# Chapter 50
“Who is Angel?”
“Oh, it's my younger sister's name, Angela.”
My heart dropped in my chest.
Gallerhead called me “Angel” in the arena one day*
* He told her “Angel,” which means Angel in English
Then he said I looked like an angel, but did he actually remember his sister?
Gallerhead browsed around the store slowly.
“And your sister, what kind of dolls do you like?”
“Dolls with blue hair and blue eyes.”
“Huh?”
Gallerhead hastened to clarify, as if he feared I would misunderstand him.
“I'm not looking for a doll like this because of you, or anything like that...”
He was moving his hands nervously, then let out a few fake coughs before continuing: “As you know, no one lives comfortably and luxuriously among strangers. And we were no exception. So my sister didn’t have a single rag doll like the other girls.”
I knew very well what strangers were like.
I lived in the temple and witnessed such stories often.
"She never asked us for anything, but one day, we passed in front of a doll store. She stopped for a long time in front of a doll with blue hair and blue eyes, and stood staring through the glass for a long time. Since that day, she passed there morning and evening, greeting that doll that she named herself, and talking to her as if she were her friend. I wanted to give her that doll for her next birthday, so I started collecting money secretly. But...”
The smile disappeared from his face, and his mouth froze in tense silence.
“The civil war broke out. At that time, the appearance of strangers in the capital was a crime punishable by death by firing squad. The atmosphere was terrifying, so everyone fled, citizens and strangers alike. We also decided to flee south.”
Galerheid extended his hand towards one of the dolls, and continued in a low voice: "I must admit I thought it was an opportunity. I said to myself: In the chaos, no one would notice if a doll disappeared from a small store. So I ran away from home, crept into the store and stole the doll. But on the way back I ran into soldiers. I tried to escape, but what use is a child running in front of armed men? They quickly caught me, and I was injured here."
With his right hand, he wiped the old wound where the bullets had left their mark.
“But one of the soldiers took kindly to me and let me go. When I returned to the place later...the doll had disappeared.”
I felt my throat dry up.
“So, when you first called me ‘Angel’…”
“I immediately thought of my sister. If that doll had turned into a human, you, Olivia, would look just like her.”
My mind froze.
Is...the doll he's talking about me?
In this world, there must be other dolls with blue hair and blue eyes, but... everything he says refers to me.
“Did that doll... have a name given by your sister?”
“Oh, yeah. And I swear I'm not making this up...”
He blinked his eyes, then scratched his neck in apparent embarrassment.
“Olivia.”
“Huh?”
“The name he called her...was Olivia.”
He raised his hand to hide his face, but the redness of his cheeks gave it away completely.
“So then.”
"I swear it's the truth! She named her Olivia because she was wearing an olive-colored dress!"
He started repeating the justifications, stressing that he was not lying, but I did not hear anything after that.
Galerhyde...is my master.
He was the one who first bought me, not Edmund.
My heart beat with painful force.
What nonsense is this? I was supposed to be happy that Edmund is not my original master, but why do I feel this pain?
Did I deceive myself because of the repetition of the words of love he said to me? Come on, Olivia, wake up!
"Olivia, what do you think of this one? Her eyes aren't blue, but maybe she likes it?"
I nodded indifferently, not even seeing the color of the doll's eyes.
“Can you wrap it for us?”
"immediately!"
While the employee took the doll, Galerheid looked at the other toys.
“There are more cute things than I thought. Can I buy you one too?”
"For me? But it's not my birthday..."
"Just a thank you gift for hanging out with me today. Look at this!"
He held up a small white teddy bear.
“She's nice.”
“Put it on your work desk, and when you see it... remember that I was the one who gave it to you.”
"…Yes."
I contemplated it.
A white bear with soft fur and red eyes.
Next to him is a black bear with the same eyes.
“Do you want this?”
“Just because they look like a perfect pair, nothing more...” I said confused.
The employee intervened, smiling:
“Yes, they are sold as a double set. Couples usually buy them as gifts!”
I felt embarrassed, but Gallerhead looked at me with hesitant eyes full of approval.
“No, it's okay, I'll buy them!”
I quickly took the two dolls and headed towards the cash register, my heart beating violently.
“They are a complete set, it would look sad if one of them was left alone!”
Yes, that's just why...not because I specifically wanted the black bear.
“Then, I'll buy them too.”
Gallerhead took the black and white bear together and placed them in front of the cashier.
“Then we exchange, what I buy, I give to you, and what you buy, you give to me. Thus, each of us will have given a gift to the other.”
I couldn't reject the idea, so I just nodded.
“Okay, we bought the gifts, where to now?”
“Let's walk around a little.”
"amazing."
If Gallerhead were my true master, I would no longer need to please Edmund.
So I said to myself, but my heart remained heavy.
“This hat suits you.”
He placed it on my head, smiling.
"What is your opinion?"
"beautiful."
Come on, Olivia, remember your goal.
Galerhyde is your master.
But Edmund's face kept appearing in my mind repeatedly, so I shook my head forcefully to dismiss him.
We walked around for a long time, laughing and talking, despite some disapproving looks from passers-by.
At least, no one dared to say what they said in the restaurant before.
“Aren’t we going to get some rest?”
Gallerhead pointed to an elegant tea house.
“What do you think of this place?”
“Good idea.”
I was tired and thirsty, so I went inside.
But as soon as I passed the door, I heard a voice behind me: “Excuse me.”
I turned and saw Galarhyde standing in the doorway.
“We do not receive foreigners here.”
The employee pointed to a large sign at the door: [Forbidden entry of foreigners]
“...Do you realize that this is illegal?”
The employee responded coldly: “Of course, and if you want to complain, go ahead.”
How rude.
“Olivia, let's go.”
“But...”
“Let's go, it's okay.”
I don't know anything about this situation was "okay."
When Edmund was with me, no one dared stop me.
But this...is the bitter truth.
I looked at the employee with silent anger, and I raised my finger to point from my eyes to his eyes: ‘I will remember your face well.’
“Believe me, I'm fine. I know you grew up in the temple, and you're not used to seeing something like this. But for me...this is my daily life.”
“Whatever daily life is, humiliation should not be a part of it.”
What kind of world is this that makes insulting a daily habit?
No, something has to change. Not just for Galerhead's sake, but for all strangers.
“Olivia, why are you crying?”
He extended a handkerchief to me, and I did not realize that tears were streaming down my cheeks.
“Gallerhead, I will eliminate this kind of discrimination, I promise you. People may have many reasons for hatred, but skin color or facial features should not be among them.”
I held his hand resolutely.
“Do not accept this discrimination just because you were born a stranger. This is not normal, and it should not be.”
And here his tears were falling this time.
I handed him the same handkerchief he had given me, calmly.