“Haa... haa...”

I finally reach Eric’s room, panting in distress. There are voices coming from within his office, so he must be inside.

“But it didn’t work!”

“You probably didn’t configure it correctly.”

Three workers hang around his table, as if hiding him from me. One of them is Gary, as always seeking Eric’s aid.

“Haa... damn...”

It feels incredibly awkward to barrage into their conversation, but screw them! My case takes priority!

“Eric...!”

I try to raise my voice. The trio standing at the table turn around and look at me.

“Hi there, man.”

Gary smiles and gives me a small wave.

“What’s wrong? You look awful, man.”

He takes a few steps away from the table and analyzes me from side to side.

“It’s nothing... I just ran a little...”

I clench my fists and fortify my courage. I’m practically barraging into a discussion between workers, here goes nothing...!

I quickly stride forward, into the small opening which Gary left along the table. Beyond the trio sits Eric, as always wearing his worn-out smile and looking at people with indifferent eyes.

“Morning to you. Need something?”

Eric nonchalantly greets me with a thin smile.

“I-I have something to ask. It’s about Lily- er, my model. I think someone replaced her!”

“Hm? On what basis?”

He shrugs in disbelief.

“She... she didn’t remember me when she woke up. She... treated it like our first meeting.”

My throat hurts as I breathe life into these depressing words.

“You mean her memory was cleaned. Good, it proves she is configured properly.”

“Huh...? What do you mean...?”

There’s no hint of surprise on his expression, as if everything is perfectly fine.

“We released a new build version over the weekend, most models here are configured to download updates automatically. Due to technical difficulties, we can’t update the version without first erasing big chunks of the older data, which includes the model’s memories.”

“Ugh, I... I have never... heard of anything like that...”

“Oh, right. I guess I forgot to explain it earlier, so there you have it.”

Eric scratches his head with his usual, stupid smile.

Gah! As always, he forgets the most crucial of details! Damn it! I’m so itching to punch him in the face right now.

“I bet you just didn’t want to admit it, man.”

Gary chuckles from behind me.

“I mean, the so-called ‘technical difficulties’ are all caused by Eric’s imprinting package. The updates for other aspects of the model work just fine.”

The other people in the room crack a laugh, even Eric.

Apparently, I’m the only one who doesn’t find it funny.

The only one who thinks this is messed up.

The only one who thinks that so much is wrong with this concept.

“I-isn’t it bad for the consumer if the model resets memories with every software update?”

“Yes, it is.”

Eric admits with a shrug and a headshake.

“But higher ups came to an agreement. The model we’ll be selling this time won’t support automated updates. So there’s nothing to worry about.”

It appears as if I have no choice but to admit it.

To admit that... that Lily... that the daughter I grew to know over the last week...

She’s gone.

Gone.

Gone.

Gone.

Gone.

“I-I’ll be going back to my office then... t-to continue testing and all...”

I slowly and clumsily turn around-

BUMP

“Ack!”

My leg crashes into a chair, but I ignore it and keep going. Or rather, limping.

“Hey, are you okay, man?”

“Yeah... I’m... I’m fine, just a little tired.”

I try to quickly escape from the room with my paralyzed body.

“Hah... gah...”

Once outside, I press myself against a wall as I walk.

It was so stupid.

A loving daughter? A perfect kid? Haha, yeah right! What was I even thinking all this time...

She’s an android.

You can turn her off with a click of a button.

You can change her personality by sliding a digital meter.

You can easily delete all of her memories, feelings, actions... erase all of her and eliminate any trace of her existence... to wipe out everything.

Is this the kind of creature I got attached to? A scrap of metal that acts cute?

Haha, I probably have a few loose screws.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

I’m such a fool...