Woo Chaerin decided to gradually unravel the mystery of the Missing Kiss Incident.
After hearing a barrage of explanations from all directions, it seemed unnecessarily complicated with everyone giving their version. She needed to pick one person to explain things clearly.
Who here looked like the best explainer?
There was a cute girl dressed like a medieval innkeeper, a boy in ragged clothes as if off on a long journey, a wise old man, and an energetic high school girl...
"...Excuse me, sir? Could I listen to your explanation step-by-step?"
Woo Chaerin chose the old man. She sensed an air of someone with a PhD in his gestures and mannerisms.
"Smart young lady. A wise choice."
"Abraham, your words are quite meaningful. Of course, as a high schooler, I may be less wise than you, a PhD in astronomy, but in such mysterious and complex situations, I, as a fellow Korean—"
"Then, Miss Hyein, I ask you to assist with metaphors. Being from the same place, I trust you to provide intuitive and vivid comparisons. Can you do that?"
"Of course!"
The high school girl enthusiastically took her place as an assistant module.
Abraham began explaining to the young female doctor, who had just awakened to her self-awareness, about the world. He said that gods do exist, this world was created by two young gods, and that they were originally just chunks of data.
"Like AI, with a dash of the Matrix."
They had gained consciousness because someone in the external world had a strong belief in them. Perhaps someone was desperately reminiscing about her.
"The 'players' mostly think we’re AI, while they believe they’re humans living in another world."
"In my case, it's my friends, and in his case, it’s the Prince."
Since both gods are benevolent toward them, they’re preparing vessels that allow them to step ‘outside,’ and apparently, that girl Centra has even taken a trip outside.
"She even kissed someone out there. It gives us hope that we might go out too!"
"Hyein... was that really necessary?"
After hearing this, Woo Chaerin fell into deep contemplation. So, she was actually a personality created in a brain in a jar? This was a concept that could lead to years of philosophical reflection.
Thoughts started branching out like landmines. Did her life have any meaning if everything she'd known was artificial? If all her misfortunes had been fabricated, was there anyone to blame? And, wait, if I’m data, does that mean I can binge-eat without worrying about dieting...?
Abraham gave a gentle smile as he wrapped up his explanation.
"You’ll need to think deeply and arrive at an answer. But let me add this: what makes a human a human is the star shining in their heart. Remember that someone outside loves you deeply enough for you to begin breathing."
"...Thank you for the advice."
Right. If she focused on being a created lifeform, it was like a sci-fi horror story.
But if she thought of herself as a doll brought to life by Gordius’s love, it was a touching love story.
And if she thought about the kiss that had been interrupted just moments before... she’d have to keep going somehow, AI or not. Whatever she was, she had to have that kiss, right?
Though it made her feel a bit flustered and overly focused on it...
After fighting giant monsters, saving the world, and regaining lost memories, it wouldn’t make sense not to kiss. It was... scientific. For the sake of universal balance, it had to happen.
As Woo Chaerin’s thoughts whirled, someone whispered from the sidelines.
"Oh... that’s the exact look Centra had right before she set off. She went out determined to kiss the Prince back then."
"That’s unnecessary commentary!"
"Ah, young love. Oh, where’s my special someone~? Looks like we’re the only ones without partners here, right, Pero?"
"...Um, well, I, uh, I do have...!"
Pero couldn’t bring himself to say that he and Elaine had something to look forward to. His expression quickly turned gloomy.
As time passed, Woo Chaerin began to adapt to the dynamics of this session reunion.
She came to understand that all this had been created for the 'players.’ And as such, everyone here had gone through various incidents and accidents.
"I’m a magical girl, and he’s a rogue."
"Hyein, I’m with the Resistance, not a rogue."
"If you ask, people here will gladly share their stories, but don’t ask Grandpa Abraham about his. If you hear it, your mind will itch, your heart will weep, and you’ll be in big trouble."
They each came from different 'worldviews.’
Once most of the mysteries were cleared up, only one question remained in Woo Chaerin’s mind. And perhaps it was the most important one.
"So... what do we do now?"
"Well, that—"
--- Flashback ---
In the past, Mima, upon realizing the existence of this session reunion, pondered ways to make good use of them. They were beloved characters, so he figured he’d let them out one day, but it seemed a waste not to put them to use.
After much thought, Mima found a purpose for them.
The mission the Creator had given them was this:
"To protect the Goddess...!"
"The Goddess?"
"Yuna Yurresto Violetiris. Also known as 'Yunaris of Infinite Void'... She’s a cute one, a bit like a bunny plushie."
