After arriving in the Hunter's Dream, Maria met another version of herself — or, as Alex had told her, someone who looked like her but was an entirely different being with her own personality. Standing close to Doll, Maria felt a strange connection between them. She didn't know how to describe this feeling after meeting Doll, but it was more than just the sensation of meeting another version of herself.
Maria felt, just as Alex had described, as if she had met her twin sister. And when her palm touched Doll's, Maria finally understood what this feeling was. It was like finding a part of herself that had its own separate life.
At that moment, Maria was experiencing an entire storm of emotions unlike anything she had felt before. Knowledge about the Great Ones, the Hunter's Nightmare, and everything else seemed insignificant compared to this meeting with Doll. She even felt as though she could sense Doll's emotions, which seemed strangely familiar.
Standing so close to Doll, Maria couldn't help but notice how Doll's eyes followed Alex as he walked up the stairs to the workshop. Even though Doll's eyes didn't move and were looking straight ahead, Maria could still feel that Doll's gaze was actually directed elsewhere. At the same time, it was as if Doll herself was reaching out toward Alex, and those feelings were being transmitted to Maria as well. Maria lowered her hand from Doll's palm, but the sense of closeness still didn't disappear.
"Um… Do you know where my teacher is…" Maria said quietly, unsure how she was supposed to speak with Doll.
"Hermann is sleeping in the garden behind the workshop… He always sleeps there. The garden brings him peace," Doll replied, shifting her gaze toward the stairs leading to the garden.
"Does he always stay in that garden?" Maria asked, looking in the same direction.
"Yes… Hermann only leaves the garden when a new Hunter appears. But right now, I can hear him sleeping. On any other night, he would be restless. But tonight he seems so peaceful. Perhaps something has eased his suffering," Doll said, turning her gaze back to Maria.
"Just as we felt relief when the Nightmare finally came to an end…" Maria said softly, once again looking into Doll's gray eyes.
Hearing Maria's words, Doll gave a slight nod, confirming what she said. Sighing, Maria looked away from Doll and began climbing the stairs to enter the garden behind the workshop. She walked slowly, comparing every detail of this place with what she remembered.
At that moment, it felt as though many years had passed since she last saw the Hunter's Workshop, where she had spent so much time training and preparing to hunt monsters. But now, this place was nothing more than a cage that her teacher had created for himself.
After climbing the stairs, Maria didn't look into the workshop; she only listened briefly to Alex and Alucard's conversation. Entering the garden, she stopped on the path, searching for the man who had been both a father and a teacher to her.
Scanning the garden, Maria saw Hermann sitting in a wheelchair with his head hanging down in sleep. At that moment, she didn't know how Hermann would react to her. Would he mistake her for Doll, or would he pretend not to remember her at all? Thinking about it, Maria simply shook her head: no matter how he reacted, she was ready to accept it.
Quietly walking down the path into the garden, Maria approached Hermann, who continued sleeping. Looking at his aged face, Maria barely recognized him. It was the face of a man who had endured many losses and had ultimately sunk into despair.
Maria raised her hand to touch Hermann's shoulder. But the moment her palm touched him, she stopped. Clenching her fist, she wondered whether she should wake him or simply leave things as they were. After a brief hesitation, Maria finally touched his shoulder. At that moment, Hermann twitched slightly and began muttering incoherently in his sleep.
"Oh, Laurence… My dear friend… Why are you so late…" Hermann mumbled after Maria's touch.
Hearing his muttering, Maria withdrew her hand from his shoulder. How could she not know who Laurence was? She had long witnessed the friendship between Hermann and Laurence — they had been like brothers. Maria often saw Laurence come to the Hunter's Workshop just to talk with Hermann.
Their conversations could last for hours, sometimes until late at night. From the memories Alex had shared with her, Maria had learned what happened after her death. Hermann had broken down and tried to bring her back to life, while Laurence had been his last pillar of support.
In the end, even that close friend had abandoned Hermann by turning into a monster. And Hermann had been forced to kill his own friend with his own hands. Maria couldn't imagine the depth of despair Hermann must have felt when he lost everything, and how that despair had led him to this place.
