Chapter 24
“Explain what happened.”
The young master’s sharp gaze pierced me. There was nothing to explain!
“I don’t know! It’s a misunderstanding!”
“A misunderstanding? Considering your usual behavior, are you sure it’s a misunderstanding?”
“My usual behavior is always upright and proper!”
I struggled to free myself, but it wasn’t easy. I might accidentally hurt Miss Baba with my strength. I still had trouble controlling it!
Miss Baba hugged me tighter and provoked the young master.
“And who are you? We’re about to go on a date. This doll proposed to me.”
“Estella!”
The young master scolded me, but I was a bit distracted. The perfume Miss Baba was wearing smelled heavenly. A sweet scent like flowers and chocolate.
It was making me dizzy.
“Oh… this isn’t so bad…”
“See? Even Estella likes it.”
Unable to stand it any longer, the young master walked towards us. He seemed hesitant to reach out, fidgeting nervously, so I reluctantly left Miss Baba’s warm embrace and approached him.
As soon as I left her arms, he pulled me into his embrace. It wasn’t as sweet as Miss Baba’s embrace, but the familiar, refreshing scent of his perfume tickled my nose.
“Mmm! Your perfume is top-notch too!”
He held me tightly, almost restraining me, and whispered through gritted teeth,
“I told you not to follow strangers.”
“Hey, she’s not just anyone. I couldn’t help it, Miss Baba is beautiful.”
“What does her beauty have to do with you?!”
“It has everything to do with me! It’s because you still don’t have a girl…”
Miss Baba suddenly leaned in, interrupting our bickering.
“Are you two going to keep fighting? That con man’s associates will be here soon.”
Right, the con man!
Clinging to the young master’s arm, I explained the absurd scam we had encountered. That there was a con man selling zombie meat.
I even showed him the bag of meat as evidence. His face darkened considerably.
“Selling zombie meat disguised as a health tonic. That’s preposterous.”
“It’s quite common these days. People who are seriously ill or uneducated are easily deceived.”
“You’re also suspicious. How can I trust that you’re not in cahoots with that con man?”
The young master hid me behind him. Miss Baba smiled at me, then suddenly stuck out her tongue at the young master, revealing a tattoo. It was a primal taunt. Even I wouldn’t tease him that much!
As I was about to intervene, surprised, the young master’s reaction was serious.
“So that’s how it is.”
What did he understand?!
Now even he was starting to seem absurd. He grabbed my shoulder and looked towards the entrance of the shop we had just left. I could hear noises coming from inside.
“Even if he’s a con man, we have to consider the possibility that he might actually have captured zombies. I’ll go check it out.”
“Are you going alone? Should I come with you?”
He looked down at me with an impassive expression. Oh no, he was really angry.
I knew that in these situations, I shouldn’t make excuses and just do as he said. Because I was perceptive.
He abruptly untied the ribbon around my waist. My perfectly fitted dress instantly lost its shape.
“Hey! Young Master, why! I tied it so nicely today!”
Instead of an answer, I was restrained. He tied one end of the ribbon around my wrist and the other end to a nearby tree trunk.
“Don’t untie it. Wait here quietly until I return.”
“Huh? Young Master! This is too much! I’m not a dog!”
“Even dogs don’t run around like you!”
He grabbed his magic staff, which he usually used as a blunt weapon, and gestured towards Miss Baba before entering the shop.
“Do whatever you want. I don’t care.”
“Alright, fine.”
We exchanged glances as the young master disappeared into the shop.
“My fiancée, the doll.”
“Look, I have no intention of becoming your fiancée. I was trying to set you up with our young master.”
“How did you end up inhabiting a doll?”
It seemed like too many people were seeing through me.
While the young master was inside, rounding up the con men like sausages, I heard a shocking story from Miss Baba.
She said her perfume was a potion designed to attract zombies, not humans. So only zombies could smell it.
“Am I a zombie then?”
It was incredibly disheartening to be tied up in front of a shop and then be told I was a zombie. It was even more frustrating that I couldn’t cry. It would have been better if I could at least shed some tears.
