The guild in the royal capital was as noisy as ever this morning. Under the high stone ceilings, the voices of dozens of adventurers echoed in a chaotic mix. Swordsmen, mages, archers—each crowded before the bulletin board seeking today's quests, calling out for temporary party members. Amidst that crowd, Rock stood alone. Beside him was his wooden puppet. A 150-centimeter-tall partner with a clumsily carved smile. The joints that Baldo had reinforced now moved far more smoothly than before. (*Today, I have to find a way into a temporary party.*) Rock flipped through the recruitment notices posted on the board, one by one. *Goblin Extermination. Seeking one frontliner.* *Herb Gathering. Urgently recruiting two escorts.* *Skeleton Cleanup. Experienced adventurers preferred.* Every single one was a quest that assumed you'd be in a party. The only thing he could take solo was herb gathering... and that barely earned him enough for the inn, just scraping by day to day. (*This time, I have to be useful. I have to.*) Deep in his chest, the memory of the last skeleton extermination resurfaced. The blood that had sprayed from Glen's shoulder. The abuse hurled at him—"That's what you get for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Those words kept spinning around and around in his head. (*We could've won without the puppet.*) (*We couldn't even tell if it was doing anything.*) Three days had passed since then. Now, when Rock stood in front of the bulletin board, no one called out to him anymore. A group of adventurers who seemed to be looking for a party passed nearby. A swordsman in leather armor met Rock's eyes. "[recruiting]Ah, you there—" For just a moment, hope flickered in his chest. But the moment the swordsman noticed the wooden puppet on Rock's back, he quickly averted his gaze. "[awkward]...Nah, never mind. We've already got enough people." The swordsman pushed his companions' shoulders and disappeared into the crowd. Rock let out a small sigh. (*Well, that's how it goes.*) He tried to make himself smile. But the corners of his mouth just twitched a little. Unconsciously, he reached out and placed his hand on the puppet's shoulder. Pat, pat—he tapped it with his palm. It was a habit from his days in Rustera. Whenever he was anxious, whenever he was sad, he'd always done this. Pat, pat, pat. Without even realizing it, the number of pats was increasing. The wooden puppet just stood there in silence, wearing its clumsy smile. That's when— "[worried]Um, excuse me!" Suddenly, someone grabbed Rock's sleeve. He turned around to find a boy standing there. He looked about fifteen years old. He was a full head shorter than Rock, just a little over 150 centimeters. His dull brown hair stuck out in all directions, and there were several scrapes on his cheeks. The clothes he wore were frayed in places, the cuffs threadbare. But beside him stood a handmade wooden puppet just as worn as his clothes—a doll about 150 centimeters tall. "[nervous]You're a senpai, right! A Wooden Puppet user!" "[surprised]Huh? Senpai—me?" "[excited]Yes! I've been looking for you! There are hardly any Wooden Puppet users who are D-rank or higher—and even if there were, I couldn't find any yesterday—" The boy rattled on at high speed. His greenish-brown eyes gleamed intensely. It was a look that mixed desperation and hope. "[confused]W-wait a second. I have no idea what you're talking about." "[urgent]My name's Leon! I'm fifteen, and I'm still E-rank—but! I'm a Wooden Puppet user! But everyone says it's just a tool for carrying luggage—so I want to get stronger—but no one will teach me—" Leon's eyes turned red, and his voice caught in his throat. Every single one of those words stabbed deep into Rock's chest. (*Wooden Puppet users are just luggage carriers.*) (*No one knows how to really use them.*) (*Laughed at, mocked, ignored.*) —*Ah, this guy too.* Rock remembered the first time he'd used Link Field in the Rustera tavern. How the regulars had laughed. How the adventurers had sneered. Even so, he'd gathered herbs alone, practiced alone, and taken down a boar alone. "[quiet]...I can't teach you much either. You might've heard already, but my skill is supposedly a dud skill—" "[desperate]That's not true!!" Leon shouted. His voice was so loud that, for just a moment, it silenced the clamor of the surrounding adventurers. A few glanced over before looking away again. "[crying]It's not true... I heard that you provided support during a goblin extermination, senpai. That a guy named Daryl moved faster, that a woman named Fiona's arrow aim became more accurate—that's a Wooden Puppet user's skill, isn't it!?" Tears spilled from Leon's eyes. "[sobbing]I've always... always hated it. Being laughed at just for using a wooden puppet. But even so, I didn't want to give up... But I had no idea how to practice to get stronger..." Rock was at a loss for words. Leon looked at the wooden puppet beside him. 150 centimeters tall. Its joints were awkward, and the smile carved into its face looked like it was about to cry. Just like—his former self. The self who had carved wooden puppets alone in Rustera. Even when no one acknowledged him, even when no one taught him, he had still believed in his partner. "[quiet]...Lift your head." Rock placed a hand on Leon's shoulder. "[embarrassed]There's almost nothing I can teach you. But—if you're still okay with that." Leon raised his head. His tear-streaked face broke into a crumpled smile. "[excited]Thank you!! Thank you so much!!" Leon bowed his head over and over. Each time, the wooden puppet beside him bobbed its head too. Rock watched the scene with a wry smile. (*I never thought I'd be teaching anyone.