I clapped my hands and sucked in a deep breath, reminding myself of the procedure. I knelt down, pressed my knees together, then slammed my head so hard into the floor, I'm pretty sure my forehead might have cracked a bit. "I'm so sorry for spying on you!"

  Yeah, that didn't sound any better than any of the last few times I practiced the procedure. Chat, I think I'm cooked.

  So, to review, my bird scout had been exposed at the city by a very hostile illusion dragon. She was probably to tell her allies, who would likely get offended and launch a hunt for my head. So at any point, my peaceful life in isolation could be shattered by a very angry noble demanding answers for my espionage. Because really, spying is creepy.

  And my only excuse? "Ah, eh," I mimicked and tried making an apologetic gesture. "Bleh!"

  No way was I going to not end up at the gallows for that one.

  That was before even considering everything else, such as the fact apparently puppets were considered evil. Maybe? Also could be trying to destroy the empire. Possibly? I mean, what the heck was I going to say about the cash shop dungeon I cleared for them? Would they believe me?

  "Ah, so I cleared out that dungeon sending the monster tides and found out a puppet was the one who placed it there! Wait, wait, not me, I swear! Evidence? Erm, I have a crystal that can teleport anywhere I found…?"

  Even the noble in my imagination wasn't going to buy my story! I was screwed! I wanted to bury my head into a pillow and let out a muffled scream at my impending doom, but I didn't have one yet. Or even a bed, matter of the fact-

  Wait. Idea!

  So they'll probably be coming over to hunt my cute ass as soon as winter ends. They'll probably expect a half-crazed puppet cooking up some ridiculous story about waking up in a game world and talking to themselves most of the time. But what if I flipped their expectations completely around?

  What if, instead of arriving to my abode and finding a suspicious puppet, they came across a well-restored manor with the very best reception there was?

  My player home was a pretty comfy place, if I dare say so myself. It was admittedly still a little patchy and only the main building had been restored to any level of habitability, but that could be enough for whatever bigshot noble stopped by. Let's see, if I dedicate my efforts fully to it, get Frie working on one of the wings, I could even probably also get some guest rooms up furnished and built too.

  Alright, a plan was forming now. It was winter, so hunting game was unfortunately likely going to be a failure, but there might be some winter berries out there. I could forage those and quickly turn into wine. I wasn't sure if there were any in this part of the world, but always worth a shot for Kuch to check out, just in case.

  Failing that, there was always good old bribery! Or well, 'gifts' I would want to present it as. My crafts surely are beyond anything they've ever seen, so I could show off a bit and then hint I could make even better. I had plenty of lesser successes to flaunt and give away with the promise of receiving support. Surely they'd welcome a crafter of my talent to improve their equipment!

  Or maybe chain me up and drag me into an eternal workshop of overtime.

  ...Right, I'll probably need to come up with a backup plan in case my scheme of overwhelming their hostility with hospitality and generosity failed. For now, I better get started on this endeavor. Time to start crafting again!

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  First of all, furniture. Actually easy now that I have nails and planks. But if I wanted to add an extra level of luxury, plain hardwood seats wouldn't do. Let's make something that even a puppet like me would take comfort in- pillows!

  Those were admittedly easy to make, I just never had reason to until now. Though the filling was a bit tricky, I didn't have any of the typical fillers like feathers or cotton to make it soft and plump. In a pinch, the rolls of cloth I made from hemp seemed to be the best substitute. Hm, I wasn't quite so happy with the subpar prototype I made to test the idea. Let me rack my head and try to figure something out.

  Ah, Kuch is back. As I looked through the very few winter plants they managed to scrounge up, inspiration struck. Alchemy, I could make a defense rune that should function as a temperature feature! I did luckily still have some of the stuff I'd made from that boar in the fall, that should do. I soaked the thread in them before using it to knit the runes into the pillow, using [Engrave] to activate before checking my work.

  Fine Pillow (Final Grade: 124)

  Lower than I'd expected, but likely because hemp wasn't a great substitute. Maybe if I licked the boots of the noble, I could get some cotton? Would I stoop so low?

  ...Maybe if they could get me silk. Then I'd sell my soul for the fashion I could make with that.

  Okay, anyway, self-temperature regulating pillows made. Rest your head on surface that'll never get too warm or too cold! While I was at it, I quickly also stitched up some blankets and bedding with the same feature. There, now I could make a few beds and put them in the manor to offer my future visitor a good night's sleep.

  But what about before? As a host, surely I needed to feed them! But again, my issue was that I had no actual source of food. Kuch's trip out had yielded only a few berries, nowhere near enough for anything than a single gulp of wine. I think if I could offer them only a single goblet, they would be rightfully suspicious and assume it was poisoned. But I mean, I did have more barrels down in my cellar.

  I just didn't know which ones were still good and which ones were poison, that's all- no, please don't arrest me!

  I supposed now was a good time as ever to head down and cast [Palate] on them to determine which was which. I had to defrost the water anyway, so now was a good time-

  Or was it, as another idea struck then. A genius one, if I dare say so myself. I couldn't give them dinner or drink...but what if I could give them desert?

