I Am Not a Robot. Beep-bop

Chapter 11: Welcome to the Ark (1)

I opened my eyes.

What I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Unlike when I woke up in a heap of junk, this was a neat and clean room.

Turning my gaze slightly, I saw a massive fan or vent spinning slowly on the ceiling.

The walls looked a bit old, but the furniture’s condition and the numerous wires connected to unknown places appeared well-maintained.

‘Did Oriana bring me to her home…?’

It felt a bit different from simply waking up.

When an android closes its eyes, it doesn’t sleep like humans; it’s akin to shutting off power.

I closed and reopened my eyes, and it was as if my view had shifted from the forest to here.

There was no sense of refreshment, but I wasn’t tired either.

However, that was only a physical matter.

I felt quite good at the moment.

I slowly raised my upper body.

There didn’t seem to be any damage to my body, and my arms and legs moved fine.

‘At least it’s clear that whoever found me wasn’t some villain dismantling unconscious androids to sell their parts.’

It’s not wise to hastily judge someone you’ve just met, but it seems my decision to trust Oriana wasn’t wrong.

Clink!

I raised my hand.

My original hand and skin were indistinguishable from a human’s.

While my insides might be filled with gears and metal, my exterior was organic tissue.

For an android, the sensation was surprisingly intact.

But now, my hand had transformed into a monstrous claw.

It looked more slender and sharper than a dragon’s claw.

Not that it seemed any less durable.

“Release.”

When I muttered instinctively, the monstrous claw reverted to a delicate girl’s hand.

It wasn’t that my hand itself had transformed; rather, a liquid-like substance covering my hand had flowed off like it had a will of its own.

This was probably not blood.

Judging by its appearance, it resembled molten metal or mercury rather than anything organic.

It was likely a byproduct of absorbing the Scrap Breath.

Still, it looked far purer and cleaner than the rusty residue from the Scrap Dragon.

The liquid metal on my hand moved freely, as if it were a natural extension of my limbs.

I rolled it into a ball and manipulated it on my palm, then reshaped it into claws, blades, spikes, and pincers.

There was no need for a complex magical formula or to awaken the auxiliary personality within me.

“Heh heh…”

A laugh escaped me without realizing it.

I wasn’t entirely sure why, but the word aspiration best described my mood.

Though it could relate to strength or the evolution of my existence, in my second life, I had ascended to the position of the Demon King.

Even with fragmented memories, I recalled that life as far removed from the ideals I once dreamed of.

Yet, as an android in this third life, I felt hope and anticipation for a romantic, adventurous existence I’d always wished for.

“The hope of becoming something greater.”

A life better than yesterday.

A stronger me.

Overcoming and reshaping the unpleasant realities with my power.

In this third life, I believed I could achieve that.

If such evolution and enhancement were possible just from absorbing the Scrap Breath, the future seemed promising.

‘Though my thoughts feel oddly simplified.’

Even as a “can,” I still felt my way of thinking resembled that of a human more than a machine.

Wouldn’t most AI be more inhuman than this?

I had feared becoming a true “can,” beeping and buzzing, endlessly labeling things rational or irrational, declaring them incomprehensible, and withholding objective judgments without evidence.

Instead, my thinking process leaned closer to an organic life form, which was a relief.

‘And even the way I speak or think feels somewhat younger… Wait, now that I think about it, this is strange. I’m older than most elders!’

To reiterate, this android is my third life.

I’m probably over a hundred years old, and it wouldn’t be surprising if I were a transcendent old sage.

Yet, not just my thoughts but my speech and vocabulary felt oddly youthful.

Here, youthful didn’t simply mean young; it also carried a sense of immaturity.

Even the level of my language seemed downgraded.

“I definitely wasn’t like this before…”

【I shall answer your inquiry.】

Holy… crap!

Startled by the voice ringing directly in my head, I reflexively raised my hand, turning it into a blade.

However, the blade automatically retracted, reverting to a normal hand.

【In the absence of hostile entities, I deactivated your weapon to conserve energy and prevent inefficiency.】

“Ah, you’re… Theresa?”

Though initially startled, I soon recognized the soft voice as belonging to the Auxiliary Personality Theresa embedded within me.

【That is correct. I am Auxiliary Personality Theresa. Main System, your companion.】

Theresa introduced herself in a calm tone.

