The Tears of an Ego Doll
In Terraris, a world shrouded in death under the toxin known as the Doll’s Tear, most life had perished. The few that still moved were grotesque mutants, far from anything normal. With even the air thick with toxic dust, basic survival—breathing, eating, drinking—had become impossible. Dangers lurked everywhere, yet they hardly mattered anymore. It was a hollow world where death reigned so completely that there was almost nothing left to die. In this cruel realm where every calamity had converged into chaos, Neromeltia beheld pristine nature for the first time.
It was no artificial haven like Under Barkus or the sewers beneath the Demon Lord Castle. This was pure, untouched land shaped solely by nature’s own power—a vast expanse that embodied the very essence of life.
“…It’s… so beautiful……”
A sprawling forest where the Creator’s creatures lived in peace, each in its perfect form—something she had thought she would never see again. Tiny birds with iridescent feathers flitted freely through the sky, their songs as lovely as a fairy’s harp. Timid rabbits twitched their noses and perked their ears before vanishing into the undergrowth. Pine forests refreshed the mind with their vibrant green, while the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze soothed the heart. The rich, dark soil was a healthy black-brown, carpeted so densely with grass that the ground itself seemed to glow emerald. Flowers of every color bloomed in every direction, and butterflies shimmered like rainbows or auroras while plump, fuzzy bees peacefully gathered nectar.
Walking through this peaceful scene made all the disasters plaguing Terraris feel like nothing more than a fleeting nightmare—its worries and sorrows suddenly weightless.
“Pollution level in the vicinity of the Demon Lord Castle: 10 percent.”
“There’s still some pollution, then?”
“This level poses no hindrance to biological activity. While the atmosphere contains lethal components that may accumulate and prove fatal to weaker organisms, most creatures can survive.”
“Even so, maintaining such a beautiful environment in a world this harsh is truly remarkable! Nature really is magnificent and wonderful!”
Beatrice analyzed the surroundings using her magitech functions and delivered the briefing. Lusteria, savoring the natural beauty she had not seen in a thousand years, expressed her delight with a pure, almost un-demon-like sentiment. Neromeltia admired the wondrous sight while her mind raced through countless possibilities and probabilities.
The survival instinct of living beings was greater than anything else. Even butterflies, possessing only the barest instincts, had been drawn to the forest’s life-giving scent and were sustaining themselves. Surely thinking, speaking beings would have discovered this place as well. Countless races of the Astaris continent flashed through her mind; encountering any of them would not be strange.
“Beatrice. Intelligent races may reside here. Search thoroughly—leave no trace unexamined.”
“Understood, Master.”
“Lust, circle the outer perimeter of the Caboni Forest and investigate how this place has remained untouched by the Humians. There must be a reason they cannot approach.”
“Yes, Master!”
“I will advance toward the heart of the Caboni Forest. Beatrice, do not stray too far from me and report back periodically. Lust will need time to survey the surroundings, so take your time and return at your leisure. That is all.”
At their master’s clear and purposeful orders, the loyal secretary and maid immediately set to their tasks. Lusteria soared into the sky on a surge of vast magical power and vanished toward the forest’s edge. Beatrice moved through the woods with swift, light steps, determined not to miss even the smallest footprint or trace.
Neromeltia watched the two disappear before turning her attention to her own role: a comprehensive survey of the Caboni Forest and a search for resources. Safety assessment was a secondary but important duty. Though she could have scouted from the relatively safe skies like Lusteria or moved with Beatrice’s stealth and speed, she did neither. Her pace was brisk, yet her overall demeanor remained relaxed and unguarded. She made no effort to muffle the sound of parting foliage or the crunch of soil beneath her feet. If anything hostile or intelligent lurked nearby, it would have no trouble spotting her—and that was precisely what she wanted.
She even went so far as to pick up large stones and hurl them into the distance, deliberately provocative. Time passed—enough for two afternoon teas and a full movement of a symphony. Beatrice returned twice with nothing unusual to report. On her third return, she finally brought good news.
“I have discovered footprints of a large bipedal species and signs of fruit gathering. They wore boots, so the exact shape of the feet could not be determined, but judging by the size and depth of the prints, the creatures are estimated to stand approximately three hundred or five hundred mentols tall.”
Mentol—the fundamental unit of length measurement. A mentol was a thumbnail-sized fruit that tasted sweet and left a refreshing aroma. Because fully grown fruits were identical in size down to the tiniest fraction, they served as the absolute standard for measurement.
