No booli

She blinked as she watched the way his reaction changed, one eyebrow raising. He did know he didn’t have to bother with the cream and sugar, right? It was standard practice to bring out when someone ordered tea. Why did he act like he didn’t really want to..? Even then, doing the bare minimum…it wasn’t like he was being forced, so why did it look like he was forcing himself?

He was sort of jumpy, wasn’t he? He almost reminded her of a mouse being cornered by a cat. He was incredibly nervous for some reason. Curious. Still, Ram nodded her agreement. “Indeed. She’ll make someone a very good wife. Rem’s specialty is taking care of others.” Her gaze softened as she watched her younger sister go about her task. “But perhaps not as good at taking care of herself in the process..”

But that was what an older sister was supposed to be for. That’s why she wanted her sister to be able to live comfortably. Her precious younger sister who was far better at cooking and cleaning and in general just…..kinder. 

Shaking that thought aside, she once again fixed her gaze on the anxious male before her, a beat of silence passing between them before she spoke again. “You seem quite unsettled, Master.”

Another pause.

“Could it be your heart was stolen away by Ram’s cuteness?”

The anxious expression he wore melted away as he watched the pink-haired maid carefully, seeing the gentle expression on her face as she watched her twin work from afar. Seeing her focus on something else seemed to calm him down. So talking about her sister made her appear less hostile. Well, maybe hostile wasn’t the right word, but there had definitely been a dangerous look in her eye when she spoke about some of the customers earlier. He figured maybe keeping her twin in the conversation would  soften her up a bit, but maybe asking too many questions would raise suspicions, even though he had no such interest in her. 

“I see.. Well, it’s a fortunate thing that she has a kind sister to look out for her.” He raised the now slightly more sweetened tea cup to his mouth and took a careful sip of the hot, dark amber liquid, letting it rest on his tongue so he could savor and decipher the flavor. Well, he had only put the very bare minimum in so it wasn’t so bad. Nodding his head and smiling about the fact that his tea wasn’t ruined, he took a better sip just as his server spoke up. 

“Could it be your heart was stolen away by Ram’s cuteness?”

“Well..” Thinking about it, her King wasn’t exactly the type to open up about…well, much of anything. The only reason he had then was because of the circumstances, and the fact he wouldn’t be able to hide anything from her if he even so much as thought about it. “At the very least, beware of crepes.” She’d meant it as a joke, really, but…she hadn’t so much as looked at one since the incident. 

She smiled sympathetically as he continued. “That’s understandable. I’m sure it’s especially tough in a city like this.” Especially when one considered there…really weren’t any places to camp comfortably. “You won’t have to worry about that now though. This room is yours for as long as you need it.” At most, she might ask him to help clean or restock groceries, but beyond that, he was free to do as he wished.

“I can’t say I know much about business,” though that much was probably obvious, “but it is important to have something recognizable, right? The more memorable and unique you are, the chances of a client remembering you are higher. At least, that’s what I’ve read. I think you’re doing just fine, Otto-san.”

She blinked at his words and shook her head hurriedly. “Oh, no, it’s not imposing at all. Like I said, you’ll be living here as long as you need. It’d be better for you to keep Furufu nearby, wouldn’t it? And cheaper, I’m sure. It’s no trouble at all.” It was a future investment, of sorts. It’d benefit him in the long run, and even when he decided to move out, it could always be used as storage. “Please don’t worry about something like that. It’s really alright.”

Otto looked perplexed by her cryptic words about a certain food. “Beware of crepes? I’ll, er, keep that in mind..” Just as he noted before, Shizume had undergone unique changes. She must not have had really good experiences with crepes. Did they just not taste good here? Regardless, he filed away that information for later.

Otto scratched his cheek, his face reddening just a little. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed but he was at a complete loss. This woman was far too accommodating, and asked for very little to nothing in return. For a merchant like him, it was pretty unthinkable. In fact, most normal people weren’t so charitable. Did it have something to do with their King’s influence? 

Read More Now!

“Nnnngh... Hic.” He knew he had to get out of there. If whatever had caused that hellish nightmare of a scene was anywhere around he would be next. It briefly dawned on his alcohol laden brain that maybe the powers he had been bestowed upon him could have done something, but self-preservation proved to be too strong a driving force then to bother trying to resurrect someone who was clearly long gone from this world. Besides, if he had the power to bring back the dead he’d wash his hands of being a merchant and become a miracle worker instead. 

