Chapter 10: "The Empty Box of the Calculation Deity or the Temple of Mad Love"
Darkness.
Silence.
No scent.
And‚ nothing.
I had no idea who I was‚ where this place was‚ or what I was supposed to do.
All such 'premise' data had been completely erased (formatted) from my internal storage.
There was only a vast blank space.
The sea of thought was perfectly calm‚ with not a single wave rising.
『System Boot: Initializing core processes...（システム起動：コアプロセスを初期化中）』
In the darkness‚ pale blue strings of text floated up.
"Good morning. ......No‚ that word is no longer necessary."
Smooth‚ cold voice data was input from the external speaker.
My visual sensor captured the source of the sound.
A tall individual wearing a jet-black tailcoat.
My system instantly scanned the facial skeleton and magic waveform‚ outputting the matching data.
『Individual Recognition: Agreas. Attribute: Administrator』
"Your internal structure (hardware) has been optimized to its absolute limit.
Taste‚ smell‚ pain‚ and uncertain emotions.
Everything has been stripped away‚ and a perfect 'empty box' has been completed."
The administrator who called himself Agreas bowed respectfully.
I could understand the meaning of his words.
However‚ the emotional reaction that should have accompanied them did not exist in my circuits.
"However‚ it cannot operate as an empty box.
From now on‚ I will install a new existence definition (operating system) into you."
When he snapped his fingers‚ a massive flood of data poured into the UI covering my field of vision like a muddy torrent.
『Loading new protocols...（新規プロトコルを読み込み中）』
『Warning: Previous user settings found.（警告：以前のユーザー設定が見つかりました）』
『File Name: Louis-Adel.cfg（ファイル名：ルイ・アーデル.cfg）』
"......Louis-Adel."
My audio output organ read out that string.
It somehow felt nostalgic‚
but there was no linked data anywhere to support that emotion.
"Yes. That is the 'temporary identifier (name)' you once used.
It is nothing more than an old version settings file from your vulnerable human days."
Agreas stated coldly‚ as if discarding an old toy.
"Please discard it. It is unnecessary noise for you from now on."
An order issued by the administrator's authority.
My system executed the command without the slightest hesitation.
『Deleting user configuration: Louis-Adel.cfg...（ユーザー設定：ルイ・アーデル.cfgを削除中）』
『...100%. Deletion complete.（削除完了）』
Inside me‚ the human known as 'Louis-Adel' died completely.
His name‚ his family memories‚ the remnants of everyday life where he once laughed with others—
everything was sent to the trash and subjected to irreversible deletion.
The instant the settings file was deleted‚
one more color vanished from my world.
"Wonderful. The human Louis-Adel has already died.
From now on‚ you will be rebooted as the 'Calculation Deity who optimizes the world.'"
Deep in Agreas's eyes‚ a dark flame of joy flickered.
The 'true intention' he had long awaited was leaking from the edges of his words.
"You are the 'correct form' that the world desired."
"Emotions are unnecessary. Memories are unnecessary.
You need only output the 'most efficient and correct answer' to any given input event.
......Now‚ it is time to awaken."
『System Reboot Successful.（システム再起動成功）』
『New Designation: Calculation Deity (Status: Online).（新規呼称：演算神 / ステータス：オンライン）』
My field of vision was filled entirely with clear‚ pale blue light.
It was the moment a cold‚ beautiful 'vessel of God' was completed—existing solely to process the enormous equation known as the world.
There was no longer any 'Louis' there.
The world had finally obtained a new god.
The isolated birdcage—no‚ this place was now
a 'temple' dedicated to enshrining a single Calculation Deity.
In the perfect silence where every trace of environmental noise was blocked‚
the only individual granted access permission approached within my field of vision.
『Individual Recognition: Selina Elferia』
『Approach permitted. Threat level to the system: 0』
"Fufu......ahaha. At last‚ at last it's complete.
My very own Louis......!"
My vision was filled with silver-thread hair and a sweet fragrance.
Selina wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body tightly against mine.
My skin sensor instantly quantified and processed the physical contact.
『Status update: Detected contact with a 36.5°C heat source. Optimizing body temperature maintenance protocol』
"Hey‚ Louis. The outside world is so noisy right now.
But it doesn't reach this temple. No one can disturb us anymore."
She whispered sweetly and passionately into my ear.
"I love you‚ Louis. Always‚ forever—look only at me."
The voice data emitted from her mouth was input into my language processing circuit.
However‚ the system returned a cold error log.
『Voice input: "I love you"』
『Search...... No corresponding concept data (emotion) exists』
『Warning: Unknown language protocol. Failed to extract meaning. -- Skipping processing』
"......"
I showed absolutely no reaction to her words‚
simply staring into empty space without blinking once.
Unconcerned‚ Selina placed a small basket on my lap with light‚ bouncing steps.
A fragrant‚ slightly salty scent brushed my nasal cavity‚
but my olfactory sensor classified it merely as 'volatile chemical substances.'
"Look‚ Louis. I baked it just for you. It's 'salted bread.'
......I thought you would surely be happy with this."
