"I'll take you to Meridy. I'll definitely do that on my twentieth birthday. Huh?"
It was only when Theodore said this for the twelfth time that the crying finally stopped.
"Hmmm. It's a promised phrase."
"Yes, I promise. I promised. Liana, my pretty girl."
Shion intervened as if he had been waiting for it.
"Brother, you have to go down to the banquet hall."
"Yes, yes."
Dorian, who was beside me, quickly took a wet towel and wiped my face.
"You haven't eaten properly all day, so you have to eat, Baby."
Theodore recommended.
"Nanny go with me."
So we all went to the dining room together.
At the banquet, Alseid and Caliph were already sitting side by side, eating.
Alseid looked at my swollen face for a moment and said.
"After the funeral of the Duchess, which is to be held in Meridy, a banquet will be held to welcome the Princess. I can't skip it as long as I gave her Halias' surname."
"Yes, father."
Theodore replied, and Alseod gave a small order to the deacon behind him.
"Prepare the Princess's belongings to live up to the name of Halias."
"Yes, Master."
"And the nanny."
Alseid suddenly called, and Dorian, who was about to scoop soup on me, stood up in surprise.
"Yes, Master."
"I was going to send you back to your hometown when Shion grew up, but I'm sorry. I'm going to ask for the youngest."
Dorian smiled brightly.
"What would I do when I went back to my hometown with no children left? If you entrust it to me, I will do my best."
Dorian bowed and sat down again.
Caliph Halias stood up without a sound.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll get up first, Father."
Alseid looked disapproving, but nodded slightly.
Caliph then stood up and disappeared out of the banquet hall without paying attention to me.
Shion whispered to Theodore.
"Big brother, are you still angry?"
Theodore looked at me and gave me a hissing sign.
Maybe the Caliph still hates me.
Of course, I don't like him either.
I hate him the most.
***
"Dorian."
I lay down on a large bed in my fluffy new pajamas and a white bonnet.
The nanny, who was sitting close to me on a stool and patting my chest, smiled kindly.
"Yes, baby."
"Even if it's Ennale again."
"What? Alas, an old story... The story of the red-haired Princess?"
I nodded, and Dorian began to speak cautiously.
"Once upon a time... There lived a red-haired Princess... The weather was very nice where the Princess lived, so she rarely closed the windows."
Listening to Dorian's voice, I close my eyes and draw a castle made of red bricks.
The castle is decorated with curtains like dragonfly wings by the window, and colorful flowers and fruits.
I don't know if it's my imagination or my memory.
"There was always a flame burning in the brazier. A precious magical flame."
As I thought of that sad castle and the hearth, tears rolled down my cheeks again.
Dorian carefully stroked my cheek and continued to talk.
"The flame was an old thing that had been passed down from the Princess's mother and from her mother..."
Mommy...
I closed my eyes and made a promise to my parents, whom I couldn't remember well
I will miss you until today, and I will shed tears.
Dorian's pat on the chest suddenly stopped.
When I opened my eyes, the bright brown eyes looked at me silently.
"And it's also here, in your little heart."
I watched Dorian's eyes moisten and squeezed her rough hand on my chest.
Dorian's warm hand squeezed my little hand.
"This Dorian wants to live a little longer, baby."
Dorian wiped my tears back with her remaining hand.
"Do you want to live for a long time until the baby is grown up and another Meridy baby is born?"
Dorian tried her best to speak brightly, and she hugged me and started crying.
I also cried for a long time in that warm embrace.
***
Everyone in the province of Hallias, including the servants, had been wearing mourning clothes for several days already.
No one in the castle laughed and chatted because they were considerate of me as I held back my tears the whole time, and everyone who made eye contact wished my parents good luck.
However, sadness grabbed my ankles and refused to let go.
I wonder if ten days have passed like that.
It was close to bedtime when I heard a knock.
Dorian, who was still in the room, stood up and opened the door with a puzzled face.
Standing outside the door was the white-haired shaman I had seen last time.
Dorian exclaimed, reflecting.
"Garcia!"
The white-haired shaman smiled faintly.
"Dorian, I'd like to talk to you."
Dorian came over to me, leaving Garcia standing still, and whispered.
"Baby, would you like to talk to Garcia? Garcia knows a lot."
