Chapter 1 (2/2)
“Nope. To me, it’s meaningless.”
“And why is it meaningless?”
“I wonder. It’s just like, I feel like ‘I’m fine like this.'”
“Very well. And why is this?”
“Umm…… maybe it’s because I never had any memories to begin with?”
“I do not believe that to be the case. You appear to be between twelve and fourteen years of age. So in other words, you must have been in operation for at least that amount of time.”
“Hmm…”
“She does have a point there,” the girl thought to herself. But she still didn’t feel any need to forcibly drag up her memories.
In this moment, the girl had been reborn. And this was fine.
She can just decide on a name for herself and create new memories from here on out. There wasn’t any inconvenience in this.
“However, I won’t force the matter.”
“Oh. Then let’s not worry about it.”
“Understood. Then I won’t worry about it,” she readily obeyed the girl. “However, please undertake a physical examination. Just in case.”
“Alright. Be gentle, okay?”
“Yes. I will be careful.”
For some time, the two silently met each other’s gazes.
“Umm,” the girl spoke up in an apologetic tone. “Are we going to do it right away?”
“No. There is no hurry.”
“Is that right.”
“Yes. Because we have plenty of time.”
“If we have time, could you tell me what I look like?”
“Very well. From appearances, you seem to be half caucasian and half oriental. Your pale skin is reminiscent of a snowscape.”
“A snowscape?”
While the girl did know what snow was, she was unable to picture what it looked like.
“By which I mean that it’s beautiful.”
Upon recieving her praise, the girl’s cheeks became flushed.
“Let us continue,” she said. “Your height is 152 centimeters. Your weight is 39 kilos. Though it is below the general average, I consider it healthy for someone who has just awakened from suspended animation.”
“Wait a minute.”
“Very well.”
“How can you tell my weight just by looking?”
“Aah,” she nodded.
“That is because I was holding you,” she gestured like she was using both arms to hold something, “and brought you here.”
“I see,” the girl nodded. “Where did you bring me from?”
“From around 44 kilometers north of this place. I rescued you after you had lost consciousness.”
“Why 44 kilometers away from here?”
The girl knew the term “kilometer.” Despite having no concrete memory, she did think that it must have been pretty far away.
“Me? Or you?”
“Either-or.”
“You were unconscious.”
“You just said that. Why did I faint?”
“I deduced that it was due to weakness caused by moving around without eating after having awakened from suspended animation. Because I treated you, you are no longer in a weakened state.”
“I see. Thanks for rescuing me.”
“As my ethical subroutines are in working order, the decision to rescue you was a matter of course.”
“Hmm,” the girl said. “So what were you doing there?”
“Exploring. With this location as a center base, I explore the area. Because there may be something new to be found.”
“Like how you picked me up?”
“Correct. You are the first lifeform I’ve met since I began exploring.”
“There aren’t any other lifeforms?”
“Not within a radius of 40 kilometers, no. But if I continue exploring, there is a possibility of meeting other lifeforms. I don’t believe that their numbers would be very many, though.”
“Why?”
“Because the world has been destroyed.”
“Why was it destroyed?”
“Unknown. I am a LM-Series…… short for ‘Library Management Series.'”
“Hm,” the girl responded.
“As such, it is my job to maintain this library.”
“This place is a library?”
The girl took a look around.
There certainly were a number of computer terminals lined up, as well as many bookshelves.
This sight did match the girl’s general image of what a library was. Although she had no memory of ever having visited one before.
“Yes, this is an underground library. Due to its robust construction, it can also function as a shelter when necessary.”
“Hmm.”
“Continuing on,” she said, “On that day, I was cleaning the library like usual. Just as I considered that it wasn’t quite time to open yet, there was a sudden shock and the external power cut off. As it was never restored, I switched it over to a private generator, checked outside, and discovered that the world had ended.”
“So you’re still using that private generator?”
“Yes, it should last for about twenty more years. But just in case, I’ve also started a project to install solar panels outside.”
“Huh…”
“In conclusion, the reason for the destruction of the world is unknown.”
“Oh. Well, I guess it can’t be helped if it was destroyed.”
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
To the girl, the world may as well never have existed in the first place. Regardless of whether it had been destroyed or if it was prospering, she had no memory of it.
And so, she didn’t care either way. She had no reason to lament or to rejoice.
“May I change the subject of our conversation?” she asked.
“That’s fine, change it to whatever you want,” the girl replied.
“Yes. So… will you be my friend?”
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