The Seven Deadly Sins IF: The Sloth Fairy King and the Doll Princess Who Never Knew Love
A doll with a heart, awakened by accident. A fairy king with a heart, paralyzed by fear. When Gowther unearths a porcelain princess from the depths of the Fairy King's Forest, King feels an inexplicable ache—a pull toward the silent, beautiful doll that he cannot name. But as her glass eyes begin to flicker with something like life, and her tiny hands reach for a warmth she's never known, King must confront a question he's avoided for five hundred years: what does it truly mean to love, and be l
The Seven Deadly Sins IF: The Sloth Fairy King and the Doll Princess Who Never Knew Love - I Don't Want to Just Be Protected! ~Magic Power Sharing, a Rampaging Magical Beast, and the Night the Three of Them Missed Each Other~
Morning light spilled through the windows of the traveling tavern, the Boar Hat. The squares of sunlight on the wooden floor slowly shifted shape. On the counter, mugs polished the night before glittered brightly.
King stood in the kitchen on the first floor, a small pot over the fire. The way he stirred with the wooden spoon was somehow clumsy. The little wings on his back stood stiffly upright, as if matching their master's serious expression.
"...Yeah, this should do it."
In the pot, a soup of vegetables and beans simmered, steam curling up thick and slow. The scent of herbs drifted softly through the air. King ladled the soup into a wooden bowl and gently blew on it to cool it.
He climbed the stairs to the second floor. In front of the room at the very end, he took a small breath.
"Charlotte, are you awake? I brought you breakfast."
From beyond the door came the faint rustle of fabric. Then small footsteps. Click, click—light, quick sounds drawing closer.
The door slowly opened from the inside.
Standing there was a tiny doll princess, barely sixteen inches tall. Skin white as porcelain. Hair of white ceramic, cut straight to her shoulders. Her large glass-bead eyes were a pale sky blue, shining clear as they caught the morning light. Faint seams showed at her joints, but her movements were astonishingly smooth.
"Good morning, King."
Charlotte looked up at the bowl of soup and clasped her little hands in front of her chest.
"Oh my... for me? How lovely."
"I-it's nothing special. Just leftovers, really..."
King scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. His black hair swayed softly against his shoulders. His amber eyes met Charlotte's sky-blue ones.
Inside the room, King seated Charlotte at a small table by the window. The spot, arranged for a doll, was lined with soft cloth. When King scooped up some soup with a spoon and held it out, Charlotte tilted her head.
"I'm fine without eating, you know. I'm a doll."
"But you can taste it, can't you? Yesterday you said sweet things were delicious."
Charlotte hesitated for a moment, then opened her small mouth. King gently brought the spoon closer. Charlotte's lips touched the soup.
"...Oh."
Her sky-blue eyes lit up.
"It's warm. And somehow, it's a flavor that warms me deep in my chest."
Delighted, Charlotte opened her mouth for another sip. At her innocent manner, King's cheeks loosened into a smile.
That was when it happened.
"Oi oi oi, what're you up to first thing in the morning, huh?"
In the doorway stood a silver-haired man. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up, his arms crossed. A teasing grin played at his lips. It was Ban—owner of the Boar Hat and a member of the Seven Deadly Sins.
"B-Ban! Don't just walk in!"
"Says the guy feeding soup to a doll. Right, Hawk?"
From around Ban's feet, a small pig poked out his head. A round pink body. His beady eyes darted between King and Charlotte.
"So King's finally gone for dolls, huh. As the official scrap-disposal officer, I can't let this slide."
"I-it's not like that! This is just caretaking! Charlotte's body is small, so I'm just helping her eat!"
King's face went bright red as he argued back. But the spoon in his hand trembled slightly.
"King is very kind. Since I don't understand anything, he teaches me all sorts of things."
When Charlotte said this with a serious face, Ban and Hawk exchanged glances.
"Well now, that just makes it more suspicious."
"No doubt about it. A fairy king gone all soft over a doll."
"I'm telling you, it's not like that!"
King's shout echoed through the tavern's morning.
—Three days since Charlotte had awakened. And every morning, King fussed over her like this.
The night before, a demon clan scout had appeared behind the tavern. King had driven it off with his Spirit Spear Chastiefol, but he was certain. They would come again. And next time, something stronger.
That unease had smoldered in King's chest all along.
"...Charlotte, sit tight for a moment."
King set the bowl of soup on the table and sat down facing Charlotte, his expression serious.
"King? Is something the matter?"
"I want to share a little of my magic with you."
Charlotte's sky-blue eyes blinked.
"Your magic... with me?"
"Yeah. If I do, you might be able to protect yourself a little. So that even if someone like that scout shows up, you won't be taken down so easily."
King slowly raised his hand toward Charlotte's porcelain body.
The fairy king's magic spilled from his fingertips like threads of light. The moment the pale green glow touched Charlotte's white skin, her body began to glow faintly.
"...Ah, it's warm..."
Charlotte stared at her own small hands. Her fingertips moved, just barely. The movement grew little by little.
"With this, you should be able to move a bit more easily."
King let out a breath of relief.
That was when it happened.
Light burst from Charlotte's body.
—No. Charlotte was releasing the light herself.
King's surge of magic was pushed back. Charlotte's small body wasn't merely receiving King's magic—she was beginning to control it by her own will.
"What—!?"
King's eyes went wide.
Around Charlotte, pale sky-blue light swirled. That light mingled with King's green magic, scattering glimmering motes throughout the room.
"Charlotte, you..."
"I... something deep inside me feels hot. But it's not unpleasant. Rather, it's as if strength is welling up..."
Charlotte clasped her hands in front of her chest. Light leaked out from between her fingers.
King caught his breath.
—This isn't just a transfer of magic. Charlotte is manipulating it by her own will.
