Well, how much trouble can a water fairy get into with a few toys and puppets?
I told Nibi to keep out of sight and there’s not much more I can do about her.
Talia, meanwhile, wanders the room, most likely searching for small beds or possibly an item for her actual toys.
She’s not one to waste a discount.
At least she’s being helpful in diverting any attention from me while I try to find clothes.
At my size, it’s possible I could simply take a dress and fly off without being spotted, but that doesn’t feel right.
Mr. Howan is a nice person, and I have no desire to steal from him.

Suddenly, the shop’s entrance opens.
I see first an elderly man with slightly tanned skin, white hair, mustache, and a small pointy beard enter the store.
Directly behind him, a young girl follows, with curly, dark brown hair stopping at her neck and a cute, green dress.
A moment later, I realize who this is.
Emira, Sinora’s seven year old, little sister, out with the family butler.

I’m not fully familiar with her, as my attention was usually drawn by Sinora when our families would meet, and I haven’t truly spoken with the child in several years, which means she likely doesn’t even remember me.
Yet in such a small town, sooner or later, everyone knows something about everybody.
Especially, the members of the most influential family.
That is to say, despite her terrible sister, I’ve never heard anything bad about her.
Well, she also has access to her father’s wealth, but that is no reason to hate someone.
However, I know she lives rather secluded, and I don’t recall ever seeing her play with other children.
This may, in part, be due to her family’s status as patricians.
Not that her father has acquired a family name, as of yet, but his riches already place them in that class.
And while he doesn’t commonly demand formalities, Emira’s failure of a sister loves to flaunt her status.
This has apparently resulted in little to no friends for the child, and she never knew her mother.
It’s not surprising that a lonely, little girl with money goes out to buy toys.

“Ma’lady, please browse the wares and inform me if something earns your favor.”

“Yes, Seloras. Thank you.”

A strange name, but not as terrible as mine.
Although he has served their family for years, I’m still not certain where this butler lived before arriving here.
The girl, at least, sounds very nice and polite.
It would seem she is being taught well.

“May I look at the dolls?”

“Naturally, ma’lady”

Wait, the dolls?
That’s where I am!
Oh no, she’s already wandering over here!
I can’t fly away now without being noticed.
What should I do!?
No time to think, Akari, hide!

I quickly hide behind the dolls and do my best to not be seen.
Inevitably, Emira reaches the shelf I’m currently standing on.
Talia looks troubled, but noticed I hid myself and avoids making a fuss.
I managed to place myself behind a large doll, which perfectly obstructs the girl’s vision with as short as she is.

Wait!!!
This girl just took the doll I was hiding behind!
She’s looking it over with great interest, but now I’m out in the open!
What do I do!?
She will notice any movement I make!
Maybe if I had moved immediately I would’ve been fine, but I was too stunned.
Stunned?

That’s it!
If I don’t move at all, she might not notice the difference.
I subtly adjust my pose and stop breathing, trying my best to look like an inanimate object.
This way, I doubt she’ll notice anything is off about me as long as I don’t move.
I just need to stay perfectly still, as if my life depends on it.
Absolutely no moving allowed, Akari!
Focus everything on remaining motionless!
Don’t move!

Emira soon finishes with her examination and goes to place my cover back.
Good!
Just a little more!
Hey, why did you stop!?
She’s standing stock still and staring with wide open eyes.
At me!!!

Is it my imagination, or are those incredibly dark eyes sparkling?
What do I do, what do I do!?
Flying away now would cause so many problems, and I can’t use my magic on an innocent, little girl!
What do I do!?
The next moment, Emira places the doll off to the side a little.
Then picks me up!

Help!
I’m being abducted!
She stares at me with widened eyes, just like a child who’s found their newest invaluable treasure.
Someone help me!

Her gaze wanders all over me, but her grip is incredibly delicate.
She is so cautious that I don’t think I’m in any immediate danger.
On the contrary, she is treating me as if I’m the most precious thing in the world.
At least I’m not in danger of being crushed.
I’m not even entirely certain she could, as I’ve noticed that despite my small size, I have much more strength than I thought at first.
Maybe an asset of this body.
But my situation doesn’t really allow for any retaliation if I don’t want to be exposed.
Could you please place me back!

Then she wanders towards the front of the shop.
Still holding me!!!

“Please, Seloras, can you buy me this one?”

She holds me out with both her hands.
I can see that Talia noticed, but what can she do?
Claim she wanted me first?
She’s twelve, and this is the richest family in town.
And I’m certain her name is not anywhere on me.
Shit, if I fly away now they will see.

“Are you sure ma’lady? The hair and eyes look particularly strange, and the clothes are ragged. Also, I must say she’s somewhat small.”

Excuse me!
I came here to fix one of those problems before you so rudely interrupted!

“Please! She looks so cute!”

Someone save me!
Not that being called cute is entirely awful, but I don’t want to be called that as a child’s toy!

“Very well, ma’lady.”

“I will return home now, please attend to the shopkeeper.”

“W-wait!”

Talia tries stepping in, and Emira notices her, yet she hastens towards the door.

“Please, don’t bother the young lady!”

The butler also cuts Talia off when she attempts to chase after me, and Emira impatiently runs out of the shop.
Taking me with her!

“I would like to pay for the small fairy doll. How much is it?”

“Fairy doll?”

I don’t hear any more of him conversing with the shopkeeper as Emira has now carried me too far away.
I just got sold as a toy!

Maybe now I can attempt to make my escape.
There aren’t that many people here, and if a little girl sees me fly off, this wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Who would believe her?
However, while she is incredibly careful, she holds me tightly to her chest while running to have me as secure as possible.

It’s somewhat sad that I’ll need to ruin this for her.
Yet at the moment, if I startle her she might fall and get hurt.
Even worse, she might fall on me, or become aware of me and tighten her grasp before I can flee.
The best thing to do may be to wait until she lets go and then simply fly away.
At my size, there’s always a way out.

Soon, we arrive at her family’s mansion.
While the other buildings around the city center are similar to each other, this one is unique.
A sturdy stone wall surrounds it with a guard standing at the gate, and as for the building itself, it has white marbled walls, a bell tower above, and a huge garden behind.
These make the structure stand out above all the others nearby.
Come to think of it, I have no idea how it looks inside.
Surely, it’s as extravagant as the outside.
Naturally, Emira enters completely unhindered.

“Welcome back, Lady Emira.”

The guards greets her formally but warmly, and Emira courteously dips into a shallow curtsey in return.
Probably not necessary for employees, but she seems to treat them kindly.

Once inside, I see a large hall with some corridors branching out to other doorways.
Some of them are open, and they look like dining halls or meeting rooms rather than private chambers.
Within every room, lavish decorations line the walls and high quality furniture sits waiting to be used.
The price of what I see through just one of these doors would probably be sufficient to buy everything in my home.

The moment Emira runs up the staircase, it becomes rather clear that the common rooms are below, while the family mainly lives on the upper floors.
This is a three story building, but I’d guess most of their time is spent on the second floor.
Nonetheless, you shouldn’t rush upstairs like this little girl just did, but surprisingly, she doesn’t fall.
In a manner that demonstrates she clearly knows where she’s going, Emira charges through the corridors before coming to a halt at a door to a room, which she opens and enters.

Inside the room are dolls.
So many dolls!
One wall has shelves but can’t be seen past the dolls.
It’s completely covered from one end to the other!
This solves the question of how the toymaker makes a living here.
I’ve just found his biggest customer.
Ugh.
I have to resist the urge to shiver.
There are far too many hollow eyes watching in here.

She places me on a wooden, child-sized table in the center of the room and sits down in the corresponding chair.

“Welcome to my home. I’m certain we’ll have lots of fun together.”

Help.