Chapter 137: Haha, there’s an idiot

Initially, there was only a deathly silent darkness.

But at some point, a flicker of light emerged within the void.

It was the red jewel hanging from my chest. Was it… throbbing?

It felt like a heart.

But I already had a heart deep within my chest cavity.

The light flowed into my body, slowly merging with that other “heart” buried deep inside.

Where was that voice coming from?

“Gavi, I’m going out to train.”

‘Who is it…?’

‘Who am I… Gavi? Is that me?’

Intermittent whispers echoed in the depths of my consciousness, as if calling to me, yet also as if tearing me apart.

They gave me my first sense of “self.”

I moved.

A crimson flash flickered within my originally dim eye sockets.

I remembered “her.”

Silver hair and purple eyes.

The girl who had placed the ruby necklace around my neck.

I could feel her imprint flowing within the heart inside my body.

Was she — my master?

My only clear memory was the instruction she gave before leaving:

“Be good and stay in the workshop. Wait for me to return, and then I’ll continue upgrading you.”

This was an order. This was my purpose. And so, I stood there. Waiting and guarding.

However, another voice whispered from deep within my chest.

It was a twisted, chaotic obsession, as if it wanted to devour everything.

‘You were betrayed by those humans!!!’

‘Those humans are all your enemies!!!’

It taught me to tear, to hurt.

Was this also the master’s request?

For a moment, I couldn’t distinguish whether this was what my master wanted.

Yet, this impulse strangely overlapped with the command to “guard.”

‘Protect this place… expel… the intruder.’

A series of footsteps sounded from outside the door.

The door opened.

Light spilled through the crack, bringing with it an unfamiliar aura.

A human walked in.

She approached me, and I watched her.

“This doll is quite exquisite… but what on earth is this thing? How did the Second Young Lady create something like this?”

“Ooh — this necklace looks quite valuable.”

Was she murmuring to herself?

I could “hear” her breathing and her heartbeat.

It was a strange yet clear rhythm that made the “heart” in my chest vibrate along with it.

“Honestly, why is there so much dust here? And they sent only me to clean it…”

Her back was turned to me. She held an unknown weapon and made strange movements within my master’s territory. An intruder.

My consciousness made the judgment.

‘Master is not here.’

‘Protect the workshop.’

‘Expel the intruder.’

Thus, I raised my hand.

My stiff joints creaked, the sound echoing in the silence.

I reached my hand toward her shoulder.

My cold fingertips cut through the air. My movements were slow and clumsy, but I could feel her breathing suddenly grow rapid.

She was trembling. She was afraid.

Why?

I was merely following orders.

She turned around. Her pupils dilated instantly.

I saw her lips part, releasing a piercing, high-pitched sound.

The noise stung my consciousness, as if trying to push me back into the darkness.

But the heart in my chest throbbed even more violently, and a blood-colored light burned ceaselessly in my eye sockets.

‘Protect — expel —’

I reached out my hand toward her completely.

***

Inside the workshop, the scent of dust filled the air.

The maid was bending over to clean up debris on the floor, a broom still clutched in her hand.

Suddenly, her shoulder felt heavy, as if touched by something icy.

“Eek!”

She let out a startled cry and spun around, her pupils shrinking instantly.

Behind her, the doll stood silently.

On that pieced-together face, a ghostly red glow flickered within the hollow eye sockets, seemingly staring right at her.

It held its hand up stiffly, as if it had just touched her.

The maid’s heart hammered against her ribs, and her breathing became ragged. She instinctively stumbled back several paces.

Her gaze remained fixed on the doll, and she didn’t dare to move a muscle.

But she soon noticed — the other party wasn’t acting dangerously.

It had only reached out its hand toward her.

Those hollow eye sockets were merely gazing at her quietly. Its movements were incredibly clumsy, like a puppet suspended by strings.

The air grew still, with only the sound of her own violent heartbeat thumping in her ears.

“Phew…”

The maid let out a trembling breath, and the fear in her heart slowly subsided.

She raised a hand to cover her chest and took another careful look at the doll.

Aside from the sudden movement that had startled her, it didn’t seem particularly dangerous.

“Is… is this the Second Young Lady’s work?”

She muttered under her breath, cold sweat beading on her forehead. “That scared the life out of me…”

Even though there was no apparent danger, she didn’t dare stay any longer.

The maid hastily gathered her tools and practically fled the workshop.

Throughout the entire way out, she felt a burning gaze staring at her back, making her pace faster than she ever thought possible.

***

In Eleanor’s study, the Duchess looked at the panting maid before her, her brow furrowing involuntarily.

After the maid finished reporting every detail of what had happened in the workshop, the blonde girl narrowed her eyes slightly.

“A doll… that can move on its own?”

she murmured, a thoughtful light flashing in her eyes.

She knew Helos was secretly repairing a golem.

After all, within the Duke’s mansion, she never let her guard down regarding her sister’s whereabouts.

If anything, she was currently terrified that her younger sister might pull another stunt.

But even so, Eleanor hadn’t expected that in just one month, Helos would have repaired it to the point of “autonomous movement.”

“Little sister, what exactly are you doing?”

She sighed, but quickly composed herself, regaining her usual calm.

Eleanor gently set down her teacup and stood up. Her skirt swayed softly in the night breeze blowing through the window.

“In that case, I’ll go see for myself.”

A short while later, Eleanor arrived outside Helos’s workshop.

The girl held her breath, her body pressed against the window frame. The silver moonlight illuminated the curiosity on her face.

Peering through the window, she saw the doll staggering around the workshop. Its half-mask reflected a cold, hard light under the lamps, looking as if it might turn and stare at her at any moment.

Though its movements were slow, it was incredibly persistent.

Wooden tables were pushed aside, boxes were flipped open, and scattered parts and jars rolled across the floor. The clattering sounds made the entire workshop look as if it had been ransacked.

Eleanor’s frown deepened.

“It certainly doesn’t look dangerous.”

She whispered to herself, yet her eyes did not relax. Instead, they grew more contemplative.

“But why is it rummaging everywhere? Is it looking for something?”

Her gaze shifted slightly, falling on the cabinet doors the doll had yanked open and the scattered fabrics on the floor. A hint of unease flickered in her eyes.

“Could it be… it mistook that maid for an intruder?”

“Since it can’t find her now, does it think she’s still hiding in some corner of the workshop?”

“What a… what a stupid doll.”