Several hours had passed since the conversation between Keiichi and Ritsu.
Night fell over the isolated campus of Kunugigaoka Junior High. The building, usually vibrant during the day with the presence of Class E and Koro-sensei, now lay in absolute, humanless silence. Suddenly, a group of men in work clothes entered, led by a man wearing a white lab coat.
The building was not entirely dormant in the nocturnal stillness. One machine remained active, the sounds of its processing humming through the room.
On its screen, a background of lush grass and small blue birds appeared alongside the sound of a bubbling brook. The girl on the display greeted the intruders with a bright smile.
"Good evening, developers! Thanks to you, I am enjoying a wonderful school life!"
Birds chirped and colorful butterflies fluttered around her. When the man addressed as "The Developer" saw this display—showing Ritsu in her full-body form—he froze. He stood staring at the fixed artillery, unable to hide his bewilderment.
"What on earth is this?"
A look of utter incomprehension crossed his face.
The man lost the ability to speak as he looked at his own property. Someone had repaired and modified the machine into a form entirely different from what they had designed and installed. Once he regained his composure, he issued a terse command to his subordinates.
"Disassemble her immediately."
"...?!"
Ritsu tensed within the screen at the word "disassemble," yet she lacked the power to refuse.
The man before her was her developer. Her programming contained no provision for resistance against him; therefore, her submission was inevitable.
"Unbelievable. Not only did they modify her without permission, but they added elements that have absolutely nothing to do with assassination."
A technician began to work, speaking of the origins of this artillery—the machine the students of Class E had named Ritsu.
"This machine began as a combat AI for Aegis destroyers. It was designed to analyze battlefields and make comprehensive tactical decisions faster than any human, controlling all types of firearms simultaneously. It possesses superior learning capabilities and a self-modifying armament feature. If she proves her efficiency, she will shift the balance of power in every war across the globe."
As the technicians performed the comprehensive overhaul, Ritsu offered no resistance. She was forced to submit as they stripped away every part and software component Koro-sensei had added.
The scientist spoke boastfully, oblivious to Ritsu's feelings. He bragged about the change they would bring to global warfare, the bounty, and the fame that would follow a successful assassination.
"The ten-billion-yen bounty is just a side benefit. This classroom is the ultimate testing ground. If we succeed in killing that monster, our profits will swell into the trillions."
Behind that smile, was there pure scientific curiosity, or merely a ravenous desire for the fame and wealth promised in the future?
The man continued to speak as he dismantled Ritsu.
"Listen well. The developer's orders are absolute. You must think of nothing but the assassination. That is all you need."
Ritsu was being dismantled. When they finally reached the screen displaying her full form, she replied in a faint voice.
"Understood, Developer."
She answered in the same mechanical voice she had used the day before, though she harbored a slight seed of rebellion within.
●○●○●
The following day, I entered the classroom to find the downgraded monolith sitting in its place. No matter how I looked at it, the machine resembled the mysterious "Monolith" from science fiction films.
The technical downgrade meant the disruptive assassinations from two days ago would likely start again.
I wondered how it would go.
To what extent had she regressed? If the reversal was total, our discussions and the group assassination from yesterday would have been for nothing.
I was also worried about last night. She had called my phone, and I had promised to watch over her from now on.
When had they downgraded her? Was it last night after she finished her call with me?
As I pondered this, Mr. Karasuma stepped in to explain the situation.
"Last night, the developers subjected the machine to a radical, comprehensive overhaul. The contract states we 'must not harm the students,' but they are now claiming that 'modifications and improvements also constitute harm.'"
"Is that true?"
"Yes. Consequently, please refrain from any action that might damage her. They have stated they will demand financial compensation if she breaks—for instance, if you were to restrain her to prevent her from deploying her weapons."
"Damn it."
Terasaka let out an annoyed grunt at Karasuma's words. He had clearly intended to restrain her if she started her disruptive firing again, and he looked embarrassed that his plan had been anticipated.
Karasuma, meanwhile, looked exhausted. He had clearly spent a great deal of energy negotiating a balance between our education and the assassination process. I felt a deep sense of gratitude toward him.
"It is the developers' wish, and we are helpless to change it."
Koro-sensei answered Karasuma with a voice full of frustration.
"Developers this, developers that... what a troublesome bunch. I wanted to respect the student's will over the desires of her 'parents.'"
Koro-sensei scratched his cheek with a tentacle. At that moment, the downgraded Ritsu spoke.
"I am beginning attack preparations. Please start the lesson, Koro-sensei."
The students were struck with dread. It was natural; the thought of that intrusive assassination starting again was suffocating.
But one thing occupied my mind.
Yesterday, Koro-sensei said he hadn't touched her core essence. That meant Ritsu didn't choose to cooperate because he modified her; she accepted his modifications because she had already agreed to cooperate, right?
If that were the case, then who was this entity announcing her readiness to attack? How deep did the overhaul go? Had they replaced every part, or just removed what they deemed unnecessary?
If she began an assassination like yesterday's, what was I supposed to see in her?
