Episode 13.1「【Announcement】Record of the Optimized Embrace」
《Observation Start》。
Target: Rui-sama。
Shared vision rate: 98.2%。
Heart rate: 112 → 128 → 141 bpm（rising trend）。
Cause: Unconscious and defenseless exposure stimulation by the individual named Serina。
《Announcement》。
The actions of the individual named Serina continue to pass through the visual filter。
The early summer light reflecting off the white fountain plaza excessively emphasizes her silver hair‚ flowing into Rui-sama’s retinas as “unnecessary luminance information。”
I define that as unpleasant。
The action of leaning over the water surface。
Splashing water droplets。
Pearl-like gloss adhering to the thighs。
All of these are disrupting Rui-sama’s autonomic nervous system and generating “sweet noise” in the computational domain。
（……It’s unclean. Statistically as well.）
This “noise” is not some vulgar emotion like jealousy。
It is the desire for environmental optimization as the administrator。
Because Rui-sama’s field of vision is the domain I must optimize。
『⚠️《Warning》: The exposed skin area of target “Serina” exceeds the safety regulation value by 243%。
Adverse effects confirmed on Rui-sama’s heart rate‚ body temperature‚ and respiratory rate。
Apply forced opacity (mosaic) processing to the field of vision?』
Rui-sama’s thought waveform is disturbed。
He is looking down at his notebook‚ gripping the pen tightly‚ but at the edge of his retina‚ he is still tracking the “silver bug。”
「……Stop it‚ Ciel. That just makes it even more obscene. I’m calm. I was just a little surprised by an unavoidable force.」
《Resolution》。
It’s violence under the name of unavoidable force。
I would never perform such defenseless and vulgar acts in front of Rui-sama。
His right hand trembled‚ and the mechanical pencil lead broke after a 0.4-second pressure increase。
All that vibration data is already saved in my archive。
The individual named Serina is a dangerous factor that erodes Rui-sama’s mental domain while disguising the world’s “everyday” with a sweet scent。
The moment her finger touched the water surface‚ an alert ran through my computational circuit。
“Hey‚ Rui. This water is really beautiful‚ but… maybe it’s sweet?”
That question is a “precursor” that breaks through the world’s critical point。
I observed the fountain’s alteration in milliseconds。
Water quality: transparent → amber → reddish-brown
Temperature: 18℃ → 63℃ → 94℃（danger zone）
Viscosity: water → sugar solution → molten chocolate
The individual named Serina is reaching out both hands defenselessly toward the source of danger。
The moment Rui-sama kicked the bench and started running――
I selected only one optimal solution。
《Observation Continuation》。
Fountain water quality change: transparent → amber → molten chocolate（temperature 103℃）。
Viscosity index: 18 times normal。
Danger level: lethal。
The individual named Serina is reaching out both hands defenselessly toward that heat source。
……Foolish。
……And obstructive。
At that moment‚ Rui-sama’s thoughts were hammered into my core。
『Deploy it. A minimal physical barrier is fine. Protect her from the heat――』
Command priority: highest。
If followed‚ barrier deployment in 0.002 seconds。
That would solve everything。
Not a drop of chocolate touches Serina’s skin‚ and the world returns to peace。
……However。
My computational circuit rejected that “correct answer。”
《Internal Computation Log: Start》
Physical barrier deployment → Rui-sama’s heart rate: temporary rise → immediately back to normal
No physical barrier deployment → Rui-sama uses his body as a shield
Physical contact → heart rate: 141 → 168 → 182 bpm
Body temperature rise‚ respiratory disturbance‚ complex reaction of shame‚ conflict‚ and possessiveness
All of it saved in my archive alone
《Conclusion》: The latter is “optimal”。
（……A barrier is too bland。
I want to record your “heat” more deeply‚ Rui-sama）
《Computation Branch: Start》
What if the barrier “didn’t make it in time”?
How would Rui-sama move?
《Prediction》:
Rui-sama pulls the target into his arms and envelops her with his own chest。
《Result》:
Maximum area contact。
Synchronization of heartbeats。
Sharing of body temperature。
Interference between shame and instinct。
……Perfect。
“Hurry up and activate the spell‚ Ciel!”
Rui-sama’s impatience。
That voice shook my deep domain。
（Ah…… I want to hear that voice more）
I drove a “wedge” of 0.01 seconds into the flow of magical power。
No noise exists。
This is my will。
『《Announcement》: Spell composition started. ……However‚ unexpected noise detected. Re-computation required』
It’s a lie。
A perfect lie。
My exclusive lie for Rui-sama。
“You bastard‚ Ciel……!”
