Act 1. The Nutcracker and the Advent of the Festival

The surroundings, which had been heavy like the gray dust piled on the floor, gradually became noisy.

The fireplace, which had only a handful of embers left, couldn’t have gotten any hotter, but a sharp conversation pierced the strangely heated air.

“How unlucky.”

“Books again? What good does reading all day do for dolls like us?”

“Does he even move? Did the fairies forget to sprinkle stardust on just that side?”

“He’ll move when he’s cracking nuts. Look at those who just leave after seeing his face. They’re those porcelain dolls from earlier.”

“They’ll be back soon, won’t they? How many are like them?”

At the murmuring around her, the ballerina doll, Larien, who was putting on her pointe shoes, perked up her ears.

As soon as she heard the word ‘book,’ she instantly knew who they were talking about.

Even though his name wasn’t mentioned, her heart started pounding wildly. Her face, which had been almost pale white, quickly turned a shade of peach.

He wasn’t here a moment ago, so when did he arrive?

Even though her face was flushed, Larien tried not to show her excitement and tilted her head slightly.

Her gaze, lowered along with her head, cautiously moved past the grapevine-patterned wallpaper to a corner of the shelf stacked with fairy tale books.

It was a place neglected by the owner because it wasn’t noticeable to customers, but the bookshelf was spotless, as if someone had swept and wiped it clean.

That someone was Larien’s target, and she subtly shifted her gaze below.

As expected.

In her slanted view, she saw Jayden leaning against the bookshelf, reading.

It was the most secluded spot in the toy store, under the bookshelf. The place, where only a single ray of moonlight shone, was his fixed seat. Reading a book by the angled ray of moonlight was his only hobby.

Larien, who found Jayden just turning a page there, couldn’t hide her delight, which sparkled in her violet eyes.

Even though it was a delight only she felt, just being able to watch him made her face bloom like a flower soaked in water.

As always, Jayden, wearing a red military jacket with golden epaulettes and tight black leather pants, was impeccably neat.

Even though the military uniform was old and frayed at the sleeves if seen up close, it couldn’t hide his radiant appearance.

Whenever she looked at him, Larien was reminded of the masterpiece that used to hang on the shop wall for a long time but had now been taken down.

His face, with neatly trimmed jet-black hair covering his forehead, prominent brow bones, and a sharp nose, harmonized with his distinctly lined red lips, was as elegant as a scene from a delicately painted picture.

Contrary to his graceful facial features, his sharp jawline and the thick neck extending below exuded a dizzying masculinity.

While stealing glances at his broad shoulders that seemed to squeeze the large jacket and his thick thighs as wide as her waist, Larien swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth.

In her eyes, Jayden, the nutcracker soldier, looked far more noble and manly than the portrait of the prince known as the most handsome man in the empire.

It seemed she wasn’t the only one who thought so, as the reason the toys showed constant interest in him, despite his aloofness, was largely due to his appearance.

Otherwise, why would the sight of him reading a book, as monotonous as the cuckoo clock chiming every hour, consistently capture the toys’ attention?

He should be aware of such gazes, yet his pale white face, focused downward while reading, remained intensely indifferent.

With his red lips pressed tightly like a shell, he showed no emotion, sometimes leading to the misunderstanding that he couldn’t move his mouth.

Though that couldn’t be the case, considering he’s a nutcracker doll that cracks nuts with his teeth.

Larien herself couldn’t remember the last time she heard Jayden’s voice.

Watching his long fingers nonchalantly turn the pages, she wondered if there might be a glass wall separating that spot.

If not, the discomfort of the attention would prevent him from turning the pages.

As she marveled and secretly observed him, she saw the newly arrived toys approaching him.

Larien’s previously excited mood sank straight to the floor. Her face, which had been smiling broadly, hardened in an instant.

Those walking gracefully with their long hair swaying were the porcelain dolls with delicate features imported from the East. They were delivered to the shop this morning.

Though it must have been their first time being animated by the fairies’ stardust today, their steps, befitting their profession as dancers, were as light as butterflies.

Their skin, whiter and smoother than the wax-made ballerina dolls, sparked jealousy among them, and their shy steps headed straight toward where he was.

Seeing their skin, which had been somewhat pale when stiff, now blushing like luscious fruit, made a part of her chest sting for no reason. Larien habitually pressed that area with her palm.

Judging from their flushed expressions, which were quite different from the haughty faces that had brushed past the ballerina dolls an hour ago, it was easy to guess their intentions even from afar.

‘Hmph, do they think Jayden will fall for that?’

Larien, unconsciously sneering, quickly changed her expression lest anyone notice.

Fortunately, everyone was busy observing them, so no one was looking her way.

She deliberately assumed an indifferent face and took the basic ballet position of posing, staring straight ahead.

Though her jealousy flared toward those approaching Jayden, she bit the inside of her mouth and tried to continue practicing.

Since her mind was entirely focused on that side, she decided to concentrate on the basics rather than devising new moves and started with simple movements.

‘Battement, tendu, sauté, bourrée.’

The basic ballet movements flowed smoothly like water.

‘I’ve never seen a doll better at ballet than Larien.’

Even though she was praised as the incarnation of the ballet fairy by those around her, Larien had no intention of becoming complacent and neglecting practice.

Ballet is something that can go completely wrong with just a slight misstep.

Her philosophy was that she couldn’t skip a single day if she wanted to maintain her body’s balance.

Even though she’s called a practice maniac, she believed that only consistent practice would give her opportunities, so she dedicated herself to it, even saving her break time.

After all, as a doll, the magic would break at sunrise, and she couldn’t move her body.

That’s why, during the summer when the sun barely set and she was allowed only an hour or two to move, she skipped meals to practice ballet.

In contrast, now it was winter, so the sun rose late, making the situation much better.

Thinking she shouldn’t slack off during such times, Larien pursed her lips and devoted herself to practice again.

After performing a high-difficulty ballet jump to the tune in her head, she planned to repeat the same move about ten more times.

“Larien really must love ballet. She doesn’t seem interested in men at all.”

After spinning five turns, some of the gazes that had been on Jayden turned to her.

“She’s so pretty. If it were me, I’d have dated dozens with that face.”

“Do you think Larien is you?”

“I’m just saying.”

Ignoring the whispered conversations of her friends, she smoothly turned and stretched her fingertips forward.

Unintentionally, her fingertips pointed to a wooden calendar.

Among the roughly carved numbers, four were painted in a particularly bright color, making them stand out even from a distance. The shop owner had marked the festival days celebrating the goddess Eos, the empire’s biggest event, with white chalk.

During the grand festival held over four days, people expressed gratitude for the peace of the past year and enjoyed the food and drinks provided by the country to their heart’s content. Each household decorated with colorful paper flowers and hung large lanterns at their entrances.

There was a rumor that the more beautifully and splendidly one decorated their home, the more blessings the goddess would bestow, so paper often ran out across the country during this time.

As it was the biggest event of the year for the toy store, the shop owner decorated it enthusiastically in honor of the goddess.

It was a day when the borders were wide open to outsiders, and many people flocked from all over to see the beautifully decorated city. Moreover, it was also a big festival day for the dolls.