Vol 4 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Tenacity like a cockroach?
You mean they die if you whack them with a rolled-up newspaper?
1
The scientific laboratory of Mad Demon Shadou Kyouichirou -- its official nathy Shadou Kyouichirou Mathe and Permutation ALS Research Institute -- was constituted of a total of eight buildings
Eight buildings were crowded together in a space surrounded by tall walls that could absolutely not be called spacious, so it would not be possible to deny that it looked craanized impression of a laboratory It was not that I felt any bit of nostalgia, but the environment made me remember a little
There were one, two, three - I could see four buildings that looked like dice once we stepped within the walls Looked like dice, I expressed, but not because of the sile , and so at first glance it was hard to deters They rese of which, I had heard of stories of industrial facilities that created things like gas for security, so perhaps this was the saain I would have to say that they were taking a lot of precautions Enough so that I could nod in understanding when they said that the intruder was unable to do anything
shi+to-kun continued walking forward, toward the largest building of the four, a building that looked like the General of the dice, then said ”wait a moment,” pulled a keycard froh the card reader He also typed a ten-digit code into the nuht the door would open then, but that was not the case
”Please state your name”
There was apparently a small speaker above the card reader that was difficult to discern, and it sounded like an obviously synthesized voice It was significantly ate security
”Oogaki shi+to My ID is ikwe9f2ma444”
”Voice and retina confirmed Please wait”
And after waiting a moment as directed by the synthesized voice, like an automatic door (if you were to co the obvious, then like ic), the thick, insulated door opened sideways shi+to-kun said, ”hmph,” stepped inside, and turned toward us
”Hurry up and get in It'll close soon”
I, Kunagisa, and Suzunashi+-san entered as told Inside was a white hallway reminiscent of a newly-built hospital shi+to-kun walked as a guide and spoke
”This is the Primary Ward, so basically just think of it as the central laboratory ward that also doubles as Professor Kyouichirou's living quarters I won't explain anymore because it's a pain in the ass In any case, I'ht? Make sure not to be rude to him”
He was still as abusive as ever, but shi+to-kun seemed to at least be responsible toward his own professional duties He did it roughly, but he still guided us
”The Professor is waiting on the fourth floor Here, on the elevator,” he said, and he pressed the button to call for the elevator ”Don't wander around like that, it's annoying”
”Well sorry By the way, shi+to-kun”
”What”
”Rather cautious The entrance security, and the lack of s”
Ahh, shi+to-kun nodded
”This is noro ahead and warn you guys not to leave the facility without letting us know Once you get out yourself you can't get back in”
”Hmm”
”Well, not that it matters”
We entered the elevator and moved to the fourth floor I did not knoconsisted of because there were no s, but based on hest floor We stepped out onto the hall, and shi+to-kun pointed tohat looked like a smoke-break room and said, ”Wait there”
”I'll go report to the Professor I'll come back really quick, so don't relax too much”
Said shi+to-kun, and then he ran off down the hall In orld is there a host that directs their guests to ”not make yourself at hoht as I sat down on the sofa in the sisa sat beside me, and Suzunashi+-san sat across Suzunashi+-san took a cigarette out of a hidden pocket on her coat, held it between her lips and lit it with a Zippo
” Ahh, I can finally have a sarette smoke with an ecstatic look ”Really, Asano was so persistent about not s in the car”
”Of course, because the s what cannot be helped”
”Well, yeah I orried sick about this place being no-sood But you knoas expecting so weirder, and of course the place and the walls are pretty weird, but the inside is pretty normal Like the interior of a university”
”They are fundaant thing, to be using such a large building alone” As someone who lived in an apartment room the size of a mere four and a half tatami, I was truly, honestly envious ”Ah, well were there three using this building?”
”Yup,” Kunagisa nodded ”shi+to-kun and Misachi-chan and Professor, so three The other Research Wards are one per ward, though”
”I see,” I nodded Really, ardless, it is still an extravagant thing”
”I',” Suzunashi+-san spun the cigarette around with her right fingertips as she continued, ”The people seem pretty normal too Normal people, should I say? I feel like I wasted some anxiety”
”Normal?” I tilted my head to the side ”Norin with, having a sixteen-year-old apprentice itself is abnormal for a normal research institute”
”I was is, personally,” Suzunashi+-san laughed with a bit of ee people that flingnaked under the laboratory coat I was expecting that sort of stuff”
”You have quite the iination”
It seemed Suzunashi+-san looked upon academics and researchers and scientists and other people of like ilk through rather colored glasses Indeed, from such a perspective, shi+to-kun would fall under a norood, but I suppose in this case an incredibly crass prejudice actually led to an unexpectedly good result Well, not that ere talking about such an educational thing
”By the way, To serious, now that we have coone smoothly so far, but you could also say this has simply been the phase where the application is started up, can you not? In any case, nothing caused a hang-up, so how do you intend to move the pieces now?”
