The Golem was completed over the course of three days.
"There is a technology superior even to this: the 'automata.' I will teach you about that in time."
"Thank you very much!"
The young disciples bowed, looks of relief washing over their faces, but they froze at Shuuki’s next words.
"Now then, try building a Golem entirely on your own."
"Eh?"
"Wait, what?"
"A Golem is a pinnacle of magi-craft. Do your best."
The materials had already been prepared by the Bailiff. The twenty-five young disciples looked at one another and psyched themselves up.
"Alright, let's do this!"
"Yeah, let's show him what we've got."
"We don't have much choice, do we?"
Amidst the sudden flurry of activity, Chatone remained still, lost in thought.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Father, do you have a moment?"
"What is it, Ado?"
"Look at this."
"T-This is...!"
Lying before him was an impressively crafted girl-type Golem.
"Ado, did you build this all by yourself?"
"Yes, I did!"
Shuuki examined the fine details. There wasn't a single flaw; in fact, the craftsmanship was superior to the Golem the group of disciples had built together just days prior. When he praised her work, Adriana beamed with joy, though she quickly voiced a lingering concern.
"But I still don't think it's good enough. The power source is the problem."
"The power source..."
Shuuki understood immediately what she meant.
"A magi-device to store mana for power?"
Currently, most magic tools used magi-crystals, which were rich in mana, as their energy source. However, the amount of mana that could be drawn from them at once was limited, making it impossible for a device to handle high, instantaneous output.
"We just need to make a magi-device that can store mana, right?"
Shuuki couldn't help but give a wry smile at his daughter, who spoke as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
"That’s true in principle, Ado. But it’s not quite that easy—"
"Hey, couldn't we do it like this?"
Adriana began to recite a magi-sequence. It was quite lengthy, but as Shuuki listened, his expression shifted from curiosity to utter astonishment.
"A-Ado... there isn't a single contradiction in the magi-sequence you just described. Did someone tell you about this?"
"No, I just thought of it."
It was the method for creating a mana tank—a technique Shuuki had not yet taught anyone since arriving in this town. He believed the mana tank was one of the most exceptionally useful technologies ever developed by his late wife, Adriana. And now, his young daughter had conceptualized it entirely on her own.
For a moment, the thought that his daughter might be the reincarnation of his wife crossed his mind, but Shuuki immediately dismissed it.
No. My wife is my wife, and my daughter is my daughter. I shouldn't resort to easy ideas like reincarnation.
He felt that such a philosophy might lead to devaluing the weight of a single life.
A life is precious specifically because you only get one. Life is a one-time journey.
He reflected that it would be disrespectful to both his late wife and his daughter to assume they were the same soul simply to soothe his own heart.
Ichigo-ichie... a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. It is precisely because everything happens only once that I could love my wife with all my heart, and why I can love my daughter with all my heart as well.
"Father?"
While he was lost in his thoughts, Adriana leaned in, peering into his face.
"Ah, sorry, Ado. What you've come up with is called a 'mana tank.'"
"Ehh... it already existed?"
"It was a technique I hadn't taught you yet. My apologies."
Shuuki apologized to his daughter, but Adriana simply shook her head.
"It’s okay! I’ll just think of something even more amazing next time!"
True to her word, she would later replace the mana tank systems in the Golems and automata Shuuki built with her own "ether converter" system.
"Now then," Shuuki said, turning back to her. "You’ll also need to figure out a way to fill that mana tank with mana, won't you?"
"Yes, I know! To do that, you just..."
Shuuki was left in awe of Adriana, who had already thought that far ahead.
＊ ＊ ＊
Ultimately, the Golem built by the twenty-five young disciples failed to reach the quality of the one Adriana had built alone.
However, Chatone had also been building a Golem of her own, separate from the group. She had taken advantage of her position as the Bailiff’s daughter to secure the resources, but it was her talent that truly set her apart. Chatone invited Shuuki and the senior disciples to her workshop to display her work.
"Oh, this is magnificent."
"Indeed, it is wonderful."
"Really? Thank you very much!"
Shuuki praised the Golem unreservedly. The smooth movement it displayed during basic operations showed the skill of a master technician. And then there was the appearance.
The proportions were exquisitely balanced. The seams where the exterior parts met were so precisely fitted that not even a single hair could pass between them.
"...!!"
Suddenly, Adriana stood up and bolted out of the workshop.
"A-Ado!?"
Startled, Shuuki chased after his daughter. The senior disciples and Chatone followed close behind.
Adriana had been so struck by the aesthetic perfection of Chatone’s Golem that she felt she had "lost." No matter how gifted she was, she was still only seven years old. While she had devoted herself to the technical side of magi-craft, she was still immature in the realm of design. Seeing Chatone’s sophisticated Golem had been a genuine shock.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
Running with the reckless abandon of a child, Adriana arrived at the workshop where her own Golem was kept.
"..."
She stared down at the Golem lying there. It was incomparable to the one Chatone had made.
I still haven't studied enough.
Her father had praised her, but that was likely because of her age. It might be better than what the other disciples had built, but compared to Chatone’s...
"...The attention to detail is lacking. The curves around the waist are wrong. The length of the limbs is slightly out of balance."
"!?"
Adriana spun around at the voice criticizing her Golem to find Chatone standing there.
"I can't tell since I can't see the internal workings, but the exterior still has a long way to go."
"..."
Adriana bit her lip.
"But you made this much all by yourself, didn't you? You should be proud of that."
"...But I can't compete."
As Adriana whispered those words, Chatone let out a small, wry smile.
"...For my Golem, I had an art teacher look over the exterior to help me adjust it."
She revealed the truth to the surprised young girl.
"That's why it's only natural that the exterior is well-made. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Adriana."
"Do you... really think so?"
"Yes. Unlike me, you truly built yours alone, didn't you? That is an incredible feat."
"...But results are what matter."
"If you feel that way, then learn to rely on others. If you'll have me, I'll be happy to help you whenever you need a consultation."
"...Okay... Thank you."
On this day, Adriana perhaps realized the limits of what one could achieve entirely alone.