“Why!?”

Exclaimed Lydia in high-pitched shriek.

“There’s no other way,” answered uninterested Rapha. “When you perform a reboot, Yuuyami would reopen previous process. Then, if you’d be lucky enough, she shut down again; if not, her quantum brain would come to nothing.”

Rapha was rotating upon the chair in laboratory. Where majority of surroundings made standing side-by-side computers.
Lydia shifted her gaze to lying on the table Yuuyami.

“Yuuyami…”

Upon murmuring her name, Lydia approached Yuuyami and peered in that visage.
The table which a little higher Lydia’s waist. Whereupon, was lying nude Yuuyami.
Her eyes were shut; being Yuuyami so beauteous, she didn’t seem to belong to this world.
Presently however, the beauty of hers appeared to be sorrowful.
Yuuyami have no smile.
Yuuyami do not laugh.

“Well, it’ll be okay even if initialize it. You don’t have to be so serious, alright?”
“Initialize; entire data would vanish, wouldn’t it?”

The days they spent together, with Lydia likewise; anything and everything.
Happy events, pleasant events, altogether.
And, perhaps, along with consciousness that dwelled in Yuuyami.
Lydia turns to Rapha.
Opposite Rapha, near entrance sitting Ohan.

“Yes, it would. Even so, Yuuyami smart enough to output same level of abilities right away. But, program which made her behave similar to human, necessary to recompose.”
“Rapha… Yuuyami doesn’t hold such subroutine.”
“That’s not possible. Yuuyami an AD after all. Isn’t it, onee-chama? AD means Autodoll, in other words automaton. It operates only according to the program. That’s it.”

Lydia didn’t utter a word.

“Well, if onee-chama didn’t, someone else must have programmed it. My guess​ it was the one who educated onee-chama; that person, right?”
“There’s no, such person.”

Yuuyami educated Lydia. From the very beginning until the end Yuuyami provided her knowledge.

“Are they died?”
“No,” shook her head Lydia. “There was no such person, from the beginning. Only me and Yuuyami. The entire, entire time were only two of us.”
“Hmm.”

Rapha took a thought.
Whereafter, in about two seconds reply left her mouth.

“Then, before onee-chama encounter Yuuyami, someone was messing around with Yuuyami in advance.”
“Hey, Rapha, it’s different.”
“How different?”
“In Yuuyami.”

Thereupon, Lydia a little hesitated. Perhaps she shouldn’t say it. She cannot make a decision.
It was unbearable however, to listen Rapha’s attitude, her treatment Yuuyami a property as though.
Lydia was grateful to Rapha for rescuing her. Deeply, deeply grateful. Likewise she knew Rapha is truly a kind child.
Even so, unforgivable.
Yuuyami are not one’s possession. Not akin a tea cup. Not cognate with computers lined up inside of this room.
As for the reason of it, because in Yuuyami—

“Dwell, consciousness.”
“Ha?​”

Rapha distorted her expression.

“Yuuyami—intelligent life-form.”
“Onee-chama…”

Said Rapha in commiserate tone, beheld Lydia with mournful eyes.
That rather provoke Lydia’s mind,

“Rapha is ignorant! Furthermore, a fool unable to admit what cannot understand!”

And just now, made her loudly say such vocabulary.

“What?” Rapha glared at Lydia. “I’m ignorant? You are joking, right? Wah, so that’s what you think, onee-chama.”
“Within Yuuyami dwell consciousness, if you cannot recognise it, you are merely ignorant and foolish!”
“I have no idea why onee-chama became so twisted, if​ Yuuyami have consciousness, please provide evidence. Please prove it to me, for my very understanding. Supposing you can’t, I’m guessing the one who ignorant and foolish is onee-chama.”
“I’ve been together with Yuuyami for a long time, I know it!”
“That’s doesn’t prove anything.”