Then, do you know where my parents went?
Maybe they will turn yellow again and tell you something.
I was about to nod, Dorian added.
"If you're scared, will I be with you?"
I smiled and shook my head.
"Pravasi protects you."
The shaman who said that couldn't hurt me.
Dorian whispered.
"I'll be outside the door. If you call me. I'll come anytime."
“Hmph.”
Dorian stroked my hair once and walked out of the room, then Garcia came in.
She was surprisingly holding a doll in one arm.
It was a doll of a girl made of cloth and dressed in red yarn with her hair attached.
"How are you, baby?"
I nodded, and she held out the doll.
"It's a gift. I don't have any talents, but I made it myself."
Garcia said so, but the doll with red buttons and eyes was cute in its own way.
"Thank you."
As I accepted it, Garcia lowered her voice.
"It's a worry doll, baby."
"What's wrong?"
"You can leave your worries to him. He's a good kid who takes care of both sadness and anger."
Suddenly, Bachel overlapped on Garcia's face.
"Give all your difficult memories to this Bachel."
I threw the doll away in surprise and screamed.
"Ahh!"
At the same time, the door opened, and Dorian entered.
"Baby!"
The shaman's puzzled eyes glanced at me for a moment, then she said to the nanny as if to excuse herself.
"I'm sorry, nanny. I guess I surprised her. It's not a big deal, it's a worry doll you know well."
While doing so, she picked up the doll that had fallen on the floor and brushed it off.
Then she looked at Dorian and asked.
"Is he so ugly? I thought my eyes were dim, and I thought he was just fine."
"Oh no."
Dorian made a sorry face instead of me.
"I can't do that, Garcia. I'll ask you again. She never makes a loud noise, but I don't know what happened."
Then she took the doll from Garcia and looked straight in front of me.
"Baby, don't you like this guy?"
But didn't Garcia say it in a strange nuance?
He would take care of my sadness and anger....
I mumbled.
"It's not worry, doll... It's a big bite..."
Dorian smiled, trying to reassure me.
"Alas. You've never heard of worry dolls, have you?"
What's so famous about that?
Didn't you mean to seal your emotions in that doll, just like my rocket in my previous life?
I don't want to live as such an emotionless scarecrow again.
But Dorian said.
"The doll is also owned by Master Shion. If you look for it, you'll find Theodor or Caliphe somewhere."
What?
Garcia laughed a little out loud at my bewildered face.
"Ah, you seem to remember that this body is magical..."
Isn't that obvious?
I wish I could have predicted something in front of me, and sealed the language with a long sentence without ink!
Garcia added with a relaxed face.
"But there is no such thing as a spell on a worry doll, baby. No, it was made by a shaman, so maybe it was a little empowering. But it's definitely not that powerful."
Dorian interjected.
"Do you remember this Dorian's story about monsters living beyond the north wall of Harlias, Baby?"
She nodded and continued.
"It's not made up. It's real. That's why many children in Halias are afraid of the night. In fact, the lord has defended the north wall, so the monsters can't come down."
Garcia was told again.
"That's why many grandmothers in Halias make worry dolls for their grandchildren. However, the former Grand Duchess has long since passed away, so I have been in charge of that role for a long time."
So isn't it weird?
Is there any kind of witchcraft or brainwashing?
I looked at the doll with a cautious gaze.
"The garden is also a small child. Who's going to do it, Mom and Dad? (Sadness is also precious; someone has to remember mom and dad.)
Dorian swallowed, and a slight smile appeared on Garcia's face.
"That's right, baby. Sadness and memories of your parents are precious. I was just worried that your grief would be too great. I thought maybe the doll could share your sadness. If this Garcia is wrong, I'll take the doll back."
I stared at the button-eyed doll and confessed honestly.
"...It's hot. (...I'm afraid of witchcraft.)"
The old woman, who must have been deaf, understood me right away and laughed.
"Who will be the Sorcerer of Meridy? Ho-ho, we'll see how long you will say that."
She reached out as if she was going to hand over the doll from Dorian.
I mustered up the courage to call her back.
“Gardilla.”
Garcia replied, putting the doll back in my arms.
"Yes, baby."
“Grung... Hatuara?... you remember Diu.”
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