Chapter 158: Chapter 162 “Niru
Duncan quietly observed “Niru,” lying in the box.
It was just a common ball-jointed doll, perfectly reflecting the “court girl” style popular in the Plunder City-State a century ago, with beautiful golden curls and a lace-filled dress. Its arms had the old-fashioned spherical joint structure that was more conspicuous than that of Alice. Its face was made of porcelain, showing the old-fashioned doll’s characteristic seam structure around the mouth and eyes.
Frankly speaking, the doll was exquisitely made and preserved very well, making it hard to believe it had been lying in a box for a century. Although it couldn’t compare to dolls like Alice, which almost resembled real people, this little one called “Niru” could also be described as beautiful.
A hundred years ago, Lucrescia had bought another doll called “Luny” from this shop, which was a pair to this little one, and now, the one left behind, “Niru,” lay quietly in its box in front of Duncan.
Duncan himself had casually walked into the shop today, initially intent on just buying a wig for Alice and to inquire about maintaining dolls.
Fate is really a strange thing.
“It doesn’t look like it has been preserved for a century,” Duncan mused, “It’s only slightly aged.”
“Elves make things that are famous for their durability—after all, we usually use them for a very long time. I wouldn’t boast about my craftsmanship as masterful, but it should exceed many of my peers. I wouldn’t want my creations to fail to last even a couple of centuries.”
“…I understand, but this would be considered an antique for humans,” Duncan raised his eyebrows. He quickly came out of his reverie, realizing that the well-preserved doll in front of him was not just a simple item, “I don’t think I can afford this.”
He hadn’t forgotten he had made more than a year’s living expenses for an ordinary person from Mr. Morris with just a century-old dagger. This finely crafted and well-preserved doll… couldn’t possibly be cheap.
“Antique? I hadn’t really thought of that,” the shop owner smiled with a pleased expression on his chubby face, “It’s not expensive. In fact, if you buy the wig and the matching silver hair accessory, I can sell you the doll at cost—the original cost from back then, one hundred forty-two solas.”
This time, Duncan was surprised, “Why?”
“It might just be fate,” the shop owner slowly said, “Niru has been lying here quietly for many years, always without a rightful owner to take her away. This ‘sister’ left alone is really lonely, and today there have been no customers here all day, except for you, a gentleman who loves dolls and discussed so much with me. Even bringing up Miss Lucrescia who took ‘Luny’ away a hundred years ago, I feel it might be guided by fate…”
“Fate…” Duncan’s mouth twitched. He usually loved to use this word to deceive others, but he didn’t expect to be duped himself, and then he realized, turning his gaze towards the elderly elf lady, “So the real situation is that it can’t be sold, right?”
Shop owner: “…It’s fate.”
“Because it has some contact, however slight, with the cursed ‘Ebunomal’ family, so it can’t be sold at all, right?”
“…It truly is fate.”
“Does this doll have any other curses? Like, if thrown away, it comes back on its own? Or it might go into the kitchen to find a knife while someone is asleep…”
The old woman finally widened her eyes, her voice rising an octave: “I specifically had priests exorcise it! I still have the exorcism certificate…”
Duncan chuckled, “See, it can’t be sold because people suspect it carries a curse, right?”
Old woman: “…”
“I own an antique store in the Lower City District,” Duncan sighed, “A store in the Lower City District, you know.”
“…I really don’t love dealing with businessmen, especially ones like you,” the old woman shook her head and sighed, “Alright, that’s indeed the reason. Niru hasn’t been sold for a long time, and the longer it stayed, the older it got, so we just stored it in the warehouse—if you really want it, take it at a discount price of seventy-five solas, at least let me recover the cost of the exorcism from back then…”
“Deal.” Duncan agreed before she could finish.
Regardless, he had developed a significant interest in this doll. Although there was no evidence of any connection between the little one and Lucrescia, just by the factor of “fate,” he decided to buy this doll.
This was a subconscious reaction after he suddenly learned that a pair of “children” had appeared “by himself”: you never know when the siblings would appear, and who knows what trouble might happen then. Now seeing something related to Lucrescia—he’d rather secure it and examine it later.
