DREAM V

5
The life for humans passes in the blink of an eye. Whether big or small, humans often regret their choices. To gods, human might live much longer only to find themselves questioning if their decisions were right.Despite knowing that dwelling on the past is unproductive, gods, like humans, can't help but wonder: Did I make the right choices? This constant uncertainty is part of all beings, facing the same struggle as humans.The gods seeks answers, wishing to confirm the correctness of their choices. Like humans, they understand that realizing the accuracy of immediate decisions only comes with time. Looking back, was their influence on human lives guided by wisdom or mere chance.Did the humans create the gods out of their own desire and uncertainties? Or did the gods create humans out desire and uncertainties?Because while we are living in the present, we have no way of knowing whether our immediate choices are right or not.If anyone out there knows, I wish they would tell me.Even if I know that no one will respond, I cannot help but wish for an answer all the more.Am I making the right choices?
"Are you certain that was for the best?"Alice asks me as I watched over the threat that walked into the plant. I do not have the answer, of course. I never know whether I am making the right choices or not.“If I had interfered, it would have only tarnished the project itself."Instead, I give a vague but plausible-sounding response.“That’s true. The project itself wouldn't be much if we humans interfered".It appears that her words were not off the mark.In front of us lies the vessels for a concept.A rule. I am the one who brought them to this place after the [resurrection]I wanted to see what they would think of this world, after fighting on the front lines against the otherworlders for so long.I do not regret that now.But I do wonder about letting them out after so long of being away from the world.Should I really have invited them to this place?Of course, I had no idea at the time that this would be the end result, so there is no point in wondering now.I may be a human, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be playing on their hands.Perhaps a powerful one like her majesty would be able to do so, but I certainly cannot.If I could, I might not have to agonize so over my past choices.Although I might instead have to worry all the more about which future would be best.If I had been able to see this future when I spoke to Elaina back then, what would I have done?…I do not know.In the end, whether one can see the future or not, I suppose the only option is to make your choice as best you can? And this time, my choice has created them.Elaina herself is the one who chose to challenge the incarnations, and Elaina chose to keep fighting until her death.Those choices have nothing to do with me.But still, I find myself thinking that if I had not brought them here, then nothing wouldn't have happened.How prideful of me.To assume that my choices determine the outcome of everything is to discard Her majesty own will and the decisions she made.Prideful is the only way to describe this kind of thinking.The more I contemplate that, the harder it becomes to make a decision.More and more, I am becoming a mere bystander, going along with the situation while refusing to make any choices.Until recently, that was acceptable.But now that the vessels has begun to act, no doubt I, too, will have to make some kind of choice.Even if the vessels are limiting my options.“Ah, she moves.”Following Alice’s gaze, I see the incarnate.The [Death] incarnate, who defeated subjects is starting to walk toward the vessel.Thanks to the ether that the plant gave the incarnate, he has already recovered all the strength he exhausted in his long fight with 101.That energy ether has several peculiar effects.All of them are measures to help the vessels survive in this world, but the mechanism that supplies them with energy stored by the plant when their concept index increases, is particular proof of how much the plant is connected to them.Extracting ether from the plant, which exists purely to store up energy... It’s an effect that goes against the very purpose of its built.It may be only in small amounts, but as one who has worked endlessly to create such, I still find it shameful.And even without that ether, the incarnation and vessels are an anomaly in this world.All their actions have a massive effect on this world, for better or worse.A single one of those vessel has already succeeded in stirring up chaos among many of us who know this world’s secrets, including cathedral, and myself.Aside from the vessels here, the others are still a cause to major incidents, and many have already fallen into [void]’s hands, so their effect is small as of now.But slowly, some of the others are starting to expand their influence.And the prime example is none other than the [Death] incarnate currently on standby in the plant. “Now, what should I do…?”The [Death] incarnation’s gait is steady.But whether it has a mind of its own or not is another question entirely.It has a piece of the [Death] concept and has already gone out of control rebelling on its vessel.The [Death] concept: one of the concept that exist outside of the