Hundred - Volume 11 - Chapter 7.1

Memories of an automata ?? Mei and Mei Mei 

When she went to Yamato to accompany Hayato and the others to their return to home. 

While frolicking about with the children of the institution, the speech and conduct of Mei Mei suddenly became weird. 

Because the antenna, which communicated with the satellite, broke down. 

Emilia repaired it while receiving the instructions of Charlotte minutely via video call. She more or less recovered her original condition, but this was no more than a quick-fix solution. 

As it was necessary to repair it properly, Mei Mei, who returned to Little Garden, underwent a full-body examination in Charlotte’s laboratory. 

– … How did it go, Charlotte-sama? 

She undressed in the laboratory and completed a full-body scan which was the last examination. 

Mei Mei, who wore her usual maid clothes, returned to the laboratory and asked Charlotte who faced the PC. 

– Honestly, I’m troubled. 

– … Troubled, you say? 

Charlotte made the chair turn around and as she had stated, she looked bewildered. 

– About whether or not I should tell you the truth. I’m really troubled. 

Prefacing so, Charlotte continued her words. 

– … However, even if I lie, you’ll soon notice the abnormality in your body. And if you check and analyze this data yourself, you’ll quickly notice that something is going on in your body. Intentionally keeping it hidden also has a limit, no? 

– In other words, my situation is pretty bad? 

– Yeah, although the exterior doesn’t matter much, and rather than the problem being the interior??the problem is the brain that controls your heart. 

– … My brain? The built-in memory? 

– The built-in memory has also deteriorated considerably. Aside from that, the problem is, should I say it became your source???the real brain itself has deteriorated a lot. If we leave it as is, various harmful effects may occur to a mental level. Not to the level of the antenna breaking down. 

– … In short, does that mean that I will end up not being me? 

– I’m afraid so. If compared to a person, it’ as if?death?comes. But there are ways that allow us to evade that. Though not 100%. 

– I would like to ask partly for reference, but what is the probability? 

– With our current technology, and if there are no difficulties, the probability of migration with how you are now is around 10%. But there are no guarantees that nothing will happen after that. There are no precedents, meaning that we’ll have to migrate all the data of your brain to an external disk and transform you into a complete autonomous evolution-type AI. 

– … Charlotte-sama. 

– Yes? 

After a short pause, Mei Mei declared. 

– I don’t need that. 

Her facial expression was unusually the seriousness itself. 

– Is that so? 

Charlotte, who breathed a small sigh, asked with a similar serious look on her face. 

-That means that you’re okay accepting the incoming?death?, huh. 

– Exactly. 

Mei Mei, who replied and nodded her head, put a hand on her chest and continued speaking slowly. 

– I feel like there is another me inside me that says: Don’t be like me. 

– “Don’t be like me”, huh. 

– … Yes. 

Nodding again, Mei Mei asked. 

– Charlotte-sama, how long can I keep being myself? 

– 5 years??no, maybe 3 years. In fact, I don’t know exactly. It can be at any time, s it’s better to be prepared. 

– If so, if there’s a moment this thing of mine breaks, then it’s not a problem to end my life. 

Mei Mei declared while tapping her temporal region with her fingers. 

– I want to carry out my life as the Mei Mei made by Linis-sama. 

– … I understand your feelings well. But if that’s the case, it makes me a bit sad. That will certainly hinder my research. 

– I am really sorry about that. 

– Huh? If you change your mind, tell me right away at that moment. 

– Yes, understood! 

Charlotte returned home. 

To take a little nap. 

Mei Mei, who left the laboratory with her, parted with Charlotte on the way and headed to the courtyard in Little Garden. 

She lay down on the lawn and looked up at the sky. 

Mei Mei sometimes did this in this place. 

For some reason, it calmed her a lot. 

A memory she recalled despite being vague. 

She felt like she always liked to do this. 

Don’t be like me. 

She heard a voice in her head again. 

– I know. 

Mei Mei muttered as she looked up at the sky. 

– I’m very happy now. And in the future too?? 

Mei Mei slowly closed her eyes while basking in the warm rays of the Sun. 

That was about 10 years ago. 

An old person came to Linis Harvey who worked at the laboratory of Warslan. 

He was a scientist that belonged to the Liberian Army. 

– The research of automata that used Variable Stones? 

Unintentionally doubting her ears, Linis asked again. 

– Yes, that’s right. 

The scientist man nodded. 

Is it possible to fight and defeat the Savages if we use automatas powered with the enormous power of the Variable Stones? That was the man’s proposal and scheme. 

Of course, they could be used even for disaster relief. 

And depending on the situation, even for human conflicts??. 

– You will get funds from the army. What I certainly want from you is the theory of the Hundred that you established. The research of Hundred has died down substantially, right? It should advance even if you are not at the center of it. 

– That may be the case. 

Linis replied, looking troubled. 

– I’m sorry, but I refuse anything that involves the automatas. 

– … Why? 

– I have a baby in my belly now. So I’d like to take a break for a while. In the first place, there’s no way androids will turn out well so easily. I don’t know how many years or decades will take until completion. 

At any rate, the control program became quite complicated. 

