A knock on the door sounded, waking me from my nap. Jolting up I could feel my face red from sleeping on the book. I looked over to the person standing at the door.

She was my assistant. She was beautiful, but most elves are, comparing her with others of her race I'd say she was average. She wore the same uniform as I; A sea blue robe with silver trims. The only difference was her robes hugged her body more to accentuate her curves. She had golden silky hair that draped down her back.

"You shouldn't pull all-nighters," My assistant, Namae said.

"My work is important, this new war golem will revolutionize our effort in bringing civilization to the barbarians!" Our great kingdom is surrounded by barbaric nations. Corrupt nobles, oppressive kings, Slavery, wild elves, and feral beastmen, all shall be brought under the wings of the Terral Kingdom and their unjust and cruel ways stamped out.

"I understand that but you need rest, we have time before the war" Namae often worried about my health, she's a sweet girl.

"The sooner we complete this golem the sooner we can civilize the barbarians. Prepare the prisoner!" It's time to test the next prototype.

We walked up the tower to the tenth floor and entered the golem study room and prepared the ritual. Books of golemancy were laid about on desks. Half-finished golem vessels stood about with scaffolding around them. The shortest golem stood at fifteen feet while the tallest was twenty feet tall.

I walked up to a finished war golem. It was a stone golem plated with iron. The iron was easily three inches thick. The iron hid numerous runes and magical inscriptions on the stone of the golem. Runes for protection and enchantments and inscriptions to program the war golem. For eyes the golem had a glass ring around it's featureless, armored head.

The runes focused on one vague word. Like "fire" or "barrier". It needed to be vague so the golem can have a wide range of abilities. For example the golem can shoot a fireball or create a sword of fire.

Inscriptions are phrases used to instruct the golem. These make the golem do specific things. But there's only so much surface area on the golem, that means only so many instructions. Domestic golems can be made small. Cleaning golems, for example, is about the size of a person. Farming golems are about ten feet tall.

This weakness of golems means that you need a balance of runes and inscriptions. For every rune you need to then follow that by every programmed reaction before using the next rune. If you have a break between the inscriptions then the programmed instructions would fail. That's why they must be protected.

A transparent material needs to be used for eyes, any light that touches the glass can be seen by the golem. To maximize the golem's range of vision it has a ring of glass around its head like a circlet.

However, all of that is what's currently used. My research focuses on a different way to command golems. I walk up to my current prototype. It was armored and had a ring of glass like the normal war golem but it didn't have runes or inscriptions except for two. "Seal" and "Obey". The golem had a soul stone hidden deep within its chest.

A chained prisoner escorted by two guards walked in.

"Excellent timing! now if you would please stand there" I say pointing to a magic circle drawn in crystalized mana dust. The circle connected to the magic circle that the golem was standing in by a line. This would transfer the soul.

"After this I'm free? All I have to do is stand there?" the prisoner asked, hopeful.

"There's a bit more but at the end of the day you'll no longer be a prisoner," I say. Technically the truth, he won't be a prisoner. But the 'more' part was a lie, they tend to get suspicious if I say yes. I don't blame them either, stand in a circle then be free? There's a catch, it's too good to be true.

Once the prisoner stepped into the magic circle I activated it by pouring in my mana to the crystalized mana. The crystals began to glow.

"What the?!" was all the prisoner managed to say before his soul was ripped out of his body and shot into the soul stone. The glowing died down and I looked to the golem.

"Take one step forward" I waited patiently but nothing happened. "Raise your arms" still nothing. I may have to wait for a while, perhaps the soul needs to settle in its new vessel but all I can do at this point is to put the golem in storage to wait. Perhaps it takes years, perhaps it's a failure. It will stay in storage until one wakes up to be commanded or until we find a way to make it work.

The problem seems to be the sealing process; It's completely sealing the soul, it would seem so, anyway. By adding inscriptions to weaken or allow the information stored in the soul to be used I hoped it would work, but that's not the case.

"Namae, you know where to put it" I speak without looking at the elf.

"Yes, Master" Namae chanted a teleportation spell to send the golem to the basement.

All we can do is wait for the soul to wake up, meanwhile, we have another golem to prepare for the next experiment.

Just then a young boy, Nama, entered the room gasping for breath. He too was an elf, Namae's younger brother. He, like all male elves are very effeminate, and would be exceedingly difficult to tell apart from female elves should they wear feminine clothes, which, in elven society they do. only the presence of breasts would you be able to tell male and female apart but not all females have a noticeable bust and they are often offended if you refer to them as male.

