BGDBP 21

Chapter 21

“Do you think I’m doing this for some kind of reward?!”

The House of Hespia was the most powerful noble family in the Loroa Empire—its lands, wealth, and businesses so vast that even if the empire fell, the Hespias would endure.
And Chris was its one and only master.

— I-I know. I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to help out somehow, to show my gratitude, that’s all…

“Don’t you realize that kind of talk annoys me even more?”

— A-anyway, take care on your way! I’ll get a report later, so no need to call or anything!

Afraid of getting scolded again, the Emperor hastily cut the connection, and the light from the communication orb faded away.

“You’ll have to go, then,” said Dyan regretfully.

“Yeah. That I, of all people, have to go clean up trash like those ‘murder fish’…”

Chris suppressed the irritation boiling up inside with a long sigh.
If he was going to handle this bothersome errand anyway, he might as well take care of another pending matter.

“Have the entire Second Knight Order stand by. Might as well test how competent they really are.”

He frowned as he spoke.

“I’ll tell them to hurry,” Dyan said and left the office.

Chris leaned back deeply in his chair.

“Haa…”

Letting out a long breath, Chris lifted his arms high—so that his adorable doll, Piani, could look down at him.

“See, my little one? This is the world. Everyone’s always trying to use someone else…”

Chris looked exhausted.
He half-expected his beloved comfort doll—with her ever-gentle smile—to tell him, ‘Cheer up…’

But that wasn’t what Piani was thinking at all.

[Whoa! My lord! Did you just say even ‘murder fish’ are nothing to you?!]

If some huge, rough-looking man with bulging muscles had said ‘Those murder fish are nothing but a handful!’ she’d have been terrified.
But when the cool, handsome Chris said it like it was nothing…

[That’s so cool! He’s like the main character in one of Mom’s comics!]

As her excitement bubbled, Piani suddenly recalled the Emperor’s trembling voice.

[By the way… so a Grand Duke like you can actually talk back to the Emperor like that? I feel like I just glimpsed the forbidden side of power… I’m not sure I should be thrilled about that.]

“Yeah, I guess I’ve got to pull myself together…”

Chris and Piani said it in unison.

Chris, thinking his doll had just encouraged him, smiled contentedly.
And Piani, realizing a bit late that Chris needed cheering, awkwardly added:

[C-cheer up!]

Chris didn’t want to part from Piani, but he couldn’t possibly bring his precious little one somewhere so dangerous.

Even if I’m confident not a single strand of her fabric would be harmed…

He couldn’t stop gently stroking her out of lingering affection.

[Oh, come on, that’s enough. At this rate, my fabric’s gonna peel off!]

“How am I supposed to leave such a cute little thing behind?”

[Ugh… stating the obvious again…]

Piani’s cheeks grew warm—though, of course, dolls’ faces don’t actually blush.
And no matter what she said, Chris still couldn’t hear her voice.

Knock knock.
Someone rapped at the office door. Chris, already knowing who it was, said simply:

“Come in.”

It was Zenu who entered.

[Ah—it’s the man who made my pretty clothes!]

Piani still wasn’t quite used to his rugged face, but she wasn’t afraid of him.
She knew he had skilled, gentle hands.

[Mister, I really like this outfit! It’s not just cute—it’s easy to move in too!]

She praised him brightly.

But Zenu’s expression was dead serious.

Why does he look like that? He’s already scary-looking—trying to look stern just makes it worse…

Zenu placed his hand over his chest and declared:

“The Second Knight Order is ready to deploy!”

His booming voice filled the room.
If Chris hadn’t covered Piani’s ears, her tiny heart might’ve burst from fright.

Eek! That scared me! Wait—he’s a knight?! I thought he was just a misunderstood designer who made cute clothes!

Chris’s red eyes flared.

“I thought you were one of the few sane ones. Why are you shouting like that in front of my baby?”

“Ah—my apologies! It’s been so long since our last deployment, I got a bit excited. I’ll be careful next time.”

Zenu quickly returned to his usual mild demeanor.
Chris relaxed his hand from Piani’s ears and said:

“Also—you’re the Captain of the First Knight Order. Why are you preparing the Second for battle?”

