To celebrate obtaining 'Ame-no-Tejikara', Alice thoughtfully came over to Shouko's place to awaken the Volumen Hydrargyrum.
Mainly, it was to guide Shouko in crafting her mystic code, as she hadn't quite gotten the hang of it yet.
It absolutely wasn't because she wanted to see Shouko's reaction upon seeing 'Ame-no-Tejikara'.
Shouko, leaning against the desk and watching the Magic Circuit floating up and down in the mercury, narrowed her eyes slightly.
"...Alice, that Magic Circuit... why does it look somewhat familiar to me?"
Alice, who was engraving the Magic Circuit, didn't even turn her head. "Perhaps you've seen it somewhere before. The Karyuusai really is well-traveled and knowledgeable."
Has Alice been a bit happier lately?
Shouko lightly tapped her pipe, observing the Magic Circuit even more carefully.
The familiar patterns on the circuit were stirring her memory.
The next moment, her eyes widened in astonishment. "Isn't this the Magic Circuit from Oborofuji?!"
Hearing this, Irori curiously leaned her head in too.
Although she was also a doll of the Karyuusai, she had never seen Oborofuji either.
"Is that so? How marvelous," Alice said, finishing the final step and standing up, brushing off her hands. "Some kind soul left this by the roadside. Perhaps a gift from some deity."
That's right. Oborofuji had been sleeping peacefully on the ground back then, with no one else around claiming it.
The corner of Shouko's mouth twitched slightly. She turned her face away, a little helplessly, and put her pipe to her lips.
She'd take that story at face value.
Irori had only gotten a brief look before the Magic Circuit sank into the mercury with a gloop.
"Ah..." Her eyes widened slightly, and she pointed at the mercury, about to speak, but Shouko pulled her backward.
At the same time, Alice's voice rang out, tinged with excitement.
"Awaken."
She stared intently at the quivering mercury.
It was finally complete. Her very own Volumen Hydrargyrum.
The mercury, which had been lying placidly on the desk moments before, began to bubble and boil, rolling right off the tabletop.
It writhed and morphed on the floor, first sprouting limbs, then forming facial features.
A silvery-white girl gradually took shape.
The Volumen Hydrargyrum wobbled unsteadily to its feet, its liquid mercury form solidifying into the shape of a maid's uniform.
Her eyelids fluttered faintly, the trembling lashes like the beating of a butterfly's wings.
A few seconds later, a pair of stunning amethyst eyes appeared within Shouko's room.
As the Volumen Hydrargyrum opened her eyes, her mercurial skin instantly transformed, taking on the hue and texture of human flesh.
The Volumen Hydrargyrum stood still for a few moments, seemingly disoriented, then faced Alice and gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt.
"Master, Volumen Hydrargyrum, reporting for duty."
Alice nodded in satisfaction.
Shouko was also rather excited. She twirled her pipe, carefully examining the Volumen Hydrargyrum from head to toe.
Even if she didn't fully understand it, this was the world's first fully mercury-based automaton.
Just then, the door suddenly opened. A little lolita with maple-red twin tails walked into the room.
It was Komurasaki, returning from her mission.
She cast a somewhat fearful glance at Alice, then clip-clopped over to Shouko's side and began reporting something in a hushed voice.
A few seconds later, Shouko looked over at Alice, her face a mask of astonishment.
"...You certainly made quite a scene."
"The entire island looked like it had been turned upside down. Not a single plant survived."
The smoke drifting from Shouko's lips slightly obscured her features.
"I have some contacts in the military, too."
"He said they received a distress signal, but they simply couldn't find the island. And Oborofuji vanished last night."
Shouko gave a wry smile and set down her pipe. Oborofuji was no ordinary automaton.
Yet Alice had obtained 'Ame-no-Tejikara' so effortlessly.
She really was... a monster.
Shouko let out a resigned sigh. In any case, 'Ame-no-Tejikara' was better off here than with the military.
She glanced at the materials Alice had asked her to find. "That white doll seems to be called Kirakishou. It's almost ready too, isn't it?"
