Does the Assassin Girl Dream of the Mana Doll?

Journey Back Home

“Well then, let’s head back. But… what should I do?” Letty released the hand she was holding and glanced towards the familiar door she had entered through.

It was the same door they both would need to use for their exit. That’s how it was supposed to work. Under normal circumstances however, Letty wouldn’t have to use it—she could simply teleport back. But now, she had to bring Ellie along.

The equipment brought should come along, but what about a person? Well, not exactly a person, but a doll… Would she be cosidered equipment? A tool?

As she pondered over such thoughts, Ellie looked at her with a curious gaze. “What’s wrong? Aren’t we going back? Can’t we just go through that way?” she tilted her head and pointed towards the door.

Letty’s face filled with curiosity in response to her seemingly straightforward question. “Just go, you say… But there are still monsters on the other side.”

“What?! How did that happen?! Was it an enemy attack? When did… Wait, more importantly, activate the interception protocol!”

“Hmm?” Letty tilted her head, observing Ellie’s flustered state. After pondering the meaning of her words for a while, she suddenly had a realization. “Ellie, do you happen to remember when you were last maintained?”

“Huh? Why are you asking so casually… Well, it was on May 20th in the 897th year of the Imperial Calendar…”

“Ah… um… yeah, about that… It’s been approximately 1500 years since then.”

“Excuse me…?” Ellie stood frozen, completely overwhelmed by the revelation.

In the ancient era of magical civilization, there were multiple periods, and the latest one was marked by the reign of the Karsavina Empire. They possessed a vast array of magical weapons, including mana dolls. They established their dominance over the world with their overwhelming military power. However, one day, the empire suddenly collapsed and vanished without a trace.

The last recorded year is believed to be around 898 in the Imperial Calendar. After a historical gap of nearly 100 years, it is estimated that society took approximately 1400 years to reach its current state.

Letty acquired this knowledge through Greg’s educational approach, which emphasized the importance of understanding the political landscape when dealing with requests involving the assassination of significant figures. History was also a vital part of the education.

She vividly remembered the intense pressure to memorize the information within a day, under the threat of skipping meals if she failed to do so.

“Perhaps something went wrong during your maintenance. As a result, this facility ceased operations, the staff abandoned it, and you were left behind.”

“Now that you mention it, there aren’t any staff members around and the lighting is dim. Oh, I didn’t notice earlier because there was no movement, but there’s an unfamiliar dead body over there. What on earth happened?”

“Well… um…” Letty struggled to come up with a clever cover-up and settled for giving a rough explanation of what had occurred.

“I see… So, enough time has passed for this place to become an ancient ruin, excavated without my knowledge, and turned into a den for monsters?”

“That seems to be the case…”

Ellie nodded a few times, seemingly grasping the situation, but then furrowed her brow, lost in deep thought. “Letty-san, could it be that… if you hadn’t come here, I would’ve been trapped in this place forever?”

“I can’t deny that… I don’t think many people can reach this location.”

“Is that what’s happening now…?” A queasy expression formed on Ellie’s face as she once again glanced at the door.

Letty also directed her gaze towards the door, contemplating for a moment, before shifting her attention to Curtis’ lifeless body. “It would be difficult to escape from here unless we had someone who could effortlessly slice through an iron golem like that person.”

“Huh? What do you mean? Is that person human?” Ellie looked at Curtis’s motionless body with a skeptical expression, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Then, Ellie’s face lit up with realization. “Hmm? Iron golem, you say? So… there’s a chance that the defense golems in this facility went out of control and ended up in that state. And to make matters worse, monsters were attracted to the concentrated mana in this place.”

Letty pondered, her finger resting on her chin, as she described the appearance of the golem. It seemed highly plausible that it was indeed a defense golem.

Upon reaching that conclusion, Ellie’s smile widened. “If that’s the case, then there shouldn’t be a problem. Defense golems are programmed not to attack me, assuming it’s functioning correctly. Even if one goes berserk, I can handle it!” she said confidently, proudly puffing out her chest.

“Alright. In that case, I’ll rely on you to take care of it. Dealing with something large isn’t exactly my strong suit…”

“Yes, leave it to me, Letty-san!” Ellie saluted sharply, earning a nod of approval from her master.

As they turned towards the door, prepared to move forward, Ellie lightly tugged on Letty’s sleeve. “Oh, before we go, Letty-san…”

With a bashful expression, she glanced up at Letty. “Um… do you happen to have… any food?”

“Ah… It’s been 1500 years, after all…” Letty felt a ticklish sensation in her chest as she gazed at Ellie, who seemed a bit embarrassed.

***

Author’s Note:

I already knew it, but it’s being reminded to me once again. I’m just a lost child, abandoned and left behind. Yet, I continue to wield my power as if it were my purpose. That’s precisely how I was designed.

Up next: That Doll, It’s Dangerous

However, if there’s someone by my side…