But one thing she knew for certain: this was the consequence of their own actions. Without realizing it, they had prevented a catastrophe. Yet it wasn't a noble deed — it was the behavior of people consumed by greed and bloodlust. They were not heroes who saved lives, but simply monsters, just like the ones they killed with their own hands. Shaking her head, Maria pushed away the dark thoughts. After all, she had met someone who could put an end to this tragedy.
"Everything will be alright, Hermann. Soon this nightmare will end too," Maria said gently, placing her hand on Hermann's shoulder.
"I'm so tired… Laurence… It was such a long dream, a very long dream… With no end… You managed to free yourself from this long dream, my dear friend… I'm sorry I never visited you… I'm so tired…" Hermann muttered in his sleep, still lost in his dreams.
Maria wasn't sure whether Hermann was speaking to her or to Laurence. But it felt as though these words were also meant for her. Removing her hand from his shoulder, Maria wiped away a tear that had rolled down her cheek. It was painful to see her teacher in such a state, but there was nothing she could do and nothing she could change.
After looking at the sleeping Hermann one last time, Maria decided to leave the garden. At that moment, she didn't want to look at the man her teacher had become. Turning away, she rubbed her reddened eyes, which had become swollen from overwhelming sorrow.
As she walked along the path back to the workshop, Maria's reddened eyes gradually became more focused. She understood that she couldn't do anything against beings like the Great Ones. But that didn't mean she would sit idle and wait for Alex to do all the work. At that moment, only one thought filled her mind — the determination to help Alex, even if her help was only minor.
Climbing the path, Maria intended to enter the workshop and tell Alex that she wanted to help him. However, when she stepped inside, she froze in the doorway. She saw Doll standing with her back to her. Maria's gaze shifted slightly, and she realized that Doll was embracing Alex, pressing him against herself.
Doll, who was holding the sleeping Alex's head against her chest, turned her head slightly toward Maria for a brief moment and tilted it to the side. Seeing this, Maria sighed and shook her head. Walking around Doll a little, Maria noticed that Alex was sleeping with his face buried in Doll's chest.
Seeing this, Maria couldn't help but wonder whether Doll knew who Alex really was, or if her behavior was caused by completely different reasons. Maria wanted to ask, but seeing the sleeping Alex, she decided to save those questions for later. Looking around the workshop, Maria noticed a black coffin with a strange seal and inscriptions in an unknown language carved on its lid.
"Just consider everything normal, right?" Maria muttered quietly, remembering the words of Alex's daughters.
Maria couldn't help but smile at those words. At the same time, it seemed to her that this was the most normal option in the current situation. And no matter how much she wanted to know who Alex and Alucard truly were, she understood that she wouldn't get an answer right now.
Stopping her gaze on the black coffin, Maria looked away and began examining the workshop. Being back inside these walls once again brought her a feeling of nostalgia. Maria walked over to the bookshelf and, with a familiar motion, took out one of the books. Even after the long time she had spent locked away in the Clock Tower in the Nightmare, she hadn't forgotten the contents of any of these books.
Opening the book, Maria saw the same lines she had once read. After flipping through several pages, she closed the book and put it back. Placing the book on the shelf, Maria looked at Alex again, who was still sleeping with his face buried in Doll's chest. She didn't know how long he would sleep, so she could only find something to occupy herself with while she waited. Taking another book from the shelf, Maria grabbed a chair and sat down by the fireplace, casting one more glance at Alex.
Several hours gradually passed in the Hunter's Workshop. Maria continued reading her book by the fireplace to pass the time. Doll kept gently stroking the sleeping Alex's hair, pressing his head to her chest. Alucard still hadn't come out of her coffin. Alex woke up to a very pleasant floral scent and a soft sensation against his face.
Inhaling the scent of flowers, Alex slowly opened his eyes and saw a chest right in front of him. Slowly remembering what was happening and where he was, Alex let out a heavy sigh. Sensing that Alex had woken up, Doll lowered her gaze to look at him.
"Did you have good dreams, dear Hunter?" Doll asked, running her fingers through his hair.
"I don't know… At least I wasn't thrown off the couch, so that's already good," Alex said, pressing his face into Doll's chest.