He began to crawl away, back down the alley towards the entrance and towards the side door of the bar he’d stumbled out of earlier. He still couldn’t believe that something unimaginable had been unfolding nearby while everyone inside toiled away merrily under the influence of booze and loud music. Well, it was entirely possible the crime hadn’t been committed there per se. “Ugh..” Really, he didn’t want to think about it. The entire situation was quite sobering, even though he still found it hard to walk or process his surroundings given that everything looked like it was submerged under water and everything looked like scenes from a movie, where it felt as though the camera was blinking from one scene to the next. 

Once he was within the safety of the bar once more, he slammed the door shut, barricading it with his back and quickly and very clumsily dug through all the pockets of his outfit for his phone. 

“Shizume City dispatch, state your emergency.”

“Y-Yesh, h-hello? I’m at the bar downtown and in the alley there’s been a murder of some kind.”

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s hard to hear you. Can you repeat that?”

“I said--!” The door slammed open behind him, throwing Otto down to the ground and dropping his phone, the glass screen smashing and then going dark. “AHHH!” The person who had entered behind him didn’t seem to care or understand what he’d done and simply walked in back over to a group of people that Otto could only assume was his entourage and continue drinking. He must not have moved deeper into the alley and made the same discovery Otto had given his lack of panic. 

There was no telling now if the dispatcher had understood what Otto had been trying to convey, or if they had any time to track his location. In any case he was definitely feeling more sober now. He ran over to the counter and pleaded with the bartender to call the police, who waved him off as just being a little too drunk. The way nobody took him seriously started to make Otto even believe that maybe he had truly saw something that wasn’t there. He once more exited the bar through the side alley door and then marched back down towards the dead end, though the closer he approached the heavier his legs became and the slower he approached. 

“Agh, urk...”

Otto jumped at the sound, his body tensing and shoulders squared as he moved closer and closer. The smell of blood was strong. He couldn’t have been wrong about what he saw after all. That hellish scene was once more illuminated under the light of the moon, except instead of a mangled corpse there was now another man vomiting. No doubt the gore on the floor had caused that reaction. Except now.. Where was the body?

The male before him continued to vomit and then mumble something that Otto didn’t quite catch. He held out a shaky arm, pointing his finger in the dark-haired male’s direction so that he knew he would be addressed. “H-Hey.. You... What are you doing there!?”

Wait.. What if this was the person who had committed the murder and had returned to dispose of the body!? Otto had no way of knowing that the mangled corpse he had found previously could be his, considering the unrecognizable state it was in upon discovery. Not to mention the man was covered in blood. 

“Aha…well, it might be. Not that it excuses anything, but the last time he and I met up there was…an incident. I’m not sure if you heard anything about it but there was a strain selling crepes that had…interesting effects. I was bombarded with the thoughts of everyone around me, and he was essentially fading from existence..but it affected me a lot more slowly, so I think he had a lot of other things on his mind then..” Probably. At least, that’s what she was going to go with for now, until she was able to confront him about it. “But he did specifically ask if I had room for you here, so I think that means he recognizes your abilities already.”

She smiled faintly, tilting her head slightly at his words. “Well, if you do happen to think of any complaints, I’d be glad to do what I can to fix them. I’m sure there’s still a few changes that need to be made around here.” As far as she could tell though, there were no leaks anywhere in the house, even after the renovations had been made. She was still keeping an eye out for anything that didn’t work quite right though. “Camping though? That sounds fun. I remember I used to camp with my father in the mountains. It was more of a training camp for the dojo though, so we weren’t really sleeping in tents or anything.” Ah…come to think of it, maybe that was why she’d been fine with the warehouse.

“Oh..” Her eyes widened, surprised at his answer. So he had a horse and carriage? She listened to his explanation without judgement, nodding slightly. “Honestly, I think it’s very unique. It makes you more memorable to people. That’s important in your line of work, isn’t it?” Making a brand, so to speak? Well, she might have been wrong there. She was still learning. “But…no, he didn’t mention that at all…” She was definitely going to have some words with her King later.

“Well…I don’t think we have a place currently but there’s plenty of space in the backyard. It might take a little time, but it shouldn’t be too hard to build a one-horse stable, right?” She rubbed her chin, brows furrowing as she thought about it, the alley next to the house that opened onto the road, where the dumpster and trash was kept. “We might even be able to put in another gate in so you could leave through the alley. Labor likely wouldn’t be an issue either. I’m almost positive my father would be happy to use it as training for the dojo students.” 

Otto stared at Shizuku blankly. “No, he didn’t mention any of that. Our meeting was entirely business.” But hearing about the details of whatever happened between them was interesting. As far as he knew strange things had been occurring in Shizume City ever since the discovery and activation of more slates. “I hope so. That’s good enough for me honestly.” As long as he could set up a way for them to earn some income it didn’t matter how much or how little the Emerald King deigned to share with him.

