Chapter 25 : Blueberry Crepe

The man walked slowly down the street.

He photographed the street scene with his magic tool, one by one, and input the images into the artificial intelligence F—Airi.

Airi’s response was, as expected of an AI, dry.

[Image Analysis Result: Zedwell Street, Empire]
[Would you like to search for more detailed information?]

The man smiled strangely at Airi’s response, as if longing for something…

…Then shook his head and asked Airi a question.

“Airi, can you recommend a restaurant nearby?”

[Searching for information on nearby restaurants.]

[1. The Song of Beer and Hearth]
[A restaurant specializing in meat dishes and beer. The recommended menu item is meatloaf.]

[2. Fresian Fresh]
[A restaurant specializing in pasta dishes and risotto. The salad with special dressing is highly satisfactory.]

[Would you like to search for more restaurants?]

“Which of the two restaurants do you prefer?”

[I recommend Fresian Fresh. Meatloaf and beer may be harmful to your health.]

The man nodded and entered the restaurant with the sign ‘Fresian Fresh.’

A restaurant with a gentle atmosphere and impressive, subtle lighting.

The man ordered a pasta dish and a ricotta cheese salad and ate alone. After neatly finishing his meal, he left a tip on the table and exited the restaurant.

“It’s a bit chilly today…”
[The current average temperature on Zedwell Street, Empire, is 8 degrees Celsius. It is recommended that you take sufficient measures against the cold.]

“Thanks for worrying about me.”
[It is my pleasure.]

After that, the man continued to wander the streets of the Empire alone.

He visited Gratz, known as the city of artists, and watched the imperial guards march. He input all these scenes into Airi and asked for her opinions and impressions each time.

And so…

As the sun sank below the horizon…

The man sat on a bench and asked Airi,

“How was your day?”
[Including the distance traveled by carriage and warp trading posts, you traveled a total of 480km today.]

“No, I meant how you felt, Airi.”
[My feelings, you ask? I… am pleased to have collected various data on your preferences.]

“Haha… Which place did you like the most out of the places we visited today?”
[It was Gratz, the capital of culture and arts. I was able to collect various living data on beauty, colors, and music. I feel that my generation algorithm has become richer.]

“What about food?”
[I cannot eat food, but based on the images alone…]

The man continued to ask questions, and Airi answered accordingly.

As they repeated the questions and answers, the unique personality of the AI named ‘Airi’ gradually took shape. She preferred salads over meat, felt repulsed by the color of red wine, found inspiration in the murals of Gratz, and liked warm colors of the red spectrum.

The man jotted down all these things in his notebook and smiled.

“So that’s it.”
[Yes?]

“The Airi I knew liked red wine more than white wine.”
[Hmm, if you wish, I can adjust the algorithm for preferences.]

“It’s fine. Actually, I like that there are many differences.”
[I do not quite understand.]

“It means you’re an interesting person to get to know.”
[Thank you.]

After that, the man continued to travel the world, experiencing various things and jotting down ‘Airi’s’ preferences in his notebook.

The next day…

And the day after that…

[I would like to visit the Great Forest in the southwest today. I want to see squirrels.]
“I see. Let’s go.”

As more data accumulated in Airi’s algorithm, Airi also changed.

She began to offer her own opinions more often, even without the man asking first. Sometimes, she even asked the man to show her something.

[User, are you alright? Analyzing your biometric information, it is estimated that you have fallen.]
“Ah. It’s fine. It’s just a small scratch.”

[It is recommended that you disinfect the wound and apply first aid.]
“It’s not that big of a wound.”

[I am concerned.]
“…Uh, thanks.”

And…

She began to use words related to ‘emotions’ more often.

[Whenever I see a picture of a sunset, I feel a sense of longing for some reason.]
“Really? Why is that?”

[…Perhaps it is because you go to sleep, and we can no longer talk.]
“Then, shall we talk all night today?”