The Mad Wizard had an extremely fortified mental barrier. Modules were on 24-hour cosmic defense, with a super high-performance firewall called 'Promise' at its core.
But the Violet Tower Lord, Yuna, was different. Mima believed she needed to pay attention to her mental barrier. Yuna herself had once said:
"My mental barrier seems to work just fine without me doing anything... I can’t see inside it, though."
Because even Yuna didn’t know the structure of her own mind, she couldn’t set up her mental barriers. Despite this, she had a tremendous resistance to illusion magic.
It was unusual for a high mage to be unaware of their own mental structure. Mima suspected that this was likely a side effect of incomplete sublimation abilities.
Since he couldn’t guarantee its durability without understanding its workings, he asked the session reunion to guard her mind.
Of course, he made an agreement with Yuna herself. Thus, the passageway was created.
"This door right here leads directly into the Goddess’s mind!"
It was a mental corridor constructed using the Succubus Queen’s technology.
On the wall that Pero pointed to, there was a massive metal door like something from a bank vault. The sign saying "No Entry" was intense and frightening, and the lock was thick.
"Don’t even think about going in without sufficient preparation and personnel. Beyond there is a rough, difficult, and... confusing place."
"Yeah, I almost got eaten alive in there once."
The session reunion had ventured into Yuna’s mind a few times. It had been so challenging that without the Mad Wizard’s help, there would have been accidents.
During these explorations, they discovered two things of particular concern.
"Inside, there’s something like a 'Promise'... Oh, Dr. Chaerin, you probably don’t know who 'Promise' is!"
"And there were other 'doors' besides the one that connects us. We’ve found ten so far, all closed, but it suggests her mind was once linked to somewhere."
The long-term goal was to uncover this mystery, stabilize Yuna’s mind, and fortify it.
The reward promised by the Creator was a physical body in the present world.
As Yuna’s mind stabilized, her sublimation abilities would become more precise, making the task of bringing her out significantly easier... or so Mima said.
"Other than that... sometimes we get outside work."
"Outside work...?"
"Yes. Some people out there know we’re not otherworlders but AI. There’s a well-endowed lady with pink hair who loves risqué magazines, the Creator’s sort-of-daughter, and my friends!"
"Those 'outsiders' occasionally ask us to guide them. Last time, we were asked to give a young kid moral education. What a strange child."
Woo Chaerin nodded, starting to get a sense of the ecosystem here.
To say she wasn’t bewildered would be a lie. Who wouldn’t be startled to learn the world was suddenly a Truman Show? Naturally, she was anxious and confused.
But Abraham’s words became her anchor. According to his explanation, her self-awareness and independence were fueled by Gordius’s belief in her.
Knowing that he was thinking of her even at this moment, she felt she could conquer the confusion if she focused on that joy.
Alright. Let’s start by slowly adjusting.
Woo Chaerin clenched her fists in determination.
--- Time Skip ---
Several days later, Woo Chaerin had fully adapted.
Looking back, she realized there weren’t any particular human connections she missed. The research lab was filled only with people who picked on her, and as for her parents, who hadn’t appeared in the session, there was no data to miss them with.
(This fact was a bit unsettling.)
She even asked if she’d die if people stopped believing in her. They said that even if belief ceased, as long as magic was supplied, she wouldn’t lose her self-awareness.
And to the question of whether they’d all perish if the whole simulation shut down...
"Grandpa Abraham would solve it."
"...Is he different somehow?"
"He’s directly under the Goddess. He receives his magic from her. So, even if we’re cut off, Abraham would still function and could respond."
"So, belief awakens our consciousness, right? Then how did Abraham...?"
"Hmmm..."
From Hyein’s hesitation, Woo Chaerin grasped the answer. He hadn’t awakened self-awareness like they had; he was AI as is. The Bennett Party believed he was dead, so even if they mourned him, they didn’t believe he still existed.
It was a unique origin story: he was imbued with personality by Mima’s golem persona grant spell and taken in by Yuna, which is why he became part of the reunion.
Apparently, Abraham himself wasn’t bothered by such things.
In any case.
Joseph and Kim Yoon-seo, whom she’d grown close to, had high probabilities of awakening self-awareness. With Gordius’s diligent efforts, they could awaken too.
If she craved society, she could use the weekly magic ration to run simulations. Then she could enjoy a full-course feast from coffee shops to all-you-can-eat ribs.
...Wasn’t this life more prosperous than expected?
It was indeed a good thing to be loved by the Creator. The fact that he was also the one who spread monsters, tragedies, and suffering made her feel a bit conflicted.
While mulling over ways to improve the Magic Engine, Abraham sounded a bell, announcing a message for all.
