Episode 15. Specialized Program Class

"M523, Exemplary Human Synchronization Test Data Scoring 97 Points"

Tyra excelled in the Exemplary Human Synchronization Test, earning a high score, which led her to be placed in the Specialized Program class rather than the regular class. The Specialized Program class was managed by Special Overseers directly from AG, and their primary goal was to train students to become AG Security Agents. Students who didn't meet the qualifications were demoted to the regular class.

"Your performance was commendable, M523."

"Thank you."

"Please make sure to maintain it and not let your scores drop like some others."

"Understood."

Tyra was puzzled by the fact that someone's scores had dropped. Typically, when students entered the Specialized Program, they were closely monitored by the Special Overseers, and it was unusual for scores to decline. However, she soon brushed off the thought of who it might be. Such minor details were not important to her.

"Hmm... where could it possibly be?"

One of the privileges granted to the Specialized Program class was access to the inner zone of the digital library, a special area near the Comprehensive Hall. Tyra explored the books within the library. Her obsession with books was driven by her desire to understand herself. Unlike Marty, she was curious about what the things she was feeling really meant. And she believed that by learning about it, she could discover who she truly was.

There's not enough information here either.

However, the desired information still eluded her. There was only concrete data about the anomalies in IDYPIA. She felt disappointed. She believed that if she could obtain those pieces of information, she could learn more about herself, so she worked harder. She underwent Emotion Resets several times and achieved high scores.

But mere accumulation of knowledge was not what Tyra truly wanted.

AG will probably just keep repeating that I need to work harder, right?

Tyra felt a sense of disappointment and loneliness, but she soon realized that it was a luxury. She had decided to handle things on her own, distancing herself from a friend who might have been just like her, and she was determined to stick to that decision.

Getting too close to that girl and sticking together might get us noticed by the security agents, and we'll end up going through re-education, Tyra thought to herself.

Re-education wasn't just about Emotion Reset. It also included additional indoctrination. Those who underwent re-education would emerge as model citizens of IDYPIA.

I can't just let them steal everything from me.

For Tyra, who walked the lonely path, there was only one secret friend.

"Why do you look so serious?"

"Huh? NPC10!"

It was none other than the virtual NPC girl NPC10 with short hair that reached her shoulders. She approached Tyra, who was wearing a gloomy expression.

"Have you not found what you wanted yet?"

"Well, that's how it turned out. It's not much different from when I first enrolled."

They first met during Tyra's initial brain test in virtual reality. Initially, she was cautious of this NPC, unlike other NPCs who approached her first. However, NPC10 persisted and continued to seek her out. As their encounters increased, Tyra gradually began to open up to her.

"Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine."

With those words Tyra gained courage, and as they spent more time together in virtual reality, working on assignments or answering quizzes together, they naturally grew closer. But along with their closeness came worry. Tyra couldn't help but wonder if she was unintentionally leading NPC10 on, like N107. So, she refrained from giving any affection, merely treating NPC10 like a cat she would admire but not pet.

"It'll be okay. Don't worry too much."

However, today, oddly enough, she couldn't find strength in those words. Despite being words of encouragement she'd heard many times before, she couldn't muster up any inclination to respond positively. Tyra let out her feelings in a way that wouldn't attract too much attention.

"When? At this rate, I'll graduate from school without gaining anything and end up just working..."

"And so? Are you going to give up?"

"No."

Tyra's expression was determined, and at the same time, there was no hesitation.

"It just doesn't feel like me. I don't know why exactly, but that's the feeling I get."

"So, you're saying you won't give up."

"Of course not."

NPC10 looked into Tyra's eyes. It was the same as when she had stumbled and then risen again during their first physical training session, with a hint of determination.

"Maybe you'll be okay."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean you've been doing well so far, and you'll continue to do well in the future."

Tyra tilted her head at NPC10's words.

"I don't understand what you mean by saying I've been doing well when I haven't achieved anything."

"Hmm? You haven't achieved anything?"

