Are You Always this Useless?

Hey... It's those kids from Gadaro. What are they talking about?

Wow! They bought another dogu for you?!

That's right! If I ask my daddy, he'll buy me anything!

I wanna see it! Can I come over and play now?

M-Me too! Right?!

Of course! You're both my friends, after all!

Hm, a new dogu huh? Can I see it too?

Huh? I haven't seen your face around here before, Mister.

Hehe... But, it's okay! I'll show you how amazing Gadaro's dogu are just this once!

Let's hurry and go! Come on, follow us!

Yay! I'm so excited!

Haha! They're so energetic. Guess I should go after them.

......

This is my house! Don't be shy, go on in!

Yay!

Huh? Where's the new dogu?

No need to rush! It's out buying stuff right now.

Wow... Dogu will even do the shopping for you?

Hehe, of course! Because mine's the latest model!

I have returned...

Well, speak of the devil...

Finished shopping task. Request contents check.

Perfect! Nice job, latest model!

Wow! It's just as good as a robot from the future!

Starting next task. Please announce if I am intruding.

Amazing! It's even cleaning the floor for you!

That's so great... If I had this, my mom wouldn't yell at me to help clean.

Right?! And when it's finished dusting, it'll even throw it outside!

So nice to have a clean house!

All right... Nice! Now I'm gonna show you the best part!

The best part?

What's about to start here?!

Hehe... You'll see soon enough!

Put the stuff you bought in here.

Confirmed ingredients. Starting cooking.

Wow! It can even cook?!

Pshh... Completed cooking. Please enjoy.

Th-This is...! Steamed rice, veggies and meat! In that short of a time?!

Ta-da...! Eat as much as you want!

Okay, let's dig in...

This is...delicious! The vegetables are spread so evenly over the rice! And is this meat from the mountain monsters?! The foul smell has been cooked out, and it's juicy!

That sounds great! I wanna eat some, too!

Me too, me too!

Haha, no need to get rowdy! There's still plenty left...

Excuse me!

Hmm?

Huh? That voice...

Excuse me...! I know you're there!

Somehow I knew it would be you...

I heard you'd bought a new dogu. I wanna see it, too...

That's too bad, we're already done here. Bad timing, I guess.

Huh?

Yep. And, my dogu is only for four people. You wouldn't have been able to join anyway. You've got dogu at your house, right? You should play with it.

Ahaha! That old worn-out thing! It's probably already broken...

......

Don't say that!

Even if it's true, that's such a mean to say it! *sniff sniff*

You guys!

Haha... Don't worry! Sorry, mister. I'm going home... Bye...

Tch! We were having so much fun, too! He ruined it!

That troublemaker is gone now, so we can still play!

Th-That's right! My new dogu can still do lots of stuff!

Yeah! What will you show us next?

...... I'm worried about that kid...

I'll go after him. I can't just let him go like that!

This must be his house... Guess I'll let myself in.

I'm coming in...

Huh?! That guy from before!

Uh, yeah... Sorry. I was worried about you, so...

But that boy said you had a dogu at your house, too, right?

I don't see any around, though. Where is it?

Um... It's... It's out shopping right now...

Huh? Your dogu can go shopping, too?

He said it was scrap metal, though. I guess that wasn't true.

No, well... Um... I don't know about that...

I'm back...!

Whoa! Speak of the devil...

Shopping's done! Bought some great stuff! Awesome!

Wow... None of this is what I asked you to buy! Now I've gotta rethink the whole recipe!

Argh... This old model is total junk!

When he said it was scrap metal... It doesn't look like he was just trying to make fun of you...

Start next job! Clean! Scrub carefully!

Don't! We have a guest, so you don't need to try something new!

Wow! Amazing, Great. Perfect cleaning! Papa, Mama, Happy!

What was that?! Are you trying put words in my mouth?

I clean! Throw out! I cle, ... I...Outside... Outside clean? I... ...dunno! Throw out!

Whoa...!

*cough cough* What're you trying to do, taking dust from outside and throwing it around! You've got it backwards! Please, just stop!

No can stop! I show special surprise!

S-Special surprise?!

What's about to start here?!

Ingredients I bought! Put in! Start cooking...!

This one can cook too?!

*Pshh*... Done! Delicious! Please eat!

Th-This is...!

What is this? It's some kind of solid black mass.

Oh, geez! The ingredients for dinner tonight are all gone!

I've had it up to here! What a perfect day...

Excuse me...

Hmm?

That voice... Could it be...?

Excuse me... I know you're there!

Somehow I knew it would be you guys...

I'm busy right now. If you need something, make it brief...

Hehe... How rude! We came all the way here to play with you.

T-To play...?! No way! With you guys?!

Don't get the wrong idea! We didn't come to play with you. We came to play WITH you.

With me?

That's right. You and that dogu.

Hold on... I don't want to get involved but... Aren't you going a little far?

Don't get so upset! We only came to make it get "that"!

That?

Yep... The Licking-Coconut! A rare fruit my dogu brought back the other day!

You want to play with us, right? So you have to prove your dogu is as amazing as mine.

Hehe, that's right. In this country, the kind of dogu you use is an important status symbol.

You heard him! You gonna do it? Gonna chicken out?

Th-That's... You know my dogu can't do that.

Hahaha! I told you so! He can't do anything right!

......

No problem!

What?!

Y-You! Why?!

Get fruit! Get lots and lots!

Hahaha! This is perfect!

