Hello
Perhaps you could count the automata as the following lab improvements but taken as a free choice unless its huge. If you enchant it so it can move and assist you with manual labour in the lab and defend you if needed.
· Minor feature statue, +1 rego, +1 aesthetics.
· Lesser guardian, + 1 safety, +1 aesthetics, +1 in appropriate art (suggestion same form as material of automata.
· The tireless servant, +1 safety, +1 general quality.
This means a total of +1 in rego and say terram or herbam, +2 in safety and aesthetics and a +1 bonus to general quality. Perhaps a weak return for the trouble and costs of making an automata but at least something.
What do you think
/Max