Amid swirling snowflakes, the crimson steel giant wielded its buzzing Chainsaw Blade, locked in fierce combat with the massive ape-like demon beast "Black Mountain Demon"! Its swordsmanship flowed like water—every motion crisp, precise, breathtaking. I stood frozen. Was this the true mastery of a sword expert? My automaton could perfectly mimic Lilia’s movements via motion modules, but it was hollow puppetry. That swordplay held no soul.
"Gurgle?"
The Black Mountain Demon warily backed away. With its limited wits, it likely hadn’t realized the pilot had changed. Lilia stood tall in the exoskeleton prototype I’d built myself, planted firmly on the snow-blanketed square. Knights of House Northenberg maintained a tight encirclement. Each time the beast tried to flee, bloodied spears drove it back. A cold wind swept the ground; stained blades glinted under the pale light. Fighting in the ruins neared its end—only a few snow monsters remained under the demon’s command. This battle, which had once devastated the knights in my past life, now turned sharply toward hope with my intervention.
Yes—this path led straight to victory!
"Grrrroar!"
Letting out a threatening growl, the Black Mountain Demon shook its jet-black fur, exhaling white puffs. Agitation radiated from it. It knew escape was impossible. Only by destroying the Arcane Golem before it could it break free. With nothing left to lose, it lunged! A massive fist slammed down—but Lilia sidestepped slightly left, evading the crushing blow by a hair’s breadth. Steel flashed. Blood and flesh sprayed. The Chainsaw Blade struck the beast’s elbow from below. Spinning teeth shredded muscle and bone, tearing the joint apart. Its severed arm flew skyward. Roaring in agony, the demon received no mercy. Fluidly, Lilia swung the blade horizontally—slicing the ankle, shredding tendons, stripping all mobility.
"Graaah! Gack gack gack!"
Enraged, it swung iron fists wildly—but Lilia had already leaped clear. The exoskeleton’s reverse-jointed legs granted explosive agility, placing her instantly behind the beast’s left flank. By the time it turned, the Chainsaw Blade was buried in its ribs. The spinning blade carved a gaping wound. Behind shattered bones, a steaming crimson lung pulsed; blood gushed forth. A fatal strike—we had won!
But then—unstable energy swirled again at the horn on its forehead. Far stronger than before. Was this brute… planning to self-destruct?!
"Maid… wait…"
I shook off Cro’s hand, reshaped the automaton, and scurried across the ice on all fours. Bizarre? Yes. Spider-like? Absolutely. But it maximized mobility—automaton joints moved far beyond human limits. My target: a metal stake driven into the snow. The automaton seized it, leaped high, shifted midair into human stance. Wind whipped black strands past my ears. Through its eyes, I aimed the sharpened tip at the demon’s skull. One chance. Failure meant death for all.
Lend me your strength, Chris!
Help me—!
Warm mana flooded my drained circuits. The stake’s tip gleamed, wrapped in dense black energy shaped like an armor-piercing round. I can do this. I *will* do this! With resolve hardened, I disabled the limiter—accepting the automaton’s arms would shatter—and drove the stake deep into the skull.
BOOM! Terrifying energy erupted. Lightning burst from the horn—but the butterfly-shaped tip absorbed it all. Currents surged down the stake, frying the brain to charcoal. Yet the automaton wasn’t spared. Dancing arcs tore her apart. The world spun. After a violent jolt, the snow-dusted gray sky filled my vision.
Ah… the sky… is actually so… beautiful…
I reached for a falling snowflake—but the hands were long gone.
Then, the crimson exoskeleton filled my sight. Lilia clicked open her helmet. What was she saying? Too late—the auditory system was fried. Vision blurred. The main camera was failing. One last glance at the smoking corpse. We had truly won.
Yes. Victory belonged to Lilia.
This time, knight casualties were far lighter than in my previous life. Lilia had slain Casworth’s notorious Black Mountain Demon, bringing immense honor to House Northenberg. And I’d gathered every combat datum I needed. The prototype had fulfilled its purpose.
This was enough.
"Disconnect."
I returned to my soft bed. Tears streaked my cheeks.
Why… was I crying? I didn’t know. Truly.
Three days later, the triumphant knights paraded through Golden Lion City’s gates. The Black Mountain Demon’s corpse, hauled on a sleigh, made faint-hearted ladies swoon. Hard to believe humans defeated such a monster. At the procession’s head, Lilia marched proudly in the scarred crimson exoskeleton. Reverse-jointed legs added height, radiating might. Those wounds? Mostly mine. After Lilia took the controls, the beast never landed a hit.
Was this the gap between a theory-bound novice and an ace pilot?
Duke of Northberg reviewed the knights in the central square and declared three days of citywide celebration. Yet victory had its price: 19 fallen, 28 wounded. All 1,000 residents of Dusk Snow Town perished—a bittersweet triumph. After the memorial, the banquet began.
Every servant bustled. Even Martha was pulled to the hall. Kitchens roared: 15 cattle, 40 sheep, countless poultry, tons of flour. For noble ladies, it was a stage. Alesia glittered in a pink chiffon gown, shoulders deliberately bare—a suicidal choice for Casworth winter, but the castle’s heating held firm.
"Master Freud will surely be captivated by my youthful charm!"
Unlike daydreaming Alesia, Juliana sat quietly on the sofa, gently teasing Chris—now a black cat—with a handmade cat teaser. Though half-hearted, he couldn’t resist, soon leaping playfully.
Hey… are you a demon?
Why are you turning into a cat?!
BANG! The door flew open. Lilia stormed in, armor still on, medal gleaming.
"Victoria! Big sister automaton… she’s gone!"
Clutching the upper torso, she wept by my bed. She’d recovered the remains—what luck! Limbs and torso were simple. The real challenge: facial controls, mold, and the thinking core inside the head. Miraculously, the head was nearly intact.
A silver lining?
*Click.* A spatial rift opened. From the Item Vault, I retrieved tools and detached the head with ease. Lilia’s eyes widened.
"Whoa! Victoria just chopped off big sister’s head!"
"Don’t make it sound so creepy!"
Holding that eerily lifelike head—ash-blond hair, golden eyes—I probably looked like a tiny demon cradling a trophy.
"No visible damage," I set it on the nightstand. "Lilia, aren’t you going to the banquet?"
"No! I’m staying until big sister wakes up!"
Somehow, fluffy dog ears seemed to sprout above her tearful eyes—pure golden retriever energy. I melt for cute animals. But if Lilia skipped the banquet, the Duke would stand alone. A duet with Freud? No. This victory was *hers*. Her rising prestige served my goals. She *had* to shine.
I sighed.
"By tomorrow morning—*at the latest*—you’ll see her restored," I vowed solemnly. "But you *must* attend the banquet. Not one minute late."
"Victoria… can she really be fixed?"
"Heh. Who do you think I am?"
"Thank goodness!"
She lunged into a bear-like hug—warm, overwhelming. I swear I heard my spine crack.
