Do Android Foxes Dream of Being Pampered?

So you not only got Lip back, she even turned Edison's army into a cube cake, huh?

Nice work! Sounds like you guys kicked all sorts of ass over there!

That ought to shut Edison up for a while!

Once word gets out that the old humans from Chaldea beat him, I bet his approval rating'll go down, too!

So, where is Lip now, anyway?

She's recharging her magical energy at the café.

She said she needs to maintain magical energy levels that allow her to deliver maximum output for Senpai's sake.

Ohhh, I get it. She says energy levels, but what she MEANS is calories, huh.

So, as for Chaldea's BBActually, I'll just call her BB Cosmo to keep things simple.

Anyway, you mentioned going your separate ways at the harbor, right?

Yeah. She said she was going to develop a jamming app that can keep BB Dubai off our backs while she investigates our surroundings.

Oh, good point. I can't very well go into the city as long as I'm still facing off against her.

I was hoping to meet her at least once, though... Well, maybe I still can, if things work out.

Anyway, you also said BB Dubai will never leave the Burj Khalifa, right? That's the best news I could've hoped for!

I thought that might be the case, but now I can nap without a care in the worwell, no, I guess that's still not true.

Okay, Fujimaru, let's get down to business.

You've seen a pretty good amount of Moon Dubai by now, so you've probably also noticed something weird.

I was wondering about that, too. Is that moon just being projected onto the dome?

Oh, you were wondering about that? I figured that was just there to make this city feel more like it was on Earth.

Even though these people are AIs living on the moon, as humans, their hearts will always be with Earth...

Is that what it's supposed to symbolize?

Oh, how romantic! That's the gentleman of the sea, right there! Yeah, you're probably right.

But no, sorry, I was actually talking about those billboards. They're all over the city.

The ones that say "KOYAAN"? I wondered about those, too. They're even more attention-grabbing than BB's in Dubai were.

？！

KOYAAN's the company that's basically taken over Moon Dubai's entire construction industry these last few years.

For example, all those buildings in Area E, at the very heart of Moon Dubai? KOYAAN.

And their CEO is Area E's Moon Cancer...Koyanskaya.

She's a much bigger threat than Edison right now. Just take a look at these latest polls.

Area E has a sixty-three percent approval rating!? Then they're already in striking distance of seventy!

Exactly. If they keep this up, it'll be a couple of days until Koyanskaya's proposal is chosen as the reason humanity died out.

I've got no idea what'll happen when it does, but I'm a member of Chaldea, so I won't just stand by and let her get away with this.

So I want to find some way to bring her approval rating down.

Refute her proposal, find something scandalous about her, or just force her to withdraw... Whatever works.

I'm sorry to keep making so many requests of you, especially when they're so dangerous, but would you go to Area E for me?

？！

So we'll be heading to the Dubai Mall in Area E next...

Master, is it possible for one of us to stay here in Old Dubai?

The militia are still pretty green, so I'm worried they might not be able to defend this place if Edison comes back.

Oh, perfect. I'll stay behind. I'm actually pretty worn out, so I could use the rest.

I don't think I have it in me to head right to another area after getting back from Area I.

But if I stay here, I can rest up, help out the militia, and repair the ship. Three birds, one stone.

Plus, firepower isn't a problem now that you have another reliable Servant on your side. Right, Lip?

I see. Your proposal takes our respective combat abilities into account. Your assessment is correct.

Compared to me, Rider Bartholomew, your contributions to battle are negligible at best.

Myself and Shielder Mash will be more than sufficient to handle any combat situations.

Great. Then I'll leave Area E to the three of you.

Sounds like it's settled. I agree, having one of you stay here will help us out, too.

But before you go, would you hear out the guy struggling to speak up behind you, Fujimaru?

？！

Hello. Hello.

Do you have time to eat lunch before you go, Chaldeans? No?

Then here. I made box lunches for you. Will you take them? I includeincluded, lots of sweets.

Thank you Chakerim. We do need to eat, so this will be a really big help.

I need things, too. Like joy. Everyone needs joy. Please be careful. The mall is dangerous.

Don't worry. We have my defense and Lip's offense. We also have my Senpai, who is so experienced, he can handle anything!

This is the best possible squad we could put together right now. We're a small, elite team, so we won't draw attention, either!

(I see Mash is straining to demonstrate how useful Lip can be.)

(You could say it's a beautiful show of friendship...but you could also say she's just spinning her wheels.)

(Still, as a Master, Fujimaru knows when to push ahead and when to pull back. I'm sure he'll do a fine job of backing Mash up.)

I wish you could wait until night to sneak in, but if Jinako's right, we don't have any time to waste.

Master, I know you're just running recon this time, but if you get a chance to settle things, don't be afraid to take it. I'm counting on you.

？！

So far, so good. I'm not seeing any groups of citizens gathered out here.

