Chapter 69 – Patting

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“By the way, I didn’t know Miao could make dolls.”

“It’s more like I can assemble them rather than make them. I just bought the parts and made them with my younger sister like assembling a plastic model. This is just a rough imitation based on those memories.”

It’s hard to call it rough when the quality is unusual. As I bent and straightened the broken arm repeatedly, Yuika asked with a surprised face.

“Oh? Miao has a younger sibling?”

“Huh? Didn’t I mention it?”

“Of course not! Is your sibling a girl or a boy?”

“She’s my younger sister. She was born late to my parents, so I practically raised her.”

“A late child, they must have adored her?”

“Since there was a 15-year age gap, they couldn’t help but adore her. If I had my phone, I would brag about her non-stop for three days and four nights here.”

Miao’s voice was filled with affection as she said that, showing how much she cherished her sister.

“That’s nice… I’m an only child, so I’ve always wished I had a sibling. When I was young, I wanted a sibling so much that I even begged my parents for one on my birthday.”

“Hehe, that must have been awkward for them.”

“They were very embarrassed. I was very persistent. Looking back now, I feel sorry for my parents… It’s not something you can get just because you want it.”

A sibling. I had an older brother instead of a younger sibling, and he was stricter than my parents at times, making it difficult to deal with him even though we weren’t that far apart in age.

Besides, he was better than me in many ways, so I kept getting compared…

That’s why I also wished I had a younger sibling like Yuika did. I thought I should treat my younger sibling well, unlike my older brother.

“Mari, do you have any siblings?”

“Huh? Ah, I-I do. My bro, no, ol… der brother…”

I was lost in thought when Yuika suddenly jumped in. Thanks to that, I almost called him the way I used to when I was a man, but luckily, I came to my senses and changed it just in time.

Calling that guy ‘older brother’ was a bit humiliating, though. As my face flushed slightly with shame, Yuika made a ‘Heeh-‘ sound and said.

“You must have a good relationship with your older brother? You look so embarrassed just thinking about him-“

“No. Not at all.”

“Ehh. Quick answer.”

There aren’t many things I can affirm in this world, but one of them was my relationship with my brother. I fiddled with the broken doll arm and muttered resentfully.

“My… older brother was strict. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been praised by my o… ppa in my life. I’ve heard more scolding and sighs instead.”

Then, after I locked myself in my room, he didn’t say anything at all. Even if we happened to run into each other, he would just look at me like I was trash. Of course, I had nothing to say to that reaction, so all I could do was carefully avoid him.

Thinking about that time made me feel down. As I drooped my shoulders, a hand suddenly came up and started stroking my head roughly.

“Uwaah…! Wh-What is it all of a sudden?”

“Just because. I saw a head that looked good to pat in front of me.”

“Wh-What does that mean…”

I turned to look at Miao with a dumbfounded expression, and another hand came up on my head. I turned my head at the sensation, and this time I saw Yuika leaning forward.

“Yuika?”

“Same reason as Miao.”

“That’s…”

Still, it’s better that she’s stroking me gently unlike Miao… Why all of a sudden? As I received their pats with a puzzled expression, my slightly calmed heart felt a little better.

After the patting ended, Miao tidied my messed-up hair and said,

“Anyway, back to the main point. The reason I asked Mari to make time is to teach her the doll-making methods I know.”

“Th-The doll-making methods?”

“Of course, as I said before, I only know how to assemble them, but I think it will be helpful to you since I’m familiar with the structure.”

“B-But… why?”

“Huh? Why? What do you mean?”

At Miao’s question, I hesitated before finally spitting out the words.

“We-Well, you know. I-I haven’t really done anything for Miao, and we’re not particularly close…”

“Mari.”

I couldn’t continue speaking and shut my mouth tightly at Yuika’s scolding voice.

I know. I didn’t need to say these useless words. I should have just accepted it quietly. But I couldn’t help but ask. I couldn’t understand why everyone was offering a helping hand to someone as insignificant as me.

Hosanna, Yuika, and Andreina too. Of course, I know they all have plausible reasons, but I couldn’t help but notice that it’s basically because they like me.

Is it because I have a more protective appearance now compared to the past? I felt a sense of despair and lowered my head, feeling a gentle touch stroking my hair.

“Hmm. Reason… Reason, huh? Of course, there is.”

“…What is it?”

“Was it Doll 505? The one in the forest.”

I had to add the word ‘giant’ in front, but anyway, it wasn’t the wrong name, so I nodded.

