Chapter 13: Elegance, Sharp Wit, and the Maid

Although it was just a simple self-introduction, she had already fully revealed her character.

A stark contrast of elegance and sharp tongue.

A noble posture, etiquette, and demeanor paired with biting remarks made purely for the pleasure of mocking others—this not only showcased her composure but also allowed her to witness the other’s flustered, exasperated expressions after being struck.

One had to admit, she truly understood how to enjoy herself.

Aqua leaned over Kobayashi’s back and whispered, “What should we do? She seems really tough to deal with.”

“Are you not a goddess? Then why are you scared of a doll?” Kobayashi shot her a disdainful glance.

Aqua hurriedly defended herself, “It’s precisely because she’s neither human nor a lich that I’m scared!”

Their sneaky behavior drew the doll’s suspicion.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ahem, nothing.”

Kobayashi extended her right hand to the doll. “Um, your name is Ryuzi… right? I’m Kobayashi, and this is Aqua. Nice to meet you.”

“What’s this gesture? Are you a little puppy wanting to shake hands? I must say, combined with your weak aura, it’s enough to make most girls’ hearts overflow with affection. Even I feel tempted to shake it,” Ryuzi retorted, her words excessively sharp, causing Kobayashi’s mouth to twitch involuntarily.

There are many kinds of sharp tongues.

Some wield it to hide their clumsy expressions of emotion, some raise walls to resist intimacy, and others are simply born blundering with no filter.

But Ryuzi was different; she was sharp just for the sake of being sharp.

Was it her personality…

No, was it her very design?

Kobayashi felt awkward, her suspended right hand uncertain what to do.

But the next moment, it was firmly grasped.

“My name is Ryuzi. Please, Master Kobayashi, I look forward to serving you.”

Her skin was soft and smooth, making one doubt whether this doll-like girl was truly not human. Yet, the slender, temperatureless hand made it clear that Ryuzi was indeed a mechanical doll.

“Wait, why do you call me Master?”

“Because you repaired me, didn’t you?”

“No, it was both of us,” Kobayashi said, pointing to herself and Aqua behind her, not shamelessly claiming all the credit.

Ryuzi was clearly taken aback by Kobayashi’s explanation.

She blinked uncertainly. “Even if it was a joint effort, I assume you took the lead. After all, this lady seems a bit daft—not someone capable of understanding my structure, diagnosing the problem, and repairing me like a skilled watchmaker.”

“W-wait! Are you mocking me?! I am a goddess, a goddess, you know!” Aqua stomped angrily, feeling insulted by a mechanical doll’s disdain.

“It was me! I was the one who repaired you! Even if you are a mechanical doll incapable of faith, you should show gratitude and respect to the one who restored you! Especially since I am a goddess—you should worship me, shouldn’t you?!”

Kobayashi gave a helpless nod in acknowledgment. “Though I’d like to say otherwise, as you can see, it was indeed her who took the initiative to fix you.”

“Really? You can’t judge a book by its cover,” Ryuzi said, surprised.

Aqua, proud despite Ryuzi’s biting words, flared her nostrils triumphantly. “That’s right. It took me a full half hour to repair you. So many complicated parts—it was exhausting for this goddess.”

Though she complained of fatigue, it was clear she was boasting.

Kobayashi tapped her forehead. “Idiot, you only moved your mouth; how were you tired?”

“Ugh… but I helped too,” Aqua whined, covering her forehead with teary eyes, looking utterly aggrieved.

Hearing this, Ryuzi’s eyes widened in shock.

She stayed frozen for a full five seconds before coming to her senses and saying, “…I’m sorry. Just now, I heard you two talk and triple-checked in my mind whether I misheard.”

“Misheard what?”

“You said it took only half an hour to repair me…”

“That’s right.”

Kobayashi and Aqua exchanged glances and nodded in unison, confirming their earlier words.

To be precise, it was less than half an hour.

After all, some time was wasted as they hesitated, afraid of unforeseen complications.

Judging by Ryuzi’s astonished expression, Kobayashi chose not to say more, fearing it might overwhelm her circuits.

After a moment of silence, Ryuzi spoke again.

“…May I ask you a question?”

“If we know, we’ll tell you.”

Seeing their agreement, Ryuzi gracefully placed a hand over her chest, closed her eyes as if sensing something, then asked:

“How many gears make up my body?”

“Four trillion, two hundred seven billion, six hundred eighty-six thousand, four hundred thirty!” they answered in unison.

An incredibly exaggerated number!

Kobayashi knew because of her skill “Scan,” though how Aqua knew was a mystery.

It was precisely this absurd number of gears that made Kobayashi wary, wanting to carefully plan Ryuzi’s repairs.

But Aqua had charged in recklessly.

The most frustrating part was that she actually repaired her cleanly and efficiently—how could Kobayashi argue with that?

Ryuzi continued with more questions.

“What is the set vibration frequency of the main cylinder?”

“Six billion, two hundred fifty-four million, nine hundred forty-one thousand, three hundred ninety-five!” they answered together.

“The neural circuits connected to me?”

“Sixty-two trillion, nine hundred forty-five billion, six hundred thirty-four million, five hundred seventy-eight thousand!” again in unison.

