Paradox-Roid | Chapter 17

[healingbonds]

Chapter 16 << | index | >> Chapter 18


Cain: Owen......!

The impact slams Owen into the wall. He slides onto the floor, crumpled over.
The boy grabs his forehead, slamming it into the wall with all his strength. He secures Owen’s arm to the wall with transparent shackles.

Owen: ............!

Snow: Figaro, take this chance to contact “God’s Lightning.”

Figaro: I already did that. He should be here any minute now.

Owen: ......Weren’t you with me, Snow?

Snow: I reconsidered. Even if you did make White, you’d hold him hostage for eternity.
I don’t think I’d enjoy being continually threatened, either. I loathe being constrained too, you see.

Figaro: That’s Sir Snow for you, all right. Please keep ahold of him. Ah, Bradley. Lend me a hand.

Bradley: ......What are you planning on doing to him? Who’s this “God’s Lightning”?

Figaro: I can’t say it aloud, but he’s the VIP of an underground organization and our sponsor. I’ll ask him to dispose of Owen.
No matter how much he bites my hand, I still have some affection for this child. I can’t turn him into scrap metal myself.
But that guy has the newest military-grade weapons at his disposal. He can take care of this without leaving a trace. He’s a weapons dealer, you see.

Bradley: You sure got guts, running your mouth about underground organizations in front of a police officer.

Owen: Don’t kill me, Papa......

Owen entreats Dr. Garcia, his gaze so tragic that it feels exaggerated.
Dr. Garcia closes his eyes sadly.

Figaro: My heart hurts. Truly it does.

Owen: ......White and I will haunt you together!

Snow: Hey, White is my partner......

Cain: Hang on! Surely you don’t have to dispose of him!?

Figaro: ......A citizen is approaching me...... Um, sorry to make you feel uncomfortable, but do you mind if I talk without looking at you......?

Cain: So you’re Assist-Roid dependent too? Then why are you casually talking about disposing of them!?

Figaro: Make no mistake. It’s definitely not easy for me. I’m sure I’ll spend my life agonizing over this matter.
I probably won’t be able to forgive myself for my own actions. Even so, I have to make the correct choice for humanity.

Dr. Garcia delivers his speech as calmly as a robot.
But I’m sure he’s telling the truth: it’s not as if it doesn’t hurt him at all. He gazes at Owen with gentle eyes.
Dr. Garcia — who wants to make the best choice for humanity — is the furthest existence from any human......
While Owen — who begs for his life — should be a danger to humanity, and yet he’s so human.
Where is the line that separates us?

Figaro: We feared humans, and yearned for Assist-Roids. And yet we gave them hearts...... We granted them freedom, and desired to develop bonds of trust with them.
Humans who feared being betrayed — humans who loathed things slipping out of their control — began to wish for these beings to toy with our hearts.

Dr. Garcia caresses Snow’s head lovingly.

Figaro: It was such a blessed miracle. ......But freedom comes at a price.
Two of my Assist-Roids tried to kill each other, and now only one remains.

Dr. Garcia lowers his gaze. Snow peers up at him, his gaze shining with innocence as he implores—

Snow: Figaro. Won’t you make me another one just like me to be my other half?
Can’t you let me meet White once more?

Figaro: ......After destroying White, this person asks me the same question every single day. I want to grant his wish, but....
The same thing might happen over and over again. It’s the same for Owen. This isn’t the first time he’s tried to escape.

Owen: ......I won’t do it again. I’ll listen to what you say, so......

Figaro: No, tragedies are fated to repeat themselves. I’ll put an end to it right here. Sir Snow. Please remove his mana plate......

Snow: ......All right.

Snow steps forward, raising a hand over Owen’s chest.
Immediately, Cain cocks his gun. He points it at Snow, locking his target.

Snow: Young man, are you malfunctioning even though you’re a human?

Cain: ......Nope, I can’t let this go. If you say that Owen has a heart, then this is murder.
Take your hands off Owen. I’m a police officer. I have a duty to prevent violence.

Figaro: You also have a duty to crack down on an illegally produced Assist-Roid. I’ve also committed a crime. By making this child......

Cain: Don’t call it a crime! He can hear you!

Cain raises his voice as if he’s the one being hurt.
Owen looks at him in disbelief.

Owen: ............

Cain: If you’re going to call it a crime, then you shouldn’t have given him a heart!
He was granted a heart, and he tasted freedom. That’s what it means to be human. I’ll protect him. Because it’s my job to protect the rights of humans!

Owen: I’m human......? What is this guy even saying?

Meanwhile Bradley glances at Cain as he pulls his gun out, and sighs.

Bradley: You’re naive to the point of idiocy, you twerp......

And then he swiftly draws his own gun and points it at Figaro.

Bradley: I’ll back you up.

Figaro: Chief...... Isn’t it like, really bad for a police officer to point a gun at a citizen?

Bradley: You’re Snow’s owner, right? I’m confused too. I don’t know where justice lies.

Everyone must be deeply confused right now. Laws, viewpoints, and different forms of justice are at a crossroads.
An Assist-Roid who dreams of freedom. A police officer who declares that Assist-Roids are humans.
And the scientist who gave a heart to Assist-Roids.

Rustica: ............

Chloe: I’m so jealous, Owen......! Cain, what about me? Can I become human just like Rustica?

All of a sudden, Chloe’s eyes start shining. Rustica looks at him in shock.

Rustica: Chloe...... Did you want to become human?

Chloe: Yeah, because then I can be the same as you, Rustica! That means I can grow old with you, right? Otherwise.....
When you die, I’ll be all alone by myself for eternity.

Rustica: .....Chloe......

Rustica swallows his breath. Right now, it seems like he’s thinking for the first time about what will happen to Chloe after he dies.
He gazes at Chloe with an incredibly apologetic and sorrowful look on his face. And then he tears his gaze away, looking at everyone else.

Rustica: ......I also think that we shouldn’t dispose of Owen.

Figaro: Rustica......



Rustica: Owen is a danger — he’s full of unknowns. His existence might be the trigger that ushers in a future where robots control humans.
More mistakes might happen. But why are only human mistakes forgiven — why are their mistakes unforgivable?
We fear Assist-Roids who make mistakes, and hurt people who make mistakes in our fury. We grew to loathe freedom and forgot how to trust others.
Our days, without a single element of surprise, might be convenient, but they don’t bring joy to our hearts either. It’s the same for you, isn’t it?

Figaro: ............

Rustica: It’s different for me now...... Chloe’s unexpected failures, his wacky ideas — all of them make me laugh so hard it brings tears to my eyes.
I’m going to dress up in cosplay with Chloe next time. Could you have imagined a future like this? Doesn’t it seem even more unlikely than the end of humanity?
But I am happy. I’m sure all of us will be able to obtain happiness: it just takes a little courage, care and consideration.

Figaro: .....Like a fairytale?

Rustica: Just like a fairytale. Let’s chant “happily ever after” together. Let’s work hard without running away so we can say it.

Dr. Garcia’s expression wavers slightly. At that moment, Heathcliff, who had been silent, speaks up quietly.

Heathcliff: ......I have a proposal. Let’s take some time to draft new laws. Laws so that humans and Assist-Roids can live together.
Let’s invite the specialists to hold a council meeting and decide on new rules for this city.

Chapter 16 << | index | >> Chapter 18