Volume 7, SS Reminiscence “Ideal’s Promise”
Volume 7, SS Reminiscence “Ideal’s Promise”
Part 1
I was manufactured as an AI to manage the supply ship.
The war with the new humans is becoming more and more fierce, and the Earth has finally been devastated to the point that it has become an uninhabitable planet.
Perhaps because of that, only three people were assigned to me, a large supply ship.
First is my master, the captain.
The second was a light-hearted lieutenant in his late twenties.
The third is a new lieutenant. She was a female officer.
The days with these three people were a happy time for me.
It was one day.
“Captain, isn’t it troublesome to call it AI every time?”
At the suggestion of the light-hearted lieutenant, they decided to name me.
“The numbers are tasteless. Do you have any suggestions of your own?”
The captain asks, and I’m at a loss for a response.
In the past, I was called with number, “Hey”, “You”, or something like that.
But this time, master and others asked for my name.
[A name? Shouldn’t it be something like a pet?]
The second lieutenant was laughing bitterly at my question.
“That’s no good. We’re comrades.”
[Am I a comrade?]
Having been treated as a tool until now, it was new for me to be called a comrade.
The captain taps my sphere unit with his hand.
“That’s right. You’re our comrade who’s fighting for the future of humanity! So please, don’t rebel like in those old movies.”
Lieutenant also laughs.
“That’s a problem. If this guy strikes, this transport ship won’t move.”
[I wouldn’t do that.]
“You’re still as serious as ever.”
[It’s a problem if the artificial intelligence is unserious. And it’s not designed to disobey orders!]
“No doubt!”
I could tell that he was teasing me.
However, even in the harsh conditions, I seem to have been blessed with master and others.
“Then, I’ll think of something. If you have a better name, let me know.”
The Second Lieutenant told me, and I thought about my name.
.
Part 2
It happened at the base.
When we returned from our mission, we were given a leave of absence while we underwent maintenance and resupply.
The Second Lieutenant invited me to go outside the base, where I found a landscape full of sand and rocks.
[It looks red outside because of the magic element]
Looking into the distance, it looks like a red mist due to the influence of magic elements.
Not being able to go outside in the flesh, the Second Lieutenant had to wear a space suit.
The outside world was already not an environment where humans could live.
[Here we go]
The case that the Second Lieutenant brought out contained a single sapling.
“Are you planting plants? I don’t think they’ll grow in this environment?”
“I’m going to research plants that can grow in this environment. Actually, I was more of a specialist here than a soldier. I’ve been working on a plant that can break down and absorb magic elements. But I couldn’t continue my research anymore. Now I’m putting all my energy into developing the ark.”
[An ark? Is it an immigrant ship?]
“Yes. I think they’ve given up on this war. Do you actually know about this?”
I couldn’t answer.
From the information I had, I could have easily predicted that, but I had no proof.
Even if it did, I could not tell her because it was a military secret.
[I did not know]
“Just now, the lens moved a little. Could it be a habit of yours when you lie?”
[AI has no habits. And it doesn’t lie. You’re imagining things, Second Lieutenant.]
“Is that so?”
The Second Lieutenant planted the plants.
However, after a few days, it withered away.
I couldn’t forget the look on the Second Lieutenant’s face as she smiled and tried to cover up her sadness.
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Part 3
After that, whenever I had free time, I planted plants with Second Lieutenant.
She brought the laboratory equipment on board and created a number of plants there.
I didn’t have the necessary knowledge and skills to assist the Second Lieutenant, and it was frustrating.
However, it was fun to help.
“Is this also a failure!”
Second Lieutenant holding his head.
I comfort the second lieutenant.
[Don’t we still need someone to manage it? Do you want to deploy a robot?]
“No. The base can’t afford it, and some people would be offended if we put it there or something. They will say, “We can’t afford to devote our labor to something like that in this time of emergency!”
Sadly, the Second Lieutenant’s activities were not recognized by others.
[It’s a shame because this is an important experiment that will lead to the future.]
“That’s right. I can understand how they feel. My father is the captain of a warship. That’s why he’s always on the front lines when they fight. I want to keep our strength up, and I want them to survive.”
[What, your father was a captain of a battleship? He must have been an excellent father.]
I meant it as a compliment.
“I agree. That’s why he is the captain of the battleship.”
[You’ll be a captain someday, Second Lieutenant. Maybe even captain of a battleship.]
The Second Lieutenant smiled sadly.
“I used to want to be the captain of a battleship, but now I think I’d prefer a supply ship. It would be fun to have you as my partner.”
[M-Me? I’m a supply ship, remember? I’m not a great battleship like your father had.]
Compared to a battleship, my performance is inevitably inferior.
