Chapter 15
8. My Creation is as Cute as Her
The young master was dressed in his formal attire, perched on his desk, reviewing documents.
I burst through the door, waving the list of potential brides. I couldn’t let this grave matter go unaddressed.
“Young master, it’s a disaster! A disaster, I tell you!”
“What?”
His expression turned serious.
“Is it the zombie issue? This place should still be safe. Surely the Zepetto family cemetery hasn’t been infected?”
“It’s not that! It’s something even more important!”
I flipped through the list and found the most crucial page. I shoved it in front of his face.
“There’s a stunningly beautiful potential bride!”
“…”
“Lady Melenia, twenty years old! Glossy, auburn curls, beautiful eyes! Even a charming beauty mark! And she’s a Duke’s daughter, no less. Beautiful and rich!”
A hand clad in a white glove reached out and pushed the document aside.
“Let’s use a regular carriage instead of the Spectro Carriage to go to Metal City. We don’t need anything flashy. We should be able to rent a car in Metal City.”
“That’s not important right now!”
“There are living corpses ripping open coffins and wandering around, and you’re telling me there’s something more important than that?”
“The living have to live their lives! Look! At this beauty!”
“Yes, yes…”
The young master remained indifferent, oblivious to the gravity of the situation. But I knew. I couldn’t miss this opportunity.
Not only was Lady Melenia beautiful, but her family was known for their incredibly generous treatment of servants. The Duchess enjoyed shopping at dress shops with her maids and indulged in buying jewelry and accessories. Lucky maids even got to accompany her on hunting trips.
If the Duchess was so open with her purse, the Duke’s daughter would be no different.
Lady Melenia, I pledge my loyalty to you!
I had a feeling that Lady Melenia would be able to handle our grumpy young master. I had no basis for this, it was just a gut feeling. A doll’s intuition was a powerful thing. I had decided.
To be honest, I didn’t care about the young master’s opinion. I wanted to work for the Melenia Duke family. My human life, with only a grumpy and frail Count’s son as a friend, deserved some compensation.
“Look, Young Master. Isn’t she beautiful!”
“Get changed. No matter how resistant to cold you are, you can’t meet the Knight Commander in your indoor maid uniform.”
“Pay attention to the document!”
“Wow, she’s beautiful. There, attention paid. Now let’s go.”
“Young Masterrr!”
The heartless man snatched the list of beauties from my hand and tossed it into the distance. It was a sort of recycling bin for documents he wouldn’t review again.
I tried to retrieve my shopping list, I mean, the list of potential brides, but the young master grabbed me. He pulled me by the shoulder and headed for the door.
“Young Master! I confess, I have ulterior motives! I’m pushing this because I want to go shopping with Lady Melenia. But!”
I clung to the door with both hands to avoid being dragged outside. There was no way a magician like him could overcome the strength of a doll I had personally enhanced. He tugged at my arms, but I wouldn’t budge.
“You need to get married while you’re still young! Once you become famous for zombie extermination, your prickly personality will be known to everyone! Then you’ll only have ladies who are after your money and looks! I mean, it’s not much different now, but! Still, some of the ladies sending proposals now must have some hope for romance!”
“Let go of the door right now! Why are you so obsessed with getting me married, even more than Godora?”
“It’s obvious!”
I even extended my legs and hooked my feet on the door frame.
“Because I want you to be happy! You’ve been alone ever since the Count and Countess passed away. I was there, I mean, Anna was there, but she was just a maid. You need a real family. Head Butler Godora cries like a lovesick owl whenever he drinks, thinking about you.”
“Why?”
“How would I know? Maybe he’s just naturally loud.”
His grip on me loosened. As I tried to move forward, he tightened his hold again, but he was clearly shaken.
“Why…”
He paused for a moment, choosing his words, then shifted his position, blocking my way.
“Estella.”
“Gulp.”
No matter how strong a doll I was, I wasn’t brave enough to push my employer. He had golems. If he brought one in and stomped on me, I would shatter like a plate.
“Why do you think I’ll be happy only if I get married?”
He looked genuinely perplexed.
“Do you think I’ll be happy if I get married?”
“Yes!”
His expression went blank. He stared at me for a moment, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“You’re supposed to look embarrassed and avoid eye contact in situations like this. It’s not like I’m seriously asking.”
