Lonely

Waiting for me, only endless regret…

A cruel winter's day…the sweet scent of roses…freezing, eternal frost.

I remember that day; I stared at her frozen face and placed her in the cryogenic chamber.

Her laughter vanished forever.

I knew why, but I never noticed.

She hid, avoiding everyone's gaze, repeatedly sobbing, forcing a smile, sobbing, forcing a smile…I, with my seemingly insightful amber eyes, saw nothing.

She slit her wrists. I found her in our bathtub, stained with her blood; it was our home…

I never believed in death; I'd witnessed it countless times…but this was an unforeseen consequence.

Now, there's only one answer; I'll use that machine I've always hated to recreate her.

She, who died in the bathtub, must have hated me. But we'd shared so much…

Then, "it" spoke, not her.

"Ah, I remember you. You are kind."

At that moment, I felt the urge to destroy everything I'd created.

....

X lifted a glass of chocolate milk, sighing. The air conditioning made her feel a little chilly.

The Corporation maintained a consistently cool temperature; every area was cool, with a comprehensive, advanced air purification system.

Therefore, X preferred warm milk or rich chocolate milk to iced coffee. The warmth was comforting.

X wondered if the chill was due to low temperatures, but the Corporation maintained a constant 24°.

"Angela, sometimes I have hallucinations…"

"Um, is this similar to Yesod's symptoms? Not skin lesions…but the feeling of having non-existent memories."

"Sometimes, I feel like someone's calling me. But I know I'm alone except for you."

[Manager, it's a hallucination. You need an outlet or a psychological evaluation. I understand your concerns, but prolonged confinement causes this; you're lonely.]

[The Corporation is lonely; sometimes, the silence is frightening, but I'll always be here. Even if I'm a machine, you can still rely on me.]

The AI listened patiently, offering advice.

X considered this; perhaps she was lonely, spending too long in the Corporation, causing her to have hallucinations.

This was like the Corporation's AIs; Yesod, despite being an AI without a physical body, simulated skin so realistically that even the slightest exposure to air caused hallucinations of skin lesions and decay; she felt an intense psychological, not physiological, discomfort.

Everyone knew this, yet there was no treatment; it was a psychological trauma, difficult to cure, requiring unconventional methods.

Only self-overcoming would work…

—Was she too lonely?

X thought about her actions towards the Safety Department Dean yesterday, feeling her face flush; the Dean's expressions, mannerisms, and tremors were vivid in her mind.

X had a good memory, but also a poor one; she often forgot important things, or perhaps unimportant things.

—She'd only helped her Dean; nothing more.

—Netzach just needed help.

X reassured herself; it was nothing.

Her clothes were intact; she hadn't done anything inappropriate; she'd merely solved a small problem.

Although Netzach had tried to pull her belt, she'd refused, only helping with a minor need, avoiding further entanglement.

But the AI's mention of "outlets" led X astray; the AI's words were alluring, or perhaps X was simply too indulgent…

X felt ashamed and disgusted by her desires, criticizing her own body's weakness.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss these thoughts.

She didn't want to confront them; helping the Dean might have been a pretext.

Hesitation implied wavering, leading to other thoughts.

Therefore, X ignored the AI Secretary's suggestive words, closing her eyes, pretending to focus on work.

The screen was more captivating than the Secretary; X stared at the monitors, avoiding eye contact, pretending to be focused.

Feigning ignorance was a good strategy…avoidance, although not a solution, was effective.

Even knowing the AI's intentions, even noticing the marks on her neck…X refused to analyze the AI's motives.

She preferred to close her eyes, diverting attention. She preferred emptiness to unexpected objects in her space.

Shaking her head, dismissing these thoughts, X felt she shouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't…and she didn't know why, except that she felt it was wrong.

"Approve the Training Department Dean's new design: [Improve Work Education]."

X approved the Protocol, assigning it to her AI Secretary.

[Improve Work Education] was proposed by the Training Department Dean, not for Abnormality managers, but for low-skilled Clerks.

These clerical employees, when facing Abnormalities, only had small pistols; their suits offered no protection. Their frail bodies were like tissue paper under a monster's claws, easily dismembered.

This design enhances training for Clerks; usually, joint training involved experienced Abnormality handlers, but now, newly hired Clerks could also participate.

It simply increased expenditure on Clerk training; that shouldn't be a problem.

Reducing the amount of blood in the corridors was worthwhile; monsters weren't invincible.

[F-01-37] was assigned to the Training Department, managed and contained by them, likely because—

The Training Department is responsible for maintaining discipline, planning, and conducting training research; it naturally provides more training opportunities.

X valued employee development and invested more time and attention in the Training Department Dean, although she also paid attention to the Safety Department Dean.

X remembered Hod's words when introducing the Training Department; she praised her department and employees.

The Training Department provided psychological support for all employees, helping them adapt to new departments and lives—

But Netzach's Enkephalin supply originated from the Training Department…

Hopefully, things would improve; at least Hod's apology was sincere, unlike Netzach's. X had initially found Hod more troublesome, but Netzach was the true problem!

She was…

X couldn't find words to describe the Safety Department Dean; she was a terrible employee, seriously violating Corporation rules; she'd even tried to ██ the Manager.

She'd acted arrogantly in front of the other Deans and showed no remorse.

X decided to punish Netzach if she made any mistakes, or slacked off, using her as a doormat.

Even if she cried and promised to change, X wouldn't forgive her!

Rewarding Deans wasn't enough; appropriate punishments were necessary to assert her authority.

As Manager, X needed to be authoritative, implementing punishments.

Besides kneeling, what other punishments were there? Forcing the AI to eat wasabi sushi? Probably useless…

Perhaps tailored punishments were appropriate?

For example, struggling to open a snack wrapper in front of Yesod, leaving the contents intact; or failing to lick the yogurt lid clean; or struggling to open a soda can, losing the pull-tab.

Or deliberately disheveling their clothes, askew ties, unbuttoned shirts, and messy appearances.

This would surely annoy Yesod; X felt this was feasible; if Yesod made a mistake, she'd be forced to watch similar images.

This tactic was effective on those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, not on Malkuth or Hod, but X hadn't devised punishments for them.

X didn't expect Malkuth to make mistakes, nor did she want to punish Hod.

The Control Department Dean was always reliable; Malkuth was the least troublesome and most trustworthy.

Who would scold a timid, kind Dean like Hod? X wouldn't want to humiliate any of her Deans.

Except Netzach, the others were good; X didn't want to hurt their dignity. She considered gentler, more playful punishments that would be easier for the Deans to accept.

Or perhaps lower the collar a little more?

X considered which methods were most effective; lowering the collar might draw their attention; Hod wouldn't worry so much and be influenced by the employees.

Being praised by the Manager was more effective than the employees' schemes, right?

Thinking this, X felt it made more sense; she was acting as a good Manager, concerned about her Deans' well-being.

"Hod, [F-01-37] is assigned to you."

X spoke, observing the Training Department Dean; this petite Dean, with her fluffy fur, resembled a cute rabbit.

Her blue eyes sparkled like the sea or precious gems.

"Yes…I understand, Manager. Leave it to me; I'll do my best."

Hod assured her, looking confident, unlike her usually timid demeanor.

Her gaze fell on X's slightly loosened collar, revealing a fresh, slightly swollen love bite.

Hod knew this wasn't hers.