I see there is an observation deck and a mall here. Which facility is our destination?

？！

It says "KOYAAN Mall" above the entrance. What a terrible name. Is someone going to get in trouble for that?

I-it's fine! We're on the moon and it's 3019!

I see. Are you two familiar with this facility's interior?

Yes. You showed us around here before, when we all went shopping.

You, Master, Ereshkigal, and I went around together and visited lots of different stores.

I see. Then let's go in now. There's no time to waste. I'm glad you two are familiar with this place.

R-right! We should hurry! Which entrance would you like to use, Senpai?

？！

？！

It looks pretty much the same. I still don't know which stores to go to first!

But, unlike the Dubai Mall, there aren't any people here enjoying themselves...

Is it closed today? ...No, it says it's open. And the stores are clearly open, too.

Hahaha, don't be ridiculous. The store fronts are only there for ambience.

Anything you might want is made on demand now, right? Just one tap from your cage and it's yours.

Have you not gotten your personal collars yet? Then you should hurry and ask Mistress Koyanskaya to

Aaaaaah! These people are human! OLD humans! No wonder they smell so bad!

Everyone! Get over here! We have intruders! Let's tear them apart and use their remains as raw material for bioskin!

We're about to be attacked by a group of citizens! Please get ready to mount a defense!

It's finally my turn. I see no need to hold back against AIs. I'll compress you all into byte-size chunks of data.

Y-you're too strong...!

You're merciless! Targeting our weaknesses! So this is the cruel brutality of old humanity!

Still, we new humans were prepared for this kind of terror! You still don't hold an LED to Mistress Koyanskaya!

Hahaha, you fools! I can't believe you just charged in here right through the front gate like a bunch of...uh...fools!

Go ahead! Just try and make your way straight through this corridor! I'm counting on your, um, foolishness!

？！

Master. I'd like to confirm something.

Did you choose to enter through the front gate out of consideration for my nails?

I am very aware of the monstrous size and shape of my hands.

That is no different from the Passionlip inscribed in Chaldea's Spirit Origin graph.

So you do not need to be concerned about me. That goes for conversations like the one we had earlier, too.

That you see me as the same Passionlip you knew before is complicating our communication.

So please just treat me as a weapon.

That is how a Servantno, a Sakura Five Alter Ego like myself, who consists only of BB's excess data, should be treated.

But... But, that's

That concludes my proposal. I am now detecting multiple organic heat signatures down the corridor.

Let's go after those AIs who ran away. They have likely fled to the Moon Cancer.

？！

Like a pet shop, no?

Take a look. The best quality feed. Premium toys. A safe, cozy room, free of predators.

What greater happiness could a slave want from their master?

My plan for humanity's extinction: an end to civilization brought about thanks to them becoming no more than pets.

Welcome, people of Chaldea. I've been waiting eagerly for your arrival.

Now please, go ahead and press the "KOYAAN!" button on this terminal.

All you need do is pledge your support, and I guarantee you'll have a wonderful afterlife to look forward to♡

Yes, Master, it is♡ I must say, I never expected you to come pay me a visit as though we were old friends!

You knew I was the boss here, so I was hoping you would take drastic action.

Something like, say, blowing up the entire mall with me in it. What a shame.

That was Light me. Such a foolish rabbit, always helping humans in spite of her claims of hating them.

？！

I am Koyanskaya of Dark, a wise and clever fox, and I am prepared to destroy the world out of love for my darling human pets.

So how could I possibly pass up a choice opportunity like this Final Boss of Humanity's Annihilation Showdown?

Master, I don't see any guard AIs nearby. Shouldn't we attack?

Oh my, if it isn't one of BB's Alter Egos. I see you got her back from Sir Edison.

Kingprotea still claims she's the strongest being on Moon Dubai. I wonder how you'll measure up.

Your specs seem orders of magnitude lower than hers... Oh dear. Maybe you're a dud, then?

I remember something BB once told us.

"Kazuradrop is the weakest of the Sakura Five, but Passionlip is the most useless."

...!

...No, it's the truth. I'm not bothered by it. I won't forget it either.

...

？！

All right, then. If a fight is what you want, I don't mind being your opponent.

However...I'm the face of Moon Dubai right now, you know.

It would reflect poorly on me if I were to kill customers who entered my store through the front door, as etiquette demands.

So let me give you a thorough breakdown of my campaign slogan first. Plenty of time for us to cross swords after that.

Master. Remember what Jinako asked of us?

She wanted us to lower Koyanskaya's approval rating through any means necessary.

This seems like a good opportunity.

Maybe we can find out what she's thinking, and why her proposal is so popular.

？！

Why thank you☆ But of course, that is to be expected from the Master who conquered no fewer than seven Lostbelts♡

My vision for humanity's end is not a tragic one. In a sense, it's the logical conclusion of the world where AI technology began.