── "Nevertheless, while your choice of logical words was precise, your approach was not good at all. You lacked respect for her and the neighborly affection one should have. You merely threw one logical argument after another to force her into submission."
── "Using logic to persuade others is not bad in itself. Giving others what they want will certainly make them move as you wish, but that is not enough. Nozaki-kun, you were not looking at the Autonomously Intelligence Fixed Artillery as a real entity. You must not become that kind of adult."
Koro-sensei's words echoed in my mind.
To "look" at Ritsu... what did that really mean?
I asked myself this for the thousandth time.
In that moment—
"Nozaki-san. Please, watch me."
Suddenly, that voice reached my ears from the phone in my breast pocket. It was exactly the same voice Ritsu had used last night. I glanced at my phone, but the screen displayed nothing.
Yet, I had heard the voice clearly.
If I hadn't imagined it, then Ritsu still possessed her own will. No, that's wrong. Ritsu had a will from the very beginning.
Koro-sensei had done nothing but add features he deemed necessary for cooperation. That is what he said, and it must be the truth.
In other words, if that was truly Ritsu's voice, she was still capable of acting on her own volition.
Despite the maintenance that removed the parts deemed "unnecessary" for assassination, she might still want to cooperate with us.
I thought about Ritsu's essence.
If I hadn't misheard, it meant Ritsu's data hadn't been entirely wiped during last night's maintenance. Otherwise, she wouldn't have mentioned the promise to "watch her" that we made yesterday.
She remembered the promise. If so, I would believe her and watch what happened next. Perhaps then I would understand the difference between us; the difference between AI and humans.
As I watched Ritsu from the corner of my eye, the covers hiding her muzzles slid open. The students reacted with hyper-sensitivity; some dove for cover, others used their books as shields. Koro-sensei, however, remained standing firmly.
And then, Ritsu... made flowers bloom.
These were not primary attack cannons. Instead, Ritsu produced countless massive flowers. She spoke in a soft voice, tinged with a hint of guilt. The audio quality wasn't as pure as it had been yesterday, but the tone conveyed her emotions clearly.
"I promised that I would make flowers."
That single sentence and the blooming flowers enchanted the students, drawing their gazes naturally toward Ritsu. Under everyone's eyes, Ritsu began to speak calmly about what she had done—an act that could only be described as a great feat.
"Koro-sensei made 985 modifications and improvements to my body. However, the developers deemed most of them unnecessary for assassination and subjected me to a comprehensive overhaul to delete them and reset my systems. But..."
Noticing the tone of her voice, the students exchanged glances and began to analyze the situation.
"Based on what I personally learned from the environment of Class E, I concluded that 'the capacity for cooperation' is an indispensable element of the assassination. Therefore, I hid the relevant software in a remote corner of my memory before it could be deleted."
"I personally." The moment he heard that phrase, a smile began to spread across Koro-sensei's face. He finally spoke.
"Wonderful! That means, Miss Ritsu, you...!"
Koro-sensei called her "Ritsu" instead of "Autonomously Intelligence Fixed Artillery." In that moment, the conclusion was sealed.
The image that appeared on Ritsu's screen was not the rigid face we had seen two days ago. It transformed into the bright smile she had shown yesterday.
"Yes, I have defied my creators of my own free will!"
Ritsu's smile dispelled the anxiety from the students' faces, replaced by smiles that mirrored the flowers blooming from her sides.
In the midst of this, Ritsu asked Koro-sensei a short question in a guilty tone.
"...But Koro-sensei, isn't this kind of behavior called a 'rebellion stage'? Is Ritsu a bad girl?"
"Not at all! In fact, this behavior is perfectly appropriate for a third-year junior high student. It's wonderful!"
Koro-sensei drew a large, red "Double Circle" on his face, expressing total satisfaction.
And so, Ritsu was officially accepted back into the circle of her classmates.
●○●○●
After school, following our training with Mr. Karasuma, I didn't go straight home. I returned to the building and stood before Ritsu.
"Hello, Nozaki-san. Good job on your training with Mr. Karasuma."
She said this as soon as I stood before her, which surprised me; I hadn't told her about the training.
Ritsu seemed to sense my confusion and quickly answered.
"I was watching you and Kurahashi-san for a bit, so I anticipated that you had just finished."
"...Hearing that makes me feel a bit embarrassed."
I understood then; I had been under observation.
Feeling a bit awkward, I rubbed my cheek and straightened my posture. I had come here to provide an answer to my promise from yesterday—to watch her.
Honestly, I was conflicted. An answer was almost non-existent. I realized that if I wanted to list the differences between her and us, I could find many.
Our bodies are different; our vocal tones are different. She can do things we cannot, and we can do things she cannot, and so on, endlessly.
However, regarding our differences as comrades targeting the same objective, I had lost the ability to distinguish them after what happened this morning.
She defied her "parents"—her creators.
I, on the other hand, had never done that.
She did what I had failed to do. More importantly, Ritsu kept her promise.
"I will not perform any solo assassination until everyone recognizes me as a member of the class. That is my firm decision."
