Robot Protection Zone Chapter 9

I had felt it from the first day, but this place was completely different from the world I knew.

Tall buildings obscured the sky, and unfamiliar objects covered the city. The robots roaming the streets all had strange appearances and moved mechanically, creating a sense of unease.

We traveled along the gray road for a long time, but no matter how much time passed, there was no sign of us reaching our destination. When I asked my master, he replied that it would take three or four hours just to get there.

Inside the car, only the sound of my master’s voice on the phone could be heard. From the middle of the journey, my master was busy discussing business with someone on the other end of the line and paid me no attention at all.

Watching the scenery of the street, which I had initially found interesting, also gradually became tedious. In the end, I couldn’t stand the boredom and closed my eyes for a moment.

“Didi, wake up.”

Had I fallen asleep without realizing it due to the long journey? At the touch of my master waking me, I opened my eyes to find that we had almost arrived at our destination.

As I rubbed my eyes and looked out the window, a building of enormous scale came into view. Is it an art museum? Or a museum…? As I pressed my forehead against the window and looked up at the magnificent building, my master called me.

“Didi.”

“Yes, Master.”

“It’s going to be noisy when we get out. Don’t answer any questions and just stick by my side.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Judging by the place and atmosphere, it was clearly an important occasion. I steeled myself to be careful not to make any mistakes and nodded my head.

The place we soon arrived at was even more magnificent and splendid than when I had seen it from a distance. The entrance was bustling with people, and the lighting was brilliant. Come to think of it…. What am I supposed to do here? I had only heard that it was a charity party, but I hadn’t heard anything about what kind of place this was or what my role was.

Should I just stick by my master’s side? As I was lost in thought, recalling his earlier instructions, my master got out of the car first. As I belatedly followed him out of the car, a flash went off in front of my eyes.

“Ah….”

Startled by the sudden burst of light, I flinched and stopped. Before I could even collect myself, flashes went off in succession. At that moment, my master’s arm wrapped around my shoulder.

“Didi, get a grip.”

“I-I’m sorry, Master….”

As a firm hand pressed on my shoulder, I snapped back to my senses. Thanks to my master, I barely regained my composure, but I still didn’t know where to look, so I stood awkwardly, only looking around.

“Mr. Spencer! Your plans for the next new product are….”

“We would like an interview regarding the late founder of Spenic who recently passed away!”

“The scandal with the model announced last week is…!”

Questions for my master poured in from all directions. Fortunately, the bodyguards blocked the reporters, so they couldn’t get close, but their constant questions and voices were enough to make my head spin.

I looked up at my master with a tired expression. However, my master seemed to be enjoying this situation, with a smile on his lips that overflowed with leisure and confidence. For some reason, he looked happier than when he was with me.

“Master….”

“Just bear with it for a little while. We’ll be inside soon.”

When I called my master in a trembling voice, he answered coldly. At his chilly tone, laced with annoyance, I couldn’t say anything more and quietly followed behind him. The path to the building entrance felt like an endlessly long corridor.

Due to my nervousness, I almost tripped several times. The stiff shoes were uncomfortable, and even my gait became awkward. My feet hurt, but I didn’t want to bother my master any further, so I kept my mouth shut.

As we entered the building, the commotion outside disappeared as if it were a lie.

Instead, faintly audible music and a calming fragrance filled the space. It was a calm atmosphere, completely different from the chaotic outside.

While I was looking around, unable to adapt to the sudden change, people who had spotted my master began to gather one by one.

My master greeted them as if he were used to it. Even among the crowd, my master’s presence stood out. His composed expression, brilliantly shining golden hair, deep and calm blue eyes, leisurely smile, and confident demeanor. It was a stark contrast to my completely haggard appearance.

My master naturally accepted the people’s attention and skillfully continued the conversation. On the other hand, I, trapped among strangers, held my breath in tension and only rolled my eyes.

Just then, someone who had belatedly noticed me asked my master.

“Mr. Spencer, but who is the person next to you…?”

“It’s a robot I brought this time.”

“A robot? Don’t tell me… a Humanbot?”

At my master’s answer, surprise flashed across people’s faces.

“No way! I thought he was a person!”

