Taboo Mansion
It was a place that was far too bizarre to be called a mansion1. It’s undoubtedly the place where Asch＝Dahl resides, but there are as many gravestones as they are to fill the lawn. It reeks so badly of corpses that any ordinary person would feel nauseous. At the center of all that is a building built with cold black metal so enormous that one can even say that it’s like a fortress.
People called that place,『Taboo Mansion』.
“I’m, back”
Perhaps it was Asch’s imagination, he opened the door that feels heavier than usual.
In front of his eyes, there’s an elegant lady in a maid outfit at first glance. Despite having tender and bouncy skin like that of a young girl, she’s producing a mature vibe that contrasts her beautiful delicately arranged looks. Her silky sepia hair was, elevating her mysterious charm by a whole level.
However, she’s not human. Her skin’s texture, her body parts’ intricacy, her fluid movements; she’s no different from human no matter how you look at it, but Asch considers her a『doll』.
Asch named her Mira.
“Welcome back”
Expressionlessly, the beautiful butler bows deeply and gives her greetings. Her voice did not have any intonation; as though she’s reading monotonously from a script that she was given.
“……next time, I have to research on creating emotions”
While staring fixedly at her, he removes his outdoor robe and hands it over.
Infusing life into a doll. Mira here, she’s the only successful example. Without any strings, she has the ability to move freely, and the capacity to think. The only reason Asch doesn’t consider her a human is now just the lack of『emotions』.
With that being said, he spent fifty years to create her. In order for her to have a range of human emotions, who knows how long it will need.
“So, how was the date?”
“……well, the two of us did not close the deal in the end. I guess that’s how I’ll put it”
“Is that so”
“It’s a man and woman’s relationship. Nobody is at fault. There’s simply the problem of compatibility as well after all”
“It did not seem that way to me though”
Asch’s feet stop at Mira’s single cold statement.
“……were you watching?”
“My apologies, my words were insufficient. 『It seemed to me, who is a doll, that you made your advances, said something that would dampen even a love that lasted a 100 years, ate a vicious slap, and was dumped, but how was it?』”
・・・
“Fuuー, women sure are enigmatic beings”
Asch sighed and leaned on the sofa.
He lived for 200 years. His body became unaging, and he did all kinds of researches as a Magician. However, it’s nevertheless insufficient time to understand the mystery known as women.
“Is that so? Even I, a doll, have a feeling that I can understand that woman’s feelings though”
Mira has no range of human emotions. However, she possesses the capacity to think. Her capacity to think passed a judgement on Asch.
‘he is unbearably stupid’
“……well, it’s not like I lived a long life for nothing. I can deduce it, for the most part. Firstly, my appearance. I think this has no problem”
Asch’s physical body’s age is about 20 years old. His height is roughly 10cm taller than average, and his nose is tall and straight as well. His facial features are well-arranged, and every individual part more or less fulfil the conditions of being beautifully shaped as well. The judgement on the looks varies from person to person, but it’s at a level in which 9 out of 10 opposite gender would say that he’s attractive.
“I think so too”
“Fuu……God sure is an unfair being. No, the Devil huh……well, whichever it is. They end up going as far as to give me, a prodigious Magician, a beautiful appearance after all. Furthermore, I even have an enormous fortune in these hands. Appearance, competency, fortune. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I possess everything”
“Appearance, competency, fortune. I find it more of a problem that despite having everything, you are completely unpopular with women though”
“……that’s right, the problem lies elsewhere. As I thought, it lies with the deadline of 10 years. Don’t you think, Mira”
“I too, completely think so”
He was in complete agreement with Mira on that. In the first place, 『setting a deadline for dating』 is an act that is intensely lacking in delicacy. She is very surprised at the lack of human nature of this Magician, who took 200 years to realise that, that, is stupid.
“As I thought, ten years is too short. For a man and woman to cultivate their love, it has to be slightly longer. I wonder if women won’t be satisfied unless it’s at least, two, or three years longer”
“……I, retract my previous statement. I think Asch-sama does not understand at all”
As one would expect, Mira capacity to think passes its judgement.
‘he is unbearably stupid’
On the other hand, Asch is thinking; that it can’t carry on like this. That is, not a judgement based on his instincts, but a tremendous rule of thumb from being dumped by women repeatedly for more than 200 years. The pain on his cheek that ate the vicious slap from his beloved just now also played a part into his irritation.
When he sticks his other hand out while carrying a glass of wine to his mouth, Mira quickly places sliced cheese on the table. It’s the marvellous butler and master combination that has been together for several tens of years.
“Mira, accept the matter that was mentioned previously”
“Are you sure? Even though you did not accept it thus far, saying that the time for research will become shorter”
“For living things, ‘change’ is something necessary. With no change comes no development. By going out of the way to place oneself in a different environment, one will be given stimulation from the outside. As a researcher, creativity is crucial. Inspirations are born from unexpected places by experiencing something completely different”
“Even though you can just honestly say『I want a girlfriend』”
“……well, with a reputation like mine, there’ll probably be a lot of people who will gather around me”
“If I had to say, I would say that you only have the rumour of an Evil Magician though”
……Mira’s cold words are, just right before this warm stove. Asch finished his wine while he thought and smiled.
As for Mira, while refilling the empty wine glass of this unpopular master here, she started making the bed indifferently.
