The Automaton’s Revelation

The Lord’s Manor warehouse was packed to the brim.

This was certainly not merely a supply for a few days; it was enough for one or two months.

Deep within the warehouse, amidst the long-lasting dry goods and miscellaneous foodstuffs, lay something unexpected.

Inside one of the boxes, instead of food, rested a distorted, folded automaton.

It lay with its eyes closed, devoid of breath or heartbeat, appearing no more than an ordinary plaything.

[Combat Log (Yesterday): Eliminated three swordsmen, severely wounded one, levels 22, 21, 31, and 24 respectively.]

[Reached Level 28.]

[Joint Hammer Lv1 -> Lv3, two-stage critical hit multiplier increased to 4.5, armor penetration increased to 30%, duration 20 seconds+.]

[High-Speed Hand Blade Lv1 -> Lv2, base attack power increased.]

[New Unlock: Dragon Roar Lv1]

[Dragon Roar: Releases excess heat generated by the engine core as a high-pressure air current, dealing maximum damage equivalent to current energy intensity, and additionally inflicting a stun effect of at least 0.5 seconds on biological targets. After each use, the throat conduit requires two hours to cool down.]

[Special Note: As the core engine’s intensity now exceeds Level 25, it must be unleashed at least once daily for core heat dissipation.]

[No heat dissipation required in low-power mode.]

Indeed, Iordera had concealed herself within a box of dry goods, arranging to be carried into the Lord’s Manor.

Though her eyes remained shut, her ability to detect energy rendered the biological signatures of most of the manor crystal clear.

Around her, individuals ranging from Level 20 to Level 40 were sparsely distributed.

The manor’s defenses were not particularly stringent, and more importantly, these individuals had limited operational ranges and no fixed patrol routes.

This implied that they merely resided within the manor, never regularly assembling for patrols.

Iordera remained motionless, calmly analyzing all the incoming information.

The sole concern was the Level 52 energy signature, belonging to the Lord’s most formidable subordinate, the Silverlight Swordsman.

He was also the strongest individual within Juneburg itself.

Even a personal bodyguard could not remain perpetually at their post.

Moreover, Lord Martin’s secret plan was nearing its crucial stage, making it inevitable that the Swordsman would be dispatched for a task.

At that opportune moment, Iordera would be able to discreetly approach Lord Martin.

As time trickled by, the night deepened, and the entire Lord’s Manor sank into a peaceful stillness.

Unbeknownst to all, within that silent night, an automaton waited patiently in the deepest recesses of the warehouse.

****

The darkness receded, giving way to the dawn.

Today marked the final day of the deadline, and many were just awakening to begin their new day.

The Silverlight Swordsman, whose chambers lay adjacent to the Lord’s, finally emerged.

While his purpose remained unknown, he had at last departed from her detection range.

The Lord’s chambers occupied the second floor, directly in the center of the manor, bathed in sunlight, clean and luminous.

The surrounding walls were exquisitely adorned with various bas-reliefs and oil paintings, alongside an antique sword that gleamed with a faint, blood-red hue.

Martin sat before his desk, his expression subtly grim.

Before him lay a dossier, detailing information on several troublesome figures within the city.

The preceding entries were inconsequential; only the current document held significance, adorned as it was with a picture of a charming loli face.

[Iordera, registered with the Mercenary Guild as Level 17, but her actual combat strength is estimated to be close to Level 40.]

[Our forces suffered five casualties at her hands: three dead, two severely wounded.]

[She maintains good relations with the alchemists and appears to be a hot-headed idealist with a strong sense of justice.]

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps echoed behind him, and Martin, frowning, turned to find a white-haired loli standing there.

He shot to his feet.

“Remain seated,” Iordera stated with chilling composure. “At this distance, no one will arrive in time to save you.”

Martin slowly sank back into his chair, his voice grave. “Even if you kill me, you won’t escape the Lord’s Manor. Furthermore, your friends will undoubtedly be implicated once they are investigated.”

Iordera let out a cold laugh. “Otherwise, why do you imagine you are still alive?”

“Then we can talk,” Martin’s expression softened slightly. “Tell me, what is it you want from me?”

Iordera found a spot and sat down as well. “Allow me to tell you a story.”

“Roughly half a year ago, Juneburg imprisoned the witch Hecate. Subsequently, numerous malefactors, arsonists, and murderers appeared throughout the city. They seemed to be the witch’s minions, intent on sowing chaos to rescue Hecate.”

“But many remained ignorant that the witch’s minions were entirely fabricated; those individuals were all orchestrated by Lord Martin. He staged this entire charade of chaos, his objective being to seize the opportunity to establish his reputation and accumulate wealth.”

Iordera paused, observing Martin’s utterly placid expression.

She smiled. “Everyone in the know believed as much, including the two great families. They assumed all you desired was money. Indeed, I, too, initially harbored that same belief. For Juneburg as it stands, the two great families are merely a steady source of tribute for the Lord. Who could have ever imagined that what the Lord truly coveted was not their wealth, but their very lives?”

Martin’s expression finally shifted.

“I never understood why, but upon arriving here, upon seeing *it*, I finally comprehended,” Iordera declared, gesturing toward the blood-stained antique sword on the wall. “I suddenly realized that for Juneburg, the Mage Association, the Alchemist Guild, and the two great families all held the same significance.”

“The Mage Association provided formidable military might, upholding the city’s order. The Alchemist Guild maintained the city’s various infrastructures, supporting the lives of its populace. The two great families possessed vast assets and capital flows, revitalizing the city’s economy.”

Within her ruby eyes, dark golden streams of light flowed like mercury.

“You persuaded the Mage Association to withdraw, to temporarily avoid the limelight. You found a pretext to dismiss every member of the Alchemist Guild. And as for the last remaining two great families, you will invite them tomorrow morning to bear witness to your so-called plan, won’t you?”

“The two great families, having decided to dutifully pay you, could never imagine that tomorrow morning they would face an uncontrollable combat automaton. Once they are dead, all culpability will be laid at the feet of the alchemical product’s instability and the alchemists responsible for this project.”

Martin’s hand twitched involuntarily.

“The assets of the two great families will be seized by the Empire, and at that point, the people of Juneburg will plunge into utter despair. Stripped of everything, isolated and helpless, they will fall into a true abyss. And you, at long last, will have the opportunity to emerge as their savior.”

Iordera gritted her teeth, enunciating each word. “You aspire to become a true ‘Sword-Picker’ (TL Note: The character’s name, Martin Sword-Picker, is a title implying one who picks up a fallen sword, often signifying a successor or one who restores glory), one spoken of in legends, even more mythical than the original, rather than merely bearing an empty title. For the sake of your legend, you meticulously plotted, treating human lives as mere tools for your own gain.”

“Did you truly believe all this would remain concealed, known to no one?”

Martin stared blankly at her, his eyes wide with astonishment.

He had never once imagined that this loli could achieve such a feat, uncovering the entirety of his meticulously crafted plan.