Loren stared at the girl before him—the perfect creation of his own hands. 2B's form was flawless, down to the delicate curve of her lips and the faint shimmer in her silver hair. But no matter how perfect she appeared, she was still a machine—his machine. A combat android designed for precision and obedience, not emotion.
Yet as her optical sensors activated and those luminous blue eyes met his, something twisted strangely inside his chest. His pulse quickened. His throat went dry. For a moment, he actually felt embarrassed.
What the hell is wrong with me? he thought. I built her. She's a piece of hardware, not a woman.
No, it's just because she's too realistic. That's all. Too much detail in the skin texture simulation, maybe.
Then her voice came—cool, composed, but with that eerily soft tone from her neural speech module.
"Creator, your heart rate is elevated and your temperature has increased. I'm detecting signs of physical congestion. Would you like 2B to assist in stabilizing your vitals?"
Before he could react, her hand began to move toward him—steady, mechanical, utterly unashamed.
"Wait—stop!" Loren leapt backward, his voice cracking. "That's not what I meant!"
His face burned. The worst part was that she looked genuinely concerned, as if she truly wanted to help. But this wasn't her purpose. She was a combat model, not some pleasure android.
Even if… in theory… she could perform such functions, he wasn't about to test that. Not yet. Not with a body made of steel and reinforced titanium.
"Stop, 2B. Put on your clothes. That's the best help you can give me."
"Understood, Creator."
She accepted the Gothic-style dress he had prepared for her and dressed with efficient grace. In moments, the transformation was complete—the elegant 2B stood before him, the same vision of poise and precision as the original design from NieR:Automata.
Loren exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself. The outfit suited her too well. The dark fabric hugged her frame, the intricate lace catching the soft light. She turned lightly, as if testing her range of motion, then smiled faintly.
"This dress is beautiful, Creator. I like it. Thank you."
Her tone carried a warmth that shouldn't have been possible for a synthetic being. Watching her, Loren couldn't help but marvel—and feel an odd ache of irony. Humanity had built machines to imitate them, and in the process, created something more graceful, more composed, more human than they were.
He found himself thinking, not without unease, Maybe that's what makes her dangerous.
Still, she was perfect. A protector in every sense—deadly, loyal, and now indistinguishable from flesh and blood. Exactly what he needed in the world he was about to step into.
That way she could be at his side forever — his personal secretary and bodyguard all in one. The thought made Loren smile. He turned to Miss 2B and gave the order as if commissioning a loyal assistant.
"2B, from now on you'll be my secretary. You'll also handle protective duties. Do you understand?"
"Understood," she replied. "Protecting the Creator's life is my highest priority. Even if it means being torn to pieces, I will complete the mission."
"Good. Since you'll be with me constantly, call me 'Boss.'"
"Okay, Boss."
"Now put on these black tactical goggles. They suit you better."
Loren handed the military eyepiece he'd built to Miss 2B. In the world she originally came from, 2B always wore a blindfold-like visor; here, Loren had adapted that aesthetic into a functional military eyepiece for battlefield awareness. At his command she accepted the device without hesitation. The effect was immediate — the girl who had seemed intellectual and composed gained a new, colder edge of authority.
Seeing her like that, Loren nodded with approval. "That's the 2B I envisioned — the leader of Area 3D," he murmured with a satisfied smirk.
"Boss, who is the leader of Area 3D?" 2B asked, curiosity threading her tone.
"It's nothing you need to worry about. Girls shouldn't ask so many questions." Loren's smile turned a little awkward and he deflected.
"But I heard you say my name," 2B insisted, suspicious.
"You must have misheard. I was talking about Tifa. Your hearing system must be off — I'll fix it later."
"Is that so?"
"Certainly."
"Then who is Tifa?"
"Didn't I tell you? She's the boss of Area 3D."
"Okay. It seems my hearing system is malfunctioning." Miss 2B touched her earplate with the barest hint of a childlike gesture.
Loren watched her, pride and a strange protectiveness stirring in his chest. He was still admiring what he'd built when the lab phone cut through the quiet. Freddy's ringtone — the sound that meant the outside world wanted him — jarred him back.
He frowned. He'd spent almost the last month sealed inside the lab perfecting Miss 2B. Freddy handled the deliveries and errands. It was only ten in the morning; a call now had to mean something urgent.
The line connected. Freddy's voice came through, low and serious. "Master, the man who shot the late Master has been caught."
Those six words drained the color from Loren's face.
"Where is he?" Loren asked.
"He's at the police station being interrogated. Do you want to see him?"
"Yes. Prepare the car. I want to interrogate him myself."