Floor 40: Akihabara's Idol

I guess it's no surprise that there are even fewer regular customers this high up.

Umu. True, and the people here are just doubled over, gasping for breath as if they have just scaled a mountain.

You there. I would turn back if I were you. You are deathly pale.

N-no way... I'm not turning back...after coming this far... I still have...to make my beloved...into a human! Khh!

And also pick up...some super rare merch...while I'm here...

I knew it. They won't listen to us.

Oh well, at least the Akiba guards are keeping an even closer eye on them than usual. Probably so they can get them to the hospital at a moment's notice.

I think so, too. And I've also noticed that most of the employees up here are dolls.

I'm not surprised. I just took a little peek inside that store over there, and even through the window, I could tell it was filled from top to bottom with treasure.

The only reason I'm not running around shopping like a maniac is that I can tell things are getting serious now.

(I've got a yabad feeling about this. Something tells me this treasure isn't here to be bought or sold.)

(I get the sense all this fancy, rare merch is being used as...bait?)

Hey, Ma-chan? Can I talk to you for

Gyaaah! Wh-what's going on!?

Nero Nero! Hellooo, all you lovely people out in dream town☆ The angel of Akiba is here☆

Wooo! Wooo!

Shiny shiny Nero Nero city of looove☆ Everyone's angel is here to siiing☆

Nerooo! Ne-Ne-Neririii! Neahhh!

Hmm. Nope. Not even my usual theme song entrance is making this any easier. (Sigh)

You! How dare you unveil the second verse of your theme song this far in!? No fair!

？！

Are you here to try and stop us?

Stop you? No, no, nothing like that. I'm the official idol of Akiba here to make everyone's day brighter, remember?

My job is to cheer for every wishman and woman from the bottom of my heart☆

I'm here to help everyone shop with a spring in their step! I'm here to support their love of all kinds of media!

Then, you won't mind if we go on ahead, right? We just want to buy some rare goodies, after all. (Lying)

...Actually, yes. I do mind.

Huh!?

I understand that this isn't part of the role a doll like me is meant to play.

But even so, I just don't think it would be a good idea for you to go any further.

Even if it's wrong for me to try and stop you.

...

Honestly, I'm still not sure about this, you know?

I'm...ummm, the closest thing the king has to a child. I just don't want anything bad to happen.

Hmm. I guess...maybe I should just go ahead and use my ultimate technique now.

Yeah, I think I will☆ This is my ultimate technique... Real Talk!

Galatea, you won't find your King Pygmalion up here. Just give up and go home.

...!?

Of course it is! I'm an idol, after all! We only deal in dreams, not lies!

Oh silly. You can tell I'm not lying, right?

I know you're people savvy enough to figure out that much☆

？！

...It doesn't matter.

Even if you are telling the truth...I've already made up my mind to see this King of Figures anyway.

I have to find out for myself.

Maybe it's because I began life as a statue, and am in some ways still not human enough...

...but I'm afraid I'm not really...developed enough to simply take you at your word.

(What does being a statue have to do with that?)

We have never been overly concerned with whether this King of Figures is actually King Pygmalion.

All we want is to meet with the person responsible for the doll parade that is this Singularity...

...and for the flattering yet detestable crime of appropriating my likeness by creating you!

Yeah. We just want to put Akihabara back to how it's supposed to be. All you have to do is stay out of our way.

(Sigh) As the idol of Akiba, I really, really shouldn't be doing this...

But maybe, just this once... it'll be okay if I give it a shot.

...Listen up, Nero Boys! I'm about to hold a live, impromptu, very special event☆

Wooo! Yeaaah!

Really? Here!? This has never happened before!

And not only that... It's interactive! You'll all get to take part in it!

So don't just stand there watching! Come on out and move your bodies with me♪

We don't like exercising, but for our Nero, we can make an exception!

Heeehaha! We can't wait! We're gonna make this the best video ever!

To everyone watching out there, don't forget to hit that Like button and subscribe to Nero-Channel!

You even stole the name I was going to give to my own video channel once I got around to making it, too!?

That does it! I demand you surrender the login credentials to me immediately!

With my singing voice and true idol sensibilities, I will increase the subscriber count a hundredfold in no time!

Uh-oh! It looks like she's going to try to overwhelm us with sheer numbers!

It doesn't matter. I'm not going to give up now, regardless of what stands in my way.

...Let's go!

...Aww. I guess I really can't stop you.

I should've known. I could never bring myself to truly try to destroy you.

...

Okay, let me give you just one last word of warning then.

You really are going to regret having come here. You'd be much happier if you'd stayed away.

If you had...your wish might've really come true one day.

Phew. I don't know what that was all about, but at least that should be the last obstacle in our michi, right?

I believe so. But something else is nagging at me now.

I can understand how that doll who looks like me could have been given life...

But I cannot understand why she is also able to fight like I can.

Maybe it's because of how Medea made her?

No. I only commissioned something in my likeness.

I am certain she did not use any unusual materials, nor infuse it with any form of magecraft.

Which can only mean that this was also the work of the King of Figures.

Hm, that would suggest there's even more going on here than we thought.

Indeed. It is one thing to take a humanoid form and give it life with love.

It is quite another to transform it into a being capable of fighting like a Servant.

Perhaps this, too, is the King of Figures' doing. If so, then who is he, really...?

While I'm sure it goes without saying at this point, the King Pygmalion I know is not a mage.

He is an exceptional sculptor and king, but still only a sculptor.

His love may have been strong enough to bring an inanimate object like myself to life...

...but that is the extent of his power.

...Well, there's no point stewing about it here. We'll just have to meet this King of Figures and see for ourselves.

Yes. That's very true.

I suggest we continue making our way to the top of this tower, without dropping our guard.

？！