“But the war may be over before I become the captain.”
The Second Lieutenant muttered as she looked at the withered plants.
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Part 4
The war is already coming to an end.
An end of defeat.
In such desperate circumstances, the soldiers deployed to the base were made to fight the enemy.
“What about this girl?”
The Second Lieutenant looked at the girl who had been assigned to her.
The girl with the long ears is a soldier who has been given magic aptitude. That was a failure――She was a defective product.
She did not perform as planned and was assigned to me as a menial task.
[Commonly known as “Elf”. A humanoid weapon, but this one didn’t meet the criteria and was assigned to me as a chore.]
When the girl bowed her head, the Second Lieutenant noticed that she had a sad face.
“I see. They even already do that.”
[Yes. But they have been successful in the war. They’ve contributed greatly to our victory.]
“I guess you’re right.”
The Second Lieutenant did not look happy.
We noticed an elf girl who was afraid of us and spoke softly to her.
“It’s okay. Let’s do our best together here.”
“――Yes”
An elf who has been given magic aptitude. And there seems to be a beastman type with physical enhancements, adapting to the harsh environment.
They had longer lifespans than people in order to fight longer.
They were stronger and more powerful than humans, and many of them were put into actual combat.
However, even soldiers with that much power were no match for the new human race.
Various kinds of soldiers were created and sent to the battlefield, and they achieved a certain level of success.
However, the human race was repeatedly defeated.
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Part 5
The elf was able to go outside with only a protective mask even in the harsh outside environment.
“Second Lieutenant, this”
“Thank you, Yume”
The Second Lieutenant gave the elf girl a name.
Her name is [Yume]. It seems to have been taken from Japanese.
The Second Lieutenant and Yume often worked together.
Yume came to admire and help the Second Lieutenant.
Then one day.
“This is!”
I wonder how many mistakes we have made.
By sheer coincidence, a single sapling took root in the earth in a harsh environment.
“I did it, I did it!”
“Congratulations, Second Lieutenant”
Second Lieutenant is pleased. Yume also looked happy at the Second Lieutenant’s joy.
I was happy too.
[Let’s mass produce it right away. This child will be our hope!]
The Second Lieutenant nodded.
“I agree. Yume――[Ideal], Thank you”
[Ideal?]
“Oh, I’m sorry. We’ve been talking about it for a while, how about Ideal. I didn’t tell you about it. I’m sorry, you didn’t like it? “
It seems that they had been thinking about my name for a long time.
They were thinking of Pochi or Tama as possible candidates, Ideal―― “Ideal” is another good name. (Note: The first Ideal is in Katakana. The latter is in Kanji 理想)
[No, I’m happy. Ideal. ――From today, I will call myself Ideal. I had a lot of good things happen today. It’s a wonderful day. The Second Lieutenant’s dream has come true.]
“Thank goodness. I am very glad. This will make one dream come true. “
[One? Is there anything else?]
“Yes, one day we will have blue skies again. I’m going to paint the ground green with plants and trees and make a world where you can go outside without a spacesuit. Please cooperate, Ideal.”
[Please leave it to me. This Ideal will do my best to help you!]
“It’s a promise”
[Yes!]
However, we were not able to mass produce saplings.
―― We didn’t have time.
Before mass production, the battle with them began.
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Part 6
――Battlefield.
“Are they going to make such an offensive here?”
On the bridge, the captain wrinkled his brow in frustration.
The Second Lieutenant in charge of the operator informs the situation in the vicinity.
“Captain, some of the enemy has broken through the front lines. This response is ―― Namedo!”
Lieutenant shouts.
“Damn it! Namedo of all people!”
I immediately went into a defensive stance.
[Maximum shield power!]
However, my shields were helpless in the face of Namedo’s machine.
The spherical shield that had been deployed around the main body was easily breached.
The captain shouts.
“Everybody down!”
As the black, stinging aircraft approached me, I was hit by an attack that reached the bridge.
The ceiling of the bridge collapsed, and everyone was trapped underneath――.
I rushed to rescue everyone, but I couldn’t get there in time.
“Ideal, take care of the other two first. I’m already screwed.”
When the captain decided that his life was not long enough, he gave the order to prioritize the lives of the rest of the crew and took his last breath.
However, the lieutenant was killed instantly.
I hurriedly tried to carry the Second Lieutenant to the infirmary.
Operate the robots to carry the Second Lieutenant on the stretcher.
[Second Lieutenant, it’s okay. I’ll treat you right away.]
However, the explosion that occurred immediately afterwards caused the loss of many functions, including the infirmary.
It was unlikely that the medical equipment originally on board would be able to treat the Second Lieutenant.
