I'd have to make do with what I have at the mont.
AndImustawaitmyDescentintotheSecondStep.
I wonder what my Manifestation would be like, how Cursed would it be?
And I wonder how useful it will be in combat?
The Manifestation bestowed upon will determine my future—if I can figure out how Manifestation occurs in a Human with no Blessings.
But.
Ti is not on my side.
That advancent—regression—won't be available for at least another three years.
For now, I'll make do with-
"Ouch!"
A grunt escaped my lips as I misstepped, stumbling over with little to no strength in :
Squish.
I landed in Hilda's embrace, her hands tenderly rubbed my back as she softly whispered, "Take it easy, little dummy..." Each word was laced with unease.
Painfully lifting my fingers, I squished her soft cheek and pulled her lips up, "Oh? Worried? Even though you..." I lingered my words, leaving the rest to her adorable imagination.
And, as expected, her face paled.
I felt her body quiver and heave through the embrace.
"I, I didn't an-"
"Shh..." Pressing my finger onto her rosy lips, "I told you, didn't I? All you have to do is listen to , and everything will be okay... Right?"
Hilda pushed her head up and down with great force, "I, I know, little dummy."
"Then it's fine!"
Tapping her head, I used her as leverage and pushed myself back up.
I needed to perfect this footwork to have any semblance of freedom returned to . Plus, I had sowhere I needed to go in 25 days, if, by chance, I cannot go at that ti...
I glanced up at Hilda.
...That won't be an issue, I have the perfect mule.
"Sigh."
Monts later, I continued the lesson under Hilda's guidance.
-Judge-
That one asked for judgnt.
-Save-
That one asked for saving.
-Give-
And that one asked for the retrieval of its limbs.
Being perfectly honest, that wasn't exactly what was said.
But if I attempted to put together the true string of sentences, it would beco a jumbled ss of filth.
Incomprehensible.
Thus, those were their simplified words.
The words of the voices.
I practice footwork, occasionally aid the voices, and slowly lose my mind to the madness.
So may question how I'm still alive.
So may question how I have not passed out thousands of tis already.
And so may question whether everything I have said so far has been a lie, a false reality conjured up by my broken brain.
I admit it.
I don't know.
I can no longer recognise whether this has been a long hallucination or reality.
Fascinating, is it not? That this creature can seemingly produce clear judgnt, yet is entirely unaware of whether its clarity is real or not.
Truly fascinating.
Crunch.
I crunched my teeth together, solemnly following Hilda's instruction in the anti. Her voice lingered in the back of my head, echoing alongside the voices.
A llow breeze.
Soft grass and whispering trees.
Golden hair fluttering in the winds.
Pure-white eyes, blinking cutely through the gaps.
And a beautifully growing ruby-haired girl to accompany .
How picturesque.
Pfft.
I laughed with no smile.
The light oozing from the aurora above attempted to soothe my riled-up nerves, but it did not help.
One mont, I'm planning.
Next, I'm ssing with Hilda.
And then, I'm falling apart.
How cute, this life of mine.
I don't know if I've said this yet, but I daydream often.
At tis, I daydream basking in the sun, lazily resting on the soft grass with Hilda sleeping on my belly.
At tis, I daydream eating mango ice cream, or peach cake, with Hilda gently feeding .
At tis, I daydream happily conversing with Es, holding hands and swinging down the wedding aisle with Hilda supporting by my side, preventing from falling over.
At tis, I daydream stumbling around, playing board gas and imagining what it is like to be free of this suffering.
Have you noticed?
I no longer dream of Earth.
...And I no longer rember what it ans to feel no pain.
This pathetic self has long lost its original person.
What was it like when I first awoke?
I can vaguely recall the mories, but other than that, nothing.
What was it like when I first grovelled at my mother's feet?
I don't know, all I rember is grovelling thousands of tis.
What was it like when I first Awakened with Curses?
Holdon.
Whatwasthatlike?
HowdidIAwaken?
I can't recall...
My mories are broken. Scattered across my soul like dull mirror shards, they float there, teasing , yet unable to reflect their innards.
I ca to a stop.
I no longer followed Hilda's footwork; instead, I stood there.
Quietly.
Hilda nervously stared at , but I didn't pay her mind.