Hearing Alex's words, Doll's hand paused for a moment. She couldn't understand how someone could wake a person by throwing them off a couch. Maria, who overheard their conversation, closed her book and turned her head.
Seeing once again how Alex had his face buried in Doll's chest, Maria didn't know how to react. She couldn't help but remember Alex's words that a simple hug would be enough as payment for saving her. It even seemed rather cute to Maria that such a powerful being as Alex loved hugs so much.
"Do they throw you off the couch to wake you up, my Hunter?" Maria asked, closing the book and looking at Alex.
"My family has quite specific ways of waking me up… Throwing me off the couch is one of them… Ugh… Thank you, Doll. I got a bit of rest," Alex said, lightly stretching his neck and taking Doll's hand.
Hearing Alex's words, a brief smile appeared on Doll's face as she felt the warmth of his palm. She gently squeezed Alex's fingers for a moment before releasing his hand and sitting down on a chair near the workbench. Alex stood up and did some light stretches to fully wake up.
The only thing on Alex's mind at that moment was how much he wanted a cup of coffee. Maria and Doll watched Alex, who had a thoughtful expression on his face. After finishing his stretches and fully waking up, his desire for coffee and something sweet only grew stronger.
"Coffee would be nice right now," Alex said thoughtfully, tilting his head from side to side.
"Coffee? What is that?" Maria asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A drink made from the seeds of special trees," Alex replied, taking out a cigarette from his bag to smoke.
"Is it some special kind of tea?" Maria asked after hearing his explanation.
"No… Never mind. It's easier to let you try it than to explain. We can talk over a cup of coffee," Alex said, shaking his head and pulling a metal coffee cup from his inventory.
Maria nodded, agreeing with Alex's suggestion. She had no idea what coffee was and was curious to try it. However, a question arose in her mind: would she even be able to taste anything after such a long time? At that moment, Maria realized that she hadn't tasted food in a very long time and had almost forgotten what food could taste like.
Alex walked over to the burning fireplace and began brewing coffee, taking out everything he needed from his inventory. Seeing Alex pull things out of thin air once again, Maria was distracted from her thoughts about taste and focused on what was happening in front of her. She stood up from her chair, walked over to Alex, and leaned against the fireplace.
"I wanted to ask — where do you get all these things from?" Maria asked, leaning her shoulder against the fireplace and looking down at Alex.
"I call it spatial inventory… Simply put, it's like having a very spacious wardrobe in your pocket where you can store your things," Alex said while brewing coffee over the fireplace.
"That's a very convenient thing. Using a spatial dimension for storing items," Doll said, staring intently at Alex.
"You understood that, Doll?" Maria asked in surprise, turning her gaze to Doll.
"Yes… I saw the fluctuations in space… That place resembles an artificial dimension, like a wardrobe," Doll said, nodding and looking at Maria.
Alex grinned, looked at Doll, and gave her a thumbs-up. Doll tilted her head to the side, not understanding the gesture. Noticing her confusion, Alex exhaled through his nose and continued watching the coffee. Maria, however, wanted to know more details about the inventory.
Alex shrugged slightly at Maria's question, seeing no reason to refuse answering. Squatting by the fireplace and stirring the coffee, Alex calmly answered the questions Maria asked. Pulling a chair closer, Maria sat down beside him and continued the conversation.
Once the coffee was ready, Alex poured some for himself and Maria. Looking at Doll, he wasn't sure if she could drink or eat. Deciding to check, he poured a cup for Doll as well. Handing the cups to both women, Alex returned to his chair by the workbench. Maria looked at the murky black liquid, which had a strange bitter aroma mixed with something sweet.
Doll held the cup of coffee in her doll-like hands and stared at the drink as well. She turned her head toward Alex, wondering what she should do. Seeing Alex take a sip, Doll repeated the gesture and felt a very faint bitter taste in her mouth.
"What a strange bitter drink… And what is this strange sweet aftertaste at the end?" Maria said after taking a sip, trying to discern the flavor.
"That's chocolate. I thought they had something similar in Cainhurst," Alex said, looking at Maria while taking another sip.