“Ah… I’m sorry. I’m so clueless… I’ll be properly embarrassed this time. Please ask me again.”
“Forget it.”
He rubbed his face and said wearily,
“Anyway, I don’t need marriage. I don’t have the confidence to love anyone else. Not anymore…”
He stepped back. His lowered head looked pitiful. I took a step closer to him.
“Young Master?”
“Keep calling me that.”
“Huh? Oh, yes. Young Master, Young Master, Young Master! Young Master? Young Master Lupin.”
No matter how many times I called him, he didn’t lift his head. The veins in his hand, covering his face, stood out prominently. I took his hand and pulled it down. His blue eyes, looking at me, were constantly flickering.
“It feels like Anna is calling me. It really does…”
That’s because it’s true.
This was a world where dead people turned into zombies. So why couldn’t he believe that a dead person could be reborn as a doll?
Well, it was normal to be skeptical of both zombies and dolls…
“Don’t worry. I do like to tease you, but I don’t really think you’re a bad person. You’re a kind person, Young Master.”
“Something inside me broke after Anna left. Something’s definitely wrong.”
“It’s natural to be sad. There’s nothing wrong with you, Young Master.”
We were childhood friends. He must have been heartbroken to lose me. We weren’t family, but we were family.
Knowing how he felt, I wanted him to find someone else and be happy. I wasn’t human, and even when I was, I lacked in many ways…
Well, I wasn’t lacking in looks or personality!
“It’ll get better with time.”
“…Do you really think so?”
What else could he do? He had to keep living. For the many people who worked for Count Zepetto and the citizens who lived and farmed on his land.
But saying it so bluntly would ruin the mood, so I said reassuringly,
“Of course. But there’s another way.”
“What is it?”
“Forget your sadness with love. Find a fiancée who can heal your broken heart!”
I was about to run back to the recycling bin when the young master suddenly bent down and extended his arms. Before I could understand what was happening, he scooped me up in one swift motion.
It was the same position I had held the Crown Prince in earlier.
“Aah! Young Master! Put me down!”
“You’re heavy.”
“Excuse me! You made me, from head to toe! You’re the one who added the weight!”
“I know. You needed extra weight because you have so much strength.”
He carried me out of the office. On our way out, we ran into the head butler, who was returning from inspecting the young master’s bedroom.
His beady eyes widened like lanterns.
“L-L-Lupin, Young Master!”
“Godora, you don’t have to wake me up tomorrow morning. I won’t be sleeping at (home) tonight.”
“What?! You’re not going to let Estella sleep at night?!”
“And prepare a new set of clothes for Estella. Something formal, if possible.”
“Clothes, sir?”
“Yes. She needs to change out of her current clothes.”
“Change… clothes…?”
The head butler sniffled.
“No, Young Master. No… A doll is not acceptable…”
He shook his head repeatedly, then finally noticed the young master’s formal attire.
“Hmm? Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes. I have to go to Raguel City urgently. It’s an order from the Crown Prince.”
Head Butler Godora’s eyes darted back and forth.
“Th-then why are you holding Estella so affectionately?”
The young master and I glared at him simultaneously.
“Who said I’m holding her affectionately?”
“This is not affectionate!”
I was even holding myself stiffly because I had nowhere to rest my head. It felt like I had been reincarnated as a skewer, not a cherished doll.
I shifted my position awkwardly. I was afraid to move too much, lest I fall and shatter the fragile young master.
Shattering was not an option. I had just been repaired.
“If you’re uncomfortable, wrap your arms around my neck.”
“Is that okay?”
I freed one arm from his grasp and wrapped it around his neck. That left my other arm dangling. I wondered where to put it, and when I just let it hang, it ended up looking quite impertinent.
Head Butler Godora twitched his mustache and eyebrows, then sighed.
“Indeed… it looks more like a zookeeper transporting a monkey than a display of affection.”
The young master adjusted his hold on me and turned to leave.
“Godora, bring her a change of clothes to the carriage. We’re going straight to Raguel City.”
“Huh? Then where will I change?”
The young master glared at me.
“Why are you asking the obvious? In the carriage, of course.”
Thanks for the chapter!