"This face looks like the newbie who ran away from the factory the other day."
"You say that all the time and it's never once been true, and now you're pretending to know him again?"
At the teddy bear doll's jab, the carpenter doll raised its voice, insisting that this time it was serious.
"This time it's for real. I told you I saw him running away through the factory's upper area the other day! Don't you remember?"
"Planning to sidle up and act chummy so you can pick up some crumbs?"
"No, I really did see him this time! I'm telling you, we even talked, okay?"
"Then do you know what this guy is?"
At the carpenter doll's words, the other dolls around began to murmur, each voicing their own opinion.
A tiny little one said he was a savior come from their home.
Another, grimy one wondered if he might be a doll just like them.
But even the carpenter doll, who claimed to be close to him, couldn't answer that question.
But they all knew one thing for certain.
That the doll lying on the bed was the hero who'd fought the enemy for them on the day the factory collapsed.
Just then, the door of the room where they'd gathered opened, and someone bumped into one of the dolls.
"You startled me. Why are there so many of you? And didn't I tell you not to be noisy in here? It gets in the way of his recovery. So everyone, go wait outside."
"B-But somehow it feels like we have to stay close to him."
"I understand you're worried, but if you care about the patient, you have to let him rest comfortably. Come on, everyone, outside...."
"W-Wait a sec. I think he just moved a little?"
"Really? Let me see too. It's true! His arm moved!"
As the dolls in the room shouted what they'd seen, Edith, startled along with them, checked on Enon on the bed.
"Mr. Enon! Are you awake?"
The one who greeted her and the dolls was Enon, who'd just opened his eyes and sat up.
***
The day I opened my eyes was already five days after we'd brought down the Iron Factory.
Luckily, my comrades were all safe, and thanks to the mechanical soldiers suddenly collapsing, only a few of the people of Adeban had been injured.
In the end, we'd reached a happy ending, just like in the game.
There was something a little different from the original, though.
"Congrats, newbie! You're awake!"
The carpenter doll threw its arms around me as if it were truly glad.
"You remember how well I looked after you when you first came in as a newbie, right? Right?"
"Ah, yes, well.... You did, I guess."
"See! Didn't I say so! I'm really not lying this time!"
At my answer, the dolls around us reacted as if they couldn't believe it.
While I'd been unconscious, the streets of Adeban, where peace should have come as it originally would have, had been hit by an unexpected invasion of toys.
The good news was that the people of Adeban didn't particularly hold anything against the dolls.
"When I told them the dolls were being exploited inside the factory too, everyone understood. They said the dolls are several times better than the mechanical soldiers, or something like that."
Besides sympathizing with their origins and plight, it was that most of them, unlike the menacing mechanical soldiers, had cute, familiar doll shapes, which lessened people's aversion.
Above all, the sight of the city's children absolutely loving the dolls had a big influence.
"So the Residents' Council has allowed the dolls to live in the city from now on."
The Residents' Council, huh. I had a good idea who'd led this decision.
"That's good news, but there won't be enough space for them to settle down and live in the city."
The dolls settling in the city didn't exist in the original story.
In the game's episode, they'd never even appeared on screen; it had only been explained that they were buried along with the factory without a trace.
"No need to worry about that. The dolls have already found a place to live."
"They found somewhere to stay?"
"You're usually so quick on the uptake, but you're really slow today. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, has it?"
"My body is perfectly fine."
"Then I guess your mind hasn't fully come back yet."
At her string of jokes, I was at a loss for words for a moment.
I wondered whether Edith had originally been a character who cracked jokes like that.
Maybe this was what she was really like.
"Anyway, follow me. There's something I want to show you."
Following Edith's words, I walked through the city's streets with her.
"Isn't this where the Iron Factory was?"
Where our steps stopped was none other than the Iron Factory's entrance.
But now, where the entrance had been, the iron gate was gone, and a crude but cute sign had been put up.
-Adeban Doll Village.
Beyond the sign, where the Iron Factory had stood, houses big and small had been built on its remaining frame instead of a cold castle of iron.
And those houses reminded me of the dolls' paradise I'd seen in the game.
"Huh? Look over there! He's awake!"
When one doll spotted me and shouted, the dolls around turned their eyes toward me all at once, like a ripple spreading.
Once they confirmed it was me, the dolls cheered, and some even burst into tears.
"...Why is everyone acting like that all of a sudden?"
But there was no need to hear Edith's answer.
[The effect of the trait Kin Savior is active.]
[You hold absolute favor with the doll race.]
Before I knew it, all kinds of dolls had surrounded me, cheering.
"Thank you so much! Thanks to you, we got out of that hellhole!"
"Are you really a doll like us too?"
"We'll build you the biggest, coolest building here, so live here from now on!"
"You're our hero!"
Between the pouring praise and the dolls clinging all over my body, I barely managed to keep my balance and not fall over.
"Everyone, wait a moment—please give me some space."
But with my face buried in the dolls' embrace, my voice didn't reach them.
In the end, unable to stand watching any longer, Edith clapped her hands and spoke to the dolls for me.
"I told you not to touch him carelessly since we don't know if he's fully healed yet. Everyone, back off."
The dolls, who'd ignored every word I said, scattered all at once when Edith gave the order.
It was like watching a preschool teacher guiding children.
"...What on earth happened while I was unconscious?"