In a world filled with Transcendent powers and various strange things, items with such “connections” often play a role in mysticism.
“Then ‘Niru’ is yours,” the elderly shop owner was a bit stunned by Duncan’s swift response, perhaps regretting not asking for a higher price, but she soon shook her head, pushed the box containing the doll forward. Before Duncan reached out, she couldn’t help but speak, “You need to take good care of this child… Although I can see that you’re a gentleman who truly loves dolls, I still want to remind you not to treat Niru as a cheap commodity.”
“Of course,” Duncan took the wooden box, closed the lid, and then looked at the wig and hair accessory he had chosen, “How much for these two together?”
“425 Sora, non-negotiable,”
Duncan instantly grimaced, as if he were experiencing a toothache.
In the Lower City District, this was the living expenses of two months for an entire family! But in the Upper City District… it was only enough to buy two accessories for the rich’s luxury items.
He was even slightly shaken at that moment, thinking about giving up, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
This was the gift he had promised to Alice (although Alice might feel a bit complicated when receiving the gift). On the other hand, considering today’s find in this doll shop, the price seemed somewhat acceptable.
After slightly comforting himself like that, Duncan took a deep breath, ready to obediently pay.
Just as he was about to pay, he suddenly remembered something and couldn’t help but ask, “Right, why did Lucrecia only take Luny, but not take ‘Niru’ as her sister?”
“Do you really want to know?” The shop owner asked, her expression turning mysteriously deep, “That matter… is another secret related to the Ebunomal Family.”
Duncan subconsciously leaned in closer, “Now I’m even more curious.”
“Then settle the bill first.”
Duncan, a bit startled, paid with a chuckle, “Can you tell me now?”
“Oh, it’s nothing much,” the elderly shop owner said nonchalantly as she took the money, “Those two kids didn’t have enough money back then—Lucrecia was tearful when she left, even said that she would definitely take Niru too once she had enough money, but it looks like she’s forgotten…”
Duncan: “…”
Was it that this old lady had an eccentric style, or did all elves in this world have some kind of serious issue?
…
On the Homeloss, which was slightly swaying with the rise and fall of the sea waves, Alice returned to the upper deck after transporting the last batch of items to the ship’s cabin, where she immediately saw the captain, who was quietly standing near the ship’s rail, seemingly lost in thought.
“Captain~~” the doll lady cheerfully approached, “I’ve delivered all the items to the cabin! The ingredients and kitchen utensils to the kitchen, other items to the captain’s quarters!”
“Yes,” Duncan came back to his senses, he let out a sigh of relief, his gaze finally focusing on Alice, “Thank you for your hard work.”
“Captain… are you okay now?” Alice looked at Duncan up and down, hesitantly asking, “Your face suddenly turned strange earlier, are you really all right?”
Duncan shook his head, “Don’t worry, it’s a minor issue.”
His mind was still a bit scattered, filled with the names Terian and Lucrecia that had suddenly sprung up, along with the potential trouble behind them. Looking at Alice, who undoubtedly had some connection to the Frost Queen and was a cursed doll, his thoughts were even more troubled, but eventually, he held back many things.
Regardless of any connections with the Frost Queen, Alice was just a doll who knew nothing after all; discussing certain things with her… might as well go find Sherry, who was illiterate.
At least Sherry had a somewhat literate dog by her side.
He turned his head, looking at the pigeon staying on the deck, whose figure flickered in the air for a moment before disappearing in a burst of flames.
Alice curiously watched the spot where the flames vanished, “Did Ai Yi go ‘delivering goods’ again?”
“Yes, not much this time,” Duncan nodded slightly, then smiled at Alice, “It’s your gift.”
Alice’s eyes brightened, “A gift? Really for me?! Captain, you really…”
Before the doll lady could finish, a green flame vortex suddenly appeared above the nearby deck—Ai Yi blinked, completing the teleportation from Plunder City-State to Homeloss in the ascend of flames, and a batch of new items appeared before Alice’s eyes.
The doll was suddenly at a loss for words.
The first thing that caught her eye was a wig…