Chapter 17 – Doll Maker Luca
The receptionist set off to meet Aix, but there was already a girl who had arrived at the inn at the goal, having started earlier.
The girl walked around timidly, holding a small teddy bear plushie tightly in her arms, wearing a frilly gothic lolita-style dress.
Being shy, she wandered around the entrance to the inn, unable to go inside where Aix was staying and eventually gave up.
When someone tried to talk to her, she fled between the buildings as if to escape.
It seemed she had decided to wait there until Aix came out.
Aix, who was relaxing on the second floor of the inn, finally noticed her presence by listening to the conversation of other guests through the thin walls.
“Hey, look over there. There’s a girl staring at us for some reason!”
“Oh my, she’s cute. Is she some kind of lady?”
“More importantly, is the small bear she’s holding alive?”
Alive bear?
When he looked down through the window at the intriguing word, he saw a suspicious black gothic lolita girl holding a bear that was squeezed between the buildings.
Oh! She was one of his acquaintances.
Perhaps she came to see him but couldn’t get into the inn because she was shy around strangers. She must have gotten caught between the buildings, unable to withstand the gazes of passersby. That’s where she was.
Sigh. Aix head was hurting.
The one who came to visit him was Luca, an acquaintance of him who was a magician doll maker.
In a hurry, he went down the stairs and rushed outside, but was scolded through the gaps between the buildings.
“Aix, you’re late!”
Eh, but I was in a hurry though.
Even though she was shy, he wondered how long this girl has been stuck here.
As the representative of Luca’s anger, the little stuffed bear jumped out of her chest and hit his cheek with a patpat.
Even a gentle person like him couldn’t help but be annoyed by this.
“I didn’t accept any job.” (Aix)
When he said that, Luca, with her long eyelashes, looked surprised and almost cried.
“Eh!? Sorry. I didn’t know that the automatic contract had expired. The guild is… always crowded.” (Luca)
Come to think of it, she was this kind of person.
She is easily embarrassed in a crowd.
As he doesn’t enjoy making people cry, he let out a sigh and grant Luca’s wish.
I can tell without asking.
You want this, don’t you?
“Support one. Shall we put away the heavy talk for now?” (Aix)
Strength +1
Life +1
Agility +1
Intelligence +1
MP +1
AP +1
After receiving the desired magic and giving a soft smile, Luca thanked him in a barely audible voice.
“Oh! Sorry for hitting you earlier. Thanks, partner.” (Teddy Bear)
Oh, by the way, that was the stuffed bear talking just now. Just making sure.
Luca, looking embarrassed while holding onto her hem tightly, followed him as they walked slowly.
It seems like we are heading towards a quiet coffee shop that has private rooms, but I don’t know where it is.
That’s because I’m letting the bossy stuffed bear on my shoulder guide me, without realizing it.
“Partner, turn right up ahead!” (Teddy Bear)
“Yes, yes.”
When they arrived, it was an underground coffee shop. As they were guided into a private room, he smelled the aroma of coffee. he ordered without checking the menu.
Luca, who was inwardly stubborn before, started talking comfortably again. The doll-like docility from before was nowhere to be found.
“Why did you undo my automatic contract? We need you. We can hardly manage without you.”
“I quit my job. Sorry.”
At his words, Luca’s face looked very sad.
“Are you leaving far away?”
“No, but I don’t plan on leaving the city.”
Continuously drink juice.
After Luca made a face full of doubt, he realized his mistake and started to panic.
“You can’t. Without you, Crazy Bear will lose his intelligence! You have to be here for me.”
Luca relaxed and finally reached for the parfait, letting the sweetness relax her cheeks.
The small stitched teddy bear that jumped from his shoulder to the table and moved had a very grand name, Crazy Bear.
“That’s right, I’m counting on you, partner.” (Teddy Bear)
This familiar bear originally had movements that indicated it had its own will. However, after using the Support 1 buff magic for a long time due to a request, which included an Intelligence +1 buff, it suddenly began to speak one day.
Of course, it seems that it cannot speak anymore when the buff magic wears off.
“This guy’s having a bad mouth is definitely because of its weird name.” (Aix)
“It’s okay, it doesn’t matter.” (Luca)
“Verily! That’s reason why folks call you fumbling, partner!” (Teddy Bear)
The bear made a gesture of spreading both hands and ridiculed him.
Argh! I don’t care anymore.
He attacked the bear with a straw that contained juice and made a “Pew” sound!
The bear, who looked like it was about to cry because it was stained by him, cried and appealed to Luca.
“Oh, master~”
“Come on, stop bullying Crazy Bear!”
“Evil must be destroyed!”
He looked at the bear that was being treated with a stain remover.
Although magic could be used once to make it clean, Luca said that she was putting love into it.
Although Luca was introverted, when she’s with me, she tend to get carried away and behave like the Crazy Bear.
In the end, Luca, who performed a perfect stain removal magic, was incredibly angry when he told her about his dismissal at the guild, which made him happy for some reason.
She said she would beat them up, but it was Luca, so I accepted her gratitude for the sentiment alone.
