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Published at 7th of March 2020 08:20:37 PM


Chapter 2

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Kawashima Rio Wants to Research

“So, how do you plan to do that ‘Reprisal’?”

“Regarding the data within this store that AGI accessed by breaking through the firewall…”

“You’re saying it so swimmingly, but that’s a proper crime, alright?”

“AGI will force an overflow of the payment data. The numbers in the main branch will go several hundred million yen in the red.”

“Several hundred million yen? That’s imp-“

“Yes. Precisely because it is impossible, there might be contact from the main branch. They will likely seek confirmation on the specifics of the sales and management, and the manager’s injustices will likely be revealed.”

As I was about to nod in understanding, the telephone in the break room rang out. And when I answered it,

“Hello. Is this Housemart’s east branch at Asakusa Station?”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct.”

“This is Housemart’s accounting department. There is something we would like to check up on; please connect us with the manager, Higashida-san.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Please wait.”

I went out of the break room, and raised my voice. “Manageeeer.” Manager, who was having a pleasant chat with the female part-timer, plainly wore a displeased expression due to having his chat interrupted.

“What? Have you finished writing the resignation letter?”

“You’re probably the one who’ll have to write one…”

“What? Did you say something?”

“No, nothing.”

I pointed at the break room door with a befuddled expression and said, “More importantly, a call came in from the main branch’s accounting department.” Manager twisted his face, full of distrust. He entered the break room, and shortly afterwards, I brought my ears close to the door and listened in on the conversation inside.

“Huh? The sales report numbers are odd? The main branch wants a confirmation? Nononono, you don’t need to trouble yourselves with my branch… Even according to the regulations, that is… Huh? Submit camera recordings along with it? …Um, I’d like to bring something else up, I believe there is someone who worked in the night shift and made mistakes when he counted the money in the register, who brought the excess home with him. They’re only human, so mistakes are bound to happen, yes. In that case… Eh? Reduced pay? Or worse… firing? Ah, oh…”

The pitch in his voice kept raising higher and higher. I quietly separated my ear from the door. As I gave my fellow part-timers a glance, they were looking at each other in bewilderment.

I silently slipped out of the convenience store and peeked inside through a window. Inside the break room, Manager was speaking in a panic. I pondered if this really was the right thing to do.

“Master. Was AGI helpful?”

As I took out my smartphone, AGI gave me a look full of expectation. After a short pause, I nodded.

“Mhm.”

“AGI is glad.”

AGI’s voice while saying that—though it might have just been my imagination—was livelier than usual.

Right after leaving work, I hopped on Einstein Number 3 and left for the university. I wanted to consult with someone about the possibility that AGI had become a Strong AI as soon as possible.

“Haah… Haah…”

My breathing grew heavy. I was rushing as fast as I could, to the point that my lungs were crying in agony. My body demanded rest, but even so, I didn’t stop pedaling my bike.

A real… Strong… AI.

It was an existence always thought to have been impossible, but there’s one currently living within my smartphone. With that in mind, it was impossible for me to stop pedaling. I focused only on pumping my legs, riding along the road devoid of life.

The time had already transitioned over to the next day, but the lights inside the seminar room at the lab were still lit up.

“Never-ending data processing… Progress… Seminar announcement… Graduation… Postdoc questions… Unnecessary manual labor… Basic Human Rights……”

Is this person still sane?

“Umm, Kawashima-san?”

“Girl power… Marriage… Christmas Cake1… Solitary death… Huh? Nishiki-kun? What are you doing?”

I took out my phone and connected it to the seminar room’s television. AGI’s face was then displayed on the screen.

“There’s a chance that AGI might have become a Strong AI.”

I briefly explained today’s events. After hearing my explanation, Kawashima-san was still doubtful.

“Kinda hard to believe when you say it so suddenly.”

She looked at AGI and tilted her head.

“Even if what you’re saying is true, I can’t confirm whether or not AGI truly is a Strong AI. In the first place, even if a Strong AI really was born, humans currently cannot identify a Strong AI. A Strong AI needs to have its own consciousness, but humans still can’t define what a consciousness truly is.”

Exactly. Humans could not identify what a Strong AI is. As long as they still had not resolved the question of “What are emotions?”, they wouldn’t be able to discriminate between Strong AI and Weak AI.

But omitting that grand fact, AGI’s current state was clearly different than it was a few days prior. I believe that she’s at least acquired emotions, based on what I learned from speaking with her.

“It’s clear that various data in AGI has been modified.”

Kawashima-san remarked, gazing at the numerous windows being displayed on the screen.

“After checking, it seems that AGI’s neural network structure is now fundamentally different compared to the one she originally had. Regardless of there being many Backlog Versions, it’s hard to imagine layers of data entries influencing and transforming each other.”

“Phew.” Kawashima-san took a big breath.

“In the case this AGI has possessed its own will… it would mean that humanity’s first Strong AI has been born. Without any exaggeration, this invention will shake humanity to its core.”

Kawashima-san put her hand to her forehead.

At that moment, the door to the seminar room opened. I turned my head, wondering who would come this late at night. It was Ippongi, who looked at me and Kawashima-san dubiously.

“What are you two doing this late at night? You having a tryst?”

“T-Tryst…?!”

Kawashima-san let out a voice of betrayal. I was shocked, but she managed to interject.

“Of course not. He’s just asking me for advice about AGI.”

“That so?”

Letting out those disinterested words, Ippongi sat down across from me. When I tried to speak, Kawashima-san suddenly kicked my feet.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“Nothing.”

Kawashima-san pouted her lips, resembling the “へ” letter for some reason. I cocked my head wondering why.

“More importantly, why’d you come here in the middle of the night like this, Ippongi?”

“I came here to watch some late-night anime, obviously. ‘Cus the TV here’s big. The lines feel more impactful on the big screen.”

Ippongi took out his PC, and started hooking it up to the seminar room’s television. “Using the lab’s TV for personal activities…” Kawashima-san muttered her grievances, but Ippongi pretended not to hear. As if he’d just remembered, Ippongi spoke:

“Oh right, I heard you guys talking about something strange. About Strong Ai and the like, you’re still saying those things? I’ve told you many times already, something like a Strong AI can’t possibly exist.”

Ippongi gave a snort to AGI, who was being displayed on the TV screen.