“Ah, well, their captain took leave and went back to his hometown.”

“…”

Chris rubbed his chin in thought, then nodded.

“Right, that’s true. Still, that guy’s really lucky—skipping work like this.”

“Heh, I wouldn’t say that, sir.”

“What do you mean?”

“His hometown’s in Tahe.”

“…”

Chris’s eyes sharpened.

“You mean to tell me…”

“Yes. By now, he’s probably…”

Zenu gave a wry, bear-like chuckle.
Chris clenched his teeth.

“I thought the South could hold out without casualties until they called for reinforcements—but that pathetic fool…”

His words continued, but that was all Piani could hear.

Because Chris had covered her ears again.

Now Piani sat on Chris’s bed.
Around her were a circle of three stuffed animals: a bear, a rabbit, and a cat.

The reason they were gathered like this was, of course, Chris.
Leaving Piani alone on that wide bed had seemed too lonely a sight, so—

Feeling tender toward his beloved doll, Chris had seated the three dolls he’d specially made for her by her side.

“These aren’t ordinary dolls—they’re special, with cores inside. I trust you’ll be good friends to my little one.”

He had said so kindly before leaving, and added while stroking her once more:

“Don’t worry too much. If that strange phenomenon happens again, I’ll make sure to find the culprit—and separate their head from their body for good.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, Piani puffed up her chest and commanded:

[Everyone! Be responsible and remember who’s beside you. If anything goes wrong this time, an innocent body could get twisted again.]

[Don’t worry. As long as you don’t touch anything, nothing will happen…]

rasped the rabbit doll in a hoarse voice.

[Why’s your voice so husky?]

[You seriously don’t know? Because you kept—ugh—grabbing me all over!]

If it could move, the rabbit doll would’ve covered itself in embarrassment.

[Oh please! If you hadn’t messed with me first, I wouldn’t have done that. Weird—I’ve yelled plenty before, but my voice never went hoarse like this.]

Piani’s grumbling made the rabbit doll flinch.
It realized—it had never screamed before meeting her.
But somehow, it felt like if it had screamed back then, its voice wouldn’t be this ruined now.

I can just… feel it…

Fairies were known for their sharp intuition.
Even if, right now, the rabbit barely qualified as one.

[Anyway—if you don’t want a taste of my sweet fist, you’d better answer my questions properly.]

Piani’s eyes glinted threateningly.

[Hmph. I don’t care if you hit me. But since I promised to talk properly from yesterday on, I’ll play along.]

The bear doll rumbled in a deep voice.
Piani smirked.

[You could just admit you’re scared of me, you know.]

[Not true! I’m not scared of getting hit! The cat doll feels the same way—]

[Mraooow!]

The cat suddenly yowled. It was terrified that the bear’s nonsense would get it dragged into this.

[Gah! Why are you yelling?! Do I look like a joke to you?!]

Piani raised her tiny fist. The cat whimpered pitifully:

[Mraow… mraooow…!]

[What’s it saying?]

Piani asked, and the bear chuckled.

[It says it’d gladly die by my side.]

The cat shrieked internally—What the hell are you talking about?!—but what came out was only:

[Mraooow!]

Piani tilted her head.

[That’s not what it sounded like.]

[It is. We’ve known each other a long time, you see. Don’t belittle our friendship.]

The cat wanted to scream, We’re not even friends!
But again, all it could say was:

[Mraooow… mraooow…!]

[Fine, then. If that’s how it’s going to be, I won’t hold back either.]

Piani rolled her shoulders. The shadows on her cute little face made her look genuinely scary.

[Hiii—!]

Just seeing her fist rise made the rabbit flinch violently. That’s what trauma does.

[Heh heh…]

Piani laughed darkly.

[…]

[Mraahahaha! Mraoohohoho!]

As the bear tensed in silence and the cat teared up, something unexpected happened—

[Huh?]

Piani suddenly collapsed onto the bed.
She tried moving her arms again, but—just like when she had first become a doll—she couldn’t move at all.