”Uni Unini Uh, I've thought of soazed at the ceiling ”Let's see First I'll see the Professor, and have a chat Put the probleet per”
”He is in the seventh ward, if I remember correctly?”
”Yup And not to sound optiet permission to meet And boku-sama-chan has a feild cards ready”
”Wild card”
I repeated her words, and then thought of a certain contractor, who had popped into my head froest She is a clump of self-confidence, who also certainly has even more than just her confidence, and you could express her as transcendent and superior: indeed, a wild card She loves disguises and she loves a, and she loves mischief even more, so that made her quite a bothersome personality to deal with, but there is no more dependable an ally
”Toet Aikawa-san to help?”
”Hs yourself It's not good to bother other people with things involving your friends”
”I think that is her job, though”
As ere talking, as he had said, shi+to-kun came back soon ”The professor will meet with you,” he said, and hurried us up That forced Suzunashi+-san to press her half-finished cigarette into the tray, and she looked a bit wistful as she did so Miiko-san had toldtoo much nicotine,” so I did not ask shi+to-kun to ”wait until Suzunashi+-san finished s” Not that I think shi+to-kun would have listened, anyways
”This way Hurry up”
shi+to-kun said, and then he walked down the wide corridor, stopping before the door of the furthest room He placed his hand on the doorknob, turned his head, and repeated, ”Don't be rude”
”Especially you,” he directed at me ”It's just my personal opinion, but you're weird Don't say a word”
”You do not hold back from difficult subjects I know I do not intend to interfere I understand my role”
I shrugged isa did not show any signs of nervousness or anything She had the same, usual, carefree expression I would not say that she see it, but, it did not seeisa was actually wanting to meet none other than the one in the seventh research ward, Utsurigi Gaisuke
I sighed
”Right your posture Well, then” said shi+to-kun ”Excuse us, professor”
And then the door opened
We entered the roo From the way the hall looked, I expected an interior like a hospital roo like, as it was like an ordinary visitor room with a round table in the middle And on the other side of the table, he -- Shadou Kyouichirou -- sat
They said he was sixty-three years of age, so I expected a ed person, but my expectation was almost eerily off While he did not have cons of balding While his hair could not be called sht that his appearance was such that he could pass even if he were to say that he was in his fifties, no, even his forties And aze of his, that expression, was nothing like that of an old man Not quite a researcher either, but rather a veteran, expert politician ca, expert -- such words popped up one after another
Shadou Kyouichirou
The rooh to overwhelm and pressure
”Fufu”
The old hed
”It's been a while -- seven years, I think? It's been seven years, I think, lady of Kunagisa”
A hoarse voice However, that did not mean it lacked force It was a settled voice, as if a superior person were calling out to an inferior person If I am allowed to describe it in any way, I would say it was a voice that belonged to someone who stood atop others
”You changed your hairstyle That looks isa You look o”
”Why, thank you,” replied Kunagisa to Shadou Kyouichirou's voice ”Thank you for praising me I am quite pleased to have been welcomed so warmly, professor”
”Hah You sound so sarcastic”
”Did I? I did not particularly ed ”But, if that is how it sounded, then I must have, after all”
One small lady stood behind the professor She had a bob cut to her neck, and looked at us with a business-like gaze through her glasses -- or if I were to describe itthat she did not wear a lab coat, she was probably not a researcher
In that case, she must be Uze Misachi-san, the professor's secretary
shi+to-kun left our side and walked next to Misachi-san He whispered so to Misachi-san, then did the same toward the professor The professor nodded twice, thrice at shi+to-kun's words, and then looked at us once again
”Well then -- kukuku, it has been seven years, after all,” the professor turned to Kunagisa ”Of course, seven years is not particularly significant to isa, it's quite a few years, given that you're not yet twenty There must be much for us to talk about, but unfortunately I do not have much time I am busy, after all”
”Much to talk about? I do not think there is much to talk about with the professor And we are both busy You are busy of course, but I have work that I need to do, too”
”Is that so, is that so That is a difference in perspective, lady of Kunagisa In s without industrial value work, but I suppose they do say that play is work for children”
”If play is work, then that goes for both of us Having no industrial value goes for both of us I suppose the professor is still playing with machine theory? If so, then thank you for your hard work There is plenty of surplus and excess, after all I wonder if you are not having too much trouble with the details?”
