Chapter 36 Meeting with Popola and Devola, and 9S Appear
(A/N: Sorry for being late. I was busy with my assignments. So, didn't have much time to write.)
(* ￣︿￣)
In Babylon Royal bedroom the white-haired girl was embracing two beautiful girls in her arms and one was sleeping on her as the blanket was covering their nude bodies and they enjoying the touch of each other's bodies. They are Lucia, Shizuka, Saya and Yuriko. Yuriko was awake as her eyes opened slowly.
"Wake up? sleepy beauty." Lucia said to Yuriko who just awakened.
"Mmm… Have you looked around the fortress?" Yuriko asked as she slowly raised her head and met Lucia's bright-red, glowing, light-grey eyes with her purple ones.
"No, not yet."
Lucia didn't look around because as soon as she back to Babylon which was still in HOTD, she rushed back to the bathroom where Shizuka and Yuriko bathed together and started their baby-making activities. Saya went to the Abyss realm to check the information about the logic virus and joined the activities later.
Lucia rubbed slowly to Yuriko's shoulder and kissed on forehead then looked at her wife as she smiled gently. Their face close again and touch each other's lips gently. Unlike during their passionate activities, the kiss they share now is slow and gentle. After a few kisses, they part and continue to rest. It's already evening and Lucia gets up from bed after she slowly moves Saya and gets off from bed as her perfect body was slowly appears after the blanket is removed.
Shizuka tried to grab Lucia again because she felt something was missing as she continued to sleep. Lucia skillfully escapes from Shizuka and starts to dress. She suddenly got a message from Saeko that A4 was infected with the Logic virus.
"I will be back soon," Lucia said as she disappeared from there after she kissed gently the forehead of Yuriko, Saya and Shizuka.
"Mmm…" Saya rubbed her eyes as she woke after Lucia teleported.
"What happened?"
"It looks like your sisters called her. I will go to prepare dinner."
"Okay, mama."
Saya went to the bathroom. Even though the beds have auto-clean magic and don't need to be washed, they still wash from time to time out of habit and because it's refreshing to wash. After Saya took a bath she went to the Abyss realm to check her experiment.
At the same time, Lucia was talking with Saeko and Esdeath as she looked at A4 who was gone berserker.
"It seems 21S might not be able to cure this time."
"What do we do then?"
"Saya might know about it. She did research about it after she got data about the logic virus. She also said she got some idea how to prevent it too."
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In a place with a somewhat grey and blue sky under which lay ruined buildings, the bright grey building walls and smooth floors stood out. These structures were unlike typical ruins, as the metallic particles with light-grey energy flowed endlessly through the air. Even though there was no sun in the sky, visibility remained clear, and there was no distinction between day and night in this realm. The city ruins stretched for miles, surrounded by an endless black fog.
A beautiful girl dressed as a maid walked gracefully, carrying a large bag with ease. Her face remained expressionless as if she were a doll. Many other beautiful girls like her moved about, following their assigned tasks. Besides the sounds of their footsteps, there were no other noises. The place exuded a lonely and mysterious aura, amplified by the sight of these expressionless girls and the echoing footsteps, creating an eerie atmosphere. This place was the Abyss Realm of Lucia.
Saya was about to check her experiment when Lucia suddenly appeared behind her. Lucia had white hair, a ponytail hairstyle, and a blindfold over one eye. Another version of Lucia struggled to break free from ice chains. Saya turned to look at both Luccias, her expression filled with concern.
"Lucia! Is this A4?"
Lucia nodded. "Yes, it seems the Red Girls have begun to act. This time, it's not 21S, but A4."
Saya shared her findings, "So, they hacked A4 with a logic virus, but 21S couldn't resolve it."
"Saya pondered for a moment, then explained her approach, 'I've conducted an initial assessment and have identified a potential solution, though it's not yet guaranteed. The virus was transmitted through the YoRHa network, targeting and manipulating androids by triggering their negative emotions.
During this process, it leaves behind traces of maso energies, which incites them into a violent frenzy, turning them into mindless killing machines. Therefore, if we can find a way to neutralize this energy and substitute it with a different source, there's a possibility we can restore the androids to their normal state. In fact, we might even develop a defense mechanism to shield them from future logic viruses.'"
As they talked, they walked toward a long table inside the room, where Saya used to conduct her experiments. Lucia placed A4 on the table and secured her with mana chains, pinning her down.
Lucia considered Saya's proposal. "I see... In other words, we inject our mana?"
Saya nodded, "Yes, and I think it would be best to infuse them with corrupt energies."
Lucia thought it over, rubbing her chin as she turned to look at A4, who was struggling against the chains. 'Maybe it's true... originally, corrupt energies were similar to the punishing virus, and they can transform humans into android-like life forms. So, it might be useful for androids…'
Saya's experiments with corrupt energies were numerous, mostly involving people in the HOTD world, particularly those with sinister intentions.
Lucia finally agreed, "Okay, let's do it."
"Then I will begin now. There's a golem I created in the next room. Go and check it out. You might like it."
