ALL NOVEL Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Such a Sensible Child
"Are you alright?"
Mo Chen couldn't help but ask.
Marian's body was covered in wounds, some severe, with even a few that were deep enough to reveal internal mechanisms. Despite knowing that Nikkes were mechanical constructs, the sight of her face, so indistinguishable from a human's, stirred a sense of compassion in him.
"It's nothing, just minor damage. I'll be fine after some maintenance," Marian said with a lighthearted expression as she adjusted herself. However, the unconscious gesture of shielding her injuries betrayed her true condition.
Mo Chen frowned. She was clearly pushing herself.
He opened the system's marketplace and selected a recovery item—a healing spray from NieR: Automata.
The icon looked like a simple spray can.
It could restore a certain amount of health.
There were no user restrictions, meaning Nikkes could theoretically use it too.
Purchase.
With a thought, a healing spray appeared in Mo Chen's hand and hundreds of points vanished in an instant.
At this stage, that was no small amount for him, but based on the points he'd accumulated from nearby human remains and Raptures, he expected there would more opportunities ahead to earn more.
Besides, points were meant to be spent.
Just like money—its value was realized the moment you used it.
"Come here," Mo Chen called Marian over.
"Commander?" Marian's face showed confusion, but she obediently approached.
"Hold out your arm."
"Huh?"
Marian hesitated for a moment, puzzled, but complied and extended her arm. Her skin was pale and flawless, almost indistinguishable from that of a human, but marred by a glaring wound.
Mo Chen sprayed the healing agent on Marian's arm.
Within seconds, the wound, which had been the size of a ping-pong ball, vanished as if it had never been there.
As expected of items bought with points: even mechanical constructs could be healed!
Mo Chen couldn't help but marvel at its effectiveness. He made a mental note to keep a stock of these sprays in the future.
"Commander, what is this?" Marian asked, eyes wide with amazement as she retracted her arm and inspected it from different angles. Her fair cheeks were marked with disbelief.
Nikkes usually had to return to the Ark for repairs conducted by specialized engineers. In the field, opportunities for maintenance were rare, and injured Nikkes were typically either retrieved by recovery teams or left to die.
"It's a healing agent. It works for both humans and Nikkes," Mo Chen explained, introducing the spray's properties.
The result was unexpectedly effective.
"Here, let's use some more."
Yes, there were still injuries on her legs. And even on her chest.
Mo Chen couldn't help but look.
Marian's body was covered in severe injuries, some even punctured through to reveal internal mechanisms. Despite knowing that Nikkes were mechanical constructs, the sight of her face, so indistinguishable from a human's, made him feel a pang of compassion.
"Please stop," Marian said solemnly.
"?"
"Such a precious item shouldn't be wasted on a Nikke," Marian said seriously.
"??"
Wasted?
Mo Chen felt a question mark forming over his head. He never expected to hear such words from a Nikke, let alone Marian.
"No matter what the situation, humans are always the first priority. Nikkes not only fight the Raptures but also have a duty to protect their Commanders," Marian explained earnestly. "I don't know much about this kind of medicine, but it must be something the Ark developed for use on Commanders."
Mo Chen finally understood her reasoning, but it only made him feel more uncomfortable. His brow furrowed as he listened.
"Aren't you human too? You were created from humans," he said.
Nikkes weren't entirely mechanical; their brains were human. To him, there was no real difference between them and humans, aside from their mechanical bodies.
"No," Marian shook her head. "I am a Nikke, not a human."
Mo Chen's frown deepened.
"In my eyes, you're no different from humans," he said sincerely.
Marian paused for a moment, then turned away.
"I understand how you feel. It makes me happy to be seen that way," she said, "but I don't want that to put the Commander at risk. The longer we stay together, the more I realize how different we are from humans."
Marian's tone was calm and composed. Her words might have been ordinary in any other context—common knowledge within the Ark—but to Mo Chen, they sounded wrong.
What a sensible child she is, he thought.
But how did the Ark treat them?
As disposable tools. No better than oppressed workers in an old society. In fact, worse—at least the workers retained their own consciousness, while Nikkes had their memories erased.
A thought crossed Mo Chen's mind: true liberation for humanity could only come when the Nikkes were freed as well.
After all, Nikkes were part of humanity.
He didn't see himself as noble or selfless; he simply couldn't stand it.
"Hidden mission triggered: Liberate the Nikkes. Reward: Unknown. Failure Penalty: None."
A hidden mission?
Mo Chen stared at the system notification, momentarily stunned.
He hadn't expected such a mission to exist. The reward was unspecified, but he didn't care. He wasn't doing it for the reward—although, of course, having one would be a bonus.
"And..." Marian was still speaking when a hand landed on her head, ruffling her hair until it was a mess.
"Ah... Commander!" Marian exclaimed, quickly catching her hat as it fell.
It was Mo Chen.
Marian was visibly annoyed. She had been trying to speak seriously, and the Commander was teasing her.
"What are you overthinking?" Mo Chen's voice came, making her pause.
She turned to look at him.
"No matter how others see you or treat you, to me, you are human," Mo Chen said, smiling as he turned his gaze to the ruined cityscape in the distance.
"That will never change."
His words carried an undeniable conviction.
Why should you care about how others see you? Why should you be bound by their opinions?
"But..."
Marian was about to say something more when Mo Chen cut her off with a wave of his hand.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore," he said, sounding a bit irritable.
In Mo Chen's view, Nikkes were just tools exploited by the Ark's leadership, used and discarded when no longer needed. And those at the top? They were nothing but parasites.
One day, he would deal with those troublemakers.
It seemed that his plan to liberate the Nikkes was becoming more necessary by the minute.
Mo Chen continued walking forward. There was no point in talking further about it now: the first priority was to strengthen himself.
People only listen to the strong.
Watching Mo Chen's retreating figure, Marian felt a mix of emotions. He really was a unique Commander. But, she had to admit, it was heartwarming.
"Come on, why are you just standing there?" Mo Chen called out.
"Oh! Coming!" Marian snapped out of her daze.