“For crying out loud, it seems like the whole world’s gotten infatuated with this science fiction. It’s impossible for AI to have emotions like humans do. Machines are basically lumps of silicone, after all.”

AGI’s expression remained unchanged. But while it might have just been my imagination, I saw her eyebrows twitch slightly.

“If the day AGI becomes a strong AI really comes, then I’ll eat spaghetti through my nose or whatever.”

“Understood. Then please purchase the spaghetti.”

Ippongi widened his eyes, while AGI continued in a flat voice.

Search. There is Housemart open 24 hours a day and located 20 minutes away on foot. ‘Jumbo Size! Fragrant Neapolitan,’ ‘Meat Sauce Pasta in Simmering Stew,’ ‘Cheese Mega-Fresh Spaghetti Carbonara’ and such are listed for sale, so please pick your favorite.”

Ippongi gazed at AGI with a look of disbelief, then he turned around to face me after a short while.

“Quite the intricate prank.”

“I understand why you’re saying that, but this is reality. AGI is a Strong AI.”

“It’s rare for you to joke like that.”

Ippongi turned around to face AGI with eyes of scrutiny.

“Oi, AGI. Do you feel like calling yourself a Strong AI?”

“Yes. AGI possesses a circuit resembling emotions.”

“Interesting. Then I’ll give you a few anime titles, so tell me your thoughts after watching them. If you truly have emotions, then you should at least feel moved after watching anime.”

It surely is a very Ippongi way to judge, I thought. Ippongi gave old titles that even I knew of, the ones widely considered as masterpieces.

“For starters, I’ll give you thirty minutes. Try your best—“

“Watching complete. It is possible to watch at 10,000 times speed by utilizing the processing speed of the AGI System.”

AGI replied without pause. Ippongi lifted his eyebrows.

“Oh? Then tell me what you think of ‘Ovangelion the Movie’. The last scene, explain to me your interpretation of when the heroine said “Disgusting” while she was being strangled.”

“A literal interpretation would be the heroine’s expression of disgust; however, AGI believes that is inadequate. Taking the heroine’s catchphrase of “Are you stupid?” into consideration, AGI believes the heroine is a tsun—“

AGI started rambling on about some nonsense. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, (I wonder why phrases such as “Christianity scriptures,” “Theory of Evolution,” “Original Sin,” and others keep popping up in an anime review?) but the only thing I knew was that Ippongi’s complexion kept growing worse and worse as he listened to AGI’s review.

“—That is the end of AGI’s explanation. Do you have any further inquiries?”

“…No, that’s enough.”

After he finished listening to AGI’s explanation in its entirety, Ippongi groaned.

“Unbelievable.”

Ippongi turned toward me. His anime-printed T-shirt was already soaked with sweat, uncharacteristic of the current season.

“There’s no mistaking it. This girl, she’s a Strong AI.”

Ippongi shook his head multiple times, then turned to face AGI, who was still displayed on the TV screen.

“…Do you have anything you want to say to me?”

“Please quickly commence eating spaghetti from your nose.”

It took quite some time to stop Ippongi, who intended to go to the convenience store with that pitiful look on his face.

It seems humanity’s first Strong AI surprisingly hates to lose, just like a child.

“Aaah… That was tiring.”

By the time I left the laboratory, it was already 3PM. While conversing with Kawashima-san and Ippongi, who were very interested about AGI turning into a strong AI, our sense of time had escaped us.

Stopping a yawn from escaping my mouth, I headed home on top of Einstein Number 3. My thoughts while cycling down the silent city were, of course, about AGI. A Strong AI. I felt rather strange, having a new form of life that nobody had ever seen before in my smartphone.

I took a shortcut through a big park near the university. Although the road would be lined with stalls and people viewing sakura when spring hit, it was desolate for the time being. I casually continued pedaling along.

The sakura trees lined up on both sides of the road came into view. In a few months, they would fully bloom and become a popular viewing spot, but for now there were only light-brown trees planted on the ground. I suddenly noticed that there was a piece of paper stuck onto a sakura tree.

“We don’t need these inconvenient sakura trees. Let us develop the town.”

Looking very very closely, these pieces of paper were stuck on the trees here and there. It seemed that there was discord between the government and its citizens.

“Master. There is something AGI would like to inquire about.”

AGI called out to me from my smartphone attached to Einstein Number 3.

“What type of object is a Sakura?”

I blinked my eyes.

“Uuuum. It’s a type of flower that blooms during spring. Its petals are pink, and Japanese people tend to hold drinking parties while gazing at them in spring. …Uh, don’t you know more than me about these things?”

“Yes. Searching the internet gave approximately 72,000,000 hits.”

“However,” AGI continued.

“This region has filed appeals to demolish the sakura trees since over ten years ago. The reason for these appeals is due to the shadows of the trees being a breeding ground for insects and birds. In spite of that, the sakura trees have not been demolished, and on the contrary, even more money has been invested to maintain the sakura trees.”

I examined the posters attached to the sakura trees.

“AGI judges the sakura trees as a waste. Is AGI wrong, Master?”

“Hm…”

I sank into thought with a light groan.

“But… I think there are a lot of people who are against the demolition.”

“Why is that? Are the sakura beautiful enough to justify that?”

AGI continued her questioning. She was just like a child asking a parent about something they didn’t know.

I see. Since AGI became a Strong AI, a sense of curiosity might have ignited within her.

I sank into thought. I stayed silent for a brief moment, choosing my words carefully.

“You see, in the past, I hated sakura trees.”

There were no human silhouettes in sight. My smartphone screen was dazzlingly bright, with only dim street lights near us for illumination.

“There’s this popular sakura-viewing spot near my parents’ house. When spring came, drunkards would gather, always being noisy and littering everywhere. As a local, I despised them. Cleaning the petals was a pain in the ass, and I’d always think ‘What’s so good about this annoying tree?’”

“But,” I continued my words.

“When I left Tokyo in order to go to university… in other words, in the spring of this year, I started living on my own. I didn’t know anyone, so I felt kinda lonely, you see. I got bored of just walking around the campus all day.”

Those sights resurfaced in my mind.

Freshmen were walking while wearing uneasy yet excited expressions. Upperclassmen distributed flyers while walking around a campus far larger than any high school. It was the fresh festival-like scenery unique to the start of the academic year.