In this world, AI technology from the year 2000 is touted as a symbol of a new age of humanity.

Once invented, AI began to evolve orders of magnitude more quickly than anyone had predicted.

As a result, war was a thing of the past by the year 2070.

Can't believe it? People have known the answer for thousands of years.

Why do humans fight? Why does inequality persist despite ongoing advances in technology?

The answer is simple. Humanity itself is the problem.

Whatever advances there might be in civilization, true equality could never be achieved as long as humans remain human.

But AI took care of that completely by replacing themby becoming more intelligent than humans ever were.

Your job not going well? Let AI handle it. Can't seem to manage a budget? Let AI handle it.

Your life not what you wanted? Let AI handle it. Your government not working? Let AI handle it.

"Letting machines run our government? Is that a good idea? It could be disastrous if they make a mistake."

Like humans never make mistakes? Of course they do. Making mistakes is practically ALL they do.

Humans are the only creatures in the world who fail in inexplicable ways.

So instead of humans making mistakes for reasons even they don't understand, it was far better to let AI run things. Unlike a human, it's always clear to an AI when and why they made an error.

Once AI was in charge, it didn't take long at all before society was equal. All at once, society was bursting at the seams with newfound artistic expression.

From there, it was just a matter of doling out happiness.

The logical endpoint of AI technology development is a farm where humans are managed and raisedby AI, of course.

Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that a truly abundant world is one that turns humans into livestock.

In fact, a truly abundant world is simply a prerequisite to turn humans into livestock.

AI's devotion to serving humanity is unwavering. Thus, over time, humans became no more than pets to be coddled.

But, even coddling can only last so long.

Thus, the humans who happily lived in cages eventually found humanity itself to be a burden. Eventually, they chose to shut off their own life support devices.

And that...is my vision for humanity's end!

If you have any criticisms, please, go ahead.

Only those who truly, from the bottom of their hearts, believe this to be impossible may cast a stone.

No objections! No objections! Mistress Koyanskaya's method of annihilation is perfect!

It was bound to happen! It was the inevitable conclusion! Humanity dying out is our fault!

It's plausible, just, and free of pain! What greater form of annihilation could there be!?

Mistress Koyanskaya's rule has genuine love! You couldn't come up with an extinction like this without it!

Look around!

Look around!

Mistress Koyanskaya loves each of us genuinely! Equally!

We would die for her! No, we would even give up our humanity and become beasts for her!

Hush, my caged ones. I can't hear Lord Fujimaru's counterargument over your baying.

Now, as I was saying, that is my proposed method of annihilation. What do you think? Can I count on your support?

？！

？！

...I see. You do make a convincing point, given the things you've seen with your own eyes.

So it seems you won't be supporting me after all. In that case...

Your guest status just expired, as did any deference I had for old humans.

It's time we settled our difference as beasts do: with bloody tooth and claw!

Oh, you're so sweet, Master. Your cries of frustration were delectable♡

I trust you see now that you can never hope to defeat me? Now, let's return to our original agenda...

Please, enjoy an exclusive shopping experience in the KOYAAN Mall of 3019.

Oh, and by "shopping," I mean "acquisition"!

You don't need money to get what you want in this time period. Here, anything can be made to order!

If you find something you like, you just acquire it. Take home as much or as little as you like.

That is the dream every human has and the dream I built this KOYAAN Mall to serve!

？！

Heavens no. You old humans are mortal. Only new humans are capable of adapting to my annihilation plan.

Of course, if you'd prefer to die fighting, I would be happy to oblige...except that it would have an adverse effect on my approval rating.

So instead, yes, I'll just be letting you go on your merry way.

Well, ta-ta! Enjoy your KOYAAN Mall Life! And if you change your mind, do come back and vote for me☆

I've never been so humiliated. Shall we challenge her again once our damaged Spirit Origins have recovered?

No. If we just keep throwing ourselves at her, we'll just have the same problem. We need to come up with a plan.

It would be one thing if Koyanskaya was somehow here by mistake, and was actually still a Beast.

But as a Moon Cancer? She shouldn't have so much magical energy. She must be relying on some kind of trick.

What do you think, Master?

？！

You want to gather information? But there's nobody at any of these stores.

Everything here is completely automated. Who are we supposed to talk to?

Oh. Senpai, are you thinking

？！

Hmm?

Mistress Koyan's too strong? Well, of course she is. I bet she could even beat Kingprotea now.

I mean, you know she has a sixty-three percent approval rating right now, right?

That means sixty-three percent of the residents of Moon Dubai are allowing her to use their resources.

With that kind of support, she's invincible!

But never mind that. You people seem like you knew Mistress Koyan before she came to Moon Dubai.

What was she like back then? Is it true that Koyan of Light is prettier than Koyan of Dark?

Why do I support Koyanskaya? Well, her proposal makes the most sense.