system is now limited to due to the [Scale] In the end, it is only a concept, and so its abilities can only be used by those who are connected to it and knows how to use it.But it doesn't mean that unrelated resident of this world can't make contact with the concept itself though that it’s limited.I cannot fathom why the concept itself is made that way, but I have no doubt that it was all within some predicted outcome in mind.But the [Death] concept in particular seems all but meaningless.Having the concept greatly increases the user’s combat abilities, but it also implants a single desire to overpower their mind. In the end, it can turn the user into a mindless being that desires anything that it comes across [Death], as is currently happening to its incarnate.Once that happens, the user certainly ends as a beast.A beast that lacks intelligence, after all that is what the concept itself is.But from what I've seen thus far, that incarnate seems to be slightly different from the previous [Death] incarnate I have seen.Throughout history, every incarnate, save from the first, has been reduced to a beast.They could no longer use weapon, or rather create them, simply rampaging with brute strength.With the [Death] concept, that alone is much of a serious threat.But once reduced to this berserk state, they could no longer take full advantage of the concept’s power.In some cases, those who did not use the concept could be even more dangerous.By comparison, that incarnate creates weapon from the ashes of its dying body and was even flexible enough to adapt to some of subject 101 tricks in the midst of battle.It seems to have lost all power of reasoning, but it retains its own mind in some form.Was it some kind of special incarnate like a Klaus?Still, that doesn't necessarily change anything.As long as it wasn't a threat to the plant and served much of a purpose to the project, I won't mind it killing the subjects.If I leave it alone, it would likely continue to kill them, and likely it would disappear once it finishes.Which is why I had 000 on standby to ensure no lose ends in the project.Though I wonder why it had to appear at the most convenient time.The only time an incarnate would appear was because it felt a threat on its concept, but..."I suppose this time it didn't go well.""I'm terribly sorry. If only I had sent in the android personnel—nuns, there wouldn't have been such a thing."Alice apologizes, but this is not her fault. Though I wished she had been clearer about the names she gave to her fellow AIs."No need to apologize. That creature was clearly aiming straight for the subjects. I don't know whether it was simply its concept or whether it came here because it sensed the presence of a threat, but attempting to block its path without killing him would be a fool’s errand. In fact there would be no need to apologize, considering the sacrifices that arose as a result I can say it’s a success and besides as long as 000 still exists the project could go on. "Turning to the holo display, I look upon the corpses of subjects. This happened because of the vessels concept running amok. 000 alerted me of the situation and I instructed her not to infer on the matter. If I had instructed 000 or Alice, this outcome wouldn't have happened. Even some of the plants facility where destroyed. However, the destruction of the facility was not of importance right now. "Alice, prepare the floor 5 for reset maintenance, and relay the message to 000.""Understood, Professor" Alice responds quite evenly. The first AIs are very loyal. Even the likes of 000 who might normally seem unreliable, carry out their task I give them with utmost devotion. Will I be able to live up to that loyalty?Are they not loyal to me simply because I am their creator? I know that having such doubts is an insult to the loyalty with which they have served me for so many years, yet I still lack sufficient self-confidence.I do not know if I am worthy of the faith they put in me even at the cost of their own lives.Perhaps, it was because I was the only one who could rely on. While I am impressed by their decisions, I have complicated feelings about the fact that they did so knowing they would die.But no. Now is not the time to be thinking of the future.For now, I must decide how to deal with the project. "Professor" The communication link before the holo display appears. It was the subject 000."000, what's the matter? Why the abrupt call?" Professor inquired, curious about the urgency.The cat, audibly unsettled, responded, "I wasn't informed about a subject showing up, and it's 102."The professor raised an eyebrow, "Why so specific about 102? Do you remember the subjects?"Fear resonated in the cat's voice as it revealed, "Subject 102, of course I remember. She was nothing but a threat to me. That's why I had to escape."Concerned, the professor asked, "Is that the reason for your sudden escapade?"The cat, lacking its usual tone, replied, "Yes."The professor reassured, "No need to worry. 102, can't do anything to hurt you as long as you don't provoke her. Though what truly matters is the vessel's concept. Head to the old library room and prepare the corpse of 101 before the beast returns." The cat nodded, a reluctant "ok" escaping its lips.