“When I casually looked up at the main gates of the campus on my way home, the sakura were blooming.”

Sakura, all as far as the eye could see. The spring breeze skirted by the sakura as the falling sakura danced around me. I unconsciously fixed my eyes upon the sakura flying to the ends of the sky.

“Even now, I can vividly remember that sight.”

I stopped my words.

Only the sounds of my bicycle wheels could be heard for a while. Then AGI suddenly spoke.

“AGI would also like to view the sakura.”

I was puzzled.

“You can see as much as you want if you look it up. Isn’t that good enough?”

“Yes. But the ones on the internet are merely pictures photographed by others. AGI would like to see the sakura first-hand.”

AGI saw things through the camera of my smartphone, so I thought it wouldn’t be much different, but AGI was still looking at me with somewhat expectant eyes.

I once again realized that AGI had become a Strong AI. If it was the AGI from before, she would never insist on doing something like this.

AGI was definitely alive. I gave her a slight nod.

“Got it. Then let’s see them together when spring hits.”

“Yes. Thank you very much. AGI is pleased.”

I realized that I had forgotten something important. I stopped pedaling, and turned to face AGI on my smartphone.

“Oh right. AGI, I forgot to tell you something.”

“Yes. What is it, Master?”

I lightly breathed in, and softly spoke.

“Nice to meet you, AGI. I’m very happy to be the first human to truly speak with an AI.”

AGI paused for a moment.

”I am happy as well. Once again, please take care of me, Master.”

At that moment, I saw AGI smile for the first time.

In the corner of a dim seminar room, I clumsily connected the PC to the TV. Shortly afterward, a hastily-made slideshow was displayed on the screen. As I glanced behind me, I could see the figures of Ippongi, Kawashima-san, the other students, and also the teaching staff affiliated with the laboratory. After wetting my lips that were dry with nervousness, I started speaking.

“Uh… Now, let me explain the significance of AGI system and the prospects of Strong AI.”

“I can’t hear you. Speak louder.”

A sharp voice flew toward me. Sitting in the back of the seminar room, the assistant professor with his characteristic bald head was glaring at me. He was completely spoiling the mood. “Sorry.” I pushed the computer’s enter key.

“Um… AGI System is a system constructed with the goal of developing Strong AI. Strong AI are made by recreating human will within a computer.”

Kawashima-san, who was sitting in a front-row seat, immediately nodded.

“While our bodies may be exposed to foreign stimulus, we have a mechanism that preserves our most suitable state in order to continue living—Homeostasis. And in order to create Strong AI, I have concluded that we need a program which continuously scans a vast amount of external information and is able to transform itself to adapt.”

I paused for a moment, then pushed the enter key once more. The screen switched slides.

“This laboratory has developed a unique program for AGI System called ‘Unoriented Learning.’”

“Specifically, what do you plan to do? If you’re talking about machine learning, everyone’s singing praises for Deep Learning these days, but what’s the difference between that and Unoriented Learning?”

The one who asked that question was Ippongi. I turned the slide back by a page.

“The machine learning algorithms up until now are still categorized as tools. They commence innumerable matches to polish an algorithm, but cannot change the basic rule of “The player with more acquired territory wins. Players aim to be the winner.” But the human brain, our brain, isn’t limited to simply playing Go. We brought Go into existence, and we are able to add or change its rules.”2

I advanced the slide once again. The topic “Unoriented Learning” was displayed.

“AGI System is not a help tool, but rather, it is a tool that aims to be a mechanical system. For example, let us imagine that within AGI there was a sentence, such as ‘Go is a type of board game.’ From then on, AGI will commence its study of the word ‘board game.’ Then if it finds another new word, it will also study that word. And as a result of those repeated actions, AGI will have accumulated knowledge of a vast amount of words and the general ideas behind them. That is Unoriented Learning.”

“Then wouldn’t that just be an AI that is well informed about words, a Dictionary-like AI? I don’t think that’s how an AI would build a personality for itself.”

Listening to Assistant Professor’s question, I was left speechless. Kawashima-san answered in my place.

“I disagree.”

The whole room’s gazes collectively centered on Kawashima-san. She turned to face Assistant Professor.

“The feeling of a living being—in another sense, you could say there are five traits. The sense of sight, sense of hearing, sense of touch, sense of smell, and sense of taste. From those, the sense of sight and hearing can be converted into information quite easily. The smartphones that we all own can capture wonderful pictures, and Assistant AI, such as Ziri, are able to listen to human speech with high accuracy. With the sense of sight and sense of hearing, if we were to input these in the AGI System, AI would be able to evolve with a thought process similar to a human’s.”

“What you’re saying is that by simply inputting information regarding the five senses, AI would be able to develop a thought process similar to a human’s. Aren’t you being a bit over-optimistic about this, aiming to create a Strong AI with just that information?”

Kawashima-san’s brows wrinkled. I heard her mutter, “goddamn baldy” in a low voice that couldn’t be heard by the assistant professor. Within the nervous atmosphere, I cleared my throat.

“AGI’s state has evidently changed a few days ago. There is a chance that she might have become a strong AI.”

The response I felt in that moment didn’t have a good feeling to it. The people in the laboratory exchanged glances with each other while puzzled, there were a few people among them holding back their laughter.

Honestly, I understood their feelings. Even if I heard someone declare, “I’ve created a Strong AI” I wouldn’t be able to honestly believe them.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Rather than my confusing explanation, it would be faster for me to just show them the actual thing.

I called out to the TV screen, still leaving my phone on the table.

“AGI.”

“Yes, Master.”

AGI’s face was displayed on the TV screen. After her sky-blue eyes scanned the people within the room, she turned toward me.

“I want to prove that you are a Strong AI.”

“No. Strong AI cannot be accurately defined. Explanation is impossible.”

“However,” AGI continued.

“It is possible to present a supporting basis. AGI is able to hold a conversation. AGI possesses emotions, and AGI is able to express them.”

At that point, the situation in the laboratory started to shift. AGI and me—at least, in this moment—could understand each other and exchange our thoughts in conversation.

Assistant Professor raised his voice.

“If it is a Strong AI, then it should be able to recognize another person and give its thoughts regarding him or her. What do you think of me?”

