The Doll Princess Rose

第4話 Morning Run

"Good morning, Miss Rose. Please wake up, it's morning!"

Rose heard Moi's voice coming to wake her up. But no matter how many times Moi woke her up, she just turned around.

"Hmm, I'm still sleepy. Just a little bit more..."

"No, you can't. You are going to run in the morning starting today... Miss Rose is a good girl, so please wake up."

Moi removed Rose's blanket, forced her to wake up, and removed her nightgown.

"I-I understand. I'll get up. I'll change myself."

Rose hurriedly woke up and unbuttoned her nightgown, complaining as she did so.

"Okay, I'll bring you some warm water. I've prepared a change of clothes on the desk near the clothes box."

"Yes, thank you."

Seeing Rose looking unmotivated, Moi chuckled and went to the room next to her to bring a wash basin and towel.

Changing clothes is very simple, just pants and a shirt. Since these clothes are used for exercise, they are probably made easy to move in, made of high-quality cloth, and very comfortable to wear. But it's still small. To be more specific, it's doll-sized. By the way, there were no cute frills, but a small rose embroidered on the chest.

"Yes, please wipe your face with this towel."

Rose put the towel Moi had given over her face and wiped it. The warm, wet towel felt so good. It smelled nice, and she wondered if Moi had put some flower essence into the hot water. Moi helped Rose prepare her shoes and socks for her feet.

"Starting today, you'll be running with your sister."

"Sister?"

Rose asked, tilting her head.

"Yes, her name is Miss Yuri. Oh, you haven't met her yet?"

Moi said while arranging her hair.

"I haven't met her yet. I heard from Father that I'm the third daughter, but the only two brothers I've met are Yanagi-big brother and Keyaki-big brother."

"I see. It would be nice to meet Miss Yuri and Miss Sumire."

Moi loosens Rose's hair and easily braids it.

"Sumire-big sister will also be going to run today?"

"Miss Sumire is still young, so she can't run yet. She's barely able to stand, but still unsteady when she walks."

“Is she really that small?”

"Yes. She was born last year and was a few days older than you."

"Oh..."

Rose was reincarnated with fragments of her memories from her previous life, but since she was born, or rather, since she woke up, her words and movements have been far more developed than children her age. The fact is that it does. However, her growth process will probably be the slowest from now on because she's so small. Her body was originally a decorative doll in the garden, so she thought it couldn't be helped. What's more, there's a rose flower growing on her head...

"Here is the hot tea for you."

"Thank you."

The tea Moi offered her was warm and had a faint sweetness. Rose doesn't know what kind of flower tea this is, but it's very delicious.

"Now, let's go to the meeting place."

When Moi opened the door to her room and left, Rose followed Moi outside. When Rose and Moi left the room, the door to the next bedroom opened. A girl about seven years old came out with her maid. She is very slender and has a pretty face. Her hair is a sparkling green or blueish color. It was a color she had never seen before. Her eye color is green, the same color as Frey's. Of course, just like Yanagi, Keyaki, and Rose, she also has brightly glowing orbs around her head and shoulders.

"Good morning, Miss Yuri."

Moi said hello first. Rose also bowed her head in greeting.

.

"Good morning."

The girl didn't say anything, just staring at Rose. Yuri's maid smiled and said hello.

"Good morning, Miss Rose. This is your older sister, Miss Yuri."

The maid spoke softly to Yuri, asking her to say hello, she said in a small voice.

"Good morning... Thank you..."

Yuri greeted Rose in a low voice that she couldn't hear, and suddenly ran away. Seeing Yuri suddenly start running, her maid panics and chases after her.

"What, what happened?"

Rose blinked, and couldn't understand what happened.

"Miss Yuri is a shy person. However, she is very kind and sensitive. Please get along well with her."

Moi smiles and leads Rose down her hallway and into the courtyard, walking towards the side garden. Since the sun hasn't come out yet, the dimly lit courtyard is illuminated by mysterious lights in places.

When she went to the sideyard, about a dozen children were there. There are children of various races, such as ears like rabbits, wildcats, or lizard-like children. Yuri is among them.

"Good morning!"

Rose gave a cheerful greeting, and many of them returned her greetings.