"M-master! There's b-been a discovery! You have to see it!" Nama said in his feminine voice. I would have never known he was male based on his voice.

We rushed down to the first floor wherein guards were carrying the crushed body of a woman. I almost dismissed the whole thing when I saw the woman wasn't made of flesh and blood. And is that magicite within its chest!? It was a shame the magicite was crushed into a powder but with so much of the powder the maagicite had to be enormous!, easily the twice the size of his head! The woman's head was missing and some metallic fibers could be seen hanging out of the neck.

This strange golem's arms and legs were in perfect condition, only it's head and chest were damaged beyond repair. We delivered the unknown golem to the tenth-floor golem room for further inspection.

"It was found in an alley, by a citizen; they investigated a loud, almost explosion-like sound" the guard explained. "We arrived on site to find some sort of magical storm and a portal of a sort"

"Portal?!" I exclaimed

"Yes, it was already receding and shrank to nothingness a few moments after we arrived."

"What did it look like?" Namae asked.

"It was... weird. It wasn't like a doorway, it was... I dunno... weird" the guard seemed to have a hard time articulating it.

"Weird how?" I interrogated.

"Like many circles within a sphere, beyond those circles there was some rubble, like a collapsed stone building."

"Keep an eye on that area; see if that portal doesn't show up again"

"Already on it, Archmage"

"Master! There are no inscriptions! No runes either."

Impossible! I've been trying to find a way to make an inscription-less golem for almost a decade now and someone beat me to it?! No the inscriptions must be underneath.

"Take the armor off, let's take a look on what's going on inside" I ordered

We tried every way we could to take the armor off but nothing worked. We had to cut some skin off to get to the armor, the skin felt way too real; did they actually use human skin?! No, the skin was too perfect. We even resorted to trying to cut into the damned thing but our blades broke instead. Next, we tried a magical tool designed in carving through steel like butter, one of our golem sculpting tools. But that didn't so much as make a scratch.

It dawned on me that this 'armor' of this golem was nigh indestructible, or at least had counter destruction runes. This brings up another problem, it's small body could only support so many inscriptions, and the more and more we tried to damage the thing the more I realized no runes or inscriptions were used. What kind of force did it take to crush such a thing?!

"We can't even get most of the magicite in it!" Nama said in frustration.

At least the king would be happy with this, he'd been criticizing my lack of results for a few years now, I can point to this and show him that it can be done. But that introduces another problem; someone beat us to it, are they friend or foe?

The door opened again and miraculously the guards brought in another golem. This one was in better condition, in a way. It was missing an arm, with metallic fibers hanging from the stump. We could clearly see a metallic bone in the middle of the stump. The other arm had minor damage. One of the legs was crushed while the other was undamaged. Its head was intact and resembled a beautiful woman that surpassed Namae's elven beauty.

This golem could easily pass as human, a perfect spy. Beautiful enough to seduce any man, near-indestructible, and who knows what else. There was a tear in the side of this golem, we could clearly see two massive magicites within the chest of the golem. Both could be the size of a head. They fit one on top of the other. Wires connected to the magicite, probably to draw mana from it, though, why it needs the wires I've yet to figure out.

While inspecting the insides of this new golem I saw the 'wound' was slowly covering up, almost as if it was healing?! The metal didn't look the same as the armor and a hunch told me to try to break off a piece. With a tool I did so, it was fairly easy with the enchanted chisel, this healed armor must only be as strong as steel.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

We studied these golems for the rest of the day. Took samples of what we could. Hair, the 'living' metal, the powdered magicite, the 'skin'. These golems, if they could even be called that anymore, modeled humans so well. They had tongues, eyes, and even genitalia. The king must be warned, who knows how many of these spies could be hiding among us?

After submitting my report at the end of the day I went to sleep. I'll need to be of full mind before examining these golems further.

The next day the king himself came to see the golems we found. He was quite alarmed by them and soon ordered a full investigation. These golems don't bleed so he ordered everyone in the city, and everyone entering the city to be tested.

We talked a lot about these golems. Their purpose, how they were made. That material they used for armor. Everything to try and get any kind of insight on them. After lunch we had just sat back down around the golem when it opened its eyes on its own and looked around.

"It's awake!" Nama exclaimed.

The golem looked at it's destroyed arm and leg, then at us. It spoke a strange language.

"Can you understand me?" I asked. The fact that it spoke at all was surprising but for something made to spy it makes sense.

The golem said something, but after seeing my blank look it crawled over to the other golem. I stopped my assistants from stopping it. I want to see what it'll do. This golem looked over the other one then proceeded to open a hidden compartment in the upper part of the chest that wasn't crushed.