The old chemist in front of her had no way of knowing that Linis was attacked by a disease. 

She didn’t have much time. If she had time, she probably would have hurried the research of automatas and homunculus by relying on him. 

At one point, she had planned such a thing. 

But she judged it was timely and monetarily difficult and so she decided to have a child??a designer baby. 

She decided to mix Savage’s body fluid with an ovule fertilized by her husband’s sperm to create a child that responded strongly to Variable Stones. 

That would be easier and faster than a homunculus, said Linis’s thought. 

– That’s right, Warslan has a lot of great scientists, but not as much as me. Anyway, I can introduce you my assistant. Please hit someone else. 

– No person can do as much as you do. I’m begging you, please. I already have 5 brains prepared. 

– … Brains? 

Closing her eyes partly, Linis asked back. 

– That’s right. 

Nodding, the man continued. 

– Certainly, and as you say, programming movements would normally take decades, yes? But it should be simpler if we use human brains. That’s what I think. 

– Wait a minute. 

The words of the man weren’t wrong. 

Certainly, that could be the case, she thought. 

However, there was something that weighed on her mind. 

It was human rights’ issue. 

– How did you collect those brains? 

Linis asked. 

– I didn’t do anything ridiculous. It’s just an accident. 

– … An accident? 

– It seems you didn’t see the news yesterday. 

– I’m sorry, but I don’t see anything other than the information of the fields that interest me. 

– If so, then I shall explain. 

According to the old chemist, an accident, the fall of a bus, happened yesterday. 

The rescue squad rushed at once, but it was a horrible tragedy: 15 people died and 25 people were seriously injured. 

Among those who died, the ones that had their brains relatively intact were chosen. 

They were gouged out and preserved. 

– Naturally, we got permission from the families of the deceased, and we respect the will of the persons concerned. We only selected those who were willing to donate organs. 

– Nevertheless, I don’t think the persons concerned would agree in becoming automatas and the families of the deceased wouldn’t allow it either. In fact, this is more like a specimen than organ donation. 

– … But it’s a sudden accident. I’m sure the brains would love to survive in any form. Besides, this could be a research that leads to immortality. This should be a subject of high interest for you. 

Saying those last words strongly, the old chemist looked into Linis’s face as if appraising her. 

– … You, no way… 

– So that’s how it is. 

The old chemist smiled meaningfully. 

In other words, Linis’s disease was??. 

It appeared as if he knew that her life was limited and came proposing this consultation. 

(So foul) 

But interesting. 

It was uncommon to have the chance to be able to experiment using several fresh brains. 

– … It can’t be helped. If you insist, then I’ll do it. 

In any case, what she could do before her child was born was limited. 

– Those are promising words. I look forward to working with you. 

Thus, Linis decided to create automatas using the gathered brains. Of course, as for the motive power, she decided to use Variable Stones. 

The analysis of the human brain had been mostly completed by past studies. Now, before Linis’s assistants created plain bodies, they determined how to take the data from the brains and control hands and feet. 

Five plain bodies, which was the same number as the brains, were ready in a month. 

Then they spent another month connecting brains and bodies. 

However, only one of them was able to connect well and move like a human. 

The first automata didn’t react at all to the Variable Stone and it didn’t move. The second one had a slight reaction, but stopped working right away. The third one couldn’t support control and broke. In the case of the fourth one, it suddenly began to act violently. They had a hard time subduing it. 

The only successful was the fifth one. 

This one had the youngest brain. 

A brain that strongly wished for?life?. 

I want to live. 

Her brain strongly sent that message. 

I want to live. 

I don’t want my life to end like this. 

If I’m going to die anyway, then I’d loved to die living to the fullest. 

Experimental results said that Variable Stones responded to the strong feelings of people. 

Certainly, the Variable Stone responded to such feelings and made her move. 

Linis started talking to the girl inside a cylindrical capsule. 

– Rise.* 

*TN: The kanji for this word was “wake up”. 

Then, the water that filled the inside of the capsule was drained and before long, the girl opened her eyes, blinking in surprise. 

– Huh? Where am I? 

Linis asked the girl who surveyed the surroundings, as if spacing out. 

– What’s your name? 

– … My name? 

– Yes, your name. 

– I’m sorry, I don’t understand. 

The girl answered while casting down her eyes, looking sad. 

– What happened to me? 

– Before that, I’ll tell you your name. Your name is Mei. 

– Mei? 

– Um, you heard your name but you don’t remember anything, am I correct? 

– … Yes. 

The girl nodded. 

It seemed that a defect of memory had occurred. 

(Now, what should I do?) 

At any rate, she would have to talk about it sooner or later, and that would be the key to unlock her memories. 

Linis, who thought so, wondered the same for the original body of the girl. 

Now, she decided to tell her what happened and the situation she was in. 

Obviously, that she became an automata. 

– How can I say it? It went beyond my expectations. I’m surprised. 

The reaction of the girl after she finished talking about everything. 

Did she understand the situation she was in? 

Or did she not? 

An ambiguous answer she didn’t understand at all. 

Linis asked. 

– You can’t remember anything about your original self??about Mei? 

