Souen no Historia
Story 20 - Invisibility Magic and Mechanical Doll
Author
十本スイ
十本スイ
Translator
Endo
Edited by
GhostlyEditor
Because of Femme’s order, Testarossa continued rapid-firing
without stopping, and Souji couldn’t easily approach her. Even now,
“Hey, hear me, Souji
Alkasha!”
Femme’s voice rang out inside the church.
“Why did you think I have my eyes on you?”
There’s no way he would know the reason.
“Where do you think I met you?”
He wasn’t interested either.
“Let me tell you!”
She began to talk without his consent.
“You know, I was in Kuchenbar twelve years ago.”
Souji was ruminating, (Twelve years ago? Kuchenbar?) in his
mind.
“In such a big town, there was a certain incident. You
remember, right? After all you are the one who led it to its conclusion!”
Her words made him recall it. A strange incident certainly
occurred 12 years ago in a town called Kuchenbar in south continent.
As they were transported to the Holy Kingdom Lavahha,
mechanical dolls (automata) began to rampage in Kuchenbar.
“The one who created those mechanical dolls (automata) was
an unlicensed amateur. The dolls were magically crafted, so they required
extreme technology to be manufactured. If it was done half-heartedly, it’s
possible that the magic circuit would run wild and thus make it impossible to
control the dolls.”
The unlicensed doll maker, for the sake of prestige,
sneakily slipped the dolls into distribution, and, after some time passed, he
would tell the dolls’ owners that it was he who made those dolls and announce
it in public.
He seemed to want to prove that he could create splendid
dolls even without a license, but his immaturity caused disaster.
“There were three dolls slipped in by that man. When the
kingdom obtained that information, they gave me the duty to retrieve those dolls.
But I was one step too late. The dolls were already going berserk and rampaging
in the town. I found a man surrounded by those three dolls.”
Souji recalled his time there and shrugged his shoulders
because apparently he was seen. At the time Yoyo hinted that she wanted to eat
the fruit that was only sold in South continent, and because Yoyo’s birthday
was approaching, Souji went alone to the Holy Kingdom Lavahha to get the fruit.
When he stopped by Kuchenbar, he encountered that incident.
Three poorly made dolls were rampaging.
Because one of them was about to hurt a child, he
instinctively kicked it back, flying, and his action apparently made him their
enemy.
“It doesn’t matter even if the dolls were clumsily made. The
three were created as weapon types (Killing Types), so their power were quite
troublesome when they went on a rampage. Even one was troublesome but there
were three of them. Not only that, they surrounded you who was unarmed. When I
thought that there was no way other than to help you…… I was really surprised.”
“............”
“Suddenly a white flame appeared from your right hand, and it erased the three dolls in no time.”
“Suddenly a white flame appeared from your right hand, and it erased the three dolls in no time.”
That’s right. He recalled that he instantly killed them
because he was in a hurry.
“That time, although you wore a robe, after defeating those
three, I saw your face as the hood covering your head came off.”
Indeed, his face was seen at that time. Though he was being
careful, Souji had made a mistake.
“More than your face, I was captivated by the flame you
created. It was a never before seen white flame. It was very beautiful.”
Femme was blushing in
a trance.
“That’s why I wanted
to see it again, and I ran after you. However, I saw you running with a
speed that I couldn’t catch, and not only the flame, I became interested in
you. Just what kind of a man you are, I desperately searched for you.”
Femme raised her hand and Testarossa stopped shooting.
“And I finally found you. I never thought you are on this
East continent. No, rather than that I couldn’t understand why such strong
person worked as a butler.”
Souji stood up from behind the chairs he was hiding behind.
“A strong person like you shouldn’t be content as a butler!
Your value will shine if you use your strength for me! That’s why I want to liberate you.”
Souji sighed as her frenzied eyes were faced him.
“Good grief, looks like I have been misunderstood.”
“......?”
“It seemed you thought I was forced to become a butler. However
that’s where you are wrong. I have become a butler by my own will.”
“Fufufu, stop joking. If you have that power, shouldn’t you
aim for something better? After all only strong people could obtain authority
in this world.”
“Authority huh…… I don’t need that.”
“Wh-!? …… what did you say?”
Femme’s expression was one of extreme disbelief.
“Though you might not understand it, I am happy now don’t
obstruct me.”
“...... lie.”
“I am not lying.”
“Lie! If you have that power, you should be able to quickly
get rid of this woman! Yet, you served this weak woman, spending every day
cleaning, washing, and other household chores! How can anyone be satisfied with
that!”
Souji pointed at himself. Those words stiffened Femme and she
was at a loss for words. However Souji really thought like that. He wanted to
be a butler even in his previous life. He yearned for a fantasy world where he
could use magic at least once as child, and that’s exactly what’s happening
now.