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Kuch, to the river! Take the saw with you, and grab as much ice as you can!

  Once my doll was back, I eagerly directed most of it to be placed into a barrel for safekeeping. The winter chill should mean they wouldn't melt. A small amount though was kept out and set in a wooden tub for me to experiment. Because while these berries weren't enough to make wine, there was enough to make a syrup.

  That's right, I was going to make a snow cone!

  As FLOW was an unabashed kitchen sink of fantasy, the developers had included modern foods as things players could make alongside more traditional ones. However, I recalled that the NPC merchants only ever sold the latter, never the former, to presumably keep in lore. What if I offered a taste of modern delights to my guests? Surely the novelty would be enough of an excuse to my lack of an actual meal!

  Right, let's see. First, put the berries into a cauldron and [Brew] them. Then boil away until you got a pretty concentrated juice. Argh, no sugar or sweetener to add, but these ones should have enough natural sweetness to make up for it. I'll settle for that.

  While I didn't have a grinder, I could use a knife instead to hack and chip away until the ice was reduced to small ice chips. Put in a bowl, drizzle the concentrate over, and serve! [Palate], grade me!

  Simple Snow Cone (Final Grade: 73)

  You have betrayed me [Palate]!

  "Argh," I muttered and morosely ate my creation, tasting nothing but the texture of ice. "Yeah, this isn't going to be enough just yet."

  So far, my creations would probably just mildly intrigue the nobles who wanted my head. But I needed something that would take it to the next level, to impress them into thinking of me not as a foe but as a potential ally. And I did know what could do the trick, I just also knew it was something I'd probably get lost into once I began making clothes.

  I better hash out my backup then for if everything failed and I still found myself held at swordpoint.

  I suppose I did have a secret backup trick in the form of that party crystal I got from clearing the dungeon. But I didn't exactly have a party member elsewhere in the world to use with and escape to. Just to be sure, I took out said item and focused.

  Nothing. A definite confirmation that there was nobody else left of Lighthouse now aside from me, and the two blips next to me-

  Wait, what?

  My eyes widened and I nearly dropped the valuable cash shop item, managing to catch myself and delicately set it down. Kuch and Frie, they counted as party members for me? I guess it made sense, summons did appear in the party readout back in FLOW for players to interact and work with. So by that logic, my dolls would be valid targets!

  My bird constructs though didn't, so I needed to figure out a plan. Okay, let's send Kuch over to that abandoned mining town to the north, at the base of the mountains. They can wait there and, if things go sour here, I could rush for and barricade myself in my workshop. That should give me enough time to activate the crystal and open a portal. Once I was through, I just had to seal it shut and there.

  I'd be a free puppet in an abandoned mining town, starting over again.

  I could work with that, though losing my player home would definitely sting me a bit. It made me tempted to have my dolls stay here instead and fight against whoever tried to take me away. But if I did that, send the first few who came my way back in coffins, I think I would just feed into their belief of me being an enemy.

  And more importantly, I'd be killing the people I had saved. That was going to disappoint everybody in Lighthouse.

  Better I just lose my home than stain my hands with the wrong blood, as much as it pained me to say.

  But again, that was the backup plan if everything failed and those who found me wanted my head on a stick regardless of all my efforts. If I could guarantee leniency or a fair trial, that'd be good outcomes. Only if they refused those terms would I activate my backup escape. Yes, that was my plan.

  I sent Kuch out now, to begin the trek up north. It would take some time with the snow that was getting thicker by the day. While they traveled, I entered my workshop and picked up my needle. Maybe if I made some impressive traditional vampire attires, they'll be awed.

  And while I'm at it, maybe I could make myself a vampire outfit too. So if everything failed, including my escape, at least I could face the executioner's block looking cute!

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  It hadn't been easy, rousing at the start of the cold days to fight. She was no ice dragon who thrived in such conditions, and neither was her child. But because of a kind vampire who had offered her egg shelter when they fled from the north, she would not shirk her duty.

  Even if soon, her daughter may be finally ready to leave the nest.

  "Mother," yawned said individual, already coiling up and likely about to go to sleep. "Do you think once the skies warm, we can take flight again? I would like to feel the light warm my wings instead of this snow chill."

  "Of course, we will." A long pause, then Bedra closed her eyes. "And you may do so by yourself, if you so wish."

  All traces of sleep departed the youth when those words reached her ears. "Flying, by myself?! Do you mean it! You better not take it back!"

  "I am quite serious. You are of age now, are you not?"

  "I have been for a while," Mord muttered but the enthusiasm could not be dulled. "Thank you mother! I can't wait to see the world by myself. And maybe even find father."

  ...She should tell the truth as well when that day came. It was unfair to withhold it, even if it was for her own good and safety. But at least Bedra would be able to rest and think about how best to approach it during the winter-

  There was a flap of wingbeats outside that made her daughter's head rise up in confusion, and put her on alert. Then, before the panicked mother could call upon her sluggish magics, a jaw filled with fangs ripped out her throat.

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