I Think My Daughter Has Regressed (7 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 87

The merchant glanced at the coins in his purse and nodded his head in satisfaction. Then he continued his reply to Ariel.

“None of the people around me are physically whole, to begin with. As for their minds… well, let’s not even go there. Have you ever heard of phantom pain? They say someone missing an arm continues to feel the exact pain from the moment it was severed. Most can’t even bear to eat red foods like tomatoes or strawberries.”

Frowning, the merchant picked up the wind-up doll again. Creak— the doll began playing music once more.

The melody that drifted out sounded mournful, as if someone were weeping.

“In border regions, even civilians can be spies. Sometimes a kindness offered in good faith ends up costing an entire unit their lives.”

Ariel’s brow furrowed.

The battlefield was far more harrowing than she had imagined.

In a place rife with suspicion and distrust, even spending a day or two would likely drive one to mental ruin. And Damian had endured such a place for nearly ten years…

Ariel bit down hard on the soft flesh inside her cheek, clenching so tightly she forgot the pain.

The spreading metallic taste of blood left a bitter sensation on her tongue.

“Even in victory, war only brings slightly less bitterness than defeat. It seems every soldier who’s fought carries within them some measure of self-loathing and distrust toward humanity as a whole. It’s an unavoidable wound. At the very least, I hope this cost of victory brings some comfort to the knights who served.”

The merchant shook his head with a bitter smile.

At that moment, the spring ran out. As the mournful music ceased, silence settled over the shop.

“…Ah.”

Startled by the strangely prolonged quiet, the merchant, who had been polishing the doll, suddenly looked up.

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