Date A Live Fragment: Date A Bullet - Volume 1 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

Doll Master 

At first, I remember just wanting a friend. 

Because of being an incurable coward, I was at the bottom standing of the neighboring world, so

there wasn’t a single Quasi-Spirit that could be called a close friend. 

When the other Quasi-Spirits looked at me, their icy gaze treated me like leftover bento scraps,

as if saying “Ah, don’t die soon”. 

Even now, that gaze filled me with fear. 

My Unsigned Angel created a friend. A friend that was loyal to me, it said that it would fight in my behalf. 

But sadly, the doll was very weak alone. Moreover, the other Quasi-Spirits couldn’t tolerate the

existence of the doll. 

Your doll is something that is an insult and affront to us. Unforgivable, or so they had said. Very harsh things to be said.

But there was no other way; I needed to increase the number of dolls. I was forced to rely on their quantity to fight. I increased the number of dolls, blindly increasing their numbers.

Afterwards, the Quasi-Spirits that knew my ugly past became my friends. So happy.

Each day was lovely and glistening, controlling this world and being surrounded by so many friends. 

As much as possible, I want nothing to do with the other regions. I only want to spend my life in this miniature garden forever. 

However, foreign elements occasionally came to this region. They were barbaric Quasi-Spirits

who liked to fight and couldn’t live without fighting. 

Although it was very easy to crush them, there was something to worry about. If it was just a single Quasi-Spirit, she could crush her as easily as an ant. With ten, it was like snapping off a puppy’s neck. With 100??although there was the possibility of wining through heavy sacrifices, there was still the possibility of also losing as well. 

Even if their individual power was not too great, their combat effectiveness would improve drastically when considering their ability to use different Astral Dresses and Unsigned Angels. 

So, I decided to let them kill each other. 

The reward was a Sephira crystal worth 100 people. Despite having said that, I didn’t intend to

hand that over. 

The winner was always a doll. Those ugly girls usually self-destructed before getting the chance to assemble their strengths together. 

Thus I was finally able to pass through each day with my mind at peace. ??Though days felt so smooth as if it was a dream. 

……But then that woman (Tokisaki Kurumi) appeared. 

That person was too devilish. How relieved did I feel when discovering that she was a fake? 

However, that major event was far from reassuring. She brought along that Empty who was the real Spirit. 

A mistake, from the very beginning, I should have used all my might to crush that helpless girl. Although there were opportunities on several occasions, I had let her go.

However, she also let me go. Now, I have 1500 dolls in hand. So come, Tokisaki Kurumi. It is I, Doll Master, who controls this region. 

“……Found you!” “Found you!” “Found you, found you, found you!” “Spirit!” “Tokisaki Kurumi!” “Must fight!” “Must guard!” “Must kill!” 

It finally came. 

One thousand five hundred to one, the difference in numbers was overwhelming. Their above quality was enough to despair over. However, quantity can always prevail over quality. Even more so if that quality was just limited to a single person. In contrast, if her quality was also in excess, then she would be unequalled. 

Moreover, Tokisaki Kurumi was not invincible. Indeed, it was possible for her to close her wounds in an instant. However, she was certainly injured at that moment. 

“……Listen, listen, listen! She is not absolute! She is not invincible!” 

“Yes! She is indeed a disaster; it is not without reason to despair! But! However! You can resist!

You can win! You can win!” 

Ayako Machi’s usual calm voice sounded high-pitched and felt uncouth. 

Lycos’s usual strict voice sounded impatient and felt ugly. 

However, the dolls still cheered while raising their Unsigned Angels. For the dolls, the master’s

orders were absolute. 

“It is the master’s orders to kill!” “Master’s commands are to kill!”

The dolls moved in accordance to Doll Master’s words. In the sky, in the ground, in the building,

everywhere was filled with 1,500 dolls. 

And. There was only one person against them??Tokisaki Kurumi. 

“Let the war begin, sound the bell.” “Understood, master!”

The chime of the school rang at a foolish volume. 

