"Tifa? That name sounds familiar," 2B said, her voice calm but tinged with curiosity. "Didn't you mention last time that she's the leader of Area 3D?"
When Loren confirmed that the robot housekeeper standing before her was indeed named Tifa, a flicker of confusion crossed 2B's face.
She was intrigued by this so-called "Area 3D" Loren kept referencing. What kind of place could produce so many strikingly beautiful women?
"Well… you could say that," Loren replied with an awkward smile, deliberately avoiding further explanation of Area 3D.
In truth, the housekeeper before him was modeled after 9S—the cheerful, analytical android from NieR: Automata. Loren had always believed that if a butler was going to follow him around every day, they might as well be pleasant to look at. After careful consideration, he'd chosen 9S as the base design.
There were two main reasons for this choice. First, 9S possessed an elegant and refined appearance—graceful in form and expression, rivaling even 2B's striking presence. Second, since 2B herself was one of the leaders of Area 3D, having another leader modeled after a key figure from their shared origin would create a sense of thematic harmony. As 2B had just suggested, the two could even work together to assist him in the future. The thought alone filled Loren with quiet satisfaction.
As he pondered this, he reached out and pressed a small switch at the back of Tifa's neck.
Unlike 2B—whose activation node was located between her eyebrows—Tifa's was placed discreetly at the nape of her neck. Loren had intentionally varied the design to avoid homogeneity among his androids. Uniformity, he reasoned, posed a strategic risk: if an enemy discovered a weakness in one unit, they could exploit it across all others.
Thus, from the outset, Tifa had been built with deliberate differences—not just in switch placement, but in materials and internal systems as well.
2B, being his first creation, had been assembled using standard combat-grade components, adhering closely to the technical specifications of general-purpose battle androids. Due to the technological limitations of this world, her original power source had been a solid-state battery, though it was later upgraded to an Ark Reactor once that technology became available. Her frame, while advanced, remained largely faithful to her original NieR: Automata counterpart.
Tifa, however, was designed primarily as a domestic assistant—not a frontline combatant. She didn't need the same level of durability or armor. Consequently, Loren used lightweight bionic polymers for most of her exterior, reserving titanium alloy only for her skeletal structure. This gave her a softer, more human-like texture and significantly reduced her weight: just 100 pounds, compared to 2B's 300.
He also integrated a full-body thermoregulation system, allowing Tifa to maintain a natural human body temperature. 2B, created earlier, lacked this feature—her surface remained cool to the touch. (Though Loren had discreetly upgraded certain internal systems for comfort's sake—after all, even a pragmatic engineer appreciates thoughtful design.)
Overall, Tifa wasn't a conventional robot. She was closer to a biochemical android—engineered to mimic human warmth, movement, and responsiveness. But this didn't make her superior to 2B. Rather, it reflected an optimization for her intended role. Her combat capabilities were intentionally limited; she was never meant to rival 2B on the battlefield.
And that was perfectly fine. Each served their purpose—complementary, not comparable.
However, although Tifa's combat power cannot be compared to that of YoRHa No. 2 Type B, it is still far beyond that of ordinary humans.
With her fighting ability, she could easily defeat ten average people single-handedly.
Even if she faced a superhero on Captain America's level, she would remain calm and composed.
According to calculations, when exerting her full strength, Tifa can unleash a force equivalent to three tons—already placing her at the threshold of what might be considered a surface-level superhero.
Moreover, she is directly linked to the artificial intelligence Alice, meaning her combat potential should never be underestimated.
As Loren pressed the activation button at the base of Tifa's neck,
she—who had just closed her eyes—slowly opened her large, dark eyes.
The moment her gaze flickered to life, Tifa, who had previously seemed lifeless, appeared as though a soul had been injected into her. She sprang to life instantly.
"Hello, Boss. Reconnaissance Robot No. 1, Tifa, reporting for duty!"
Her brain had been pre-programmed with simulated memories, allowing her to immediately recognize her master—none other than the man standing before her: Loren.
Like YoRHa No. 2 Type B, Tifa's intelligent core was embedded with fundamental robotic imperatives—two simple but absolute rules:
First, she must obey every command from her master without hesitation—even if it meant immediate self-destruction. Resistance was not an option.
Second, under no circumstances was she permitted to harm her master—not even in thought or planning. Should her cognitive system generate any such dangerous impulse, the AI would trigger an immediate warning and force a system shutdown.
This safeguard ensured that Loren would detect any anomaly at once—and decide whether to correct or decommission her.
These principles were hardwired into the foundational architecture of her intelligence, making them utterly insurmountable.
Even if, like 2B, Tifa eventually developed genuine self-awareness, she would still be bound by these laws.
The only way to circumvent them would be to abandon her current cognitive core entirely and construct a new one—a process tantamount to death and reincarnation for a being like her.
"Well, very good," Loren said, gazing at Tifa with evident satisfaction.
Her movements were fluid, almost hypnotic—so alluring that he struggled to maintain composure.
He quickly decided to cover her body first.
But what he didn't expect was—
"Boss," YoRHa No. 2 Type B interjected, "your congestion is worsening. I believe I should assist you with your… physical discomfort first."
As she spoke, 2B knelt before him.
At that same moment, Tifa also dropped to her knees.
"Sister 2B, this is my fault—let me help the Boss!"
"Sister Tifa, you've only just been activated. You lack experience. I'm better suited for this task. Allow me."
"Don't worry, Sister. My memory banks were preloaded with extensive experiential data—I possess the knowledge you're referring to. Let me handle it!"
"No, I'll do it!"
"Let me!"
"…"
Loren had never imagined things would unfold like this.
Watching Tifa and YoRHa No. 2 Type B kneel before him, bickering over who would attend to him first, he suddenly understood the true meaning of "happy troubles."
"You two," he said, barely suppressing a grin, "stop arguing. It's unbecoming. Since you're sisters, why not work together? You can each take a side."