dmims Page 262
Page 262
Isn't this also a form of abusing power for personal gain?
Taking a deep breath, Ota pushed open the door and stepped onto the bright red carpet with gold trim. With a heavy scraping sound, the door slowly closed again.
In the corner of the room, the pitch-black box seemed to sense something, its top glowing faintly, and its wheels rolling towards it until it was face to face.
Otta frowned slightly, instinctively wanting to take a few steps back.
His inherent qualities and habits as a king dictate that he instinctively needs to keep his distance from others and cannot afford to take any risks.
However, the next moment, the projection lit up.
Emerald green light wove together in the air to form the shape of the girl's dress. Then, the delicate hem of the dress was gently lifted by slender fingertips, and the songstress Cuiyin bowed to herself.
A slightly distorted, girlish voice emanated from the black box:
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty Ota, the king of the kingdom. I am very grateful to you for arranging such a comfortable place for Cuiyin."
Ota paused slightly as he looked at the girl's projection so close to him, and became a little nervous.
Having witnessed countless grand occasions, he could only reply in a dry voice:
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Songstress Cuiyin. No need for formalities."
With a forced coldness and unfamiliarity in his tone, Ota coughed a few times and said:
"Both you and I are well aware that you are merely a necessary piece of equipment for the concert, and protecting you is naturally the responsibility of the palace."
Ota didn't know why he was giving such a strange explanation, since he knew best that virtual singers could only say pre-programmed words and couldn't truly understand human words and actions.
However, as the young girl raised her swan-like, delicate neck and gazed quietly at his somewhat dazed eyes, a sweet smile suddenly appeared on her face:
“Actually, this isn’t our first meeting, is it, Your Highness Ota?”
"Eh?"
“I remember, Your Highness Ota, you welcomed me at the city gate.”
Somewhat surprised by Cuiyin's unexpected words, Ota was stunned for a moment, not yet reacting: "Why... do you remember?"
He used an extremely precious disguise scroll at the time, so much so that even the commander of his own knight order couldn't tell.
"The eyes are the windows to the soul, and my database can easily distinguish between the same eyes!"
With her hands on her hips, Cuiyin raised her voice slightly:
"This is the professional quality of an idol."
Ota could no longer hear Cuiyin's slightly coquettish words; his mind was blank, and a single thought kept echoing in his head.
She...remembered...me?
"But you're just a machine!" Ota opened his mouth, somewhat dumbfounded.
The light and shadow seemed illusory, and the girl before me appeared as if she had stepped out of a dream.
He asked the question that had been buried deep in his soul.
"—As long as there is love, even if it's virtual, it's okay, right!"
boom!
My heart started pounding.
Suddenly, all sound disappeared.
Ota stared intently into Cuiyin's eyes, the words, like a redemption, piercing his ears and resonating in his chest for what seemed like an instant.
And it seems like eternity.
Chapter 378 Astrid: There's a cow!
"Your Highness Ota, you haven't been dealing with official business much these past few days. Are you busy with something more important?"
Holding stacks of information on the candidates for princess, this was the third time Tus had failed to find anyone in Otta's study.
Tus gradually noticed something strange.
In fact, as a high-ranking official of the prince, he had the right to access the consultation orders issued by His Highness Otta to the scholars.
seven days ago.
His Highness's consultation records included questions such as "Do machines truly have hearts?" and "Do virtual projections possess emotions and intelligence?"
five days ago.
The prince's consultation record reads, "To get closer to a virtual projection, should I offer her engine oil or Phantom Crystal?"
three days ago.
His Highness's consultation record is "One Hundred Love Quotes That Even Virtual Projection Can Understand".
one day ago.
His Highness's consultation record reads, "What name would be most fitting for a child projected into a virtual world?"
"Prince Ota... what's wrong with him?"
Feeling uneasy, Tus sat blankly on the steps of the corridor when he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.
"Your Highness Ota?!"
Tus immediately got up and chased after her. Ota stopped, her clothes and hairstyle even more refined than before, her complexion incredibly rosy, exuding a gentle and warm aura.
"Tus, what's wrong? I'm very busy right now?" Ota said in a low, slightly magnetic voice.
