C336: A Machine Doll’s Genius (Self-Proclaimed)

It’s me.

I was surprised to see a gigantic automaton suddenly appear.
I thought it would be the Mansion Mystery series, but it suddenly became a Godzilla-esque story.

…Well, they’re just my assumptions, though.

But whether it’s a murderer with elaborate tricks or a giant monster, our team has the strength to crush them, so the result is all the same.

In fact, the giant automaton anticlimactically crumbled despite its long-awaited appearance and became nothing but a wreck.

“What was that all about?” Puffer, our leader, quizzically peers at the giant’s wreckage. “I didn’t see this the last time I was here. We destroyed the automaton army in the previous battle, but why didn’t they use this if they had such a trump card?”

But that so-called trump card was also crushed instantly…

Whether by accident or by design, only the head of the giant’s remains is still intact.
Perhaps the attack was concentrated on its body because not a single scratch was on the head.

In theory, this machine will probably start talking, even with just its head…

“Youuuuuu! Bastaaaaaaaards!!!”

Oh!
It spoke!

“Who the hell are you peopleeeeee?! How dare you do this to the flawless Mechanical Giant Mariage 2?!” bellows the automaton’s head.

What a talkative doll.

Are all automatons like this?

“Hm? That name…” reacts Puffer.

“Something on your mind, Puffer?”
“No, it’s just that this doll shares the same name with its creator…”

Its name?
It did say Mariage or something, right?

“Isn’t it common to name your work after yourself? Something seems strikingly special about this doll, too…”
“Hmph! You make a good point, but that’s not quite it. I’m my own masterpiece!!!”

What the hell is this chunk of metal talking about?

“Huh? You are your own masterpiece?”
“I’m telling you, I’m Mariage myself! The genius of the century! I can create what no one else can! The pioneer of today’s era! That’s me, Mariage!”
“Huh???”

The automaton blabbers so, but we are skeptical.

“Mariage, the researcher who invented the automaton, is someone from over a hundred years ago. He’s been dead for so long.”

According to Puffer, they’ve even verified the body and buried him.

“So, who’s this…thing that calls itself Mariage?”
“I’ll tell you something no ordinary person’s brain will ever understand. Know the feats and greatness of my genius!”

The giant automaton’s head began to talk about its origin, what purpose it was created for, and how it came to be, without us asking.
It sure wants to brag about itself at every opportunity.

It said it transferred the data of its creator, Mariage.

This is a plan that Mariage, who knew he was dying, took to continue existing even after death.
He transferred his memories and consciousness to this automaton.
That way, he can survive even after his original body has perished.

“…What do you think, Puffer?”
“It’s not a story you can just gullibly believe…It’s possible that this automaton short-circuited in its thought processes and is convinced that it’s Mariage.”
“Can something like that happen?”
“The first automaton I met here didn’t even realize its creator was dead. That’s the extent of their thinking. It’s also possible that this humongous thing is misunderstanding that it has a ‘transferred memory’ set-up…”

Hearing Puffer say that, the giant automaton head angrily shouts, “Whaaaaaat?! Don’t be silly! I am the extraordinary genius Mariage reborn as a masterpiece! Are you trying to find fault in a genius’ remarkable feat, you pleb?!”

He (?) protests against Puffer’s skepticism with all his might, perhaps out of pride.

“In order to take revenge on the world, I transferred my personality into an automaton! I reincarnated as the strongest automaton to take revenge on the world that didn’t acknowledge meeee!!!”
“How can you still act so pompous when you’ve already been defeated?”

You can’t take revenge on the world anymore because all the automatons, including yourself, have broken down.

“But can we prove he’s a transmigration of Mariage’s soul?”
“We can,” replies Puffer casually.

Seriously?

“As expected of a Six Witches member.”
“No, not me, but I’m sure Sensei can.”

Sensei, huh?
Nothing’s impossible with him, honestly.

“Sensei? I don’t know who they are, but if they can prove my greatness, then be my guest. That is if they have the brains to understand my genius ideas!” elatedly says the automaton. “It doesn’t matter how great you are or how much the world acknowledges you; you will never understand me. That’s just how a genius’ life is. We are solitary because no one can understand us!”

He seems arrogant but also peevish.

Well, if that’s what he wants, let’s make things clear.

Is he really the alter ego of the past researcher Mariage, whose memories were copied?
Or is he just fooling himself?

Thus, we teleported back to the farm with the giant head to make Sensei check.

And then he met Sensei, the Lifeless King.

“A-Ahh….”

In front of Sensei and his intimidating miasma, Mariage’s expression stiffened despite being a doll.

“A Lifeless King? A Lifeless Kingggggggggg?!”
“Indeed, though everyone just calls me Sensei.”

Sensei is a man of character and does not lose respect for the automaton head.
On the other hand, the automaton…

“I wasn’t informed about this! Not one bit! Isn’t the Lifeless King the world’s most atrocious beinggg?!”

We don’t care how scared you are; manners are manners.
You’re in front of the person.

“So, Sensei… About this doll…”
“I’m pretty sure he’s telling the truth.”

After a quick explanation, he immediately made a decision.
So, Mariage’s soul is really inside this doll?

“I can feel the psyche from him, and psyche emissions are proof of a soulful being. As he claimed, this person’s soul must have left its body and was transferred into this mechanical doll.”
“Oh! Ohhhh!!!”

The person in question is the most surprised.
Was he not confident in himself despite all that bragging?

“You’re amazing, Sensei. You can tell if someone has a soul or not at a glance.”
“It’s an important matter for us undead. We may be immortal, but there’s a big difference between those who operate autonomously without losing their souls and the living dead who have already lost theirs and have become puppets.”
“I see.”
“I think even advanced adventurers used to fighting the undead can also tell the difference.”

So, it has been confirmed that this automaton is Mariage himself.
Doesn’t mean there’s anything to be done now that we’ve confirmed it, though.

Seriously, what now?

“This doll looks exceptionally well-made if you ask me,” says Sensei, looking at the giant’s head. “Soul transfer… Its processing is within the realm of the transcendent, so I thought it was impossible unless you were a Lifeless King, but to think someone else has achieved such a feat…”
“…”
“Furthermore, this doll has fine workmanship; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a viable vessel for a soul replacement. I can feel the maker’s effort and passion from it.”
“…Thank you.”
“Huh?”

That’s when Sensei and I realized it at the same time.

Tears were flowing out of the giant’s eyes.

“H-Huh?!”

As expected, we were both taken aback.

“This is the first time someone acknowledged me…”
“What?”
“This is the first time someone has acknowledged my work…Thank you, thank you!”
“O-Oh…”

Sensei and I didn’t know how to respond to the tearful doll, so all we could do was say, “I see…!”

Wait, he can even cry?!
Talk about functionality!