-112- Are you daring enough to use it?

"Yaya, come back," Karyusai Shouko called out to Yaya, who was preparing to engage again.

"Shouko!" Yaya seemed a bit reluctant.

However, Karyusai Shouko showed no indulgence towards the beautiful automaton.

"Disobedient children are disliked, especially by me," Karyusai Shouko said with a hint of meaning.

"Ugh..." Yaya seemed taken aback, glaring at Rozen with a mix of resentment and hostility.

Clearly, Yaya was still far from being at ease.

From the beginning, this automaton had displayed intense malice towards Rozen, which was now only being amplified.

Rozen didn't quite understand Yaya's motivations but didn't pay it much mind either.

Rozen had already compromised by not immediately retaliating when faced with someone's hostility. Did he need to go further and be polite to those who were ill-disposed towards him?

Rozen wasn't mature enough for that. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so childish.

"Yaya," Karyusai Shouko cautioned again, her tone now carrying a touch of authority.

"Yaya, you should come back," Komurasaki also advised, unable to hold back.

"Yaya, you must not defy the master's orders," Irori's expression turned stern.

Under the persuasion of the trio, Yaya reluctantly returned to her pedestal, sitting down. However, she didn't spare a glance at Rozen, as if fearing to soil her eyes, leaving her strong prejudice against him evident.

However, Rozen was no longer in the mood to interact with Yaya in the same way.

Recalling Karyusai Shouko's earlier words, Rozen still found them hard to believe.

"Is it really true that the living parts used for 'Setsugetsuka' were taken from your own body?" Rozen questioned with skepticism.

"What? You're not willing to believe it?" Karyusai Shouko replied casually. "Would you like to come and check if there's anything missing from my body?"

Saying this, Karyusai Shouko lazily changed her posture, revealing her ample figure and charm. The front of her kimono even slid down significantly, revealing almost everything that could be seen and even hinting at what couldn't be seen.

This made Rozen a bit uncomfortable.

"What about 'Oborofuji'?" Rozen changed the topic and asked, "Could it be that even the living beings used for 'Oborofuji' are from your own body?"

This question changed Karyusai Shouko's attitude.

"'Oborofuji'..." Karyusai Shouko's tone turned impatient, as if disgusted by something. "That's just a failed creation. How could I possibly use my own body for that?"

"Failed creation?" Rozen was instantly stunned. An automaton that even an ordinary person could easily manipulate, and one powerful enough to change the landscape—according to Karyusai Shouko, it was just a failed creation?

That an automaton which even an ordinary person could easily manipulate, and possessed power strong enough to alter landscapes, could be labeled as a "failed creation" by Karyusai Shouko left Rozen stunned.

"Alright, let's not dwell on this unpleasant topic," Karyusai Shouko sighed. "Or should we discuss whether the 'Prodigy of the Akabane clan' is truly so virtuous that they can't stand any wrongdoing?"

"It's not about being virtuous," Rozen frowned, his tone rather displeased. "I simply dislike human experimentation."

"Is that so?" Karyusai Shouko pondered for a moment, then ceased discussing it further. She pulled out a pipe and started smoking.

Seeing that Karyusai Shouko wasn't willing to bring up the topic again, Rozen's mood also soured.

"Well, as you've said, let's return to the main subject."

Perhaps due to his changed impression, Rozen wasn't sarcastic anymore, but he was equally less courteous.

"Presumably, Master Karyusai, you've already seen the letter my father wrote, haven't you?"

Upon hearing this, Karyusai Shouko slowly nodded. "Indeed, I've seen it."

Karyusai Shouko took out the letter Rozen had brought and played with it in her hand as she asked a question.

"Have you already seen the contents of this letter beforehand?"

Out of the blue, Karyusai Shouko asked this question.

Rozen found it a bit odd, but he truthfully answered, "No, I haven't opened that letter. I've only learned some of the reasons from my father's words."

"I see," Karyusai Shouko nodded in understanding. Then, she made a surprising statement, "No wonder you didn't react at all. Your father asked me to create an automaton specifically for you."

This statement left Rozen utterly stunned.

"My father asked you to create an automaton specifically for me?"

What on earth was going on?

He had never heard about this!

Wasn't Akabane Kuukan sending Karyusai Shouko a letter to ask her to create automatons for the Akabane clan? How did it turn into creating one just for him?

"It seems you really didn't know about this," witnessing Rozen's reaction, Karyusai Shouko confirmed it. She then continued, "Indeed, your father asked me to create automatons for your family members. But he also had foresight and knew I wouldn't agree. After all, my automatons are not something cheap that can be mass-produced. It would be a foolish fantasy to equip each of your family members with one. Therefore, at the end of the letter, he made a request to me."

Karyusai Shouko shifted her gaze towards Rozen.

"That request was to create an automaton only for you."

Rozen had been completely unaware of this matter from beginning to end.

He was speechless at the moment.

"That old man..."

At this point, Rozen's emotions were quite complex.

Fortunately, Karyusai Shouko didn't let his emotions remain complex for too long.

"The letter mentioned that your talent is unmatched in the world, only being surpassed by Akabane Tenzen due to the lack of family lineage. If I could provide you with an automaton worthy of your talent, your achievements in the future would surely not be lower than those of your dear foster brother."

Karyusai Shouko spoke these words with a light laugh, bringing Rozen back to his senses.

"So, are you willing to agree to it?" Rozen directly asked this question.

In response, Karyusai Shouko answered truthfully.

"Originally, I wasn't planning to agree," Karyusai Shouko said, "but now, I've had a change of heart."

In other words, Karyusai Shouko was planning to create an automaton specifically for Rozen.

No, to be more accurate, she intended to gift Rozen with an automaton of the highest caliber.

"Young man," Karyusai Shouko gazed at Rozen with a profound smile. "What do you think of my 'Setsugetsuka' series?"

These words not only widened Rozen's eyes, but also stirred reactions from the automaton sisters of 'Setsugetsuka'.

"Master?"

Irori displayed astonishment on her face.

"Shouko!"

Yaya seemed to have realized something, her expression shifting.

"Could it be, Shouko, are you planning..."

Even Komurasaki covered her mouth, an expression of extreme surprise on her face.

The three girls each reacted with various expressions and gestures, all still outrageously beautiful.

Karyusai Shouko stated these words with a touch of pride.

"I can give you one of the 'Setsugetsuka' series."

"But, are you daring enough to use it?"

"Are you daring enough to use an automaton made by me after crossing the boundaries of taboo?"

Karyusai Shouko's questioning left Rozen utterly speechless.