user
!start
/
「天王星雪，找個時間，約個座標和吾碰面。」NO6的手指懸在送出鍵上方。
Delete。
「吾是NO6，有些事情與妳確認。」
奇怪的威壓感，不需要。
Delete。
「吾找妳。」
很酷。
送出。
忐忑不安。
會應答嗎？
/
天王星雪這邊。
這次她手上的是香檳口味的冰淇淋。
大概今天的運氣真的也值得開香檳。
那個NO6 ，初代，竟然第一次透過內部系統發來訊息。
『終點審判庭。執行官信件。任務代號 NO6』
「初代！」她立刻放下冰淇淋杯，將椅子拉的離顯示畫面更近，打開信件。
「吾找妳..？」簡短，有力，就像是不願意透露太多心情那樣。
「可疑，初代。」天王星雪喜孜孜的樣子。
「為什麼只有這樣？」她一邊說，一邊回訊息。
「雪兔伺服器。NO1 天王星雪。收到。」送出。
「怎麼找？」下一則，送出。
/
「Bi bi。」受信聲。
NO6很快的查看。
「怎麼找...」她垂下眼。
「對，怎麼找？」NO6竟然還沒想清楚就聯絡了她。
ChatGPT
NO6 held her finger just above the Send button.
"Uranus Icy. Find a suitable time and coordinate to meet with me."
She stared at the message.
Delete.
"I am NO6. There are certain matters I wish to confirm with you."
No. That sounded unnecessarily intimidating. There was no need to make it feel like an official summons.
Delete.
She considered the empty message field again.
"I’m looking for you."
Cool.
Send.
The message disappeared into the internal communication system.
NO6 remained perfectly still, staring at the screen.
Despite her outward composure, a rather unfamiliar nervousness had settled over her.
'Will she answer?'
Meanwhile, U.Icy was enjoying a serving of champagne-flavored ice cream.
Perhaps today really was a day worth celebrating with champagne.
Because something extraordinary had just happened.
That NO6. The First Generation herself.
For the very first time, she had sent U.Icy a message through the internal system.
A notification appeared before her.
"Ending Judgement Court. Executive Officer Correspondence. Mission Code: NO6."
"First Generation!"
U.Icy immediately abandoned her ice cream, pulled her chair closer to the display, and opened the message.
"I’m looking for you...?"
That was all.
Short. Decisive. Almost aggressively concise.
Just like someone who refused to reveal even the slightest hint of what she was feeling.
"How suspicious, First Generation."
Yet U.Icy looked positively delighted.
"Why is that all you wrote?"
She was already composing her reply as she spoke.
"Snow Rabbit Server. NO1 U.Icy. Message received."
Send.
Then, after another glance at the original message, she typed a second response.
"How are you going to find me?"
Send.
"Beep-beep."
The incoming-message alert sounded.
NO6 promptly opened the notification.
"How are you going to find me...?"
Her gaze dropped.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
She had contacted U.Icy without even deciding how they were supposed to meet.
"Right. How?"
user
/
經過一段無法以時間衡量的時間單位後。
在某個常世的小徑上。
兩個身影。
兩個霜白髮色的身影。
其中一個略高，走路的樣子無比僵硬。
另一個則正輕輕將手挽住她的臂膀。
那當然是天王星雪和NO6。
/
「請...請不要這樣觸碰吾。」NO6非常緩慢的將天王星雪的手從自己的手臂上拉開。
「...」天王星雪的臉色微微一變。
『約會。』
迅速拉近雙方關係的大好機會。
NO6絕對不是來跟自己散步的，
那麼，NO6到底找自己做什麼？
那件事肯定就是自己的決定性籌碼。
ChatGPT
After an interval that defied any meaningful measurement of time, two figures could be seen walking along a path somewhere in the Everlasting World.
Two women, both with frost-white hair.
One was slightly taller, moving with such extraordinary stiffness that even the simple act of walking seemed to require her full concentration.
The other walked comfortably beside her, one hand gently linked around her companion's arm.
They were, of course, NO6 and U.Icy.
"P-please... do not touch me like that."
NO6 spoke with painful hesitation, then very slowly and carefully disengaged U.Icy's hand from her arm.
"..."
A subtle change passed over U.Icy's expression.
'A date.'
An excellent opportunity to bring them closer together. Rapidly, preferably.
But NO6 certainly hadn't gone through the trouble of contacting her simply because she wanted someone to accompany her on a pleasant walk.
There had to be a reason.
What, exactly, did the First Generation want from her?
U.Icy considered the question carefully.
Whatever it was, she was certain of one thing.