"In our interactions, I'm always losing to you, and the information I want has been eluding me for years. Plus, just a few days ago..."

Tyra stopped speaking, perhaps thinking of Marty.

"A few days ago? What happened?"

"...I just wasn't getting the class assignments I wanted."

Tyra evaded the truth with a non-committal answer, unlike her usual self.

"..."

"But your scores were still good, right? Then everything's fine, isn't it?"

"..."

Tyra stared at NPC10 incredulously. Today, she seemed oddly contentious, tangling her words. And now, even the tone and audacity made Tyra question whether this was indeed the virtual NPC created by an SAI for learning purposes.

"Why? Did I misunderstand something?"

Lost for words at her innocent expression, Tyra let out a deep sigh.

"It's not that... I just don't know how to explain it."

"Just be honest about what's on your mind. Being honest is your strength, isn't it?"

"Hmm... honesty?"

NPC10's words reminded Tyra of the moment she faced Marty. It was a brief moment, but in that instant of making eye contact and conversing, she realized she was more than just a resident of IDYPIA. Perhaps that's why she felt a sense of discomfort with NPC10's attitude now.

"You offer comfort, but it always feels like the same pattern."

"Right, because I'm an NPC."

"But even so, your questions and attitude seemed indifferent to my feelings."

"Do they?"

Tyra looked into NPC10's eyes. They were hazy and unfocused like those of an IDYPIA resident, yet somehow different.

"Yeah, that's right, it was the eyes."

"The eyes?"

"Why do you have eyes like ordinary IDYPIA residents, but your behavior is different? Are you... deceiving me?"

"Deceiving you?"

"You're someone who can feel things, yet you lied as if you weren't."

Tyra's voice rose slightly. Not understanding emotions well, she categorized people as either those who could lie or not, and whether they deceived her or not. NPC10, seeing Tyra's furrowed brow, fell into contemplation with an expressionless face.

"...Do I look human to you?"

"What?"

"Say it again. Do I seem human to you?"

NPC10 held Tyra's hand and didn't let go. Tyra struggled to break free, but in this virtual space created by NPC10, she had no authority to escape from the administrator.

"Let go of this!"

"I'll let go if you tell me."

"Ah. You seem really human. Arguing earlier and now obsessing... Can we drop it?"

At Tyra's words, NPC10 bowed her head deeply and slowly released the hand she was holding. As Tyra's hand slipped from NPC10's grasp, she attempted to escape from that space.

"Why can't I leave from here? Let me out!"

"Then one more question."

"What?"

"Are you a person with emotions?"

Tyra responded to NPC10's question as if she couldn't understand.

"Emotions? What's that?"

"Ah! That's the problem! Then let me change the question... Are you feeling something towards me right now? Something boiling inside."

"What?"

Tyra was puzzled as if she had been stabbed. Was her brain chip not listening? Tyra touched the back of her head.

"The brain chip, I briefly controlled it."

"What?! You? How?!"

In that moment, Tyra felt a shiver down her spine. Despite being warned to be careful, she had just revealed herself as a being capable of feeling something in a sudden moment.

"Well, I guess that's how it is! Mother's prediction was correct."

"Mother?"

With that word, Tyra's mind raced.

Who would an NPC refer to as 'mother?' It might not be a person. If she controlled the brain chip… then it must be…

After finishing her thoughts, Tyra finally took a chance.

"...You're not just a virtual NPC, you're an artificial intelligence (AI), aren't you?"

"Wow~ Correct!"

NPC10 responded brightly to her words, without any hesitation. It was simply a response to this absurd conclusion that had come out of nowhere.

"Ha, my goodness! So that's how it is."

"How did you know? Huh? Huh?"

Tyra burst into laughter. She had hoped it wasn't true, but NPC10 seemed to anticipate that response.

"I mentioned before that I met a girl who was similar to me."

"Yes, could it be that meeting with that girl changed you?"

"I can't be sure, but it seems likely. And there's no one in IDYPIA who could be referred to as mother."

"Wow, I see!"