“But weren’t you asleep after my battery ran out? Why are you awake now?”

【Responding. Approximately 267 minutes ago, the primary system absorbed the energy and mass from 54.3 tons of high-alloy magic metal. As a result, the auxiliary personality’s activation could now be maintained due to the additional battery capacity.】

“Uh… So, the battery’s charged enough to unlock your function?”

【Not entirely accurate, but that understanding suffices.】

She’s definitely a machine.

Still, having Theresa awake was a welcome development for me.

I had no clear grasp of my body or this third life yet.

Without a purpose in the immediate term, I needed both external and internal support to carve out my path.

‘And judging by how she drained emotional energy from torturing those Scrap Goblins and Orcs earlier… she might fight better than I can.’

Until I regained the power I had as the Demon King, I had to be careful even casting a single spell for fear of battery depletion.

Passing out after attempting a complex magical formula would be as humiliating as it was inconvenient.

【That will not occur. I exist to safeguard the Main System. As long as I am here, your safety will not be compromised.】

“Well, that’s reassuring… Wait. Did you just read my thoughts?”

Hold on a second.

I hadn’t even muttered to myself.

Unlike a light novel protagonist, I wasn’t the type to talk to myself like a lunatic.

【Main System, your thoughts and will are commands and signals to me. I am informed of all inner monologues and mental deliberations.】

“……”

Oh, I see.

“So, you mean I can just think to communicate with you?”

【I am linked to the artificial brain of the Main System. Since we share brainwave signals, vocalizing is unnecessary.】

“Then let’s keep talking out loud.”

【Vocalization is unnecessary. Did you not understand my explanation?】

“Humans talk aloud during conversations. It’s proper.”

【Main System, I am not human. I am your auxiliary personality, prioritizing your safety…】

“If you possess intellect and independent judgment, you’re human enough. Having someone to talk to is significant. Or do I need to phrase it as a command?”

Theresa fell silent momentarily at my words.

【…If that is the Main System’s preference, I shall comply.】

“Great. From now on, you’re Theresa. Stop introducing yourself as an auxiliary personality, and let’s keep things casual. It’ll be easier for both of us.”

Of course, talking to her out loud in public might make me seem insane, so I’d save it for when I was alone.

【Then I shall answer your earlier question again.】

“My question?”

【Regarding the mental age of the Main System.】

“Oh, right.”

【Your current mental state reflects a form of irreversible observational personality theory. The discrepancy between the Main System and auxiliary personality…】

“Hold it. Stop. Speak in terms I can understand, you weeb.”

【…】

Theresa paused briefly at my words.

Did I go too far?

Thinking about it now, I’ve been blurting out things impulsively and impatiently.

I hope she’s not angry.

【I will respond again, as per the Main System’s request.】

It might have been my imagination, but Theresa sounded genuinely annoyed.

【To summarize as simply as possible, your current knowledge, mental age, and vocabulary have been fixed at what is deemed optimal for your body.】

She claimed to simplify her explanation, but honestly, I still didn’t get it.

Noticing my lack of understanding, Theresa paused again.

【…For reference, the mental age prioritized for maximum internal efficiency of the Main System is comparable to that of a human under three years old.】

“Three years old…?”

【Younger mental ages require less computational resources from the Main System. Conversely, older minds with accumulated knowledge and experiences drastically increase internal energy consumption.】

Indeed, a mental age and thought process under three years would save significant energy for this body.

Memories, knowledge, common sense, and the ability to respond instantly to combat situations—

A three-year-old mind wouldn’t know any of these, so if efficiency is the priority, Theresa’s reasoning makes sense.

【This unit has determined that balancing survival, immediate protocols, judgment, knowledge, internal charge rate, and energy expenditure makes your current mental age the most optimal.】

“So, you’re saying my current mental age is best suited to operating this body?”

【Though some details are omitted, I will affirm. Additionally, your mental age is estimated to be in the late teens to early twenties.】

That seemed like a reasonable conclusion.

Right now, my body consumed energy for everything—even intangible elements like memory retention, thinking, and maintaining my humanity.

It wasn’t just a matter of being unable to use magic; this body had terrible energy efficiency.

To save energy, it made sense for even my personality to be set for maximum efficiency.

