The Doll Princess Rose

第12話 First Awakening

"Good morning!"

Rose heard Moi's voice waking her up. Rose thought she was still sleepy, but since she had her magic studies to do today, she pushed herself out of her warm blanket. She managed to wake up, but she was still sleepy. Moi then wiped her face with the warm towel and helped her get dressed. She finished changing her exercise clothes, drank tea, and left the room.

When she went outside, Darga was already waiting near the entrance in her armor. He always wears light equipment that allows him to move easily. He has armor to protect his neck and shoulders, plate-like armor on his chest, armor for the backs of his hands and arms, and durable-looking boots. His clothes were a regular cloth shirt and durable leather pants. Two swords hang from his belt. Since they met for the first time, Rose thought that he still had the same style today and that he looked like a mercenary. Rose looked at him and tilted her head, wondering if they were all the same color since Darga always wore the same shirt. However, he didn't bring much baggage, so maybe that was the only piece of clothing he had. Rose thought that if he washed it, he would be in trouble. For some reason, she is the one who keeps thinking of unnecessary things about him.

"Good morning, Miss Rose. What's wrong?"

Darga greeted Rose.

"Ah, no. Good morning, Darga."

"Let's go for a quick run together."

"I run so slow, so I think you can just walk casually."

"Hahaha, it's okay. It'll be more fun if you run with someone rather than alone."

"Thank you."

"Then let's go. Miss Moi, we're leaving!"

Darga waved his hand towards Moi.

"Take care!"

Moi waved as she saw them off at the entrance. Rose likes this kind of feeling. It felt like a 'normal' family, Rose thought. Moi is a kind mother, Darga is a strong father, and she is their child.

It'd be natural if only she could have been born into a family like this, Rose thought. 

But for both Moi and Darga, this is work. She is caring for Rose as per the orders of her master, Dalgodas. Still, their smiles and behavior bring great joy to Rose.

Rose agreed to Darga's suggestion when they left Miraiya's mansion and ran to the village. But it's surprisingly hard. However, since it seems like a decision, it seems like she has no choice but to do it. Yes, Darga's other job was to train Rose.

Darga taught her in detail how to run, breathe, and swing her hands. Thankfully, she felt a little better. However, the way back was different from the way they were going. That is because they had to run climbing a mountain all the time. This was so hard that Rose almost cried.

"We're almost there, Miss Rose. If you focus on flowing the strength circle all over the body, it will be easier."

"Strength...? Huft, huft... what?"

Darga spoke to Rose just as she was about to run out of breath.

"It's a force of nature. Inhale it with your breath and let it circulate throughout your body. If you visualize it like that and do it, the cycle will become natural."

"Does it feel like air?"

Rose asked, and Darga shook her head.

"It's a little different. You'll know it if you feel it, but you can't see it, there's no smell, and there's no color, too. It's the power of nature itself."

"I don't get it."

"Hahaha, is it still difficult? Well, we have one year left, so let's do it little by little from now on."

"Alright."

"Now, the mansion is starting to come into view. Let's run up the road a little further!"

"Ugh..."

Rose wants to give up. However, Darga stayed by her side and talked to her, and she was able to keep running.

After much struggle, she finally arrived at the detached mansion. However, the sun had already risen. If she doesn't get ready and eat breakfast early, she'll be late for the first day of magic class.

"Welcome back!"

Moi's bright voice greeted Rose and the others.

"I'm home."

"You ran well. Now, let's get ready in the morning. I've prepared a bath."

Moi quickly took off Rose's shoes and took her to the bathroom. After taking a bath and getting ready for the morning, she sat on the carpet in the living room and ate the breakfast that Moi had made for me. Moi says she's not a good cook, but the food is more delicious than Rose imagined. Simple bread, stir-fried meat with vegetables, fried eggs, milk, and fruit. Darga also eats breakfast together.

"Why don’t you eat with us, Moi?"

"I'll be fine later."