The chime of the school rang??it was a bit sloppy to signal the beginning of the battle. 

“The other party has 1,500, while I’m alone.” 

That was also quite good. 

Without her memories, it was a miracle beyond her understanding of how she was still alive. It wouldn’t be strange for her to fade away from this world completely at any time. “……How strange, it feels like I want to cry.”

If she closed her eyelids, she could see a single boy. 

She wanted to ask that person. To ask him why he made that choice when he might die. People die. However, it was human instinct to delay death for as long as possible.

When the pain that death is eliminated, even a person seeking death would also yearn to secretly survive. 

……That person wasn’t like that. 

He could escape, he could ask for help, even if his spirits collapse, who could blame him? The girls around him must have also thought of this at least once.

Why is this person who seems to be dying still standing here? 

It wasn’t just for being good to the Spirits. No, it was partially for that as well, but. He stayed with them so long as??they could be saved. 

“……So, it absolutely won’t do for me to be afraid and cry.” 

I have bullets (power). 

I have <Zafkiel> (power). 

I have Spirit Dress of God’s Authority no. 3, <Elohim> (power). 

She filled the shadows into her short and long guns. She tightened the ribbon on her Astral Dress while checking her appearance through a mirror. 

“……Alright.” 

At the very least, she wouldn’t lose in dazzling the people and surroundings with the splendor of the Spirits. Recently, she had begun to think that only wearing red and black looked a bit too heavy, but it was even more detestable to return back to the sweet loli route of white, white, white. 

She felt content with herself for considering such useless things. Satisfied, she jumped out of the window.

The rain had stopped and the sky was at a beautiful sunset. An orange light illuminated the empty city where no one was present besides the dolls that were lurking there. 

In the middle of the road, she gracefully raised the hem of her skirt to curtsy. Compared to this,

“Now, everyone. I’m here to save you.” 

The 1,500 dolls flooded forward as Tokisaki Kurumi muttered to herself. 

The dolls’ scream signal the beginning of the war (date). “<Zafkiel> ??the First Bullet <Aleph>!!” 

Kurumi instantly accelerated. 500 of the 1,500 dolls turned their eyes without being able to catch up to her speed. The remaining 1,000 only barely managed to catch a faint afterimage with their glassy eyes. 

However, half of the remaining 1,000 understood that they could only see and do nothing else. 

Being able to see Kurumi racing as swift as the wind, there were only 500 remaining dolls that attacked. 

Within that 400 of the attacks were avoided. Kurumi jumped, turned, intercepted, accelerated, and deaccelerated. Performing all sorts of movements to confuse them, Kurumi traverse through the road without acquiring even a single scratch. 

Then, only a hundred were remaining left. 

“……!” 

Kurumi shot from her two guns in quick succession. The 100 dolls rustled around the ground to avoid the bullets. 

“Do you remember me?” “……I remember.”

Hearing the loud shout from a doll with a magnifying glass, Kurumi replied back while slightly frowning. 

“Then, me as well? 

“In that case, how about me?” 

Kurumi nodded with a dissatisfied look towards the two dolls. 

“Do you remember us?” “Do you remember me?” 

Five dolls were standing in front of Kurumi. 

“Sheri Musika. “Hijikata Isami. Takeshita Ayame. Nogi Aiai. Tonami Furue.” Not a friend or partner, nor a presence that could be called a good opponent. At best, they had only been trying to kill each other for three days or so now.

Even then, Doll Master must be looking forward to this. Although it was brief, even a Spirit may have sympathy due to having interacted. 

Don’t hesitate, there isn’t enough time. 

Certainly, sympathy and hesitation may lead to an opening appearing. 

There was only one thing she miscalculated. It must be remembered that Tokisaki Kurumi was just while Empty until a few hours ago. 

She cried, laughed, and above all sympathized with these Quasi-Spirits. 

“……Yes, is that so?” 

There was a girl who wanted to be innocently in love. There was a girl who admired what being in love was like.

