Chapter 1 The Rose Dollhouse

The crisp sound of the bell accompanied the opening of the door. The afternoon sun spilled into the old shop, almost entirely filled with various dolls. The elven shopkeeper, who had been focused on adjusting the skeletal frame of a doll behind the counter, heard the sound and looked up, seeing a tall, black-haired man wearing a monocle enter the shop.

The elderly elven woman looked at this "customer," who, no matter how she looked at him, didn't seem like he was there to buy dolls, with some confusion. But after a moment, she greeted him with a smile—she ultimately didn't recognize that this tall, one-eyed man was the child who, a century ago, had brought his sister to buy something in her shop: "Ah, welcome to the Rose Dollhouse. Feel free to browse."

Then she paused, and added casually, "We don't often get customers like you."

Tirian's gaze slowly swept around.

Various dolls, antique-looking shelves and carved staircases, a warm and peaceful atmosphere, and the smiling old woman.

Yellowed fragments of memory gradually pieced themselves together, transforming into a familiar scene, overlapping with the scene before him.

This was indeed the place. Lucresia had pointed him in the right direction.

The elven shopkeeper didn't recognize him, which was normal—he had changed too much since a century ago.

Tirian subtly adjusted his expression, trying to make his face look softer—half a century of plundering on the frigid seas had turned him into a man with a hard face. He knew that a strange, unsettling aura clung to him. This aura hadn't yet affected the kind old shopkeeper, who was smiling as she greeted him, but there was hidden confusion and a hint of wariness in her eyes.

"I'd like to inquire about something," Tirian said, unsure if his expression adjustment was adequate. He couldn't quite recall how people were supposed to look and speak when walking into a store like this. "Did you ever sell a doll named Nilu here?"

The elven shopkeeper paused, looking uncertainly. "There… was indeed such a doll. It was kept in the shop for many years, and it was bought a while ago. But why are you asking about this?"

Tirian's expression froze. "…A wig? What kind of wig?"

"He… is doing better than you," Tirian said, then glanced at the kindly old woman with a strange expression. "I thought you'd be a little afraid. Most people react that way when they see me—even outside the Frigid Sea."

After a long while, the elderly elven woman finally controlled her expression, looked up at Tirian, and forced out an odd sentence: "It really is you."

He thought for a moment and added, "An eight-section doll, about this tall—classic court style, with a very ornate dress."

Could it be… a subordinate of his father?!

The man's appearance… was exactly like that of the Frost Monarch, Xiao Nuola, half a century ago! Before the old woman could react, he abruptly brought up the topic and dragged it back on track: "Can you tell me who bought this doll?"

Tirian twitched his lips. "The bounty… is indeed a bit high, but it's just a formality. They add a zero to the end every seven or eight years anyway. No one will ever collect it."

Tirian initially didn't react, but before he could clearly see the man's face, he froze, as if struck by lightning.

"Long, straight, golden hair, life-size. I have a pretty strong impression," the old shopkeeper said, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, I have a similar one here. Would you like to see it?"

"What did he say… they just chatted about some strange things," the old shopkeeper recalled. "It felt like he really hated dolls. He was very concerned about the doll's repairs and maintenance. He learned a lot from me. Oh, right, he also bought a wig and matching accessories, seemingly for his doll."

The elderly elven woman listened with confusion and took the piece of paper he handed over. When she opened it, the first thing she saw was a large portrait printed on the paper, followed by the text of a wanted poster, the bounty, and the official seal of the Frost Citadel…

Tirian seemed to realize that something was wrong and smiled awkwardly. "It's me."

Tirian turned his head in some surprise, looking in the direction of the voice.

The elderly shopkeeper paused, then slowly widened her eyes, looking at Tirian with disbelief. "Ah, you are…"

"Oh, someone who looks roughly like you… maybe a little taller, middle-aged, and pretty thin, like they're not in good health," the old woman said casually, no longer hesitating. "But I don't think you'll be able to find him. Pland is so big. Did you want to bring another doll back for your sister that you couldn't buy back then? Ah, that's too bad. If only you had come sooner… Wait, how did you know someone bought 'Nilu'?"

"You should still be somewhat famous," Tirian said matter-of-factly. "Simply put, your family is quite famous… though maybe not in a pleasant way."

Tirian's mind buzzed. He felt like he had just witnessed the composure of a long-lived race and had to quickly interrupt the old woman's ramblings. "The Sea Fog Fleet is still changing. The revenge and plundering of the northern citadels are no longer a thing of the past. Now we mainly rely on collecting protection fees…"

He saw a gaunt man with gold hair down to his waist standing outside the window, gently tapping on the display case. 138 Reading Website

Tirian was stunned. He hadn't expected that kind of response. He quickly thought it over, hesitated for two or three seconds, as if making a decision. "…You didn't recognize me?"

"Who was it bought by?" Tirian felt his heart beating faster. He hadn't expected to find a clue so quickly. His father had actually openly bought the doll from a store. "Around when?"

"I know you might not believe me, but I have something to prove my identity," Tirian said quickly, pulling something out of his pocket. "Elves like you are always well-informed, so you should have heard of me… Take a look at this."

Tirian frowned subconsciously instead of answering.

"I've seen all sorts of strange things. You're not the only sea pirate. And the citadels have issued statements saying that the Sea Fog is an invited guest of Pland, and what happened in the northern seas has nothing to do with us," the old woman muttered as she walked to the counter. Then the muttering turned into nagging. "But I still have to tell you, being a pirate all the time isn't a proper thing to do. It's not a sustainable business, and it doesn't sound good either. Look at your sister. At least she can have a lifetime honorary title at the Explorer's Association.

Of course, I've also heard that your relationship with those northern citadels isn't simple…"

"That's because I haven't been here in a very, very long time," Tirian said with a wry smile. "Do you remember a brother and sister who took a doll called 'Qingni' from here a century ago?"

Someone shorter than him, and on the thin side, weak, in poor condition… it couldn't be his father.

"Recognize…?" The elderly shopkeeper frowned, looking at the familiar human in front of her with confusion. "I don't remember serving a customer like you—most of the people who come to my shop to buy dolls are women, or young men picking out gifts for their lovers, or fathers picking out gifts for their daughters."

Tirian wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but he didn't have time. At that moment, another strange tapping sound suddenly came from nearby, drawing his attention.

The elderly shopkeeper was visibly startled by Tirian's overly excited reaction and became even more wary. "I'm sorry, I can't reveal information about my customers. That's the rule of our trade."

As she spoke, she turned around and went to rummage through the storage room under the stairs.

The old woman thought again. "So many years… and there are so many zeros after the name…"

It sounded like someone was tapping on a display case from the inside.

After regaining his humanity and reason, had he already started looking for new subordinates? What was he planning? Was he going to rebuild the Lost Fleet?!

Old shopkeeper: "..."

Tirian thought of a great many things at once until the elderly elven woman called his name twice, snapping him out of his thoughts. Then he thought of something else and immediately asked, "Besides buying the doll, did this customer say anything else? Did he take anything else?"