”You wouldn't know, lady of Kunagisa You don't understand anything about me”
”Probably I think so, too The professor is right about that I certainly do not understand
Kunagisa nodded twice There was nothing odd about that, per se, but that hy it leftI felt like this conversation was not quite right for the Kunagisa I know Kunagisa would not participate in a conversation that was not odd
”Artificial intelligence -- or rather, artificial life, did you abandon that possibility? I heard that through the grapevine, professor”
”I didn't abandon it I don't abandon anything I just realized that it was easier than I thought, so I' around it I only want to s with industrial value, after all,” the professor said with a self-effacing sneer It was truly an expression that did not look like it ca as play I's for perforue a scientist about the work they've poured their life and soul into, lady of Kunagisa”
”Of course, I intend no such thing Haranguing the professor about what he does? That would be pointless to the point of despair”
Kunagisa shrugged her shoulders again
That attitude, too, felt a bit off relative to the Kunagisa I know I do not think I would be able to anshy it was different, however, an inexplicable sense of anxiety began bubbling forth from my heart I understood that this was neither the tih, so I shook hts aside I should think of someone like Hikari-san in these situations Hikari-san was so cute I wondered what she was doing, now
”By the way, lady of Kunagisa,” Shadou Kyouichirou changed the subject ”Is your father doing well?”
”-- Who knows?” Kunagisa see ”You are malicious, professor That question is malicious You know, of course, that I have been disowned since then You have been notified about it”
”Oh, that's right I's,” laughed the professor heartily ”They say you don't want to age, and they were right!”
”Hmm, I see Then I assume research must be difficult to do”
”No worries I don't need to be fret over by a child Only my memory has waned There're plenty ofas I can think, I'll be able to satisfy your father, lady of Kunagisa”
It was a very sarcastic way of speaking It was a very distasteful way of speaking I determined from the way he spoke that the professor definitely was not welcoisa also answered sile person would ever listen to this conversation and expect a friendly atmosphere
Indeed To Shadou Kyouichirou Kunagisa Tonificant existence Even nohile he was acting like he elcoisa valued Utsurigi Gaisuke, not Shadou Kyouichirou, Shadou Kyouichirou valued Kunagisa's father -- or rather, in this case, Kunagisa's house, and not Kunagisa individually
Kunagisa's house -- the Kunagisa Syndicate does not need explanation One of the few plutocratic households in japan -- no, it would be more correct to call it the ulti relevant matters and affiliated jurisdictions, they enco that nu as you live a relatively normal life, they are so enormous that you would never realize you lived under their shadow, such was their size, and they had influence over the rest of the world It was a bloodline that almost felt like that of a phantom
And that also happened to be a patron of this laboratory
For exa like the of Medici it would fit this case perfectly, but in other words the Kunagisa household does not hold back in providing funding for this sort of personal research laboratory and similar artistic endeavors, for people with specialized skill sets -- or rather, they are very aggressive in providing funding for such activity Why Shadou Kyouichirou despite being labeled Mad Demon could without a doubt, even if it is deep in a mountain, have a very proper, unabashed laboratory, and continue research activities like this was because he had the backing of the Kunagisa household Of course, the Kunagisa household was not providing this funding out of insanity or respect, nor out of kindness of heart, but rather because they wanted rights over the results and infor in advance, essentially to receive royalties and other such gains Then it may be more accurate to call them not patrons but rather investors Of course, it would be hard to find investors willing to invest in the Mad Deisa household could be called high rollers However, that was the reason
That was the reason that Kunagisa Tomo and her acquaintances were able to step foot within these facilities Even if she were disowned, she was still a direct daughter of the priisa house, so she could not be treated wrong It was impossible for Shadou Kyouichirou to turn down her request
That hy you could say that this situation was for authority as a shi+eld to force her way in If you think about it that way, the professor's malicious attitude, and shi+to-kun's displeased attitude, all were understandable We were the ones de the impossible
””
Of course, that was if ere only to talk about the current situation
”By the ho's that boy?”