Elated with success, Rapha shrugs her shoulders.
Lydia took a deep breath.
Thereon says very calmly:

“Are you sure, Rapha? Really are? You certain to keep this attitude?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Thus, I cannot accept Rapha as conscious.”
“Ha-?”
“I cannot confirm Rapha conscious.”
“What are you saying? Wah, I’m human being. That’s given for me to be conscious.”
“Rapha is not a human being. You are new human breed created by humanity. There is no evidence new human beings are conscious.”
“B, but if you put it like this, then onee-chama eith…”
“Yes. I may not be conscious as well. After all, no one proved it either.”
“Wah, that’s ridiculous. I asked you to prove Yuuyami’s conscious. Topic slightly off, right?”
“It is not. If you aren’t going to admit she’s conscious without proving it; before anything else Rapha ought to bring evidence of her own consciousness.”
“Please, don’t be silly. I have an organic brain that beget a proper consciousness.”
“Confirm that for me. Rapha may actually be stimulated by someone. Ensure that Yuuyami, Ohan, myself, or even this universe, aren’t moving Rapha’s mind. For Rapha, it just an ordinary fact.”
“What are…”
“Rapha may not have quale. May not experience​ feelings. Rapha true form may go no further than mere dynamic​ zombie. React as though a human, has intelligence. However​ no more than that.”
“I, I, I’m dynamic​ zombie, wah, that’s too much…”
“Well, then, prove me different.”

Gently smiles Lydia.
Inasmuch as Rapha cannot do that.
Since not just Rapha but each conceivable kind of intelligent life-form bound to be proved.
In regard to verify the quale of every existence in the world is nowise feasible.
And the method for such will never be discovered, believed Lydia.

“W, w, well, I can’t do that!”
“Yes. Quite so,” shrugs her shoulders Lydia. “Rapha wanted me to provide evidence for something unprovable. Isn’t that cruel?”
“Be, because onee-chama declare​d, AD has consciousness…”
“Nevertheless, I cannot prove it. If that’s the case, you have to place your trust on me.”

Lydia looked directly at Rapha, but Rapha averted her gaze.

“Whether you want to believe me or not, it’s fine. But please, show respect for Yuuyami. Alright?”

Said Lydia in a gentle, calm tone.
Nevertheless, Rapha do not answer.
Thereat, three seconds later,

“This is too much, waaa-!”

Rapha began crying out loud.

“Eh?”

For it was so unexpected, Lydia cannot keep up.
She cannot understand the meaning. Meaning of situation that took a place right before her eyes.

“Despite onee-chama is onee-chama!! This is too much!!”

Rapha crying without a though of shame or keeping appearance.
Drip, drip; large drops of tears run down Rapha’s cheeks afore falling at the floor leaving stains.

“Eh, eh, er-, eh?”

Confused, Lydia sent a look to Ohan.
Ohan however, was being silent. No more than firmly observe​d the two with vermilion​ visual sensor.

“Despite I’m younger sister!! It’s too much, so earnestly press for an answer, waaaaa!!”

Rapha pointed her face at the ceiling and kept crying.
Being Lydia for the first time​ in such sort of situation, she remained confused.
Since Yuuyami has never cried, she had no idea how to deal with such situation.
Upon the moment of Lydia confusion, Rapha sent a glance at Lydia.
Their eyes met; she started crying again.
What should I do?
Lydia pondered regarding a way to act.
Trying to recollect actions of characters from movies and books upon moments of someone cry.

“I… ek… couldn’t beat… ek… onee-chama…”
“I, I’m sorry.”

Although Lydia have no proper understanding as for what is being wrong, she apologised​ right away.
Thereafter, stroked Rapha’s head.

“So earnestly… ek, earnestly…”
“Excuse me, Rapha, that was rather immature of me. Uh-huh, I’m sorry.”

Lydia hugged Rapha and patted her back.

◇

Be constantly graceful, that is Rapha’s creed.
According to the belief I did not cry being alone at research establishment.
Although I was very, very lonely, I did not.
Continuous self-control, continuous endurance, and continuous firmness.
When now, at last, I was able to reunion with my Single Wing, without a doubt thought we would start over.
Despite that,
now I was disputing with this Single Wing. Furthermore, I received such brilliant arguments that couldn’t even make a noise.
Crying is not elegant.
But, I couldn’t help it.
While crying, Rapha thought of various things.
I was missing her, I was lonely, I wanted to get along. I do not desire a dispute.

“Sorry.”

Single Wing hugged Rapha and patted her back.
Awfully comfortable feeling spread throughout me.
The only thing I desired all along,
at that moment it became clear.
Therefore, Rapha hugged Single Wing and cried in her chest more.
It didn’t matter whether it was graceful or not.
Business of dwelling consciousness in the Autodoll grew irrelevant.
The only thing I wanted was to touch my lovable Single Wing.
For that reason, Rapha decided to cry for so long as it would be possible.