The Doll Has a Name Chapter 20 - About Us

“Ack! My limited-edition Mikado silk blouse!”

 

“Well, I think you should deal with that yellow sauce dripping down your forehead first.”

 

Though reluctant, considering the hefty price of her clothes, Kise handed her the napkin she had placed on her lap. She expected her to wipe her face first, but true to form, she immediately tended to her clothes.

 

“Leo, you jerk! Trash! Absolute scum! This won’t come out with just water!”

 

“You must be quite extravagant with your clothes.”

 

It was said that people of the Rikent Republic, despite their wealth, lived frugally and with restraint, even advocating for religious reform. 

 

So how did this pinky persin end up like this…

 

As if sensing Kise’s skepticism, Tristan pressed a handkerchief against the stain and grumbled, “That’s why I have to spend money to relieve stress! How else am I supposed to survive under that trash Leo? Huh? The old saying about working hard to earn and spend money is outdated! Office workers should use money to de-stress!”

 

“I’m poor even though I work because of that guy!”

 

Tristan, pointing furiously at the elegantly slicing Leonhardt, couldn’t contain her anger and flung the napkin straight at his face.

 

But Leonhardt smoothly dodged it and continued eating with a bright expression. His gleaming face seemed to say, ‘What did I do?’ and stood out even more.

 

“Ugh! You’re so annoying! You better watch out, too! That guy’s a total lunatic, I’m telling you!”

 

When Kise gave him a look that said, ‘And what about you?’ 

 

Tristan pounded her chest and shouted, “I’m a person of love and sacrifice! Leo’s the trash! I’m the Pinky Fairy!”

 

‘No, you’re the troublemaker queen of this area.’ 

 

Having drawn her own conclusion, Kise turned her head away dismissively toward the plate.

 

Tristan, who had been grumbling to herself, took out a small silver hand mirror from her pocket and peered into it as if she might fall in

.
Wiping away the remaining sauce stains from her face with his hand, she spoke to the mirror as if seeking comfort.

“Ah, mirror, mirror. I am the most gorgeous cosmic apple among the ugly ones. An apple that looks ugly but is actually pretty. Don’t you agree?”

At that, Leonhardt, who had been about to sip his wineglass, tilted it upward slightly and flashed a sunny smile. 

 

Ah, a toast to your vivid self-reflection.

 

🦋

 

As many who had finished lunch returned to their places one by one, a quiet stillness settled over the dining hall.

With a napkin tucked in and fork in hand, Tristan sat beside Kise, who was comfortably full, basking in her satiation. 

 

As she lounged lazily, Leonhardt tapped her teacup lightly with a teaspoon.

 

“Want some?”

 

Yes, yes. Of course.

 

But Kise suppressed the impulse rising in her heart. She remained still while he attended to her, offering kindness and consideration so naturally that it felt effortless. 

 

Yet, a sudden thought flashed through her mind—if she carelessly accepted his favors, there might be trouble later. She had learned to politely decline goodwill whose intent she couldn’t discern.

“No, I’m fine with the tea.”

 

“Okay, I’ll switch to coffee.”

 

…Hey, the ‘tea’ I meant wasn’t that kind of tea, you know?

 

Eventually, it was time for tea. He carefully poured water over the finely ground beans and presented the steaming mug to Kise, the fragrant vapor rising gently. He didn’t forget to turn the handle toward her. 

 

Such impeccable manners. From the very beginning, he had always been this meticulous.

 

‘Such elegant audacity.’

 

If we’re talking audacity, I’ve got my fair share too. But this was something else. I was genuinely impressed.

 

Amid the comforting aroma of coffee, Leonhardt’s voice spread warmly through the air.

 

“You’ll come to learn this in time, but there are about a hundred employees stationed at headquarters. Even if not all of them, it’d be good to familiarize yourself with the ones you’ll see frequently. It’ll make work smoother.”

 

“I suppose so.”

 

“Most of them work on the second floor. Let’s head down together after this. I’ll introduce you to a few. You don’t have much work today, right?”

 

“No, I think I’ll be fine.”

 

After quickly assessing her workload, Kise gladly accepted Leonhardt’s offer. 

 

The moment their conversation ended, Tristan, who had been burying her face in a plate, suddenly perked up.

 

“Leo! Me! Let me give the tour!”

 

No!

 

The word flashed through Kise’s mind, but before she could dwell on it, Leonhardt swiftly shut it down.

 

“No.”

 

“Aaaah! I wanna do it! Let me try too!”

 

“No.”

 

“Meanie…!”

 

“No.”

 

With unwavering finality, Leonhardt took a sip of his coffee, then immediately stood up, holding both Kise’s mug and his own in each hand. Though he had said they’d leave after finishing their coffee, his abrupt change in behavior made it clear—the plan had shifted to ‘coffee on the go.’

 

She quickly stood up and took her cup from Leonhardt’s hand.

 

A flustered Tristan swung her hand mirror wildly.

 

“Wait! You all, wait!”

 

“Take your time with the meal.”

 

“Enjoy your meal.”

 

Two gentle smiles, nearly identical, formed side by side like rainbows.

 

Watching Kise, who had just thrown salt in the wound yet maintained perfect courtesy with a polite nod, Tristan unconsciously rubbed her goosebump-covered arms.

 

Under A, there was B, and now under B, C had finally arrived—or so she thought, until she realized C might not be someone she could command.

‘Two Leos in one office…’

 

Surely they weren’t just lions of different genders. That couldn’t be it!