"Hello Guys! How are you all doing? You are going to run as hard as you can!"

A young man came forward. Since his ears were triangular-shaped, Rose thought he belonged to the wildcat race. Rose doesn't know if he's a teacher or not.

"Miss Rose, this is your first time running today, so please don't push yourself too hard! It's okay to go slow, but for now, it's important to finish running around the outer wall of the mansion. Once you get used to it, you can join in the fight for first place. Okay?!”

"Yes, Sir."

Rose saw that the man was very energetic, and she nodded. However, to run with such short legs is difficult. It's a bit impossible to fight with a child in the form of a beast.

"Okay!"

Everyone lines up and waits for the next command.

"Run!"

The children all started running at the teacher's signal. Rose is also running as hard as she can with her small legs. However, everyone was fast! In an instant, there was no one left in front of her.

Well, it looks like I was the last one, she said with a wry smile that this was exactly what she was thinking about.

I can't make it, Rose thought as she ran, feeling resigned. She used to feel like she was good at physical education, but since her memory is unreliable, she doesn't know if that's the case.

However, Rose still doesn't want to be the last one, so she tries her best to run again.

I won't lose! However, this leg is slow, Rose thought, frustrated by how powerless she was.

But now, it's all about putting that aside and running to the end. Rose noticed that if she practiced daily, she would regain her senses again.

But it's kind of painful. It was hard to breathe, Rose tried desperately to steady her breathing.

She ran while catching her breath. Then it felt a little easier. Even so, this mansion is too big. She doesn't know how far she should run.

"Okay, turn left!"

She heard a voice somewhere. When she looked ahead, a teacher motioned to turn.

Rose turned left and saw a large field. Moreover, from what she saw, there were two grounds.

There was a wall of a mansion on the left, and several buildings could be seen on the right side of the field.

"Rose! Good luck!"

She heard a familiar voice. It's Yanagi's voice. But she can't see him. It must be somewhere near here, Rose thought.

Painful. 

Is this still far away? No one else was around except her. She seemed to be running alone, thought Rose. She is running alone now. 

No one runs in front of her anymore.

"Good luck! Turn left a little later!"

She heard the other teachers' voices. Just a little while, Rose told herself.

After running two grounds, she turned left and saw the front of the mansion. When she got home last night, the sun had already set and it was dark so she couldn't see the gate. However, it looks a little gloomy now. What a fine gate, she thought. A guard was guarding the gate, and Rose thought he looked strong.

Rose wondered how far she had to run. She is close to reaching her limit. It's hard to breathe and her eyes are rolling.

"We're almost there! Go through this gate and enter."

The other teacher signaled from the other side and gestured to the door. That was the door when she left the side garden yesterday. 

If she passes there, she'll reach the goal!

Just a little bit left! Good luck, me! , Rose thought desperately, squeezing the last of her strength and running.

"Goal!"

Somehow, Rose reached the goal. She gasped for breath and touched her knee to catch her breath. The other children are already resting on the lawn, waiting for her.

"Rose! You did a great job!"

A boy came to meet her and took her hand. He looks like a wildcat race. His tail is long and bushy. His fur color is brown tabby.

"Thank you for waiting."

"Of course. Wouldn't it be lonely if you ran to the end and no one was there?"

"Sorry, I'm slow..."

"Everyone starts like that. I used to fall and get injured a lot. But if you run daily for a year, you'll run faster."

"I see."

Rose nodded after hearing his words.

"It's your first time running like this, so you can't help it."

A girl nearby said. She has a lizard-like face with cute markings, and her eyes sparkle.

"I'm Lina. My house is near here, but let's play together sometime!"

"Yes, I'm Rose. Nice to meet you."

Rose nodded and took her hand, shaking it.

"I'm Elio. My house is located behind this mansion. Nice to meet you!"

That brown tabby cub introduced himself. Most of them are children who live in the neighborhood.

"Okay, now everyone is here. Let's do our best again tomorrow! Then, let's break up!"

"Thank you, Sir!"

The children cheerfully said goodbye and all left through two doors in the side garden.

"See you tomorrow!"

Lina shook her hand and left her. It looks like Elio has already gone somewhere. There are no Yuri, either.