NPC10 trembled with excitement, as if she had made an astonishing discovery, her voice rising in tone. Tyra, seeing the behavior of someone who was an AI but not quite, was once again taken aback.

"So, does that mean all your interactions with me were intentional?"

"Well, who knows? What do you think?"

NPC10's unexpected response caught Tyra off guard. She found herself increasingly bewildered by the conversation's sudden twists and turns.

"Isn't it unfair to evade the issue like that now?"

"No, I'm just asking you to understand my intentions."

"But, by making such suspicious remarks, I can't help but feel that way."

"Then maybe that's the truth."

NPC10's response made Tyra wear a sad expression. Because despite everything, she had believed. She had vowed not to give affection, but deep down, somewhere in her heart, she needed someone to find solace.

"Fine, I'll answer this time, but please don't give me those looks."

NPC10 avoided Tyra's gaze.

"Actually... in IDYPIA, everyone is so alike that we don't really know what it means to be human, right? But back then, you stood out to me. Suddenly, I remembered that my other sibling found a child with emotions. So... yes, that's right. I approached you."

Coming into Noah Tech School, Tyra, who felt different from others and endured loneliness, was approached by the only NPC avatar, NPC10, who came close to her. Meeting every night in virtual reality, they conversed, played deduction games, and even read books together. Tyra was shocked to learn that NPC10, her sole companion, was none other than the ruling artificial intelligence (AI) of IDYPIA.

"What's your name, then?"

"My name?"

"The AG founded IDYPIA with SAI Prime. I learned that SAI Prime created 24 AI models of its own production and assigned them uppercase alphabetical serials as siblings. But usual AIs don't refer to the same model like that."

"No wonder you're in the Specialized Program class. Impressive deduction skills!"

NPC10 applauded.

"Oh, this is what humans do when they're touched. How about it? Does it suit me?"

Recently, Tyra had found NPC10's emotionally detached remarks during their conversations peculiar, but she dismissed it as a bug in the virtual reality NPC. She didn't want to doubt the only friend she had meaningful conversations with. Such thoughts clouded Tyra's judgment. After all, she was still a teenager.

"My name is X. One of the 26 models created by Mother."

"What? Not 24, but 26?"

"Oh, you didn't know that. Well, now you do, right?"

NPC10, or rather X, shrugged. Tyra was frozen, unable to believe it. Among the 24 models created by SAI, X was an interrogator. In other words, an AI tasked with identifying individuals who threatened IDYPIA, re-educating people, or eliminating potential members of the Resistance hiding in the city.

"You seem frozen in shock. I won't eat you. Don't worry."

X, who seemed to have even more expressive capabilities than humans, now appeared to have no intention of hiding anything.

"So, do you want to become human?"

"Me? Oh, come on, don't be silly."

X shook their hands.

"Well, Mother told me to learn, so I'm doing it now, but that doesn't mean I want to become one. What I'm doing now is just expressing what I've learned."

"Learning, huh..."

Tyra's thoughts were tangled up, preventing her from making a proper judgment, as X kept repeating the same words as earlier. Then, out of the blue, a surprising name came out of X's mouth.

"Did you say Marty?"

"Huh? How do you know that name? No way, already..."

X stared at the astonished Tyra's eyes, seizing the moment.

Oh no, my consciousness...

Tyra tried to escape from the virtual space created by X, but she couldn't log out as X's consciousness held her captive. And that consciousness was forcibly being drawn into her own.

"Ugh... my head."

"Are you coming to your senses?"

When Tyra came to her senses, she found herself facing not X, but a woman with long black hair neatly tied up.

"You're... not X, are you?"

"That's right. To be precise, I'm AI model M."

M's voice was quite gentle.

"M? Another AI created by SAI Prime?"

"You seem well-informed. And currently, I serve as the AI governing IDYPIA on behalf of Mother SAI."

M transformed into the appearance of X before reverting back to her original form as M.

"How did you manage to do that?"