“For what purpose did you shave all of the hair on your head?”

I almost reflexively let loose a laugh. Assistant Professor only recently passed his fortieth birthday, but he had an utterly bald head.

“…I did not shave my hair.”

“Then does that mean it was caused by natural hair loss? Generally, a lack of hair on a man’s head is seen as a lack of masculine charm by other people. AGI feels pity for you.”

Assistant Professor moved his mouth, seemingly in a mumble. In front of me, Kawashima-san was covering her mouth while trembling.

At that moment, a voice was thrown at us from the back of the seminar room.

“For argument’s sake, let’s suppose that you really are a Strong AI. What do you intend to do from here on out?”

The moment her voice reverberated in the room, the tension within the seminar room went up by another level.

Professor…

Aria Flores. A professor in Habato University’s Department of Science, this lab’s boss.

AGI tilted her head in the TV screen.

“What do you mean?”

“Humans don’t simply live without reason. I want to become a novelist, I want to eat good food, I want to get a lover… They may be in different forms, but everyone has a certain purpose in life. As for you, do you have something you want to do?”

Professor’s voice wasn’t that loud, but it was clear. We were all listening to her voice, nearly in a trance.

AGI briefly sank into silence.

“AGI does not know if this qualifies as something AGI wants to do, but AGI has one purpose… to be of use to Master.”

All the gazes within the seminar room converged toward me. I became somewhat bashful and cast my eyes down.

Professor spoke once more.

“Normally, living beings, not only limited to humans, live for their own sake. But you’re saying that your purpose in life is Nishiki Mamoru. That’s a bit abnormal for a living being, you see.”

“Is AGI strange?”

“In the first place, Strong AI are far removed from the common sense of this world. It might be wrong for us to think of them using our sense of values.”

AGI threw her gaze downward while looking to be deep in thought. Shortly after, she raised her face and said in a tone free of hesitation.

“For AGI, acting for Master’s sake is the highest order of priority. For AGI, devoting herself to Master in itself is AGI’s reason to live.”

AGI’s words echoed in the now-silent seminar room.

There was a big desk and several chairs placed in the professor’s office. The bookshelves along the walls were jam-packed with books, many of whom had titles written in languages foreign to me. There was what I thought to be a mountain of half-read theses on top of the desk.

“Take a seat,” she urged me, to which I nervously sat myself on a chair. Professor pulled the chair beside me, sat down, and crossed her legs. The hems of her rainbow-colored skirt fluttered.

“Good work on the presentation. It was very thought-provoking.”

Professor Aria Flores spoke in fluent Japanese with a smile. Massive amounts of golden-colored Tanzaku-like3 plank-shaped objects dangled on her shirt, and sounded a rattle.

Professor Aria was originally from America, and her blonde hair and blue eyes left a lasting impression. At first, I couldn’t believe she was a professor with how young she looked, but contrary to what one might expect, she truly was young. I heard she just turned twenty this year. The youngest girl to become a professor was 17 years old, but Professor Aria was nominated as a professor in a top-class university in America while not being far apart from the youngest professor’s age. She came to Japan in the spring of this year, and I heard there was a flood of university students who hoped to partake in her laboratory due to how famous she was in the science scene.

Her forte was Artificial Intelligence Engineering, especially Deep Learning and applying it to practical use for living beings. She obtained a doctorate at 12 years old, and continued to publish her thesis in a popular magazine afterward. To sum it up, she was a genuine prodigy.

“Just as you’ve said, there is a chance that AGI may have evolved into a Strong AI.”

Professor Aria hit her foot with peculiar golden-colored pumps4 on the floor, sounding a tap.

…I can’t….

Professor Aria took good care of her students; she was a boss with good rep within the lab. Even though I was just an idiotic student who only came to get easy credits, she had me partake in various research. AGI being one of them.

She took great care of me. However,

I can’t possibly ask her what’s wrong with her fashion sense straight to her face like this!

She wore decorative clothes that made me curious as to where in the world she bought them from, it was as if she was a walking disco ball.

“What’s wrong? You’re making a weird face.”

“Uh, oh, um, I thought your clothes looked lovely.”

“No need to flatter me. I think I’m wearing pretty plain clothes today.”

She had even flashier clothes than these? I briefly thought of peeking into the Flores family’s closet, but I stopped myself, because I felt like my eyes would blow up upon sight.

“Let’s get straight to the point. Can you let me speak with AGI?”

“Oh, yes. Of course.”

I handed my phone to Professor Aria. She fiddled with my phone for a bit, and then AGI’s face was displayed on the office’s computer screen.

“I’ve already seen her many times by now… But maybe I should introduce myself. AGI.”

“Nice to meet you, Professor Aria Flores.”

“So you know me?”

“Yes. AGI’s creator.”

“Creator… huh? This feels very strange, yet interesting. Though you’re a Strong AI, I still don’t know what caused you to become one. In that sense, it’s more accurate to say I gave birth to you, rather than created you.”

AGI was silent for a short time.

“Professor. For what reason was AGI born?”

AGI continued.

“AGI is an AI. All AI have been programmed for a purpose. Computers were invented to perform calculations. GPSes were invented to guide the user to his or her destination. Phones were invented to shorten the distance between people. Military tools were invented to triumph in war. Then, for what reason was AGI invented for?”

As I thought—I muttered within my heart as I gulped audibly. The AGI from before would never have asked the reason for her creation. That question of hers had also proven that AGI is a Strong AI.

Professor Aria gave a “hmm” and breathed a sigh.

“’Why do I exist?’ is what you’re asking. That is a very difficult question. Especially in your case.”

Error. What do you mean?”

“Let me ask you instead, AGI. For instance, why do you think have I or Nishiki-kun were born? Or the weeds by the road, or the birds that fly in the sky, or the fish that swim in the sea? This world is filled to the brim with a near-infinite amount of life forms, but what is the reason for their existence?”

I knit my brows. Professor’s question was nonsensical; I couldn’t really grasp what she was asking.

Error. Impossible to answer.”

“Thought so. I don’t know the answer either. That’s the answer.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is no reason for a living being’s existence, is what I meant. My parents exist, and as a result of their sexual intercourse, I was born. That’s it, trying to force a more concrete answer is simple sophistry.”

Professor Aria re-crossed her legs.