The professor suddenly changed his focus to ht er at me
”I thought the lady of Kunagisa would shoith her brother I had always thought the lady of Kunagisa's agent would never be anyone other than her brother That someone else in this world would be that insane absolutely shatters nize you What faineer from the lady's school? Or perhaps you were soh you don't look the type?”
”No Ii-chan is a friend,” Kunagisa-said nonchalantly ”Nao-kun's the third-most busy body in the world, so he said he didn't have the tiards My sistercareless, but I will take full responsibility for everything so please rest easy, he said”
”That's, well Hahahah,” the professor, for the first tihter ”It seeisa Nao, despite his circumstances, is still like that H tiisa”
The old ed his attitude and said, ”Alright”
”Then let's have a serious chat We're both probably at our limits So--”
And then the professor looked at aze, but I did not show that in my expression I probably succeeded, I think However, my little success seemed not to
”Can we have your friends leave their seats? This is important, after all”
” Are you talking about me?”
”Did you not take it that way? Young one,” kuku, the old ood eyes About equal with our shi+to-kun Such good eyes”
Upon hearing those words, shi+to-kun, as standing by Misachi-san's side behind the professor, lare at me, but it was but a moment, as he quickly recomposed himself, and looked away from me
”However, this is a specialized topic I don't think I' So, will you leave your seat?”
”Well but”
”Just listen to the professor, Inoji”
Suzunashi+-san placed a hand on my shoulder from behind I turned and looked at her, and found that Suzunashi+-san was not looking at aze at the professor She was grinning, as if she were enjoying the situation, but in this case this person's smile was a creation, and I knew that she instead used it as a poker face instead When she was actually enjoying so, Suzunashi+-san did not smile
”Inoji's underaged, and Inoji's an outsider, and then on top of that not an expert, -- so you shouldn't be sticking your neck into the difficult conversations of adults Isn't that right? Doctor”
” Indeed, that's the case, but,” the professor looked at Suzunashi+-san with caution ”Who're you?”
”My name is Suzunashi+ Neon The repetition of a sound without a bell[1] I'uardian”
As she said that, Suzunashi+-san pushed against Kunagisa's back, half-forcing her back in her seat, and then sat down next to her No, it was not a style of sitting that could be expressed as sitting down It was a very extravagant way of sitting, as if she were stepping on the chair with her waist, or as if she were expressing conquest and dominance over the chair
She directed an audacious expression at the professor
”Of course, since I a in on the conversation But that's alright, isn't it? Doctor” She raised the ends of her lips, and formed an even more vicious look ”There're no problems No problems at all, that would cause you to treood After all, Kunagisa-chan is underaged, like Inoji We can't have underaged kids negotiating with souardian If you're a professor with acade, a professor who's a friend of Kunagisa Toht about this, of course, so I can't iranted permission to sit here”
””
Violence Neon was never one to be counted out None could stand up to her skill at playing the villain Her physical stature also helped her beco the villain I could never pull so physique
The professor laughed, pleasantly
”Hahahah indeed, that's true, Suzunashi+-san,” and he nodded several tiht You're correct correct Yes, I don't mind, you can sit in You can sit in asone over there to kill time somewhere for about an hour somewhere”
”Yes Sound good?” Suzunashi+-san turned to ht, isn't it? Inoji”
”I will do that, then Not that I have any choice,” I raised isa ”To room, then”
”Yup,” Kunagisa turned to me and smile her innocent smile ”Understood, Ii-chan I'll be there soon, so don't get lost”
Those words, that smile, all calmed me down
Yup, that is the Kunagisa Tomo I know
”Alright, then shi+to-kun, let us wait outside”
”Alright, got it I'll guide you around the area wait, what!?” shi+to-kun shouted ”Don't nonchalantly invite me like I'm a friend!”
I was joking, I said, and I left the rest to Suzunashi+-san and stepped out of the visitor's room
Jump up↑ Suzunashi+ (鈴無音音) is written repetition (2x) of a sound (音) without (無) a bell(鈴)
2
It is time for philosophy
Well nohat sort of thing is a human soul in the first place? For example, someone, I think Freud, had separated the soul as the conscious and subconscious, but was there actually a need to separate them at all? Would I have any troubles if I were to have no subconscious aspect of the soul, or perhaps no conscious aspect of the soul, causingentirely of hts?
