49 - Chapter 4 Prologue
I am eating a meal at the Sarkrai family estate in Alamsars.
Usually, Novem does the cooking, but on this day, the [Sharp-tongued Automaton] insisted on doing it.
She seems to be burning with a sense of rivalry toward Novem, but something is just off.
This piece of junk maid... the moment she arrived at the estate, she tried to attack Novem.
She grabbed a nearby broom and tried to swing it down at Novem, so I stopped her, but—.
"How is it? How does the meal I painstakingly prepared for a wimpy chicken coward taste?"
The chicken coward seems to be me.
Apparently, because I'm not in the same mood as when we first met, I'm being called wimpy.
"No, it's delicious. It's more delicious than I thought, but..."
"But? What do you mean, 'but'? Is a chicken coward complaining about my cooking? Go on, try saying it. I'll use those complaints to prepare the finest meal tomorrow."
I look at the dishes lined up on the table.
They look good.
The taste is no problem. In fact, they're delicious.
It's true that I didn't actually think an automaton could go this far.
"...There's a difference between my plate and the others, though?"
I had one more dish than everyone else.
The piece of junk snorts at me.
"What did I expect you to say. I added a dish for the chicken coward who is my master. Since I settled it with the amount presented, there should be no problem, right?"
There is a problem.
"Listen, this is Miranda-san's estate. We're just guests!"
Then, Miranda-san, who was eating with us, speaks.
"Oh, don't worry about it. Why not just try becoming the owner of this house?"
Miranda-san, with her pale green hair, looks at me with green eyes.
Her mischievousness seems to be transparent.
She's clearly enjoying this.
I thought she was like a cat, but after what happened in the labyrinth last time, that side of her personality is showing more than before.
I look at Novem, who has brown hair in a side-tail.
Novem doesn't seem to notice my gaze.
And then, while eating...
"If it's to Lyell-sama's taste, it's a bit bland, isn't it?"
She said it.
Hearing that, Aria lets out a sigh.
Aria, with her red hair, looks at me with purple eyes.
"Make sure you stop her."
The reason Aria is exasperated is because of the piece of junk.
After all, this piece of junk—.
"Hmph! Is this the rumored 'daughter-in-law bullying' I saw in the data?! Are you dissatisfied with my cooking? I intended to finish it with the best taste, considering the nutritional balance."
—She's competing with Novem.
I don't know why, but she directs emotions akin to hostility only toward Novem.
Watching this, the Fourth Generation spoke in a voice only I could hear from the blue jewel hanging around my neck.
The fourth head of the Wolt family, [Marks Wolt], is a man with glasses and long blue hair styled in a 7-3 side part.
Inside the jewel, everyone appears in their thirties.
The characteristic of this Fourth Generation is not just the glasses.
"Good grief, what a strange automaton. Picking a fight with Novem-chan, I wonder what she's thinking... Come on, stop her quickly, Lyell."
This Fourth Generation is quite noisy when it comes to women.
No, to be precise, it's regarding the treatment of women.
"Sigh, piece of junk, that's enough, right? Why are you taking it out on Novem so much?"
Told by the Fourth Generation, I stop the piece of junk.
But, surprisingly, Novem—.
"Lyell-sama, calling her a piece of junk is honestly too cruel. Since she's finally become a new companion, we really must decide on a name."
How kind you are, Novem...
In contrast.
"Showing mercy to an enemy... that complacency will eventually be fatal. I pride myself on being a masterpiece, manufactured as a one-of-a-kind top model. I cannot show mercy to an enemy—"
To the piece of junk who started lining up incomprehensible words again, Miranda-san says.
"Then, is it okay to stay as 'piece of junk'?"
"...Chicken coward, I'll ask you with an upturned gaze, so go ahead and decide on a name befitting me."
That's not the attitude for asking someone a favor.
However, while she has a foul mouth, she's someone who puts her full effort into things regarding me.
I've heard that the housework, which had been tough with only Novem, has become much easier thanks to her.
"...I was thinking while watching those twin-tails move."
When I say that, the piece of junk bites.
"Ho! To be lustful for these twin-tails, you have a keen eye. My creators also had fistfights over whether black bobbed hair or these blonde twin-tails were better. As expected, twin-tails are the strongest."
"Since your movements are all poyo-poyo, you're [Poyopoyo]—"
When I say that much, the expressive piece of junk becomes expressionless.
And there is one person holding their stomach to stifle laughter—Shannon.
Previously, she was a frail young lady who couldn't see, but since her older sister Miranda-san was like that, this younger sister was also quite a handful.
"Your naming sense is too lacking."
The one who reached out to Shannon, who started laughing loudly, was Miranda-san.
Grabbing Shannon's head with her left hand, she proceeded to squeeze it tight.
A creaking sound could be heard.
"S-Sister, it hurts! It hurts so muchhh!"
"It's no use saying it cutely, Shannon. It's rude to Poyopoyo, who finally received a name."
As she says that, Aria covers her mouth.
Only Novem is seriously thinking about various things while eating her meal.
"...Chicken coward. I'll accept a name change if it's now?"
Since Poyopoyo says that, I shake my head.
"There will be no change, Poyopoyo."
Then, the Fourth Generation, raising a voice of anger from the jewel—.
"No matter how you look at it, that's going too far! You're supposed to be kind to girls!"
He said.
(This guy definitely had something done to him by his wife.)
From the words and actions of my ancestors, I suspect the Fourth Generation was henpecked.
Despite being this noisy about the treatment of women, the Fourth Generation was the longest-serving head in the history of the Wolt family.
When the Third Generation died in battle in his thirties, he inherited the position of head in his teens.
I've heard that he mainly excelled in internal affairs from then on...
