"Tread carefully."
"I will."
The party of four—Maquina-Jin, Reiko, Anne, and Land 70—stood before a concealed door discovered halfway up the slope that had once been a staircase.
"Opening it now."
Land 70 shoved against the door, but it didn't budge.
"They likely already know we're here. Don't hold back."
"Understood."
Following Jin’s instructions, Land 70 threw his full weight against the door.
While the heavy door and its bolt held firm, the hinges finally reached their limit. They snapped with a violent crack, and the entire door collapsed into the room.
Though they had expected a cramped hideout, the space beyond was reasonably large—roughly the size of a standard classroom.
At the far end of the room stood a single automata.
"So, you've finally arrived."
The automata spoke, her voice echoing in the chamber.
"Are you Elena?"
In response to Maquina’s question, the automata shook her head slowly.
"That is a name the slaves forced upon me. I am the Queen. The Queen of Automata."
"As I suspected... the Golden Destruction Princess," Anne murmured.
The Golden Destruction Princess narrowed her eyes at Anne.
"So, a survivor remains. I was certain I had eradicated every doll that carried the legacy of Adriana's lineage," she said, her voice dripping with contempt.
High above, Jin watched the footage being transmitted from the magic eye embedded in Maquina’s head, projected onto the magi-screen aboard Pegasus 1.
Even through the screen, the automata was undeniably striking. She possessed golden hair that cascaded to her waist, skin like fine porcelain, and deep crimson eyes. Her proportions were near-perfect.
However...
"She’s unstable."
Jin's observation cut through the tension. His voice was projected through Maquina’s mouth via the manacam.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
The Golden Destruction Princess bristled, turning her focus toward Maquina. Her eyes began to glow with an eerie, hypnotic light. It was an evil eye, imbued with the power of Charm.
Normally, Jin—who lacked any innate resistance to mental interference—might have been ensnared instantly. However, Maquina was merely a vessel. The hypnotic light transmitted through a magic eye and displayed on a magi-screen held no power over the pilot.
"I don't know who created you. But it makes me wonder how that person raised you."
"The answer is simple. 'You are number one.' Those were Mother’s final words to me."
"'You are number one'?" Reiko and Maquina-Jin repeated in unison.
"Yes. I am the best. Therefore, all things in this world should bow before me!"
A palpable sense of madness emanated from the Golden Destruction Princess as she spoke with a triumphant, manic air.
"She's definitely malfunctioning," Jin whispered.
"Yes, Fa... Lord Maquina," Reiko agreed.
The two of them shared a brief nod. Then, Reiko took a step forward.
"'You are number one.' Don't you think the person who made you might have simply been trying to say they loved you the most?"
"What did you say?"
"Is it possible they were interrupted before they could finish the sentence?"
"......"
At Reiko’s question, the Golden Destruction Princess fell silent. For a fleeting second, the madness flickered and vanished from her eyes.
But the moment passed as quickly as it had come.
"Silence! Shut up, shut up, shut up! What could a thing like you possibly understand?! I am Mother’s masterwork! I am the Queen of Automata!"
With a piercing scream, she lunged. She clamped both hands around Reiko’s neck, squeezing with terrifying force.
"Heh... hehe... Hahahaha! I’ll twist your head right off! Then I’ll tear you apart limb from limb, just like I’ve done to every other automata I've found!"
The Destruction Princess poured every ounce of her strength into her grip.
Yet, despite her efforts, Reiko remained perfectly composed. She looked back at her attacker with a gaze that remained entirely unfazed.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Reiko asked.
Her tone was so indifferent it was as if she hadn't even noticed the assault. A look of sheer shock crossed the Destruction Princess’s face.
"Y-Y-You! You're that monster from the battlefield!"
Reiko reached up, grabbed the princess’s wrists, and pried them away as easily as if she were handling a child.
"I am no monster. I am an automata. My name is Reiko. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"You... You're Adriana's daughter, aren't you?!"
The Golden Destruction Princess became even more hysterical. In stark contrast, Reiko remained the picture of cold efficiency.
"I am. My creators were Mother Adriana Barbora Tsetse and Father Jin Nidou."
"You have parents?! Don't mock me! Reiko, was it? A thing like you... a thing like you!"
Screaming, she pulled back a fist and lunged at Reiko again. Reiko caught the punch effortlessly.
"Cease this. It is a futile effort."
But the Golden Destruction Princess was beyond reason. Abandoning the sword styles and martial arts she had once mastered, she began swinging her arms wildly, charging Reiko in a blind rage. She looked like nothing more than a child throwing a violent tantrum.
"I told you to stop."
"Kyaa!"
Reiko delivered a single blow that sent the Golden Destruction Princess reeling across the chamber. She slammed into the far wall, but as she scrambled back to her feet, a dangerous, lethal light flared in her eyes. She charged again.
Her movement was as swift as a gale, but Reiko was faster.
The Destruction Princess’s left fist collided with Reiko’s right.
With a sickening, metallic thud, the princess was sent flying once more. Her left arm was mangled, hanging by a few shreds of material below the elbow.
"Ugh...! I knew that man was incompetent! He couldn't even repair me perfectly!"
Despite the damage, the princess lunged again. Reiko met the charge with another strike. This time, the princess's right arm was severed completely at the shoulder.
"Please, stop. You cannot defeat me."
Reiko’s warning fell on deaf ears. The Golden Destruction Princess’s madness showed no signs of receding.
"Why?! Why?! Why does Adriana always get in my way?! Why does she always torment me?! Mother! Mother! Where are you?!"
"Reiko, she’s completely broken," Maquina-Jin whispered.
"Yes, it appears so."
Reiko seemed to reach the same conclusion.
"I will end this now."
Reiko drew her vibration sword.
"Rest... in peace," she said softly.
With a single, lightning-fast horizontal stroke, she bisected the Golden Destruction Princess.
The princess’s body fell to the floor in two pieces. Even then, her mouth continued to move, and she tried to drag herself forward with her one remaining stump of an arm.
"I am... number one. I am... the Que... en... Mo... ther..."
Her movements gradually slowed until, finally, the crimson light in her eyes flickered and died.
"Is it... over?"
Aboard Pegasus 1, Jin let out a long, weary sigh.
The confrontation had been a heavy burden on his nerves. Seeing her cling to her madness until the very last second was almost pitiable. He found himself wondering if Reiko could ever fall into such a state of insanity if things went wrong.
"Good work, Reiko. Let’s retrieve what’s left of her and head back."
"Yes, Fa... Lord Maquina."
With the threat finally neutralized, the party turned and left the chamber behind.