Alice's House of Dolls / Alice's Plan

"Is that so?" Shirou nodded. He had studied in England in his previous life, and his study of relics was, in a sense, studying antiquarianism, so he was quite knowledgeable about European antiques and art.

After all, art has served the nobility and the powerful for a long time. Whether it's opera troupes, symphony orchestras, or modern oil paintings, works of art from various schools are sought after by the upper class. The masterpieces left behind by the likes of Qi Baishi, Picasso, and Van Gogh often fetch astronomical prices.

On the one hand, artists need the upper class to acknowledge and recognize the excellence of their works. On the other hand, the upper class also needs to use artists' works to demonstrate their superior taste, only in this way can they appear noble in a way that is distinctly different from the middle class and working class.

They attend art exhibitions, watch operas, and listen to symphonies. When they talk about music, they talk about masters of classical music and how charming the voices of various singers are. They spend years or even more than a decade cultivating their appreciation for highbrow culture, creating a universal illusion that nouveau riche and commoners can all become true nobles.

In fact, the guqin, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, was a tool for ancient scholars to show off. It had five rules that it should not be played, and these rules were so numerous that it was more like a ritual instrument used in some kind of sacrificial ceremony than a musical instrument.

For example, in Britain, class distinctions are so strict that different classes even use different terms for toilets. Making any mistake that doesn't reflect one's social standing would be met with ridicule. For instance, Princess Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, came from a truly middle-class family. Her mother was publicly mocked for simply saying "toilet." Royal nobles never say "toilte" when using the toilet; they only say "loo."

In fact, if we divide British classes more finely, we can divide them into seven categories. Princess Kate, because her father was from the upper middle class and her mother was from the working class, has faced a lot of difficulties. Princess Meghan, on the other hand, has never received a good reputation.

It's easy to imagine how exhausting it must be to live in the UK, especially to be part of high society.

However, Alice felt that these ideas were somewhat outdated. As a doll maker, she wanted to create works that could resonate with people's hearts, rather than artworks that were incomprehensible to outsiders and confined to a small circle.

For example, Beethoven's music is something most people have heard and find beautiful, believing his title as a musical saint is well-deserved. "Für Elise" is a basic mobile phone ringtone, and his stirring Symphony No. 5, "Fate," is still used in many movies and games for exciting scenes. "Ode to Ode to Joy" is even used as the title of a TV series in a far-off country; "The Tempest" perfectly uses music to depict the scenes of nature, and his music is closely related to people's lives.

Take Shakespeare's plays, for example. They were originally intended for a broad audience. He created exquisite dialogue and improved the English language as a whole. The story of Romeo and Juliet has existed since ancient times, but only Shakespeare's plays have survived to the present day and become classics.

A true artist should be closely connected with life; only in this way can one be considered a master who has truly gained worldwide recognition.

Currently, a portion of art is dominated by a few, with a bunch of so-called "masters" whose talent is indistinguishable from mere "showboating." However, Alice believes this is only a temporary phase, and art will eventually return to the hands of the masses, who will simply be part of it.

"Since you're the one who told me this, please help me to the end. Although I don't want to trouble Dad and Mom, if there's no other way, I'll just hire a security company and kick out all those who broke into my house! Then I'll fence it off and raise a few bull terriers!" Alice said, slamming her fist on the table in annoyance as she recalled the humiliation she had suffered.

"I understand. It was indeed I who told you about this. I will help until it's done," Shirou nodded and said.

"Great! I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You're quite the gentleman, handsome!" Alice said happily, nudging Shirou with her elbow.

"!!!" Mashiro's eyes widened, and she turned to look at Shirou, seemingly wanting a reasonable explanation.

Chapter 848 Alice's House of Dolls

Mashiro clutched her chest, experiencing fear for the first time. Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't understand; this was actually the same emotional fluctuation that other people experienced when encountering supernatural events.

Yes, she was afraid of losing the important people in her life. The care she received seemed like a given, but the more she took it for granted, the less real it felt to her. She enjoyed being cared for, but if someone were to try and take that care away from her, Mashiro suddenly realized that besides drawing, she only wanted to become a manga artist and seemed to have no idea how to protect this relationship.

Mashiro looked nervously at Shirou, but the boy was too preoccupied to notice her emotions.

"Huh? Are you going to stay here?" Shirou asked in surprise as the young lady pushed in her exquisite wooden trunk.

