Emilico, a cheerful living doll, is assigned to serve Kate, a faceless shadow noble who exudes clouds of soot whenever her emotions stir. In a sprawling, secretive mansion, dolls act as the 'faces' of their shadow masters and spend their days scrubbing away the endless soot. As Emilico stumbles through her new duties and grows close to Kate, the two begin brushing up against the strange rules and buried secrets that govern the house.