63 - Automaton
"Carrier Lyell... I'm taking your 'Porter'."
The well-dressed adventurer said this and gave instructions to his companions around him.
"Get ready. Now is the chance, while they're out of breath right after a battle. Target the automaton first."
Smoke occurred, and for some reason, my body wouldn't move as I wanted.
(An explosion and something else—)
The Second Generation spoke.
'Hurry and ventilate!'
I let go of the saber in my left hand and activated magic with my right, but new smoke was generated by the arrow attacks directed at Poyopoyo.
The well-dressed adventurer looked at the battered Poyopoyo.
Her clothes were torn, her skin was exposed, and blood was flowing, revealing the metal parts inside.
"Poyopoyo... you bastards!!!"
As I flew into a rage, the Fifth Generation spoke to me.
'Calm down. Use magic to hurry the ventilation as much as possible. Then, negotiate. Buy time and look for an opening... it seems the enemy intends to negotiate.'
Listening to the Fifth Generation's opinion, they were indeed looking at me.
Poyopoyo, while becoming battered, was absorbing the attacks.
"An automaton... a crystallization of ancient technology revived by the Seven Sages of the Academic City, eh? I bet it'll fetch a high price if sold, but if it's too much trouble, we can just destroy it. Even broken, it should still sell for a decent amount."
As I grit my teeth, I felt the numbness in my body weaken slightly.
The Third Generation gave instructions.
'If you let your emotions take over here, you'll just die more. Look at the Porter.'
When I turned my gaze, Clara was signaling with her hand that she was safe.
Miranda-san was stopping Aria, who was trying to jump out.
The Sixth Generation spoke.
'They haven't attacked the Porter... or the other members, but they're keeping their arrows pointed at them in caution. Move carefully.'
The Seventh Generation spoke.
'Lyell, the objective is cleared. Use the skill. Pretend to throw away your weapon and enter negotiations.'
Poyopoyo, who continued to be attacked, remained motionless, using both arms as a shield.
I threw my weapon to draw the attention of the well-dressed adventurer.
"...Stop it."
At the well-dressed adventurer's instruction, the attacks stopped, and Poyopoyo collapsed. The adventurers approached and kicked Poyopoyo away.
"It's not moving?"
"Tch, how much trouble is this thing making us go through?"
"How much do you think it'll be worth in a broken state?"
While getting angry at the adventurers' conversation, I glared at the opponent.
The well-dressed adventurer, approaching with guards, threw a piece of paper at me.
The Third Generation spoke.
'Act as if you can't move. Did you confirm the number of enemies?'
I looked at the paper and picked it up with trembling hands. The opponent smirked seeing that.
What was written there was a contract to sell the Porter. An amount was also presented.
"...What is the meaning of this?"
"It's exactly as it looks. I'm buying that doll. The golem magic I learned from that piece of shit Damian... I thought it was useless, but you gave me a hint. Porter... isn't that a good name?"
A subordinate of the well-dressed adventurer threw a pen at me.
"You should have just negotiated from the start!"
To my words, the Fourth Generation spoke.
'...These guys had no intention of paying from the start. They probably wanted to make it look like a contract was signed under favorable conditions by targeting this moment.'
I hadn't considered that the Porter would be targeted.
I had assumed that if anyone was targeted, it would be Novem and the others.
"It seemed other competitors might emerge, so I made the first move. I thought I did it well by kicking out the staff... but the world doesn't work that smoothly."
Seeing them smirking, it was likely a guild staff member who had colluded with them.
As I remembered the staff member I had asked Damian to kick out, the Seventh Generation spoke.
'Hmph, it's just that kind of organization anyway. I'm not surprised... however, we are the type to pay back if we can. It seems they don't understand that.'
My ancestors, who lived as lords, possessed this temperament to a greater or lesser extent.
I looked at Poyopoyo, who was being kicked by the adventurers.
"...I thought you were targeting my other companions."
Saying so, I picked up the pen and confirmed in my head.
