Lydia, together with Yuuyami, took off the burnt motor from the motorbike.
After that, exhausted, Lydia sat down and was dimly sitting at place for a while.
Yuuyami awry sat in front of Lydia.
“Why did it caught a fire?”
Said Lydia with a sigh.
“Well, the possiblity always exists.”
Yuuyami answered indifferent.
“I’m shocked. I was convicted that I designed it properly.”
“You have succeeded in designing a burning motor.”
“Was that a joke? To comforting me?”
“No, I just stated the fact.”
“Right, even so…”
Lydia sighed deeply.
“Even so?”
Yuuyami tilted her head.
“I wanted to make a non-burning motor.”
“Shall we do it next time.”
“That’s right, even so…”
Lydia replied vaguely.
“Even so?”
Yuuyami tilted her head once more.
“I thought I was able to do it properly, natheless it didn’t work out, so I’m a little depressed.”
After Lydia said that, Yuuyami stood up.
Then moved to Lydia and sat down again, right beside her.
“It will be alright.”
Yuuyami gently brushed Lydia’s head.
“What will be alright?”
“Everything.”
The hands of Yuuyami,
the voice of Yuuyami,
they were so gentle,
she wasn’t sure, however she believed that Lydia will be alright.
◇
One month have passed since the motor caught a fire.
Snow has disappeared from the world, and dry ground were seen now.
Lydia designed a motor properly, and the motorbikes were completed successfully.
Today the weather was good.
Therefore, the two departed for their first joint exploration.
Lydia was driving a jet-black motorcycle, and Yuuyami was sitting behind her.
Simply, it was Lydia who won in the janken1, so Lydia will be the one driving outbound way.
Lydia was equipped with a leather jacket and leather trousers, which Yuuyami have designed. Each of it were in black colour.
It weren’t cute, however by no means Lydia took a liking of its stylishness.
Yuuyami said that it uses a materials with an extremely high defensive power.
For a moment, Lydia looked in the mirror, she considered it was a very beautiful sight, how her blonde hair hang down the black jacket. Gold and black, gold filaments were swaying on a black background. Black was the colour of Yuuyami. For that reason hair of the girl, which were shining in Yuuyami’s black, looked so irresistibly nice.
In addition to the jacket and trousers, Lydia was equipped in a tawny leather gloves and boots.
Also, a neck warmer and a wool hat were as a protection from the cold weather. Colour of each was black.
In addition, at last, Lydia also wear a goggles. The latter was since she had troubles to look ahead.
Lydia mumbled in her mouth that for Yuuyami should also be made a jacket.
Yuuyami was equipped with a backpack and in the same maid clothes as usual.
The rucksack contained a medical kid, potable water, food and so forth.
Well, leave the clothes and equipment of Yuuyami asideー Lydia looked at digital speedometer.
The speed was eighty kilometers per hour.
Up to this point, Lydia greatly enjoyed driving a motorcycle. She was deliberately driving in a zigzags, slided the rear wheel.
Yuuyami cling to Lydia and also enjoyed it, saying: “Please, do it once more.”
She did all of the interesting driving she could only think of.
Yet, what Lydia still hasn’t tried was
“Yuuyami, let’s try out the top speed?”
a verification of the top speed with a two people on it.
“Go ahead.”
After hearing her reply, Lydia twisted the throttle to its limit.2
It has been confirmed on the chassis dynamometer that motor does not start to burn even at fully opened throttle.
The rotation noise of motor, the Kyu~i~i~in, became louder, and frame was increasing a speed.
In the blink of an eye, the number on the digital speedometer impetuously went beyond one hundred kilometers per hour.
At that point, what ears of Lydia were able to comprehent – mere noise of the wind. Lydia thought an earmuffs are necessary.
No, rather a helmet, it would be better to have one.
Embedded with a communication facility and other useful features. Lydia decided to make a hi-tech helmet when she returned to the library.
Even with a two people, it reached a one hundred kilometers per hour easily, but from that point on wasn’t so good.
The current speed was a one hundred twenty, however it took a certain distance and time to reach this velocity.
Number on the digital speedometer was rising little by little. It stopped at one hundred twenty-seven kilometers per hour. Judging that this was a top speed with two people, Lydia released throttle.
And reduced speed to sixty kilometers per hour.
“I felt like I was being attacked by the wind.”
Lydia expressed impression of the top speed.
“I wasn’t hit so hard since Lydia was my shield.”
“I’m glad that Yuuyami was safe.”
“I’m glad Lydia was safe either.”
“It’s a different matter.” Says that, Lydia swam her gaze from the left to right. “Seriously, there’s nothing.”
It was unlikely for an accident to occur even if she would take eyes off the road. There was no objects to collide with.
What was reflected in her view was an endless horizon. No more than it.
Condition of the road surface wasn’t good, however thanks to assistance of Autogyro system it was impossible to fall.
“Yeah. I’ve been exploring thereabouts, there was nothing worth seeing.”
“I wonder if direction is right? I’m a little worried.”
Lydia believed it would have been better to have an analog compass installed. Up until now, with nothing around, a human sense of direction would become imprecise.