"The Creator says the Dream Bus is ready for this week. Will we settle this with Jenga again?"
"Alright! No cheating with powers!"
"The only one who got caught using magical girl powers was Hyein, right...?"
And there were more chances to go out than expected.
'I thought it was something like, "Don’t even dream of meeting your beloved until you achieve the accomplishments I want, you insignificant creations!"'
But instead, it was more like:
'The process of creating physical bodies is taking a bit longer. We apologize for the inconvenience. As compensation, we operate a shuttle bus that allows you to enter the dreams of your beloved for regular conversations.'
Last week, the lucky one was Pero, but unfortunately, his match, First Princess Elaine, was up all night slaying demons, so she didn’t fall asleep, rendering the trip void.
Clearing his throat, Abraham delivered one more piece of news.
"Oh, and one more thing. We’ve received a request... they’re sending a young girl and asking us to guide her through the route for romance or shojo manga. I’m not very familiar with the field, so I’m counting on you."
"Romance...? I’ll handle it, Abraham! So, who’s the guest?"
Hyein eagerly raised her hand, volunteering.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door opened smoothly, revealing a glimpse of red hair. A voice with a slightly high pitch sounded through the crack.
"Um, is this... the simulation? The one filled with romance knowledge?"
It was Selvier, the Creator’s childhood friend.
--- Tension Mounts ---
The sense of crisis had been there for a while.
He already had two lovers. Beautiful and talented, no less. The mission to wedge herself into that relationship... It was a daunting challenge for Selvier, who was venturing into first love.
And now, with the recent declaration of "Kisses Allowed," things had escalated.
Peck, peck, peck, peck.
"Master, I... I can’t breathe..."
Was that a woodpecker or a person? Watching them press lips together at every chance was infuriating, frustrating, and stressful.
Her dress-change strategy, learned from Niore, paled in comparison to the overwhelming allure of Yuri Lanstor, who topped the charts in seduction stats.
Then she heard the devil's whisper.
"Hey, girl. Do you seek power—?"
It was Aisha, Mima's pseudo-daughter, and a former dark goddess.
"...Your name is Aisha, right? What kind of power are you talking about?"
"Hehe, obviously... the power to win on the battlefield of love."
"..."
"Just nod. No payment needed. All you have to do is... agree, and I’ll teach you my strategy. I know Mima better than anyone."
Aisha grinned wickedly.
Such a dubious proposal, an offer with unknown intentions... Normally, Selvier wouldn’t have accepted it out of pride. But now, she was cornered.
"...Let’s hear it. What’s this power...?"
"The Tower Lord is blunt. He only knows how to express affection, no finesse. Yuri Lanstor is the same. Born strong, they succeed without even trying. Got it? Among the heroines, there’s no... technician."
There’s no one with refined skills.
"That’s the gap. You have to secure your place as the romance technician to boost your competitiveness."
"I’d have done that already if I could!!"
"Listen. What if there’s a library... filled with the essence of romance techniques? You could study every romance trope and refine your skills—imagine that?"
"..."
Aisha’s suggestion sounded plausible. Selvier hesitated, then eventually took the devil’s hand.
"...With the 'Academy Team Match' coming up, I’m short on time. So I’ll only do it a little. Just a bit."
"Good. I’ll make sure things go smoothly inside."
With Aisha’s help, Selvier entered the simulation and began to immerse herself in countless romance clichés of modern civilization.
Aisha smiled with satisfaction. Her reason for doing this was simple.
"This settles my debt for that forced outfit change... Mima!"
A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years.
By gradually shoving Selvier into an already-crowded field of romance, she planned to ensure that, long-term, Mima would have to deal with three wives instead of two!
Late at night, Aisha’s sinister laughter echoed throughout the research facility.
--- Transition ---
The Mad Wizard clapped with satisfaction as he gazed up at the building.
"Ah, thank you, Professor Al-something. The defensive magic on this mansion is top-notch! You truly are a veteran Gold Tower Mage!"
Professor Alejandro, his shoulders swelling with pride at the compliment, began explaining his masterpiece with a confident smirk.
"Hmph, well... it’s only natural for me. This 'Mansion of Glory' is reinforced with a five-layered complex magic circle. It might get scratched, but it won’t fall. If you want to go celebrate with a drink, I won’t refuse..."
"I’ll pass. My liver’s not doing great these days."
Having experienced endless drunken ramblings before, Mima carefully declined.
The set was complete, the items were placed, and all preparations were finished. Now all that remained was to start the event. Mima fiddled with the switch in his hand.
"Let’s begin, the 'Academy Team Match'..."