The other Moon Cancers' ideas are all too far-fetched, or things I wouldn't want to actually see happen.

But Koyanskaya's chosen method is rooted in the logical conclusion of the path of AI's advancement.

AI is all-powerful. There's nothing it can't make that humans can.

It can procure resources from across the world, ensure they're always distributed equally, and use them to make anything quickly.

Do you know what it means to be all-powerful? It's when you have everything and can get anything.

Humans who become dependent on that kind of power would never grow as individuals. So humans becoming pets is the obvious endpoint.

That's why I went into this cage. Now that I'm here, I'm more sure than ever I was right. This is the best life.

Hey, listen to this! You know what "koyan" means!? "Bunny"!

Hehehe. That's knowledge from the old times, so I doubt anyone else in Moon Dubai knows it.

It's not a word that exists in Russian, but in Kazakhstan, where they also spoke Russian, it was used to mean "bunny."

So "koyan" means "bunny," and "skaya" is a suffix to create the feminine form, right?

So the name "Koyanskaya" means "Miss Bunny"!

I heard you guys talking with the guy two cages over. So Miss Koyanskaya of Light is a rabbit, huh!

It finally all makes sense! I've been wondering why that was ever since I met her!

Huh? Why do I know this thing from the old times? Well, that's thanks to the Servant living in the exhibition room.

He dresses exactly like a professor. He's the one who told me.

If there's something you guys want to know too, you should go talk to him. He can be kind of mean, but he's a real handy resource.

You're wondering if Koyanskaya really loves us? If she's just doing this to win our votes?

You know, there was a guy who used to wonder those very things. He came to this mall on a mission.

He was so hung up on his stupid third-gen AI pride, sure he could expose the fox woman's true colors.

That guy was me.

There was another guy here a while back who lost his sense of self and took his own life.

He was probably testing Koyanskaya's proposal for himself, seeing if he really could die for her or not.

When she heard what had happened, Koyanskaya applauded him and gave him a great send-off.

But then, while I was out walking around later...

...I caught a glimpse of her, standing in front of his cage, solemnly, quietly praying for him.

So yeah, she really does love all her pets deeply and equally. We can all feel it for ourselves.

If your plan is to wreck her ratings by spreading nasty rumors about her, don't bother. It won't work.

？！

So it wasn't a fluke that she's currently at the top of the rankings. I don't see any way to disprove her theory.

Which means our only option is to find Koyanskaya's weakness...

Oh, come to think of it, one of the people we talked to mentioned an exhibition room.

Let's see, according to the mall's map...it should be at the far end of the west wing's second floor.

Let's go check it out!

？！

These are recordings of fish swimming. It almost looks like...an archive of SE.RA.PH.

I'm not seeing anything physical here. It must be that anything on display here is only recorded data.

It seems less like an exhibition room and more like

A library, or a bookstore! This is so exciting! I wonder how we can access its terminal!?

Touch the tank and call out the recordthat is, the fish, you want to see. It'll sense your brain waves and come to you.

Unfortunately, the search function is not presently working. That makes finding what you want a real pain in the ass.

So, you're the reason the mall was in a tizzy earlier.

Mash and Passionlip? That's everyone you brought with you?

Well, at least this mall is...relatively sane. Stocking up on what you need shouldn't be too dangerous here.

？！

Andersen!? You're the professor Servant!?

And wait. What are you doing at the KOYAAN Mall!?

I thought there weren't any Chaldean Servants left on Moon Dubai!

Eh, your guess is as good as mine. One moment I wasn't here, the next I was. That's all I know.

And no, there aren't any other Chaldean Servants here, not with that BB Dubai idiot throwing her weight around.

I don't want any trouble. Trouble's annoying. So I've just been lounging about here, reading. There's nothing else to do.

But now, it seems the winds are turning.

Tell me what's going on. Pay particular attention to the bizarre and outlandish stuff.

Whoa, who said anything about joining you? An author joining the cast of characters? Doesn't suit me.

？！

As Senpai told you, we need to find a way to lower Area E's approval rating.

Do you have any ideas, Andersen?

When it comes to politicians, the pen truly is mightier than the sword. A politician is always one good scandal away from ruin.

In the real world, those consist of things like slush funds, bribes, and dark money. Money constantly changes hands in large-scale urban development projects.

Come to think of it, Koyanskaya founded a company that's been renovating buildings around this area too, hasn't she?

There might be some underhanded business worth looking into there. Lucky for you, I have the relevant records right here.

You might be able find something on her in there. The records pertaining to city hall were in Y_9 one block over.

I see. So there might be an off-the-books ledger in there! Leave this to me! Reviewing documents is one of my areas of expertise!

...

You're not going to go with her? It's a lot to look through for just one person.

I would shatter the tank's glass if I tried. I'm only here for combat.