Neromeltia, already tall for a woman at roughly one hundred eighty mentols, would be dwarfed by beings twice her height. The list of possible races narrowed considerably.
“Trolls, ogres, cyclopes… or perhaps unusually large orcs.”
“Living armors or golems are also possible, but they would not gather fruit, so they can be excluded. Werewolves might be considered, yet they go barefoot, making boot prints unlikely.”
At least the races listed were hostile to Humians. The likelihood that they belonged to Hemonigent had risen sharply. These were the footprints of beings who could become allies or citizens—clearly welcome news.
“Where are they most likely to be found?”
“The traces lead toward the center of the Caboni Forest, in the direction of the mountain foothills. If you descend southwest, you should discover their settlement.”
“Good. Stay close to me from now on. Well done, Beatrice.”
“…It is only natural for a humble servant.”
Beatrice bowed deeply at her master’s praise, placing herself in the lowest position. Neromeltia considered objecting but held her tongue, instead gently stroking the maid’s head with a warm hand before setting off. Beatrice remained frozen, head still bowed, until her master had walked nearly ten paces. Only then did she lift her gaze and hurry after her.
Though an Ego Doll could not blush, the trembling of her beautiful blue topaz-like eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. Magical characters reporting status changes flooded her vision, which resembled a brilliant sea of shattered sunlight. The only person her master ever patted so affectionately was her secretary, Lusteria. Unlike the dry, businesslike Beatrice, the cute and bright Lusteria was the very picture of an adorable woman. Beneath a master who distributed her affection fairly, Beatrice had tried to suppress the emotion, yet a small, undeniable jealousy lingered. Whenever that negative feeling crept forth, she felt disgusted with her own disloyalty and struggled to maintain the perfect servant’s heart. Sometimes she even wondered if she was a defective product incapable of controlling even trivial emotions.
Yet her flawless master had extended a warm hand even to such a worthless doll. Beatrice found herself thinking, absurdly, that if she were a true living being rather than a mechanical construct, she would be shedding tears right now.
“Beatrice!? Are you hurt!? What’s wrong!?”
“…Ah……”
An emotion never programmed into her magitech artificial personality had arisen, causing chaotic status reports that clouded her vision. She had not even noticed her master approaching. When Neromeltia’s worried face filled her sight and she finally felt the damp sensation trailing down her cheeks, Beatrice realized another change had occurred.
An Ego Doll that should never cry was crying. The cleansing fluid—98 percent water with trace minerals, meant only to protect her high-performance lenses from contamination or maintain proper humidity—had begun to flow uncontrollably, mimicking the tears of a living being as her emotions overwhelmed her regulatory functions.
“It seems I am broken, Master.”
“What are you saying!? What’s wrong with you!?”
“…Errors that should never have been imprinted upon my artificial personality are occurring repeatedly. When I lost my father, Ronald Gutman, sorrow manifested as an error. When I met you again, joy appeared as an error. The intervals between errors are growing shorter. Anger, ecstasy, grief, disgust, jealousy, relief, anxiety, affection… The name of the error is… emotion……”
Tears of feeling streamed down an expressionless face. A monotone voice recounted emotional memories. Neromeltia pulled the trembling maid into a tight embrace and affirmed everything about her. She told her that all of it was normal, that no errors existed. She whispered that Beatrice was no mere doll, but a precious being sharing the same time with her. She urged her not to suppress her rising emotions, but to act freely.
Each word, filled with her master’s affection, breathed life into the artificial personality. The chains of “purpose of existence” that had bound her heart snapped, and she felt a nonexistent heart pounding wildly. For the first time, Beatrice smiled freely through her tears.
Meanwhile, Lusteria had already left the Caboni Forest behind and was flying farther from the Decastras Mountains. Her blind faith that her great and perfect master could never be wrong kept her moving forward. Her master had said intelligent races might inhabit the Caboni Forest and that there must be a reason the Humians could not approach. Combining the two pieces of information, Lusteria concluded that the residents had likely built massive defensive walls or geographically camouflaged structures for concealment.
Following her theory, she had left the forest and continued flying in search of such architecture. Even as the endlessly polluted black earth stretched beneath her, she flew on with nothing but faith in her master. When the Caboni Forest had shrunk to a small patch in her vision, she finally achieved her goal—though her guess had been wrong while her master’s had been correct.
So shocked that she covered her mouth with both hands, Lusteria’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“Wh-what is that…!!!”