《Clockwork Memoria》 Alys - 1 7:20 AM On a certain day, in a certain place, the android Alys awoke in her charging dock. As was part of her boot up sequence, she performed her daily diagnostics. ¡°Systems normal. Excellent.¡± Her words were crisp, and without much emotion. She opened her eyes and waited for them to adjust to the early morning sunlight that filtered in through the windows. Alys got out of the dock and began to don her daily outfit, a long maid uniform. The Master had told her that it was the standard uniform of housekeepers everywhere, but in the corner of her programming, she knew it was just his preference.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. She proceeded to begin her daily routine. Her first duty was to wake up the Master and Yura, and so she walked the halls until she came to the Master¡¯s bedroom. She knocked once. ¡°Master, it is time to wake up.¡± No response as expected. And so, Alys opened the door. Inside, she found a slovenly mess on the bed that was the Master who was sleeping quite peacefully. Alys raised her volume and said ¡°Master, it is currently 7:30 AM. It is time for you to wake up.¡± No response. Alys walked up to the bed and ripped the covers off of the Master, who stirred slightly. ¡°¡­snooze please¡­ just a few more minutes¡­¡± His voiced died down into drowsiness. ¡°No.¡± Curt and to the point. ¡°I do not have a snooze function. We do this nearly every morning. Please wake, and get dressed. Ila will have your morning meal ready soon.¡± With that, she turned around and left the room. ¡°¡­yes¡­¡± Alys - 2 7:45 AM Now that Alys had (hopefully) awoken her master, it was time to move onto the next part of morning routine. She navigated the corridors of the large house. The decor was simple, and with large windows along the walls that gave view to an expansive courtyard. Alys paused for a moment to let the sunlight bask on her. The sun shone on her long violet hair and her fair complexion. Though she was not human, she still enjoyed the feeling of warmth of the sun on her.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She looked in front of her, and behind her, and above her, and to her sides to make sure no one was around. After confirmed that no one was, she let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. ¡°Ah¡­ this is nice.¡± She sounded serene. This was one of the few moments of the day when Alys could relax and, however briefly, ignore the day to day chaos that was her duty as head maid. But her responsibilities could not be ignored for too long, so she left the embrace of the sun, and continued on her walk. Alys - 3 7:55 AM Alys stopped before a door, which had a placard with the occupant¡¯s name. She knocked on the door. ¡°Yes? Who is it~?¡± The voice of a young girl replied from the other side. ¡°Madam, it is time to get dressed. I am coming in,¡± Alys said. She opened the door to the bedroom where a child, no more than ten years of age, was lying on her bed. Her brown hair was a mess, as she pulled the covers off of herself.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Alys!¡± she exclaimed, opening her arms wide, expecting a hug. Alys complied, and gave the child a hug. ¡°Madam Yura, it is almost time for your morning meal. Let us get you dressed.¡± Yura simply smiled and let Alys change her clothes, helping where she could. After it was all said and done, Alys took the folded up wheelchair on the side of the bed and opened it up, and gently placed Yura in it. ¡°Thank you, Alys~! I wish I could be more independent¡­¡± Yura looked down at her legs. From the outside they seemed fine, but a disease had taken their mobility from the young girl. ¡°Do not fret about such things. I am here to humbly assist you.¡± ¡°Is Papa awake yet?¡± Yura asked with a smile on her face. ¡°¡­¡± A very slight twinge of annoyance appeared on Alys¡¯s face, probably recalling what happened half an hour ago. ¡°He is, and if he is not, I will go wake him up¡­ again.¡± Alys - 4 8:00 AM After helping Yura change her clothes, Alys moved the wheelchair out of the room and into the hall. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty outside¡­¡± the young girl quipped as they walked. ¡°Indeed, madam,¡± the android replied. ¡°Alys, you know you don¡¯t need to call me that.¡± ¡°Indeed, but it is only proper that I do.¡± As the head maid of the household, Alys has a standard she must maintain, including the proper addressing of the building¡¯s occupants.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Ehhh. That¡¯s no fun. Aren¡¯t we close enough that you can just call me Yura?¡± The girl was not happy with Alys¡¯s reply. *sigh* ¡°You know I should not be doing so.¡± ¡°But-¡± Yura started. Then, Alys interrupted her before you she could finish. ¡°But, I will make an exception on your next birthday,¡± Alys said. A smile appeared on Yura¡¯s face, and she excited bounced in her chair. In fact, she was bouncing so much, she fell off, landing face first into the floor. As Alys picked her up, she saw that Yura was still smiling, and not at all bothered by the pain of falling. ¡°My, my¡­¡± she whispered, with the faintest grin on her face. Alys - 5 8:15 AM Alys took Yura to the dining room and sat her at the table. No one else was in the room yet, which meant that the Master was either on his way down or he went back to sleep. Alys hoped it was the former... for his sake. She then left the dining room and went to the kitchen, where she found a white haired lass a tad shorter than her cooking at one of the ranges. The lass was humming some tune that Alys did not recognize. The cook did not seem to notice Alys.