Chapter 25
-There’s a Fine Line Between Interest and Flirtation
The tenacity to achieve even magic that everyone else deemed impossible. The competitive spirit that refused to back down, even in a losing battle.
This mindset, essential for a noble, was sometimes useless in everyday life. Especially today, it was nothing but needless stubbornness.
“Please just give up and clear up the misunderstanding! The whole town is chasing us!”
I felt like crying. Was it this frustrating for a doll not to be able to cry?
The stubborn young master continued to run, carrying me in his arms. For some reason, everyone—men, women, even children—were chasing after us.
And at the forefront, with a cruel smile, was Miss Baba.
“How can she run so fast in heels?!”
The young master was also strange. Was he always this athletic? The frail young master I remembered was gone. Give me back my precious little young master who needed my care! This wasn’t my Lupin!
“Since we’re running away anyway, can’t we just teleport with magic? That would be less embarrassing.”
The young master adjusted his hold on me without slowing down.
“That would make us look even more like villains.”
He was right. If we suddenly disappeared with a “Hahaha, I’m taking this woman!”, we would look like kidnappers. Of course, he wasn’t kidnapping me, but whether people would believe that was another story.
“I’m going to the bank.”
“T-the bank? Are you going to rob it? Kidnapping and bank robbery?”
As if annoyed by my question, he tightened his grip on me.
“There’s no better place for identification than a bank.”
After running for a while, we felt relieved as we approached the bank.
Since he was a Count, the young master was a valued customer even in Raguel City. The bank manager, recognizing him from afar, took off his hat and bowed.
“Young Master, just a little further!”
Even I, who had been trying to stop him, was now cheering him on in this strange race.
“Stop! Give me back my fiancé!”
She had called me her little sister earlier… Miss Baba seemed to be enjoying the chase, without any real objective. I could see the many people who had been following us slowing down, panting and exhausted.
Just as we were about to cross the main street…
A strong gust of wind blew. It was so strong that the young master had to close his eyes. I didn’t need to close my eyes, so I could see the source of the wind.
It was coming from Knight Commander Edna’s residence, where a strange airship was taking off. The wind was so strong that the young master’s coat billowed dramatically. As I tried to hold onto his clothes, I realized that my hair had come undone. My hair tie was gone.
“Oh! My hair tie!”
I reached out for the ribbon as it flew away. It suddenly puffed out black feathers, like a transforming crow, and vanished.
“Looking for this?”
Miss Baba was standing there, holding my hair tie, after the wind had died down.
“I’m serious. I have something to claim from you.”
She said to the young master. He pulled me closer, shielding me with his body.
“I’m not giving Estella to you.”
It was touching, but I felt uncomfortable. Estella’s hair was long and beautiful, like a flowing skirt. Which meant it was incredibly inconvenient if it wasn’t tied up properly.
I fidgeted in his arms and then pushed myself away.
“Estella!”
The young master seemed startled. He must have thought he had a firm grip on me. But I had been holding still on purpose. I could have escaped at any time. I had stayed put because I wanted to.
But I couldn’t take it anymore. I really liked that hair tie!
“Young Master, would you be very disappointed if I hurt someone?”
“It depends on the situation. I think it would be alright now.”
“I’ll exercise restraint. Please give me permission.”
He nodded once. As soon as I received permission, I ran. Faster than he had carried me.
I charged towards my target.
“Aaaah! The girl is running faster than a horse!”
I didn’t realize I was that fast. I quickly reached Miss Baba and bumped into her. I figured if she fell, she would drop the hair tie, and I could snatch it back.
I tucked in my elbow and rammed into her, but there was no impact. Screech—The sound of her shoes scraping against the ground was loud.
I quickly looked around. Miss Baba was standing a step away from me, waving the ribbon like a bullfighter.
“Looking for this?”
“So the witch has some tricks up her sleeve. Now I’m fired up.”
“You sound like a villain…”
I lunged at her repeatedly. Each time, she slipped away like an eel, taunting me. She was more troublesome than a zombie.
One more time! I charged at her, and she dodged again. The surrounding crowd cheered.