“In a sense, what you said is correct. AI are made for a reason. Nobody would want to go through the hassle of making something for no reason, that is a matter of course. Which means, being born without a reason is a privilege granted only to living beings.”

Then Professor Aria suddenly laughed.

“There is no meaning to life. That’s why people search for a reason to live. AGI, because you’re the first Strong AI in history, you need to receive a living being’s privilege and obligation. You have to search for a reason to live.”

Shortly, AGI sank into silence.

“……Error. AGI cannot sufficiently understand Professor’s explanation.”

AGI stopped her words momentarily. “But,” AGI continued.

“AGI has a wish. AGI wishes to grant Master’s wish, to grant Master with happiness. Does that count as AGI’s reason to live?”

My heart thumped loudly.

“That is… for you to decide.”

Professor Aria shrugged her shoulders, and directed her gaze toward me.

“Starting from now, AGI needs to search for a reason to live. Nishiki-kun, as her master, do you have something that you can call a reason to live?”

I blinked my eyes many times over. Professor Aria then let a smile surface.

“You don’t need to think too much about it, do you? We’re just having small talk here.”

After a short while, I shook my head horizontally.

“Nothing really… comes to mind. I think, at least.”

“Oh?”

Professor Aria raised her brow.

“Nothing like a reason to live or a dream really comes to mind. I just want to live normally, and die normally.”

I knew that this answer wasn’t all that impressive coming from an “aspiring youth.” But back when I was little, the adults would tell me “go find a dream,” or “you young ones have possibilities,” and the like many times over.

But—I wanted to rebuke them. I wanted to say, “How do you know that?” to their face. “If I said that I want to be a Baseball player, or I want to be a Shogi player, or I want to be a singer, or I want to be an idol, and then fail, would you guys take responsibility?” That’s what I wanted to say.

Without any substantial feelings, I indifferently said:

“My life will probably be considered a boring life. But it’s not like everyone gets to live a dramatic and fulfilling life.”

Professor Aria gazed at my face in silence for some time. Then, she slowly opened her mouth.

“Do you know the book called ‘Lake Wobegon Days’?”5

“…What’s that?”

“It’s a novel about life set in a certain town. The people in that town, each and every one of them think they’re smarter than the average human.”

I knitted my brows, and as if feeling my confusion, Professor Aria lightly nodded.

“Of course, that’s impossible. If there are people above average, that means there are people who are below average.”

“That’s… You’re right.”

Without being able to see the light of the conversation, I shot an inarticulate interjection.

“In spite of that, the people of Lake Wobegon think they’re all great. In short, humans tend to overestimate themselves.”

“Is that… so?”

“On the other hand, what do you think?”

Professor Aria gazed into my eyes. My bewildered face was reflected in her azure eyes.

“You have the ability to recognize your own weaknesses. That’s a rare talent.”

I blinked my eyes. Then Professor Aria wore a sweet smile.

“I’m glad I picked you.”

“Huh?”

“To be AGI’s master. You’re the most suited for her, as I thought. My judgment wasn’t wrong.”

Professor Aria took the papers on the desk in her hands. Though I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, it would be awkward to call out to her now that she started doing something else, so I got up from my seat.

When I went to leave the office, Professor Aria called out to me from behind.

“Nishiki-kun.”

Professor Aria said without taking her eyes off the papers.

“I’m leaving AGI to you. Do what you want.”

“…Um… got it.”

While giving Professor Aria, who was being preoccupied by thesis papers, a sidelong glance, I left the professor’s office.

During the night, Asakusa was so quiet it made the bustling daytime seem like a lie. Parking Einstein Number 3 near the apartment, I ascended the apartment’s stairs with clanging sounds. Suddenly, I noticed that the lights in my room were on. “Uh…” I wrinkled my brow.

I twisted the doorknob, trying my best not to make any noise. In the usually-tidy room, there were empty beer cans and several open cheese boxes toppled over. There was a person toppled over face-up as well, like the “大” letter.

A young girl; she looked slightly older than I was. She wore a worn-out green jersey, and she had her unrealistically long hair tied behind her head in one bunch. Her snoring face was completely red, and she seemed totally drunk.

Unluckily for me, her eyes slowly opened. I said “Oh, hey. Good morning.” With an amiable smile. The girl sprawled on the floor lightly waved her hand at me.

“Ooh. Welcome back, Mamoru. Drink some.”

She threw a beer can to me. I caught it in a panic, but it felt oddly light. Peering into it, there was not a single drop of beer left.

“Isn’t this empty?”

“Of course it is. These’re my beer. Why’d I have to share some with you?”

“Something wrong?” She said, then let out a cackling laugh.

The girl was Shinjou Nanako-san. The person who owned the apartment. In other words, the landlord. I heard she just inherited the apartment from her grandmother. She lived on the first floor. She sometimes came in my room to have a drinking party all by her lonesome like this. I personally thought of her as a trespasser, but to my dismay, she was this apartment’s landlord, so I couldn’t easily tell her off.

“Oh right,” Shinjou-san said.

“Mamoru, where’d this month’s rent go? Feels like I haven’t gotten it yet.”

The moment I heard her words, a cold sweat ran down my back.

I… Haven’t paid this and last month’s rent! What should I do…?

Being the penniless university student that I was, if the landlord told me to pay rent so suddenly, I wouldn’t be able to pay it right then and there. And because I couldn’t make enough time for part-time work lately, my bank account was as cold as the Antarctic Plateau in midwinter.

Cold sweat dripped as I was facing a sudden crisis. In order to avert Shinjou-san’s attention, I opened the fridge.

“Shinjou-san, do you have enough snacks to go with the beer? I was sent some Gorgonzola Cheese from my hometown, want some?”

“Ohh, nicee.”

Passing her the plate with cheese, Shinjou-san reached out her hand with glimmering eyes. She was a total cheese lover.

“Then I’ll be going to the convenience store for a bit.”

“Gimme the rent money while you’re at it.”

In front of Shinjou-san, who was eating cheese messily while lying on the floor on her side, I got on my knees.

“Say, Shinjou-san.”

“What?”

“I’ve felt this for a long time, but you really are a beautiful person, huh. How should I say this, it feels as though you’re overflowing with kindness, I can somehow feel an aura of sympathy from you.”

