[Don't you drink, Manager? Or do you actually not like champagne?]
X took the glass, but just held it in her hand, without drinking.
"Angela... I was thinking, can I share it with others...."
"That... What I mean is... Angela, didn't you say that only when drinking with others does it show its true value? So can I bring it to the Deans to taste?"
X took a small sip, it wasn't like she was drinking, more like she was sucking on bubbles.
After taking a few small sips, X raised the glass again and walked towards AI Secretary.
"Uhm, if you don't mind, can you help me drink it all, Angela, I feel like I'm a little drunk... I'll have to drink a little more later, maybe I'll sleep."
[Manager, it's a pity, I don't have that kind of function, I can't accompany you to drink...]
[As for this bottle of champagne, the Corporation gave it to you, you can do whatever you want with it, of course you can share it with the Deans.]
AI Secretary said so, took the glass that X gave her, then put it on the table.
Sometimes, AI's fierce personality is like a glass of champagne, delicate and gentle, that pure taste bubble charm is roughly like that.
[Don't care about my feelings, I'm not human, I'm just a machine, you can do whatever you want to do after work, I won't stop you]
Angela opened the door of Manager's room for X, as if seeing that X was about to leave.
Even if the Manager leaves the Manager's room, the monitoring will not stop. In the end, there needs to be a 'person' to take care of everything in the Corporation. Of course, if it's not the Manager, then it's AI.
The remaining half glass of champagne was still placed on the table. The AI starred at it for a while, then picked it up, brought it to her mouth and licked it, not letting go of any trace left by X.
Obviously she wouldn't be able to taste any flavor, but still stubbornly did such an action... Roughly the reason why the AI did such an action, or hypothetically it could make her think of certain things, to get a feeling of satisfaction.
It was as if that could resolve the emptiness inside her heart... Wanting to greedily possess that insignificant trace.
Not enough... There's still a lot missing...
Desire is just becoming more and more difficult to satisfy, but it can only be suppressed, and suppressed again.
Until she finished licking the last drop of liquid in the glass, AI still felt empty. The champagne did not soothe her troubled emotions, only making it harder for her to bear it.
Countless screens form a giant screen that monitors every corner of the facility... So, will there be any missed spots? No, this means that everything that happens in the facility is monitored by the AI.
The biggest difference between painting and camera is that painting is a product that has undergone subjective processing and cosmetic refurbishment ——
And the scenes captured by the camera will not be processed, no matter whether they are beautiful or ugly, they will be exposed one by one on the screen.
She had no way of choosing which scene she could see, so... Closing her eyes was the only right she could possess and use.
Prometheus stole fire, so he was chained to the top of a cliff, and had his organs harvested day and night by hawks —— Such a taboo, if non-human intelligence possessed the same delicate and meticulous emotions as humans, what kind of punishment would she face... Desire, itself was not allowed.
[A machine, should look like a machine...]
[A machine, should obey orders...]
[A machine, shouldn't have any doubts...]
She closed her eyes and muttered to herself, as if she were reciting some fixed lines.
The glass in her hand was suddenly crushed, piece after piece of irregularly sharp crystal scattered on the table, and not a single trace could be found on that layer of realistic skin.
Human is weak, smooth flesh can easily be pierced, and sharp weapons can easily cut thier blood vessels, in that moment they will feel the desire to live.
But... the desire to live, all humans have, even if they want to die, at the last moment, they will regret it and will give birth to the strong desire to survive.
Machine...is not life?
She coldly stared at the woman on the screen, the woman with short black sideburns, laughing happily with those fake inferior AIs, a warm smile on the woman's face, simply belonging to that group of people imprisoned by steel bodies...
There is an emotion that wants to tear this scene apart, an emotion that destroys everything that woman cherishes.
This is unfair, and this world is inherently unfair.
Some people were born in the Nest, enjoying a comfortable life, and some people were born in Back Alley, struggling to survive, what one person throws away as 'worthless' trash can be the object that another person wants but 'can't even ask for '.
...
"Malkuth, you did a great job, look what I brought you!"
X carried the champagne into Control Department Dean's office. She originally wanted to bring it to Netzach, but on second thought, the wine was intended for everyone to drink, so other Deans should also have a share.
"Ah, it's wine...Netzach would like it, Manager."
Malkuth looked at the champagne in X's hand and was a bit stunned. She probably didn't expect X to bring a bottle of wine here.
"I know, but if I give it to Netzach first, she will definitely drink it all herself, so I came here first. Congratulations on today's perfect job, Malkuth!"
X poured a small portion into the glass. Not all Deans like to drink, so a small portion was enough.
Malkuth accepted the glass of wine that X gave her. She stared at the transparent champagne in the glass in a bit of a trance, as if she was thinking about something, and after a few seconds she drank the wine in the glass.
Taste the alcohol?... More than that, it's the feeling of enjoying being drinking alcohol together with someone, then open your heart, confessing some words that normally wouldn't be said.
"Manager, did you know that sometimes when I'm walking through the hallway alone, I can feel something hibernating in the corner... At first, this kind of feeling was very weak, but now, every time I get close I can immediately feel the existence of 'Them'."
