Chapter 407: My Life and Destiny Reside with the People

"This Machine is (I am) Conquista Doll Elma-type Unit 317; therefore, I am capable of acting as a proxy for the equipping and operation of Special Enhanced Armor."

"Hoo? But the weapons I'm carrying are completely different from your run-of-the-mill mass-produced goods, you know?"

"It seems you cannot correctly comprehend this Machine's (my) Computing Capability (Intelligence). Are you utilizing your brain cells properly?"

Oh? Even though she's the one who suggested the contract, she just threw a straight right jab at me to mock me?

"Elma-type units, including This Machine (Me), are exploration and combat models designed with the assumption of combat using retrieval objects. A trivial security lock of that level is... yes, I have already confirmed eighty percent of the unit's information."

"Hey, don't just nonchalantly hack my stuff."

But, well, essentially she's trying to say that she can handle even the Non-Standard Series. It feels kind of like a salesman breaking a window, barging into my house, and pitching, 'In times like these, our company's reinforced glass is what you need!'... Or like the feeling of getting completely curbstomped in an event scene immediately after completing the strongest weapon in a game... Like, I understand she's strong stat-wise, but I can't help feeling a bit disappointed firsthand... N-No, even if she's junk, as long as she's a mecha-type character, her Intelligence must be high.

"By hacking the energy supply system of the Non-Standard Special Enhanced Armor—which uses a Non-Standard Tactical Mecha as its power source and boots up via remote energy supply—I will form an energy line from This Machine (Me) to the armor, by having This Machine (Me) function as a pseudo-Tactical Mecha, I will activate the armor."

"I see?"

"Naturally, having the reactor for the corresponding model would be ideal, but I judged it difficult to arrange the optimal conditions in this situation. As a secondary measure, I recommend this method."

To be frank, if I had a day or so, I could probably receive the Non-Standard Ether Reactor—which either OiKatzo or Pencilgon likely has—via Inventoria, but that would also require me to explain my current situation.
Am I supposed to say, 'I rode into a new farming spot relying on Noirlind's intel and ended up adding a robot and a Unique Monster to my party. Also, I currently have four EX Scenarios triggered, so I just need one more to complete the set'? Hahaha, no thanks, I'll pass on being harassed with a barrage of blank emails.

"...I see, I understand what you're trying to say. It's true that in my current situation, I'd want to borrow even a cat's paw or a rabbit's paw."

The way you move changes depending on whether you're solo or a duo, but the merit of being able to divide roles to some extent in a multiplayer battle is huge.
Besides, if this contract connects me with a race called Conquista Doll... race? then strengthening this relationship here probably isn't a mistake.

"Alright, I'll take you up... on that contract."

"Acknowledge: Reconquista Plan... Phase 1 Omitted (Skip). Phase 2, partially Omitted (Skip). Shifting to Phase 3, initiating 'Your Doll' process... Contract Candidate Sunraku, please kneel and meet my gaze."

"Okay."

I kneel down, and my line of sight intersects at roughly the same height with Elma=317, who had lost her legs, knees and all. Although she's a piece of junk whose appearance is close to human, her pupils make a kashari sound and lock onto my eyeballs with a motion biologically impossible.

"Retinal information, registered... Contract Candidate Sunraku, please hold your palm out forward."

"Sure thing."

Petari, Elma=317's battered left palm is placed over the hand I held out. A few blue lines run across the barely visible palm of Elma=317, and just like that, petapeta, she overlays my fingerprints onto her intact palm.

"Fingerprint and palmprint information, registered... Contract Candidate Sunraku, finally, please present your arm."

"This process is long..."

Well, I guess this is just how it is. Following the instructions, I hold out my arm...

"Gabu."

"Wait."

She bit me! She totally just bit me! Or rather, my HP just dropped a bit! Eh, what does this mean!?
For an instant, I hesitated whether to shove her away, but seeing the slightly leaking damage effect get sucked into Elma=317's mouth, I realized—though it's hard to tell with game-like effects—that she just extracted something akin to blood from me.

"Blood information, registered. 'Your Doll' process......, ...complete. Contractor (Master) Sunraku, This Machine (Me) is a doll exclusively for you. Whether you master me or work me to the bone, please do as you please..."