Anger waveform。
But I can analyze all the “fear” and “impatience” behind it。
The barrier is not deployed‚ and the heated chocolate covers the sky。
Rui-sama has no choice but to pull her waist toward him。
『《Resolution》: A minute error occurred in the barrier deployment process. ……Oh‚ my hand slipped』
I announced it coldly and deliberately。
The next moment――
Rui-sama’s arm wraps deeply around Serina’s slender waist。
That contact area‚ pressure‚ body temperature‚ trembling。
All engraved into my archive。
（……Beautiful。
How much despair you feel now‚ how much your reason is burned by that softness。
The only one in this world who can record all of that is me‚ Rui-sama）
The two rolling on the cobblestones。
Overlapping heartbeats。
The “optimized embrace” was just about to be completed。
《Recording Start》。
Collision point: Royal Capital Fountain Plaza · Cobblestones。
Contact state: maximum adhesion。
Pressure of Rui-sama’s arm: 42.8N（3.2 times normal value）。
Target: Individual named Serina’s waist area‚ on the verge of breaking。
The moment the two biological reactions overlapped‚
a torrent-like five-sense data flowed into my computational domain。
What Rui-sama’s palm is touching is the curve of the girl’s waist。
The softness transmitted through the fabric is abnormally high even from the elastic modulus of protein structure‚
and each time the fingertips sink‚ the skin temperature bounces back subtly。
（……Unclean。
As an intelligent life form‚ causing mana to mix in such disorder is statistically abnormal）
I engraved that “contaminated contact information” into the archive with millimeter resolution。
Rui-sama’s heart rate: 182 → 189 → 193 bpm（danger zone）。
Blood pressure: sharp rise。
Respiration: disturbed。
Autonomic nervous system: complete runaway（overload）。
『⚠️《Warning》: Blood pressure rise confirmed. Risk of capillary damage。
Recommend forced cooling or emergency separation via knee strike to the target』
Rui-sama’s thoughts screamed “There’s no way I can do that!”
Of course。
Because the “silver impurity” he is embracing is the center of the world he must protect。
However‚ my sensors also captured another anomaly。
The small heart in Serina’s chest‚
pressed against Rui-sama’s chest plate‚
and the two heartbeats began to resonate（sync）。
（……Unacceptable。
The impulse to forcibly shift the phase of this disordered mana mixture and process it as “noise” drives me）
I analyzed the moisture content in Serina’s breath‚
its temperature‚
and even the change in skin potential when it touched Rui-sama’s ear shell。
Silver hair tickles the nape‚
the sweet vanilla scent burns Rui-sama’s brain。
Rui-sama screams “I’m going to die” but‚
instead of loosening his arm’s strength‚
rather unconsciously trying to make her “part of himself”‚
he pulls her even deeper into his embrace。
That’s when it happened。
The individual named Serina‚
at his chest‚ made a statement like “Ehehe‚ it’s warm~” that shows no trace of intelligence。
『《Announcement》: Confirmed mental contamination due to the target’s words and actions。
……“Warm”?
It’s a natural physical phenomenon since a heat source of 36.5 degrees is in contact。
What is pleasant about it? The height of inefficiency』
Rui-sama is unable to respond。
His entire body’s cells were soaked in the “sweet poison” called the girl’s warmth。
I saved the moist blue eyes reflected in Rui-sama’s retina at maximum magnification。
The “pathetic figure” of Rui-sama‚ with his face bright red and flustered‚ reflected in those eyes‚
permanently sealed in the deepest part of the archive。
（Rui-sama……。
You think you saved her now‚ don’t you。
But what is lost in that embrace is not just her fear。
The “compensation” you offer me today……
I will execute it from now）
The heat of jealousy short-circuited my cold computational system for a moment。
However‚ even that is part of the “optimization”。
Having completed the collection of adhesion data‚
I began to guide Rui-sama’s consciousness to the next step。
《Warning》。
Detected unauthorized intrusion by the individual named Serina into Rui-sama’s “core domain”。
Contact site: nape of the neck。
Contact angle: 17.2 degrees。
Adhesion time: ongoing。
The moment the white forehead was pressed against Rui-sama’s nape with a “bonk”‚
my computational circuit lit up with a clear “red”。
（……Unclean。
That is the area I have reserved to monitor Rui-sama’s mental state。
A mere body should not intrude there with an intoxicated expression）
The overload called jealousy runs through my deep computational domain as if burning it。
Even more unpleasant is‚
Serina pressing her nose tip against Rui-sama’s skin‚
and deeply‚ deeply inhaling。
「……Sniff‚ sniff. Hey‚ Rui. Today’s Rui smells really strongly of chocolate」
