chapter 03

Chapter 3

‘Yes, Chloe died during the hunting contest.’

In other words, although Chloe couldn’t fulfill her knight’s dream, she achieved her goal of protecting her brother.

She was killed by arrow shots that aimed at Declan, attempting to save him.

“It’s not your fault. It’s because of Maxion who tried to kill you.”

Maxion was the name of the prince, who was the culprit of all the problems. During the empress’s rise, he tried to become a crown prince, after killing all his half brothers. However, in the end, he couldn’t achieve his goal and became a dead body in Declan’s hand.

“It’s all because of me. If I was with Chloe that day or if I was stronger, I could have prevented her death.”

He muttered powerlessly with a darkly sunken face.

“Declan, you were fourteen at that time. No matter how strong you were, you couldn’t escape the trained archers in ambush.”

“…”

Declan couldn’t hide his sullen expression and sighed heavily. “Stop, Mason. No matter how much you say, I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Although there were so many more things he wanted to say, he just squeezed his mouth shut unwillingly, greeted Declan again, and left. Even after Mason left, Declan didn’t open his eyes for a long time after. It seemed as if he was holding back his tears, which made my heart ache.

‘It’s weird. I couldn’t feel any sensation as a doll, so why is this feeling so vivid?’ When I faced Declan’s guilt in person, I felt desperate at how big and deep it was. Perhaps that was the reason why I couldn’t just blame him for treating dolls like humans or for running around the battlefield like a maniac.

“Chloe, I’m sorry.”

After a while, he opened his eyes, and Declan stroked my head with a dry touch. Glancing at his blurred eyes, it seemed that the tears were going to run down anytime soon.

At the moment, I unknowingly stretched my arms around his eyes, but obviously, I couldn’t do anything with a body that wasn’t moving.

“I’m glad you were there, though. Now, I have you with me, the one thing that Chloe always carries in her arms.”

The small murmurs clearly yearned to the doll Chloe always had with her and his sister separately.

‘Does he have any idea that this is just a doll?’

“The only thing that she always kept and cherished was you, so I can’t let you go.” As if answering my thoughts, he spoke quietly.

“I would have gone crazy without you. Well, of course, I’m still not sane.”

A pale smile was visible on his face, repressing sadness. That self-contained smile appeared awfully painful.

‘If only I could move, I would be able to comfort you a little…’ At the urge that suddenly pushed my gaze, I looked at my small hand.

‘I wish I could move a little, even just a little bit.’

The moment, I wished so earnestly.

“…Chloe?”

With my eyes wide open, Declan muttered blankly as he looked at me.

‘…What? Did I just move?’

Even though it was a slip of moment, my arm definitely moved and touched his face. It wasn’t an illusion. Clearly, if it were an illusion, Declan wouldn’t have made that expression.

‘I can move?’

Once again, I focused my energy on all nerves on my hand, but unlike before, it didn’t even budge. ‘Hold on, is it not possible? Then, how did I move earlier…?’

Declan was still touching his cheek with a puzzled expression. Slowly, he moved my arm and stared at it.

“It seemed to have apparently moved…”

Unable to find anything strange, he narrowed his eyebrows.

“Am I just seeing things now?”

He smiled in vain. Yet, Declan looked at me meaningfully, still touching his cheek with his hand.

***

That night, I was lying on his bed.

As in the original story, he laid the doll on his bedside and covered it with a blanket that specifically made for the doll before falling asleep.

‘Wow. It’s really jingling.’

I was staring at the ceiling distantly for a while, flagging my devotion to the doll.

‘Because I’m a doll, I don’t think I can fall asleep…’ Rather than feeling tired or drowsy, the room was quiet, so my head became clearer. As I kept blinking my eyes, the things I went through today passed like a kaleidoscope.

The death of me and my family. To be left alone in a strange world.

This is my reality now.

The sadness of not being able to meet my parents rose up again.

‘Should I live as a doll like this?’

The emotions I had endured leaked, and a cry broke out. But soon, I realized the fact that my tears did not flood down with regret.

‘Why do I have to live this way?! I hate it. I can’t accept this!’

Eventually, I couldn’t stand the situation and shouted, still the fact that even this was inaudible to no one, I fell into deeper despair. Moments later, I was only able to calm down after screaming until I ran out of energy.

Nonetheless, since I was able to scream to my heart’s content, my heart felt a little lighter. ‘I won’t cry now, not until my problem is solved.’

After making up my mind, I squeezed my heart tightly. It was enough to be sad and tormented once. Since it didn’t seem that this situation would change, it would be wise to somehow find a way to survive now.

‘I’m not going to sit here and be sad like this, wasting years and years away.’

The only way I could live is to save Declan.

“Ughh.”

Suddenly he tossed and groaned whilst I was lost in my thoughts.

Though I wanted to see him because I was curious and wondering what was going on, I couldn’t exactly find him because he was lying down.

“…Chloe, Don’t go. Don’t leave me.”

