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Chapter 15
I really don’t think so.
It wasn’t because Pianie was charmed by Chris’s beauty that she was thinking this. She had learned—painfully, no, shudderingly—from Delice’s incident that even the most handsome man of the century could be a bad person.
The reason Pianie felt this way was because of Chris’s gentle touch as he washed her body.
A man who cut off someone’s head and hung it on a gate… washing a doll with this much tenderness? Didn’t that make absolutely no sense?
Maybe those rumors really were nonsense?
Pianie’s mother, the Countess of Ribe, once told her something: that in life, wrong information often gets dressed up so convincingly that it deceives people.
— Pianie, that’s why you mustn’t simply believe third-hand stories other people tell you. Understand?
Her mother was a wise woman.
Of course. She hasn’t been wrong even once!
Maybe Chris was just a victim of false rumors. Perhaps someone who envied this man—his title, his abilities, even his looks—spread lies about him.
Sure, he had said some scary things to the young Marquis of Emen earlier, but he hadn’t actually cut anyone’s body.
[Your Grace isn’t a bad person, right? You’re just a victim of strange rumors, aren’t you?]
Pianie stared straight at Chris as she asked.
She hoped he would notice her eyes shining especially brightly at this moment—but to Chris, Pianie’s eyes always looked bright and sparkling.
With an affectionate look, Chris said,
“You’re adorable.”
[You keep stating the obvious over and over again.]
Just then, Chris stood up abruptly. With those long legs of his, he strode across the room while continuing to speak to her.
“Baby, where were you and what were you doing before you came back to me?”
[Ugh. I wouldn’t have enough time even if you gave me a whole week.]
“Either way, thank you for returning to me.”
Pianie shut her mouth tight. The one he had been waiting for wasn’t her—he had been waiting for the doll that looked just like her.
What will he do once he finds out I’m not the doll he was looking for?
Would he throw her far away like he did Delice? Or toss her into the fireplace claiming she deceived him?
That—that’s too terrifying.
Then Pianie thought, if Chris ever accused her of deceiving him, she would find it terribly unfair.
I never even said a word.
No—in fact, Pianie had tried speaking plenty. But no one had listened. Not the silver wolf, not the dollmaker, not Chris.
[Hmph.]
Feeling suddenly upset, Pianie sniffled, then whipped her head around—at least in her mind. Her real head didn’t move, but the burden pressing on her heart fell away.
Let’s not think about anything else. Returning to my real body! That’s what matters most.
While Pianie clenched her tiny fists and burned with determination, Chris reveled in the peace. How long had it been since he felt such serenity?
“Maybe I should lie down early tonight.”
Huh? Already? Without even eating dinner?
It turned out he wasn’t joking. Chris arrived at the bedroom.
Since he was holding Pianie facing forward, she got a clear view of the Grand Duke Hespia’s bedroom.
It’s larger and more splendid than our mansion’s parlor. But aside from that, pretty normal.
If the rumors were true—if he was really a man obsessed with blood—shouldn’t he sleep somewhere darker and eerier? Maybe with a gargoyle head statue or something. But his room was clean and ordinary…
[No, not ordinary at all!]
Pianie shouted when she spotted three cute plush dolls hanging from the bed’s headboard. A fully grown man sleeping with stuffed toys by his pillow?!
So the rumor about him being scary really must be false.
Who would spread such rumors about the Empire’s hero—the man who slept with plush dolls?
Was it the work of Akkxia again? Those awful people!
Chris gently placed Pianie on the bed.
Feeling her backside sink into softness for the first time in ages, Pianie let go of her anger instantly.
Feels like sitting on a cloud.
She felt like she could fall asleep just like this.
So comfy…
But then, all of a sudden, Chris began taking off his shirt!
[Gasp!]
Pianie nearly fainted.
[Oh my! Why are you suddenly putting on a nudity show in front of me?! A helpless lady who can’t even cover her eyes!]
If she could move, she would have covered her eyes—so she claimed. In truth, she could shut her eyes even now, but to others it would still look like they were open.
Despite complaining that it was embarrassing, Pianie stared fixedly at Chris’s torso, bathed in the sunset light filtering through the curtains—without blinking even once.
Never in her life had Pianie witnessed such a stimulating sight.
[Whew!]
A spontaneous exclamation slipped out. It was the happiest moment she had experienced since becoming a doll.
Sheesh, I’m practically drooling.
His body was so breathtaking she felt saliva pooling in her mouth.
Wow… how can a human body look like that?
Her eyes sparkled. How could they not?
She had once seen a famous sculpture—an idealized statue carved by a renowned artist over a lifetime—but Chris’s body was more sculpted, more dimensional, more beautiful than that.
A human stomach can split like that? Mine is soft and chubby…
Whether as a doll or as her human self, her body had always been pleasantly squishy.
And Chris’s chest—it was a masterpiece.
Why is it so broad and thick?
No wonder he had a valley deep enough for her to nestle into.
He might actually have more volume than I do… ugh. How is that even possible?!
Despairing, Pianie still fully admired his muscles. Only then did she notice a design on his left chest—something like a symbol, as if engraved on purpose.
What’s that?
It looked kind of like a star… or a flower. A stylized, beautiful pattern. She was certain she had never seen it before, yet it felt strangely familiar.
Something about it feels… nostalgic…
Mesmerized by the pattern, Pianie heard Chris speak tenderly.
“Baby, I’m going to wash up.”
He let out a regretful sigh.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
Chris stared at her fluffy little body.
So cute.
Firmly believing he could communicate with her, Chris saw Pianie as completely at peace. But wouldn’t she feel unpleasant in a damp bathroom? And realistically, getting her fabric wet wasn’t ideal.
“I should’ve just washed together with you earlier.”
At that remark, Pianie’s face flushed bright red.
[Oh my! Your Grace, what are you even saying?!]
Chris, as if hearing her indignant heat, walked toward the bathroom looking like a droopy-eared puppy. Pianie shouted passionately at his back.
[Honestly! You say things no gentleman should ever say to a lady!]
As she fumed, a sudden thought struck her. She had already been seen naked anyway. If they’d bathed together, wouldn’t that have made them even? Maybe that would’ve been… better…
Gasp! What am I thinking?!
She shook her head. She was a pure and modest lady. Thoughts like these were not like her at all!
[This is all because Your Grace says weird things!]
[Weird things? Can’t a man say that to his doll?]
[But I’m not a doll!]
With that shout, Pianie froze. Her body had always been stiff, but her mind hadn’t locked up like this in a long time.
[Not a doll? Please. You look more like a doll than any doll ever made.]
Pianie turned toward the source of the unpleasantly snickering voice.
There, the cute plush dolls she had noticed earlier were now looking down at her… with an oddly nasty aura.
[D-Did… did you just talk?]
[Of course we did.]
Pianie could not believe it.
[Impossible! How can dolls talk?!]
[What’s she saying? You talk too—you’re a talking doll.]
[W-Well, I’ve never seen any doll talk except me!]
She had arrived in a carriage full of dolls, but not a single one there had spoken to her. Yet these dolls were talking now. They didn’t move, but they definitely spoke.
Then the rabbit doll chimed in proudly,
[Naturally. “We” are very special beings.]
The bear doll chuckled, then asked:
[Anyway, what kind of “core” are you, rolling in here like that?]
