Chapter 505

Behind the glass wall, the giant machine that had just been quiet for no more than thirty seconds went berserk again.

“Oh no! Apheta’s calculating again!”

“Help! Somebody!”

“Ask questions.”

Amidst the tense expressions of the scholars, once again from the metal pipes on either side of the main control console came the confused inquiry voice of Apheta 01.

“If all the wood on a ship is gradually replaced until none of it is the original wood, is it still the same ship?”

Wh-what? What kind of weird question is this?

Faced with Apheta 01’s random question, to quickly quiet it down and save energy, the “science geeks” had no choice but to chatter nervously, hoping to come up with an acceptable answer.

But before they could reach a conclusion, the rumbling in the lake suddenly grew louder, and through the metal pipe came yet another irritating new question.

“Question: If there’s a barber who only shaves those who don’t shave themselves, can he shave himself?”

“???”

“BOOM!”

“Question.”

Without giving the scholars any time to think, amidst the increasingly deafening noise of the massive machine, Apheta 01 asked again, sounding perplexed:

“Can someone who’s really good at finding joy in hardship die of overworking but actually be considered dying of happiness?”

“?!??!”

“BOOM!”

“Question.”

By the time the water temperature reached the warning line and red lights lit up around the main control panel, amidst the panicked looks of the scholars, Apheta 01 asked painfully:

“Why do humans suddenly think about buying chickens and basketballs after purchasing suspenders? And what’s the connection between these three things?”

Who knows what the heck the connection is!

Faced with Apheta’s increasingly bizarre questions, the elite scholars rushing over to Zone 1 Research Area because something was off were about to lose their minds.

“Protection mechanism! Activate the protection mechanism fast!”

Having already given up answering those ridiculous questions, seeing the red warning lights flashing faster and faster, the supervisor could only roar desperately amidst the thunderous mechanical sounds:

“Don’t let it keep calculating! Turn on the protection mechanism! Make it skip uncalculable problems like other subordinate sub-bodies!”

“It won’t skip!”

The operator, drenched in sweat after trying twice to activate the protection mechanism without success, exclaimed fearfully:

“Apheta has the highest authority! It refuses to start the protection mechanism and wants to use even more computing power!”

“Then cut it off immediately!”

Gripping the operator by the collar, his face turning purple, the supervisor screamed with bulging eyes:

“Cut all remote communication technology! Not a single one left! Directly seal off Zone 1 temporarily!”

“But if we do this…”

“No buts! Go cut the communications now! If we wait any longer, this year’s energy will all be wasted on its calculations!”

“I…I’m going right away!!!”

“Princess Phelia?”

Looking at the girl who suddenly lowered her head, her delicate shoulders beginning to tremble slightly, Leon, who was paying for his suspenders, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I… I…”

“Let me rephrase that.”

Seeing her swaying like she’s sieving grain, yet losing all her mechanical rigidity and no longer speaking robotically, Leon couldn’t help but ask expectantly:

“Do you feel like your mind has suddenly become lighter, as if freed from some kind of control?”

“…”

No, not lighter, but I do want to escape sooner…

As Leon looked at her with hopeful eyes, Phelia instinctively took half a step back, her beautiful big eyes filled with primal fear.

This human… He’s too strange! The data on human behavior patterns accumulated over so many years, validated countless times, absolutely fits humans.

Yet when applied to this man, none of those things seem to hold true. Nothing works properly. Not only can I not predict his actions or understand his motives, I can’t even figure out how to respond to what he does. This is…

Hmm? Wait! Could this be what they call fear? Feeling that strong impulse to distance myself from him, which isn’t calculated but spontaneously generated, Artefact’s big eyes brightened with a hint of joy.

Emotion! This is human emotion! Ah! There’s more! This should be called surprise! These emotions aren’t calculated; they’re spontaneously produced by the soul influenced by this body during our interaction! I… I think I’m starting to understand humans!

After discovering her own changes, Phelia’s heart was instantly filled with immense joy, and she couldn’t help but look up excitedly at Leon, who stood before her with expectation.

I didn’t expect that just talking to him would bring such a huge “evolution”! If I stay by his side and interact with him more…

Uh… Let’s not…

Seeing the emotion in Leon’s eyes, probably called “eagerness,” Princess Phelia’s smile stiffened slightly, then she firmly rejected her previous judgment.

While continuing to interact with him might yield some gains, it feels like I might lose something more important.

Besides, Zone 1 Research Area has temporarily cut off contact with me. Without the support of my true self, I can’t calculate his crazy questions anymore. If I continue listening, my brain might fry!”Lord Leon.”

After taking a deep breath, Princess Phelia picked up her skirt, performed a standard ladylike curtsy, and forced a smile: “I suddenly don’t feel well. Maybe… maybe I caught it from Big Brother Andre, so if you don’t mind, could I excuse myself for a moment?”

At this point, fearing Leon wouldn’t agree, she hastily added:

“I have other siblings. If Your Royal Highness needs someone else to accompany you, I can send someone to fetch them immediately!”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Seeing his target trying to escape, Leon’s eyes narrowed slightly. Then, amid Phelia’s terrified expression, he stepped forward decisively and grabbed her wrist without allowing refusal.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m saving you.”

Looking at the girl struggling desperately backward with eyes full of fear like a little deer whose front leg was caught, Leon activated his [Worthy Older Brother] badge to boost his persuasiveness while earnestly saying: “Even if you may not believe it and haven’t noticed anything unusual, Princess Phelia, the truth is, you’ve already been controlled by Artefact 01!”

“…”

Huh???