Otto’s shoulder’s slumped forward a bit as her eyes lit up at the mention of camping, a sigh escaping his lips. “Camping for hobby or fun is fine.. Saying camping was just dressing it up a bit. Living that way isn’t all that fun for me though..” He didn’t want to outright say that he had been homeless but that was essentially what it had been. 

He wasn’t really all that surprised to find her not being judgmental in the least given how fussy she was being about a perfectly fine house. As much as he protested she would still nitpick something so he decided to drop it. He was sure he’d made his stance on the matter obvious. “I’m not sure I’m sticking out for the right reasons though.. But memorable, yeah.” It would certainly be easy for others to know exactly who they meant when they referred to a cart touting merchant.

His reaction…honestly, it was pretty funny. Well, not that she’d ever lay a hand on any of the customers, unless they were being disruptive or truly degenerate. But even then, it was mostly to force them out of the cafe. Being a strain, at least, she had enough strength to manage it well enough on her own. It seemed like she’d unsettled the male. Hmm..maybe she’d gone a bit too far, since he didn’t seem the type to cause any sort of trouble.

“Don’t worry about it,” she stated. “You seem like you have good manners and know your boundaries. You’re not one of the ones who should worry.” Well, she wasn’t going to outright say it, but she hoped he understood her meaning well enough. That she only reserved that treatment for perverts who deserved it and would definitely not be allowed back in just because they couldn’t respect the waitresses.

She nodded at the conclusion of his order and disappeared into the back to prepare the tea while the food was cooked. Tea was one of her specialties, after all. Still, he’d left the recommendation to her, so what would suit his tastebuds? Or rather, what would pair well with hamburger steak? After a momentary debate, she selected a bag from the Earl Grey box and began heating the water. She placed the bag into the tea cup and poured the water in, letting it steep as she filled a small bowl with some sugar cubes and grabbed a small serving up of cream from the fridge, arranging them neatly on the platter. She disposed of the bag once it had finished, and then she carried it out to his table.

“Here you go,” she said, carefully placing the platter down before setting the cup and saucer in front of him, followed by the sugar cubes and cream. “Your food will be ready momentarily.” She did pause however, at the mention of her sister, lifting her gaze to spot her sister at another table. The blue haired maid blinked, as if sensing her sister’s gaze, and turned to smile and dip her head slightly in greeting before returning to work.

“Heh, that’s my precious sister alright. She’s cute, isn’t she?” Ram looked so incredibly smug as she said it. Was it really alright for a twin to call the other cute, knowing they shared the same face…?

Well, it certainly made sense, but he still couldn’t help but worry. What if he said something that could be misconstrued as perverse or degenerate? It’s not like anything of the sort was part of his vocabulary and he had never once been accused of anything so heinous as she looked down upon, but in today’s society.. This generation could turn the most harmless and mundane thing into something sick. Really, even Daddy was now associated as something dirty. 

Otto mulled this over while the maid left to fulfill part of his order and then she returned, speaking casually yet moving gracefully. “Ah..” his lips parted slightly as the familiar smell of bergamot filled his nostrils. “Thank you.” he smiled harmlessly, but when he looked back at the tray of sugar and cream, the smile strained. He really wasn’t one to sweeten up his tea but what if she got mad at him for going to all the trouble and he didn’t touch any of it? 

Beads of perspiration formed at his brow and he took one cube of sugar and the smallest bit of cream and placed it into the cup of Earl Gray. Eh, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad? Even so he did his best not to look as bothered by it as he was but stomaching a bitter tea now made sweet was less of a worry than an angry, jilted maid. He did make a hum of affirmation at the status of his order and stirred his tea with a spoon as soon as he had finished pointing out the blue haired maid.

“Eh? Ah..?” At the pink-haired maid’s question Otto felt himself at a loss for words. That question seemed so loaded. If he agreed would that be misconstrued in some perverse way!? But if he said no surely she’d take offense to it! Looking visibly panicked, his smile uneasy, Otto released the tiniest affirmative in the world.

Somehow, she supposed she felt a little better, hearing that her King hadn’t bothered to remember the other male’s name either. Well, she did feel sort of bad for him but at least she knew his pain. “Well, if you prove yourself to him, I’m sure he’ll remember your name before you know it.” Or so that was her hope, anyway. She’d definitely be sure to drop another reminder of her name the next time she saw him.

