Side Note

A golem maid… a rock golem maid… a staring rock golem maid… it just don't make sense, Johnson. It has an immaculate form, though. Those slender arms, those slender legs, those slender… the maid dress is not slender, it's just a normal maid dress that's rigid since it's made of rock as well. Does that mean the golem is technically naked? Its dress is part of its body, after all.

"A curious question. It is true that I am naked." And the golem's mouth is moving. What the fuck? Since when did golems speak? Wait… is this the special golem that hangs out with the Golemancer? "That would be true. I am indeed the Golemancer's companion, but let me correct you. I am no creation of hers."

"Is it true you two fuck?"

"I have no such interest in either sexual activities or for the Golemancer whatsoever. Now, my question. I have checked your Status, and I am curious about your unique ability, 'Side Note'. What is it capable of?"

"If I looked into the eyes of Sacred Power holders, I'll see their Sacred Powers and a Side Note made by my mom. She's the Creator, by the way."

"Sacred Powers are the unique abilities of this world if I recall correctly. Would your ability be able to discern my unique Skill? Peer into my eyes, if you will. I am curious about your mother's thoughts on my Skill."

"Aye aye, captain!" I hopped over to the golem that was a whole head shorter than me, leaned down, and met her eye to eye, only to have nothing appear. "It's not working."

"Maybe it is due to my artificial nature. How does your ability activate for items imbued with a Sacred Power?"

"I touch it!"

"Then touch me."

"Sorry, I'm taken."

"I have already expressed my disinterest in sexual acts. Touch me."

"Fine." I touched the head of the golem, and like before, no screen appeared. "Nothing again."
"A disappointment… would you happen to have a list of Side Notes?"

"Nope."
"Then I shall procure it myself through different methods. As thanks for giving me some knowledge," The golem's hand seemingly disappeared, before reappearing, holding a book. "I will give you this book, written by someone dear to me."

I took the book, having a quick flip through it. Huh, a book about scythes, golems, and the beehive system. A very odd group of subjects, but it sounds like a good read. My legs started to go transparent, but I had one question for the golem. "If you and the Golemancer don't fuck, what is your relationship?"

"She teaches me things about this world, and I teach her about golems. Be warned, for she has been able to create golems similar to me." And onto the next floor, I went,

I arrived on the next floor, seeing that it was a factory. A golem factory, to be exact. Lines and lines of still golems, each in the middle of building, with their architect standing high and proud at the front of the line, despite her short stature. I snuck up behind her, opting to watch her work her magic. She held a chisel and hammer and was putting fine details on the maid dress of the golem she was working on… why are they all dressed like maids? Before I could think about this further, all the golems suddenly activated and started moving towards me. That's… not good.

I stomped the ground, causing a wave of ice to devour the golems, quickly immobilising them. I then faced the Golemancer, who had… disappeared. That's also not good… I created a few daggers in each hand and started throwing them at the frozen golems to both remove cover for the Golemancer and lessen her combat capabilities.

I noticed that golems that were far back enough to not be hit by my ice wave were now climbing over the frozen bodies of their comrades, making me focus my daggers at them, which was in vain since their rock bodies easily deflected my daggers. I should've used my magic. I stomped the ground heavily, making the area in front of me shake intensely, cracking the frozen golems and making the golems climbing on top fall over. I stomped again, creating a floor filled with earth spikes, piercing into the fallen golems, when I heard a rumbling from behind.

I turned around and found myself facing a giant version of the first golem I meant, her face alone almost two times my size, with the Golemancer at its core… wait, its core is exposed. That's a very exploitable weakness… is the Golemancer actually stupid, and it's just that intelligent, otherworldly golem that does the work? Whatever, I'll just throw a dagger at the exposed core and… the golem has fallen. That was… incredibly anti-climatic.

I walked over to the Golemancer, who was now pitifully facing downwards, although I could see a tear of streams on her cheeks. I squatted down, and instead of consoling her, I decided to just find the key to the next floor instead.

Looting, looting, looting… okay, it's nothing in her pockets, so maybe it's an article of clothing… like her goggles! I tried grabbing her goggles, but she then rolled away, glaring at me while holding her goggles tight. Huh. I tapped the ground, causing a little shake that made the Golemancer lose her balance. Before she could fall onto the ground, however, I swiftly caught her, much to her surprise. She started blushing when she made eye contact while I saw a familiar screen.

Huh. While she was a blushing mess, I quickly took her goggles off. She tried grabbing it, but I held it high above my head, beyond what her short height could reach, until I eventually disappeared, being sent to the next floor.

Character profile: Sasha Flase

Sacred power: Golemancer

Favourite material for golems: Rock

Description: The world-acclaimed Golemancer. Sasha is lauded as a prodigy in Mendass, being responsible for advancing golem-making techniques and using said techniques to create technologies for convenient use. The truth of the matter, however, is that her advanced golem techniques are actually from her Sacred Power, while her innovative inventions are actually from the knowledge provided by both Rika Kaneyama and the golem that had ended up in Mendass from a different fantasy world. Although she hasn't done much herself, she still stands proud, especially since her mother looked down upon her fascination with golems.

Chapter namesake: Artificial by Iku Hoshifuri

pojlk

It's funny, I wanted the Golemancer to be an important character, but only now I'm introducing her, when we're basically in the endgame. Oh well.