I see. The right person for the right job, huh. Sensible, but damn if it's not dull as hell entirely too often.

？！

Looking for inspiration, what else?

I can't keep up with this BB Dubai business or final boss crap, but the history of Moon Dubai is fascinating.

So far, I've only found records leading up to 2300, but it's still great stuff. Listen to this.

A.D. 2000. In this world, that was the year AI became a part of human society.

At this stage, it was still just regarded as a new kind of computer program for helping people with their jobs.

A.D. 2010. A start-up launches the first AI designed to serve nursing homes, leading to explosive growth in the AI community.

A.D. 2020. An AI is officially recognized as possessing humanity, making it the first in recorded history to receive human rights.

It also says that particular AI was designed only to be a waiter at a café. It had no other functionality.

...That doesn't make sense. An AI that only knows how to serve food is just another computer program.

All it would have to do is take orders and carry the food other machines prepared to customers.

It wouldn't require a database, the ability to differentiate between similar things, or a simulated personality.

It would just be an automated serving machine, with incredibly simple neural activity.

So it seems like an exaggeration to say that something capable of only a single function had acquired intelligence.

And to give it human rights on top of that...

Oh? So you're saying anything with low intelligence and limited capability doesn't qualify as human?

How about an infant? Does that not get human rights, either?

I... Well, no, of course it does.

Exactly. Human rights aren't a matter of a being's abilities. They're conferred when we sense a being is alive.

People tend to conflate humanity with intelligence. What they're really talking about though? Imagination.

The people of this world must have decided that, no matter what sort of being they are, or even if they can only perform a single type of action...

...anything with an imagination is definitionally human.

？！

Hmph. Then it probably would have delayed AI development by at least two hundred years.

The fact that AI technology took its first real step forward during a time when problems like pollution...

...dwindling natural resources, and mental health issues were still comparatively manageable...

...meant humanity could divert far more resources to developing AI than they could have otherwise.

Back then, the turning point was a matter of which reached critical mass first: human stupidity, or AI wisdom.

And in this world, AI wisdom won.

For better, and for worse.

But we digress. Getting back on track.

A.D. 2030. A quantum AI developed in Iceland is the first recorded nonhuman intelligence to surpass the total collective computational ability of humanity.

A.D. 2050. Generational distrust of AI effectively disappears.

That is to say, this is the year when the last of the older people who either couldn't or wouldn't adapt to this new technology died.

It was also the year when bioethics laws were revised and genetic manipulation became legal.

Hmm, I see. So this is the year when genetic manipulation started extending lifespans and wiping out disease.

Looks like it all comes down to AI's computational power and simulation capabilities. They're what allowed for the creation of technologies beyond any human.

？！

Exactly! Ugh, idiots! They'll gleefully neglect their mental health for eternity, but when the tiniest way to improve their physique shows up, they're practically rabid for it.

The result was that wealthy people who underwent this procedure stopped dying of natural causes altogether.

Well, except for a few of them who eventually got tired of living forever and ended it themselves. What a waste.

Anyway, here's the real meat and potatoes. A.D. 2060. A war broke out between humans.

The great powers on the losing side collapsed. Even the winners slid into ruin.

A.D. 2070. Humanity elected to turn over its governance to AI.

AI began to manage seventy percent of the world. It then initiated a plan called the Sophia Project.

This project involved using AI to guarantee a certain quality of life for everyone on Earth, as well as the construction of a quantum computer on the moon.

The next two hundred years were completely peaceful.

People never grew old, always had enough to eat, and enjoyed free, fulfilling lifestyles without ever having to work.

Then, in A.D. 2200, a new law known as the Great Revision was passed.

It decreed that AIs would no longer be relegated to supporting humans. Instead, they would be equal partners.

This was the birth of second-generation AI.

Naturally, these AIs were also recognized as possessing human rights, and households run by human and AI couples quickly became the norm.

？！

Indeed. AI made humanity's dreams come truethough whether it granted them itself or not is another question.

In addition to a peaceful society, another thing this AI-run world enabled was a stable population.

Marriage and birth rates declined, but artificial insemination ensured the human population never dropped below a certain point.

And let's not forget, people were dying very infrequently, too. The ones who wanted children were a tiny minority.

But then came A.D. 2270. This was the beginning of the end for humanityor rather, the old humanity.

Until then, it was believed that the immortality procedure would prevent death from natural causes forever. However, it turned out even that had its limits.

The year 2270 was when the first wave of people who underwent lifespan extensionsironically, in the year 2030died of old age.

The problem was that these procedures had been undertaken twenty years before bioethics laws were revised and genetic manipulation made legal!

Although AI had long since perfected the technology, it probably couldn't be made public at the time due to ethical concerns.

This scandal shook society to its core. Suddenly, it turned out life extension had a limit after all, and the privileged class had access to it long before anyone else.

