Chapter 6 - Studied

I released a long sigh of relief.

My head spun with the flood of new information. It felt like I had been holding my breath since the moment I spoke my name.

Relax. Inhale. Exhale.

I took a deep breath, my mind racing, processing everything that had just happened.

My hands came to my stomach and I breathed the way technicians would advise us to do so at the clinic. Everything felt less uncomfortable with deep breaths.

Hoping to get a better look at the outside, I walked to the large window panels of the living room. Was I truly in New Yuan City? There was no way for me to know, not only because there was not much view from the window, but also because I had never been there before. How would I know?

The wall outside was much closer on this floor than it was upstairs. It blocked much of the sunlight, except for the U-shaped glass section in the middle. The sunshine was flowing in that part, the rays of light as if spilling down the leaves on the wall, onto the dark, shiny soil, and down to the white floor of the house.

I sat on the narrow bench running along the windows, resting against the cool glass. Leaning forward, I looked up at the towering wall, covered in what looked like a heavy layer of greenery. It was so beautiful. The wall stretched higher than the two-story house itself. I strained my neck in all directions, hoping to see as much as possible, but as far as I could see, only endless rows of white houses lined both sides. Was everyone in New Yuan City living in such spacious houses? I couldn't imagine having such a gigantic space to myself.

I looked up to the bright blue sky, the dark wall on one side, and the white houses on the other.

At that moment, I realized how far I was from the clinic. I had said goodbye to my coworkers, thinking I would see them again later that day. I had no idea the mission would start right after the interview. When I will be back at the clinic in a few weeks, most would have moved on to new testing programs.

And I will be the newcomer, for once.

I tore my eyes away from the view and focused inward. It wasn't completely white, as it had felt like at first glance. The wall beside me was a soft beige, matching the narrow bench and the three large sofas arranged in the center of the room. The kitchen walls were lined with tiny blue tiles, adding a single touch of color.

There were no personal touches. No decoration, no signs of the personality of the resident of this home.

I explored around, hoping to find some clues about the owner. My owner.

V.

Or Vee maybe?

At the clinic, we were not allowed to personalize our dormitories, but we still found ways to do so. Often, you could find symbols scratched on the bedframe from previous coworkers or cute doodles on the walls. I wondered why someone with their own space wouldn't want to show their personality in it.

Then, something moved by the entrance.

I got scared for a second, before realizing it was only a small oval shape moving on the floor. I approached closer, observing the tiny white robot crawling by the entrance door. It was busy vacuuming that part.

It could have fit into my palm, and I would have seized it if it had not just started its ascent of the stairs. I got even nearer, curious to see the mechanism it used to move around. Minuscule wheels, like teeny suction pads, were grasping and clutching on the floor, lifting themselves each step of the staircase. I sat on the first step it climbed, and with a light finger push, I helped it in its last efforts to reach the top of each step higher.

It was soothing to watch him at work.

What about me? What kind of work would be expected of me here? Probably not a nanny or a caretaker. There were no kids, no one to take care of. I knew of the other options available... and I didn't want to dwell on them.

The tiny robot began its ascent of the wall, reaching the slanted windows. I got on my feet, trying to catch what we would see on that side of the house. Unlike the wide glass panels on the other side, these small windows did not give much sight. They were too high for me and from where I reached, I could only discern another row of white houses right in front of us.

I wandered upstairs, each step getting heavier as this new reality settled deeper within me.

A part of me knew I should feel grateful. I was going to reimburse half of my debt! I was going to stay in this beautiful house!

But what kind of companionship will I have to provide here?

My throat tightened as I pushed the bathroom door.

There, my heavy feelings got lighter for a moment.

The room shone like the sun, bathed in the light coming from a colorful window. Yellow tiles lined the floor and walls, giving the space a warm, radiant glow. I watched the light color my hands with a pleasant yellow glimmer.

It seemed to all come from that strange oval window. My fingers brushed over the textured glass, admiring its beauty. The colored glass had flowers with big, yellow petals and, in their centers, a warm brown heart.

I tried to open the window, thinking it would give me another view of the outside, but it wouldn't budge.

The bathroom was split into two parts. Near the beautiful window was a large open shower, separated from the rest of the space by a thin glass panel. Behind it stood a toilet and a wide sink beneath a large mirror.

I caught my reflection in it. I had already noticed how different I looked the first time I saw myself transformed, but now, I felt even more foreign to myself. The warm sunlight from the window gave my skin a golden glow, my brown hair shining with lighter highlights.

I touched my face, angling it to catch the light, studying my reflection.

I was the same, yet I felt so different.

I observed the faucet for a long time, wondering how it would open. When I finally figured out its fancy design, I could wash my hands with soap, the delicious citrus scent filling the room.

It smelled so fresh and felt so good, I cupped some water in my hands and splashed it onto my face, then drank a little of it. Not all water taps had drinkable water at the clinic, but I had no doubt every single tap in the City was safe.

