Six Years Ago, Kingdom of Metallica, Platiu’s Home
“Why is this child like this?!”
I felt a sharp sting as my cheek was slapped. It hurt, and I didn’t understand why my mother was hitting me. She had told me to apologize if I did something wrong, and I had said I was sorry.
“If you can’t find a job, why not just become an Adventurer?!”
“Don’t be ridiculous! How can a human who has never even held a proper weapon manage that?!”
“There are plenty of simple jobs out there! How long are you going to keep wandering around like this?! You have a daughter to think about…”
“…Hmph, why did I even have a brat like you?”
My father and mother were fighting, and my father was hitting my mother. He grabbed her hair and threw her down. He stomped on her. When my father drank too much and fell asleep, my mother turned her anger on me. “Why are you even here?” she would say. I hadn’t done anything wrong. It was like this every day, all the time.
“Why won’t you listen to me?! Say something! Say something, I said! Hey?!”
My mother was angry, so I must have done something bad. That’s why I said I was sorry, but I still got hit. I was asked “Why, why?” over and over again. No matter what I said, my mother would just hit me again. So I would say I was sorry, but I still got hit.
“I wish I had never given birth to a failure like you!”
Kingdom of Metallica, Metal Tower, Corin’s Office
“Is this the new arrival?”
“Yes. Come on, Platiu. Say hello.”
A scary landlady glared at me. I didn’t know what to do. I looked at Genia-oniichan, but he was just smiling.
“I know you brought her from the facility, but… can this child even be of any use?”
“Due to severe abuse from her parents, she’s extremely shy. But that’s exactly why—”
“Well, fine. Come here.”
The scary landlady reached out her hand. I didn’t want to leave Genia-oniichan.
“It hurts, it hurts!”
“Genia, I’ll take her.”
“Please don’t be too rough…”
“It hurts! No, no, no!”
The scary landlady gripped my hand tightly. It hurt so much that I couldn’t stop crying. Genia-oniichan said I would see him soon, but I didn’t want to go. I didn’t like the scary landlady.
Kingdom of Metallica, Research Facility No. 5
“This is the new arrival, No. 533. Treat her like the others.”
“Understood. She will be kept in a sterile room, and contact with other humans will be prohibited to prevent verbal communication. All toys will be designed for sensory recognition. Leave the schedule management to us.”
“Yes, please do.”
I was locked in a white room. There was nothing. Genia-oniichan wasn’t there, and no one else was either. It was silent. I cried out of fear, but no one came to help me. Eventually, I cried myself to sleep.
“For the initial period, we will only provide minimal meals. As time goes on, she will likely forget how to speak, and that will be the beginning.”
“Sharpening her senses… that is essential for operating the Machine Maiden.”
I would sleep, wake up, and find no one there. The walls of the white room opened with a loud screech, and something came out. It was soup and bread. It didn’t taste very good. Sleep, wake up. Sleep, wake up.
“It’s about time for No. 533. We need to help her regain her lost strength. Bring her out, but of course, no talking or interaction in front of No. 533 is allowed. If she tries to escape, use violence to silence her. Don’t forget to wear the suits.”
“Yes, we’ll take care of it.”
Scary aliens came in. Two of them were fluffy and had thick, fuzzy hands that gripped my arms. I cried out of fear. But the aliens wouldn’t let go, and soon I was hit on the head. My cheek was slapped. It hurt so much that I cried again. I didn’t want this. I was scared. Help me.
I was kicked in the back and thrown back into the white room. They wouldn’t let me out, no matter how much I banged on the door. I wanted to call for help, but no sound would come out.
“Hologram projection starting.”
A monster appeared behind me. It was walking toward me, opening its huge mouth. It was moving slowly, but it was definitely coming closer.
“Do you think she can escape with her reduced stamina?”
“What’s important is to make her exercise and help her instinctively sense her situation. If she can’t do anything here, it will mean that No. 533 is not what Director Corin expected.”
