ATP 10

Chapter 10

✠

“…So it’s already been four days, and I’ve basically just been reading books the whole time. I feel like I’m coasting—just lying down and reading, doing nothing else. I’m not even sure if it’s okay to continue like this.”

[<System> ‘Dawn Prayer’ in progress. Current completion: 65%.]

“Oh, by the way, Nelly and the housekeeper left the Count’s mansion yesterday. The delay was because the embezzlement and corruption they’d been hiding at the mansion were finally exposed. The butler and doctor involved were also replaced. They probably won’t be able to find new jobs. Not only will they be denied recommendation letters, but the scandal will spread through the noble circles, effectively expelling them from the industry.”

Even as the details of the housekeeper’s misdeeds were recounted, the progress bar steadily climbed. Then a thought occurred to me, and I shifted the topic.

“Back to the topic of playmates… honestly, reading books all the time isn’t bad. It lets me learn about this world. Plus, books are practically a noble-exclusive treasure, so I want to read as much as I can while I have the chance. That said, the integrated library function is a bit disappointing. It only stores books you read or bought in your previous life. Could you make it save books I read after I was reincarnated too?”

A divine response came.

[‘The Language of World-Building’ answers that it will seriously consider the update.]
[‘The Language of World-Building’ assigns a new task to the junior god.]

“Wow, thank you so much.”

No sooner had I bowed in thanks than the system message popped up:

[<System> ‘Dawn Prayer’ completed.]
[<Quest> ‘Thousand-Day Dawn Prayer’ (5/1,000). Next progress available in 22 hours 36 minutes.]

Today’s task was complete. I quickly tidied up and prepared to go to work.

I’d been busy lately—Healer job quests, cooking level-ups, alchemy practice, tea service studies, and finally, my reading sessions with the Count’s daughter. Even I had to admit, I was living a pretty industrious life.

After finishing my morning duties, I headed to Bianca’s room.

“Welcome, Miss Ailet. What shall we read today?”

“Again today?”

I didn’t mind, but I asked anyway. From what I’d heard, previous playmates had always run off on the third day—but here I was, already on the fourth.

“…Are you getting tired of books?”

“Hmmm… and you, Miss?”

“….”

“….”

Bianca rolled her rabbit-like red eyes to the side.

Seeing the usually confident Countess hesitate and appear thoughtful was strangely fascinating. It seemed Bianca actually wanted to do something besides reading.

“Shall we do something else?”

“Well… shall we play with dolls?”

“Doll play? Sure!”

I nodded enthusiastically. Memories of playing dolls with my brother as a child came flooding back—a cosmic-scale game where we combined dolls and robots to suit both our tastes. Thinking about it again, I realized how much I’d missed it.

My enthusiasm seemed to please Bianca. For once, the normally indifferent girl’s cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes sparkled.

Without asking me to, she went to the side room herself and brought back a basket of dolls.

“Wow!”

As expected of a Countess. The basket held four beautifully articulated dolls and a variety of delicate accessories. Just looking at them made my heart race.

The dolls included three girls and one boy. Bianca first picked two of the girl dolls.

“I’ll be the terrifying Duchess and her loyal maid.”

Then she handed me the remaining boy doll and one girl doll, assigning our roles.

“You’ll be the philandering Duke and his young, sly mistress.”

Wait… what kind of scenario is this?

“Let’s begin.”

Bianca lifted the Duchess doll.

A stern, commanding voice rang out:

“I’ve finally found the sly woman who toyed with my husband! Take her to the underground torture chamber immediately, so I may punish her!”

…Something about this doll game was very wrong.

✠

Bianca didn’t dislike having friends; in fact, she wanted them dearly. Books could be read alone, but doll play was no fun solo.

Compared to her exacting standards for potential suitors, Bianca was surprisingly lenient when choosing friends.

‘Personality, intellect, taste. I only care about these three.’

Yet, even with such low thresholds, she hadn’t found a single peer girl who met her criteria. Bianca was already ten years old. If this continued, she would grow up without even one memory of doll play in her childhood.

Even after dropping personality and intellect as requirements, it didn’t help.

Then fate intervened: Ailet Rodeline caught her eye.

Bianca, who knew the personal details of all the Count’s household staff, naturally knew about the alchemist’s daughter. The ordinary girl she’d assumed until now suddenly showed remarkable potential—it fascinated her.

Bianca was proactive. As soon as her interest sparked, she immediately went to meet Ailet with the Countess.

And what she observed in the garden exceeded expectations.

‘She sent off the housekeeper and her daughter in one go.’

Even with her innocent, gentle smile, Ailet’s brilliance was unmistakable. Seeing this, Bianca felt a renewed sense of excitement in observing another person.

After confirming personality, it was time for intellect.

On Ailet’s first day as a playmate, Bianca had picked relatively simple and fun books suitable for a commoner. When Ailet quickly swapped out highly praised classical literature for simpler reads, Bianca had felt slightly disappointed.

But then… Ailet chose the Bible next.

When asked why, the answer was shockingly rational:

• “I thought I couldn’t understand literature properly without understanding the Bible first.”

Treating scripture as knowledge rather than faith, she took interest purely out of necessity. For a moment, Bianca was nearly thrilled by that calm intellect.

‘If she’s like this…’

Despite past disappointments, hope stirred again.

However, taste—the final criterion—had always been the hardest. Previous playmates had failed within three days, leaving Bianca hurt and bewildered. Even farewells were met with panic. Bianca’s emotional scars ran deep; she feared that no matter how low she set her standards, friendship with these girls was impossible. A true friend should at least share mutual tastes.

Would Ailet become like the others?

On the fourth day, Bianca resolutely brought out the dolls. And Ailet did not disappoint.

“Ah! It’s unfair, my lady! It was the Duke who seduced innocent me, fresh from the capital! I’m the true victim of marriage fraud! And nothing happened between the Duke and me—because he simply… couldn’t!”

Holding the mistress doll in her left hand and the Duke doll in her right, Ailet performed with flair.

Watching her, Bianca’s face was blank, captivated by the spectacle.

The mistress doll knelt before the Duchess doll:

“My lady! I repent my sins and wish to serve you for life. As proof of my loyalty, I shall personally punish the Duke!”

Ailet’s imagination elevated the doll game to its climax, complete with all kinds of torture devices. Bianca couldn’t help but marvel at the richness of the scenario and vividness of her play.

Eventually, the Duke’s exaggerated cries fell silent.

“Phew. He’s unconscious. My lady, are you satisfied?”

“….”

“My lady?”

Thud.

The dolls fell from Bianca’s hands.

Ailet, slightly startled, looked up just as Bianca grabbed her hand and leaned in close. Her rabbit-like red eyes gleamed. For the first time, Bianca was genuinely thrilled by a game of dolls.

“Can I call you Aii?”

“Huh?”

“Yes, Aii. You can call me Bia. When it’s just us, it’s okay to speak casually.”

It was an unprecedented privilege.

While Ailet blinked in surprise, Bianca added:

“And… about those torture devices from earlier—could you explain them in more detail?”

A shy request, and Ailet nodded. She could simply read from a few relevant books in the integrated library.

“Ah, yes, Miss.”

“Call me Bia. Got it?”

And so, Ailet Rodeline became friends with the true power behind the Count’s mansion.