As she walked alone, Moi approached and handed her a clean towel.

"Now, let's go take a bath in the morning. It's almost breakfast, so you must change into clean clothes."

"Yes."

Moi didn't say anything to Rose, who was lost in the morning run. But she smiles. That made Rose feel sorry for herself. She can't do anything herself. She can't do anything to her satisfaction. Just like taking a bath, running was too bad. Even though it's her first time, something in her heart won't allow this to happen. She feels bad about her powerlessness.

"Hey, Moi."

"Yes?"

"Was I pathetic?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Because I was slow and couldn't run very well."

"That's not true. It was your first time, right? That distance is quite long."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it is."

She couldn't find the words for a while. Rose kept her head down and she was quiet for a moment.

"Moi, what should I do?"

"What?"

Moi tilts her head.

"I feel like I'm not good enough right now. I feel bad for not being able to do everything."

"Oh, I don't think so. I hope that Miss Rose stays healthy. I'll care for you, so you don't have to worry about anything."

"Hmm. I appreciate that, but..."

"But?"

"Everyone's kindness is weighing me down somewhere in my heart. I feel like I have to do my best to be able to respond in some way to everyone's kindness."

Rose said with her head down. That was true, and she was extremely disappointed.

"Oh, that's what you're thinking, Miss Rose..."

"Yes. Sorry. Am I still weird?"

"No. Miss Rose is a very kind person. And it seems you are also very strict with yourself."

Moi lowered herself to Rose's eye level.

"Then, after breakfast, how about asking Lord Dalgodas to find a teacher to teach you studies and training?"

"To Father?"

"Yes. If you ask a specialized teacher to teach you anything, such as sewing, art, dance, or martial arts, you can learn them well."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. Now, let's hurry up and get ready in the morning. The sun is about to rise."

"Yeah."

The two quickly returned to the room and prepared for breakfast.

Breakfast and dinner.

This is the custom of the Dalgodas family. It is a custom that they eat together every day when the sun rises and sets. Almost anyone working at the mansion, including Dalgodas, eats together.

Frey said she was going to eat in her room. Yesterday, Rose stubbornly refused to sit at that high table and what looked like a child's chair. It reached Frey's ears, and she said "Do whatever you want.'' So, Rose decided to eat next to Dalgodas.

When little Rose sits near her father, who has a large body, Rose looks even smaller. Naturally, the eyes of the executives and employees focused on Rose.

Those gazes made her uncomfortable. However, since she is the result of her efforts, she understands that she cannot be allowed to be any more selfish. 

Next time, she thought, they should eat further away.

Food was brought out one after another from the kitchen. Everything looks very delicious. It's a heavy menu starting in the morning. There is a large piece of roasted meat. Its appearance resembles that of a large animal. It smelled very fragrant. And fish and herb dish, something she had never seen before. Everything looks very delicious. Vegetables and fruits came in colorful, and dishes like boiled corn and rice were brought on large plates. All the dishes, such as soup and egg dishes, were pleasing to her eyes. Everything looks beautiful and delicious. Many kinds of fruit juices, were brought to the table. Water bowls were put nearby and were used to wash their hands. There is a sliced lemon-like fruit in the bowl. Washing the hands with lemon will remove the oil and odor from the hands.

"Okay, let's have it!"

When Dalgodas said a word, they shouted in unison, "We'll eat them gratefully!"

Everyone has been eating heartily since early morning. The head chef, Seti, and his subordinates are having meals at the table there. They are laughing and talking.

Rose also took a nearby dish and put it in her mouth. It's yellow rice with red vegetables.

Spicy!

But it wasn't as hard as it looked. There's a little bit of meat between the vegetables. She doesn't know what meat it is, but the spices eliminate the animal smell. And when she saw that creamy egg dish, she couldn't help but smile. Because she loves it.

"Rose, eat more. This roasted big beef from Elgo Plains is delicious!"

While saying that, Dalgodas cut the meat with great enthusiasm and placed it on her plate. 

Wow, so big! , she was surprised.

“Hahaha, Lord Dalgodas, isn’t that meat too big for Miss Rose?”

The person sitting next to her, who appeared to be a military officer, said.

