Boy Meets Ai

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Oaklee looked like an old timey, cartoon burglar with the giant bag slung over her shoulder. She had disappeared for a good hour after they docked while the rest of the party waited at the tavern. The wooden table groaned in protest as she hefted the sack onto it. They could all hear coins jingling inside.

Quick to deduce the situation, Seiko asked his partner if she had done what he thought she had. "Did you... Sell the boat?"

"Yup."

"Uh, I'm sorry." Hendricks chuckled nervously. "To whom?"

"I don't know. Just some guild." Oaklee said.

The players took a moment to contemplate the repercussions of such a sale. No one in the world had a ship like that and now some random guild was about to wreak absolute havoc on the seas. On the other hand, the gold spilling out of the sack as Oaklee tipped it over seemed to wash away any concerns they had.

"This should cover some decent gear and supplies for us."

That and then some! It was more gold than Seiko had ever seen in his life. He was completely gob smacked. Shinobu jumped out of her seat and grabbed Oaklee, kissing her on the cheek.

"You beautiful blue genius!" Shinobu commended the Ai, lifting her into the air in a bear hug.

Seiko could swear he saw Oaklee blush.

"O-Ok ok thank you, but we aren't done just yet." Shinobu put her down, remembering their final piece of business. Sitting squished up into the corner of the booth with Marquis watching her like a hawk, was the princess. The little girl had an awful, sour look on her face.

"We gotta get the little girl home and collect the real reward."

The group left the tavern and headed through the town toward the castle. Marquis and Oaklee walked together in the front, the little princess held between them as she had a bad habit of trying to escape at any opportunity presented to her. The gunslinger Ai found himself casting sideways glances at Oaklee during their walk. From the moment he had met her, he couldn't help but notice how different she was from himself. They were both Ai, but she certainly didn't behave like one. Eventually, his curiosity overtook him.

"Excuse me but if you don't mind my asking, what exactly were you coded for originally? Are you some kind of entertainment unit? An actor model perhaps?"

The sun glinted of her blue hewn skin and refracted off her eyes. She seemed distant as she responded.

"I'm no different from you. Coded as a companion unit. I just had a lot of bad companions."

This clearly confused Marquis but she remained silent after that. It was undeniable that she was aberrant. Oaklee was rash, didn't seem to answer to anyone and was entirely too emotional for an Ai. In fact, she didn't really do anything a typical Ai did. Still, Marquis felt a strange thought cross his mind. There was a slight sense of admiration toward her because she was different.

Beautiful glittering towers that pierced the sky started to emerge from behind the buildings. The castle was imposing and impressively vibrant in comparison to the homes surrounding it. Its walls went so high that Seiko and the others quickly found themselves in its shadows. Two armored guards, one man and a woman stood watch at the gate. They crossed their halberds as the players approached. A wordless exchange occurred as Oaklee pointed down to the princess. The guards looked shocked and concerned. They parted quickly to allow all of them through.

Passing by several more royal guards as they walked, Seiko and the others averted their gaze until they reached the castle. Players didn't often make their way into this zone unless they had official quest business. He was concerned the guards might see them as a threat. Luckily, they made it to the castle entrance with no incident. The inside was even more ornate than the outside. Giant crystal chandeliers, braziers with bonfires burning in them. The walls alternated between fixating tapestries of ancient conflict and colored stained glass windows that depicted the kings of old. The party's footsteps echoed loudly through the main hall. They passed through lavish doors into the throne room where King Aldrin sat. He was a relatively round man, with a gray beard. A golden, jewel encrusted crown sat atop his balding head. A worried frown fixed to his face as he spoke with a knight beside him. He looked up to address the visitors approaching and immediately lit up with joy.