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Care Bot series, a line of home security and family care droids, was a joint venture product of sorts, with ExaTech providing the basic blueprints and Paradise streamlining the production line for sales.

Ergonomic joints capable of delicate, distinct movements.

A processing circuit that faithfully executes given commands.

Durability that, with proper care and maintenance, can last for generations.

This was the Care Bot product description I’d seen when I visited in person, and occasionally in randomly received web advertisements.

The promotional copy was quite plausible, at least.

This wasn’t some completely ruined world, and if you planned to live your whole life in the city with a normal job… a Care Bot that could take care of bothersome tasks instead of over-investing in Implants, and fill the void in a lonely life, could be the right choice.

…If the price wasn’t set at a level that only the truly wealthy or families could even dare to consider.

“I didn’t expect to gather it all at once like this…”

Having escaped the twisted Paradise Tower, a product of malicious tastes, I headed straight for the robot store.

Freshly out of the hornet’s nest, and having swallowed a lump of corporate money.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t considered the possibility of being followed… but so what if they did? It’s not like I’m running to a gambling den, or scheming to hide money in a shell account and run away.

Of course, in the sense of blowing it all at once, it could be said to be similar to gambling.

Aaron might question my decision to buy a Care Bot right away, claiming it’s my life’s worth, when I don’t even have a proper place to live… but I’m more than confident. Yes.

In line with that, I stroll lightly down the street lined with various shops.

There was no need to worry about whether the store would be open this early.

Even in an era where the city never sleeps, if you divide the members of society who live within, you’ll naturally have people who are active during the day and people who are active at night.

But the foundation of society—business—must not rest for even a moment.

“Ah, come to think of it… the year is about to change?”

I realized as I mulled over the phrases hung like banners on the streetlights everywhere.

It was Paradise Corporation’s outdoor advertisement, saying ‘May 2196 be a prosperous year on Harvest Planet!’ The number was so outrageous that I wondered why they were trying to stimulate the will to work so suddenly… before I realized.

“…One year from now.”

As I quietly rolled it around in my mouth, my chest felt inexplicably constricted.

A time that could be long if it was long, and would fly by in the blink of an eye if it was short.

If I had wanted to prepare a grand plan, I would have settled in Neo Haven long ago… but on the other hand, it was too precious a blank period to just let it pass by without doing anything.

…Well, the world isn’t suddenly going to turn into a sea of fire or undergo a cataclysm when 2197 comes.

It’s just that the major events and figures that will trigger it will begin to appear one by one, and the tension will build beneath the surface.

And even if there are minor changes or differences, I have the confidence to avoid the extra-large landmines that I must never step on… confidence…?

“Huh…”

Oops! I corrected my foot, which had slipped for a moment.

If I stay in a settlement for a while, the whole village gets attacked by gangs. If I try to earn some money, I get caught up in a sudden terrorist attack, and to top it off, I get noticed by a Mega Corp.

I even tried to help the heroine, and it blatantly decorated the news headlines.

It was fortunate that none of the incidents ended in the worst way, or it would have been difficult to spend each day in my right mind.

At least I believed that nothing had happened because of my rash actions. But suddenly, I had doubts.

…Wasn’t it? Was there a lack of sufficient consideration and effort to contemplate from various angles?

Perhaps that was the case.

Everyone is the main character in their own life, but I’m not the type to bring about chaos, and if I can’t find a special cause, then the problem must lie in the choices I made carelessly, thinking that this much is okay.

From now on, let’s be more careful about where I step.

I passed through the entrance, which had no special greeters or even the common automated voice guidance, and entered the interior.

Past the dazzling frontline displays, where the desire for mechanical coolness was still strong, to the non-mainstream Droid corner, which was not easily visible from the outside.

Some of the models around had either found owners or had their display order changed, but that Care Bot, with only its basic frame, was quietly guarding its place.

Finally, I arrived at the starting line to leave for Neo Haven.

Now, the only remaining obstacle is for the can to wake up safely.

To do that, I need to finalize the purchase and ask the person in charge to install it…

“…Excuse me?”

Even when I muttered quietly, the bleak atmosphere didn’t dissipate.

Before, when there were many customers looking around and I didn’t have any Credits to spend, I was glad that no employee came, but why is it so desolate when I’m the only visitor?

It’s not like I want to be treated like a nouveau riche just because I’m going to spend a lot of money, but I think they should at least let me buy the damn product.

If there’s no checkout counter and no employees, they should at least write down some kind of guide on how the store is operated…!Insufficient balance. –

“…Huh?”

Maybe I’m too small to be seen, I thought, and in frustration, I stood on tiptoe and waved my hand wildly to call someone, but suddenly a strange mechanical sound played.

The merciless and deeply embarrassing declaration that is made when you forget to charge your card when taking the bus or subway.

Why did that come out here? Looking at the display case, there was a small line under the part where the price was specified.

Yes, the red line on the checkout counter that seemed like it would accurately recognize if you held your wrist with the implanted barcode over it.

“Really… stingy… stingy!”