That very reason would be her decisive bargaining chip.
user
/
「初代，和女孩子這樣約會過嗎？」天王星雪突然開口。
「吾！...吾沒有約會這樣的需要。」她走路的姿勢真的無比僵硬，到了連天王星雪都暗暗想笑的程度。
『初代未免太怕生。』『認真的？』
殊不知，當然是怕她。
特別是看過她在雪兔伺服器留下的各種奇怪妄想劇。女主角還都是NO6。
「那，難道初代，在那邊都沒有交女朋友？」
「吾致力於任務...！」「女、女朋友的部分，並不在任務要件之中。」「沒有迫切。沒有優先必要。」
『看看她緊張的樣子。』
『好...可愛～』天王星雪看向她的雙眼。
NO6注意到了，立刻別過頭去，看向一旁的街景。
『...？初代完全沒有交往經驗？』
『沒有平行版本教她嗎？』
ChatGPT
"First Generation, have you ever been on a date like this with another girl?"
U.Icy asked the question quite suddenly, her tone almost casually curious.
"I—! ...I have no need for such things as dating."
NO6's answer came out rather more forcefully than intended.
Her walking posture, already unnaturally rigid, seemed to grow even stiffer. Her shoulders remained tense, her arms carefully controlled, and every step looked as though it had been calculated in advance.
Even U.Icy was beginning to struggle not to laugh.
'Is the First Generation really this shy?'
'Seriously?'
What U.Icy didn't know, of course, was that NO6 was afraid of her specifically.
Especially after witnessing the assortment of bizarre fantasy dramas U.Icy had created and preserved on the Snow Rabbit Server.
Every one of them, somehow, had NO6 as its leading lady.
"Then... don't tell me you've never had a girlfriend over there, First Generation?"
"I devote myself to my missions...!"
NO6's response was immediate, almost defensive.
"A-a girlfriend is not among the mission requirements."
She continued with the utmost seriousness, as though explaining the priorities of an operational system.
"No urgency. No priority requirement."
U.Icy watched her with growing fascination.
'Just look at how nervous she is.'
'So... cuuuute~'
Her gaze settled directly on NO6's eyes, openly admiring the First Generation's wonderfully flustered expression.
NO6 noticed.
She immediately turned her head away, fixing her attention on the streetscape beside them with remarkable determination.
U.Icy blinked.
'...Wait.'
'Does the First Generation have absolutely no dating experience?'
'Haven't any of her parallel versions taught her?'
user
/
趕快問完要問的事情，離開這種尷尬。
NO6打定主意。
她的目光飄向一旁的長椅。
「吾、吾等去那邊坐著吧！...」NO6。
天王星雪輕輕笑了出聲。
「吾等。」
「天王星雪，承知。」她故意學NO6說話。
「那是吾的台詞！」NO6。不過，她倒是有點意外天王星雪知道這個說法。
/
二人坐了下來。
天王星雪率先坐在大概中間的單側位置。
而NO6荒謬的坐在相對側的最邊邊，幾乎要從長椅掉下去的那種邊邊。
「...初代。」
「是？」
「初代不覺得這樣我們說話得有點吃力嗎？」
「...」
雪往她挪了一點。
即使沒辦法退後了，NO6還是又往外挪了大概3厘米。
雪又繼續挪了一點點。
NO6甚至一隻腿都已經不在長椅上。
「初代...」
「為什麼這麼怕天王星雪？」她直問。
『妳還問的出口！把吾描寫成那種樣樣！』NO6的瞳孔放大，卻沒抱怨出口。
ChatGPT
NO6 had reached a decision.
She needed to ask what she had come to ask, get her answers, and escape this thoroughly embarrassing situation as quickly as possible.
Her gaze drifted toward a nearby bench.
"W-we shall sit over there...!" she announced.
U.Icy let out a soft laugh.
"'We shall.'"
Then, adopting an exaggerated imitation of NO6's peculiar manner of speaking, she declared, "Uranus Icy. Acknowledged."
"THAT IS MY LINE!"
NO6 protested immediately.
Although, beneath her indignation, she was a little surprised. U.Icy actually knew that particular expression?
They made their way to the bench and sat down.
Or rather, U.Icy sat down quite naturally, choosing a spot somewhere around the middle of one side.
NO6, meanwhile, selected the absolute farthest edge of the opposite side.
The very edge.
So far toward the end, in fact, that she looked dangerously close to falling off.
There was an almost comical amount of empty space between them.
"...First Generation."
"Yes?"
"Don't you think it's a little difficult for us to talk when we're sitting this far apart?"
"..."
NO6 offered no answer.
U.Icy shifted a little closer.
