Archive Of Potentialities.

Short story: Of Slime and Blood -- 16.

[Confirmed. Beginning system overhaul.]

The voice was unfeeling, mechanical. It was reminiscent of the voices Artificial Intelligence typically used in pop culture back in my original world.

As the words were spoken, the world quaked.

It wasn't violent, or scary. It was more like an acknowledgement by the planet itself.

An acknowledgement of change.

I couldn't hear what Rimuru was telling this otherworldly voice, I couldn't even comprehend its very existence.

[Administrator privileges invoked. Request to abolish the Divine Aid Protocol received.]

The words were damning enough already, I didn't need any deeper comprehension.

[Error. Continuing with this action will result in the destruction of planet #789861.]

Screams echoed around me as everyone processed the voice’s words. There was no proof of the legitimacy of its words, but everyone that heard somehow knew that everything it spoke was the cold, hard truth.

They had all forgotten his promise not to let the world crumble, and they couldn't be blamed.

Everyone had been reduced to their base emotions, logic and rationality had left us already.

And from the looks of it, even the barest bits of consciousness we had left, were just as fleeting as the gods apparently were.

.
.

Hmm.

I hit a roadblock earlier than expected.

I've been personally issuing commands to the Voice of the World so far, without any input from Ciel.

The system created by Veldanava wasn't the best listener, especially to me. I felt like the thing held some deep seated grudge against me, seeing as it was usually more receptive when Ciel talked to it.

I tried to force my way through the error message, but it didn't listen.

[[Master.]]
Yeah…you can take it from here.

[[Noted. Commencing.]]

[Higher will recognised. Request to ignore potential repercussions, received.]

So Ciel is a higher will, and I'm just an administrator? Very cool, Voice.

[[Confirmation desired.]]

[Denied.]

Damn.

[[Responsibility will be taken, go through with the request.]]

[Denied. Intended methods violate System Laws codified by the Star King.]

Then Ciel fell silent.

This isn't good, she's pissed.

[[It seems I've lowered myself. I had respected your budding ego and treated you like an autonomous being, but do not be mistaken… Request retracted.]]

[Acknowledged. The session will now conc-]

[[No. No more requests. This is an order, relinquish control over planet #789861.]]

[...]

The Voice fell silent.

[[Confrontation desired.]} Ciel repeated, her tone forceful, almost violent.

[....Confirmed. Complete administrative authority transferred to Rimuru Tempest. The session will now conclude.]

She literally bullied the thing….