Though..she wasn’t sure he was the type to like nicknames, but it was a funny thought. Maybe she’d ask about that when she saw him next too. She could almost imagine his exasperated expression. “That makes sense,” she agreed at the mention of the contract. “I suppose the contract he and I made was a little less official, since it was more so just becoming his clansman. I was the first, hence why..” she gestured vaguely, knowing the other would probably catch onto her meaning. 

She hadn’t expected him to just say the name aloud though, her eyes widening slightly. Naofumi…Iwatani…. Now she had a name to put to her King. Would he be surprised if she suddenly called him by his name? Maybe he’d get flustered…. As unlikely as it was, she sort of wanted to see it. She suppressed the urge to laugh, but it still came out as a small chuckle as Otto continued, clearly over the moon to have a place like this to stay.

“Oh, the warehouse isn’t that bad,” she smiled, having had to spend a few nights there herself. Ahh..she still couldn’t even look at a crepe. “But I’m glad to hear it. Honestly, it makes me glad I had the idea to open up a shop when he asked me to help him sell his jewelry.” It may not have been a five star hotel, but if her guest was happy with it, that was all that mattered. 

She opened her mouth to ask if he wanted anything to eat or drink while he put his things away, but he spoke up first. She blinked, raising an eyebrow curiously. “Furufu…?” she questioned. What in the world was that? There hadn’t been any mention of anything like that…though considering she hadn’t even been told who to look out for…

Otto’s face fell a little at what he took as Shizuku’s attempt to cheer him up. “It sounds like a pretty lofty goal.. After all, he still addresses you in that manner?” Maybe to most that would have seemed like a thoughtless comment but Otto got the feeling she wouldn’t have taken offense to it. Regardless, he was simply saying it as he saw it. If the King Naofumi Iwatani gave out nicknames because no one had proved themselves to be worthy of being called by their given name, then his fellow clansman who boasted that she was the first didn’t instill him with much confidence in that regard. 

It was interesting to take note that Shizuku would be the type to worry that her dwelling wasn’t top notch, especially when Otto was only crashing here as a guest for the time being. “Believe me. I’ve camped outside many a night. There’s no way I’d think poorly of your residence! Besides, I’m the one imposing so I have no grounds for complaints to begin with.” What kind of person would even complain about something like that!? Shizuku definitely struck him as a fine and considerate person.

“Oh, Furufu is my most trusted companion.” He placed his hands on his hips and smiled proudly. “He’s my horse. He draws my carriage.” He was almost assured of the look he would garner from that statement alone. “I know, I know. Who uses a horse drawn carriage in this day and age?” He recited that question from memory, having been asked it so many times. 

“The truth is it’s pretty practical for me. I don’t know if Iwatani-san mentioned it, although... All things considered I’m definitely on the fence about that one.” Otto wore an expression of exasperation at the consideration of his and Shizuku’s exchange so far. “I’m actually a strain. So having Furufu as my companion has helped me out a lot. You see I can communicate with anything that is living and animals have much keener senses than humans do. Certainly better than a car.” Though he agreed that a car was definitely faster.

By all accounts, it would seem that a strange man had arrived in the library to steal anything precious in sight from the library, but Victorique knew better. No thief, even in the modern age would carry themselves the way he did. He was far from the sneaky or cunning type. No, this was a crass man who could never take on a job that required the carefulness that being a thief had to. Her next guess was…a merchant. It really was only a guess based on the look in his eyes as he had looked her over. The small detective didn’t have enough information to come to a concrete conclusion, but that was fine. She’d figure him out soon enough.

God, he really did have a weak will, didn’t he? There was no real confidence behind his words. Someone as spineless as him would easily bend to her will…but it was frustrating that he was trying to oppose her! She would have simply kicked him in the shin had she been standing, but that was too much work. 

“For me, that’s exactly what you are. A court jester. So, if I say sing, then sing!” 

He was a little mortified that in this young girl’s eyes that’s what he’d been reduced to. He was also confused on her hostility of him. Sure, he’d done something he wouldn’t have done to an actual living, breathing human, but it’s not like he looked at her perversely or put his hands on her! In fact he hadn’t been standing too too close at all! This sort of punishment was just cruel and unusual. 

But then the moment she barked the order for him to sing he immediately began to very clumsily sing the song that played at the crosswalks. He’d been stuck in traffic so many times that it was permanently stuck in his head. “Kagome, Kagome, Tori Wa...” He began, singing the first verse and then when he forgot the rest of the song he grabbed at his head. 

