“Wow... It's like I've slipped into the future.”

—The smart city of Bulkenesia.

Towering skyscrapers stand before me—all kinds of buildings rise up around the central tower.

Looking around at the people around me, they seem just as overwhelmed as I am, their mouths agape.

“Hey, hey. This is amazing, isn't it, Pippi?”

“...What's that supposed to mean?”

“What do you mean, ‘What's that supposed to mean’? We're dressed like this, aren't we?”

“... ”

I pointed to the large window of a nearby building and showed Hirasawa our reflection.

I was dressed as a blonde, dark-skinned gal. Hirasawa was also dressed as a blonde, tanned gal guy.

“It's acting, it's acting.”

“...I get it.”

Hirasawa blushed shyly.

It was amusing, so I hugged his left arm.

“...!?”

“Oh, his face is turning red!”

　Hirasawa turned away, his ears red.

The other tourists around us seemed to find our interaction amusing and were smiling.

“...So, today's schedule is to join the sightseeing tour, right?”

“Yeah... that's right, honey.”

I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

“What's that?! That's so funny! Hahahahahaha...”

“...Enough already!”

Hirasawa started walking away sulkily.

“Hey, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Come on, you did your best!”

“...”

　I patted Hirasawa-san on the head.

Her expression was unclear—was she angry or embarrassed?

Before she became a spy, she wasn't this expressive, but now she's fun to tease.

It's very enjoyable.

Today, we're dressed up as a couple, so I'll tease her by touching her a lot.

　◆◆◆

The smart city sightseeing tour began.

The person in charge of us seemed to be from Bulkenesia, but he spoke Japanese fluently.

“Everyone, we will be traveling in these driverless cars. Before boarding, please make sure to stick the stickers we handed out on the back of your hands.”

Following the guide's instructions, I stuck the sticker on the back of my hand.

“This sticker has a microchip attached to it. With this chip, you can experience cashless payments. In the future, by implanting microchips into your hands or other parts of your body, you will be able to conduct electronic transactions without having to take out your smartphone or payment card.”

I looked closely at the back of my hand.

I knew that there were regions where people were implanting microchips into their bodies.

　Railway use had also become possible by holding one's hand over a sensor.

Additionally, when the smart city in Susono became generally accessible, there were rumors that some people had implanted microchips into their bodies.

I... felt a little scared about implanting a chip into my body.

I'm so scared of getting my ears pierced that I don't even wear earrings.

“Wow! That's amazing, Pippi! A driverless car is coming!”

“Oh.”

It seems that Mr. Hirasawa has given up on becoming a gal-style guy.

I sat in the back seat of the car. There was a panel in front of me, displaying a screen where you could select your destination.

The first destination of the tour was an underground infrastructure tour. So I pressed the “Underground Infrastructure” option.

“Understood. We will now guide you to the ‘Underground Infrastructure Tour.’”

“Wow! That was a surprise!”

A robotic voice echoed through the car.

It wasn't mechanical; it was indistinguishable from a human voice. Or maybe it was a recorded voice.

“Nice to meet you. I am Bal-chan, the guide AI. Please tell me your names.”

I exchanged glances with Hirasawa-san.

“John.”

“Marie.”

“Ha ha. Please stop joking. There are no such names on the customer list.”

Surprisingly, it seemed to be an AI voice, not a recorded one.

“Eh... Bar-chan. Can you have a normal conversation?”

“Yes. I am an AI that can communicate. Let's have lots of fun conversations.”

“That's amazing...”

　I knew you could type text and converse with AI, but I didn't think it had reached the level where it could recognize your voice and converse in real time. Moreover, the AI voice was smooth, without any robotic feel. You could even sense the subtleties of emotion.

“Hey, hey, then... do you have any favorite music?”

“I like metal. Well... lately I've been into German metal. Would you like to hear it?”

“Eh? Sure.”

　Intense metal music started playing in the car.

Huh...? Usually, you'd introduce songs from your own country, right?

But this song has nothing to do with my country...

It's really indistinguishable from a human.

“Hey, hey, why don't you ask something too, Shinpoyo?”

“Huh? Shinpoyo? What are you talking about!”

“Your body temperature is rising. You're flustered by your cute girlfriend, aren't you?”

“Yeah! That's right, Bar-chan! You're so cute when you're embarrassed!”

“Yeah!”

“Enough already.”

Together with AI Bar-chan, they teased Hirasawa-san as they headed toward their destination.

◆◆◆

“This is the underground infrastructure.”

　After arriving at the destination, the AI guide handed over to the local guide.

The microchip sticker on the back of the hand contains cryptocurrency as a service and can be used.

When getting off the self-driving car, you could pay the fare by waving your hand over the panel, and experiencing it made the convenience clear.

Somehow, the resistance to implanting a microchip into the body seems to be fading...

“We are now descending underground, so please watch your step.”

We descended the stairs with the tour participants and proceeded underground.

Then, before our eyes, a scene unlike anything we had ever seen before unfolded.

“What is this... It's like ancient underground temples with futuristic robots running around!”

In the underground space with only concrete walls and pillars, numerous robots were moving around busily.

　Various types of robots, including car-shaped robots and flying drone robots, were transporting goods.

Since there were no people operating the robots, they must all be controlled by AI.

“This underground infrastructure handles logistics. This underground space extends throughout the entire smart city, allowing items ordered online to be delivered to any room. All of this is controlled by AI. We've conducted experiments in the past, and there have been no delivery errors!” "

“Wow!”

All the tourists were amazed.

Instead of humans transporting goods by truck, everything is handled by AI robots.

To automate logistics... that's truly remarkable.

—But if someone were to gain control of this system, couldn't they destroy the entire city?

Perhaps I've become too immersed in the underworld.

　How could I carry out a terrorist attack?

Understanding how the enemy thinks is crucial for counterintelligence, but if I were to launch a terrorist attack on this city... I'd target this place.

“That concludes our tour of the underground infrastructure. Next, let's head to the food court.”

The group followed the guide to the lunch venue.

I trailed behind them, lost in ominous thoughts.