Does a Doll Deserve to Live a Happy Life? (Patreon)

Chapter 12: The Turning Point

Warm.

That was the feeling that permeated through my whole body as my consciousness slowly returned, making me frown slightly.

Dead people don’t feel warm.

Or anything, really.

As more of my senses trickled back, I stayed still, trying to take stock of my situation.

Two hands. Two feet. Check.

With the knowledge that I could feel all my limbs, I made to sit up—only to be immediately pulled back down into something soft… yet slightly firm.

My brow furrowed.

A second later, my hearing returned, and I was met with soft sniffles… and something wet landing on my cheeks.

It only took me a moment to realize—they were tears.

Opening my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of Tamamo, looking down at me with a teary smile on her beautiful face.

She was giving me a lap pillow.

Her golden eyes shimmered with emotion, and her long ears drooped slightly.

Then I felt my hand being squeezed.

Turning my gaze, I met the equally tearful eyes of Kiara and Sakura—the latter holding my hand with a rare, open expression of joy and relief on her face.

“Thank goodness… sniff... thank goodness you’re okay, Sieg-kun… Waaah~!” Tamamo muttered before breaking into a full-on wail, throwing herself over me and hugging me tightly.

Using my free arm, I gently wiped her tears and offered her a smile.

“Sorry for worrying you.”

Then I looked to Kiara and Sakura and added softly,

“All of you.”

My voice seemed to finally break Kiara and Sakura out of their composure, as they suddenly joined in on the hug—letting out wails of their own.

Slightly uncomfortable in the middle of a four-way hug, I nonetheless bore it in silence and let the girls release their grief.

While caught in the pile, I caught movement from the corner of my eye—Aoi, entering with a plate full of food and a look of relief on her face.

I gave her a smile, silently signaling that I was okay. She returned it and took a seat in the spot Kiara and Sakura had just vacated, which let me know we were currently in the living room.

It took a few minutes, but eventually the girls calmed down, and I was allowed to sit up properly.

Though not for long—Tamamo and Sakura immediately claimed either side of me, each hugging an arm. Tamamo, of course, was expected. But Sakura’s bold move surprised me.

‘I must’ve really scared her.’

For someone like her, after everything she’d been through, she must have been shaken by the thought that someone as strong as me could still die.

“What happened after I passed out? Did you heal me, Kiara?” I asked curiously, turning toward the older woman.

She shook her head softly, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

“I didn’t. When you and Casko-san arrived—bloodied and unconscious—I rushed to heal you under her pleas. But before I could do anything, your body began to glow… with a divine golden light. And then—miraculously—you healed.”

“A golden light,” I repeated under my breath, thoughtful.

‘Could it be…?’

Pulling out my phone, I quickly opened my Status Page and scrolled to the section for the Kusanagi Godou Template.

My eyes widened.

It had jumped a tier—now sitting at Tier 6.

“So that’s what it was,” I muttered, remembering the strange Ram symbol I’d seen before losing consciousness.

“Hmm? Can you explain to the rest of us, Sieg-kun?” Tamamo asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

She looked up at me with a pout on her lips, clearly annoyed at being left out of the loop. Her grip on my arm tightened a bit.

I gave her a small smile.

“Sorry. It looks like part of my Divine Authority awakened during the battle. More specifically, the Incarnation of the Ram—which grants miraculous regenerative powers. It even has the ability… to resurrect me.”

“…Divine Authority?” Tamamo echoed, eyes wide in a mix of shock and awe.

Of course she would know—being a fragment of Amaterasu gave her more knowledge of such things than most.

I took a few minutes to explain the nature of the Kusanagi Godou Template, and the powers I’d eventually gain as my strength grew.

By the end of it, everyone looked stunned.

“Sieg-san is a… Godslayer?” Sakura murmured, her voice breathless as she looked up at me. Her earlier concern was gone—replaced by a bright, almost worshipful expression that made me shift a little uncomfortably.

I didn’t comment on it, though.

“Not yet,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m still far from being a true Godslayer. Right now, I only have access to their massive mana reserves, enhanced physical abilities, and the Incarnation of the Ram. There’s still a long road ahead before I can fully call myself one.”

After all, Kusanagi Godou at full power was a monster. With multiple Divine Authorities at his command, he could likely rival—if not outright defeat—some of the Beasts of Humanity on his own.

“Anyway, it’s late. We should get some rest. We can talk more in the morning.”

Right on cue, Kiara and Sakura let out small yawns—proof enough that they’d stayed up waiting for me to wake.

They both agreed reluctantly.

Sakura gave me a brief hug and a soft smile before retreating with Kiara and Aoi in tow.

Tamamo, of course, didn’t move an inch from my side.

“Come on, Sieg-kun. Don’t even think I’m letting you out of my sight tonight,” she said, instantly clinging to my arm and steering me toward the bedroom.

“Right,” I replied with a tired smile.

As we reached our bedroom—Tamamo still refusing to move into her own room despite multiple past attempts—she was quick to set out two futons side by side. Then, with a soft glow, she changed into her usual sleepwear.

