Doll Gift

Doll Gift

To the extent that the description ‘Everything around exploded’ would be fitting.

It started with the corpse, and everything from the numerous dolls created by the priest to the tools placed around, and even the walls composing the underground waterway, was completely destroyed.

I spoke while observing that most things around me had disappeared as if I had detonated an explosive.

“So you were there.”

Or should I say you had been there?

After all, the priest who was controlling the dolls was already charred black and had passed away.

As I was looking at him, thinking he might crumble to ashes if I touched him…

– Twitch

I noticed movement from someone who should have died instantly from damage that would kill a normal human.

‘To survive that… Interesting.’

I’m not sure if it’s due to high vitality or some other reason.

Whatever it is, I found it somewhat intriguing as I approached.

I noticed a faint, strange mana spreading from the priest’s body.

A sensation reminiscent of wastewater, excessively slimy and sticky.

I’m not sure how to describe it precisely.

I frowned at the feeling that was different from normal mana… as if it contained malice.

‘Could it be demonic energy?’

The unique power said to come only from those called demons.

I frowned, unable to understand why such power was flowing from a ‘priest of the Heaven God Cult’.

‘Did the Demon King’s side plant a spy in the Heaven God Cult? Or…’

Was the Heaven God Cult connected to the ‘Demon King’ from the beginning?

Though I couldn’t know which of these two hypotheses was true.

One thing for sure was that whatever it was, it would work to kill them all.

I tried to kill them by beating them with the mace having grasped that fact, but stopped my hand as quite a good idea occurred.

‘Seems it would be better to keep them as evidence?’

If I kill them it ends there but.

If I use this to inform the central government or magic academy, quite a big commotion would occur.

When I calculated that if commotion grows to that degree, even the Heaven God cult with however many pawns would have to be cautious, I spoke while holding back a smile.

“Call other guys to collect all the evidence here, then store this one in the torture chamber.”

At those words, the guard knight made a dumbfounded expression as if still unable to believe the magic I used.

Then nodded and spoke politely.

“… Understood. I’ll call them right away.”

If until coming here first it felt like dealing with a thoughtless young master.

Now along with feeling like seeing a monster, a strong feeling comes that they’ve acknowledged me as a magician.

While thinking such change was somewhat interesting, I slowly looked around.

‘By the way large-scale human experiments… In the original novel there were largely two reasons for conducting this.’

First was to mass produce undead and use them to cause damage to surroundings, then gain profit by dealing with it themselves.

Second was to create powerful chimeras to deal with those who were difficult even for the Heaven God cult to handle.

‘Though the first part appeared and was mentioned most in the novel.’

Thinking about this as both a reader and someone who possessed.

I thought perhaps the Heaven God cult prioritized the second, creating powerful chimeras, rather than the first.

‘In any case, for the Heaven God Cult to dominate this world, they must deal with those called monsters.’

As long as there are those who transcend the human category, like sword saints or great magicians.

Even if they increase their numbers and become stronger, there was a clear limit, so they were probably creating things like chimeras to deal with this.

‘Becoming stronger, huh.’

I’m not sure how they’re making them.

But judging from the corpses that kept popping up, it was clear that the method wasn’t normal.

As I thought about this and slowly went inside, I discovered a huge cavity.

‘Was it because of this?’

I chuckled as I saw about a thousand humans trapped inside the cavity like a beehive.

I realized that the reason they had come out to fight, even though they didn’t need to, was to protect this.

I quickly examined the facilities while assessing the situation.

‘Is this an undead transformation procedure? This is chimera modification… and this is.’

As I was moving, I stopped in my tracks when I saw a small white box about the size of a palm.

… Since I didn’t have any information about it, I couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

One thing for sure was that it wasn’t an ordinary item, given the considerable power contained inside.

‘It would be best to take it and check it out for now.’

I grabbed the box, thinking that it might be related to ‘the reason why the Heaven God Cult has been capturing people to such an extreme extent recently’.