"Your Highness...do you have blisters in your throat? You didn't talk like this before." Tus asked, his eyes wide with confusion.
"And your outfit... it's just like, it's just like spring has arrived..."
Tuss described his feelings somewhat incoherently, but Ota didn't seem to care at all:
"People always need to change, Tus. Let's not talk about this anymore, I was just about to bring that up with you—"
"The living conditions and service conditions of the songstress Cuiyin are still too poor. I plan to move her to the center of the palace and also equip her with two teams of maids. What do you think?"
"This... is possible... but is it necessary?"
Tuss felt something was off: "A virtual songstress doesn't need maids or anything like that, does she?"
Otta smiled, didn't answer, and continued walking forward.
"In addition, let's hire a few more excellent chefs from the border, so that Cuiyin, the songstress, won't be unaccustomed to the local tastes when she first arrives in the capital."
“I’d like to hire a few more gardeners so I can have a special flowerbed built just outside her study.”
"Also, do you think the kingdom's coat of arms would look better if it were emerald green...?"
"His Royal Highness Prince."
Tus quickened his pace, his tone finally becoming urgent: "Wake up!"
"That's just a virtual songstress. She doesn't need food, drink, or any special treatment. Even if it were a distinguished guest from another race, we wouldn't treat her with such a standard. You've overstepped your bounds!"
Otta stopped abruptly, staring at the minister behind him, his tone turning somewhat displeased:
"Tus, do you mean I'm not clear-headed enough right now?"
Tus was startled. The aura Ota was exuding now was even stronger than before, but he finally realized that Prince Ota's condition was very strange:
"I... I mean... you've already done so much for that virtual singer, but this is still too much!"
Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as Tus tried to wake Ota, offering righteous and earnest advice:
"The treatment she's receiving now is something even royalty rarely gets to achieve. What... what do you want to do next?"
"Your Highness Ota, your most important task right now should be finalizing the selection of a queen and leading the kingdom to its next golden age, not fussing over a mere virtual songstress with only a little fame!!!"
Tus handed the carefully prepared documents to Ota. This was a mistake he should have corrected long ago. He should have noticed it when His Highness Ota put the songstress's affairs before the Queen's.
At this moment, he must correct the oversight he made earlier.
Ota glanced at the materials in Tus's hand, a slight ripple appearing in his eyes.
"You've reminded me, Tus..."
Ota reached out and slowly took the documents in front of him.
Tus was overjoyed and raised his head, but the next moment, his whole body stiffened as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
That was the first time he had looked directly into Prince Ota's eyes. Those eyes, which were usually full of heroism and wisdom, now reflected an unprecedented turbidity, obsession, and... madness!
The pages fell like raindrops from the sky.
Accompanying this was the cold, indifferent voice of Otto as he made some kind of insane decision:
These things are no longer needed.
……
"AI technology has solved the problem of virtual idol Suine being too rigid, but it is ultimately just an infinitely simulated real person. Therefore, my real killer is hidden in that power that can never be checked by anyone, and can only affect those who come into contact with that phantom... a power that gradually corrupts the soul and drives one to madness."
"Once he comes into contact with Cuiyin, he will slowly become addicted, constantly coming into contact with that phantom, gradually diminishing the importance of other things, and eventually reaching a point of no return."
Inside the Dimensional City, Hearst spoke softly to Sear:
"As a king, Ota cannot fall in love with anyone, and because of this, he cannot distinguish whether the first emotion surging in his chest is infatuation or... love."
Dark clouds gradually gathered in the border area, and the dim, lightless air tinged the colorful city with a gray hue.
Inside the tent, Hearst's face, hidden in the shadows, was incredibly dark. Then, he stood up.
The rain poured down.
Like a volcanic eruption, or something that has been accumulating for a long time.
Hearst's voice faded into the most humid air, carrying a chill:
This time, no one can save him—
……
The dimly lit room was illuminated only by a single, eerie candle.
The messy ground was piled with waste paper, making it difficult to walk on the garbage, and even the air seemed to smell of decay.
A sinister and wicked act was silently brewing in the darkness of that single candlelight: