Dark in the Dollhouse Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Guess

Read chapter 20 of Dark in the Dollhouse by Haspberry on NovelPedia.

The majestic garden quaked with a weak tremor. The birds dashed and took shelter within the trees while the flowers quivered. The wilting flower remained silent as she strained; one of her twisted roots slowly emerging. Yuliana and Evander stared at Vindici with their eyes wide open, looking as if they’d pop out at any moment. Evander composed himself with a breath as he coughed into his fist and said, “Congratulations on your awakening. How does being alive feel?” he asked with a smirk. Vindici got up from his bow and looked towards Evander. He said, “I’ve yet to gather enough experience to comment on that.” “...” Evander didn’t know how to respond to that. “Do you remember your purpose?” he asked as he changed the subject. Vindici nodded his head. He looked at Yuliana with his gold-laced eyes and said, “To protect her.” Evander nodded as well. With an impassive face, he asked, “So what should the first step be if you want to do that?” Vindici replied without any hesitation, “I must Ingest a Series Artistry.” Yuliana who was still starstruck slapped herself on the face, forcing herself out of her dazed state. She didn’t even have enough time to celebrate her success before the two of them had already began step two. Yet quite surprised, she stammered, “U-umm, aren’t we taking things a little too fast? Shouldn’t we let him adjust a bit first?” Unsure of what to do, she looked at the newly alive Vindici and asked, “A-are you okay with that?” Vindici waited for a moment. He replied, “I don’t mind, I think.” Vindici lowered his head. He raised his wooden hand, clenched it and then opened it. He turned his hand around and over as his gold-laced eyes narrowed. He moved his hand with great dexterity and grace, clenching each of his five fingers one at a time like that of a person seeing them for the first time. For a while, he just stared at himself. After a moment, he replied, “I have enough knowledge about Artistry to be able to mentally comprehend its dangers and downsides, but I lack the experience to confirm, and thus, I cannot fear. I think it’s because I haven’t lived enough to develop a fear of losing me. “And besides, didn’t you do the same?” he asked as he tilted his head towards Yuliana. “Huh?” Yuliana was surprised as she stepped back a bit. “You, uhh, know?” Vindici nodded. “Or so I have been told,” he said as he looked towards Evander. Evander scratched his head and replied, “Yeah, I did sorta give him a rundown of everything that has happened up until now. I just tell him things from time to time.” Yuliana was a bit surprised but then realised, With his persona as a quiet and antisocial person, he must get pretty lonely from time to time. And since Citen isn’t always there, the only person—or thing at that point—he could’ve spoken to was the pseudo-alive Vindici. She looked at Evander with a sorrowful and pitying gaze as she said with a soft smile, “Don’t worry, you can speak to me as much as you want.” “Wait a damn second! For your information, The main reason I talked to Vindici was to make sure he was intelligent and sensible enough about the world and the circumstances surrounding him even if he never experienced it. It’s not cause I was lonely! You pitying me makes me feel weird...” he said with a frown as he groaned. Yuliana giggled. She then released a breath, composed herself properly and looked at Vindici. With a calm and serious expression, she said, “What is it that you want to do?” Evander’s eyes widened at her question. Vindici looked at her for a while, his wooden mask unchanging. He lowered his head as he replied in a slow voice, “I don’t know...” Yuliana smiled and nodded in an understanding manner. She said in a sweet and kind voice, “Then let’s figure it out together. Me, you and Evan. Although you’re probably smarter than me, I am still older than you by a week. So when it comes to experience, you can count on me, Vin,” she said as she thumped her chest with a confident look. Vindici stood there, si