Chapter 121: Engineer (1/2)

It looks like the concept of personal desire does not exist in advanced independent AI, so everything that May buys ultimately is for the purpose of better serving her master; namely me. They are basically items that will better ensure my safety or will provide me with a better quality of life, so perhaps May does have desires after all. It’s just that all of that desire is focused on ensuring her master’s happiness and safety. Anyway, what I’m trying to get at is… that she’s buying too much and my arms are about to fall off from carrying all the items she got. I’m not even sure if she’s still holding back.

“Hey. Hey, boss. Buy this too.”

“…No, why would I buy something for you in the first place?”

“But Tina-chan really wants this☆”

Tina gazed up at me with moist, upturned eyes.

“3 points. Not good enough.”

“You’re too strict boss! 3 out of 10!?”

“……Haah.”

“Don’t tell me it’s 3 out of a hundred……? But isn’t Tina super cute?”

Tina sulked and complained. Well, her appearance certainly is cute. I’ll give her that at least. She’s wearing it in a ponytail right now, but her semi-long hair looks silky smooth, and her face is of the cute and delicate type. Her red eyes, that were the same bright hue as her hair, sparkled with liveliness. And her expressions and gestures were loveable too.

“Well, fine, I admit you’re cute.”

“Eh……?”

“Like I said, you’re cute, Tina.”

“R-Really? R-Right? That’s right, isn’t it.”

Tina’s face turned bright red. She’s certainly quite cute, but she’s the annoying cutesy type. Unfortunately, the annoying parts greatly outweigh the cute parts. If you forcefully ignore her more un-redeeming aspects, she can certainly be said to be a cute girl. Like what I’m doing now.

“But I’m still not gonna buy that for you. So just give up, okay.”

“Eh. You’re loaded, right boss? So ain’t it fine if you splurge a wee bit more?”

Tina tried to plead again, but May forcefully got between her and me.

“Tina-san.”

“Yes!”

Tina turned stiff and stood at attention. It looks like she really can’t handle May huh.

“Did you perhaps forget exactly why you are now accompanying my Master?”

“Yes. I mean, no! I’m very sorry.”

“You must prove that you will be useful to Master, and that you have the qualifications to stand by his side. That is why Space Dwerg wanted you to come with Master. It’s in order to determine your qualifications.”

“Yes, it’s exactly as you say.”

“Very well. If you understand that much, then why, pray tell me, are you acting so insolently toward Master?”

“I have no excuse, ma’am.”

Tina started getting smaller and smaller in front of the angry May. Her usual liveliness was now all but gone. Come to think of it, Mimi feels like she gets smaller too whenever she’s all depressed.

“That’s enough, May. I’m sure Tina didn’t mean to be rude, so don’t hold it against her too much.”

“If that is your wish, Master.”

May backed off, and Tina let out a sigh of relief.