"Of course! I was originally planning to go straight home! But because of all this media fuss, a bunch of weirdos broke into my house illegally, so I came here to ask you for help! Do you want me to be unable to go home and have to stay in a hotel? That would mean I ran away because I was afraid of those bastards!" Miss Alice said, arms crossed, in a huff.

"Hey... actually, I think that since those houses have been vacant for so long, they need cleaning and repairs, right?" Shirou said helplessly.

"Didn't you say you'd take responsibility until the very end? Then, as a friend, invite me to stay here for a few days until all the trash in my house is completely cleared out!" Alice's temper flared up as she pointed at Shirou.

"Mashiro... is this alright? There are empty rooms on the first floor." Shirou turned to Mashiro, the true owner of the house, and asked.

"Shirou, you can just decide for yourself," Mashiro said, turning her head away and replying somewhat coldly.

"Ah... alright then." Shirou agreed under pressure, otherwise this Miss Alice might really have to go back to that old house full of holes by herself.

"Then I'll be staying here for a few days, Mashiro," Alice said with a smile to Mashiro.

"Hmm..." Mashiro nodded expressionlessly, but for some reason she felt a pang in her heart.

Afterwards, Shirou took the young lady to her room on the first floor and let her rest. Then he went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Since there were guests at his home, he had to entertain Miss Alice properly.

Then, these dishes naturally received high praise from Miss Alice after she was amazed by them.

"It's delicious! Shirou, did you perhaps study butlership in England? You're doing a really good job taking care of people." Alice asked, a somewhat complicated look in her eyes as she watched Shirou taking care of Mashiro with great Mashiro.

"I guess so... I did some training before," Shirou replied.

Taking advantage of Shirou's presence in the kitchen, Alice asked curiously, "Mashiro, you and Shirou live together, and he's so considerate of you. Could it be that you're a couple?"

"No..." Mashiro hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. Her heart ached again. She simply enjoyed living with Shirou, but lovers? It was a relationship based on love and a desire to be together forever. Suddenly, she lacked confidence. She wondered if Shirou might one day leave her.

"Hey..." Alice sighed thoughtfully upon seeing Mashiro's expression, a sound that carried a deeper meaning.

"What's wrong?" Shirou asked, bringing the next dish to the table. He noticed the two of them looking hesitant and asked in confusion.

"No~! It's nothing, it's just a secret between girls," Alice said jokingly.

"Well, although America was once Sun Never Sets Empire, we are completely different from them. Their weather is bad, the air quality is poor, and the place is small and cramped, yet they consider themselves of noble lineage, so everyone likes to put on airs. Unlike America, which is free and unrestrained. If it were me, I would say I like it." Alice shrugged and glanced at the girl beside her.

"..." Mashiro silently raised her head and stared at Alice for several seconds...

"?" Shirou looked at the two of them in surprise, wondering what had happened.

The next morning, Shirou took Alice back to the House of Dolls. Alice key, but the door was old and broken. The dolls used to come and go there, and the door had long been damaged. It could be opened with a gentle push from the outside.

"I remember now, this place does look so familiar."

"This is the kitchen. When Mom doesn't need to go out, she'll have Aunt Yoshida make her a cup of coffee here, and then she can sit here and work," Alice said nostalgically, gesturing to the small table leaning against the courtyard.

"My dad measured my height here."

Alice rubbed against a wooden pillar with knife marks on it and her name written in Alice. Next to it were records of her height, from seven to eight years old, and then from eight to ten years old. This wooden pillar recorded the girl's growth process.

Alice went up to the second floor and saw the bed she had slept in, as well as the very familiar dolls in that room.

Hearing the stories in the urban legends reminded her of her childhood, but those days were difficult and not exactly happy, so she subconsciously buried them in her mind and sealed them away.

But after entering the house, these memories were gradually awakened, and the bits and pieces of time she spent with the puppets that accompanied her kept surfacing in her mind.

Alice wanted to quickly find the dolls from her memories and hug them tightly. Because the house was built for children, the stairs were originally very small. However, this did not stop the woman from quickening her pace.

However, when she reached the door of her old dormitory, she suddenly froze and stopped in her tracks.

"How could this be...?" Alice's lips trembled as she looked at the mess inside. The puppets' bodies had been trampled on; some had lost an arm, some a leg, and some were simply left with only a body, their limbs and heads gone.

