Chapter 172 – Imminent
Winter is over.
The frozen ground can no longer be found. Warmth and coziness begin to appear in the sunlight, which had been just an illusion.
One morning in the spring.
[Viewers, are you all safe?]
I was listening to Kids’ radio broadcast in the central control room.
[In cars, abandoned buildings, tied up ships, underground, on trees, and anywhere else cold and uncomfortable! I spent the night safely today, and thank you for welcoming me.]
Kids cheerfully greeted everyone on the Korean Peninsula.
[Now, everyone, let’s stand up, bend our necks one turn to the left and right, and relieve our frowns! But don’t stretch. The enemies might find it.]
She said the last part in a whisper.
“Ugh!”
When she bends her back here and there as instructed by Kids, a crunching sound is heard.
[Jinsu.]
As I was warming up, Artemis called me.
[My body is almost complete.]
“…”
The accident stopped for a moment.
[No response?]
“Because it was so sudden.”
I operated the button to mute the radio volume. The voices of the kids who started announcing the weather fade out.
“The last time I saw you, you were around 6 or 7 years old?”
Her body, which I saw in the incubator room, was too small to even fit around my waist, let alone display secondary sexual characteristics.
Even that is beyond the glass tube of the incubator, so no interaction is possible.
Regardless of the strong impression, her memory quickly volatilized.
Moreover, she did not want to be seen in the incubator, so she did not visit me after that.
After forgetting about it in her mind, I was more embarrassed than happy to suddenly hear the news.
“We’re finally meeting.”
[We’re still seeing each other, right?]
“That’s not what I meant.”
She laughs when she sees me struggling.
If Artemis appears before me in the flesh, how should I greet her?
Should I ask for a casual handshake?
If you imagine that scene, it doesn’t look very good.
‘…’
‘…’
The image of Artemis staring at my outstretched hand and holding his hand together comes to mind. It somehow seems like that.
So, a hug as a long-time friend and partner?
‘Nice to meet you!’
‘Ugh!’
I think she’ll be angry like this.
From before the infection war until now, she and I have done everything together as if it was so natural.
From everyday life, through various combat experiences, to the realm of the unconscious.
Is it because of her uniqueness of having transcendent abilities but not having a body?
They have lived together as ‘partners’ in the true sense of the word, which is quite different from the relationship that a man and a woman can form.
To me, Artemis is a woman, but she is more than a woman; she is a unique being that exists everywhere but nowhere else.
She has her own body.
It occupies space in front of me, breathes, and also has body temperature.
So what will happen to our relationship in the future?
I haven’t really thought about it.
Will these days continue with no difference from before?
There are examples of Chrollo and Rose getting her body, but Artemis will definitely be different from those two.
Because she is as special as she is.
[Are you very lost in thought? I can roughly guess what you are thinking.]
Artemis looks very happy.
“It wouldn’t be right to call your body a 4th generation android, right?”
[How would you classify it by technology development stage? That’s right. The functions of Chrollo and Rose’s bodies can be implemented in my body as well. It is also upward compatible.]
Are those amazing features upward compatible? Surely that would be awesome.
[But in reality, it’s more than that. It’s no longer ‘Android’ in the first place. When I come out to real space, touch my body.]
She said provocatively.
[Because you will be able to feel the warmth wherever you place your palm. Not the artificial body temperature caused by an electric battery, but the heat of the body with warm blood flowing through it.]
“…”
This is the decision.
When Artemis comes out of the incubator, I will have to hug her as hard as I can. Even to the point of struggling to let go.
“What about the bedroom? Well, there are a lot of houses in the upper residential area, so you can choose any one to use. “Is there a place in particular that you have in mind?”
Hanok, Japanese-style house, Western-style house, Hwayang eclectic, modern house, futuristic house, ryokan, hotel.
In the upper VIP residential area, there are various houses according to theme.
For reference, the house I am staying in is a ryokan. It was originally built as a shared facility for VIPs, but I am using it like a private home.
