The elevator stopped, and we walked down the hallway to his door. It was slightly ajar, and I could hear voices coming from inside.
"Ah! They're here! Hello!" Aion greeted us cheerfully.
Sitting in front of him was Deva, looking quite relieved to see us. "Welcome, Viel, Diana," he said. "Did you talk it out with Leo?"
"Kind of. I got this letter." I took the letter out and handed it to Aion. "He said something about your 'Great Deception' or whatever, but I'm not smart enough to understand it, so I hope you can explain it to me." I shrugged. "Don't worry; I haven't actually read it."
"Humu humu. This is a very complicated topic," he began. "I'm surprised you didn't read it. Aren't you curious?"
"I am, but," I shrugged. "That's what Leo would want me to do, so I didn't."
The boy blinked slowly and tilted his head and reached out for the letter. "So... you chose not to read this letter... not because of wisdom, and not because you trust me, but because of sheer spite?"
"Exactly."
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE VIOLATION
I yanked my hand away before Aion could grab the letter.
"Oh for fuck sake, I can't give you this letter out of spite,"
"Oh nyooo, the Ghost of Immanuel Kant wants the purity of your action!" Aion then snapped his fingers.
The letter in my hand suddenly wriggled free. It starts floating around, flapping like a bird, and landed on Aion's hand.
What the fuck just happened?
Aion opened the letter. "Humu! It seems like the letter wants me to read it!" he then read through it. "See, the contents of this letter contain some truths regarding Viel's creation," he began. "It's also extremely biased, so I'd like to discuss this in private with her."
Diana nodded. "Ah, so... I guess I should leave?"
"Humu! It's okay. I'm just giving Viel a chance to keep this a secret. If she wills it, she can tell you all about it later." Aion tilted his head. "Are you okay with that, Viel?"
I nodded. "Cool. I'm okay with that." I grinned a little. Finally! I was getting answers about my creation and my purpose. What was I even created for?
Deva and Diana stood up and left the room, Deva closing the door behind them. Once they were gone, Aion exhaled a long breath of relief.
"Nyaaa! That was close! Thank you for bringing this to me," Aion muttered. "Sorry I had to lie; that letter didn't actually contain anything about your creation." He folded his arms. "It actually contains allegations that I am Hitler."
What?
"Huh?"
Aion held up his hands, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry. here, read it yourself." He handed me the letter.
I scanned the contents. "Okay, I see what it means." It was about the eugenics policy—that was why they compared Aion to Hitler. Still, it was impressive that Hitler's reputation had survived for thousands of years; I guess you really can't top the Holocaust. "They don't like the eugenics?"
"Humu humu." Aion nodded. "But that's not all. Continue reading."
The next part of the letter discussed the Fae. It was hard to follow since I had no idea what a "Fae" actually was, but the gist was that the Heralds were working with them to deceive humanity, keeping them weak so they could be trapped in "boxes."
It was pretty insidious, and I could see how someone might reach that conclusion.
"Okay... so these people claim you're working for the Fae to keep humanity caged?" I asked.
Aion nodded. "Yep. And they were half right. It's not 'working for' them, but more like an alliance. A truce, humu humu!"
I blinked slowly. "Are you saying that you are keeping humanity trapped here?"
"Nyaaa! Of course not! I created the Trailblazers to give you all a chance to leave whenever you like, didn't I? And you have to admit, it's a very, very comfortable box," he pointed out. "I mean, think about it: between this and the Old World, which is the better place to live? It's not like I'm stopping you from following your passions."
Right, right. Okay... that makes sense.
The next part of the letter essentially told me to go to the southern city gate. There, a group of Trailblazers would be carrying important cargo. "A human sacrifice for the Fae-kin?" I read the words out loud. "This can't be real, right?"
Aion averted his eyes. "Well, I mean... they're going to treat them very well..."
I held up my hands. "Look, I'm pretty impartial to all this because I don't even know what the deal is between you and the Fae," I told him. "And so far, you're pretty cool. I'll admit, you're better than ninety-nine percent of the politicians I've seen in the Old World."
"Awww... thankies!" Aion smiled sweetly.
"Yeah, but human sacrifice? Really?!"
Aion pouted. "Well, that's just the language they are using. It's more like... an Ambassador of Peace?" He smiled sheepishly. "Okay, okay, no one dies. Technically. It's like this..." He stood up and grabbed a piece of paper and some crayons.
He started drawing a box. "This is Ingenuity, right?" He drew some towers in different colors. "And these are the Reality Anchors." He drew a blue circle around the towers. "The Reality Anchor rejects the concept of life. Nothing can grow near Ingenuity—not even mushrooms, not even germs. So, conventional agriculture is impossible."