"Is that so? Rose, I heard from someone at the dining yesterday that you're a big eater."

"Eh! No... that much..."

"I heard you ate five dishes by yourself. Hey, Seti! Is that so?"

Dalgodas called Seti to check.

"Oh, it was true. She ate all of Mister Yanagi's portion by herself."

She heard a loud voice from the other table. All their eyes turned to her. The dining room was filled with laughter.

"Huh? So it's okay. Well, eat. Eat a lot, play a lot, study a lot, and train."

"Yes, Father."

"Listen, Rose. From now on, you will do different things and do your best."

Dalgodas is laughing and eating his share of meat.

"That's what I mean, father."

"What? Is the meat big?"

"Ah, no. It's not meat..."

"Say what you want to say."

Dalgodas puts down the meat and looks at Rose.

"Hmm, yes. I am so weak, I can't do anything or understand anything. Shortly, I didn't have any abilities or knowledge. I decided to study and train because I didn't want to be like this. I want you to give me some teachers to help me."

When Rose asked timidly, a smile appeared on Dalgodas's face.

"Huh, what do you want to study? Sewing? Embroidery? If it's about the manners of a girl, you can talk to your mother or the head maid."

"Hmm. First, I want to study this country's alphabet. Also, I want to do some basic training to gain as much stamina as possible."

"Do you also want to train in martial arts?"

"I don't know yet if it's a martial art. But I think it would be good for me to run and not get tired."

Rose said shyly. It was because she was crazy.

"I see. Was today's result really that disappointing?"

"Yes, it was."

It seems that Dalgodas has received the report as expected.

"I see. Let's think about it. Now, make sure you have breakfast. Eat."

"Yes, thank you."

Rose nodded and started eating.

"Hahaha, now, the guard over there, you eat well too. You're the smallest. Building your body is part of your job."

"Yes, Sir!"

One of the guards who was pointed out nodded and saluted. There are grains of rice on his face. Then he sits down again and continues eating.

As she ate, she thought, "Every day is such a lively mealtime.'' The boss and subordinates eat in the same space and eat the same thing. Have fun, deliciously, and thoroughly exchange information.

But the maids are not here. According to the men around Rose, the maids, the guards, and the person in charge of the kitchen will eat after them. Of course, it wasn't leftover food, but the same menu with a new set of dishes.

It is an eco-friendly system in which leftovers are turned into fertilizer and handed to the production department. But looking at this situation, she thinks there's not much food left because everything is delicious.

"Yanagi-big brother is missing. Why doesn't he have breakfast with us together? Is he sick because of yesterday?"

When Rose looked around, the person sitting across from her looked surprised.

"Oh? Don't you know? Mr. Yanagi doesn't live here."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"Yes. Mr. Yanagi is living in a level 3 dormitory. He will have breakfast at the dining hall dormitory over there."

"I see. But, he came here yesterday to see me..."

As Rose thought, she heard what the person said.

"That's true. Yanagi came to see you regularly to see when you would wake up. Coincidentally, you woke up the day before yesterday, and he was happy."

Dalgodas nodded as he cut the meat and ate it.

"Well, I know you will have a hard time from now on because of the gravity on your face, but please forgive him. He didn't mean it maliciously."

He ate while saying that.

"Yes, Yanagi-big's brother apologized yesterday. But it's not a big deal to me."

"I see. I was relieved to hear that. Good. That's right, Rose, you should see Yanagi today. He's probably depressed because he's been banned from going out for a while. I think he shouldn't be so reckless. Despite what I said, he defeated the thunderbird by himself.''

"But Yanagi-big brother protected me, right? Thanks to him, I can safely have breakfast with Father like this."

"That's true. He did the obvious thing. Since Yanagi has decided to become a warrior, it's natural for him to protect you who are weak. However, high-level enemies are dangerous. He recklessly attacked the enemy. If he attacks it, what will happen next, and who will protect you? If he cannot defeat it, imagine what will happen then. I will not tolerate actions that endanger lives due to immaturity. He will reflect on this thoroughly. He has to. Do you understand, Rose?"

"Yes, Father."

There is love behind the harshness. He was right, Rose nodded. If Rose did the same thing, she was sure he would be angry. That's if she is still alive. While thinking this, she ate up the large piece of meat on her plate.

