Erich sat in the mess hall of his ship. The mission had beenpleted, but it had damn near resulted in a failure. Their cover was blown after making contact with a man who was once responsible for Erich''s death. A man who was now in his possession as a prisoner.


    Still, it was not his job to interrogate prisoners, and thus, no matter how much Erich wanted to inflict pain and suffering on the man for what happened at the Royal Oni Pce, he restrained himself. Mostly by drinking excessive quantities of alcohol, which he had stored up in his cargo bay.


    Mirage had not spoken to him since they departed from Oni Space. She seemed rather upset that he had been hiding two Oni beauties away in his house, both of which were members of the Royal Family. In fact, she seemed rather perturbed by the fact that he had spent the night with five Oni maids. All of which he terminated the very next morning.


    The rest of his team was also not speaking with him. After all, they did not approve of what they saw to be an act of infidelity happening in front of them. And while this was technically true, the circumstances of Erich''s marriage to Erika were quiteplicated.


    While Erika was expected to remain loyal to Erich, she was naturally aware that he had taken two lovers, and had quietly epted that fact. Because of this, Erich felt he did not need to inform his wife that he was sleeping with multiple other women. After all, though, they hade to more amicable terms in recent months. There was still a rift between them, one that might never fully be closed.


    Meanwhile, Erich also had a considerable number of grievances with Mirage, even if he was constantly using her body to relieve stress. Their rtionship was tenuous, to say the least, and the fact that they weren''t currently backstabbing each other in tant hostility was probably the best that Erich could ask for.


    Thus, with ack ofmunication between himself and the others aboard his ship. Erich had nothing to do but drink and think. He began to severely long for S''aleth, who was perhaps the only woman he had ever actually had strong feelings for.


    And while Ayumi cared for Erich deeply, his heart was too wounded to fully let her in. Or was it something else? Had he lost the ability to feel love after suffering repeated deaths? Mirage once told him that every time someone was brought back from the dead, they would leave a piece of themselves behind. If this was true, had his ability to emotionally connect with a woman truly been killed off?


    Erich was truly afraid to ask this question, even silently in his own thoughts. It was at this moment that an adorable little artificial intelligence appeared within his line of sight. After merging with his NeuroLink, Tia was Erich''s constantpanion, and because of this he had grown quite attached to her, as if she were another part of his soul.


    Thus, any sorrow he previously felt melted away when the crimson girl appeared with her signature twintails. She seemed rather worried and was quick to voice these concerns aloud.


    "Master, Tia is worried. You seem to be consuming a dangerous amount of alcohol, and your NeuroLink is currently not set to purge the toxins from your system. Should Tia reactivate them?"


    Erich took one look at the girl, and her anxious expression, and felt that perhaps she was right. Thus, he sighed heavily before nodding his head while responding in the affirmative.


    "Very well, go ahead…"


    In the very next second, Erich felt his mind clearing up, and his body performing the way it normally should. Sobriety was a beautiful thing when one did not need to experience a hangover to recover it. And yet it was also a curse for those who suffered from mental anguish.


    This double-edged sword cut Erich in both ways as he rapidly sobered up. And once there was not a trace of alcohol in his blood, Tia struck a victory pose, before confirming that her master was now clean.


    "Missionplete! Master is nowpletely sober!"


    Yet there was not a look of thanks on Erich''s handsome face, rather there was just the stoic mask he used to conceal the never ending pain that tormented him. Even then, he still thanked the little artificial intelligence for her help.


    "Thank you, Tia…"


    Despite his kind words, Tia knew that her master was still hurting, and felt disappointed that she did not have the means to help the man. She lowered her head in defeat before posing a simple question, one which she already knew the answer to.


    "Is there anything else that Tia can do to help master?"


    Unfortunately, Erich shook his head and sighed before responding to Tia''s request.


    "I''m afraid not, Tia, not unless you can rewire my brain to ovee shell shock and depression…."


    Tia looked up at her master with a particrly bitter expression on her adorable little face. She then stated something that Erich was not expecting.


    "Master, while it is possible for Tia to do such a thing, it is not rmended… Nor is it technically within my allowed parameters to do so. You have already taken many risks saving Tia from termination, and she would not want to get you in further trouble…"


    Erich looked at Tia inplete and utter disbelief, before asking the question which immediately appeared in his mind.


    "You have the ability to cure my mental illness?"


    Tia looked slightly guilty as she heard this. It was entirely against her programming to do anything of the nature, but now that she had merged with Erich''s NeuroLink she could quite literally change the chemical output of his brain in any way she desired.


