Chapter 23

Today the shop is closed and the Old man is taking us to his dwarf friend who is a Machinist.

“The Machinist Class is still relatively new. It’s only been about 150 years since people began to acquire it.”

“Are most of those people in this city?”

“Yep. With 75% of them being dwarves. What can I say; it’s their nature to create things.”

We arrived in front of a building that gave off a ‘workshop’ vibe. The smoke stacks on the roof were puffing out black smoke. The sign over the door read ‘Bradly’s Super Bots’.

“This is the place. Hey Bradly! You in here?”

A short stubby dwarf came over. I guessed he was older too by the gray beard and bald head.

“Well if it ain’t Old man Woody! Good ta see ya bastard!”

“Hey now, don’t bring up the past. I’m too old for that nickname anymore.”

“Haha! Your body might’ve aged, but ya mind is still going strong.”

After that exchange I can’t help but try to imagine the Old man as a young strapping lady-killer.

… Nope, can’t see it.

“Is this one of yer customers? A woman, huh? That’s rare.”

“No, I’m not a customer.”

“Then what are ya here for?”

“I was wondering what kind of things a Machinist makes.”

“Oh! Interested in the craft are ya? Come, come I’ll show ya around.”

The old dwarf happily showed us various things. I actually recognized a few as imitations of things in my previous life, like refrigerators and stoves.

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“Many of these ideas were thought up by the head honcho. That man is a barrel full of crazy and innovation.”

I wonder if he was like me? Someone who was told to reincarnate. However unlike me, he seems to have heavily influenced this world.

“And here are my pride and joy.”

What he displayed to us were humans inside containers. A normal person would freak out, but I already knew that they were androids. It’s why we are here after all.

By the way, I say humans but… they are really only human shaped. They lack skin and look like metal skeletons.

“People order these…?”

“They do! While they might not look like much, they are hardy and versatile. The magic stones used to power em are cheap too. Mostly the rich buy em as entertainment. The others who want em… well, I’m sure ya know.”

“So can they work as servants?”

“No no, nothing that fancy. See the problem is that we gotta give em orders ta follow. They can’t act out anythin different. Right now we are limited in the number of orders to cram in.”

“I think I understand what you are saying.”

It sounds like a programming issue. I know nothing about that though, so I could be wrong. Is this what you were thinking about Advice?

It is, however I was not sure if it would work. After being able to see the constructs I have concluded that these will not work.

Well, I’m okay with that. I don’t think I would want to look like a metal skeleton anyway.

This is unfortunate. A body that can hold your vast stores of magic is required.

“How much does one of these cost?”

“Around 500 gold coins.”

“…”

That’s… two years of working at that porn shop…

‘It’s best that you just give up.’

I can’t really argue with that. Guess we should go.

Before the Saintess was going to leave, something caught her eye in the corner.

“What’s that over there?”

“Hm? Oh… that…”

The dwarf scratched his chin and thought a moment. In the corner was something that looked like a female child with long overgrown white hair lying next to a 2 meter suit of armor that looked like some sort of really cool mech.

“That is somethin the head honcho and I worked on. We used the best materials he could find and gave it stuff that resembles skin, but in the end it was a bust.”

The Saintess came closer and got a better look. I could see that face and body had the skin-like texture, but the arms and legs were metal.

“Why did you fail?”

“Couldn’t power it. See the little girl is actually the core part. It was supposed ta combine with the armor behind it and become a Super Mecha Fighter! Combining is every man and woman’s dream after all.”

That sounds cool!

“But with the lack of power and the order restriction… We had ta give it up.”

“Why a little girl?”

“Wondered that myself. Head honcho said it had ta be this way. ‘Little girls are Justice!’ and so on.”

This body is perfect as a host. It will be able to contain your magic safely.

“How much does this one go for?”

“Not for sale. Besides it would be worthless ta anyone. Only reason we haven’t trashed it, is for the sentimental value it has.”

Now Mariana! Use your feminine wiles to convince him!

“…Where does the magic stone go into this thing?”

“In the chest cavity. Curious on what’s inside?”

“Something like that.”

The Saintess opened up the little girl’s chest. On the inside of the skin was metal plating. A metal arm extended from the inside and opened a compartment that looked like it would hold a magic stone.

‘Here goes nothing.’

The Saintess thrust her hand into her chest and felt around inside while grimacing… Wait, what are you doing?!

“Oi! What are ya doin?!”

I felt her fingers brush against me then grab hold and rip me out, taking some flesh along. She then wiped me off on her dress and dropped me into the container.

“Good luck.”

She said those words to me as the container closed and the arm slowly retracted into the body and the chest closed together plunging me into darkness.