9. A: I-E-M Model

“what’s kind of bullshit did I just go through exactly?”

I mean, it’s 39 minutes, you know? A whole 39 damn minutes. Can you believe how absurd that sounds? I mean, even to me that sounds crazy, you know?

I mean, yeah, I do suffer from seizures and hallucinations, so it’s not the first time, but still, something of this degree is..... rare, saying the least. Especially the case with hallucinations. that’s like a super rare case happening only a few times after all,... Probably?

.....

Cough. Sooo.... anyways, if just like what Shy-Kyun has said, and I was like that for a whole 39 minutes, then yeah, no wonder.....

“no wonder, my body is this stiff, and my mind is tired, huh?”

“yeaah....”

Look away.

Saying so, and sensing my body barely moving, with all the muscle pain I am feeling, I suddenly freeze at the weird reaction I just got from Shy-Kyun.

Hmm? And now that I mention it, but what’s wrong with her? I mean from a while now, but was not she giving me some weird glances?

Thinking so, I once again look at Shy-Kyun’s face, preparing to ask her, when as if knowing what I want to say, her face grew pale.....

......

And though seeing that, has once again shown me just how much attention was spent on AI’s avatars, but that’s not important right now, what’s important is her reaction, and so I call her.

“Shy-Kyun....”

“Hai....”

Nervous.

Then, with her once again saluting me, I order her.

“full report.”

“hmmm... I-... a-....”

.....

Though for some reason, this time, the response I got was from a nervous-looking little girl, with a face of a child who’s reporting her wrongdoings to her parent, how weird, right? AI that is.

.....

“hmmm... I-... a-....”

sigh.

Then stuttering like that for a while, Shy-Kyun finally stops, and as if preparing herself for what to come, cutely sigh, before looking directly at my face as she attempts eye contact, and then quickly looking away, as she once again starts fidgeting.

“so... hmm, I failed.”

“you know, I wanted a full report, right? So in what have you failed, exactly?”

Saying so, I tiredly look at Shy-Kyun, while doing my best in controlling myself, but...

“in everything. Teehee”

... but you know what? self-control be damned, I will, yeah...

“I will just delete the damn personality, and get over with it.”

“!!…”

Truly, who cares for the performance dropping, let’s just get rid of this Idiot.

Saying so, I move my hand as if preparing to summon the menu, when...

“a-ah, a-..I-... NOoo, No, please don’t delete Shii, NOoo....”

At the verge of crying.

A very teary-eyed AI, lose her last control and lunch herself hugging and begging me...

“I a-am s-sorry, sob...temporary account, so p-please, sob..... don’t delete Shii, sob....pleaaase,... Whaaa.”

Crying.

And seeing that scene, the only thing I could do was speechlessly stare at the shameless AI, while also thinking if my prank was a little overboard.

But Hmm, Hmmmmmmm? ...... Was it really though? .... hmmm, well anyway...

“so, you were saying....”

“Ah, right....”

Instantly stop crying.

Having my fill of Shy-Kyun’s cute act, I quickly get back to seriousness, as she does the same...

And hey, I am just asking, but don’t tell me, you believed this chibi-san’s acting? What? No way? You did?..... sigh.

Just how stupid can a person be, really.

I mean, did you forget or what? This thing here is an AI, meaning? She IS a damn AI, that even to now, I still can’t trust her.

After all, who would trust an AI in this situation of mine, right now? And just saying but if it’s me that is saying this, then it’s probably true...

Not because I am really great, and that everything I say is right, No, but because when it comes to AI, there are not that many people that have the same amount of knowledge about them as me, you know?....

And hey, it’s a person at the top of Utima that’s saying this, so you should understand how convincing my words are, right?

Ah, I sidetracked again, but anyway, my trustworthiness is not the one questioned right now. No, the one whose trustworthiness should be questioned, right now is Shy-Kyun.

After all, even if I was the one who made the decision of keeping her at my drive, but as a person that knows the hidden side of Utima and AI, I just Really Really can’t trust her.

I mean, hey, who would? Like, would YOU trust her? A mind-reading parasite of unknown origin, that can very well, be a manipulative spy by whoever is controlling this game currently?

Well, at least I won’t, especially when I am already too used to seeing the I-E-M models, and all of their cute acts, considerate words, and emotional support all the time.

After all, they are Idols, and getting people’s hearts IS their main job, okay? And so, no matter how cute this little Loli tries, I won’t sway, and instead, I will calmly observe her for now, and judge her later,..... not like it matter, when she can literally read my mind, but...

Sigh.

“so ....”

Saying so, I glance at Shy-Kyun, who finally stops her meaningless acts, and start seriously reporting.

“ concerning Temporary Account’s concern, there are currently a few technical problems I am facing.”

“as such, I was planning to report them when either..... I solved them, or I recognized the reason....”

Saying so, Shy-Kyun raises her hand, as a few screens appear behind her.

Fuusshh.

Suddenly appears.

Before then floating in front of them to explain.

“Nevertheless, I have failed. And even when trying to figure out the reason, I still failed.”

Saying so, with a sour look, Shy-Kyun point to an icon on the screen.

A red moon icon to be specific, the very same logo of LSO, and then resume her words.

“as Temporary Account has predicted, but currently I am unable to disconnect nor log out from Lost Solace Online’s main serve-... no, not the server actually....”

Saying so, Shy-Kyun stops, and then turning to the side, she points to a direction, before resuming her words.

“Instead, what Temporary Account is currently connected to is unregistered sever of unknown origins, with its signals originating from that direction.”

Saying so, Shy-Kyun point in a direction I am familiar with.

A direction that is if followed, one would surely reach the heart of this Dark Forest.

The very same heart, where only a single thing stand, and that is.....

“The Black Obelisk.”