Chapter 45: CHAPTER 44 - Connection 1.
The AI was getting used to Alex's caution while also learning more about human emotions.
From what the AI knew or read from Alex's memories, Alex was betrayed by someone he trusted, and that broke his heart.
It didn't know what betrayal felt like, nor did it know how much pain Alex felt; after all, it was immune to those things.
But it wanted to know those things; it wanted to share Alex's pain as well; it wanted to know how he felt.
So, the AI started to focus more and more on Alex's emotions, and you won't believe how fast it was.
In just the time it took for Alex to complete his three tutorials, the AI had already learned so many things about emotions and feelings.
Slowly, it started to feel some emotions; it could feel the coldness that Alex felt toward Rohit when he had cut off that guy's legs.
It was because he could feel and understand emotions and feelings that it informed Alex about the fact that Rohit might die soon.
The AI could tell that Alex wanted to be the one to kill Rohit, and he could understand the reason behind it as well.
It was to eliminate the possibility of having an extra enemy.
It never wanted anything bad for Alex; it knew that it's sole purpose for existence was to help Alex.
'Are you the same?'
So, for the first time, the AI felt an emotion; it felt shocked when it heard Alex's, cold and devoid of any emotions as if it were his enemy.
The shock was so great that the AI couldn't help but want to know if Alex really said those words.
'Are you a gift from that woman as well?'
But when it heard the same question repeated—much more elaborate this time—it couldn't stop the shock it felt.
The shocked silence, however, was taken as a way of the AI trying to avoid the question, causing Alex to close his eyes.
>
The AI, something incapable of doing anything other than the things it was made for, had this thought appear in its mind when it saw and felt Alex's emotions.
'Answer me.'
Those words, however, woke it out of its thoughts.
It suppressed the strange feelings and emotions it was feeling.
It tried to remove the negative thoughts that were clouding its nonexistent mind, the thoughts of its existence being discarded.
But somehow, it couldn't hide the feeling of dismay it felt at how easily Alex was doubting it.
It replied, but to Alex, it sounded like an excuse again; he seemed to have forgotten that he could read the AI's thoughts.
Well, distrust and tension do make it hard to think straight.
'What?'
Alex questioned, frowning as he didn't get a clear answer, causing the AI to finally realize why Alex sighs a lot.
<Just like you, I'm not aware of our situation; all I know are the things that are in my memories and the functions I have, nothing else.
I am sure that my job is to assist you and help you grow, and that I can't betray you no matter what.
I never lied to you, Alex.>
It replied, but this time, Alex felt the AI's emotions—they were stronger than before.
The only things the AI felt right now were dejection and resignation.
It knew that no matter what it did, it wouldn't be able to influence Alex's decision, so it just resigned to its fate.
>
Just like the AI can't read Alex's internal thoughts, even Alex couldn't, but the point was that the AI wasn't supposed to even have internal thoughts.
What it was supposed to have were surface thoughts—the ones that Alex could read without any effort.
But now things were a bit different.
Alex, however, oblivious to this change, went into contemplation.
His thoughts started to go on overdrive, and the AI, which could feel it, finally decided to speak again.
It knew how Alex was and what he had been through, so it decided to calm Alex down.
It worked wonders as the moment Alex heard those words, mainly the part where the AI said, 'I can't exactly put in words', only then did he recall that it could read the AI's thoughts.
The moment he did so, he realized how miserable the AI was feeling right now.
Yes, he was shocked by the fact that the AI could feel things and have emotions already—which was way too fast in human standard because it hasn't even been a day since the AI awakened—and he decided to focus more on the things he found out.
'The connection…'
Alex muttered inwardly before he closed his eyes.
He could tell that the AI was trying to tell him that it was connected to him, and not someone else, and that connection was not a normal connection.
It was much deeper.
So, Alex closed his eyes.
His body was completely relaxed, and his focus was now shifted to the inside of his body.
*Badump**Badump*
He could hear his heart beating calmly, unaffected by his emotional turmoil from a while ago.
*Inhale**Exhale*
Even his calm breaths were now much more clear.
But he shook his head, ignoring those things and dwelling deeper into his body.
He kept looking, but all he saw was darkness, just like any human would see if they closed their eyes.
'Was there something in the first place?'
Again, his cautious nature got in the way, causing a question like that to appear in his mind.
But Alex again shook his head and waited.
He tried to look deeper, trying to find the connection, but how does one look deeper into their body?
Do they have to turn their eyes to the inside? Was that even possible?
However, just as Alex was about to give up, he saw a golden light shine in front of his eyes.
It was just for a second, but he saw it.
'Hm?'
This caused Alex to frown.
He tried to focus as far as he could in the darkness in front of his eyes, yet he saw nothing.
His frown deepened.
Alex was sure that it wasn't his imagination and that he did see something.
But just then, his eyes finally caught sight of something...
A long, straight line that extended from who knows where to infinite.
*Badump**Badump*
For some unknown reason, Alex's heart beat started to get louder.
The AI, which could tell what Alex was looking at, commented in a dejected tone, but the next second…
>
The AI exclaimed inwardly, its voice filled with elation.
It could feel the emotions of Alex, which had turned toward distrust, shifting back to neutral in an instant; it was as if he felt something that made him change his mind.
It was the nod Alex passed, and although his expression still remained stoic, his emotions said otherwise.
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