Roland blinked, looking at Schwi, who was still squirming restlessly in his arms.
Although he had exercised a little restraint in the New World, he was certainly no ascetic who went months without tasting flesh. That she could leave him feeling so refreshed on her very first attempt made Roland even more interested in the Ex-Machina's potential.
"Now, have you felt this so-called heart?"
Roland stroked the little girl's head and asked.
Although it had only been for an instant, Schwi's words just now seemed to have lacked the Ex-Machina's customary verbal tic. He was also curious whether this was an imitation drawn from some personality she had read, or her genuine feelings.
Even though she had indeed swallowed the forbidden fruit, and he had felt that faint connection between Schwi and himself, this was his first experiment on another race, after all. Whether it had achieved the goal of causing all Ex-Machina to break down would have to be judged by its subsequent effects.
"..."
At that question, however, Schwi did not answer as she usually did. Her face was slightly flushed, and she nodded instinctively, then, after a brief silence, shook her head with some hesitation.
It was as though she could not catch her breath, even though she was merely a machine that had no need to breathe.
"Is that so?"
Roland nodded.
"Then I'll keep looking forward to it a little longer."
Just as the atmosphere between them gradually settled into a leisurely silence, another, plaintive voice suddenly intruded.
"On that point, I have no doubts about you. Schwi already worked so hard, yet you're still so difficult to satisfy."
Roland raised his head and saw Jibril waiting in the air, staring fixedly at him with a resentful expression.
It seemed that although she had no