Well, leaving master Horace’s outward appearance aside, there were a few things I wanted to confirm.
“Uh, master Horace?”
“Master? Ehehehe.”
Perhaps he was pleased to be called ‘master,’ because the reddish brown figurine wriggled happily.
It seemed that he was at least capable of moving his shoulders, neck, waist, and thighs. I hadn’t exactly had such intentions, but he came out somewhat similar to a flexible plastic model.
Still, there was something off-putting about this bashful clay doll.
“Um, how long will this effect last? I do not know, as this is my first time. But, uh, how long will this doll shape that is your new body stay intact, master?”
“Hehehe. So that means that I was a first for you, young lady.”
Master Horace’s reply caused Cain to frantically attempt to cover my ears.
He probably felt that girls were not to listen to such suggestive jokes.
However, it was not hard to pretend at ignorance to such metaphors. I had a certain experience there that was built up in my past life. …Teen boys seemed to really like their dirty jokes. You can hardly avoid them. I was about to tell Cain that he must not worry, but then I realized something.
This master of mine, he would be coming with us, wouldn’t he? That meant there was a possibility that all kinds of words would pour out of his mouth, not only in front of Reggie and Alan, but even in front of the Margrave couple.
Yes, I would have to warn him in advance. I immediately sentenced the dirt doll to be flicked on the forehead.
“Ohh. I do not feel pain, but I do sense a shock.”
“So it does not hurt then… Well, perhaps I will not be so kind the next time? I can ignore such comments, personally. But others may just trample over this new body of yours, so you may want to refrain from speaking too freely?”
“Tsk. I knew you were not normal. And so you do not shy away from that, eh? How very boring.”
The dirt doll looked quite exasperated as he answered in defeat.
“This body should last as long as you do not forget to pour your magic into it. Though, an ordinary doll would meet its end when the time came. After all, normally, the life blown into a doll is only the power of the magician. But I am actually inhabiting this one.”
It would last longer, as master Horace’s soul lived inside.
“Well, I think it should last a good three days without any reinforcing.”
“Would the distance between us effect it at all?”
“As long as the magic does not run dry, it should be fine.”
Well, that certainly reminded me of a battery powered toy.
It would stop moving when the batteries were out. But if the batteries were still good, it would not matter if the owner was off on vacation. Something like that.
“In any case, in order for my soul to continue being in here, I should probably stay by your side.”
“Yes, I did think that might be the case.”
“What, are you taking it!?”
Cain shouted in horror.
He was likely only quiet for as long as he had been, because it took awhile for him to accept the fact that I had created a talking dirt figurine with the strangest appearance.
“So his soul can continue living…it is an odd way of putting it, but he helped me become a magician in return, and so I do mean to help him. Besides, if I left him here, I imagine that rumors would spread of a dirt figurine who shouted and cursed as he turned into sand. My name would probably be spoken during those curses, and the rumors would spread within days. I do not want that.”
Even if I survived this fight, I would be the girl with the strange reputation. It would make living here quite uncomfortable. I would hate that.
“…But, well…you may be right.”
Cain had a somewhat pained expression, but nodded at this.
After a few minutes, the knights who had chased after the man who shot Horace returned. The man had been too quick, and they had lost him.
“But it is fine. We succeeded in capturing my master’s soul, and I will be sure to make him spit out any information that we need.”
“Captured? What an unsettling way to put it, young lady. Well, perhaps I should expect no less from the one who would become my apprentice. Ehehehe!”
I had only meant to relieve them with the information that we had a witness, but the knights now looked at the doll with suspicious terror.
“That…what is…”
“Wait a moment. Did that thing just speak?”
“Unless I am hearing things…could it be?”
They could hardly keep up with my master’s sudden metamorphosis, and so I decided to leave them for now.
I buried the sand that was his body and his clothes in the grove on the side of the road. I no longer had any need for a shovel. All it took was for me to imagine that the dirt was being dug up, and relate this image to the magic inside of the earth.
Cain had to explain to the other knights what was happening. And I felt very grateful to him for that.
When that was finished, I took the things that master wanted me to take with us and put them in his bag.
This mission to deal with the monsters was complete. We needed to return to the castle as soon as possible.
I held master Horace under my arm and sat behind Cain on his horse.
Cain still had a conflicted expression, and the other knights who followed him on their horses also cast bewildered expressions towards the clay doll.
It seemed like it would take them a long time for others to get used to it…
Such things were in my thoughts, as we went back up to the top of the cliff. Now that they were no longer bound by Horace’s magic, the monsters had now scattered in every direction, leaving the scene as quiet as it was before our arrival.
