Volume 3, Chapter 4 – There won’t be an official title today

The war had dealt Twinmoon City a grievous blow, but only to the half that included the armory and the data center. The area closer to the old city had merely suffered from some stray bullets and harassment from scattered members of the Morningstar Resistance.

So in the days after the war ended, the destroyed half of the city was bustling with reconstruction, while the other half gradually came back to life.

The Morningstar Resistance’s carefully planned offensive had been repelled. For a while, they would not dare come back.

Most people thought so, whether they were people hoping for a peaceful life or people who still held hope for the Morningstar Resistance.

But for the people in the Security Department, things were not that simple.

The building that housed the data center had been destroyed. Even the backup server room hidden underground had half collapsed.

Both databases had been badly damaged, throwing the administrative district where Twinmoon City was located into chaos.

This was exactly what Morningstar wanted to see. Taking advantage of this chaos, no one knew how many arrangements they could still make in secret.

Not long after capturing No. 1886, the Ninth expeditionary army had already moved on to the next battlefield.

Even though the Empire had ruled No. 1886 for thirty-two years, because No. 1886 was too marginal a place and had never been valued much, its administration had always been chaotic.

That was the key to Morningstar’s continued growth, and also the key to how they were able to plant hidden pieces this time.

The data center was actually the lesser issue.

The destruction of the signal tower was what gave the Security Department the biggest headache.

There were only three primary signal towers in the entire Canyon Continent. Now that the one in Twinmoon City had been destroyed, all it would take was for the enemy to have hackers attack the network, and the cities in the eastern region of Canyon Continent would be blind.

What a headache.

Minister Wu pressed one hand to his forehead while the fingers of his other hand tapped lightly on the desk.

The Security Department had not merely failed to win tactically. Strategically, they had lost as well.

It was not that he was stupid. He simply had not expected Morningstar to be willing to make such a great sacrifice in order to mislead them.

Although the war had been quiet for several years, Morningstar had become even more ruthless.

The defenses around the signal tower had looked lax, but there had actually been quite a few elite Security Department troops stationed inside. Yet it had still been taken by a small enemy force. It seemed the other side also had a “dagger” unit.

Knock knock!

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A knock sounded from behind him.

“Come in,” Minister Wu said in a commanding voice.

“Minister!” A soldier standing guard at the door walked in. “The deputy commander of Nine Songs wants to see you!”

“Someone from Nine Songs?”

Minister Wu turned around, surprise on his face.

He had just opened his mouth when the door in front of him was pushed open.

A young man with a warm smile walked in. He wore very ordinary casual clothes, but the badge pinned to his chest highlighted his unusual status.

“Long time no see, Minister Wu,” the young man said with a smile.

Minister Wu frowned. “What are you here for?”

The young man crossed his arms. “Naturally, I’m here to help ease Minister Wu’s burdens.”

…

As evening fell, with Anran and Aila working together, the new workshop was finally cleaned up.

Looking at the fruits of her labor, Anran smiled. This way, she would be able to make some simple mechanical equipment here.

“Thanks, Aila,” Anran said.

Aila replied calmly, “No need.”

At the garage entrance under the slanting light of the setting sun, orange light spilled over the walls and the ground like a watercolor painting washed over with color.

Carrying the day’s last warmth, the sunlight seemed to lay a special sheen over Aila’s face.

A bit dirty, though.

At a glance, Anran spotted a smudge of black grime stuck to Aila’s cheek. It was in the shape of two small fingers. Apparently, some oil had gotten onto Aila’s fingers while she was moving equipment, and she had accidentally touched her face.

Speaking of grime, Anran lowered her head and took a look.

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Only then did she realize that Aila’s clothes were even dirtier.

Today, Aila was wearing rather loose overalls with a workwear feel to them. Her white top had been rubbed by mechanical equipment several times, leaving black streaks across it.

“Go wash up first,” Anran said to Aila. “It’s almost time to eat.”

“Mhm.”

The moment food was mentioned, Aila’s face remained calm, but her eyes lit up involuntarily.

Can robots be foodies too?

“You got dirty too,” Aila suddenly said.

Anran looked down at herself. Her clothes were fine, but her pants really were a bit dirty.

“It’s not a big deal.”

Anran took Aila back into the house.

Eudora was still taking care of Colin.

She spent most of every day on that. Sometimes, when Anran caught the inadvertent glances Eudora and Colin exchanged, she always felt like there was definitely something going on!

Maybe, before Colin got married, they were set as ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend, Anran gossiped to herself.

During this period, Eudora had basically been free-ranging Aila. Thinking about it carefully, Anran felt like she was a nanny hired to look after Aila.

Emmm…

When they reached the washroom, Anran said to Aila, “Aila, you go bathe first.”

…

Aila stood there without moving.

“Is there a problem?” Anran dampened a towel with some water.

“I don’t know how,” Aila said in a calm tone, stating something that nearly made Anran throw the towel away.

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“You don’t even know how to bathe?”

Anran was dumbfounded. Then usually—

“Could it be that Colin bathes you?” Anran asked in shock.

My god!

Aila always looked clean, so it was impossible that she had never bathed. Did that mean… did that mean…

Anran quietly glanced toward the room where Colin was lying.

Colin was actually the kind of creep… creep… creep… who would bathe a teenage daughter?

“It’s Eudora who bathes me!” Aila answered.

That was acceptable.

Anran thought so.

Aila was not that little anymore. If Colin were still forcing himself to bathe her, then emmm…

“Eudora is busy.” Aila glanced toward the room. “I want to learn how to bathe by myself.”

She looked at Anran. “Why don’t you teach me?”

“Huh?” Anran stared blankly for a moment.

How should she put it? Aila’s request really did make her want to agree.

“Sure!”

Anran did a very good job of following her heart.

Don’t get the wrong idea. She just wanted to take a close look at Aila’s construction.

[Aila’s Manufacturing Blueprint] only described how to make Aila’s frame, which was that lump of iron from before. Anran was very curious how Aila had turned into the appealing form of such an adorable loli.

So Anran and Aila went into the bathroom, and Anran casually shut the door behind them.

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Eudora’s bathroom was very spacious. In one corner was a large bathtub, and beside it was a shower head.

“First,” Anran began instructing, “you need to take your clothes off.”

“Oh.”

Aila obediently began to undress. At first, Aila had not even known how to take off clothes, but now she was slowly improving.

Still, she had many more things to learn, and Anran was more than willing to teach her.

“This is the shower.”

Turning on the tap and adjusting the hot and cold water, Anran taught her very seriously.

“And this is the bathtub. You have to fill it first!”

Anran examined Aila.

She was pale and smooth, like porcelain.

For the most part, she was not much different from an ordinary little girl, but there were still some differences. It looked like Colin and Eudora’s skills were not all that good.

She was not especially lifelike.

“Easy, easy.” Anran hurriedly pulled Aila back. After a pause, she added, “You’re going to step right through the tub!”

Aila looked a little aggrieved.

“Alright, lean back and lie down.”

Aila obediently lay down.

Anran picked up a towel and said with utmost seriousness, “I’ll wipe the dirt off you first!”

“Oh.” Aila looked at Anran obediently.

Then Anran reached out her hand.