What’s there to be dissatisfied about… well, if there was
anything that he wants, then he wishes for his mother to steady herself. Besides
from that, he was satisfied enough to spend his life like this in this
different world.
Hearing Souji’s words, Femme started staggering from the
shock. Yoyo who was lying down started to speak.
“Give it up. Souji is mine, even Souji acknowledges it.”
“Shut up! A-A weak noble like you shouldn’t speak as if you
are above an aristocrat like me!”
The knife in her hand trembled as she put more power into
it. Seeing her, Yoyo sighed in amazement and shut her eyes.
“Souji, though I have become accustomed to lying here, I
want to return quickly. There’s work piled up.”
“As you wish, Yoyo-ojousama.”
Souji turned his right hand towards Testarossa before him
and,
“Burn and scorch, red flame.”
A crimson flame appeared from his right hand. It immediately
attacked Testarossa just like a wave.
“Red!? That can’t be! His flame should’ve been white-!?”
With Femme’s face immersed in surprise, Testarossa aimed the
guns towards the flame and shot water-like thing, but its momentum propelled it
even if small holes were opened. Thus the flame swallowed her.
“Testa-!”
The wall destroying flame caused the room’s temperature to
rapidly rise.
“How, th-this is the same as general flame magic….”
“Well then, next is your…… kh!?”
At the moment Souji turned his attention to Femme, a
silhouette jumped out from the burning flame. It came straight towards Souji. He
put power into his right leg’s toes and kicked the ground to move back.
However the silhouette, Testarossa, aimed the guns in her
hands towards him. There’s only a little distance left before holes would
appear in his body. He rotated his body and used the force to kick the ground,
and this time he moved towards Testarossa.
Maybe because she had thought his action was one of evasion,
Testarossa frowned slightly. Souji kicked away the guns in her hands. He
thought that with this she had lost her means of attacking, but this time a
kusari fundo shot out from her palm.
(!? … as expected huh.)
The kusari-fundo twirled around his left arm. They continued
their contest of strength. His enemy’s physical strength was higher, so she kept
a cool face even though Souji was pulling it with considerable power. Well, that maybe because she was a doll.
Testarossa sharply
narrowed her eyes, and her abnormal strength was transmitted through the chain.
Guih, she pulled and jumped over his
head. She rotated once and landed splendidly. Testarossa aimed her empty left palm towards
him.
Watching what she was doing, gacha gacha, a muzzle appeared in the center of her palm and extended.
(...... kh! Looks like she can do a lot of things.)
Thinking he would turn into beehive if this keeps up, Souji
fired the red flame again. However he understood that it was hardly effective
against her. His aim was to obstruct her view ever slightly, and to loosen the
chain. Just as he predicted, at the moment she was attacked the power in the
chain weakened slightly. Using that moment, he removed the kusari-fundo from
his arm.
Testarossa instantly rushed out from inside the flame with
tremendous momentum. Souji jumped over her just like she did before. However
before he landed, he saw that she picked up the guns that fell on the ground.
(This is bad!)
He immediately thought so, but her movement was faster and
she already prepared the guns. He judged that if this keeps up he would be
attacked once he lands. That’s why Souji decided to create another flame.
“...... become my desired image, orange flame.”
He quickly turned his left hand forward and an
orange-colored wall instantaneously appeared.
“It’s orange now-!?”
Femme was even more aghast. It couldn’t be helped. She
thought that Souji could only use the white flame after all. However Femme was
laughing when she understood that Souji could use more than two flames.
“Fufufufufufufu! Amazing! It is really amazing! I won’t have
anything to be feared once you become mine! Testa, come here!”
Called by Femme, Testarossa face the wall created by Souji
and moved back to Femme.
Souji showed his face from the wall and confirmed the
enemy’s appearance. Because Testarossa was engulfed in flame, her uniform was
in tatters. However there’s something
that made him anxious.
Although she was plunged inside that flame, only her uniform
was burnt. Her limbs, face, and even her hair weren’t affected at all. There’s not even one burn mark.
“Quite the sturdy body you have.”
Even though Souji didn’t know if that’d be answered, he let
out those words. The one who answered him was Yoyo.
“Be careful. This woman is… a mechanical doll (automata).”
“... it is true after all huh.”
Everything was answered. Certainly mechanical dolls
(automata) have what’s called a human model, but of course the materials
weren’t human flesh. Especially weapon types’ (Killing Type) body was made by
strong materials that couldn’t be easily damaged in combat. This woman is probably
one from that type.
In the battlefield,
there’d be times when she encounters fire. That’s why it wasn’t strange for her
to be fireproofed.
However, she was splendidly made,
(She seems to be a doll made with extreme exquisiteness.)
The flame from before was enough to incapacitate the dolls
that he had met up to now. For it to be uninjured means she was that special.
“Are you surprised? That’s right. This child is a mechanical
doll (automata). My special pawn.”
