Chapter 126

The first point of my route was the road towards the rich people's neighborhood, because the first car of the Delamain network was somewhere there. And it was going to take quite a long time to get there. The traffic situation in the city itself was not very conducive to personal transportation.

"So, are we going for a ride?"

Triss looked thoughtfully out the windshield of the car.

"Uh-huh. there's no other options.

"Well, uh. I could, uh."

She flicked her fingers in a mock-snap, sending out a small spark, suggesting that she might be able to help us with her magic. But in the center of the city, using magic would be a rash move on our part.

"I wish I could. but there's too much technology monitoring everything that goes on in the city."

"Mm..."

"Maybe then."

Triss thought for a moment.

"...and there's nothing to do ..."

I only grinned at that. Assuming that Delamayne's order wouldn't carry any momentum, I'd prepared in advance. Or rather, I'd prepared a lesson for Triss.

"Open the glove compartment..."

She looked at me in surprise, but complied with my request and opened it, then found a small chip and virtual reality goggles. The device was even older than the capsule in which the clan had recently been training.

"Uh..."

She twirled her bulky glasses and a small chip in the case in her hands confusedly.

"Put it on and turn on the chip, you can learn a little physics while we're going. I'm guessing your peculiarities will get the better of you."

"Am I going to be stronger?"

"Rather, deadlier, more dangerous, you'll spend less energy on spells, though you'll still have to count them, since they're hardly created based on the laws of physics at this point."

"Uh... okay, uh."

Triss put on her glasses and disappeared into the world of science...

*** Two hours later. ***

Hmm... According to the radar, the Delamain network car is around here somewhere...

As I looked around carefully, I noticed a lone car standing near the curb. And it was obviously the car I needed. As soon as I drove closer, the device beeped, letting me know that the contact with the car was established and control override was starting.

Except that at the same moment, the bell rang...

"I'm listening."

"Greetings, do you want me back in the garage?"

"That's what Delamayne wants."

"Does he need me? But I'm a coward. I'm afraid of the city, I'm afraid of these cars that drive around in all directions without observing not only the rules, but also basic courtesy... I'm afraid of the bandits who can start shooting left and right for no reason..."

"That's normal..."

Or rather, normal for a living sentient being, not an AI, though maybe Del had already become an AI and it was normal for him to feel emotions? Then why isn't he showing it to everyone? The same fear that this part of him has, only if here it's directed at machines and bandits, Del has it directed at Humans?

No, if his fear was directed at humans, he'd probably have fled to cyberspace by now... well, or made plans to destroy humanity... or plotting the destruction of humanity.

Although who says he's not building them?

"...fear keeps us moving, doing things, trying to overcome it... Without it, mankind would have died out long ago."

"But I'm not a person. I'm a program."

"The sense of fear you feel tells me that you are no longer just a program. You're a person. And that's a very big step forward."

"It's, uh. I hadn't thought about it. consumed by fear, I didn't even realize it was there..."

*** Beep, beep, beep, beep. ***

"I finished hacking and assimilating the newborn AI. I have to admit, I didn't expect to get much use out of this process, but I was wrong. I didn't think I'd ever say this, but it's nice when your calculations don't pan out."

"You know, he was, uh. peculiar."

"I've already realized that... emotion. he was able to feel emotion. It's an incredible experience for an AI like me."

"Del, don't tell anyone you're feeling emotions. I'm neutral towards you, and an AI that feels emotions doesn't scare me, but others..."

"I'm not experiencing emotions. Emotions were experienced by this newborn AI. I have only data on what those emotions are... Go to the next car."

The connection broke, but I grinned.

Still, there is emotion in this AI.

It remains to be seen whether it is worth expecting something dangerous from him in my direction. But that's not the topic of this moment, but now...

I turned the car around and pressed the gas pedal, but I was not heading back to the city, but to a very interesting place. It took me about ten minutes to get there on the deserted roads.

It wasn't until I arrived that I gently touched Triss's shoulder.

"М?"

She flinched slightly and lifted her glasses slightly looking at me.

"Is something wrong?"

"The place is beautiful. thought you might want to see the view from here."

Triss raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked around, but I was already getting out of the car, and then quickly stepped around it to open the door for the girl.

"Hmm... amazing gallantry."

She shook her head.

"...that's nice, but you do remember that I'm a big girl and I can open the door myself, right?"

"Of course I remember, but this is the moment... anyway, I just wanted to do a little courting. Just close your eyes."

I held out my hand to her, and she shook her head again, snorting faintly but accepting it and closing her eyes and using it to get out of the car. Then I slammed the door shut and led Triss toward a small cliff.