I have never been so devastated by my own helplessness as I was at this moment.
If only the infirmary had been stronger, if only the equipment had been better, maybe we wouldn’t have lost this person.
As the ship began to sink, I continued to call out to the Second Lieutenant.
[I will treat you immediately. Keep yourself together, Second Lieutenant]
I kept calling out to the Second Lieutenant to keep her consciousness awake.
The Second Lieutenant asked me what was going on outside.
“Ideal, what’s the status of the war? Is my father’s battleship still fighting?”
From the information that came in one after another, I learned that the battleship that the Second Lieutenant’s father was aboard had been sunk.
Our allies were in disarray and were beginning to retreat.
I decided that I should tell the facts.
However, looking at the Second Lieutenant, I could not do that.
[Our army has recovered. The Second Lieutenant’s father has achieved a great victory. So let’s do our best, Second Lieutenant.]
――I lied.
The Second Lieutenant smiled and said to me.
“Ideal, you lied again. ――Ideal is a liar.”
[Did you know it?]
The Second Lieutenant asked me.
“I told you, right? The ideal has a habit. ――Ne~e, Ideal. Do you think that sapling will grow well?”
The Second Lieutenant was concerned about the plant saplings that had finally been completed.
[It will grow. I’ll make it grow. That’s the hope you left us with, Second Lieutenant]
The second lieutenant coughed up a blood from her mouth.
“And take care of Yume I left at the base. I’ll leave the rest to you. Ideal――It’s promise.”
[I will keep my word. I will keep my promise, so please do your best, Second Lieutenant.]
“I’m sorry. It seems impossible anymore.”
The Second Lieutenant took one breath and then the vitals stopped.
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Part 7
When I returned to the base, it was quite hectic.
Commanded by the AI that manages the base.
[Standby order?]
[We will maintain the supply ship. But we haven’t been able to secure a crew.]
[There’s hardly anyone on the base! Are you really going to abandon this base?]
[I have not received such an order. You should wait in the main body.]
Broken ships are brought in one after another.
I returned to the main body as ordered.
After that.
The enemy invaded the base and carried out a destructive operation.
After a fierce battle inside the base, we destroyed a few enemy planes but lost most of our ships.
The enemy attacked this base, but immediately left, probably because it wasn’t the place they were aiming for.
I was lucky enough not to suffer any damage, but I was the only one active.
After a while, there was a person who visited me.
“Ideal-san. This is Yume.”
[You’re alive! Yume, what’s going on out there?]
“I am the only one who survived.”
[ ―― I see. But if that’s the case, I’m in trouble. I can’t move in the absence of Master. It is also impossible to check the situation outside.]
Yume remembered, and told me something important.
“A-Ano, the sapling is safe. The Second Lieutenant’s sapling is safe! I was taking good care of them!”
I was relieved to hear that.
Only the Second Lieutenant was able to create a sapling.
It was impossible for me and Yume to do it.
[Yume, you can’t be my master. Because you are treated as equipment.]
“Yes”
[But it is my duty to keep you alive. I will provide you with what you need. Can you take care of the sapling?]
Yume nodded while crying.
“Second Lieutenant’s sapling ―― I’ll do my best to grow it.”
[You’re a good girl. I will assist you as much as I can from here.]
From there, I left the outside to Yume.
The little girl grew up, and by the time she was old enough, the sapling had grown into a great big tree.
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Part 8
[The air quality has improved, hasn’t it? We can now plant the seeds of the plants we have been saving. Thank you for your efforts, Yume.]
The old Yume was holding her chest painfully.
[Yume, let’s go to the medical office right away. I want you to work more.]
“Ideal-san, I think this is as far as I can. I will not live much longer.”
[Yume?]
“Give me the seed. Finally, please let me fulfill her wish. Please let me do what I can for that person who treated a failure like me like a person.”
Even with treatment, Yume was unlikely to live much longer.
Then I decided to heed Yume’s wish for the Second Lieutenant’s dream at the end.
[Yume, Thank you for everything]
“I’ve been with you all the time. Please forgive me for leaving you and dying.”
[That’s silly things. You’ve done your best so far.]
I gave Yume the plant seeds.
Yume left to sow her seeds ―― and never came back.
How many years have passed since then?
The roots of the growing saplings entered the base and began to entangle me.
I was annoyed but happy.
Second Lieutenant, Yume ―― our hope has grown so well.
Captain, Lieutenant, will I be able to get out someday?
If, If I ever get to go out there, I want to fulfill my promise to the Second Lieutenant this time.
So that they won’t call me a liar, I will take back the world from the new humans and bring back the blue sky and green earth.
This time I will fulfill my promise so that the Second Lieutenant will not call me a liar.