Although it was only for brief moment, she felt close to these girls who were similar to herself. Not unlike what had happened with her own name, it was rotten for these dolls to claim the names of these girls as well. 

Ah, but they have nothing to do with myself. 

They have nothing to do with me, but this still puts me in a bad mood. So let me say this. 

“Are you trying to make me even angrier, Doll Master?” 

While stepping forward, Kurumi pulled her long rifle into the jaw of one of the five dolls, furiously brandishing it while pulling on the trigger. 

The doll burst open in an instant. 

The dolls didn’t have any livers or even sweat glands. However, their faces seemed to be stiffened with fear. 

“I won’t let you play with them even more.” 

She will kill them. 

She had already decided upon that. It was already decided because she wouldn’t let them be

humiliated any further. 

Since this was what she had decided, it was absolute. 

The time needed to kill the five dolls was around 77 seconds. Kurumi used all of her strength to fight with them, shooting them with the repeated fire of bullets. 

“They bought time!” 

“Yes, display your strength now……!!” 

Ayako Machi and Lycos gave the commands. 

The 95 dolls, 400 dolls, and 1000 dolls didn’t let go of this opportunity to kill. Tokisaki Kurumi didn’t retreat into the shadows, but rather just stared straight ahead. All of the dolls were located behind her. There was nothing left to hinder this. 

“I’ve caught you, Doll Master.” 

“Impossible. How is it possible to be caught……!” 

At 300 meters ahead of Kurumi, there was a school that became the center of this area. Doll Master was really there. 

The top floor of the building was surrounded by a powerful reiryokuken. It was the only heavenly area that can survive in peace during this war (date). 

Was this necessary for Doll Master to control this region? 

The ruler laid at the summit and the person sitting in control must want to stay at the highest location. Even the careful and cowardly Doll Master was no exception. 

By conveying the message of protecting Doll Master to the puppets, Kurumi was able change her speculation into conviction. 

As expected, the dolls were positioned to protect that building no matter which direction Kurumi chose to attack from. 

It didn’t matter where she was in that building, since there wasn’t going to be enough time for

her to escape. 

“I will drag you down.” 

The huge clock turned as the long rifle inhaled the shadows while aiming straight ahead. Doll Master, who was peeping at her, was left puzzled by this move that seemed to be meaningless. 

“It’s the appointed time, Doll Master. <Zafkiel>??The Third Bullet <Gimmel>.” 

She pulled on the trigger of time. 

The bullet struck the school building across the road??the wall of the school building served as the starting point for everything. 

Kurumi’s idea wasn’t wrong. However, the implementation wasn’t correct either. Even if each bullet struck the building, what will happen? 

“……?” 

There wasn’t an explosion. The schoolhouse still stood tall. In the short moment Doll Master felt at ease, Kurumi continued fire one round after the other in quick succession, letting even more doubt seep in. 

“The Third Bullet <Gimmel>.” “The Third Bullet <Gimmel>.” “The Third Bullet <Gimmel>.”

“The Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>.” 

The dolls finally caught up to her. 

As Kurumi was tackled by one doll, the other dolls used it as an opportunity to flood in. 

However, even if Kurumi lost her balance, squatted on the ground, stabbed by a short sword, she still kept the aim of her long rifle without any hesitation??. 

“The Third Bullet <Gimmel>??!!” 

She continued to shoot. 

Rumble, an unusual sound was heard coming from that building. 

“Wh, at……?” “What is this……?”

Anxiety spread through Ayako Machi and Lycos’s faces. 

As if responding to that, Kurumi, who was dogpiled by more than 1,400 dolls, replied back with a smile. 

“The Third Bullet <Gimmel> shares the same effect of acceleration as the First Bullet <Aleph>.

However, the role is different. If the First Bullet <Aleph> handles external time, the Third Bullet

<Gimmel> is the acceleration of internal time.” 

The acceleration of the Third Bullet <Gimmel> would be applied to the inside. In other words, the bullet would consume the internal time of its target. 

Humans would age from children to the elderly. For trees, young sprouts would turn into mighty trees. And??if it was concrete, it would become as unreliable as tofu for forming a solid building. 

