Does the Assassin Girl Dream of the Mana Doll?

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As they ventured further westward, the duo came across several hideouts belonging to the guild. Some of these places were still occupied by Gold’s henchmen, so they took care of them swiftly.

Continuing their journey, they met more surviving guild members, so they lightened their own load by delivering their retirement payments.

Approaching the border, they noticed a shift in focus among the people present. More individuals seemed engaged in undercover work rather than guild assignments. This made sense, considering the limited opportunities available compared to the bustling capital city.

Leaving another town behind, they made their way towards Azar, the next town situated on the border. It would take approximately three days on foot to reach Azar, so they decided to set up camp along the way.

Both of them were skilled at arranging sleeping arrangements and starting a fire. Once the preparations were complete, Ellie took out the brand-new pot she had recently purchased. She quickly fashioned a simple makeshift stove, lit a fire, and placed the pot on top.

After the pot had heated up, she lightly coated it with oil and stir-fried thinly sliced potatoes until they turned a golden hue. Then, she added an appropriate amount of water and tossed in the dried meat, which had been previously soaked in white wine for tenderness.

“Hey, Letty-san. Looking at the map Grandpa Bob gave us, I noticed something… Doesn’t the border in Azar seem a bit crooked?”

“Well… Azar only became part of the border recently, so it’s not surprising.”

As Ellie expressed her doubt, Letty nodded in agreement. Intrigued, Ellie returned her gaze to the map, seeking confirmation.

“Huh? Oh… Does this shape imply they were invaded?”

“That’s right… You catch on quickly…”

“Aww, Letty-san, even if you compliment me like that, it won’t get you anywhere.”

She playfully tapped Letty’s shoulder, displaying her embarrassment. The force was just right—not painful, but enough to feel the connection. Since their journey began, these instances of physical contact seemed to have increased. Surprisingly, it didn’t make Letty uncomfortable. On the contrary, it felt somewhat enjoyable.

“About two years ago… the Valandia Kingdom launched an invasion.”

During that time, the region serving as the border between Jurastin and Valandia was known as the Yuris Frontier County. The count who held that position was stationed on the frontier, entrusted with commanding the kingdom’s forces on the front lines. Count Yuris himself was a capable person for that role. However, two years ago, he met his demise in battle without being able to offer significant resistance.

“I heard that a large-scale magical weapon was used…”

“Is that so? Well, I mean, it’s kind of… I don’t know how to say it…” Letty pondered the words for a moment, tilting their head. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. “Could that be what you wanted to see?”

“Yes, I think so… Probably,” Ellie replied with a bittersweet smile.

Letty gazed at Ellie’s face for a while. “Can you tell me more about it?”

“Yes, I was planning to share it with you eventually.” Despite the lingering bitterness, Ellie nodded with a smile. “What I wanted to see was a city called Wiskeraf… or rather, the city itself is a strategic-level magical weapon, incorporating the magical device… It’s the place where I was created.”

Taken aback by the extraordinary revelation, Letty pondered for a while, connecting the meanings of the words, trying to make sense of it all. Finally, she came to a somewhat plausible conclusion. “So, is it like your hometown?”

“Yes, I guess you could say it’s like my hometown. But… it’s not really something great.”

Ellie averted her gaze and looked up at the sky. The starry sky above appeared unchanged from the skies of the past. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the trees filled the air for a while.

“To be honest, I was created as a tactical weapon. So, well, I was treated accordingly… I don’t feel nostalgic or anything, I suppose…?”

“Why did you want to go see it?”

Their golden and glossy black hair swayed in the wind. As they both held their hair in place, they locked eyes for a while.

Eventually, Ellie spoke up, “I wanted to confirm if it still exists. If it’s still ‘alive’, then depending on the situation, I might have to put it to rest. It’s the kind of thing that shouldn’t exist in this era.”

Narrowing her eyes, Ellie smiled fleetingly, almost as if she were on the verge of tears or about to vanish. Unconsciously, Letty grabbed Ellie’s hand.

“Letty-san?”

Letty hesitated for a moment, taken aback, before offering an explanation while slightly lowering her head. “I had this feeling that you might disappear somewhere…”

Ellie briefly widened her eyes and then narrowed them again, but she squeezed Letty’s hand in return. “It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere. How could I leave behind someone as cute as you?!”

