Chapter 1
“If I’m born again, I want to be a doll that does nothing.”
I used to think that quite often.
When my parents died in a car accident and I kept moving from one relative’s house to another, always living carefully and quietly.
And even when I started earning money, my relatives used the fact that they raised me as an excuse to take my money, leaving me without even enough for a single meal.
“Mom! Why does that doll stay in the shop all the time?”
But then—
Ta-da— I really became a doll!
I clearly died from overwork, but when I opened my eyes again, I had become a lump of cotton.
Opening my eyes to a strange ceiling— it was just like the usual start of a novel.
“Why am I a doll?”
Other people get reincarnated as noble ladies, or at least as background character number one. So I felt very unfair that I became a cotton doll.
But that feeling didn’t last long.
The reason was the settings of the doll I had possessed.
Even though I am a doll, I can move freely. Of course, I can only move at night when everyone is asleep, because I must avoid people’s eyes.
Yes. I became a doll, but for some reason, I can still move.
And since I have a human-like doll body, moving doesn’t feel much different from being human, so I didn’t struggle to adjust.
Thud—
“Ugh!”
I lightly jumped down from the display shelf, as if it was something I had done many times before.
Then I stretched and muttered.
“Staying in one position too long makes me stiff.”
My cotton-filled body felt strangely heavy as I rotated my neck with a creaking sound— crack. I flinched at the sound.
I told myself yesterday to be more careful…
“Why is this happening lately? The stitches around the neck keep coming loose.”
The shop owner aunt’s doubtful face flashed in my mind.
“Well… it already happened, so there’s nothing I can do.”
I comforted myself while touching the slightly torn neck area, then pressed down the cotton that had clumped in my stomach because children kept touching it carelessly.
“Ugh, it’s all bunched up again today!”
I complained loudly as usual.
After fixing the cotton, I walked around the shop and remembered the day I first realized I had become a doll.
At first I thought—
“Did I possess a toy from that animation I watched as a kid?”
But after seeing the clothes and hearing about noble society and tea parties, I realized it was more likely a romance fantasy novel world.
At first I was confused, but I quickly accepted it.
‘If it already happened, there’s no point resisting. I’ll just adapt.’
My life motto has always been: if you can’t avoid it, then enjoy it.
But even with that mindset, there was something I just couldn’t accept.
“I’m definitely ugly.”
I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror under the clock.
Whoever made this doll must have had strange taste. It was extremely ugly.
Small red button-like eyes, worn-out fabric like it had never sold, and a crooked stitched smile that looked almost rotten.
Only the green dress and black shoes looked pretty in comparison.
Because of that, even after a month, I still hadn’t been sold. Not even a sign of being sold.
At first I was sad. I got reincarnated in an unknown world, and I ended up as an ugly doll that no one wants!
But over time, I realized it was actually good.
‘It gives me time to understand this world, then escape.’
I can also move like a human. And if needed, I can escape through the small hole at the back of the shop late at night.
“It really feels like a ghost story. That doll gets uglier over time.”
“Wow… it looks even uglier today.”
I recalled what the children said earlier in the day.
By now, I had learned something important after a month.
I had become somewhat famous in the capital.
Of course, in a bad way.
They call me the “ugly doll of the capital.”
But I wasn’t sad or angry anymore.
“I am ugly if I look at it objectively.”
That’s why even if I’m placed in the center display, I won’t be sold.
But honestly, that’s fine.
‘Last life was intense enough. This time I’ll take it slow.’
Then I’ll escape the toy shop when the time is right.
‘Unlike other toys, I can move.’
Looking at myself in the mirror, I hummed softly.
Then a voice came from the second shelf.
“Lily!”
My name here is Lily.
When I first realized I had possessed this doll, the oldest toy in the shop—a wooden grandfather doll—told me the name tag on my neck said “Lily.”
“Lily!”
He called again.
I turned toward him reluctantly.
The wooden grandfather doll looked quite intimidating, despite being called a grandfather.
“I lost my hat that the children were playing with. Could you find it for me?”
He was actually very soft-hearted.
Hearing his weak voice, I started walking.
Soon I heard him sniffling. He was really upset.
But I wasn’t too moved.
I used to be, but now I’ve gotten used to it.
‘He cries every day.’
After a while, many voices started calling me from all directions.
“Lily! Clean the thread on my eye!”
“Fix my twisted beard!”
“Put my shoes on properly!”
“Wipe the fingerprints off the mirror!”
Yes. My ability wasn’t just movement.
I could also hear the voices of objects.
From dolls to books on shelves.
Not all objects—only those with “self-awareness” could talk.
At first I was surprised, but they weren’t surprised at all.
They were more shocked that I could move freely.
“Living long enough, you see all kinds of things.”
That was what the wooden grandfather said when he first saw me move.
After the shop closes, I end up busier than the owner.
I could ignore them, but—
‘I need information.’
I still don’t know what novel world this is.
So I have to gather information while helping them.
From them, I learned things like a rumored illegitimate child of a count family, and a duke who adopted a child and abused them.
But nothing important.
Still, I realized one thing.
‘This is before the original story starts.’
The red moon a month ago, and the fire incident a week ago.
These events were definitely familiar.
But I couldn’t remember which novel they were from.
‘Why can I remember everything except the title?!’
I screamed internally.
‘I just need the name! Just tell me the name!!’
But nothing came back.
So I needed more information from the shop.
And this place— full of talking objects— was perfect for that.
I was determined again.
“Lily! What are you doing? Hurry up!”
“…Why are there so many requests today?”
Maybe I should just escape early.
But before I could decide—
“I’ll take this doll.”
Everything collapsed in an instant.