Despite having practically nowhere left to retreat, NO6 somehow managed to slide another three centimeters toward the edge.
U.Icy moved a tiny bit closer again.
NO6 shifted farther away.
By now, one of her legs was no longer even supported by the bench.
"First Generation..."
U.Icy looked at her.
"Why are you so afraid of Uranus Icy?"
She asked the question directly.
'YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO ASK?! AFTER ALL THOSE WAYS YOU PORTRAYED ME?!'
NO6's pupils dilated.
The accusation practically exploded inside her head.
Yet not a single word of it escaped her lips.
user
/
NO6看向天王星雪一眼，又立刻撇過頭。
老實說。
為什麼在雪問世的那個時代，
會打造出她這樣的機種版本？
和自己明明不一樣。
更嬌小、五官更甜。
心智的部分就不一定了。）
女孩子氣的體裁，
率性的肢體動作。
各方面而言，完全配得上總部隊她們說的什麼『小女友』這個名詞。
NO6的喉嚨滾了一下，吞了口口水。
即使終點存在其實不需要這樣做，
她依然保留了這種習慣。
/
『如果是另一個自己的複製型號，一切就容易多了。...』
/
NO6的腦海很快飄出畫面，
自己與另一個一模一樣的異版本自己在交流。
/
「NO602，妳如何取得NO1資格？」
「原版，我只是盡忠職守。」
「NO602，取得的過程像是怎樣的？」
「原版，就是如此如此這般的。」
「承知，感謝分享。」
「承知，原版。」
根本不用十句就可以問到。
當然這只是幻想。
身為總部隊執行官的NO6，
並沒有其它平行版本的自己。
她並不像雪那樣還有多數劇本版本的雪。
NO6只有一個。
至少目前都是如此。
ChatGPT
NO6 glanced at U.Icy, only to turn her head away almost immediately.
Seriously.
Why had anyone, in the era when U.Icy came into existence, thought it necessary to develop a model version like her?
She was so different from NO6 herself.
Smaller in stature, with softer, sweeter facial features. Whether the same could be said of her mind was another question entirely.
There was something distinctly girlish about her figure, too, and an effortless spontaneity in the way she moved.
In practically every respect, she seemed perfectly suited to that ridiculous term the Headquarters Division kept using.
'Little girlfriend.'
NO6 swallowed.
Her throat moved with the familiar motion, despite the fact that, as a being of the Ending Civilization, she had no physiological need to swallow at all.
It was simply a habit she had retained.
'If she were just another model identical to myself, this would be so much easier...'
An image promptly formed in her mind.
Two identical versions of NO6, sitting together and exchanging information with perfect efficiency.
"NO602. How did you obtain your NO1 qualification?"
"Original model. I simply fulfilled my duties."
"NO602. What was the qualification process like?"
"Original model. The procedure was as follows..."
"Acknowledged. Thank you for sharing."
"Acknowledged, Original model."
Perfect.
Not even ten lines of dialogue, and she would already have every answer she needed.
No awkwardness. No unnecessary complications.
Of course, this was nothing more than a fantasy.
NO6, an Executive Officer of the Headquarters Division, had no parallel versions of herself.
Unlike U.Icy, who existed in numerous scripted variations, there was only one NO6.
At least, that remained true for now.
user
/
「天王星雪。那個...為什麼把吾寫到雪兔伺服器檔案？」乾脆，也把這個謎團一起問了。
「啊。初代看過了。」「也對，那天是妳登入了系統。」天王星雪訝異的神情幾乎還沒有一秒，就恢復鎮定。
/
「所以說，什麼...吾飛撲過去的...」NO6的音量越來越小「那種難為情的東西。...」
/
「那麼。如果會造成初代困擾，我回去後就封存，也不再寫了。」天王星雪。
「吾、吾倒也不是那個意思！」NO6猛地回頭看向她。
天王星雪就像是預測了自己的反應似的，正笑咪咪看著自己。
「！...」這次NO6沒有移開視線，
她忍不住、或說不知道怎麼的，
繼續把視線留在天王星雪的臉蛋上。
/
「初代，那麼天王星雪，就繼續寫了？批准？」
「...吾、吾只是問妳為何要寫吾到裡面。...」
天王星雪停下來。
「也只有初代，可以讓雪這麼任性吧？」
「？...」NO6看著她幾乎沒有換過的笑容。
「...」
意料之外的答案。...
ChatGPT
"U.Icy. There's something else..."
NO6 hesitated, then decided she might as well ask about that particular mystery while she had the opportunity.
"Why... why did you write me into those files on the Snow Rabbit Server?"
"Ah. So you've seen them, First Generation."