Rumble, rumble, rumble. 

The dolls were all shocked. The sacred tower, the starting point where this war (date) had begun. 

The schoolhouse, which symbolized the prosperity of the tenth region Malkuth, let out a sorrowful sound. 

“Was that a new school building? I’m sorry, but that building has grown to be 1000 years old

now.” 

The school building let out a thunderous roar before collapsing. 

The dolls screamed, completely forgetting about Kurumi. No wonder. Their master was on the top of that building. 

So, Doll Master could only escape. The only choice was to escape by jumping into the sky. 

However, Doll Master didn’t try to leave the collapsing building. Even for a Quasi-Spirit, a fall from the top floor would cause an inevitable injury. 

If she didn’t come out despite that, then?? 

Waking up, there were no wounds on her body. 

But, she was a little surprised at how much her clothes were covered in blood. Whether it was her hair, feet, hands, she was no longer Tokisaki Kurumi but instead an ordinary empty girl that could be found anywhere. 

The morning sun began to shine into the abandon factory. The pouring rain had completely stopped as it seemed an entire night had passed. 

“Kurumi-san…….” 

Standing up, it was terribly quiet outside. Whether if it was a doll or Quasi-Spirit, there were no living creatures outside. 

“An empty street.” 

Sadly, everything in this town was empty, including herself. 

……There was only a vague feeling since she couldn’t see any dolls. But there was nothing to look forward to, since everything was already over. There was the possibility that she already no longer important in the eyes of Doll Master. 

There was no value in her existence. There was no reason to continue to live.

However, if she was still alive, she had to see this to the very end. 

That was Higoromo Hibiki’s duty and responsibility. 

As she steadily walked alone, the place to aim for was the original spot for first encounters, the starting point for the killing and the school at the very center. 

As she got closer, Hibiki slowly discovered the abnormality of this situation. 

“A mountain of corpses.” 

The dolls looked like their souls had been pulled out as they collapsed everywhere. Of course, this was the remains of Doll Master’s soldiers. 

Dead. 

Although some were badly injured, the majority was overwhelmingly unscathed. Her heart began to beat fiercely.

The school building had completely collapsed. That meant?? 

“Kurumi-san!” 

She called out to the girl sitting in the ruins with her legs drooping as if slightly bored. Kurumi turned around as if slightly disappointed. 

“Ah, so you’re still alive.” 

“No, it was Kurumi-san who healed me, right!?” 

The bullet Kurumi fired was the Fourth Bullet <Dalet> for the purpose of restoration. Time went in reverse. Needless to say, even a wound like an amputated arm could be healed. The problem here is what happens when time is reversed. 

If it was only to cure a wound, Higoromo Hibiki would have turned back into a false Tokisaki Kurumi. But, time had once again flowed backwards. The time reversal restored Hibiki’s physical body in an instant, so that she could recover her original body without dying. 

“Umm, thank you.” 

“It’s nothing. Just a whim. Besides, look over there.” 

Kurumi replied back indifferently as she pointed to the depths of the rubble. Hibiki shifted her gaze??her eyes couldn’t help but widen.

A girl was laying there. And two dolls clung onto her in an attempt to protect her. Ayako Machi and Lycos. Only these two dolls……were still alive.

“The doll lying over there seems to be Doll Master.” “……Is she already dead?”

“I’m alive. It’s a shame. But I can’t even move a finger now.” 

Her eyes opened significantly. Doll Master, who was regarded as the strongest in the tenth region Malkuth, looked exactly like Ibusuki Panie. 

She resembled more like a French doll than a girl. 

“Y-you didn’t fight?” 

“She doesn’t seem to be able to move. It’s not fault, it was like this originally.” “Then, she’s only a doll……!?” 

“Dolls were my only lifeline. My life was built by them.” 

Although she should be detested, Higoromo Hibiki could only sigh when confronting her. 

That is to say, she. Laying on a bed, while only controlling dolls, she climb all the way up to become the Dominion of the tenth region Malkuth. 