Then, Miao let out a sighing laugh and said.

“To be honest, it was terrible.”

“Terrible…?!”

At those words, I turned my head sharply as if I had forgotten my despair. Even as I stared at her with blazing eyes, Miao shrugged and continued speaking nonchalantly.

“No, think about it. How can you call something a doll when you just stick on limbs like taffy and make such a huge body? Honestly, Yuika probably thought it was terrible too, right?”

“Huh? Are you turning the arrow towards me here?”

“Th-There’s no way she would! Yuika said Doll 505 looked cool! Right, Yuika?!”

“Huh? Th-That’s right?”

As if seeking agreement, I quickly turned my head and looked at her, and Yuika, who had a dumbfounded expression, stuttered and answered with a smile.

See? Yuika also says it’s good. I turned my head back and looked at Miao, who clicked her tongue and said.

“Well, Yuika is a ‘yes girl’ only for Mari, so it’s natural for her to say that. But if you look at it objectively, anyone would say it’s terrible, right?”

“Don’t say it’s terrible! A-And Hosanna and Ulrika also said it was good…!”

“Wasn’t there some external pressure involved? Think about it carefully.”

With those words, Miao smirked and looked at Yuika. Then, Yuika turned her head slightly with an awkward expression. Why is she picking on Yuika since earlier?

“O-Of course, I admit that the quality of the doll Miao made is excellent! Bu-But the Doll 505 I made is also a good doll. Look!”

I took out Doll 505 from my inventory and showed it to Miao. Here, what do you think?

“It’s definitely small, so it’s somewhat passable, but it’s still terrible.”

“Ee-Eeek…!”

‘She said it’s terrible again!’ As I fumed and huffed, Yuika, who had been watching quietly, cautiously interjected.

“Umm, Miao. Shouldn’t you stop now? What if Mari starts crying-“

“I-I wouldn’t cry over something like this…?!”

I’m not a child, so do you think I’d cry over something like this? Of course, my vision is blurry, but that’s not because of tears, it’s because I’m so angry…!

As I clenched my mouth and widened my eyes, Miao chuckled.

“That’s right. Mari wouldn’t cry over something like this. Right, Mari?”

“Eeit…! Don’t pat my head!”

“Why not? I’m going to keep patting you? Like this, like this, like this.”

“Eek…”

But why is she so good at patting?!

As I struggled to fix the corners of my mouth that were trying to loosen on their own, Miao smirked and said.

“Mission complete.”

“How on earth does that even happen?!”

“Yuika will naturally learn how to do it if she raises a late-born younger sibling. Anyway, are you convinced now?”

Whether I’m convinced or not. I straightened my swaying body and nodded slowly.

“…A little.”

In fact, I wasn’t convinced at all. What Miao said wasn’t much different from what others had said.

But if I threw a tantrum here because I wasn’t convinced, I would only ruin the atmosphere that had barely returned.

I already threw a fit once, so throwing another one would be a nuisance to the two of them.

I pushed the still frustrating feelings deep inside and forced a smile.

“I’m sorry. I said unnecessary things…”

“No, it’s okay. It was a story that was worth questioning. But if I were to add anything, I would say that it couldn’t be overlooked.”

“If you say it couldn’t be overlooked…”

“I guess you could say that the doll’s workmanship was so terrible that I couldn’t rest until I guided you to the right path~”

Hearing those words, I didn’t care about my frustrating feelings or anything else.

I pouted and said.

“Okay. Teach me how to make dolls. I’ll definitely make a better doll than Miao.”

“Oh, are you angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

“You look angry?”

“I’m not.”

“I’ll pat you, so calm down~”

I glared at her as she stroked my head in the same way as before.

If you think I’ll calm down just because of this, you’re wrong. But regardless of that thought, only a groaning sound came out of my mouth.

“Heuaaang…”

“What kind of method is that…?”

Yuika muttered with a dumbfounded expression.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading today too!!

My dopamine levels got absolutely drained today…! To the point where I couldn’t focus on anything at all…!

But just one more week and I should be back to normal…

Not gonna lie…! This is totally an excuse…! A real pro author would never miss deadlines…!

I’ll… I’ll try harder…! Really…!

NO MORE DELAYS!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Cats’ first record of human domestication.

It’s true so there’s no need to deny it. The pets are the humans and the owners are the cats!

Why else do you think Kat wanted to be a cat so badly?

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