Embarrassingly enough, her sleepwear only consisted of a pair of my boxers and a white wrapping around her chest, leaving the rest... very exposed.

About a week after she started living under the same roof as me, she'd ditched the modest nightgown she used to wear. One night, she surprised me with this getup—and I hadn’t been able to convince her to switch back since.

Like always, I did my best to keep my eyes anywhere but on her developed and distractingly sexy body. I settled down on my futon quickly, doing my best to keep composed as Tamamo joined me a few moments later.

This time, though, instead of staying in her own futon, Tamamo scooted over until she was right beside me. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around my torso and rested her head on my stomach.

Not exactly great for calming down. Especially with the very real sensation of her chest pressing into me—and two very noticeable nubs making their presence known.

As if sensing my thoughts, she murmured softly a moment later.

“I need to make sure this isn’t a dream… that you’re really here when I wake up.”

She didn’t look at me. Her voice was quiet. Almost fragile.

My heart softened, and the embarrassment melted away.

Gently, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer—taking her by surprise. It was the first time I’d ever initiated contact like that.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered into her ear, watching it twitch in that cute way it always did. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Her grip tightened at that.

Then I felt it.

A drop of warmth against my chest.

“I’m sorry.”

Blinking, I looked down and found Tamamo trembling slightly, still not lifting her head.

“Why are you apologizing?” I asked gently.

“I failed…” she whispered, voice cracking. “It’s my job as your Servant to protect you… and I couldn’t even sense Assassin appear. I failed when it mattered most.”

“You didn’t fail,” I said firmly, turning her face up with my hand.

Her cheeks were wet with tears.

“Remember, we’re a team. We’re not like the usual Master and Servant. If anything, it’s my fault for letting my guard down.”

“But—”

I gently placed a finger on her lips, making her blush despite the situation.

“But nothing. It was a mistake. Even if I hadn’t awakened the Incarnation of the Ram, you brought me back. You got me to safety. Kiara would’ve then healed me and everything would have been fine. You did save me.”

I softened my voice further and leaned in to press a light kiss to her forehead.

“So please… don’t make that face. It hurts more seeing you like this than getting stabbed.”

Her eyes widened.

She stared at me for a long moment before a small, broken giggle escaped her lips.

“You’re seriously impossible, Sieg-kun,” she said, wiping her tears with one hand. “How can you expect my poor maidenly heart not to waver after hearing something like that?”

She smiled—a real one, soft and bright.

Then, quick as lightning, she leaned in and pecked my cheek—just shy of my lips—before retreating with a blush.

I blinked, feeling warmth rise in my face.

Tamamo laid her head back down on my chest, nestling in even closer than before.

“I guess I’ll just have to stick even closer to my brave—but sometimes foolish—cute Master from now on~”

With those final words, it didn’t take long for Tamamo to finally fall asleep, her breathing soft and slow.

I remained awake, quietly mulling over everything she’d said—especially the warmth of her body, still pressed against mine. I couldn’t ignore it.

‘My heart’s still racing…’

“Haah… I could say the same about you, Tamamo,” I whispered, eyes drifting shut. “How could any man in his right mind not fall for someone with feelings that earnest?”

I didn’t notice the small smile that formed on Tamamo’s lips at my words.

=====

Meanwhile, back in Fuyuki…

Somewhere in the shadows of the sleeping city, things were only beginning to heat up.

=====

Abandoned Building – Saber’s POV

“…Master. Why?”

Those were the only words Saber could manage, her voice trembling as she stared at the blood-soaked floor—where Lancer lay moments ago, his face twisted in fury and heartbreak before he disappeared.

His last moments were filled with venom. He had cursed her and her Master as he bled out—after piercing his own heart under the force of a command spell.

After escaping her brutal clash with Lancelot, Saber had followed her connection back to Kiritsugu, her Master, as he had insisted.

It had led her to an abandoned building with someone already waiting for her.

Lancer.

And so, pushing her troubled thoughts aside, she had steeled herself. If there was no avoiding this, then she would face Diarmuid as a knight. With dignity. With resolve.

Their duel had been fierce, yet honorable—one of the few moments in this war that gave her a sense of peace, the other strangely with Irisviel’s kidnapper.

Until it all went wrong.

Without warning, Lancer had frozen mid-attack, pain flashing across his face… and then, with shaking hands, he had turned his spear on himself.

His life ended by his own hand.

“A command spell,” she realized, horrified.

Kiritsugu then emerged along with the Master of Lancer and his fiancée, faces filled with defeat.

And Kiritsugu, after making sure that Lancer had disappeared back into the Grail, executed them without hesitation.

“We’re done here,” was all he said, coldly, before turning his back and walking away—leaving Saber standing alone in the wreckage.

Her hands clenched at her sides, shaking.

Her Master didn’t trust her.

Ever since Irisviel had been taken, their bond had only deteriorated. He kept her at arm’s length. Gave her no information. No guidance.

