"Well, it's time you explain why you attacked us without warning."
Cain and Edward had brought the indistinguishable figure back to the cabin, where, after making the silhouette sign a contract, the man locked it inside a three-dimensional illusory box for interrogation.
"That's obvious. You were invading my personal space. I was just defending myself."
"Since when is the forest your personal space? As far as I know, there's no law stating that a natural environment can be claimed by any individual or group." Edward had learned a bit about the law when he was still in university, though he'd dropped out halfway through.
"I was eating, and you were approaching me from behind. Are you seriously telling me you weren't invading my privacy?"
"But that's n—" Edward was about to refute when Cain interrupted him.
"Let it go, Edward. She's right. I'd definitely attack someone who came up behind me while I was eating—I'd assume they were after my food. Trust me, you don't want to see me when I'm hungry."
Cain's expression was completely serious as he said this.
Though Edward wanted to argue, he fell silent because he'd do the same. After all, days of starvation had given him a new perspective on how far humans could go when driven by their most basic instincts.
"Fine, let's say you're right. That still doesn't explain why you were eating raw bear meat. That's not healthy—you could die from disease."
"Despite my appearance, I'm not entirely human."
The figure's features shifted from mostly human—short dark hair, a slightly flat nose, a well-defined jawline, blue eyes, human-like tissue—to something more robotic.
Only her hair, nose (now metallic), and jaw shape remained. Her "skin" was mostly synthetic tissue and a titanium-like gray metal. Cables ran from her metallic ears to the back of her "skull." One of her eyes was a round, crystalline blue orb, while the other was a prosthetic—a real human eye of the same shade.
"Wow, I honestly didn't expect that" Edward said with feigned surprise.
Cain observed the female figure with the same indecipherable gaze Edward had seen before.
The young man noticed but still couldn't figure out what lay behind it.
"That's impressive, but it doesn't answer the initial question. Why were you eating raw bear meat?" Cain asked with clear curiosity.
"Even though I'm mostly mechanical, I still need to eat." The female figure avoided elaborating beyond what she'd been asked.
"Why?" Cain took a sip from the water bottle beside him.
Both Edward and Cain were seated—the former in an armchair, the latter on the floor.
"Because the food I consume passes through a mechanism that converts it into pure energy to power my system. So, even though I can't taste anything, I still need it."
"How does that work?" the young man asked with genuine interest.
"According to the security and privacy policies established in 2035 by the C.D.T.H. (Commission for Human Technological Development), all methods used by companies developing human and electronic technology must remain proprietary to said corporations. This is to protect information and prevent misuse."
The female figure recited this in a monotone, robotic voice, as if it were a pre-programmed protocol.
"That... sounds like a blatant lie," Edward said with disgust.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Cain asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Those so-called security and privacy policies are just chains to keep people from improving their own lifespans."
"Improving their lifespans?"
"Yes. You might not know this, but in this world, you own nothing. Companies claim to sell products and services, but they're really just leasing them—and even then, not fully."
"When you buy something—a phone, a car, for example—they force you to sign a contract. In the fine print, it says services may become obsolete after a certain time due to 'technical failures.' Obviously, that's a lie."
"What they actually do is push updates or add features that slowly render the product unusable, forcing you to buy a new one—preferably from them. Even without that, they charge extra for functions that should've been active from the start. You truly own nothing. And yet, some people are happy with it."
"I see. Go on." Cain listened intently.
The figure watched indifferently, searching for a way to escape her prison.
"Those tricks work on their own, but they found a way to squeeze even more out of it."
"Thanks to the technological 'advancements'—or rather, setbacks—of recent years, they've discovered ways to 'enhance' the human body with modifications. Limbs can be replaced, diseases cured, and so on. But it's prohibitively expensive. Many can't afford it, leaving them trapped."
"Most decent jobs require a minimum health standard. If you're sick or have severe genetic deficiencies, you're disqualified."
"Some jobs do accept these people, but they're poorly paid and in terrible conditions—so bad that many workers can't even feed themselves for weeks, let alone support a family."
"Because of that, crime rates are through the roof. Everywhere you go, there's violence: murder, theft, extortion—you name it."
"I get it, but why exactly do you call those policies 'blatant'?" Cain feigned ignorance to keep the young man talking.
"You still don't see it? Some companies fight for people in need, and releasing their methods would drastically improve quality of life. But they can't—because that commission has them shackled."
"If they violate the rules, the punishment is worse than a fine—they could even face execution, accused of 'endangering public safety.'"
"Meanwhile, those same companies dump excess chemical waste, causing health problems that ruin people's job prospects. It's all about filling the pockets of the rich while the poor suffer. They don't help—they just screw us over."
Edward's voice and expression burned with fury as he spoke.
The female figure had found a way to escape—and shattered her prison to pieces.