“Oh, but. Then, why……?” 

On the other hand, since she appeared like this, Hibiki also understood. She was powerless. As soon as a single bullet was fired, everything would be solved. 

“……Waiting for you.” 

Kurumi sighed. 

“Waiting, me?” 

Hibiki thought that she couldn’t understand this at all. Kurumi then fell down in front of the bed

where that girl was sleeping. 

The two dolls turned around, staring at her with a fearful but decisive expression. 

“I don’t bear any hatred at Doll Master. I feel a little angry about what she did, but when it comes to revenge, when it comes to killing, it’s far from reaching that level.” 

Higoromo Hibiki understood what Tokisaki Kurumi was asking for. 

“For me?” 

“Yes, if you want revenge, this trigger should be pulled by you. Because there’s no one else who has that right other than you.” 

She was robbed of her best friend. 

In order to achieve revenge, she completely disregarded her own life. 

Tokisaki Kurumi had only accidentally gotten involved in this matter. Because of being a temporary passing traveler, she herself had informed her of this. 

“Now, please prepare.” 

Kurumi softly held the gun in her hands. Then, Kurumi snuggled close to the girl as if covering a shroud over her. The shadows quickly loaded the gun. 

“After that, you just pull the trigger.” 

“Do as you wish.” 

Doll Master let out a small laugh. 

“Please, forgive her……please forgive her. If you want, you can destroy us as much as want.” 

“Please. Please stop! We’ll give you anything you want! Astral Dress, Sephira Crystal, anything! It doesn’t matter if you turn the tenth region into your territory. Realize your dreams however you want! My master swears! We will absolutely never oppose you again!” 

The two dolls desperately tried to convince her to stop. 

In the face of this desperate request Hibiki hesitated??she wanted to turn around but she steeled herself. 

A snicker resounded in her ear as Kurumi whispered. 

“……Is that so? Perhaps Doll Master isn’t so sinful after all.” 

“I have sins. Have. Please don’t misunderstand, Empty. It was my will to increase the number of dolls.” 

Doll Master proclaimed so with a dignified attitude. 

The fingers wrapping around the trigger were infused with more strength. 

Don’t say things words like that which incites hatred. I can’t help pulling it, I can’t help……!!

“Shut up Doll Master. Please don’t add extra ingredients to influence her judgement.” 

Gently, Doll Master smiled. 

That is to say, that girl knew keeping her current situation would have been the worst choice. 

“Kurumi-san, what is behind that doll??” 

“All of it has already stopped. It seems impossible to start up again. After all, it’s specifically fragments of the Sephira that have been shattered.” 

In that case, knocking down the remaining dolls??would that be the best revenge? 

“……Yes. If it was for the sake of revenge, this must be the right choice. It must be like this.” 

“Please shut up!” 

Her face felt hot, her fingertips cold, her entire body was shaking to the point it was difficult to aim well. 

“No matter which, both would be correct.” 

Kurumi whispered. 

That sincere whispered simmered and lingered in Hibiki’s chest. 

“Whether to pull this trigger or not, it is still likely to be her retribution. In that case, the most important thing is what your own feelings are. “ 

Let her fall into loneliness, let her taste despair. 

……It was a great choice. There wouldn’t be any Quasi-Spirits who would object to this. After all, how many Quasi-Spirits has she made into her friends by turning them into dolls? 

But. 

But, this was??why did she feel so strangely. 

“……I see. I feel sorry for you.” “By no means is it sympathy?”

“No, I sympathize with you. I feel pity for you from the bottom of my heart. You look sorrowful. But, because of that I have to pull this trigger.” 

“…..Isn’t that a contradiction?” 

“No, it’s not a contradiction. Because the way you are living now is painful.” 

So??she needed to end this already. 

Everyone was suffering and struggling, but even then they kept fighting. As the Dominion of the Tenth Region, that meant she had also had to fight.

With a body that couldn’t even move a single step, she manipulated the dolls to stay at that

height. Surely, it must have been painful and difficult. 

