Salomon's Blood Debt

"Do you remember Sokovia?"

"Yes, I watched it rise into the sky." There was a trace of awe in his voice. "I saw what an Artificial Intelligence beyond control could do. I don't think anyone in modern society ever imagined that one day they would face an enemy straight out of a movie—and that this enemy would be so terrifying. Choosing to ban Artificial Intelligence was correct. Humanity cannot constantly control thoughts that exist inside machines."

"Did you take any measures?"

Faced with that question, he remained silent. After a long while, he spoke again. "No. Nothing. There was only killing. Except this time, what sprayed from the enemy's neck wasn't blood, but oil and electrical sparks. But it was useless. Your orders were for me to inflict as many casualties as possible, but... I went to help, I admit it, but I failed."

"I did not create you to become a puppet who merely follows orders, child. You are an individual capable of independent thought, entitled to do what you believe is right, whether you succeed or fail—including thinking about orders. That is why you were created." The voice sounded pleased. Then came another long silence. "I have always been curious about how those in high positions can feel guilty over the decisions they have made. Like Stark—he created Ultron, yet regretted it deeply afterward."

"My lord, are you truly not talking about yourself?"

His expression was exceedingly calm. "I am prepared to bear my sins, including those of the present."

Sokovia was a small country, almost impossible to find on a map, much like Donetsk. With its high altitude, mountainous terrain, and year-round snow, no nation was willing to trade with this country, which had almost no natural resources or industrial foundation. Yet its geographical position was so