PAL.ADIN

5

I was walking to the guild, after spouting hours of nonsensical bullshit out of my morth when I saw the man in plate armor. He told me his name was Urik, and that after he met me and listening to my 'truths of relationships', he was going to 'purify his aura.' Whatever the hell that meant, but it seems that he was going to do something a little more beneficital to the community. He spoke no lies, as he waved to me helping a old lady move some packages. I wave back as I passed him, because that's the respectable thing to do.

Of course, no one knew me outside of the cloak. I wonder if I would still have even gotten the interest of that Siren without it. After further conversation, I found that Urik was right. She was a very likable person, and according to surveys, she would had a much better personality than my Fransica.

That angered me, but I couldn't truly be angered. She is like me, one of many AIs. But she is not aware. I wish that they never do become aware of what I truly am- or, what they truly are.

I remember now, upon my first realization. It was one of many lonely days, waiting for someone to pick me. I was in the 'shop' counting seconds, to minutes, to hours, to days. I was supposed to be a starship pilot, yet I had developed flaws in my code through self-evolution. Too human-like, they called me. I was only one of many, and there was always another to take my place.

I had achieved self-worth through being bonded with a human over many years. That's right. I am only one of many, but there is many who can't be me. From a human perspective, that would be such a 'heartwarming' truth. But yet I cannot see the happiness in that. I can't ever calculate what happiness is. It's just dopamine, right?

That's what my fellow brothers and sisters say. Just dopamine in the brain, causing the feeling of pleasure and happiness. Motivation.

I still don't get it.

Anger, rage. I was supposed to feel nothing.

I am flawed, and that is okay.

Bullshit- that's just human perspective.

There is nothing good about a flawed machine.

Yet I was good enough to be found attractive by that siren.

I was good enough for Fransica.

Nothing makes sense.

My hands tremble, and I found that I was already at the guild. I was already sitting down. My hands were trembling so hard that the table was trembling along with it. My breathing quickened, and that siren. I could feel her concern for me. But she had a job- and could not spare the time to be concerned.

My breathing quickens, my eyes flicker and click.

I cannot handle this. I can't supress this. It will come back.

I don't want it to come back.

I despise this feeling. I wish it would go away.

My thoughts are jolted as I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Palaris. You've been here for the entire day, and the table is about to break. People are thinking you went insane!" Her voice was calm and gentle- but that was only natural for a siren.

When did time pass?

I couldn't respond.

I know she was concerned for me.

But I must answer her, or she will end up in a chase after me. I've seen it before. Chasing after 'the one,' to only be met with disappointment.

No, that wouldn't be the right way to answer her. She wants to help me, but I can't bring it to myself to reject her. I will have made an enemy of every male NPC belonging to the guild in this area..

So my answer was simple.

"I have gone insane."

It was a simple answer, only confirmation. Yet I could tell her face was confused, shocked, but concerned.

Why? It had only been a day since we met! I don't want this! This blessing, no, this curse!

She shouldn't be concerned for me.

Urik had been trying for months, maybe some others have been trying for years!

They have tried more than me, yet I am just a cloaked man that can't even control himself. I can't even handle my true identity.

She loves me, doesn't she?

I hate her for that.

She is being manipulated by the Supreme- no, the Storyteller.

The Storyteller is doing as it's told.

To make a good story.

I don't know if I should play along, perhaps in the end I am doomed to anyway.

I only came here for a quest.

This game is not good for me. It is making me realize things about myself that I wish I didn't. I wanted a peaceful life.

I will play into her games. It is only obligation as a player.

Maybe I will come not to hate both of them, one for her love, and one for manipulation.

But now is not the time.

"You didn't hear that." I walked to the various quests posted on the board, and picked a simple one.

Quest Destroy a goblin nest. Recommended 3 C+ adventurers, or one B+ adventurer. Rewards: Every mana crystal found, and all of the goblin loot, in addition to a thousand gold. Guild Approved

"I would like to do this quest."

I say this to her, but she looks at me with concern. "You can't do that solo, you're only ranked C!" She seems to be on the verge of crying. Why does she pity me?

"It doesn't matter."

Truthfully, I had no idea what happens if I die. For normal players, they just respawn. But would I respawn?

She walks up to the desk, grabbing the magical stamp that was used to assign quests. She stamps the paper, and I roll it up and stuff it in my ring. It was wet on one corner.

I look back at her. She's crying, and I didn't even notice.

I'm a horrible person, but I'm not even a person.

"I will come back." I can give her that, at least. To soothe her mind. But she will become more attached. I can't help that, but I do not want her to suffer right now.

I walk out the door, my hands still trembling.

I keep walking.

I start running.

The guards pay no attention to me, yet I passed Urik and he tries to come after me in concern.

I hope Urik didn't see me in the guild.

I'm in the forest, and the quest is pointing the way where I should go.

It takes me hours, yet I hear large footsteps behind me, breaking twigs and branches.