“Slightly to the left.”
However Yuuyami was different. For her, compass was built in from the beginning so they won’t get lost.
“Roger that.”
As Yuuyami told, Lydia moved the weight and turned motorcycle slightly left.
“Would you like to launch a satellite and incorporate a navigation system?”
“That’s would be nice. Let’s make it as a new project.”
“Understood, shall we do it.”
“I was thinking.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Why don’t we build an artificial intelligence into this motorbike and give it a name?”
“It would be good. You’ll also be attached to it.”
“Well then, a new project.”
“The projects have multiplied. Shall we decide a degree of relative priorities after returning to the library.”
“Uh-huh. That’s right. How long is it, before we’ll reach your destination?”
“It’s about fifteen kilometers.”
“Yoーsh, then I’ll rise the speed!”
Without waiting for Yuuyami’s reply, Lydia fully opened the throttle. Acceleration felt good.
At some point, Lydia was affected by illusion that it wasn’t herself but the world was accelerating.
Lydia considered it as possibly correct, in a sense.
The world was always running. And when one would realised it, they will left a lot of life behind.
Lydia and Yuuyami were barely able to adapt to the velocity of the world.
As digital speedometer showed a one hundred, Lydia maintained that speed.
At one hundred kilometers per hour the world felt slightly chilly.
However,
a feeling of Yuuyami on the back was so warm that it didn’t bothered her in a slightest.
◇
An object far ahead was captured by a visual sensor of Yuuyami.
Yuuyami immediately zoomed in the object and applied its outline to the recognition subroutine.
The operation took less than a one second. Since Yuuyami a little faster than humans she was able to see an object and recognise what it was.
Yuuyami identificate the object number one
Parasol. A pale sky-blue umbrella with a white stanchion. Parasol was standing on the rough ground – somewhat surreal.
Object number two.
Simple table and a stool. Color – white. It was a popular item, without a special value.
Object number three.
A girl sitting on a chair. Or was it a little girl-type of an AD? It couldn’t be judged at the distance.
Hair of the girl was pale pink, a shoulder length. The clothes she wear a black Gothic Lolita outfit.
In her hand she had a tea cup, the content is unidentified. In case that if it was a beverage, the girl was a human.
And finally, the last object.
Beside the girl was standing a huge AD. Since a silver metal skeleton was exposed, she could tell at a glance it was an AD.
“Lydia, please stop.”
Lydia brakes, as Yuuyami asked.
“What’s wrong?”
After motorbike ceased completely, Lydia turned her head over her shoulder.
“Do you able to validate the object ahead?”
“Hmー?” Lydia turned her gaze towards the point. “There is something what only you can distinguish, I presume?”
“Is that so.”
“What is there?”
“A military AD.”
Said Yuuyami about the most perilous objects.
“Military?”
“BD series, Type・Ohan.”
“I don’t comprehend.”
“Base Defense… In other words, it is a series produced for defending a base. The Type・Ohan is not mere for defense, however also has a quite high offensive ability.”
“Is it ahead of us?”
“Correct. In case if they will recognise us as an enemy, there’s a possibility of being attacked.”
“Is the performance of that Ohan-san higher than of Yuuyami?”
“In terms of overall performance, mine are overwhelm exceedingly.”
“Ah, I’m apologise. Hmm, I mean a combat ability.”
“I also have a subroutine for self-defense, but, let’s see… Assuming that neither of us possesses a weapon, if I and Ohan will begin a battle, I’ll be destroyed in about five minutes.”
“That’s how it is. I don’t want to be destroyed. Both me and Yuuyami.”
“Understood. With that’s the case, shall we go back.”
“Hmー, but.” Lydia tilted her head a little. “Before anything else, I believe there is always a warning at first. Like we saw it in the movie?”
All kinds of movies’ data were left in the library, and the two sometimes held movie-watching parties.
“I guess there was, unless program has been rewritten.”
“The program rewritten…” Lydia clapped her hands. “Is that Ohan-san alone? Is there someone else?”
“Yes, they together with a girl.”
“Human!?”
Lydia rise a voice that seemed to have a mixture of astonishment and anticipation.
“Probably it’s a human being. I can’t make an accurate assertion without drawing even closer.”
“Waーi, closer! Let’s get closer!”
Lydia turned the throttle and the motorbike started moving.
“Lydia, did you hear what I’ve said? Ohan is together with another object? It’s dangerous if you do not raise level of your defense power a little more. Lydia’s equipment aren’t enough to compete with Ohan.”
“If there’s a human, we’ll be fine!”
“On what basis?”
“After all, that child should want to meet the other human than herself!”
“There’s a possibility, however is it enough to say it isn’t a hostile?”
“Hmー. But in the end, we can’t tell until we meet and talk, right?”
Lydia’s expression cannot be seen to Yuuyami, nevertheless she thought Lydia was probably smiling.
And what Lydia was saying wasn’t wrong.
If they were to turn back here and now – they won’t get anything.
If they wished to experience something novel – they had no choice but to step in.
sakkamade 