“I’ll pull the trigger with mercy.” 

“……Yes. You’re a bit annoying at the very end. But it can’t be helped.” 

The trigger was lighter than she thought, but the sound of the gunshot was loud compared to the sound of the impact. 

Guarded to her last doll, the light in her eyes faded as her eyelids closed. 

“I killed.” 

“No, you made a mistake. You sent her away. You sent her to the world she wanted to go, the

darkness that she wished for.” 

It couldn’t be like that, Hibiki fell breathless as she tried to refute. 

Illuminated by the morning sun, Doll Master’s face looked peaceful. 

It was like a child that had finally fallen asleep. 

Her memories left her confused. The hatred for her best friend, in order to kill her she was so bitter. But in the end, she achieved her long-cherished wish. 

However, there were strangely no regrets. Sadly, her heart understood that this was necessary. If it was her best friend, she would have done the same. She was sure of this. Since Hiriyu Yue was so kind, she would do this as well. 

She placed the gun down while squatting on the floor. Besides this, she couldn’t think of any

other way to vent out this feeling. 

Doll Master died. The tenth region Malkuth no longer belonged to anyone. 

But to it would take a little bit longer for Quasi-Spirits in this region to learn of this. 

Similarly, the dolls manipulated by Doll Master had all disappeared without exception. It would also take some time for this to be known. 

Higoromo Hibiki muttered foolishly to herself. “……Are we the only ones that survived?” “No, it seems like there’s one more person.”

As Kurumi said that, a large piece of rubble was thrown at her. Kurumi sighed as she kicked away the approaching debris. “How rude, Tsuan.”

“Ah, you’re still alive!?” 

Tsuan, with a confused look, inadvertently approached Kurumi, sniffing her like a dog. 

“……Um. Can you please stop that?” 

Kurumi turned her body with a look of disgust. 

“I’m surprised. Did you peel your skin and replace it?” 

Tsuan looked alternatively between Hibiki and Kurumi. Certainly, from her point of view,

Tokisaki Kurumi and Empty switched places while she fainted, so this wasn’t unreasonable. “How bothersome. Which one should I crush?”

Tsuan slanted her head. 

Somehow she looked like a golden retriever while slanting her head. Hibiki smiled??but after

thinking it over, this wasn’t anything worth smiling about. “Didn’t you admit defeat when you fainted, Tsuan-san?” “……But I still want to fight with you.”

Tsuan spoke as if unable to wait. 

“I’ve already experience one battlefield after the other, so the current situation is very unbearable. If you really want to, how about waiting a few more days for a fight?” 

“Guu……” 

Tsuan looked a bit distressed as she awkwardly asked Kurumi. 

“If I make an appointment……can you have a serious fight with me?” 

Kurumi smiled as she extended out her pinkie. 

“Yes, yes. Of course. You’ll see. It’ll be a good time.” 

Tsuan bashfully made the pinkie promise. 

(I will keep my promise, you have no idea.….) Only Hibiki alone saw the truth.

Quietly watching Tsuan set foot back home with a satisfied look, Kurumi put away her forced smile and sighed. 

“Ah, how depressing.” 

“It looks like you……really don’t want to keep that promise.” 

“Isn’t that natural? I’m not compatible with a sports department member like that.” “Is there anyone in this world that can get along with you?”

After Hibiki said that, Kurumi silently twisted her fist against her head. 

“Ouucch!? Sorry, sorry for running my mouth off.” 

“I’ll leave here sooner or later and probably won’t see Tsuan ever again.” “……Um. What does Kurumi-san want to do in the future?”

While feeling her aching head, Hibiki asked. 

“I have decided on what to do. I want to go back to the original world. What you all have

referred to the world beyond this world.” Kurumi’s mind had made its decision.

If she didn’t return to the original world, she wouldn’t be able to see that person. She wouldn’t

be able to see him, so she needed to go to him instead. It was just like that.

“Is that so……it’s a pity but it can’t be helped.” “Yes. Then, Hibiki, how do I get back?” 

