Chapter 112

"Snow!"

Bell was ecstatic, bouncing around as snowflakes danced from the sky. She zipped around on all fours like a hyperactive puppy, clearly thrilled to be out and about.

Still, the way she occasionally stood on her hind legs to gaze at the falling snow reminded me how much she'd changed. When we first met, she was nothing but a playful pup, but now… well, she felt more like a humanoid, a sapient canine.

I rubbed the slightly frosted fur of Bell's doll mask as I watched her frolic.

Haha. I thought to myself. Why hadn't I let her out sooner? She entertains herself so well. I'm such a lazy bum. From now on, whenever I'm outside Rondan, I should summon her and let her run wild like a yard dog.

BOOM!

A sudden event jolted me back to reality, a bead of sweat trickling down my forehead. Bell had tripped mid-frolic, and a sizeable crater had formed where she landed. What was even more alarming was that she didn't seem fazed by the impact.

"Oooh, made a hole," Bell observed matter-of-factly.

Uh…right. She’s so nonchalant about it, too.

"Bell," I said, feeling a pang of guilt...