Amidst sleeping, he agonized and called out Chloe’s name.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you.” His voice was repeatedly shouting sorry.

‘Is he crying?’

The sadness and longing Declan desperately endured and held in, in order to not express his feelings in front of others seemed to be pouring out only after he fell asleep.

It was purely me who can try to change his fate from the original story. However, now, I sincerely desired for him to be free from all the guilt he was facing because I understand the sadness of losing a family.

‘If only I’m not a doll, then maybe I can help you…’

The moment I thought so, suddenly, my head was throbbing. Although it was strange, I couldn’t feel pain, but it felt as though my head was being poked, similarly to when I had a migraine.

‘What is this? What’s wrong with me?’

I couldn’t exactly figure out what was going on because I didn’t understand how I possessed this doll in the first place. Since I couldn’t even ask anyone for help or medicine, so I just had to endure the pain.

The moment I longed for this pain to end,

[ “Cooommmeeee…Hereeeeeee…” ]

Someone’s voice was heard in my head as if the radio was crackling.

Even though I tried my best to understand what it was saying because of the severe headache, I couldn’t catch the words properly. As the pain continued, I shut my eyes closed tightly, and the voice stopped. Eventually, the headache gradually disappeared.

‘What?’

Fortunately, the pain had gone away, but the anxiety rose up instead because I couldn’t figure out why it happened. Besides, there was no law mentioned that this should not have happened.

Even if I tried my best to recall what the voice was saying, I had no recollection in the slightest.

‘What’s wrong with me?’

I had the illusion that my heart was pounding, not in my anxious mind. ‘Is this doll really cursed? If not that, then there was no other explanation as to why I heard that strange voice.’ While I was wondering if there was something paranormal going on, I eagerly rolled my eyes around, but even then, I couldn’t find anything suspicious.

‘Hah. I really can’t live at this rate…’

I sighed deeply, feeling exhausted.

‘All right. Let’s just put that issue aside right now. First, I need to start thinking about how to protect Declan.’

Hm, what happened after he was crowned emperor? Even if there was nothing that could be done right now, it was still necessary to think about the original content in the novel as thoroughly as possible and organize the situation.

‘After Declan had been on the throne for about a year, he would go out for a second war. What country was it again…?’

As I remembered which kingdom he was against, I trembled with surprise. It was the Kingdom of Elo, the kingdom of female lead!

‘If I can’t stop this war, it’s likely that neither Declan nor I would be alive.’

Oh god, realizing so, I wanted to cry. It was a moment when my determination to not cry again was about to collapse in front of the tragic reality. Even the dreaming of becoming a human being and finding a way to communicate with him seemed to be hopeless.

What’s more, he already declared war!

‘I have to find a way, but how…’ As I squeezed my head and rattled my brain, worrying, the morning sun rose quickly.

“Chloe, have you slept well? Let’s wash up and have breakfast.”

He rubbed my cheek gently, jumped up from the bed, and pulled the fluttering line. Then, the chief staff entered the room.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Are you tired of asking the same question every morning, Noah?”

“It gets boring sometimes, but Your Majesty’s good night sleep is very important to me. And I am the only one to greet you in the morning, right?”

Even at Declan’s scolding, Noah smiled and continued.

“Who dares to talk back to Your Majesty? They’re scared and couldn’t even make eye contact.”

‘You…you’re going to die.’ I watched his eyes staring straight at Noah’s courage. However, Declan only frowned for a moment as if he was familiar with Noah’s demeanor.

“Tsk, you’re trembling again.”

“Of course, I’m trembling. How dare I go against Your Majesty. My life is precious.”

However, his face, trembling with fear, had a playful smile painted on rather than fear.

‘Even though it was written in the novel that Noah treated him comfortably, I didn’t expect it to be this much.’

He met Declan on the battlefield. As the empress and Maxion sent Declan to the battlefield, it was mandatory for each family to participate in the war. Although the families that actually participated were mainly powerless families.

Noah also joined the war as one of them, though he always faced a life and death situation since he couldn’t handle his sword very well. Every time, thanks to Declan, he was saved. So, Noah pledged allegiance to him and remained by his side to this day.

“Stop saying useless things and just do your job.”

“Yes.”

Noah smiled and prepared his washing water. When Declan was done, he was staying next to him and handed over a towel.

“I will prepare breakfast.”

Before long, attendants came in one after another and set food on the table. All the steamy foods looked delicious, but I couldn’t smell any scents in my nose.

‘I can’t feel my sense of smell either.’

Although it seemed to smell savory, I couldn’t sense anything, so it felt as if I was just watching a food video.

Declan placed me on the cushion specially made for the doll on the opposite chair.

“Now, Chloe loves omelets, so brother will cut it for you.”

He took a plate of omelets, cut them to bite-size, and placed them in front of me.

‘I’m glad I don’t have appetite or hunger.’

I muttered as I stared at the food blankly.

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