Chapter 6: Doll Reversal

-‘Young lady, are you not afraid of me?’

The young woman, Sia, had witnessed murder with her own eyes and directly observed the process of a living person becoming dead.

Something even an adult man couldn’t remain sane through.

Yet that frail child quickly regained her composure. Truly mysterious.

Moreover, the very perpetrator of the murder stood before her, yet she suppressed her fear and offered words of concern.

Was she accustomed to such situations?

She was still young, just having become an adult.

If she had grown up in an ordinary family, this would be utterly impossible.

A girl who likely grew up ordinarily and happily in a village on the outskirts.

…And the Majin who snatched away that happiness.

When I first saw Sia, slung over Lady Lilac’s shoulder, her face was filled with hatred for the world, despair, and… resignation.

It was not a pleasant sight, and I cheered for Sia with a feeling of pity.

I hoped the child would regain even a little vitality.

When I saw Sia again later, she looked considerably better.

She still had eyes similar to Lady Lilac’s, but it was a vast improvement from the first time I saw her.

Just as the child regained some spirit, my relaxed vigilance overlooked the fact that two rats had approached the prepared carriage.

As a result, if I had been just a little later, Sia would no longer be of this world; the thought filled me with rage.

Perhaps I felt fondness because she reminded me of my grandson when he was young, or perhaps pity arose simply because a child had such dead eyes.

However, thanks to her words.

I felt not pity, but an emotion akin to familial love.

-‘I am scared and afraid.’

Her voice, utterly cracked.

A voice that couldn’t be called pleasant, yet towards me, it was endlessly gentle.

Hearing Sia say she was scared and afraid made me feel bitter.

It was only natural.

Anyone thinking they were in the same space as a murderer would be terrified and tremble with fear.

However.

The words that followed shocked me.

-‘Even so. Even if I’m scared and afraid. I feel like I know you’re not someone who kills just anyone.’

Why did she speak with such conviction?

Having lost her world, how could she think of others like that?

Those words felt so warm that I momentarily blanked out, my heart feeling ticklish.

A girl in poor health worrying about others.

As an assassin, I couldn’t understand it, but the sincerity in her words was conveyed, so it didn’t matter.

The conversation we had in the carriage still lingers in my mind.

Sia approached me even while fearing me.

That sight felt warm, like returning to the past.

To the days of old with my now-grown grandson.

I disembarked from the carriage before the Lady and Sia to announce their return at the mansion and prepare for their arrival.

Has there ever been such a joyous occasion while serving Lady Lilac?

Sia will be living with Lady Lilac from now on.

A smile bloomed on my face at the thought of seeing her often.

That smile seems unlikely to fade for a while.

‘It feels like I’ve gained a granddaughter.’

That was exactly the feeling.

The urge to dote on her.

It wasn’t bad. No, it was actually good.

It took about 30 minutes for Butler to enter the mansion and return.

Though it was 30 minutes, it felt much longer.

‘Is it because I’m being held…’

Lilac possessed a near-perfect body balance and was beautiful besides, so being held felt nice.
Thanks to the softness felt at the back of my head, I almost fell asleep.

Truly a formidable weapon…

But since I was also quite endowed, I wasn’t envious or anything.

Being originally male, I didn’t care about such things anyway.

It’s useless to me, like a picture of rice cakes…

Thus, nestled in that cozy embrace, 30 minutes passed, and Butler returned.

“All preparations are complete. The Duke and Duchess are waiting in the lobby.”

As Butler bowed and spoke, Lilac nodded.

I thought Butler’s words were strange, but being ignorant of noble society, I just let it pass.

‘Still, aren’t the Duke and Duchess higher ranking than the Lady? Shouldn’t he use honorifics… Ah. I don’t know.’

Lilac shifted her arm holding me under my armpit and lifted me straight up, exiting the carriage.

I wish she would change this posture…

It feels like the Lion King…

Outside, I could see the large, magnificent mansion.

Viewing it from inside the carriage had its limits.

It was a mansion composed of a generally antique atmosphere and clean design.

This was the first time I truly thought, ‘Nobles are indeed nobles.’

Lilac waited for me to finish looking at the exterior and slowly started walking.

She even explained the places I looked at.

“That’s the garden. There’s a pavilion too.”

A short explanation, but understandable.

‘It would be nice to visit later. After my body recovers its health…’

My gut feeling was that this body was broken beyond repair and would be hard to fix.

‘At least recover enough to walk around…’

I wasn’t asking for much, so maybe that much could be decided by my will.

Listening to Lilac’s explanations, we entered the mansion.