“That mage is amazing!”
“The maid is pretty quick too!”
The standoff continued. Just as I was about to lunge at her again, her expression suddenly darkened, then brightened. That was when the young master grabbed my shoulder.
“You said you could hurt her, but you haven’t even laid a finger on her.”
“I apologize, Boss!”
“…Why are you calling me that?”
“It just feels right…”
“Estella, we’re not a villain duo…”
The young master strode towards Miss Baba. She didn’t try to run. No, she couldn’t run.
I saw the young master’s binding spell at her feet.
Wait, he could have done that from the beginning!
I glared at him resentfully. He retrieved my hair tie from Miss Baba’s hand and shrugged.
“It was difficult to find the right moment to cast the binding spell because she wouldn’t stay still. Thanks to you. Good job, Estella.”
“Honestly. Do you think I’ll fall for any compliment you give me?”
He patted my head and then gently gathered my hair and tied it up.
“Well, I definitely like this kind of compliment. Thank you!”
Miss Baba, who had unintentionally lost the contest, laughed heartily. Her gentle voice remained unchanged.
“I really like your doll. Are you sure you won’t give her to me? A fiancée would be nice.”
“Don’t even dream of it. She’s mine.”
The young master casually wrapped his arm around my waist. I placed my hand on his arm and thought to myself.
When did he become so physically affectionate? Wasn’t he touching me too much for a doll? To treat a lady like a puppy… I felt a bit disgruntled, but also pleased that we were so close.
“Even if I can’t have the doll, I still have something to claim. I’m serious.”
“I’m meeting you for the first time, what could I possibly have that you want?”
“Zombie cores.”
The young master’s eyes turned cold. Mine did too. As soon as the word “zombie” was mentioned, the onlookers gasped and scattered.
“How did you know about the zombie cores? That information isn’t available to the public.”
“Because I’m not a member of the public. You saw it, I’m a witch.”
Miss Baba stuck out her tongue again. This time, I could see it clearly. The mark used only by witches. Seeing the dragon tattooed on her tongue, I was certain.
“That’s all the more reason why I can’t tell you. I won’t cooperate with someone who might misuse information related to zombies.”
The young master turned away more decisively than ever. I was about to follow him when I noticed Miss Baba’s smug expression.
“Really? But you owe me.”
Yes, that confident expression… she must have something up her sleeve.
“Didn’t Edna ask you to give them to me?”
I saw it. The young master’s eyebrows furrowed, and his nose twitched. He tried to smile nonchalantly when our eyes met, but…
I saw it! His annoyed expression.
“Let’s discuss this elsewhere.”
“Alright. Near your lodging would be fine. I’m very considerate.”
The young master’s lips moved silently. He clearly wanted to retort. I tugged on his sleeve.
“Young Master, you mustn’t lose your composure.”
“Right…”
He shielded me from Miss Baba and said sharply,
“I’ll listen to what you have to say, but I won’t tolerate you making advances on my doll.”
Our lodging also had a café on the first floor with outdoor tables. The young master, clearly a noble from another city, me, a doll upon closer inspection, and Miss Baba, a beautiful woman with a slightly strange glint in her eyes, were a combination that couldn’t help but attract attention.
#Even the waiter who came to serve us tea was so distracted by us that he spilled tea all over the table. I snatched the teapot from him. He fled in terror, as if he had seen a ghost.
As I was about to pour tea for them, the young master stopped me.
“Don’t move and stay close to me.”
“Then who’s going to pour the tea?”
“Tell her to pour it herself.”
Even I thought he looked arrogant with his arms crossed. The arrogance of a nobleman had overcome his manners.
“I have an interesting story.”
Miss Baba, unfazed by his rudeness, poured herself some tea and continued,
“The zombies aren’t actually a disease or the result of dark magic. It’s a side effect of healing magic, or so they say.”
“…Because of their abnormal vitality?”
“A healing mage capable of reviving even the dead is the culprit behind this incident… Isn’t that interesting? If you find the culprit, you might be able to obtain that power yourself.”
When our eyes met, was it my imagination, or did the young master’s pupils dilate?