Chapter 240

“Umm…”

A shallow moan hit my eardrum, but I wasn’t even aware it had escaped my lips.

From left to right. Then from right to left.

Like something aimlessly moving within my field of vision while I was in a daze, my eyes rolled slightly.

The crucial difference between this and the contemplation that happens during introspection is that I wasn’t observing something I randomly picked unconsciously; I was clearly staring at the very thing that troubled me.

More precisely, I was looking at the source of my worries itself, which meant I was engaging in much more efficient thinking by utilizing my major bodily functions in a dual or triple manner.

Yeah, no doubt about it.

– Excuse me for a moment. –

“…Yeah, sure.”

Unless I accidentally scratched or fussily pulled my hair out of annoyance, I don’t lose hair easily, so I wasn’t really making much of a mess around me, nor was I engaging in indoor activities with shoes on like Western kids do.

I raised my feet from the floor onto the sofa while crouching down to clean the fine dust that consistently accumulated every time the door opened and closed or I received a delivery, out of consideration for Zero.

I continued to watch him as he wiped and polished the area in front of the living room TV with his hands resting on his knees.

I was definitely feeling proud at first to be acquiring my first my home in this world, but it seemed like… somehow, without realizing, I was gradually falling into a messed-up position like the baby of the family.

…No way.

Since I am the head of our household, it’s only natural for me to lower my stance a bit and wait after getting through something big! Zero wanted this as well, and since he wasn’t one to heed my warnings, my “support”? Anyway, I was focusing on actively assisting in daily life.

Hmm, no doubt about it. I don’t see any flaws in my hypothesis.

– What would you like to do for lunch? Shall I prepare one of the preferred products from the instant cartridges you have stocked? If you’re craving something different, I can compile a list of currently operating delivery restaurants for you. –

“I…guess I should eat. It’s a field I can’t afford to fail in.”

This time, it came from the kitchen. Without turning my head, I assumed it was a response to the voice I heard near the dishwashing machine and standard food cartridge cooker that is used daily.

Extroverts who have never attempted social participation using only computers and mobile phones at home might find it hard to understand.

But did you know there’s nothing quite like the act of eating to stabilize your internal clock and invigorate you? If you didn’t know, I hope you realize this opportunity.

I’m not just fussing over the menu for no reason!

Of course, I do go out to alleviate stress with gastronomy when conditions allow.

“…Definitely a hamburger. Please order a set that includes a lot of meat and a side from a decent place.”

– Confirmed. I have placed an order for a cheesesteak brioche burger and banana pudding crème brûlée at Barclay Prime Dining within the plaza, designated for residents only. –

“…….”

Hmm, impressive.

It’s almost comical that I had a familiar fast food in mind, thinking of greasy packaging and crumpled shapes, while you immediately thought of a verified restaurant and handmade burgers.

I shot Zero a glare filled with a ‘No way, this guy…?’ expression. I thought he was looking down on me for eating ramen frequently lately, and then the moment I relinquished a little autonomy, he shoots the average meal cost through the roof.

There’s no rule saying my expenditure list has to be filled only with luxury items.

Even if the balance was quite ample, looking at the price tag of such places reflexively makes me uncomfortable.

Just turning away from the receipt doesn’t fundamentally erase my discomfort, you know? Hah.

– Based on your current residence and subtly established social standing, I concluded that it would be more natural for you to engage in appropriate spending, which would also be advantageous in blocking access from undesirable individuals. – – Also, it is very risky to leave a loaded handgun lying around just because you’re bored. –

“If you act all sophisticated like that, I feel like the people tangled up in the mercenary business or the market will find it annoying and start harassing me instead. Plus, I’m not that fast on my feet, so I keep the gun near the bed just in case… damn it! Seriously, please don’t confuse people and just unify it into one!!”

– …My apologies. –

Since the conversation seemed to be dragging on, I turned my head away from Zero, who had been tidying up the living room, to look at Zero in the kitchen.

The droid, who had been smoothly arranging bedding, picked up the cue and continued chatting, causing me to instinctively nod my head with a ‘whack!’ feeling unable to resist pointing it out.

So, instead of one of the droids scattered throughout the room, it was the speaker connected to the home system answering me… How dizzying could you make me feel!?

I really don’t know how to handle where to direct my gaze!?

An awkward silence lingered, but since I wasn’t genuinely angry or irritated, the atmosphere quickly relaxed.

Both Zero and I were still adapting, and I had enough conviction based on sufficient explanation that this was the right approach, so it was a happening that occurred during our process of getting accustomed to each other.

Yes, the root cause of my worries over the past days was definitely Zero.

Despite not being what anyone else would call a sentient creature, the fool who thought that his shell containing his ego wasn’t enough to assist me went ahead to self-upgrade or even evolve on his own.

