Duncan stared quietly at "Nilu" placed in the box.

It was just an ordinary articulated doll, and its image was in line with the "court girl" style that was popular in the city-state a century ago. It had beautiful golden curly hair and a lace dress. The joints of its arms were an old-fashioned spherical structure that was more obvious than Alice's. The face was made of ceramic, and the mouth and eyes had the iconic seam structure of old-fashioned dolls.

To be fair, this doll is very delicately made and has been collected and maintained very well. It is even hard to believe that it has been lying in the box for a century. Although it is far from being comparable to a "doll" like Alice that is almost like a real person, this little guy named "Nilu" can also be described as beautiful.

A hundred years ago, Lucrecia bought another doll called "Luni" from this store to pair with this little guy. Now, the "Nilu" that was left behind was lying quietly in the box, in front of Duncan.

Duncan himself had just casually walked into the shop today. His original purpose was just to force... to buy a wig for Alice and to inquire about the maintenance of the doll.

Destiny is really a wonderful thing.

"It doesn't look like it's been there for a century," Duncan mused. "It's just a little old."

"The things made by elves are famous for being durable. After all, we usually use them for a very long time. I can't call myself a master at making puppets, but I should be better than many of my peers. I don't want the child I carefully made to not be able to accompany me for a century or two."

"...I understand, but this can be considered an antique for humans," Duncan raised his eyebrows. He quickly came to his senses and realized that the well-preserved doll in front of him was not a simple commodity. "I don't think I can afford this."

He did not forget that he had earned more than a year's living expenses for an ordinary person from Mr. Morris with a dagger that was a hundred years old. The beautifully crafted and well-preserved doll in front of him... could not have been bought cheaply.

"Antique? I never thought of it that way," the shopkeeper smiled, with a happy expression on his chubby face, "It's not expensive. In fact, if you buy the wig and the matching silver hair accessories, I can sell this doll at cost price - the cost price at the time, one hundred and forty-two sora."

This time it was Duncan's turn to be surprised: "Why?"

"Maybe it's fate," the shop owner said slowly, "Nelu has been lying here quietly for many years, and there has never been a destined owner to take her away. This 'sister' left alone is actually very lonely. Today, there are not many customers here all day, but you, a gentleman who loves dolls, are the only one who talked to me about so many things, and you just happened to talk about Miss Lucrecia who took 'Luni' away a hundred years ago. I think this may be the guidance of fate..."

"Fate..." Duncan's mouth twitched. He usually liked to use this word to fool others, but he never thought that he would be fooled. Then he understood and looked at the old elf woman in front of him with a strange look. "So the real situation is that it can't be sold, right?"

Shop owner: “…It’s fate.”

"Because it has some connection with the cursed 'Abnomar' family, it can't be sold at all, right?"

"…It's really fate."

"Could this doll have other curse-like properties? For example, it will find its way back to its original place after being thrown away? Or it will go to the kitchen to look for a kitchen knife while the person is sleeping..."

The old woman finally opened her eyes and raised her voice an octave higher: "I specifically found a priest to perform exorcism on me! I have kept the exorcism certificate..."

Duncan chuckled: "See, it turns out that someone suspected that this doll was cursed so it couldn't be sold, right?"

Old woman: “…”

"I opened an antique shop in downtown," Duncan exhaled, "Antique shop in downtown, you know."

"...I don't like dealing with business people, especially people like you," the old woman shook her head and sighed, "Well, that's indeed the reason. Nilu couldn't be sold for a long time, and then it got older and older, so I just put it in the warehouse. If you really want it, you can take it at a discount price of seventy-five solas. At least it will allow me to recover the cost of finding a priest to exorcise the evil spirit..."

"Deal." Duncan agreed without waiting for the other party to finish.

In any case, he did have a great interest in the doll. Even though there was no evidence to prove that there was any connection between the little guy and Lucrecia, he decided to buy the doll simply because of "fate".

This was his subconscious reaction after he suddenly learned that "he" had a pair of "children": who knows when the brother and sister will show up, and who knows what kind of trouble will happen then. And now he saw something related to Lucrecia - no matter whether it is useful or not, he would get it first and then study it slowly.

