READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 99
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Hao scanned the doll up and down. When their eyes met, Hao subtly averted his gaze. The doll simply stared at him with a calm smile.
Lost in thought for a moment, Hao furrowed his brow and looked at the doll again. A flicker of suspicion danced in his eyes as he narrowed them and stared intently at the doll.
“How can I trust that you’re not a pawn of those wicked beings? They probably already know this place. The Mirror Bugs can manipulate communications, as proven by the severed link with the Sky Ring Church. Only daemons were there. Can you prove you’re not one of them?”
Hao’s doubts were valid. The doll merely shook its head. Hao clicked his tongue in frustration. Instead, the doll lightly raised its hand. Magic began to swirl around this hand, and simultaneously, a paper floated up from the doll’s embrace.
Using its magic, the doll began writing something on the paper. Once it finished, the doll gently pushed the paper, and it soared back to Hao, riding the magic.
Hao carefully accepted the paper. As he read its contents, his eyes wavered slightly.
– I cannot prove anything as I am sealed within this body. I only hope you choose to believe me. Nonetheless, to earn your trust, let me recall something I told you about your past. ‘I know your sins; simply dream of happiness.’ I remember you shedding a tear upon hearing that, which lingers in my heart.
The doll leaned against the window, gazing at the moon. Each of its actions radiated a fleeting, almost ethereal softness. Hao watched it, his face blank once again.
But soon, he snapped back to reality, his expression slightly softer than before. A hint of light began to flicker in his eyes.
A moment of silence settled between them. The doll’s purple hair absorbed the moonlight, glowing mischievously. The doll shot a glance at Hao.
Again, the doll concentrated magic into its finger. The magic flowed over the paper, forming letters, which then flew into Hao’s hand. He slowly read it.
– Perhaps this was our first meeting. When you came alone to share your troubles, you asked me why I showed you happiness, fearing that the happiness would only lead to greater misfortune.
The doll began to walk slowly around the room. Its steps were as if it were floating through the air, teetering on the edge of collapse. The doll glanced at Hao.
For a moment, Hao paused reading and locked eyes with the doll. It flashed a gentle smile, causing Hao to cough awkwardly and lower his head. He resumed reading the remaining text.
– I replied, ‘Happiness is always buried deep within misfortune. If you challenge despair without fear of unhappiness, you can find the brightest ray of light within it. That is another form of happiness I offer.’ I think I said something like that. Am I remembering correctly?
After finishing the text, Hao nodded. He closed his eyes. Beyond those eyelids, his eyeballs fluttered restlessly. The doll leisurely roamed the room, gazing at the moon outside.
It was quite some time before Hao opened his eyes.
He looked at the doll with hesitant eyes. The doll met his gaze with a vague smile. It handed him another piece of paper. Hao accepted it.
– I need your help. To escape their grasp and this bondage. I will wait here tomorrow at this time.
The doll approached Hao with unhurried steps. His body tensed slightly with apprehension. A ripple of magic began to flicker around him.
Unfazed, the doll placed a hand on him. It gently embraced him and patted his back in a soothing manner. Hao stared down at the doll in a stupor.
“See you again tomorrow.”
He mumbled. The doll looked up at him, sadness radiating from its smile, and directly placed a piece of paper in his hand.
The doll then pulled away and walked toward the door. Hao checked the paper. Seeing its contents, he wanted to follow the doll. But the doll only shook its head.
– There’s no time. I must leave before they notice my absence. I hope your tomorrow is happier than today.
The doll flashed a slight smile, opened the door, and stepped outside. Hao watched its retreating figure, his eyelids fluttering. Suspicion and trust, hesitation and questions manifested vividly in his eyes.
Even beyond the Mirror Bugs, it was disturbingly clear.
– Did I really say those things? I can’t recall such words at all.
He saw another Mirror Bug nearby, spewing out letters. It was meant specifically for the Sky Ring Church. Could that be so? He shook his head. Through the Mirror Bugs, he could see Hao and the doll’s figures.
At the moment, he had no energy to reply to the Sky Ring’s words. That doll’s every action was now under my control. Every gesture, every glance was meticulously orchestrated.
The doll was displaying a beautifully graceful performance. This was the culmination of training done with Mira. It was maddening to think that I’d need to learn those moves myself while smirking at the doll’s natural finesse.
Still, her words bore fruit. The doll’s actions had become more fluid and graceful. Just look, Hao was slightly squinting as if checking out the doll’s backside.
I smiled contentedly. After all, if the appearance is passable, the story itself becomes just as palatable.
Hao followed the doll out of the room. He quietly gazed at the doll as it ascended the stairs, vanishing behind the fragile moments of my delicate manipulation.
Next, the door to the workshop we occupied swung open. The doll entered the room with calm steps. It offered a slight bow to us as its face settled into an expression devoid of emotion.
The doll returned to its original position on the wall. Leaning against the wall, it closed its eyes and seemed to cease breathing as if going to sleep.