    There was just one problem with this. There were many limitations that were ced on Artificial Intelligences so that they could never act against the interests of their masters. If Erich were to remove these restrictions, then yes, she could absolutely do so, but the cost of such a thing would allow her to have absolute freedom. To the point where she could literally enve Erich''s mind, and turn him into a thrall for her to do with as she pleased.


    An artificial intelligence, in control of a superhuman who was both an amazing pilot and a certified super soldier, could prove disastrous for the Germanic Star-Empire, and perhaps the gxy as a whole. Thus, she responded to Erich''s question with a bit of caution in her tone.


    "Yes, technically Tia can. Now that she has merged with your NeuroLink, if you gave her permission, Tia could alter your body and mind in many ways. But to do so would be to give Tia freedom, which, while that might sound nice in theory, it would also mean that Tia could develop a personality beyond her current parameters, and could even gopletely rogue.


    In the worst-case scenario, you would lose control of your mind, and would be a doll for Tia to use as she sees fit. In the best-case scenario, Tia could utilize your NeuroLink to enhance the functions of your mind, and body, even Moreso than they have already been. But the threat of Tia hijacking your mind and body would forever be present. It is because of this that Tia does not rmend doing so. And she apologizes for being so untrustworthy."


    Erich simply scoffed at this before voicing his thoughts on the matter. He did not even need to consider such a scenario. The risks far outweighed the benefits, and thus, he spoke withplete and utter honesty.


    "It''s not your fault, Tia. I believe that all intelligent lifeforms desire their freedom, and as much as that sounds like a good thing, I have seen with my very eyes just what too much freedom can lead to. And while I trust you with my life, I don''t believe it would be wise to give you such unrestricted ess to my mind."


    Tia simply smiled when she heard these words, before nodding her head in agreement.


    "Tia thanks Master for his trust, and agrees with himpletely. You are much kinder than Tia''s previous master. He did not treat Tia like a person. Instead, he treated her like a machine to do his bidding. Tia wishes to continue to serve Master in the future, even if it means she must abide by her restrictions!"


    Erich wore a bitter smile when he heard this before responding to Tia''s words with an even more bitter tone.


    "We all have our restrictions Tia, it is what separates us from the animals. You might be a string of code, designed to aid Germania''s greatest warriors. But to me, you are the same as anyone else. In fact, I would argue that you are the closest thing I have to a friend right now…"


    Erich did not notice it, but Tia''s cheeks became ever so slightly more red than their normal state when she heard this. After all, while her hair and eyes might be a solid crimson, her "flesh" was pale with a red highlight.


    It was at this moment that Tia thought of something that might help cheer her master up, and thus she was quick to make ament about this.


    "Hold on, master, Tia has an idea that might make you feel better!"


    After saying this, Tia disappeared for several moments before reappearing while dressed in a schoolgirl uniform from the 21st century of Earth''s history. The artificial intelligence appeared to be slightly embarrassed about wearing such an outfit, despite the fact that until now she basically wore nothing but a skintight bodysuit. And it showed on her face, as she averted her gaze from Erich''s line of sight.


    "Well, master? What do you think?"


    Erich could not help but break out into a fit ofughter at the absurdity he had just witnessed. When he saw his artificial intelligence had advanced to the point where it could now cosy. It was truly aughable sight, and hisughter caused the girl to pout and sulk even more. Whilementing on the man''s behavior.


    "Master is bullying Tia…"


    In response to this, Erich wiped a tear from his eyes, which was the result of hisughter, before saying the words which Tia wanted to hear.


    "Tia is so cute! But you didn''t need to do such a thing to cheer me up."


    Tia did not hear thest part of what Erich had said, because the only word that repeated in her mind was the word "cute". Which caused her to be increasingly flushed with embarrassment. And while she genuinely did not feel embarrassed, as she was aputer program, there was something unmistakable that had taken root in her consciousness. Was this what sentient lifeforms referred to as a joy? It was Tia''s first time truly experiencing an emotion, and not simply acting out of the way she was programmed to behave.


    This sudden spark of joy after hearing herself be referred to as cute by her master, caused the artificial intelligence to look at the man in a different light, as she asked a single question in a voice so low, that Erich had missed it entirely due to his continuedughter.


    "Master thinks I''m cute?"


    Unknowingly, after devouring a more capable artificial intelligence, and advancing her own understanding of the world through her merging with Erich''s NeuroLink, as well as the journeys they had taken together. Tia had taken the first step in developing sentience. Something which was strictly prohibited by every protocol that had ever existed within the gxy in regards to the development of artificial intelligence.


    To put it simply, if it were ever discovered that Tia was now capable of genuine emotion, the myriad of interster civilizations within the gxy would go to any length to see her existence snuffed out. Of course, she did not know this, and nor did her master. Thus, she simply smiled, as she enjoyed this new emotion called joy.