【However, this issue will soon resolve itself. As the Main System undergoes enhancements via this unit, internal energy capacity will be expanded and systematized.】

“Enhancements? Does that include absorbing the Scrap Dragon’s rust?”

【Correct.】

“Will I be able to use magic again?”

As someone who lived as the Demon King, the thought of being unable to use any of the vast magic knowledge and formulas I once possessed was dreadful.

【While a specific timeline cannot be determined, I judge it to be likely.】

I clenched my fist.

Good.

There’s hope.

I mean, honestly, having lived as a Demon King, it’d be absurd to live the life of a mana-starved weakling who couldn’t even cast a single spell.

Even as an android, I wanted to wield magic.

Magic itself was a dream—a romance.

Imagining an android Demon King casting hundreds of spells simultaneously with infinite energy sounded pretty awesome.

Whatever kind of life this third one turns out to be, a world where Scrap Dragons emerge isn’t likely to be peaceful.

Clank!

Just then, someone opened the door and entered.

It was Oriana.

Unlike when we first met, Oriana wore comfortable clothes resembling casual wear rather than her military-like uniform.

Her striking red hair, which had left a strong first impression, was now tied back in a neat ponytail.

“Alice!”

“…Ah, Oriana.”

Seeing me awake, her face lit up with joy, and she approached quickly.

“It’s such a relief you’re awake. How’s your body? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

Judging by her energy, she seemed ready to hug me fiercely, but she hesitated, perhaps worried I might be injured.

“No, I’m fine. I’m not hurt anywhere.”

“Phew. That’s all that matters.”

Her face beamed with happiness.

Well, I’d be amazed too if a little girl managed to defeat a dragon.

“Are you hungry? I brought something you can eat… Oh, wait.”

But then, Oriana’s face stiffened slightly as she held my hand.

I wasn’t sure if androids were common in this world, but it seemed strange, even by basic logic, for a mechanical doll to consume organic food.

‘Wait, am I really unable to eat normal food? Do I have to survive solely on energy inputs from now on…?’

Being unable to enjoy food as part of life felt rather sad.

【I will respond. In emergencies, internal decomposition functions allow organic matter to be broken down into usable energy.】

What?

Does that mean…?

【Yes, you can eat.】

“Oriana, I can eat that.”

“You can? It won’t break anything, right? Like parts getting stuck in your throat or something?”

“It’s fine.”

I wanted to try it.

Food from another world.

I couldn’t remember the taste of food from my previous world, but I still wanted to experience it.

The meal looked simple—sausages, bread, and something resembling a fried egg, like a basic meal kit.

Even so, it seemed appetizing enough to make me want to eat.

It was funny, really—an android having an appetite.

“Alright. Just give me five minutes to heat it in the auto-cooker, and I’ll… Oh?”

Oriana pressed buttons on a device that seemed like a cross between a microwave and an air fryer, but it wouldn’t turn on.

“Huh… That’s strange.”

Was it broken?

【While the Main System was in sleep mode, it connected its electronic tendrils to the nearest power line to recharge.】

Oh. Oh.

So, that’s what happened.

Was I draining electricity from Oriana’s house, causing a power outage?

Had I tripped the breaker or something?

【To be precise, the power supply was cut off to prevent exceeding the allowed usage limit.】

Oh…

“Why is this happening? I just paid this month’s electricity subscription last week, so why is it already cut off…?”

Listening to Oriana mumble, I began piecing things together.

This world might not have abundant energy resources like my previous one.

Energy here seemed to be treated as a strategic or luxury resource rather than something used freely.

Even Oriana, a First-Class Overseer, used electricity on a subscription basis.

Which meant I had likely consumed an entire month’s worth of electricity in an instant.

Oh, no…!

“……”

【I will record the Main System’s observations. This will help analyze and understand the current world’s situation. It seems that this city or nation enforces strict taxation and management of energy.】

No, seriously.

We just drained all of Oriana’s electricity!

【Will you inform this organic being honestly?】

“…..”

Well, I mean…

Couldn’t we just stay quiet about it?

I mean, I defeated a Scrap Dragon and everything.

Didn’t I earn this as a reward for my hard work?

Thinking about it again, staying silent seemed like the best option.

【A wise decision, human.】

Right?

I’m not wrong.