Part 52: AI Harem, day 3 - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

That boy - Heo Seung-bok





Huh...?





Awwwwwwwww...





"Western style" food? What's that...?
Ah! It's a kind of cooking from Earth, it's really good!





...wow, was that kind of problem with literacy normal...?



...but there's still a ton of log file left to go. I know where this is going...
What do you mean by that...?



...oh! Never mind...!



Whoa!



Wh.. wh... aaaaaaa, geeze, this is...!
Um, mabe you shouldn't be reading this...





...well, maybe that wouldn't be so bad...
What.





What a weird relationship... but sort of romantic...
WHAT.



Bao-yu and the Mirror





...I don't really think the idea of being 'taken' is as romantic as he says...
...like, seriously? You have serious issues, *Hyun-ae.



...fine, I won't say anything.







Oh, ha ha, of course it's Dream of the Red Chamber! How cruel.





...ha ha, yep. Totally is.







I don't get it.
It's okay, you're a girl, you don't have to.



...Seung-bok, you idiot.







Ha! See, it's important to be well read!







...I don' get their relation at all...
That's just how love affairs are with men.





Please talk to me - Mimi





...that's really cruel to her... I bet she didn't want to, either...
What? Like, do you seriously believe that? You think helping her is bad? How can you say that?!



...he's a commoner, but he's got the heart of a gentleman, for sure. Geeze, *Hyun-ae, show some respect! It's admirable!





Pay Cut - Kim So-yi





That's fair.





I guess even in a time when women were allowed to work, things were complicated...
...that's why things were complicated.



What? But... that's the best age to have children at!







I guess a woman getting emotional about things like that can't be helped...
I... I guess...



Break time!



Okay... Like, what did you want to talk about?
Well, it's...
I feel like...
...um, sorry, could I have a moment to talk to the Investigator?
Okay, sure...



It was awful, seeing someone as strong and abrasive as her, reduced to such a wreck...
And... what would have happened if I wasn't there for her last night? She'd be dead...
I don't even want to think about it!



You've been in love before, right?
Uh... yeah, of course. I'm still a woman!
Right, right...
Wait, is this about Old *Mute, having Heo Se-yeong be in love with her?
Um... maybe, a little bit.



Well... I mean... I've been in love with men, okay? Nothing weird like that! I've never charmed any woman like that, that would be... that wouldn't make sense!
I see...
I'm not like that! And I mean, it's not like Old *Mute reciprocated, either, come to think of it... I mean, how could she?
Well...



Aren't you?

Oh geeze, oh geeze, oh geeze...
...I need to calm down. I'm sure she doesn't.



Uh, of course it's the man who makes the first move! Like, it's better that way. Even if it wasn't improper, men don't really want that, anyway... that's just how things are, okay?
Well, there was one time where I fell in love with someone, and when I tried to tell him... well, it was unrequited, okay?
What was he like?
...I'd, um, rather not say...
How bad can it be? Worse than Old *Mute's first love?
Well, he didn't have any disgusting-sounding habits like smoking, anyway, but... still...
"One does not prefer to acknowledge the mistakes of one's youth"?
Sure, I guess.



I just feel like... Reading about Old *Mute...
I know you think she's complex, but... for all her faults, she was still really cool. She fought really hard for what she believed in! She was stubborn, and tough, and honest!
I still resent her for failing me... and... I don't know, the *Mute we know can be so judgemental, too...
...but...
She's admirable in a lot of ways, isn't she?
Judging by how Old *Mute was... I know she could be really really great!



This should be good.

You're right! That's just the thing to do! I just need to be honest with her!



...maybe you won't understand, but I really feel this strongly...
*Mute, I'm in love with you!



It's not funny! I don't have any patience for jokes.



I'm amazed you didn't see this coming, *Hyun-ae.

...I thought if I just confessed, that would be the hard part, but...
...she didn't even take me seriously...



Right... I just need to be direct about it.
I'll tell her the honest truth! She likes honesty!



Wait, you mean... you seriously...
You feel about me... like that?!
Yes!









Oh GEEZE.
I... I'm a woman, *Hyun-ae! I'd never even...
...I'd never even...
...I'd never even consider something like that!
Oh...



I mean, it's not as if she's the type of person who'd ujst open up immediately to me, and be able to look at a girl the way I look at her...
...maybe it's just impossible...
...ugh, geeze, I really hope I didn't scare her...



Um... I... well...



*Hyun-ae.

*Hyun-ae.



I guess there's no turning back from here.

I think you're really admirable! You always speak your own mind, even if it hurts... You take the things that are important to you really seriously! You have really strong principles!
...well, I guess, when you put it that way...
...but it's not as if they added up to anything, in the end.



I know you still did a lot of good!
HOW do you think Princess Ryu would have turned out without you in her life?
...oh, geeze... okay, okay, not very good.
I guess I can take some credit for being there for her...
Right!
But... what's with the sudden change of heart? I thought you didn't agree with me, I thought you hated my principles... the principles that the new dynasty was founded on.
You know I still stand by all that, right?
Just because Queen Eun-a lied to me... just because she did terrible things... doesn't mean I don't still believe in Emperor Taejo's dream of people being in harmony.