Lucia planted a peck on Saya's lips before leaving the room, heading toward the next one. Saya turned her attention back to A4 and flashed a sly smile, one that would strike fear into anyone who saw it. Saya's personality had undergone significant changes since becoming Lucia's wife, especially after she entered Lucia's Abyss realm.
Saya knew that while androids obeyed Lucia, they wouldn't harm humans due to their core programming, which was designed to protect them. However, she was about to alter that very purpose and enhance the androids.
The androids were oblivious to the potential malevolence of humans. In their own world, humans were already extinct. While there were good people in other worlds, there were also individuals with malicious intentions. The androids' perception of humans in this world was insignificant, but when they accompanied Lucia to other realms, they would inevitably encounter humans. Most rulers had a 90% chance of clashing with Lucia, and at that point, Saya knew the androids would hesitate to harm other humans.
Even if Lucia refrained from using androids in combat, Saya understood that Lucia would eventually explore human cities, leading to inevitable interactions with humans. Saya didn't want any androids in Lucia's harem turning against her. She began to channel corrupt energies in her hand and slowly injected them into A4.
This revised version aims to provide better clarity and flow while maintaining the essence of the original passage.
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(Lucia POV)
As I entered the room, I laid my eyes on a beautiful girl with black hair, slightly glowing grey eyes, and an expressionless face. Her dark black hair flowed as if stirred by the wind, and metallic particles with small light-blue energies hovered around her. She was dressed in a full knight's armor with a dress-like design extending from her lower hips to the leg armor.
The dress also seemed to hover, surrounded by the same metallic particles and light-blue energies—corrupt energies. Her entire body and armor emitted these energies, for she was a golem created using corrupt energies from the Abyss Realm.
A two-handed longsword with red rune letters imprinted on it lay on a stone table beside her. Anyone touching it would instantly succumb to corruption.
The result of Saya's experiment was truly astonishing. A golem created from pure corrupt energies! If I weren't so preoccupied with collecting wives... Ahem, I mean busy, I might have considered creating an army of such golems. It seemed Saya had fulfilled my wish.
I decided to return to the Resistance Camp for now, teleporting there and appearing next to Esdeath. She stood a short distance from the camp, surveying the area.
"How's A4?" she asked.
"She's with Saya. Saya said she could cure her. Where are Rika and Saeko?"
"They're helping out at the camp."
"In that case, I'll join them."
Esdeath nodded and followed me. When we reached the camp, I saw the girls busy rearranging the place. Many androids were carrying machine parts and blocks. Numerous tents were open, with some tents filled with machine parts.
They appeared almost indistinguishable from humans, with a range of ages, but notably, no elderly androids. They worked and chatted as if they were typical humans. If I didn't know that humans had become extinct in this world, I might have believed they were human. The androids seemed to age similarly to humans.
As we entered the camp's central building, I noticed Rika talking with Rose in front of the structure. Rika saw me, smiled, and walked over, while Rose bowed slightly and approached me.
"Where are the others?" I inquired. Rika replied, "They're helping out."
"I didn't know Lucia-san had such beautiful eyes," Rose complimented.
"Thank you for the compliment. And didn't I tell you to just call me Lucia?"
As we strolled into the main camp of the resistance group, I noticed two striking red-haired android girls. One was carrying a case filled with various materials, while the other was reorganizing papers and boxes stacked with books on a large table.
'It seems they've already arrived here,' I thought to myself, observing them. They must be attempting to relocate the items they were working on earlier."
"Devola, Popola, this is our creator, or rather, a human."
A loud bang sounded as Devola dropped the case she was carrying, and the papers in Popola's hands scattered and fell into disarray. They stared at me with disbelief, their eyes filled with doubt. After all, according to YoRHa's information release, the human race had retreated to the moon base after the failure of Project Gestalt.
Devola and Popola android models were blamed for the project's failure, and the remaining models were reprogrammed to bear constant feelings of guilt. They were often treated as outcasts in the Resistance Camps, given the most demanding tasks. However, in this camp, it appeared Rose cared less about their history, as they were assigned indoor tasks rather than moving machine parts outside.
Just a few days ago, news had spread through the radio about a human creator overseeing operations alongside YoRHa androids. Nevertheless, they hadn't anticipated that the human would actually visit their camp.
(General POV)
They were both shocked and overwhelmed by a strange sense of relief. The programmed guilt they had carried for so long began to dissipate, but it didn't completely disappear. Unconsciously, they hurried over to Lucia and began examining her closely. They noticed that Lucia's arms were made of unknown materials, quite different from typical androids and machine life forms.
"It's okay. I'm fine," Lucia reassured them. At her words, they stopped their examination and focused on Lucia's distinct, multicolored eyes, which were revealed since she had tied her hair into a ponytail. Lucia pulled the two red-haired android girls close, embracing them with a warm smile. She gently rubbed their backs, comforting them and trying to alleviate their negative emotions.
"It's nice being like this, don't you think?" Lucia asked playfully.
Added these two to the harem! rang out in Lucia's mind, marking Devola and Popola as potential lovers.
