I Explore Urban Legends - Chapter 114: Charlotte’s Ideas (Patreon)

When Liam returned to the TV station, James was already putting everyone through mock interviews and practice recordings.

For these young people, the most important skill was learning to keep the same expression no matter what happened. Liam, of course, was exceptionally good at that.

James looked surprised when Liam walked in carrying a huge pile of packages.

“I didn’t expect you to get everything ready for the new show this quickly. What’s all this?”

Liam opened one of the packages, took out a button-eyed rag doll, and placed it in James’s hands.

The dolls looked old-fashioned and somewhat eerie, but they were extremely well made. The fabric was thick, the stitching was dense, and an ordinary person would have trouble tearing one apart.

“These toys. They’ll be the foundation of the next show, and in the future, they’ll also become guardians for children.”

James stared at the doll in his hands. It looked like it might be older than he was.

“I’m relieved. You’ve finally decided to make something that’s actually suitable for children and won’t get complaints from parents.”

“No. I’m not going to host it. My new friend will. You can meet her.”

James looked behind Liam in confusion but didn’t see anyone.

“Where’s your friend?”

“Right here.”

Liam pointed to his shirt pocket.

James leaned closer and found a palm-sized spider inside. She even raised one leg and waved at him.

The shock was so extreme that James somehow became calm again almost immediately.

“I see. She’s about the same size as those toys, so filming her shouldn’t be difficult.

“But what kind of show are you planning? If you want all these puppets moving around, we’ll need a lot of people. I don’t think we have enough time to train that many.”

Liam hadn’t expected him to take it so calmly.

Apparently, James’s tolerance for the bizarre had improved quite a bit.

“I don’t need a crew. I’ll make the puppets move by themselves.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The moment James said that, he felt something moving in his arms.

He looked down.

The rag doll was waving at him too.

That finally broke him.

James threw the doll onto the floor in fright, stumbled backward, and dropped onto the stool behind him.

Then he watched as the rag doll stood up.

It stretched out its arms and tottered toward him, wrapped itself around his calf, and slowly climbed all the way up.

Eventually, it settled on his thigh and looked up at him.

“So? Think kids would like this?”

“All right. Stop making it move for a second. It’s freaking me out.”

A rag doll was supposed to be soft and cuddly.

Once it started moving on its own, though, it became considerably more unsettling.

Liam picked the doll up again, and only then did James begin to recover.

“I think it could work. That thing looks way too lifelike when it moves.”

Then he looked at Charlotte.

“So how is your animal friend supposed to host the show? Can she talk?”

“Of course, Mr. Station Manager. I’ve been teaching children for a very long time.”

Charlotte spoke directly.

She could sense that James meant no harm.

After being startled so many times, James felt as though nothing could surprise him anymore, not even a talking spider.

“Good. Her voice is gentle. Kids will probably like it.”

That reminded him of something else.

“We’re missing a female announcer around here. She can handle that too. Might as well put her talents to good use.”

“That would be wonderful. I’d be happy to contribute.”

Charlotte liked the place very much.

She felt that here, she could pass her wisdom on to more children.

Just then, Liam brought up something else.

“James, when you leave work today, take this doll home and give it to Mia.”

James scratched his head, looking uncertain.

“Will Mia even like it? Honestly, I don’t really understand what kids these days are into. Especially Mia. She buys all her own toys with her allowance.”

“No. This isn’t really meant to be a toy.”

James looked confused.

Liam explained,

“If this doll can move, how strong do you think it is?”

James immediately understood.

“Oh. I get it. If she has this, nobody at school will be able to bully Mia anymore.”

Liam nodded but didn’t tell him what he was really thinking.

He wasn’t worried about school bullying.

He was worried about the mysterious curse whose origin they still couldn’t identify.

With this doll around, at least Mia would have something capable of protecting her in an emergency.

After explaining what James needed to know, Liam carried all the toys into his studio.

He set up a table and spoke to Charlotte in his pocket.

“From now on, this will be your stage.”

Charlotte jumped onto the table, bounced a couple of times, and seemed very pleased.

The table wasn’t especially large, but at her size, it was more than enough space for a thrilling adventure.

“Charlotte, do you have any ideas?”

Liam was curious what sort of show she wanted to make.

Charlotte answered with a question of her own.

“Did Lily ever tell you what I used to do?”

“No. She only told me that you taught them language.”

Charlotte nodded.

“Language is the foundation of wisdom. My divinity may be wisdom and trickery, but the way I use trickery is different from what most people imagine.

“I like using trickery to awaken wisdom in others.”

Liam immediately thought of the perfect format.

“Fables?”

“Exactly. If you know our myths, then you probably know that I’m the villain in most of those little fables.

“To outsiders, it may look like I’m always the one getting the worst of things, but I actually enjoy teaching people that way.”

Hearing that gave Liam several new ideas.

“You should be able to share my ability now. Try controlling those dolls.”

The moment he finished speaking, Charlotte jumped off the table and began moving the toys.

One by one, they all climbed onto the tabletop.

Then every doll started dancing.

Each one performed a completely different dance.

Liam stared in amazement.

Charlotte’s control over the toys was on an entirely different level from his own.

It had taken him an entire night of practice just to control a single doll comfortably.

Charlotte, meanwhile, was controlling more than fifty at once, and every one of them was dancing differently.

But Liam soon understood the reason.

Time.

Charlotte, like Lily, had existed for nearly as long as human civilization itself.

Naturally, she’d had more than enough time to master the finer points of manipulating spiritual energy.

With that in mind, Liam offered a suggestion.

“Your abilities are more than enough, but I don’t think we should only make fables.”

Charlotte stopped the dolls and asked in confusion,

“Why? Children used to love them.”

“No, no, no. Those were children from the past. People were much more innocent back then. Simple little stories were enough to keep them entertained.”