by Kamiya Yuu
“Oh—? Ohh, I do I do! Yes yes super duper yes!”
Naoto affirmed AnchoR’s question, and raised his hands to indicated his intense desire.
“—Un, I understand.”
Once AnchoR said that, she nodded and left Marie.
At that moment.
The already stoic looking AnchoR erased all signs of her will.
The light in the red eyes gradually vanished, becoming dull-looking glass eyeballs as they captured Naoto’s profile.
“…!?”
Shocked, Naoto gasped.
AnchoR did not make any reaction to that as she silently spoke,
“Master identification condition—question: ‘what am I’?”
The automatic voice was extremely robotic, monotonous as it asked.
Once he witnessed this change, Naoto and Marie looked over at RyuZU.
And the latter took their stares as she nodded,
“This is the formal master recognition procedure for AnchoR. If you can provide the correct answer, you will be officially recognized as a master—though nobody had answered it till this day.”
Maybe, Marie asked,
“RyuZU, do you know the answer?”
“Yes, I do.”
RyuZU continued unflinchingly as she nodded, and said,
“But I suppose it is meaningless to ask me that question. To use the words you said before, Master Marie, this is not a ‘crude master identification’ that allows cheating.”
“…”
“Also, a second challenge is not permitted. For anyone, there is only one chance to answer—if the answer is wrong, the next answer will not be accepted even if it is correct.”
…I see. Marie nodded.
“So that’s why that ‘mask’ was used.”
Marie had been skeptical as to why the master identification was skipped, and that they had to use that device that faked the recognition as if it was passed. Finally, she got an answer.
“So it’s just because the master identification wasn’t passed? Looking at a prior instance like RyuZU, I’m really wondering if she’ll obey the orders unconditionally just because of the identification…”
But even so, she could not just let things stand like this.
Marie turned her head to look at Naoto.
“You can’t get this answer wrong, Naoto. Got to be careful here—”
But—
Before Marie’s warning was taken to heart, Naoto had already looked at AnchoR right in the eyes, simply replying,
“—AnchoR’s a cute girl, right? If I use common sense.”
“At least listen to what others have to say, you!?”
Marie screamed and hollered at Naoto, but the latter merely laughed it off, saying,
“What nonsense are you saying now? Isn’t the answer extremely obvious here? AnchoR’s a pretty loli here. What other answer is there? Ah, a little sister type?”
…This one’s a lost cause. Got to hurry and think of something here…
Marie groaned as she looked up at the sky. This idiot actually answered this extremely important question with his inner desires so unabashedly.
“…No, calm down, Marie. Naoto’s the only one who failed. I haven’t answered yet. There should be another chance…”
Marie cupped her head as she grumbled quietly to herself.
And at that moment.
“—Recognition completed.”
And along with this stoic voice, the light was reignited in AnchoR’s eyes.
“…Huh?”
Stunned, Marie widened her eyes.
“Alright!”
Naoto energetically gave a victory pose, and RyuZU beside him nodded in satisfaction.
“It is truly wonderful to be successful. This is to be expected of you, Master Naoto. An instant answer, outstanding.”
“Wait, ehh!? What’s with that correct answer!?”
“I suppose there is no need to ask what is the problem here, Master Marie, for it is as you just saw. Master Naoto’s answer is the master recognition code, and that is all.”
…No no no.
Marie shook a hand, indicating her utter disbelief,
“Normally thinking, the answer to such a question will be the ‘design objective’ based on the functions, or a message ‘Y’ left behind, right?”
That answer that was instinctively made by this pervert was actually the correct answer, and nobody had managed to answer it correct for years. Was such a thing possible…?
But RyuZU seemed to be mocking Marie’s words as she said,
“Well, I guess ordinary people who think of themselves as geniuses are only able to think that much. The so-called truth is simply that simple, and only with true wisdom are able to see through it.”
“But even so, the answer’s…’a girl’?”
“Amongst us sisters, AnchoR is the only child created as a ‘weapon’. The infinite violence of the Perpetual gear; this is the ‘design objective’ of AnchoR However, do you think it is fine for such a person to pass the master recognition just with that answer?”
“This is…”
Marie was speechless, and RyuZU sneered as she continued,
“And if I may be so unsophisticated as to quip, the answer Master Naoto gave, recognizing AnchoR as a ‘girl’, is a show that he truly understood ‘Y’s message.”
She paused.
“To obtain infinite violence, there is a need to have a will that is unwilling to use violence. That is how it is.”
“…”
“AnchoR, or anchor, means an added restraint of the power. If you look at the meaning of the name given for this girl, I suppose the answer is not that illogical.”
She could not refute that argument.
Marie turned to Naoto, and felt a little suspicious as she asked,
“Did…you even think that much into this when you answered, Naoto?”
Once she asked this, Naoto was flabbergasted.
“Eh? Of course not.”
—I guess.