“Eh?” 

Hibiki’s face looked stunned at Kurumi, while Kurumi also blankly stared back. “Um, sorry. Going back, I don’t have any memories of the world over there.” “Well, then in order to go back, what do I need to do?”

“How to do that……probably by being hot-blooded?” 

Hibiki lifted both of her hands in victory pose as if telling her to try her best. For this, Kurumi

didn’t hesitate to use both of her fists to twist against her head. 

“Ouuuuch!? I don’t know, I really don’t know! Besides, I wasn’t the one who brought Kurumi- san here! I found Kurumi-san fallen here! Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!” 

That was also true; Kurumi was convinced. Although she understood, the anger in heart wouldn’t

dissipate. Kurumi continued to drill against her head for five more minutes. 

“U-um! Even so, I have a few clues about the other world.” She stopped her fists upon hearing those words from Hibiki. “What is it?”

“Um. Since here is called the tenth region Malkuth, there are nine other remaining regions. There

is a rumor that the other world will draw closer the more you approach region number one.” “……That means.”

“Each region is ensured by its Dominion and there is little communication between each region. In the past, trespassing in these areas wasn’t so difficult……” 

“It’s difficult now, right?” 

“Yes. Anyway, in order to reach the first region, you’ll have to negotiate with each Dominion every time.” 

“Hmm……then just ‘negotiations” will suffice?” “You definitely don’t want to talk peacefully!?” “I consider dillydallying to be a pain in the neck.” Waving her old fashion pistol, Kurumi smirked. 

“U-um, let’s try it a little bit more peacefully. I will follow you!” “……Ha?”

Higoromo Hibiki corrected her posture as she cleared her throat with a cough. 

“My revenge is over. In other words, I have nothing left to do. But my Sephira Crystal is telling me to follow after Kurumi-san! 

With a faint look, Kurumi stared at Hibiki. 

“Didn’t you try to deceive me?” “D-deceive……”

“Didn’t you imitate my face, my voice, and deceived me through that?” 

“T-there’s no such thing……no, I’m sorry. That’s true. But to use my Unsigned Angel to create a substitute strips away the entire personality. You would have said the same things even if the positions weren’t reversed……no, it’s nothing!” 

“Such an unscrupulous person, should I really take you with me?” “Is that……a no? But I feel that I can come in handy……”

Hibiki’s voice was a bit timid, but she still didn’t look away from Kurumi. 

……Finally, it was Kurumi who made the compromise. “It’s bothersome. …..Well, I don’t mind if you tag along.” “Hooray!”

“But in return, you have to help me as well. Without further ado, how do you leave the tenth region Malkuth?” 

“No problem, I know where the exit to the tenth region is. But what I know is only the door to the ninth region.” 

“……Whatever, as long as we keep moving forward, there’s nothing better than that. So, who is the Dominion of the ninth region?” 

“About that……there’s only one thing that I know.” “What is it?” 

“In the ninth region, being able to sing and dance is the condition for a strong person. In short, you need to become an idol, Kurumi-san!” 

“I see, so singing and dancing is what defines strength there??no wait a minute, did you say

something outrageous just now?” 

“Now, let’s aim to be idols! Don’t worry, there’s no particular reason for this, but if it is Kurumi- san, you would make a natural idol!” 

“Please tell more about this! Idol!? Idol, you mean that kind of idol!?” 

Tokisaki Kurumi is a Spirit that control time and shadows. 

Falling into the neighboring world, there was only one thing left remaining after her memories were erased. 

Holding the feelings of a boy whose name she couldn’t even recall, she has to traverse through the neighboring world. 

She is in love. 

She is in love, a love that couldn’t be achieved or fulfilled. 

In the eyes of onlookers, this may seem very strange. 

They would say that it is foolish to risk her life on something that couldn’t be fulfilled. Even so, Tokisaki Kurumi??fell in love with that person.

So when someone asked her, “what is your dream?” she had the answer to that question. 

The wish of one day meeting that person again. That girl thought of that as she took a step forward.