Chapter 176 : Does a Machine Doll Dream of a Knight?

At some point, the eyeballs disappeared. My vision was once again submerged in darkness.

My entire body felt like it was being sucked into an abyss.

My breathing gradually grew rough.

It was just an illusion, I had only moved this much…….

My lungs truly felt constricted, as if I was gasping for air.

“Heueuk……. Heuk, Keuheuk…….”

My gasping breath gradually overlapped with Manuan's weeping.

My hazy and blurry vision flickered precariously.

Manuan, who had been sobbing while huddled, raised his head.

The outline, blurred by smeared tears, slowly became distinct, as if surfacing from water.

Rosaria, who was no longer human, stood there.

“Ah, Rosaria―!”

Despite Manuan's call, Rosaria did not budge.

Her inorganic face, like a white plaster mask, was frozen cold.

Armor mixed with silver and blue light, and beneath it, small lights that flickered like signals, replaced blood and flesh.

‘…….’

A fusion of human and machine, Dal.

Compared to Giuseppe, who had only replaced parts of his body with machinery, Rosaria was completely transformed, as if her very soul was imprisoned within the machine.

‘Is this what they call the Ultimate Dal?’

Before my question could be resolved, a dark curtain fell and just like that, the scene changed again.

Surprisingly, at some point, Manuan and I were separated.

“Are you really sure you don’t need to see us off, Manuan?”

It was the Lord. Next to him was Giuseppe.

Manuan muttered, his head bowed.

“See you off? What for. We’ll be seeing each other again soon anyway.”

Giuseppe suddenly clapped his hands. The corners of his mouth were raised high.

“The descent of supreme knowledge, using the beautiful wife’s body as a medium……. That the Ultimate Dal project, which began with the dream of harmony between man and machine, would conclude like this. There could be no more perfect ending.”

By this point, the entity known as the Phantom Demon seemed to have been imprinted upon the Homunculus as the ‘Supreme Knowledge’.

“By the way, I heard the altar is quite large and magnificent. At first, I wondered why Brakenport of all places, but it seems those blockheads surprisingly have some deft hands.”

“It would be troublesome if the stage decorating the end of this arduous journey was shabby. I hear Deiron also deeply considered that point.”

“Oho, indeed. In any case, I am looking forward to it. The union of a human and a transcendent being……!”

Brakenport. It was our next destination, right after Grimlok. According to Oliver, it was where Deiron’s main legion had gathered.

‘Of course, in my past life, there was no trace of Rosaria.’

The excited voices of the Lord and Giuseppe gradually faded.

Manuan’s face filled my vision.

The light and background casting shadows on his gloomy face began to change successively.

I could feel the flow of time.

Before long, Manuan’s face, now more wrinkled, slowly receded from my vision again…….

Soon, the entire landscape came into view.

“Panika.”

Manuan muttered lowly.

In front of him lay the naked Panika.

Panika’s hands were neatly gathered, her eyes closed as if in a deep sleep, and she showed no sign of movement.

“It’s all over now.”

Manuan’s pupils were dull. His focus was so hazy that I couldn't even tell if he was looking at Panika.

“It’s all…… over.”

The hand fumbling in the air trembled. It was like a shriveled leaf shaking in the wind.

“I wanted to prove that his words were wrong. The words that said he would make me pay the price for arrogance... I wanted to overcome them triumphantly, but……”

Manuan’s fingertips finally touched Panika’s body.

‘…….’

Somehow, I felt a chill.

Because Panika’s naked body was pure white metal.

“Panika, I... I just wanted to be helpful. I wished that the power I possess could be of some help to the world.”

With those words.

Panika’s form began to scatter into specks of light, starting from the edges.

Finely broken, silver-white particles billowed and seeped into the air.

“……That was all.”

Before I knew it, my body gained an outline and began to be filled in.

The more Panika’s body scattered, the clearer my body became.

How should I put it... it felt as if my existence was finally being permitted in this world Manuan had created.

“Ah.”

I instinctively made a sound.

I was so happy to hear my voice after so long that I was on the verge of tears.

“Thank you for listening to my long story.”

