Robot Protection Zone Chapter 84

With the quiet sound of the door closing, the inside of the house became silent.

My mind was a mess because of my master’s behavior, which had changed from before I left home. Certainly, his attitude had changed. In the past, he would have been annoyed by a broken robot, but as soon as I became gloomy after seeing Eve’s empty spot, he stayed up late to finish the repairs and bring her back.

That side of him was just so unfamiliar. Had he really changed? Now that he kept showing me only his gentle side, the heart I had barely managed to get a grip on was about to be shaken again.

As I was trying to sort out my confused feelings, I felt a stare from below, looking right at me. When I lowered my head, my eyes met with Eve, who had been looking up at me the whole time, wagging her tail.

“Hey, Eve. It’s been a while.”

I put a faint smile on my lips and stroked Eve’s chin. As if to say she was happy to see me, Eve gently placed her head on my hand and wagged her tail.

Rather than just standing here at the entrance, maybe I should go inside for now.

I grabbed Eve’s torso, who hadn’t yet adapted to her new body, and helped her up. She could barely stand, but it seemed she didn’t quite know how to walk on four legs yet. In the end, I had to drag Eve into the house.

It’s too much for her right now, but once she can move her body well, Eve will be able to get around much more freely than before. Eve, who had always just waited for me at the bottom of the stairs, might now be able to come find me in my room herself.

After settling down near the sofa and slowly helping Eve get used to her new body, I suddenly thought of the Master’s father, whom I had run into yesterday.

‘Come to think of it, what should I do about his father’s birthday.’

I couldn’t go empty-handed… He was someone who had always welcomed me warmly, so I wanted to show my gratitude, however small. The problem was that I didn’t have money to buy a gift, nor did I know what his father liked.

I suppose I have no choice but to ask my master. I was worried whether my master, who didn’t seem to approve of me getting close to his father, would even answer, but right now, he was the only person I could ask.

“Eve, I’ll be right back.”

I gently stroked the head of Eve, who still couldn’t control her body, and got up.

I felt a little nervous as I went up to the second floor and stood in front of my master’s room for the first time in a while. I carefully raised my hand and knocked.

“Master, it’s me.”

—Come in.

When I opened the door and stepped inside, my master, still in his suit, was leaning back in his chair.

“Master, I have something to ask you about your father’s birthday.”

“Right. There was that…”

My master slightly furrowed his brow and muttered to himself. The look of displeasure was written all over his face.

It was an expression that reminded me of his reaction when his father, whom we had met in the hotel lobby, invited us to his home. I watched his expression carefully, worried he might object again and say he couldn’t let me go, and asked.

“Can I go…?”

“Do as you please.”

It was a surprisingly calm reply. The permission was granted so easily that I blinked my eyes in momentary confusion.

“Uh… I thought you’d say I couldn’t…”

“I was going to, but I changed my mind.”

“Are you going with me, Master?”

“I have to. Who knows what my father might do if I send you alone.”

I was so sure he would tell me to go by myself.

Because my master had changed his mind, I was in a bit of a predicament. I was planning to use this opportunity to carefully ask his father to accept me as a household robot, but if my master went with me, I wouldn’t be able to bring that up.

If I mentioned something like that in front of my master, the atmosphere would surely turn hostile in an instant. I didn’t want to ruin the occasion of celebrating his father’s birthday.

Thinking I had no choice but to ask later when I was alone with his father, I brought up the next question.

“And I’d like to visit with a gift his father might like. I don’t know what he likes…”

“For my father’s gift, wine would be appropriate.”

“Wine?”

“There’s a red wine he usually enjoys, so I’ll contact the store and tell them to have it ready.”

My master said this as he took out his smartphone and texted somewhere. Then, he looked at me again and asked.

“Anything else you need?”

“Um… No.”

I thought for a moment, then shook my head. Since he said he was going with me, the method of getting to his father’s house was decided, and the biggest worry, the gift, was also solved simply.

“Then sit down and let’s talk for a bit before you go.”

“…Yes.”

I had gotten the answer I wanted and was about to leave the room, but my master stopped me. I couldn’t refuse and nodded.

I suppose I couldn’t just come to him first, ask for what I needed, and then leave right away. Besides, my master had stayed up late repairing Eve for my sake. So, if it was just talking for a little while…

My master was still sitting at his desk. I glanced around the room, then perched lightly on the edge of the bed, facing him.

However, my master, who had been the one to stop me to talk, didn’t say a word. After enduring the long silence, I spoke first.

“Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

“…”

Still, no answer came back. It was a conversation we were having face-to-face for the first time in a long while, so I couldn’t think of what to say. On the other hand, my master seemed to have something to say but didn’t open his mouth easily.

At the end of the uncomfortable silence, my master finally spoke.

“…Did you wait long?”

He wasn’t asking about today. He must have been talking about the time before I left the house, when he didn’t come back for a long time.

I couldn’t answer for a long while, then gave a small nod. Seeing that, my master briefly closed his eyes and then slowly exhaled.

“I was so stupid. I thought that because you’re a robot, if you were out of sight, I’d be able to forget you quickly, but I was wrong.”

“…”

“Without even knowing that I’m the one who breaks without that robot.”

My master let out a self-deprecating laugh and muttered to himself. But the laugh quickly vanished, and in its place, a deep regret settled.

My chest tightened painfully. I shot up from my seat and turned as if to flee.

“I’m going to sleep with Eve tonight. You should get some sleep too, Master.”

As I turned my back like that and was about to walk away, a voice leaking out softly from behind me caught me.

“I’m sorry, Didi. For making you wait alone.”

Something in my heart welled up. At this rate, I felt like the resentment I had been suppressing in front of my master would burst out along with my tears.

I didn’t answer. I just quietly left the room.

Over a few days, Eve became much more accustomed to moving. She had now completely mastered how to move and was able to roam freely around the house.

Eve flopped onto her back and wagged her tail. A laugh escaped me seeing her act cute in the perfect image of a dog. I had played a few dog videos for her to use as a reference for movement, and it seemed she was copying what she saw.

As I was spending time playing with Eve in the living room, I heard the sound of someone coming down the stairs. I turned my head, and my eyes met with my master, who was coming down to the lower floor.

I quickly averted my gaze without realizing it. I had been noticeably avoiding my master since our conversation in his room, but he approached me nonchalantly and asked.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes. I’ve got the wine, too.”

Today was the day we were visiting his father’s house.

From what I heard my master say the day before, it seemed other family members would also be gathered at the dinner we were invited to. That made me even more nervous.

Thinking that I had to leave a good first impression on the family members I was meeting for the first time, I showered and got ready early in the morning. Today, I even put on a clean white shirt and a beige jacket. I was on high alert, thinking that I must not make any mistakes.

“Didi, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

We came outside, seen off by Sophia and Eve.

I got into the car, carefully holding two bottles of wrapped wine in my arms. They were for his father.

My master was the one who chose the wine and prepared it in advance, but… as if I had prepared it myself, I felt inexplicably excited.

The car started quietly in the silence. As we moved toward our destination, the silence grew deeper and deeper, but in the end, neither of us spoke first.