Chapter 56 – Sandwich

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–

There wasn’t any change in the way I made them in the middle. So, it should be normal for the completion to be marked as D… What’s different?

But no matter how much I looked, there didn’t seem to be any significant differences. Except that the completion rate was higher, so it looked better than usual.

As I was holding the doll with the completion rate of C for a while, looking at it here and there, Hosanna, who had been quietly watching what I was doing, asked.

“Is there something wrong with the doll?”

“Yes? Ah, no. It’s not a problem, but rather a slightly different reason…”

“Tell me. I might be able to help you, you know?”

Come to think of it, he would know more about skills than I would. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to find an answer even if I thought about it alone. After finishing my thoughts, I carefully opened my mouth.

“Well, a completion rate pops up every time I make a doll. It was always marked as D, but this time it suddenly popped up as C. So I’m looking to see if there’s anything different, but it doesn’t seem like there is…”

“Hmm, can I take a look? Oh, and give me one that’s marked as D so I can compare them.”

“Ah, yes.”

I handed him the doll I had just made, as well as one of the dolls I had piled up, and Hosanna looked at the two dolls alternately with a serious expression.

I watched with bated breath, as if he was about to find something out, and Hosanna said with a bright expression.

“Um… I don’t really know?”

“Huh?”

He was saying he didn’t know, but his voice made it sound like he had figured something out. I looked at him without hiding my bewildered feelings, and Hosanna let out a hearty laugh and put the dolls down.

“But since the completion rate has increased, wouldn’t it be better than the other dolls? Of course, it doesn’t show on the outside, but the durability or attack power might have increased.”

“You mean there might have been invisible numerical changes?”

“That’s right. You know how in games, even the same items have slightly different stats? If you think of this difference as completion, I think it’s possible.”

“Certainly…”

In that sense, it makes sense that the appearance doesn’t change much. Seeing me nodding and showing signs of agreement, Hosanna handed me a piece of wood and said.

“Let’s keep making them for now. We need to find out if the increased completion rate is temporary or permanent.”

“Ah, yes.”

I used the piece of wood Hosanna gave me to continue making dolls. However, even after making 10 more, the completion rate never went above C.

Don’t tell me this was also a matter of probability? With a sigh, I put down the finished doll and rubbed my hands alternately. Making dolls was simple, but doing it for hours without a break made my hands tingle.

“Does your hand hurt?”

“Yes? Ah, it doesn’t hurt, but it’s a little numb…”

I didn’t exactly hide that I was rubbing my hands, but when Hosanna asked, my heart dropped.

Feeling guilty for no reason, I quickly reached for a piece of wood to make the next doll, but Hosanna snatched it away and said.

“Ah…”

“Then let’s take a break and start. There’s not much left anyway.”

Following his gaze as he turned his head, I saw that the pile of wood, which had looked like a small mountain a few hours ago, was definitely reduced to a countable amount.

Somehow, I can see the end. As I was lost in strange emotions, Hosanna got up and asked.

“I’m going to get something to eat while we’re resting, is that okay?”

“Ah, I’m okay. I ate a lot earlier—“

Wait a minute. Every time I say something like this, my stomach growls. I hurriedly lowered my head to check below. Fortunately, my stomach didn’t make a loud noise saying it was hungry, unlike before.

Yeah, I shouldn’t be greedy enough to demand food after eating so many cookies, even if some time has passed. As I was relieved that nothing embarrassing had happened, Hosanna chuckled.

“But you’ve made so many dolls, aren’t you hungry? I’ll make a simple sandwich.”

“Ah, no. You don’t have to…”

“It’s okay if you really don’t want to eat. I can just eat it.”

“Ah…”

Hosanna said that as if he was informing me, and disappeared straight into the kitchen without waiting for an answer.

I really don’t want to eat. I quietly sighed as I returned the hand I had reached out, unable to stop him from leaving.