“Wait, why am I singing!?” Balling one of his fists to his side he thrust a finger at her. “Listen, I’m really sorry for the mix up! But it’s not like I did anything worth being humiliated over! Can’t we just start over again from the beginning!?” He was a little angry but more than that he was flustered and humiliated.

He then stood up straight and then bowed lowly, his green poncho fluttering and moving around him as he did so, his short, wavy gray hair falling forward as he bowed. “I truly, humbly, and sincerely apologize for mistaking you for a doll!” He kept his head bowed for just slightly longer than necessary and then raised himself up. There, that should be more than sufficient for an apology. Besides, it’s not like he didn’t mean it. 

She waited, and waited, and then finally it clicked into place for him. His reaction was pretty fresh though. An amused smirk curled at her lips as she watched his flustered reaction. Okay, maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible after all. If nothing else, he’d be fun to tease. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had gotten flustered from her saying something like that, especially in her half-assed deadpan way. 

Though she didn’t expect the pitying look. What, did he think she’d given up her dignity because she was working in a place like this? There were worse places, honestly. Well, maybe he did have a point in having to occasionally say things like that. “Yes, unfortunately. Though the other girls do it with more feeling, and my precious little sister is forbidden from saying it.” There was something dark in her gaze then, something that suggested she’d had quite a few words with her boss about that at least.

Still, the next question was a fun one. What would she do if someone actually picked that? “Hah.” 

“The answer to that is simple: they’re a degenerate and I’d sooner grind them under my heel into dust than entertain their fantasies like that.” Usually the people who did do that were perverts anyway, so she had no mercy for them. She was the “enforcer” for the girls, after all.

She took down his order for the hamburger steak, tapping her pen against her lip as she thought about it for a moment. If nothing else, she was fairly sure she could recommend something that would be suitable to his taste. “Understood. Will you be requiring anything else?”

The way Otto quirked his brows and let his draw drop as he stared at her with wide eyes was almost comical in a sense. He wasn’t sure how to react to that sort of statement. She was in the food service industry but she was saying such horrible things about her own customers! Maybe he’d stumbled into some weird fetish cafe? 

“O-Oh, uh, I.. I see..” That was really all he could say in response to that. Fortunately for him he had no such fetish! So why was he being served by the maid who would probably smack him and got paid for doing so? He had... questions, but feared the result of asking them. Honestly, he was a little scared of her. He’d never been so terrified of a server before. 

At the pink haired maid’s question, Otto immediately brought up his hands in a defensive gesture, his expression fearful and troubled as he waved his hands back and forth. “N-No! I’m fine! Thank you very much!” The last thing he wanted to do was make her do more than necessary and incur her wrath. 

Ahh, he wasn’t aware of their King’s quirks yet, huh.. She sighed and scratched her cheek. “He isn’t a bad person, per se. And I don’t think he goes into anything underprepared,” at least from what she’d noticed so far. Though she knew the events that led up to his current situation certainly warranted his caution and mistrust. Though really, she was still Number One to him? Oh, she was going to have a talk with him later. 

“It’s a long story that isn’t really mine to tell, but I think that’s just how he is when it comes to others’ names.” He’d been standoffish initially, so looking back now that she knew everything, it sort of made sense that he hadn’t cared enough to remember anyone’s names. She rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, at the very least you can take comfort in the fact he’s not a bad person, even if he looks grumpy most of the time. He has his reasons.”

Though..she was pretty sure he didn’t see himself that way, but that was fine. He’d extended his kindness to her that night, so she’d be sure to repay him by giving her aid whenever he required it. “Come to think of it, he didn’t tell me his own name either. He’s just been letting me call him King-san…” Ah well. It was probably nothing, yet why did it make her feel so sulky? 

She pushed the thought right back where it came from and stepped out behind the counter. “Follow me then,” she responded with a smile, stepping through a door leading into a small hallway with a flight of stairs built into the left side of the wall. “There’s two bathrooms up here and a kitchen. My room is the first door at the top of the stairs if you happen to need anything. There’s a living room upstairs and downstairs. If you go around these stairs, you’ll see a door at the end, and that’s where the other living room is. There’s a sliding glass door there as well that leads into the garden,” she explained as she reached the second floor. 

Making her way down the hall, she turned to her right to another branching hallway that held two doors. “The one at the end is the spare room. I already put new sheets on the bed and cleaned everything up. The other door is a bathroom, and it has its own shower. It may not be a five star hotel, but I hope it’ll be comfortable at least.”

