The students packed up as lessons were about to start.
Wu Yan, Ikaros, Natuski, Astrea, Nagisa, Kanon, and Charlotte sighed in relief.
A male student in military boots entered with a female automaton in a black mini-skirt Waf.u.ku. They stopped by his table after looking around the cafeteria.
a
"Yo."
The guy greeted them.
"This morning's newspap-"
Before he could finish, someone elbowed him in the plexus.
He winced in pain.
"You should know..."
Wu Yan sipped his tea.
"You talk c.r.a.p, you get smacked."
"Oka-Okay, sir."
Rais.h.i.+n caved in.
"I just wanted to eat with you all."
"I don't share that sentiment."
Wu Yan didn't say that, it was Charlotte.
"You better stay away from me."
"Woah, scary."
Rais.h.i.+n grinned.
"Tyrant Rex, your temperament is as explosive as your t.i.tle."
"You want to die? Second Last?"
Charlotte growled.
"I am not afraid of a challenge just because this is a cafeteria."
"Tyrant Rex, let's set our petty squabbles aside, let your friend here save some face."
Rais.h.i.+n advised her.
"He's not saying no."
"Hmph."
Charlotte turned her head the other way.
Charlotte silently cursed him.
"Why do I have to share the same table as a mad dog? This guy is some kind of dummy? Is he wis.h.i.+ng for death? Or is he messed up in the head?'
Rais.h.i.+n sat down while enduring those verbal jabs.
The table could comfortably sit the six of them plus 1 dragon.
Rais.h.i.+n sat next to Wu Yan while Yaya sat next to Astrea who was chowing down a mountain of food. She looked at the bottomless pit operate with a pair of curious eyes.
"And?"
Wu Yan asked Yaya when she turned her gaze on him.
"I don't have a handsome face."
"N-No, it's not like that."
Yaya asked him.
"Did you really kiss your automaton?"
Rais.h.i.+n and Charlotte coughed up food when they heard this.
Wu Yan grinned.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because..."
Yaya carefully worded her thoughts.
"Isn't it weird to kiss a doll?'
"Oh?"
Wu Yan nodded.
"Why's that?"
"Because."
Yaya hesitated with a slightly sad look.
"Even if a doll is humanoid, she is a doll in the end. They're not on the same level as humans."
Rais.h.i.+n and Charlotte turned mum.
Humans and Automata, these two are not on the same level.
If someone kills someone else, he will be tried and sent to jail.
Meanwhile, killing a doll would get the same killer some time in jail and fines for destroying property, that's it. Most of the time, one would just need to pay some compensation to avoid jail time.
It's a stark difference.
Automata had no rights, they're not on the same level as humans.
It's a cruel fact in this world.
Yaya asked Wu Yan because this guy displayed unconventional beliefs.
"A long time ago, humans sold and bought each other, these slaves are now liberated and living with humans as equals. Correct?"
The others waited for him to continue.
"Perhaps, there is an insurmountable gap between humans and dolls. But, dolls have sentience and a life of their own, this is a fact too."
Wu Yan's voice might be light, but its impact reverberated in their hearts and minds.
"We are getting there, there's no stopping it, we are equals..."
Wu Yan grinned.
"This gap is slowly being filled. In the future, dolls and humans can live equally."
"That's my belief."
His refres.h.i.+ng words blew away their doubts.
"Wu Yan-san!"
Yaya stood up as she replied pa.s.sionately.
"I believe it! that day will come!"
"I too believe in such a future."
Sigmund calmly said.
"If I can live to that, my hundreds of years living are going to be worth it."
"You will!"
Charlotte rubbed Sigmund's head.
"Enough, Yaya, don't trouble other people."
Rais.h.i.+n is also happy to hear his stance.
"That's enough talk about the future."
Wu Yan looked at Rais.h.i.+n.
"There are so many seats, you came here nonetheless. Is it just to gossip or are you afraid of loneliness? No, that's not it."
Rais.h.i.+n fidgeted a bit.
"You saw through me."
"What is the matter?"
Wu Yan pursed his lips.
"If you have something to say then make it quick."
"You know I just enrolled not long ago. But, I want to get intel on a certain person."
Rais.h.i.+n whispered.
Wu Yan is also new so he isn't aware of many things.
Rais.h.i.+n came here because he wanted to get a chance to speak with Charlotte.
"Actually, someone tried to kill me this morning."