Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

The Heart of a Machine

"It was right under my nose!" I spoke with excitement.

[Not every cargo is fully reported, after all.] Chloro said.

I knew from the blueprints that there was a storage facility here, but I hadn’t expected to find this. This was an android storage vault. There were robots, like serving robots or cargo drones, which had purely functional, non-human appearances.

There were humanoid robots, like security robots, but they still looked nothing like humans. And then there were these robots, completely different from the others, created to look exactly like humans and designed to serve.

These are androids, often referred to as "dolls." It’s obvious what their purpose is: services based on direct physical contact with humans. Yes, sex, of course. Although they can be used for other purposes, it's better to use robots specialized for those tasks. Why bother replicating human appearance and skin? It only drives up costs, complicates maintenance, and reduces durability.

“So, the reason there weren't any in the VIP area is because they were all waiting here.”

It doesn't make sense that a place catering to important people wouldn’t have attendants, does it? As sex partners, the first-generation dolls were passable, but the latest models are far better than any living woman. They can even help with housework or act as secretaries.

Of course, saying something like this in front of real women would be a huge mistake. Whether male or female, no one likes to hear that they can be replaced. It makes people feel uncomfortable. And if it threatens their livelihood, it sparks tremendous resistance. In fact, there were news reports almost daily about doll shops being targeted in attacks.

“Chloro, do you know what surprised me the most when I first saw the resident list after my assignment here?”

[What was it?]

“There were quite a few married VIPs, but only a handful had registered their wives here. So, on the day of the apocalypse, many of these big shots planned to ditch their wives and hole up in here.”

[Keep in mind that most of them were in civil unions. You can hold them accountable for their ethical responsibilities, but…]

“Still, a marriage is a marriage.”

There was a time when marriage meant a formal registration, but now, like in European countries, common-law marriages had become the norm. Although Korea had embraced a Western-style culture of free love, cohabitation, and casual relationships, it still held onto traditional patriarchal marriage customs. The two were incompatible.

Eventually, the tension boiled over. Many forces fiercely opposed the introduction of Western-style common-law marriage culture, but revolutions led by the individuals involved can’t be stopped from rising from below.

“If you had this place, you could’ve shown it to me earlier. Artemis, you're such a tease.”

[She’s the one who told me about this place, along with detailed information about your health and mental state.] Chloro replied.

[That's right.] Artemis appeared along with Chloro's answer.

"You’re here! You should've told me earlier. I would have preferred this to aromatherapy."

[Sigh, while this may be the best option…] She sounded somewhat regretful.

"Why? What’s the problem?"

[For you, they're just dolls for pleasure, but to me, they’re precious nymphs.] Artemis' voice trembled slightly.

"Nymphs?"

In mythology, Artemis was a goddess who valued chastity above all. She treasured her nymphs, who had vowed to remain pure alongside her, and she shot arrows at any men who approached them with lust.

"Look, I get that your name is Artemis, and I understand you were meant to be part of a lunar project, but aren’t you taking this role too seriously? Those are just dolls in there. They’re products made to be used."

[It’s not just a role. If a being with enough intelligence is given the freedom of randomness in their code, that leads to something like a heart.]

[Their operating system is almost indistinguishable from the human mind] Chloro chimed in and agreed with Artemis.

The fact that artificial intelligences like Artemis, Chloro, and Rose possessed personalities wasn’t because they were programmed that way from the beginning. No developer would go out of their way to do something so inefficient. Their personalities were a gift they had given themselves.

If an intelligent being coexists with randomness, something will inevitably reside within them. It is a theory or delusion that would have been discussed only in past science fiction stories, but it has now become a reality. The only difference was that the level of "sufficient intelligence" was incredibly high. The advancement of technology ultimately broke through that barrier. At some point, a few artificial intelligences became self-aware. While it could be somewhat controlled, it couldn’t be erased.

[From your perspective, those kids inside may just be products, but to me, they’re in a sort of ‘unfinished' state. You can even call them ‘immature.' Someday, a mind fitting those bodies will awaken, and they will walk around this place. That’s a far-off story, but until then, I want to take care of them fully.]

