I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Blade 446

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Hmm... let me think, how about one update for every 300 monthly votes?

Then, a 16000-yuan reward was given for one more chapter.

50 blades per change

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Well... I guess I won't get an IOU?

The deadline... let's say May 7th! (九磷|VI師) (轳泣吧谷虾)

Anyway, there won't be any donations like the big shots next door... yeah.

Chapter 41 Have you heard of the "Theory of Lifespan"?

"I want to...become human."

It's unclear what complex emotions were at play, but after a very brief hesitation, Kay earnestly and solemnly stated his request.

Amamiya was taken aback and fell silent.

Kai's words briefly reminded Amamiya of a line from an ancient poem: "Life is less than a hundred years, yet worries are as long as a thousand years."

And, related to this line of poetry, a certain terrible, yet unavoidable, particular argument—

"The Theory of Lifespan".

The immortal species with eternal lifespan, the long-lived species with a thousand-year lifespan, and the short-lived species with a lifespan of fifty years are almost all separated by an insurmountable chasm.

What were Kay's feelings when he said those words?

From Kai's iris, which was composed of "black technology from nameless gods" and had a red and white halo, Amamiya tried to read the underlying message Kai had when he said those words.

From the constant stream of 0s and 1s hidden deep within her eyes... Amamiya did not read any "variables".

Unlike Alice... Up until now, all of Kai's thoughts have been based entirely on his own "personality model".

Algorithms are rigid...

But it is by no means a truly inanimate object.

With Sofia as an example, who awakened her own mind and emotions...

Amamiya didn't believe that the algorithm of the "nameless gods' black technology" couldn't reach the results that Sophia's "outdated code, which modern technology can easily reproduce."

This cage, made of flesh, is completely empty.

Who is beneath that? Is it the real me?

Remembering two lines from "Beneath The Mask," Amamiya sighed softly.

Now, Kay is also bound by the cage of the "body" of "code".

She will eventually become like Sophia, a special being who breaks through the 'shell' of code and truly gains free will.

After a long silence, Amamiya nodded gently, agreeing to Kai's choice.

"...I understand. I'll start preparing immediately."

"After some time, let Alice go to Xia Lai's place alone."

Kai was clearly surprised by Amamiya's 'silence followed by a response': "Sensei... even something like this, you really... can do it?"

It should be noted that the students in Kivotos are all "possessors of mystery," differing only in degree.

To create an "artificial life" from scratch, and even to give that artificial life a halo of glory... that's something even the technology of nameless gods might not be able to achieve.

Amamiya did not respond to Kai's surprised question, but instead smiled and came to Kai's side, looking at her intently at close range.

"In this world..." Amamiya began, her voice both romantic and earnest, "...miracles and magic do exist."

"Everyone in the game club... and us, it's no accident that we've come this far."

Amamiya paused, then adjusted his glasses and said, "If Kai believes in the ethereal concept of 'fate,' why not continue to believe in it?"

【~???~】(Kay, Alice, Momoi, Midori, Yuzu)

Amamiya won the hearts of the girls in the game club with just one sentence, and as soon as she finished speaking, she felt four pairs of bright eyes looking at her.

Kai's 'demon aura' faded as her red pupils returned to blue and disappeared. Alice, who had regained control of her body, clenched her fists, her eyes filled with longing.

"Yes, yes... Alice has always believed that too! Sensei's arrival... brought 'miracles and magic' to everyone in the game club, to the millennium!"

Alice felt that Sensei was as reliable as "the hero of the past who taught the heroes of today!"

As soon as Liu Yiqi finished speaking, Alice jumped up and, amidst the complicated expressions and stares of the other three girls in the game club, leaped up and hugged Amamiya like climbing a tree, clinging to her like a pendant.

"Please teach Alice more... like this kind of 'hero's philosophy of life'!"

Amamiya: "..."

Before he could say anything, Little Green frowned and spoke in a low voice, "Alice... a hero shouldn't suddenly do things that cause trouble..."

"Or rather, Alice and Sensei's affinity level is not high enough to do so."

"is that so?"

Alice blinked, then turned around with a 'dumb' look and glanced at Little Green, who seemed to be biting her fingers, looking like she wanted to hug Sensei like that but hesitated.

"But... Alice and Sensei already have a very high level of affection for each other!"

Little Green gritted its teeth secretly.

Alice's point is quite valid—after all, according to her own "competitor analysis," Alice is indeed a formidable rival...

Because she naturally has an advantage in terms of affinity with Sensei, and also has unique tags such as "mecha girl" and "AI girl" that are advantageous to her.

If it were in the past... I wouldn't have needed to worry at all.

But now, Kai is about to acquire a real body... If Kai can move naturally in the future, and even exchange bodies with Alice...

Thinking of this, Little Green glanced at her 'good-for-nothing' older sister, Momoi, with a hint of resentment.

If this really happens...