For a moment, goosebumps rose on my spine. It might have shown on my face.

Manuan’s dull pupils had cleared, as if a fog had lifted.

He was clearly looking at me.

“……Manuan?”

“That’s right. It is a relief. My efforts were not in vain.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is a spell formation I created by imitating his ability. If you read the diary, you would know. He said it was absolutely impossible, but since I am facing you like this, it means I succeeded in the end, doesn’t it.”

The background had, at some point, changed to a study.

Manuan had returned to the most powerful and dignified form I remembered.

There wasn't any particular sense of dissonance.

But it didn't feel like he was really present before my eyes either; it was more like... I was facing his alter ego.

It made sense, as his form was blurry.

“……Am I talking to a spirit?”

“A spirit. Well, you’re not wrong.”

My brows must have furrowed.

Manuan, no, the spirit Manuan, spoke without concern.

“Humans are fundamentally just an aggregation of spiritual particles. For spiritual particles, it’s easier to understand if you think of the souls of the dead. The smallest element that constitutes a soul, that is the spiritual particle.”

“…….”

“The moment a person’s life ends, these spiritual particles have the property of scattering in all directions. I consciously guided a part of those spiritual particles into this diary. Do you understand now?”

I looked around. Not everything had fully returned yet.

‘Is this somewhere on the boundary between reality and illusion?’

I muttered, looking around.

“Well, enough of that. Let me ask one thing.”

“By all means.”

“Is this meeting between you and me your design, or Panika’s free will?”

I turned my gaze to Manuan.

The dead Manuan’s face was deathly pale.

“H-How do you... know Panika……?”

I nodded indifferently.

“It was free will, then.”

What's the use of acting so high and mighty. When he doesn't even know that.

“Hah…….”

Manuan plopped down, as if his legs had given out.

And he soon began to weep.

Well, it's not like I could comfort him…….

I had no choice but to wait for his sobs to stop.

***

Kkiiik―

Bolero forcefully pushed open the door of the Lord's mansion. His body was a complete wreck, as he had clashed with dozens of Legions on the way.

“Hah, hah.”

His rough breathing echoed loudly. The inside was quiet, as if no one was there.

As he walked further inside, Bolero’s eyes soon widened.

The remains of automata—split, broken, cracked, and shattered—were scattered everywhere.

“Sir Noser!”

He shouted urgently. It was a moment when he had an ominous premonition.

“Not dead yet.”

A shadow squatting in the corner waved its hand.

Bolero approached, letting out a silent sigh.

“Did you destroy the Machine Heart? The automata outside are still teeming.”

“Well, about that, take a look at this.”

Noser held out his hand. A small something placed on his palm glowed red.

“It won’t break.”

“Pardon? What is that……”

“You try it. I don't know what it's made of, but it won't budge.”

Bolero picked up the Machine Heart with a disgruntled expression.

“Heueup―!”

He too put strength into his grip and twisted it, and even struck it several times with his fist, but it was no use.

The Machine Heart remained as it was, without a single scratch.

Noser shook his head.

“Well, it would be strange if something so important broke easily, but……”

“Heuooop―!”

“……If it’s this strong, I think it would have been right to tell us in advance.”

Bolero's face, clutching the Machine Heart, turned bright red as if it would burst. Noser watched him and let out a long sigh.

Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance, and both of their gazes turned simultaneously in that direction.

Soon, a silhouette emerged from the darkness and revealed its form.

“Panika!”

“Wow, you two are really amazing. To think you broke through that huge machine legion to get here.”

Noser and Bolero exchanged a brief glance.

“Panika, your atmosphere is somehow suspicious. Your timing of appearance is, too. Should I say you look like a mastermind who’s plotted something huge?”

Panika smiled faintly without a word.

Noser's expression stiffened and then wavered awkwardly. He had said it half-jokingly, but Panika’s atmosphere was strange.

“……Is it true?”

Panika held out her hand.

“Give it to me. The Machine Heart.”

***

“What happened to Panika?”

I asked around the time Manuan had calmed down.

The only thing I didn't understand during his recollection was the very last scene.

“Are you asking why I turned not only my wife but also my child into a machine doll?”

