Flower of Steel - Chapter 90

At the time, I was proud that my skills were worthy of such handling. But, but! Was he looking for the master doll crafter who went silent after putting such masterpieces on the market? By saying, “I knew it,” meant he was following my trails.

“Yes, I don’t doubt it anymore. It was you who I was looking for.”

Yeah, sure. That nutjob now might lock me up, the best doll crafter in this country, and make me craft dolls for the rest of my life. Damn it! I wanted to hide that I’m Doll Master M as best as I could… But come to think of it, with that nutjob’s obsession with dolls, he should have been able to notice. There weren’t other doll crafters who could perfectly craft it with such detail and full of cuteness.

My genius talent revealed itself! I heard being too good is also a crime, and this was just the case. Oh god, why did you not only give me the brain of a genius but also the talent of crafting so that I got picked by that nutjob?

“With you back, I’ll never let you go.”

My god, I now face the crisis of my doll-making career.

***

After my identity was revealed, I was forced to be served tea by the Crown Prince. I felt like crying as he stared at me without saying a word for a long time. Trying to calm my nervousness down, I asked him, “Y-Your Highness. Is there anything you want to say to me?”

“No,” he said to me.

But then, why do you keep looking at me like that?! Why aren’t you letting me go back to my office?! “Then… Why are you doing this?”

At my question, he looked at me, began tapping on the table, and answered, “Well, guess.”

“Pardon?” I replied.

“The reason why I’m doing this. Guess, or I might destroy that stupid garden.”

“Pardon…?” I repeated.

You crazy a*sh*le. How would I know why you’re doing this? Ugh, this is crazy. When I asked him if he didn’t like the doll, he said he liked it. I could see that he was telling the truth from the way he carried the doll earlier, so there was no reason to doubt that. Then, there was only one answer remaining.

“Your Highness, I’m asking this just in case. You don’t like me, right?”

In response, his face distorted for some reason. Then he bit on his lip and asked, “Why do you think that?”

“Huh? Well…”

Don’t you think I would have come to that conclusion from the way you have been treating me? The Crown Prince became silent, then spoke with a hint of annoyance in his voice, “I see how it is. Good. You’re free to go for now. You can’t run anymore.”

My heart began to race. It was probably out of self-pity for being caught by a nutjob. He sure was persistent. How long will you enslave me for making dolls? Beginning next time, I should get something in return. He could also be my best customer. Let’s think positively.

***

“Marina.”

I was surprised by Rave’s voice as he was suddenly talking to me. Ugh, crap. To show him such an unprofessional state… It was only an instant, so I figured it might be okay. Rave, however, seemed to have caught on even in that moment and looked at me with a serious look on his face.

Then, he hesitantly asked, “Is there something wrong?”

There’s a lot of things wrong, a lot. Thanks to the Crown Prince, I think my soul had left me in just one day. However, I wasn’t close enough to this man to share even those details, and it’s obvious that I would be poisoned to death if I were to spill the Crown Prince’s secret.