Chapter 36
by GideonChapter 36: The Hotel – 2
Ignoring the silent exchange of glances between the Puppet Master and Qing Guizhu beside her, Tu Jin hurried forward almost the instant the beautiful Puppet Master appeared.
His eyes remained fixed on the little puppet nestled in Night Jiujui’s arms, seemingly fast asleep. Although he managed to maintain a calm expression, the hands hanging at his sides trembled ever so slightly, betraying his true feelings to everyone present.
“How is she?”
Night Jiujui didn’t answer.
Instead, she gently patted the little puppet.
“Mm…”
With sleepy, unfocused eyes, the little puppet let out a tiny yawn and slowly raised her head.
And there, around what had once been her flawless white neck, was now a conspicuous silver-white seam.
Tu Jin immediately checked the puppet’s status page after the repair.
【Puppet Name: ??? (Pending Edit)
Category: Special Item (Damaged)
Creator: Night Jiujui (Puppet Master)
Master: Tu Jin
Level: A+ (Cannot Be Increased)
Weapon: ??? (Unable to Determine)
Skills:
Puppet Mark (Lv. 10 — Has reached the upgrade limit for A+-rank skills; cannot be upgraded): You can transform marked entities into puppets. All transformed puppets will retain the strength they possessed before being converted. If a puppet sustains damage, its master can spend a corresponding amount of Points to repair it.
(Marking method: physical contact.)
P.S. Direct or indirect contact can both count as a successful mark. For example: You touch A, and B touches A. Both A and B will be marked by you.
Puppet Manipulation (Lv. 10 — Has reached the upgrade limit for A+-rank skills; cannot be upgraded): You can control your puppets.
Item Description:
Do you know what a Puppet Master is?
Every Puppet Master’s ultimate dream is to create the perfect puppet.
Before she was damaged, this puppet was the Puppet Master’s ultimate dream, a masterpiece that belonged exclusively to her.
Unfortunately…
She is now damaged.
Although she still retains all her previous memories, her skills have been locked.
Unless something unexpected happens, she will remain at this level for the rest of her life. (As for what kind of unexpected event… perhaps the puppet’s master could try befriending a Puppet Master? When this Puppet Master makes a breakthrough in her craft, she might bring about a little surprise!)
Please take note…
The damage to this puppet obviously won’t change her temper. In fact, she may become even more unreasonable because of her damaged condition.
Of course, a little puppet who possesses all of her master’s assets is still so adorable and charming, even with her bad temper and damaged condition! (It definitely has nothing to do with the money!)】**
Tu Jin barely spared a glance at her strength, level, or skills.
He was entirely focused on the information in the item description regarding the little puppet’s current physical condition.
Especially when he saw that the repaired little puppet still retained all her previous memories—
The grown man nearly burst into tears of joy.
He carefully reached out, intending to take the little puppet from Night Jiujui’s arms. However—
Night Jiujui didn’t let go.
Hm?
Tu Jin looked at her in confusion. Then, as though he suddenly understood—
“Thank you very much.”
He sincerely sent Night Jiujui a token of gratitude before reaching out again.
Night Jiujui still didn’t release her.
She silently stared at Tu Jin.
This time, Tu Jin, whose mind was completely occupied by his beloved little puppet, finally realized that something was wrong.
“…Is there another problem?”
If there wasn’t, could she please return his wife to him first?
“There is, actually… a little problem.”
Night Jiujui seemed completely oblivious to Tu Jin’s yearning gaze. Her expression remained cool and composed, but she still managed to convey a sincere attitude.
“I think, Mr. Tu Jin, you may have misunderstood something.”
What?
An ominous premonition slowly crept into Tu Jin’s heart. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at Night Jiujui and enunciated every word.
“I have no intention of giving her away right now.”
Tu Jin, who had never expected to hear those words: …?
What did you just say? Say that again?
When the little puppet had first met him, she had clearly said that her master was giving her to him as compensation for the debt!
What was this supposed to mean? Was she trying to take it back now?
“Is that not allowed?”
Night Jiujui asked as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Her completely unapologetic attitude nearly left Tu Jin speechless.
