In the room, all the clamor had vanished, leaving only silence.
"I was wrong..."
"I was wrong..."
"I was wrong..."
Irori, Yaya, and Komurasaki sat dejectedly on the floor, heads hanging low, no longer daring to make a fuss.
Shouko looked at her daughters, chuckling, then turned to Rozen, who sat across from her, calmly sipping his hot tea.
"You know how to punish these three girls now, huh?"
Shouko looked a little surprised.
In the past, Yaya and the others often caused a ruckus like this, but Rozen never punished them. Now, however, he had learned to use such methods to discipline the three sisters. It made Shouko feel that the boy before her was truly different from the past.
That feeling could be summed up in one sentence:
"You've grown up."
Shouko spoke with a tone that was somewhere between sentimentality and relief.
After all, the old Rozen would have just joined in the chaos with these girls. But now, he exuded the authority of someone older, using it to suppress the three troublemakers.
That's why Shouko felt Rozen had finally grown.
Realizing this, Shouko finally understood what had felt off about Rozen.
It was a certain state — one called "growth."
"Just what happened to this little boy in the past two months?"
Shouko looked at Rozen with meaningful eyes.
In response, Rozen offered a calm and composed smile — a stark contrast to the lazy and carefree demeanor of the past.
While Shouko was still deep in thought, Rozen finally spoke up.
"Either way, the fact that you made it back in time is already impressive," Rozen said. "I thought you might not be able to return."
Back then, the reason Shouko left with Setsugetsuka was due to a summons from her homeland.
As a Master Puppet Craftsman, Shouko's techniques were of national importance. The Automaton Dolls she created were top-tier, directly influencing the quality and combat power of the national Automaton Corps. Her country did not want her wandering abroad — especially not to a chaotic, politically tense place like Walpurgis Royal Academy of Machinart.
Whether fearing her assassination and the loss of such a skilled master, or worrying she might be poached by another nation, her country had every reason to forbid her from leaving.
At that time, Rozen had made a splash: defeating the strongest magus of the 19th century, summoning an army of tens of thousands of monsters with a wave of his hand, and flattening the rampaging Automaton Doll Army of the City of Machinart. His power drew the attention of all nations. Naturally, her country wanted Shouko to bring Rozen back — a request she refused.
In the end, she was ordered to return to her country. To avoid potential risks, Shouko took Yaya and Setsugetsuka back to the Far East.
Recalling all this, Rozen had genuinely wondered whether Shouko would be forbidden from leaving again, and if the three girls would never return.
But in the end, he was overthinking it.
"They didn't want me to leave the country again, but they were even more unwilling to offend you, little boy."
Shouko gave Rozen a charming smile.
"Your influence is worth more than mine now. Everyone wants to curry your favor, not push you away. So, when I said your Automaton is still with me, and you need it to attend the Night Party, they had no choice but to take it seriously."
In other words, Shouko used Rozen as an excuse to escape the country and return to the UK — specifically, to Liverpool, the City of Machinart.
"Of course, they also care deeply about this Night Party. With the Machine Doll as the grand prize, they can't afford not to pay attention to the outcome. And since you're the most promising Puppeteer to win, the Machine Doll will likely fall into your hands. For that reason alone, they had to let me return to your side."
That's how Shouko was allowed to come back.
However...
"They're definitely not at ease." Shouko took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled slowly. "From now on, my safety will be protected by bodyguards dispatched from the Japanese military."
"Bodyguards?" Rozen smirked. "You mean surveillance, right?"
Shouko merely smiled without answering — essentially admitting it.
Still, Rozen keenly caught a strange glint in her eyes. Even the three girls — punished with three hours of kneeling — had expressions of hesitation, as if they wanted to say something but didn't know how.
Before Rozen could ask, Shouko continued.
"Thanks to all this, my safety is now their responsibility. So Irori and Komurasaki can be transferred to you, to accompany you to the Night Party."
That was what Shouko said.
In other words, Rozen could now bring all members of Setsugetsuka to this year's Night Party.
"Wait! As long as Rozen has me, he doesn't need anyone else...!"
Yaya immediately protested, but wilted under Rozen's sharp glare, sniffling in grievance.
Irori and Komurasaki, however, had no objections.
"This unworthy girl shall devote herself to Rozen-sama."
Irori was solemn.
"Hehe, now big sis and I are also Rozen's Automatons!"
Komurasaki grinned cheerfully.
Both had previously stayed with Rozen and had already been promised to him by Shouko. Far from opposing it, they were eager to become Rozen's Automatons.
Clearly, Rozen had left quite the impression on them.
"So, Senpai is this popular... in this world."
"Automaton Dolls, huh?"
"Seems like you're not lacking women... in other worlds."
"Rozen-sama..."
Mash, Artoria [Alter], Jeanne [Alter], and Serenity all made their voices heard in Rozen's heart — some startled, some cold, some scornful, some sorrowful — making Rozen feel a bit uncomfortable.
Shaking his head, Rozen turned to Shouko and spoke.
"I have no objection, but if I'm not mistaken, weren't you supposed to give Irori and Komurasaki to me after I won the Night Party and earned the title of Wiseman?"
That had been their agreement.
Participate in the Night Party, win it, become the Wiseman, and only then would the remaining two Automatons of Setsugetsuka become his.
That was the condition.
But now, Shouko seemed ready to give them to him in advance.
The reason was simple.
"You've already proven yourself more than worthy of the title of Wiseman."
Shouko didn't explain further — she simply gave that single sentence.
"From today on, Irori and Komurasaki are yours."
"My Setsugetsuka now fully belongs to you."
"You'd better take good care of my daughters, little boy."