Chapter 56 - Volume 4 (1/2)

Extra arc 『The Stage Ghost’s Cappricio』 Chapter 8

「I am a puppet」

Is what she said.

「But, it’s true that I was born from a human mother. My real name is also Mari. …I guess I got caught in the end. I was honestly terrified every time I’d meet with you. I’d thought that anyone who knew about real magic would surely expose my lies someday」

「I don’t plan on exposing the lie. I just want to know your true motives. If you want me to keep it a secret, then I’ll keep the truth to my grave and if you don’t want to talk about it――」

「No. I’ll tell you everything. It’s just that I don’t know where to start. If you’re fine with it, I’ll start from the beginning」

It seems Miria’s–no, Mari Galant’s mother really did treat her badly. She was practically neglected, and she’d get offensive words thrown at her when they met.

「It seems that I’d been a kid who never cried, laughed or talked. My mother, to add to that, was yearning for one child that was stillborn — my sister from a different father. She told me plainly that she didn’t want to recognize a broken child as her daughter」

I wonder what kind of thoughts she had, having such cruel words thrown at her.

The reason she hadn’t cried may be because she had no one to comfort her even if she cried. And the reason she hadn’t smiled or talked, was probably because there was no one near her that she could copy how to smile or talk from.

「But, even though Grandfather was taciturn and unsociable, he did care about me a little. Even though I knew that the puppets were more important to Grandfather than I was, nevertheless, to me, he was my one and only family. And besides, even I had a dream as a child in my own way too. Even though I couldn’t naturally laugh or cry myself, a man who associated with grandfather taught me the existence of something called 『theatre』」

Her tone became a little cheerful. When I heard that, I recalled something.

「Could that person be… Mr. Playright?」

「Yes. I was taught 『theatre』 by that gentleman, and became crazy about it. In theatre, even if the words I say were lies or even if the smiles and tears I had were fake, it was fine as long as I do it well. The fact is, I get to see people, who watch me pretend to cry out or act like I love someone, happy. ……but, as per my usual damaged self, even when my mother died, I didn’t spill a single drop of tear」

When she talked about her mother, she certainly didn’t have any facial expressions. That, to me, looked like confusion over not knowing what the proper expression to make was.

「I had a dream, and, even if it was only one, I had a family. I’d thought that was fine. I might be damaged, but I’d planned to live virtuously, to live as honestly as I could」

She took one short pause, and said in a tone one pitch lower than before.

「……Up until that time came」

Up until the time Nival Galant died, it was common knowledge that he’d been working on the doll that was said to be his best work. Of course, having lived together, there’s no way she couldn’t have possibly known that.

「But Grandfather really hated having others see the creation of the dolls, so even I have never seen those dolls made. Grandfather collapsed in the workshop as he was… After he died, I went into the workshop. I saw the doll that Grandfather toiled over until the time of his death. And, I understood. What Grandfather wanted – what even he wanted, had been my sister from a different father.……There was already a name etched into the doll, 『Miria』。――it was the name Mother had prepared for my stillborn sister.」

With a scornful laugh most likely directed at herself, she continued her monologue sarcastically.

「The doll that had my sister’s name had a.. very gentle and serene expression.……That’s to be expected. It was something that was born by having Grandfather pour all of the passion from Mother’s hopes. Thus, it’s debut as an automaton was already prepared. Furthermore, she’ll debut from the puppet opera with the first script that man has written… She had already been set to star on stage for her first time」

I could feel the fiery rage in Miria’s tone.

「……I… had never been so vexed. Even though I can’t even properly laugh or cry, it seems I’m perfectly capable of being jealous. I saw red. At that time, all of the pieces of grandfather’s work had already been finished and even its assembly was nearly completed. All that’s left was to fasten the arms and it should’ve been able to move… It was fine even if that part of the work wasn’t by grandfather. But, when I think of the promising future awaiting the doll sleeping so serenely, the moment its life begins… When I think of the doll getting all the things I’ve ever wanted once it opens its eyes…」

I could easily imagine what was beyond the pause in those words. Even so, having told me she’d tell me everything, she said this clearly.

「Without completing the doll, I hid the arms and the body away separately. Then, I pretended to be 『Miria』 and came to the puppet opera」

With this, a curious switching of a doll with a human occurred.

「Did Mr. Playwright know about this?」

「I don’t suppose he noticed. As 『Miria』, I always wear makeup when I appear in front of him」

Even so, I suppose there’d still be some similarities. Even by changing her outward appearance with clothes and makeup, her voice was still the same, after all.

Well, let’s leave how the playwright thinks of this aside for the time being.