Ithiel ran up the stairs. They were winded and awkward to climb, but Ice kept his eyes on Ithiel during every step. Finally, they ended at a room.

Ithiel dashed inside and tried to slam the door shut, but driven by something, Ice managed to get a foot inside. Repeated pressure made it clear that Ithiel was hoping to push him away, but was too weak.

There was a soft sob, then the pressure vanished. Ice released a breath he’d been holding and carefully pushed the door open another gap to slip inside.

Ithiel sat on the floor, hands trembling as they held his clothes, eyes wide and tearful. He was biting his lip, fear evident on his face. He was more than just frightened by something.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Ice kneeled down in front of him, talking softly. He had thought something was off when he saw the youth’s shaking shoulders.

“W-What…” Ithiel began to sob, crying pitifully like a child. Ice was about to lift a hand to place on his shoulder, but froze up when he heard the end of the sentence. “What… are you? What do you know that we don’t? What are you here to do?”

Ice stopped breathing.

Ithiel glitched. It was once, completely tearing apart his figure, before returning to normal. The youth was crying worse, maybe having noticed it, tears flowing down endlessly. “W-Why… There were always times we couldn’t hear you… Why i-is it that now… Bugged? What is that? Is there a bug inside me? H-How do you know?”

The information overload shocked Ice. Helpless, he tried to order his thoughts, but Ithiel grabbed his hand and tugged at him, begging for some sort of support. His pale eyes were shining with his tears.

Another glitch happened, causing the young elf to break down completely. Maybe, at this point, he was fearing for his life.

“I do-on’t want to be different… I’m scared… Turn it back! Turn it back please! I beg of you!” The cries turned into one long sob.

Shocked, unable to speak, Ice pulled the youth into a hug. The NPC was trembling in his arms.

When does a human start?

Somehow, it seemed like NPCs had a sort of filter whenever players talked about game matters. Maybe they thought of it as natural, which was why they never asked. That filter was something applied to all the humanoid AIs within the game.

If an AI could surpass the limits of its programming, was it still just an AI?

Haven’s AIs could learn. Everyone knew that.

But doesn’t a human have to learn, too? Don’t they learn about feelings as well?

But could an AI go past what it was programmed to do? Was a learning ability enough to destroy the boundaries of its settings? Was it even possible for a human to create such a thing?

But if it did exist, if there was an AI that could learn and develop freely, that was able to acquire traits of a human - how long could it still be called just an AI?

Was it greed? Gluttony? Sloth? Wrath? Lust? Envy? Pride?

Was it love? Was it hate?

Was it the ability to decide based on emotions? To overcome your limits in a crisis? To be irrational?

What traits did a human have to be, to be human? A human born without a certain feeling, wasn’t that still a human? So, was it the shell that made it human alone?

Did something need flesh and blood before it could be called alive?

Ice’s throat felt choked up.

The NPCs in Haven were lifelike. They were… like dolls. Carefully crafted, a tad bit too perfect in their expressions, a tad bit too deliberate.

The owner of the castle… was not. He had been like half a human, broken apart, not quite wrong but not quite right, not there yet to truly appear like a real person, but already being so close to one.

And the one in his arms?

The one who mourned his dead parents against his programming? The one who got scared when the difference was pointed out? The one who, suddenly, could hear things he shouldn’t be able to hear?

If the filter was automatically applied to those the system recognized as AIs… What would happen if it didn’t recognize a target as such anymore?

Could an AI created to think it was real, realize it was not?

He didn’t know.

He didn’t know what to do.

If this was part of the storyline… It was way too damn cruel.

“It’s alright”, Ice whispered, patting the youth’s back. “It’s alright. Don’t be scared. We… We aren’t here to hurt you.”

“W-What am I supposed to do…” The youth weeped. “I d-don’t want this…”

“Ignore it whenever you hear Foreigners talk about weird things. Better yet, avoid us.” Ice decided on a solution quickly. “Just act as usual. I know someone who I’ll ask for help. Nothing bad will happen to you, alright? There’s no bug inside you. It’s only a term. I’ll come back to you.”

“O-Okay…”

The NPC flickered again. Once the flicker calmed, his face relaxed too. It was likely the system doing its work.

Inexplicably tired, Ithiel swayed where he sat. His eyes drooped along with his head. Seeing that, Ice awkwardly lifted him up and maneuvered him to the sofa inside the room. After covering him with a blanket, he left. The youth needed time on his own.

Downstairs, Bloodless Sunset was waiting alone. Arms crossed, he leaned against the wall. When he noticed Ice, he stood up straight. “Ice-”

The mage felt the sides of his lips drag downwards. It was impossible to correct. He clenched his hands into fists and hid his face behind his long hair.

Bloody approached him with slow steps. When the tips of his shoes were visible within Ice’s lowered view, the mage could feel a hand on his back. Without strength, he put his head on Bloody’s shoulder, then nuzzled it into the nape of the beastman’s neck.

As if he wanted to hide.

“Did something bad happen just now? I’ll listen”, the wolfman murmured, his hand patting Ice’s back in a calming rhythm.

Ice moved his head left and right the tiniest bit. Bloody sighed in response but didn’t pry.

The elf could only lift his arms to return the comforting hug, closing his eyes.