I found a white towel by the sink and unfolded it. It was slightly warm and I realized that part of the sink itself was warm when I placed my palm on it. The towel was so soft and plush that I wanted to bury my face in it.

Instead, I unzipped the top of the tight bodysuit and gently tapped the wet towel around my neck and chest to freshen up a little.

Strangely, I was more impressed by this kind of luxury. Were all the towels in the City warmed up like that?

Reluctantly, I zipped the suit back up, wondering if I could change out of it. Walking to the bedroom, I pressed my hand to the storage door expecting it to slide open. Instead, the thin fabric panel automatically glided smoothly into a hidden slot in the wall.

I took a startled step back, having never seen this kind of door before. Had I done something wrong? Will the wall come back?

In any case, the wardrobe was empty. Nothing.

It felt as though this house had never been lived in.

When I stepped back, the thin fabric rolled back to close the opening again.

Fascinating.

I checked the pod I had come from, hoping the company might have provided a change of clothes, but found nothing again.

Designed in New Yuan City. Assembled in the United Nations Belt, I read the engraved inscription on the side.

It was hard to believe. For the countless times in my life that I have read these words, I was in one place instead of the other for the first time.

Even the air smelled better here!

Exploring the room, I looked for something personal but found nothing. His words echoed in my mind: "This is your bedroom."

He had mentioned that his room was on the other side of the hall, and I felt a small sense of relief at the thought of having my own space, even if it was in someone else's home.

It was a good reminder not to let my thoughts wander too fast. I had my own bed, my own room. There was no reason for me to believe that I would have to share more with him.

I admired the floating lamps beside the bed, their warm orange light casting a cozy glow on either side. Would it be so bad to live here for a few weeks? The company had assured me of my safety, and though my owner didn't seem particularly likable, he didn't seem to pose any threat either.

Except... If invited.

I remembered his words. He probably meant them as a polite formula.

Oddly, I almost found comfort in the indifference he had shown toward me.

I sat on the edge of the bed, then lay on my side, letting the soft light and the quiet of the room settle over me.

The payment was far too high for me to think of turning back anyway. It was an opportunity to live in the City and experience something beyond the clinic and the testing protocols.

I felt apprehensive, but I also couldn't help but feel lucky.

I propped my head on my elbow, gazing out the window at the green leaves crawling along the wall, swaying with the breeze. I imagined waking up here every day, the soft morning light filtering in, warming everything it touched. I closed my eyes, gifting myself a few peaceful minutes of uninterrupted daydreams.

But then, a soft chime from the floor below startled me awake. I jumped to my feet and rushed out of the room.

Did I hear a voice too?

As I hurried down the stairs, I caught sight of a blue light flickering on the glass panel between the kitchen and living room. Blue letters appeared briefly before fading out as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

My heart raced and I wondered if I had done something wrong. My hands pressed to my chest to steady my breath as I leaned against the kitchen island.

Just as my heartbeat began to calm down, the blue dot appeared again, right in the center of the glass. The panel darkened, and the text became clearer.

A voice echoed through the room.

From: Love Machina Inc.

I looked up toward the ceiling, where the voice seemed to be coming from, and felt the weight of anticipation settle over me.

Subject: First-Time Owners, Instruction Manual.

"Instruction... Manual...?" I whispered to myself, hands still pressed against my chest.

I recalled the Love Machina staff mentioning they could contact me if needed. This was probably that.

Hesitantly, I pressed my finger to the glass, which now felt like a screen.

I touched the word "Instruction," hoping the message would open, but there was a faint, resistant vibration as if it were pushing back at me.

The message couldn't open.

Or at least, not with my fingerprint.

Before I could try again, the message faded, and the glass became transparent again, revealing the beige tones of the living room behind it.

My finger hovered over the glass again, trying to wake up the screen, but I only succeeded in leaving fingerprints on it.

First-Time Owners... Instructions Manual, I repeated in my head, trying to make sense of it.

Just as I realized what had happened, the blue light blinked back on.

New message, the voice said again. From: OpenScience.

I straightened, pressing my back against the counter.

You requested: The Science behind Love Machinas: an Extensive Introduction...

I squinted, trying to understand the truncated title on the screen, but the voice trailed off, leaving it unfinished. My eyes stayed glued to the text, but as I started to understand it, the message faded again, just like the first one.

This time, the screen didn't clear up immediately. The blue dot blinked in the corner, and new lines of text appeared one after the other.

New message.

From: OpenScience.

The subject lines changed, but the sender remained the same.

You requested: Beyond Programming: Unraveling the Cognitive Architecture of I...

You requested: From Algorithms to Autonomy: Navigating Robotics and Human-Lik...

You requested: Sentient Circuits: Crafting Machines with the Essence of Human...

And then, it hit me. These messages weren't for me.

They were for someone else.

You requested: The Ethics of Love Machinas.

Someone seeking detailed information about Love Machinas.

I was here, curious about my owner.

And he was somewhere else... studying me.

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