Chapter 163: “Exhausted Communication”

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Surrounded by ethereal, almost divine flames, a ghostly skeletal dove completed two loops above the ship’s deck. As it circled, various items began to appear in the otherworldly fire, all hailing from the famous city-state of Pland. Alice’s eyes widened as she focused intently on the first item that materialized—a wig. It took her a few moments to fully grasp what she was seeing before she finally turned her attention to Captain Duncan.

In that brief moment, Duncan was certain Alice was on the verge of tears, even though she was a doll. That was the reaction he had prepared for, expecting it to be the most likely outcome of his jest. Instead, they found themselves locked in an extended stare, and then Alice broke the silence with a somewhat vacant nod, managing to say, “Thank you!”

Duncan was bewildered. “…?”

“Wow, you actually got me new hair!” Alice’s expression shifted dramatically, beaming with pure joy as if she had just received the most precious gift in the world. “I thought you were joking last time we talked about it! Mr. Goathead even mentioned that wigs for dolls like me are quite a luxury…”

Duncan stood there, speechless, absorbing what had just happened. His teasing had backfired spectacularly, failing to induce the emotional turmoil he had anticipated. Instead, Alice seemed utterly delighted and deeply grateful for the gift.

A sense of missed opportunity washed over Duncan as he realized he had lost his chance for a little mischief at Alice’s expense.

“Captain? Why do you seem so lost in thought?” Alice’s voice brought Duncan back to the present moment. Holding her new wig carefully in her small hands, she tiptoed closer to bring her face nearer to his. “You’ve been acting rather spaced out today.”

Caught off guard, Duncan took a step back and studied the animated doll before him. “Your response has been unexpectedly positive. I recall that our previous conversation about wigs left you somewhat discouraged. I assumed you would find it emotionally challenging to accept this gift.”

Alice looked at him, puzzled. “Why would I be upset about receiving new hair? What made me sad was losing my hair in the first place. I’m a doll, after all!”

It was then that the realization struck Duncan.

Alice’s vitality and zest for life aboard the ship had been so convincing that he had begun to subconsciously consider her human. In doing so, he had failed to account for her unique outlook on life, framed by her identity as a doll.

In the eyes of a doll, what significance would a wig really hold? After all, would a human be emotionally torn over receiving a new pair of shoes?

“Okay, perhaps I was overthinking the situation,” Duncan conceded, running his hand over his face in a mix of exasperation and relief. Even as the most feared pirate on the Boundless Sea, he felt his usually unshakable poise crumbling in Alice’s presence. “The important thing is, you’re happy.”

“I am absolutely thrilled!” Alice jubilantly clutched her new wig, then craned her neck to peek over Duncan’s shoulder, curious about the other objects that had appeared on the deck. “Now, what else do we have here…”

“This is also for you,” Duncan said, sighing deeply as he averted his gaze from the incongruous sight of an intricately designed Gothic doll beaming with pure delight while clutching a wig. He turned his back to Alice and reached for another smaller box that lay among the mysterious goods on the deck. “Here, go ahead and open it.”

With curiosity sparking in her eyes, Alice carefully unlatched the lid of the delicately carved wooden box. Inside, she found an exquisite set of silver hair ornaments. These weren’t just any trinkets; they were diamond-shaped pieces of fine craftsmanship, elegantly laid out against a lush velvet lining within the box.

Alice looked up, her face a mix of surprise and awe, locking eyes with Captain Duncan. He nodded slightly, confirming the gift’s authenticity.

“During our last expedition, I confiscated that feather hairpin you had discovered in one of the ship’s cabins,” Duncan stated casually. “I told you then that I’d replace it with something new. Consider this my way of making good on that promise.”

Frozen in surprise for a moment, Alice’s expression eventually relaxed into a warm, radiant smile. “Thank you, Captain! You are incredibly kind!”

“Keep your voice down,” Duncan gestured with a dismissive wave of his hand, wincing as Alice’s escalating enthusiasm pierced his eardrums. “It’s merely a hair ornament; no need to become overly excited.”

“But it’s not just the hair ornament! It’s also the wonderful new wig you got for me!”

Caught in a wave of awkwardness, Duncan felt intense embarrassment wash over him. It was as if he were a mischievous child who had been caught in the act, only for his intended victim to thank him wholeheartedly. “…Let’s not revisit the topic of that wig, shall we?”

Unaware of Duncan’s emotional turmoil, Alice was fully immersed in her own joy. Her attention soon shifted to the final wooden crate resting on the deck. The box wasn’t big. With its rustic yet elegant decorations, brass locks, and ornate hinges, the crate exuded an aura of refinement. Strangely enough, it evoked memories of what she considered her “home.”

“What’s inside this one?” Alice asked as she set aside her new treasures—the wig and the hair ornaments—and inquisitively pushed the wooden crate a bit closer. She looked up at Duncan for an explanation.

“This one I also acquired from the same specialized doll shop, but it’s not intended for you,” Duncan replied casually. “Feel free to open it and see for yourself.”