"It had some way to open it?!" Namae said. Yes, this was very educational indeed, it was a good choice to let the golem do what it was programmed to do. The golem pulled out some black box from the chest of the destroyed golem and put it inside its own compartment. Soul stones are rare things, so of course, it'll retrieve the other golem's soul stone. It did all the work for us.

What happened next surprised us. The golem took off her wrecked arms and legs and replaced it with the destroyed golem! Its parts were interchangeable! This, this was groundbreaking! So much effort and resources could be saved by swapping out destroyed parts with working ones! the people who made these golems were true geniuses.

"It can swap out its parts... master this... this is revolutionary..." Namae said, she can see the uses of it too, she never disappoints.

The now mostly repaired golem stood on its own two legs. It only had one weakness, the tear in its side. Although healed the 'living' metal was only as strong as steel. The skin had regrown to cover the tear, when did it do that?!

The golem moved to exit the room.

"Stop it!" I commanded.

"Chains of mana, grasp, and restrain! [Bind!]" Nama chanted. With a glowing magical circle appearing under the golem, ethereal chains flew out from it and held the arms of legs of the golem.

The golem's green eyes turned red then a sort of transparent membrane enveloped the golem. The golem spread opened its hand and a sort of hole opened in the palm. The golem aimed at the chains then reeled in what looked like pain?

"It can feel pain?" Namae saw it too. Nama was too busy concentrating on the binding spell to notice.

The golem opened its other palm and did the impossible, crystallized mana poured out of the palms like a flurry of tiny snowflakes with a hiss. It was going to do something very dangerous, I can just feel it.

"Stop it! Destroy it if you have to!" I ordered. We shot fireballs and wind blades at it but the membrane blocked all attacks.

"Guards!" I called. It can block magic and its armor is impervious to attack. This thing could wreak havoc in the city, how can we destroy it?! It must be in case it's mission was found out, to destroy instead of spy.

The golem stood there for several minutes as we tried to find a way to stop it. Then the golem opened it's palm again and shot a bright beam of light at the chains. There's no way it could destroy a chain of magic, why'd it even try? But as the laser shot through the chains the chain erupted into a flash of light that enveloped us.

Pain assaulted my body as the ear rupturing boom shook my body. The world went silent as I was flung into the wall. I struggled to get back up and saw Namae unconscious. The golem was freed. It looked at me then at the destroyed golem and pointed its palm to it.

I see, deny the enemy the ability to backward engineer its technology. Its makers were very thorough. The beam shot at the golem and the world turned white.

__________________________

Usagi POV

I hopped lazily around the forest. I was bored. There's no challenge left for me in this world; a piece of me felt missing like the world has no meaning.

"Graa!" A dire wolf growled, trying to intimidate me. The poor fool. I sent a lightning bolt at the wolf who instantly died. Ah well, food is food. I eat my meal and continue aimlessly wandering the forest.

In my long life I've met many monster lords and challenged all of them to death and won them all. They called me weak. They called me low rank. I showed them what a true Lord is, now they all avoid me.

Still the words from the dragon lord haunt me, what did he mean back then?

I hovered above a molten crater, a raging storm, and a downpour so thick it limited visibility showered down upon us. The Dragon Lord lay half-submerged in the lava, his core exposed.

"Can you even be called a monster anymore? Your power is like that of a disaster. Destruction follows in your wake little one, you will only bring calamity to the world"

I had paid no heed to his words back then, that was the last challenge I had. Now I was bored, Still, there are beings out there that can provide a challenge, the rumored Demon Lord. But I had investigated the place it was last seen only to find out it had already been slain. I had searched for the ones who had slain it only to find out it had been some weak humans.

At first, I dismissed them but I remembered my origins and now three years later I am looking for the ones who had slain the Demon Lord. Maybe I should destroy one or two of their communal dens to get the attention of the Human Lords.

Well, I had the time and the hunt is better, making them come to me is boring.

I had caught onto an unfamiliar scent, it was human but not. With the wind drifting the scent to me I follow the trail uncaring of trying to stay hidden. This scent is strange, so familiar yet alien.

I followed the scent, the not human was walking east, toward a human den. My [Foe Sense] told me she was weak, and I felt a calmness wash over me as I neared her.

Jumping out of a bush I finally found the human not human creature. She has what looked like iron armor on one arm and leg. She was just like many other weak humans, those that often run away and live in those massive dens they call cities.

The girl stood there, frozen in fear of my awesome power, I intimidate her with a growl and lazily jump at her, but for some reason, my jump had far less power than it should; maybe I was being too lazy?