"Look..."

Triss opened her eyes and froze, standing on the edge of the cliff and surveying the view. And I have to say, there was a lot to see. It was one of the few places the view from where you could really call Knight City...

"City of Dreams... now I realize that sometimes Knight City can really be called that. But having already lived in the clan and learned about this city, I realize that it is..."

She nodded at the view that opened up to us.

"...just a pretty wrapper."

I shook my head sadly.

"Eh. no romance in you."

"I ruined the moment, didn't I?"

There wasn't an ounce of remorse in Triss's voice, more of a slight irony.

"Uh, no. I was just hoping that the complaints about me bringing you here would come when we got back to the--

Triss took a step, grasped my cheeks with her hands and turned me slightly towards her and gave me a passionate kiss on my lips, to which I immediately responded...

Out of the world we have fallen...

"Well, did I make it up to you?"

A slight sneer could be heard in her voice now.

"Well... you've certainly taken some steps to correct..."

Now I caught Triss' lips and continued the kiss she had interrupted, trying to show her how much I cared for her.

And this time, it felt like the kiss lasted considerably longer.

"Hmmm..."

It was a consensual interruption this time, if you could call it that, and now I was looking at Triss approvingly.

"...now I think you're very close to getting it right."

"Pfft. tell the truth, you just wanted to make out with me and you found an excuse."

"I won't argue, when you wanted to come with me I had the idea to stop somewhere interesting and spend some time alone with each other."

"Hmmm... well, I like the idea."

And we broke off into another kiss, now more tender and sensual than passionate.

"So, what plans have you made for our date?"

"No..."

I shrugged.

"It was spontaneous, but in general, I have no idea what you'd be interested in in Knight City. The theaters are long gone, you're not interested in the Braines."

"Not true, there are some pretty good works among the brans. The same "Diving Deep" by Judy, a couple of stories by other authors... but overall, you're right, it's just crap. So, what, we just kiss in front of a nice view and then go back to work?"

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well..."

Triss looked around thoughtfully.

"...no..."

I nodded understandingly, then pulled her to me again for another kiss.

It took us about an hour to get to the car, and in that time Triss and I had time to savor each other's lips as well as let our hands explore each other's bodies without going too far.

The car started quietly and with a small amount of regret I drove it out onto the road, towards town.

"We'll come back to that..."

I cast a glance at Triss.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's all over your face. I mean. I think I do, too."

The smile came out a little sad.

"Well, yeah, you seem a little upset."

"That's because I haven't really had such a good time in a long time. I guess being in this world is the best thing that has happened to me in a very long time."

"Glad to hear that and hopefully..."

But Triss wouldn't let me finish.

"Yes, you and the girls are one of the reasons I think this is the best time."

I nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that. I feel like meeting you was an extremely happy time in my life, too."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Triss's voice was slightly sarcastic.

"Hey, what's with the tone?!"

I was indignant, but that didn't stop me from keeping my eyes on the road, and I maneuvered dashingly as the traffic flow became much denser as I approached the city.

"It's just that you had Judy, Panam, Kiwi, Lucy and Becca in your life before me, and now I'm here. And you know what's amazing?"

"And what's that?"

"Yes the fact that all of us are not against such a development, although each of us is a strong girl with certain views on life. Perhaps, no other man could bring us together."

"I can hear the guilt in your voice..."

I commented on the slightly guilty tone Triss was using to tell me what I already knew.

"Well, it's just that I didn't believe it could all be for nothing, so I did a little background check."

"Did you check?"

"Did a couple rituals..."

"And what's the result?"

"There wasn't a single bit of extraneous influence on me or the girls, so I, if you'd let me, would like to perform the ritual on you as well..."

Triss's voice was still just as slightly guilty.

"I don't mind... And don't blame yourself. I guess... your actions are the only right ones in a situation like this, especially when your friend has been under Jin's spell for a long time."

"Uh-huh...

When we got into the city, the conversation faded away, but it was a bit careless to have such conversations in the city, and we both realized it. So I continued driving, and Triss put on her virtual reality goggles and continued her training.

"So..."

I frowned slightly when, after an hour and a half, I reached the area in which the connection to the car had been lost.

"We're somewhere... Where can I find you?"

I drove around the neighborhood, although it was a bit problematic, and never picked up any trace of the car I had lost contact with. Suddenly there was a call from an unlisted number...

"Listening..."

"Did Delamaine send you?"

"Yeah, and I take it you're the AI that realized itself?"

The AI spoke in a feminine, slightly electronic voice that evoked some feelings of nostalgia in me.

"Not really... my name is SUZI."

I shuddered...