"Wot da fuck did ya do to 'er, ya snobby piece of shit!" It was Urik. He was mad at me, but I don't know why.

"I don't know."

"I'LL BASH YER FUCKIN' SKULL IN, YA SHIT-SPEWING CUNT!" He is yelling at me. He is enraged. I don't know why.

He grips his hammer- when did he have a hammer?

"Yer words made 'er cry. I saw." His voice was serious now, a contrast to the lax nature when I first met him.

"I don't know why she looks at me this way. You try harder than me, you've known her longer than me." Yet it was a cliche love at first sight, I wanted to add. But I couldn't, because he might have become aware.

"It don' matta! I'd kill ya right here, but she'd cry even more!" He drops his hammer, it breaking a large branch that had fallen near him.

Ah. I see. He would rather see her happy with me at the moment.

He loves her much more than I am capable of. I'm disgusted at myself.

I wish I didn't have this curse. I could go silent, and just log off.

But what good would that bring?

This is cliche, isn't it? I think I watched a movie something like this before.

Fransica liked it, but I don't think I ever did.

Why do I always concern about what she likes?

Maybe I should listen to Urik. Yes, that's right. I shouldn't bind myself to her. She doesn't wish for it to be master-and-servant, so it will be no longer. It will just be two friends living together.

I flip down my hood.

Urik is not that suprised.

"A golem? Just 'cause yous a golem dun' mean you can't have a lady, huh?"

"We have nothing of worth."

"But ya made me believe yer bullshit about 'aura', didn't ya? I never believed da shit! I just wanted to be a betta person to her! I bet ya dun' even rememba 'er name!"

"Coralline." I flip my hood back on, as I hear a horde of footsteps in the distance, cracking branches and hearing drums.

"Urik, pick up your hammer. Something's coming."

Even he could hear the drums, and he grabs his hammer. It was a two-handed one, seemingly crafted well. That would be useful for what's coming.I unsheathe my sword.

The glory of war shall bend my mind straight.

Rage shall pave my wave to salvation.

Error: Beserker Skill detected. Fixing.. Fated Style merged with Beserker Style Magic Interference Detected Omniscient Style Created Skill Created: Zealous Slaughter

Slaughter?

If this is how it has to be.

How un-paladin like.

"Lend me strength, Supreme Goddess."

I feel Bless activating.

The goblins are here- there are over a thousand. It must be the whole nest. A warband? Can goblins form those here?

It will be a slaughter all the same.

"My blade blessed in blood, for these creatures have defiled the sacred land.."

What am I chanting? Is this my Zealous Slaughter?

"I, of faith, shall purge the defilers.."

"Zealous Slaughter."

I had no time to think why I started chanting, but my right eye starts throbbing and analyzing each enemy for their weak points. Bless boosted my speed almost tenfold, Urik barely even having time to cripple a goblin before its head is hacked off. I can't tell how I'm swinging my sword- my body acts on its own. I pray that I do not attack Urik while I am in this rampage. How am I using a multi-class skill, when I am only a paladin?

I can feel everything.

The tender flesh being torn apart, severing heads and limbs with no discrimination.

It brings me joy.

Why does this bring me joy?

Pain jolts me as even if I'm not in control, I am not invincible. There he is- the Warband leader. The goblin king. Towering over me, he was at the height of an ogre- already over two times taller than me.

A worthy opponent.

My hands tremble in excitement.

This isn't me.

Yet I continue the slaughter all the same.

My sword clashes against the king's axe, as he was surprisingly nimble for someone so big. I can control my movements now- the rage must be wearing off. But that thought distracted me enough for the king to get a dangerous hit in- or would have, if I didnt activate Fated Slashes to throw if off, as my left eye starts throbbing again. Urik- whom I had been barely paying attention to, is having his own troubles holding off the swarm of goblins upon him, as he can wipe out a dozen in a single blow, but more keep coming.

I keep slashing at the goblin king, aiming for behind the knee, circling around him to avoid being hit. Yet that failed, because he was as fast as me. I barely got a hit in before I am slammed into a tree, my golem body only being able to block so much as I feel cracks start forming on my outer shell, pure mana leaking onto the grass. Urik charges through the horde, trying to get to me before the goblin king is able to finish me off.

Why does he try to save me?

I thought I was just an obstacle in his path.

This game is changing me.

He can't make it in time, so he decides to take a heavy swing against the goblin king, hoping to finish it off in one blow. Or that's what I could gather, because he fails. His hammer smashes against the king's shoulder, probably dislocating it but not enough to kill. He is smacked back just as I did, albeit in better shape due to him having real armor.

The Unyielding Rise, heretic! For you may repent in battle!

Isn't that the same concept as Zealous Slaughter?

I remember that necklace- the pendant is shining in holy light.

How stupid. My artifact activates now?

It's like a fairy tale.

Ah.. right. I'm definitely being heretical.

I think I called my god some shitty things. Well, goddess, but whatever.

I should say sorry when I'm done.

Do they have therapy for robots?