The Clingy Bear Doll

"What's going on...?" Sariya sis murmured sleepily from inside my arms, rubbing her eyes. It seemed her powers had activated, waking her up.

"It's nothing, sis. Go back to sleep."

"Mm... okay..."

She let out a soft snore.

I tucked her back in and arrived at the next building.

The second exam room was a cramped space.

A single desk sat in the middle of the room. On it was a bear doll.

An angry-faced bear doll.

Stitches poking out.

Cheap fabric material.

Beady black button eyes.

It reminded me of just an ordinary teddy bear.

"The second trial is to break the rule yokai."

"Got it."

Galrahal explained.

"It's a very weak specimen, so no need to be scared. The rules are just tricky. The faster you finish, the more bonus points."

"Got it!"

I perked up my ears, listening intently, remembering how he'd ruthlessly dragged out the failures earlier.

"Hmph, spirited answers at least."

I guess that was the right response; I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠caught his snort.

Then the door shut.

Click.

As the lock engaged, a rule sheet appeared before me.

...That's it?

He'd said the rules were tricky.

Something's off, right?

Just to check, I tried the doorknob. Locked tight, as expected.

Guess I should just follow the rules.

I approached the desk and picked up the bear doll. Up close, I could see it had been well-loved—stitches everywhere, some stuffing poking out from one arm.

An old doll, huh.

I gently stroked its head.

Stroke, stroke.

The fabric felt less like cheap cloth and more like aged silk. A faint oak-like scent wafted up.

Oho.

As I petted it, watching its face, the angry expression softened bit by bit.

No yokai vibe at all.

The doll's face fully relaxed, now sporting a slight smile.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Good. Next is hug it.

I carefully pulled the bear doll into my chest.

Poof. Soft stuffing tickled my nose.

...Is this really it?

Holding it tight, I tried the doorknob again. Unlike before, it turned smoothly.

Done.

The second trial was a breeze too.

Did they make it easy for me on purpose?

Maybe Ronan and Reina put in a good word.

I should thank them later.

I was about to push the door open when...

......

It wouldn't budge.

Huh?

I pushed harder, but it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was like shoving a wall. I glanced back.

The bear doll sat on the desk with an angry face again.

When did it get back there?

Weird. I'd definitely been holding it.

Then.

Flicker. Flicker-flicker.

The ceiling lights started strobing irregularly. The text on the floor's rule sheet turned blood-red and warped.

The bloody script filled the paper and spilled onto the walls and ceiling, blooming like mold. A chilling obsession. Any normal person would've screamed and collapsed.

But I felt oddly calm. Déjà vu.

The clumsy way of loving by locking someone away because you don't know how else to do it.

...Just like my parents.

Whenever I said I wanted to go out, Mom would tear up the yard. Dad tried to lock me in my room.

A yokai's love for humans, ignorant of our ways. No different.

And above all, no malice.

I slowly walked back to the desk.

Thud.

I knelt before the bear doll, eye level. Those glossy button eyes held a familiar loneliness.

I pulled its small body into my arms without hesitation. Damp dust scent, mingled with faint warmth from the worn stuffing.

"You."

My voice softened unconsciously.

"You like being hugged, don't you?"

It hit me suddenly. Like I was saying it to myself, not the doll.

As my rough hand stroked its back, the red script covering the room halted.

Silence fell.

"Me too."

I patted the doll's back, murmuring softly.

"Growing up with yokai parents, it terrified me when the neighbors started vanishing one by one. No one understood me; I felt like the only one in the world."

My gaze seemed fixed on the doll but pierced beyond—to the elderly couple on the dinner table, neighbor Tommy turned into a meal, five-year-old me crying alone in the wrecked yard.

"So I get it. You just don't want to be alone."

Looking down at the hugged doll, its angry face had gone blank.

"I hated being alone too, so I left home. I wanted to live among people."

I stroked its head and continued.

"That's why I have to leave here. Now I have people to protect."

Sariya sis. Lannancy sis. And connections yet to come.

"You're clinging as hard as you can, but so am I."

The button eyes gleamed.

"If you really can't bear to part from me..."

I gripped its stuffing paw tight.

"Come with me. I won't abandon you."

The red script filling the room shifted.

The letters lost form, dripping from the edges. A fishy smell filled the room, approaching me, but I ignored it. My eyes stayed on the doll.

"I promise."

......

The flickering lights steadied. The red script evaporated.

The floor's rule sheet erased line by line, leaving one sentence.

Click.

The door unlocked.

I stood, cradling the bear doll in one arm.

Bang!

The door flew open as Galrahal burst in, sword in hand. Sweat beaded on his brow; his eyes darted between me and the doll in disbelief.

"...I was just about to leave."

Galrahal narrowed his eyes at my words.

"...How did you do it?"

"Huh?"

"How'd you survive that?"

How do I even explain?

'Good at empathy?'

That'd probably ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lead to endless questions.

"Uh... rich field experience?"

"...Hand over the rule sheet."

I showed it to him. He snatched it, stared, then froze. After a long look, he glanced down at me.

"You're insane."

"Pardon?"

Calling me that to my face? Rude.

"That's a compliment."

"...Ah, right."

First time anyone's complimented me like that.

It's a compliment, right...?

Whether he read my mind or not, Galrahal continued flatly.

"Congratulations. Second trial passed. Next is a personal interview with the Pavilion Lord. It'll be in the central spire."

Pavilion Lord?

"...Isn't the Pavilion Lord sealed away?"

"Correct. But inside the spire is different. You can meet him there."

"I see."

My heart started pounding.

What kind of person was the Pavilion Lord, living legend and the empire's strongest?

Scarier than Galrahal, probably.

Couldn't imagine.

"Be careful when meeting the Pavilion Lord. He's the last demon left in the world."

Demon...!

Like the heroes and demon kings from fairy tales.

I was dying to go see right now.

"Thanks for the heads-up."

"But."

His gaze locked on the bear doll in my arms.

"That rule yokai is basically council property. Other examinees are lining up for the second trial behind you."

Oh.

Didn't think of that.

"Whether you meant to or not, you've taken the exam tool. Got a way to compensate the next candidates?"

I tried to set the doll down gently.

But it clung to my collar, refusing to let go.

"...Pay them off?"

"You rich?"

Nope.

I deflated instantly.

Galrahal crossed his arms, looming.

"If you cause a mess you can't handle, pay the price. For now—"

Bang!

Before he finished, the exam room door slammed shut on its own.

In a blink, Galrahal was trapped inside; I stood outside.

A rule sheet fluttered down from thin air.

I snatched it and gaped at the contents.

I knew the culprit.

"...You."

The bear doll glared angrily at the door.

The ability to isolate targets at will.

And the will to protect its owner.

"...Thanks."

Was this okay to do to a superior? Well, not my fault anyway.

Is this good or bad?

Struggling to even get a place in the capital, and now another dependent.

I stroked the bear doll; its angry face softened into a peaceful smile.

Thud!

The door shook like it might shatter.

Thud! Thud!

He won't get mad... right?

Still, a rule yokai's constraint can't be broken even by a Swordmaster—

Crack!

Wood splintered from the door.

"...Let's hurry."

I rushed toward the central spire.