[Devola and Popola have added to lover candidate list!]
The two android girls didn't resist and simply enjoyed the warmth of Lucia's embrace. They remained in this peaceful moment without speaking or shedding tears, as they were relatively new creations compared to other androids.
Interrupting the moment, Rose cleared her throat, drawing Lucia's attention. Esdeath and Rika chuckled, well aware that Lucia had already marked the two red-haired android girls as part of her growing harem.
"Are you jealous?" Lucia teased Rose.
"Of course not! Well, I'll go check on the others," Rose replied before swiftly retreating to join Saeko and A2. A short while later, Lucia departed with her companions, heading towards Saeko and A2's group.
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(A/N: sentences in '{}' will be the voice of Pods)
In the dwindling twilight of a world forgotten, the ghostly Seatown lay in ruins, its history buried beneath the sands of time. A thousand years had passed since the last human footprints graced its cobblestone streets, leaving only the whispers of memories and the haunting remnants of a once-thriving community.
The bridge, now an ancient relic, fractured and fractured, beckoned to a sea that no longer paid heed to its call. It stood as a jagged skeleton, an eerie testament to an era when its arches carried the weight of commerce and connection. Now, it reached out to the horizon, a bridge to nowhere, as the ashen sky above threatened to consume its existence.
Buildings, though weary and worn, clung tenaciously to their place in this world. Moss-draped and ivy-choked, they bore the scars of a thousand storms, a reminder of the ceaseless march of time. The windows, shattered and empty, framed views of a world that had moved on without them, as if the very air held the echoes of long-forgotten conversations.
Beneath the oppressive veil of the evening, the sun's dying light struggled to pierce through the heavy gray clouds, casting the town in a pallid, mournful hue. A chilling wind swept in from the sea, weaving through the skeletal structures and tattered remnants of what was once a bustling community. It was a wind that carried the stories of centuries, secrets whispered by the waves as they lapped against the shore.
Here, amid the desolation, the Seatown stood as a solemn monument to the relentless passage of time. Nature and solitude had become the town's sole occupants, and the ghosts of the past wandered through the fractured streets, speaking in the mournful cries of the chilling wind.
On the edge of a broken bridge, a white-haired male android in a YoRHa uniform stood, his hair ruffled by the blowing wind. He was engaged in conversation with a floating box that had two small machine arms beneath it.
"Oh, it's really interesting. I don't need to use outdated communication phones anymore. Mmm... Mmmm..."
"Hey, hey, how many Pods have been created now?" he asked.
{--Report. The exact number of Pods created is currently unknown--}
"Ehhh... You should know that," he replied.
{--Higher-ups have not permitted the release of the exact number. But currently, four units are in use--}
"Mmm... Okay, contact HQ."
{--Affirmative--}
A projection started from the Pod, and a light-haired female android with a military uniform appeared on the screen. The screen displayed only the upper part of the girl; unlike in the anime, she didn't wear a lower-half mask.
"This is 21O from Commanding Base. Please report," she said.
"I see... so I don't need to hold it like before. How convenient!" The male android remarked, and a red, thick mark appeared on 21O's head.
"9S, do your job seriously," she scolded.
"Ahem, alright. I haven't found any machine life forms around the Brinkridge Post. There are some traces of machines, but I couldn't find anything in the surrounding area."
"Understood. Please investigate further, as there was a report last time about strange machine behavior."
"Leave it to me," 9S said, placing his fist on his chest as if to convey, 'You can rely on me.'
"Then please excuse me."
The screen closed, ending the communication. 9S walked back to the Sea Town. On his way there, he passed by some destroyed machines from many years ago. Numerous buildings lay in ruins, some reduced to rubble, with only remnants of walls left standing.
"Pod, check the surroundings," he instructed.
{--Affirmative--}
{--Report. Currently, there are no machine life forms--}
This marked the third time he had scanned the surroundings, yet still no sign of machine life forms. He rechecked because, during a previous pass-by, a group of androids had reported witnessing strange machine behaviors in this area.
"It seems there really are no more machine life forms here," 9S mused to himself as he walked with his hands behind his head. Sometime later, he spotted a rusting bicycle in a ruined building.
"Interesting... What is this thing? Hmm... How did humans use this?"
9S inspected it from all angles, genuinely curious about this relic from the past.
"Let's see... Is there any information about this in the bunker? Pod, connect to the bunker."
{--Affirmative--}
9S began delving into the YoRHa data. He was a high-end model and one of the newest scanner types, created not long ago. His team had been reassigned to other locations when they determined that Seatown wasn't particularly dangerous.
He remained here alone because his superiors instructed him to gather information about Seatown, and with the assistance of his Pod, he could defend himself and retreat if needed.
However, unbeknownst to them, his new Pod had the capability to connect directly to the YoRHa bunker's main server. As the newest model, 9S had a natural curiosity that led him to probe deeper into YoRHa's secrets than most of his peers.
He had a penchant for asking questions that others around him believed he shouldn't be asking, but he found the pursuit of the unknown to be inherently fascinating.
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