Thus the Mansion Collapses
Chance, she was waiting for that opportunity.
As Yuri had said so, Bishop began to wait for that opportunity. Tokisaki Kurumi rarely had any openings. But rarely didn’t mean never.
There are inevitably blanks that occur unconsciously, which then leads to careless mistakes.
After that, she would strike first.
She would use all of the power of her Unsigned Angel to kill her relentlessly.
But when exactly would this opportunity appear?
Yuri remained silent. Bishop followed behind Kurumi while suppressing her anxiety.
“Kurumi-san, what are you going to do now?”
In response to Higoromo Hibiki’s question, Kurumi shrugged and whispered.
“……Well, since the opponent is likely a subordinate of the White Queen, it is better to take the initiative than wait……”
Kurumi and Hibiki were having a conversation. She didn’t pay any attention to that. She understood Hibiki’s ability. She knew most of Kurumi’s powers. No problem, Bishop breathed a sigh of relief from her chest.
The two of them continued to talk.
“By the way, how do you usually investigate a murder in the Neighboring World?”
“Hmm. There wouldn’t be any investigation in the Tenth Region Malkuth. In the Ninth Region Yesod and Eighth Region Hod, the investigation would be carried out by Banouin-san’s private soldiers.”
“……So you’re saying that the Neighboring World does a good job in maintaining order.”
“How can I to describe it? It’s said that a person traveling from the Tenth Region Malkuth to the Sixth Region Tiphereth can be rest assured. However, it does feel like walking through a thin tightrope at times.”
Just like a fleeting dream, her head felt mysteriously cold.
Ah, I want to kill. Make it happen as quickly, violently, and cruelly as possible. If she was killed, there wouldn’t be any need for anything else.
It doesn’t matter even if she was also killed afterwards.
Kurumi turned her head suddenly??her eyes turned to Bishop. There was no awareness at all.
Although her face had a fearless smile, there was no hint of hostility. Bishop didn’t take any action while looking naturally at her.
“Do you think so as well? Miyafuji-san?”
Miyafuji Oka (Bishop) nodded gracefully.
“Of course. Let’s settle this in one fell swoop.”
“Hibiki-san, please go along with Yui-san and Ariadne-san. I will act with Miyafuji-san.”
“Eh, we’re going separately!? If I am alone, Ariadne-san would kill me instantly!?”
“It’s okay. I’ll deal with the enemy.”
Higoromo Hibiki didn’t even try to conceal her reluctance. It seemed that Kurumi regarded Ariadne as the major suspect and intended to use Hibiki as bait.
“So, Miyafuji-san, is that alright with you?”
She didn’t notice this fatal mistake. Oka nodded with a smile.
“Yes, of course.”
It was now when Bishop made her decision.
Being alone with Tokisaki Kurumi meant that she had lowered her guard. Allowing someone to walk behind her with her back defenseless was proof of that.
“Tokisaki Kurumi, this is Yuri. When scanning the entire mansion, there was a response from a suspicious Sephira Crystal fragment. A suspected intruder has appeared.”
Yuri must have reached the same conclusion. She was trying to guide them to an unoccupied room. This was going as planned. Separate Tokisaki Kurumi from Hibiki and the other Dominions and move her to a room where a surprise attack can easily be done.
Immediately after entering the room, Yuri would replace the door with a wall.
The Sephira fragments were dummies planted by Yuri. The trap will be set off the moment she approaches it.
Dazzle her eyes with a flash of dizziness, the moment her thoughts are distracted??she would be killed mercilessly in a single blow.
“Is this the room? Is this……a warehouse?”
“Yes. Apparently, she was hiding in the debris in the warehouse. Being so camouflaged, it was difficult to discover her.”
“I don’t think we’ll need to be careful, but Miyafuji-san.”
“Yes. Leave your back to me.”
“Ah, how reassuring. Thank you.”
Kurumi opened the door. She wasn’t even holding out her pistol. Oka sneered at her carelessness.
She already summoned her Unsigned Angel. Of course, Kurumi believed that this was to protect her from behind.
With her back turned, she approached the Sephira Crystal fragment.
“……Speaking of which.”
Kurumi said while turning her head. Oka, with her weapon out, froze. But Kurumi wasn’t emitting any killing intent.
“I want to ask you. Miyafuji-san and the other Dominions have already met the White Queen already, correct?”