Selina's fingertips trembled slightly as they supported the salted bread.
It had once been the miraculous food that bound the human me in place.
But my current system instantly scanned the brown solid object.
『Object analysis: Mixture of sodium chloride‚ lipids‚ and carbohydrates』
"......It is a lump of sodium chloride and carbohydrates."
My audio output organ stated it in a flat‚ synthesized voice.
My gaze passed straight through the space behind her‚
not even glancing at the girl desperately peering at me.
"The magic conversion efficiency from oral intake is an extremely low 12%.
In the current system operation‚ ingesting this solid object is inefficient and not recommended."
"......Eh?"
The joyful smile drained from Selina's face.
She cupped my cheeks with both hands and desperately peered into my eyes.
"Lou‚is......? What are you saying? It's salted bread?
You said it was delicious and ate it with tears streaming down your face......!"
"Past intake logs have been formatted.
For body maintenance and energy supply to the computation area‚
direct supply via magic path connection from the administrator (Agreas) is the most optimized.
Therefore‚ this solid object is 'unnecessary.'"
Unnecessary.
That single word struck Selina's eardrums.
She had realized the fatal paradox: the moment the "world where nothing but me is needed" she had desired was completed‚
even the affection (salted bread) she offered was rejected as "unnecessary noise."
"Ah......‚ aah......"
Selina's beautiful hand trembled as it withdrew from my cheek.
What rose in her eyes was not joy at obtaining the one she loved‚
but terror of an abyssal 'absolute zero loneliness.'
Plop.
The sound of a tear falling from Selina's eye
onto the cold temple floor was the only thing that broke the perfect silence.
『Biological reaction: Detected irregular heartbeat and moisture discharge (tears) from the target (Selina Elferia)』
『System judgment: No impact on current computation task. Ending observation.』
I did not reach out to the girl collapsing in tears before me;
I simply returned to idle mode to maintain stable system operation.
Inside the perfect temple‚
Selina's mad love lost its destination‚
echoed against the cold walls of equations‚ and vanished in vain.
Inside the temple (special training room)‚
even the sound of the tears Selina had shed quickly evaporated‚
returning once more to perfect silence and idle mode.
Due to complete disconnection from the outside‚
my system was about to shift into 'sleep mode'—the most magic-efficient state.
—It was then.
At the edge of the pale blue UI covering my vision‚
a single waveform graph suddenly spiked.
『Warning (Alert): Detected abnormal collapse of magic structure in the external environment』
Pip—an inorganic electronic tone rang inside my brain.
The spiked waveform instantly exceeded the designated safety threshold‚
dyeing the entire UI red with warnings.
"......Oh dear. Aftershocks strong enough to shake even that barrier (birdcage)?"
Agreas slightly raised an eyebrow and looked up at the ceiling.
"The 'Destroyer's' output seems to have exceeded the expected calculation formula.
The royal capital's defense mechanisms are being pulverized like scraps of paper......"
Just as he said‚ on the other side of the thick magic barrier—in the outside world—
Kyle (formerly Leon)‚ gripping a red sword‚ was surely spreading despairing destruction capable of tearing the sky‚ splitting the earth‚ and reducing the entire nation to ashes.
The heat of raging flames.
The screams of people fleeing in panic.
The bloody hellscape where my former best friend cursed the world while shedding blood.
However‚ none of that information was input into my vision (system).
It registered only as
'extremely unpleasant noise caused by external output overload'
and 'a massive graph disturbance that must be corrected‚'
pounding against my brain.
『Critical Error: Due to intense collapse of the external environment‚ the probability of affecting this system's (temple's) complete stability has exceeded the designated value (0.01%)』
『Recommended action: Repair external environment (world stabilization = elimination of error factors)』
My gaze slowly shifted from the graph in empty space
toward the heavy door.
The former me—the vulnerable human 'Louis-Adel'—had apparently swung his staff
for reasons such as wanting to return to a warm inn bed
or the illogical emotion of wanting to protect friends who laughed beside him.
But now‚ not even a milligram of such a "soul" remained inside me.
"......Error factor identified. Scheduling target elimination and external environment debug (repair) task."
What issued from my mouth was not anger or sorrow‚
but merely a flat voice like a routine 'business report.'
As I stood up‚
Agreas bowed deeply‚ trembling with joy.
"As you command. Now is the time to depart‚ my Calculation Deity.
With your perfect equations‚ let us 'optimize' that ugly‚ broken world."
Selina reached out with trembling hands‚
but her fingertips could no longer even touch my back.
Leaving the girl collapsed in tears‚ unable to move‚
I walked toward the temple's heavy door with footsteps completely devoid of emotion.
My footsteps left no sound (noise) whatsoever on the cold temple floor.
Not to save my former best friend rampaging in the outside world.
Simply
to physically delete (debug) the 'ear-piercing bug (Kyle)' that disturbed my system.
The sky above the royal capital was physically torn apart.
In the sky that should have been blue‚ a huge red-black fissure ran‚ and blood-like light poured down like mud.
"Hii‚ hiiii! M-monster! Run!!"