Marie merely closed her eyes slightly, and in front of her, Naoto spread his arms wide, praising,
“AnchoR is this wonderful, amazing piece of art you see, so sexy here, an automata so cute the body is writhing in pain no? Even with those ridiculous weapons equipped on her, so what? Isn’t that similar to RyuZU?”
While Naoto continued to rattle on, a voice coldly rang from behind,
“—How audacious of you to commit infidelity with my little sister, Master Naoto.”
“Eh—ah, no, that’s not it! It’s true that my bride here’s RyuZU! It’s a different thing from this though—yeah, I just think of AnchoR as my daughter!”
RyuZU’s eyes lost their lustre.
“You actually lust after your daughter…it seems you are increasingly beyond hope…”
“…Ah, are you jealous? You’re cute there, Miss RyuZU.”
The next instance, RyuZu smacked Naoto down onto the floor.
And at that moment,
AnchoR, who remained silent till this point, spoke up,
“—Please give a command.”
● ● ●
“…?”
Naoto gave a skeptical look, and got up from the ground.
Once she took Naoto’s stare, AnchoR repeated,
“—Please give a command.”
“AnchoR?”
“Yes—this unit is the 4th unit of the Initial-Y series, ‘Trishula’ AnchoR. Master Naoto Miura, recognized—please give a command.”
Although it was not so much as an automated voice, it was an extremely monotonous reply.
The emotionless expression and tone were no different from before, but one could no longer sense from AnchoR the tender, childish girl personality.
Naoto frantically turned back, yelling,
“RyuZU! That doesn’t seem right here! Is there something wrong with AnchoR!?”
“So the answer’s wrong after all…”
Marie muttered, and Naoto growl
ed,
“Ack! You gotta be kidding me here! What other answer do you think there is here!?”
“No—AnchoR’s functions are normal, Master Naoto.”
RyuZU answered, and Naoto turned his head towards her,
“—Ugh, what’s going on here then?”
“It’s simple. In this state—AnchoR, having passed the master recognition, is not allowed to have ‘free will’.”
All emotions vanished from Naoto’s face, and he turned to meet RyuZU,
“What does that mean?”
“I did mention it before, that AnchoR is the only child created to be a ‘weapon’. If she has a will beyond that of her master’s, she is not considered to be a ‘weapon’. Thus, when AnchoR is set to have a master, she loses her free will.”
“…Then, what did you just say about a will not to use violence?”
“Everything is to be left to the master, including this. This is AnchoR.”
While Naoto showed no attempts in hiding his rage, RyuZU plainly told him this.
Marie then interrupted,
“Wait. In that case, what’s AnchoR’s state if she doesn’t have the master identification completed?”
“When AnchoR is yet to have a master, she has the free will to find a suitable master to control her combat ability. In terms of use however, there is a big limitation.”
“What limitation?”
“Simply, AnchoR cannot kill or hurt humans.”
…I see. Marie nodded.
Without a master, the safety function would be activated according to ‘AnchoR’s will’, but when a suitable master was found, she would fulfill the function as a pure ‘weapon’.
That was the setting that was embedded within AnchoR.
“…Well, common sense did go out of the window when automatas do have free will, so considering this, I have to say this system is decent…”
“—Decent? What do you mean by that joke here!!”
Naoto yelled agitatedly.
“I saved AnchoR not because I wanted a ‘weapon’! You knew this would happen, RyuZU. Why didn’t you tell me this!?”
“…Master Naoto.”
Upon seeing the glaring expression Naoto showed, RyuZU lowered her eyes, and gently whispered,
“I knew that you would be enraged. However, did you actually forget? Both AnchoR and I are automatas.”
“…”
“I understand very well that you have the personal belief, and that you love AnchoR and me for having free will, but we are not humans. We have the ‘inherent functions’, we have a clear specific ‘design objective’, and we have an unyielding ‘mission’. We wish for a master to fulfill our functions, and to determine our raison d’etre.”
“But, in that case, RyuZU…!”
“I live as the ‘Yourslave’. It is to be expected that I am different from AnchoR, created to be the ‘Trishula’.”
“—”
At that instance, Naoto wanted to scream…but did not do so.
He merely bit his lips, endured as he lowered his head, and whispered,
“But even so, what am I supposed to do now?”
“Master Naoto, I believe that you will be able to treat AnchoR well.”
“…”
Naoto did not answer.
He lowered his head, looked in front, and clenched his fists.
Upon seeing him look so dejected, Marie called him tentatively,
“Naoto…?”
“—I’m pissed here.”
“Huh?”
Naoto lifted his face.
He frowned hard, and glared at RyuZU, Marie and AnchoR in turn, before saying,
“…I just feel very pissed. How can such a thing happened. You say that a girl doesn’t need that sort of will, just because she’s an automata. Now I’m really angry hearing that! I’m the master, and the master’s orders are absolute, so listen to me and obey.”
RyuZU quickly answered,
“Right now, AnchoR is 100% committed to fulfilling your will, Master Naoto.”