– No, nothing at all… 

The girl pondered. 

– I feel like there is someone in me. But it has fallen asleep so profoundly that there’s nothing I can do… 

– … I see… 

It appeared that a disturbance of consciousness was taking place. 

The possibility that she had split personality was high. 

(I thought it was alright if she could survive in this way, even if this body breaks, but it seems it’s not going smoothly…) 

Linis smiled with a feeling of self-deprecation. 

Moreover, even if aging was prevented by soaking the brain in drugs, maintaining a healthy state for 100, 200 years in her current state was impossible. Brains aged, and eventually, death came. 

Her ability to think would gradually decline. 

Being alive in such a state made no sense, she wasn’t interested in a self like that. 

Besides, the Variable Stone didn’t react strongly to her. 

In any case, it was impossible to become an automata. This was the conclusion Linis reached to after two months of research. 

Using the remaining time for automatas was a waste. 

She had better betting on the child in her belly. 

(I’ll just do what I can do while I’m alive. For the future generations too??) 

The research of this technology had to be handed over to someone. 

But??. 

Linis gazed at the girl before her. 

– Excuse me, what I am going to do from now on? 

Feeling anxiety was normal. 

The seemingly worried automata girl stared at Linis who was silent and indulged in thought. 

– You will fight. 

Linis replied. 

– Fight? 

– … Yes. You’re a weapon created to fight against the mysterious invaders called Savages that threaten mankind. 

It wasn’t a lie. That was the truth. 

– Grasp this. Try thinking strongly. 

Linis opened the capsule and presented a Variable Stone to the automata girl. 

– Think? 

– Imagine a weapon in your head. Anything is fine. Give it a try. 

– Understood. 

The automata girl received the Variable Stone as she was told and decided to do so. 

However, the Variable Stone only showed a weak brilliance, it didn’t transform. 

– Umm… what do I do next? 

– Let me hear something first. What did you imagine? 

– First a cool great sword! Then a big gun, then… 

– Enough. 

Linis stopped the words of the girl. 

– Given that it’s not transforming with that, then that means you’re not suited to fighting. 

Based on the situation seen now, she could only say that. 

– In other words, I’m a failure as an automata? 

Dropping her shoulders dejectedly, the girl showed she felt sad with all her body. 

She almost thought she ended up doing something bad. 

However, Linis had no mercy. 

– Hmm, I don’t know if you’re a failure, but from my point of view, you’re not a success. I’m sorry. 

– *Sniff*…. Then what should I do now? 

– Let’s see… 

Linis asked the girl who dropped her shoulders. 

– Is there something you want to do? 

– Something I want to do…? There’s nothing that comes into my mind… 

*Hmm*, putting a hand on her temporal region, the girl pondered. 

Linis thought, looking at her. 

(Now, what should I do…?) 

Was it okay to give this girl to Warslan? 

Despite being no reaction to Variable Stones, she could be equipped with weapons on her body, turning her into an anti-Savage weapon or a human-killing machine. 

(But this girl doesn’t seem to be cut out for that…) 

Linis, who saw the girl still thinking in the same posture even now, showed a soft smile on her face. 

Judging from the exchange just now, maybe she wasn’t suited to fighting. 

She would tell Warslan that the experiment failed and that she would be responsible for raising this child??. 

That was what Linis concluded for her. 

If she could get her to take care of the newborn child while doing research and experiments, then that should do it. 

At any rate, this was the first infected human. A Variant. 

She didn’t know what would happen. 

Based on that, this was better than leaving the child to humans. 

Because of that, Linis told the automata girl frankly. 

– If so, be my assistant. 

– … An assistant? 

– Yes. I’ll be your master. So I’ll give you a name. 

– A name? 

– You’re not Mei, are you? So I thought and decided to give you a new name. Yes, what about “Mei Mei”? 

– Mei Mei? 

– I take Mei, which is your original name, from?Mei?and ?meido?resulting in Mei Mei. For some reason or another, I think it suits you.* 

*TN: Meido is the way “maid” is written in furigana. 

In a different sense, Mei Mei2. 

That was also the meaning of the second Mei. 

– Even so, I think it’s very cute! 

The girl lightened her facial expression in a flash and struck her palms in front of her chest. 

– Then, Mei Mei. Do you want to work as my maid? 

– Yes, of course! There’s no need for Mei Mei to do anything else! 

– Alright. Then, you’ll look for what you want to do while helping me. Okay? 

– Understood! 

Around 10 years passed since then. 

She found what she wanted to do. 

That was, to be useful to everyone. 

And??. 

The next time she died, she would die in happiness. 

My body already died once. 

I’m prepared for that. 

I’m just going to do my best until that day comes. 

When that day comes, I would like to thank all the people that supported me until now, including Charlotte-sama and Linis-sama who gave me a wonderful time. 

While feeling a sense of accomplishment??. 

As if her life could end in happiness as Mei Mei. 

She just had to keep living with all of her might until that day came. 

(Surely that should be a repayment for Mei-san and doctor Linis) 

Mei Mei closed her eyes slowly while thinking so and decided to take a small rest. 

It was a very warm day of spring.