While complaining, I quickly poured the Credits I had been collecting separately from the reward money I had transferred to the black market account into my wallet. I moved my wrist as if swiping a card.Thank you for using ExaTech Corporation’s direct sales store, Harvest Planet Branch 1! The manager who will help you with customization and product pickup is heading to your location, so please wait a moment and we will serve you with sincerity! –

100 million Credits neatly deducted. And even a kind announcement to stay put and wait.

Having barely reached the ranks of customers, I was finally able to receive the services of this crazy unmanned store…

“Thank you for visiting our ExaTech store and purchasing our product! Now, come…! Come this way, customer!”

“…Yes.”

ExaTech, the master and maestro of mechanical engineering.

Apparently… if a physical defect occurs due to a work-related disaster or accident, they have a strange policy of providing free experimental alternative procedures with the consent of the person involved to increase loyalty.

Perhaps because of this, ExaTech’s high-ranking officials had far more parts made of metal than protein.

Then, what kind of stray bullet did this person get hit by…?

“All the items inside the store are samples, and the actual products sold can be watched being assembled in real time while consulting on detailed options here!”

A cheerful voice that doesn’t match his appearance at all eases the tension.

“I personally brought a part that I definitely want to replace. Is this also possible…?”

“Customization is always possible!”

When our eyes met through the narrow gap, the manager smiled reassuringly.

Following him, whose face looked like he was wearing an iron mask and who had a dark blue metallic prosthetic hand, I entered the inner consultation room.

In terms of structure, it was closer to an interrogation observation room from a spy movie than a consultation room, but anyway.

Beyond the large window, the Care Bot body that I had paid for a little while ago was surrounded by more than ten mechanical arms, waiting for its owner.

“First, would you like to look at the transformer part that determines the output? Or would you like to choose the personality to install first? Or perhaps the external armor that determines the impression? You can choose whatever you like, or you can take it as is without any problems! You’ve already paid for it, after all.”

“Ugh?!”

I groaned at the parts catalog that was suddenly thrust towards my face along with the lengthy explanation.

Dozens of options on the screen alone, and thousands of such pages.

At first glance, countless fantasies that stimulate a man’s desires blurred my vision, but there was a practical problem.

It would be difficult to add this and that with only about 10 million Credits to spare… but what scratched my nerves even more was the word ‘taste’.

Legally, it may just be treated as a possession, but I wasn’t going to all this trouble just to get a convenient servant. It’s because it’s the right thing to do, and because I promised on the line of the entrusted heart.

…Click!

So that not a speck of dust would get on it, so that it wouldn’t get scratched by mistake. The processing unit surrounded by a soft cloth revealed its shape under the bright light for the first time in a long time.

I carefully handed the manager the soul of the can that I had taken out of the can.

If possible, I didn’t want to entrust it to the hands of someone I didn’t know even for a moment… but if a non-expert tried to do it haphazardly with only enthusiasm, the cost of failure would be too great.

“Personality installation is not necessary. First… replace the central processing unit with this and turn on the power. You can let him decide on the options himself.”

It was a word filled with the determination that I wouldn’t let them get away with it if anything went wrong, or if they had the desire to check the data inside and steal it.

But whether he knew my terrifying determination or not, the manager looked over the received part and then coldly explained the current situation with a sigh.

“Oh dear…! Customer, you’ve made a mistake. There are occasionally people who cherish the processing unit because they want to keep the personality of the robot they used to use… but if a separate backup has not been made, there is a possibility that some volatile memories or data may be incompletely preserved?”

“Wh… what?!”

I inadvertently asked him, who was explaining the mechanic’s expertise that if you want to perfectly transplant artificial intelligence, you must transfer it to a new device while it is running.

A mistake…? My mistake? No, there was no other way at the time, so it couldn’t be helped.

But what if the person I should be making excuses to has already disappeared forever? Do I have to face the consequences of my selfishness as it is?

“…Don’t worry too much. Important content is rarely classified as volatile memory, even in low-level artificial intelligence.”

Perhaps out of consideration for my dazed appearance, he left to carry out the requested service.

Even if I wanted to prepare myself, data is something that gets damaged if it is left in a memory device with the power cut off for a long time.

Trying to restart it as soon as possible would be the way to go for him.

Whirring…!!

A fierce driving sound rang out and the mechanical arms began to move simultaneously.

It was just a scene of replacing parts, but to my eyes, it was no different from brain surgery.

It took an absurdly short amount of time to open the head of the Care Bot in an empty state, replace it with the can’s processing unit, and connect it.

“……”……. –

I stared directly at the Care Bot, its inner light visible through the thin glass.

I was too pathetic to afford three scanners like before, but since it only had one eye, it was easy to tell where its gaze was directed.

There were so many things I wanted to say.

The warnings I’d received sparked fearful imaginings, and I desperately wanted to remain silent until it spoke first. But… the first question I would ask this idiot when it was powered on again had been decided long ago.

“…You, tell me your real name now.”

To that plea, filled with earnestness.Command, received. –

Came the inorganic and monotonous voice of the Care Bot.