"Nothing much. When the Iron Factory collapsed, I told them to follow me, and ever since then, they've been doing everything I say, you know?"
What, it wasn't as if they were baby birds that treat the first thing they see after hatching as their mother.
"Then you're looking after those dolls, Miss Edith?"
"No. I'm just keeping an eye on them so they don't cause trouble. Like I said before, looking after people isn't my talent."
"I never said those dolls were children."
"...They may be big, but they act no different from kids."
"...That's what I was about to say—"
"Anyway, I'm not those dolls' master. If anything, you should be considered their master, Mr. Enon. They all survived thanks to you."
Edith cut me off with a cough.
She'd realized that what she'd just said didn't add up.
'Me, their master.'
No, they might have been thrown away, but they had a master of their own.
However much I'd saved them, I had no right to rule over them.
"Sorry, but I have no intention of ruling over them."
"Hmm, really? But you'll at least play the boss, won't you?"
"...The boss?"
"Well, from now on, the dolls have decided to take over the iron-making work. And they've also agreed to cooperate with us on furniture-making."
Edith took me into the Doll Village.
And there was the ironworks that had been in the lower part of the factory.
"The dolls moved the stuff that was inside the factory over here. You know our city's main exports are iron and furniture, right? And as it happens, the dolls said they have a talent for that."
"So you had the dolls run the ironworks?"
"No, they stepped up and offered to do it themselves first, you know?"
Volunteering to keep doing, of their own free will, the work they'd been forced to do after being thrown away here.
It was hard to believe, but meeting them in person, I could tell my assumption had been wrong.
"Oh, newbie! I heard you came to the village, and you came all the way here? I was going to come find you right away, but I was busy with work and couldn't come out to meet you, sorry."
"...Why are you still doing the same work?"
"Hm? If not us, who'll do this work? Besides, it was the bastards watching us we hated, not the work. But now there are no toy soldiers forcing us to work, we can do it safely, and if we get hurt, the townsfolk say they'll fix us, so there's no reason to say no."
When I turned around, Edith raised the corners of her mouth and waved her palm.
Seeing my dumbfounded face, the carpenter doll patted me on the shoulder and said something.
"I get how you feel, newbie. You want us to live doing what we want, right? Don't worry. Everyone's living the way they want to. So don't take it so seriously."
This carpenter doll, how old was it, to be saying things like that?
"Hey! Ford! Quit yapping and help with this!"
"Hold on a sec! I'm talking to the newbie here, you big lug of a bear!"
The carpenter doll called Ford hurriedly waved at me and ran back over beside the machine.
"What on earth happened while I was away?"
"A whole lot happened. And things worked out a lot better than expected. There's only one thing you have to decide, Mr. Enon. Becoming those dolls' boss."
"Is that what the dolls wanted too?"
"That's right. They said they want to repay you, even if it's just like this."
Me, a boss. That was a situation I hadn't seen coming at all.
But there was no particular reason to refuse either.
There was no one besides me to play the role of their boss.
Besides, I could build up my own funds from the profits they earned.
There was nothing to lose, so I might as well accept it with an easy mind.
"Then as of now, I'm the boss of the new Iron Factory."
"That's right. I look forward to working with you from now on, Boss Enon."
I answered Edith, who bowed her head politely.
"Then, as the boss, let me make an offer. I'd like to scout you for my company, Miss Edith."
However many materials for parts there were lying around, in the end it only meant something if there was someone to make those parts.
What's more, as in the last fight with Gloren, there'd been times when parts I needed to use got destroyed.
There were bound to be plenty more cases of parts being destroyed from now on.
On top of that, I didn't have the ability to make parts myself.
So I absolutely needed someone who'd make my parts.
"Me? Are you serious?"
"Yes. I'd like you to keep making the parts I need. You're the best mechanic I know, Miss Edith."
"Even if it's flattery, it doesn't feel bad to hear. Sorry, but I'll turn down that offer. Instead, there's someone capable I know, so talk to them."
At her mention of introducing someone else, someone vaguely came to mind.
"Then instead of mechanic, how about vice president?"
"Vice president? My position just shot way up all of a sudden."
"I'd like you to take on consulting for the factory, and of course the role of vice president of the Iron Factory. In return... I'll give you 20 percent of the factory's shares."
"20 percent? Wait a minute. You're not planning to make me vice president and dump all the work on me, are you?"
"Sorry, but that's exactly my plan."
At my answer, Edith couldn't help but let out an incredulous laugh.
"Oh my, so you're saying you'll play a total figurehead boss? If that's the case, I'd rather be the boss myself."
"Honestly, I wouldn't mind that either. All I need are funds and materials for parts."
"If it were me, I'd be thrilled and try to do all the things I wanted. Guess you're less interested in power than I thought."
"Whereas you seem quite interested, Miss Edith."
After thinking my offer over for a moment, Edith soon gave her answer.
"Fine. I accept. But unless you specifically ask for it, you don't interfere with running the factory."
"Do as you see fit."
I held out my hand to Edith for a handshake to seal the contract.
Edith responded and clasped my hand.
"Then I look forward to working with you, Miss Edith."
"I look forward to it too. Boss."
To think the day would come when I'd be called boss for the first time in my life.
Well, now that I'd scouted a vice president.
Now it was time to go find a new mechanic.