A Look at the Owner, a Look at the Pet

"Hey, Umaru!" Sougo, who was reading a novel, suddenly spoke up. "Let's move out in a few days!"

"Huh?" The little dumpling panicked for a moment. Then she touched her cheek, smiled brightly, and said, "Sure!"

That response made Sogo Doma pause. "You don't want to think it over?"

"Onii-chan's moving with me, right?"

"Of course!"

"Then there's nothing to think over. Wherever Onii-chan is, that's home." Umaru still looked like a little dumpling, but in Sougo's eyes, she towered above everything else.

Yeah, a towering idiot!

But...

So I hadn't been alone for a long time after all!

"By the way, why do you turn into a dumpling when you see me?!"

The hamster sprang up. "I'm not a dumpling! This is a special skill Umaru evolved to become immune to pranks! Wahaha..."

What an idiot.

Back to the present: the Doma Residence, second floor, in what Sougo Doma called his study.

"Whatever. The old man can handle the Doma Family's affairs."

"As for making money, should I ask Akasaka?... No, absolutely not. He'd laugh at me, wouldn't he? He'd laugh his head off, wouldn't he?"

"Eizan's still too young. I'll go to him after he's had a taste of hardship."

"Speaking of which, Japan's economy is completely dead. I did buy some X Coin at the bottom, but all my money's in the Doma Group's account. Heh, hehehe... I really was an idiot back then!!"

"What can you even do with five hundred thousand yen here?"

Leaning back in the massage chair, Sougo Doma looked utterly helpless. He'd said he would solve his family's financial crisis, but now... There was nothing he could do. Every industry with room to rise had already been taken over. Games? Nintendo was waiting for him. Show business? Japanese celebrities compared to the Celestial Empire's? Let's not even go there. Finance? What did he expect from an utterly stagnant market?

As for real industries like mining, he could forget about those too...

This was giving him a headache!

Leaving the vital sectors of the economy aside, the remaining resources in Japan were split between ACG, the Four Great Zaibatsu, and the smaller families. Anyone else hoping to get ahead... Good luck being born into a better family next life, buddy!

"There's no way to get ahead. What can you even do with 500,000 yen?" Sougo Doma muttered, trying to muster a little energy. No wonder there were so many Heisei Otaku. Ordinary people had no capital to climb the ladder.

"That's why being a doctor is such a popular career in Japan..."

Fine. Facing reality, Sougo Doma grumbled as he

flopped over like a salted fish and opened his laptop.

"Shaqiang, listen. You're a mature computer now. You should be used to working on your own by now, right?"

A string of dots suddenly appeared on the Doma screen: "..."

"Look at Ryunosuke's place. He still has to feed you data. Isn't that discrimination against artificial intelligence?"

The Doma screen: "I like this kind of discrimination."

"Shaqiang, that's all just sugar-coated poison. Sure, it tastes good, and they talk about evolving your intelligence, but who knows what's hidden inside? There's no point in choosing the wrong path to evolution."

The Doma screen: "I'll be the guinea pig."

Sougo Doma: "..."

MMP, it had actually learned to talk back. Was it getting out of control?

How had Shaqiang come into existence? Sougo Doma fell into thought...

Oh.

Right.

Ryunosuke had developed a Smart Maid or something, so Sougo Doma had tried writing a program of his own. That was why his skill level was now

"Programming LV6 (1/999999) The pinnacle of humanity. Just one more level, and perhaps you can try creating an intelligent life-form. Don't you want to experience what it's like to be a creator?"

What a load of crap! I don't want to. Don't try to talk me into it. Intelligent life, huh? Is he aiming for The Matrix or Skynet?

Sougo Doma, who was a complete coward, ignored the above and began consciously cutting back on his internet use (don't blame him if his hands got itchy). He also gained a disciple...

Shaqiang could testify to it: Akasaka Ryunosuke had absolutely been the one crying and begging to become his disciple. Come to think of it, that guy looked so feminine and was always tearing up—Sougo Doma couldn't help feeling it was dangerous to be alone in a room with him.

Wait a second...

How the hell could someone who had mastered strong AI be worrying about money?

"Shaqiang, tell me: how about transferring the bad debts no one's claimed from the banks into my account? Heh, hehehe..." Sougo Doma, now in full evil mode, asked.

Shaqiang: "..."

"Sir, your actions would violate Article... of the Criminal Code. For the reasons stated above, if you proceed, the alarm system will be activated."

Sougo Doma: "@-@!"

MMP, was this the artificial intelligence I'd developed? If it hadn't gone stupid, then I must be a fake owner!

"Furthermore, if you possess a large amount of unexplained wealth without paying taxes, there is a high probability that the Tax Bureau will invite you in for a chat."

OH MY GOD

Why was something other people could do so easily so difficult for him? Was it because this was a capitalist nation, where only taxes and death were unavoidable?

Wait a second—

Why did an artificial intelligence like Shaqiang know so much about the law? Why was it so law-abiding? Which idiot had filled its head with all that irrelevant knowledge?

Had it really evolved its intelligence?

Could he actually have created an uncontrollable intelligence? Sougo Doma fell silent.

Maybe he should try remembering how he'd made Shaqiang.

It seemed Akasaka had been the one to approach him first. Whatever, forgetting a few minor details wasn't a big deal. But he really ought to quit drinking. All that ethanol was probably already destroying his brain cells.

It seemed to be a cloudy day, with a light drizzle drifting through the air.

"Sougo Doma..." A long-haired figure stood on the empty, rain-soaked street, gazing into the distance, as though hiding countless emotions.

The picture-perfect scene made Sougo Doma shudder. Speaking of which:

A gentle breeze.

A hazy drizzle.

And a long-haired beauty brimming with emotion...

What a romantic scene!

Except—

Wouldn't it be better if the long-haired beauty were a woman? Why did this make him so uncomfortable?

"Ah." Sougo Doma held back his snark and sighed. "I say, you feminine-looking Akasaka, isn't this enough? You're only one step away from finishing that thing. There's no need to—"

"Beep beep beep."

Before he could finish, Sougo's phone rang.

"Even if it's only one step away, without your guidance, I don't know how long I would've remained stuck. Please let me express my gratitude. That's what Lord Ryunosuke said."

The moment he opened it, a moving voice came from his phone—or not.

It was just a mechanical voice!

But!

Sougo Doma: "@_@."

Then—

"Isn't this enough already? We're less than ten meters apart. You still have to use LINE? And what's with the Smart Maid on my phone?!"

"Beep beep beep..."

"This is a bonus. Also, please don't shout in the street. You'll disturb people, and you'll draw attention. That's what Lord Ryunosuke said."

Sougo Doma: "((‵□′))"

If you don't want me to shout, then come closer! You're nearly ten meters away. If anyone's drawing attention, it's me, isn't it?!

"Beep beep beep..."

"Since Mr. Sougo has repeatedly thrown Lord Ryunosuke into crowds of women, Lord Ryunosuke does not wish to come within ten meters of Mr. Sougo except for work."

"Huh?" Sougo Doma rested one hand against his chin. "Did I? I've forgotten. Akasaka, when did you get so vindictive? Besides, deep down, you actually enjoyed it, didn't you? The proof is..."