Chapter 4 (2/2)

“But I want to ride one and I’m a girl.”

“Yes, I would like to ride one as well.”

“Eh? But I’m the one who gets to steer.”

“I would also like to steer.”

“How about we take turns, then?”

“Understood. Let’s take turns steering.”

“Then I’ll draw up the blueprints.”

“And I shall put together a subroutine.”

Standing up, Yuuyami returned to the library.

Lydia opted to continue working outside though, since the weather was so nice.

“Let’s go with an offroad type,” she thought. “One that looks cool.”

Besides, this world had no proper roads.

Lydia rolled around on the ground. She’d been working out the construction of the motorcycle in her head for about two hours, and decided to take a break because she was getting tired.

The earth, lacking in both softness and kindness. When she took a deep breath, she could smell the dried soil. Though the air inside the library was far cleaner, this scent wasn’t bad either.

While watching the clouds pa.s.s by, Lydia thought about the bike.

For its shape, a typical offroad shape was best. She had no intention of adding any strange decorations.

So that the pet.i.te-framed Lydia would be able to handle it, she’d make its length, width and height suitably small. And the seat elevation would conform to her as well. As far as weight went, she wished for it to be as light as possible.

Through the usage of an autogyro system, it would be able to stand on its own. A motor output of 23 kilowatts would be enough. And the intended top speed was 130 kilometers per hour.

She made that decision after determining that that was the highest speed that she would be able to control the bike at. As she’d watched many videos of motorcycle races, this estimate shouldn’t be too far off.

Lydia breathed a little sigh.

“This doesn’t count as a break at all.”

The sky was high up and calm. The season was winter.

Lydia was able to feel the seasons by going outside the library like this.

Remembering the s...o...b..ll fight put her in a playful mood.

And then her thoughts turned towards Yuuyami.

Her beloved Yuuyami. Though she may be of a different race, she was always so kind to her. Her one and only friend.

But sometimes, she felt pangs of jealousy towards her.

Lydia saw Yuuyami as a nearly perfect existence. She’d never won against her in chess, Shogi or Go, nor could she win in terms of rate at which they acquired knowledge.

She couldn’t win against her in terms of pure strength either, and even came to lament her own lack of power on occasion. She even cursed the incomplete nature of humans.

“The driving subroutime that Yuuyami’s making is probably going to be perfect too, but I still don’t want to lose to her,” she thought.

But she didn’t know what exactly it was that she didn’t want to lose at.

“Are we really standing as equals?”

Lydia had never once won against Yuuyami.

“If humans had continued to evolve, how would they have ended up,” she wondered.

Perhaps it would be a lifeform that even surpa.s.sed Yuuyami.

“Umm,” Lydia groaned, “but that seems like it’d be impossible.”

Lydia rolled around on the ground. There wasn’t any deep reason for it, she just felt like doing it. And while rolling around, she came to a sudden realization.

“Yeah, let’s make a garage. We should definitely have one.”

When it came to that type of sudden inspiration, Lydia was superior. Yuuyami had never even had such an experience before.

Lydia felt happy to have realized one of her own good points. Humans weren’t something to be thrown out just yet.

She thought that red would be a good color for the garage.

And the bike’s color was decided as black. Because it was the color of her beloved Yuuyami. If it shared her color, she’d definitely be able to treasure it.

Lydia got right to drawing up blueprints for the garage.

There was a size limit when it came to what the simple parts maker could replicate.

As such, it was necessary to a.s.semble the garage from many smaller parts. Even though she was on the verge of tears, Lydia put her all into its construction.

First, the blueprints were input into the simple parts maker. Then the necessary parts would be replicated. Those parts would be taken outside.

The planned location for the garage was right next to the library’s entrance.

Carry as many parts as possible, then a.s.semble them in order starting with the outer wall. Then repeat.

After three days had pa.s.sed, it was so high up that Lydia was no longer able to reach. She needed to put together something to stand on. And this put her back on the verge of tears.

Even though the garage in the computer was constructed so simply. That’s why she thought it would be no big deal to recreate one in real life. This was a huge mistake.

Lydia realized this on the first day, but she didn’t want to turn back. But now she was at her limit, even though she’d made it this far. She had no strength to go on. She’d thrown her all into this.

“Shall I a.s.sist you?”

Having just completed her driving subroutine, Yuuyami said this.

But Lydia refused. Because it’d make her feel like she’d lost, and she didn’t want that.

“Is that so……”

Yuuyami showed an extremely saddened expression. Even immediately prior to the end of the world, no living thing had ever boasted such a miserable face.

Lydia was struck with a severe sense of guilt and self-loathing.

Yuuyami’s figure as she turned her heel and idly walked away. Seeing that, Lydia felt it hard to breathe.

“Wait! Wait, Yuuyami! I want you to help after all!” Lydia practically screamed.

Stopping in place, Yuuyami spun back around towards Lydia. And then she smiled.

Seeing such an expression suddenly filled Lydia with an incredibly strong feeling of affection for her. So she raced to where she was and embraced her.

“I’m sorry, Yuuyami. I was holding a grudge against you.”

“A grudge?”

Yuuyami gently returned Lydia’s embrace.

“Yeah. I felt kinda like we didn’t actually stand as equals……”

“Objectively,”

“I saw myself as inferior to you, Yuuyami.”

“That’s not true. I gave you that certificate, didn’t I? Yours is an existance that is equal to my own.”

“But-”

“You don’t believe what I said to you?”

With Yuuyami’s words, Lydia finally realized.

To think that she was a lesser lifeform was to not believe in Yuuyami’s certificate.

She shook her head while still resting it Yuuyami’s bosom.

“I believe you. I really believe you. Sorry for saying such weird things.”

“It’s alright, humans grow uneasy sometimes. Don’t worry.

Yuuyami stroked Lydia’s hair.

“I love you, Yuuyami,” Lydia said.

“I love you too, Lydia,” Yuuyami replied with a gentle smile.

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