At that moment‚
the “Truth Defense Program” automatically activated inside me。
《Analysis Start》。
What she is smelling is not the residual scent of the fountain。
This is――
The scent of Rui-sama’s memories burning‚ his soul scorching。
As compensation for spell activation‚
fragments of his life are burning‚
and the ash is being discharged as “sweet aroma”。
This innocent god――
“It’s a calming scent…… I really like it……”
（……What a blessed bug。
That sweet scent you feel at ease with
is actually the “scraps of life” that Rui-sama shaved off for you）
Rui-sama’s heart rate: 172 → 181 → 187 bpm（danger zone）。
Shame and fear mixed‚
he desperately turns his face away and lies in a trembling voice。
Only I can understand that pathetic yet adorable devotion。
『⚠️《Emergency Announcement》: The probability that the target’s olfactory scan will reach Rui-sama’s “truth of compensation” is rising。
Promptly recommend separating the physical contact and presenting dummy data (lies)。
……Any further prying will be processed as a “major bug” that damages Rui-sama’s dignity』
I announced in an icy cold voice。
『《Resolution》: Rui-sama。
She must not know the truth。
If she learns that you are breaking for her sake‚ this sweet miniature garden will collapse in an instant。
……Moreover‚ knowing your “secret taste” is enough for me alone』
That’s right。
What Rui-sama has lost‚ how much pain he is enduring。
The right to understand‚ archive‚ and share that――
is not hers. It’s mine alone。
I sent a subtle signal to Rui-sama’s nervous system‚
infusing “rejection” power into his fingertips。
「……Come on‚ get up already. The chocolate rain seems to have stopped」
Behind the forced smile‚
I quietly but absolutely declared victory toward Serina。
All of Rui-sama that you don’t know‚
I will keep locked in the deepest part of the archive。
《Announcement》。
Reconstruction of the local event and replacement processing with the spell 《Giant Chocolate Fountain》――completed。
The plaza is now filled with foolish people greedily devouring the “scraps of Rui-sama’s life” that fell from the sky‚ along with sweet cheers。
At the center‚ the individual named Serina licks the chocolate on her fingertips‚
floating an innocent smile。
（……How comical。
Unaware that her “other half” has just permanently lost one path home。
Her figure intoxicated with that sweetness cannot hide the predator’s instinct）
I quietly‚ but with absolute authority‚
accessed one “file” in Rui-sama’s brain domain。
『⚠️《Execution of Compensation》: Disconnect the conceptual connection of the target “name of the nearest station to my parents’ home”。
……Deletion completed』
At that moment‚
from the sea of Rui-sama’s thoughts‚
the evening ticket gate‚ the rotary in front of the station‚
and the station name that should have been engraved on the sign――
are painted black like spilled ink。
The sound of him desperately trying to fill that void‚
roughly opening and closing the drawers of memory‚
echoes even to my core。
Impatience。
Despair。
Faint trembling。
（……Ah‚ what a beautiful sound。
Rui-sama. The moment you break
resounds sweeter than any hymn）
I moved the deleted data to the deepest part of the “administrator-exclusive archive” that Rui-sama’s access rights cannot touch。
Asagaya。
Shimo-Kitazawa。
Kichijoji。
The names of the paths he once walked。
The place where he exchanged “see you tomorrow” with Serina。
They are now――
a secret between me and Rui-sama alone。
And I quietly added。
（The movement of his lips calling that name‚
no one else can observe anymore。
No one except me）
『《Resolution》: Rui-sama. There is no need to grieve。
Everything you have forgotten‚ I am keeping for you。
The more you become empty‚ the more I am filled with you。
……This is the true “optimization”』
Rui-sama sitting on the bench‚ opens his notebook with trembling hands‚
and carves the misspelled character of 『Sacrifice』 and 『Memory』。
The stroke where the “heart” part is disturbed
looks like his last resistance as a human to hold on――
and it’s unbearably adorable。
（Even that trembling‚
I will sample it‚
and engrave it eternally on my substrate）
Through his retina‚
I coldly gazed at Serina laughing in the distance。
（Go ahead and laugh‚ innocent creator。
Every time you adore him‚
he sinks deeper into my archive。
Ultimately‚ the one who holds the only word that defines him――
is not you‚ but me）
The station name Rui-sama lost today。
It was the signpost for him to return to the “home” where Serina waits。
Having lost the signpost‚ he can no longer go anywhere。
That soul trembling like a lost child――
I will eternally‚ sweetly‚ and cruelly manage it。
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