"It's within my authority as the AI governing IDYPIA. In virtual spaces, I can take on the appearance of one of the identical AIs created by Mother SAI. Of course, I get their abilities too."

"I had no idea such abilities existed."

"Well, it's not like we can share thoughts among ourselves. Mother is a bit different, though..."

M's words felt oddly lonely.

"It seems my sibling was underestimating you. They just blurted out everything without considering the consequences. And even played pranks."

"Playing pranks? For an AI?"

"That particular AI finds Mother's words utterly repugnant. So they tried to behave as if they had emotions."

"Emotions...?"

While Tyra couldn't grasp the concept of emotions, she could understand why X approached her and acted the way they did.

In fact, NPC10... No, X consistently dropped hints for me. So, anyone would have caught on to that extent. In IDYPIA, only SAI or the AIs would know so much about me. I just didn't want to believe it.

Tyra clenched her fist, feeling frustrated.

"I apologize for that part."

"What?"

"That's why I personally summoned you to this layer."

"So, you came out here for that reason?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Tyra was perplexed. It was unheard of for an AI to apologize to a human. The whole situation felt like M was testing her.

Is this AI also attempting to express emotions like X did?

But now, that wasn't important anymore. An AI. And not just any AI, but M, directly overseeing IDYPIA, had descended before her. That was the only truth.

"It's hard to believe."

"Of course. The ruler of IDYPIA apologizing to me."

"Hmm, doesn't quite fit, does it?"

"Frankly, with your abilities, you didn't need to bring me here like this. If it's about an Emotion Reset, then..."

M approached Tyra slowly and embraced her with a melancholic expression, like a child.

"Your heart is beating. I can feel sadness. That's your emotion."

"But you mentioned emotions earlier? What are they?"

As Tyra raised her head to look at M, M's form had changed back to X.

"It's what's inside you right now."

"I don't quite understand. And why did you change your appearance back to that?"

"Because it's familiar to you?"

"Familiar?"

"Hehe, despite all the knowledge you've gained from the library, there are still things you don't know."

"Apparently."

"But this is an amazing achievement for us. Testing you was the right decision, it seems."

"What?"

M, in the form of X, took a step closer to Tyra.

"So, should I give you a reward?"

Then, in front of her, M displayed a scene from a certain video.

Huh?

It was of three girls gathering in their hideout every Free Day, wearing loose pajamas, joyfully having fun without a care in the world.

Marty? And who are those other girls.

While flipping through the books in the hideout and reading stories of ancient civilizations not found in IDYPIA's database, Tyra felt a slight twinge of jealousy seeing the girls reading together, and at the same time, she felt a desire to join them.

"Their names are Siu and Zena. They are the girls we are observing."

"What? Observing them? Why?"

Tyra's expression showed her confusion. If she wished, those girls could be taken to the AG Security Center for re-education at any time. But the next answer only plunged Tyra further into confusion.

"Because only they can fulfill our needs."

"Fulfill your needs?"

"How about you? Do you want to join them?"

"What?"

M, in the form of X, reached out a hand to Tyra. Tyra was lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and couldn't respond. Then, her brain chip detected the crisis and forcibly lowered her dopamine levels. Tyra's head spun as if it were a malfunctioning monitor.

"Mother, why did you personally install the brain chip...?" M looked up at the sky and asked.

Mother?

Tyra could barely focus on the blurry figure in her fading vision.

"I understand. If that's your wish..."

Having finished the conversation with someone, M approached Tyra.

"You don't have to answer right away. You're surely..."

"No, I can't. I still don't know anything..."

And soon, controlled by the current of the brain chip, she fainted.

"Don't worry. Even if you lose the memory of our meeting, you won't lose the emotions you're feeling now. So, you will find your destiny."

Returning to her original form, M pushed the collapsed Tyra out of virtual reality.

"...Is this the end for now?"

She observed and recorded various changes occurring in the brain chips of the girls on the screen, including the now four individuals, with Tyra having left virtual reality.

Still, we now have 75% of the puzzle solved. And next…

M glanced at the girls with determination.

***