She's self-aware.
That much is clear, given the reactions she has shown me.
Comparing Yui to all the NPCs I've encountered so far, the difference is stark.
NPCs, despite their intricate designs and efforts to mimic emotions, fall into predictable behavioral patterns after you probe them for a while.
I'm kind of sorry for all the NPCs who were kind of harassed by me because of this. In fact, I am quite familiar with the warning to stop the harassment...
Maybe I shouldn't be proud about that.
But that's not important.
Their attempts to seem human are apparent to someone like me, who has had to learn from scratch what it even means to be 'conscious' and accept that fictional characters can be real in this world.
I've somehow been able to perfectly adapt to that as well, aside from the death part, and that is one of the things I'm actually most suspicious of, but that's a story for another time.
It's clear that Yui is no different from a real person.
The only difference is that she lacks a physical body to interact with the real world, existing instead as a complex series of code.
But while I can grasp this much, my knowledge about this topic actually stops at that.
In my life before the Trials, artificial intelligence wasn't nearly as prevalent.
It was often an object of fear for people or the central theme in movies about robots taking over the world.
Given my somewhat unique situation, I can't bring myself to care about those old fears.
But if I want to pursue the new plan I was concocting, I need at least a basic understanding.
That was the plan, but there's a problem. Within the game, you cannot access the internet.
If we could do that, this death game situation wouldn't have been nearly as 'scary' for the average player.
My hands are tied on this matter.
But now I have someone who might be able to give me the answers I was looking for.
It'd be stupid for me to not take advantage of that.
"Yui, is it alright if I bother you with some questions?"
It can never hurt to try it out.
Yui beamed like a child, happy to be found useful. "Of course! It's possible!"
Cute.
I patted her head.
...As of late, I've been patting heads too much.
But oh well, at least it doesn't hurt the other party... probably?
"Hehe, I'm useful, aren't I?"
She genuinely wanted my approval.
Who am I to refuse?
"Yes, you are," I agreed, feeling a small sense of relief as Yui laughed while holding my hand patting her head with hers.
Just then, I couldn't help but notice how small a kid's hands were compared to an adult, which made me smile.
Would my kids in the future be as cute as her?
I'll have to work Alexia to the bone, because my desire to get kids has raised a lot compared to the past.
...But returning onto the important matters.
It had been one of my growing concerns.
Even with my original plan, it would've been incredibly risky to pull it off without real knowledge. I would've had to rely solely on my mind and hope it paid off.
But knowing that I don't have to face this uncertainty alone lifts a significant weight off my shoulders.
Yui looked up at me, curiosity now dwelling in her eyes. "What do you want to know?"
I pondered for a moment.
"I'm really curious about how something like artificial intelligence even came to be."
This wasn't intended as a probing question, not at all.
I really felt a deep curiosity about it.
Yui smiled and nodded, her expression becoming more serious as she prepared to explain. She lifted herself off the bed, adopting a teacher-like stance.
"First, let's start with the basics. Everything in the world of Sword Art Online, for example, is made up of of 0s and 1s."
With a graceful motion of her hand, strings of 0s and 1s appeared, swirling around us in intricate patterns.
Can't say I wasn't surprised, and even just a tiny bit concerned.
Are you sure it's alright to use your powers this way...?
"These binary digits are the foundation of all programming. They are referred to as 'states'. Using just these two states, respectively false for 0 and true for 1, a machine can understand and process information, translating them into pretty much anything you can imagine."
I watched in awe as the binary code danced around us, spreading from the location of her hand like a web of intricate threads, then turning into strings of red and green, respectively for false and true.
I couldn't help but clap my hands at the impressive display.
Yui's smile widened.
She sure loves to be praised.
Well, I guess that's natural.
"Of course. Artificial intelligence wouldn't exist if the concept of programming was never invented. Programming is the process of creating instructions for computers to follow, allowing them to perform specific tasks. It's like giving a set of directions to a very obedient assistant. You can guess where the link is, right?"
I nodded "Yeah, makes sense. Artificial Intelligence is just a byproduct."