“Y-Yes……I’ve encountered her……”
She issued a declaration of war during the region meeting. If anyone asked for the reason, she did it for Bishop.
The action showcased her solid foundation and also cleared her of any suspicions.
In order for the current infiltration strategy to proceed smoothly, Miyafuji Oka needed to continue being a Dominion.
But.
This was great opportunity. A huge chance to crush the White Queen’s only unrivaled enemy, Tokisaki Kurumi??
She would remain forever in the White Queen’s memories.
Bishop succumbed to the temptation of obtaining the Queen’s love.
“I heard Miyafuji-san didn’t succumb to her pressure and drove her away with intimidating words.”
“Y-You’re exaggerating too much. I didn’t do anything extraordinary.”
Her thoughts grew anxious.
That was an act. The White Queen couldn’t be scared away by a Quasi-Spirit like herself. It was just an act; she was playing around, just??
She needed to shake off these thoughts.
“What’s wrong, Miyafuji-san?”
Kurumi stared at Oka as if a little lost. Suddenly, her back was overcome with a chill.
Did she know?
Had she been exposed?
If that was the case, a surprise attack couldn’t be done here.
No……that wasn’t it. If she already knew, she wouldn’t have led herself into this situation.
She was defenseless. She didn’t even have her weapon out.
In other words, was she getting suspicious? ……In that case, there would be no chance for a second opportunity.
“What’s the matter, Miyafuji-san?”
It was Yuri’s voice??Oka regained her calm composure.
“No, it’s nothing. I was just a little surprise by how much you look like the White Queen.”
Kurumi described the phenomenon as being an inverted clone. Oka thought this must be a lie.
In any case, there was unmistakable proof that Tokisaki Kurumi was similar to the White Queen.
That was a fact she was absolutely reluctant to accept as Bishop, one of the three executives.
That was all it was.
But then Kurumi frowned sadly as she spoke with incredible incredulity.
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry this is all because of my failure. I let that sham survive. Doesn’t it feel just like leaving spoiled leftovers on the table? Isn’t that embarrassing enough to lose face over?”
For a moment, Oka’s brain refused to accept what Kurumi had just said. But the moment she was able to understand the meaning of those words, her entire body was trembling from anger.
“You??”
Kurumi turned around and left her back open to Oka.
“Say, let’s focus on the investigation for now. Solving the mystery is the first priority right now.”
“……………I agree.”
Ah, that’s right. But even if she was right.
She couldn’t forgive, how could she forgive, she absolutely couldn’t approve of those words.
She wanted to deny and reject all of her existence. To that end, she must kill her right here.
“As you say??”
Exercising the full might of her Unsigned Angel, raising the rapier??<Cold Cruel>. Bishop’s joker, it was able to double both the mental and physical gravity of anything it struck.
The moment she struck, her body would be crushed by the gravity of 500 G.
Although it was too cheap to kill her instantly, her frustration disappeared at the chance of offering joy to the Queen.
That’s right.
Right here and now, die????????????die!
At that moment, Oka lifted her Unsigned Angel above her head. A second later, Tokisaki Kurumi would undoubtedly be ushered with a miserable death.
“Ah, how fortunate. Landing such a huge jackpot so early on, it must be a reward for all of my good deeds.”
The girl who had her back facing the attacker didn’t even bother to turn around.
Oka suddenly noticed the muzzle exposed from her armpit.
“Wha……”
Then Miyafuji Oka??Bishop suddenly let out a cry from the bottom of her heart.
This person wasn’t even looking back.
“The Second Bullet <Bet>.”
Tokisaki Kurumi was the opposite of the White Queen.
But that didn’t mean she was the White Queen’s opposite by being sweet and gentle like an angel.
“Uh, gu……!?”
Rather it should be said that she was as crafty and cunning as a demon.
“Originally, I would have stopped your time with the Seventh Bullet <Zayin> and killed you without asking any questions. Ah, but??”
Kurumi faintly smiled, gently stroking Miyafuji Oka’s face as she was lifting up her rapier.
Slowly, slowly, time flowed just like the movements of a jellyfish.
Her fear felt like a cotton rope slowly tightening around her neck.
“I have already decided to never forgive the White Queen’s subordinates, no matter what the circumstances.”
With that said, she mercilessly shot her right knee.
“Ah, ku……!?”
Kurumi reached out for the pistol under her arm. Oka crudely collapsed. Then, the moment she tried to get up, she felt a muzzle being pressed against her head.
