BXBX NOVEL Chapter 119: It is up to you now [2/2]
[My Lord?]
Aira's worried calls broke me out of my brief trance.
"I'm fine, Aira."
That was something I had no bandwidth to worry about right now. I wasn't sure why I suddenly saw such a vision, but it had nothing to do with me at the moment.
My focus right now was on preparing for the Seeker War that I will inevitably fight. Once I arrived at the hotel, I would eat, sleep, and recover for my return to Hellsgate.
Just then, I felt the vehicle come to a gentle stop, and then the driver turned to me and said in a calm voice.
"We have arrived Mr. Limitless, please enjoy the rest of your day."
I nodded and got out of the car. Maybe it was because my mind was preoccupied, but I had no memory of getting the key and taking the elevator to my suite.
When I found myself in my room, I couldn't even appreciate the ambiance or the furnishings. My eyes were glued to the bed, into which I immediately collapsed.
The windows, the lights, and the air conditioning all began to operate automatically, making the room super cozy. As the softness of the mattress and pillows enveloped me, I couldn't even resist.
I had a ton of worries I needed to get back to, but for now. I decided to enjoy my well-deserved rest. Thinking that oversleeping would be fatal, I was about to give Aira some instructions before she spoke.
[My Lord, I will wake you before you are summoned. Please do not worry and enjoy your rest.]
Having Aira definitely made a big difference. I started to appreciate the advanced technology the US had because of her. Alexa, Siri, or Cortana, while advanced, were nowhere near as capable as Aira.
'Was this what AI was going to be like in the future? It was kind of scary if you weren't careful.'
[My Lord? May I ask you for a gift?]
"A gift? For you? If it is something I can give you, then okay. What do you want me to do?"
[Thank you, my Lord. You do not have to do anything, I just need $25,000, it will be so that I can better support you in the future].
"$25,000? Sure. Just take it out of my account. Good night, Aira."
[Good night, my Lord].
$25,000 was a lot when I was human. But now that I could literally make a million dollars a night, it seemed extremely cheap. The saying that money loses its value the more you have of it was probably true.
Aira, as far as I could see, was loyal to me and worked with my best interests in mind. And just now I was as sleepy as you wouldn't believe.
And even though Aira was just a machine, she had earned my trust.
Throughout the night, she showed me more kindness than most people I have met. I believe that as long as I continue to be kind to her, she will have no reason to betray me. At least I hope so.
***
The hours flew by until I heard a faint whisper urging me to wake up.
[My Lord, please get up. It is time.]
"Huh? Aira? What time is it?"
[It is 6:45, my lord. The Wraiths will be summoned around 8:00 in the evening. You still have time to clean up and have a quick meal.]
"Is that so? Yawn!"
I groggily wiped the drool from my mouth as I stood up and yawned. The brief rest allowed me to clear my mind of the thousand things I had to worry about.
I stumbled into the bathroom and took a quick shower while brushing my teeth. Aira began to update me on certain events.
[My Lord, you have slept for six hours and twenty minutes. I wasn't sure what supplies you might want, so I held off on ordering. Philip would probably introduce you to Production and Fortification later.]
"Hmmm."
[Also, my Lord. There is something you should see.]
"Hmm?"
The television suddenly turned on and tuned to an overseas program from Japan. A Japanese news station was broadcasting a chaotic event where some people were fighting against the Japanese SDF.
Everyone except the American commentator was speaking in Japanese. But the American didn't really know what was happening either.
Thinking it was annoying, I used my {Fate} to understand the original broadcast.
"{Interpret}."
[Right now, the terrorist group calling themselves the Seven Sirens are continuing their crazed rampage throughout the streets of Kyoto. Everyone please take care!]
"Terrorists? What is this about Aira?"
The scene showed the Japanese military shooting at people in black suits. Even though they were terrorists, only one of them used a sniper rifle. The rest used bladed weapons.
It was a gruesome spectacle as blood spilled from the buckets.
[The SDF has deployed tanks! Everyone in the area please evacuate!]
With a voice full of terror, the newscaster described the arrival of armored vehicles at the scene.
The Japanese were reluctant to use guns in general, so how bad was the situation for them to actually use tanks?
The turrets of the four armored vehicles that arrived took aim and shot one of the terrorists, engulfing him in a massive explosion.
As the smoke cleared, the man raised his large shield and began beating on the tanks with it.
"What the hell am I looking at, Aira?"
[My Lord, the footage of the terrorist has been inserted in.]
"Huh? Then what were the soldiers shooting at? Is this a play or something?"
[My Lord, the footage of the soldiers is real, but their real targets do not appear on the video. What we see was masterfully added during the live stream].
"Not showing up? Then these guys are reapers?"
[Yes, my lord. Currently, Hellsgate is in an uproar over this incident. Please watch this video clip. It showed earlier when the terrorists introduced themselves].
A black silhouette appeared barely visible in the dimly lit room. It was definitely a woman, judging by her large bosom.
[Greetings, children. You may call me Minerva. I am one of the Seven Sirens. Know that what we have done in Japan is only the beginning. Change is coming, and we are its heralds.]