(Poyopoyo still has a reaction. A little more until everyone can move...)
I activated the skill.
With the Second Generation's [All], I grasped the layout of the boss room.
With the Third Generation's skill [Mind], I made the opponent talk.
"Women? Are you an idiot? If you earn well with a Porter, you can get as many women as you want. Not adventurers. High-class courtesans, commoners, or noblewomen—they'll all open their legs before a large sum of money. It seems you didn't understand that. Eh, Carrier—"
The Fourth Generation spoke.
'You're the idiot. Did you think I didn't notice that? Once I build a track record and show my utility, the methods will expand even further! You amateur!'
I grasped the surrounding terrain with the Fifth Generation's skill and confirmed the enemy placement with the Sixth Generation's skill.
Everyone was openly showing hostility.
The Sixth Generation spoke.
'...They intend to kill everyone. The losing side will be miserable.'
If you lose, everything is taken from you.
I reaffirmed that this is the kind of world I am in.
(Take the Porter, kill me, and then—is that the plan?)
I thought I had been naive.
I was able to understand, not as knowledge but as a real feeling, that humans are scarier than monsters.
Using tools, tracking with skills, and striking at the best timing.
I had been cautious, but not enough. That's why my ancestors probably thought I was naive too.
In a sense, this situation might be an extension of the tasks given to me.
(But... I won't forgive you.)
The well-dressed adventurer laughed, seeing me pretending to tremble.
Turning my gaze toward Poyopoyo, I spoke.
"You'll save my companions, right?"
"Yeah, I promise. I'll handle them with care."
The Third Generation spoke.
'He didn't say he'd save them... He probably intended to get the documents from Lyell, wipe out the party, and then get the Porter through the contract.'
How disgusting—.
Should I say it like this?
(What would the First Generation have done?)
Remembering the forceful, reckless First Generation, I laughed.
The well-dressed adventurer clicked his tongue, looking at me.
"Sorry to interrupt your joy, but if you don't hurry, things will get bad. The people I hired are short-tempered."
I spoke while pretending to sign the documents. Looking at the Porter with my eyes, a signal came that preparations were complete.
The Fifth Generation spoke.
'They're naive. Their execution is sloppy. That's probably why Lyell was saved, but...'
The Fourth Generation spoke.
'Lyell is lucky. Besides, this time Poyopoyo—the automaton—was here. I knew the damage would be minimized.'
The Third Generation spoke.
'That comment will hurt Lyell. Well, if it's that Poyopoyo—'
I had things I wanted to say to my ancestors as well, but I endured for now and looked up.
Then, I deliberately made a smile and spoke.
"You guys underestimated me way too much—"
"Huh? What are you—"
I used the skill.
Using the Second Generation's skill on my companions around me, I delivered a knee to the face of the well-dressed man in front of me the moment I stood up.
Then, as if rotating in mid-air, I threw the knife and short sword I was holding at the subordinates beside him.
At the same time, Aria jumped out and Miranda-san threw knives at the adventurers gathered around Poyopoyo.
Novem's magic activated.
"Storm!"
Wind occurred, and arrows were blown away to the surroundings. Smoke also occurred, but Novem and the others were covering their mouths with cloth.
With the Fourth Generation's skill Speed and my abilities boosted by the First Generation's skill, I headed toward the enemies hiding in the corridor.
"Box."
From the box I summoned in the air, I took out the saber I had stored as a spare.
Apart from the adventurers in the room, there was a group monitoring this side.
They were monitoring us with lumps of magic like small birds.
The Second Generation spoke.
'The ones hiding in the corridor are more troublesome.'
In the room, the adventurers who were attacked by Novem and the others were being suppressed.
Before leaving the room, I looked at Poyopoyo.
(If you had told me sooner... no, this is my responsibility. My mistake.)
Then, drawing the spare saber, I ran through the corridor with dual blades.
Whether it was a scouting skill or not, the group that began to panic sensed my movement and entered an attack stance.
"Three magic users..."
As I muttered that, arrows flew toward me before I reached the place where the group was.