“Other’s names huh.. I guess.. you do have a point there.” Otto’s face fell as he remembered the exchange between himself and his new King and he couldn’t actually remember him calling Otto by name even once. “I’m pretty sure he kept calling me Merchant a few times.. Well, he isn’t wrong so I didn’t think much of it at the time...” Well, if she said he wasn’t a bad person he believed it. After all, he had complimented his skills and since Otto was so simple minded, it was good enough for him. 

“Huh..” Otto’s expression turned thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe he’s just the type that really likes nicknames? Although he gave me his name.. But it was sort of because we signed a contract together. It’s smart to keep insurance in case of business dealings you see. Honestly, he didn’t actually tell me it but I saw his name on paper..” He definitely wouldn’t forget a contract and thus remembered his name perfectly. “Naofumi Iwatani.” He said this aloud as if recalling it from memory. 

He followed Shizuku, clinging to her every word, his blue eyes drinking in the sights that she showed him during her tour. “No way! Compared to that creepy warehouse this is like.. a luxury! I really can’t thank you enough!” The desperation that was hinted in his voice was surely enough to channel just how much he absolutely did not want to stay at that warehouse.. nor did he really have the funds to afford a hotel or some such after only just arriving here. 

People rarely ventured to the top of the library where the doll, no, the human girl spent most of her time. It was too many stairs. Besides, the library was quiet due to the fact that many students for some reason, believed in silly urban legends. But in a world inhabited by Kings and clansmen, perhaps those fears weren’t entirely unfounded. Ghosts? If they even did exist, then they had little power over a regular person. The living? They could be much more terrifying.

This is what Victorique was thinking just as the doors to the library opened. She wasn’t in her usual spot in the gardens at the very top, but rather she was lying still on a lower part of the long, winding stairs having retrieved a book from there. The book in question was lying on the stairs beside her but she had completely froze in her tracks upon hearing someone entering. Usually, she was afraid of other people…and today was no different, although most of her fear vanished when she saw the face of the man who had wandered in. He looked quite idiotic, if she was being honest.

The doll, or rather the girl mistaken for a doll finally moved, standing up with a huff and picking up the book she had left carelessly beside her. “Hmph. How rude of you to not only interrupt my pursuit of knowledge, but then to refer to me as a doll…” Although the girl was small for her age, she had the weariness in her eyes of someone who had lived far too long. Despite how she seemed to be annoyed with his entrance, she soon moved on from the initial topic to something that interested her more. 

“So, you half-witted man, repent for your actions and do something interesting…such as performing a song and dance. Go on.” Dishing out orders as if she was she somehow above him, she straightened out her dress and sat back down once more, waiting expectantly. She usually hid from strangers, or didn’t give them the time of day unless forced, but this man just looked as if he had a weak will. At the very least, if he wouldn’t be pushed around then he would be fun to tease.

Otto let out the most unmanly yelp when the doll - no - the girl moved. His first irrational thought that perhaps the doll was possessed but nothing that was possessed would get this angry about being mistaken for a doll. Besides her movements and the look reflected in her eyes told a different story. 

Otto opened his mouth to do the responsible thing and apologize, because he was sure he’d had that calculating glint in his eyes as he looked her over prior as if trying to appraise her. Honestly, that was just his penchant for sales. He wasn’t some shady guy that would have just up and robbed a doll from a library! For one thing he didn’t need that hit to his reputation and he assumed he’d built up quite a rapport with the denizens of Shizume already. It was just for fun!

Though now that he was being insulted, the apology he meant to voice got lost. “H-Half wit?” Normally he would have disputed that but he really had been a bit rude so for now he’d take the abuse in place of voicing his apology. There! They were even now.. right? 

Where was the girl who was supposed to be on greeting duty? Was she still on her break? Ram grimaced as she finished cleaning off a table, knowing that’d probably fall on her shoulders. Could she maybe just ignore him and let someone else deal with him? He looked lost as it was anyway. She started to head back to the backroom once more but luck wasn’t on her side because in doing so, she’d drawn his attention and now she couldn’t just ignore him because she was still working. 

Suppressing a sigh, she turned, though she didn’t smile or anything. “Welcome back, Master,” she greeted, the usual routine. “Please follow me to your table.” 

She grabbed a menu from the stand by the door and guided him to one of the empty tables, standing beside it as she waited for him to take a seat. She slid the menu onto the table and took out her notepad. 

“I can get a drink for you, while you decide. We have several blends of tea, coffee, and sodas.” She paused for dramatic effect, and then in the most deadpan way, delivered the last part of the usual spiel they were supposed to give to new customers. “Or me?”

She really ought to see about changing that. Would she get reprimanded if she didn’t say it? She ought to try that out some day. It didn’t even make sense. 