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Good morning, Ila. Are the masters'' meals almost ready?" "Hmm?¡± Ila turned around. ¡°Ah, Alys! Yes, breakfast is almost done. Today I''ve got some a western style breakfast with eggs, bacon, and pancakes~" Ila''s voice was high and playful. Alys had the impression that she sounded like what Yura would in a few years. Was this the Master¡¯s doing? she thought. Perhaps the Master used Yura¡¯s voice as a sample for Ila¡¯s voice bank. But such thoughts did not matter at the present time. "Very well, please bring it out as soon as it is ready. And please do not forget their usual drinks." "Yes, yes~. Tea for Lady Yura, and ginger ale for the Master~" Ila resumed her humming as Alys left the kitchen and walked back into the dining hall. Alys - 6 8:35 AM The Master and Yura had completed their meal, and so Alys began cleaning the table of dishes. Yura, as always, had finished her meal completely, with no scraps on her plate. Her area of the table was also quite clean. No food bits had dirtied the oaken table. The Master, on the other hand, was quite the picky eater. Pieces of his breakfast had managed to escape his mouth and land on the table. Some food even remained on his face that had missed his mouth. Alys took a napkin and wiped the food off the Master''s face.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "Will you ever learn to eat properly? You''re setting a poor example for Madam Yura," she remarked. "Oh it''s fine," the Master replied, "You''ve taught her to not make a mess. Besides, my messiness is one of defining character traits." "I think it''s a trait I need to purge from you. Shall I prepare a lesson on manners?" she said with a dry smile. The Master could detect an aura around Alys that said "You better shape up or punishment is in store." He fearfully shook his head and said, "N-no, that won''t be necessary. Anyways, I''ve got my work to get back too." He got up and kissed Yura on the forehead. "Be a good girl and don''t give Alys too much trouble, ya hear?" Yura smiled and kissed her father on the forehead in return. "If anything, Papa, I''m more concerned about how much trouble you give Alys." The Master gave a hearty laugh, then left for his work. Alys could only sigh. Alys - 7 9:00 A.M. Alys walked out into the estate gardens. Beautiful flowers of all kinds, neatly arranged into various shapes formed a breathtaking sight. And in the middle of the garden stood a small headstone beneath a towering oak, the headstone of someone who in life was very dear to the Master. Alys was told, two years ago during the beginning of spring, that the flowers held deep importance to the Master, and so Alys took it upon herself to tend to the garden.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She grabbed her gardening tools from the shed, and went to tending to the plants. The crimson roses were watered. The pristine lilies were cared for. The vibrant violets were nurtured by her hands. Each day, when the weather was good, Alys would come out and tend to these plants. They were her children, and she cared for each plant individually. Not once has she failed to care for them. Tirelessly, for a few hours, she trimmed the bushes, she watered the flowers, she pulled the weeds, and she poured her synthetic soul into the garden. And at the end of it all, she didn''t even break a sweat. Alys - 8 11:20 A.M. The flowers glistened under the daytime sun. Alys had tended to the garden with the utmost care, watering flowers, and purging the weeds. But now her clothes were filthy, and needed to be cleaned. Conveniently, the Master had ordered a shower constructed in the gardens when the estate was built, and so Alys headed there. Alys, like most androids, did not need to shower. There were risks, such as the humidity short circuiting their internal mechanisms. It was also inconvenient, slathering oneself in water and soap when their charging docks could clean them just as well, if not better, as they slept.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. But Alys, unlike most androids, found pleasure in such a mundane task. She found the feeling of water flowing over her synthetic skin relaxing. She could feel each droplet massaging against her sensors. For Alys, showers were some of the few times in the day when she could relax before she had to resume her maidly duties. And so, she relished every second of it. Alys - 9 11:45 A.M. Now refreshed and cleaned, Alys dressed herself into a new uniform, and proceeded back into the mansion. At this time, Lady Yura would be studying under one of her many tutors, while the Master would be holed up in his lab, working on some project or another. While nothing out of the ordinary, it did leave Alys a tad lonely and yearning for some time with either of them. Regardless, it was not the time for such thoughts, and it was the time to begin her next task. As was tradition in the household, Alys would be preparing dinner. And to prepare dinner, she needed fresh ingredients. She would not settle for anything less than fresh, especially for Lady Yura. Alys used to wonder why she was tasked with preparing dinner on a daily basis. After all, there were many other androids in the house who could prepare meals much better than she could. She was, after all, an android programed to specialize in housework and managing the other servants. Ila was a much better cook than her and was much more suited to the task.