...What does it matter, though?
Why do my mories matter?
Why does the past matter?
I'm just a Doll now.
A Perfect Cursed Doll.
Es's Salvation.
That is what I am.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
"I just have to stay alive."
"Of course you do, little dummy!" Hilda clasped my fingers, interlacing them with her own. "Don't make such a sad face!"
She lowered herself, pushing her face close to mine.
Close enough for the veil of liquid shimring on her ruby eyes to reflect in my eyes, close enough to sll her pleasant scent, close enough to absorb her warmth...
Pomf~
I lowered my head into her warm shoulder, her soft, dough-like shoulder.
Inhaling-
"Hoo..."
-I smiled into her shoulder.
She flinched from the breath, struggling to figure out what to do with her arms. In the end, she wrapped them around my back, pulling into her heavenly embrace.
"You'll help stay alive, right?" I asked.
"Of course!" And she obeyed.
Closing my eyes, I coalesced a swarm of Curses into my brain-
Flop.
-and knocked myself asleep, leaving Hilda to deal with the aftermath.
"H, hey, little dummy?!" Partially pushing the little dummy away, Hilda lifted her sleepy head and placed her index finger below her nose.
Sensing a breath, she released a sigh of relief.
"Thank the light... She's okay, just asleep." Hilda would be a liar if she said that Es's lightning didn't montarily flash through her vision alongside the threat.
But, mostly, she felt genuine relief.
The little dummy had been acting strangely for the past five minutes, so she was getting really, and I an really, worried.
Fortunately, she was just tired.
Wiping the faint sweat off her forehead, Hilda supported Alora with her left arm and removed the crutches with her right. Then, swooping the light little dummy into a princess carry, she knelt and tossed the crutches on her shoulder.
"Let's go back, okay?" Whispering over her shoulder, Hilda wished the little dummy good dreams and slowly carried her back through the pristine gardens.
-----
25 Days Later.
Donning a common mascot mask, a girl with her hair hidden beneath a cap and dressed in dark garbs waded through the busy Starcrossed Alley. Occasionally, she'd co to a stop beside a patissery, sniffing and drooling.
But she'd quickly pick herself back up and continue the journey.
With her eleventh birthday approaching and amid puberty, her height had grown drastically since her first eting with Alora.
157cm.
She was 5 feet 1 inch.
Her body has also grown by a vast amount, her femininity vastly overwheld her previous state from their first eting.
Everything had grown by a lot.
This also made it easier to sneak around in public; she blended in perfectly.
Also, for reference, the only reason she wasn't wearing a Remmy mascot mask was because the little dummy stopped her.
She said:
"If you wear that, what's the point of the disguise?"
'Hmph.'
'What's bad about wearing a Remmy mask?!'
Pouting adorably, Hilda crossed a couple of blocks down Starcrossed Alley and arrived before Sparked and Sparkles.
The little dummy said that the person will be waiting for them around here...
Looking around, Hilda was surrounded by outgoing families, children, and store workers advertising their shops:
It was very lively.
'How can I find soone in all of this ss?'
Moving along with the crowds like a helpless fish, Hilda struggled in the waves, doing her utmost just to remain in the vicinity of the stores without attracting too much attention. The mascot mask helped, but it wouldn't take long before people noticed the sa face roaming the sa spot for minutes on end.
Thud.
A child abruptly ramd into her hip, pushing her out of this rhythm and into an even stronger wave of humans.
Rustle.
But then she noticed it.
A stacked pile of papers was tucked into her skirt's waistband.
'Huh?'
Montarily confused, Hilda powered herself with a trickle of Blessings and pushed her way out of the crowd and into an alleyway.
Glancing left and right, she saw no one in the imdiate vicinity and pulled out the sheets.
Signed at the forefront of the papers was:
[To Our Dear Custor, A Comprehensive List As Requested]
'Wow.'
Fascinated by this secretive, spy-esque thod of communication, Hilda had to do her utmost to keep her excitent down.
'I have to ask the little dummy to let do this again~'
Giggling, Hilda skipped herself back toward the palace grounds.
Tweet~ Tweet~
Resting on a pole far above, a brown bird twitched its head, gazing intently into the back of the departing girl.
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