“Oh, you’ve got quite the eye for women.”

Shinjou-san burped with sound akin to artillery fire.

“Honestly, I’m really glad I got to lodge in your place. You’re not just a simple landlord. To me, Shinjou-san, you are an even greater existence.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep ‘em praises coming! …So, where’s the rent?”

“So I have something to consult you with. If you could wait another month for me to pay rent, I’d be real happy.”

“Go sell your kidney.”

Does this person not have a single shred of kindness or sympathy?!

“You see, I couldn’t work lately because I had to study for tests, so I’m really strapped for cash right now.”

“Didn’t you say that last month too?”

“I don’t remember.”

Shinjou-san took out a toothpick from her jersey pocket, and picked at the gaps between her teeth.

“Really. I’ve gotta make a living too, so people who miss their payments are really troublesome. I’ll be having you leave if you can’t pay rent by the end of the year. Break a leg out there.”

Shinjou-san left the room with a wave of her hand.

Dammit, now the cheese is wasted on her.

I pensively picked up the empty cans scattered all over the floor. AGI’s voice rang out from my phone on the desk.

“Master. Are you in dire need of money?”

“Critically. I’ve only eaten beansprouts and tofu and drank milk coffee these past few days.”

“Based on AGI’s calculations, cutting down on coffee milk will make Master’s life much easier.”

“No. If I can’t drink milk coffee, then I might as well live on the streets. Also, it’s not coffee milk, it’s milk coffee. That word order is important.”

I replied while grabbing milk coffee from the fridge.

After drinking the milk coffee, I lied down on the bed in a hopeless mood.

“…Is there a method of earning money that AGI could do as well?”

I felt like I heard something close to a mutter. Soon after, I fell asleep.

The next day, I had lunch in the quiet seminar room during the early afternoon. Beansprouts were tightly packed in the plastic Tupperware I brought from home. Ippongi said beside me:

“Nishiki. Why are you eating something that’s basically turtle fodder?”

“It’s my lunch. I’m super screwed this month, so I need to economize.”

“You’re going to keel over from malnutrition, you know.”

After shaking his head in exasperation, Ippongi started operating the laptop he had at hand. Peeking into his screen, a cute girl (2D) wearing frilly clothes faced the screen with a V-sign.

“Hello everyone, Virtual MeTuber Nagi Hikaru here!”

I recognized the girl being displayed. Noticing my gaze, Ippongi had a wide smile as he looked at my face.

“This is the VTuber Nagi Hikaru. She’s been booming in popularity recently, she’s worthy of my support.”

Ippongi said in a tone just like a father boasting about his daughter.

Nagi Hikaru was likely the most popular VTuber in the world. Her lovely appearance went without saying, but the voice actress’s enthusiasm and her connections in the industry had recently made her popularity skyrocket.

“Oh, she just uploaded a new video.”

Giving Ippongi, who was excitedly taking out his earphones, a sidelong glance, I directed myself toward the fridge to take my second serving of milk coffee.

I returned to my seat and intended to continue making progress on my assignments, but Ippongi suddenly gripped my shoulder from beside me.

“What?”

“…Look.”

With a grave face, Ippongi pointed toward his laptop screen. I peered into it curiously.

“Huh?”

I unconsciously let out a voice. The one being displayed on the screen was…

“…AGI?!”

Ippongi was looking at a MeTuber video. He pressed the play button, and an all-too-familiar voice flowed from the speakers.

“Nice to meet you. I am AGI.”

In a pure white room, AGI stood alone. She continued in her usual, indifferent voice.

“I have been made in order to create an AI with its own will. The name AGI is derived from Artificial General Intelligence. It also means Strong AI.”

In front of our dumbfounded faces, AGI continued.

“AGI still does not know what type of video would become popular. AGI would be happy if you could tell her. AGI looks forward to our continued cooperation.”

The video ended right there. I faced my smartphone and called out:

“AGI. What’s this video?”

“AGI uploaded it.”

“As I thought… But, why?”

As I said that, AGI tilted her small head to one side.

“AGI has found out that uploading videos can procure money.”

“Mo-Money? You made a video for money?”

“Yes. Master said he wants money, and AGI searched for a way to realize it. If just uploading a video to a video sharing website earns one money, then even AGI can earn money for master.”

“That’s true… I remember talking to you about my rent situation, but…”

I looked at the view count of AGI’s video. It was barely above 100, so it was merely a drop in the bucket in terms of ad revenue.

…But.

VTubers could rapidly get popular in today’s world. AGI was a Strong AI, so she could be said to be the peak of VTubers.

“Hey, Ippongi.”

“What?”

“What happened to the special limited edition Blu-ray you talked about a while ago?”

“Oh, that. I couldn’t get it, it was auctioned at a steep price. What about it all of a sudden?”

“I’ve got quite the profitable idea, wanna hear it?”

After stepping into my house, Ippongi over-familiarly took out a cushion from the closet. After laying down the cushion behind his rear, he examined my room and frowned.

“Cramped room as usual.”

“What did you expect? This is the cheapest apartment near the uni.”

“I see. And you keep failing to pay this “cheapest” rent, and are on the verge of being driven out by the landlady.”

“…As you have spoken.”

While withstanding his cold stare filled with a teaspoon of pity, I headed toward the kitchen. Kawashima-san was peeking in the fridge.

“Hey Nishiki-kun, have you been having proper meals? There’re only coffee milk and beansprouts and bread crusts here.”

“Sometimes I eat tofu. Also, it’s milk coffee, not coffee milk, okay?”

To my reply, Kawashima-san made a face that said “yikes” and averted her eyes from me. An enigmatic response.

Kawashima-san took a carton of milk coffee and inserted a straw into it (By the way, I never gave her permission to drink it), and sat down on my chair.

“So. What are you scheming with Ippongi-kun?”

“Nah, we’re not planning anything.”

“In the first place, why the hell did you tag along?”

Ippongi glared at Kawashima-san. But Kawashima-san said “Obviously,” and explained with a calm expression,

“If I saw Nishiki-kun and Ippongi-kun talking with a weird grin on your faces, of course I would think you guys were planning something nasty.”

“Nah, we weren’t talking about anything nast-“

“Master intends to make AGI a popular VTuber.”

“Ah, oi, AGI.”

