What was the point of living?
Since ancient times, this ultimate question had confronted humanity.
The answers were as varied as they came. After all, everyone had their own way of thinking, and even people walking the same path could never think exactly alike.
As an artificial life-form, a perfect creation born purely from chakra, Natsuki Nagatsuki had lately found herself pondering such questions with no definitive answer.
"These days are far too leisurely..."
Stationed in the Black Tower on the Heavenly Dao Palace's Eighth Floor, the Gothic doll-like girl had finished her usual inspection of the tower's prison. Now she sat primly before the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows of the spacious top-floor suite, quietly enjoying delicious black tea and exquisite desserts.
With this almost idle routine, she whiled away the slowly passing afternoon.
The afternoon sunlight was gentle, falling on her translucent, white-jade skin with a pleasant warmth.
The artificial light within the Heavenly Dao Palace felt just like real sunlight.
But beyond the great barrier enveloping the Heavenly Dao Palace lay a terrifying blizzard, its winds howling furiously.
From the moment of her birth, her creator had entrusted her with guarding the prison and protecting the Heavenly Dao Palace.
At first, she had thought the work would keep her running herself ragged every day, so busy she lost track of time... yet reality was nowhere near as hectic as she had imagined.
Even when outsiders invaded, they were merely petty thieves of no consequence, and their incursions were infrequent.
Over an entire year, she could count the intrusions on one hand.
Then there was guarding the prison... that was even more leisurely.
Aside from inspecting the Black Tower's prisoners at irregular intervals, there was nothing to do.
After all, prison sports meets, beneficial as they were to the inmates'