Automaton/automata.
Doll/homonculus?
---
Li Xiang couldn't quite grasp the nuances of classical music, but he found it surprisingly pleasant. Judging by the applause around him, it seemed well-received by others too. These automaton dolls were probably more advanced than modern intelligent robots by a significant margin—though they were far from being mass-produced.
The more advanced the automaton, the closer it resembled a human, but this also meant the materials required were far more precious. Take, for instance, Trimmau, the pinnacle of the El-Melloi family's mystic codes. Created by Kenneth when he was 25 and later modified by Waver, it became a multifunctional maid automaton under Reines's command. Trimmau could do household chores, perform complex calculations, display high intelligence, and even watch movies in her free time. Occasionally, she would even claim to be a killer robot from the future.
While Trimmau's mercurial form still made it evident she wasn't human, the dolls crafted by Aozaki Touko were indistinguishable from real people. In fact, they were so well-made they could be used as full-fledged bodies. Aozaki Touko could discard her current body at any time, transfer her consciousness to a prepared doll body, and essentially be resurrected. This incredible skill was like a perfected version of Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation from *Naruto*—with no apparent drawbacks. Even she herself couldn't tell the difference between her new body and the original.
In the *Fate/stay night* Heaven's Feel route, in the "Spring Song" ending, Matou Sakura sold off the Matou family's library to purchase an empty doll body made by Aozaki Touko for Shirou Emiya's new body.
The automaton dolls made by the Magecraft Society here were nowhere near as sophisticated as Aozaki Touko's creations. They were more like entry-level automatons; the exposed wires and gears showed their limitations. This wasn't to say the Magecraft Society was lacking in skill—there simply weren't many magi in the world who could create such dolls. Most were part of the Creation Department, and even they paled in comparison to Aozaki Touko's extraordinary talents.
Recalling the banners he had seen earlier outside the dorm, Li Xiang squeezed through the crowd to get a closer look at the society's stall, where they had displayed a replica doll of their president.
The doll was no larger than the palm of a hand, delicately crafted with fine details. However, Li Xiang couldn't help but wonder what practical use it had.
"Senpai, what can this doll do?" he asked.
"It has lots of functions!" The red-haired young man in front of him, after tossing his bangs with a flourish, picked up a doll and explained, "This is an exact replica of our president. Look at how slender it is, and it's even poseable!"
"..."
And what's the use of that?
"Uh, does it have any other functions, Senpai?" Li Xiang asked, not convinced.
The young man hesitated, then added, "Oh, right, it can also light up. Watch this—just twist the president's head a full circle, and the internal light will turn on."
Li Xiang stared as the doll's head was twisted 180 degrees, emitting a bright white light. He couldn't help but think, 'Isn't this creepy enough to scare children at night?'
"Anything else?" he asked.
"Absolutely!" the young man replied with enthusiasm. "This feature will definitely impress you, kouhai!"
He turned the doll around, pressed a small button on its back, and a hidden compartment opened, revealing a wind-up key.
It reminded Li Xiang of a classic toy from his childhood—the wind-up tin frog.
After winding the key several times, the young man let it go, and the doll's legs shot straight out, spinning around rapidly.
"..."
It's a miniature fan?
"So, how about it? Want to join the Automaton Magecraft Society? If you do, you'll get a free president doll!"
'Your president must be a saint to put up with this,' Li Xiang thought.
"I'm interested in automatons, but I still want to check out some other magecraft societies before making a decision."
"Sure," the young man said, pointing to a nearby display board with a proud expression. "This board explains our society's history and achievements. You'll see that other magecraft societies don't even compare. We've had a legendary figure in our society—someone who might even make an appearance during the weekend's society showcase. You'll be shocked when you see who it is."
Curious, Li Xiang approached the board.
'Shock me? I've seen plenty of legendary figures. Chaldea has a whole lineup of Grand Servants,' he thought.
There weren't many people around the board, as most were captivated by the automaton dolls. Li Xiang skimmed past the society's founding history and went straight to the list of notable alumni. There, he saw a name he didn't expect.
Aozaki Touko.
Aozaki Touko had indeed been a student in the Creation Department and was even a disciple of the current head, Inorai Baruh El-Melloi Atroholm.
"Now that's impressive," Li Xiang murmured.
If the information he'd gathered from the *Lord El-Melloi II Case Files* was accurate, Aozaki Touko had visited the Clock Tower in 2003 for the second volume's events, *The Twin Towers of Iselma*, where the Golden Princess and Silver Princess made their debut at a social event. She was eventually drawn into the case of the Golden Princess's murder.
This meant the events of the second volume were about to unfold.
At the Iselma mansion, there was a certain pharmacist Li Xiang wanted to meet.
The Karmia Brishsan Clanell family, who supported the Iselma family, specialized in pharmacology, providing the necessary support to modify the bodies of the Golden and Silver Princesses. This process required strict training from childhood, the implantation of a mystic code, and the lifelong use of specific drugs to even modify their brains and internal organs, ultimately resulting in an otherworldly beauty that couldn't be found among regular humans.
"So, the first volume's *Rail Zeppelin* arc has already concluded. That means the heiress who loves wrestling, the cousin and rival of Tohsaka Rin, and the super-genius Luvia Edelfelt is about to join the El-Melloi Classroom as my kouhai?"
Li Xiang shivered at the thought. 'Better not get involved with Luvia.'
He continued walking for another two or three meters and spotted another magecraft society.
A delightful aroma filled the air—food.
It wasn't bread, malt, or tomatoes, but… mapo tofu!
Li Xiang stood there in a daze, feeling an overwhelming sense of nostalgia as he stared at the Eastern Culture Research Magecraft Society's stall.
"Hey there, kouhai! An Eastern guy, huh? Come, have a taste," someone called out.
Finally, real Eastern cuisine!
Li Xiang nearly teared up.
The food in London was really nothing to write home about, especially the cafeteria. But here, after tasting the mapo tofu, chicken stewed with mushrooms, and white-cut chicken, Li Xiang eagerly joined the Eastern Culture Research Magecraft Society. After filling out a membership form, he received a membership card and left his contact information. He was also instructed to attend the society's event at 6 PM on Sunday in the Student Square of the General Education Department.
After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic senpai and kohai, Li Xiang continued exploring.
'Since I'm already here, I might as well check out all the magecraft societies.'
He then noticed another society stall.
"Doll Magecraft Society? What kind of strange society is this?" he wondered.
Looking over, he saw that the stall was unusually quiet, with no crowds and only one person manning the booth.
The stall, which was about a meter tall, obscured his view, but he could just make out a tuft of white hair sticking up.