Chapter 146 – 145 – The Final Battle (2)

Before meeting the artificial intelligence.

After a reconciliation, or something like it, with Cha Hyewon, Diana and Irian were waiting for me with expressions that said they knew it all along.

Why are they glaring like that… Ah, right. I ignored Diana’s outburst and left. I subtly avoided Diana’s piercing gaze as she stood with her arms crossed. …I can understand Diana, but why is Irian standing next to her, arms crossed, glaring at me too?

“Yurian! Tell me straight right here! Diana is your number one, right?”
“That’s right! The Saintess is number one! I’m number two!”

…She didn’t forget. Diana stood firm, not backing down until she got an answer… and Irian next to her.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Why are you number one? Well, not that you’re not number one. I mean… there isn’t a clear number one, that’s what I mean. You understand?”
“No. I don’t understand. Diana has known Yurian the longest. She loves him the most, and they were connected first! So, Diana is number one!”
“I’ve known him for the second longest! And… and… um… …so! So, I’m number two!”

Is it real that Irian is being so cute, stammering shyly in the middle of all this?

“Answer me! Diana is number one, right!”
“That’s right! I’m number two!”

……What is this? It’s not even a timed attack. They say a meddling sister-in-law is worse than a hitting mother-in-law, and Irian, shouting the same thing next to Diana, is even more annoying.

“Hmph. If we’re going by that, didn’t I meet him first? Then, can’t I be number one?”

It was then that Cha Hyewon, who had been quietly observing the situation, stepped forward. She stood in front of Diana, who had her arms crossed and was glaring, and Irian, who was copying her pose, and glared with her arms crossed as well.

A cold tension rose between Diana and Cha Hyewon.
Um… um… this is confusing.

“Wait a minute, you guys. I really have something important to talk about, can you please focus?”
“This is more important!”
“What could be more important than this!”

I flinched at the shouts of Diana and Cha Hyewon, who were glaring at each other. Wow, look at those glares. Are they lionesses? But this is really important, so I can’t put it off. I barely calmed the two glaring women and finally brought up the original purpose.

“As I said before… the final goal, the Demon King, is actually part of the artificial intelligence, the one acting as a god in this world. And it wants us to take care of it.”
“A god being a machine. It feels strange.”
“……Our family has always been proud to be guardians of faith, but now I don’t know what’s what. Faith and everything is confusing. …What does God even think of us?”

Diana and Irian were confused about the true nature of faith. Diana was a Saintess in name only, not someone with deep faith, so she was just confused, but Irian was from a prestigious family in the Holy Nation of Hespote.

She must have been shocked, as she was a firm believer. I held Irian’s hand tightly as she sat silently with a pale face, and she smiled faintly as if to say she was okay and squeezed my hand back.

“…Tsk.”

Cha Hyewon clicked her tongue as if displeased, but she couldn’t say anything else seeing Irian’s pale face, so she turned her head. Diana sent me a worried look.

I’m worried about Irian, but she’ll get through it. It’s not like she just found out… she knew to some extent, but this time she just became certain.

I waited for Irian to calm down for a bit and then continued.

“Right now, the AI has isolated the contaminated part. The problem is that the AI and the contaminated part… the Demon King’s main body, are ultimately the same. In other words, they’ve used magic to isolate a physically identical object.”
“Then how do we deal with the Demon King?”
“It’s simple. We’ll use magic to go inside.”

And now.
We were facing the AI again, listening to its explanation once more.

“Currently, magic is being used to prevent the spread. Most of the magic is being used to restrain it, so what I can do for you is limited.”
“…Excuse me. Could you put some clothes on?”

The AI glanced at Diana for a moment and then looked back at me and continued.

“What I can do is make it easier for you to perceive your irregular minds by creating your current forms, and also make it easier to perceive the forms of your enemies. Other than that, sending you near the source of the error is the last of my capacity. No further help is possible.”
“Hey, can’t you hear me? You can hear me, right? Could you please put on some clothes?”
“Clothing is unnecessary for me. It has no utility.”

Diana’s eyebrows began to twitch at the AI’s calm words. Irian was saying things like, ‘This is God… this is…? Ugh, my head…!’ And Cha Hyewon? Well, Cha Hyewon was hitting my side in real time.

“Cough. That, that hurts so much.”
“You beast. You think everything’s okay just because you’re wearing a skirt?”
“Im, impossible.”
“Ah. You’re picky about faces too, aren’t you? Right? You’re a sucker for pretty faces. Is everything okay if they’re pretty?”
“Pos, possible.”
“……You’re driving me crazy. Answer me properly?”

It’s so unfair. This is outrageous.
While I was getting nagged by Cha Hyewon, Diana took off her outer garment and covered the AI, who had refused several times.

The AI looked at the garment covering its body with a blank face, and then when it took it off, dried semen fell off in clumps.