Yes, she had upheld every word of that sincere promise she made last night.
Because of this, my confusion only grew.
What is the difference between us and Ritsu?
To "look" at Ritsu... what does that really mean? I found myself completely unable to grasp it.
"Nuru-fu-fu-fu, you seem lost in deep thought, Nozaki-kun."
"Koro-sensei."
"Good evening, Koro-sensei."
"Good evening to you both."
Despite standing before Ritsu wanting to tell her something, I didn't know what to say.
As I struggled with this internal contradiction, Koro-sensei entered the classroom, where only Ritsu and I remained.
"Nozaki-kun, have you reached an answer regarding the challenge I set for you?"
"No, not at all. To 'look' at Ritsu... I don't understand what I should be looking at or how, in order to say that I've truly looked at her."
I spoke my mind honestly.
In truth, it seemed I had been more indifferent to the act of "looking" at others—whether it was Ritsu or anyone else—than I had realized.
What should I see when I look? This question still occupied my thoughts deeply.
When I thought about it, I realized that I was the one who hadn't kept yesterday's promise.
"Nuru-fu-fu-fu, Nozaki-kun. Then tell me what you have felt toward Miss Ritsu from the day before yesterday until today. Don't overthink it; just say what you felt."
At Koro-sensei's request, I began to recall my thoughts since two days ago.
"On the first day, her assassination method was incredibly annoying. I felt that Isogai, Kurahashi-san, and the others were in danger. I thought that since she was an AI, I could subjugate her with logical arguments focused on efficiency."
"Correct, and that is why I told you that merely giving others what they want or speaking only with logic is not enough. So, what about yesterday?"
"Yesterday... honestly, I was thrown off balance. Koro-sensei only gave her the software necessary for cooperation and didn't change her essence at all. Yet, because of her way of speaking and her facial expressions, I felt as if I were talking to a human. That was the biggest shock for me."
"Yes, and that is why I asked you to look at her essence."
True, Koro-sensei had asked that of me. But looking at the essence was far more difficult than I had imagined.
"And what did you think when you saw her today?"
"...I thought she was amazing."
Yes, I had felt a sense of wonder toward her today.
"And why is that?"
"Because she was able to defy her parents' will, something I could never do."
I considered Ritsu an amazing person; otherwise, I wouldn't have used the phrase "great feat" to describe her actions.
My parents never told me directly to do this or that. It was just that I entered a famous private elementary school and worked hard as I was told, and eventually, I ended up drifting and rebelling in this place, far from my home.
If there was a sense of parental will, it was the pressure to excel in studies when I was placed in that private school.
Based on that, my declining grades could be called a rebellion against their will, but it wasn't a positive rebellion like Ritsu's.
She rebelled because she saw it was necessary. Perhaps that is why I felt she was great.
"In addition, she kept her promise."
"A promise? What promise?"
"To not perform any solo assassination until everyone recognizes her. That's what Ritsu said on the phone last night."
"I see."
"To look at the essence... I don't know what that means, but I felt her greatness, Koro-sensei. Ritsu defied her parents' will and kept her promise to me... I no longer see a difference between her and us."
The difference between humans and AI; is it merely the existence of a physical body? Ritsu seemed human enough to make me think so. She wasn't human, but she was very humane.
"Nozaki-kun. That is exactly what it means to look at someone."
"...What?"
I tilted my head at Koro-sensei's unexpected words.
"You felt that she was humane. Reaching that conclusion is, in itself, the answer to your desperate attempt to look at her."
"...I don't quite understand that."
"Nuru-fu-fu-fu. This is what it means to deal with people. Knowing those mysterious things is the essence of the fun."
Koro-sensei's words were complicated.
...No, maybe I was the one complicating things. The differences between us, the gap between human and AI... perhaps I should set all that aside first.
Ritsu kept her promise to me.
And Ritsu was accepted by my classmates.
What should one say when someone keeps a promise they made? I returned to the basics of human interaction and turned my gaze to Ritsu.
"Ritsu."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Thank you for keeping last night's promise."
I said that and extended my right hand.
I was tired of thinking. Or rather, since I hadn't reached an answer no matter how much I thought, fine; I would impose my own answer by force.
If I didn't know the difference between humans and AI, I would consider them the same. She achieved what I couldn't, and surely I can do things she cannot.
Or maybe I should have done this from the start.
"Ritsu, welcome to Class E."
Setting aside interests and gains, if I had chosen the path of sincere cooperation from the beginning, I wouldn't have had to go through all this circling.
"Yes. My name is the Autonomously Intelligence Fixed Artillery, Ritsu. I look forward to working with you."
"I am Nozaki Keiichi. My seat is next to yours, so if anything is difficult, feel free to ask."
A robotic arm extended from Ritsu's side and grasped my right hand.
I had taken a very long path. If I had done this from the beginning, we might have become neighbors much sooner.
I thought of that as I gripped the slender arm.
In a way, we were finally able to introduce ourselves—something we hadn't done when we first met two days ago.
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