My name. From now on, I remember it.

Deus Ex Machina.

Its original purpose was to be a weapon born for combat, but its power was premised on the ‘mana core’ within its body being intact.

If there’s no output, all energy is used only to maintain minimal functions.

According to the craftsman’s letter, a power source replacing the mana core has been created, but even that doesn’t have high output, making it impossible to use powerful attacks.

But the reason I took notice of this child in the first place wasn’t for combat, but because it has self-awareness.

Rather, if it’s going to be educated at the academy, it might be better for its power to be depleted.

“You must have been asleep for quite a long time, how do you feel waking up again? Are you alright?”

“……”

“…Hello?”

But perhaps embarrassed about falling with its nose against the window?

It just glared at me with only its head poking out, hiding its body behind the infirmary bed curtain.

“…Conversation, refused.”

There’s no expression to speak of and the voice is dry, but nevertheless, hostility towards me is clearly felt.

Of course, even if it acts up, it’ll only harm itself as it’ll stop functioning when the battery runs out. I immediately approached it, pulled back the curtain with my hand, and forcibly extracted its body.

“Well, I just want to have a chat, why are you acting like this?”

“Talk, unnecessary. Refuse.”

“I’m refusing that refusal, so come out right now, you.”

“Uaaa.”

The girl doll, pulled out by me and seated again.

Although her gaze turned away from me, conversely, her appearance was clearly visible in my sight.

Still ashy hair and pale skin. But unlike the Gothic-style dress she wore before, the clothes she’s wearing now strike a delicate balance between black and white.

It’s the maid uniform commonly worn by servants.

“It suits you well.”

“……”

“…Oh my, could it be you’re embarrassed?”

“Don’t know. Such thing.”

A stiff voice.

But it’s probably true. The emotions this child feels must be vastly different from humans.

Typically, preferences would be almost completely lacking. Even if it can feel beauty, that would be in the realm of impressions, not tastes.

“This, what meaning?”

So rather than an evaluation of the clothes it’s wearing, it’s more curious about the intention behind dressing it in such clothes.

Chuckling at the somewhat expected reaction, I took a seat opposite to it and immediately gave an answer.

“Well, I asked them to choose and dress you in something that suits you.”

I want this child to live as a human, not a weapon, but since it retains its memories intact, it can’t completely shake off its identity as a tool.

So, at the very least, adopting a position common in terms of receiving and following someone’s instructions…

For example, I adopted the method of gradually fading the aspect of being a tool by teaching the position of a ‘servant’.

“Are the clothes okay? Is there anywhere uncomfortable?”

Well, I gave such a plausible reason, but indeed, good clothes hangers make clothes look better.

Considering it was made hundreds of years ago, I can’t help but think that the aesthetic sense of ancient people wasn’t bad either.

“…You.”

But is it too much to expect such things from this child?

The girl doll didn’t answer my question, instead just glaring at me as if focusing only on what she cares about.

“You, indeed not human.”

“I am a person.”

“And said fish. Fish, sea creature. Therefore, fish walking on land is dangerous…”

Oh dear, it seems I’ve thoroughly planted a bad impression of myself.

It was troublesome from the standpoint of trying to treat it with a somewhat favorable attitude.

No matter how one-sidedly I beat it when we first met.

Immediately pulled out its heart because it seemed like it might throw a tantrum that couldn’t be managed.

And turned that heart into midnight fireworks by exploding it hundreds of meters in the air.

But it’s all in the past, is there really a need to be so angry?

“But, can’t fight now.”

The conclusion following the muttering.

Stopping my thoughts and looking back, I could confirm that the wariness I felt until now had somewhat subsided.

Its drooping shoulders even gave a sense of powerlessness…

“Now I, lost power. So fighting meaningless. Now stay still.”

Yes, it must be somewhat aware.

That after its heart exploded in the sky that day, it can no longer fulfill its mission as a weapon.

Of course, in the game it fought until it stopped functioning, but isn’t this a world where even the soldiers who only followed control commands in the game each live with their own personality?

This child surely has something that can be called a self.

At least enough judgment to realize its own limitations and compromise with reality.

“But from what I hear, it doesn’t seem like you’ve completely forgotten that purpose… What would you do if you were given power again?”

“If, power given?”

“Yes, if you were given the same power as when you fought with me… Would you fight for humans again?”

The purpose of humans, whatever it may be, can only end in conflict…

The actions of this child when we fought were entirely premised on that.

But isn’t that also possible only because there’s a foundation of ‘for the sake of humans’?

“…Thought after waking. Many times.”

Yes, even the purpose of massacring humans was a conclusion reached because the humans who handled it fought endlessly.

The direction was wrong, but at its core, there existed a heart that ‘was for someone’s sake’.

What’s commonly called altruism.

“…At that time, when saw fireworks. Already realized traces of era I originally existed in. Had disappeared.”

The impression this child last uttered when it saw the fireworks at that time…

“Disappeared, why?”

“Gunpowder is weapon for killing people. But realized it could become such form. Now, realized humans no longer think killing each other is everything.”

It wasn’t something that could be uttered by an existence solely for slaughter.

“If you’ve realized that, what do you plan to do from now on?”

“…Don’t know.”

So it must be wandering.

If a result completely different from what it had adhered to until now has come out, and if it tries to accept that, it’s no different from denying everything it has done so far.

And that sentiment surely can’t be shaken off overnight.

The beauty of the sight seen at that time.

