-108- [ Setsugetsuka ]

Guided by the snow girl, Rozen walked along a corridor within the mansion.

On his way, he passed through one garden after another, each resembling the initial one but unique in its own way, filled with scenes of puppet animals.

"Seems like this Karyusai knows how to enjoy life," Rozen thought, confirming the rumors that Karyusai was a puppet craftsman who indulged in beautiful women, fine wine, and a leisurely lifestyle.

The way the mansion was decorated spoke volumes about the owner's personality.

As Rozen admired the picturesque scenes, he followed the snow girl, continuing forward.

Before long, a room emitting a soft light appeared before him.

Approaching the room, Rozen caught a whiff of camellia fragrance in the air.

The scent mingled with a hint of tobacco, wafting out of the room, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere.

The snow girl proceeded to open the door in front of them.

In the next moment, a spacious room was revealed.

Before Rozen stood a grand room that could easily accommodate fifty tatami mats.

Deep within the room was a raised platform, elevated by a step from the surrounding area.

Curtains hung before the platform, akin to the chambers of an esteemed lady.

Rozen immediately saw the person behind the curtains.

It was a mature woman, exuding the scent of camellias, dressed in attire reminiscent of a courtesan. She possessed an alluring beauty, as if she were an enchanting fairy.

"Are you the 'Divine Child' of the Akabane clan?" The alluring woman's voice was as seductive as her appearance.

Her voice seemed to awaken the hidden desires within a man's heart, incredibly charming.

This extraordinarily enchanting woman reclined on the platform, one arm resting on the armrest. Her beautiful feet were casually crossed, giving off an air of laziness.

Seated on both sides of this captivating woman were two young girls.

These girls bore a striking resemblance to the snow girl and were evidently her sisters.

One girl appeared a few years younger than the snow girl, while the other was as petite as an adorable child. One had waist-length straight hair as dark as a moonless night, while the other sported double ponytails, resembling the color of red autumn leaves.

Regardless of age, including the snow girl, these girls shared a common feature.

They were breathtakingly beautiful.

At this moment, Rozen's emotions couldn't help but fluctuate.

Three girls, resembling sisters, each possessed their own unique charm.

The snow-like girl, cold yet elegant.

The moon-like girl, profound and as dark as the night.

The flower-like girl, cute and endearing.

Seeing such distinct features and recalling the recent rumors surrounding Karyusai, how could Rozen not connect the dots?

"Setsugetsuka..."

Exactly.

These three young girls are very likely the rumored masterpiece of Karyusai, known as Setsugetsuka. Setsugetsuka is the ultimate creation of the puppet craftsman world's top prodigy.

What does this mean? It means that even in this world, these three puppet girls are of the highest caliber. Undoubtedly, there are those who would spare no expense to possess them, making them incredibly precious in this world.

But...

"If these three girls are the puppets of Setsugetsuka, then who is she?" Rozen turned his gaze to the alluring woman seated on the platform, being attended to by the puppets of Setsugetsuka.

Rozen already had some suspicions about the identity of this alluring woman. Who else could be attended to by the puppets of Setsugetsuka but their creator?

In other words...

"You're Karyusai?!" Rozen was left dumbfounded.

Seeing his reaction, the alluring woman let out a sudden laugh, as if the air itself carried a hint of fragrance.

"What's the matter? Don't I look like one?" The alluring woman chuckled lazily.

Even Rozen was losing his composure in this situation.

"But isn't Karyusai supposed to be a master who enjoys beautiful women and fine wine?" Rozen managed to stammer out.

Such a master was actually a woman?

Was this some kind of joke?

However, the truth was as it appeared.

"I indeed appreciate both beautiful women and fine wine. Anything beautiful, I am fond of," the alluring woman said, propping herself up slightly, taking out a smoking pipe and speaking leisurely while taking puffs.

"I am Karyusai Shouko. It's a pleasure to meet you, little boy of the Akabane clan."

Karyusai Shouko.

That was the real name of Japan's highest-ranked puppet craftsman.

Rozen then noticed that one of Karyusai Shouko's eyes was covered with an eyepatch, leaving only one eye exposed.

Whether this was to conceal a scar or due to some magical mechanism, Rozen wasn't sure.

But he did know that he was now in the presence of a grandmaster whom puppet users from all around the world wished to meet and had even encountered the world's highest-level automaton.

"I'm Irori. Please take care of me, Nuragami-sama," said the girl representing "Snow," bowing formally with a slightly stiff demeanor.

"...Yaya," the girl representing "Moon" introduced herself succinctly, her gaze towards Rozen exuding a hint of arrogance and disdain.

"As for me, I'm Komurasaki. Nice to meet you, big brother!" The girl representing "Flower" greeted Rozen in a cheerful and cute tone, exuding a vibrant energy.

Regardless of their performances, the distinct personalities of these three girls and the palpable presence they gave off didn't seem like they were mere puppets created by human hands.

Even in the Western world where "Automaton Magic" was popular, people's impression of automatons still revolved around mechanics, wood, horseshoes, gears, and various types of components. How could anyone imagine that such human-like puppets could exist?

Even Rozen, who saw these three girls with his own eyes, found it hard to believe they were actually puppets. The reason wasn't just because these puppets were incredibly human-like, but also because Rozen "sensed" a faint trace of magic emanating from them.

While the magic was not particularly strong, it was impossible for puppets to possess magic if they truly were puppets. Only humans could generate magic.

It was precisely because of this that puppet users had to provide magical power to their puppets, much like how a Master supplied a Servant. Only then could they activate the magical circuits within their puppets to perform magic.

Therefore, the more skilled the puppeteer, the higher the performance of their automaton.

This relationship between puppeteer and puppet was strikingly similar to that of a Master and Servant. It was this similarity that had initially captivated Rozen and led him to wholeheartedly embrace the path of learning this world's technology.

However, now Rozen observed the presence of magic within the puppets.

Such a situation was not unfamiliar to Rozen.

"The 'Banned Doll'..."

A whispered phrase changed the atmosphere entirely.

"Hoo..."

Karyusai Shouko opened her eyes wide, focusing intensely on Rozen.

"...!"

The expressions of Irori, Yaya, and Komurasaki changed as well.

A tense atmosphere pervaded the space.

The air grew heavy.