I would wake up, run, and fall down. I cried many times. Before I knew it, the monster was gone, and I was taken back to my room and locked in again. I would eat, and every day was the same. Then something was put over my eyes, and I couldn’t see anything. I would eat something, smell it.
“Director Corin, how long will the eye mask be worn?”
“I will decide when the time is right. From now on, she will have to rely on all her senses except sight. Taste, smell, shape. We will sharpen all of them.”
I was also given injections. I was tied up and made to sleep for a long time. The aliens came. I had to stay still because I would be hit. The aliens came and took me to a room. This room smelled strange. The food was sweet. It smelled nice. A strange smell, a nice smell. There were so many things, so if I could just smell them, maybe it would be okay.
Nation of Noibranz, Above the Border
“Call for reinforcements!”
“It’s too late now!”
Target locked. Life signs confirmed: 23. Recognized as Noibranz soldiers and Servants. Commencing extermination.
【Crimson unleashed Flare Ray!
Dealt an average of 2041 damage to Noibranz First-Class Air Soldiers and Wyverns!
Defeated Noibranz First-Class Air Soldiers! HP 0/210
Defeated Wyverns! HP 0/1330】
Life signs at zero, beginning to track the next target.
Nation of Noibranz, Border
“So, you’re saying you have some connection to that unidentified red demon?”
“Y-yeah… right, Kurinka?”
“Yeah…”
We should have just flown quietly into the territory. If we flew in, it would be illegal entry, and even though Noibranz is completely corrupt, it wouldn’t be good to complicate things further because of us. Kurinka said so. We had flown to the Nation of Kashiram and the Nation of Negesta before without issue. I messed up. I really messed up.
Now I was stuck in this small room, being glared at by the stern Noibranz border guard. Three or four of them surrounded us, and it seemed they had no intention of letting us go.
“Um, can you understand our situation?”
“That red demon is a new type of weapon from the Kingdom of Metallica, and you chased after it. I was aware that Metallica and Avangarde had a friendly relationship… but that doesn’t guarantee that Avangarde wasn’t involved in the development of that new weapon.”
“We weren’t involved! That’s Platiu, being forced to operate the machine!”
“Oh? You seem to know quite a bit.”
“That’s why Lua-chan should stay quiet…”
The soldier grinned. I had said something unnecessary again. The more I talked, the more complicated things became. I usually left these situations to Kurinka, but I couldn’t stay silent.
“I wanted to build a good relationship with you, but now it’s unfortunate. Of course, this isn’t a decision I can make alone. So, for now, we’ll have to restrain you.”
“Eh?! No way!”
“If you resist, you know what will happen, right?”
“…I understand. I’ll comply.”
I almost blurted out something else, but if Kurinka decided that, then it couldn’t be helped. She must have a plan; I could think calmly sometimes too. Defeating these people would be easy, of course. But what would happen afterward? If we forcibly broke through the border, we would be treated as villains. It would also cause trouble for the Kingdom of Avangarde.
“If Platiu is causing a ruckus, we’ll find her location quickly, but if not, it might be difficult. She might even be captured… whispering”
“Even with that strong Crimson on her?”
“Don’t underestimate the Nation of Noibranz… No matter what, Platiu alone wouldn’t be able to handle them easily… whispering”
“That’s true…”
“What are you two whispering about?! Put your arms behind your back!”
The soldiers attached something to our arms. They put metal handcuffs behind our backs and kicked our legs. They wanted us to walk.
“Walk! Don’t dawdle!”
“What’s with the sudden attitude…?”
“Are you talking back?!”
I was grabbed by the back of my head and pushed down. At this point, I wanted to knock them out, but I held back. No matter what happened, once we got inside the country, it would be our territory. After that, I could find Platiu and bring her back. Yes, yes, I was getting smarter. I was calm now.