Whether they could see in the dark corridor, they aimed for me accurately.
The Second Generation spoke.
'Good skill, but it's meaningless for the current Lyell.'
Where are they coming from? Where are they aiming?
I could understand even with my eyes closed.
It's been a while since I used the skill, but as expected, the performance is extraordinary.
(The same can be said for the enemy.)
Avoiding the attacks and arriving at the group, since everyone seemed unable to move in the dark, instructions flew to the magic users.
"Light!"
"What's wrong? Why aren't you lighting the lamp!"
I slashed the magic user and kicked their head up. I didn't deliver the finishing blow, but I immediately targeted the troublesome magic users and the archers who had eyes for the dark.
"Hey, why aren't you answering!"
"How many enemies are there! There's no way it's just one!"
"Hey, hey!"
After neutralizing the man who had night vision or could see in the dark with a skill, I defeated the enemies one after another in the darkness.
Slashing arms, kicking them away to steal their consciousness, and then targeting the next prey.
As the number of voices decreased, there were those who tried to hide in silence.
I didn't let those people escape either and stole their consciousness. Whether they were awake or unconscious... just knowing that helped.
(There's no need to deliver the finishing blow to everyone.)
I made them unable to move and destroyed their weapons or made them unusable.
The Second Generation spoke.
'Lyell, you're naive.'
The Second Generation called me naive for not killing the enemies.
However, I felt he was also slightly happy.
Then, neutralizing the last adventurer, I returned only one saber to its sheath. I lit a light with magic in my left hand.
"Hey."
"Hie!"
The opponent was wearing a robe and seemed to be a luggage carrier. Looking around, there were many luggage carriers with weapons.
The main members were few, and they were likely protecting the members transporting supplies.
Since he said he hired them, they were surely skilled adventurers. I kicked the adventurer who looked like a magic user.
It was to threaten the frightened man.
"...You guys followed us and launched an attack. There's no way you don't know, right?"
"N-no, we didn't know. The reward was just good."
I muttered.
"Mind..."
Then, partly because the adventurer was confused, I was able to easily interfere and make him talk.
"...We were told there are many beauties, so we could enjoy them before killing them. 'Carrier' is earning money, so if we take that, we can become rich too. And we were told we could do whatever we wanted with the women before killing them—"
"That's enough. What about the guild?"
"The guild... there was someone you kicked out before, so they contacted that person and investigated your actions. They were monitoring you with the skill of the magic user lying over there and gathering information on you... so why can't we defeat you?"
They must have investigated us thoroughly and received information from the guild.
How the former reception staff member investigated our information—.
The Seventh Generation spoke.
'Hmph! That's why the guild cannot be trusted! Lyell, tie this one up and make him a witness.'
The Second Generation spoke.
'They really did it, the Alamsars guild... Quite a difference from Darion, or maybe not. Hawkins must have been exceptional.'
Since there are staff members who took care of me in Darion, the quality of the guild differs too much depending on the location.
"...It seems Novem and the others are finished too."
I kicked the luggage carrier man to steal his consciousness, then made him abandon his luggage and returned to the boss room.
—When Lyell left the room and headed for the corridor, Novem blocked the arrows with magic.
Generating wind, she flowed the smoke, which caused numbness, straight toward the exit.
Novem, covering her mouth with cloth, looked at Aria and Miranda who had jumped out.
"Get those filthy feet away from there!!!"
The enraged Aria was hitting the adventurer who had been kicking and playing with Poyopoyo with all her might, striking their head with the shaft of her short spear.
She hadn't reached the resolve to kill.
It was the same for Miranda.
However, this one was slightly different.
"Targeting the golem Porter instead of me? I'm almost jealous."
She was laughing, but her eyes were not.
An adventurer who lost an eye to a thrown knife still aimed a weapon at Miranda.
"I guess coming to the thirtieth underground floor is worth it."
But saying so, Miranda slashed both his wrists and then drove her elbow into his head.
Shannon made a fuss inside the Porter.