"...That's amazing, Charlotte. You're trying to make the magic your own."
"Is that so? I don't really understand, but... somehow I'm happy. It's like your power, King, is coming inside me and staying with me."
Charlotte smiled brightly.
The moment he saw that smile, something tightened deep in King's chest.
—I want to protect that smile.
That was what he thought.
"...Charlotte, there's something I have to tell you."
King looked at Charlotte with a serious expression.
"What is it, King?"
"I thought of you as a small being I had to protect. A doll, tiny, knowing nothing. So I thought I had to protect you from everything."
King paused.
"But I was wrong. You think for yourself, and you can move on your own. You're not just something for me to protect. ...I'm sorry. I wasn't seeing you as an equal."
Charlotte gazed steadily into King's eyes.
"King, you see..."
Charlotte spun out her words slowly.
"I don't want to be someone who's only protected by you."
The words struck King straight in the chest.
"Charlotte..."
"I may be a doll, but watching you fight, I wanted to do something myself too. Is that... not allowed?"
Charlotte looked straight up at King. Her sky-blue eyes caught the morning light, shimmering.
"It's not that it's not allowed. ...It's not that at all."
King shook his head.
"Thank you, Charlotte. Your feelings make me happy."
Just then, Ban's voice came from the bottom of the stairs.
"Ooh, ooh, what a nice atmosphere. Ah, to be young."
"King's completely under a doll's thumb. He's totally whipped now."
"I can hear you! Both of you!"
King shouted, his face bright red.
Charlotte giggled softly.
—That smile warmed King's chest once again.
Shortly before noon.
On the first floor of the Boar Hat, regulars had begun to trickle in. At the counter, Ban poured his special ale while Hawk nosed at crumbs on the floor.
King sat with Charlotte in a corner of the counter.
"Say, King. Why does this shop move?"
Charlotte asked, looking around the interior with curious eyes.
"Ah, this is a traveling tavern. Ban pulls it with a carriage, and we travel all over the continent."
"My! A shop that travels—how wonderful. I'd like to see more of the world too."
Charlotte's eyes sparkled.
"Yeah. I'll take you outside sometime. The forest's dangerous, but somewhere safe."
When King said that, Charlotte nodded happily.
"That's a promise, King."
Their faces naturally drew closer.
—That was when it happened.
The tavern door flew open.
"King! I'm here!"
A bright, familiar voice.
King turned around to see a girl with purple-black hair in twin tails swaying behind her. A large ribbon fluttered with her movement. Her big amber eyes caught sight of King and Charlotte.
A member of the Seven Deadly Sins, the giant girl bearing the sin of Envy—Diane. The one and only woman King had carried a torch for, for five hundred years.
"D-Diane!? Why are you here..."
King scrambled to his feet.
Diane looked at the distance between King and Charlotte. At how close their faces had been—almost touching.
"...What, so the two of you are getting all cozy."
Diane's voice dropped slightly.
"I-it's not like that, Diane! This is, uh, I was sharing magic with Charlotte..."
"King, alone with the doll again? When you keep nothing but secrets from me."
Diane bit her lip.
"I-it's not like that! It's really nothing! I was just sharing magic to protect Charlotte..."
King fumbled through his excuses.
Charlotte was watching Diane's expression. The loneliness, the irritation, and—jealousy—rising on her face.
"Diane, I haven't done anything wrong. I was just talking with King."
Charlotte explained in a small voice.
"I don't need a doll to explain that to me."
Diane said curtly, then turned on her heel.
"Diane! Wait!"
King tried to go after her.
"Go to her, King."
Charlotte pushed against King's back with her small hand.
"Charlotte..."
"Diane looked so sad. You need to go to her, King."
King hesitated for a moment, then went after Diane.
Outside the tavern.
Diane stood by the large tree behind the building. Her arms were crossed, her face turned away.
"Diane, listen to me."
When King approached, Diane glanced at him.
"...What. You should just stay with your doll."
"That's not it. Charlotte is being targeted by the demon clan. So I have to protect her."
"The demon clan?"
For the first time, Diane turned to face King.
"Yeah. Charlotte has a heart dwelling in her. The Demon King is trying to erase it. So I'm sharing my magic with her, so she can protect herself, even a little."
King said it all in a rush.
Diane was silent for a while. Then she let out a small breath.
"...So that's what it was."
"I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. I didn't want to drag you into danger."
"Don't be stupid. I'm not that weak. And you don't have to carry everything alone."
Diane's voice had grown a little gentler.
"...Thank you, Diane."
King said it from the bottom of his heart.
Diane blushed slightly and turned away again.
"...But don't get too close to that doll. It just... bothers me."
"Huh?"
"I said! Don't get too friendly with that doll! When I see that kind of thing, my chest gets all restless!"
Diane shouted, her face bright red.
King's mouth fell open.
—Diane is... jealous?
No, surely not.
King shook the thought from his head.
"O-okay. I'll be careful..."
That was all King could manage to say.
Evening.
As the sky began to stain crimson, King returned to the tavern.
Charlotte was cleaning the first floor. With her tiny body, she hugged the broom and swept the floor. The sight was somehow gallant—and reassuring.
"Charlotte, what are you doing all by yourself?"
"Oh, King. Welcome back."
Charlotte set down the broom and smiled brightly.
"I don't want to be only protected. I'm looking for what I can do."
Those words struck King's heart.
"I see... You're strong, aren't you."
"You taught me that, King. To protect what's precious, I have to become strong myself."
Charlotte's smile shone in the setting sun.
King's heart gave a leap.
At the same time, the exchange with Diane that afternoon flashed through his mind.
—When I see that kind of thing, my chest gets all restless!
Diane's words. What had she meant by that?
Complex emotions swirled in his
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