Chapter 765: The Tale of the Mechanized God ⑦ (2/2)

However, that's not enough to stop a god. The arm that was cut off transformed into liquid metal, instantly creating a new arm. At the same time, the artificial god spread its wings and flew up into the sky.

It wasn't that it ran away. She just intercepted Alicia not in the narrow artificial island, but in the wide sky above. As Alicia jumped up in pursuit of the artificial god, flashes of light rained down upon her…… Which were also slashed apart by her knife with tremendous speed.

(That regeneration ability, could it be from one of the Seven Star Beasts? However, she's really weak….. Putting aside the Seven Star Beasts, it's not even stronger than an Ancient Dragon.)

As she circled around the artificial god, which continued to emit flashes of light from its arms and wings, repelling its attacks, Alicia was lost in thought. As she had expected, the power of the artificial god isn't at a level that Alicia could call threatening.

And even though all it takes to beat it was but a moment…… then there are other reasons why the fight is still going on ……

(Makina is in that central sphere…… Looking at the flow of magic power, it's being forcibly taken by that piece of junk with a huge amount of magic power that's not being channeled through a magic technique. If I just normally destroy that sphere, Makina, who's connected with it, would receive damage as well……)

Yes, the reason why Alicia was having trouble attacking was the existence of the captured Makina within its core. If she attacked the core carelessly, Makina would be hurt as well.

(However, that didn't mean that I could just continue to avoid its attacks. Even if I'm completely fine, Makina would receive significant mental damage……)

The artificial god's attacks weren't a big deal, and even if she continued attacking for a whole day, her attacks would not reach Alicia. However, that doesn't mean that the mind of Makina, who was probably still suffering within the core, would be able to bear it.

In that case, she'll need to deal with this situation as fast as possible……

(It would be difficult for my current skills to break that messy magic binding at high speed and save Makina unharmed……)

Then, after thinking about it for a while, Alicia smiled.

(Oh, is that so? There's nothing that the current me can do now? I can't save Makina? Isn't that…… ”how it has always been?”)

A strong will resides in Alicia's eyes. Yes, this was just as usual. She was never born invincible, nor was she an all-powerful superhuman.

She had faced and overcome many difficulties in the past. Yes, for her, ”what the current her couldn't do” isn't an obstacle at all.

[……It's just the same as always! If ”the current me” couldn't do it, then I'll be ”the me who can do such a thing”!!!]

With that declaration, Alicia kicked the air and soared higher into the sky. Then, one by one, the meteors around her were absorbed into Alicia's body.

[This is——— At this moment——— The farthest my heart had reached! Exceed my limits——— And now, weave the world!——— Ἑκατόγχειρες!!!]

As if in response to Alicia's voice, her body emitted light, and when that light reached a critical point…… pushing aside the darkness of the night, the sun of hope descended.

Alicia, clad in a shimmering light, kicked the air again, blowing away the dark clouds as she headed in a straight line for the artificial god.

In the dark core, Makina's mind, which had been exposed to so many negative emotions, was already in quite a precarious state. Her vision, her mind, and even her soul had been painted black.

She no longer felt any pain, for there was already no room left for thought in her mind. She just felt terribly cold…… Even so, the negative emotions that kept pouring in made her feel a little scared that she might not even be able to feel the cold anymore, but even those negative emotions were overtaken by the overflowing amount of emotions she's receiving that they disappeared.

Perhaps, it would have been easier if she closed her eyes and killed her heart. But even so, there is still a little bit, as small as a fragment…… within Makina's heart…… holding unto the hope named Alicia.

Perhaps, that's why, immediately after she felt that light…… Makina looked up in the darkness.

(……Light…… warm and gentle…… Ahh, this is emotion…… ”the light of hope”……)

The light brought warmth to Makina's cold heart and gradually awakened vitality in her soul.

(Ahh, that's right…… There isn't only sorrow and suffering that fills the world. That was something…… I learned from Alicia.)

