"...This is my doll! Her name is Snuggle!"
Tatal showed the shadow the ugliest doll he had ever seen. It was made of coarse fabric and wore a crude dress that vaguely resembled Tatal's own. Two black beads served as its eyes, and its mouth seemed to be stuck in a perpetual frown.
Tatal was not the kind of girl to play with her toys gently, either. It looked like Snuggle had been torn countless times, then mended with clumsy stitches. As a result, she looked like a battle-hardened warrior covered in countless gruesome scars, not an innocent damsel's companion.
This was the first doll the shadow had ever seen — in this life, at least — and it was nearly unbearable to look at.
Still, Tatal seemed utterly in love with the ugly thing, so he kept his thoughts to himself.
The girl grinned happily.
"Say hi to Snuggle, Shadow!"
The shadow remained silent for a while. When he eventually spoke, his cold voice sounded a little strained...
