Episode 13: “The Second Commission”
“I’m heading out, so hold down the shop by yourself this morning, okay?”
“…Okaaay.”
Dressed in a moss-green one-piece, Yuria left the shop behind. Manning the counter alone left her feeling uneasy, but she couldn’t bring herself to get in the way of something Yuria genuinely enjoyed.
Two days had passed since wrapping up Heinz’s commission. No new customer had come to the shop yet, and today was probably going to be no different.
(So staying here to mind the shop is probably still better than tagging along with Yuria.)
Yuria had gone out to the orphanage in the neighborhood today. She’d said she wanted to donate part of the reward money from before, and volunteer there while she was at it.
Yuria had always made a habit of visiting the orphanage whenever she had free time.
Helping with meal prep, teaching the children their letters, playing with them — it wasn’t unusual for a noblewoman to show her face at an orphanage as part of her social obligations, but very few cared about the place the way she did.
Unlike Yuria, Fiine had been born a commoner, so she never quite knew how she was supposed to act around the children there.
She sat in a chair, gazing absently toward the entrance. Sure enough, the bell didn’t ring.
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“Wonder if Yuria’s coming back soon.”
She’d said she’d pick up lunch on the way home, so it was probably worth getting something to drink ready at least. Just as Fiine stood up with that thought in mind, of all the bad luck, the bell rang.
Before she even had time to brace herself, the door swung open and someone stepped inside.
The man who walked in was heavyset and middle-aged, distinguished by a white beard, short in stature, with a warm and approachable air about him.
“Ah, um, w-welcome…”
“Are you the proprietress of this shop — Fiine-sama, is it?!”
“‘Sama’?!”
Before Fiine could recover from her surprise, the white-bearded man rushed forward and dropped to his knees on the floor with great force.
“Please, Fiine-sama. Would you accept my request? It’s for the sake of my territory…!!”
“Wha- my territory…?!”
Only nobility owned territories. Which meant the man currently prostrating himself before Fiine had to be a noble.
(And “for the sake of my territory” — that’s absolutely going to be a troublesome request…!!)
The magic doll shop’s intended clientele was people like the Marquess and Marchioness Haydn — those who’d lost someone precious to them.
The shop existed to stand beside people who wanted, if only for a single day, one more chance to see them, to say a proper goodbye.
But “for the sake of my territory” was, by any measure, a request that fell well outside that intended purpose.
“Um, ah…”
“Will you accept it?! No — I won’t move from this spot until you do.”
“Eh…?”
This was, plainly, a problem.
(What do I do. Drive him out with magic? No, that would definitely cause trouble…)
While Fiine floundered, at a total loss for words, the man lifted his head and began to speak.
“I am Dominique von Rehmbruck, head of the Rehmbruck Count’s household.”
“Wait, Rehmbruck — as in, the one connected to the ‘Frontier Hero’…?”
“Precisely! In fact, that is exactly the matter I’ve come to request today!!”
Dominique shot to his feet and pressed forward, closing the distance between them. Fiine took a reflexive step back, but he seemed entirely unbothered by it.
The Rehmbruck county held territory at the northern edge of the kingdom — a region that had once suffered devastating harm from monster attacks, before the Demon Lord’s defeat.
Thanks to a young man from the village known as the “Frontier Hero,” the damage had been curbed, and the region had managed to hold out until the Demon Lord was finally struck down.
Because of that, it was said that in Rehmbruck territory, the man known as the “Frontier Hero” was honored as a hero even more revered than the one who’d actually slain the Demon Lord.
“…Are you aware that monster activity has been growing more aggressive these past few years?”
“Well, yes, somewhat…”
“Rehmbruck territory is no exception. The monsters have sensed the death of the ‘Frontier Hero,’ and have begun attacking our land again, just as they used to.”
It had been roughly thirty years since the Demon Lord’s fall.
No new Demon Lord capable of unifying the demon race had been born yet, but the monsters were gradually being freed from the fear that had followed their king’s death.
Because of that, the rise in monster-related damage was unmistakable.
(But humanity, having grown used to peace, let its training slip. There aren’t many people left now who can actually fight monsters the way they used to.)
Compared to the era when the Demon Lord had still needed defeating, the quality of the magic corps had declined considerably. It was probably difficult now to respond swiftly whenever damage occurred out on the frontier.
“But I don’t believe the monsters have forgotten how terrifying the ‘Frontier Hero’ was. If he were to appear again and fight, I believe the damage would surely decrease once more. In short, what I want is for the monsters to be tricked into believing the ‘Frontier Hero’ is still alive.”
“…And that’s why you’ve come to us?”
“Yes!! I’ve heard you took on the Marquess Haydn’s commission…! Word is spreading through high society — a ‘magic doll shop’ run by a genius witch!”
He gazed at her, eyes practically sparkling.
“A g-genius witch…?”
“Some doubt whether the rumor is true, but I believe it. I’m certain that you, Fiine-sama, can save my territory!!”
“Ah, um, well, that’s, surely…”
Given the actual purpose of the request, it wouldn’t be enough to simply create a magic doll of the “Frontier Hero” — the doll would also need to be made to fight.
But magic dolls, as a rule, couldn’t use magic on their own.
It wasn’t impossible, exactly — but doing so would require channeling Fiine’s own magic through the doll.
(Operating a magic doll alone is exhausting enough as it is — having it use magic on top of that…!!)
Better to just claim it couldn’t be done and turn him down here.
“I’m sorry, but a magic doll can’t use the magic of the person it’s brought back.”
That wasn’t a lie, exactly. If a magic doll used magic, it wouldn’t be the deceased’s magic at all — it would be Fiine’s own.
Operating the doll while simultaneously fighting with far more powerful magic through it — even Fiine might exceed her limits doing that.
She couldn’t afford to lose control again, the way she had that time.
“…I see…”
Just as a dejected Dominique turned and began walking toward the door, the bell chimed, and Yuria stepped back inside.
Then, with a bright smile, she spoke.
“Leave that request to the magic doll shop ‘Lux’! Our genius witch, Fiine, will handle it perfectly!!”
—And so, the second commission was decided.