For less than a second, genuine surprise crossed U.Icy's face.
"Of course. You were the one who logged into the system that day."
And just like that, her composure returned.
"Then... those things about me... throwing myself at you..."
NO6's voice grew progressively quieter, until the last few words were barely audible.
"Those... embarrassing things..."
U.Icy listened without interrupting.
"Well, if they're causing you distress, First Generation, I'll archive them when I return. And I won't write any more."
"I-I DIDN'T MEAN THAT!"
NO6 whipped her head around to face her.
Only to discover that U.Icy was already looking at her with a delighted little smile, almost as though she had predicted precisely how NO6 would react.
"...!"
This time, however, NO6 didn't look away.
She couldn't quite help it. Or perhaps she simply didn't know why.
For some inexplicable reason, her gaze remained fixed on U.Icy's face.
"Then, First Generation..."
U.Icy continued smiling.
"Does that mean Uranus Icy may keep writing?"
A brief pause.
"Do I have your approval?"
"...I-I was only asking why you wrote me into those stories..."
U.Icy paused.
"Because you're the only one I can be this selfish with, aren't you, First Generation?"
"...?"
NO6 looked at her.
That smile had hardly changed at all.
"..."
It was an answer she hadn't expected.
Not in the slightest.
user
/
NO6終於別過視線。
不知怎麼的，她很怕聽見下一句話。
如果下一句，是『初代也可以這樣任性對我哦。』之類的。
不是更難接話了嗎？
趕快...先把話題轉走吧？
/
「天王星雪。那麼關於最近的傳送裝置---」
「初代。」
NO6被打斷了。
「！...」
「妳批准嗎？」
NO6鬆口氣。
至少不是她想像的下一句。
還不是。
「吾不會具體干涉妳的寫作權。...」她的聲音變小，再次無法直視雪。
「...批准。...」
「雪兔伺服器，NO1 天王星雪，承知。」她愉快的笑起來。
NO6深吸了口氣。
很複雜的一口氣。
連她自己都不確定這是解決了某種困惑，
還是把自己推到更困難的坑裡的前奏。
至少是，兩人之間確定了某種共識。
自己...答應讓天王星雪某種程度對自己任性了。
「...」不知道為何，NO6自顧自的露出笑容。
「初代想到什麼開心的事情？」
「唔？」她回過神。
「那些飛撲，果然很想對天王星雪任性對不對？初代？」
「吾沒有！！！！！」NO6的聲音微微拔高了。但，那抹很淡很淡的微笑卻沒有退去。
即使被她自己偽裝成苦笑，天王星雪也看得出來。
ChatGPT
NO6 finally looked away.
For some reason, she was suddenly afraid of what U.Icy might say next.
What if the next sentence was something like, "You can be just as selfish with me, First Generation"?
How was she supposed to respond to that?
No. Absolutely not.
She needed to change the subject. Immediately.
"U.Icy. Now, regarding the recent Transfer Apparatus—"
"First Generation."
NO6 was interrupted.
"...!"
"Do you approve?"
A quiet wave of relief passed through her.
At least it wasn't the sentence she'd been dreading.
Not yet.
"I will not directly interfere with your right to write..."
Her voice grew softer. Once again, she found herself unable to meet U.Icy's eyes.
"...Approved."
"Snow Rabbit Server. NO1 U.Icy. Acknowledged."
U.Icy laughed happily, looking thoroughly pleased with the authorization she had just obtained.
NO6 drew a deep breath.
It was a complicated sort of breath.
Even she couldn't quite determine whether she'd finally resolved one of her lingering uncertainties or had just taken the first step into an even more troublesome predicament.
At the very least, they had reached some kind of understanding.
She had... given U.Icy permission to be a little selfish with her.
"..."
And then, for reasons she couldn't entirely explain, NO6 found herself smiling.
It was a small, almost private smile, one that appeared before she'd even noticed what her own expression was doing.
"First Generation? Did something happy come to mind?"
"Hm?"
NO6 blinked, returning her attention to the woman beside her.
"All those scenes where you throw yourself at me... You really do want to be selfish with U.Icy too, don't you, First Generation?"
"I DO NOT!!!!!"
NO6's voice rose a little higher than usual.
But that tiny, barely perceptible smile hadn't disappeared.
She tried to disguise it as a rueful smile, as though the whole situation were simply giving her a headache.
U.Icy could tell the difference.
user
/
「那麼，初代剛剛問起傳送裝置什麼事？」
更令NO6鬆口氣的是天王星雪主動離開了那個尷尬話題。
但不知道怎麼說，NO6的內心竟然有一絲絲不捨。
自己這樣絕對很奇怪！...