"I mean, does this girl really not cost anything to maintain? She just absorbs Lyell's magic, right? If there are maintenance costs, isn't it a pain? A normal servant might be better."
He's a bit noisy about money.
I've heard he excelled in various financial aspects, but when actually talking to him, he gives nagging advice on how to use money.
He's the kind of man who would choose money over women.
Such was the Fourth Generation, but it seems he was weak only when it came to his wife.
The Fifth Generation, the son of the Fourth, says.
"Hey, wasn't it 'be kind to girls'? I mean, she looks like a girl, but inside she's iron or something, right?"
Then, the Fourth Generation—.
"Oops, that's right... but 'Poyopoyo' is still cruel, isn't it?"
As expected, Poyopoyo was too cruel.
Expressionless, Poyopoyo (provisional) looks at me and mutters for me to change it.
"Master, couldn't you think a bit more? With that empty brain of yours, please think of a name for me. I'll cherish it, so if it's a proper name, I'll cherish it..."
Scary. This automaton is very scary.
"Hey, stop it, it's a bit scary. I get it. I'll think about it. I'll think about it, so just give me a little more time."
When I say that, the troublesome piece of junk says with a smile.
"As expected, the chicken coward is weak to a girl's pushiness!"
I reply with a smile as well.
"Even if you're a girl on the outside, the inside is different, right? Let's face reality."
Then, the angry piece of junk says.
"What are you talking about? For me, a high-rank special model, nothing is impossible. If I feel like it, even a gentleman's desires—"
To the piece of junk who started saying that, Novem says.
"We are in the middle of a meal, Poyopoyo-san."
Then, the piece of junk bites a handkerchief, looking frustrated.
"T-This woman!!!"
The meal at the Sarkrai family estate has become lively, but lately, it's exhausting.
"So, that's why you came here."
The library.
A place I visit to accumulate knowledge, and today I'm reading books with Clara again.
We're close enough to occasionally converse while reading.
Previously, I accepted a request from a professor famous even in the academic city of Alamsars named Damian, and we worked together.
Clara is an excellent adventurer, though she specializes in support.
Her navy blue hair is cut around her shoulders, but it's messy, as if she did it herself.
She seems to love reading books in the library, so there's a high probability of meeting her if I come.
Now I ask her what books are interesting, but occasionally we have small talk too.
"That's how it is. The piece of junk tells me to decide on a name, and she competes with Novem."
"That's strange. Is she competing with Novem-san as a maid, perhaps?"
I don't know about that part either.
After all, that piece of junk... is broken.
Not only does she not remember important parts, but her tone toward me is just terrible.
"According to her, she recognized me as an enemy or something."
"She's an ancient automaton, so it's amazing just that she moves. Ah, come to think of it."
As if remembering, Clara tells me.
"It seems Damian moved an automaton at the academy. He's actually activated three automata and is checking their status."
Now, Damian is a person of the past for Alamsars.
Moving and controlling ancient technology automata must be that amazing.
Hearing that, I think.
"Why is the piece of junk I have like that... I wonder if he'd exchange them."
Then, Clara says.
"She's doing the work, isn't she? Is there some problem?"
"The wording and things like that? Other than that, she's perfect. Cleaning, laundry, cooking, she does everything."
Because she's truly perfect, I just wanted her to do something about the wording.
"Well, please give up. I've heard it's a kind of contract, and since the method to sever the connection is unknown, it'll be like that for the rest of your life."
"Don't remind me of unpleasant things..."
The contract with the automaton required using one's own blood as a catalyst.
However, I, who had just "grown," was in high spirits and activated the automaton by kissing it.
(Was that the problem? No, but she said herself that she was broken.)
"Even so—"
Clara looks at me.
"Hmm?"
"You do troublesome things. Restricting the use of skills to break through the thirtieth floor of the labyrinth's basement, for example."
Last time we challenged the labyrinth, the six of us defeated the boss of the fortieth basement floor.
An opponent that would normally be challenged by fifty adventurers.
Producing results was fine, but in response, what the ancestors imposed on me was 'breaking through the thirtieth basement floor without skills.'
Under the judgment that my raw power was overwhelmingly insufficient, all use of the jewel's skills was prohibited for me.
Therefore, we must break through the thirtieth basement floor of the Alamsars labyrinth using only our own strength.
It's easy to say, but it's a scale that twenty to thirty adventurers would challenge.
"It's a personal matter. If I rely entirely on skills, it'll be dangerous when my magic runs out."
When I stated the reason given by the ancestors, Clara had a slightly surprised look on her face.
"...I thought Lyell-san wouldn't notice and would make a big mistake someday. But I have to revise my evaluation."
"T-That's cruel."
When I said that, I felt like Clara laughed a little.
"If anything happens, please call me. Since it's a request from Lyell-san, who pays well, there's no loss in listening."
I think she's mercenary—but in reality, money was important for us adventurers.
We risk danger to survive.
If we live on the money obtained that way, we have to be firm about that part.
Most of all, now I've taken on various things and am in a position where I have to earn enough to support two women and one automaton.
(But, what should I really do?)
If I simply increase the numbers and challenge it, the conquest would certainly be easy.
However, I made a fool of myself during the previous request from Damian.
(Because I came back to the guild being carried by Novem, my reputation... is quite low.)
Yes, at the very end, my body stopped moving, and I was seen in a terrible state by other adventurers.
Because of that, my personal credibility is low.
While I want to gather enough numbers somehow, the fact that my reputation in Alamsars is subtle holds me back.
(As I thought, the only way is to steadily build up my raw power, huh.)
The reason I could grow so rapidly and produce results was thanks to the skills of the successive heads recorded in the jewel.
If I can't use them, I'm really in trouble.
(I have to think of a way to break through the thirtieth basement floor somehow.)
Thinking that, I read books in the library to accumulate knowledge.