“No. I’m not particularly curious about that. Seeing the state of this place now, it’s not that I can’t understand why you made such a decision.”

Manuan let out a small chuckle. The small bit of empathy seemed to have been a comfort.

“When Panika’s body scattered, it didn’t seem like a simple spectacle. It just looked that way to me, so I was curious.”

“Because she is the Ultimate Dal.”

“……!”

For a moment, my breath caught in my throat. Manuan calmly continued.

“The Ultimate Dal was originally designed so that its form could transcend time and space, disassembling and reconstructing itself. All of this was to ensure that humanity's knowledge would continue unbroken.”

“…….”

“A vessel in which the knowledge of the dead does not rot away, but is passed down as if it were alive and breathing. That was the origin of the Ultimate Dal project.”

I thought I understood the real reason the Phantom Demon targeted the Ultimate Dal.

The desire to transcend eras in a perfect, flawless form, rather than a rotting, sickly body, was surely great, but—

The essence was separate.

The Ultimate Dal the Homunculus dreamed of, a living, breathing aggregation of knowledge.

That itself was the Phantom Demon’s mission, its duty, its very reason for existence.

‘With his already arrogant personality, he must have found Manuan even more disagreeable.’

The Homunculus ended up submitting to power…… but in the end, Manuan had succeeded all on his own.

“How did you meet Panika?”

I kindly answered everything, from my first meeting with Panika to the story of what happened right before I came here.

Manuan’s eyes reddened again. He sniffled.

“I see, it is as you say. Panika returned here of her own free will.”

At what exact point was Manuan moved?

Was it the joy that the Ultimate Dal was truly complete, or was it because he was proud of his child, who, despite being half-machine, came to find her father?

The latter was probably stronger.

“Now, all that remains is revenge against him.”

Manuan stepped toward me. Even in his translucent face, I could see his spirit.

“This virtual space, created by imitating his authority, was made so that only humans can enter. From the beginning, the medium, the diary, was designed to react only to human hands. Do you know why?”

“Because it would be troublesome if the other Dal found out.”

“Of course, that is true, but to be precise, it is because only humans can empathize with the stories of others.”

He reached out his hand and placed it on the end of the Heavenly Demon's hilt. He had no presence at all, so I didn't even have a chance to avoid it.

“I apologize for only telling you my story one-sidedly. I won’t be able to hear your circumstances, but seeing as you’ve come this far, it must be an undeniable fact that you are a strong human.”

“Well, I won’t particularly deny it.”

“I heard that for the swordsmen of the Empire across the sea, a few passages from a swordsmanship manual are reborn as enlightenment in their minds, and this enlightenment soon sublimates into movement. Is that correct?”

Perhaps because he was a smart person, he had even grasped the subtleties of swordsmanship's oral secrets.

That aside, I wondered why he was suddenly saying such a random thing, but for now, I gave a rough nod.

“Do you remember what I said earlier, about how the Ultimate Dal disassembles and reconstructs itself, unrestricted by time and space?”

“I do.”

“The Legion are the same. Originally, the Legion were automata created as the initial form of Dal. They are artificial bodies made based on Dal's blueprints, excluding the human parts, so they share that ability, albeit in a limited way.”

A cluster of white light formed at Manuan’s fingertips.

“I will engrave the spell formation to summon and control the Legion onto this sword of yours. At the same time, this spell formation is also the key to return to reality right now.”

I didn't even have time to stop him.

As Manuan’s hand touched it, light flowed down the Heavenly Demon's blade. The light spread like an unquenchable flame and was finally imprinted onto the sword, like a small insignia.

“I hope this helps, even if only slightly. Please, help that child and be sure to complete your revenge.”

The corners of Manuan's mouth twisted slightly. As someone who had been peeking into his life all this time, I couldn't help but get slight goosebumps.

Because his expression, which I was seeing for the first time, suited him strangely well.

Beyond that smile, I could glimpse a persistent thirst for revenge against the Phantom Demon.

‘Ah.’

I suddenly realized.

The diary of his I had seen until now was a world recorded only from his perspective.

Perhaps this appearance now— Was this man’s true face.