Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"What on earth have you calculated?"

Amiya panicked. The face she had been thinking about day and night suddenly came so close to her. It was really not friendly to her heart!

"--Love can be calculated."

The human-machine Noah stared at Amiya beneath him.

"I will prove it."

Chapter 15: Chess Pieces and Players

"Prove...how to prove it?" Amiya began to get nervous. She hadn't been that nervous before when she took advantage of someone in distress. Obviously, the Amiya in this world was also the type with high attack and low defense. Especially when she was pressed on the bed by the person she admired, her toes were clenched and her face was as red as a tomato. She stared at the person in front of her, although she knew that her core was not the person she thought.

But...they look exactly the same!

"——?" But when Amiya was panicking, she found that the woman in front of her was motionless except for pressing herself on the bed. After a stalemate of nearly ten minutes, she asked tentatively.

"...Um...Miss Noah? What...are you doing?"

"..."

"You don't... actually have no knowledge about this, do you?" Amiya frowned and asked. Although Miss Noah herself should know these things, the one in front of her was not Noah, but an AI that was casually stuffed into Noah's body. According to the basic settings of Precious, she seemed to have no knowledge of Miss Noah herself, so... she was probably just a blank slate.

After realizing this, Amiya wanted to find a crack to crawl into even more - what was she expecting just now!

"..." The android-like Miss Noah pondered for a long moment before silently climbing out of bed. She even helped Amiya tidy up her messed-up clothes and then sat down obediently beside the bed. Although she didn't say anything, Amiya could sense that she seemed deeply shocked. It seemed her lack of knowledge in this area had prevented her from achieving the so-called proof. Although she was an android, she still had a certain degree of...emotion?

Maybe the human-machines of previous civilizations did have some emotions...

In fact, Amiya can also understand it. Perhaps this is the first human emotion she has learned, that is - embarrassment.

"Ms. Noah, it's not your fault. That... is inherently difficult. Even humans can't clearly understand themselves," Amiya said, stepping forward to comfort her. She carefully sat down beside her and lowered her voice, "Look, I don't have the courage to say these words to a sober Miss Noah. Feelings are very complicated..."

"Denial... Feelings are the alternating effects of dopamine and hormones," the android countered. "As long as I precisely calculate and control glandular secretions—I can fall in love with you in an instant."

"I don't deny... that glandular secretions in the body can affect perception, but... Miss Noya, love is different..." Amiya sighed, speaking as if teaching a child. "Even if the body ages and the beauty fades, love doesn't change... Humans aren't completely controlled by the body, and human emotions aren't just hormones. They're something more fundamental, something deeper, something that can't be influenced or altered by anything... Further discussion might even lead to philosophical territory. However, I hope you understand... love is the only thing that can't be quantified."

"...I don't understand." Ms. Noa, the android, shook her head. "There shouldn't be anything in the world that can't be quantified..."

"It's okay if you don't understand, Miss Noah." Amiya understood that this was the first time the robot had opened its eyes to the world and encountered someone who needed it. Therefore, she had a kind of automatic reaction. She wanted Amiya to be happy, which was why she performed the above series of actions. "It doesn't matter. Besides, I'm very happy, even though you're not Miss Noah herself..."

"Yes, I am not Noah Kyrielight..."

"I'm not blaming you." Amiya shook her head. "Although you're not Miss Noya, I see your kindness towards me. You just don't want me to be sad, so you did those things, right?"

"..."

"I can see it. You didn't do anything before because no one ordered you to do so, but when I was sad, you took the initiative to lend a hand. I'm so happy. You are really kind... even though we haven't known each other for long." Amiya responded sincerely, "Maybe we will need to spend a long time together. When that time comes, I hope you can give me your guidance."

-

"Pureseth, I'm curious. You said you gave that girl an AI core... but we shouldn't have any extra AI cores." After Amiya and the human-machine Noah left, the doctor curiously asked Priseth.