“……Thank you Yuri-san. The timing was perfect.”
“Wha……”
Slowly, Oka looked up.
“Betrayal……I was betrayed……?”
“No, that’s not it. I have been set up as Sagakure Yuri’s AI to solve this case. According to Tokisaki Kurumi’s request, I was to identify all three Dominion suspects as the White Queen’s subordinate and request for cooperation. In the end, only Miyafuji Oka agreed to the proposal.”
“……So……simple……”
A sense of shame scorched her body. If everyone was a suspect, then all they needed to do was test everyone. That was the sort of logic that an AI would use over a human being. From the very moment she had confessed, her death had been guaranteed.
“It doesn’t look like you’re the type to excel in sneak attacks. Rather than thinking about those useless things, it was even more dangerous for you come out and directly attack me. So then, who are you?”
“……”
Silence, there was no obligation to answer. Rather than waiting for a chance to strike back, her thoughts were preoccupied with thinking of anything that could be done for the White Queen.
“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t answer. Anyway, you’re just a messenger at best. You’re a poor supporting character that was implanted with false love for the White Queen while you were an Empty. I would pity you if my anger wasn’t seething so much.”
“Don’t……screw with……me……! I am……I am one of the three proud executives of the Queen. Bishop……remember, remember my name……!”
A clanking sound resounded. Kurumi was sitting in a chair with her legs crossed, staring at her with contempt while speaking indifferently.
“I won’t. You are my enemy. You are my enemy’s subordinate. I regarded you as strong, so I caught you in trap. But that’s not enough for me to remember. Anyway, your ability isn’t much……but still, thank you being a Dominion and hiding your true nature up until now.”
In a somewhat disgusted manner, Kurumi let out a sigh.
But there were openings in every regard. The effects of her bullet were starting to weaken. For another five seconds, as long as the opening was still there, she still had a chance to win with her Unsigned Angel……!
Four seconds, three seconds, two seconds, one second??
“I,”
Without a word, Oka swung her Unsigned Angel. Kurumi’s eyebrows slightly twitched to the side as she evaded the expected blow.
However.
Kurumi’s boots were slightly grazed by Oka’s <Cold Cruel>.
It worked!
“……!?”
“<Briller Acier>!” (Kanji reads as weight metamorphosis) Relentlessly, gravity was set to 500 G. Her feet should be as flat as paper. After that, one more blow from her rapier would end it all.
Oka overwhelmed the other Dominions not only in leadership, but also in individual combat since her Unsigned Angel <Cold Cruel> had an irreplaceable role there.
She could manipulate the gravity of an opponent that was cut and crush them with it.
However.
“??????Huh?”
But.
Even a weapon capable of victory in a single hit was meaningless if the blow couldn’t land.
“Ara, ara. What’s wrong, Miyafuji-san? Did you see in a dream of your Unsigned Angel hitting me?”
“This power is……!”
Oka turned around with a startled look. Ariadne looked at Oka with a rare look of extreme disappointment.
Not just her, Yukishiro Maya and Higoromo Hibiki were there as well. Maya, who usually had a poker face, was frowning sadly. But for Oka, this scene seemed strangely familiar.
“??So it was Ariadne-san.”
“……That’s right.”
Ariadne sadly jabbed Oka with her fingertips.
“What I can manipulate is actually more than just emotions. It’s also possible to operate lower and upper settings for all five senses.”
“A secret technique?”
Ariadne nodded. Her abilities can even tamper with sight.
“Because I won’t be trusted for having an ability like this, so I really didn’t want to use it.”
Oka also thought that would be the case. If the necessary organs for obtaining outside information were being manipulated, the difference between dreams and reality would become completely ambiguous.
She can’t even tell who was in front of her.
Who would ever trust a Quasi-Spirit that could accomplish such a thing?
“But I can’t let you kill Kurumi-chan. ??And above all else, you were the one who deceived us first. Oka-chan……no, or rather it should be Bishop.”
Ah, Oka figured it out.
The fact that she moved to attack with <Cold Cruel> was part of reality.
However, her sense of visual distance had been tampered with.
“……How uncouth of me ……”
“Yes, yes. That’s right. You’re completely right. But your unsightliness is nothing new. You have been hopeless the moment you as a Dominion succumbed to the White Queen.”
