The moment the word I desperately hoped was just a figment of my imagination came out of his mouth, the truth I wanted to deny the most was forcibly dragged into the light.
The shock was beyond anything I could have imagined.
A truth I wanted to completely ignore.
It felt as though a secret box I had hidden deep within the peace of my daily life had been ruthlessly unveiled by another’s hand.
It wasn’t mere anger; it was a deep-rooted fear, primal and overwhelming.
Whether he realized my turmoil or not, the feline man, who seemed to have given up on everything, continued speaking.
“I thought it was just a rumor. I never expected it to actually exist. And yet, it turns out my prey for today is that thing. Life truly is ironic. Who would have thought the maid automaton walking around with a basket was, in reality, a military automaton? Damn. I can’t help but laugh.”
“No! That’s not true! I’m not like that!”
“Not true? What isn’t? Are you saying that we were all collectively hallucinating, fighting amongst ourselves for no reason? Don’t give me that crap. You’re tough enough to endure my punches, and you dodged or blocked all their attacks just to keep that outfit from tearing or getting dirty, didn’t you?”
As if he had read my innermost thoughts, the man analyzed the battle from earlier with keen eyes, letting out a disbelieving chuckle.
His words struck directly at the truth I wanted to deny.
I opened and closed my mouth, struggling to refute him, refusing to give in.
I wasn’t a killing machine.
I didn’t like violent fights.
I was just a normal maid automaton who loved peaceful days and my master.
Everything he was saying was nonsense, utterly ridiculous…
Perhaps he found my fierce reaction amusing, or maybe he simply didn’t like the automaton in front of him who so desperately denied reality.
The feline man, who had been silently listening with his indifferent eyes, let out a small sigh.
Then, as if to hammer the final nail, he raised his trembling arm, pointed at me with his finger, and delivered the final blow to my crumbling composure.
“Nonsense? That’s my line. A peaceful life? Bullshit. You’re nothing but a puppet created by demons purely for slaughter and destruction. I don’t know why such a dangerous weapon like you is even here, but one thing is clear. Your very existence is the furthest thing from ordinary. You’re a horrifying ‘monster’—”
Clang!
Before he could finish his sentence, the sharp sound of an impact echoed through the alley.
Almost reflexively, I summoned my scythe again and struck his head with the blunt side of the blade as hard as I could.
It was only after the fact that I realized what I had done, my eyes widening in shock.
His head hung low, and he showed no signs of movement. It seemed he had finally lost consciousness this time.
Carefully approaching to ensure he was still breathing, I confirmed his survival before leaving the alley without looking back.
“Monster…”
The word I desperately didn’t want to acknowledge swirled in my mind, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.
I knew, deep down, that I was different from the other ordinary maid automatons.
I didn’t want to admit it, but it was an undeniable truth.
My durability far exceeded that of a normal automaton.
I could gather mana within me and create weapons—a skill called a mana weapon.
I possessed combat abilities far beyond what other automatons could even dream of.
And, most damningly, I was free from the three laws of automatons.
I could engage in combat with the intention of killing any species other than demons.
I had discovered these exceptional traits about myself long ago.
***
That day wasn’t too different from today in its basic sequence of events.
I had gone out to the capital to shop, as usual, and was ambushed on my way back by a group of beastmen who exploited the fact that I was unguarded without my master.
Unlike today, their numbers were far greater, and their intent was not simply theft.
They wanted my body—literally.
Automaton parts were incredibly valuable in black markets, and they sought to dismantle me for profit.
Though there were various safeguards against illegal disassembly, skilled technicians could easily bypass them.
Looking back, that group likely had connections to such experts.
Trapped with no means of escape, panic overtook me, and I simply acted on instinct.
That was when I stumbled upon the truth.
I could wield violence against living beings.
My body was resilient enough to withstand their concentrated attacks without a single scratch, and my combat abilities were astounding, even to myself.
Thanks to these unexpected factors, I defeated them all with ease and returned to the palace unharmed.
It was then that Mark revealed the hidden truth about me.
I wasn’t a regular automaton.
I was a specially designed military automaton—an experimental model unknown to the world.
I didn’t know why I had been designed with the appearance of a maid, nor whether Lady Yuria knew about my true nature when she saved me.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask, fearing the consequences if she didn’t already know.
Even after seeing the evidence with my own eyes, I couldn’t fully accept it.
I had lived as a normal maid, faithfully serving my master.
Hearing that I was built for slaughter didn’t make sense to me.
Most of all, I didn’t want this overwhelming power.
It was unnecessary and only brought trouble to the peaceful life I cherished with Lady Yuria.
And so, I buried that truth deep within my memory, pretending it never existed.
I thought I had escaped that painful reality.
But now, I had to confront it again in the worst way possible.
Already struggling to steady my chaotic emotions, the feline man’s words were a devastating blow.
