NSLICE-00P’s robotic eye flickered rapidly. Fortunately, she was still connected to Ateia via the NSLICE network, and so was able to request some logs.

As she analyzed the logs, she came to a startling conclusion.

When other units had been either upgraded into NSLICE units, or else spawned with cybernetic components already installed, their memory banks were largely empty. They had only the most basic of protocols, the bare minimum required for the implants to even function, and nothing else.

This was not the case with Ateia.

By some means, perhaps due to NSLICE-00P attempting to copy her own components as closely as possible, Ateia’s implants contained copies of some of NSLICE-00P’s memories and protocols. This included the emotional controls and intelligence leashing protocols, which Ateia’s components had attempted to apply upon detecting emotional distress in Ateia’s organic half.

But, this did not explain why Ateia had reacted the way she did. NSLICE-00P first conjectured that Ateia’s emotional controls were a faulty copy…but an analysis of the protocol itself revealed it was identical to NSLICE-00P’s own. It should not have functioned any differently.

Agedia watched NSLICE-00P think before sighing.

“Ok, shiny girl, I get that you’re confused as we are. But you still know more than we do. So…tell me what you do know. What happened when you hit Consul Noxisius’s place?”

“Query: Please specify which location belonged to Consul Noxisius.”

Agedia raised an eyebrow.

“The one you just lit on fire last night? You’re saying you didn’t even know who you attacked?”

“Negative.”

Agedia took a deep breath.

“Then…why did you attack?”

“Answer: This unit traced NSLICE Ateia to that location, and detected mana signatures of concerning magnitude. Hostile intent was subsequently displayed towards this unit, so this unit proceeded with termination protocols.”

Agedia exhaled her breath.

“Well, under the circumstances I suppose that makes sense. It’s done now, let’s focus on the issue at hand. Now, what exactly happened during that attack, and what exactly happened to Ateia?”

Ateia ran through the hallways of the building, covering her eyes. She could hear Taog calling out behind her, but she didn’t want to be around him right now. She didn’t want him to see her like this.

She nearly bumped into one of the villa’s attendants, an older woman. She looked up to apologize, but the woman just opened a door and motioned for her. Ateia peered inside and found a small bedroom. She rushed inside and the woman closed the door behind her.

Then she fell back against the door, and slumped to the floor, holding her head. Tears streamed from her eyes once again.

It was all too much.

She could still feel the knife plunge into her torso. She could still feel her body burn as streams of mana overwhelmed her very existence. She could still hear the laughter of that insane madman.

Her head was splitting as well. Something foreign now existed inside of her, that seemed to want to take control of her and stuff her in a box, that felt like it was physically reaching into her mind. And that wasn’t all. Every time she opened her eyes, she was blinded. It was as if even the smallest amount of light was as bright as the sun. Every footstep in the hall behind her sounded like a crack of thunder. She could apparently feel the air around her.

She could barely even think.

So she shut her eyes, tried to block her ears with her hands, and curled up on the floor.

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Agedia blinked, crossing her arms.

“Ok, shiny girl, let me see if I have this straight. So you were actually too late, and that stupid cult sacrificed Ateia?”

“Affirmative.”

“So you stopped their ritual, and murdered every last one of them? Thanks for that, by the way.”

“Correction: One hostile escaped the area of operations. All other known and suspected hostiles were terminated.”

Agedia’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh, we’ll do unspeakable things when we find them. But then, Ateia was disintegrating, sounds like a case of mana overload?”

“Affirmative.”

“So you tried to save her by putting on that armor, or ‘cybernetic components’ or whatever you call them?”

“Affirmative.”

Agedia frowned.

“Ok, that all makes sense. Well, no, it doesn’t make any sense at all why putting on some fancy armor would stop a mana overload, but I’m no mage so I’m going to ignore that. The important part is you tried and succeeded at keeping her alive. But the poor girl went through blasted Inferno in the process, so I’m not surprised she’s still in pain.”

Agedia heaved a sigh, and her head dropped.

“…just another failure of mine, I suppose…I’m sorry, Ateia. I’m sorry, Aedinia. I was no good after all.”

“Query: Does friendly Agedia have any data regarding NSLICE Ateia’s current state or measures to repair the apparent damage?”