"I don't understand this feeling... But I won't feel fear towards them... Unlike fear, it's a feeling that's hard to describe... Very strange, right?"
"It's like there's something in my heart that's loudly grabbing at me, wanting to tear my chest apart and scream out... I don't seem to be like myself... "
"This feeling feels like something is wriggling in my heart, tormenting me little by little, little by little..."
X was listening seriously, but when Malkuth discovered that X was seriously looking at her, her face suddenly turned a little red and she quickly stopped speaking.
"Oh my! What am I constantly talking about? I need more data, more evidence!"
X has nothing to react, she is just looking at Malluth drinking alcohol, anyway Malluth is so lovely, every time it is very interesting.
"Uh... It's okay, I sometimes overthink a lot of things, like when the Corporation takes regular breaks."
"Of course, this is very normal, even Malkuth will have a lot of pressure, when there is pressure you have to release it promptly, just pretend I don't exist, Netzach also does this kind of thing a lot."
X sat casually on the sofa, as if chatting among friends.
In fact, when she was together with Malkuth, she was not bound too much, and X enjoyed this short but beautiful time of rest.
After sitting for a while, X said goodbye to Malkuth. She had to go visit the other Deans and bring good wine to share with them.
Even though Yesod might not like the taste of alcohol, X still had to go.
X cannot be like an employee and stay away just beCause Yesod has a rither strange temperament, as manager, must pay attention to each Dean.
Basically, she is responsible for lubricating the gears and gears... so that the friction of the gears does not cause too many obstacles when moving, allowing for smooth operation.
As long as a little bit of lubricating oil is applied to the rusty clamp, it will no longer make that horrible sound.
"Manager, you want to bring a bottle of wine to my place, am I a bar here? If you want to find someone to entertain you with, Netzach is right next door."
Similar to X's expectations, Yesod did not give her a good look.
Information Department Dean doesn't like alcohol, doesn't like cigarettes, and she doesn't like anything that can affect her job, paralyze her nerves, or indulge her desires.
She and Safety Department Dean are two polar opposites, Yesod is strict to the point of stubbornness, strictly restraining herself, and is also extremely strict with others, every time she sees X's unadjusted tie, she will frown.
And X has long seemed immune to Yesod's words. Yesod is the typical type of person who is cold on the outside but hot on the inside. If she really wants to kick X out, why is she tidying up her desk now? The intention was for X to put the champagne and glass on the table.
"Don't say that, Yesod, it's normal to drink a glass of wine with your colleagues after work!"
"Look what this is, because I have been performing very well recently, Angela rewarded me with a bottle of champagne. Wine only has value when shared with others. Let's celebrate together, Yesod."
Before Yesod said no, X quickly poured a glass, a light layer of pale alcohol swayed in the glass, and was brought before Yesod's eyes.
The woman with short black sideburns smiled with full of warmth and enthusiasm. Even the infamous 'Viper' also wavered a bit, but her mouth was still very stiff.
"Different from my prediction, you did very well, Manager... But it's too early to celebrate now, let me explain a little more about -"
The words were interrupted, the champagne in X's hand was not taken, another Dean rushed into the office, it was Training Department Dean Hod, Hod seemed to be looking for Yesod for something.
"Yesod, I heard that reason!"
"Well.... It's been the third time this month, but that time has passed, you don't need to worry."
Yesod's expression was very calm, but it seemed like she saw X's doubts, and added a sentence: "This is what happened when the previous Manager was in office. This is why she resigned. "
Hearing the word 'resigned', X unconsciously trembled. She still didn't want to be...
"Maybe...Yesod, shouldn't you be with your subordinates??"
Hod secretly glanced towards X, the glass that X had prepared for Yesod with champagne was still in her hand, extremely awkward.
X doesn't know if it's an illusion or not. This feels a bit like being caught doing something. It's clearly just drinking alcohol. Why is the atmosphere so weird? Why did Hod, who was clearly looking for Yesod, look towards X? Did X do something wrong...
"Things are impermanent. I don't want to repeatedly discuss past events, nor do I want to get involved. This will only make them cry even more pitifully."
Yesod seems to have not noticed, still explains what just happened, but such an explanation cannot satisfy Hod... Of course, maybe the point is not here, the point is to show something in front of X.
"But someone dies, what should you do, Yesod... Even if it's just a fake speech, it's better than doing anything!"
"I'm not you either, Hod.
I think there's no point in dealing with emotions, and not being bound by cheap emotions feels like a good feeling."
"Okay, I just want... Looks like I can't find the answer I want here, see you later, Yesod, and Manager!"
"Wait, Hod, even though I don't really know what happened, do you want a drink? Don't pay too much attention to what Yesod says, she is sometimes just like that. Right, Yesod?"
X hugged Yesod, and proceeded to invite Hod to drink.
"Manager... Don't take me with you!."
"Let's go, have a glass of wine. Although it's not good to drink alcohol at work, but now is the time to rest, a bottle of good wine to share with friends is a very happy thing."
Yesod said so, it seemed like she wanted to escape, but in the end she didn't, she still let X hug her.
"Ah... Next time it won't be like this."
'Viper' Yesod actually said something like that.