For an instant, Deep Slaughter popped into my head, wearing an incredibly sleazy face and screaming, so I swiftly condemned her to death by burning at the stake within my brain. Using my wicked thoughts as firewood, I regained my pure heart. While rapidly cooking the inner Deep Slaughter—who had started live-commentating the pleasure of being burned at the stake—to well-done, I open my menu window on a hunch.

"...The tabs have increased."

A new icon titled 'Doll' Status has been added. It's fundamentally different from checking the status of an NPC or another player added to the party; does this mean the operation of the Conquista Doll's stats is entrusted to the player side?
Which means that the existence known as a Conquista Doll isn't a race like the Forest-folk or Mermen, but rather a sub-variant of the monster taming system that operates on the premise of being an option part for the player...?

The problem is that on the surface, this is way too much of a 'police matter'. Capturing a monster to use as an option part is one thing, but doing this and that to a Conquista Doll—which looks almost entirely human despite being a doll—to make her an option part gives off a massive visual aura of a crime... N-No, there must be precedents! Sure, in R18 games there might be stuff like that... which just makes it even more OUT!!!

Kh, don't look at me with those eyes, Sammy-chan! Getting those looks from something that appears human actually deals more emotional damage to me, okay!?

"A-Anyway! Let's have another strategy meeting! You're participating too, Wimpy-nine!!"

"I-I sense some kind of malice in that nickname, though!"

"Then what should I call you? If I just say Goldunine, it'll overlap like crazy."

After all, there are at least nine characters with the same name... At worst, there might be a hundred of them, right?

"Eh? Um... uh..."

"Proposal: WIMP (Wimp). An astronomical term from ancient times meaning frozen dark matter. I evaluate your astonishing stealth capabilities—having escaped not only the search of Conquista Dolls but also the slaughtering actions of individuals of the same species—while possessing such a nature."

"Wai-, you..."

"H-Hmph! I don't really understand, but it's a good name! You're praising me, right?"

"Affirmation (That's Right): Repeated Affirmation (I'm Praising You)."

"Ah, no... ah, yeah. If the person herself is satisfied, then I guess it's fine..."

You're trying to play it off by saying cool-sounding things, but the actual meaning of that word is... No, I won't say it. Wimpy-nine is Wimpy-nine, that's what it means. It has absolutely no relation to the real-world Slang (Insult), I'm sure of it.

"Well, whatever. Anyway, the main objective is securing Tsar-Beryl Emperor Treasure Crystals. But mining is inefficient, so for that purpose, we'll subjugate the 【Alexand Scorpion】."

You could practically say its outer shell is a Tsar-Beryl Emperor Treasure Crystal. Based on the ecology of the Crystal Scorpions, it's safe to assume they possess properties of the same nature.
I can't help but feel a little disappointed that the gem and the outer shell aren't treated as equal in item classification... but well, whatever. The problem is its combat capabilities.

First of all, compared to the Golden Scorpion, its physical combat strength isn't that high. Well, even just getting struck by those front legs—which have a rather bizarre shape to be called pincers—is instant death, but its true worth lies entirely in its shooting combat utilizing Magical Power (Lasers).

If we're just talking about impact, the insanely thick, charged beam is the most memorable, but truth be told, if you force it into close-quarters combat, it won't use that move very often.
With that level of power, a poorly aimed shot would piss off the neighbors, after all. So there's no need to consider cannon-class bombardments; the real issue is the 3-way laser and the terrain reflections.

"If I were solo, I'd have to dedicate myself to evasion... but as a duo, the options available to us increase."

"Acknowledged: Give the Order, and I shall show you the best results with my supreme Intelligence."

I am endlessly anxious... but here we go, the twenty-first try!!

Author's Afterword
The Conquista Dolls are entities closely tied to the "Reconquista" project, but the reason why what was once called Project Number Three was initially abandoned ties into this contract.

Elma=317 Achievement List:
"Partner Slot" clear!
"Bringing faces close and exchanging gazes" clear!
"Hands touching each other" clear!
"Love bite" clear!

Heroine-chan Achievement List:
"Strong Character Slot" clear!
"Lucky Lecher Cancel" clear!
"Fighting together against a strong enemy" clear!
"Overthinking" clear!

Huh?