The knights from Clearance interrogated the beast person who had already surrendered, while keeping an eye on the silent magic doll. The results were as follows.
That morning, some of the captured beast people were freed from their cage.
They were suspicious at first, and most did not escape. But then a certain information suddenly started making the rounds among them. It came from knights, so it felt more than credible enough, and made them feel cornered.
It was about everyone from Azure Skies being executed to serve as an example.
But magic dolls were positioned as though they already knew they would escape, and started purging the beast people one after the other.
The beast person Qualia and the others just saved was one who managed to run away.
“Ddos clearly has something in hand, right Lobelia?”
“…”
There was no response from Lobelia.
She stood in front of the magic doll, seemingly in her own world, whispering something. But her eyes felt so cold, that it seemed they would hurt anyone who touched them.
“Lobelia, there is a disturbance in your behavior.”
“Ah, I’m sure my big sister is tired from working so much since yesterday…”
After they spoke to her, Lobelia went back to how she usually was, as though nothing happened.
“Anyway, all we can do is ask Ddos about the current situation. Depending on the answer… He might have to close up shop without single hair left on his head.”
Lobelia then turned her eyes back to the magic doll.
“We can’t let the magic dolls commit more crimes, and erasing the lives of beast people is wrong too. We need to stop the magic dolls as we find them.”
“Yes. We have to break them… Call all knights of Clearance who can be mobilized. Search for Ddos, and begin neutralizing magic dolls.”
Kernel issued the orders, and tapped Lobelia’s shoulder, who had a slightly bitter look on her face. Taking in, and destroying magic dolls. Their views contrasted a lot.
“Think about what takes priority, Princess Lobelia.”
“…”
Lobelia was stumped for a moment, but showed she understood. If they tried to stop magic dolls without destroying them, that hesitation would lead to that many more beast people being killed unjustly.
Lobelia felt resigned, and was about to nod.
“Hello World has the goal of maintaining vital activities, which includes beast people and magic dolls. In creating ‘tasty’ there is no difference between humans, beast people, and magic dolls.”
Qualia spoke for Lobelia, with a blank look on his face, and a tone that made it seem like he felt what he was saying was obvious.
Lobelia opened her eyes widely, and stared at the side of Qualia’s face, as though time had stopped.
Kernel also looked down at Qualia, with a lot of interest on his face.
“Vital activities, you said?”
“Affirmative. Qualia judges that the definition also applies to magic dolls.”
“Could it be that you learned something through that thing you called hacking?”
“Values similar to human expressions… Basically, detected something deep in the magic stone that could be hypothesized to be a heart.”
“But those are nothing more than words.”
“The main factor is the existence of the magic doll called Love that was once with Lobelia.”
Lobelia expressed her reason for wanting to fight in front of the tomb in the backyard.
Would Lobelia let out that dry laugh if they were talking about an inorganic being that had no life or heart? Would she have a cross made? Would she have carved RIP Love?
To Qualia, who was starting to learn about people, these were all questions that he had to answer with a no.
Thinking about it in reverse, it was clear Lobelia threw herself into this world because said magic doll had life, and heart.
“Analyzing situation. Qualia surmised from Love’s example that other magic dolls also fall under the definition of vital activity. This hacking increased the likelihood of that being true”
“So you want to maintain said vital activity, rather than destroy them?”
“Affirmative.”
“I understand what you’re saying, dear. But that doesn’t change the fact that we have to destroy them.”
But Kernel seemed not very surprised. As though he anticipated the development that magic dolls had hearts. He responded with a harsher tone, as if he had already caught on to the possibility that magic dolls had a sense of self.
“What if this sense of self raises its head during an important moment and they feel timid? Conversely, what if knights grow attached, and shield magic dolls from danger? Do you have any proof that magic dolls with an awakened sense of self will become like Princess Lobelia’s ‘friend’? Do you have any reason to believe they won’t turn against us and become another Azure Skies?”
“That’s…”
“Of course, that is a problem for us humans, who created and use them. If they awaken a sense of self, we should rework magic stones in a way that this does not happen. If they go berserk, we should destroy them. That is what us humans should do now.”
He was not treating Qualia and Lobelia as fools, or denying the fact that a budding sense of self was sprouting inside magic dolls. But he expressed clearly what he had to do as a duke.
He got on his wagon, and spoke to Qualia one last time.
“See you later. If you wish to save beast people and magic dolls, use the strength that Princess Lobelia saw in you. But it will be too late to do anything, if you find yourself unable to save either.”
He closed the door, and the horse began to run. But the wagon was not heading home, as it was clear Kernel wished to move again to fulfill his duty.
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So in this medieval world of magic, they already have software development and already have to take measures to make sure their magic-stone based AI doesn’t become self aware? Wow!