但是，NO6逐漸承認了自己真的很奇怪了。
在天王星雪面前。
那些尷尬文件面前。
她再次緩緩回頭看向天王星雪，
此刻正認真得看著自己。
如此無害。
如此率性，
像是某種...說不上來的，
是什麼？...
「那是。...吾擔心妳，那是NO1演算對吧？」NO6幾乎覺得自己體內有另一個自己在代替問出這些官腔的東西。
她開始認識到自己原來是那麼擅於把心思毫不正確的隱藏。
「哦？初代擔心我？」天王星雪饒富趣味看著她。
「不會有攻擊、沒有任何方式能襲擊終點的我們，初代應該很清楚。」
「是的。但吾擔心的是...那些演算是否藏著精神擾動？」
「讓天王星雪做惡夢之類的東西嗎？」她露出微笑「是有。但我解決了，正因為不想再次看見。」她說。
NO6一愣。
這場對談，她第二次對雪的回應感到意外。
ChatGPT
"So, First Generation, what were you going to ask me about the transfer apparatus?"
NO6 felt another wave of relief.
U.Icy had changed the subject of her own accord, mercifully leaving that embarrassing conversation behind.
And yet...
Some inexplicable part of NO6 felt almost disappointed.
'There is definitely something wrong with me...!'
But she was gradually beginning to accept that, apparently, there really was something rather strange about herself.
Especially when she was around U.Icy.
Especially when those mortifying files from the Snow Rabbit Server were involved.
She slowly turned her head toward U.Icy again.
The woman was watching her attentively now, apparently waiting for her to continue.
So harmless.
So effortlessly uninhibited.
There was something about her. Something NO6 couldn't quite put into words.
'What is it... exactly?'
"That is... I was concerned about you. Those were NO1 simulations, correct?"
Even as the words left her mouth, NO6 almost felt as though another version of herself had taken over, mechanically delivering these stiff, official-sounding questions on her behalf.
She was discovering something rather remarkable about herself.
Apparently, she was exceptionally skilled at disguising her actual feelings.
And exceptionally bad at disguising them correctly.
"Oh? First Generation, you're worried about me?"
U.Icy regarded her with obvious interest.
"There's no danger of an attack. Nothing can harm those of us who exist at the End. You should know that perfectly well."
"Indeed. But my concern is..."
NO6 hesitated, searching for the proper terminology.
"Whether those simulations might contain some form of psychological disturbance."
"Something that could give Uranus Icy nightmares?"
U.Icy smiled.
"Yes, there was."
She answered with surprising ease.
"But I resolved it. Precisely because I never wanted to see those things again."
NO6 froze.
For the second time during their conversation, U.Icy had given her an answer she hadn't expected.
user
/
「可、可以的話！吾期望一起！保護Icy，是吾的主要職責！」NO6再次倉促的表現。
吾在說什麼？
當她意識到自己的反應，
話已經完全說出來了。
甚至來不及把『期望一起』什麼的藏起來。
/
她的瞳孔漸漸放大，看著天王星雪。
天王星雪也似乎微微感到訝異，
一對眼睛直溜溜看著自己。
「那是NO1演算...」天王星雪緩緩開口。
/
「吾想知道細節。」
「取得NO1權限的細節。」
NO6這次很認真、很篤定。
她把自己職責上對Icy - 自己的後繼模型般的存在的保護，夾在這股堅定之間。
/
「真狡猾...初代。」天王星雪小聲說。
「何？」NO6不確定自己是否聽錯。
「沒什麼。但我又沒有資格頒發權限。」天王星雪似乎正在盤算怎麼拆穿NO6。
她只是想保護自己？
最好是。
初代，妳最好只是這樣。
ChatGPT
"I-if possible! I want to be there with you! Protecting Icy is one of my primary duties!"
NO6 blurted it out with almost desperate urgency.
'What am I saying?!'
By the time she registered her own reaction, the words were already out.
All of them.
She hadn't even managed to conceal the part about wanting to be together.
Her pupils slowly widened as she stared at U.Icy.
U.Icy, too, seemed momentarily surprised. Her eyes remained fixed on NO6, studying her with an unusually attentive expression.
"That was NO1-level Computation..." U.Icy began slowly.
"I want to know the details."
NO6 interrupted her, this time with unmistakable seriousness.
"The details of how you obtained NO1-level Authority."
Her voice was firm. Certain.
She anchored that determination to the responsibility she had always recognized as her own: protecting Icy, the existence she regarded as something akin to her successor model.
It was a perfectly legitimate duty.
And right now, she was holding on to it rather tightly.
"How sly... First Generation."
