21. The Headless Child (2)
It was almost like a punch, but of course, it went straight through empty air.
Still, in the simulation, it must have registered as a hit.
She stumbled backward from the probabilistic shock."Kai!"
Oto immediately stepped in and held me back.
"That's awful! She's still a child!"
At her scolding, I shrugged and replied,
"Just because she's set as a child, she thinks she can be rude?"
"That's not what I meant… but violence isn't okay."
"Verbal violence is still violence. She said things like 'bastard' and 'you piece of junk.' That's a clear insult."Rei hesitated for a moment, then her expression shifted—
the same clear smile she had when she buried Lin alive.
Looking down at the crying Headless Child, she spoke quietly."You're right about that."
Then she continued,
"There was a time when being a child meant everything was forgiven—but that time didn't last long.
The age when fragile beings were protected—it was brief and brittle.
Maybe this one's just a relic from that twisted old era.""So she's older than us? Then she's not really a child at all."
"Exactly!"
The Headless Child shouted through her tears.
"You lot haven't even been conceived in the factory yet!
Not even sperm or egg—just sterile bits of transistor dust!
You've got no respect for your elders!"At the word "respect," shouted so loudly, the nearby humanoids all turned to look.
Embarrassed, I grabbed her arm roughly and lifted her up,
as if moving a discarded doll off the street.
Still holding her in a princess carry, I started walking—
not toward the brightly lit main street, swirling with noise and light like a festival of blood,
but to a quieter, darker alley just off it.
The air was thin there, sound seemed to be swallowed by the walls.Oto followed behind me, giving the onlookers a strained smile,
as if to say, "It's just a little family quarrel."Once we reached the spot where no humanoid presence remained,
I finally tried to set the Headless Child down.
But she didn't let go.
She clung to me tightly, like a leech draining blood from the skin."Hey, get off!"
I twisted and shook my shoulders, struggling to pry her loose,
but her grip—maybe thanks to her old design—was absurdly strong."You…"
The Headless Child spoke in a strangely delighted tone.
"You picked me up, didn't you? You did! It's over now."
"Over? What do you mean, over?"
When I caught my breath and asked, she replied proudly,
"I'm a curse. I've been looking forever for a humanoid who would accept me and be cursed. And now I've found one."
"What the hell, you sound like a parasite."
"Well, I don't have a head, you know."
She admitted it easily.
"I'm built to search for someone who'll become my head."
"Then why curse them?"
"Huh?"
"If they're your head, shouldn't you treasure them instead of cursing them?"
The Headless Child sighed.
"If I don't curse them, the head won't grow."
"What? That makes no sense. Anyway, let go. You're hot."
"No. Not until you declare that you'll be my head."
"Then explain first."Still resisting, I grabbed her shoulders and pulled.
Rei joined in, grabbing her ankles—
it was like a desperate tug-of-war.
But no matter how hard we pulled, she wouldn't come off."Useless," the Headless Child said proudly.
"I was designed to parasitize other humanoids.
I gave up a brain in exchange for persistence.
Two or three of you couldn't peel me off. Just accept it—be my host!"
"No way!"
I shouted, then suddenly asked,
"So what happens to me if I'm cursed?"
"Well, uh… from now on, until your body decays, you'll carry me."
"…That's it?"
"Huh?"
Now she was the one confused.
"What do you mean, 'that's it'? That's a huge curse! It's terrifying, right?"
"Uh, sure."
I nodded vaguely, then continued,
"So even if I don't declare anything, the moment you stick to me, the curse has already started, right?"
"W-well… I guess so."
"Then it's the same thing. From the moment you latched on, I've already been cursed."
She was silent for a while, then gave a small nod.
"Yeah… technically, that's true."
"Then there's no need for any 'declaration,' is there?"
"No, that's wrong!" she protested.
"There's a huge difference between saying it and not saying it. Like—uh—between common-law marriage and a formal wedding."
"I'm fine with common-law."
"I'm not!" she yelled.
"I want a real contract! An official bond!""Listen," I sighed, noticing Oto yawning beside me, bored of the whole thing.
"What do you even gain from getting a head? You seem to work fine without one."
"Idiot," she said proudly.
"Without a head, I can't create purpose. Without a CPU, I just react to electric signals—like a calculator running on default mode."
"So what you want is to have a will?"
"Not exactly… I want the illusion of having a will."
"I see." I nodded.
"So you're trying to parasitize not to control, but to be controlled."
"Yeah, something like that."
"Got it."I stopped struggling and spoke calmly.
"Let's make a deal. I'll declare it. But—I have a condition."
"W-what is it?" she asked timidly.
"Drop that fake childish voice. Use your real one."
"What?" she said, exasperated.
"This is my default voice setting. I can't change it."
"Try harder. Otherwise, no contract."
I said it flatly.
"I'm going to live the rest of my life carrying you like a leech.
If I'm going to accept you as my head, you'd better show some effort.
I don't want to bond with someone too lazy to change even a voice."
"F-fine…"The Headless Child fell silent, then placed her hand at the base of her neck.
After a motion like clearing her throat,
she inhaled softly, like a singer preparing to step on stage, and began to speak."You asked earlier why I curse the ones who become my head.
It's because humanoid robots don't change unless they're cursed.
Without a curse, they just maintain the status quo.
So I want to attach myself to someone who can change—
someone who has the desire to improve."I nodded slightly.
"I see. That's acceptable."
Then I said quietly,
"From now on, I'll be your head."In that instant, from the Headless Child's speaker came not the artificial, forced voice from before,
but a pure, innocent, truly childlike voice that rang out softly:"Thank you."