Paper Dolls and Moral Lessons
The next day, class time arrived just like that.
“What’re you staring at.”
“E, uh…?”
Ashu’s emotionless eyes bored into me like they wanted to devour me whole. Thump. My shoulders jerked involuntarily, and I sat down, desperately steadying my trembling hands.
This was bewildering. Hadn’t I gotten the upper hand a little yesterday? His face had suddenly turned venomous, and I couldn’t make sense of it at all.
Still, I had to say what needed saying.
“Uh, um… D-Disciple. It’s class time right now, isn’t it…?”
“So?”
“S-So, starting today, I was thinking we’d cover a bit more ground…”
Boredom was already etched across Ashu’s face. It was like his expression screamed, ‘You know I already know all this crap, so why bother?’
He had a point. Ashu’s level in martial arts and etiquette was beyond reproach—no need to even mention it.
As I racked my brain for how to coax him into it, an unexpected response came from Ashu’s mouth.
“…So, what’re you gonna teach.”
An unexpectedly compliant attitude. Arms crossed, like he was humoring me just to see, but hey, this was progress…!
Tears nearly welled up at this monumental achievement. I secretly wiped away a single drop.
Maybe he’s not such a bad kid after all…
“F-First off, Disciple, it seems like you’re a bit lacking in social morals, so I thought we’d start with ethics education…”
“What?”
“Eek!!”
Ashu shot to his feet, and I instinctively dropped into a defensive stance.
‘Scratch that—not a bad kid at all!’
…But was it right for me to be scared of a mere ten-year-old brat? I was a grown man, damn it. A former soldier who’d rolled through the mud.
Yeah, a life of bitter lessons from my past world and this one. Thinking it over, I had zero reason to cower before Ashu.
Gathering all my courage, I bellowed at the top of my lungs.
“B-But…! Last time, you turned those barbarians into bloody pulp, and the moment you saw me, you charged like a maniac…!”
“Ugh…”
…Come to think of it, that was unfair. I’d thrown myself into the fray solely to survive, and this was the treatment I got?
My voice grew thick with resentment. A surge of pent-up frustration welled up, flashing through every hardship I’d endured since reincarnating into this world like a panorama.
My life suddenly seemed pathetic—scared even of a kid. I clamped my mouth shut before I said too much.
“…Haa.”
As the silence stretched, Ashu scratched his head roughly and leaned back on the sofa.
“…Fine, let’s hear it.”
His exasperated tone made my face bloom into a grin. Looked like even Ashu’s round conscience had a soft spot.
Thank goodness. There was hope for reformation after all…!
‘…But hasn’t our master-disciple dynamic gotten flipped somehow?’
Whatever. The important thing was I could teach Ashu basic morals!
And I’d prepared for this exact moment. I rummaged through my bag, and Ashu eyed it curiously.
“…What’s that?”
“I-It’s the teaching aid I worked hard on yesterday.”
A good teacher’s always prepared for class. With a proud smile, I pulled out the paper dolls.
“…Why are there so many.”
No matter how prickly Ashu’s personality, he was still just ten. His mental age couldn’t be that high. Back in Korea, ten-year-olds loved Lego and Power Rangers—kid stuff!
“What do you think? I did a good job, right? Hehe.”
I’d pulled an all-nighter for these. Ashu looked at me like I was pathetic, but whatever. As long as class went well.
“But why are all the dolls square.”
I’d modeled them after Minecraft characters—easiest to make with paper. No point explaining; I just chuckled and dodged.
From the scattered dolls, I picked the one of the grandma pulling a cart. Sweat dripping as she diligently sold vegetables. Her warm smile, unmarred by hard labor, was touching—a grandma working hard today for tasty snacks for her grandkids waiting at home.
For the other, I chose a rough, fierce-looking dog-like doll. Named ‘Ashu,’ for reference.
Ashu blankly stared at the chosen dolls.
“Ahem.”
Clearing my throat a bit, I launched into my glorious first lesson. It felt awkward at first, but soon flowed naturally.
“Alright, Disciple. Here’s a grandma. She has a grandchild she loves more than her own eyes. All her hard-earned sweat always turned into delicious snacks for the kid.”