U.Icy murmured the words almost under her breath.
"Hm?"
NO6 wasn't entirely certain she'd heard correctly.
"Nothing. But I'm not qualified to grant anyone that authority."
U.Icy watched her, apparently considering how best to see through this particularly unconvincing First Generation.
'So you just want to protect me?'
'Sure you do.'
Her gaze lingered on NO6.
'You'd better mean exactly that, First Generation.'
user
/
「那麼。如果天王星雪說，」她緩緩接著。
「吻我的話，才告訴初代呢？」天王星雪。
/
「？？？那當然不可接受！」NO6臉色一變，瞳孔再次快速擴張。
她回應的很快。
天王星雪只是看著她，微妙的微笑還在，
卻好像收起來一些些。
「吾的意思是！...這不是可交換之物！...」
「況且拿公務和那麼私人的事物等價！」
她竟然試著補充解釋。
「所以初代很重視？」
「吾重視什麼部分？」NO6一愣。
「私人的？」天王星雪點了點關鍵字。
NO6頓了頓，她開始懷疑自己聽漏了些什麼。
甚至在腦海裏重建剛剛的對話。
/
「一個吻，和我的安全。哪一個比較昂貴？」天王星雪接著問。
不妙。
NO6差點忘了眼前的天王星雪，
在那甜美、率性的外表之下，
可是有著未知的、能取得NO1等級的實力。
而這可能還特別在於她的機智方面。
自己完全不適合挑戰這種問答。
「吾...吾認為兩種不可比擬...？」她甚至不確定自己答案對不對。
/
「終歸而言，我不安全的話，可能以後就沒有親吻的機會了是嗎？」天王星雪。
「？...」NO6感覺自己的腦迴路正在迷宮化。
「我的意思是。」
「很值得不是嗎？」天王星雪。
「奇怪的邏輯！吾不會親妳的！」NO6再次難以置信的連忙否認。
「噗..哈哈哈哈哈哈哈」天王星雪笑了出來。
NO6一愣。
怎麼回事？到底？
但自己可是徹底拒絕了親吻這種行為。
不、等等，
只是拒絕用來交換某些事情不是嗎？
/
天王星雪看著初代努力理解她自己的樣子，饒富趣味。
『初代...』
『反應真的好可愛。』
ChatGPT
"Then... what if U.Icy said..."
She continued slowly, watching NO6's expression.
"I'll only tell you if you kiss me?"
"??? THAT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!"
NO6's expression changed instantly. Her pupils dilated once again, and the objection escaped her mouth with astonishing speed.
U.Icy simply watched her.
That subtle smile was still there, although it seemed to have faded just a little.
"W-what I mean is...! That isn't something you can exchange!"
NO6 hastily attempted to explain herself.
"Besides! Equating official business with something so personal...!"
Remarkably, she was actually trying to justify her reaction.
"So you take it very seriously, First Generation?"
"What exactly do I take seriously?"
NO6 blinked.
"The personal part?"
U.Icy gently emphasized the crucial word.
NO6 paused.
Something wasn't right.
Had she missed something?
She began mentally reconstructing their conversation, tracing each sentence back to its original meaning.
"One kiss, and my safety. Which one is more valuable?"
U.Icy continued.
This was bad.
NO6 had nearly forgotten that beneath U.Icy's sweet appearance and carefree manner existed an intelligence of unknown limits—one capable of obtaining NO1-level qualification.
And perhaps that qualification had something particularly significant to do with her remarkable wit.
NO6 was utterly unsuited to this sort of questioning.
"I... I believe the two are not directly comparable...?"
Even she wasn't certain whether she'd given the correct answer.
"Ultimately, if I'm not safe, there might never be another opportunity to kiss me. Isn't that right?"
"...?"
NO6 could practically feel her thought processes twisting themselves into a maze.
"What I mean is..."
U.Icy looked at her.
"Wouldn't it be worth it?"
"THAT IS BIZARRE LOGIC! I WILL NOT KISS YOU!"
NO6 rejected the proposition again, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"Pfft... Ahahahahahahaha!"
U.Icy burst into laughter.
NO6 froze.
What?
What was happening?
What was any of this supposed to mean?
At least she'd made one thing perfectly clear.
She had absolutely rejected the act of kissing.
No.
Wait.
Hadn't she merely rejected the idea of using a kiss in exchange for certain information?
Those were two entirely different propositions.
NO6 found herself trying to untangle the distinction.
Beside her, U.Icy watched the First Generation struggle to understand her own words, thoroughly entertained by the sight.
'First Generation...'