The result was widespread distrust in AI.

A.D. 2280. Birth rates continued to decline, even with machines carrying out artificial insemination.

Then came A.D. 2299...the year war broke out between humans and AI.

？！

...

Needless to say, humanity lost. Hard.

Of course they did. How could they not, since AI was superior to humans in every way?

By the end of the war, ninety percent of the human population was dead.

AI then presented the remaining ten percent of humans with one last opportunity: to become AIs themselves.

And so, in A.D. 2300, third-generation AIs were created, and the new humanity was born.

There are no detailed records of exactly what transpired during the human-AI war of 2299at least, not here.

My guess is, either they're being kept somewhere else, or some higher-up decided it was better to erase them.

I'm back. I went through every record I could find, but...

Hmm. Looks like it wasn't very helpful. Sorry for wasting your time.

No, it wasn't. I couldn't find any records of anything underhanded connected to KOYAAN's urban development...

Koyanskaya may be our enemy, but her business accomplishments are incredible! If anyone should be mayor of this city, it's her!

I see. If you're saying it, Mash, that must be true. So she's actually the law-abiding type after all, huh.

Well, I guess with skills like hers, she wouldn't need to play dirty. Even NFF Services' business practices were on the up-and-up from what I heard.

Well, that leaves you with only one option left: exploiting her weakness.

Koyanskaya's policies may be flawless, but Koyanskaya herself isn't.

Try paying a visit to the Pleasure Zone. You'll find her Achilles heel being kept there, safe and sound.

？！

There's a Chaldean Servant being kept in a capsule over there.

It's being treated with the utmost care and caution, too. Let's see... I think it said "In Honor of Nikitich."

Really!? Nikitich!?

Well, she probably could put Koyanskaya in her place...but what's she doing here to begin with!?

Apparently, Koyanskaya bought her at retail price when BB Dubai went to throw her away.

？！

Yup. She'll be a big help if you can free her. Emphasis on "if."

People always take trouble to protect their treasures. That's why Koyanskaya keeps that horrid monster down there.

He calls himself "Emperor Percima," and he was the first ever champion to emerge from the KOYAAN Mall's underground wrestling scene.

Yeeeaaahhh! Raaaaaaaaahhh!

Now fall! Start the count, ref! Three, two, one!

Pro Wrestling Count Zero! Yeeeaaaaaaaaahhh!

？！

See him? That's Emperor Percima! He's got overwhelming power! Unbelievable speed! A deafening voice!

He's the undefeated champion of the Pleasure Zone, Moon Dubai's pro wrestling holy land!

Incidentally, the Moon Dubai Pro Wrestling League was formed seven days ago. He's its only member.

？！

Indeed. And he's been a real nuisance. I'd forgotten all about him until you showed up!

Now go on! Kick his butt! Do what you do! Koyanskaya must be brainwashing him or something!

He'll come back to his senses once you knock him out! I hope! I'm sure it's fine.

...Oh! Over there! That capsule on the wall! It's Nikitich! She's trapped!

Welcome to the largest event room in the KOYAAN Mall! You must be my next challengers!

Fine by me! Come on up to the ring!

If you can defeat me, you'll get to go home with one of the top prizes the Pleasure Zone has to offer!

You can face me one at a time, or all at once! I'll accept any challenge!

？！

...It looks like we have to fight him, yes. And we can't hold anything back.

He may be brainwashed, but he's still a Knight of the Round Table.

It pains me to have to face Percival the Noble in battle, but...

...

Um, excuse me.

Is there something else I could have to eat? The processed meal I had in Old Dubai?

...I see it's been made so I can eat it easily. Thank you. If you'll excuse me.

Yes. Thank you.

？！

Please stand back, Mash. I'll stop him.

Master, please use everything you have in this battle. Mash is right. We can't go easy on this opponent.

Oho. Here I thought you'd reverted back to a heartless Alter Ego, but it looks like you're still you.

Okay, go on and fight! Slugfests are best seen up close! Though needless to say, I won't be doing any fighting myself!

Graaaaaah!

？！

He's still standing!? After all that!? I know Percival is tough, but

It's okay, Mash. That was just the wake-up call I needed. Sorry to worry you.

And, I'm sorry you had to see me like that. If possible, I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask how this happened.

All thanks to you. I'm honored you're so happy to see me.

You must have been freed from your position once you were defeated.

I'm guessing Koyanskaya manipulated you into becoming the champion here.

She must have seen you as the best possible guard for her treasure. It just goes to show how important Nikitich is to her.

What did I justno... I suppose you all have a right to know.

It all started when I first woke up here. I had what I can only describe as a magical energy hangover.

I was overcome by vertigo, a splitting headache, and a wave of nausea. I was barely even half conscious.

Then Koyanskaya showed up and offered me a drink she said would clear any hangover right up...but only if I signed something.