Intrigued, Alice let out a soft “Oh” before undoing the latch and lifting the lid. Inside, she found another doll—a classically styled young girl lying serenely within the little box.

Alice paused, looking puzzled. “…?”

“You can call her ‘Nilu,'” Duncan offered, his voice tinged with a degree of solemnity. “Unlike you, she’s more or less just a regular doll.”

For a seemingly interminable moment, Alice remained still, processing what she was seeing. Nearly ten seconds passed before she made a sudden move. A clicking noise filled the air, and her head unexpectedly detached from her body, tumbling into Nilu’s box and rolling alongside the small, inert doll within.

“Help… help… can someone help…” Alice’s voice emanated from the decapitated head as if calling out for some immediate intervention.

With a resigned sigh and a flicker of amusement in his eyes, Duncan skillfully picked up Alice’s disembodied head and reconnected it to her frame. “Was such a dramatic reaction really called for?”

Alice used both of her hands to stabilize her head, making sure her neck was correctly aligned with her body. Then she peered into Duncan’s eyes, her own widening with incredulity. “Captain, do you now have another doll?”

Duncan felt a sudden twinge of discomfort at Alice’s interpretation and promptly interrupted her. “Hold on, let’s not jump to conclusions. As I said before, Nilu is not like you. She’s not going to be wandering about the ship or participating in our adventures. And what’s this about me having ‘a new doll’? You make it sound like I’m some sort of eccentric collector.”

“So, if you didn’t buy this doll because you’re collecting them, then why…?”

Duncan exhaled softly, standing up to his full height and directing his gaze toward the horizon, where the sea met the sky. He momentarily adopted a solemn expression, hoping to dispel any whimsical ideas Alice might be entertaining. “There’s a rather significant reason for acquiring this doll. She is named ‘Nilu’ and was once part of a set with another doll called ‘Luni.’ Many years ago, my daughter took ‘Luni’ with her. Recently, I discovered Nilu abandoned and covered in dust in a shop. It seemed right to reunite them, at least symbolically.”

Feeling that he should be transparent about this newly uncovered chapter of his life, Duncan revealed it straightforwardly. After all, maintaining the gravitas and persona of ‘Captain Duncan’ meant he should be well-acquainted with the details of his own family history.

As expected, Alice’s eyes widened even further, her gaze fixed on Duncan with a mix of shock and bewilderment.

“You have a daughter?!” Alice gripped her head with both hands as if worried it might spontaneously detach again due to the sheer force of her surprise. “This is the first time you’ve ever mentioned this!”

Inwardly, Duncan sighed. Technically, this was the first he himself had heard of it, too.

Nonetheless, he maintained a composed exterior, simply nodding his head. “Is it that surprising? I also have a son. I haven’t seen either of them for over a hundred years.”

“You have a son, too?!” Alice’s shock escalated. She took a couple of steps back, her eyes momentarily darting around as if trying to process the overload of new information. “Then, do they have a mother as well?”

Duncan paused. “…”

A heavy silence filled the air as they locked eyes, each mired in their own bewilderment.

“After this conversation, I’m beginning to regret introducing this topic,” Duncan finally broke the silence, his face betraying a look of deep fatigue. “I’d rather not discuss this any further.”

“Oh… Oh! I see!” Alice seemed momentarily absorbed in contemplation before energetically nodding her head in understanding. Her gaze then dropped to the wooden crate that housed the doll ‘Nilu,’ and a light bulb seemed to go off in her mind. “Ah! So, could that feather-shaped hair clip I found in the cabin last time possibly belong to your daughter?”

Duncan neither confirmed nor denied her supposition.

The truth was, he himself was unsure. Yet, he couldn’t help but remember the inexplicable wave of nostalgia that had washed over him when he first laid eyes on that feather-shaped hair clip. It was that sense of poignant remembrance that led him to believe Alice might be onto something.

He then caught Alice surreptitiously stealing glances at him, her face alternating between curiosity and hesitation, her expressive eyes revealing unspoken questions.

“If there’s something on your mind, then speak up,” he said while maintaining an air of indifference. “Sidelong glances are even less polite than unsolicited remarks.”

“Ah, it’s really nothing, just that…” Alice momentarily waved her hands in a dismissive manner, then paused as if gathering her thoughts. “Well, I just suddenly came to realize that you do exhibit traces of humanity.”

Duncan paused. “…Is that intended to be a compliment?”

Alice seemed to hesitate, her face reflecting what seemed like snippets of past lessons, perhaps from Mr. Goathead. She looked somewhat apologetic as she responded. “Ah, I’m sorry, Captain. I didn’t mean to insult you by suggesting you have human characteristics…”

“I… thank you,” Duncan said, his voice tinged with both incredulity and weariness. He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, signaling that the conversation was over for now. “Go ahead and take your gifts. I’d like some time to myself.”

“Oh,” was all Alice managed to say, apparently grasping the unspoken message that it was time for her to leave Duncan alone with his thoughts.

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