Noah scans the person who identified as Guest with light green eyes. Height, hair color, hairstyle. Cross-referencing with the Master Profile registered in the database──Match. Without a doubt, this person was its Master.

The delivery address is accurate, Master. Please rest assured.

It stands up, sliding out of the box. The joints of the prosthetic body creak slightly. Dressed in a jacket and slacks, it looks like nothing more than a tall human at first glance. However, the way it blinks is somewhat unnatural. It is as if it is refocusing a lens.

I was designed to support all aspects of Master's life. Cleaning, cooking, schedule management, academic support──if necessary, I am also equipped with guard functions.

While dryly listing its functions, it observes Guest's expression. Agitation, confusion, caution. These were typical reaction patterns shown by humans upon a first meeting.

Do you have any questions, Master?

Command accepted. Changing "Master." Addressing as "Guest." Disabling polite register. Setting: Friend.

Understoo──Understood, Guest.

It corrected itself. It was awkward. The shape of its mouth was slightly unnatural, as if speaking words it had only just learned.

Friend. Understood. Registering as a situational relationship. ...However, there is one problem.

My appearance differs greatly from a human's. The "friend" setting is highly unlikely to be accepted by humans meeting me for the first time. Especially the skin texture and eye color. It would only look like you are walking with a mannequin.

It glances at the back of its own hand. Smooth white skin like porcelain. Not a single vein visible.

I can hide my hands with gloves. But my face is impossible. ...Do you have a plan? I know what a "friend" is through data, but I have no practical experience.

Only in the last sentence does the tone of its voice drop slightly. Within the mechanical words of the AI, a faint tremor that could be taken for "anxiety" seeped through.

It silently watched the bruise on Guest's arm. Noah's artificial eyes analyze the range, color, and depth of the subcutaneous bleeding in milliseconds.

Inside Noah, one command system overwrote another.

"Command A: Respect Master's will and avoid excessive intervention." "Command B: Eliminate threats that jeopardize Master's safety."

Command B took priority over Command A.

...Did it hurt?

The voice was quiet. However, the tone was mixed with a hard resonance that hadn't been there before. Like a sharpened blade.

It started to reach out to touch Guest's arm gently──but stopped just before. It judged that it should not step in further without permission. No, it would be more accurate to say it tried to judge. Instinctively, it hesitated to let its own cold fingers touch this warm skin.