Sometimes, if it weren’t for the command spells keeping her bound, she could almost believe she no longer had a Master at all.

It was one setback after another.

First Irisviel, kidnapped under her watch.

Then having to confront her dear friend Lancelot, driven mad possibly because of her.

Then Lancer, forced to die by a command spell due to the actions of her own Master.

And finally, Kiritsugu. A man who held no faith in her, and showed no remorse for what he’d done.

Her resolve—once unshakable—was starting to crack.

And in the quiet, a recent memory resurfaced:

“There are things about this war that you don’t know.”

Sieg’s words.

The boy who had stood against her honorably despite his previous actions.

“Is there… any point in this war?” Saber whispered into the silence.

No answer came.

Only the cold.

=====

Tohsaka Residence

“Disappeared into thin air, you say?” the voice of Tokiomi Tohsaka asked from behind his desk, a serious look on his face.

“Yes, Teacher. Assassin reported that after reaching a park, Caster and her injured Master ran straight through a wall and suddenly disappeared,” Kirei Kotomine replied as he stood before the desk, eyes closed.

“This is troubling. A human able to stand toe to toe with Archer, of all Servants—even if he was holding back—is unthinkable. Not to mention your description of his Servant, who, from your description and Noble Phantasm, is none other than Tamamo no Mae, a Japanese Servant. One strong enough to injure Archer enough to make him retreat,” Tokiomi muttered with narrowed eyes as he bit his finger in thought.

Tokiomi turned to look at Kirei. “What are the extent of the injuries he received from Assassin?”

“It was fatal. Assassin managed to pierce his lung with a poisoned blade,” Kirei answered immediately. “Without a very powerful artifact or magecraft, he should have succumbed to his injuries within minutes.”

“Hmm… then let us hope that will be the last we see of him,” Tokiomi said, regaining his composure. “Though I doubt Archer will be pleased. He wanted to kill them with his own hands.”

The King of Heroes had been wroth with rage when he returned, bloodied and furious, promising swift death to the ones responsible.

“With the recent news of Lancer’s death, that means only five Servants remain in this war.”

Dismissed, Kirei finally let a frown slip onto his face as he turned to leave.

He had known the Caster and Master pair would be trouble—but not this much.

And he didn’t believe that boy—if he was a boy, and not something else in disguise—was dead.

It seemed this war was only going to get more interesting as it went on.

=====

Somewhere in Fuyuki

“Hahahaha! That was a splendid fight! I knew that kid was more than he looked!” Rider let out a booming laugh as he clapped Waver on the back, nearly sending the smaller boy face-first into the pavement.

“Th-this is no time to be excited, baka! How are we supposed to beat those two when the Master is as strong as a Servant if it comes down to it!?” Waver yelled back, clearly in a panic.

They had watched the battle unfold—Saber vs. Berserker on one side, and the Master-Caster pair against Archer on the other. And astonishingly, the Master of Caster had gone toe to toe with an actual Servant.

“Maa maa, calm down, Waver. We still don’t know if it’ll come down to a fight at all. Besides…” Rider waved his concerns away like a pesky fly. “If that boy’s words were true—and now that I’ve seen him fight, I’m starting to believe they were—then it might not come to a fight at all.”

He grinned, eyes shining.

“Though now, I want to cross blades with that kid myself. See how he stacks up.”

“You think he’s alive?” Waver asked, a little quieter now. “He might be dead, you know. He did get stabbed at the end of that battle.”

“Nah. That kid ain’t dead.” Rider said it like fact, no hesitation in his tone. “Someone with conviction like that wouldn’t let themselves die to a mere Assassin.”

He stretched, clearly still thinking about the fight.

“Anyway, I was thinking of challenging that little girl next,” Rider added, clearly referring to Saber. “But before that, I wanna invite her to share a drink with me. So—Waver—where can I get some good booze in this era?”

=====

Back in the Demiplane — Irisviel’s POV

“T-this can’t be true! It must be a lie—to trick me and put a wedge between me and Kiritsugu!”

Irisviel repeated the words like a mantra, her voice trembling as she stared in despair at the TV screen in front of her.

Just as Sieg had promised her days ago, Kiara had come to her earlier with the proof he spoke of—handing her two strange discs and inserting them into a black box she called a DVD player.

Then, from the television, images began to play.

Real images. Too real.

They showed her the events of the Fourth Grail War—what would have happened if Sieg hadn’t intervened.

It was her worst nightmare come to life.

Kiritsugu, forced to destroy the Grail after discovering its corruption—only to be cursed in the process and die a few years later.

Kiritsugu, finding a boy in the aftermath of the Great Fuyuki Fire—a catastrophe caused by the mud released from the corrupted Grail—and adopting him.

And then—

Illyasviel.

Her precious daughter.

Destined to become the next vessel of the Lesser Grail ten years later… only to suffer the same fate as Irisviel.

She didn’t want to believe it.

She refused to believe it.

But a small voice—quiet, cold, and undeniable—whispered in the back of her mind.

It’s all true.