"In Cainhurst they sometimes served expensive sweets, but nothing like this. This… has a pleasant aftertaste," Maria said thoughtfully, staring at the coffee in her cup.
"I'm glad you like the taste of coffee… What do you think, Doll?" Alex asked, shifting his gaze from Maria to Doll.
"It's… warm. And a little sweet… I think. The taste is very soft… I can only faintly sense it. But I like that you prepared this for me, dear Hunter," Doll said in a thoughtful tone, looking up at Alex.
Alex smiled slightly, hearing both Doll's and Maria's comments about the coffee. Taking another sip, Alex almost instinctively reached for his phone to check the news. But his hand stopped before he could take it out of his pocket. Alex quickly realized that it was probably not the best time to show something like a phone.
Sighing, Alex continued drinking his coffee while observing Maria and Doll. He couldn't help but notice how they drank it. Maria elegantly held the cup with one hand, taking small sips, while Doll held hers with both hands, as if warming her cold hands. Both women were enjoying the coffee in their own way.
Maria quickly grew fond of the bitter-sweet taste with its pleasant aftertaste. Taking another sip, she narrowed her eyes slightly, savoring the flavor on her tongue. She had never imagined such a drink could exist. Doll, on the other hand, drank the coffee with a simple thought: she felt that by doing so, she could become a little closer to Alex — by better understanding what he liked.
"Maria, I wanted to ask you…" Alex said, placing his coffee cup on the workbench.
"What is it? Do you want to receive the payment we discussed?" Maria asked, looking at Alex with a faint smile.
"Hmm… Almost. Do you have the Cainhurst Badge?" Alex asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Yes, I do… Why do you need it?" Maria said, taking the Cainhurst Badge out of her pocket.
Seeing the Cainhurst Badge in Maria's hand, Alex immediately jumped up from his seat, grabbed her hand, and took the badge from her. Snatching the badge, Alex quickly kissed Maria on the cheek and ran out of the workshop. Maria froze in place, not understanding what had just happened.
Maria raised her hand and touched her cheek, still feeling the warmth of Alex's lips. Blinking in surprise, she looked toward the workshop exit. Only a moment later did it dawn on her that she had been kissed. Even if it was only on the cheek. Doll, who had been watching, touched her own cheek, pondering what it would feel like to be kissed.
She could sense the strange mix of emotions coming from Maria, but at the same time, she herself wanted to experience that feeling. A moment later, Alex returned, holding an elegant musket decorated with golden patterns in one hand and a long saber in an ornate scabbard in the other. Upon returning to the workshop, Alex noticed the strange looks from both Maria and Doll.
"Don't you have anything to say?" Maria asked, looking at Alex with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"What exactly am I supposed to say? Where did the weapons come from? I traded them with the Messengers for your Cainhurst Badge," Alex said, pointing the Evelyn musket toward the workshop exit.
"I was talking about the kiss…" Maria said, looking at Alex with a calm gaze.
"Want another one?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Forget it… It's the least I can give you…" Maria said, shaking her head at his words.
"So there could be more?" Alex asked in surprise, staring at Maria.
"Yes… Just warn me next time… Your action was quite unexpected. And it surprised me," Maria said quietly, lowering her gaze.
Alex nodded slowly at Maria's words. Of course, he understood that he sometimes acted on autopilot when he saw something he needed. Clearing his throat dryly, Alex walked past Maria. As he passed her, Maria raised her hand and gently touched his fingers.
Such a sweet gesture from Maria slightly surprised Alex. But he couldn't hide the smile that appeared on his face, which caused a light blush to appear on Maria's pale cheeks. Maria herself hadn't expected to feel something like this toward a man she had known for only a few hours.
But everything he had done for her made her feel drawn to him. Even the power Alex had demonstrated in the Hunter's Nightmare hadn't scared her — it only made her want to know more about him.
Doll watched this entire interaction, trying to learn from Maria how she interacted with Alex. She thought that if she copied Maria's behavior, she would become more human, which would help her better understand her own feelings.
Returning to the workbench, Alex called out to the Black Cat, who had been quietly hiding in his shadow the entire time. When the Black Cat appeared, she immediately jumped onto Doll's lap, gently rubbing her head against Doll's hands. Seeing the black cat, Maria looked at her.