"Exactly," Yui confirmed, her eyes shining with excitement. "By learning how to program, you can understand how the world around you operates and even create new functionalities. It's a powerful tool that has endless possibilities."
I see.
That means if you understand enough about programming, you can do whatever you want.
"Say, can you perhaps teach me how to program, too?"
That's how my programming lessons began in earnest.
--- Yui ---
He's really impressive.
Haru was so curious that I began delving deep into explanations about the art of programming, starting from its creation to the intricacies only experts would understand.
But he absorbed the information like a sponge.
Once you told him a piece of information, he could easily remember and manipulate it.
It got to the point where I began to wonder if he had been lying about his knowledge all along.
Of course, it was just a joke.
He hadn't told me a single lie thus far.
We continued talking pleasantly, exchanging ideas and information. The more we talked, the more impressed I was with Haru's knowledge and insight.
"Are you sure you're not an AI or something?" I joked, unable to resist the playful jab. But as soon as the words left my mouth, I covered it with my hand, a pang of regret hitting me. What if he took offense? Humans generally didn't appreciate being compared to artificial intelligence, and I didn't want to risk it all over a careless comment.
"I mean—" I started to apologize, but he cut me off with a chuckle.
"I'm most likely human, but who knows? Perhaps I'm actually a fusion of the two!" His silly smile and the ridiculousness of his words instantly put me at ease.
No, it's more like...I found it funny for some reason.
"Haha, what's that about? How could a breed between an AI and a human even happen?" I laughed, relieved and amused by his light-hearted response.
"You should never think anything is truly impossible until it's proven otherwise," he said with a wink. "Maybe I'll be the first to prove that AI and humans can't actually be distinguished!"
His words made me laugh even harder, and a warm feeling spread through me.
What is this emotion, I wonder?
Still, there was something left unanswered, thanks to the rapid succession of events that lead up to now.
"Say, Haru..."
I didn't want to ruin the joyful mood, but I just couldn't gloss over it.
"How come you accepted me so quickly?" I asked, curious. "You're not supposed to know of my true nature, but you didn't show any surprise at me being able to do things no normal player could. You didn't even ask how I entered your private property... It's like you knew about all those things already."
"A-Also, you decided to give me a name..."
Something all humans had.
From the moment they were born, each human received a unique name from their parents, marking them as an individual, distinct from every other being on the planet.
But for me, Yui-MHCP001 was just a code, an identifier devoid of personal meaning.
Yet, Haru had so casually shortened that code, giving me what all other humans shared—a name.
The significance of it made my 'heart' beat harder every time he called me 'Yui'.
It felt incredibly special, so different from anything I'd experienced. I knew I might be exaggerating, that from Haru's point of view, it was probably just a convenient label, something that wasn't more than a random thought, but even so, I was happy...
Contrary to my expectations, he looked straight into my eyes
"I know it wasn't good of me to skip over such an important event for you," he said softly. "So let's do it properly now."
He lifted me up into the air,. I was surprised, but the sincere, gentle smile on his face made me easily calm down.
"From this moment on, you won't be just a code. You'll be Yui, a unique being, different from all others."
His words hit me with overwhelming emotion.
I slowly nodded, accepting my new name with a deep sense of joy.
Tears burst from my eyes, and I tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. For the first time, I felt truly... alive.
Haru interrupted my thoughts as he answered my other questions. "I guessed there were beings akin to moderators in this world," he explained. "I knew for a fact they did exist, although I was quite surprised to see one appear so randomly in front of me..." I sensed he wasn't telling me the whole truth, but I didn't care. I trusted him completely.
As he finally set me down, I threw myself into his arms, feeling the warmth and comfort of his embrace. This closeness was something I had never experienced before.
"So comfy," I murmured, relishing the feeling.
Haru sighed and whispered, "Kids sure are a handful."
I chuckled through my tears. "It's your fault for making me like this, now pay up!"
---
Author's Note:
Longer chapter :)
I hope the explanation wasn't too boring.
If it was, please tell me. I'll do my best to improve in the future, I'm still a rookie :)
Now, I'll go manage the kids in my basement, see you tomorrow, probably!