straw dolls

From the very instant they were born as autonomous curses with an ego still in formation, the straw dolls felt an immense sense of peace and tranquility, as if not a single problem existed in the entire universe.

"Mmm... Hey, Echidna... Don't you think the straw dolls look a bit down...?"

They spent their days playing, frolicking, and running around without a single care in the world—or at least that was the case until recently.

<"My, how perceptive, partner. I'm impressed your eyes serve a purpose other than blinking. They are obviously depressed.">

However, there were only two occasions in which they experienced genuinely unpleasant emotions since their creation.

"I figured... Good thing I noticed, otherwise I'd look like the typical dense light novel protagonist who fails to notice something so ridiculously obvious!"

The first was when they came face-to-face with what, through the concepts and feelings unconsciously transmitted by their creator during their formation, they considered their ultimate existential nemesis: the entity their beloved creator used to call a "truck."

<"Speaking of being dense... If you truly care about not looking like a generic protagonist, why on earth haven't you made any romantic advances? You act like a foolish little prince! Go and assert your manhood by spreading your seed to every woman that crosses your path!">

The precise instant they laid eyes on it back then, an unbridled fury, a visceral hatred, and a completely inexplicable resentment exploded inside their tiny bodies, so much so that before they even realized it, they had pulverized it into a thousand pieces.

"What kind of crazy talk is that?! How on earth could I do something like that?! I have a strong feeling doing that would end horribly for my health, not to mention I'd go straight to jail!"

That feat earned them heaps of praise and profound pride from their creator, leading the dolls, with their innocent childlike mindset, to conclude that they had done something wonderful and feel infinitely proud of their achievement.

(SLAP!!)

Meanwhile, the second occasion in which they felt an intense emotion was their recent and painful defeat against the black armor.

(Mmhm...)

(We have failed...)

(What do we do...?)

For the first time in their short lives, they felt the bitter frustration of defeat, the overwhelming fear, and the absolute helplessness of failing to protect their creator from danger, which dragged them into a deep state of collective depression.

"I'll go cheer them up a bit... I can't leave them like this."

Thus, taking advantage of a brief moment after finishing of cooking for the women to whom his snake companionI used to call his "concubines," Mireya approached the small straw dolls and comforted them with warm words of support and unconditional faith.

"You guys were absolutely incredible!! I am one hundred percent sure you can become so much stronger!!"

Because of that, the tiny curses regained their spirits...

"I know you'll win next time... Though, honestly, I'll pray to all the saints that there won't be a next time."

As a result, in order to live up to such trust and avoid putting the life of the figure who gave them existence at risk ever again, the dolls made the firm decision to become invincible.

(Stronger!)

(Improve!)

(Win!)

Thanks to the motivating words they received, the straw dolls recovered their natural optimism in a heartbeat and immediately sought out someone experienced who could train them seriously.

("...Mom...?")

That was how a massive crowd of straw dolls stealthily approached the "senior" in combat experience to ask for help face-to-face: the small silver armor.

(....)

(....)

(...)

Remembering perfectly how she had subdued all of them with overwhelming technique and skill back when they fought inside that tower, they concluded she was the right one for the job.

(Please!!)

(Train us!!)

(Motivation!!)

Thus began their brutal training, begging the small silver armor to become their strict instructor.

("Alright!")

And so, throughout an entire week, the straw dolls pushed themselves to the absolute limit inside the spatial pocket dimension, under the guidance of the small silver armor, who trained them with relentless rigor and zero mercy.

("...")

In that space, the small silver armor stood watching the straw dolls' progress intently with both arms crossed over her chest, while the dolls repeatedly struck the fierce water flow of a waterfall previously stored within the dimensional space with their bare fists.

(Effort!!!)

(Dedication!!!)

(Passion!!!)

To be better, to become indestructible, and to never put their creator in such danger ever again...

("For mom!")

... The straw dolls began breaking through their own limits.

(For mom!)

(For mom!)

(For mom!)

However, while all of this was taking place...

"A-Achoo...! I feel a strange disturbance in the force..."

Outside, Mireya, completely oblivious to everything, continued cleaning peacefully while desperately trying to avoid being dragged into the bathroom once again.

"Stop talking nonsense and get into the bathroom already, brat."

... As expected, the person in question remained completely oblivious to everything happening behind his back once again.