Immortal Children

Chapter 6.1

Housekeeper Droid

Translated by KuroNeko
Edited by KuroNeko

Misuzu and I walk into a square chamber constructed of white, polished steel.

When the bulkhead leading to the abandoned nursery closes, all lights except the warning indicator lights are switched out, and the dimly lighted chamber descends silently.

I spoke out, as though to reassure Misuzu, who had been startled by the unexpected movement of the floor. “Don’t be concerned. It’s the elevator down to the basement.”

“Well, it feels just like the facility where I used to live in Tokyo.” Misuzu murmured, her gaze fixed on the bulkhead that was closing silently above her.

The environment had transformed sufficiently for me to feel as if I had entered a new world from the abandoned nursery school.

The floor was pristine, the walls were so clean and polished that my reflection was visible, and the fresh, vented air was considerably cleaner than the dust and dirt of the abandoned city. Everything there created a pleasant environment.

When the elevator comes to a stop, the door in front of us automatically opens and closes to the left and right, and we can see a long, narrow passageway ahead of us. As we started walking, the lights set at regular intervals on the passage’s ceiling turned on. As we passed by, the lights that had been guiding us along the corridor faded without a trace. All that remained was darkness.

At the end of the passageway, there was an open area with two old-fashioned, rugged security droids on either side of the room. The mechanical dolls had only taser guns, but with Kaguya’s assistance, they had been modified to shoot rifle bullets.

『Welcome』 I heard a mechanical synthetic voice exclaim.

“I’m home.” I respond to the security droid and take a position in front of the back entrance.

A sphere on the wall at the top of the door flashed open to expose a red lens that resembled an eye, from which a laser beam scanned Misuzu’s and my bodies. It was a biometric authentication to verify our biometric data.

Misuzu was startled, but quickly calmed down and turned to gaze at the invading laser turrets on the walls on each side of the ceiling. Because the laser turrets were not activated, they were motionless.

『We have confirmation of Leila-sama’s return』

As the laser scan concludes, I hear a dignified woman’s voice from somewhere in the room. Then a brief warning tone is generated.

<Error, an unidentified entity has been identified; permission granted?>

In contrast to earlier, I now hear a clerical synthesised voice.

“I’ll allow it.” I replied.

<Confirming the companion’s passage authorization> A brief electronic sound is heard again.

『Welcome back, Leila-sama』

As it was buried in the earth, a massive entrance opened.

I noticed a brilliant white room out of the corner of my eye. It was a chamber with a floor covered with grating, a grooved steel cover constructed in a grid pattern.

“You should keep your eyelids shut.” I warned Misuzu.

As I walked into the room, the back door shut and a gust of wind came in from the walls on each side.

“This is…” Misuzu was puzzled.

“Not yet.”

When I closed my eyes, I was bombarded with a dazzling display of lights.

When I opened my eyes, Misuzu’s eyes were so firmly closed that her eyes were wrinkled. I combed her scruffy hair and called her name.

“It’s over.”

“What was that all about?” Misuzu took a deep breath, as if she was frightened.

“Perhaps, it’s like disinfection.”

“Huh…… disinfection.”

The entrance opens to a soft carpeted corridor, and a slight slope downward leads to a white door.

『I’m back, my home!』 Kaguya’s cheery voice sounded through a speaker mounted on the wall. Misuzu turned around, startled at Kaguya’s voice.

“Don’t worry. It’s my partner’s voice.”

As I said this, I gave a simple explanation about Kaguya. Misuzu rolled her eyes and blinked many times.

“Your partner…..? Um, where?”

『I’ve been with you the whole time.』

Listening to Kaguya’s seductive voice, I said.

“Kaguya is an autonomous interactive support computer,” I said with a fingertip touch on my temple. “It’s assisting me from a military satellite in geostationary orbit through a device implanted in my brain.”

“A computer?” Misuzu tilted her head.

“Yes. It’s called artificial intelligence.”

“It’s not an artificial intelligence. How dare you!” Kaguya countered.

“It’s a self-proclaimed human artificial intelligence.” I said.

『Hey, that’s rude!』

“Kaguya, have you been helping us all along?” Misuzu muttered, as if she was in some kind of trouble.

『Of course. Without my help, how many times would you have died.』

“Well, um, thank you.” Misuzu bowed honestly, and Kaguya fell unusually silent.

“Kaguya, what are you going to do?” I said.

『Go-gosh. You don’t have to be so taken aback. That’s right. We’ve all put in a lot of effort. So there isn’t much to be grateful for.』

Gosh, is that supposed to be a cough drop?

“No, not at all. I am really grateful to Leila and Kaguya-san. So I’d feel better if I told you how I’m feeling.”

『All right. I’ve got it all figured out, so just be normal. Good.』

“Yes,” Misuzu smiled and said, “Understood.”

I stepped in the door, grabbing Misuzu’s hand, who had begun talking to Kaguya and was refusing to move.

“Take off your shoes here. Otherwise, I’ll get mad.” I said.

“Someone other than Kaguya-san?” Misuzu spoke out, her huge eyes twinkling.

“Yes, there are. A little nagging.”

An electronic beeping sounded from the end of the corridor.

“Um, this girl is…..”

Misuzu’s eyes were drawn to the little droid, barely reaching her own waist.

“A housekeeper droid.” I said.

“I understand. I’ve already removed my boots.” I remarked, and a negative beep rang out. “I know. I’m not going to get them dirty.”

The tiny, stocky droid resembled something out of an outdated science fiction film, and it had a display on its head that depicted an angry face of a woman distorted in anime style.

“Do you understand the language of mechanical dolls?”

I can understand Misuzu’s surprise, but for some reason I understand what the housekeeper droid said.

“Sort of, and more importantly,” I replied. “Kaguya, show Misuzu around the base.”

『This way.』

Misuzu’s gaze wandered curiously as she heard Kaguya’s voice coming from the end of the passage, and she continued down the corridor beyond the entrance.

“Don’t you have to go?”

The housekeeper droid responded to my words with a beep.

“Shouldn’t you be wary of Misuzu because she might ransack my tidy room?”

The housekeeper droid reacted to my words and hurried to follow Misuzu.

“Good grief”