Living next to a refreshing garden and a warm artificial hot spring feels like my mind is purified.
[I’m sorry, but even if you come out of the incubator, you will stay in the incubator room for a while. Every part of the body needs frequent adjustments and care.]
Beyond the screen, Artemis crossed her legs and crossed her arms.
[But I am very interested in various facilities. Walk barefoot on tatami mats or soak in a hot spring. The impact of being hit by the wind on your skin on a fast-moving vehicle and hitting a ball with a stick in your hand.]
Her feet are shaking, perhaps reflecting her anticipation.
[I’ve done countless simulations, but feeling it with my own skin is on a whole different level.]
But it is me who is looking forward to her more than anything else.
No matter how extensive her knowledge is, it is another thing to experience it directly by moving her body.
I was excited at the thought of holding her hand, leading her, and explaining things to her.
I wanted to guide her in terms of her physical life, just as her presence in the game guides the newbie to her orgasm.
There are many other things I’m curious about.
In fact, all kinds of activities that can be done either essential or recreationally in human life.
It was all a story.
“How should I eat?”
Unlike Rose or Chrollo, Artemis’ body is a real human body that must eat and drink.
“I guess I’ll have to make it for two people from now on, right? “I’ve always eaten alone, but now it’s over.”
[…
Artemis’ feet stopped twitching.
“Is there anything you want to eat? Which is your preference, sweet or plain? Well, I guess we can’t know for now. “You have to eat one bite at a time to know your likes and dislikes.”
She has no answer.
“Artemis?”
[… I don’t really need to eat. Because we have prepared alternatives for securing energy. Well, I’ll be next to you when you eat.]
“Are you incapable of eating or drinking?”
[That’s not true.]
She blurted her words.
“There were dishes I wanted to make myself.”
[…!]
There was an awkward silence for a moment.
“Sorry. “I guess I was in too much of a hurry.”
If you think about it from her perspective, that reaction is somewhat understandable.
“For me, eating is natural, but for you, the act of swallowing may be scary or uncomfortable.”
[… Let’s talk about that again later.]
She doesn’t seem to want to talk anymore. I guess I should just move on from here.
The next topic I want to ask about is clothes.
“What should I wear?”
[Clothes!]
In an instant, her color returned.
“In the city…”
[I have to make everything new]
I was about to say, ‘There are a lot of clothes in the city’s clothing stores, so I’ll just wear something appropriately.’ But I ended up becoming a total idiot.
“Making a new one?”
[The skeleton of my body was newly constructed. The number of bones, the way they are fastened, even the inside and outside the hips. Subtly different from the average woman.]
A lot of clothes appeared on the screen.
There are one-pieces, two-pieces, casual clothes, suits, uniforms, lab coats, dresses, sportswear, sweaters, jeans, skirts, pajamas and lingerie, and various traditional clothes.
[The existing clothes cannot support me 100% perfectly. So I’ll make everything new.]
You might say that this is too extravagant an idea in the age of the apocalypse, but what’s the problem?
She is Artemis.
He is a being who can indulge in as much luxury as he wants in a world that is falling apart.
[How is it? Don’t you want to see what I’m wearing?]
Artemis in a strange pose on the screen. She is put on and disappears as if various clothes were put together.
Is it her taste? They all have gorgeous designs.
“Cancer. Of course.”
I just nod my head enthusiastically.
[Hmph~ Hmph~]
Artemis hummed as she picked and selected her clothes.
In fact, considering her computational speed, she probably already has a list of her favorites.
What I’m doing now is closer to pushing things towards me one by one and asking for my opinion.
The pictures flew by, and there was no need for me to respond.
[Is this no big deal?]
Because she was already getting the answer by combining small reactions such as my eyelid movements, facial muscles, heartbeat, and body temperature changes.
The problem was that the quantity of clothes was ridiculously large.
She was getting bored, but she looked so happy that it was difficult to get her to say anything.
Regardless of whether it took a minute or a second to look at one suit, the total amount of time a man had to wait did not change.