The Black Cat also noticed Maria, then shifted her gaze to Doll. Tilting her head to the side, the Black Cat didn't understand what she had missed while sleeping. Not understanding the situation, she looked at her master with a silent question — what was going on here and why were there now two Dolls?
"This is Maria. She and Doll are kind of like twins… And don't ask stupid questions. Just spit out everything you've collected," Alex said, stroking the Black Cat's nose.
"Meow…" the Black Cat meowed, pointing her paw at Maria.
"Yes, they're different. I already told you, don't ask stupid questions. If you hadn't been sleeping, you could have learned everything yourself," Alex said, rolling his eyes and poking the Black Cat's forehead with his finger.
The Black Cat gave Alex an empty stare and jumped onto the workbench. Maria, who was watching this, once again didn't understand anything that was happening before her eyes. Standing up from her chair, she walked closer to the workbench and stood behind Alex, placing her hands on his shoulders.
She saw the cat's mouth open unnaturally wide, and crystallized red blood orbs began falling out of it. She had seen cats before, but never ones like this. In her understanding, cats were creatures that were supposed to catch mice so they wouldn't eat the grain supplies.
"Is this really a cat?" Maria asked, leaning forward and resting her chest against the back of Alex's head.
"Yes and no. This little one looks like a cat, but she isn't one. She's a familiar. She can take any form she wants. But she prefers this one… Right, little one?" Alex said, stroking the Black Cat under the chin.
"Meow…" the Black Cat meowed, lightly waving her tail.
"She says cats are cute," Doll said, understanding what the Black Cat meant.
"You can understand what she's saying?" Maria asked, turning her gaze to Doll.
"Yes. And she also said that this form is comfortable for sleeping," Doll replied, picking up the Black Cat and placing her on her lap.
"I only heard her meow," Maria said, shaking her head.
"Over time, you'll start to understand what she's saying too… For now, hand me your Rakuyo," Alex said, turning his head to look at Maria.
But instead of turning his face toward Maria, Alex ended up pressing his face into her chest. The scent of blooming sunflowers immediately filled his nose. Feeling Alex's breath on her chest, Maria didn't get embarrassed — she simply placed her hand on his head and gently pushed it back.
Pushing Alex's face away from her chest, Maria went to get her Rakuyo. Alex could only sigh at yet another accidental incident. As he turned back, he noticed Doll's intense gaze and tilted his head slightly.
"Dear Hunter, do you like pressing your face against a woman's chest?" Doll asked, posing the question directly.
Hearing such a straightforward question, Alex had no intention of denying that he sometimes enjoyed sleeping on a woman's chest. Maria, who had returned with her Rakuyo, looked at Alex with narrowed eyes and placed the weapon in front of him. Seeing the looks from both Maria and Doll, Alex casually shrugged and nodded, confirming that it was true.
Doll nodded as if she had understood something and lowered her gaze to her own chest. Meanwhile, Maria simply shook her head. To avoid receiving another round of unexpected questions from Doll, Alex decided to get to work. First, he separated the Blood Echoes to give the pure ones to Alucard.
Maria watched what Alex was doing, carefully observing the entire process. After finishing separating the Blood Echoes, Alex walked over to the coffin where Alucard was sleeping and slightly opened it, slipping his hand inside.
The moment his hand entered, he felt his fingers being licked, followed by a soft laugh. Rolling his eyes at Alucard's actions, Alex closed the coffin and returned to his seat. Maria, who had watched what Alex did, couldn't help but wonder once again who Alucard really was.
"Who exactly is your wife? And why does she sleep in a coffin?" Maria asked, still looking at Alucard's coffin.
"Carmilla is a Nosferatu… She needs to sleep in a coffin to restore her strength," Alex replied, pulling the Evelyn musket closer to himself.
"Then who are you?" Maria asked, shifting her gaze to Alex.
When Maria asked the question, even Doll turned her gaze toward Alex. To her, he was her dear Hunter, but she also wanted to know who Alex really was. And why, from the moment they first met, she had felt drawn to him.
It was as if they were somehow similar. Alex, hearing Maria's question, continued disassembling the Evelyn musket to improve it. After taking it apart, he placed the parts on the workbench and lit a cigarette.