The moment I grab the box, a sudden intense energy spreads out as if resisting, trying to devour me.

I sneer at such resistance and press it down with mana in reverse, saying,

“How impudent.”

I don’t like the idea of mere objects trying to suppress me.

I bite down even harder than usual, and the box quiets down, lowering its energy like a dog tucking its tail.

Seeing this, I don’t like the idea of it picking a fight and then trying to run away, so to make it pay the price.

I silently struck the box hard with my fist.

– Gaaak!

Then, making a strange sound and letting out a groan, the box trembles and vibrates violently.

… It seems it wasn’t an ordinary box, but an object with its own consciousness.

Finding this fact quite interesting, I roughly shoved the box into my pocket and turned around.

‘Well, shall I head back now?’

The captured people will be dealt with by the knights who will arrive soon, so I decided to return as is and turned around.

*

As I was slowly heading home after leaving a message that I’d go first.

In the distance, I spot a doll shop that has opened.

Normally, I would have passed by such a shop without a second thought.

But perhaps because I had directly witnessed the cruelty of the Heaven God Cult.

I kept thinking of Rumi, who must have suffered at their hands, and found it difficult to just pass by.

‘Besides, I promised to buy her a doll.’

Deciding to keep that promise, I entered the shop and picked up a doll that was just the right size to hug.

‘… This should do.’

Since the only large dolls left that were big enough to hug were ‘dog-shaped’ dolls.

Coincidentally, I ended up buying something related to dogs again.

I thought there was nothing I could do and returned home with it.

*

As I arrived home, the maids and butlers greeted me with worried expressions.

They must have thought something had happened when they saw a large number of knights dispatched shortly after I left.

I told them I was fine and handed the gift box to a nearby maid, saying,

“Please deliver this to Rumi.”

Fortunately, the gift box was designed so that the contents were completely hidden.

The maid nodded at me without much suspicion.

Feeling somewhat tired, I decided to take a shower first.

* * * * *

Rumi was lying on the bed, thinking about Deren who hadn’t visited her recently.

‘Is he very busy?’

Last time I heard, he was doing something about magic research… Maybe he’s continuing with that.

Thinking that she didn’t know anything in detail about Deren.

Just as she was considering going to lie down in front of the laboratory to wait, someone knocked on the door.

“Lady Rumi. Lord Deren has sent a gift.”

… A gift?

Because it was something completely unexpected, she was so surprised that she suddenly bounced off the bed.

Then, unable to stay still, she frantically waved her hands around.

Quickly opening the door, she said,

“Oh, hello.”

At those words, the maid politely nodded and showed her a rather large gift box.

“This is it.”

“……”

It’s so big that it’s rather overwhelming.

I blink my eyes, wondering what could possibly be inside such a large box.

The maid places the gift box on a nearby desk and tells me.

“If you wish, I can assist you in opening the gift.”

“Ah, no, it’s okay. I can open it by myself.”

“Understood. Then I shall take my leave.”

Not wanting to be a bother, I say it’s fine, and the maid politely nods and leaves the room.

After watching the maid’s retreating figure for a moment.

With perhaps the biggest anticipation I’ve ever felt in my life, I carefully open the gift box.

“……?”

What comes out is a large dog plushie about the size of my body.

I blink blankly, not expecting that the stoic Deren would send me something like this.

‘Did he send it by mistake?’

I wonder if it got mixed up with another gift.

Considering the maid’s work ethic, I’m certain such a mistake wouldn’t have been made.

‘Then it means Deren really did send a dog plushie… but why?’

As I ponder this question.

Suddenly, a realization flashes through my mind.

‘A dog plushie is… still a dog after all. Maybe this means he’s finally acknowledging me as his dog.’

Thinking that there’s no other reason he would send a large dog plushie instead of a teddy bear or something else.

Although it’s late, I’m glad that I can finally receive recognition from Deren, thinking this as I tightly hugged the puppy doll.