Chapter 179
Chapter 179
Attachment Doll (3)
The Anger that had smashed through the ceiling of the Ulbushis mansion shattered apart futilely. After watching that entire sequence unfold, I stretched widely.
I thought it was finally over. But something felt strangely incomplete.
“Canis!”
“Father.”
Unlike the father and daughter, who embraced each other in an emotional reunion, I frowned at this inexplicable sense of unease.
“Ah.”
▶[Main Quest: Simulacrum(simulacre)]
Save the suffering Simulacrum.
Reward: Cradle of Fortune.
The quest was still there, uncleared. If the Simulacrum was Canis, I thought this should have been enough to count as saving her.
I suppressed the irritation welling up inside me and looked at Canis. It meant there was something more.
“My child. I’m glad you’re safe.”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family was shedding tears, unlike his usual self. Canis tightly embraced her father.
The love between them felt deeply heartfelt. She seemed grateful that he treated her as though she were the real Canis despite the fact that she wasn’t.
“You did well too.”
“It was nothing.”
Seeing me approach, the Head of the Ulbushis Family told me I had done well. I waved it off. I had gone through some trouble, but I was going to get paid back for all of it anyway.
I patted Canis on the shoulder and walked past them. I had no desire to stay between such a loving father and daughter.
“I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Very well. I’ll have the finest feast prepared.”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family saw me off with a bright smile. I headed toward the room assigned to me with an attendant.
“Please bring me something to drink.”
“Would lemonade be all right?”
“That’ll be enough.”
At my request, the attendant quickly disappeared and returned.
“Then please rest comfortably.”
“Yes. Thank you for your work.”
Perhaps he was happy about Canis’s safe return, because the attendant’s face was bright as well. He bowed to me and left the room.
I sat in a chair and drank the lemonade.
“Mimi.”
I quietly called the Dream Bird. As usual, the Dream Bird tore through space and appeared, immediately coming over and rubbing its cheek against me.
I thought it might knock the chair over at this rate, so I brought its head down onto my lap and stroked it.
“Time to wrap things up.”
I picked up the doll on the desk. There was a zipper on the back of the doll. I put the crystal sealing Anger inside it.
―Mwee.
“……I don’t know either.”
It was different from what I had expected. Even after I put the crystal inside, the doll remained completely limp. I gave the Dream Bird a halfhearted answer.
It seemed to be asking why it wasn’t working, but how was I supposed to know? I picked up the doll and shook it around. There was no particular reaction.
“I’ll have to ask at dinner.”
I had no choice but to ask an expert. I left the doll on the desk and got up. It wasn’t even lunchtime yet.
I’d sleep until dinner, enjoy the feast, and then return to the academy.
“Hey. I should have you go to Winter and send word.”
I explained my plan to the Dream Bird. Winter’s portal only worked for places Winter had visited at least once.
She had probably never been to the Ulbushis mansion, so opening a portal here was impossible. Fortunately, the train station we had briefly stopped at on our way to the Sanctuary Pilgrimage was nearby.
“Tell Winter and come back. I’ll be sleeping.”
―Mwee-mwee!
The Dream Bird puffed out its chest and answered confidently. Then it vanished through the rippling space. I yawned widely again and flopped onto the bed.
A sensation far softer than the bed in the academy dormitory welcomed me. I closed my eyes just like that.
***
I washed my face briefly and came downstairs. The atmosphere of the mansion was bright. It was brimming with life, as though it had never been gloomy and dreary in the first place.
I was thoroughly enjoying the positive effect Canis’s return had brought. This kind of atmosphere wasn’t bad either.
I wondered if this might be why Canis had such high self-esteem.
“Hmm? You’re here already~”
Canis happened to run into me and greeted me cheerfully. I responded with a shrug. Canis approached with quick little steps.
“Thank you. I didn’t get to say it earlier. I’m grateful you came to save me~”
“Sure.”