Strengthening her trembling body, Makina desperately reaches out towards the light that she doesn't know where it's coming from. She doesn't know the reason why, nor what is her basis. However, she was sure that Alicia was at the end of that light.

[……Alicia.]

Almost as soon as she had spoken the name of her hope, someone forcefully grabbed her outstretched hand. No, as for who that someone is…… it should be obvious.

[Makina!]

[ ! ? Alicia!!!]

A strong hand pulled her out of the core, and faintly feeling like she's floating, Makina was pulled out of the core.

[Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting.]

[No…… I'm glad you're here.]

Seeing Alicia, with each strand of her hair shining, as if her whole body was covered with radiance, Makina felt relieved and thought she's beautiful.

The light Alicia was clad in should have been quite strong, but she didn't feel dazzled, and was only feeling warmth. And Mankina immediately understood…… that this was the light that had lifted her out of the darkness.

(This radiance emitted by Alicia is her future…… the beacon of hope for happiness. It's so warm and reassuring.)

Reaching out to cling to her with one hand and holding her close with the other, Alicia kindly smiles at her.

[Now that the princess has been rescued from captivity, if she would just give me a kiss on the cheek, we'd have a happy ending…… but well, let's get rid of the piece of junk first.]

[Eh? Ahh……]

Hearing Alicia's words, Makina turned and saw the mechanical angel…… the artificial god falling, its core destroyed.

Perhaps, it hadn't completely stopped functioning yet, but as it fell, it reached out and tried to release light from its hands. It was a merciless flash of destruction, different from the light Alicia was clad in……

But before it could be released, Alicia raised her white knife to the sky. Thereupon, with a high-pitched vibrating sound, the light of hope converged on her knife.

[……Fierce Hope!]

The light of hope that was released looked like a shooting star falling from the sky, tearing through the darkness of the night. The shooting star, clad in warm light, easily shattered the flash of destruction and annihilated the nameless mechanical god created by human hands.

After confirming that the artificial god had completely disappeared, Alicia took Makina's body, which she had been holding in one hand, back in a princess carry, and with a bright smile, she spoke with a somewhat light tone.

[How should I say this…… You're leading an aggressive life as usual eh~~]

[Fufu, unnn. I guess so. It really feels straight out of a fairy tale, isn't it?]

[……Are you hurt anywhere?]

[No, I'm alright….. but perhaps, because I'm relieved, I'm feeling a little tired.]

With a smile of complete relief, Makina wrapped her hands around Alicia's neck. She felt suffering, she felt pain…… but now, more than that, her heart was filled with joy.

[……I'm really, really glad…… that Alicia came and saved me.]

[It's natural. Even if you were on the other side of the world, I would do my best to come to your aid…… Makina is my best friend after all.]

[……Unnn!]

Makina wanted Alicia, not anyone else, to come to her rescue. Her wish came true and Alicia showed up to help her, and she was inexplicably happy about that.

[……Alicia…… you're my hero.]

[Yes, I wish you would at least call me a heroine. I'm still a youn…… well, let's just put aside my youth, I'm a maiden after all. I demand a change!]

[Hmmm…… Nope, I really think Alicia would be more of a hero rather than a heroine. Alicia is so cool after all. So, the change is rejected.]

[Oh dear……]

[Fufufu.]

[……Ahaha.]

Above the sky, higher than the clouds, the two girls smiled brightly at each other. As if they're holding unto the happiness of being together like this……

After laughing for a while, Alicia suddenly noticed and gently spoke to Makina.

[……Hey, look, Makina…… It's the sunrise.]

[Uwaahhh…… How beautiful.]

At the end of the two's gazes, the dazzling sun came up, illuminating the sea of clouds. It looked as if the sun was blessing them with a new beginning.

[……Now then, anyway, that should be the end of the matter. Makina looked tired too, so it's about time we———-]

[Alicia.]

[———-Unnn?]

Alicia was about to say that it was time to go home, but then, she heard her name being called and turned around to look at Makina. Thereupon, with smooth, natural movements, Makina brought her face close to Alicia's.