“Fu, fufu, fufufufufu! The hopeless ones are you all! This Neighboring World is a hysterically twisted and inevitably corrupt place! I just need to ask you all!”
A terrible smile, she asked while preparing for death.
“This Neighboring World is wrong. It shouldn’t exist. Moreover we will never die??whatever we do is meaningless.”
“……What do you mean……?”
Bishop sneered at Hibiki’s question.
“Because all of us??are dead. We died in reality and came to this Neighboring World. We are only souls that can live in this prison forever. What’s the difference between this and hell?”
“……!”
“Yes, we are just shallow insects crawling forever. I’ve had enough of this foolish life. In that case, I would rather work for that person. Fighting for that person’s love is??”
It was a much more exciting life.
As she said that, everyone went silent. The thoughts accumulating in the abyss gradually came crawling out from inside Kurumi and the others’ minds.
What is this Neighboring World?
Is this world even real?
We’ve died long ago and are only seeing our dreams here.
There’s no future or past here.
There’s only cruel reality facing in front of them??
“No, that’s not it.”
A resolute voice came to challenge that notion.
“Anyway, we are living in this world. Because we died in the other world, we have to also die here as well…… I don’t think such a fallacy should exist.”
Hibiki made her declaration to wake everyone up.
“……In the first place. What you’ve said is something that everyone has considered once or twice. After all, isn’t there anything that can be done about it? This dream-like world cannot exist at all. The more you understand the other world, the more you will think so.”
Both Ariadne and Maya said nothing after hearing those words.
The thing they feared as Dominions was the false reality of this world.
“So it is understandable to think about that sort of thing. But someone once told me this. Since this is a world of dreams, then it’s good to live like you’re in a dream.”
Kurumi softly sighed.
This wasn’t Kurumi’s idea. Although she recognized that this place was different than reality, she still believed that she was alive. It was for this reason that she was aiming for the other world right now.
So perhaps those words came from someone Higoromo Hibiki once loved from the bottom of her heart.
That name was certainly??
“Hiriyu Yue-san, right?”
As Kurumi whispered to herself, Hibiki’s face brightly lit up.
“Ah, you remembered! That’s right, those were her words. Thanks to her, I can live a healthy life now!”
Between good or bad, it was good. From boring or interesting, it was quite boring. But regardless, the atmosphere of this place had been successfully changed on the spot.
It went from a serious to a relaxed mood.
Needless to say, Bishop??Miyafuji Oka was carefully invested in taking advantage of this opportunity to launch a counterattack.
However, even she was at a loss for a moment after having her theory strongly refuted.
Confronted by what the former Empty Higoromo Hibiki had said??she couldn’t say a single rebuttal.
“Miyafuji Oka.”
Yukishiro Maya approached Oka without any fear. She was staring coldly at the traitor and summoned her Unsigned Angel without any hesitation.
“When did you betray us?”
“……”
“Was it when you became a Dominion? Or did you replace the real Miyafuji Oka along the way?
Which is it?”
Behind her, a huge bookshelf emerged.
“Break the seal??the Fifth Book <Firehouse Mystery>.”
Maya opened a long, slightly worn out 17 x 11 cm paperback book. It was just like a mystery novel one might find in a bookstore. Suddenly, a box-shaped flame appeared from the pages of the book.
“……Let me first explain first. This flame will not only burn you, but also the oxygen around you until you suffocate to death. Because it is a flame, trying to crush it with gravity wouldn’t change the end result.”
“Well, even if you tried to crush it with gravity……couldn’t my Unsigned Angel reverse your concept of up and down?”
As Ariadne added that point, Kurumi shrugged and stepped back to watch the Dominions’
performance.
She also had something else to consider.
“……”
“If you don’t confess, we’ll torture you until you die.”
Oka laughed a little after hearing what Maya had said.
“Either way, I will disappear from this World.”
“In that case??”
“But, forget it. Forget it. If there’s nothing that can be done, I’ll tell you. I, Miyafuji Oka, became Bishop. Since……um, when did it begin? It must have been a long time ago, so far away.
Yeah……it should be.”
“Impossible. You were on the front line more than anyone else. When your risked your life taking hits for others, you were already Bishop? Do you think we’ll believe something as stupid as that?”
The flame began to flicker as if to match Maya’s passion.
Kurumi thought it felt more like sadness than anger. Yes, probably Ariadne also felt the same, a feeling of sadness over her being Bishop. And also a hidden desire of wanting this to be wrong.