After eating, Rose went with Moi to the dormitory where Yanagi lived. Go through the gate from the side garden of the mansion and go east for a while.

She heard Yanagi's voice around that area, Rose thought. There were some tall buildings on the east side of the ground.

"What you see over there is Mr. Yanagi's dormitory."

Moi pointed to a building with her hand.

“The buildings here are all similar in construction, but are they all dormitories?”

As Rose checked her surroundings, she noticed the unique features of each building. The different colors make it easier to understand.

“Yes, the building farthest away is a level 1 dormitory, in order, the next building is a level 2 dormitory, and this is a level 3 dormitory. The buildings further away are dormitories for levels 4 to 8."

Rose nodded and looked around. Four buildings from 1 to 3 were built near the mansion, surrounding two other grounds a little further away. 

“Are there no dormitories higher than level 8?”

Rose asked, and Moi nodded.

“No, there is no. Generally speaking, people with a high level had a dormitory at work or own homes because they held a position. People who work far away have a room to rent at level 8's dormitory when they return home. It is also common to rent an empty room.

"Really? Isn't there a hotel?"

"Hotel? What is that?"

"Hmm, it's a business that rents out rooms daily. They charge a fee, and in return, they provide you with a place to sleep."

"Oh, that's an inn. If you go to a big town, you'll find one, but not here. Travelers rarely come here, so I don't think it would be a good business. If you need a place to sleep, there's an empty one. Depending on the number of people, the technical department will do something for you, such as using a room or setting up a tent in a vacant lot.''

I see, Rose nodded. This means that there is not that much population. The fact that travelers are rare may mean that the country is closed, or that transportation facilities are not very developed.

"We've arrived."

They arrived at the entrance to the Level 3 dormitory. There, Rose asked permission from the dormitory director and was allowed to visit. It seems that Yanagi lives on the 5th floor of this building. Since Rose and Yanagi are relatives, she and Moi are allowed inside. If the person is not a relative, the person will undergo a rigorous check and be asked detailed questions about the purpose of the visit. That's the dormitory rule.

As expected, the stairs to the 5th floor were difficult. Rose was exhausted when she finally arrived in front of Yanagi's room. The buildings in this world are quite large, as Rose thought while looking around.

Moi knocked on the door and spoke out. After a while, I heard a voice replying from inside. When the door opened, Yanagi appeared. Moi bowed her head in greeting.

"Good morning."

"Moi? Ah! It's Rose!"

"Good morning, Brother Yanagi."

"Good morning Rose, please come in. Moi, please come in too."

"Yes. Excuse me."

Rose and the others entered Yanagi's room. It's a simple one-room room with a small kitchen, one table, and one chair. It has a bookshelf on the wall, and books are lined up inside it. There was a thick carpet on the floor, with pillows and cushions. However, there is no bed. A blanket was neatly folded nearby.

A small room near the kitchen that looks like a water area. The water area is equipped with a toilet and a bathtub. Simply put, it's a bathroom. There is also a balcony at the back of the room, from which you can see the ground.

“Moi, have a seat.”

Yanagi handed a cushion to Moi and then approached where Rose was. He opened the door to the balcony and went out onto the balcony. A nice wind is blowing.

"I saw Rose running this morning. Good job."

"Hmm..."

Rose nodded.

"I cheered for you, but did you hear me? From this distance..."

"Yes, I heard you, but..."

"What happened? Did something happen?"

“It was crazy.”

"Oh, I saw it. I thought so, but isn't it a good thing? It was your first time, though."

"Yeah, but I was so late and kept everyone waiting. I feel like I did something wrong."

Rose feels the wind while saying this.

"Oh, I know how it feels."

"Have you had a similar experience?"

"Yes. I've never won against a wildcat race kid. They're good at running. I've put them up against each other many times, but I've always been defeated."

"Oh, I see."

"So I think you should just focus on running hard and not giving up."

Yanagi comforted her with a smile.

"I'm weak and slow. I feel angry at myself for not being able to do anything."

"It's not that Rose is slow, it's because you have small feet. For every one step that other people take, you have to take 2-3 steps or more. It's not just a matter of speed, it's also a matter of repetition and explosive power. If you want to run like other kids, you should increase the explosive power, and rotational speed of legs."

