Chapter 48

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Chapter 48

I licked my lips a few times and then finally opened my mouth.

“…You asked me to speak to you when I wanted to talk to you.”

Declan’s face, which had been smiling softly, hardened for an instant.

“Remember the words I poured out to Your Majesty the day I met the puppet master?”

“Yes, I remember. Not a single one is missing.”

I hoped his memory would be a little blurry. After all, it was full of strange words, so it must be more difficult to forget.

“Don’t you think it’s strange?”

Declan didn’t answer. He was just staring at me with an unfamiliar expression on his face.

Anxiety, which I had been trying to turn away from, ran down my ankles and began to creep up. How will he react? Will he be angry? Will he throw me away?

I felt uncomfortable making eye contact with him.

“Erica.”

As the soft voice wrapped around my ears, my anxious heart gradually calmed down.

“I said it back then, though if it’s difficult to say, you don’t have to do.”

Slowly and calmly, when I lifted my head to the words, friendly eyes greeted me.

“Don’t worry. I don’t think you’re weird or suspicious.” Saying so, he gazed down and looked at my wandering hands before continuing.

“I wish I could hold your hand at times like this.”

I smiled, forgetting that I was nervous after hearing Declan’s words.

‘…Yes, what was I worried about?’

In the beginning, he was the one who believed in me even when he saw me, a soul.

“I’ll do everything for you. So, don’t cry.”

Thinking of him hurting more than I did, gave me courage again.

“I think the only person I can trust is Your Majesty.”

As I smiled, Declan stared at me curiously.

“What I’m going to tell you from now on… it might sound as absurd as saying that dolls have souls.”

At that, his earnest eyes sank deeply.

Still, I slowly nodded my head and started talking.

“This was not where I used to live. It was a very different world.”

Despite the fact that his expression changed suddenly and became serious, it didn’t stop me from speaking.

I explained the world in which I lived and that I had died in an accident with my family. Declan’s face lit up in surprise, bewilderment, and confusion when he heard that I was dead. Then, it gradually became distorted with sorrow and pain as if he had witnessed my death.

“When I opened my eyes, I was in a doll. I don’t know why.”

I couldn’t bear to say that it was only a few months ago.

“I had a dream before I opened my eyes. I dreamed of being set on fire by people in the form of a doll.”

In front of Declan, who lives in this world, it was impossible to say that this was a world in a novel…

The dark green eyes gazed at me sadly.

“You’ve worked hard. I’ll always be with you.”

In the end, I couldn’t stand it and started crying. Not knowing what to do, Declan roamed his hand in mid-air before gently embracing me.

“Your Majesty, do you believe me?”

After I stopped crying and calmed down a bit, I raised my head and glanced at him.

“Didn’t I ask you to trust me?”

I replied politely.

“But, it’s absurd.”

“Isn’t it absurd to say that the doll has a soul and that only I can see them?”

He loosened his arms and looked straight at me.

“I’m at a loss. I couldn’t even touch the world you lived in… though I don’t think you’re lying.”

“Maybe, I’m crazy.”

“Then, I must be crazy, too.”

His calm reaction made all of my worries and anxiety disappear.

“…I am just amazed and heartbroken that you experienced death.”

I couldn’t figure out how to look at him in his sad gaze as he uttered those words.

“How dark and terrifying it must have been to be trapped in a doll without knowing anything.”

Declan leaned his torso down to eye level with me as he resumed his following words, “Even though you knew that, I felt fortunate to hear you.”

I tilted my head, not knowing what he meant.

“Because you were the one who entered the doll. Erica, I’m glad I was able to meet you.”

At those words, I stood still.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re from another world or someone who’s already died. That doesn’t mean you become a different person as I know you.”

For a moment, I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t know what kind of expression I was making now.

“It must not have been easy to say… Thank you.”

A friendly voice rang in my ear.

“…Thank you for believing in me.”

My frustrated and anxious heart melted like snow at the kind words.

The way he smiled softly was more beautiful and more radiant than the lake reflected in the sunlight, so I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Before long, I started walking again, feeling much more relaxed than when I arrived here.

“Do you not want to go back to where you lived?”

Declan, who was walking quietly next to me, asked abruptly.

Curious as to the reason for asking such a question, when I looked up, I could see a sign of anxiety in him. Although puzzled, I answered meekly.

“You don’t know how to get back.”

“If there was a way back, what would you do?”

The answer came quickly.

“I have to go back anyway, but I’m already a dead person. My parents are also dead.”

“I’m sorry. I was talking nonsense.”

“It’s all right.”

As I smiled, saying there was no need to apologize, a strange relief appeared on his face.

“Oh, and I have one more thing to tell you.”

“I’m a little nervous. There’s nothing ordinary when it comes to you.”

The story that I needed to bring out was not an ordinary story at all, though I gave an awkward smile.

“Tell me.”

“There is a holy relic that I received from the Ielro Kingdom last time.”

“God’s compass or a piece of scrap metal something…?”

A piece of scrap metal? At his words, I burst into laughter.

“That’s too much. Still, it’s a holy thing.”

“Only the name was holy. The person who gave the gift doesn’t know how to use it, so wouldn’t it be a worthless piece of scrap metal?”

“Well, that’s. It wasn’t very useless.”

Declan’s eyebrows twitched at the words like possessed.

“Well, how should I explain it…”

“Tell me comfortably. There is no story more shocking than the story of your past life.”

That’s right.

First, I decided to explain what happened in order.

“On the day the puppet master came, I was alone in the room, didn’t I?”

Declan nodded his head lightly at my words.

“That day, Mazvin moved…”

I then explained step by step what had happened that day.

“Hmm. That Prince didn’t say nonsense?”

He glanced at me and muttered.

“I’m not even a human, but does it make sense for it to move?”

“It’s a holy thing. Divine power is actually intangible energy, so it’s possible to feel the soul.”

When I heard it, it seemed so.

“Then, did Mazvin really recognize me as the owner?”

“I think so. Didn’t you say that it answered your question?”

“Well, it hasn’t answered all of them.”

“I thought you wanted to become a human, but you say that the word ‘Ielro’ appeared?”

“Yes.”

“Do I have to go to war with Ielro…?”

I groaned in horror at his muttering words, “Wa, war…? You promised not to go to war!”

As I jumped, he averted his gaze.

“Your Majesty, you said no.”

“Of course, although if it’s something to do with you, it’s different.”

No, how much effort I’ve tried to change the future…! I barely suppressed the desire to roar at him.

“Will the holy relic destroy the kingdom that protects it?”

Hearing that, he averted his gaze and made a dissatisfied expression.

“No war for now.”

For now…? Oh, my head.

“It may have something to do with Ielro’s Great Temple.” Declan lowered his anger and changed the topic, so I had no choice but to swallow it.

“…Great Temple?”

Come to think of it, Ielro called himself a holy nation?

“I was still looking for temple materials, but it worked out.”

I hurriedly turned my head to the unexpected story and asked back.

“Looking for material?”

“First of all, I searched for the temple in the Empire.”

No way. I couldn’t help but panic at the sudden thought.

“…Is it possible that you had a lot of work in the meantime because you were reading into it?”

“Yes.”

Ha, look at this guy… How can you surprise people like this?

Frankly, I was impressed. Even though it was not his business, he was looking for it while busy like this.

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