"People call me different things. And my identity is quite… specific. But in the end, it doesn't really matter who I am. I am simply me," Alex said, exhaling cigarette smoke upward.
"That's a rather strange answer after everything you've done," Maria said, placing her palm on the workbench.
"Oh, don't embarrass me. I only summoned a dragon from another world. For me, that's nothing special," Alex said, waving his hand carelessly.
"A dragon?" Doll asked, tilting her head.
"It's a big lizard with wings that likes to talk a lot," Alex said with a light chuckle.
"A lizard?" Doll asked again, clearly not understanding what Alex meant.
"Oh… I think I have a book somewhere… Wait a moment," Alex said, slapping his forehead.
Alex began rummaging through his inventory to find a book for Doll so she could understand what he was talking about. He quickly found several books that Doll might enjoy reading. Placing the stack of books in front of her, Alex showed that she could read them.
Doll nodded and took the first book from the stack, opening it. She was surprised not only by the quality of the book and how it was written, but also by the detailed pictures inside. Even Maria reacted with surprise to the book's contents.
Doll flipped through the pages until she reached one with lizards. She turned the book toward Alex, wanting to confirm if this was the creature he had mentioned. Alex smiled and nodded. Doll thoughtfully lowered her gaze back to the book and continued reading and learning.
"If you want, I can give you some books to read too. I have old stories, poems, and many other things," Alex said, turning his head toward Maria.
"No need. I don't want to read anything right now," Maria said, shaking her head.
"Then can we hug? You said yourself that you wouldn't mind," Alex said with a slight smile, looking at Maria while rocking on his chair.
"Do you like hugging that much? Or do you just want me to do it?" Maria asked, raising an eyebrow, surprised by Alex's suggestion.
"Hugging feels nice. And from the very beginning of our acquaintance, I said I came here for you," Alex said, stopping his rocking and leaning closer to Maria.
Hearing Alex's answer, Maria remembered their conversation in the Clock Tower. After a brief hesitation, Maria stood up from her chair to hug him. But before she could do so, she suddenly found herself sitting on his lap.
Caught off guard, Maria tried to resist, but she quickly gave in, feeling the warmth of Alex's embrace. Once again experiencing the warmth of Alex's body, Maria couldn't resist it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him. She didn't want to admit it, but at that moment, she truly wanted something like this.
Sitting on Alex's lap and hugging his neck, Maria rested her chin on his shoulder, feeling calm and at peace. Feeling Alex's hand gently stroking her back, Maria pressed herself closer to him. Sensing his steady caresses, Maria unconsciously fell asleep while clinging to him.
Feeling Maria's slow, steady breathing on his neck, Alex stopped stroking her back and decided to return to working on the weapons. Carefully adjusting Maria's position so as not to wake her, Alex began working. While Alex was busy with the weapons, Doll continued reading the books he had given her.
Stopping mid-page, Doll looked up and saw that Maria was sleeping on Alex's lap. At that moment, Doll herself wanted to know what it felt like to sleep on Alex's lap while hugging him. Another desire appeared in Doll's heart — one she wanted to fulfill with Alex.
Alex noticed Doll's intense gaze and reached his hand out toward her. Doll didn't understand what he wanted and also extended her hand. Alex gently squeezed Doll's palm, intertwining their fingers. Feeling the warmth of Alex's hand, Doll squeezed his palm tighter, not wanting to let go.
Seeing this, Alex realized he now had only one free hand left for work. Using a simple trick, he employed his mana to continue the entire process of improving the weapons. Holding Maria's waist with one arm and holding Doll's hand with the other, Alex understood that he would have to sit like this for a long time.
But Alex definitely didn't mind.
To be continued...
(This is an important short break before continuing our journey through Yharnam. The subsequent boss monsters will be quite strong, and Power Up is needed. It also wouldn't hurt to get Alex closer to Maria and Doll. As I said, I'll try to speed up my journey through Yharnam. And there aren't many locations left. Anyway, you'll see for yourself. I'll go get something to eat and drink coffee. Peace, love, and a stick can shoot, too. If you throw it.)
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