However, she had already confessed to being Bishop.
However, the confession just now was??
Miyafuji Oka laughed. Despite the serious warning just now, the corners of her mouth were just like crescent moon. Her hand??was still holding onto her rapier.
“……This is my last warning.”
As Maya said that, Oka remained silent.
But at the very next moment??
“Gah……!”
A bitter cry, Oka’s Sephira fragment had been gouged out.
“This is??”
As Maya was at a loss for words, Yuri’s voice echoed.
“I’m very sorry. Hesitating in this situation could be critical, so I took the initiative to annihilate Miyafuji Oka.”
A girl was standing alone at the corner of the room. Hibiki, Ariadne, Maya, and even Kurumi didn’t notice her.
“Mass produced……Yui?”
“Yes. It was an emergency.”
Miyafuji Oka stared blankly at the hole in her chest.
“Huh……this……? Yukishiro-san, Ariadne-san. Hey……”
Without even giving her a chance to say her last words, the mass produced Yui model delivered the finishing blow. With a painful groan, Miyafuji Oka’s body completely disappeared.
All that remained was her Sephira fragment. However, the fragment that should have been shinning blue had been bleached white.
“……Oka……why……”
Maya sadly lowered her head as Ariadne also looked displeased as she turned her face to the side.
Meanwhile, Kurumi was looking up at the ceiling.
“??Now. It’s become clear that Miyafuji Oka-san was Bishop. Then is it okay to assume that Miyafuji-san was the one that killed Sagakure Yuri-san?”
Hearing those words, Maya glared at Kurumi with an unpleasant look. Ariadne frowned and slanted her head.
“……I……suppose……?”
“??No.”
Kurumi had rejected that notion.
“It couldn’t have ended like that. If asked why, it was impossible for Miyafuji-san to kill Sagakure Yuri-san. Even though Miyafuji-san was Bishop, she was not the culprit.”
“Huh……?”
“W-What do you mean, Kurumi-san!?”
Kurumi raised up two fingers.
“Everyone is mistaken. Miyafuji-san was Bishop. That is fine enough. I don’t know if it was innate or acquired??but she has already confessed. However, even if she was Bishop, she still had no opportunity or reason to kill Sagakure Yuri.”
Maya and Ariadne were staring fixated on Kurumi. A sense of disbelief mixed with being struck by admiration.
“So what does that mean? Who is the one here that killed Sagakure Yuri? No, no. That’s the wrong way to think. This series of incidents were all to pin the crime of killing Sagakure Yuri onto Miyafuji Oka. Don’t you think that makes sense?”
Maya took a step forward to refute Kurumi.
“……Hold on. She did admit to being Bishop and she wanted to kill you. In that case, she can only be considered the culprit. Above all else……”
“If you view yourself as not the culprit, then only Ariadne-san would be left. Wouldn’t it be even more painful to be further betrayed by your allies?”
“……”
Maya lowered her head.
Ariadne had a rare look of confusion as she spoke.
“Wait, so you think I’m not the culprit?”
“Yes, please rest assured Yukishiro-san. Whether if it is it is Ariadne-san or Maya-san, Hibiki-san, Yui-san, and Oka-san, none of them are the culprit.”
Everyone’s eyes widened at Kurumi’s words.
“Yuri-san. Is it okay for me to ask a question?”
“Yes. Please ask away.”
“The blow that killed Oka-san was truly wonderful. Even I was caught off guard.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“I have nothing to say about the first attack, but I do find the second attack unacceptable. She was already at the point where her life would soon fade, but you didn’t even leave her the chance to say her last words.”
“I was concerned about hostile action.”
“For an excuse, I didn’t expect a lame one like that. Were you afraid that, Miyafuji Oka, after having her Sephira fragment hollowed out, would speak the truth?”
“I don’t understand what you are trying to say. She was trying to fight back??”
“Look, look! Doesn’t this AI have any bluffing ability whatsoever?”
“Wait, Kurumi-san, Kurumi-san. Please hold on! We haven’t caught up with this story at all!”
“Hibiki-san (Watson), thank you for your question. I have said it before. The White Queen creates faithful servants by letting Quasi-Spirits experience a false love.”
“……Ah……”
Maya and Ariadne reacted at almost the same time. They looked at Kurumi in astonishment??and then towards the ceiling.
“I can’t say there is no possibility of that trait being inherited by her subordinates, correct?”