Kunagisa said the soul is a result of the physical activity of the brain That is probably correct I aical science to be able to completely refute that However, if the concept of a soul is si but the electrical signals of neurons and synapses, then I can understand why soue that we are then no different from machines Or rather, I feel like I fit in better with their perspective However, even in that case, I would still find myself in more-or-less the same situation: would I have any troubles if I were to realize that I am the same as a machine?
If you could explain everything about huanized programs, or alternatively if you could create a si with that? Just where is the reasoning for the application of the word evil? It is not necessitated that a chess player be human No one would be bothered if the Tower of Hanoi had been routine construction perforanicto be praised and not so to be condemned There are those that may say that it is a blasphemy toward God and a rebellion, but there is no reason behind declaring that the action of creating life is a unique privilege of God After all,replica or imitation life: how much of a difference is there?
If you want to look at things froical perspective, then the invention of the automobile would have been a similar affront
Anyways, these days it has already becoenerally accepted that theoretically you can reconstruct a hurams and applications No, you could say that it has already mostly been done Manmade life that you can hardly tell apart from just its appearance, or what has been called an android from previous ti practical, or so Nowadays there is very little that cannot be done through science, costs aside
That is just how it is, I think
For exas, you could say is just a pool of zeros and ones As long as you have ti languages and e What I want to say here is not whether that is good or bad, whether it is useless or boring, or anything of the sort
What I want to say here is that, even though it is so that ultimately can be projected in text form, I could not explain why I was still indecisive like this If it is text, then it should be simple If you were to look fro down fro but obvious nonsense That is absolutely not an iht with romanticism, and absolutely not a fantastic illusion, but rather just a ti inexplicable, and s all the ti huram? Could it be that there was a failure from the start, that a block of code that was a raved into my brain?
If that were the case
What is the point of copying such a progra is there to my brain, which mass-produces that unsee, as the base, a device that in the end does not evolve or learn even a bit, by creating an application that is constantly , for two thousand, four thousand, six thousand years?
Even if such a thing were actually created, would it be the sah ainto the other side of the surface of theinto the other side of the surface of water? Not to conclude with finality, truly, it is -- it is
”Umm It is what?”
I thought about it for a while, but I could not coht for another o well, either This may be the limit of today's user of nonsense Jeez, and I abandoned the thought, leaned back against the sofa, and stared at the ceiling
”H that seems serious”
Since I had gone through the effort of coht of pondering soence or artificial life, or sos that you are not used to doing At this rate, it did not seem I would be able to arrive at a sensible conclusion Indeed, pondering should be done after you come to the conclusion first, I learned The inductive method is not that easy
The s room
It had already been thirty minutes since I had been kicked out of the visitor's rooisa, and of course Professor Kyouichirou and shi+to-kun and Misachi-san, showed no signs of co out of the room At this rate, it seemed more time would be needed
”An outsider, eh”
I mumbled
Well, that is how it is I did not particularly think anything of it Especially because I,left out, and rationally, leaving Kunagisa to Suzunashi+-san was the safest course of action At the very least, it was clear that it is a better plan than having soerous like me near her
I understand
I understand that
I looked at the ash tray on the table in front of the sofa A single cigarette, the one that Suzunashi+-san had crushed on it, remained It seemed like one with a heavy dose of tar I knew of no other fe like this Well, Suzunashi+-san see that I should be fretting over At the very least, that person was not one to die of lung cancer
” Come to think of it, Suzunashi+-san was one of those people who cannot drink alcohol”
I thought that being able to sht, those things have nothing to do with each other One is the liver, and one is the lung - coans They are not issues to be lined up together However, Suzunashi+-san's friend, Miiko-san, was perfectly capable of drinking, but absolutely detested cigarette smoke, so I felt like there was some sort of relation, soh, this sort of logic arped to begin with
”I a Miyamoto Musashi+”
Just as I had declared so that made no sense even toradually beco louder It was like the sound of the Mini 4WDor reo, such was the cheap feel to the running motor, but, this sound, I wondered--
As I stood up from the sofa to look for the source of the sound, the source of the sound crashed into hly a quarter of ht Or more specifically, it was like a cylindrical pillarlike a ht foot, as I was still half-standing half-sitting
”--?”
What is this?
Nothing that could describe this bizarre thing resided in e cabinet Ween ween, it went, like a sound effect in a comic, and I could tell that it was some sort of machine, but I could not determine its purpose
In any case, I tried holding it down And then, the mysterious object froze When I decided to turn it around to the other direction, and then let go, that object, sounded its ru noise and ran off that way
”?What is that?”