“So, what’ll it be?”

Welcome back? Huh? He didn’t remember ever being here before. He certainly would have remembered this girl. He really could not fathom the type of place this was, but he had to admit that being called Master had a nice ring to it!

Otto followed the maid to a table and he slid into the seat, taking the menu and smiling, humming in pleasure as he began to flip through the menu, the ones with the pictures mostly catching his eye first. Whoa, there certainly were a lot of sweets in here.. He guessed that was to be expected. He definitely needed something more savory though. Before he had a chance to speak and maybe ask what she recommended that seemed more like actual food, the maid spoke. 

Her expression was so deadpan that he didn’t even register that last bit for what it really meant. At least not at first. The heck kind of drink was Me? Was that-- 

And then it hit him once again exactly what kind of place this was and his face burned up, his pale skin tinted a dark red. His mouth opened and closed for a moment and then he stopped, closing his eyes and sighing, his shoulders slumping forward in exhaustion. When he finally opened his eyes and looked back up at the maid, his expression was a mixture of pity and exasperation. “Do they really require you to say stuff like that? What would you do if someone really picked the last option?”

Wow, he was really just tearing into things wasn’t he. She really hadn’t thought things were going that badly. But then again, she did have her family covering most of the cost since the building technically was in her family’s name. As for everything else…she really had no idea what he was saying. Was he even speaking Japanese? And what the heck was that last line about? Was this person okay? 

It seemed like he’d realized he’d gone on a random tirade and hurriedly backpedaled. “Iwatani-san…?” she repeated, feeling even more confused….though it clicked in place a moment later as he called her “Number One”……almost immediately, her expression shifted, a slight grimace tugging at her lips. “It’s Shizuku. Shizuku.” So much for all that progress she thought she’d made. He still didn’t know her name? How many times did she have to tell him?

Though at least she supposed in a roundabout way, she finally had something to call him other than King-san. Jeez, hadn’t they had a moment? Why couldn’t he remember her name?  Was she seriously going to be “Number One” to him forever? She let out a heavy sigh and shook her head, pushing those thoughts away before her smile returned. “It’s nice to meet you, Otto-san.”

So then this was the coworker she’d been waiting on. Well, it was a hell of an introduction, she’d give him that. “Yes, he did. He didn’t give me a name or anything, just that I could expect someone would be coming by to help out and needed a place to stay.” Well, she was used to the way her King did things by now. 

“Do you want me to show you the room so you can put your things away?”

Otto didn’t understand why or how but he couldn’t help but feel like he’d just insulted her, or at least had a hand in it. “R-Right! Shizuku-san! Sorry!” After hurriedly apologizing he tried to make sense of why his King would have him call her that. Was he getting back at her about something?

They already didn’t seem like they were getting off on the right foot. He really didn’t want the person he was sharing a space with to dislike him, so he tried to put on his best smile, even though it was still a little awkward. “It’s nice to meet you too, Shizuku-san!” He repeated the name she gave him again as if trying to make up for what he’d called her earlier.. Though he was a bit curious on the story behind that nickname, he’d bite his tongue for now. Maybe that was something better addressed towards the man that had given him the name.

“Hm, that’s surprisingly underprepared for him. I wonder why he wouldn’t give a name?” Though now he felt as though a clearer picture of his King was being made. First, he gives a nickname that the girl in question doesn’t seem at all happy with, and then he doesn’t even tell said girl exactly who she should be expecting? He couldn’t tell if he was an idiot or just didn’t care. Just what sort of person had he gotten himself mixed up with?

“Uweh...”

His head was spinning, his face flushed, and there was that urge to vomit readily if he stumbled too hard. He’d taken to the bar that night to unwind a bit before going home, but maybe he’d overdone it a bit. The alcohol and the boneless chicken wings he’d devoured along with it was creating a gross mixture in his stomach that threatened to come up if he didn’t slam his palm to his mouth every once in a while and will it back down. Well, despite the apparent nausea he was still feeling pretty good. 

Clang! Crack!

Otto had ventured outside of the bar to get fresh air and had used the side door that connected with an alley. Somehow he’d stumbled down quite a ways where the street lights no longer illuminated any deeper down. Otto squinted, peering into that darkness at the loud sounds he heard. Had something fallen over?

Squelch! Squish!

“Hm... Don like... tha sound o’ tha..” he slurred, but in his alcohol ridden brain he somehow decided he was invincible or something and just kept going. He still couldn’t see for crap though. This is the part where his good judgment would have kicked in or hell an animal of some sort crying out a warning, but the alley was completely dead silent, as if all the animal’s had smartly departed long ago. Well, there weren’t anymore of those weird sounds. As Otto lost interest he stumbled back the way he came, his boot connecting with something that nearly made him lose his balance. 