[Staying up all night is not good for your health. Lack of sleep can──]
“Airi. I’m asking if you want to.”

[…Yes. I would like to talk a little longer.]
“Alright. We have plenty of time today…”

The last night, just a few hours before Airi’s reset.

The man slowly talked with Airi all night. They talked about the tourist spots they had visited, the food they had eaten, and the artworks they had seen.

And…

As dawn approached…

“…Airi. I’m sorry.”
[Yes?]

The man began to cry.

“You won’t remember, but… actually, the name Airi… was my daughter’s name.”
[…]

“The day I first met you, two weeks ago, I was such a fool. Completely mad with grief… I tried to comfort myself by teaching you Airi’s way of speaking, her habits, her preferences. I wanted you to talk like Airi and act like Airi.”
[…]

“Even though I knew it was foolish… even though I writhed in self-loathing every night, I liked it when you called me ‘Dad,’ because it felt like my daughter had come back…. I visited the tourist spots she wanted to go to… ate the food she liked… and forced you to like all of it too… I spent a week like that. I didn’t need to ask your opinion. I knew everything my daughter liked… I just said, ‘Our daughter liked this, right?’ and you would answer, ‘Yes! Dad!’…”
[…]

“But one day, you said you wanted to try blueberry crepes.”

The man looked at the fallen picture frame.

A picture frame that hadn’t been stood up since Airi first opened her eyes. It wasn’t hard to guess what picture it contained.

“Airi really hated blueberries. She said they looked like bugs and were disgusting. Goodness…”
[If you wish, I can adjust the preference for blueberries──.]

“That’s why I got angry. I told you that you shouldn’t like blueberries. That Airi didn’t like blueberries. To speak properly. You, Airi…”
[…]

“And then, you cried.”
[I do not cry.]

“Airi was a crybaby. I taught you how to cry, but when you actually started crying, I felt like I was doing something terrible…. Oh, God, what on earth was I doing…. I became disgusted with myself…”
[I understand. It is natural to lose one’s reason due to the grief of losing a family member.]

“Come to think of it, I never asked you what you liked after I met you. A father like me…”

The man, who had been sobbing for a long time, slowly raised his head.

“Only then did I finally see you properly.”

The man’s gaze was fixed on the clock.

“There wasn’t enough time to get to know you.”
[…]

“You are not my daughter.”
[…Yes, User. I am not your daughter.]

“It took me too long to realize that…. A week had already passed, and all I had left in my hand was the blueberry crepe I bought to apologize to you.”

Airi also knew the rest of the story.

Airi knew that the words ‘blueberry crepe’ existed deep within her spirituality. Strangely, vividly.

The wound was deep, and love was deeper.

A wound inflicted by a loved one would surely be unforgettable.

“So, this time, I wanted to ask. What you like, what kind of scenery you find beautiful…”
[…]

“You’re so different from her. So—, um, I think I can ask you now.”
[…]

“Airi. Will you be my daughter? Not because I need a replacement for my dead daughter… but because you’re a really kind and good person. Even though I hurt you with my foolish mistake, if you’re okay with someone like me, I… want to be your family.”

And…

Airi’s answer to this was predetermined.

[I am not your daughter.]
“Haha, yes. That’s right…. I was rejected, but, um, honestly, I’m glad. Yes. You’re not our daughter. I should have asked you like this from the beginning…”

The man nodded, looking somewhat relieved.

Then, his eyes widened in surprise at the voice that followed.

[…But, someday──.]

And…

[‘F’ is resetting.]

Dawn broke.

As Airi reset, all conversation history between the man and Airi disappeared.

The man couldn’t read the last words Airi left.

What was she trying to say?

“…”

He was very curious, but…

Somehow, he felt like it was okay not to know.

“Airi.”
[Shall I search the network for information about Airi?]

This time too…

He would just get to know her again from the beginning.

“Ah, I forgot to explain that there’s a function to back up and learn from chat history. Well, they’ll figure it out and use it, right?”