Moi answered Rose's question. She was just sitting next to Rose.

"Let's eat together. It's more fun to eat together."

When Rose said this, Darga also nodded.

"That's right, Miss Moi. Here, take a plate, and let's all eat."

Darga placed a plate in front of Moi.

"Oh, thank you. I'll take your word for it."

Since Moi has been working as a maid, she hasn't eaten with Rose often. She ate with Rose for the first time at a restaurant on the way to Ecoria. However, she didn't eat much, probably because she didn't feel comfortable eating with her.

"Miss Moi’s cooking is delicious!"

"Yeah, it's delicious!"

Darga said while eating the bread deliciously, and Rose agreed with him.

"Thank you. I was worried because I could only cook country cuisine. But I was relieved that it seemed to be okay."

"I like this kind of food, too."

Darga smiled as he sandwiched the meat between the bread and put it in his mouth.

"Ah, by the way, what is Miss Miraiya doing for breakfast?"

"She said it was unnecessary to prepare breakfast for her. So, we can just have breakfast for ourselves. For lunch, a random meal will be enough. She said she would like to have dinner, but I don't have the confidence to make it, so what should I do then?"

Moi answered Rose's question with a troubled face.

"That's tough. What about shopping?"

Darga asked with a serious face.

"While Miss Rose is studying, I'm planning to go shopping in the village. I can ride a horse."

When Moi said this, Darga thought about it.

"But I'm worried. If we had a horse-drawn carriage, it would be a little easier to carry our luggage."

Darga is deep in thought. A horse-drawn carriage, he muttered.

"Well, it's okay."

Moi said with a smile and ate her food again.

"Miss Moi, let's go shopping before lunch. I'll ride the horse, so it's okay."

"But is it your job to guard Miss Rose?"

"Well, it's okay here. As you can see, Miss Miraiya is the best sorcerer in the country, so there are no bad guys to attack us. She lives alone on top of this mountain in this mansion with no servants or maids. If you think about it, you'll understand why the thieves don't attack her."

Darga said so seriously.

"Besides, in that storehouse. As you can see, there are a lot of gold coins in it. She just gave the key to the storehouse to you without any hesitation. For her, that kind of money is not a big deal. That's because she has more than that. Even if there were one or two thieves or even a bunch of thieves, I don't think they could defeat Miss Miraiya.''

While Darga said that, he took the bread and ate it again.

"Is she really that strong?"

Rose asked, and Darga nodded.

"That's right. I'm a warrior and can only do some magic, but Miss Miraiya is a master sorcerer. She's much and much stronger than me."

"Oh my..."

Rose was so surprised. She thought she had become an apprentice to someone who was on the level of a monster or a god.

"Miss Rose, let's finish breakfast."

While saying that, Moi poured that delicious flower tea into a glass and offered it to Rose and Darga. They both drank it and joined hands.

"Thank you for the meal!"

When Rose went to Miraiya's mansion, the black cat Rinka came to pick her up. She was shown the way and found out that it was yesterday's living room, where they ate, and also Miraiya's bedroom. Or rather, she was sleeping soundly on the carpet, surrounded by fluffy bedding, a blanket, and a few pillows. She was comfortably wrapped in the finest silk. Rinka pressed her face with her paw. It's more a punch than just pressing her face! Rose looked at Rinka and was shocked to find Rinka was quite bold.

"Hmm, Rinka~"

Miraiya reached out her hand and tried to hug Rinka, but this time the black cat put out her claws and put those nails of hers on Miraiya's head!

"Ouch! It hurts!"

"Meow!"

Miraiya screamed and held her head. But Rinka just looked at her with a stunned look on her face.

"Good morning!"

"Oh, good morning. It's early in the morning, Rose-chan."

"The sun is already high, Teacher."

"Oh? Hmm. I'm going to wash my face for a bit."

Miraiya slowly went to the water hole. On the way, Rose heard the sound of some things being dropped.

"Teacher, are you okay?"

