[ Shame? Fortunately, he has none; 9S has known for a long time now, before the Circle, what his decision would be.

9S pauses, in part because he hadn't expected to be posed such a question, but none of it out of hesitation. He picks his words carefully, then: ]

I don't have a reason to return to the world I'm from. As long as there's someone here to be of any use to... Assisting isn't so bad.

[ It isn't perfect—he knows this firsthand. But it's considerably better than the alternative. ]