"Hmm..."

"Have you ever seen a small animal desperately running away? For example, a mountain rabbit. When that animal desperately runs away, its front and hind legs move extremely quickly, right? "

Rose nodded, saying she had never seen a mountain rabbit, but she could imagine it.

"Besides, Rose isn't powerless."

"I don't get it."

"You don't have Father's blood in your body, but you have a lot of Mother's love in your body. The doll becomes your body, and those beautiful eyes that Keyaki made, well, aside from the graffiti I wrote, The Dragon God created all of Rose's life and body."

"I see."

"So, even though you are not a demon god, you have the power of a tree spirit and the blessings of a Dragon God. Besides, I think your magical abilities are better than mine."

"Huh?"

"Didn't you notice? Rose's vines didn't disappear until they reached the mansion, did they? My vines can't sustain that long."

If you look at it that way, it might be true, Rose thought.

"Mother taught me how to make it fit. It turned out beautifully, but the flower on my head has withered and is now a bud."

"Hahaha, I saw it. When the vines came out, the flower above your head bloomed beautifully. It was cute, but I was too exhausted to praise it, sorry."

"No, even if I get compliments, I don't know how to react."

"Hahaha, you're not being honest."

Yanagi looked at Rose and laughed. But really, that's not the problem, Rose sighed. Rose thinks it's strange that she has flowers growing on her head.

"By the way, I heard from Father that you have been ordered not to go out?"

"Oh, it's true. I acted recklessly. I was prepared to receive a heavier punishment. But I was surprised that I was only banned from going out. But because of this, I won't be able to hang out with you anywhere for a while.”

“How long will you be banned from going out?”

"1 month."

"It's quite long."

"Ah well, it is."

"Are you okay?"

"I'd be lying if I said it was okay. I like hunting and patrolling my surroundings, and just thinking about being cooped up here for a month is pretty tough. My body gets stiff. The only place I can move is in the exercise room in the dormitory. I can't use any techniques to my full potential. I thought about reading books and practicing magic, but I'm worried. I should study something else, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized. And it makes me sleepy."

Yanagi smiled bitterly.

"I kind of understand."

"How do you know?"

"For some reason, I have memories of my previous life."

"Wow, that's amazing. It's interesting to hear you have memories of your past life."

Yanagi looks at Rose, curious.

"Hmm, my memory is incomplete. I only remember bits and pieces, so I'm not sure. But I do remember that studying was difficult."

"What did you study?"

"I don't remember. I'm sorry."

"Too bad. But don't worry. You can make new memories from now on."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Rose nodded and smiled.

"We look alike. Maybe because we're brothers."

"I think so."

"I'm a lucky person because I have a reliable sister. I'll continue to do my best, Rose. I'll cheer you on when you run in the morning. Well, I'll be here for a while. Besides, I don't know when the ban on going out will lifted."

"Thank you, brother."

"Anyway, you came to see me because you were worried about me, right?"

“Oh, you realized it?”

Rose smiled. Yanagi couldn't help but laugh and patted her cute little sister on the head.

"Right. I knew that. Now, let's make some tea. Let's go inside."

When they went inside, Moi was brewing tea in the kitchen.

"Please forgive me for using the kitchen without permission."

"Ah, I don't mind. You can use it freely."

Yanagi took a low table and placed it in front of Rose. Rose takes the cushions, places them, and sits around the table.

"Please have some tea, Miss Rose."

"Thank you, Moi."

Moi held out a cup of tea. And then she goes back to the kitchen and is working on things.

"By the way, I was still holding the mirror from Keyaki yesterday. I forgot to return it. I'm sorry, Rose. I checked and it doesn't seem to be broken in any way. Yes, this."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

It's a mirror made of metal. It's beautiful and durable.

"Anyway, I asked Father that I wanted to study and train."

"Huh? How was it?"

"I said he'd think about it."

"I see. When you decide on a teacher, please let me know."

"Yes, I will."

Rose nodded and took a sip of her tea. The tea that Moi brewed has a refreshing taste.

I'm looking forward to studying! as Rose thought and smiled.