Doll's First Errand and Golem Annihilation
"I see."
Han Yuseon closed her eyes and nodded. That must mean she understood.
I'd just explained my current situation to her.
Forget puppeteer abilities and all that crap for now—what mattered was whether I could survive.
If she only had basic language skills as a puppet, or if she had to rely entirely on my control...
That's a bad end just looking at it.
Han Yuseon proudly declaring she had no money when someone demanded cash? No matter how pretty her face or how great her body, it'd be straight to jail.
"I don't think the puppeteer is worried about that happening."
"Yeah?"
Oh, by the way, I'd switched to formal speech at Han Yuseon's request.
"We are the puppeteer's puppets. Not some shoddy, lowly doll. We know basic human common sense and patterns."
Hopeful news.
Teaching her from scratch would've been a nightmare.
Han Yuseon puffed out her chest proudly, a smug glint in her eyes.
She looked cold, but she had her pride, it seemed.
Well, calling others 'lowly' says it all...
Anyway.
Peeking out from her suit were those bulging pockets. Her puffed chest made them stand out even more.
Big!
I glanced down. Hidden by my dress, but obvious at a glance.
Small...
Why did I feel overshadowed by my own puppet?
I slumped my shoulders, feeling down.
Han Yuseon shot me a 'What are you doing?' look.
Couldn't tell her my real thoughts, so I mumbled something vague.
"Good, then. As you know, I can't go outside."
"So, just buy food and daily necessities, right?"
"Yeah, yeah. And if anyone talks to you, ignore them quick. With your looks, you might get hit on for hunting gigs."
I raised my index finger emphatically to stress the point.
Han Yuseon muttered expressionlessly.
"Well... a near-perfect puppet like me would tempt humans. A wise warning."
"..."
I gave her a cold stare.
Scratch that about high pride. Pure narcissism.
Han Yuseon was pretty. Yeah, granted. But wasn't it embarrassing to say it herself?
Han Yuseon looked around, then picked up a scattered bag from the room.
"If I wear this over my head, it'll hide my looks. No worries."
Don't say that with such reassuring eyes. Please.
I seriously wanted to smack her.
"No, that'd draw more suspicion. Just do what I said. You have basic knowledge, so you can manage, right?"
"A mission like this?"
Han Yuseon smirked.
The more she acted like that, the uneasier I felt. You know how seemingly perfect types turn out to have hidden klutz vibes?
"To sum up: The tribute is cup ramen and triangle kimbap. 10,000 won is plenty."
"Yeah. Just one each. It's a test run anyway."
"Understood."
I handed her a crumpled 10,000-won bill.
I darted under the desk like a squirrel—whoosh!
Han Yuseon gave me a puzzled look, eyes mixing confusion and exasperation. 'What the hell are you doing?'
I covered my head with my arms, trembling.
"I-I have anthropophobia and hikikomori traits! H-hurry out! I hate seeing the door open!"
"Ah."
Han Yuseon let out an exclamation and opened the door.
Clunk.
I squeezed my eyes shut, shuddering.
Slam.
I peeked at the door with trembling eyes.
Han Yuseon hadn't left. She was staring at me with curious eyes instead.
"Wh-what?!"
"I was curious how the puppeteer would react. Quite a rare sight."
"I'm your puppeteer!"
"But it was cute. 80 out of 100."
Han Yuseon gave a thumbs-up, deadpan.
Unbelievable.
That crazy doll! And stingy scoring too!
Already dying from my traits, and she pulls this...
Clunk.
"Eek!"
I dove for cover again.
Slam.
I looked back.
Han Yuseon covered her mouth, chuckling softly.
"90 points. New high score."
"Hurry up and go!"
After much hassle, I finally got her out the door.
...
"Anyway, our plan is..."
Munch munch.
"Enter the Tower, make money. Good thing items from there are valuable. We're broke, so no greed needed."
Munch munch.
"But I have zero combat ability..."
"I see."
"Swallow first before talking?"
I glared sharply.
Han Yuseon flinched, eyes widening, and quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
Wish she'd hidden my cup ramen and my triangle kimbap while at it?
Gulp.
Late swallow sound.
She ate it like it was delicious.
"Haa..."
"Sighing is bad. Makes the ground cave in."
"No jokes. Not funny."
"Yep."
Han Yuseon shut her mouth, tense.
I glanced at the cup ramen. Already two gone.
Then at her lips. Red glow around them.
Our eyes met.
Han Yuseon rolled her eyes dramatically.
"You told me to eat..."
"How many did I say?"
"One..."
"What's on the floor now?"
"One...?"
"That's clearly two!"
I snapped.
Han Yuseon flinched, trembling.
Money was everything right now!
Two cup ramens?!
"You a pig?"
"A pig? Show me a pig this beautiful, then."
"..."
Should I kill her for real?
I glared fiercely.
Han Yuseon averted her eyes and said,
"No need to worry. My combat skills are top-notch."
"...Proof?"
Honestly, I didn't trust her anymore.
If she'd kept her initial aura, fine—but she came back and messed with the door.
Han Yuseon scanned around like she was looking for something.
Point.
Her finger aimed somewhere.
I looked— a roll of toilet paper on the desk.
"I'll pop that toilet paper roll."
"I can pop it too. Just throw it and..."
Han Yuseon wiggled her finger.
Whoosh—!
Boom!
The roll exploded. No, more than that.
Silver threads from her fingertip sliced the scattered pieces in midair.
Shred shred shred—!
Like flower petals, the bits fluttered down.
I stared at Han Yuseon, dumbfounded. Unbelievable.
She shrugged.
"Basic attack."
"..."
"Don't look so shocked... it's embarrassing."
"No. How do I clean this up?"
Bits everywhere on the floor, scattered every which way.
Han Yuseon finally looked down.
"Ah."
Sigh first.
"..."
"..."
Eyes met.
Han Yuseon smiled awkwardly.
I seriously wanted to kill her.
After Han Yuseon grumbled through cleanup,
We used awakener privileges to remotely enter the Tower.
"Monsters in the Tower aren't sitting ducks like toilet paper, and they can kill humans."
"No worries. I'll protect you, puppeteer."
"Hah... if only I could believe you."
Before us was the 1st floor prompt.
Anyone awakened starts from floor 1, climbing step by step. Not straight to the unlocked 9th.
Difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard...
And.
Hm?
I raised an eyebrow.
Transcendent grade. I thought Hard was max...
Because of my rank?
Start with Easy, I guess.
I shrugged and went to select Easy—
Thud.
Her hand blocked my arm.
I shot her a 'What?' look.
Han Yuseon said flatly,
"Let's go Transcendent. You can handle it, puppeteer."
"What if the enemy is fucking strong?"
"I'm stronger. It's fine. I'm the strongest."
"..."
Ridiculous.
That 'strongest' line... wasn't it from some scrub who got wrecked later?
Before I could stop her,
She dragged my hand to select Transcendent.
Hiss...
Scene shifted.
Before us loomed a golem at least 2 meters tall.
Bloodshot eyes glaring at me.
One hit would flatten me?
"Ah."
A death rattle? My mouth opened, sound leaking out.
I glanced aside.
Han Yuseon stood casually.
Countdown began.
3
"Shiiit! Not this! Cancel, cancel!"
2
"It's fine."
1
"What's f—"
Weeeeen—!
The golem moved.
Or tried to. Countless silver threads pinned it.
And then.
"How dare you."
Han Yuseon furrowed her brow.
BOOOOM—!
It shattered to pieces.