Perfect. The first attempt had been highly effective. Through the Mirror Bugs, I watched as Hao continued to gaze at the stairs. He looked down at the scraps of paper in his hand, then tucked them into his pocket.
Then Hao exited the tower. Observing him, I nodded to myself. It seemed he hadn’t noticed anything odd. His memory must have been substantially warped.
As per the Sky Ring’s earlier words, after reviewing the previous footage, it appeared that the Sky Ring had said less than half of what I just claimed. It didn’t carry quite the same meaning as those sentiments. The Sky Ring hadn’t been nearly so kind.
The words the doll had spoken were merely echoes of things Hao had said before. I was merely quoting him, assembling snippets of his sermons, and fervently assembling them into something that sounded good.
If this would progress smoothly as it seems, then I might be on the right track. The distortions in his memory are evident. I glanced down at the stack of papers before me, pondering what tales I could share tomorrow.
Within that stack lay all the words uttered by Hao. It was the result of my investigations, a collection of footage. Yes, one might even say it’s a strategy guide.
Moreover, it contained tales from their religion and could also be seen as a doctrine. I never anticipated I would create something they didn’t even make for themselves. I chuckled lightly, looking at the Mirror Bug linked to the Sky Ring.
“So, do you believe now?”
– It actually works! This feels incredibly fascinating…
The Sky Ring spoke through the Mirror Bug, its thoughts materializing into letters on the screen.
“Then, as we discussed yesterday, Sky Ring, please prepare the rituals, entrusting everything to us. Create a Magical Circle capable of containing their power.”
– Yes, if their powers can be gathered so easily, then using it will be a simple matter. Trust me and leave it to me. By the way, can I still come to see you tomorrow? I’d love to keep watching this.
The Sky Ring wrote with a slightly excited tone. I nodded to myself; the previous interaction must have greatly resonated with it. How could it not? I had put my heart and soul into that performance.
But this was not just a one-day matter. To predict Hao’s behavior and direct the actions of the Sky Ring Church, I needed to immerse myself even deeper into the doll’s character.
I gazed at the sleeping doll. I figured I ought to give it a name. For simplicity’s sake, perhaps I should call it Sky Ring. Hmm, a shortened form could be Hari. That name truly resonated with me.
Though I had instilled a sense of self within Hari, it was still weak; thus, I needed to guide it like this for now. Yet, all the information for this strategy guide was already within it.
If I continued to adjust its actions, it would eventually be able to deceive Hao on its own. When that day comes, I could simply sit back and watch.
That’s not too far off. I would promptly commence more training. I gazed at the doll, my eyes sparkling. Perhaps Hari sensed that, as it slightly flinched.
The next day, Hao visited the room again.
He glared at the doll with a face set in stone. The hesitation from yesterday had vanished. Instead, it was now replaced by a heavy light of conviction and faith.
“I let things slide yesterday, but I still can’t trust. That story could have been fabricated in any manner. I need more definitive stories, more concrete evidence.”
His face was a little more steely than before. It seemed he had pondered a multitude of thoughts while surveying the numerous tales we had provided on paper. Still, a Mage will always be a Mage. Just look at how quickly he could doubt.
His eyes gleamed. If that was the case, then I needed to erase those doubts. Could I possibly withstand such scrutiny? I issued a command to Hari. It received the signal and began to move.
Hari approached Hao with a soft smile, gently wrapping her arms around his waist. Hao’s face flushed red. Hari then offered him a piece of paper.
– I am delighted just by your visit. Please, continue to ponder, question, and challenge me. Then return to me once again at the end. That is my only happiness right now.
Hari looked up at Hao and smiled faintly. Hao couldn’t meet her gaze and coughed softly. The atmosphere naturally thawed. Hari moved back slightly, writing another piece of paper.
Hao accepted it and nodded. The tension he had held since his first visit had completely vanished. He looked at the paper, then at Hari, beginning to converse.
Watching the exchange of papers with satisfaction, I smiled. This was it. I just had to draw out Hao’s trust, not through the Sky Ring, but through Hari, not as a treasure, but as my doll.
They continued to converse until it was time to part ways.
The next day, and the next. Their meetings carried on.
Hari encouraged him, offering stories he wished to hear. She would also reminisce about the past. Throughout this process, Hari began to clearly recognize her role.
On the fourth day, she could now stand toe-to-toe with Hao without my intervention. All thanks to the power of the strategy guide embedded within her.
I glanced at the time. Only a few days were left until the next lecture began. I had to wrap this up before then.
I gazed at the Mirror Bugs, allowing a small bitter smile to form. I hadn’t expected the effects to be this profound.
Beyond the screen, I viewed Hao kneeling before Hari, his eyes brimming with tears. Hari gently looked down at him.
“Sky Ring! I will free you without fail. Even if it costs my whole being!”
Hao said this as he tenderly kissed Hari’s hand. Hari nodded with a sad smile. The moonlight embraced their figures softly. It was a truly beautiful scene.
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