Had Canis ever thanked me before? I thought about it carefully, but nothing came to mind.
I accepted Canis’s gratitude without much emotion. As if she had expected that reaction, Canis gave me a broad smile.
“Dinner’s still a while away. How about some tea on the outdoor terrace?”
“Sure.”
I accepted Canis’s suggestion. She guided me with a bright expression. The sun had only just begun to set.
“The view is best here.”
The place Canis led me to was the third-floor terrace. It was certainly pleasing to the eye. The Ulbushis flower garden was directly below, and the dense forest beyond it blended harmoniously with the scenery.
The setting sun happened to create a gentle atmosphere. Tea brought by a skilled attendant arrived at the table.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s nice.”
With my feet propped against the terrace railing, I sat in the chair and admired the scenery. I answered Canis’s question honestly.
Something good was simply good. Unlike the place where I had originally lived, this world had many places that made me appreciate the grandeur and beauty of nature.
It was a shame there were no cell phones, but this wasn’t bad either. Time passed effortlessly just by sitting there and looking.
“When are you going back to the academy?”
“Today. Right after dinner.”
“I see~”
Canis seemed a little gentler now. Her usual tone, which always seemed to hover on the verge of mockery, had calmed down considerably.
“What about you?”
“I still have plenty of time.”
“Right. Don’t come back too late.”
Canis answered while pouring me tea. I replied casually and sipped it. It was extremely bitter, yet fragrant and clean.
I enjoyed the tea and scenery for quite a while before taking the doll out from inside my clothes.
“Is that Anger~?”
“Yeah. Take a look at it. I thought it would start moving right away.”
Canis immediately realized what the doll was. After taking the doll I handed her, she examined it from different angles.
There was nothing visibly wrong with it. Canis then raised her magic. Strange characters appeared in midair.
“It’s well made~”
“Your father made it.”
“As expected~”
Canis looked impressed as she examined the doll. The materials and techniques used were far too extravagant for a mere stuffed doll.
At my following words, Canis gave a deep smile. Did that really make her that happy? I chuckled.
“Give me a moment. I think it’ll work if I make a few adjustments~”
With that, Canis immediately got to work. Like father, like daughter. Canis began working without showing much difficulty.
“Ta-da~”
Canis held out the stuffed doll modeled after herself. When she flicked her finger, Canis’s magic entered the stuffed doll.
Then the doll slowly began to move. It shouldn’t even have had any sleep in its eyes, yet the way it rubbed them made it look like someone who had just woken up.
―Hello! Hello! Hello!
The awakened Anger saw me and greeted me happily. The little thing stretched its two stubby arms toward me.
Then it checked its own arms, which had no fingers.
―None! None!
Apparently shocked that it had no fingers, Anger began behaving strangely. It dropped to its knees and stared up at the sky as though screaming in despair.
“You’re a doll. Still, you can talk even though you don’t have vocal cords.”
―Strange. Speech.
“Anger has always been like that.”
―Frustrating.
I poked Anger. The little thing toppled backward and burst into giggles. Anger, who had been full of complaints, quickly adapted and became busy playing around with me.
“Anger really likes you~”
Canis carefully watched Anger and me. Then she quietly asked.
“This little thing apparently saw my memories in the Palace of Dreams.”
“Hmm. I wonder if I could see them too~”
Canis asked mischievously. I shook my head. I gave her a smile just as full of mockery as the one hanging on her lips.
“Not a chance.”
“Even so, though. Could seeing your memories alone really make it this attached to you~?”
“I wonder about that too.”
Both of us looked at Anger. Anger, who had been grunting as it clung to my finger, tilted its head.
“Anger. Do you like Dabi that much?”
―Dabi. Affection.
Anger immediately answered Canis’s question. There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation. Affection from a six-year-old, huh. My appearance and overall aura were rather sharp, so younger kids would probably find me a little intimidating.
“What do you like about him?”