Did she even hear the unreasonable thing she was saying?
“Rather than calling this little one my creation, I’d say she’s my most beloved child.”
Looking at Tu Jin’s utterly disbelieving expression, Night Jiujui calmly explained her reasons.
“I know I took advantage of you over the room card matter. And aside from this little one, I don’t have anything more precious in my possession that would be enough to compensate you…”
“Back then, I thought that someone like you, who owned this hotel and had reached S-rank, would take good care of my most beloved child. So even though I was reluctant to part with her, I still left her with you…”
“I even deliberately left this instance to prevent myself from regretting the decision and changing my mind out of sentimentality. But what happened?”
“If I hadn’t been so worried and come back to check on her, I can hardly imagine that I would have ended up saying goodbye to this child…”
Night Jiujui paused, as though the thought had genuinely affected her.
“I know you couldn’t stop the Puppet Master. But you actually let this child stand in front of you…”
“Even if the Puppet Master hadn’t appeared today, wouldn’t you eventually encounter other enemies stronger than you?”
“I was the one who failed to think things through properly.”
“This child is different from ordinary items, and different from my other puppet creations. As a perfect puppet, she possesses a soul of her own. She’s not simply an item…”
“I can understand why you would send this child into danger when you’re facing a threat. My rational mind tells me that it’s a perfectly reasonable decision. But I’m the one who created her…”
“I’m sorry. Perhaps I’m not making much sense. I don’t even know what I’m trying to say anymore… I just feel that I was too impulsive before…”
“Maybe… there simply isn’t anyone suitable to take care of this child.”
With an apologetic glance, Night Jiujui delivered her final line.
“As for the Points for the suite, you can name your price. Once I’ve saved up enough, I’ll pay you back immediately.”
Tu Jin said nothing.
He lowered his eyes, his half-lowered eyelids concealing their color. No one could make out his expression.
A long time passed—
So long that Night Jiujui was beginning to wonder whether Tu Jin had been so stunned by her words that he was actually going to give up the little puppet—
“There won’t be a next time.”
Tu Jin raised his eyes, as though he had finally made up his mind about something.
Before Night Jiujui could ask what he meant…
He turned toward the little puppet, who looked somewhat bewildered.
“I’ve been calling you ‘little puppet’ all this time. That doesn’t seem quite right anymore. Is there a name you like?”
A name?
The little puppet blinked.
Although she had no idea what Tu Jin was planning, one thing was certain…
He wouldn’t hurt her!
“Your Highness the Princess!”
The little puppet’s eyes lit up instantly.
“I want to be called Your Highness the Princess!”
Night Jiujui and the Puppet Master, both of whom desperately didn’t want to acknowledge that this was their own doppelgänger: …?
Qing Guizhu’s expression also gradually became rather peculiar.
Tu Jin, however, reacted differently.
He smiled with relief.
“That name suits you perfectly.”
The next instant, accompanied by a system notification, the little puppet’s status panel underwent a dramatic change.
【Name: Your Highness the Princess
Background Classification: Modern World
Overall Personal Evaluation: A+
Owned Instance: Snow Village Hotel
Instance Rank: S+
Skills:
Puppet Mark (Lv. 10 — Has reached the upgrade limit for A+-rank skills):
You can place puppet marks on entities you come into contact with. For entities already marked by you, you will be able to learn everything about their current condition. They will become your eyes and ears, another means through which you perceive the world.
(Warning: If you use your marks to spy on certain powerful entities, you might attract their vengeance!)
Puppet Manipulation (Lv. 10 — Has reached the upgrade limit for A+-rank skills):
Entities marked by you can become your puppets. You can control your puppets. (The degree of control will correspond to the extent of their transformation into puppets.)
Special Bond — Follower’s Owner: Tu Jin
Points: — More than 500 billion. Details will not be displayed unless requested.】
“Now, I’m yours.”
Although he had given up his identity as an NPC, Tu Jin smiled as though everything he had done before was hardly worth mentioning.
He looked at Night Jiujui and made his promise.
“I will protect her with my life—Your Highness the Princess.”
So, please entrust her to me.
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