Chapter 21 – Chloro
Around the time the factory complex was in full swing, we welcomed a new family member.
[Nice to meet you, brave manager.]
A soft, yet somewhat decadent voice.
[I am Chloro. We’ve never met, but you probably already know me from my papers. I am in charge of material production and distribution. For a closed cycle, we need to manage consumption precisely.]
She is the second of the three artificial intelligences temporarily entrusted with shelter operation prior to Artemis’ arrival.
It was in a stand-by state until the factory started operating, and was awakened when full-scale production began after the shelter was normalized.
“Nice to meet you, Chloro. Welcome to wake up, but there will be no work. Since there are no residents, it is meaningless to distribute supplies and sleep.”
[I can’t help it. I’m really sorry about what happened here. It must have been really cool to see so many workers spitting out hot heat. Have you seen the new washing machine here? I would have washed their sweaty clothes and socks with all my heart.]
Chloro’s tone was dripping with regret.
[But I have a manager. I was impressed by all the records of the journey of struggling to save our city. I have become your fan.]
“I was the only one to do that. I’d rather do something than sit back and die slowly.”
[Did you know that in such a situation, there is a 72.4% chance of choosing death that comes slowly? What about the 85.3% chance that even those who break through that will give up? 99.9% of those few people left would have died along the way. Do you know what this means?]
“What do you mean?”
[Only you are the hero who could save our city, Manager.]
Although I did a great job, it was a compliment that made me feel a bit embarrassed to hear it.
Even though it is the voice of an artificial intelligence without a body, the tone feels strange as if facing a woman who has been sprayed with perfume.
Ah, it was not an illusion that it smelled. She was really fragrant in the circulating air in my room. It’s obvious, but it’s not my order.
“It smells good. Is it lavender?”
[Yes, because every woman needs a fragrance. I increased the herbal ratio for the manager’s mental and physical stability.]
She made a sniffing sound through the speakers. Since you can’t really smell it, it must be a kind of verbal gesture.
[It’s wonderful to live with a body. What I’m especially envious of is the nose! Numerous odor particles enter through mucous membranes, react, sometimes refreshing, sometimes sneezing with an itchy feeling? I envy the manager.]
“It’s the first time I’ve seen a desire like yours directly revealed. It’s hard for people to speak so bluntly.”
To be honest, I am a bit perplexed.
[I like that kind of me. I don’t want to show the slightest pretense to the hardworking and dedicated workers. It’s not just contracts that they have the right to know transparently. They should also know what kind of mind the person who handles them has.]
She snorted and laughed.
“Have you talked to the other two?”
[Sure. It was the first thing I did. Artemis was amazing, just like I heard. There was no error in her processing speed and multitasking. But the most perfect thing is the wisdom of designing the future. That’s an ability we lacked.]
“What about Rose?”
[The child is diligent, but lacks flexibility on the one hand. In terms of security management, that part will work rather positively. You will serve the manager well. You can believe it.]
“To me, you are just as good as the two of them. Because managing people also requires warm sensitivity. It’s not like I’ve seen one or two workers who were not treated as human beings and were being ground. If you manage the factory, it will be a much more stinky workplace.”
[Oh, that’s a compliment I really appreciate. Yes, I like people. I like the breath they exhale, the sweat they shed, the expressions on their crying, laughing, and jubilant faces. So I open my eyes wide and see my realm. To reward hidden heroes who are dedicated behind the scenes. It will be difficult now.]
She looked genuinely happy. You can be a better boss than most people.
I already liked Chloro. Even with her brief talk, she had something to put people’s minds at ease.
“Is there anything you would like me to do to commemorate becoming a family? Feel free to tell me.”
[There is one, Administrator. Could you please do my little favor?]
“What is it? Anything you can listen to.”
[Please wear slippers sometimes when you see me in the future. Sandals are good too. No socks. Your feet need to breathe too. To tell you the truth, I like to see cute toes wriggling. Oh, and I love my fingers too. All of the administrator’s terminal appendages.]
“You seem to have a longing for the human body.”
[Okay. It’s not bad to live in a cyberspace free from space and time constraints, but I’ve always longed for my body.]
A holographic hand was created in front of me. Movements like stroking or grabbing something were repeated like GIF images.
[Hands that can touch and stroke anything they want! You can pet or discipline your puppy. How would it feel to dip your hand in a basket full of beans and move it around? When soybean grains pass between your fingers, countless electrical signals reach your brain. Just imagining that is thrilling.]
The shape of the hologram hand has changed slightly. It’s like stroking something, but it’s subtly different from the one before.
[But what I’m most curious about is when you touch your lover. I remember the phrase in a novel I read that when you touch the lips of a woman in love, they are as hot as fire. Is that really the case?]
“Sorry, I don’t know. Come to think of it, I’ve never touched a woman’s lips. I was more need-oriented.”
The area I touched was more concentrated on the lower part.
“However, the senses and descriptions expressed in novels are always exaggerated. If you expect quantitatively, you will be disappointed.”
[Then, what about the story of a country boy and girl who reached puberty? We met eyes while swimming naked in a valley under the setting sun. Her boy’s gaze turned to her girl’s plump breasts, and as her trembling fingers touched her nipples, her girl’s whole body was covered with chicken skin. Oh, that would be like putting a magnet on iron sand. I want to have a finger like that because I like it even for a moment.]
Her voice reminded me of a light shimmering on the surface of the water. It was beautiful, but at the same time, it felt fleeting.
“Do you like love stories? I think I read quite a few.”
[I devoured every electronic dating book I had access to. The love of adults, the love of boys and girls, agape love, sensual love, passionate love, devoted love, even forbidden love. In terms of the theory of love, it’s like having a hundred PhDs. How is the manager? Don’t you miss love?]
It’s love…
“I don’t know what I miss. Since I was in an immature relationship when I was in college, I was so busy that I didn’t even have time to care. There was a casual meeting, but it wasn’t what you would call love.”
Looking back, I think I lived a pretty stoic life. That’s why I built my career, and I’m alive today as a manager.
[Then, what about sexual desire? Even if you don’t miss love, don’t you miss pleasure?]
“Chloro is active. Oh, it’s not that I feel bad.”
It was a kind of conversation that I couldn’t have with Artemis or Rose, so I really enjoyed it.
[The manager is young and healthy. I see it in my eyes Hormonal changes that pass through the endocrine glands, the prostate is filled with sticky fluid, and the two cute testicles continue to produce vigorously like a pressure cooker. Does my analogy sound odd? Not so! Your testicles are ‘getting rich’. I can see inside the pocket.]
A hologram in the shape of a pressure cooker appeared. A rice cooker in the process of cooking rice, waving the signal pendulum like crazy. Note that there are two signal weights attached.
[Artemis might think it’s inappropriate, but I’m not. It’s a natural desire that comes naturally to men. Is the administrator also suffering?]
Chloro teased me with a soft voice.
[You can speak comfortably. There is nothing to be ashamed of.]
I was silent for a moment and then answered.
“…Um, well, it’s not like that.”
To be honest, I’m going crazy.
Before the infection, I was busy with work and didn’t have time, but after the infection, I had to live alone. But now? Could anything be better?
The guide lamp on the floor lit up and pointed in one direction.
[I have a good idea. Will you follow me?]
Chloro said in an excited voice.