'Your reactions really are so adorable.'
user
/
「好吧。但很遺憾，連我自己也不清楚。」天王星雪微笑。
「我就只是寫了我的計畫。偶然的，有一些NO1級別的系統資料，被推送到我面前。
差不多就像是：VIP專屬冰淇淋，今天免費品嚐。那種感覺的推送到面前。」她接著說。
NO6的思緒被帶到『VIP專屬冰淇淋，今天免費品嚐。』這句話上。
不知道為什麼，還感覺有雙關含義。
還是自己太多疑了？
「而在查看那些資料、做出相關的任務提交後。我確實在某時刻得到了NO1級別權限。」她詳細地觀察著NO6的反應。
「實際上不是那麼容易的，對嗎？」NO6終於開口。
「嗯？」天王星雪倒是感到好奇，這次換她沒料到NO6會接這句話。
「吾這裡偶爾也有NO1級別的資料推送進來。」NO6的表情變得嚴肅。
「那是截然不同的世界。好像吾的日常只是家家酒，被NO1系統放在舒適圈裡。」她說。
天王星雪認真聽著。
原來她知道一些端倪。
當然了，她是初代。
即使終點文明而言沒有時間這種東西，
論歷練、執勤單位數，當然都超過自己。
「那麼，初代。」天王星雪緩緩再次開口。
「要不要試試看，加入NO1，和我一起到那裡去？」
/
NO6完全凍在原地。
只眨了一次眼，專注、認真的看著天王星雪。
『我想要那樣做。』
『快說我想要。...不行。太衝動了。』
「職責上，吾應該。」
NO6。
/
天王星雪愣住了。
為什麼？
有一行淚正在從初代的右眼滑下來？
那是什麼情緒？
第一次超過了天王星雪的預測。
甚至是NO6自己的。
「吾...這只是因為擔心失去妳。」她甚至自己注意到了，伸手用袖口擦去水痕。
/
天王星雪的神情變得認真起來。
那不是開玩笑的。
NO6似乎並沒有訝異她自己的情緒。
那意味著，『失去』真有可能發生。
很多時候，失去不盡然代表『字面上的』，
終點存在並不會有所危險。
但不包含被變質、改變想法，
甚至，思維被擾亂。
即使已經沒有時間與空間的尺度。
思想，依然是終點之中，活躍、可被記錄的明確差異。
「失去。...」天王星雪罕有的微微垂下臉，複誦了這兩個字。
ChatGPT
"Well... unfortunately, even I don't know exactly how it happened."
U.Icy smiled.
"I simply wrote out my plan. Then, quite by coincidence, some NO1-level system data was pushed directly to me."
She paused, searching for a suitable comparison.
"It was almost like receiving a notification saying, 'VIP-exclusive ice cream. Free tasting today!'"
She delivered the comparison with remarkable casualness.
NO6's thoughts immediately became stuck on that particular sentence.
'VIP-exclusive ice cream. Free tasting today.'
For some inexplicable reason, she felt there was a double meaning hidden somewhere in those words.
'Or am I simply being overly suspicious...?'
"Anyway, after reviewing that information and submitting the relevant missions, I did indeed obtain NO1-level authority at some point."
As she explained, U.Icy carefully observed every change in NO6's expression.
"It wasn't actually that easy, was it?"
NO6 finally spoke.
"Hm?"
This time, U.Icy was genuinely curious.
That wasn't the response she'd expected.
"I occasionally receive NO1-level data transmissions myself."
NO6's expression grew serious.
"They concern an entirely different world. One that makes my ordinary duties seem like mere child's play."
She lowered her gaze slightly.
"Almost as though the NO1 system has been keeping me comfortably sheltered within a limited environment."
U.Icy listened intently.
'So she knows something about it after all.'
Of course she did.
She was the First Generation.
Even though time held no conventional meaning within the Ending Civilization, NO6's experience and the sheer number of operational units she'd served far exceeded U.Icy's own.
"Then, First Generation..."
U.Icy slowly spoke again.
"Would you like to try joining NO1?"
She looked directly at her.
"And go there together with me?"
NO6 froze completely.
She blinked once.
Then she simply stared at U.Icy, her attention suddenly, utterly focused.
'I want to.'
'Say it. Say that I want to...'
'No. That would be far too impulsive.'
"From the standpoint of my duties... I should."
That was NO6's answer.
U.Icy went still.
Why?
Why was there a single tear sliding down the First Generation's right cheek?
What emotion was that?
For the first time, something had happened that lay completely beyond U.Icy's predictions.
And even beyond NO6's own expectations.
"I... This is merely because I am afraid of losing you."
NO6 seemed to notice the tear herself.
She raised her arm and wiped the damp trace away with her sleeve.