“…”
“Today was one of those days. She rose at dawn, loaded her homegrown veggies into the cart to sell. If she sold them all, she could treat her grandkids to meat for once. And the veggies were in great shape today, too.”
Ashu gazed at me steadily. His piercing stare felt oddly embarrassing.
“…You’re different from usual.”
“Ahem. Focus!”
Ashu glared rebelliously, but I pressed on with the role-play undeterred.
“Then! A punk—er, a delinquent shows up out of nowhere. Hungry, he threatens the grandma and demands the whole cart.”
Thud. I slammed the Ashu doll in front of the grandma one threateningly. Didn’t forget the grandma doll’s trembling reaction either.
Taking a breath, I continued.
“So, Disciple—what would you do?”
Ashu stared at me blankly, then crossed his arms and stated matter-of-factly.
“I’d just walk by.”
“Right, of course you’d help… Huh?”
“It’s got nothing to do with me. Why should I?”
“Uh, um…”
This was bad. I’d overestimated the noble orphan of the grand duchy.
His unexpected answer twisted my brain.
“W-Why not…?”
“No need for me to step in. Kan Hart’s a closed-off territory—patrols are frequent. Demons and enemy soldiers could pop up anywhere. Even if I pass by, they’d nab him in five minutes.”
“Oh, r-right…?”
“Yeah.”
…Ah, so Kan Hart’s security was top-notch! But why, even while touting his territory’s strengths, did Ashu’s face look so sour?
Sensing a landmine, I quickly grabbed another doll. One I’d poured my heart into—most of yesterday’s time went into this.
“…What’s this. You?”
Ashu poked the doll’s head.
“N-Not you, it’s Master…”
“Whatever you say.”
Attempting to reclaim authority, I deflated instantly. Ah, when will he call me Master? So far to go for that disciple gratitude.
“Ahem. Let’s start over.”
“…”
Ashu eyed me pitifully again. Sweat beaded, but I ignored it and pushed on.
“This poor young lady stepped into the snowy north full of dreams and hopes for the future. Upon arrival, she brimmed with expectations for a bright life here.”
“She got ahead of herself.”
Ashu’s jab made my body creak. God, what to do with this insolent little treasure. Inner rage cells twitched, but fighting meant losing, so I held back.
“A-Anyway…! It really seemed that way. The client’s mansion and the north were far more beautiful than expected. The woman, scraping by, thought she’d grasped a lifeline. But then…!!”
Smack! I slapped the desk—cute little sound instead of a bang.
I placed the Ashu doll before mine. Eyes pure evil.
“…Out of nowhere, while walking the street, a rotten punk kid draws his sword and charges! The lady was startled but somehow fended him off.”
I released the doll and fixed Ashu with a stare.
Ashu shifted awkwardly, like something hit home.
“So… who’s the one in the wrong here?”
Ashu propped his chin, deep in thought. To me, it looked like excuse-hunting.
Try countering me. I’ll dismantle every argument!
“One thing first.”
“Yes.”
“This doll looks suspiciously like me.”
Ashu held up the ‘Ashu’ doll, glaring.
Eh, unexpected.
“Y-Yes…? Ah, n-no, th-that’s…”
Suspicion deepened in Ashu’s eyes. My shoulders shook like vibrate mode.
“What’d you call it earlier? Punk brat? Trash kid?”
“I-I didn’t say it like th—”
Ashu’s hand went to his sword hilt.
“E-Eek!! Y-Yes! It’s the Disciple doll…!!”
“…”
Ashu silently extended his hand. Clear ‘hand it over’ gesture.
I resisted, but ended up sobbing as he snatched every all-nighter doll one by one…
“I-I worked so hard on them…”
Even the Ideal doll got taken. I could only stare blankly as Ashu left clutching a handful.
‘But… did he smirk a little earlier?’
No way that conscienceless brat did. If he smiled, it was pure malice.
“Bad kid…”
“…Punk, huh.”
Ashu gazed at the paper dolls in his hands. Square-shaped, but intricately made. Yet they carried a strange warmth.
For some reason, he carefully placed them on a corner of his desk. Especially his and Ideal’s—he handled those with extra care.
Ideal’s whiny please don’t take those face flashed in his mind.
Ashu smiled without realizing it as he looked at the dolls.