The other side.
When Androgyne broke through the bedrock of the underground space and emerged onto the surface within the academy, the entire subterranean area trembled violently from its violent ascent.
"What's happening...!?"
Raishin nearly lost his balance from the tremors, his face filled with shock.
"Androgyne!"
Tenzen immediately realized the cause, his expression shifting.
"Androgyne actually left the Sanctuary of Fools and went above ground?"
How could this be?
Although the seal of the Sanctuary of Fools had indeed weakened—partly due to the damage inflicted on its magic circles and spells during the fierce battle between Rozen and Raishin—Androgyne should not have been able to leave the underground space, nor should it have wanted to.
"It's still just a mass of magical energy, a focal point for artificial souls. Without a physical body, it can't withstand sunlight. If exposed, its magical energy and spiritual form would dissipate. Why would it suddenly abandon the sanctuary and head to the surface?"
Tenzen couldn't make sense of it.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Androgyne's violent actions had caused the underground space to quake incessantly, with the ceiling cracking and collapsing, sending chunks of rubble raining down.
This put the bodies of the Akabane clan at risk, as debris plummeted toward them.
"Damn it!"
Seeing this, Raishin panicked and instinctively reached for his sword, preparing to rush forward.
"Wait! Don't draw it! The anti-magic properties of the Kanze Masamune might interfere with Nuragami's ritual!"
Tenzen urgently warned him, then commanded the girls of his squad to move out, deflecting the falling rubble to protect the bodies of the Akabane clan.
Heeding Tenzen's warning, Raishin released the hilt of his sword and instead channeled Magic Resilience into the sheathed blade, using it to knock away the debris.
Naturally, both of them also shielded the altar, ensuring Rozen's ritual could proceed uninterrupted.
"Rozen-sama!"
Without hesitation, Irori spread her arms, summoning frost that formed an icy bridge over the altar, sheltering it from above.
"Rozen!"
Yaya kicked away several chunks of rubble hurtling toward Rozen.
"Wah!"
Meanwhile, Komurasaki was left with nothing to do, only able to yelp and dodge the debris targeting her.
Yaegasumi was an unstoppable force against sentient beings, but against this near-natural disaster, it was useless.
After all, Komurasaki couldn't manipulate the rubble's senses or deceive it with illusions.
But with Irori and Yaya protecting him, Rozen could focus entirely on continuing the ritual.
No—not just continuing the ritual. Rozen was also able to spare some attention to observe the situation.
Including Androgyne's abnormal behavior, which he had detected the moment it began moving.
"What is that monster trying to do?"
Rozen frowned slightly.
But soon, through the combined use of his Wise Eye and Mind's Eye, he grasped the situation above ground.
With Thought Acceleration and Thought Partitioning, even without the Father's explanation, Rozen immediately understood everything.
Including the true meaning of the prophecy—and Androgyne's intentions.
"To think that the moment I perform the Taizan Fukun Ritual is when the Machine Doll is born."
Through the power of the Taizan Fukun Ritual, Rozen had opened a path to the divine realm, connecting with the gods to borrow their power and summon back the souls of the Akabane clan. Because of this, Androgyne—the yet-unformed Machine Doll—had sensed the descent of the divine realm and sought to ascend into it.
Once Androgyne entered the world of the gods and was bathed in divine energy, its soul would undergo a rapid collapse reaction, condensing into true divinity and becoming an actual deity.
At that point, Androgyne would become the Machine Doll, no longer needing a physical vessel.
Rozen hadn't expected that he would be the one to facilitate the birth of the Machine Doll.
Now, Androgyne was preparing to depart.
At the same time, Rozen's Taizan Fukun Ritual succeeded, causing divine light to descend.
This was divine energy coalescing into radiant light.
Within the light, the souls of the Akabane clan appeared one after another, descending alongside it.
"Perfect."
Rozen smiled faintly, closing his eyes to continue the ritual.
As for Androgyne, Rozen no longer intended to interfere.
"If you don't belong in this world and are meant to exist in another, then I wish you a safe journey."
Perhaps this was for the best.
If no one could obtain the Machine Doll, then no one's ambitions would be fulfilled or allowed to grow unchecked.
This world was different from the last. If humanity were to acquire a god and develop even more advanced technology and power, those advancements would inevitably be used on the battlefield.
Especially with World War II looming on the horizon.
Rather than allowing divine power to manifest in war and bring suffering to the masses, it was better that no one obtained it at all.
"Farewell, Machine Doll."
Rozen silently bid farewell to the departing deity, then focused on guiding the summoned souls back into their respective bodies.
Gradually, the bodies began to show signs of life—heartbeats returned, their skin regained color, and their chests rose and fell with breath.
Seeing this, Tenzen and Raishin were overcome with emotion.
"Ugh..."
Nadeshiko, lying at the center, let out a soft moan as her eyelids fluttered.
The first resurrected individual had awakened.
.....
That day, many witnessed something they would never forget.
As the divine light descended from the swirling vortex in the sky, Androgyne's body began to convulse, shrinking rapidly.
Its grotesque exterior peeled away.
Its monstrous form gradually dissolved.
By the time the divine light nearly faded, Androgyne had vanished, replaced by a single beam of light.
This light soared into the sky like a shooting star, disappearing into the vortex above.
The Machine Doll had been born—and just as swiftly, it departed for the realm where it belonged.
Then, the celestial phenomena dissipated, and the vortex in the sky vanished.
Many watched in awe, feeling as though they had just witnessed a dream.
Within Walpurgis Royal Academy of Machinart, astonishing rumors spread once more, quickly reaching nations across the world.
The world was destined to be shaken.