episode_0326

***

NB returned a few hours after the moon rose at the base.

He must have entered Aaru alone, he had a lot of luggage, and from what I heard, he also finished maintenance of the dimensional sailing ship CLBS-1283 by himself.

When asked why he went out alone, NB said it was because of the behavior of the drone he had seen yesterday.

“I think I will be traveling alone for a while until I figure out the drone’s path.”

NB took out books and miscellaneous items.

“Next time, please at least say something and leave. You were worried.”

I said to NB while packing up my luggage.

Today was the longest day without NB, and I was so startled by even the slightest noise around me that I covered myself in a blanket and held my breath.

“Kang In-ho was sleeping so I didn’t wake him up. Time was running out to wait for Kang In-ho to wake up. Since you can’t read, I’ll devise a sign or something.”

NB looked at the tree branch that had entered the base for a moment, then brought a rolling piece of string and tied it to the tree branch in the shape of a ribbon.

“If there is this ribbon on the tree branch, it means I went to Aaru. I think this is enough.”

I nodded at the mark NB made.

After finishing packing up, NB said he would cook using ingredients from the base.

Now that I think about it, I think there’s a cookbook among the books I brought, so I ask and he says it’s [a cookbook that even beginners can easily follow].

“How was Aaru?”

As I watched NB cook the food, I asked him what happened today.

“The security level has increased. A greater number of drones than usual were patrolling the outskirts.”

“Do you seem to be looking for something?”

“It is highly likely. As you increase the number of drones you operate, power consumption increases. Since Ark values efficiency, there is no way they would have increased the number of drones without any special reason.”

NB said while grilling canned ham.

“Wasn’t it dangerous?”

“Almost encountered a drone several times, but was not detected.”

“What did you get?”

“I obtained some parts and a book that could be used to repair the dimensional sailing ship.”

The smell of ham cooking in oil irritated my nose. Feeling my mouth watering, I started preparing the table.

Even so, I take out plastic bowls and disposable forks.

NB skillfully placed grilled ham on the bowl. Corn out of a can and small bread followed.”

“Have a delicious meal.”

“Thank you, I will enjoy it.”

After saying hello to NB, I ate my food with a fork. When food entered the mouth, the tongue danced and dopamine was secreted into the brain.

My stomach, which had been suffering from anxiety and worry all day, seemed to scream with joy at the arrival of food.

NB picked up one of the books he brought with him that was of appropriate thickness.

“What is the title?”

Since it was written in a foreign language, it was difficult to guess the title, so I asked NB.

“It is a book called [What makes a person].”

“Science books?”

“It’s a novel.”

“Do you seem to be interested in the novel?”

“Kang In-ho’s interpretation made it possible to understand most of the novels in the base. That’s why we supplemented it with new novels.”

“So, is it fun?”

“Do you mean a novel?”

“Yes. There are various reasons, but in the end, a novel is only meaningful if the reader finds it interesting.”

“Some novels end in tragedy. Kang In-ho, is that fun?”

NB asked me with an expressionless expression, but for some reason, I felt an emotion of disgust written on his face.

I corrected myself before any strange misunderstanding occurred.

“When I say it’s fun, it’s a bit like that. interest? Can I say that much? Does something remain emotionally after reading a novel?”

NB stared at the book in his hand at my unrefined explanation.

Are you thinking or calculating?

I decided to assume that NB was thinking.

“There are no emotions in Android. Of course, there is an emotion module. However, it is also just an algorithm that tells you to express something in a specific situation. It is far from human emotions.”

“That’s right. But NB, you are a little different.”

“Different? Request a more detailed explanation.”

“You just rejected the Ark’s request.”

“At that time, In-ho Kang talked about ‘free will.’ If you have free will, do you have emotions?”

“Not exactly… that’s true. Ah, how should I explain this? I’m not an expert either, it’s just a bullshit philosophy that came out of my head…”

Because I am not confident, my words become longer.

“If an android has free will, wouldn’t it be possible to have emotions as well? Both are differences between androids and humans. Since you have free will unlike other androids, you can also have emotions.”

When I first became interested in the novel, I had doubts about whether NB could really be defined as an android.

“I understood Kang In-ho’s explanation.”

NB opened the book with an expressionless face. I resumed eating the food on my plate, and me and NB concentrated on our own tasks for a while.

NB was the first to break the silence.

“There is a sentence that says [In this case, I wish I were a doll that couldn’t feel anything.] Why do humans want to give up their emotions? ”

“Emotions sometimes make things difficult for people.”

“Through the novels so far, love has been understood as a positive emotion. However, the character in this novel is suffering because of love.”

“You mean like [crying with a smile]?”

That expression appeared in a novel I read the other day.

“Similar. In the end, it didn’t happen from the protagonist’s perspective, right? That’s why you cry.”

“If love doesn’t come true, will you cry?”

“…I’m glad if you just cry.”

I think back to the times when I was chained and couldn’t leave the house.

“I know that crying is an action that is associated with sadness. However, it is difficult to understand that love, a positive emotion, makes you cry and this soon becomes sadness.”

Steam was rising from NB’s head. Is the thinking circuit overloaded?

“Love is not something that can be divided into positive and negative. It’s just an emotion, and based on that emotion, you can be sad or happy.”

“Do emotions create new emotions?”

“Hmm… To summarize?”

“I understood that emotions can change depending on external factors.”

NB nodded and turned his attention back to the book.

I put the last piece of ham in my mouth and cleaned up after myself.

As I placed the bowl and fork in the garbage collection box, NB was looking at me again with bright eyes.

“What else are you curious about?”

“[First of all, let me go and kiss you. It says, “Then there will be love that never existed?” Can humans feel love even when physically restrained and forced into physical contact?”

– Cluck cluck cluck.

It felt like the food that had just gone down my throat was regurgitating.