"Please let watashi interfere in your life, senpai! Please go out with me, Cassius-senpai!!!"
Those words not only rang through the mental dialogue interface, but even seemed to form an ethereal echo in the real warehouse.
"Go out, go out, go out..." Spirals appeared in Cassius's eyes.
White smoke rose from his bald head, and his consciousness instantly "crashed."
Whether on a physical level or a logical one.
Like? Go out?
The meaning of those words put together came into conflict with everything he had understood and practiced for over three hundred years.
Combat, slaughter, efficiency, loyalty, the Emperor's mission-it was a fundamental, irreconcilable conflict.
Absurdity, blasphemy, heresy, a madman's ravings!
Each judgment flashed through his supercomputer-like brain at high speed, yet none could fully explain what was happening before him.
More frighteningly, under the impact of this absurd torrent, through the cracks where the system had forcibly invaded his consciousness.
His thinking and ideas developed deviations that even he could not detect.
"This mortal's efficiency is indeed very high. If I could completely control that Anomalous Node Alpha, by how many percentage points would the speed of clearing out the Tyranids increase?"
"Cooperating with Xenos is absolutely forbidden, but what if it is 'exploitation' and 'control' instead?
Temporary, tightly regulated, controllable cooperation for greater purification efficiency.
Would that conform to the principles of 'pragmatism'?"
The teachings of his Gene-Father, Ferrus Manus, seemed to ring in his ears.
Results over form, efficiency above dogma.
These cold, rational thoughts, based entirely on pragmatic calculations.
Underwent a bizarre "chemical reaction" with Lynn's absurd "confession" and the romantic atmosphere the system had forcibly created.
The system keenly detected and infinitely magnified this tiny bit of "wavering."
And so, amid confusion that Cassius himself could not fully comprehend, his character portrait responded under the system's influence.
[Cassius] (an almost imperceptible blush appeared on the character portrait's cheeks, and the fury in his eyes was replaced by a mixture of shame, confusion, and some strange fluctuation):
"N-no, you can't~"
His voice actually carried an awkward, almost "bashful" tremor.
"I am the Emperor's weapon. Death is my only destination. Dating and all that-dame (no)!"
His instincts and the system's control left the two halves of his brain somewhat at war.
But the instant he finished speaking, Cassius's own consciousness cleared for a moment, as though struck by lightning.
What did I just say?!
What was that tone?! What were those words?!
Damned heretic!
Kill him! Immediately! Now!
Intense killing intent and humiliation erupted like a volcano.
But no sooner had the thought arisen than an even stronger, more overbearing force slammed down on him like invisible shackles.
Seeing the system suppress Cassius again, Lynn breathed a sigh of relief.
He gained a new understanding of how "protective" and "overbearing" the system was.
Sure enough, this thing was extremely "protective" and would basically never let him, its host, lose out where the system was concerned.
That was the conclusion he had reached after testing it on Rena many times.
He did not miss this opportunity. His character portrait put on a "dejected" expression and sighed.
[Lynn] (lowering his head in dejection, then raising it again, his gaze "earnest"):
"Yappari (as expected), it's still no good?"
"Then, Cassius-senpai, what would it take for you to spare Rena-chan and me?"
This was one of the dialogue options the system had displayed, and also a benefit of the "Dialogue" function.
Whenever Lynn ran out of ideas while speaking with a romance target, the system would thoughtfully offer prompts.
He paused, then selected the cheesiest, but possibly most "effective," line from the "dialogue options" the system provided:
"Rena and I truly love each other!"
The instant he said those words, even Lynn's own consciousness went numb for a moment.
But the effect was outstanding!
Temporarily "controlled" by the system, Cassius had streams of data flashing wildly in his eyes.
His "pragmatic" thinking, amplified and guided by the system, once again gained the upper hand.
Cooperating with heretics was a capital offense.
But if this "heretic" (Lynn and Alpha) could provide efficiency far beyond the norm.
Help him purge the Hive City's infestation to the greatest possible extent before the Hive Fleet arrived.
Preserve this Hive World and its tens of billions of inhabitants for the Imperium.
If he could strictly limit this cooperation to "the duration of the mission," keeping it under close surveillance.
Ensure there was no risk of any spread, and immediately perform "purification" after the mission ended, killing Lynn and Alpha.
Then, evaluated purely from the standpoint of logic and efficiency, perhaps this... was not entirely unacceptable?
Under the system's continuing influence and the softening effect of the "romantic atmosphere," these extremely cold, utilitarian thoughts, which might otherwise have merely flashed through his mind.
Were continually reinforced and rationalized, ultimately forming a "decision."
[Cassius] (the character portrait's eyes regained some focus, but still held a stiffness caused by the system's influence):
"I can give you, and that Anomalous Node Alpha, a chance."
"Help my squad precisely locate and clear out all remaining Tyranid nests and critical nodes.
Until the Tyranid infiltration of the Hive City has largely been resolved and my mission is complete, I can temporarily,
Refrain from designating you as top-priority elimination targets."
"But once the mission is over, I will personally purify you!"
"This is a temporary tactical adjustment based on efficiency and an assessment of the current situation.
Do not entertain any unnecessary misunderstandings."
Even selling out the entire race (the Tyranids) could only buy a brief respite. In the end, death still awaited.
That was very Imperium.
But this was enough. That "temporarily" was exactly what Lynn wanted!
He put on an expression of "gratitude" and "relief":
[Lynn] (the character portrait bowed deeply):
"Thank you so much for granting our wish, senpai!
We will give you our full cooperation, for, greater efficiency!"
As he spoke, notifications came from the system interface:
[Cassius has expressed preliminary approval of the host's "cooperative attitude."] [Affection +1] [Current affection: -14]
At the same time, the terrifying pressure brought on by the forced binding abruptly eased.
The psychic chains slowly slipped off Cassius and vanished into the void.
The warehouse's eerie pale-yellow filter and illusory cherry blossoms also rapidly dissipated, restoring its cold, dim reality.
Cassius swayed, taking half a step back before steadying himself.
He shook his head sharply, his dark-blue eyes filled with lingering fury and profound confusion.
As well as a sense of disgust and humiliation, as though he had eaten something filthy.
He stared fixedly at Lynn, who was still half-kneeling on the ground, disheveled yet bright-eyed, and tightened and loosened his grip on his Power Axe several times.
In the end, he said nothing, merely giving Lynn a long, warning look with those icy blue eyes.
Then he turned and walked heavily into the depths of the warehouse without looking back, disappearing through a side door.