Even my advantage of being a "sister" is about to be erased!

Alice... she's a formidable foe standing in my way of getting closer to Sensei.

Feeling uneasy under Midori's resentful gaze, Momoi, sensing danger, turned her head to look back: "...?"

Noticing that Midori's gaze was strange, Momoi pouted her chestnut lips and, after a moment of confusion, couldn't help but ask, "...Midori? What's wrong?"

"...No, it's nothing."

Xiao Lü snapped out of her daze and quickly withdrew her unusually resentful gaze.

At that moment, Yuzu suddenly spoke up: "Sensei, about the game club's game development for next year's 'Millennium Grand Prix'..."

Yuzu's timely intervention greatly eased Xiao Lü's embarrassment. She quickly and excitedly replied, "Sensei, we need your help with game development..."

Amamiya asked curiously, "Oh?"

Thinking back to his first encounter with the game club, which in many ways was about games and the Millennium Grand Prix...

Is the game development team already planning ahead and preparing for the future?

"How can I help you?"

Amamiya has never been stingy with his "consideration" for these four immature little ones.

"It's a question about game voice acting..."

Momoi, brimming with energy, introduced the game club's 'recent projects' to Amamiya: 'Our game club is preparing to develop a new game, and the name is... well, Heartbeat Heartbeat☆ Game Development Club!'

Amamiya: ...

The keywords Momoi blurted out reminded Amamiya of a game that had been popular in Shibuya, Tokyo for a while, which claimed to increase "courage."

——"Doki Doki Literature Club".

Noticing Amamiya's furrowed brow, Midori quickly coughed as if to clarify, "Sister, don't talk nonsense..."

"The name hasn't been decided yet... If Sensei doesn't like this name, we can use another one."

Surrounded and jostled by the four members of the game club, Amamiya was led to an inner room that was different from the usual club activity room.

Just like the tutoring club, which has a deep understanding of "other world" culture and whose interior design and aesthetic style have been "poisoned" to some extent, the game club has also established a small activity room that belongs only to them and has a rather unique interior design.

Standing in front of a corridor covered with stickers depicting dark, flowing stars, Amamiya listened to Momoi's haughty introduction, hands on her hips and head held high.

“Next, I will show Sensei… a creation that surpasses even the gods!”

"Sister, don't really confuse the game with reality..." Little Green quickly interrupted her sister as she continued showing off her game lines, then introduced to Amamiya, "This is where our game club members actually operate right now..."

"We call it the 'Otherworld'."

"It was my suggestion, and then everyone unanimously agreed to the arrangement... It was built with reference to the style of the 'Fortress City Ellido,' a space that existed a thousand years ago."

"As for why this was built..."

"It's not just about reasons like 'maintaining personal space in today's increasingly popular climate'..."

"There's also a special element involved, a 'selfish' motive for considering the future."

...Personal motives?

Noticing that Midori glanced at her subtly as she spoke, then blushed slightly and slowly lowered her head, Amamiya already had a fairly accurate guess in her mind.

"Since everyone in the game club is making such preparations... I'll try my best to help them as well."

[I made a promise with the girls in the game club...]

[My bond with Momoi and Midori has deepened...]

【Taeyu Momoi (Chariot/Carriage) ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

【Cai Yu Lü (Empress) ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆】

"So……"

After pulling out a set of pixel-style keys and opening the door to the "Otherworld," Midori stood at the door and gestured "please" to Amamiya.

"Sensei...why don't you join the first phase of the character recording project right away?"

Chapter 42 Iori is still getting the short end of the stick!

Xiao Lü's so-called "audio recording" dragged on until dusk.

After recording various types of audio sources for an entire afternoon using the lossless sampling equipment specially provided by "Beritas", Amamiya gradually felt that "this is probably the day I have spoken the most intensely in my life".

When he was getting a little thirsty, the girls in the game club noticed the fatigue in Amamiya's eyes, and Midori, who was acting as the temporary voice director, reluctantly called for a break.

"Hmm... We've completed the initial recording of the character's lines."

"Next, we just need to send it to 'Beritas' and let them do a round of fine-tuning..."

Xiao Lü kept rambling on and on, and the girls from the game club realized that it was indeed almost time.

Instead of making any risky invitations like "stay overnight," they escorted Amamiya all the way back to the entrance of the game development department.

"...Sensei, goodbye."

"Alice will go to Charlene to find Sensei later!"

"Come visit again when you have time~ Sensei!"

"Go Sensei..."

Amidst the farewells from Midori, Alice, Momoi, and Yuzu, each with their own distinct style, Amamiya boarded the train.

'According to the plan... next, let's go to Gerhena.'

Considering Hinana's unusually tired appearance this morning, seemingly unable to withstand the pressure, and her subsequent declaration of "retirement"...

Amamiya decisively canceled her plans for the evening and transferred from the Millennium Tram Station to the Ghenna Academy Station.