"KENT, what the hell have you done?
Why did you issue the shutdown? That was reckless.
If you'd let it continue, we could’ve reached layers of consciousness no one has ever seen!"
The professor was livid.
"Listen to me—what you’ve done has set back the evolution of mankind!"
"But Professor… If we had continued, MAI’s mind would’ve broken."
"MAI? Since when do you refer to Subject XX76573 by name?
What is this—humanism? Don’t bother.
They’ll never understand. Not even with all the benefits our technology gave them."
"There was a risk SHIN would suffer permanent effects."
"We’ll take care of him.
He’ll bounce back. People always do, given the right... incentives.
Low birth rates are just a matter of poking the right instincts."
"…You’re insane."
"Yes, I am.
A top-tier researcher who sold his soul to the devil."
The professor let out a chilling laugh and walked out of the control room.
---
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
I woke up slowly.
"Where’s MAI? What happened to MAI?"
At the very end, she tried to say something.
But those words would never reach anyone now.
KENT was watching from the control room.
"Thank you, SHIN.
MAI passed away peacefully."
…So it’s over.
She’s gone.
A hollow emptiness opened up inside me.
---
For a while, I was admitted to the hospital next to the LABO.
I wasn’t ill.
I just couldn’t be bothered with anything anymore—not even eating.
After some time, KENT invited me back to the lab.
"How’re you feeling, SHIN?"
"Still alive, somehow.
And the research? Still going strong?"
I asked, not really caring about their work anymore.
"Actually, there’s something I want to show you."
He brought up a video on his computer—the log from that final session.
MAI’s world.
There she was, chasing after me with all her heart.
"This is the last log."
"‘I hope we can meet again someday…’"
Her voice echoed one last time.
The words I hadn’t been able to hear that day.
I etched them into my heart.
"So… what happened to her afterward?"
KENT went silent for a while.
"Do you want to see her?
You have that right."
"What?"
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
"She’s still… somewhere?"
"It’ll take some resolve. You sure?"
---
We walked together down a long corridor in the LABO.
At the end was a room labeled Archives.
Inside was pitch black, except for a single machine display, softly glowing.
KENT turned on the light.
There she was.
What was once MAI…
Now just a brain, suspended in fluid, entangled in cables.
I felt sick.
But I couldn’t look away.
The countless wires told the story of all the experiments she endured.
"This is… MAI?"
"Yes. Take a good look.
She gave everything—for humanity, and for you."
"Since when…?"
"By the time the reaper came for her, this was already her form."
The life-support machine was still active.
Saline was still being pumped into her tissues.
"Is she… still alive?"
"No. The brain has ceased function.
There’s still biological activity, kept going by nutrients and mild stimulation…
But no brainwaves. A flatline."
I couldn’t process it anymore.
What was all this?
"SHIN, would you say a final goodbye to her?
She deserves better than to fade out in a dark room, alone.
Her purpose is complete.
Now we just wait for her body to shut down naturally."
"If that would bring her peace…"
"MAI… SHIN is here to see you.
I’m sorry…"
Could I really be the one to end her life?
But then I remembered—
That last thing she said to me:
“I hope we can meet again someday.”
If there's another life waiting for her…
If there’s even a sliver of hope she might live again…
Then I have to let her go.
I shut off the preservation system.
"I’ll never forget you, MAI…
Thank you."
Blup… blup…
Bubbles rose.
And what remained of MAI’s body disappeared quietly into nothing.