"What is this! What on earth is going on!"
Clara was helping Novem, flowing as much smoke as possible toward the exit.
An adventurer with a bow aimed and fired an arrow at Novem.
Due to the wind, the arrow didn't go toward the intended place and exploded in a completely different location.
"You intended to kill. How unfortunate."
Saying so, Novem stopped the magic and approached Poyopoyo.
The adventurer who fired the arrow had been knocked unconscious by Aria.
Seeing that, Miranda narrowed her eyes slightly and then began tying everyone up. While making it look like that, she was trying to slash their wrists.
Novem spoke.
"Miranda-san. I will treat them later, so please line everyone up."
To the words of Novem, Miranda directed a sharp gaze for a moment.
"...Yes, I understand. More importantly, how is Poyopoyo?"
Novem sat down near Poyopoyo and looked at her, who had become a shield to protect her.
Except for the head, she was battered, and red liquid was scattered around.
It was as if she were a real human—no, parts corresponding to human bones, which were silver-white, were visible.
As expected, she must be different from humans.
(No matter how much she's made to resemble a human, the inside is—)
Novem also had her thoughts, but she spoke.
"Why did you protect me? To the point of becoming this battered."
As she said that, Poyopoyo moved only her eyes and looked at Novem.
"Please do not underestimate me... I am a specially made, one-of-a-kind piece, and the automaton of that chicken coward... my master, Master Lyell. I cannot disobey his orders."
Novem spoke.
"Couldn't you have disobeyed for the sake of your master?"
"...You are a mean female fox. If I did that... the chicken coward would be sad, wouldn't he? I don't want to see the chicken coward looking sad."
Her mouth was foul, but she was certainly devoted to Lyell.
Then, Poyopoyo spoke.
"...Is there anything to hide? I am prepared to expose my skin to Master Lyell, but I cannot show such a miserable appearance."
Aria headed toward the Porter and brought a blanket.
Shannon, who descended from the Porter, looked at Poyopoyo with a pale expression.
"Why, why can you do such a thing... you, after all..."
To the surprised Shannon, Miranda spoke.
"Shannon! Get back in the Porter!"
Apart from Shannon who hurriedly returned, Aria, who brought the blanket, draped it over Poyopoyo. Then she spoke.
"You, why did you do that..."
Poyopoyo directed a smile at Aria.
"Don't make me say it over and over. It's because that chicken coward would be sad. You see... when I finally woke up, the factory where I was supposed to be manufactured was gone, the company was gone, and the country was gone. For someone like me, there is only Master Lyell left. In such a fantasy world, I woke up and obtained a master... I didn't have any expectations. Even if I'm a special model... huh? I can't remember? But anyway, I was able to obtain a master. I thought I'd obey even the biggest piece of shit. Because that's what an automaton desires."
Hearing that, Novem looked down.
As Poyopoyo's eyes began to flicker, Aria spoke.
"Hey, say something!"
Poyopoyo spoke with a smile.
"Please wait. Until Master Lyell arrives... I must hold on no matter what... so..."
Then, Lyell came rushing in.
Throwing away the adventurer he had dragged along near the entrance, he came to Poyopoyo—.
Rushing to Poyopoyo, I touched her face.
"I've been waiting, Master... there's something I absolutely wanted to ask."
Poyopoyo, who had protected only her face, hid from the neck down with the blanket. Red liquid was spreading around.
It looked like real blood.
"You, why did you push yourself so hard!"
Then, the Second Generation spoke.
'Ah~, well... at times like this, just listen to her.'
I had things I wanted to say to my ancestors as well. I wanted them to tell me before sacrifices occurred.
I understand that I am inexperienced, but still—.
"...Something you want to ask? Ask anything. I'll listen without teasing."
Poyopoyo opened her mouth with a smile.
Red liquid flowed from the corner of her mouth.
"A name. I actually liked Poyopoyo too. But since I have the chance, I want to receive the name you've thought of."
Her tone had become polite.
I held back my tears.