*) But—it didn't feel bad. From the back of the guild reception area, Ganetta had been watching the exchange. Her mouth softened just a little, and she gave a small nod. "[gentle]Alright, alright, that's enough greetings. Introduce yourselves properly. I'm Ganetta Horn, the branch chief of this guild branch." Ganetta called out from the counter. She ran a hand through her short-cropped hair, a mix of red and gray, her golden-brown eyes narrowing. "[surprised]Ah, yes! I'm Leon! Um, I registered with the guild three months ago—" "[laughing]Well, take it slow. You too, Rock. You can use the backyard. Just don't go breaking any pots." With that, Ganetta waved a hand lightly and retreated deeper into the reception area. Rock led Leon and headed to the guild's backyard. --- The backyard was so quiet, it was hard to believe the guild's hustle and bustle was just on the other side of the wall. In the small cobblestone space, several old barrels and wooden crates were stacked. Ivy crept along the walls, and the shade was cool. "[serious]First, let me see your puppet." When Rock spoke, Leon carefully presented his wooden puppet. 150 centimeters tall. The material was probably a soft wood like pine. Unlike Rock's Ironwood, it was light and easy to work with, but its durability was low. "[curious]Did you carve it yourself?" "[embarrassed]Yes... but I'm not very good... I secretly borrowed my dad's carpentry tools... Ah, but it didn't turn out the way I wanted! It's hard to get anyone to teach you..." "[laughing]It's fine. Mine's nothing special either." Rock pointed at his own puppet's face. The clumsy smile. The mouth that was still crooked no matter how many times he'd recarved it. Leon looked at that face and burst out laughing. "[laughing]It's got a face where you can't tell if it's angry or laughing." "[embarrassed]Shut up. I'm well aware my carving skills suck." Rock gave a wry smile and placed his hand on the puppet's chest. The Queen Ant's magic stone glowed faintly. "[serious]Listen, Leon. This is probably a method no one else will teach you, so pay close attention." Leon swallowed hard. "[explaining]To move a wooden puppet properly, you need to synchronize your magic circuits. You pour magic into the puppet and imagine connecting your own nerves to the puppet's joints. The operational range is about 30 meters—any farther and precision drops." "[nervous]Synchronize magic circuits...?" "[explaining]Right. First, focus on the puppet. Imagine a warmth flowing from deep in your chest to your fingertips. Slow is fine at first. Don't rush—just feel your magic seeping into the inside of the puppet." Leon closed his eyes and placed his hands on his own puppet. Silence. The wind gently rustled the ivy in the backyard. From a distance, the muffled noise of the guild could be heard. One minute, two minutes— The puppet didn't move a muscle. "[frustrated]It won't move..." Sweat was beading on Leon's forehead. Rock could tell he was desperately trying to channel his magic. But the puppet's joints remained frozen. "[calm]Don't rush. It took me months of practice before I could move one for the first time. The more you work with a wooden puppet, the more it responds. That's the kind of partner it is." Rock placed a hand on his own puppet's shoulder. The moment those words left his mouth—he felt something settle deep in his chest, like a weight dropping into place. (*That's right. I could never say this to anyone.*) (*But now, I can.*) The failure of the skeleton extermination. Glen's abuse. The mockery of "dead weight." Even so, the wooden puppet had always been by Rock's side. He still believed in the partner that Baldo had silently reinforced for him. "[gentle]Try it again. This time, take it slow. If the puppet trembles even a little, that's a success." Leon gritted his teeth and closed his eyes again. This time, slowly—truly slowly. His fingertips trembled slightly. And then— *Clack.* A small sound. The index finger of Leon's puppet bent, just a tiny bit. "[shocked]It moved!!" Leon shouted. Tears overflowed again, snot running from his nose. "[surprised]You did it!" Rock couldn't help but raise his voice too, slapping Leon on the shoulder. "[crying]I moved it... My puppet actually moved..." Leon hugged his wooden puppet and cried out loud. Watching his back, Rock felt a stinging sensation deep in his own nose. (*What I taught actually helped.*) (*That alone is enough.*) --- "[sarcastic]Hah? What're you two doing, a pair of puppet masters huddled together?" A cold voice echoed through the backyard. Rock looked up. At the guild's back entrance stood a trio of adventurers. Men in their mid-twenties. All of them wore reasonably good equipment. Silver breastplates, polished longswords. C-rank badges gleamed at their waists. The leader—a swordsman with shoulder-length black hair tied back—approached with a smirk. Rock knew him. This man was one of the people who had been spreading rumors around the guild after the skeleton extermination quest. Walking around loudly proclaiming that Wooden Puppet users were useless. "[mocking]So the dead-weight puppet master is now teaching a brat how to use puppets?" Another man—a slender one with a bow on his back—clutched his stomach laughing. "[laughing]This is beyond ridiculous!" "[mocking]Dead weight teaching dead weight—this is the best joke since the guild was founded!" The three of them burst into raucous laughter. Their laughter echoed from the guild's backyard all the way to the main street, causing passing adventurers to stop and wonder what was going on. Rock's chest went cold and stiff. (*Shut up.*) (*You're wrong. We're properly—*) But his mouth wouldn't open. The events of the skeleton extermination kept spinning in his head. He hadn't been able to say anything back then, either. "[mocking]Hey, hey, are you about to cry?" The black-haired leader peered into Leon's face. Leon's shoulders were trembling. The face that had been filled with the joy of making the puppet move just moments ago was now deathly pale. "[sob]...I believe in senpai." Leon spoke in a trembling voice. "[whispering]Senpai's skill isn't