You opened your eyes.
You were sitting in front of a computer in a small room with no exit, controlling a 'character'.
You were standing on your own two feet in a damp, cool basement.
When you clicked the mouse, the character on the screen performed a set action.
When you tensed your shoulders, your right arm cut through the air, and your left hand clenched into a fist.
You were the player outside the screen.
You were the Tin Knight in reality.
Two senses, two points of view, coexisted within you without contradiction.
It was a truly bizarre sensation. A situation that could easily have inspired terror, yet your mind perceived it as 'fun'.
You turned your gaze to the side.
A girl was watching you, her eyes a mixture of caution and suspicion.
She was a girl of remarkable beauty.
Her hair, black as ebony, was tied to one side and draped over her shoulder. Her face still held a youthful roundness, but her eyes were sharp in contrast.
In her right hand, a wooden staff. On her left, a bracelet and ring connected by a chain. At her waist, a belt adorned with various pouches. Strange symbols were etched all over her clothing.
The gear felt far too practical to be simple fashion.
Though, the design of her clothes was quite ornate, so it wasn't as if she had given up on style entirely.
Judging by the state she was in, she must have gone through quite an ordeal to get here; the girl was covered in minor scrapes and dust.
[The 'Tin Knight' takes in the sight of the girl who awakened him!]
A strange message, like a log from a computer screen, appeared in your mind.
The girl's expression shifted subtly.
You knew, instinctively, that she had seen the same message.
[The 'Tin Knight' finds the 'Voice of Guidance' fascinating.]
The Voice of Guidance. That seemed to be the name for this notification window.
You judged it to be some kind of game system, but the girl seemed to think otherwise.
Her gaze was fixed on a brooch near your neck.
"A magic tool that displays a magic doll's status and intentions…? Never seen anything so peculiar."
The girl looked like she had a lot more to say, but unfortunately, the situation didn't allow for a leisurely chat.
The sound of footsteps came from beyond the warehouse door.
A noisy presence was approaching, now just outside.
"Wait, you! I'm the one who revived you, so you'd better help me out!" the girl demanded.
But even before she finished her request, you were already charging toward the door.
CRACK!
*
Dorothea watched blankly as the Tin Knight charged forward before she could even finish her sentence.
Smashing through the warehouse door with a body check, sending both the door and the pursuer behind it flying, the Tin Knight threw a punch at another nearby pursuer without a shred of hesitation.
A sickening sound echoed as metal met flesh.
The man shrieked, clutching his shattered nose.
The Tin Knight showed no mercy, delivering a second blow to the pursuer.
He brought his elbow down at a right angle, striking the man's head. With a sickening crunch, the pursuer's neck snapped, and he moved no more.
The first pursuer, who had been sent flying with the door, tried to get up, but the Tin Knight strode over and stomped down. His head burst like an apple.
CLANG!
A knife thrown by one of the pursuers struck the Tin Knight's body with a sharp ring.
An attack that would have been life-threatening to Dorothea meant little more than a scratch to the Tin Knight's metal body.
The Tin Knight picked up the fallen knife and returned it to its owner.
The method of delivery, of course, was the same: a thrown knife.
"Keuk!"
The pursuer, who lacked the Tin Knight's sturdy frame, trembled as he clutched the new hole in his throat, then slid down the wall and collapsed.
Dorothea stared with questioning eyes at the Tin Knight, who had turned three men into corpses in just over ten seconds.
'A magic doll abandoned in that dilapidated warehouse is moving that perfectly?'
Dorothea herself had poured every last drop of her mana into restoring its physical body, but the soul controlling it was another matter entirely.
Artificial souls, by nature, have a weak sense of self.
A soul created merely to execute a master's simple commands is shallow and will quickly dissipate if not continuously supplied with new magic and orders.
But this 'Tin Knight' was a doll that, to Dorothea's eyes, had been abandoned for at least several decades, possibly even over a century.
Was it really possible for an artificial soul to remain intact in such a doll for so long?
Unless it contained a real soul…
'…No, that doesn't make sense either. A human soul couldn't possibly endure being trapped in a thing like that.'
Shaking her head as if to scatter the thoughts, Dorothea cautiously tried to speak to the Tin Knight before her.
"You fight well. Good work. Now, let's talk for a bit. Uh, hey? Wait! Where are you going! Hey!"
[The 'Tin Knight' exclaims that the enemies are waiting for him!]
The mysterious message echoed in Dorothea's mind.
Leaving a dumbfounded Dorothea behind, the Tin Knight bolted up the stairs.
A moment later, a commotion erupted from above.
The sharp clang of metal, the sound of something breaking. Screams, threats, shrieks of pain.
The cacophony of sounds blended into a single piece of music that tickled Dorothea's ears.
If a street musician had performed with such skill, they would have been pelted with stones by the audience instead of receiving coins.