[———-Chyuuu.]

……and lightly kissed Alicia on her cheek.

[Uwaaahh!? Uoohhh, abffhh!?]

Completely surprised by the unexpected surprise attack, Alicia miscontrolled her magic and almost lost her footing in midair, but somehow managed to hold herself from falling.

Then, looking unusually flustered, she shouted to Makina.

[W- What are you suddenly doing, Makina!?]

[……With this, we'll have the ”happy ending”, right?]

[…………………….]

When Makina told her with a giggle, looking like she pulled off a successful prank, Alicia looked shocked for a moment before she burst into laughter.

[……Pfft, ahaha! Speaking of which, that really was the case, right? Unn, that's right. Now, we don't have any complaints…… Happy end!]

<Afterword>

~ ~ An unrelated Extra : Search your favorite! Five Maternal Characters ~ ~

① Kuromueina

The novel's main heroine-cum-main hero. She is the type of motherly character who gently guides you.

She's a very wealthy woman who can nonchalantly give you millions as allowance, so she may seem like the perfect mother to live the ideal sponger life, but that's probably not the case.

She basically loves to raise people, and her track record of raising more than 250,000 baby birds is by no means an easy feat, and even if she intends to spoil them, before she knows it, they grew up to become independent and respectable members of the society.

If you want to be raised gently, she is definitely the best person.

However, you need to be prepared to eat a lot of baby castellas.

② Illness

It can be said that she is currently the first character that comes to mind when it comes to motherhood. She is a devoted motherly character, the type who would support her child.

She's kind, capable, good at housework, and attentive to your needs.

When you want to be spoiled, she would spoil you, and when you want to be relied on, she would rely on you, satisfying your self-esteem.

However, it can be said that she is a natural useless brat maker, so if one isn't careful, you will soon become useless without Illness by your side.

③ Eden (Makina)

She is a motherly character who would give you her hot love…… too hot that it feels like lava. She's basically the type that would totally affirm your decisions.

In any case, she would spoil you like crazy and praise you for just being alive.

However, you have to keep in mind that ”she will never voluntarily help you”.

That is because ”she also loves her children's misfortune and ruin”, so even if they're facing ruin, she would never give them any advice or suggestion, but just looks at them with her usual smile, as if to say ”Ahh, my child who is facing ruin is also cute”.

If you were to ask for her help or rely on them, she will help you…… but you would need to pay attention to this too. Whenever you ask for help or rely on her, a certain ”Yandere Gauge” would accumulate inside her, and when it reaches 100%, she goes into Yandere Mode.

When this occurs, you may find yourself abducted to a specially created planet or space.

Our protagonist, Kaito, has an intense level of difficulty, ”with a Yandere Gauge of 90% or more filled as soon as she meets him”. Depending on the day, it might even get ”100% just by meeting him”.

If it weren't for the SECOM like security around him, he would have been kidnapped long ago.

As a side note, she's weak against Alice and Kuro, so if you have them on your side, you'll have a high chance of repelling her.

④ Noir

Although she doesn't give a strong impression of being a motherly character in the novel, she is in fact a mother of a child, a stable type with a good balance of kindness and strictness. She is a bit of an airhead, but she is the type of person that makes you feel at home with her. She is more like ”Mother” rather than a ”Mama”.

She doesn't have any strong characteristics, but she doesn't have any problems either, so if you want to spend time with a cute mother, she's the perfect person for you.

⑤ Shea

Honestly, she's more like a tsundere sister rather than a mother. She is a tsundere who isn't very talkative, but would take care of you in many ways.

She looks like she's in a bad mood until you get used to her, but as soon as you do, you'll soon realize that she's not really in a bad mood. That's just her default expression.

She is the type of person who will scold and guide you when you make a mistake, so although it may seem troublesome, you would be able to feel your own growth when you are with her.

However, the food she prepares should not be eaten. If you are a normal person, you will die from the spiciness.