stared blankly at her for a moment—

I unnecessarily turned my head towards the kitchen and tapped the grill plate once.

“Thank you. Really. Honestly, I didn’t know I’d receive such praise for crab meat fritters.”

“Hoho, it’s true, you know? It’s the strength and weakness of artificial intelligence life, isn’t it? That is, not lying.”

At those words, I smiled slightly.

“Just for now… I’d say that’s the greatest strength~”

Returning to the counter, I carefully put food on a small plate.

A piece of Neobiani,

a few slices of blanched Kraken,

and even chives lightly mixed with savory sesame oil.

Putting them on one plate, I pushed it in front of her.

“Oh? I didn’t order this.”

“It’s my own bribe for the good review. Please accept it with a happy heart~”

Arte tilted her head slightly, then very softly raised the corners of her mouth.

“I’ve already been bribed by Yuaan, you know? You are someone who takes precedence over the Three Laws of Robotics, you see?”

“Haa, that was dangerous. Arte. But I expected this level of attack!”

“That’s a pity. I’ll have to research more effective methods next time.”

Even while saying that, Arte quietly picked up a piece of Neobiani from the plate with her chopsticks.

Munch, munch.

And after that, a quiet sip of beer.

Time flowing by in silence.

Lanterns swayed, and the warmth carried by the wind wrapped the night’s stillness more warmly.

I was busily moving, taking orders from other customers, and,

Arte remained sitting there, quietly savoring happiness.

And quietly.

When the seat next to her became empty.

A small gaze turned towards me.

“Yuaan.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I have a question.”

“What kind of question would that be, customer?”

“…Yuaan, do you believe heaven exists?”

“Suddenly? Well… since there are people like Wilmarina, I guess I have to believe it exists?”

And then suddenly—sighed.

“To be honest, I’ve never seen God. I’m a case where I died and just opened my eyes to reincarnate in this world.”

“So whether that was God’s choice, or if it was luck… I still don’t really know.”

At my words, Arte slightly shook her head.

“That’s not the meaning I asked about.”

“Then…?”

“It’s the heaven of the afterlife. When I stop functioning someday… will I be able to go there like Yuaan, Lilien, and Alice?”

“Well. I don’t know that either, but it might not necessarily be paradise, you know?”

At those words, Arte quietly smiled.

With a small, a very small… sad smile.

“Actually, I don’t need heaven.”

Huh? What does that…

“Because there, probably. The beings I have come to love won’t be there. Neither Lilien, nor Alice. And… you either.”

“So, if there is an afterlife and a being called God who manages it, I want to ask for something.”

Arte wrapped her beer glass with both hands.

As if quietly praying.

“If perhaps you wish to invite me to heaven… God. Please, I beg you. Please don’t divide heaven into two. Please don’t divide it into robots and humans.”

Unable to listen to those words any longer, I untied my apron and quietly approached.

Sitting next to her, I quietly leaned my ear against the core on Arte’s chest.

“Yu, Yuaan…?!”

Arte’s startled voice, which could rarely be heard.

Without answering, this time I pulled her into my arms.

And I gently pressed her forehead so it would rest against my chest.

Thump… thump… thump…

The rhythm of my heart echoing little by little.

“Arte. Whether it’s a machine, a human, or a demon. I think the important thing is, ultimately, the heart.”

“You also have a heart inside,

I also have a heart inside,

and all of us… have something like that.”

“So, don’t say things like that.”

I stroked her hair.

Her silver hair felt cozy against my fingertips.

“I don’t think God is that petty. Of course, the God who cast out Wilmarina was a bit awful, but.”

“Is that so? …Heh. I see. Hehe.”

Arte, who had slightly lowered her head, smiled with her lips pressed tightly together.

“Heehee… Hoho…”

Laughter that was too different from her usual image.

“Huh? Arte? That’s the first time I’ve seen you laugh like that?”

At those words, Arte covered her mouth with both hands, then shrugged her shoulders as if a little flustered and muttered softly.

“My emotion circuits are strange. Feelings I can’t control keep rising up.”

“Is it because I’m drunk? But I’m not dizzy at all. It’s just… that I’m very happy. So much joy is overflowing, I can’t contain it inside my body…”

At those words, I also quietly smiled.

And I raised my water glass.

Because I still had to operate the store more.

“When that happens, I think you should do this.”

As I slightly, raised the glass high and showed her, Arte also quietly raised her beer glass, following me.

Clink.

A single clear sound resonating inside the pojangmacha.

Arte quietly smiled.

Truly, brightly.

Even Lilien doesn’t know.

Even Alice doesn’t know yet.

Not found in any battle records or data.

Formed in front of me, directed only towards me,

The Automata’s real smile.

Unrefined emotion.

An extremely human light that burst forth in a single moment.

Gently raising the corners of her mouth, she smiled brightly.

“Yes. Forever… eternally, by your side.”

Without saying a word, slightly nodding.

The water in the glass…

slowly, I swallowed a sip.

[Eyecatch♪]

Arte’s Pick!—Crab meat fritters utilizing Emperor Crab

Deep inside the sea dungeon, a large mid-boss that often appears.

Just one of its enormous front legs is enough for easily 20 servings.

However, because it has a slightly unique smell, the flavor is only completed after undergoing a short aging process, you see?

The texture of the meat is soft, a texture that seems to melt smoothly in your mouth.

If you pair that golden-brown fried meat with a warm glass of beer—

Perhaps the fatigue of today will gently melt away.

At this moment, bring the slightly special taste of the sea to your table.