"Yes, so I used spare parts to temporarily create this... I used some fragments of the girl herself," Precious explained. "You should know the effect of Originium on these beings. It's like looking in a mirror. I used the Originium's inherent restorative properties to create this AI core. Although it's not her, it should be enough to temporarily replace her."

"...Just as I expected." The doctor had already guessed, but only after Prisseth confirmed it did she confirm her suspicions. "So, the thing inside her body is, in a sense, her?"

"That depends on how you define it. You could also think of her as a backup copy without the original's memories," Precious explained. "It's a bit of a mixed feeling, right?"

"When I first developed Originium, I didn't realize it had so many special properties... Speaking of which, Precious, don't you think Amiya is a good choice?"

"What kind of choice?"

"We had a discussion back then. We were wondering if our approach was correct. Covering the land with Originium, using self-deception to avoid the threat of the loggers, was like a hamster hiding in its own burrow, waiting for the cold winter to pass. We didn't know if we would ever see the light of day again, or even how long this winter would last. Perhaps it would only be a short while, or perhaps it would be almost eternal."

"Yeah, so…what do you think?"

“The survival of civilization.”

The Doctor was an undisputed genius, or rather, there were no mediocrity in the Garden of Eden—her visions often far surpassed the limitations of her time. Many people commented that if she had been born earlier, she could have become a great figure, leading human history several steps forward. However, she was denied this opportunity, trapped in the marathon of dealing with the lumberjacks. They had neither the time nor the opportunity to cross this threshold...

Even if you are a doctor, you can only move within the scope of Ju County...

However, after entering the internalized universe, the Doctor had time.

So she began to conceive a new plan -

"In a sense, the continuation of civilization isn't our creation. Rather, it's something we've created using the technology from the Void relics we salvaged from the Warp, something we ourselves still largely unknown. After we successfully engineered the continuation of civilization, we discovered that it's more like a receiver, a receiver connected to something—like a radio to a radio station. At first, I had no idea—but after we discovered Originium, I realized that the continuation of civilization seems to be inextricably linked to the Originium we've researched."

"But Originium is indeed something we created—it has nothing to do with the Void Relic, right?" Precious frowned. "I wonder if it's just your illusion?"

"I thought so at first—but didn't you notice? The Originium, which was clearly created for the survival of human civilization, has produced a strange chemical reaction with this new race we didn't anticipate. I'm beginning to wonder if our thinking is wrong. The so-called Originium, the survival of civilization, even the Void Relics we harvested, and even the Administrator, are all part of a plan?"

"...Doctor, you should know what you are talking about, right?"

"Of course I understand. I'm very clear-headed, Precious," the doctor replied. "We are scientists, and we should believe in science. But I just have this feeling, that everything we do seems to be pointing in a certain direction... By the way, do you know why I called that destroyer a lumberjack?"

"Because he's like a being from an unknown dimension, hacking away at civilization among the woodlands?"

"In fact, there is another reason. His behavior is not so much unconscious felling as a natural disaster, but more like conscious pruning..." The doctor put forward his own guess.

"Could it be, could it be... He intends for us, no, not just us, but civilization, to develop according to His vision?"

“…I feel a little cold…”

"Me too."

The doctor closed her eyes and thought with her brain, which might be the smartest in the entire history of mankind, but the more she thought, the more she felt this way.

Lumberjack, no... maybe it would be more appropriate to call him a [Gardener].

He seemed to have been looking forward to selecting and nurturing the flowers in his own garden so that they would bloom as he envisioned - everything else was weeds.

They are just the nutrients for the birth of flowers.

So he has to trim the unpleasant branches with scissors, and when the gardener trims the branches, it is a disaster for the flowers themselves.

Human civilization is like a pruned branch, or rather, many civilizations are like this. They die early and become nutrients for the growth of new flowers.

"I don't like such speculation. Not only is it unfounded, but... I don't want my thoughts to be just the path others expect me to take. You're denying the existence of free will."