“I rushed after Platiu, but I couldn’t catch up at all.”
“I’m sorry, my speed just isn’t enough…”
“I’m not blaming you, Kurinka! It’s Metallica’s fault! They did this, and they’re not doing anything to help us! Right, Uncle?! Metallica is trying to use Crimson to destroy the Nation of Noibranz?!”
As I regained my composure, I felt like I had just said something unnecessary. The soldiers surrounding me glared in unison, but then their expressions softened, and they broke into grins.
“Pfft… Hahaha! You have nothing to worry about! Don’t underestimate the elite of our nation! Lua, was it? I’ve heard rumors about you, but… don’t get too cocky now.”
“Why not?”
“You may have some skill for your age, but we have plenty of people like you in our country. You might have been pampered in the Nation of Avangarde, but here, it won’t be the same.”
“R-really? That’s amazing…”
“Captain Gerguf, you’re being a bit too intimidating, you know.”
“Ah, my bad, my bad. Just keep that in mind. Now, Private Gogg, take them to the Royal Capital.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll take care of it! Private Gogg and ten others, we’re off!”
In an instant, the atmosphere lightened. So, there are many strong people like me. The squad leader Gaster from the Nation of Negesta didn’t seem like that at all. I felt a mix of excitement and thrill.
“Lua-chan, why do you look so happy?”
“I-I’m not happy! I was just thinking it was scary.”
“I think it’s scary too. Strong people like Lua-chan… hee hee.”
“It is scary, Kurinka. Ahaha!”
“Hehehe.”
“W-what are you laughing at?!”
I suddenly felt a blow to the back of my head. There was no need to punch me like that; if I weren’t me, it could have been dangerous. These people must have high levels too, and if I died from that, I’d surely get scolded by that Captain Gerguf.
“If you don’t want to experience pain like this, you better behave…”
“P-Private Gogg… isn’t your wrist a bit off?”
“What’s wrong with it…? Hm?”
“I-it’s broken, isn’t it…?”
“Hyiiiii! Ahhhh! W-why?! It hurts! It hurts!”
The one who hit me, Private Gogg, was now in a panic. His hand was dangling limply; it was definitely broken.
“Lua-chan, don’t destroy anything!”
“I didn’t do anything!?”
“You… how dare you!”
“I told you, I didn’t do anything!”
Though he was huffing and puffing, he didn’t try to hit me again. Instead, he just yelled at us to walk faster, urging us to hurry along.
Amidst all this, a large dinosaur-like monster appeared before us. Its four-legged body had a hollow center, resembling a cage. It seemed we were about to be trapped inside. So this is what being taken to the Royal Capital meant.
“Don’t even think about trying to escape. The skin of this Jailsaurus is impenetrable; don’t underestimate it just because it’s a transport Servant.”
“Wow, it’s that strong…?”
I wanted to use my Detect Ring, but my hands were restrained, making it impossible. Its flat eyes and sullen expression reminded me a bit of Gantetsu.
“You will be transported to the Royal Capital. I can’t say what kind of judgment awaits you there.”
Gogg smiled maliciously, but it was hard to take him seriously while he rubbed his broken arm. Watching his foolish antics, I realized this was my first step into the Nation of Noibranz.
“Hey, do you think it would be bad to try to escape once we’re inside the country?”
“The timing for that is important, right…?”
“That’s why I said don’t even think about escaping! Got it?!”
Spittle flew from Gogg’s mouth as he straddled the neck of the Jailsaurus. The other soldiers mounted their Servants and began to encircle the Jailsaurus. Platiu, I’ll come to help you soon.
◆ Shin Report ◆
What the hell are you doing?
Why are you dawdling now?
Break through and run wild in the Nation of Noibranz!
Stop being such a coward, you worthless fools!
We’re in a state of emergency here!
Get rid of those weaklings right now!
Dawdling, dawdling, dawdling!
You idiots!
Return the sweet emergency to me!