As soon as my master’s words were out, gasps of admiration and astonishment erupted from here and there. People’s curious gazes focused on me. I looked up at my master, trembling with anxiety. As our eyes met, a low command was given.

“Didi, say hello.”

“Hello…. I am Didi.”

I offered a timid greeting, but the atmosphere only grew more boisterous. More and more people gathered, and the excessive attention and unfamiliar gazes suffocated me.

Amidst the deafening noise, people blatantly looked me up and down as if they were appraising me. As I clasped my trembling hands and lowered my head, people’s reactions grew even bigger, perhaps thinking I was shy.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by strangers. Some, pretending to observe me closely, stealthily touched my arm or hand, or tried to feel my skin. Their greedy gazes stripped me bare as they scanned my entire body.

I felt nauseous. I looked to my master for help, but he was busy talking with the people around him and didn’t even glance at me.

“I heard that Humanbots are really hard to find these days, how did you get one?”

“It turned up while I was organizing some mementos.”

“If it was a memento, then the one who passed away recently…?”

People began to whisper and talk about my former master. I was startled and listened intently to the conversation. I had hoped to hear something about my deceased master, but the conversation about him was cut off there.

It was then. I felt an unpleasant gaze that sent a chill down my spine. It was a creepy gaze, different from the curious ones. As I looked around anxiously, my eyes met with a middle-aged man in the crowd.

The man, who had a protruding belly and a balding head, was looking at me with a lecherous gaze. As I moved closer to my master out of fear, the man’s gaze became even more greedy.

The man, who had been persistently looking me over, approached my master and asked.

“Good day, Mr. Spencer. I am also looking for a Humanbot, would you be willing to sell that robot to me?”

My heart sank. In a panic that I might be sold, I hurriedly looked at my master.

My new master didn’t particularly cherish me. In fact, he was clearly annoyed by me. My master, who felt I was useless, might accept the man’s offer. The same anxiety that had enveloped my whole body when my master said it didn’t matter if my memories were erased washed over me.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

Fortunately, my master refused his offer. Only then did I feel relieved. To me, who had already been abandoned once, being abandoned again was my greatest fear.

“I will give you as much money as you want! If money is not enough, I can even give you one of the companies I own.”

The man was persistent. As his voice grew louder, people’s gazes gathered. Seeing his strangely tenacious obsession, people around us began to move away one by one. A hint of annoyance crept into my master’s eyes.

“No, I said I’m not selling. Are you deaf?”

Finally, after my master snapped at him in a harsh tone, the man lowered his voice as if frightened. The man finally seemed to give up, bowed his head, and took a step back.

“If that’s the case, I have no choice…. If you ever change your mind about selling, please be sure to contact me.”

The man, who was pretending to back away, suddenly brushed the back of my hand and passed by. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and I instinctively snatched my hand back. Even as he turned away, his lecherous gaze followed me to the end.

Even after that, I continued to feel his gaze. When I turned my head, the man who had been rejected earlier was still watching me with a disgusting smile.

My master lightly wrapped his arm around my waist and conversed with the other attendees. I couldn’t even run away and had to endure that gaze, stuck by my master’s side.

‘I’m tired…. I want to go home….’

I wanted to get out of this place. It was my first time experiencing something like this, and I felt as if I had become a spectacle. As time went on, people’s gazes and attention became more and more burdensome. I missed my former master even more today.

“Ah….”

Just then, the serving robots bustling around the hall caught my eye. On their trays were small pastries and drinks, neatly arranged. Their round and cute appearance, and their smooth movements were particularly noticeable.

Only those robots felt familiar. I wished I could move simply and help people like them. For today, I hated the fact that I was a Humanbot who resembled a human.

As I was staring blankly at the robots, I suddenly felt as if I had made eye contact with one of them. And, as if it had recognized me, the robot quietly turned and glided toward me.

On the tray the robot held out were small pastries and drinks.

Could it be… for me?

After a slight hesitation, I cautiously reached out my hand and picked up a cookie.

• 😀

Just then, a smiling face appeared on the robot’s screen. Seeing that, I let out a laugh without realizing it.

The serving robot maintained the smiling face for a few seconds, then erased the screen again and silently went on to distribute food to other people.

It felt like I had received a small but warm comfort.

My tense heart had eased up a bit. A gentle solace slowly, deeply seeped into my chest.