I felt that I must not cry.
And yet, tears dripped onto Poyopoyo's forehead and cheeks.
"............It's 【Monica】. The name I intended to give you. I've been thinking about it for a long time. The book I was reading back then wasn't for the Porter. It was to think of your name!"
Then, Monica spoke.
"Monica... is it... It's a lovely name. I will cherish it."
"Yeah, that's right. So, stay by my side forever. I won't call you a piece of junk anymore. You are my automaton."
Aria, seeing the weakening Monica, was crying.
Miranda-san was also looking down with her arms crossed.
Clara was illuminating us with magic.
Novem had placed her hand on my back.
"I will brag about it. My... name... is Monica... to those three... so... again... together..."
I grabbed Monica's face with both hands and drew close.
It was a distance where our foreheads almost touched.
"Yeah, brag about it! I'll have Damian fix you! He's a genius, so this much will be quick."
Saying so, Monica shook her head.
"Impossible... That professor... to activate me... the limit..."
Her voice became inaudible.
As Monica's eyelids were about to close, I spoke.
"Monica? ...Monica!!!"
Then, Monica snapped her eyes open and spoke.
"Reboot complete!"
"...Eh?"
Then, Monica, who kissed me just like that, jumped with a rebound, extending both legs in front of me while I stood there dumbfounded.
The blanket flew into the air, and Novem spoke.
"Ah, it's white."
Not that! While thinking so, Aria also—.
"No way. Eh, but!"
Miranda-san—.
"This girl is surprisingly capable."
And Clara.
"Ancient people are amazing."
Shannon, who poked her head out of the Porter, also—.
"I told you. This one started regenerating at that point. The speed just suddenly increased when Lyell arrived."
I gaped, looking at Monica, who had rotated in mid-air and landed with a twist.
My ancestors also spoke. Starting from the Second Generation—.
'That's why it's okay.'
'Somehow, that girl's body is amazing, isn't it?'
'Since there's a mana line with Lyell, I could understand most of it.'
'It's so phenomenal that I doubt whether ancient people really couldn't use magic.'
'What were they thinking that required this much performance for a maid...'
'It must be romance.'
Monica, in a spotless maid outfit, bowed beautifully.
"Poyopoyo, now 【Monica】. Everyone, please treat me appropriately from now on. I intend to stay with the chicken coward until the grave, so don't think you can escape, you bastard."
She said that with a very lovely smile.
"Y-you... you were giving off such a hopeless atmosphere!"
Novem spoke.
"M-Master Lyell, please calm down!"
"Let go, Novem! Today of all days... ah, huh?"
The Third Generation spoke.
'Let's listen to what Novem-chan says. Besides, isn't this a first in a while?'
Then, Monica spoke.
"Since I use the mysterious energy called the chicken coward's mana, I was suppressing the repairs until now. No, considering the battles so far, I thought it would be dangerous to suddenly self-repair... are you listening? I'm explaining this for your sake!"
I began to feel wobbly, sensing signs of mana depletion that hadn't occurred recently.
(Excessive use of skills and the boss battle... ah, it really is tough.)
As I was about to let go of consciousness, I heard Novem's panicked voice calling me for the first time in a while.
"Master Lyell, please pull yourself together!"
Monica spoke.
"That's why I told you. Besides, that weakening part earlier was the reboot—"
Monica was saying something, but I completely let go of consciousness.
—When Lyell lost consciousness, everyone gathered the surrounding adventurers and restrained them.
The weapons the opponents hid were scary, but Novem used healing magic just enough to stop the bleeding while stripping them naked.
"Even if they wake up, they probably won't be able to move due to fractures and such."
Miranda spoke.
"What do we do with this person?"
The man Lyell had dragged in had his freedom of movement taken away using the medicine they possessed.
Clara told them it was a type of numbing medicine.
Shannon spoke.
"Ah, that guy has something installed in his body."
Miranda recovered the weapon from the man who was left in only his underwear and threw it on the spot.
Aria spoke.