Unfortunately, that something turned out to be a wicked, exploitative contract!

By the time I'd realized my mistake, it was too late. I had been turned into the guardian of this ring against my will.

Now, would it be okay if I went back to my old name? I'd also appreciate it if you would refrain from mentioning this to the other Knights of the Round Table.

？！

Hmm... I see... You want to go ice fishing, huh... Do you know how cold it gets up north? I see...

No, no, I can do it... I can definitely do it... I'd rather not do it, but I can do it...

What? You want to steal honey, too!? No, no! Don't be selfish, Yaskaya!

You want to make the polar bears sad!? Be happy with the raspberry jam I already made!

？！

Wah! Is that you, Master!? It is! I can tell! Haaa!

That was a good wake-up! Morning, everyone! I, Dobrynya Nikitich, am here in response to your call!

Oh, but...what are we doing here?

The last thing I remember is being in the Burj Khalifa's observatory... Hmm. Hmm, hmm.

It's no use! I have no idea! All I can remember is the words "Emperor Percima"!

Master, what's going on? You woke me up for a reason, right?

A final boss showdown to decide how humanity ended... BB Dubai and BB Cosmo...

Seven Moon Cancers, and Koyanskaya's leading the polls...

Okay, I understand. I KNEW BB Dubai was a bad guy!

She might have beat me before, but next time, I'll be ready! Of course I'll fight with you, Master!

I'll help however I can, too.

This may not be our world, but I still can't just stand idly by while an election to decide the end of humanity takes place.

？！

Although, there's one thing I don't understand. I know BB Dubai captured Nikitich...

...but I thought you disappeared when that observation light hit you, Percival.

So how are you still here?

Right. I was wondering about that myself.

I think someone must have rescued me. Not BB Dubai, obviously.

I remember I was teleported away right before that light enveloped me.

Of course, it was a potent spell, so it left me with a hangover and no memory, which played right into Koyanskaya's hands...

Anyway, I wasn't the only one who was teleported away. I heard the same sound coming from over where Karna was standing.

Really!? Then Karna's still somewhere on Moon Dubai, too!

Of course. A warrior of his caliber would never disappear without a fight.

I don't know who teleported us or why...but whoever they are, I think they're on Chaldea's side.

So the enemy might not be completely unified, then. Good to know. But for now, let's focus on Koyanskaya.

She's been naughty and she needs to be taught a lesson!

Do you have some sort of skill that will be effective against her?

Nope! Yaskaya's a strong girl! I'd lose if I fought her normally!

Then, you're going to persuade her!

Coming from you, I'm sure she'll listen to whatever you have to say!

Nope! I can't persuade her, either! Once Yaskaya makes up her mind, there's no changing it!

If we fought her now, she'd wipe us all out for sure! Hehehehehe! (Smiling like a proud parent)

？！

Don't worry, Master. We can still win.

You told me what happened in the mall here and you told me what those AIs in the cages told you.

That gave me the answer. Yaskaya's an even better girl than I knew.

Just give me a little time before we go fight her and I promise I will put an end to this area's dominance.

Oh? And here I thought you'd have wrapped up your shopping and returned to Old Dubai by now.

But here you are, back to challenge me again. You brought a larger team? Ah, so you don't understand how outclassed you are.

Or perhaps...

...you thought I would take it easy on you now that Nikitich is with you?

That very naivete is absolutely infuriating.

No more mercy. I'll crush you all with a single bite.

H-huh? That's strange. Am I coming down with something?

I can't seem to transform into my Beast body. It's almost like I've lost some of my power...

Yup. Take a look at that board. What's Area E's approval rating now?

What do you mean? Of course it'sWhaaa...!? Zero percent!?

But why!? How could it fall so far, so quickly!?

？！

I wanted to talk to you.

I heard you all volunteered to go in these cages even though you're all-powerful AIs.

Why is that? Are you tired of working?

Or do you just want to relax and do nothing, like me on Sundays?

Of course not. We're AIs. We don't get tired of anything. Working isn't difficult for us.

We just felt there was more to life than that. Like there's something else we should be doing.

None of us could figure out what it might be, though. We're missing something. Something we truly need.

Then we learned about Mistress Koyanskaya's annihilation proposal, and our joy levels maxed out.

Yeah. We don't want to be lazy. We just want to be loved.

...Are you low-spec idiots? You are, aren't you?

You're AI. How could you just abandon your duties because you thought something else might be more interesting?

Besides, love is relative. It looks different to different people.

So, what, you'll just take whatever love you can get from whoever gives it?

Of course not. You don't get it. We all love Mistress Koyanskaya. We hold her in the highest esteem.

Her mind is divine. She loves all her pets, deeply and equally.

Do you have any idea how miraculous that is? There have only been a handful of people in all of human history capable of such a thing.