Femme proudly puffed
out her chest.
“However, there is one thing I want to hear.”
Femme didn’t look at Souji, she was looking at Yoyo.
“How did you know this child is a mechanical doll
(automata)? Her attitude shouldn’t even hint that, right?”
Testarossa’s appearance certainly only indicated a quiet
woman of few words. Her movement was also smooth like that of a person; no one
would believe it if she was said to be a doll.
“Oh my, don’t underestimate me. Even if I look like this, I
have eyes that could discern people.”
“... are you saying you saw through her just by looking?”
“Ee, shouldn’t you know as a puppeteer that there are parts that
cannot completely imitate a person?”
“...”
“Those are… eyes. No matter how much emotion is installed
into them and how much they mimic life, you can judge whether they are people
or not by looking at the shine in their eyes.”
Their location was wrapped by silence because of Yoyo’s
answer.
(Well, Ojou-sama’s discerning eyes are exceptional after
all.”
Yoyo’s observation power, insight, and eyesight surpassed
the normal. Moreover, they have been cultivated since childhood by accompanying
her father to meet many different people. In addition, her magic was also in
that field.
“...... you…… are you really just a normal noble……?”
“Ara? I wonder who’s the one who said I am but a small and
weak noble.”
Yoyo smiled fearlessly, it was an attitude that was as if
she was not deprived of her freedom or in danger of losing her life.
“Beside, even Souji noticed that without me saying anything,
right?”
“Yes.”
Souji pulled out a sheet of paper from his breast pocket.
“Th-That’s….”
“Yes. It is the ransom note send by you. It is written with
considerably beautiful characters, but it looks like the one who wrote this was
the mechanical doll (automata) over there.”
“H-How did you know that!”
“Well, to your regret I was able to know that. I also know
that you praised her with “As expected of my mechanical doll (automata),” when
this ransom note was written.”
“H-How can such thing….”
While coming here, Souji confirmed that by using the memory
searching blue flame to watch what was recorded in this letter. At that time,
only the image of Testarossa writing this letter was projected, but he heard
Femme praise, “Un, what beautiful characters. As expected of my mechanical doll
(automata),” as she laughed.
“Looks like you underestimated Souji too much. He is my
butler.”
Because of Yoyo’s provocation, Femme was glaring at her. The
two glared at each other for a while, but Femme averted her gaze first.
“Testa, let’s end this already. Quickly bring Souji Alkasha
back home.”
“...... I understood.”
Souji heightened his cautiousness because of the sudden
change in Femme’s atmosphere. Then Testarossa held Femme. Then the two’s bodies
gradually disappeared.
(This is…… kh!?)
He looked around to find the two people who vanished
completely inside the church.
(Transparency magic……? I see, how troublesome.)
Even their presences couldn’t be felt. It was probably
Femme’s magic, one that could give the same effect to those she touches, and
frankly he feels cheated.
Suddenly, bakiih,
an acute pain came along with the impact on his cheek. Souji, who fell while crushing
chairs, immediately stood up and confirmed the surroundings, but for those
without knowledge it’d looked like Souji was blown away by himself.
However, the attack just now certainly came from the
disappeared Testarossa.
“How is it? I think it will be better for you to give up,
okay?”
Femme’s voice echoed inside the church.
(Fuu, my my, this ability is truly suitable for
assassination and infiltration.)
With this magic one could soundlessly approach the target.
Just like an assassination attempt, it was used to kidnap Yoyo.
“Fufufufufu! How is it, Crowtail! I can kill your important
people anytime when I and Testa get serious! Just look quietly from there! I
will take your important butler!”
Femme’s tone was as if she was convinced of her victory.
However the next thing that resounded inside the church was the unchanging
voice of Yoyo.
“Souji, we will late for dinner if we don’t return quickly.”
“Wh-!?”
Femme raised her alertness because of Yoyo’s fearless response.
Following that, pan pan, Souji stands
up while beating the dust off his clothes.
“That’s right. Ninthe will be relieved if we return quickly.
After all she is terribly worried about us.”
“Oh my, then we should hurry.”
“Ee.”
For a moment, Souji sneered and a white flame came out from
his right hand.
“That’s-!?”
Femme’s slightly excited voice could be heard.
“Well then…….”
The white flame began to float around Souji and his following
words gave would give anyone shudders.
“Excluding me and Ojou-sama, devour everything, white
flame.”
It was an instant that could be missed just by blinking.
When thinking the white flame changed its form as if it was opening its big
mouth. It moved just like the wind――――――――――― and, true to his words,
everything except Souji and Yoyo was annihilated.
- I finally realized why I find a lot of this awkward to read. It’s because much of it is Yoda speech due to the word order not being modified for English. Will try to fix now. ↩
- It's translated as "you know?" a lot but it sounds awkward. Maybe if I replace it with "see?" it will sound better. Not sure though. ↩
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