“Of course, this power is certainly much inferior to the Queen herself. But??”
“But. For example, what about this sort of ability? Parasite. Like say being able to transfer your memories onto someone else?”
“Yuri doesn’t know what you’re talking about……?”
“……Well, there are various puzzling things. But what puzzled me the most was the reason Sagakure Yuri asked me, Hibiki-san, and even the other Dominions to stay the night here.”
Yes, that was the most suspicious point from the very beginning.
“Playing cards aren’t enough for me and Ariadne-san to suddenly become close friends, right?”
“Of course. And losing felt so uncomfortable.”
The two of them fought in a struggle against each and shook hands after it concluded. It wasn’t a scenario where the victor gained all of the spoils, nor were they going to break out and try killing each other immediately. However, there was an ambiguous competitive spirit boiling of wanting to be victorious next time on both sides.
“Yuri-san must have felt that atmosphere. But she still begged us to come over and stay in her mansion. This point is already strange. Yuri-san made that request as soon as we made our intentions of quickly leaving the Seventh Region Netzach. At that time??”
“……We had to talk about Tokisaki Kurumi and the Queen. But it’s ridiculous to get everyone to stay in one place just for that. We were all frankly nervous of having Tokisaki Kurumi nearby.
She can stop time and manipulate shadows. ……It was impossible to rule of thoughts of a potential assassination. After all, Tokisaki Kurumi has already killed Doll Master in the Tenth Region Malkuth.”
Kurumi shrugged.
“That act was justified. Well, I’ll leave that aside for now. Anyway, the next strange thing is Yuri-san starting up after Sagakure Yuri’s death.”
“??Is there anything wrong with me?”
“Everywhere is full of strange points. Why make me the detective? Generally speaking, shouldn’t you have chosen Yukishiro-san? No, rather it would have been better to find an external person to solve this case. The only times where an outsider comes in is when the subject is a talented person from an official agency like Sherlock Holmes, who has been recognized as a perfect third party. In that sense, it is hard to be a detective for this case. It’s because everyone here has a stake in this case matter.”
Hibiki also vaguely recognized this truth.
Everyone knew what Tokisaki Kurumi wanted to say next. At the same time, it was guaranteed to be quite the dangerous act. That was why the atmosphere in the room grew much tenser.
“On the contrary, Yuri. I wanted to know what your goal was. But I finally understand after Miyafuji-san’s death. She was a scapegoat, just a victim. She probably just became Bishop recently. Or maybe it was just around last night?”
“I don’t understand what Tokisaki-sama is trying to say.”
“In the Eighth Region Hod, I saw a Quasi-Spirit turn into an Empty and then even fall under the control of the White Queen. And she served as the Dominion there. In that case, Miyafuji Oka is probably no exception. She was……the one chosen to be the culprit and die here.”
The Dominion of the Sixth Region, Miyafuji Oka.
If she was Bishop and providing information to the Queen, the other Dominions would both understand and despair at the same time.
“Since the Sixth Region Tiphereth is the hub region, did you intend to divide each region?
Yukishiro-san, you said that Miyafuji-san was the leader of the Dominion conference, right? …….So what do you think will happen if its revealed that she’s been under the control of the White Queen since before becoming a Dominion?”
Maya briefly thought for a while before shaking her head as if wanting to forget the bad delusion that came to mind.
“In this Neighboring World, it may cause the greatest chaos since the establishment of the Dominion system. Suspicion would take over and Quasi-Spirits wouldn’t be able to tell enemies and allies apart from each other.”
“Then, what if Miyafuji Oka accidentally died while fighting Bishop?”
After thinking over Kurumi’s question, Maya thought for a while before answering.
“……There will be damage. There still will be damage……but I also think it’ll be possible to recover.”
If former members like Carte À Jouer are included, there were eight people who could still be called Dominions. They are all extraordinary people worshipped and admired by Quasi-Spirits for their pure power.
Even for the White Queen, a great sacrifice would be needed to confront them.
No perhaps, she still looked down on the Dominions. However, it was a different story for the three pieces under her control.
Because they lived in this world to fight, kill, and sacrifice for the Queen.
So they came up with a plan.
It was a plan to target the Dominions’ weakness and destroy them from the inside out.
In order to achieve that goal, it wasn’t just enough for Miyafuji Oka to die. They had to let her, as a Dominion, commit an act of betrayal.