Whatcha gonna do? Look, your dogu is ready to go! Is the owner more chicken than the doll?

Jeez... F-Fine! I'll do it... You'll leave me alone if I do it, right?

Wow! He's really gonna do it! I'm so excited!

But if we're gonna play... We should make it more interesting!

Right... Let's make it a competition!

Competition?

I've got it! Let's make it a game to see which dogu brings them back the fastest!

That's...! You already know it's impossible... Now you want to make it a competition?

No problem! Win competition!

That's right, nice response!

Just to make sure you don't cheat, I'll watch over the competition!

Yeah, me too...

What about me?

I can do it by myself! Or, don't you believe me?

Th-That's not what I meant!

Me too... I'll watch over the game. That'll make it fair, right?

Of course! Well then, let's go to Hokishi Forest, where the Licking-Coconuts grow!

There's one! That's a Licking-Coconut tree!

It doesn't look too tall to climb...

The problem isn't its height. If you try to climb it regularly...

Climb! Get! Let's go!

Wait!

What?! Slipping! Fall!

I told you to wait...

It's that slippery, huh...

Are you finished? Next is my turn.

They've done this at least once before, haven't they... But how can it climb this tree?

Code 1024... Permission to engage?

Of course, go at it! Do your best, for me!

Roger... Unlocking code 1024. 3... 2... 1...

Huh?!

I-Is that even possible?!

Licking-Coconut acquired. Mission complete.

You have to be kidding me...

That ended a little too quickly. I thought you'd entertain us a little longer.

Actually, I'm the one who wanted this fruit! Apparently it's good for your figure. I thought I should get some for my future.

But my dogu can't reach them! Thank you all for participating in this farce!

She might act cute, but jeez, what a kid...

Scary girl!

Haha... I knew it was a waste of time from the beginning. Me against you all, from the beginning, the outcome was already...

......

Stop!

Huh?

Don't... Give up!

Hngg...! No problem... I will get one!

Forget about it! Why are you so stubborn...

For my master! I will get fruit! Master will smile!

You would do that...for me?

Yes, yes... Boys really do love sappy stuff like that, don't they?

I'm not interested. I'm going to head back soon. Anyways, bye!

*shrrrr*

Huh?

Eek!

A monster?! Why is it after that kid?!

Wait, I've heard about this! That monster loves Licking-Coconuts, but usually can't reach them. So if it sees Licking-Coconuts within reach, it gets way more excited than usual!

What a surprise... But it looks like things have calmed down.

Luckily I've got a tough friend with me. Take care of it, my dogu!

......

Order denied...

What?!

The likeliness of me defeating the monster is under 40%. Logically, we should run.

Logically? You're still a partner to humans, right?!

You are not my legal employer.

Tch...!

I guess that's true. I thought this would happen. It's punishment for being so selfish all the time...

S-Stop it!

Wh-What? Why would you defend me?

I don't know, but... We can't just abandon you here!

What're you talking about... Huh?!

Waaah!

Master... Not hurt?

Y-You! Why...

It protected both of them!

I'll take care of this monster! Bring it on!

Master... Not hurt?! Do first aid?!

I-I'm fine...

But are you okay?! You didn't break anything?!

The way you protected me...

Wh-Why is my heart beating like this... I've never felt this way before...

It is good you are safe. Let us return.

Hmph! I'm done with you!

Why are you angry? It is not logical!

Her face is bright red. Wonder what's wrong?

Haha... Who knows?

Oh, it's a Licking-Coconut. She must've dropped it.

I wonder... Did she drop it by accident... Or on purpose?

I'm heading back to Gadaro. I've gotta bring back this Licking-Coconut.

Go home! Bring to Gadaro!

What about the competition? Of course, my dogu won, right?

I don't need a dogu like this! I'm giving it back!

Huh?

H-Hey... Did something happen?

Did my dogu lose?

The Licking-Coconut... You have it, right?!

I don't...

Th-That can't be true...

I've got it right here.

N-No way... So we really lost?!

I won't have it! You must've cheated!

Yeah! You know what's gonna happen if you don't hand over that fruit...

Stop it!

We lost this time. If you understand, go home.

B-But we...

What a load of garbage... We won't forget this!

I'm giving this back...

Are you sure?

Yeah. You and that dogu you brought were the ones who got it down.

But... Why did you leave it there? Was it on purpose?

Who knows... But if you came back to Gadaro empty handed, they would've made fun of you again...

Thinking that, my body moved on its own...

It's hard to figure out someone's feelings... Sometimes it's hard to even know your own.

Or maybe it's because the feelings are your own, that you can't control them.

Times like that, maybe it's best to convey your feelings in words? You'll definitely feel better.

......

The way you protected me...

Wh-Why is my heart beating like this... I've never felt this way before...

Yeah, you're right...

Wh-What's the matter? Your face went red again.

I-I...

I think...I... L-Li.... I think I... I like you.

Huh?!

Huuuuh?!

W-Wait! I don't need an answer right away!

I'm always so selfish, and I'm not a very nice girl... I understand...

I-I don't think that's true!

When I become a more charming lady, I'll come to tell you my feelings again... So just let me thank you this time...

Can you close your eyes for me?

My eyes?

(I-Is she... gonna kiss me?!)

Th-They're closed...!

Good... Thanks for telling me...

Wh-What?!

(Wait... She kissed that one?!)

Eeep! I'm so embarrassed!

Huh? Again? You sure do get embarrassed a lot.

Hmm... I guess so... It really is hard to know somebody's feelings...