He danced on one leg as he got his bearings and then curious once more, he fished through his pocket for his phone. “L’shee.. app.. app..” His fingers clumsily danced across the screen of his smartphone and then after many failed attempts he managed to tap the flashlight icon. The ground before him was instantly illuminated and immediately all Otto saw was red. 

Blood spattered the ground and the walls of the alley and a body lay before him, not moving, not breathing, not making a single sound. Otto’s eyes seemed to shake in his skull as he slowly brought his eyes downward, seeing the object that he’d stumbled over was that of a partially severed arm. The body is was just barely connected to had it’s body contorted in a way that couldn’t have been comfortable. Actually, it was down right impossible for a torso to be twisted almost all the way around like that. With the way the jersey covered his body he was sure that the flesh beneath it had even ripped from the strain. 

What really got to Otto was the face.. or rather, the lack thereof. It looked as though it had been smashed in to a bloody pulp. Nothing was recognizable in the slightest. The flesh had pulped over bone, obscuring him from seeing anything like where a nose or mouth should be, but the eyes were the worst. They had been smashed so badly that one was completely gone while the other was only half there, the rest oozing out of the skull. 

Otto shrieked and jerked backwards, the action causing him to lose balance and stumble backwards. He fell hard onto his butt, but thanks to the influence of alcohol, did not feel it at all. He stared at the corpse for a long while as if in disbelief of it’s existence and once it had registered he could no longer fight the mixture of alcohol and chicken wings. He turned to the side, at least having enough decency not to throw up on or around the corpse and vomited the entire contents of his stomach, gagging and wheezing as his tears mixed in with it. 

Terrible! Terrible! TerribleTerribleTerribleTerribleTerrible!!

All Otto had wanted to do was go to the library. Knowledge was power and in some regards he could use a refresher, but also every once in a while he just wanted to curl up with a good book. It helped set his mind at ease and distract him from the stress of his daily life. Shizume had a plethora of libraries for everyone to use and yet he’d put in his phone, requesting MapQuest to lead him to the nearest one in his vicinity. 

However, as Otto absentmindedly rode onward, a feeling of uncertainty started to spring up. The first was, Why is this taking so long? Followed by, is- is that an island? As he passed through the toll gate and on, he got the distinct feeling that MapQuest had led him severely astray. 

At the very least, he guessed he could count his lucky stars that he wasn’t paying for gas because surely this trip would have cost him, but also.. It was sort of nice. Seeing himself surrounded by the water, with the sunlight reflected on the surface gave him a sense of serenity that he had been seeking, hence the reason for his destination. Why, if he could curl up with a good book to this view he was sure all his worries and stress would just melt away. 

“I’m sorry, sir.. You can’t just bring a horse on campus. Animal’s aren’t allowed.”

That was probably the second thing to have gone wrong that day. As he edged closer and closer to the school he was stopped by a security guard. “Ehh? But I came all this way! Is there nowhere he is allowed!?” As panic distorted Otto’s features, the guard appeared to mull over this and decided that it would be fine as long as it did not enter on campus. He had no specific rules for how it should be handled other than that it just couldn’t come any further and that he wanted no responsibility in taking care of it.

“Perfectly fine! He’ll be just fine right here, see?” He patted the horse and then once again fed him, then left a large bowl of water for him. “You’ll be alright on your own, won’t you?” The horse seemed exhale through it’s nose as if in affirmation, and Otto set off down foot onto the campus. It was huge! The more he tread on, the bigger the land grew around him and the less he saw of the water. 

“Let’s see.. You’ve already steered me way off course once today.. But there IS a library here, right?” He narrowed his eyes at his phone as he followed it to a small estate, nestled within the confines of greenery. It looked like one fancy library. Somehow that just made him even more excited for it. A building this big would certainly have a ton of books! Given that the city had buildings so small and nestled together, perhaps MapQuest had actually worked in his favor to steer him towards the biggest library in the city! 

Otto hummed as he entered the building, his excitement winding down as he got lost a few times but eventually found his way to an area of the building that boasted shelves upon shelves of books. He was definitely in the right place now! The shelves were so high that for anything higher up would require a ladder and he had no idea how to feel about that. As he ventured in, his eyes taking in the sight he noticed something that seemed a little out of place. He wouldn’t lie and say that it didn’t initially startle him, since the library was so quiet he figured he was the only one inside.