"I'm not denying free will, but I've said that if the destruction of civilization is merely pruning branches, then perhaps He is sowing the seeds of life Himself. He doesn't need to intentionally influence the development of civilization. All He needs to do is... exhaustively. Remember Darwin's theory of evolution? As long as the corresponding environment is created, life will find its own way. In such an environment, civilizations that don't want to be destroyed can only follow His path—" the doctor explained. "Humanity's ability to evolve to our level isn't so much a matter of luck as it is the fact that there will always be a top predator at the top of Earth's food chain—we just happen to be humans."

"So, what are you betting on?"

"I'm betting... If these are the paths He wants us to take." The doctor closed his eyes, "Then we're already on the chessboard. Only by jumping off the board itself can we have a chance of breaking the game. The chess pieces can't fight the chess player. Only by creating another chess player can we face the chess player head-on."

"You plan to create a chess player?" Precious didn't object to the doctor's intention. In fact, they had almost unlimited time to try and fail. "So what is your choice?"

"Amiya."

-

Putting aside the players and pieces, when Amiya woke up the next day, Noah was sleeping beside her. Though Noah was now in a human-machine state, she seemed to need sleep as well. Perhaps it was a remnant of her original consciousness? Or perhaps it was something else, but the two of them welcomed their second day in the internalized universe together...assuming this place actually had a concept of time passing.

But for Amiya, getting up looking at this face is indeed a challenge...

"Ms. Noah...good morning."

"Good morning."

Amiya forced herself to look away from this overly beautiful face. The close contact was too stimulating for a little girl like Amiya, making her want to run away.

In this place, it seemed that sweat would not form, or dirt would not be generated, but Amiya still washed herself according to her habit. This was habit, and the power of habit was very strong. Amiya even wanted to take a shower, but considering that Miss Noya was still outside, she gave up the idea.

After leaving the bathroom, putting on her clothes and tidying herself in front of the mirror, Amiya and Miss Noya left her room. On the way, Amiya greeted every mechanical lifeform she met. However, these mechanical lifeforms seemed different from Amiya. They didn't remember Amiya and Noya, and it was as if they were meeting her for the first time. Perhaps this was because time flowed differently here than outside.

"Good morning... Did you sleep well?" After arriving in the control room, Precious and the doctor seemed to have been working on something the previous night and didn't seem to have slept at all. However, in this place, their energy was boundless and even their bodies didn't feel tired, so it wasn't a big deal. Seeing Amiya and the others arrive in the control room, they even greeted them.

"Very good, thank you for your hospitality... But, when can we go back to Terra?" Amiya was still very concerned about returning to Terra. "We still have a lot of things to do."

"Don't be anxious, Amiya." The doctor said, and then asked Amiya, "How much do you know about Originium?"

"…Only on the medical level?"

"Understood. Before you leave..." The doctor waved his hand, and a piece of pure Originium appeared in front of Amiya, "You must learn all of these."

"……This is?"

"Everything about Originium." The doctor's words made Amiya stunned for a moment, "What do you mean?"

"Since you're here, don't leave empty-handed." The doctor's smile was a little subtle, especially making Amiya feel uneasy. "This will be beneficial to you in the future. Remember to master it well. I have an exam coming up."

Chapter 16: Substitutes

Amiya probably never imagined that she would have to review for an exam here...

To be precise, the transmission of information within Originium is very fast, so Amiya wants to learn the knowledge of Originium very quickly, almost as fast as recording the information directly into the hard drive. However, the knowledge of Originium is too huge. If we use hard drive storage as an analogy, the content of Originium is like a file of several terabytes, and Amiya's maximum receiving speed is probably only a few MB.

There is no way around it. After all, although rote learning is tough, it is the best way to swallow knowledge whole.

The doctor didn't even think that Amiya needed to understand. She just needed to remember these things first, and understanding could come slowly.

The doctor was a good teacher, and Amiya understood this very well. She worked very hard to learn, remember, and understand everything. However, her foundation was too weak, so she learned slowly, and she always returned to her resting place exhausted.