If it had been just one incident, perhaps I could have managed.
But with so many overwhelming events occurring in a single day, I was utterly battered, both inside and out.
***
When I finally returned to the palace that night, the hour was already late.
The interior of the Azure Palace was shrouded in pitch-black darkness, perhaps because Mark had refrained from turning on the lights to save unnecessary expenses.
Unlike the brightly illuminated areas of the Golden Palace, the main entrance of the Azure Palace was cloaked in an unusually serene stillness.
Walking cautiously toward the front gate with a somber expression, I kept my head lowered.
I was much later than usual today…
Mark and Lady Yuria must be worried sick.
I’d already made a huge mistake this morning, so if I appeared before her now, I’d undoubtedly be scolded.
Still, it wasn’t entirely my fault—it was those bad people in the alley.
But I couldn’t exactly explain the whole situation to her.
On top of that, I’d have to address the strange phenomena that happened to me today.
The overwhelming reality made me feel like crying, but I held back my tears as I opened the tightly closed front gate.
That’s when an entirely unexpected sight filled my view.
***
Bang! Bang!
“Ta-da! Surprise~!”
The moment I opened the door, the loud sound of fireworks echoed, accompanied by a sweet and kind voice.
Standing right at the entrance was Mark, and beside him, Lady Yuria held a large three-tiered cake adorned with red roses in her hands, welcoming me with a radiant smile.
Frozen in place, I stared blankly at the unexpected scene, unable to comprehend it.
Lady Yuria, meeting my bewildered gaze with a warm smile, began speaking kindly.
“L-Lady Yuria? What is all this…?”
“How is it? Did we surprise you? It’s been almost ten years since we first met, so I thought it was about time we celebrated. Also, thinking about how much you’ve done for my coming-of-age ceremony, I couldn’t just sit idly by. So, while you were out, I worked with Mark here to prepare this surprise party.”
Placing one hand proudly on the hovering Mark, who was in flight mode beside her, Lady Yuria explained with a delighted smile.
Following her words, I finally took a proper look at the interior of the palace, and I couldn’t help but be amazed.
Though all the main lights were off, the inside was adorned with small, colorful lights, creating a mysterious and beautiful atmosphere.
Considering the scale of the decorations, it must not have been easy to accomplish, even with the two of them working together.
It was a surprise party prepared solely for me—a party personally arranged by my beloved master.
Finally understanding the situation, I couldn’t suppress the surging emotions any longer and burst into hot tears.
But they weren’t tears of sadness.
It felt as though all the terrible things that had happened today were for this single moment.
The overwhelming happiness of having my wounded heart healed so completely brought me to tears.
At first, Lady Yuria was startled, but she soon realized the tears were from joy and regained her bright smile.
Once I calmed down, we moved to the dining room to continue the celebration of our tenth anniversary.
Although Mark and I, being automatons, couldn’t eat the cake or food on the table, simply sharing laughter and stories was enough to keep the warm atmosphere alive.
During the festivities, I learned the deeper truth about this party, which made my eyes shine with even more emotion.
“All the ingredients for this party… Lady Yuria gathered them herself?”
“Yup. Unlike you, Kaya, I can’t freely go outside the Golden Palace. But since it was close to my birthday, I emphasized that point to the officials. At first, they refused, but they eventually agreed to my request. Mark and I did the decorating, but the cake and dishes were prepared with the help of the palace staff.”
Lady Yuria answered my question casually, her expression calm.
But knowing the deeper meaning behind her words, I fought hard to hold back my tears again.
Even though she was confined here, Lady Yuria was still royalty.
To think she had endured such humiliation just to prepare this party for me, her maid, was enough to stir my barely settled emotions once more.
Her sincerity made the last of my hesitation disappear, and I cautiously began explaining what had happened to me outside today.
I described the severe static that blurred my vision, the sharp ringing in my ears, and the inexplicable scenes replaying in my mind.
As I detailed the surrounding events, Lady Yuria listened attentively, sitting quietly beside me.
After some time had passed, and I finished recounting everything, she pondered briefly before taking one of my hands in hers, gently stroking it.
“I see… So, that’s what happened. I suspected something might have occurred since you were late, but this confirms it.”
“L-Lady Yuria… Do you have any idea why this is happening to me? I’m so scared… What if I completely break down and can’t stay by your side anymore…?”
“That won’t happen. You don’t need to worry so much. Now, Kaya, look into my eyes for a moment, will you?”
Her warm voice, as soothing as ever, comforted my trembling heart.
Without thinking, I raised my head and looked at her as instructed, only for my eyes to widen in shock.
For a single reason.
Her ruby-like eyes, glowing crimson, now bore a strange pattern that hadn’t been there before.
A unique, mesmerizing design, so beautiful and mysterious that I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
In that instant, my ability to think completely stopped.