―Same kind. Overcame.
There were parts of Anger’s words that were difficult to understand. Canis kept asking questions, but the answers she got were all similar.
From the words “same kind,” I roughly figured out the reason. I merely thought that made sense.
“Shall we get up? I think it’s about time~”
At Canis’s words, I got up. When Anger gestured for me to hold it, I handed the little thing over to Canis instead.
―Upset. Upset.
“I’m starting to feel upset too~”
Anger sulked heavily, and Canis pouted along with it. I had thought they might at least feel some kinship since they shared the same memories.
We headed straight to the dining room. Anger didn’t dislike Canis. The problem was that it liked me much more.
In the end, I quieted Anger’s complaints by sticking it into my pants pocket.
“You’re here.”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family, who was already in the dining room, welcomed us. We both bowed and amicably took the seats on either side of the family head.
“I owe you a great debt. Allow me to express my gratitude once again on this occasion.”
“It’s fine. I did it in exchange for compensation.”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family looked at me fondly as I continued to give the same response from beginning to end. I met his gaze awkwardly.
“Father. It’s probably not what you’re thinking~”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“That he’s embarrassed, or something like that. Dabi really doesn’t care. As long as you give him his reward~”
Canis knew me well. The Head of the Ulbushis Family quietly stared at me before smiling good-naturedly. He didn’t seem to believe Canis.
“When will you return to the academy?”
“I’m planning to go back today.”
“Oh dear. That’s unfortunate. You could have stayed a little longer.”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family openly showed his disappointment. As though he had completely forgotten that I was a Duhein, his gaze was filled with goodwill.
All I had done was bring Canis back, but apparently that meant a great deal to the Head of the Ulbushis Family.
“Let’s eat.”
And so we began our meal. The Head of the Ulbushis Family and Canis talked a lot. The usual quiet atmosphere was nowhere to be found.
Even the normally taciturn Head of the Ulbushis Family seemed to become talkative with Canis around.
“Ah. Family Head.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“There’s something you should know.”
I had been focusing on devouring the seafood when something suddenly came to mind, so I called out to the Head of the Ulbushis Family.
“I found out who was behind Canis’s assassination.”
The warm atmosphere froze in an instant. But this was information worth telling him. From now on, the Ulbushis Family itself would become part of the Anaye Order.
“……Who were those bastards?”
The previously good-natured eyes of the Head of the Ulbushis Family gleamed coldly. I wiped the corners of my mouth with a napkin and spoke.
“I saw the Duhein Family’s Extermination Unit.”
“…….”
“…….”
Both Ulbushises dropped their jaws. It was a rare sight: a former Duhein accusing the current Duhein Family.
“Those bastards deserve to be torn apart.”
“Dabi really is something~”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family quietly seethed with rage, while Canis looked at me with newfound admiration.
“You should hold back for now.”
“Hmm?”
“Let’s do something big together later.”
Seeing my attitude, the Head of the Ulbushis Family suppressed his anger. We could slowly resolve this later as the Episode progressed.
The Duhein Family wasn’t an opponent they could deal with by acting now in the first place. Bereninche was there, after all. If the Ulbushis Family attacked them head-on right now, Bereninche alone would be enough to finish them off.
“And there’s something I wanted to ask.”
“What is it? Ask whatever you wish.”
“Someone who appeared to be a Magus Executive came to the funeral.”
As I said that, I took out the photograph I had brought from Canis’s room. It was a photograph of Canis holding hands with an old man.
The eyes of the Head of the Ulbushis Family quietly sank as he took it.
“Do you know him?”
“I’ll tell you about it separately later.”
The Head of the Ulbushis Family carefully tucked the photograph away in his jacket. Canis tilted her head at his reaction.
Realizing it wasn’t something to discuss in front of Canis, I nodded.
▶[Main Quest: Simulacrum(simulacre)] Complete.
And with that, Episode 5 finally came to an end.