“Not only are you looking for a commission in the guild without a master… but you’re a mechanical automaton with quite a bit of skill, and on top of that, you’re in urgent need of money. How about it? Even if you think about it yourself, isn’t it impossible not to find it interesting? Especially if the automaton in question is as cute and lovable as you are.”
Riel, who was looking at my face directly, asked with a mischievous, sly smile.
And I couldn’t refute her question at all.
It was true—based on her words, I was undeniably a very suspicious entity, one that was difficult to understand with common sense.
The shocking truth that I had a fatal weakness that should never be discovered, which had actually been exposed from the very beginning, was a reality that was hard to accept.
As I trembled and rolled my eyes in confusion, it seemed she had expected such a reaction, and continued speaking.
“Well, just looking at it this way was enough, but what really sparked my interest was something else. You see, Karin, you’re not like a regular automaton… not like those mechanical lumps. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a presence of life that I can feel from you. It’s really strange, isn’t it? No matter how much you claim to have a sense of self, automata are creations of magic engineering, and the concept of life should be completely incompatible with them.”
“Life…?”
“…Oh? Does that not ring any bells, or are you pretending not to understand?”
In the midst of my confusion, Riel spoke in a language I couldn’t grasp.
On the other hand, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously, as if doubting whether my behavior was an act.
Of course, she quickly seemed to decide it was meaningless to think that way and withdrew her sharp gaze, but my mind was still in utter turmoil.
“Well, I’ll tell you now, but when we passed through the village of Stern, I secretly placed a spell on you, Karin. It wasn’t harmful to you, though. It was more like a spell I cast to satisfy my curiosity, and also as a kind of insurance. It’s a high-level spirit magic that can temporarily unlock the potential of a living being. I embedded it in you so it would activate automatically if you were ever in a critical situation.”
“If you were just an ordinary automaton, this spell would have no effect—it would be meaningless according to common sense. But… surprisingly, the result exceeded all expectations.”
The source of the explosive power that erupted without warning when I was about to be defeated by the angel’s anomalous ability.
Now, I could somewhat piece together what happened back then, but instead of a clear answer, it only led to a more confusing spiral of questions.
And all of these factors ultimately led to one large question:
The thoroughly hidden truth of “my true identity.”
“Well, I hope that answers your question. I’d like to take my time exploring more about you, but I suppose that would be too much to ask. Thanks for helping me with this task. As long as you keep what you saw and heard this morning confidential, there shouldn’t be any major problems. If our paths cross again in the future, I’d like to calmly have a conversation with you then. For now, take care.”
She mumbled this, and with a wistful look, Riel sighed, then quickly cleared away any lingering attachments and turned to leave.
***
In the empty street, the dark sun, signaling the arrival of morning, slowly appeared over the horizon, covered in pitch black.
I couldn’t move from the spot until Riel’s figure completely disappeared from my sight.
Although I had been caught up in a rather huge situation, I successfully completed the commission and returned to the Cheonggung without any issues, as originally planned.
Of course, the fact that Riel had discovered my true identity was an unexpected complication.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be particularly interested in digging deeper into who I was, at least on the surface.
But there was no way I could completely rule out the possibility of her further investigating me.
So, while I couldn’t shake the worry deep inside, days passed without any major incidents, and my concerns slowly faded away.
What remained in my mind were the inexplicable events that occurred during the commission, and the suspicious words Riel had said right before we parted ways.
The claim that I was close to a living being… a story that made no sense.
Naturally, I couldn’t take that claim at face value.
As she admitted, my body was made entirely of metal, not flesh and blood like a living creature.
Moreover, the Ironheart, which operated using magical energy instead of a beating red heart, made it clear that I was not a living being.
…Though I did have the strange habit of dreaming sometimes, that alone wasn’t enough to prove her words.
The problem was, it was impossible to completely deny her statement, because the events I personally experienced deep in the sewer that day were undeniably real.
In the blinding snowstorm where my vision was almost completely obscured, I remember leading a long line of humans.
‘What did that mysterious memory mean?’
I couldn’t even be sure if the person in that memory was really me.
I couldn’t clearly recall it, but the perspective felt different from what I have now… It seemed to be a completely different sensation from the body I had now.
One thing is certain: the immense power that destroyed the angel at that time seems to be connected to the person who is most likely me, based on the circumstances.
And when I recall that I was able to instinctively use that power, it seems clear that it’s tied to the hidden memories of my past.
Before meeting Yuria, there was a huge gap in my memories, so vast that I doubted it even existed.
If everything I saw back then is part of my past, it somewhat makes sense.
However, I still couldn’t figure out why such memories surfaced during the ritual that brought out my latent abilities, or why I was leading humans in such extreme environments in the past.
Considering that my body was designed as a military automaton, I could only cautiously guess that I might have been performing some special mission.
If only I could remember who I was and what I did in the past, I might be able to find a clue to solve these frustrating mysteries.
At that point, having reached a dead-end, I tried hard to revive the feelings from that time and recall the erased memories, but of course, it was a failure.
Well, in hindsight, perhaps it was all thanks to Riel’s ability that I could even experience that back then.
It would be even stranger if I could manage it on my own now.
The fact that I couldn’t summon the overwhelming power I used back then is probably not unrelated to this.
As I felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if surrounded by a thick fog, time quickly passed, and the long-awaited banquet was now just around the corner.
Between the peaceful everyday life and the complicated emotions hidden behind it, I gathered the commission money from the guild and set out for the long-awaited shopping.
There was only one goal: to buy the best dress for our beautiful and noble Yuria!
Despite my confused mind, the fundamental reason for all this had been the same from the beginning.
Though the many events along the way had blurred the essence of it for a while, through it all, my eyes had been fixed on a single point from the very start.
Thus, I went out as myself, not as the mercenary Karin, but as my true self, the maid Kaya.
Though not much time had passed, I felt as though a long time had passed, and with a subtle awkwardness, I tried to erase the worry from my mind, walking lightly through the commercial district.
It wasn’t long before I arrived at a store I had been eyeing for some time.
Among the other shops in the area, this clothing store stood out, dazzlingly shining with its brilliance.
Additionally, the beautiful and elegant clothes displayed beyond the glass window were enough to catch the attention of anyone passing by.
It was obvious without needing an explanation that it was a luxury boutique, oozing with sophistication.
Usually, when passing by this place, I would just drool and envy those who visited, but now things were different.
Of course, it was strange for a mechanical doll to enter such a luxurious place alone, and as soon as I entered, the staff gave me a puzzled look, but I reacted as calmly as always.
I was here instead of my master, who had been unable to visit due to some sudden circumstances.
I explained, without even blinking, with a smile that I was here to buy the dress my master had been eyeing in this store.
At first, the staff looked doubtful, but that didn’t last long.
As soon as she saw the considerable amount of money I pulled from my pocket, she immediately responded with a radiant sales smile.
Indeed, money is all-powerful.
Having felt the sweet truth of this world, I was guided inside by the staff.
What awaited me inside the store was truly a new world, one I had never seen before.