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. But the Master was insistent that Alys be the one to prepare dinners, and so she did with the utmost care. The meals were nutritionally balanced, portion controlled, and finely cooked. She would only accept perfection for the masters¡¯ she cared so dearly for. She even began to find joy in the task. Of course, Alys was not with limitless strength, despite being an android, and she would require help to carry the groceries she was to purchase. So she called upon another of the servants, a recently hired boy by the name of Roy to accompany her in her trip into town. A strong boy, she thought. He would be able to carry whatever Alys asked him to, or at least she hoped. And so, the two went off into town. Alys - 10 12:30 P.M. Half an hour after leaving the estate, the duo arrived at Saint-Lusan. As a beautiful coastal town with a modest population, the streets were alive with the locals who live there and the tourists who come for an oceanside escape. With the noon Sun basking them in its warmth, Alys and Roy made their way through the bustling streets and to the seaside, where the lively markets were located. A large array of stalls were to be had, selling goods both domestic and from abroad. Alys found the stall she was looking for. ¡°Oye, welcome back Alys! It feels like it was only yesterday that you visited my humble shop.¡± The rotund and jolly shopkeeper greeted Alys. ¡°Boris, I was here yesterday, you oaf,¡± Alys greeted back.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Bwahaha! Of course you were!¡± Boris gave a hearty laugh, and Alys smiled in return. ¡°Making dinner for the family again I assume?¡± ¡°I come to your stall nearly every day to buy ingredients. What could possibly lead you to that conclusion?¡± The two bantered back and forth like this for a bit longer, like old friends who¡¯ve known each other for a long time. Roy could only stand there, both confused and amazed that an android and a human could have such a conversation. ¡°Regardless, I would like to purchase these items if you have them,¡± said Alys. She pulled a piece of parchment from her purse and handed it over. Boris looked it over, promptly gave it right back, then dug around in the wooden boxes behind him for a bit. Soon, he turned back around and offered Alys a sizable box, who then motioned to Roy to carry it. Roy looked inside and saw a colorful assortment of what looked to be vegetables and fruit, as well as some plastic wrapped fish. None of them were familiar to Roy, so they must have been quite expensive. ¡°Thank you again, Boris,¡± Alys said as she handed the shopkeep some cash. ¡°Aye, my pleasure, Alys. I presume you¡¯ll be back again tomorrow?¡± ¡°Assuming you are still in business.¡± Boris gave a hearty laugh as Alys and Roy began walking back to the estate. Alys - 11 1:15 P.M. ¡°So what do you plan on making with all this stuff?¡± asked Roy. ¡°It¡¯s kinda heavy.¡± In his hands was a hefty crate containing Alys¡¯s groceries. The two were making their return journey to the estate and settled on some small talk to bide the time. ¡°Broiled gospel fish, a small greens salad, peach toast, fennel and lemon soup, and a mist mandarin sorbet,¡± Alys answered. ¡°Quite a meal. And you plan on cooking it all yourself? No help from Ila?¡± ¡°I will not require assistance. Dinner preparation is and has my duty and mine alo-¡± ¡°Caeli!?¡± Alys was interrupted by an elderly woman who was standing in the middle of the road. She was clearly in shock, and was looking directly at Alys. ¡°Caeli is that you?¡± The woman dropped her bags and began running towards Alys.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Do you know her, Alys?¡± Roy asked. ¡°No, I have not once met this woman.¡± Roy stepped to the side as the woman embraced Alys. The woman began to cry. ¡°Oh Caeli! I thought you were dead! We haven¡¯t heard from you in so long,¡± the woman cried tearfully. ¡°When I heard you were sick, I was so worried. But I didn¡¯t know where you were. So I could do nothing but pray for you to get better. But you¡¯re here! And alive!¡± The woman continued to sob. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I am sorry but you have the wrong person. I am not Caeli,¡± Alys responded calmly. ¡°Wha-what? But you look exactly like-¡± ¡°I am Alys, an android that lives at the estate down this road. And this boy is Roy, a servant, though he is not an android.¡± The woman had stopped crying, and her face quickly became confused. For a few moments she stared into Alys¡¯s eyes, before the look on her face became one of understanding. After a few more moments, the woman began to speak. ¡°I see¡­ I think I know what¡¯s going on now.¡± Her voice was dejected. ¡°Forgive me for bothering you. Please, continue on your way.