A Bracelet from the Heart ④ – Shardina and the Minos Dolls.
Shardina is different from the other Minos Dolls.
She has blue horns and blonde hair, but her skin is white.
She possesses a Relic. She carries a cutlass.
She can speak. She’s modeled after Munieca-san’s age during her chaotic and dark period.
And she’s trying to push me down.
“How awful, desu!”
“Eh, what is?”
“Master. Do you like Anna Kreuzen, desu?”
“Uh, what about her?”
Anna Kreuzen?
Ah, could that be the name of the Minos Doll I gave a bracelet to?
“The bracelet, desu!”
“That was a token of gratitude, and there are ones for everyone else too.”
When I said that, the Minos Doll Maids erupted in a clamor.
When Shardina clapped her hands, calling for silence, silence, they quieted down.
“Really, are there enough for everyone, desu?”
“There are.”
The Minos Doll Maids got excited again.
Then, some of the Minos Dolls went through the gate or took the lift downwards.
As I wondered what was happening, Hayyarn answered.
“They probably went to call the others.”
“You were here, desu ka, Hayyarn?” Shardina asked.
“I’ve been here from the start!” Hayyarn exclaimed. “So, Wof. What’s all this commotion? Anna Kreuzen kissing you, I’m so damn jealous!! You’ll get stabbed someday, you bastard!”
Why is he saying it with such intensity, like he’s about to cry tears of blood?
Shardina asked, “Master, are you going to be stabbed, desu?”
“I won’t be stabbed.”
Why would I get stabbed?
Minos Doll Maids-san. Please don’t nod as if you understand. It makes me feel like I really might get stabbed.
Anna Kreuzen-san stepped forward. She pointed at her bracelet.
“Yes. I’ll give them out now.”
Then, as I was about to take them out of my pouch, Anna Kreuzen-san stopped my hand. It was a gesture to wait a moment.
Soon, two came from below. Two more came through the gate.
Eight Minos Doll Maids. All of them were gathered. It was somehow glamorous and a magnificent sight.
Anna Kreuzen-san gave some instructions to the assembled Minos Doll Maids.
Immediately after, everyone except Shardina lined up horizontally and extended their arms all at once.
Their perfectly synchronized movements were like a scene from a musical.
Starting from the one closest to me, I put a bracelet on each of them and received a kiss on the cheek or forehead in return.
Their lips were so soft it was hard to believe they were artificial.
And though it had become somewhat like an assembly line, there was individuality in how they kissed.
An innocent Minos Doll who shyly closed her eyes and kissed gently.
A bold Minos Doll who held my face with both hands and kissed both my cheeks.
A passionate Minos Doll who placed one hand on my cheek and kissed the other side deeply.
An assertive Minos Doll who, for some reason, kissed me twice.
A not-to-be-underestimated Minos Doll who tried to leave a kiss mark.
A dangerous Minos Doll who stared intently at my lips before kissing my cheek.
After the kiss, every Minos Doll gazed at her bracelet intently, fervently.
They must be happy. That’s good.
“Master!”
Lastly, it was Shardina.
Basically, the bracelets are matched to their physical characteristics.
That’s why the Minos Dolls have blue bands and black gems. However, only Shardina’s is white.
I slipped the bracelet, a gold band with a white gem embedded in it, onto Shardina’s arm.
“…How is it?”
“Master…”
Shardina’s silver eyes wavered as she looked at me. What’s this?
Shardina smoothly closed her eyes.
Uh, um, Shardina is… waiting for something? She’s in a waiting posture.
When I hesitated, Anna Kreuzen-san gestured for me to kiss Shardina.
So that’s what it is. As expected of Shardina. Unique to the very end.
Chuckling softly, I kissed Shardina’s cheek.
Shardina also kissed my cheek, as if carried by the momentum.
When we parted, she acted all happy and embarrassed.
With that, I had given them to everyone. They bowed their heads to me. I bowed back.
Then they dispersed and resumed their work.
Shardina held up her arm with the bracelet, looking at it, before returning to her duties.
“Oi. Wof.”
“You were here, Hayyarn?”
“I was. Never mind that. You. You treat them normally, huh.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“No matter how much self-awareness they have, Minos Dolls are not human. Have you forgotten that?”
“I haven’t forgotten, but they are who they are. I don’t care whether they’re human or not.”
Besides, in my past life’s memories, there’s something called ‘golem-girl moe.’ My karma runs deep.
I wonder about Hayyarn.
“Do you care, Hayyarn?”
“To some extent, yeah.”
“Even though you’re a rabbit.”
“That’s irrelevant. Well, I won’t say anything about your stance, Wof. But I’ll say this much. You’ll get stabbed someday, you bastard!”
Again, why does he say it with such intensity, like he’s about to cry tears of blood?
“Rather, just get stabbed, you bastard!”
“Is that just your wish?! Besides, while saying you ‘care to some extent,’ you’re treating the Minos Dolls properly as girls!”
“Shut up, you bastard! How dare you defile my maid paradise!”
“Like I care.”
“Rather, I’ll stab you! Prepare yourself, you damn womanizer!”
I quickly grabbed Hayyarn’s ears and lifted him up.
“Alright. Got today’s dinner.”
“I’m sorry.”
Good grief.
After that, I learned spearmanship in the training room.
This is worth training. I’ll definitely do it once a day.
When training was over, I was hungry.
“…Shall we go get some food, Hayyarn?”
“What is it?”
“Hungry?”
“Yeah, I’m starving.”
“Want to get something to eat?”
“It’s going to be Cidre Tavern anyway, right?”
“Well, yeah, but.”
“You’re treating, of course.”
“Then I’ll go by myself.”
“Wait, I was joking!”
As soon as he said that, he hopped onto my shoulder. Seriously, this guy is hopeless.
“By the way, what happened to Dagaa?”
“He’s with Mineha-san and the others today.”
“His mother was visiting, wasn’t she.”
“That’s right.”
I passed through the Teleport gate.
Now, now, what to do. What to do, I wonder.
“Wof. As expected, you were fated to be stabbed.”
“……”
In this situation, should I use this pointlessly smug rabbit as nunchaku? Treat him as a projectile? Or perhaps involve him in the magic of [Knife Magic]?
For some reason, I was surrounded by men in a back alley.
I tried to take a shortcut, got cornered, and ended up surrounded in the alley.
It’s not particularly unusual. It’s been happening a lot lately.
Even though the festival is over, its aftereffects linger in Hydrangea like an echo.
It seems it will still take a while for things to truly quiet down. The same was true for crime.
Most of the victims are women and girls, but occasionally men and boys also fall victim.
However, these men seemed to be after me.
Right as we met, they asked, “You. You’re Wof, aren’t you?”
“You bastard. Prepare yourself.”
The man in front pulled out a knife.
As if on cue, everyone else took up weapons like swords, axes, spears, and knives.
“So you will be stabbed after all. Rather, come on and get stabbed!” Hayyarn chimed in.
“……”
For now, I threw Hayyarn at the men.