"Um, okay."

A sleepy reply could be heard from the bathroom. Rose was worried, but she thought this was Miraiya's daily life.

"Purr!"

Rinka sits on Miraiya's still-warm bedclothes. As expected, Rose is observing Rinka, saying that Rinka is a cat.

While waiting for Miraiya, Rose decided to take a look around her mansion. It's a very spacious mansion, but most of the rooms are filled with books, magic tools, research materials, research in progress, and various other products. Rose was surprised to learn that the magic lamp was Miraiya's invention.

"Did you see anything interesting?"

"The teacher made the magic lamp."

"That's right. That sold quite well, so I became rich."

Miraiya smiled, took a cup, and drank it all.

"Well, once again, good morning."

"Good morning."

"Sit there."

Miraiya gestured to the cushion on the carpet. Then, Rose followed his instructions and sat on the cushion.

"Sit comfortably. Close your eyes and don't think about anything. Imagine yourself in a space."

Difficult, she thinks. When her eyes close, many things come into her mind. First, egg dishes, candy, tea, Yanagi...

"Come on! Concentrate. I know, you're thinking strange things, aren't you?"

Sorry, Rose bit her lip and refocused.

Even if Miraiya told her to imagine a space, it's difficult, Rose thought.

Nothing more than an empty room? No walls? No door? Then how do you get in if there's no door? It might be a little different. Feel the power of nature. Is it okay if I can feel it on my skin? Don't think about anything, just feel it quietly, Rose thought again.

Quietly, quietly, s..., s..., s...

Snorr..

"Good morning!"

Miraiya woke Rose up looking shocked.

"Hmm? Good morning... eh?"

"What do you do when you drool and go to sleep?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. When I didn't think about anything, I felt so good that I fell asleep before I knew it."

"Yes, I understand, that's how I feel. So let's do this."

Bang!

Her room suddenly went black as she snapped her fingers. No, Rose thought, perhaps only the space around her had become dark.

It was so dark that she couldn't even see herself. She can't see her palms, her arms, anything. Everything was pitch black.

Bang!

Rose heard Miraiya snap her fingers again. This time, she saw a light in front of her.

"Close your eyes and imagine you look at the light. Don't think about anything. Relax and breathe."

Rose has no choice but to do as she is told. For some reason, it seems to have worked this time.

Time passed and Rose felt like she was in her own space. She looks at a beautiful starry sky around her. She feels there is no sound, no wind, no smell, everything is so calm.

When she tries to focus on a single light in her mind, the scenery changes. She changed from a black space to a space of light. There, she can see multiple colors, sparkling and beautiful.

She could see the gold-like shine, and could only feel it was beautiful. The swirling colors change and repeat one after another. It's extremely comfortable. Rose noticed as if she suddenly remembered something.

"Who am I?"

She hears some noise.

"What did you come here for?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Where?"

"So, where?"

"What are you aiming for?"

Whose voice is this? , even Rose herself doesn't know.

Is it my voice? Rose thought.

"Perhaps."

"Light··"

She remembered she had to see the light.

"Yes, light."

"What kind of light?"

"I don't know..."

Wandering, wandering forever.

"How long will you wander?"

"I don't know"

“Where are you wandering?”

"I don't know"

"Who am I?"

Yeah, who am I?

What do you want to do?

Where do you want to go?

For what?

How far do you wander?

"I want to see a light."

"My light..."

"Peace··"

"Peace of mind··"

"Love..."

Rose heard many voices and was confused.

"Ya...na...gi..."

"Rose?"

She heard a different voice.

"Rose? Am I Rose?"

She asked. But she had no answer.

"Rose?! Rose!"

It's that voice again. It was the voice of someone who knew her.

"Ya...na...gi..."

She called. There must be someone out there who knows her. That's why...

"Rose!!"

Someone is calling her.

"Rose. Yes, my name is Rose!"

On that day, Miraiya's mansion exploded with a bright light.