Well, I said I wouldn’t eat in advance anyway. He won’t say anything if I really don’t eat.

–

After a while, Hosanna made a sandwich and brought it over.

The four sandwiches on the plate looked very appetizing, so much so that I couldn’t help but look at them.

…Should I have said I wouldn’t eat? I glanced sideways, but Hosanna didn’t say anything. He picked up one of the sandwiches and carefully brought it to his mouth.

Crunch—The sound of fresh vegetables being chewed rang out clearly. Hosanna made a satisfied sound and continued to devour the sandwich in his hand.

After finishing one completely, he reached out to the plate again and brought another sandwich to his mouth.

As he continued to eat the sandwich without saying a word, I fiddled with the piece of wood for no reason.

It’s rude to just watch someone eat in front of them… More than that, he’s not even telling me to try it.

Before disappearing into the kitchen, he insisted even when I said it was okay, but now that he’s brought the food, he hasn’t said a word.

Is it because I refused too strongly? A small regret arose, but I didn’t have the courage to say, “I’ll eat it now…!”

I should have just accepted it when he offered. My habit of refusing first has caught me…

As I was tearing up inside, Hosanna was already bringing the last sandwich to his mouth.

“Ah…!”

“Huh? Why, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, nothing…”

I couldn’t help but let out a sigh at the thought that it was the last one.

I hurriedly shook my head, as if nothing was wrong, and Hosanna, who had been wearing a puzzled expression, shrugged his shoulders and brought the sandwich to his mouth without saying anything.

Crunch, crunch—I watched the slowly disappearing sandwich with pitiful eyes. But Hosanna didn’t seem to notice my gaze, and ate the sandwich to the end with a calm face.

“Ah…”

In the end, only crumbs were left. As I was staring blankly at the empty plate, I heard laughter from the front.

I listlessly raised my head and saw Hosanna smiling and chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” I asked with a sulky voice, feeling annoyed at the sight.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“If you were going to be so disappointed, why didn’t you just say you wanted to eat it instead of just swallowing your saliva?”

“Ugh, but I already refused…”

“What does that matter? If you wanted to eat it, you could have just said you changed your mind.”

Hosanna said it as if it wasn’t a big deal, and my lips naturally protruded. If it was as easy as he said, I wouldn’t be like this.

“Well, I knew you’d say that, so I set this aside.”

“Gasp…!”

I was grumbling inwardly, but I couldn’t help but gasp as he took out the same sandwich he had eaten earlier from his inventory.

Hosanna chuckled at my reaction and asked again.

“So, what are you going to do? Are you going to refuse this time too?”

“I-I want to eat it…!”

“That’s right. Make sure to say that next time.”

“Yes…!”

A broad smile spread across my face as I politely received the sandwich with both hands.

Belatedly, a growling sound came from my stomach, but I didn’t care.

The treasure to subdue the monster named hunger was in my hands!

–

The sandwich Hosanna gave me tasted ordinary. But maybe it was because of the desperation to eat it, it tasted a little more special than an ordinary sandwich.

After finishing two sandwiches, I started making dolls again to finish up.

Maybe it was because I had a satisfying rest, dolls with [Completion C] appeared from time to time.

But there were only five out of over a hundred dolls.

“Is it 5%? I feel like the probability is low, but also high.”

“Is-Is that so?”

Compared to the 50% probability of making a core, it’s an extremely low probability… Is it because the materials aren’t that expensive?

“Anyway, I’ve made them all, so all that’s left is to combine them.”

“Combining them will be quick…”

I don’t really need to do anything, just activate the doll creation and attach them.

Unlike when I was making the dolls, I combined the dolls slowly.

As a result, a wooden doll similar to my height was created.

[You have created a giant wooden doll.]

[Completion E]

“What…?”

Why?

Author Note

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

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Bullying or hurting the girlfailure is forbidden, but mentally starving the girlfailure is fair game.

You know what to do.

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