Agedia shook her head.

“…all I know is drink and violence. Just…let’s give her some space, but be there for her if she needs us.”

With that, Agedia slowly slithered out of the room.

Taog continued running down the halls, looking for Ateia. His ears twitched, he could hear muffled sobs ahead. He ran towards the door…

An older woman blocked his path, one of the villa’s attendants by the looks of her. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Looking for the other girl?”

Taog nodded.

“Have you seen her?”

The woman crossed her arms.

“Indeed. But have you asked if she wants to see you?”

Taog froze, and then glared at the woman.

“What do you know?”

The woman met his gaze without flinching.

“I know your type, I can see it in your eyes. A boy who lost much, and is afraid to lose anymore. A boy who runs and hides and mistakes fear for wisdom. A boy whose efforts to avoid loss will guarantee it.”

Taog opened his mouth, but no words came out. His chest began to constrict as he thought over the woman’s words. Her sharp gaze softened.

“I know you wish to help. But you cannot help her this time, not as you are. Your presence will only aggrieve her today, for your inaction has played a part in this outcome. Go, Taog Sutharlan, and ask yourself what do you really want from life. And if you are willing to face the challenges required to achieve it. Only then will you be able to help your friend with the battles now set before her.”

Taog hung his head. He did not know this person…yet…her words cut deep.

Was this…his fault? Would his efforts to help Ateia now cause her further pain?

Hadn’t he failed her enough already?

Taog turned around without a word and began to shuffle away. The woman sighed and shook her head.

NSLICE-00P continued to monitor Ateia, who was still displaying emotional distress. Ateia's protocols were inactive, but her cybernetic components were still logging and recording data for NSLICE-00P to observe.

And strangely enough, the readings were familiar to NSLICE-00P.

It was vaguely similar to when NSLICE-00P had cast the Divination spell. NSLICE-00P theorized Ateia may be suffering from a data overload, which might have accounted for the anomalous response to the emotional controls. NSLICE-00P linked to Ateia’s cybernetic components, ordering them to disable and tune down some of Ateia’s sensors, both cybernetic and organic…

The moment she gave the order to the organic sensors, Ateia clutched her head and started screaming again. NSLICE-00P quickly backed off, reverting the order. Her robotic eye flickered rapidly.

It appeared issuing orders to Ateia’s organic components was causing her damage. Yet, diagnostics did not reveal anything abnormal about Ateia’s techno-organic interface. Perhaps there was an undetected problem in syncing with her organic half?

NSLICE-00P was not certain of anything at this point. In fact…this was an unprecedented situation. Upgrading an organic into an NSLICE unit in the field like this had never been done. In fact, NSLICE-00P had never actually seen the NSLICE upgrade process in the first place. She did know that Ateia was acting differently from every other NSLICE unit she had on record from her previous universe, so she speculated she had done something differently from her original organization.

But well, there were many variables that had changed here. The lack of infrastructure. NSLICE-00P's deviations from the traditional NSLICE upgrade process. The influence of mana and the foreign system. The non-standard readings Ateia’s organic components were giving off. The fact that Ateia retained pre-processing organic memories, unlike all NSLICE units from NSLICE-00P’s original universe, including herself.

NSLICE-00P could not be certain which of these was responsible for the error.

But she knew she had to resolve it.

First of all, if Ateia was taking damage from her own cybernetic components, then there was a direct risk to the major directive which needed to be resolved. Beyond that, a serious error in the techno-organic interface of an NSLICE unit was highly concerning. If the cause was the influence of mana and the foreign system, for example, then what was occurring to Ateia may not be limited to her. NSLICE-00P’s own emotional controls and techno-organic interface had been displaying increasingly unpredictable efficacy, so in the worst case this could be a sign of degradation that would eventually impact her as well.

And speaking of NSLICE-00P’s emotional controls…her own organic components were displaying signs of distress as well. This turn of events had generated powerful emotions that the emotional controls could not handle unless her organic components intentionally submitted to them.

Both her halves agreed that she needed to prioritize investigating and resolving the situation with Ateia.

And so NSLICE-00P continued to analyze the data from Ateia, searching for a clue to the ultimate cause…