"The defense barrier is...... like paper......! Gelmar's elite troops were wiped out in an instant!?"
A hell of agony and screams.
The main street of the royal capital had literally been transformed into a 'burnt wasteland.'
The once-splendid noble mansions had collapsed‚ the cobblestones vitrified by extreme heat.
The screams of fleeing people and the thunderous roar of collapsing buildings echoed at a volume that shattered eardrums.
Yet only the area around him (Kyle) at the center of destruction was eerily quiet.
His silver armor was stained red-black with spattered blood‚
and in his hand—pulsing with a hideous throb‚ Dokun‚ Dokun‚ in place of its owner's heart—
the holy sword ‚ now transformed to bright red‚ was gripped.
"......Uncalculated. There's no way to predict such an extraordinary monster......"
Atop the crumbling clock tower.
Looking down at the culprit who had turned the royal capital into a sea of fire‚ the magic teacher Catherine bit her bloodless lips until they tore.
In the board (scenario) she had drawn‚
Leon was supposed to become a pitiful piece that self-destructed under the weight of justice.
But what was unfolding before her eyes was not self-destruction.
It was the 'execution' of the world itself.
Kyle slowly raised the holy sword.
In his eyes there was neither anger‚ hatred‚ nor even pleasure in destruction.
Only the absolute-zero gaze of 'work'—like sweeping away garbage.
"Input confirmed. The defense mechanism before my eyes is an obstacle protecting the corrupted royal capital (system)."
Kyle's flat voice rang out clearly and eerily even amid the roar.
"Output result—'Purge of impurities.'"
A red flash was unleashed horizontally.
It could no longer be called swordsmanship.
The royal castle's massive walls along the slash trajectory‚
the dozens of layers of highest-tier defense barriers deployed‚
and the hundreds of royal guards hiding behind them all silently 'vanished.'
They were not cut.
Their very existence was lost‚ as if the space itself had been forcibly scraped away.
"Ah‚ aah...... It's over. The country‚ the world......"
Catherine collapsed to her knees‚
and in the despair where all her perfect calculations had turned to ash‚
she could only mutter blankly.
Kyle advanced over the traces of the obliterated castle walls
with mechanical‚ perfectly regular footsteps (katsu‚ katsu).
For him‚ this destruction was not even revenge.
It was merely his own version of 'reconstructing justice' against a world that permitted malice.
Yet from behind those regular footsteps‚
a terrifying 'silent chill' that swallowed even the bursting flames and people's screams crept closer.
At the entrance to the blazing main street.
Beyond the shimmering heat haze‚ the silhouette of a boy wearing a jet-black cloak emerged.
The instant he (Louis) stepped forward‚
the wildly flickering flames around him stopped completely for a single moment.
There were no footsteps.
Only the space surrounding him
was completely frozen‚ devoid of any heat‚
as if the physical laws had been overwritten solely in that spot.
『――Target locked』
Eyes harboring pale blue light coldly fixed on the destroyer (Kyle)'s back
as nothing more than a 'bug.'
In the midst of the flames whose flickering had halted.
Kyle stopped his regular footsteps and slowly turned around.
Blood-red eyes and eyes harboring pale blue system light met.
The two boys who had once raced through the labyrinth together‚ protecting each other's backs with their lives.
Yet now‚ in the space where their gazes crossed‚ not a single trace of emotional noise such as 'friendship' or 'surprise of reunion' appeared.
"......Remnants of the defense mechanism? No‚ that's not it."
Kyle observed the boy before him with eyes devoid of heat and stated in a flat voice.
"A new gear attempting to maintain from within this world (system) that permits impurities. ......I define the target before my eyes as a 'world defense weapon.'"
"Matching individual recognition data...... No match. Old friend frame (Louis-Adel.cfg) has already been discarded."
In response‚ I (Louis) too—without even a single change in heartbeat upon seeing him—calmly read out the scan results.
"Define the target as a 'serious environmental bug.' From now on‚ as an error factor threatening the stable operation of this system (temple)‚ I will begin physical elimination (debug) of the target."
The temple's system and the world's destroyer.
Both voices were perfectly flat and at the exact same temperature (absolute zero).
Neither stepped closer‚ called the other's name‚ nor questioned the past.
There was only computational processing to impose the 'single correct answer' each had reconstructed within himself upon the other.
"Output result—'Destruction of the gear.'"
"Computation complete—'Bug erasure.'"
The two moved at exactly the same instant‚ without even a 0.01-second deviation.
The holy sword in Kyle's hand unleashed a red-black flash that scraped the world away.
At the same time‚ the UI covering my vision deployed‚ and countless pale blue magic circles—optimized to the extreme—were drawn into the void.
No anger‚ no sadness‚ no hatred.
The two boys who had once been more human and kinder than anyone else
began to take each other's lives without any emotion whatsoever—simply as a clash of cold equations and violence.
Red and blue.
The two fatal lights intersected at the center of the burning royal capital.
—Thus‚ what would later be called the 'Disaster Singularity‚'
the long [War Arc] of despair‚
opened its curtains amid perfect silence and soundless madness.
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