Episode 40

“Huh! Ah… assassin?!”

Anyone who heard that would be in serious trouble.

My assassin!

What is this nonsense, Duke?

When I looked at the Duke with trembling eyes, he also seemed flustered.

“I didn’t realize its previous function…”

“…”

“Ahem! You don’t need to assassinate anyone, just act as a guardian.”

Ignoring the Duke’s muttering, I shouted,

“…You don’t need to assassinate! Just guard!”

“…”

But the teddy bear didn’t respond at all.

“Huh…?”

“You have to call its name for the command to be recognized.”

“Yes! No assassinations! Just guard, teddy bear!”

When I called its name as the Duke instructed, the bear finally reacted.

“My name is teddy… teddy bear! Belze’s assassin!”

“No! Just guard!”

“My name is teddy… teddy bear! Belze’s assassin!”

“Hey!”

When the command wasn’t recognized, I pouted.

‘This useless bundle of cotton… Why isn’t it listening? Has it been inactive for too long? Should I hit it?’

At that moment.

“Belze, it seems the name isn’t teddy bear, but teddy-teddy bear.”

The Duke said with a strangely restrained smile.

“Huh…? Why? I clearly said teddy bear…”

“Well, it seems to have recognized exactly what you called it.”

With those words, I recalled the moment I had shouted the name earlier.

“Your name is…!”

“…”

“Teddy… teddy bear!”

I had mistakenly blurted it out after deliberating until the last moment, but the inflexible bear had accepted it as its name.

‘Teddy-teddy bear? That’s so weird…!’

Moreover, it seemed that there needed to be a pause between “teddy” and “teddy bear”!

“Ugh. Can’t I rename it?”

“Unfortunately, you can only do it once when making a new contract.”

‘If I had known that, I would have given it a cooler name…!’

Pouting my lips in frustration at the Duke who had rushed me, I sighed deeply and muttered,

“Don’t assassinate anyone, teddy… teddy bear. Just be a guardian knight…”

“Hello! My name is teddy… teddy bear! Belze’s guardian knight! Guardian mode activated!”

Finally, the command was recognized, and teddy bear’s posture changed.

The teddy bear, which had been in a crouched combat stance, suddenly stood upright.

It then bent one arm and placed it smartly on its forehead in a salute.

I was at a loss for words at this dynamic transformation.

“…It only moves when you call its name, so carry it like a regular doll most of the time.”

“Like this…?”

“Try saying ‘Doll mode’.”

“Teddy… teddy bear! Doll mode!”

Thud!

As if possessed, the rigidly standing teddy-teddy bear collapsed onto the floor as if it were a lifeless doll.

Looking at it sprawled out on the ground, it seemed like nothing more than a regular teddy bear. As I stared at it with mixed emotions, the Duke whispered,

“If necessary, you can switch it back to assassination mode.”

“Eek!”

I was so startled that I shook my head frantically.

“T-That’s okay!”

“It’s yours now, so use it as you see fit. Perhaps, as a demonstration, you could use it on Dunkesky…”

“Nooo! No, Belze doesn’t do assassinations!”

“Tsk. That’s a pity. We must let him off the hook then…”

The Duke clicked his tongue with a disappointed look.

Seeing this new side of him, my heart pounded rapidly.

Of course, Dunkesky deserved to die. But.

He had already been expelled from the temple, turned bald, and imprisoned. Killing him with a teddy bear’s hand seemed… too cruel!

‘Besides, I want to live a kind and quiet life in this lifetime, Duke!’

I struggled to steer the conversation away from this frightening direction.

“T-That aside, Your Grace…!”

“Hmm?”

“I mean, is it really okay for you to give me something like this?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

The Duke tilted his head at my words.

He genuinely seemed unaware of any issues, which was bewildering.

“It’s… it’s a heretic’s item. And, and…”

“…”

“It seems very important…”

A dangerous magical teddy bear that might have assassination capabilities, given to a mere ward like me. To a five-year-old girl, no less.

But contrary to my concerns, the Duke seemed completely unbothered.

“Firstly, that is no longer a heretic’s item.”

“Huh? Then what is it?”

“Some of the minority who converted to Elea were lucky enough to avoid having their belongings classified as prohibited items.”

“Oh…”

“And now that it moves with your holy power, it can be considered a holy relic.”

“Wha-? But that…”

I was dumbfounded by the Duke’s rather arbitrary declaration.

‘This is like, if it fits, it’s an earring, if not, it’s a nose ring…’

Yet, his logic was sound enough that I couldn’t find a rebuttal.

“And. It’s my prerogative to decide who I give my family’s belongings to. Who would dare question my decision?”

The Duke’s voice turned chilly as he continued.

I timidly asked,

“What about giving it to Edwin or Josh instead of me?”

“Direct descendants of Kallios cannot use these items publicly.”

I widened my eyes in surprise at his unexpected answer.

“Why not…?”

“Who knows how those troublemakers would use them… ahem.”

The Duke, who had been replying casually, suddenly cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“Families that participated in the religious war have restrictions on using these items, unless it’s a critical situation threatening the family’s existence. Of course, that’s only publicly.”

This implied that privately, they could use them freely.

“But there’s no need for such crude items to eliminate nuisances. My sons will also grow to be formidable Kallios members.”

“Oh…”

The Duke’s tone revealed his strong pride in his family.

The more I listened, the more I felt solemn, recalling how I had caused this proud family’s downfall in an instant.

Then suddenly, the Duke turned to me with a faint smile.

“But you’re still a child.”

“Huh? I’m not a baby…”

“Yes. Not a baby, but a young one. And you’re also destined to become a Saintess.”

I paused and lifted my head at his words.

“Who would dare criticize a Saintess for using holy relics early?”

I looked at the Duke with trembling eyes.

‘A Saintess…’

I was just a candidate in name; no one actually believed I would become one.

Not the priests, not the nobles.

Everyone was convinced that Diana, with her strong healing powers, would become the Saintess.

‘He must know I’m not as outstanding as Diana. So why…’

Why did he speak as if he believed in me?

Wasn’t it because he had no choice but to sponsor me due to Joshua’s healing?

I wanted to ask but couldn’t bring myself to, fearing a confirming answer.

As I silently moved my lips, looking like a fool.

Step, step.

The Duke suddenly walked over.

He bent down and picked up the fallen teddy bear while holding me.

After roughly dusting it off, he placed it in my arms.

“The reason I’m giving you this is partly an apology for what you experienced today.”

“…”

“It’s also a token to show that I won’t just be your sponsor from now on.”

“A token…?”

I was stunned by the word “token,” which felt overwhelming.

“Yes. After all, Emma Caston was hired by me, so I am responsible for her disrespect towards you.”

“N-No! As I said earlier, it wasn’t your fault at all…!”

“Belze.”

The Duke gently cut off my protest with a wave of his hand.

“I intend to support you until you become a Saintess.”

“…”

“Do you understand what that means?”

“No…”

I slowly shook my head.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand.

It was just that the words were so sudden…

“It might be a bit difficult for you to grasp.”

The Duke muttered to himself.

His next words made me hold my breath.

“It means that any attack on you will be seen as a challenge to Kallios.”

“…”

“But rather than a hundred words, the token in your hand is a clearer statement.”

He glanced at the teddy bear nestled in my arms.

“If anyone tries to harm you in the future, use that doll without hesitation.”