And everyone had to witness it.
That was the motivation and the method of crime was simple. After all, Oka had already come into contact with the White Queen. She was afraid of a power that easily invaded her region.
And from that fear, the White Queen created love.
The three chess pieces led by the White Queen are Rook, Knight, and Bishop. The three executives in fact will not die for as long as the White Queen is alive.
“So Bishop. Just use this bullet to hit her and she will become you.”
Bishop, receiving a light-red bullet (although it more resembled an insect) from the Queen, gently hugged herself.
“Thank you, my Queen.”
No matter how many times Rook and Knight are destroyed, they can be resurrected by shooting the Scorpio Bullet <Akrab> into an Empty. In addition to the Scorpio Bullet <Akrab>, Bishop can create a second or third Bishop by parasitizing others.
The difference from Rook or Knight is that she can be anyone. Even if it isn’t an Empty, Quasi-Spirit with a life goal can be insidiously eroded by the seed called Bishop. So, unlike Rook or Knight, Bishop’s personality can vary.
“But even so. Although there are many Empties that have gladly died for me, you are a little special. Wouldn’t you feel reluctant?”
“??No, not at all.”
Bishop calmly replied.
For her who made and abandoned her little sister, it wasn’t a big deal betraying, killing, or convicting a friend.
Miyafuji Oka would transform into Bishop and be condemned to death.
Of course, it was possible to use Miyafuji Oka as a powerful Quasi-Spirit. However, that choice also contained many flaws. It was likely to be seen through by Yukishiro Maya, Ariadne Foxlot, Kagarike Haraka, and Kirari Rinemu??these intuitive people would likely develop countermeasures for this.
The method of dealing the most damage to the Dominions would be having Miyafuji Oka die immediately after attacking her allies in the name of Bishop.
Even if meant another Bishop dying, that was fine for Bishop.
Originally, the premise worked alongside her own destruction as well.
Two Dominions and two Bishops would die to spiral the Neighboring World into chaos.
Bishop’s plans were crude but unavoidable.
“I have another question.”
“……What is it?”
With an innocent and childish look (something completely unimaginable from the earlier White Queen), she asked her.
“Why are you still sane? Don’t you love me just like my dear Empty-chans?”
Her breathing and heartbeat came to a halt at the same time.
Answering that question would no doubt cause her to die, so how should she reply?
Only this, Bishop couldn’t remember much.
Kurumi looked up at the ceiling with a faint smile.
“This isn’t what you wanted to happen. Such a development is outside your expectations. That’s why you tried guiding us while also hiding your own existence. Isn’t that right, Sagakure Yuri-san?”
The moment of silence was surprisingly short.
“Yes. So have you solved all of the mystery?”
Hearing her indifferent response, Maya and Ariadne grew angrier.
“So, then……Yuri-san committed suicide……?”
Hearing what Hibiki had asked, Kurumi nodded.
“Yes, that’s right. Sagakure Yuri-san……no, Bishop. Are you still alive and pretending to be dead in front of us? Or is it something different? Regardless, your goal was for us to believe your deception, the lie that Miyafuji Oka is the culprit.”
“So the corpse……was a fake?”
“For example, she might have disguised a mass produced Yui as the corpse. In any case, if you search the mansion inside out, you should be able to snuff her out. Or??”
There was a sudden earthquake.
“Sorry, wrong guess. I am no longer Sagakure Yuri. I am Yuri, the one that has full control of the AI running this mansion. That part wasn’t a lie.”
“Or you’ve transformed yourself into something else……I see, so it’s like this.”
The mass produced Yui models, which had remained motionless since the very beginning, turned their heads to stare at Kurumi. Everyone saw the robots begin to assume different battle positions.
As she opened her mouth, Yuri’s voice leaked out from outside.
“I wasn’t intending to kill you here. I was planning on hiding if possible. However, the possibility of the situation escalating to this point was within expectations.”
“Oh, so that’s it. From here on, it’s easy to understand. Actually, it’s very easy to guess.”
“……! Kurumi-san!”
The mass produced Yui models leaped to attack with speed far surpassing humanity.
Kurumi raised her antique pistol and roared loudly.
“??????<Zafkiel>!”
The sound of loud gunfire. After a brief silence, there were the sounds of parts being broken.
“Everyone, kill them.”
“Kill them.”
As the countless mass produced Yui models rushed in one after the other, Kurumi’s night had begun.
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