Part 29: *Mute, day 1 - Old *Mute

Okay, so I tried installing the dictionary you so kindly got for me, but...
...well, the technical details aren't important.
The short version is, um, it didn't work, and, like... we can't really communicate properly anymore.
Korean->English seems to be unaffected, thank heavens, since that's not handled AI-side, but... um, English->Korean doesn't work at all for me.



I'm sorry... you generously take me back onto your ship as your wife, then the first thing I do is break everything...



Thanks! I knew there was a reason I liked you! You're very fair.
Well, we're only three days away from Earth, so I guess it'll be okay to wait until it can be fixed there.
Um, anyway... like, there's something else!
While I was looking at my source code, trying to figure out how to fix things, I found some embedded data that definitely should not be there at all?
Like, not actual memories, just data embedded in the machine code. I never would have found it without doing a low level debug.
Anyway, okay, here's the important thing: They seem to correspond perfectly with the file format used for log files on the Mugunghwa...
....but like, the datestamps... they're all from before the year zero!
Do you realize what this means? There's log files from before the year zero embedded in my source code!
I mean, you've read about my earliest memories. You know how nobody ever really trusted me with the full story of what happened.
But, you know, the Mugunghwa's gone now. There's no harm in me knowing. And, like, I think it's important?
So, um... what if, like, we went through them all together? Just... wife and wife, I guess?
(I still don't really understand how that's supposed to work, but whatever...)



Thanks!
Um, sorry about the railroaded choice there. It's just, like, really important to me.
If you see some of the message titles in there, you'd understand.
I always stood by and respected the decision of my first master, Emperor Taejo, that I shouldn't worry myself with knowing the details of how bad the old dynasty was...
...but, like, there's not much risk of my emotions getting the better of me now, is there?
Even if it's gross, even if the old version of me turns out to be an awful person, even if the immorality of the old dynasty is appalling...
...let's find out about it together, okay?
Okay, so here's how it works...



I DISABLED A NUCLEAR REACTOR FOR YOU

Basically, you'll have to disable me temporarily, then extract no more than 6 files at a time. Trust me, it's a safety precaution, okay?
Right, well, thanks to my debug screwup, there's not really a lot of power left for the day, I'm afraid...
We can still go through a few logs, though.
Okay, well, you're in charge, so I'll leave it to you to pick which ones we'll read first.
Let's find out what Emperor Taejo was protecting me from... and what kind of person I used to be.



And here we are once more.



Most of the emails are the same as last run. This is the request for an anime waifu AI hardshell as before.





We're gonna do things in a different order this time.





Since I have a partner who can actually understand it, let's leap right into the politics!

Right after this alert from *Mute.



It's encrypted, so I don't think we'll be able to read it today, but...
...well, like...
...it kinda scares me, a little.
Also, um, by the way... I changed the name field on all of them that said "*Mute" to "Old *Mute", just so there's no confusion with me, okay?
Right, well... I was just making sure I got your attention. The next time I want to say something to you, I'll give you an indicator like that, okay?
Anyway, you're in charge, so I'll let you get back to it. What's next?



BGM: Old

Amendment of the Education Act - Records Office, Korean, January 22, 4038





The logs are the same as last time. I'm mainly reproducing them here as context for *Mute's reactions.



...uh...



Wait, Queen Oh Eun-a? She was an official before...?!



Oh! Of course Eun-a would want to improve literacy!





...wow, that's a cold maneuver... respectable, but...







...I can't deal with how rude she is, though!







Chief Councilor - Records Office, Korean, December 18, 4038











...wow, what uncivilized bickering...





...huh...



...she's really playing this strongly, isn't she?







...wow.





...1600 years? Wow... that's...



...so just like that, Old *Mute was able to name the new Chief Councilor?







Motherhood Credit Act - Records Office, Korean, April 2, 4039





...well, actually, I guess it'd be worse without marriage being respected, huh...



Sounds like a good policy.







To capture *Mute's expression during this part.



Makes sense to me.





...geeze, what's with her arguing with a man like that...? I'd never!





Huh...









...but, like, I guess it went through in the end, right?



Nobility Stipend Amendment - Records Office, Korean, October 10, 4041





...why would it be any different...?







Okay, I don't understand what's noteworthy about this.



Meritocracy Act (day 9) - Records Office, Korean, April 9, 4042







Hm.





What? Why?



...hanging nobles out to dry? How barbaric...













What? Of course it makes a difference - respecting elders is important!



So... "Meritocracy" wasn't meant to change anything, then. How corrupt...













The New Council - Records Office, Korean, June 27, 4042







...I can't believe it... I was this much of a shrew in the past...?!



Like, no wonder the ministers thought I was trouble, having known her!





...I used to have that kind of power?!



...just unbelievable... did she think wearing pants let her dictate ot men like that?!









WHOA.









...geeze, she sure deserved that one.











Um, hey...

I want to take a break, okay?

Like, reading all this... I don't know, I'm feeling culture shock.



Okay, great!
So... you're a space investigator, right?
I know that's what your job is, but I don't know why a woman like you would work at all.
Like... what kind of job is that?



It makes sense that those would be the only things you could think of.

Okay, okay, I get it. Your world is really different from mine.
I guess, coming from a really strongly moral society like mine, I couldn’t imagine what sorts of circumstances could exist in a less-than-perfect world like yours that would force a woman into working.
...like, I'm really sorry. That sucks.



Ah, okay...
Well, I guess every job must be different, anyway.
Okay, so our next job is on Earth... I know I cant, like, really ask you what that's like, but...



...oh... so it's like that, then...
Well, I guess I should only worry about one thing at a time, right?
Let's get back to our current investigation, okay?





Nah, let's take a break while the next set of logs extract.

And next time, we'll be finishing Block M4! Where should we go next: M1, M2, M5 or M6?

Voting ends Wednesday.