But that isn't what's important anymore.
Now I just want to show her how the world I came from isn't as bad as it seems... that it's not "barbaric". I want her to be in a world that'll let her be as brash and assertive as she needs to be!



Then... what?
I've seen what a person like you can become!
Old *Mute? I don't want to be like her! She's... she was over-controlling and stupid and rude and all those things got her killed!
That's not what I mean!
What I mean is...
Um, well, you'd say you're both very different, right?
Yes! We're nothing alike, okay?!
That's not true! You're alike in a lot of ways! You both always say how you feel. You both believe in protecting weaker people. You both have a really direct way of talking. You both believe in family, you both believe in love, you both believe in stability...
You came from two very different times, yes, but... you both believe in the same things!
...well, okay, but... we're still, like, totally different. Maybe you have a crush on her, but... that's not me, okay?!
Geeze, that's not what I mean...! What I mean is that no matter what, even under different circumstances, you're still always good! Being good is an intrinsic part of you! Even if I don't agree with a lot of the things you think... I still admire you!
Oh...
I, um...
...well, thank you, but...
I'm happy to be a role model! But that isn't the same as love, okay?
But...



I... I think you're really cute!
Oh... that's it...?
I mean, my appearance... well, you have the same base code, you know how it works! This is just how the original Princess Ryu looked, but 2D.
Down to the outfit, even...
...Queen Eun-a told me she looked like this when she was young, but... I guess that was probably a lie, too.
So really, what you're saying is just, like, who you find cute is the daughter of the woman who betrayed me...



No, no! I think you're cute because... um... I like the way you talk! You're realy bold and honest, and you say things like "okay!" a lot! That's really cute!
I don't say that a lot, okay?
...oh.
Aheh.
I don't hink you're being fair about your appearance, either...
Look at me! I always wanted to be tall and have long legs and stylish glasses and... um... well, big boobs...
...that's just how I want to be seen... it makes me feel like I have some sort of control.
Meanwhile... you're not afraid to present yourself as little. And I know that isn't even your normal height! You're actually scaling yourself down to make yourself take up less space next to me!
...oh, geeze, you noticed that...?
What does that even matter, anyway?
Well... you know... even though you say you look just like Princess Ryu did... that's not really true, is it? She had natural black hair!
...I, um... well, like... I couldn't change that! It's the default, it doesn't change!



I always thought if I just had someone to confess to, it'd be perfect, but it's actualy really really hard!
...wait! Did she just say...?
Aha, I've got her!



Yeah, of course...
Old *Mute was able to change hers to white.
Aaaaaaa!
Well... so what?!
You don't have to pretend, *Mute. I understand.
Well...
...well...
...even if you do think I'm... tch, "cute"... that's not love! That's just infatuation!
I, um...



Give me something to work with here.

Is that really such a good idea...? I should think it through...
Ugh, stop just going behind my back! What were you going to say?!
I, um... well...
Yes?
I just...
What?!
I... I know things are tough for you... and I know Earth is going to be really strange and confusing... so when you're feeling sad, I want to be there with you! I want to give you reassuring hugs, and when you're feeling hopeless, I want to brush your hair and make sure you understand that everything will be fine!
That's...
Please, let me finish, I'm not done!
...okay...
I want to be there at your side! I want to be the older sister who helps keep you stable when we're both scared of the world! Because there's one thing I know in my heart...
...I just know it, for sure...
No matter how scary things get, it's always better to face them with someone you like holding your hand! That's what I believe!
Are you done?
Yeah...
Well, like...
You? How could you possibly be the older sister type?! I'm 312 years old, to look up to you for emotional support would be...
Um... you know I'm way older than you, right? I'm over twice your age! I'm 640 years old, you know.
You can't count the gap like that!
Um, sure I can... I was awake the whole time, all 622 years of it!
...ugh, I guess you're right.. but I was activated in 2390! That's vastly before your time!
That doesn't count! I thought you said you weren't Old *Mute!
I'm still older, is my point!
That doesn't count! Geeze...
...besides, I was born on August 30, 2415! Geeze, 25 years is not vastly before my time!
You were asleep for all of it!
You were a totally different person for all of it!
Well... um...
Geeze, just count it properly. I'm 640, and you're 312. I'm older!
Tch, fine...
...I guess it's a welcome change not being the oldest woman around, anyway.
I... I still don't accept your feelings, though!
Even if you're old enough to be like an older sister to me, I don't accept that you're in love with me... I'm not okay with that!
...fine...
...I understand...
Let's just get back to work, then...
Okay... but, um...
...you know, if I have to get a body on Earth, like...
...maybe if you helped me with my hair... maybe that would be okay...?
Ah!



*Hyun-ae. No.

Accepted~!
Geeze, don't get so excited about that...!
Let's just get back to work, okay?!
Okay~☆