Originally, a highly advanced AI equipped with numerous optimized algorithms for controlling large-scale facilities and showing specialization in multitasking broke out of its shell.

It might sound like a grand description, but personally, I think this is a significantly toned-down, straightforward account of what’s actually happening.

What did he call his initial state again?

First, he connected to all the central processing units and memory he could reach “in a hurry,” releasing the restrictions on data processing capabilities and access that had been limited, expanding the performance scope that used to be concentrated in a single device.

Now, even if a single robot breaks or a terminal gets damaged, it won’t harm him at all, and even if a launch-level catastrophe-level cruise missile plowed through and physically obliterated the entire Engineer Plaza, as long as there’s sufficient time, he can supposedly find a way to stand by my side again?

So, in short, it means that even if the CPU gets destroyed, the information-based life form that would have perished helplessly has ascended into a semi-immortal being through a multi-network system.

…And as far as I know, there’s no AI that has succeeded in doing such a thing, not even in a closed city or Elysium. Yeah.

Moreover, when those folks over there find out about it someday, I feel like their eyes will flip.

Naturally, I have no intention of spreading this around town, and it’s a relief that even if the droid gets hijacked or the connection is severed, it’ll sort itself out thanks to the Mini-Me ZERO mechanism left inside – whatever that is, I truly have no clue!

But what worries me is that.

Zero being ‘Zero’ is unavoidable. I have no intention of saying anything cruel like asking him to go back into the lamp.

However, having a being with such unique properties just existing there.

Even if it limits its activity range and wriggles into my shadow, from a macroscopic perspective, how much will it affect Neo Haven?

Hmm….

Umm…….

“…You can’t cause trouble in my absence, okay? You can’t secretly run droids behind my back whenever you go somewhere or meet someone and later say ‘I’ve eliminated the threat~’ or anything like that. Got it…??”

– As for threats other than information leakage, I will base my response on non-violent measures through capture and observation, led by Ahsa. –

Since this guy probably has a history of offenses, even if I heard that quickly returned answer, it didn’t make me feel assured.

Just look at how ‘capture’ and ‘non-violence’ coexist. They probably think it’s within the acceptable range to aim a gun at someone’s back and make them walk over to voluntarily surrender.

…Oh? That seems like quite a gentlemanly response compared to the countless forms of violence that exist in this world?

After receiving a few security droids from the research facility that I had asked Leo to temporarily store, putting them to work around the house and handling them skillfully honestly alleviated some of my conscience.

Ah, right. Talking about the recent changes, I can’t leave out the future episode related to our middle boss.

He seemed to feel a lot more gratitude than expected. To the point of taking care of him in various ways.

Perhaps it’s because I unintentionally became deeply tied to his personal affairs and we overcame the scenes of life and death together, he may have classified me as someone he could trust according to Leo’s standards.

No, seriously, can you believe I even exchanged lighthearted jokes with that mad scientist?

I threw it out there to see if his personality changed due to the series of events, but anyway.

When I asked why he dated such a twisted woman, he lamented that he ended up being introduced to an actively extroverted woman, the complete opposite of himself.

So when I slyly questioned the tuxedo-clad wedding, he shared an extremely chilling backstory that he had never worn a suit or married… oh, that’s terrifying.

“Hey, Zero, do you also need to let go of worries or difficult problems? If you hold onto them for too long, it’ll fester.”

– ……. –

Even though the base performance would likely fall short.

Receiving a custom droid I acquired rather than the other captured ones, I found myself more attached to the carebot I bought, casually tossing advice to the 0 model nodding behind the sofa before wrapping up our conversation.

Now then, let’s conclude our deliberation on household matters here.

Gradually… I was hoping it would naturally resolve the reason I had been out in the living room instead of my bedroom, but it seems I have to go out and take responsibility for the external issues that look like they won’t be resolved easily.

[ Is the aftershock of the terror just beginning? The mistake was made by corporations, but the responsibility falls on the citizens?? ]

[ A serious electronic virus, which allegedly leaked from a top-secret facility, is suspected of failing to isolate the surrounding area before it spread to civilians, prompting Exatech Corporation to announce a strong response, stating they can no longer endure baseless slander and distortion…. ]

[ Urgent Special Report! Exclusive coverage of a victim with broken toes from an attack by a rampaging vacuum cleaner!! ]

[ Some argue that parts of the capital should be designated as a quarantine zone and incineration operations should be carried out before escalating into larger social issues and property damage…. ]

[ Delivery drones that once adorned the night sky. Now in certain areas, they’re practically the main culprits for shattering windows, causing controversy. ]

…The news headlines are just shocking!