Here, people will not feel tired physically, but they will still feel tired mentally——

Both Precious and the Doctor saw Amiya's efforts, so they were not anxious. Instead, they taught Amiya seriously. Precious even awarded Amiya the badge of Eden, indicating that she had become a member of Eden.

You know, for Precious, the Garden of Eden is almost her home, which means she treats Amiya as a family member.

The doctor knew all this, but didn't say much. The two of them had been in the Originium for so long that they knew each other well. That Prisses was just a guy with a hard mouth but a soft heart.

During this time, Noah remained by Amiya's side. Although her core remained in a human-machine state, Amiya felt at ease as long as she was around. As the ancient civilization said, "where my heart is at peace is my home." This is probably what it feels like.

To the onlookers, or to Noah who was looking at Amiya's memories, this peaceful and quiet time was like the calm before the storm. Thinking of Amiya's later situation, Noah felt that the present beauty was just an illusion before Amiya went down that path.

To be honest, she really felt that it would not be difficult for Amiya to stay in the Originium for her entire life, but what she wanted and what actually happened were two different things.

Here, Amiya can find mentors, happiness, and more of what she has always longed for.

But Terra is her home, and she can't stay in the Originium forever.

So...that day finally came.

On this day, after finishing the study, the doctor provided Amiya with a set of test questions as usual to test her acceptance level, and Amiya also began to write the answer sheet.

The test questions this time were exceptionally difficult and numerous. Amiya thought patiently. This time, the doctor did not limit the time. She and Precious looked at Amiya and her pen with complicated eyes. For some reason, the atmosphere this time was a little strange.

"Take your time—there's no need to rush." ​​The doctor couldn't help but speak. "There's no rush."

"Ahem...check it a few more times to make sure there are no mistakes."

Precious and the Doctor had become Amiya's mentors, teaching her everything they knew. Amiya had already mastered almost everything about Originium. But as she learned more, the Doctor and Precious realized... once Amiya was truly qualified, it would be time to part ways. According to the plan, they would hand over control of the Originium Project to Amiya.

During this period of time, Precious, who had originally opposed this plan, was also moved by Amiya's sincerity.

Anyway, even if she handed over the authority, she could still wait for Amiya's action in the Originium. If it really didn't work, she could always take the authority back and execute it according to the original plan - during this period, it wouldn't be a bad thing to let Amiya try it.

The doctor had indeed convinced her, and Amiya's actions had truly shaken her resolve to carry out the Originium Project...

Alas... now that today has come, she feels a little reluctant.

"I'm done." Amiya raised her head and after checking it several times, she handed her test paper to the doctor. The doctor took the test paper and just glanced at it, and he already had the answer. However, she did not speak directly, but gave Precious a look. Precious understood, coughed twice, and spoke.

"We'll need some time to determine the score. Amiya, you must be very tired. Go back and rest first."

Obviously, they only needed to take a glance to determine whether the test paper was correct or not, but they still decided to let Amiya stay here for a while. After all, if they really had to leave Originium... they didn't know when they would meet again.

Amiya also vaguely sensed something. After bowing respectfully to the two of them, she left the place, looking back every few steps.

Noah followed her the entire time, and it was not until they returned to their room that Amiya asked with some uneasiness.

"Did I... just write too fast?"

"No."

“I must have gotten a lot of questions wrong…”

"will not."

"After all, I should check it again."

"unnecessary."

"..." Amiya's restless look made the human-machine lady who had watched the whole process tilt her head. "You did well. You have completed all the training. This is just a test. There is nothing to worry about."

"Ms. Noah... I'm not worried about that..." Amiya was a little embarrassed, "I just... I can't bear to leave."

"...Then stay? I think the doctor and the others will agree."

"But...if I stay here...what about Terra?" Amiya blinked and asked, "Is it really okay for me to stay here?"

"Amiya, I can't make the decision for you. You have to decide for yourself where to go." Her voice was still as emotionless as before. It couldn't be helped. After all, she had a very human-like feeling. "Whether you stay or go, I will be by your side."