I Became a Magical Cheat Loli Witch-Chapter 86Vol 4 : Service Doll
«Model B service doll, a fusion of organic composition and metal, is a humanoid magic tool for the purpose of assisting in general activities.»
"It sounds like a homunculus."
«The general consensus is closer to putting human skin on a golem.»
"Hmm, model B, so I assume there are other model series?"
«Yes. Model A is a combat purpose doll, Model B is a general purpose doll and Model C is a sex purpose doll.»
We carried the Service Doll to our home and put it on a chair while I checked its state.
It wouldn't be strange for the Service Doll ー created using machine parts, magic tools and artificial skin ー to be called a modern out-of-place artefact.
"Majou-sama, can it be repaired?"
"Hmm, it's complicated."
«一一Service Doll's warranty period is 300 years, so it's no longer under the manufacturer’s guarantee. It's recommended that you buy a new replacement.»
"Those manufacturers also perished in that mana experiment runaway. That's why I can only try to fix you on my own......"
I couldn't help but let out a bitter smile at the doll's machine-like speech pattern. Anyway, I have «Creation Magic» so I could make its parts one by one and replace them over time.
"I want the blueprint for Service Doll Model B. «Creation» Blueprint!"
I attempted to create the blueprint but, like a string cut, my mana vanished.
"Sure enough, a mere 100,000 units of mana wouldn't be enough to re-create the knowledge from 2000 years ago. Sorry, it seems like there's no immediate solution for now ."
I would need some time to get a hold of this technology.
«Why must you apologize? There's no need to feel thankful or apologetic to us, the Service Dolls.»
"Objects that have some attachment acquire a soul after 100 years, in my opinion."
The notion in my words was the so-called Artefact Spirit (Tsukumogami).
That's why I am not going to treat this Service Doll, who has been in existence for more than 2000 years, like a mere machine but as a person.
«This idea has already been studied in magic science under ghost theory. An anti-spirit spell has been applied on the Service Dolls, effectively reducing the chance for the aforementioned ghost theory from occurring to the minimum of 0.01%.»
"But it's not impossible that the spell could wear off due to deterioration over time."
This ancient magic civilization sure is closer to modern civilization with the technologies it possessed 一ー I replied while thinking so.
Teto was the only one tilting her head in confusion which looked a bit strange.
"Either way, I found you so I will surely fix you and have you by my side"
«...... Understood. In the absence of any owner, the current Service Doll transfers to you the authority to be the new master. I will be in your care, Master."
"Yes, look after me too. I'm Chise."
"I'm Teto-nanodesu!"
"Hmm, it's a bit inconvenient that you don't have any name. You will be... right, Baretta."
«...... I'm Baretta. Very well.»
After saying that, the Service Doll, who couldn't move by itself, slightly bowed its head.
I guess this confirms what I'm going to do from now on. I ought to carefully check each place in the «Empty Wilderness» to look for any similar facilities to repair this Service Doll.
SIDE: Broken Service Doll - Baretta
«Why did I awaken? Why didn't I break down like others?»
Midnight. I muttered that from the bed on which I was laid like a patient after my Master, who had picked me up, went to sleep.
A strange feeling swirled inside me when I was on the receiving end of nursing like a living person when I was supposed to have been made for the purpose of assisting people in their work.
I turned my crooked neck joint to the left side and looked at my appearance in the mirror with my night vision which I was equipped with so that I could do nighttime work too.
(Such an unsightly appearance......)
This appearance of mine, the bare skeleton frame which has lost its artificial skin, the artificial muscles under it, and even the artificial hair that has been transplanted on the head to mimic human hair could only be summed up as bizarre.
My thinking was the only thing that was clear when even my voice was on its last leg due to the deterioration of the magic vocal cord that made it possible to communicate with others.
(For what reason, I'm the only one left. No, it was only this metallic frame of mine that was left. Was it the work of someone?)
I closed my eyes and recalled the event from 2000 years ago that Master had explained to me from the records.
In the Mana Experiment Runaway that Master told me about 一ー an abnormality had occurred at that time and around 1000 people had taken refuge in that underground shelter.
What happened afterwards was an enormous explosion that blew away the surface which resulted in a mana-less world for a brief period.
Even those who might have managed to survive the explosion couldn't have lived in a mana-less environment.
It had been revealed in research that the people of the ancient magic civilization had mana-dependent bodies since they were born in an environment with high mana density, and that thesis has been left in my records too.
Speaking of, there was also research that monsters who had lived through many generations in low-mana environs would be able to adapt to low-mana environments.
It was revealed that they would have longer lifespans if the mana became denser as their body becomes mana-dependent.
Following their research, the ancient magic civilization was able to get their hands on an exponential amount of mana and achieved longevity.
But even the civilization that had managed to tap into the long lifespan factor had something they couldn't get their hands into no matter what and that something was the «Immortality Factor», the origin created by the gods at the genesis.
Master had that exponential amount of mana which could rival even the mana of people from the ancient mana civilization.
But the main point about Master was that her body was not dependent on the surrounding mana and her ageing had stopped even before her prime.
The question now was whether the age of 12 was the prime age for Master or if she was the very human from the genesis holding the «Immortality Factor».
Their characteristics match but...... No, Master is Master. There's no need for me to contemplate it whatever the case may be.
My thoughts got sidetracked but either way, I concluded that our underground shelter luckily managed to endure the impact of the explosion.
However, it was buried in the ground and, due to loss of mana, the people who were taking refuge couldn't even use spells to clear out the soil and stones underground.
Life from there on 一一 borrowing the words from humans 一一 was hell.
People, in the beginning, encouraged each other while holding on to hope as we, the service dolls, tended to their needs.
However, supplies gradually began to decrease in the shelter and the closed environment started taking a toll on the people's spirits.
We were service dolls to assist people in their work.
Had we been the combat purpose Model A, we would have managed to suppress the evacuees that had turned violent and kept the situation in check.
Had we been the sex purpose Model C, we could have snuggled up with the anxious people and calmed them down.
But being neither of them and being created only for the sole purpose of helping out, Model B service dolls could only try to mediate to keep the situation in check so that it wouldn't become troublesome later.
However, our limbs were destroyed by the humans who found any movement from us an insult to their eyes and then they tossed us into a corner.
I found the other service dolls and security golems broken in a similar fashion in the shelter with my barely moving head, most likely for the humans to vent out anger.
At last, when even the last bit of food supply was consumed and the situation was such that fellow humans began to quarrel frequently, and even kill each other, I fell into sleep mode from the lack of mana.
My records were only up to the 67th day from the time the refugees' lives had begun but whether or not there were people left alive afterwards, the number of dead bodies Master had buried was few even if counting the aggregation of vengeful ghosts.
The dead bodies of nearly 1000 people had possibly either disintegrated over time until barely anything of them was left or they were eaten til’ not even their bones were left by fellow humans.
Why was it me, and not any other human of that time, who was rescued from that hellish environment?
That was the only thing left on my mind, and even as I was broken beyond recognition, even as I continued to exist without any purpose for my existence, Master gave a name to this unsightly me.
And yet, why was it that I was feeling a slight tug of joy inside me?
Was I broken from the deterioration over time in those 2000 years?
Would this body of mine really get repaired and be of service to my Master?
The train of thought of a Service Doll who couldn't sleep continued on as it reflected on many things.