The girl caught me but I bit her iron arm, I was always prideful of my ability to chew through anything that wasn't reinforced with powerful magics. The girl wrapped her arms around me and brought me to her massive lumps of fat her female kind usually had. For some reason when she hugged me between her chest I felt satisfied as a man, odd.

Wait, I've been trying to chew off a chunk of her arm and I've not even put a scratch on it, wait, that's not supposed to happen! T-this is my pride, I'm supposed to chew this thing into pieces! This arm doesn't even have enchantments! I can't be beaten by this thing, I won't allow it! But- Ah! This heavenly soft feeling wrapped around me... NO! Don't let yourself be seduced, you are a fearsome beast!

"OH, stop it, you!" The girl giggled, it wasn't in a mocking way but it still hurt my pride that this girl wasn't taking me seriously. Could this be a challenge? This girl was weak but her arm... just how hard is that thing?!

A calm feeling seeped into me, I don't really want to fight against the soft squishy pillows. Gah! My pride as a powerful monster is shattering! This foe is terrifying, I must prove myself superior by chewing through this arm!

Putting all my strength into my bite I bit down so hard my teeth began to hurt under the strain.

"Hmm, you need a name, hey! You're going to damage my arm. If I recall correctly in the dive game I had to use some red and white balls to domesticate animals, but I don't have any..."

Domesticate? Domesticate?! I am not an ordinary animal! I am the Lightning Lord! Too furious to hear what she said next I start casting my lightning spells into the arm... only for it to do nothing.

I felt something touch my head and scratch behind my hard to reach ears. AH! So good... STOP!!!!!

I redouble my efforts to save what's left of my pride

The girl continued stroking my head continuing her psychological attacks as our battle raged for many hours. A dire bear tried to interfere with our epic conflict but some other humans killed it for us.

I was actually starting to be worn out by trying to bite through that arm. I could easily kill the girl but there'd be no point.

The girl started to scratch behind my ears. So.. so good, don't sto- GAH! I can't let myself be seduced by this girl!

We were then teleported

A part of me just wants to give up and go to sleep, but a more stubborn part of me wants to break this arm no matter what. As the girl talked with the adventurers the calmness that the girl seems to exude and the invitingly warm and softness of her bosom threatens to overwhelm me, taking advantage of my exhaustion. At one point the girl got upset and attempted to leave.

The adventurers convinced her to sit back down and one of the adventurers left, returning with a plate of food. The plate only had two types of food on it. One was some dried meat that the manlings often pack in their bags and the other was one of the most disgusting things nature had ever grown. Carrots.

The girl picked up one of the carrots and instead of eating it herself she brought the tip in front of me.

"Ahhnnn~"

She can't be serious, can she? I looked up, her expression was one of pure innocence and kindness. Guh! I've never felt such overwhelming warmth and heartwarming feelings in my chest before. Why?! How? How can she be so kind to me yet so cruel as to give me a carrot!

"Aaaahhhnnnn~"

No! I do not want to eat a carrot! How can you be so blissfully kind! My mind flashed back to my early days. Days of constantly being hunted. Even when I got the power to fight back I was called low tier and told I should just give up and run like the rest of my kin. I remember the wolf that had killed and eaten my family shortly after I was born.

I've never had someone to care for me. I was ridiculed and hated my entire life and eventually feared. Perhaps... Perhaps what I wanted all along was someone who loved me and accepted me.

"Aaahhnnn~"

Oh god, not the carrot! I turned my head away trying to tell the kind girl that I don't like vegetables.

"Common, I won't let my first pet starve, Aaaahhnn~," the girl said.

Lilly meadow is professing her love to you and wants to keep you around, feed you, cuddle you and shower you with affection in exchange for your companionship do you accept?

P.S. Just accept it, you lonely old man!

FINE! I'll eat the damn carrot! I took a bite of the vegetable! Happy now?!

"You gotta eat it all~"

Why?!

I ate all the carrots, at least she gave me the meat too to cleanse my palate.

Congratulations! You've been tamed by Lilly Meadow! You gain:

Master's call: You will always know when you are being called by your master and will always know where to find her if she does.

For Master's Sake: When fighting for your master all your abilities will be strengthened by one step.

Servant's Loyalty: So long as you fight for your master or are in her presence you will be immune to any and all fear, intimidation, and charm effects

My exhaustion and the calming aura of Lilly got the better of me and I fell asleep in the embrace of this strange girl; and for the first time in a long time, I dreamt a good dream wherein I was living a comfortable life with this girl, Lilly Meadow.