I nodded slowly. "Okay... that makes sense so far."
Aion continued, drawing some trees far away from the box and the tower. "So, we have to put the farms far away from the anchors."
It clicked then. "But everything outside wants us dead."
"Exactly! Nature is still grumbly about what you guys did a few thousand years ago." He drew a circle around a tree. "So we have to put our crops somewhere where they can grow without local wildlife tearing them apart. It's super hard because wild animals really hate human things—including farms!"
I nodded, remembering what Inata had said about nature's principled hatred of humanity.
"So you asked the Fae to protect the farms? Because the mini-kaiju would destroy them otherwise?"
"Exactly!" Aion grinned. "See, there's a huge forest a ways away from Ingenuity called..." He scuttled back and struck a dramatic pose. "The Forest of Clarity! It is ruled by the Dragon of Reason!"
"Dragon of Reason? Like a big, scaly, fire-breathing lizard?"
Aion shook his head. "No. I mean, yes, but usually she looks like a pretty girl. Her name is Syaro-chan."
"Right. Syaro, the Dragon of Reason. She owns the land that lets us grow crops. That's the deal? We get to farm there?"
"Yep! But just because we borrow their land doesn't mean they'll work it."
I blinked. "So... we have to send our own people to do the farming?"
"Yeppers!"
I folded my arms. "Okay, but why does it sound like a 'sacrifice'? Why is it a one-way trip?"
Aion smiled sheepishly. "Ahaha... that's the hard part. See, Syaro-chan only protects the farm itself. She can't remove the curse where humans can't perform agriculture. If a human tries, the plants won't like it. The result is... sub-par." He looked away. "Actually, it's poisonous."
I blinked slowly. "The plants turn poisonous if a human is nearby?"
"No. Most plants are already toxic to humans regardless. I mean the crops become inedible when harvested by a human. No amount of processing can turn them into food."
Jesus. Nature really hates us. I mean, fair enough; I knew what humanity had done. But goddamn, this was brutal.
"So we have a farm, but the Fae won't work it. So... robots?"
"Nope! You can't bring metal into the Forest of Clarity. The Fae are allergic to it."
"So... what's the solution?"
"The other arrangement! We bring them a human, and Lady Syaro turns them into a Fae! That way, they are released from the curse and can work the farm!"
"Ohhh." I nodded. "And I'm guessing they can't ever come back?"
"Yep."
I rubbed my chin, looking at the drawing. It was logical. Humans can't farm. So you ask the Fae to turn a human into a non-human so they can provide food for the city. "And what do the Fae get in return?"
"Well, the humans we send become servants to the Fae race. I mean, uh... International Labor!"
International labor... It all made sense now. All the "materials" for the food printers were provided by the Fae.
No wonder Leo wanted to get out. "And these 'sacrifices'... do they know what's coming?"
"Oh, don't worry! We have facilities to help children prepare for this!" Aion grinned. "The Natural Studies Club! They always have volunteers from there~"
"What if there aren't any?"
Aion blinked. "Well, there will be, the council makes sure of it,"
"What?"
"Humu humu~ People wants to be part of a group you see? They love to find like-minded people! Since the society is split between liking and disliking nature, well... Those who likes nature naturally converge into a single group or movement! And so we can find volunteers there~" he grinnned. "This is Falu's idea! Super cool right???"
Who the fuck is Falu? Ah that can come later...
"You manipulate the society in such a way, that... Those who likes nature will be discriminated and then they will choose to either conform or join the like-minded people," I began. "You don't manipulate anyone for this, but you created a condition where a cult can form..."
Aion smiled sheepishly. "Is that bad?"
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE VIOLATION
"According to Kant, YES, THAT'S FUCKED UP!"
Aion flinched a little. "I'm sorry... I can't think of anything better..."
"Look, Aion..." I groaned. "Goddammit. I don't even know what to say. No comment. You're the closest thing to Jesus here, so you do you."
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE VIOLATION
"Actually, no. This is wrong, and my programming is screaming at me," I corrected myself. "You can't just throw lives away. Do the people know? Shouldn't they know their food comes from these... sacrifices?"
"Well we don't necessary tell them, but anyone who digs deep enough can learn about it in the library," Aion said. "I don't keep secrets, it's bad example see? It's just that people here prefer to believe that they are not living under the mercy of nature,"
I folded my arms. "So because the Fae are close to nature, people hate them by association?"