"You've learned all my techniques here."
Yet, she still didn't understand how the Volumen Hydrargyrum was made.
"Kirakishou is ready as well," Alice said, picking up the materials she'd asked Shouko to find from the table. Some materials were just easier to source through the Karyuusai's channels.
She then walked towards the mirror. "Coming?"
"Of course!"
Shouko immediately stood up, with Irori hurriedly following her.
Souseiseki, bringing up the rear, silently lifted the table in front of her. Alice would surely need it.
The Volumen Hydrargyrum tilted her head, then stepped forward and lifted the other end of the table.
"Thank you."
"...You're welcome?"
--+--
"Master~"
The moment they entered the mirror, Kirakishou pounced.
She knew it. Today was the day she would be born.
Alice patted her little head and placed the components in her hand onto the table.
She picked up the materials, slowly infusing them with magical energy.
The transparent materials warped and shifted under the flow of power. An eyeball with an amber-colored pupil gradually took form in Alice's hand.
Alice slowly pressed the eyeball into Kirakishou's head.
Click.
A faint light emanated from the now-complete body.
Kirakishou reached out, touching her own body, then eagerly stepped inside.
The ethereal phantom and the inorganic form gradually overlapped and merged.
"Ah..."
Unlike the pained sounds of before, this time Kirakishou let out a soft, comfortable moan.
Once fully within the body, Kirakishou immediately opened her eyes.
She lay still on the tabletop, stunned, her amber pupils staring blankly at the sky.
As if she hadn't quite processed it yet, Kirakishou made no other movement.
She just lay there, dazed.
A few seconds later, she suddenly, excitedly, brought her hands before her eyes, clenching and unclenching them firmly.
Simultaneously, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.
Her small, pale hands stroked her very own body, as glistening teardrops rolled down her cheeks in large drops.
"This is... my body."
"A unique body... belonging only to me."
Kirakishou floated gently up to Alice, white thorns clustering around her.
As if sensing the joy in her master's heart, pure white roses bloomed one after another at the tips of the thorns.
The seventh of the Rozen Maiden—Kirakishou—here revealed a radiance entirely her own, unlike any of her other sisters.
Enraptured, she gazed at the person who had created her, and gently took Alice's right hand.
She studied the slender fingers before her, as if beholding the most precious treasure of her life.
Then she opened her small mouth and took Alice's finger into it.
The sudden, warm sensation surprised Alice, and she instinctively tried to pull her finger back.
But seeing the utterly serious look on Kirakishou's face, she stopped the motion.
A soft, small tongue carefully traced and felt every detail of Alice's finger.
"These are the hands that made me," Kirakishou said, reluctantly releasing the finger, her amber eyes lifting to meet Alice's gaze.
"This is the master who created me..." She floated towards Alice's face.
Her soft lips pressed against Alice's cheek, a brief touch, then parted.
Having successfully kissed her master, a shy Kirakishou burrowed into Alice's embrace.
Wriggling, squirming, twisting.
The previously warm and tender atmosphere vanished in an instant. Alice patted Kirakishou's back resignedly.
"Behave."
"Ehehe~"
Kirakishou flashed an obedient smile, then deftly climbed up to sit perched on Alice's shoulder.
Shouko, who had been standing to the side, had quietly watched the entire scene unfold.
So, the Rozen Maiden Alice created didn't require a Rosa Mystica either, just like that mercury automaton.
After a moment of silence, Shouko shrugged.
Oh well. It had nothing to do with her.
"Well then, I suppose our exchange concludes here," she said, turning to leave.
"Alright," Alice responded softly, her small hand reaching up to pinch and knead Kirakishou's cheek.
Indeed, the real texture was completely different from an illusion's.
The soft, pliant feel made Alice narrow her eyes slightly.
Quite nice.
"Um..." Shouko's voice suddenly sounded again.
She had hurried back from the distance, wearing an awkward smile.
"Could you have Souseiseki see us back?"
The N-Field wasn't a place just anyone could enter and exit so easily.
The air around Alice instantly filled with a lively amusement.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.