“It’s too early to say for sure. There must be some connection. My perfume is a potion that attracts beings that are human but not human. It’s certain that you’re not an ordinary doll.”
“You don’t need to tell me that.”
The young master returned, having handed over the con men to the authorities. The city guards, responsible for maintaining order, swarmed the shop, creating a commotion.
He untied the ribbon from my wrist and smiled.
“You waited quietly. Good girl.”
“Yes, I waited very quietly. I’m a good girl, right? There’s no maid more well-behaved than me. So please don’t be angry…”
“Raise your arms.”
Instead of getting angry, as I expected, he was surprisingly calm. His touch as he retied the ribbon around my waist was gentle.
“I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at the world.”
“Such philosophical words.”
“I’m getting sick of this world trying to take away the things I cherish.”
“Such childish words…”
Miss Baba had been watching us the whole time. When the young master finished adjusting my clothes and smoothing my hair, she suddenly held out her hand.
“Payment.”
The young master wrapped his arm around my shoulder and started walking.
“Uh? What is Miss Baba saying? Are we just leaving?”
The young master was heartless.
“Why? Are you actually thinking of getting engaged to her? You’re a doll. Don’t get any funny ideas.”
“No, what would I do with an engagement? That’s not the point, she’s following us.”
Indeed, Miss Baba was following us, her heels clicking against the pavement. Even though the young master was taking large strides, she didn’t fall behind.
“I said payment! I protected your doll.”
“Nonsense. You tried to trick a naive girl with talk of engagement.”
“Are you talking about me? Why am I naive! This is a misunderstanding.”
“Be quiet.”
The young master seemed to strongly dislike Miss Baba. The reason was unexpected.
“That woman is a witch. She has the mark of the Witches’ Coven tattooed on her tongue. Meeting the zombie-selling con man, trying to take you away as her fiancée, it’s all a selfish scheme.”
A witch was a female dark mage who wasn’t affiliated with the Magic Society. They formed their own groups and held regular meetings. It sounded like an ordinary group of dark mages who simply disliked the Magic Society, but there was something more sinister about them.
They weren’t ordinary dark mages. They were necromancers who enjoyed slaughter. “Witch” was just a euphemism.
It was natural for them to be interested in zombies. Or perhaps they were the ones behind the zombie outbreak.
“Stop. I said payment! I have something to claim.”
To me, she seemed more like a strange young lady obsessed with payment than a wicked necromancer.
Her tireless stamina was also suspicious. Was she a martial artist or something, not just an ordinary noblewoman? How could she keep up with the young master?
The young master, sensing something strange, started to walk faster, almost running. I was the only one suffering, since I was attached to him. I couldn’t run freely, and I felt like I might trip over his legs. Save the doll!
“Young Master, can’t we just ask her what she wants as payment? You’re rich. Or maybe we can deduct it from my allowance…”
“Don’t be soft-hearted and get involved with her. It’s best to avoid witches.”
The young master stopped briefly, then suddenly picked me up.
“Young Master! What’s with the sudden show of strength?!”
“You’re the one slowing us down!”
“Put me down! You said I was heavy! What if you get hurt?!”
“I’ll think about that later.”
He carried me and ran towards the lodging. Many people in the square stared at us, but he didn’t put me down.
“I’m embarrassed.”
“Just bear with it a little longer. I’ll put you down once we lose her.”
Thanks to a passing procession of merchants, we managed to create some distance between us and Miss Baba.
Just as the young master let out a sigh of relief and was about to put me down, a loud voice, coming from behind us, caught the attention of everyone in the square.
“Help! That nobleman over there is kidnapping my little sister!”
The owner of the voice was, of course, Miss Baba.
“That crazy woman…”
The young master’s arms tightened around me. I patted his shoulder. I had noticed that everyone was staring at us.
“Young Master, let’s just give up. We lost.”
The reactions around us were not good.
“Catch the kidnapper!”
Instead of putting me down, the young master adjusted his hold on me.
“Uh, hello? Young Master?”
“I can’t give up here! I won’t get involved with a witch!”
And then he started running!
“No! Just give up!”