This is a story that began with a farce and ended in a downpour.
This is a story of moving from brokenness toward normalcy, of yearning for change and feeling emotion, and ultimately, a story of transformation.
This is a story for which I do not know the final emotion with which to interpret it.
This is the wrong story.
This is the right story.
This is the story of "I" becoming a "person."
...
The Headquarters often saw strange occurrences and bizarre phenomena, including but not limited to, the sound of people walking on the ceiling, the second gym that no one dared to approach, and the surprisingly popular series of books on how to communicate, whose author was unknown...
Apart from the parts that brought a knowing smile, most of the mysterious phenomena only caused people to have a hundred different nightmares when they slept, and for some unknown reason, the Headquarters never investigated or managed these situations, which were practically equivalent to supernatural mischief.
But before today, no one had so brazenly taken down their department's sign and replaced it with the words: "Seeking Marriage."
After a while, a black-haired, armed automaton hopped out and pasted the marriage seeker's information next to the "Seeking Marriage" sign.
"Are you really going to add this?"
Lin sat in a chair, looking at Prometheus Unit 1, who was bustling back and forth with numerous outfits, and Prometheus Unit 3, who was modifying the marriage requirements according to Vil-V instructions. Even though he already regretted coming to discuss this matter with Vil-V, there was no turning back.
Vil-V was indeed overwhelmed and frazzled by her workload, but she could temporarily set aside her work for something she found interesting. Her priority sequence—interesting things > interesting work > uninteresting work—was enough to make her excitedly start organizing this event the moment she heard the words, "Lin wants to get married."
"Lin, it's no longer the olden days where you could attract suitors and successfully marry simply by having low requirements. Raising the demands for both parties actually has quite a few benefits for everyone involved."
Vil-V had also put on a proper-looking suit. The project proposal was probably carelessly tossed into some corner. She decorated the interior of the Spiral Contraption with some indescribably large red lanterns, mimicking the style of the Divine Realm (Shenzhou).
She seemed to have already decided that Lin would get married with her help, and she had even prepared a pair of wedding rings in advance.
"I don't think raising the requirements will increase the number of people who come," Lin said coldly. "Lowering the threshold is the most direct way to make many things easier. I believe a simple 'no long pink hair' will be enough to filter out those who shouldn't come."
"That is your ignorance, Lin. Think carefully, what would be the result if you really followed your original marriage requirements?"
"Many people will come."
"Wrong! Not a single one will come! Because you wrote that you have no requirements for the woman, which will lead them to believe you just want to casually find someone to marry. And women are creatures who, while seemingly all good sisters on the surface, secretly compete over even a few millimeters of height in their hearts."
Vil-V picked up a pair of glasses, put them on, pushed the frames, and curled up the corner of her mouth: "Understand? What they need is not 'no matter,' but 'special.'"
It seemed there was nothing wrong with this statement coming from Vil-V, who was herself a woman.
However, Lin felt that something was amiss.
"So there's no need to write something like having special skills. Try to keep it vague, with positive words that nine and a half out of ten people think they meet, such as gentle and virtuous, approachable, intelligent and generous."
Using superiority to achieve a goal?
"And writing down your own conditions makes it even easier to explain. If you don't introduce your own advantages, how will those women who consider themselves excellent look up to you?" Vil-V argued convincingly.
"...But a lot of what you wrote is fake, like 'strikingly handsome'..."
"Truth and falsehood are not important. The important thing is that people must come. There's an old saying in the Divine Realm: 'The first step is always the hardest.' Once you get started, the rest is easy pickings."
Easy pickings... Is that the right phrase to use here?
"Besides, Lin, you aren't a casual guy who just wants to find someone, mess around casually, and then casually divorce, are you?" Vil-V's gaze was especially sharp, almost piercing Lin helmet.
"Hmm."
Lin certainly wasn't thinking that way. Ultimately, he didn't know exactly how long it would take to experience what Ato meant by "you'll know after you get married," but he tentatively took it to be the nearly six years since Ato got married and had a child. Moreover, he wasn't so naive as to think he could understand it just by marrying anyone.
"I don't mind you adding other conditions, but leave in 'no long pink hair.'"
"..."
Vil-V's brief and strange silence made Lin realize the problem. He snatched the marriage requirements from Prometheus Unit 3 before Vil-V could react, and upon seeing the requirements for the woman, he frowned.
Requirements for the woman: Born on November 11th, height 163 cm, weight 54.8 kg...
Lin waved the marriage requirements in his hand, looking at Vil-V, who was whistling and trying to look away.
Is this what you meant by "vague wording"?
This looks, no matter how you look at it, like the specific data of a certain individual.
"Hehe... Lin, don't get the wrong idea. Look, such specific requirements! I'm sure any girl who applies will definitely feel very special, right? Doesn't that achieve our goal?" Vil-V explained with nonsense that even she didn't believe.
Based on Lin years of experience, anything involving Elysia would definitely lead to all sorts of problems. For instance, he still hadn't figured out whether he was normal or abnormal when he spoke with Elysia after inhaling the poison gas.
As for Elysia...
"Vil-V, what do you think about marriage?"
"Huh? Me? Don't you think manufacturing replacement body parts for Prometheus is more interesting?"
Lin felt that everyone who had worked with him for so many years should have this attitude. If Elysia were to meddle playfully as she usually did, his initial goal might not be accomplished.
To ensure fairness, he would express his thoughts to the woman. Sincerity should be an indispensable part of a marital relationship, right?
Lin thoughts whirled. He picked up the pen, added the phrase "no long pink hair," and then had Prometheus Unit 3 hang it up.
He sat in the chair, quietly waiting for the first person.
Soon, someone walked boldly into the marriage agency.
Lin silently glanced at the hair.
It was indeed not pink.
Then he looked at her smiling expression.
Next, a piercing glare met the gaze of Elysia, who was wearing a gray-blue wig.