“Lots happened, but it finally feels like things have calmed down.”
“Yes-affirmative, Commander Ma’am.”
There were still many matters left that had to be cleaned up.
However, it could be said that they had already passed the stage where Commander Eve needed to make decisions or state requests.
From here on, if they just threw it all to <Ringo>, she would allocate things appropriately.
The strategic governing AIs installed on-site were also growing smoothly, and going forward, authority would likely be transferred to them as well.
If that happened, <Ringo>’s processing capacity would have even more slack remaining, but.
“Alright. Starting now today, we’re doing beach swimming and a barbecue. And then, we’re camping overnight!!”
“Camping, is it.”
“That’s right! Isn’t it nice to spend a night outside once in a while?”
At Commander Ma’am’s words, <Ringo> searched her library for the moment.
What camping was.
Why someone would want to do it. Whether they would find it interesting.
Whether any problems would occur in doing it.
In 0.03 seconds, she finished thinking, and <Ringo> nodded.
“Yes-affirmative, Commander Ma’am.”
*****
The fortress <The Tree>, towering in the reef sea zone, continued to expand day by day.
Fundamentally, additional defensive mechanisms were being installed to protect Commander Eve, who lived inside.
Those took the form of surrounding fences, defensive turrets, and catapults for aerial forces.
And then, a facility built alongside those, separate from them.
An artificial beach.
Because the commander would, on rare occasions, feel like swimming, <Ringo> had designed this equipment with considerable effort so that she could enjoy the sea safely.
The foundation was hardened with concrete, and to prevent unintended species from entering, multiple layers of fences and nets had been installed.
Inside, sand had been laid down, and it was likely large enough for several people to swim and play.
The seawater itself circulated directly with the open ocean, so there were waves and even the rise and fall of the tide.
As an all-weather measure, it was also equipped with a highly transparent crystal ceiling. This was movable, and it could be rolled away.
However, because there were concerns about ultraviolet damage to skin and eyes, the ceiling was normally kept deployed.
Since the sides were not covered, natural wind also circulated sufficiently by design.
Inside the beach, and along the outside of its outer perimeter, underwater drones and aerial drones patrolled regularly, checking for abnormalities.
Inside the beach, seaweed, fish, and other small organisms judged harmless had been released, and it had established a semi-independent ecosystem.
These were managed by drones.
Whether ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) any unintended species had slipped in, whether there were major fluctuations in population, whether bacteria or viruses were breeding, whether toxins were being generated.
So that, under any circumstances, harm would not reach Commander Eve when she used the beach—checks were carried out thoroughly. It was a kind of biotope.
“Hah. When I’m just drifting like this without doing anything, I can forget everything.”
Eve was drifting while lying on her back, sitting with her hips fitted into a swim ring.
If left like that, there was no telling where she would drift, so a doll-machine communicator controlled by <Ringo> had a firm grip on the edge of the ring and was treading water. It was a fairly deep area.
“...Big Sis.”
“Oh... Olive.”
While Eve drifted like that, Olive—also in a swim ring, splashing as she moved—bumped into Eve’s ring.
Olive was shy, and normally she stayed quiet behind the other sisters, but in situations like this, she often ended up stuck to Eve before anyone noticed.
She had a rather sly personality.
“Aren’t you going to go play, too?”
“No. I can’t keep up.”
In the direction of Eve’s gaze, Utsugi and Erika were making a ruckus.
Or rather, the two of them were playing underwater tag.
With fins on both feet, they were displaying their bodily control ability to the fullest, swimming around while jumping out of the surface like dolphins or penguins.
Incidentally, as humanoid androids, there was not that much difference in physical ability among the five sisters. If Utsugi and Erika could do it, Olive could as well.
“Well, I guess those two are the only ones who actively do that kind of thing.”
Eve turned her face toward the sandy beach.
Over there, Akane and Ichigo were producing some kind of sand structure.
It seemed they were practicing making art pieces using sand, something they had read about in some material.
Several failed attempts had already taken shape on the beach.
“Aren’t you going over there?”
“Um... right now I feel like being here.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Come to think of it, Eve considered.
Akane, Ichigo, Utsugi, Erika, and Olive—the five sisters. She often saw them each having something like a hobby, or playing in their free time.
Enjoying entertainment as entertainment. Each of them often threw themselves into something they felt they liked.
But for <Ringo>, she felt she did not see much of that.
Even so.
(<Ringo>’s ability is too high. Probably, with any hobby, she’d master it instantly. And only in simulation, too.)
For <Ringo>, most things would be effortless.
On the other hand, the reason the five sisters threw themselves into hobbies was that their computing capacity depended on hardware. In a standalone state, their simulation ability was not that high, and the only way to confirm whether what they thought of was possible was to actually do it.
With a wry smile at Olive, who looked vaguely happy as she pressed her face closer and closer, Eve patted her head.
In doll-machines in general, nerves were prepared to respond to the act of being patted.
Many animals had a function where they felt pleasure when petted. She could imagine it was modeled after that, but why had they installed this function in machines?
Well, the one who designed it was neither Eve nor <Ringo>. It was a template that had been saved from the start.
Even if she thought about it, she would not find an answer. There was no one who could tell her, either.
Continuing to pat Olive, who narrowed her eyes in contentment, Eve let her useless thoughts stretch on lazily.
*****
A barbecue.
<Ringo> had tightly managed the barbecue set.
Inside a large grill, charcoal had been prepared, and a huge lump of meat was being seared with a steady sizzle. The identity of that lump of meat was a livestock animal found in the United Kingdom of Aphrasia that closely resembled a pig. Eve called it a pig.
<Ringo> was operating multiple doll-machine communicators and cooking.
“Big Sis. The meat is done. I want you to eat it.”
“Thanks. Then I’ll take some.”
Akane gently placed meat she had grabbed with tongs into the plate Eve was holding. It was meat Akane herself had cooked on the grill. Of course, <Ringo> had thoroughly confirmed the doneness. No problem. So she did not stop her.
After confirming Eve had taken a bite, Akane also began putting meat onto her own plate.
“Good.”
“...”
Akane chewed while nodding.
Akane ate a lot. Recently, she seemed to be into cooking. It seemed she liked the act of producing various dishes with her own hands.
Beyond her, Utsugi and Erika were making fried noodles.
They had headbands wrapped around their heads, and using spatulas, they briskly stirred and cooked.
They looked strangely practiced.
In addition, fish and shellfish gathered nearby were being grilled, and vegetables like the onions and corn they were cultivating were placed on the rack.
It had the look of an ideal barbecue held in someone’s yard.
The food served normally was delicious too, but outdoor cooking like this felt especially delicious.
That non-everyday atmosphere probably made the taste stand out even more vividly.
No idea, though.
It was evening.
They had started swimming after midday, so they were fairly tired. Naturally, she was hungry too.
While receiving fried noodles from Erika, packed into cheap-looking transparent plastic, Eve wished—
May this soft, fluffy, happy life continue forever.
And why was this fried noodle put into that kind of container.
Huh, “tradition”? She did not understand.