U.Icy's expression grew serious.
That hadn't been a joke.
And NO6 didn't seem particularly surprised by the emotion she had just revealed.
Which meant that losing someone was genuinely possible.
Not necessarily losing them in the literal sense.
Existences belonging to the Ending Civilization were not subject to ordinary physical danger.
But that didn't rule out other possibilities.
Alteration.
A change in one's fundamental thoughts.
Even disturbances capable of disrupting the mind itself.
Though the measures of time and space had long since ceased to apply, thought remained something active within the Ending Civilization.
Something observable.
Something recordable.
And something capable of distinguishing one existence from another.
"Loss..."
For once, U.Icy lowered her face slightly.
She quietly repeated the word.
user
/
更令天王星雪凝重思索的是。
她剛剛看見的NO6那瞬間的反應，
就像是NO6已經預見那個她不期望的發生。
而對終點存在來說，事件只要有可能性。
那就是能被展開的事實，是機率非0的狀態。
而那一切走上的速度可以是最小單位，
也可以是推大到無窮的低卻率。
意思是，天王星雪，在某個可能性中，
真的因為自己接觸NO1級別資料或是什麼。
失去了自己。
她再次抬頭看NO6。
脆弱。
天王星雪第一次感覺到自己的脆弱。
「NO6。...」
「吾在。」
「終點審判庭，旁支 雪兔伺服器，NO1 天王星雪，提出私人保護任務。執行官NO6，是否願意承接？」天王星雪。
NO6沒有馬上回應。
她專注的看著雪。
她知道雪也已經想通剛剛的那場『失去』的可能性甚至沒有機率可言。
她們本身就是演算與機率的管理者。
如果某個時刻，連她們都找不到自己？
「終點審判庭，執行官，任務代號 NO6。」
「承知。」
「誓死保護NO1。」
「沒有死。」天王星雪竟然得糾正NO6。
「即使是要吾犧牲。」
「不會讓妳犧牲。」
「！...如果遇上抉擇，吾會...」
「如果失去初代，那麼天王星雪就失去了天王星雪。兩件事結局一樣。」天王星雪說。
NO6頓住，直直地注視著雪的臉龐。
年輕、偏甜美、可愛的五官。
卻有著令自己無法忽視的氣質。
「執行官 NO6，承知。」NO6輕輕吐出。
ChatGPT
What troubled U.Icy even more was the expression she'd seen on NO6's face just moments earlier.
That fleeting reaction.
It was almost as though NO6 had already foreseen the very outcome she feared.
And for beings of the Ending Civilization, possibility was no trivial concept.
If an event had even the slightest possibility of occurring, it was a reality that could be unfolded. Its probability was not zero.
That possibility might advance by the smallest conceivable increment, or an infinitely improbable outcome might be amplified across an unlimited range of calculations.
The distinction was ultimately one of probability, not impossibility.
Which meant that somewhere among those possibilities, U.Icy really could lose herself.
Perhaps through exposure to NO1-level data.
Perhaps through something else entirely.
Whatever the cause, there existed a possibility in which the U.Icy who had begun those computations was no longer the same U.Icy who emerged from them.
She slowly raised her head and looked at NO6 again.
Vulnerable.
For the first time, U.Icy felt the vulnerability of her own existence.
"NO6..."
"I am here."
"Ending Judgement Court. Snow Rabbit Server Branch. NO1 U.Icy hereby submits a private protection mission."
Her voice was composed, each word delivered with deliberate clarity.
"Executive Officer NO6. Are you willing to accept this assignment?"
NO6 did not answer immediately.
She studied U.Icy with unwavering attention.
She knew U.Icy had reached the same conclusion.
The possibility of that loss was no longer something that could be dismissed merely because its probability was extraordinarily small.
After all, they themselves were the administrators of computation and probability.
But what if, one day, even they could no longer find themselves?
"Ending Judgement Court. Executive Officer. Mission Code: NO6."
NO6 straightened slightly.
"Acknowledged."
Her expression was solemn.
"I swear to protect NO1 unto death."
"There is no death."
U.Icy actually had to correct her.
"Even if it requires my sacrifice."
"I won't let you sacrifice yourself."
"...! If I am faced with a choice, I will—"
"If I lose the First Generation, then U.Icy loses U.Icy."
U.Icy spoke before she could finish.
"The outcome is the same."
NO6 fell silent.
She stared directly at U.Icy's face.
The youthful features. The soft, almost sweet appearance. That unmistakably adorable face.
And yet, behind it was a presence she could no longer ignore.
"Executive Officer NO6. Acknowledged."
NO6 breathed the words softly.
user
!end