In this world where supernatural powers and all kinds of strange things exist, such "connections" can often play a role in mysticism.

"Then 'Nilu' is in your hands," the shop owner was a little stunned by Duncan's straightforward response. She was probably regretting why she didn't tell her the price a little more. But soon she shook her head and pushed the box containing the doll forward. But before Duncan reached out, she couldn't help but say, "You have to take good care of this child... Although I can see that you are a gentleman who really loves dolls, I still want to remind you not to regard Nilu as a cheap commodity."

"Of course." Duncan took the wooden box, closed the lid, and then looked at the wig and hair accessories he had just selected. "How much are these two together?"

"425 Sola, fixed price."

Duncan immediately showed an expression as if he had a toothache.

In downtown, this is enough to support a family for two months! But in downtown... it is only enough to buy two "accessories" for the rich.

He was even a little hesitant at that moment, wondering whether he should just give up on it, but he quickly gave up the idea.

This was the gift he promised to give to Alice (although Alice might feel a little awkward when receiving the gift). On the other hand, considering what he had gained from this doll shop today, this price did not seem unacceptable.

After comforting himself a little, Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to pay the money obediently.

But when he was paying, he suddenly remembered something and couldn't help asking, "By the way, why did Lucrecia only buy Luni but not her younger sister 'Nilu'?"

"...You really want to know?" The shop owner showed a slightly mysterious expression when he heard it. "This matter...is another secret related to the Abnomer family."

Duncan subconsciously moved closer: "This makes me even more curious."

"Then please settle the bill first."

Duncan was stunned, and paid the bill with a smile on his face: "Can you tell me now?"

"Oh, it's nothing, actually." The old lady who owns the shop said casually while collecting money. "The two children didn't bring enough money back then. Lucrecia was in tears when she left. She even said that she would take Neelu with her when she had money in the future. But now it seems that she has forgotten..."

Duncan: “…”

Is it because the old lady in front of me has a unique style of painting or are the elves in this world all suffering from some serious illness?

※※※

On the Lost Homeland, which was swaying slightly with the waves, Alice returned to the upper deck after transporting the last batch of things to the cabin. The first thing she saw was the captain, who was standing quietly near the side of the ship and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Captain~~" Miss Doll came over happily, "I sent everything to the cabin! The ingredients and kitchen utensils were sent to the kitchen, and the rest was sent to the captain's room!"

"Well," Duncan came back to his senses, he breathed a sigh of relief, and then his eyes focused on Alice, "Thank you for your hard work."

"Captain...are you okay now?" Alice looked Duncan up and down and asked hesitantly, "Your face suddenly looked strange before, are you really okay?"

Duncan shook his head: "Don't worry, it's a small problem."

He was actually still a little confused now, his mind full of the two names that suddenly popped up, Tirian and Lucretia, and the possible troubles behind them. Looking at the cursed doll in front of him that was definitely connected to the Frost Queen, it was even more difficult for him to calm down. But in the end, he still suppressed many of his words.

Regardless of whether there is any connection with the Frost Queen, Alice is just a puppet who knows nothing. There are some things to discuss with her... It is better to go to Shirley, the illiterate one.

At least Shirley has a more educated dog by her side.

He turned his head and looked at the pigeon that was resting on the deck. The latter's figure flickered in the air, and then disappeared above the deck in a burst of fire.

Alice looked curiously at the place where the flame disappeared: "Is Ai going to 'deliver goods' again?"

"Well, there aren't many things this time." Duncan nodded slightly, then looked at Alice and smiled, "It's a gift for you."

Alice's eyes lit up: "Gift? Really a gift for me?! Captain, you are so..."

Before Miss Doll finished her words, a vortex of dark green flames suddenly appeared above the deck next to her - Ai completed the teleportation from Plande City-State to the Lost Homeland in the blink of an eye, and as the flames rose, a new batch of supplies appeared in Alice's eyes.

The puppet suddenly couldn't utter the second half of the sentence.

The first thing that caught her eye was a wig...