Chapter 275: Punklorde Mentality 『 Part One 』
「 "The death of 『 Propagation 』 spread like pale ink dispersing in the salty taste of the sea; 『 Preservation 』 was stripping away Their shattered shell, body, and heart…"
"The splashing of multicolored blood masked the trembling of shell-folds and the divine sound. The primal eggs, bearing fangs and tentacles, fled and streamed from beside Their body and feet, only to die instantly upon leaving Their husk! Their ichor coated the earth, a grand parturition occurring amidst fervent death—amidst the joyous scattering of the swarm!"
"So 『 Propagation 』 just died like that?" Watching the divine war draw to a close, Stelle looked toward Herta, standing nearby; she still had many questions she wanted to ask.
"Based on traces of swarm activity across the universe, I always felt the Path of 『 Propagation 』 didn't show the withered state one would expect after Tayzzyronth's fall. But They did indeed fall…" Herta gave a hum that was barely audible. "However, certain secret intelligence leads me to suspect: Tayzzyronth may eventually return. How high is the probability? That's hard to evaluate."
"Herta, how many Star Gods appeared during the entire Swarm Disaster?" Having simulated her way through this journey, Stelle felt as though she were being watched by Star Gods at every moment.
"Are you testing me?" Herta blurted out. "『 Finality 』, 『 Propagation 』, 『 Voracity 』, 『 Order 』, 『 Preservation 』, 『 Elation 』, 『 Trailblaze 』, 『 Remembrance 』, 『 Harmony 』, and 『 Equilibrium 』."
"Among them, 『 Propagation 』, 『 Voracity 』, and 『 Order 』 have all disappeared. 『 Finality 』 spread ravings, 『 Trailblaze 』 witnessed everything, 『 Preservation 』 ended the calamity, 『 Elation 』 tried to set the universe on fire, and 『 Equilibrium 』… that Star God is too mysterious. The archives only record that They returned the suns of a few worlds, but beyond that, there are no further records."
"However, compared to that, the most important thing right now is that Screwllum and I have already started getting headaches—how can we stop the simulated Aha from turning around and influencing the Simulated Universe?"
The Simulated Universe test concluded, and Stelle received the rewards she desired from Herta. But Herta told her that Screwllum would be coming to the Space Station in a few system hours, and Ruan Mei would also visit in person in a few days. If Stelle wanted to meet him, she could go with Asta to receive him.
After a brief notification to Asta, Stelle followed the group to the elevator entrance to wait. Accompanied by the sound of the elevator activating, Asta became unusually nervous; she cleared her throat and told everyone to get ready.
As the doors slowly opened, Asta performed an elegant curtsy, but Stelle's gaze was drawn to a fluttering fluorescent butterfly, and she didn't realize she should bow her head until Arlan elbowed her.
"Hypothesis: Thought always precedes language, thus there are no words to define this joy." An elegant mechanical gentleman slowly raised his left hand, allowing the butterfly to rest on his fingertip. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Asta." 」
「 ..... 」
〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜
"He is a Genius Society Member # 76?"
Darkness's eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't the first time they had heard the name Screwllum; as early as Kafka's visit to the Space Station, they had seen Screwllum's portrait and knew he was a robot, but the difference from the portrait was simply too great…
"Say, isn't this robot a little too elegant?"
Kazuma curled his lip, but when he turned his head, he realized that the girls in his party were, almost without exception, captivated by Screwllum, staring without even blinking.
"Oi, oi… You guys don't actually think this robot is handsome, too, do you?"
Kazuma stared at them in disbelief.
"Hehe, at least he's more handsome than a certain guy whose only skill is using Steal to swipe panties."
Aqua let out a disdainful "Hmph," wearing an expression reserved for looking at small fry.
"Even if he is a robot, his taste in clothes and the way he speaks are way better than yours, okay? Besides, he's a member of the Genius Society, one of the most intelligent people in the universe… what do you have to compare with him, Kazuma?"
"I am a human!"
Kazuma's face instantly flushed red.
"And how could a cold, unfeeling guy like that understand human emotions? They just operate according to some preset program, all set up by developers! What if they catch some virus or execute an extinction protocol and decide to massacre humanity…"
"Kazuma, that old-fashioned mindset of yours is so outdated. Mechanical crises and whatnot are tropes from movies decades ago."
Aqua waved her hand dismissively.
"Besides, isn't the existence of robots with human-level intelligence a totally common thing in the universe? You know that even Nous, who represents 『 Erudition 』, is a computer itself, so what's impossible?"
—
「 "Apologies. I am 4 minutes and 13 seconds earlier than the agreed time. I hope this does not cause you any trouble."
"How could it, Mr. Screwllum? Welcome to the Herta Space Station."
"There is no need for such formality, Asta. 'You' will suffice. 'Herta' is a place where knowledge converges; here, we praise the equality of thought." Screwllum's gaze turned to the Space Station staff behind Asta, full of admiration. "The collaboration of organic lifeforms is wondrous and efficient—the speed at which you have rebuilt the Space Station far exceeds my calculations."
"Thank you for your affirmation, Mr. Screwllum. Would you like me to show you around? Since the last summit, we have launched several new research projects regarding silicon-based matrices." A hint of anticipation appeared in Asta's eyes.
"Emotionally, I accept with pleasure. But having a prior engagement with Herta, I must ask these surprises to wait a moment." Screwllum shifted his gaze to the right, discovering the unfamiliar face of Stelle. "This is…"
"Hey, take a guess?" Stelle placed one hand on her hip.
Stelle's remark did not surprise Asta in the least—rather, she had become fully accustomed to it, revealing a subtle, smugly exasperated expression. However, the honest Arlan beside her instantly panicked: "Hey…"
"Haha. Such an unexpected reaction; you must be the person Herta has mentioned so often recently." Screwllum said. "She is full of curiosity about you, and so am I. What does it feel like to coexist with a Stellaron? I hope there will be enough time later for us to understand each other, and the answer to this question."
Having said this, he proceeded with Asta toward Herta's office. 」
「 ..... 」
〜Runeterra World〜
"Hoo… It is hard to imagine such words coming from the mouth of a mechanical lifeform."
Heimerdinger hopped down from his chair, a rare note of wonder in his voice.
"This Mr. Screwllum… his logical thinking and linguistic expression are even more elegant and precise than many humans."
Jayce set down the experimental equipment in his hands and looked down at the professor.
"Mechanical lifeform? Professor Heimerdinger… could it be that he is like that puppet lady from the Xianzhou, merely a mechanical body housing a human soul?"
—