Because this place is used as a tourist attraction for paranormal events, a lot of people have come here, and the most important dolls in the room have been destroyed and broken into pieces.

84 Alice's Doll

"I kept saying 'bastard... bastard...'"

"In the end, the person I can't forgive the most is actually myself..."

Alice was deeply affected. She recalled the time she spent with these dolls. Although she had been lonely and had a hard time because of her illness, it was because of the dolls' companionship that she got through that period and became who she is today.

It was precisely because of these experiences that she decided on her research topic early in college. As a doll maker, she wanted to create exquisite luxury items that could accompany people throughout their lives.

But she had forgotten about these children in her lonely home, even though she was fed up with the loneliness. Perhaps it was because she had been pursuing something that had backfired and caused her harm, or perhaps it was guilt. Alice covered her face and ran out of the house.

Shirou picked up the broken dolls and wiped off the dust. Fortunately, the production crew and the people who had broken in didn't seem to have caused too much damage. He left the room and chased after Alice who had run away.

Alice hailed a car and left alone.

When Shirou returned home, he found Alice had hidden herself in her room and locked the door.

"Shirou, what's wrong with Alice? She seems very sad," Mashiro asked, puzzled.

"Well, actually..." Shirou told Mashiro what had happened.

"Shirou, please help her." After hearing what had happened, Mashiro hesitated for a moment before pleading with him. Although they were rivals, she couldn't bear to see Alice so heartbroken.

"Okay, I understand. Let's let her calm down first." Shirou nodded with a light laugh.

Alice didn't come out when it was time for dinner, and Shirou didn't bother her.

It wasn't until evening that Shirou knocked on Alice's door, bringing in coffee and some snacks.

"Come in..." the woman inside replied, her voice still slightly choked with emotion.

Alice, like Mashiro, is an artist who chose her favorite profession and pursued her dreams. Therefore, their demeanor when engaged in their creative endeavors is quite similar. However, the woman in question is somewhat emotionally unstable.

"Thank you. I like doing this whenever I'm in a bad mood. It helps me concentrate and calms me down, as if this child is absorbing my emotions." Alice fiddled with the doll she was making. It involved hundreds of steps, using nails, silicone, ceramics, colored glass, various metals, leather, fabric, and even artificial gemstones, gold, silver, and diamonds.

Shirou stood quietly to the side, watching Alice gradually create the doll.

These dolls have incredibly realistic skin; you can see the bone protrusions, the skin's luster and elasticity, and even the tattoos and scars on their skin are remarkably lifelike. It makes you wonder if they have any warmth at all, as if they were actually living beings from a miniature world.

Regardless of the underlying meaning of these dolls, their fairy tale backgrounds, or the shocking ideas the author has hidden within them, they remain captivating dolls.

Not only are the faces and bodies lifelike, but even the clothes worn by the dolls are very distinctive. Some are ethnic in style, while others are very ancient. The gorgeous designs and rich and exquisite details are breathtaking.

Besides the clothes, each of the doll's accessories is a small work of art on its own. Whether it's the decorations on the clothes or the headdress, the shoes are also made of special materials, such as leather boots or polished crystal shoes.

Shirou had to admit that Alice, this young lady, could indeed be called an artist. The doll's torso and arms had rolling balls that could rotate freely. The doll contained more than 30 joints, including fingers and toes, but they were also limited so that they would not exceed the limits of human physical capabilities.

Alice's doll-making has become a unique style, perhaps because she is pursuing the ultimate in doll making. She wants to bring these dolls to life, to bring them to life as human beings.

It might take her hundreds or even thousands of hours to complete a single doll. This is not an ordinary toy, but a work of art, like a sculpture, requiring meticulous craftsmanship.

In fact, she is also challenging herself to create life-size dolls, aiming to achieve the same body as a real human. If she can do that, it might already be at the level of a great Magecraft.

Upon seeing Alice, Shirou was reminded of a certain Grand Puppeteer.

However, the woman's state of mind at this moment gave the doll in her hand a negative and sad feeling. Unlike the woman who was usually confident and wanted to bring lifelong warmth and companionship to others with her dolls, the woman's work now seemed to be venting a torn and heartbreaking emotion.

Although still exquisite, it has strayed from the direction of the woman's lifelong dream. Such a woman was not happy when creating, and the dolls she created could only weep for her.

