Chapter 4

“Here, this is the Magical Water you asked for. I added a little extra as a regular customer service, so go ahead and check it out.”

“Wow! Thank you, sir. I’m always grateful.”

After carefully shopping along the route I had in mind, the last place I stopped by was a general store that sold all sorts of items.

You might wonder why I ended up here when I was supposed to be out buying groceries, but there was a valid reason for it.

Namely, the essential groceries that both Mark and I needed were being sold here.

The pinnacle of Magical Engineering, the Automaton.

Though their appearances vary depending on the type, all these Mechanical Lifeforms possess an Ironheart—a device akin to a heart in living beings—that powers them.

And the essential fuel needed to keep this mechanism running is none other than Magical Water, a mysterious substance created by refining magical stones into a liquid form.

If they don’t consume Magical Water on time, their functions halt, and in severe cases, they can lose consciousness. Thus, replenishing a set amount of Magical Water at regular intervals is as vital as life itself for all Automatons.

The thought of leaving my beloved Lady Yuria behind and never waking up again was terrifying. So, I carefully placed the box deep in my basket, treating it like a treasure, and began organizing the other groceries I had bought earlier.

It was then that the shopkeeper, a Lycanthrope with striking brown fur, who had been watching me with a kind expression, spoke up.

“By the way, it’s always fascinating to see a cute Maid Automaton like you shopping and wandering around alone like this… I know from last time that it’s unavoidable, but it still worries me. There’s been a lot of trouble with shady groups around the commercial district lately.”

“…Huh? Has something happened recently?”

“Just the other day, some of my Magical Water stock was stolen. I reported it to the Peacekeepers, but it seems like they don’t listen to us non-Demon merchants. Well, it’s still better than dealing with those damn humans who don’t even see us as sentient beings, but I’ll never get used to the arrogant nature of the Demon folk.”

Honestly, it’s so unfair it’s unbearable.

As the burly Beastman sighed deeply and vented his frustrations, I subtly shifted my gaze elsewhere, trying to hide the awkwardness on my face.

It was my little strategy to mask the discomfort.

I felt bad for him, who always showed me kindness, but… I had been telling a big lie not only to him but also to the shopkeepers I frequented.

As he had mentioned earlier, it was quite unusual for a Mechanical Doll to wander the shopping district alone and purchase items.

After all, within the Demon Emperor’s Nation, Automatons were considered personal property. To put it simply, they were like the bags that office workers carried around.

Therefore, when shopping, it was most common for the owner to visit the store, accompanied by their Automaton, which would then carry the items.

Unless it was a large purchase, bringing an Automaton to the commercial district was already a rare sight.

So, a small, cute Maid Automaton visiting stores alone on a regular basis?

While passersby didn’t pay much attention since it wasn’t a common occurrence, the shopkeepers who saw me frequently couldn’t help but find it strange.

However, I couldn’t outright reveal that I was a maid from the Imperial Palace and explain my situation in detail. So, I had no choice but to come up with a plausible lie.

Thus, the setting of “the only Maid Automaton caring for a war veteran Master who is bedridden due to severe injuries” was born.

The story of a Master who had fought in the war for the Demon race and was left immobile due to grave injuries, forcing his lone Automaton to venture out for supplies, was both sympathetic and believable. As expected, it worked better than anticipated.

…Of course, while Mark came up with the idea, it was my cute appearance that brought it to life, so I deserve some credit too.

Though I wasn’t thrilled about portraying the perfect and beautiful Lady Yuria as someone bedridden, it was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of everyone in the Blue Palace, including myself.

After finishing all my errands and humming a tune while deciding what to make for dinner, I suddenly noticed an unusually large crowd gathered in one area.

It was unlike the usual scene, with people lined up in a thick, ribbon-like formation, resembling a festival procession.

Could there be a new festival I didn’t know about? Or perhaps a high-ranking official from another region or a foreign envoy had entered Tracion (Eternal Night’s Sanctuary)?

Though the red sun was already setting in the black sky, my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take a quick look, squeezing through the crowd with my small frame.

Holding the basket tightly with both hands to avoid losing my purchases, I apologized to those around me as I made my way forward.

Finally breaking through the thick crowd, I was met with a sight far removed from the joyful parade or grand entrance of dignitaries I had imagined.

Gurgle…

“…What is this?”

A long procession of specially crafted wooden transport devices.

And displayed prominently for all to see, a cross with something hanging from it, head bowed low.

Along with the pungent, metallic smell that hit my nose, it wasn’t hard to figure out what this procession was.

Moreover, though the body was so bloodied from what seemed like severe torture that it was hard to look at… the faint skin tone visible beneath was unmistakably not blue.

A being without horns or wings, with skin color similar to mine and Lady Yuria’s—a Mechanical Doll.

A lifeform that, though now fallen, once dominated the continent alongside Tracion, and throughout history, has been in eternal conflict with the Demon race.

…A human.

Given this historical context, the treatment of humans within the Demon Emperor’s Nation, especially in the capital Tracion, was akin to that of livestock.

Unlike other non-Demon races who were at least treated as sentient beings, humans within the Empire were relegated to the status of slaves or livestock, living a life no better than hell.

Moreover, the thick miasma that permeated the land was a deadly toxin to humans.

Unlike Automatons, designed from the start to resist it, or other races that could adapt over time, humans had no such ability.

As a result, the weak died quickly, and even those with strong mental fortitude lived only half their normal lifespans.

Of course, there was the option of fleeing to the Northern Region Beyond the Demon Emperor’s Influence, but that was hardly a viable alternative.

The barren snowfields and icy lands of the northern continent were a Land of Death even the hardy Demon folk avoided.

Though I’d heard some humans, desperate enough to face death, embarked on such journeys, no one had ever heard from them again.

In other words, the remaining options were little more than suicide, so most humans lived in the filthy, damp underground areas of Demon cities, struggling to survive day by day.

Thus, after the initial shock of the brutal scene, my mind was filled with pure curiosity.

To the Demon folk, the rulers of this land, humans were nothing more than rats hiding in the sewers.

So why would they parade a hunted rat around Tracion in such a grand manner? It didn’t add up.

Usually, such displays were reserved for major criminals, so I wondered if some significant incident had occurred recently.

As I tilted my head in confusion, the answer came naturally soon enough.

“…What on earth is this? Why are they displaying such a disgusting human corpse all of a sudden?”

“Didn’t you hear the news? Apparently, those filthy pests held a secret memorial service for the worst monster, Kaiser.”

“What!? Is that true? That damn Kai—”

“Shh, shh! Quiet! Calm down. If you carelessly shout that cursed name and get caught by the hidden Peacekeepers, you’ll only bring unnecessary trouble.”

Listening to the detailed explanation from the onlookers, the male Demon’s expression twisted in anger, and those around him quickly tried to calm him down.

Thanks to that, I accidentally learned the secret behind this cruel procession, but by then, my attention had already shifted completely.

The reason was simple.

The worst monster, Kaiser.

That name, which I hadn’t heard in so long, was echoing in my mind for some reason.