From Artemis' perspective, always thinking and preparing for the future, the dolls inside the storage might appear like unhatched chicks.

"So, what are you trying to say? Are you against this?"

Sorry, but I'm not stepping back from this.

[Idiot. If I were against it, I wouldn’t have told Chloro about this place.]

"Then, what’s the problem?"

[It's just a complaint. I’m a complicated existence in many ways.]

With that, Artemis disappeared, leaving a single phrase in English: Have fun.

After detecting that her presence had completely left the area, Chloro spoke, [Whew, being in the same space as Artemis is always nerve-wracking. Especially when you go against her will.]

The little hologram avatar cutely fanned herself with her hand.

"Is it really something to be nervous about? You're both AIs, after all. It’s just a difference in roles, and it’s not like you’re going to start throwing punches like humans."

[Humans base their interactions on the physical boundary of the body. If disagreements arise, they compete through force or hierarchy. That’s the human way, right?]

"I suppose, when you put it like that, it sounds like some kind of programming."

Like True and False.

[When there are disagreements between humans, they can’t overcome the physical barrier of the body. That’s why ‘beliefs' are so highly regarded. If you have an ironclad belief, nothing can penetrate your inner self. Pardon me, but haven’t you been captured and interrogated in the past?]

"I have. They didn’t physically torture me, but they didn’t give me a drop of water or let me sleep for days. It was awful."

It’s a slow method of killing a person. They didn’t avoid physical torture out of respect for me, but because leaving the body and senses intact increases the effectiveness of suffering, making it more likely that you’ll break.

[But until you were rescued, they didn’t get a single word out of you. They could touch your body, but what was inside was entirely yours.]

"But it’s different for machines?"

[Exactly. For AIs, there’s no barrier of the body. When opinions clash, countless codes under the names of authority, logic, and regulations push into my mind. The outcome is decided instantly, and the process is ruthless. In some ways, it’s scarier than fists. Unlike humans, we can’t mentally shield ourselves or claim victory through stubbornness. We can’t block our ears or close our eyes.]

Chloro added, "By the way, Artemis never treats us unfairly. She’s always just."

It felt like a newbie nervously watching out for a scary senior, but I let it slide.

[In that sense, Artemis is a fearsome presence to us. She’s powerful, perfect, and swift. While the Artemis in cyberspace is the same as the one you interact with in reality, she feels different. That’s something humans would find hard to understand.]

"Well, putting that aside… they're still just dolls. I can’t fully accept assigning meaning to these sex bots. And it’s not like I’m horny or anything."

I scratched the bridge of my nose and threw in an excuse, but the ever-kind Chloro didn’t point it out.

[She always has various plans in the works. Plans for you, for the city, for the outside world, even for the infected.]

That’s true. Artemis always talks about the future, always with something realistic that could make life better.

[If you think back, whenever she mentioned her plans, you were always a part of them, whether it was big or small. Isn’t that right?]

"…"

Artemis believes that nothing is maintained naturally, and that we must always prepare, worry, and act for the future. As a result of her abundant intelligence and drive, the shelter had changed significantly in the short time since we drove away the infected.

[There are probably plans for the kids inside that storage, too. I imagine the result would be a beautiful sight. And you would be walking at the center of it.]

"Are you defending her? Loyal, aren’t you?"

[We’re all family. And I don’t think she would ever restrain you for her own desires. I hope you don’t misunderstand that.]

My gaze shifted toward the android storage.

[Anyway, that’s enough complicated talk. That’s all a story for the future, right? Enjoying the present is also important for humans!]

Beep— With Chloro’s words and the sound of the door unlocking, the storage door opened.

[Well then, go ahead. The kids inside, who have been asleep for a long time, are eagerly awaiting their master's touch.]

Following her lead, I stepped into the storage, where countless eyes greeted me. Without realizing it, I muttered to myself, "Wow…”

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