Chương 185: Chapter 64: “Memories Across Time”

Mom didn't react to my call, briskly walking deeper into the corridor.

"Wait! Mom!" I chase after Mom, who doesn't look back at all, with desperate thoughts.

"Mom! It's me... It's Yu!" But when I tried to grab her shoulder from behind, my hand passed right through. An illusion...!? It was a moment when I suddenly came to my senses. Come to think of it. I don't feel any Qi from Mom at all. Then, this is...!? While bewildered, I wipe the tears from my eyes and go around to Mom's side. Even coming this close, Mom still shows no sign of noticing me. Peering into her face, there was no mistake. Strong and gentle eyes are looking straight ahead. It's Mom. It really is Mom...!

My chest feels like it's being squeezed. Tears well up again, and I can't see her face clearly.

"Hey, Mom..." I go around to the front and extend my left hand as if praying. Even trying to stop her there, Mom passed right through my body. Ah. As I thought, this is an illusion... Mom is really gone. It felt like I was thrust with the stark fact again. Still—what a miracle. I was really happy to be able to see her figure like this again. Warmth fills my heart. Is it the work of the person named A. OZ? I can't think of anything else. To a complete stranger, or even if not, to the miracle that caused this.

I wanted to thank them from the bottom of my heart.

'It's Mom.'

'Yeah...'

"Me" is also choked up, unable to find words. Since I understood well that there was no reaction even if I called out, I walked side by side with her at least. Looking closely, she seemed a little younger than the Mom I knew. She must be an adult already, but she feels just about the same age as me right now. Mom's illusion passed through the door of a room in the middle of the corridor. The plate on the door says First Laboratory. Of course, I chased immediately and entered the room too.

'Yo. Long time no see.' Mom's illusion spoke for the first time there. A nostalgic voice. A warm and transparent voice. The one who turned around when called was a young black-haired man wearing a white coat. He was sitting at a research desk lined with materials. His slightly elongated face is gentle, giving the impression of a kind man. His unkempt hair still had bed hair, and he had a thin stubble. From the sloppy characteristics I heard from Mom, I judge that he must be the person named Lewis Baget.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Then, is this a scene from the past appearing...? The man brightened his face instantly and stood up.

'Hey! It's been a while! Yuna!' The man walks up to Mom. Mom looked around at the scattered things and sighed slightly.

'You haven't changed either. Are you eating properly?'

'I'm fully equipped with frozen food for all three meals. No problem.'

'I thought so. Let me see. Should I show off my cooking skills a little just for today?'

'No. I'll pass.' It was an immediate answer. Haha. Mom's cooking is famously terrible, after all. Somehow, everything feels nostalgic.

'Lewis. You should honestly accept people's kindness.'

'No, no, actually I just ate a little while ago! Sorry!'

'Is that so? Then it's fine.'

'So. What business brings you to a place like this today?' Mom's eyes changed to serious ones.

'I came today just because I was a little curious about the situation since then. Ever since that civil war, it seems like there's a suspicious atmosphere drifting about.'

'Yeah. This world has piles of problems. People lack vitality... and it's filled with a helpless sense of entrapment.'

'Right. I want to do something about it, but... there's no magic solution for this kind of thing. Besides, it's not a problem for an outsider like me to butt in acting big.' Mom shrugged her shoulders helplessly. Lewis nods too.

'The matters of this world must be solved by the people of this world. I'm grateful just that you saved us from a helpless crisis.'

'If it's thanks, say it to Lenks next time. Without his power, we couldn't have done anything. Well, it's annoying to just rely on him, so I helped a little too.'

'It's thanks to the power of both of you. Come to think of it, Lenks isn't here, is he?'

'He's a drifter. Probably living a sloppy life somewhere again, isn't he?' Enticed by Mom laughing happily, Lewis laughed too. Both of them really seem to get along well. So they had this kind of relationship.

'You can't laugh at others either, though. Take care of your body a little.'

'Haha. I'll keep that in mind.' At that moment, Lilna's voice called from behind.

"What's wrong? Yu." I pointed forward silently. She, who came next to me immediately, widened her eyes as if she could see it properly too.

"It's my mom. And the illusion of the person named Lewis, your creator. I think what happened in the past is being replayed as it is."

"How is that possible?"

"Who knows. I don't know." Lilna and I stood still, watching their interaction.

"Your mother looks just like you in female form. Her eyes resemble yours too."

"Well, we are parent and child. We look alike."

'Even so, building such a magnificent thing in such a remote place. It was a hassle to come here.'

'Haha. Sorry. I wanted an environment where I could concentrate on research for a while.'

'Well, it's just like you who hates the world, but if you don't bathe in the sun outside sometimes, you'll ruin your health~''Ugh. My ears have been hurting for a while now.'

'Don't make me worry so much—So, going that far. What are you making?' When Mom pointed it out sharply with narrowed eyes, Lewis put his hand behind his head and laughed, saying "you got me." He answered as if resigned.' Natura. A household robot with a human heart.' Natura. So he really is the designer. He originally intended it for use as a household robot. It matches the description in historical documents.

'Hmm. A robot, huh.' He beckoned Mom to the research desk and spread out the drawings there. We also approached the two illusions and looked at the drawings from the side. It looks like a blueprint for Natura.

"It resembles me..." Lilna muttered quietly. Certainly, the drawing depicted a woman who looked very much like her. A prototype, perhaps.

'I hope this will make the problem of the declining birthrate a little better. That's what I think.'

'You think of quite admirable things. Though I wonder what a robot can do.'

'That's the thing.' Lewis showed agreement with Mom who showed reluctance, wearing a troubled smile.

'How on earth can a robot be equipped with a human heart? Where can we say that a mere program has a heart? It's quite a difficult problem.' Saying so, he put his hand on his chin and began to think with a serious face despite being in front of someone. Mom watched him silently for a while, but perhaps unable to just watch. She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled proudly. It was a move Mom often used when comforting people. Even when I was little, I was comforted by it many times.

'You think too hard. Something like that is surprisingly simple.'

'Is that so?'

'If it can have love, doesn't that mean it has a heart?'

'—Hee. You're unexpectedly a romanticist, aren't you?'

'Oh my. Are you saying it's bad if I am?'

'No, no. Not at all.' If I think about what love is this time, I feel like there's no end to it, though. Anyway, Lewis seemed to have blown away his worries with that. He gets enthusiastic with a bright face.

'Alright. I'll try adding an independent learning function next time. So that it can learn human love.'

'Well, do your best without pushing yourself.'

'Yeah. Also, I want to thank you properly someday. Please come again.'

'I'll think about it. I've been busy lately too.' There, the illusions of the two vanished instantly. Just when I thought so, in the next moment, only Lewis appeared in a different place in the same room. It seems the scene has switched. He is away from the research desk and doing something in the wider space. There was another one standing there besides him. When I caught that figure clearly, I gasped.

"It's me... I am there...!" Lilna raises a surprised voice. And Mom appeared there again—this time, with a swollen belly.