[The 'Tin Knight' cheers at the large number of enemies!]
[The 'Tin Knight' loots and uses the weapon of a fallen enemy!]
[The 'Tin Knight' marvels at how the sword is all shiny and flashy!]
[The 'Tin Knight' wonders what genre this is!]
Dorothea thought to herself.
"…Is he a madman?"
She didn't just think it; she said it out loud.
The magic doll she had revived seemed to be far from sane.
Honestly, she felt a strong urge to avoid getting any more involved, but unfortunately, there was only one way out.
[The 'Tin Knight' announces that all enemies have been defeated!]
Feeling a little uneasy, Dorothea carefully ascended the stairs.
The scene above was what could only be described as a total disaster.
There were at least a dozen corpses with slit throats, spilled entrails, and shattered bones.
The faces of the dead, all stained with terror and bewilderment, spoke volumes about the emotions they felt in their final moments.
And standing silently in the center of it all was a single knight. No, a single automaton.
In the dim light, holding a sword dripping with blood, his form was incredibly imposing and, moreover, threatening.
The Tin Knight's gaze turned to Dorothea.
As that emotionless, indifferent light seemed to pierce through her, Dorothea felt an involuntary shiver.
Thinking rationally, she had not yet formed a master-servant contract with this Tin Knight.
Which meant, depending on the knight's next move, Dorothea could very well end up like the corpses scattered around her…
[The 'Tin Knight' wonders what the next objective is!]
…Or maybe not?
He looked like a battle-hardened knight, but his actions were strangely childish. Dorothea scratched her head roughly.
She let out a sigh and pointed her staff at the Tin Knight.
"First, let me ask you this. Do you intend to continue helping me?"
[The 'Tin Knight' says that a promise must be kept!]
"I don't think I ever made a promise with you."
[The 'Tin Knight' says it was a promise with the old man!]
"Hmm."
Dorothea fell into thought.
She didn't know the details, but it seemed the Tin Knight before her held at least a minimal amount of goodwill toward her.
And the Tin Knight's high combat prowess was an attractive asset to her, even if his flippant attitude was a bit much.
Considering what she had to do from now on, that was something she could easily tolerate.
"Alright, then let's make a contract."
Dorothea drew the dagger from her belt and pricked her fingertip with it.
Instead of falling to the ground, the red drop of blood crawled through the air, forming letters.
"First, I will provide you with the mana necessary to move your body. In return, you will protect me from threats. If you agree, nod your head."
The Tin Knight shook his head from side to side without hesitation.
Dorothea wasn't particularly discouraged. Negotiating the details of a contract was basic.
"Is mana alone not enough of a price? Or is the scope of 'threats' too broad for your liking?"
[The 'Tin Knight' says he was just curious what would happen if he refused!]
"..."
A vein throbbed on Dorothea's forehead.
Suppressing the urge to just forget it all and beat the damn scrap heap with her staff, Dorothea spoke once more.
"First, I will provide you with the mana necessary to move your body. In return, you will protect me from threats. If you agree, nod your head. And if you say something pointless again, I won't just stand by."
Whether the threat worked or he was simply bored of repeating the same thing (Dorothea judged it was highly likely the latter), the Tin Knight obediently nodded.
As if responding to the knight's consent, the blood drops hovering in the air formed a single sentence.
"Second, when I require your power for purposes other than protection, I may request it. The compensation will be decided by mutual agreement."
[The 'Tin Knight' asks if he can be the one to make a proposal first!]
"You, to me? …Well, I don't mind. Let's amend it then."
Once more, the blood in the air shimmered, forming the second clause of the contract.
When Dorothea swung her staff, the blood-written contract floated before the Tin Knight's eyes.
['Dorothea Aschengard' shall provide the 'Tin Knight' with the mana necessary to move his body. In return, the 'Tin Knight' shall protect 'Dorothea Aschengard' from threats.]
['Dorothea Aschengard' and the 'Tin Knight' may request additional cooperation from the other party as needed. The compensation for said cooperation shall be decided by mutual agreement at that time.]
[The 'Tin Knight' comments that it's pretty bare-bones for a contract!]
At the Tin Knight's reaction, Dorothea shrugged.
Normally, a familiar contract was far more thorough, constructed with detailed restrictions to ensure the 'servant's' unilateral obedience to the 'master'.
In that sense, the contract Dorothea had made was not only weak in its binding force but also full of holes. She didn't much care.
"It's not like we know each other well enough for some complex, grandiose contract. All we need for now is an assurance that we won't stab each other in the back and leave room for future cooperation."
[The 'Tin Knight' comments that he likes her straightforwardness!]
[The 'Tin Knight' asks what they should do first!]
At the Tin Knight's question, Dorothea glanced at the corpses strewn about and said:
"Like a proper witch, it's time to settle some scores."