Their answers came fluently.

Give up, young lady.

Though you may be reluctant, we know your internal structure better than you do.

Confidence shone on their faces.

Ryuzi was thoroughly impressed.

“May I confirm whether you have seen my blueprints?”

“No.”

Aqua puffed out her chest proudly. “I don’t need blueprints; nothing escapes my Divine Eye’s inspection! After all, I am the Goddess of Water and Wisdom!”

You can always trust Aqua! …Except when she’s doing her own job.

“I see… I, too, do not possess such blueprints.”

Ryuzi paused, then elegantly lifted her skirt slightly and bowed to Kobayashi. “Master Kobayashi, please allow me to formally recognize you as my owner and let me serve by your side.”

With that, she extended her hand toward Kobayashi.

“Master-servant recognition?”

“Yes, to establish a master-servant bond.”

“Hmm…”

Kobayashi frowned, growing hesitant.

Ryuzi blinked, tilting her head slightly in disbelief. “Is there some inconvenience? Such a perfect and capable me serving you—would it hurt your fragile pride?”

Her sharp tongue remained.

She clearly held herself in high regard.

Indeed, as the most mysterious watchmaker’s creation, the Y-series model number one, she was the strongest among the supposedly weakest series.

Long ago, when Ryuzi was first activated, Kobayashi already knew who she was.

A key figure among the Star Clockwork Mechanisms and the mysterious watchmaker Y’s first Y-series prototype—

The Attendant, Ryuzi.

And her prerequisite for recognizing a master—

“The first person to repair you?”

“That’s right. That’s why I hope Master Kobayashi will be my owner.”

Ryuzi did not deny it.

But was this really right?

She relied on magic, not true repair skills.

Though some say “magic is just unexplained science,” in reality, they are mostly opposites.

Without real skill, only magic, did Kobayashi truly deserve to be Ryuzi’s master?

Sensing Kobayashi’s hesitation, Ryuzi bowed her head slightly.

“—You don’t need me, do you?”

She sighed sadly, a flicker of melancholy and loneliness in her eyes.

A look of being unwanted, without purpose, believing herself worthless.

Such an expression leaves a deep impression on anyone who has witnessed it, especially since Ryuzi was a mechanical doll longing for acknowledgment and acceptance.

“No, that’s not true. I need you very much.”

Kobayashi shook her head, openly revealing her longing. “To be honest, I’m glad to be recognized by Ryuzi, and even more pleased to be accepted as your master.”

Who could refuse a beautiful doll-maid?

“But I’m sure you’ve realized that it wasn’t superb watchmaking skills that restarted you, but magic. And this is not your island nation of Tokyo, but a different world called ‘Subaru.’”

“...Is that so?”

Feigning surprise, Ryuzi said, “A dark room without lights, old furniture, and a narrow bed—I thought you were so destitute you had to stay in this shabby inn. So this is another world?”

“...You can tell by the clothes, right?”

“Apologies, I thought that was your personal quirk. After all, an elegant mechanical doll should not insult others’ shabby attire, shouldn’t she?”

“You’re already insulting.”

Kobayashi knew it was intentional.

With Ryuzi’s abilities, she must have noticed the unnatural tremors no longer coming from the ‘Great Pillar’ below, and thus realized she was not in island nation Tokyo.

“I didn’t repair you with skill. I lack the watchmaker’s discipline and knowledge. If you break down again, I can’t promise I can fix you.”

Kobayashi laid out her many shortcomings.

Then looked directly into Ryuzi’s eyes: “Even so, do you still want to recognize me as your master?”

“Yes, no problem.”

Ryuzi bowed slightly. “No matter how useless you may be, I—Initial-Y Prototype One, Ryuzi—will recognize you as my master.”

She extended her right hand once more, a hint of expectation shining in her gaze.

Truly, though she was a mechanical doll, why did she display such vivid human emotions?

With this, Kobayashi couldn’t refuse.

“Since Ryuzi says so.”

Kobayashi, not one to fuss, placed her right hand on the delicate hand.

Ryuzi smiled happily.

“Then, with your permission—”

……

……

……

Kobayashi’s mind blanked momentarily, as if a fragment of his soul was drawn out, while countless tiny gears quietly whirred within Ryuzi.

The ritual completed smoothly, and Kobayashi placed his palm against her cheek, the cold touch becoming warm.

“Hmm…”

The doll’s eyes glistened with moisture, her face resting against his hand as she exhaled warmly.

“Codename Y-series Prototype One—‘Attendant Ryuzi’—I swear to serve Master Kobayashi, pledging absolute obedience and loyalty until the moment the gears within me wear out and cease to turn.”

Faced with Ryuzi’s vow of absolute loyalty, Kobayashi naturally responded with equal sincerity.

“Chosen by the goddess as the otherworldly hero—Kobayashi—I swear to diligently learn repair skills to be a competent master and to protect my attendant Ryuzi. Even if damaged, I will repair her, never abandoning her until my death and irreversible extinction.”

This declaration far surpassed a mere master-servant bond, carrying the solemnity of wedding vows.

And nearby, Aqua stood like an outsider.

No, she was a witness.