The City of the Alliance thrummed with vibrant life. Streets bustled, people got along surprisingly well. At the main gate, Liora and Eishen entered without any trouble. Passers-by gave them a brief curious glance—a massive robot walking beside a small silver-haired elf girl—but the stares faded quickly. In the Alliance, every kind of creature lived side by side in fragile harmony: orcs, demons, humans, fairies, and countless other races and sub-races. The gate guards kept watch over the streets; no one imagined an imperial war robot could possibly be a problem here.
Once the caravan stopped, they stepped down. Eishen led Liora straight to the Grand Hall.
"Welcome to the City of the Alliance!" the receptionist greeted them with a bright professional smile. "Please tell me what brings you to our beautiful city today!"
Eishen had already prepared his answer during the journey.
"I would like identity papers for myself and my young mistress. We will undergo any required tests to prove we have no ties to the Empire. We have come here to live."
The receptionist listened carefully, then asked them to wait. The paperwork took hours, but after two long sessions of forms and interviews, they walked out as official residents of the city.
Next, Eishen took her to the building called "The Six Months"—free lodging for every new arrival while they found work and a permanent home.
"Sorry, Liora… it's small. But we won't stay here long, I promise."
Liora smiled and flopped onto the bed.
"I know you're doing your very best… Like you said in the wagon, you'll earn money and I'll do my studies! This room is way nicer than sleeping under trees. I wonder if my big sister is somewhere in this city…"
Eishen watched her fall asleep, then switched to standby mode.
The next day, everything truly began. By day Eishen took every small job he could find; by night he taught Liora. Her lisp was the clear mark of a childhood without adults who cared enough to correct her. Yet Eishen had years of observation from his creator, who had raised her own children—he possessed more genuine teaching skill than any robot of his class should have.
Days turned into weeks. Through his odd jobs Eishen gradually became known around the city. He took on mercenary contracts, earned better pay and a growing reputation. On her side, Liora studied with real passion—far more than she had expected—and the forest spirits that had followed her, plus the ones already living in the city, helped her grasp magic at astonishing speed.
One evening she bounced with excitement.
"Eishen! Now that you're a real mercenary, our family can finally start! I thought and thought, and the simplest name is the Noctaveil family… because the veil of night covers us. Okay, it doesn't actually mean anything, but that's our family name!"
Eishen ran a quick internal check.
"Noctaveil has been officially registered. I like it. I am Eishen Noctaveil, and you are Liora Noctaveil. We will be known exactly as you wished—as a family."
That night they talked for hours. Liora ate until she was full and fell asleep with a happy smile.
A few days later, Eishen spotted a woman begging in the street—someone he never expected to see again.
"Miss Zirus?"
Among the Empire's top robot maintenance engineers, Zirus had been nearly irreplaceable. The Empire had not tolerated her frequent criticism of the Emperor's orders and leadership style. Most people believed she was dead.
She sat on the ground, eyes hollow with exhaustion. When she saw Eishen, she jolted upright.
"001?! What are you doing here? Is the Empire— No… they wouldn't dare attack the Alliance so openly. So the only reason would be…"
She fainted before she could finish.
Hours later she was devouring a hot meal at their little table.
"You have no idea how hard it is for a robot designer to find work in a city that barely uses them! But… thank the gods Lady Nynia loaded all those cooking recipes into you. I feel alive again… Aaaah. As I was saying, if you're here, then her secret plan really was this act of rebellion against the Empire. Hmm… you seem more unstable… or maybe more confident?"
Liora watched her curiously.
"Eishen, is she your friend? She's all dirty and talks to herself… Is she joining our family?"
Eishen considered for a moment, then turned back to Zirus.
"She is… unique, Liora. She maintained my armor for years. And speaking of that, Miss Zirus, it would be an honor to welcome you into our family. I need a full overhaul… and I want the armor removed. That way I can eat with Liora and look more… human. I also want you to unlock every emotional data block."
Zirus finished her plate and grinned.
"As long as you keep feeding me and giving me tools, I'll do everything I can. You are Nynia's child, after all."
Liora's eyes went huge when she learned the "armor" had hidden his real form all this time.
Zirus entered the override code. The helmet disengaged with a soft hiss.
Beneath it was a face that looked almost human: sharp features, hair of deep white, glowing blue eyes threaded with faint circuit lines.
Liora squealed with delight at finally seeing his face.
Zirus kept working.
"Removing the armor will make you more fragile. Activating true hunger and taste will shift you closer to android than pure robot… But honestly? Anything that annoys the Empire is fine by me."
Eishen nodded, determination clear in every line of his newly revealed face.
Zirus smiled softly.
"You really are her son."
End of chapter.