Her love is as pure and forgiving as the Messiah'sassuming any such person actually existed.

The point is, this is the kindest and most merciful end humanity could ever hope for.

Yeah, I can't think of a kinder, gentler...or more selfish method of extinction.

You people are incredibly cruel. Poor Koyanskaya. Getting stuck with all of you really screwed her over.

What!? How dare you!? How could you mock our choice!? How could you mock Mistress Koyanskaya's proposal!?

You said it yourselves. Koyanskaya grieved for an AI who took their own life.

She was absolutely destroyed over it. She wished they could have lived longer.

But she could never say that, because she simply wanted them to be happy, even to the moment they died.

That's how she feels about each and every one of you. And that is why you're so cruel.

So, you get your happy ending, yes. But at what cost?

Say there were a billion people on Earth at the end. That'd mean Yaskaya would have to suffer that grief a billion times over!

Have you ever heard the story of the rabbit that threw itself onto a bonfire to feed an ascetic?

If so, you dummies clearly missed the point! The loss of a pet is a devastating blow to its owner. Never underestimate it!

Oh man, she's right!

This is awful! We can't put Mistress Koyanskaya through that kind of grief!

Come on, everyone! No more being pets for us! Let's go support a more productive form of annihilation!

You're kidding me! THAT'S why they abandoned me!? How purehearted ARE these AIs!?

Extremely. It's why they supported you to begin with. AND it's why they understood why it was wrong!

Now all that's left is to fight! You might be a good girl, Yaskaya, but you've sure been naughty!

But don't worry! Master and I will teach you a good lesson!

Hmph! I'm not one to give up just because my rating went down!

This dark side of me may not care for casinos, but if I have to further Project Taming by focusing on pleasure and indulgence, then I'll do just that!

But first, I'm going to make sure you never interfere with my plans again! You want a fight? You've got it!

I'm sorry you lost because of us, Mistress Koyanskaya... But hey, don't sweat it!

Your happiness is more important than ours, Mistress Koyan! We should have realized it sooner! Adieu!

I still believe your proposal is the best! Which is exactly why I'm changing my vote. Farewell!

I know they've got no chance of winning, but I think I'll support Area A next anyway! Oh, don't get rid of this place though! I still want to come back and use it!

Thank you for everything, Mistress Koyanskaya! We'll always be your biggest fans☆

？！

You lose, Koyanskaya. I trust this means you'll remove yourself from the pool of candidates?

(Sigh...) I suppose this does mean it's time for me to pack it in.

How ironic. My plans hinged on love and love is what unraveled them.

This is exactly why humans are such a pain. Well, I'm done. I can't put up with this anymore.

Fine. Go ahead. Do what you will with me.

Shatter my Spirit Core, sell me on the slave market as a useless fox... I no longer have the will to resist.

？！

No, I'm afraid I can't do that.

Because as you can see, I'm about to disappear☆ Looks like I'll be heading back to Chaldea before you♡

Oh no! Did I hit you too hard!? I'm sorry, Yaskaya! Forgive me!

Your attacks did sting, Nikitich, but no. This is happening automatically.

Now that I've lost my motivation as a Moon Cancer, I can't stay here in Moon Dubai.

It makes sense, really, since I don't have a Master right now. So please, don't worry about me.

I see... Damn. I was looking forward to fighting alongside you.

Perhaps some other time. As for you, Lord Fujimaru.

If there's anything you'd like to ask me, you may want to hurry. I'm already disappearing.

Good question. I suspect you already have an inkling. Naturally, it wasn't BB Dubai.

The only person who could ask me to join something as silly as a Final Boss of Humanity's Annihilation Showdown...

...is someone I consider a friend and equal.

I could never turn down a request from her, no matter her intentions.

Hohoho. Do you really think I would ever go along with someone else's plan for that?

I do want to be the final boss, of course, but the plan needs to be mine. No one else's.

So no, this was just a pleasure trip.

A little jaunt to enjoy seeing just how ugly the people of this other world are.

？！

Anyway, that was a fun question. Thank you for that. As a token of my appreciation...

...I'll tell you something I think you'll want to hear. Could you come over here, Lord Fujimaru?

I don't mind sharing this with everyone else, but it is a private matter, so♡

？！

My, how gallant. Not to worry. I only want to tell you about a certain Master.

I'm the only one left who knows what exactly he was trying to accomplish in Olympus.

Now, if you'll excuse me... (Whisper whisper, whisper whisper...)

That's all. I doubt this information will be of any use to you now, but I thought you should have it anyway.

？！

Because I'm both capable and considerate. More importantly, because I felt like it☆

Or maybe it's the price I had to pay for pretending to be one of the Foreign God's Disciples for as long as I did.

All right, everyone, farewell. I wish you luck in defeating the remaining six Moon Cancers...

...and in protecting a future for humanity that will make you want to cover your eyes.