Because there existed an emotion derived from it. Because everything derived from it must have deeply touched this child’s heart.

“My current method will not be welcomed in this era. So for now stay still, and follow orders of one who took me in.”

Soon the girl said, opening her eyes clearly.

“…By the one who took you in, do you mean me?”

“Of course you not human but.”

I’m telling you I am.

“Still you took me in. Essentially I am your possession, so you are my master and I as a tool follow your orders. Now follow everything you desire.”

But unlike me, this child might be difficult to see as human.

Even if self-awareness exists, how precious and noble it is.

What meaning the identity of being an independent existence has, this child doesn’t know yet.

“You saved me. Is that for fighting?”

So it must be speaking of fighting so easily.

Because it doesn’t know how regrettable and painful it is for something that exists to disappear.

“…Why do you think that?”

“Scent of fighting. Not gone.”

Moreover, now there isn’t an environment conducive to awakening that.

Given that it was made for war from the premise, it would be unreasonable to expect it to change overnight unless all traces of that time are erased.

“First meeting with you was fight. And what those who summoned me desired was also fight… Although traces of era I lived in have disappeared, fighting exists in current era too. So fighting, preparation necessary.”

Eyes gradually becoming narrower.

The insensitive attitude remains, but rather because of that, the feeling of seeing through something was strongly felt.

“So you. Woke me up? To use me for fighting?”

Rather, should I say the feeling of wanting to analyze became stronger because emotions are restrained?

“Well, I’m a pacifist, but I’m not someone who avoids fights that come. When it’s time to fight, I’ll have to take action.”

I answered that question honestly.

In reality, even in an era of peace, that’s just something everyone agreed to do.

The grudges from the war time are still maintained, and conflicts due to that are erupting everywhere. That influence was having no small impact on the children attending this academy.

“Then…”

“But that’s something I’ll achieve with my own hands. At least I won’t make you fight.”

Yes, at least for the children.

We shouldn’t pass on our hatred to children who learn transparently because they don’t know anything, right?

“…Why?”

“As I said before, fighting shouldn’t be forced by someone else.”

But saying such inner thoughts probably won’t resonate with this child.

It would be unreasonable to expect the realizations I’ve felt throughout my life to all be conveyed to a child who knows nothing.

“Then…”

“Of course, no one knows what will happen as we live on. Saying unconditionally not to fight might rather be an irresponsible statement.”

So if we’re going to teach, let’s start from small things step by step, from the very basics.

This child will probably feel the meaning of words with such implications.

Although it’s not elaborate enough to be called a personality, it has at least a self that has the potential to develop into one.

“So I won’t say never to fight in the future… But if you really have to fight, find the reason from yourself, not someone else. Just as you can’t live on behalf of others, you don’t have an obligation to live on behalf of others either.”

“Is that, order?”

“It’s not an order, it’s advice. You could also call it teaching.”

With a grin, I quietly stroked the girl doll’s head.

The slightly flinching body is probably because it hasn’t completely shaken off its wariness towards me yet.

“Of course, you probably don’t yet grasp what difference there is between orders and teachings directed at you. But that’s okay. Even if you don’t understand right away, someday… As you spend time with me, a day will come when you’ll understand that difference.”

This much should be fine for now.

If we can get a little closer, we just need to narrow that distance over time.

If this child doesn’t reject my hand like the child hurt by the world’s sadism that I faced yesterday.

“…If understand, what happens?”

“Many things will change.”

“……”

“Of course, explaining like this probably won’t resonate right away… Hmm, alright. Let’s do this then.”

The moment I clapped my hands at the thought that occurred to me.

I immediately told it to the girl doll.

“From now on, if you want to do something, first ask me a question and make a decision.”

“Ask a question…?”

“Yes, we’ll learn one by one what you shouldn’t do and what you should do while exchanging questions and answers. Then, at some point, a day will come when you find something you want to do yourself, not because someone told you to.”

“……”

“…Hmm, is even this much still difficult?”

“No, understood.”

The ancient weapon answers, shaking its head at me who was feeling uneasy.

“Don’t understand well, but will follow for now. Current me is your possession, and you have something you want from me. So I listen to your words. Everything I should do from now on, I ask you and decide. If that is the order given to me.”

Although it’s not perfect, this alone can be said to have grasped an opportunity for this child to change.

Feeling satisfied with a more cooperative response than expected, I withdrew my hand that was stroking its head, and quietly extended that hand towards the girl doll.

“Alright, then I look forward to working with you, Maki.”

Putting the name I had thought of while this child was asleep into my mouth.

“…Maki?”

“It’s the name I’ll call you from now on. The name ‘Deus Ex Machina’ is too long to call out each time, so I took a bit from the end part and named you Maki… Don’t you like it?”

“No…”

The girl doll immediately shakes its head in response to my tentative question.

But it took quite a while for the following words to continue.

As if chewing over what this reflexive affirmation means.

“Maki. My name. From now on, I remember it.”

Saying so, Deus Ex Machina slowly grasps my hand… No, from this moment on, this child is no longer an ancient weapon aiming for the end of humanity.

Just my disciple whom I’ve taken in. A girl who will learn about humans and is destined for a future with them, just one person.

“Good morning, Teacher.”

The infirmary door opened at that moment.

I wasn’t surprised as it was about time for school to start. Rather, I thought it was just the right timing.

“You came at a good time, Dale. I have someone to introduce to you today…”

Dale Enberton.

How will this child, betrayed by the world, receive a girl who has come from ancient times?