"What happened back then, you actually did nothing wrong. The most important thing for a patient is to actively cooperate with treatment and regain their health. These dolls... they also hope that you can live a healthy life," Shirou said, comforting Alice.

"Liar! It's all my fault in the end. It's because I hate the time I spend lying alone in bed, so I've never been back to Japan, and I've never thought about these children," Alice said with tears in her eyes.

"I'm telling the truth, so... please don't take it too seriously," Shirou said.

"How could I not care!" Alice shouted.

"Alice, look!" Shirou said, taking out the dolls. They were important memories for the woman. After returning home, he used Magecraft to analyze the composition of each doll, then found a way to repair the damaged parts, attach new limbs, and restore them to their original state.

"This child... is healed? How did you do that?" Alice took the childhood puppet, holding it preciously to her heart, and looked at Shirou in surprise.

"Please treat this as a trade secret. Just try to stay focused," Shirou replied with a mysterious smile.

"...!" Alice looked at Shirou like this and suddenly felt her heart beat faster. She, who had always been very strong, turned her head away at this moment, not daring to meet Shirou's eyes.

"I know, Shirou! Don't underestimate me!" Alice perked up and said with a smile.

'As expected... this young lady is not a simple character.' Shirou smiled helplessly. Women these days are really not to be underestimated. He once again felt the strong vitality of the creator from the woman.

Alice decided to stay in Japan and inherit the house, along with all the dolls. Once this thought took hold, she couldn't contain her excitement and suddenly felt an urge to run back to that old house!

But after that, there was one more thing she needed to settle completely!

Chapter 850 Alice's Plan

"Shirou! Tomorrow! Can you come back to my house with me one more time?" Alice regained her previous confident and assertive demeanor and looked at Shirou with a smile.

"Yes, of course." Shirou nodded. He also felt that the woman looked prettier, more respectable, and more likely to inspire willingness to help when she was like this.

The next morning, Shirou made breakfast, and after eating with Alice, they prepared to go to that room so they could regroup and turn things around.

"Okay, we're heading out now. The cake is on the table. Feel free to eat if you're hungry. There are also rice balls and side dishes, and milk in the fridge."

Shirou had just turned around when the girl grabbed the back of his clothes.

"Um... Shirou... I want to go too!" Mashiro hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Huh? But don't you have manga work to do?" Shirou asked the girl.

Mashiro clung to Shirou's sleeve, refusing to let go. Even if it didn't help the manga, preventing Shirou from being alone with Alice was the greatest help she could give him. Although she was somewhat confused about this feeling, Mashiro knew in her heart that her senses were not wrong.

"Well... since Mashiro wants to come, let her come." Alice smiled at Mashiro and said. Although she, who grew up in America, and Mashiro, who grew up in England, were somewhat incompatible in terms of personality, Mashiro's social skills were too low, and she had no interest in bullying children.

Although Alice wasn't uninterested in Shirou, especially after his performance last night, which truly touched her heart—gentle, considerate, and responsible, a special man who made her heart race.

However, even if she were to pursue Shirou, she would have to consider her methods. Although she was confident she could outdo any girl, whether a genius or a star idol, she wouldn't fight a battle she couldn't win. And... as things stood, the difficulty was considerable...

"Mashiro? Even if it's boring there, you still want to go?" Shirou turned around and asked the girl.

"I'm never bored when I'm with Shirou," Mashiro said, looking up at Shirou.

"I understand. Let's go out together then." Shirou nodded. Since the girl had said so, he would respect her wishes.

"Hmm." Mashiro nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"Then I'll go get the bento box, and bring the cake along too," Shirou said, heading towards the kitchen.

"Hmm." Mashiro nodded in agreement.

"If you want to, you can definitely do it, but your jealousy is really obvious. My teeth are aching." Alice walked up to Mashiro and said with a smile.

"It's not sour..." Mashiro looked at the woman warily and retorted.

"Is that so? But I haven't given up yet," Alice said, looking at Mashiro.

"I won't lose!" Mashiro said firmly, feeling an unprecedented surge of competitive spirit towards a woman of similar age.

Afterwards, the three of them arrived at the House of Dolls. A wooden sign was hung on the iron fence at the entrance; it was the notice written by the Japanese police the previous night. It stated that this was private property and trespassing was prohibited.

However, this means it's not very effective; it can only deter honest people, not malicious ones, so its effect is negligible.