The interior of the mansion was even more impressive than the exterior. There were decorations you’d only see in movies or comics, the floor was covered with a red carpet, and a splendid chandelier hung from the ceiling.

‘This is just the lobby…?’

A sight unseen in 21st-century Earth.

‘Maybe I was picked up by someone with a diamond spoon?’

I feel like I can hear the happy circuits whirring in my head in real time.

Sway, sway.

“?”

“Greet them.”

“Ah…”

I was so absorbed in looking around that I didn’t notice the Duke and Duchess approaching.

A commoner behaving like this was, to anyone, disrespectful towards nobility.

An act that could get me arrested for insulting nobility.

“S-sorry… Uh, khm. The mansion is just so magnificent… My name is Sia…”

As I babbled and hastily bowed my head in greeting, the approaching middle-aged woman scoffed.

The Duchess.

“Ha! Now you’re even dragging in common trash. Your mother truly doesn’t understand what nerve you have to do this.”

“Your mother is right. You finally come back after a long time, and you bring back garbage. I’ll give you time, go throw it away immediately.”

The Duke, who came with the Duchess, chimed in.

The Duchess had the same blonde hair as Lilac, but strangely didn’t look beautiful.

Lilac’s blonde hair shone like the sun.

The Duke likewise didn’t look impressive.

He was far from the image of nobility I had imagined.

‘Below expectations…’

It was shocking that someone would refer to a commoner as ‘common trash’ and ‘garbage’ even within a status system, but I quickly forgot about it.

What use is there in holding onto insults?

Unlike my nonchalant self, I felt the grip under my armpits gradually tighten, so I looked up to see Lilac staring expressionlessly at the Duke and Duchess.

‘She looks angry… or maybe not.’

Sure, even if she liked a commoner, there’s no way she’d side with a commoner against her parents-.

“Apologize.”

‘She wouldn’t…?’

“What did you say?”

The Duchess questioned her own hearing, digging her pinky finger into her ear and blowing on it.

Eww… gross.

My stiff face automatically furrowed my brow.

It was involuntary.

Though it was fleeting, the Duchess noticed my expression and exploded in rage.

“What is this crazy thing?! How dare you furrow your brow at me?!! Do you think nobles are easy targets?”

‘Nobles will be nobles, I guess. At least they don’t use severe curse words-.’

“Your lack of breeding is plain to see! Where are that b*tch’s parents? Those parent bastards are surely the same!”

…‘Guess not. Parental insults are a bit much…’

Squeeze.

“Ugh.”

The tightening grip felt like it would break my ribs.

As a groan escaped me due to the pain, Lilac looked briefly surprised, loosened her grip, and said.

“Sorry.”

“I-It’s okay…”

As the sharp pain subsided, I felt much better.

Didn’t expect Lilac to apologize.

Anyway, the Duke, watching us, shouted.

“Lilac! When will you ever grow u-! Wh-what are you doing!”

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaak!!! Wh-what are you!!”

Shing.

Holding me with one arm, she drew her sword from its sheath with her right hand and held it to the Duke’s neck.

“La-cough. Kehuk. La-Lilac?!”

Startled, I coughed and looked up at Lilac, who, despite her expressionless face, emanated a chillingly cold aura.

I had never seen such a cold aura from Lilac before.

In that instant, I knew instinctively.

If this continues, there will be bloodshed.

I desperately moved my powerless arm, gently grasped the hand holding me, and said.

“M-maybe we can stop… here, khm. khm… wouldn’t that be enough…?”

Did my desperate arm movement have an effect?

Lilac’s gaze shifted to my left arm, then she sighed and sheathed her sword.

Shing. Clack.

I tore my eyes away from the sword smoothly returning to its scabbard.

If I hadn’t stopped her… Oof.

‘I don’t want to see any more blood.’

Lilac adjusted her hold on me briefly, then walked past the Duke and Duchess, issuing a cold warning.

“I won’t ask for an apology. I will bear the burden of your apology. However, from now on, do not touch me or ‘what is mine’.”

Lilac’s eyes were like those looking at beasts.

“If you violate this. I don’t know what I might do either. So be warned.”

Finishing her words, Lilac used the stairs to go up to the third floor.

Of course, during that process, even though the Duchess flew into an extreme rage and hurled curses never before heard, Lilac paid her no mind.

Unlike the Duchess, the Duke said nothing.

Because the power she released at full strength was shown only to the Duke. Sia knew nothing of this.

‘Whatever happened, the Duke isn’t saying anything more, so it seems resolved?’

Though I didn’t know the details, I trusted Lilac had handled it and obediently let myself be held, heading towards her room.

‘Whatever it is, that face suits you well.’

The moment the power balance within the Ducal family shifted.