BGDBP 13

Chapter 13

Shake them up and down?!

[Easy for him to say when it’s not his problem!]

Johannes looked totally different from Chris, who had the sharp, cold face of someone who could kill a person or two without blinking. Johannes had white hair, green eyes, gentle drooping eyelids, and was handsome with a soft voice.

How could someone who looked that mild say something so brutal so casually?

Men’s looks really can’t be trusted!

Delice had a kind face too, but he turned out to be that kind of jerk.

On the other hand, Chris, who looked like he’d killed dozens, actually seemed like a decent person.

“To think you’d say something so horrible.”

Chris muttered in shock.

Fiani nodded inwardly.

See? He thinks of me like this. I knew it, he’s a good person…

But before Fiani could savor the thought, Chris spoke in an icy tone.

“So, Johannes. If I shook you up and down, could you still say the same thing?”

Fiani hesitated. Would a good person even say that…?

…Whatever! He defended me! That makes him a good person!

While Fiani was rating Chris as a “good guy,” Johannes bowed his head.

“I was wrong.”

“Seems you value your life. Be careful from now on.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Chris replied with silence.

Johannes cautiously glanced at his master. The forearm revealed under his rolled-up sleeve was indeed strong enough to swing a greatsword, and his face and eyes clearly belonged next to bloodshed.

But in his arms is a tiny, soaking-wet doll smiling faintly.

Anyone else would have thought they were hallucinating. But Johannes, who’d served Chris for years, simply thought the day had finally come.

Johannes swallowed a sigh and asked:

“So how are you going to dry it?”

“Simple.”

Chris snapped his fingers. A golden brooch zoomed toward them like a puppy running to its master and stopped right in front of Fiani.

Eek! I thought it was going to crash into me!

Her soul nearly escaping, Fiani stared at the brooch.

Huh? Why is this brooch floating?

Before she could finish the thought, the golden gem at the center blazed fiercely, as if ready to explode.

Eek! My eyeballs!

Blinded by the sudden flash, Fiani squeezed her eyes shut.

The brilliant light attacking her eyes dried her completely in just a few seconds.

What the—?!

As soon as the light vanished, Fiani snapped her eyes open and looked down at herself with effort. Even the towel that had been soaking wet was now perfectly dry.

A light that looked strong enough to burn a person—no, a doll—to ashes… was just for drying?

Convenient—ridiculously convenient! These stingy nobles keeping stuff like this to themselves…

Her mind was conflicted, but her body had never felt better.

Johannes’s expression, however, was pure displeasure.

“You used a magic tool just to dry a doll?”

“It’s not like it’ll run out.”

“It does run out. Little by little. A magic tool is still a consumable.”

A single word Johannes uttered nearly made Fiani’s eyes pop out.

What?! This is a magic tool?!

What is a “magic tool”?

Just because wizards no longer existed didn’t mean mana didn’t. Even swordmasters could use mana, though not as precisely or intimately as wizards once did.

Magic tools are objects imbued with mana and magical formulas, allowing ordinary people to experience magic.

Magic tools fell into two categories: ones modern craftsmen made from monster materials, and ones ancient wizards made.

The poachers who tried to capture the Silver Wolf had used the former—rare enough. The latter were practically national treasures.

And such a priceless magic tool was used to dry Fiani.

“Magic tools are meant to be used. If you leave them sitting around, they’re nothing but shiny decorations.”

Look at that confidence. Chris was definitely loaded.

“That’s true, but it’s still wasteful. Magic tools are notoriously difficult to make.”

“What’s so difficult about it?”

“It takes twenty hearts of crawler monkeys to make this one!”

At Johannes’s whining, Fiani nearly fainted.

Crawler monkey hearts?!

A monster far stronger than even the giant venom eagle she once saw in the west.

And it needs twenty of those? This magic tool is insane!

“And didn’t you have a hard time hunting them yourself, sir?”

HE hunted them HIMSELF?!

If Fiani’s jaw could move, it would’ve fallen off.

“It wasn’t hard.”

Not hard?!

And her eyeballs would have rolled across the floor creating a horror scene.

“Yes. I figured you’d say that.”

Johannes sighed deeply. Chris frowned.

“If you knew what I was going to say, why ask? Are you bored? In that case, go clean the hallway—”

Before he could finish, someone knocked.

“It’s Zenu. May I come in?”

“Yes.”

The moment Chris answered, a man who looked like a brown bear walked in. His muscles strained his clothes, and his beard was wild.

“I heard from Johannes! You found it at last!”

“Yes.”

Chris proudly showed him Fiani. Seeing bear-like Zenu’s huge face approach her, Fiani panicked.

[Aaaah! Scary!]

Zenu snorted.

“Wow. I’ve seen tens of thousands of dolls, but never one like this!”

“Right? She’s incredibly special. The texture’s amazing too. Even better than I remember.”

“May I touch it?”

“Not a chance.”

“Aww…”

Zenu whined in a voice that didn’t match his size.

“Anyway, I’m glad you finally found the doll you were longing for.”

“Yes. I can’t tell you how relieved I am.”

Chris’s eyes softened with nostalgia. Fiani’s eyes sharpened.

Now it’s clear.

Chris wasn’t looking for “Fiani the person.”
He was looking for a doll that resembled her.

Honestly, if he thought I was a person, he never would’ve done all that earlier.

It was clear now—this was all a misunderstanding.

Then Johannes shook his head.

“Seriously. Chris, you’re probably the only perv—no, enthusiast—who would scour the entire continent for a childhood doll.”

Chris’s already fierce eyes sharpened like a blade.

“Zenu. Remember today’s date.”

“Huh? All of a sudden? Why… Oh, are you making this the anniversary of finding your doll?”

“And also the anniversary of Johannes’s death.”

Before finishing the sentence, Chris reached for Johannes’s head.

“Eek!”

Terrified, Johannes dove behind Zenu.

“W-well, I’m busy, so I’ll be leaving!”

With that, Johannes fled the office. Fiani saw for the first time what a man running for his life looked like.

Poor guy.

Zenu scratched his cheek.

“By the way, sir, how did you lose it in the first place?”

“Come to think of it, I’ve never told you.”

Chris sighed deeply.

Seeing how emotional he looked, even Fiani became curious. What had happened to him?

“I’ll never forget that day…”

Chris gazed wistfully into the air.

Both Fiani and Zenu waited for him to continue.

But after staring into space for a long moment, Chris finally said…

“Zenu. Bring some clothes. Our baby must be cold.”

Instead of the story they were waiting for, Zenu received an unexpected command. Though surprised, he didn’t complain.

“Yes. I’ll bring all the dresses I’ve made so far.”

“No. No need.”

Chris spoke firmly and handed Fiani’s dress to Zenu. Fiani protested furiously.

[Hey!! You can’t just hand someone else’s clothes away! You shameless pretty boy!]

Ignoring her adorable outrage, Chris continued:

“Leave only a few outfits for changing. Dispose of the rest. And make new dresses.”

Zenu examined the doll’s size carefully.

“If it’s because of the size, you don’t need to worry. This size is almost identical to the dresses I’ve already made.”

“No. It’s not the size.”

Zenu tilted his head.

“Then why…?”