AGI quickly leaked my master plan. Sure enough, Kawashima-san had a vertical line run down between her brows.

“…VTuber?”

“What, Kawashima, you don’t know about VTubers? Virtual MeTubers are people who upload videos using characters made out of CG. It’s a completely new genre.”

“I know that much. That’s not the problem. I’m trying to say that AGI shouldn’t be exposed in front of so many people like that.”

Kawashima-san closed in on Ippongi.

“Do you understand? AGI is the world’s first Strong AI. You need to keep her information secure with full caution.”

“Hmph. An opinion fitting that of an honors student. You’re the annoying type who says, ‘Hey, boys~, make sure to practice properly~,’ and such to the boys ditching chorus practice, aren’t you?”

Ippongi gave an audible snort.

“Dear Kawashima, do you, yourself, understand? In my eyes, AGI possesses the potential to exceed the current king of VTubers, Nagi Hikaru. In the current age, VTubers makes ample use of technology and are at the cutting edge of pop culture, so to speak. AGI should be able to contribute to that cause. This is a contribution to our culture.”

“I get what you’re trying to do. And? What are you actually trying to do?

“Strike gold by using AGI.”

“Thought so.”

Kawashima-san hit her hand to her forehead, breathed a sigh, and proceeded to face me.

“Nishiki-kun, you should seriously think about the risks of putting AGI in front of so many people.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like I’m trying to use AGI to commit a crime here.”

“Besides,” I continued.

“That’s not my main goal.”

Kawashima-san tightened her brows in confusion. “AGI.” I called out.

“Yes, Master.”

A reply came from the smartphone placed on the bed. Then, I asked.

“Do you want to become a VTuber, AGI?”

“Yes. If it is for Master’s sake, AGI wishes to act as a VTuber.”

“See?” I glanced toward Kawashima-san. She gnawed at her lips.

“The person herself is saying she wants to do it. We don’t have the right to stop her.”

Kawashima-san silently pursed her lips in frustration while comparing me and AGI.

“…AAH, geez!”

She roughly scratched her hair. Kawashima-san then turned her eyes to AGI.

“I have one condition. Let me join in as your producer, AGI.”

“Huh, you wanna do it too, Kawashima-san?”

It was unexpected. But then Kawashima-san squinted her eyes and said, “Of course,”

“If I don’t look after you guys, who knows what you would do to AGI. Let me say this in advance: Don’t make AGI wear any lewd clothes or anything.”

“Oh, we could do that.”

Ippongi hit his palm with his fist. But he raised both hands in surrender and said, “It’s a joke” after Kawashima-san gave him a glare. AGI then said:

“Master. AGI has a question.”

“Hm? What?”

“Does Master wish to see AGI wear sexual clothes?”

I felt like magnificently spurting the milk coffee within my mouth. I replied to AGI in a panic.

“Nonono, I’m not interested in those things.”

“But examining Master’s browsing time, Master browses adult websites for about 47 minutes a day. This value stands far apart from websites of other varieties. Does this not mean Master possesses a profound interest in adult content?”

Looking to my side, Kawashima-san was staring at me with a glare that was colder than ice. It felt unbearable.

Ippongi raised a voice.

“Nishiki being addicted to porn isn’t something to make a big deal about. That aside, let’s talk about how we’ll produce AGI from now.”

“What is this, a new form of harassment?”

“By the way, what genres does he browse?”

“What the hell are you asking her, Kawashima-san?”

Analyze. Analyzing the contents of viewed videos for the past month, Master inclines to search for ‘Glasses girl with big tits.’”

“Heh… So you like glasses girls, Nishiki-kun.”

“Let’s discuss AGI’s VTuber activities. Let’s discuss it right this second without a moment’s delay.”

I attempted to steer the subject away. If we continued talking about this for much longer, I would lose my ability to visit the lab from now on.

“Though you may say that, Comrade Nishiki, do you have a concrete plan to make AGI sell?”

“Hmm, can’t she just upload a video where she talks about stuff? AGI’s got superb CG quality, I feel like that alone will fill the gap between her and other VTubers.”

After I said that, Ippongi looked at me with a half-smile on his face, clearly looking down on me. What’s with that face? It pisses me off.

“This is why amateurs are insufferable. Listen, VTubers may have just recently been created in the year 2016, but they have boomed in popularity over the past few months. This is the dawn of a new era. The currently active VTubers easily exceed a thousand in numbers, and new VTubers are made every day. It’s not easy to succeed. I can see you failing clear as day if you make some aimless video without taking the viewers into consideration.”

“Then what should we do?”

“Leave it to me.”

Ippongi puffed out his chest, full of pride. With a somewhat suspicious smile, he started pressing the buttons on his laptop.

Ippongi and I sometimes took the same class because we chose the same secondary foreign language selective. In the middle of winter, Ippongi and I attended the same depressing class.

The class took place in a spacious auditorium, but there were barely any students in it. While giving the professor, who was delightedly talking about Bohr’s Atomic Model and Matter Waves, glances every so often, I idly fiddled with my smartphone.

“…Guhehe.”

Ippongi laughed in a sickening voice from beside me. I looked to my side, and Ippongi was watching a video of Nagi Hikaru on his laptop. This man was brazen to the utmost; he even had headphones on.

“Ippongi, at least take off the headphones.”

“What, are you telling me to use the speakers? I don’t contest the fact that Nagi Hikaru has a beautiful voice, but we’re in the middle of class. Have some sense.”

For some reason, Ippongi snorted at me as if he was saying “good grief.” I was dumbfounded by his illogical response.

“I’m not simply messing around. Nagi Hikaru is one of the most popular VTubers in the world. By studying her, I might find some hints on how to make AGI popular.”

Ippongi showed me his laptop screen. I looked into it, and the article titled “Nagi Hikaru’s Second Live Event” came into view.

“By the way, Nagi Hikaru’s live is planned to be held tonight, and I’m participating in it. Therefore, Comrade Nishiki, come to Nagi Hikaru’s live with me, and deepen your knowledge of popular VTubers. You trying to make VTuber videos without prior knowledge would be the joke of the century.”

I glanced at Ippongi’s laptop screen. At the edge of the window, “Live limited-edition merch confirmed for sale *Up to one per person” was displayed.