“Wear it.”
“Unnecessary.”
“Wear it.”
“Worthless.”
“……Will you wear it?”
“Refusal.”
“……Wear it.”
“Re…”

Thwack!
Oh… oh wow.
The AI’s face was knocked back by Diana’s punch, who finally couldn’t hold back. A cold silence flowed, and a stream of blood trickled down the AI’s nose as it slowly lowered its head back to its original position.

A brief exchange of gazes between the two women,

“…Possible.”
“Oh my. I’ll help you put it on.”

…Is she really a Saintess? She even punched a god.

In the end, following the AI, who was wearing Diana’s coat, we headed to the machine that looked like a coffin where it first appeared.

As if waiting, the floor opened, revealing three coffins… no, machines.

Diana, Irian, Cha Hyewon.
I watched them each enter the machines and gave them a final explanation.

“Listen carefully. To put it simply, we’re entering a virtual reality. It’s not reality, but it is reality. Injuries there won’t affect your physical bodies, but they will damage your minds, so you have to be extra careful.”
“Virtual reality? What’s that?”
“Hyewon knows it well, right? It’s… um, a virtual space that’s so intricately made that it’s hard to distinguish from reality. Here, it’ll be inside the AI’s consciousness. Be careful. Death there means falling into eternal sleep. Secure your safety first when you go in.”

The moment the three of them answered in the affirmative, several wires crept behind their necks and pierced their skin.

Their focus blurred, and their eyes slowly closed, breathing evenly. They look like they’re sleeping peacefully with their eyes closed.

Looking at their faces like this, they’re really pretty. …I guess this is a successful life. What does my identity on Earth matter? I remember Earth, and I remember here.

My identity wasn’t formed unilaterally on Earth or here, so the combination of the personalities from both dimensions is ultimately my identity.

Thinking about it, it was a trivial worry, but why did I struggle so much? I stroked each of their faces as they breathed evenly and faced the AI.

“……Those wires. The way they pierce the skin is still a sight I can’t get used to. It’s disgusting.”
“Don’t worry. There’s no pain.”
“Please let that be true. Ah, right! In the end, our minds are entering your consciousness. Then… is this possible?”

I whispered in the AI’s ear, and it subtly flinched. What’s with the goosebumps all over its skin?

I felt playful, so I licked its ear, and it took a step back with a small shriek! ……Huh?

“Is your sense activated?”
“Y, yes. Don’t do weird things. It feels… it feels strange.”
“……Ahem. Let’s talk after I come back.”
“Why, why?”
“Tsk. Just accept it! And what I asked you… you know, right?”
“Possible.”
“…Good. I’m going in too.”

The floor opened, revealing a coffin-like machine. It looked like a coffin, but the inside was filled with unknown machinery.

I thought it would be hard because it was a machine, but surprisingly, lying down felt nice. I looked up at the AI with my neck on the headrest and winked. The world turned dark.

* * *

I came to my senses with a loud noise. The moment I lay down, the world turned dark, and I had an unpleasant sensation of falling into the abyss, and then it became noisy. …Honestly, it’s an experience I don’t want to have again.

But why is it so noisy? Even in games, there are no monsters at the entrance of a dungeon, so surely there won’t be a battle as soon as I open my eyes. …I muttered those words for no reason and opened my eyes.

“What… what happened…? Why am I naked… no, why are we all naked…?”
“What! My clothes! My armor! My sword! Where did they all go!”
“Kyaaak! Why are we naked! Don’t look! Don’t look!”

Hmm. A good sight. It’s a feeling that’s really good for my eyes. I’m pleased.
In front of me, the naked women were making a fuss according to their personalities.

Diana, even though she was naked, was calmly scanning her surroundings like a venomous lioness, covering her chest and groin with her hands.
Irian, with a face as red as her bright red hair, was frantically looking for her sword and armor, making a fuss.
…Cha Hyewon, like a true Korean, was screaming while covering only her face, leaving her chest and groin exposed.

I was about to watch them with a pleased expression when I made eye contact with Diana, who was scanning her surroundings with a sharp gaze.

Eek!
Method acting, method acting. Let’s focus.

“What are you doing! Get a grip and be on guard!”

Damn it. I explained that it was dangerous, but they’re making such a fuss just because they’re naked. How can I have any composure if they’re like this?

I have no choice. I have to show my charisma as a leader.

“……Yurian.”

…Method acting. Let’s maintain the method acting.

“Put the trivial things aside for later! Is there anything hostile around? Get a grip and be on guard!”
“Yurian.”

……Method acting.

“…Why.”
“Could you please get rid of that stiff, throbbing thing and talk to us?”
“……This is instinct, so I can’t help it…”
“Don’t just send us forward. Are you trying to watch from behind?”
“…That’s not it. Absolutely not.”
“I’m just asking, but… did you know we were going to be naked?”

…Me, method acting…!

“No! Not at all! There’s no way!”

…Damn it. I got caught.

“Irian. Grab him.”
“Eek?”