Well, leaving master Horace’s outward appearance aside, there were a few things I wanted to confirm.
“Uh, master Horace?”
“Master? Ehehehe.”
Perhaps he was pleased to be called ‘master,’ because the reddish brown figurine wriggled happily.
It seemed that he was at least capable of moving his shoulders, neck, waist, and thighs. I hadn’t exactly had such intentions, but he came out somewhat similar to a flexible plastic model.
Still, there was something off-putting about this bashful clay doll.
“Um, how long will this effect last? I do not know, as this is my first time. But, uh, how long will this doll shape that is your new body stay intact, master?”
“Hehehe. So that means that I was a first for you, young lady.”
Master Horace’s reply caused Cain to frantically attempt to cover my ears.
He probably felt that girls were not to listen to such suggestive jokes.
However, it was not hard to pretend at ignorance to such metaphors. I had a certain experience there that was built up in my past life. …Teen boys seemed to really like their dirty jokes. You can hardly avoid them. I was about to tell Cain that he must not worry, but then I realized something.
This master of mine, he would be coming with us, wouldn’t he? That meant there was a possibility that all kinds of words would pour out of his mouth, not only in front of Reggie and Alan, but even in front of the Margrave couple.
Yes, I would have to warn him in advance. I immediately sentenced the dirt doll to be flicked on the forehead.
“Ohh. I do not feel pain, but I do sense a shock.”
“So it does not hurt then… Well, perhaps I will not be so kind the next time? I can ignore such comments, personally. But others may just trample over this new body of yours, so you may want to refrain from speaking too freely?”
“Tsk. I knew you were not normal. And so you do not shy away from that, eh? How very boring.”
The dirt doll looked quite exasperated as he answered in defeat.
“This body should last as long as you do not forget to pour your magic into it. Though, an ordinary doll would meet its end when the time came. After all, normally, the life blown into a doll is only the power of the magician. But I am actually inhabiting this one.”
It would last longer, as master Horace’s soul lived inside.
“Well, I think it should last a good three days without any reinforcing.”
“Would the distance between us effect it at all?”
“As long as the magic does not run dry, it should be fine.”
Well, that certainly reminded me of a battery powered toy.
It would stop moving when the batteries were out. But if the batteries were still good, it would not matter if the owner was off on vacation. Something like that.
“In any case, in order for my soul to continue being in here, I should probably stay by your side.”
“Yes, I did think that might be the case.”
“What, are you taking it!?”
Cain shouted in horror.
He was likely only quiet for as long as he had been, because it took awhile for him to accept the fact that I had created a talking dirt figurine with the strangest appearance.
“So his soul can continue living…it is an odd way of putting it, but he helped me become a magician in return, and so I do mean to help him. Besides, if I left him here, I imagine that rumors would spread of a dirt figurine who shouted and cursed as he turned into sand. My name would probably be spoken during those curses, and the rumors would spread within days. I do not want that.”
Even if I survived this fight, I would be the girl with the strange reputation. It would make living here quite uncomfortable. I would hate that.
“…But, well…you may be right.”
Cain had a somewhat pained expression, but nodded at this.
After a few minutes, the knights who had chased after the man who shot Horace returned. The man had been too quick, and they had lost him.
“But it is fine. We succeeded in capturing my master’s soul, and I will be sure to make him spit out any information that we need.”
“Captured? What an unsettling way to put it, young lady. Well, perhaps I should expect no less from the one who would become my apprentice. Ehehehe!”
I had only meant to relieve them with the information that we had a witness, but the knights now looked at the doll with suspicious terror.
“That…what is…”
“Wait a moment. Did that thing just speak?”
“Unless I am hearing things…could it be?”
They could hardly keep up with my master’s sudden metamorphosis, and so I decided to leave them for now.
I buried the sand that was his body and his clothes in the grove on the side of the road. I no longer had any need for a shovel. All it took was for me to imagine that the dirt was being dug up, and relate this image to the magic inside of the earth.
Cain had to explain to the other knights what was happening. And I felt very grateful to him for that.
When that was finished, I took the things that master wanted me to take with us and put them in his bag.
This mission to deal with the monsters was complete. We needed to return to the castle as soon as possible.
I held master Horace under my arm and sat behind Cain on his horse.
Cain still had a conflicted expression, and the other knights who followed him on their horses also cast bewildered expressions towards the clay doll.
It seemed like it would take them a long time for others to get used to it…
Such things were in my thoughts, as we went back up to the top of the cliff. Now that they were no longer bound by Horace’s magic, the monsters had now scattered in every direction, leaving the scene as quiet as it was before our arrival.