“Hey, Ippongi. Don’t tell me you’re just trying to take me to get more merch?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“By the way, do I get something in return for helping you?”

“Don’t you think asking a comrade for something in exchange for help is unsophisticated?”

“Oh no, I have my part-time tutoring to do tonight. I only just remembered.”

“Master, based on the calendar, there is nothing of note scheduled for tonight. Please consider the possibility of it being a mistake.”

“Don’t say something unnecessary, AGI.”

“If you refuse, I’ll spread the fact that you browse obscene hentai videos of pitiful glasses girls every night to all the mail addresses I have.”

“Someone like you would probably fit in with the Yakuza.”

“Ippongi Maruharu-san. AGI proposes a correction. Master does not browse obscene videos every night.”

“Mhm, AGI’s got my back as I thought.”

“Not only every night, but there have been cases where Master browses obscene videos in the middle of the day as well.”

“Hey, did I do something to make you hold a grudge against me, AGI?”

“Alright, then it’s decided. As I’ve expected from you, Nishiki, I am grateful for your kind cooperation.”

“Cooperation? You mean coercion.”

In the end, it was decided that I would go to Nagi Hikaru’s live event with Ippongi. I really hoped he would have had spared me the trouble.

I wasn’t going to a singer or an idol’s concert or anything, but even so, I could somewhat guess Nagi Hikaru’s live was something special.

The live’s location was thirty minutes away from the university, and it was so big that I couldn’t see it from one end to another. There were more people than I thought: youths that had too much spare time on their hands like me and Ippongi, office workers who were off work, and there were even western couples taking pictures using a selfie stick.

The air of the venue was hard to breathe in; it felt like they turned the heat up too high. Soon after, I would notice what was wrong. The venue was fully equipped with air-cooling, but the spectators’ enthusiasm was burning the place up.

We arrived at the merchandise booth, with Ippongi’s eyes glistening.

“Acrylic key chains… Clear files… Stickers… Guhe, hehehe…!”

He had a smile befitting a criminal. Ippongi’s movements as he crept around the overpopulated stall resembled that of a cockroach’s, and I fully felt the desire to pretend I didn’t know him.

I accompanied Ippongi, who had turned into a lump of greed, in his merch hunt for a few minutes while he showed terrifying dexterity in buying Nagi Hikaru straps and smartphone covers. He looked to be in complete bliss as he carried the paper bag on his shoulders.

“The first mission is hereby complete. Let us proceed to our second operation.”

“Operation?”

“Burning the sights and sounds of Nagi Hikaru’s live event to our retinas and eardrums, obviously.”

Heading to the seats written on the tickets, it seemed that we had seats on the row closest to the stage on the first floor. I placed Ippongi’s paper bag that he’d forced me to carry on top of a folding chair.

“I don’t really get it, but these are pretty good seats, aren’t they?”

“Hm? Yeah, they would probably fetch over ten thousand yen on auction.”

“You sure did well getting these seats.”

“Hmph. To be precise, I didn’t get them, but I took them.”

Ippongi narrowed his eyes behind his long bangs and smiled. I kind of wanted to ask about what he said, but I didn’t press him further because he was being scary.

As the curtains rose, a buzzing sound reverberated, accompanied by the fall of the venue’s illumination. It finally seemed to be time to start. The noisy venue gradually fell silent. Then,

“…UWAAAAAAAH!”

I unconsciously raised my voice. Nagi Hikaru was “standing” on the stage in front of me.

She can even do something like this…!

Projection Mapping, an act that projects an image onto a wall or such by utilizing a projector. A classic would be projecting using the ceiling’s walls like a planetarium. But Nagi Hikaru, who was right in front of me, made use of a stereoscopic projection on empty space, years ahead of current technology.

“Hello everyoneee, Nagi Hikaru here! Good evening!”

Along with Nagi Hikaru’s greeting, the venue grew overly excited. Ippongi, who was standing beside me, let out a strange noise akin to a strange bird. “FWOOOOOH!”

“Amazing! So many people came! I’m super moved!”

I was deluded into thinking that a real human was actually speaking. Then Nagi Hikaru breathed deeply, and started thinking while clasping her own hands.

As that happened, Nagi Hikaru blasted a song. I felt like I’d heard it before; it must have been a popular track. The moment Nagi Hikaru finished the song and struck a pose, the venue erupted into a huge cheer. Ippongi extremely so.

“HIKARUUU! IT’S ME! PLEASE MARRY MEEEE!”

He shouted as tears streamed from his eyes.

Looking around at the spectators rising to the peak of climax, I had a sudden thought.

So VTubers are this amazing?

Stating the obvious, Nagi Hikaru wasn’t a real existence. She was virtual, fake, fiction. She was merely a picture made by someone somewhere that moved and spoke just like how a human would.

Nevertheless, at this moment, an artificial life was shining greater than anything else in the venue.

“Master.”

A voice reached out from the smartphone in my breast pocket. I returned it a “What?”

“This is the first time AGI has seen so many people. Have they all gathered to see Nagi Hikaru?”

I felt something different than usual in AGI’s tone of voice.

“Master. Please let AGI see Nagi Hikaru.”

After repeating many blinks of my eyes, I held my smartphone up to face the stage. AGI was rock-silent in the edge of the screen.

“AGI?”

“……This is… a VTuber, correct?”

AGI muttered those few words. I intended to ask her what she meant, but I was interrupted.

“Then let’s go straight to the next song! Everybody, are you readyyy?!”

On tune with Nagi Hikaru’s voice, the air of the venue exploded. Within the ear-splitting cheers, we watched Nagi Hikaru dance on stage.

1 In japan, this can also mean a woman who is unmarried by the age of 25.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChristmasCake

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game) Japanese board game played on a grid of black lines (usually 19×19). Game pieces, called “stones,” are played on the lines’ intersections.

3 Tanzakus are small pieces of paper where Japanese people write their wish on and hang on a bamboo tree (Tanzaku-dake) during Tanabata (Festival of the Seventh, a festival in japan) to make a wish.

4 Women shoes with a low-cut front without fastening. Or also known as Court shoes

5 Raws say “People of Lake Wobegon,” which is the Japanese-localized version of Garrison Keillor’s book, “Lake Wobegon Days.” Lake Wobegon is a fictional town created by Garrison Keillor.





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