She desperately hoped not. Clenching her teeth on his utensils, Tristan bit down hard.

 

🦋

 

The trading company’s office was like the captain’s quarters of a ship.

 

Seated on land yet overseeing the sea, the key figures who controlled every scattered item from one to ten held their positions firmly.

 

Leonhardt led Kise through the maze-like corridors of the second floor, lined with countless rooms.

 

“The people here are traders belonging to our company. Each specializes in a different field, from grains to lumber. They’re the ones who finalize transactions, so they know market trends inside out. Oh, and these twins here are special. Everyone calls them the Sunben Brothers. They’re the office’s brokers, handling personal transactions.”

 

True to their title, the twins looked like mirror images of each other. Kise greeted them politely.

 

“I’m sure I’ll have much to learn, but I look forward to working with you.”

 

“Ah! The new secretary?”

 

“Then, the youngest? It’s the youngest! The youngest in our office!”

 

One of the brothers loudly declared that if anyone could solve his riddle, he would give them a whole box of handmade biscuits.

 

“How do you tell apart our twins, who have different dot positions?”

 

“You’d tell them apart by the different dot positions.”

 

“Ahh!”

 

Oh, are you really that dumb?

 

“Thank you for the biscuits.”

 

Kise snatched the prize. 

 

Seriously, what’s with these people? 

 

Meanwhile, she grabbed Leonhardt’s arm and tugged him along insistently. He might be a bit lacking at times, but he still does his job well. 

 

Letting himself be pulled along, he kept an eye on his team.

 

Only a few departments remained to visit. Stepping back into the hallway, the two knocked and entered a room labeled ‘Inspection Department.’

 

Inside, a man who practically had ‘I’m sensitive’ written all over his face was clutching a copper pipe and a metal plate, meticulously running his fingers over their surfaces.

 

“Andres.”

 

Leonhardt introduced him to Kise. He was the person in charge of inspecting and verifying incoming items, the head of this department.

 

Still clutching the copper pipe, Andres suddenly clung to Leonhardt’s leg like a heartbroken man, pouring out his grievances with deep emotion.

 

“Ahh, Chairman. Can you feel these uneven grooves? I can feel them so clearly. The rough ridges digging between my fingerprints, a diameter of 1 millimeter, a shaved length of 0.14 millimeters… How could it be this bad? We must immediately request a return and file a complaint. Quickly, quickly…”

 

Then, staggering unsteadily, he scrambled to rummage through the filing cabinet. 

 

Papers scattered to the floor. Subordinates seemed used to cleaning up after his messes, but in a way, it was so bizarre that Kise once again subtly grabbed Leonhardt’s arm.

 

Hey, this guy’s also a bit…

 

Leonhardt let out a faint chuckle as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, her expression twisted, and led her outside. When he asked if she was scared just by the look on his face, she shook her head, saying it wasn’t that.

 

“He’s just highly sensitive. He used to be an opera scriptwriter. He often comes running in tears when flawed items arrive. At times like that, we have to soothe him properly.”

 

“Did you scout him from a theater?”

 

“No, I scouted him on a ship.”

 

“So it’s true that you were the one who scouted him.”

 

Yeah, the upper stream and the lower stream are ultimately the same water. 

 

Kise stared straight up at Leonhardt, the upper stream. No matter how different they may seem, this place is ultimately a group of people who fit Leonhardt’s tastes. When their gazes tangled intensely, he smirked.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing, just…”

 

“I picked you, too, didn’t I?”

 

“…”

 

The water here is good water. Absolutely. First-grade purified water. It’s an eco-friendly greenbelt area where natural monuments and freshwater fish swim freely.

 

Kise tore apart the worries she had been dwelling on just moments ago. 

 

Why was I even thinking about something so pointless?

 

“Where to next?”

 

“Next is the accounting department.”

 

Before knocking on the closed door, he warned her in advance.

 

“The accounting department is a bit prickly and sensitive. In other words, they’re thorough and meticulous. When they’re busy, even employees from other departments avoid bothering them unless absolutely necessary. Especially during settlement periods—they’re worse than hedgehogs. And…”

 

“And?”

 

“Above all, there’s a chatterbox in this room. So even if you hear something irritating, don’t take it too seriously.”

 

When they stepped inside, they found a crowd of people completely absorbed in numbers, whether they had visitors or not.

 

Next to the wall clock, various mottos framed on the wall watched over them like overseers.

 

‘Calculate correctly. Mother is watching.’

 

‘The error you make now is the time left in your life.’

 

Chilling. Absolutely chilling. 

 

The two approached the figure at the far end of the room, whose hair seemed to have thinned from staring at numbers too intensely.

 

“This is the head of the accounting department, Otvan Yerbon. He meticulously manages the company’s income and expenses. Exhausting work, really.”

 

Eyes fixed forward, hands still rolling a pen, then glared at Kise as if trying to stab her with his gaze.

 

“Hello, I’m—”

 

“What do you want? If you’re here to waste my time, get lost! If you spent money, attach the receipts properly! Don’t hand me receipts all crumpled up! Snacks you ate alone don’t count as company expenses! And don’t piss me off! Got it?!”

 

Hmm, so you’re the chatterbox Leo mentioned, you little brat… Kise quietly clenched the hem of her skirt.

 

“Newbie, what’s with that look?”

 

“That’s the look of someone brimming with complaints.”

 

“I said it with good intentions—what’s there to complain about?!”

 

“Then why say it in such a harsh way?”

 

“What?”