"He hid it in his underwear? It looks like a folding knife."
They had expected him to be a luggage carrier, but it seemed he had more experience, like Clara.
Clara spoke.
"Everyone here is a well-known adventurer in Alamsars. I hadn't heard any bad rumors about these people..."
They looked at the bound adventurers.
They must have played it well until now.
"...From the conversation with Master Lyell, I learned they aren't people one can have a very favorable impression of. Let's ask for his judgment once Master Lyell recovers."
To the words of Novem, Aria spoke.
"These guys clearly intended to kill us!"
To Aria, whose anger still hadn't subsided, Miranda spoke while scratching her head.
"Then, will Aria kill them?"
Told that, Aria fell silent.
(Resolve, is it... I cannot let Master Lyell carry the burden, but I wonder what to do.)
Personally, Novem wanted to end it herself.
However, she also felt this was necessary for Lyell's growth.
What kind of judgment will he make?
Novem was curious about that.
(In Darion, the disposal of the bandit group was left to others, so I'm curious how Master Lyell will judge in a time like this...)
Curious, Novem suddenly realized.
(Ah, as I thought...)
Novem looked at Lyell sleeping inside the Porter and smiled—.
When I woke up, I was moving while riding the Porter with a grumpy expression.
Novem, Aria, Miranda-san, Shannon, Clara, and Monica were all riding on the ceiling of the Porter, advancing through the labyrinth without walking on their own feet.
It was truly comfortable.
After all, the usage limit on my skills had been lifted.
I wasn't the only one who seemed dissatisfied.
Miranda-san was too.
"Equipment, food, water—was it really okay to leave everything and even heal them?"
The adventurers who attacked us were left on the thirtieth underground floor without being killed. The broken equipment wouldn't return to normal, but they were left without taking anything.
"You know, right? That they tried to steal from us without considering those things?"
The amount was clearly insufficient.
They probably usually earned around the twentieth underground floor, so their execution was sloppy.
The Second Generation spoke.
'Too naive. Not delivering the finishing blow yourself.'
I ignored my ancestors, who had remained silent about Monica.
Then, I looked at Monica from the corner of my eye.
"I am Monica! Cute Monica! Master's Monicaaa!"
I didn't know whether to get angry or be happy at the cheerful Monica singing a song.
However, Miranda-san didn't seem convinced.
"That's true, but they'll definitely hold a grudge."
I spoke.
"Probably. But they'll definitely never reach the surface."
From one of the adventurers tied to the Porter, I had made him spill everything.
In addition to the adventurers' skills, what kind of companions they were, and—.
"Heh... you even gave them water, didn't you?"
I spoke.
"Yeah, I gave it as a present. Since it seemed they didn't have enough."
Saying so, I made a grumpy, dissatisfied expression again.
Miranda-san seemed to understand what I wanted to say, but she still wasn't convinced.
The Sixth Generation spoke.
'Not getting your hands dirty is for the sake of mental hygiene, eh... You're too overprotective, Lyell.'
I let out a sigh and spoke to Miranda-san.
"...You want me to show Shannon us killing them while they're defenseless? Well, it was good that we avoided having her taken as a hostage."
By bringing them along, there was no danger of Shannon being taken as a hostage.
"It's hard to argue with that. But there's no such thing as absolute in this world."
As a result, this time we were targeted by adventurers aiming for the Porter.
Feeling that I needed to take some measures, I spoke to Miranda-san.
"That's true. But..."
The Fifth Generation spoke.
'Those guys will definitely never be able to crawl back up.'
Yes.
Because I had properly prepared water for them using "magic".
Using the skill and operating the Porter, I proceeded along a safe path.
"What's wrong?"
Since Miranda-san seemed concerned, I spoke.
"It's nothing. Besides, even if they crawl back up, there's no place for them."
I looked at the captured adventurer.
His freedom of movement was taken away by medicine, and he was trembling, unable to make a noise.
"Well, you'll understand once you return."
I told him that.
Then, upon returning to the guild, their deaths were confirmed.