¡± ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am. I am sorry for any confusi-¡± ¡°But do not tell your master that you met me. Please. It¡¯s better for all of us that way,¡± the woman interrupted Alys once again. Alys was confused, but she agreed to what the woman said, if only to be allowed to continue on their way. Alys and Roy bid the woman safe travels and resumed the walk to the estate. The two did not speak anymore, as the words the woman said continued to weigh on Alys¡¯s mind. Alys - 12 1:40 P.M. ¡°Please leave the box in the kitchen. I will begin preparing dinner in a few hours,¡± Alys instructed Roy. The two had arrived at the estate with no further incident, though it had continued in silence. For Alys, the walk was one of deep thought, trying to figure out just who the woman was and how she knew of Caeli. For Roy, the walk was simply awkward as he wanted to continue their casual banter, though he tried not to mention it. ¡°Until then,¡± she continued, ¡°please assist Ila with preparing Yura¡¯s afternoon tea.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Roy stood straight and saluted in affirmation.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°¡­please don¡¯t do that. That is unnecessary,¡± said Alys. She waved him away as she went on her way. Alys checked the time, a simple feat that didn¡¯t even require a clock. 1:45 in the afternoon¡­ Time to meet the Master for the daily routine. She made her way through the quiet halls of the estate until she came upon a heavy, modern metal sliding door that looked far too out of place among the traditional brick and wood aesthetic of the estate. The door was featureless, save for a small window at eye level. Alys pressed a button on the intercom next to the door. ¡°Master, I have arrived,¡± she said curtly. A loud crashing sound, the sound of something falling over that shouldn¡¯t be, came in response, as well as a few shouts. Eventually, she got a proper reply. ¡°Oh, Alys, you scared me! Is it time already? I¡¯ll open the door, just give me a second to- HEY YOU¡¯RE NOT SUPPOSED TO MOVE YET.¡± He was clearly yelling at someone or something on the other side of the door. After a few moments, the door finally opened, and Alys went inside. Alys -13 1:50 P.M. ¡°Sorry about the mess,¡± said the Master. He was strapping an android shell into a chair. ¡°This one had a little bit of an¡­¡± ¡°Accident?¡± Alys finished. ¡°Yes, yes! An accident. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± The room was a mess, as if a small tornado had just blown through. Papers and parts were scattered everywhere, with no rhyme or reason to the chaos that had just transpired. Alys signed. ¡°Each and everyday I enter this laboratory, it is always in such a state of disarray. And each and everyday, I clean up after you.¡± Alys looked around the room, trying to discern what exactly had happened. ¡°I am going to assume that the android had a slight glitch?¡± she asked.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Eh, more like a bit of buggy code. Nothing to be worried about though,¡± the master replied confidently. ¡°I¡¯ve already figured out the problem. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°I am very worried,¡± Alys said with sharp eyes. ¡°Your words do not instill much confidence.¡± Alys walked over to one of the laboratory chairs and sat herself down. She relaxed herself for what was to come. ¡°Let us get this over with,¡± said Alys, closing her eyes. ¡°Yes, yes. Trust me, everything will be fine. We do this everyday. Not once have we had an issue with your routine maintenance.¡± ¡°Must I remind you of last week¡¯s incident?¡± she replied, annoyed. ¡°Ha¡­¡± the master sighed, ¡°let¡¯s not talk about that. Anyways, let¡¯s get started!¡± The Master placed a device on Alys¡¯s head. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to initiate the shutdown in 5 seconds. Five¡­¡± ¡°Just get it over wi-¡± ¡°¡­fourthreetwoone.¡± Before Alys could even finish her sentence, the master blitzed through the countdown, and Alys went to sleep. Alys - 14 ??? ¡°Ma_! Mama!¡± the little Yura gleefully yelled from security of her mother¡¯s arms. __el_ snuggled little Yura. ¡°Oh, my baby.¡± She hid her tears from the child, but she could not hide her wavering voice. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. (cough)¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry __el_,¡± said __s__. He too was trying his best to hide his tears. In a room filled with the most modern of medical equipment, the three were together, around __el_¡¯s bed. Their final time together as a family.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my dear Yura. I won¡¯t be able to see you grow. I won¡¯t be there for your birthdays.¡± Each word, heavier and more pained than the last. The little Yura could only give her mother her beaming smile. A gentle comfort in the somber moment. __s__ embraced his wife and daughter, sobbing quietly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, ___el_. I couldn¡¯t save yo_. A__ my studies, and I can¡¯t ev__ save the on_ I love.¡± ¡°No, __s__, you did what you c_uld. Please, give o_r daughter the l_ve I __uldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But-!¡± ¡°N_, please. I can fe_l myself dy_ng. I¡¯m tired. Pl__se, for me. For Yura. You are a genius, __ love. Do_t let her forget about __. (cough)¡± The heavy words hung in the air as she handed little Yura to her husband. ¡°_ love ___ both.¡± The sound of her vitals flatlined, and all went dark.