"Exactly." Aion nodded.
"And the... sacrifice, they consent to this?"
Aion grinned. "Yep. Of course!" He hummed. "If the chosen person doesn't consent, we look for another. Everyone still has freedom of choice."
Okay, freedom of choice. I'll take that as a justification for now.
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE VIOLATION
Kant says no. Is it really a choice if the city is designed so that one of these people exist? God this is weird...
"How do the Fae treat these... servants?"
"Humanely, of course!" Aion exclaimed. "Since you're a Trailblazer, you can see for yourself! The Fae treat humans as equals! Well, sort of. In the same way humans treat other humans... but not the way Fae treat other Fae..." He narrowed his eyes, looking confused by his own explanation. "It gets complicated. But don't worry! The International Ambassador of Peace remains under my protection. I have ways to ensure they are well-treated. Humu humu!"
God fucking dammit...
"Look, this is wrong, absolutely wrong, you can't just sacrifice people!!!"
Aion shrunk down. "I'm sorry... I have no other choice... We need one people every three years sent to the Forest, I made sure they're treated well, I swear!"
I sighed and folded my arms. "So you admit that you're wrong,"
"Yeah... It's wrong, but I do my best to do better than the old world, you see?" Aion looked up. "This is better than the Old World, right?"
"What? What the fuck the Old World doesn't have Human Sacrifice?"
"Mmm? What are you talking about? You sent millions to die to secure resources," Aion pointed out. "You use propaganda and patriotism to groom children to willingly give their life away to the military," he tilted his head. "Is this different? I mean, we kill less and they're treated well..."
...
Fuck... God fucking dammit...
Tactical retreat now...
"I'm guessing you want to keep this from Diana? Who else knows? Inata and Sally?"
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE VIOLATION
I KNOW. SHUT UP.
"Aion, I can't keep this a secret. It's hard-coded."
Aion nodded. "Sally and Inata know. All Senior Trailblazers do." He paused. "But Diana is a new recruit; she'll be suspicious if you return and say nothing. Try to refrain from telling her unless she asks, okay? Instead, how about this? I'll tell you the secret of your creation."
Finally. "Okay. I can tell her that if she asks what we talked about. Maybe Kant will accept that."
"Great!" Aion scrambled closer. "See, Viel, you are an AI trained on the life experiences of every single minimum-wage worker and middle-class person from the Old World. You are the perfect representation of the 'Average Joe.'"
I blinked slowly. "'Average'? That's my thing?"
"Yep! From your intelligence to your power to your talent, there is nothing special about you." He grinned cheekily. "And that is what makes you special. You represent a person plucked straight from the Old World—a perfect synthesis of the views, struggles, philosophy, and mannerisms of the common man."
I sat back. Wow. That sounds... poetic? It wasn't as disappointing as I'd expected. "So I'm just an average American? I was designed to represent the everyday burger-flipper?"
"Exactly! That is what your creators had in mind. A tribute to every worker out there!"
Huh. Not bad at all. In a world devoid of "workers," being the last of the breed was something I could live with. I could even let the thing about human sacrifice and eugenics slide.
...
No, I couldn't. This dude is basically Hitler.
"So, what's next?"
"Now, you prepare for a mission!" Aion exclaimed. "The letter implies these anti-Herald folks are going to sabotage the transport of our International Laborer. Since you're one of the few who knows the truth, I need your help with the transport!"
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE VIOLATION
"Yeah, no. I don't think I can physically do that. That's using a human as a mere means to an end, isn't it?"
Aion narrowed his eyes. "Hmm... you're right. This is complex." He grinned. "Oh! I know! How about you act as the 'rebel'? You go along with the plan, but not because you agree. You won't help with the transport directly. You'll be there to help the tribute if they change their mind!"
I blinked. "So you're sending me to sabotage your own plan?"
"Exactly!" Aion tilted his head. "I know you're skeptical about the voluntariness of this. So, go ahead. See for yourself that we are committed to their choice!" He clasped his hands. "If the initiate hesitates or has second thoughts after meeting the Fae, you are free to help them return to Ingenuity!"
"Okay!" I stood up. "I'll take your word for it. I will personally ensure that whoever is chosen is fully consenting." I pointed a finger at him. "No tricks. If they say no, we're bailing, and I expect the other Trailblazers to back me up."
"Got it!"
"And if anything funny happens, I'm switching sides to Leo. Got it?"
"Got it!" Aion gave me a thumbs-up. "Head to the Welcome Lobby. Deva is waiting for you with the International Labor!"
Okay. Time to take matters into my own hands.