“Well, I’m not cute…”

Ellie, feeling a bit relieved that Letty was starting to regain her usual composure, shook her head and said, “No, you’re incredibly cute. You’re the first Master who treats me like this.”

“I don’t really understand the criteria…” Letty turned her face away slightly, her expression perplexed.

Seeing that gesture, Ellie grinned. “Oh, are you embarrassed?”

“I’m not embarrassed…”

“Oh, come on, you’re totally blushing, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not…”

Letting go of their joined hands, Letty abruptly turned her face to the side. Even though she faced away, it didn’t mean her mood was spoiled. Such a nonsensical exchange oddly felt familiar.

Meanwhile, the water had boiled, and the simmering dried meat began to soften. Ellie added some salt and a few herbs, stirring lightly. Then, she suddenly remembered something and spoke, “By the way, why did Valandia stop at invading the Yuris territory? If they’re really using Wiskeraf, it shouldn’t be difficult to take over the entire Jurastin, right?”

“Oh, it seemed to be due to supply issues and the difficulty in maintaining control.”

The Yuris territory, as a frontier county, was not particularly vast. Furthermore, being on the front lines meant that the ratio of rural areas to military facilities differed from that of ordinary counties.

In other words, even if they were to conquer it, there wouldn’t be enough food production. To make matters worse, remnants of the former Yuris frontier troops launched sporadic small-scale attacks, and the peasants either resisted or fled. Apparently, the count was an excellent ruler who was beloved by his subjects.

If he had been alive, Valandia might have been able to advance the rule by detaining or negotiating with him. Unfortunately, it was said that he was blown away by the strike of a magical weapon. As a result, Valandia’s occupation and governance were not going smoothly, and they had no choice but to rely on supplies from the rear, making further invasions difficult at this point.

“History has a way of repeating itself, as they say.”

“Does it really?”

“Well, it happened in my time too. Commanders and leaders being taken down by strategic weapons and then losing control afterward. Even fortresses and cities were destroyed, rendering them useless as bases.

“So, strategic-class mana dolls, which were initially developed, quickly became obsolete on the front lines. They were sometimes deployed for base defense… Wiskeraf was one of those kinds, originally. That’s why they started creating dolls like me, with reduced output and a stronger focus on control.”

War is often pursued to acquire territory. It’s just a means to an end, not the end itself. However, people often forget that and become obsessed with winning. It seems not much has changed even now.

“Maybe the Valandia former king understood the difficulties of using such power… He passed away suddenly five years ago. Since the crown prince was still young, the queen assumed the role of ruling monarch, and that’s when they embraced an expansionist approach.”

“And the queen messed it up… she got drunk on power, right?” Ellie sighed, and the wind blew once again.

Crack, crack, the sound of trees breaking. After a moment of silence, Ellie turned to Letty with a serious expression. “Letty-san, I know this might be a lot to ask… But if something happens, would you help me?”

If Wiskeraf truly belonged to Valandia, putting it to “sleep” would mean provoking the entire nation. Ellie hesitated because she was aware of that.

“I’ll do whatever I can if it’s for you,” Letty readily nodded.

Ellie’s face crinkled in contemplation. She lowered her head, as if restraining something, and then gently pressed her forehead against Letty’s arm. “Oh, come on… You’re always like this. Why do you listen to my whims, even though you’re the master?”

“Maybe it’s because Ellie is… cute?”

Returning the favor from earlier, Letty said that, causing Ellie to stiffen. After a moment of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Letty’s arm and hugged it tightly. Upon closer inspection, Letty noticed that Ellie’s ears were bright red.

“I’m not cute…”

“Yes, you are.”

This feeling… She’s definitely cute, without a doubt.

With that conviction, Letty allowed herself to be embraced for a while.

“Oh, look, let’s eat.” Eventually, when things settled down, Ellie suggested, cutting the bread and tossing it into the pot. After simmering in the soup, it became tender and crumbled. She scooped it onto a wooden plate.

Taking the offered plate, Letty scooped up a bite with a wooden spoon, chewing for a moment. “It actually has flavor…”

“Is that a compliment? Right?” Ellie said, taking a bite of her portion and nodding in satisfaction. The soup felt truly warm.

***

Author’s Note:

I know that city. Peace is a fleeting and fragile thing, liable to crumble even tomorrow.

The memories of the tragedy that unfolded before my eyes still remain.

Up next: The Border Town of Azar.

However, the enemy is not always just external.