When Dawn Breaks (4)

As dawn broke,

"Cookie Siblings. No vital signs."

I kept slamming explosions into the witch.

Then Keter's voice came from beside me.

Yuseolhwa must have finished off the giant doll.

"Finally done."

I released my transformation and unequipped my gauntlets.

Feels like we burned through months' worth of dolls in a single day.

The witch collapsed on the floor, her face smashed beyond recognition.

She kept regenerating, so that's what happens.

I dusted off my hands and turned around to see Yuseolhwa sprawled flat on the ground.

"What the—why's she like that?"

I rushed over in surprise. Luckily, she was breathing. Pulse normal too.

Just passed out, I guess.

"No need to worry too much. Seems like backlash from her technique."

"Backlash? From what?"

"I'm not certain, but she matched your speed for a moment there."

Impressive. To hit that velocity with an Awakener's body.

I patted Yuseolhwa's back.

Tougher fight than I thought. Good job.

"Eh, as long as she's alive."

I walked over to Keter and nudged him with my elbow.

"Thanks to you we took her down."

Without Keter, this subjugation would've failed.

I'm not the type to spot strategies anyway.

And in the heat of battle, no room for that.

"Not at all. If you hadn't inflicted a fatal wound on the witch doll right away, I wouldn't have spotted the weakness either."

"I just did my usual thing."

Rustle rustle.

Keter's words made me embarrassed, so I fiddled with my collar pointlessly.

Then something rustled from the witch's corpse.

"Hm?"

I approached cautiously, and a mini witch doll crawled out from inside.

I grabbed it.

"P-please spare me!"

The mini witch doll dangled from my hand, wailing.

Eh? It talks.

"I'm a good mascot!"

"You crawled out of its stomach. Why should I believe that?"

"It's tr-true! I don't know anything. I just woke up here."

The self-proclaimed mascot sniffled.

"Keter, what's this?"

I held it out to Keter.

"Appears to be a standard mascot."

Keter examined it closely before speaking.

"Weren't all the regular mascots supposed to be gone after the Great Subjugation?"

Unlike elder mascots like Keter, regular ones had severe limitations.

They couldn't fix their contractor's body, and they couldn't stay away from the Otherworld long.

So they all had to return after the Great Subjugation.

That's why no more magic aunties popped up in the world.

"Eek! K-Keter-nim! Just spare me, please!"

The self-proclaimed mascot trembled at the sight of Keter.

Keter really is high in the hierarchy, huh.

"Speak slowly. Why were you inside that doll, and what happened in the Otherworld?"

Keter gestured for me to hand it over. I did, and he petted it gently. Calmed by his touch, the self-proclaimed mascot finally spoke.

"I finished my contract and definitely returned to the Otherworld. But after that... nothing. I woke up here."

Sounds like someone who blacked out after drinking and crashing their car.

No proof in its words.

But no erosion on its body either.

Doesn't seem like a lie. "No erosion. Something must've happened in the Otherworld for real."

Keter's demeanor chilled at my words.

"This explains the recent surge of unidentified dolls."

"So that 'mother' turned regular mascots into dolls?"

"Indeed."

Now they're even turning mascots into dolls.

Does Keter's mother have a heart?

"We'll cooperate with the Management Bureau to investigate further."

"Yeah."

I hoisted the still-unconscious Yuseolhwa onto my back.

"You taking her home?"

Maybe spooked, since I didn't even threaten her much.

She peeked out from hiding in Keter's arms.

"Seems we must. Can't let her fall into Mother's hands again."

Eh, Keter'll handle it fine. I nodded ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠casually.

"Let's head back."

"Yes, milady."

The very next day.

The Management Bureau announced Yuseolhwa's 'Cookie Siblings' subjugation.

Even EachMaGal, where hate for her had dominated, softened a bit on this news. Some still called out the guild master, but plenty acknowledged Yuseolhwa's efforts.

Aish. These dumbasses.

Just admit when you're wrong. So petty.

I popped a snack in my mouth thinking that.

Vroooom.

"Too fast."

"Ar, what if you can't even handle a vacuum?"

"S-sorryyy!"

I named the mascot from the erosion zone Ar, after its last contractor.

Keter trained it as a maid for housework.

But it's not helping much.

Right now it's riding the vacuum, magically controlling it, and turning the house into a mess after failing.

Ding-dong.

Doorbell.

Who? Delivery?

Ar shut off the vacuum and scurried to the intercom camera. The vacuum tipped over, knocking into a nearby flowerpot.

Never let that thing clean.

I watched the chaos, then popped another snack.

"Tasty."

"Tasty?"

Kim Doa's voice came from somewhere.

"Yeah, super tasty."

"Some of us were dying cleaning up your mess, and here you are chilling with snacks."

Something felt off, so I looked toward the voice.

There was Kim Doa, holding Ar in one hand.

Ar was limp, passed out like yesterday—no flailing.

"Did I fight too hard yesterday? Hallucinating now."

"Not a hallucination."

I got a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠knuckle to the forehead and lost my sofa spot.

"I said guard the patient. And you take her to hunt dolls?"

I knelt, looking up at Kim Doa.

My head hurt, so I rubbed it hard.

"We got it done anyway."

"You said the exact same thing last time."

"Sorry."

Thought she'd let it slide since we succeeded.

Guess not.

"And why's Yuseolhwa like that? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Couldn't even stand."

"Ultimate move backlash or something." I didn't expect that either. The witch buffed the giant, so it happened. No chance to help.

"Ha... Figured something like this, but not this soon."

Kim Doa sighed deeply.

"What, you knew I'd hit an erosion zone?"

"First time?"

No.

Then who's dumber, leaving the fish shop to a cat?

I thought it but didn't say it.

"Even if she rushed an erosion zone with you there, worst case avoided. You were insurance."

"What... so it's fine... Ow!"

Another knuckle.

"That's worst case. Who runs off in less than a day?"

Kim Doa rubbed her throbbing forehead.

"And what's this?" She dangled the unconscious Ar.

"My maid?"

"Don't mess around."

Her voice dropped.

Last warning vibe.

"Regular mascot found in last subjugation. Details to Bureau soon—check then, Doa."

Perfect timing—Keter brought drinks and handed one to Kim Doa.

"Ah, thanks."

"Anything else?"

"Nah, good."

Keter bowed and left.

His move softened her expression a bit.

Nice one, Keter.

"You." Kim Doa sipped and looked down at me.

"What."

"On vacation, going on a trip. Come with."

"...?"

Totally out of left field. Her on vacation was surprise enough.

Why me?

"Why?"

"Punishment or come along."

"That's abuse of power."

Last time too.

Is this okay for a national agency?

"Bring Kim Dohee too."

Treats her like a little sis.

Why drag me on vacation?

"Dohee's avoiding me after that cosplay mess. First time ignored."

Ah.

The magical girl cosplay that lit EachMaGal up.

I'd avoid too.

"Anyway, come. Just chilling at a pension."

"Fine."

My fault too.

Gotsta help friendless Kim Doa.

"When? Tomorrow? Day after?"

"Today. Now. Pack."

What?