"Tell me," he began, his voice low, "who were you with just now?"
Mita, her low ponytail swaying slightly, froze. The scene felt eerily familiar, the grip on her dagger loosening involuntarily. She took three steps back, a wary retreat from Alain's steady approach.
"Who was I with? A player, who else...?"
Her expression was a mask of feigned confusion, as if she genuinely couldn't grasp his meaning. She forced a composure that was visibly cracking. But her words trailed off midway.
She looked up, a dawning dread in her eyes. There it was: the barely contained anger in Alain's gaze.
"You... were with other players?"
She shifted her feet, the seemingly neutral question somehow carrying the weight of an impending storm. Mita could feel it brewing.
Her retreat ended abruptly as her back hit the cold stone wall. Trapped. To her right, still caged, was "Kind Mita," her counterpart, eyes wide with a mixture of shock and bewilderment.
This was Crazy Mita? The one who had beaten her into the cage? The one who had turned countless players into... cartridges? Alain's prior descriptions suddenly felt woefully inadequate.
"Don't look at her," Alain commanded, his voice sharp. "Look at me."
All of Crazy Mita's bluster and aggression evaporated. Obediently, like a child caught red-handed, she raised her head, meeting his dark eyes.
Alain switched his grip on the greatsword from two hands to one, freeing a hand to pick up the console he'd set down earlier.
"I saw what you did on this."
"Don't be angry," she pleaded, her voice softer now. "I was repairing the teleportation machine. And that player was a girl—"
"Don't change the subject."
His calm, unwavering voice cut through her explanation like a blade, leaving her flustered.
"You mean to say, while I was gone, you were with other players?"
"I... I already explained, didn't I?"
Her grip on the dagger weakened further. Alain felt a chilling certainty that a slight push with his greatsword would be enough to make her cry out in pain.
"That player was a girl. I was afraid you'd get jealous, so I found her... and, after I was done, I would have killed her immediately..."
"What did you promise me upstairs, with your mouth—mmph!"
"Wait, idiot, don't say it!" Mita swiftly clamped a hand over his mouth, her eyes darting to the caged girl with a venomous glare. The thought of eliminating this witness, of restoring their twisted world of two, clearly crossed her mind.
She reluctantly turned back. Alain saw not only the flustered face of a girl caught in her mischief but also, peripherally, the Security Guard's panel.
Confronting this mischievous girl, especially now that her facade had crumbled, even Alain felt a tremor of nerves. But the results were undeniable.
The progress bar had reached 80%. Just a little more effort, and he could go home.
His gaze flickered to Kind Mita in the cage. Her expression was one of utter devastation, her worldview shattered. She didn't even seem concerned about the possibility of being killed.
He had a sinking feeling... explanations would be necessary later. This Mita's brain wasn't the sharpest, and she clearly hadn't recovered from the shock.
Alain gave her a pointed look.
[I'll explain later.]
Kind Mita blinked, confused for a moment, then seemingly understood. She nodded slightly.
That's ridiculous, she understood that? Alain was stunned, but tried another look.
[There might be a fight later. No matter what, stay put.]
Another nod. Okay... she can even understand something completely out of context? Is this a game world thing...?
Alain turned his attention back to the mischievous girl, his eyes locking with hers.
"In short, just tell me. Do you truly have me in your heart? And how much space do I occupy?"
"You occupy all of it..."
"Louder. Let me hear your conviction."
Seeing her fluster, Alain breathed a small sigh of relief. He glanced at the system panel. His verbal barrage had pushed the progress another 5%, reaching 85%.
It seemed that, barring any unforeseen events, his goal was within reach.
Huh? Did that just sound like a massive flag?
"Alain, you occupy all of my heart! I like you very much!" She deliberately directed this declaration towards the caged Mita, a pointed jab.
But the sight of this near-identical girl, separated only by demeanor and attire, caused Crazy Mita's mood to plummet.
Why had she come to the basement in the first place?
A wave of realization washed over her. She'd been in the house, seen that convenient "toy" on the floor, and realized the basement console had been touched. And the caged bird was, well, caged, unable to reach it. Therefore, someone else, someone free to move, had interacted with it.
That someone could only be Alain. And the basement... a man and a woman alone...
The thought was like poison, staining her heart with a dark, possessive jealousy. The fluster on her face vanished, replaced by a dangerously sweet smile.
"Alain, you're such a bad boy. I was truly scared for a moment there."
Alain, who had been checking the panel, stiffened. Not good. He turned his head, and his fears were confirmed. The gentle, mischievous smile had returned to her lips.
A monstrous force erupted from the greatsword he held. With a resounding clang, he was thrown back several meters.
"...You haven't answered my question yet."
"Sigh... Really. I can tell you as many times as you need." Mita sighed dramatically, a theatrical display of helplessness. Her face was slightly flushed from the forced sweet talk, her soft pink lips parting and closing in the dim light, appearing almost luminous.
"I like you, I like you very much. I want to keep you by my side. Always. Forever. Stay with me."
"...Then what's the dagger in your hand for?"
"My liking you and my wanting to [punish] you, or even kill you, aren't mutually exclusive, are they? After all..." Crazy Mita's smile vanished, her gaze turning cold and flat, settling on Kind Mita. "You also cheated on me, behind my back, didn't you?"
"Huh?" Two voices, Alain's and Kind Mita's, spoke in unison. They looked at each other, then pointed, first at the other, then at themselves, a mirror of confusion.
"See? You're perfectly in sync. It's really... unsettling!"
With a thud of her boots, the girl transformed into a blur, launching herself at Alain.
Her bloodstained dagger, like a crescent moon, arced towards the greatsword.
"Mmm~ Where did my bad boy find such a handy toy?" During the brief clash, Mita's gaze flickered thoughtfully to Alain's greatsword, then, almost as an afterthought, to Kind Mita. "Could it be that this puppet gave it to you?"
"Eh..." Kind Mita, realizing the focus had somehow shifted back to her, looked at Alain with wide, helpless eyes.
"Don't pay attention to her," Alain said quickly, his voice firm. "Don't worry, I've got this."
"Hehe~ Alain, are you so sure?"
His unwavering confidence sent another wave of darkness across Crazy Mita's face. A monstrous force, like a raging torrent, surged towards Alain.
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