“That’s not it! It’s true now, but I don’t have any intention of that! Ahh, enough already! Anyway, papa won’t recognize this AnchoR now!”
Marie could not bear this any longer as she raised her voice,
“Please calm down already. You’re just rambling away now, you know?”
“Shut up, you idiot.”
Naoto snapped back, and again faced AnchoR>
He stared right at those red eyes, and called her name,
“AnchoR.”
The weapon calmly answered,
“Yes—please give a command.”
“What do you want to do, AnchoR?”
Naoto asked.
The weapon immediately stopped, and answered,
“—Error, commands unspecified. Requesting for more details.”
Naoto continued to ask,
“AnchoR, I want you to tell me what do you want to do?”
“Yes—to fulfill the role of the ‘Trishula’ AnchoR as appropriately possible.”
The weapon clearly answered.
And from behind, RyuZU calmly said to Naoto,
“Master Naoto, if I may remind you, AnchoR now has no free will.”
“She does.”
Naoto simply concluded.
And RyuZU silently asked,
“What makes you think that way?”
“If AnchoR does not have free will, I would have been killed a long time ago. She should have been resisting all the time when she was controlled by the ‘mask’.”
There was the ‘strange noise’ coming from AnchoR when she was controlled, and that was not just the grinding of the machinery.
That ‘strange noise’ proved that AnchoR had a will.
Naoto recalled that voice, he recalled that anguished cry.
That was the basis of his conclusion.
He stared at the girl in front of him, and continued,
“You said that was your ‘mission’, isn’t it, AnchoR?”
“Yes.”
“Other than that, what else do you like to do and want to do, AnchoR?”
“Yes—for specific recognition, is this a request to reveal information about AnchoR’s free will?”
“Yes! What do you wish for with your free will, AnchoR?”
“Yes—answering now. This machine’s free will is currently in a frozen state.”
“Okay. Now this is my command. Remove it.”
Naoto said it so leisurely, and after a short pause, the weapon continued,
“..Yes—for specific recognition, do you wish for this machine to act on its own will?”
“I mean I want you to act on your free will, AnchoR.”
“Yes—is this a command to remove all limiters?”
“Well, I guess that’s the case?”
“Meaning that all emotional circuits are opened, thawing free thinking process, allowing permission to provide views—”
“Yes yes! All of that’s correct. Your own will, AnchoR!”
—Afterwards.
Naoto’s ears could hear the countless gears in AnchoR’s body meshing together again.
That was the signal of the rules being changed.
The sound of the fate that was dealt being turned around.
AnchoR’s eyes flickered right in front of Naoto’s vision.
Her lips were quivering, and she let out a voice,
She asked,
“…I can do anything, I want?”
“Of course.”
Naoto answered without hesitation.
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
After hearing the decisive answer, AnchoR’s eyes were looking around.
While she was tentatively wondering if she should say it, feeling lost,
No emotions were on her face, and only her stare and voice showed conveyed some anxiety as she said,
“…I wish, to allow allowed.”
“Eh?”
“…I
wish, I can be allowed…to cry.”
“That’s…”
Marie wondered if she misheard that. She did not understand what AnchoR meant by whether she could cry.
But Naoto immediately nodded back.
He gently patted AnchoR’s face, and permitted her,
“You can cry.”
AnchoR’s face was completely contorted.
Her red eyes showed large beads of tears, and soon, they began to drip down her.
“…I hope, to do something else.”
“Yes.”
“Can I, touch you…?”
“Of course.”
Naoto nodded, and AnchoR took a step forward, tentatively touching Naoto’s chest.
AnchoR continued to ask,
“Can I, apologize…?”
“There’s nothing to apologize about, but you can do so.”
Naoto permitted, and AnchoR immediately buried her face in Naoto’s chest, sobbing.
She continued to cry as she choked on her words, repeating ‘sorry’ over and over again.
It was a soft whimper at first, only to gradually become a loud bawling in the end.
Upon witnessing this scene, Marie whispered,
“Hey, RyuZU.”
“What is the matter, Master Marie?”
“I’ll ask you this. Is this according to your plan?”
After saying this, Marie stared at RyuZU right in the eyes.
The former’s eyes seemed to be yearning for the truth, but RyuZU merely smiled ‘as per usual’,
“I did say this beforehand, did I not? I believed that Master Naoto would be able to treat AnchoR well.”
Marie took a breath, and her shoulders dropped heavily as she folded her arms and faced RyuZU.
“You really are quite the impudent person, RyuZU.”
“Yes, it is to be expected for people lacking in brains like you to view me as such, Master Marie.”
Unexpectedly, RyuZU did not deny this, and without any gloom, she smiled as she continued,
“I am ‘Yourslave’. I am not designed to be one for many words or lead others. I merely ‘believe’ that Master Naoto does not need my help to find his own truth.”
—In fact.
Naoto did respond to her expectations, and seemingly proud of her master, RyuZU showed a smile.
In response, Marie seemed convinced as she sighed,
