"Are you guys okay?"
After half an hour of unconsciousness, the defiant World Serpent duo finally stirred awake.
"Who am I? Where am I? What was I just doing?"
Unlike Gray Serpent, who remained silent and lost in thought, Miss Cioara dazedly posed the three ultimate questions of life.
"You're Island Blaster Raven. You're in Arc City. You're about to duel the Second Herrscher next to you. Go on, brave Raven, go create a miracle!"
Imhotep immediately seized the opportunity, fanning the flames as she looked at the listless Doll Sirin nestled in Benares's arms and the still-dazed Cioara.
-
"This toy doll is the Second Herrscher???"
Cioara's face was a textbook example of the expression: I may be uncultured, but don't you dare try to fool me.
"Hmph, it is I, the Queen! Mere humans, why haven't you prostrated yourselves—Eek!"
Before the smug little doll could finish her sentence, Raven, who had re-entered Berserk Mode, lunged at her as if she'd seen her father's murderer. She snatched Doll Sirin from Benares's arms before the dragon could even react, looking ready to strangle her on the spot.
"Haha, Bella! A stupid human is actually trying to strangle a doll that doesn't need to breathe! I'm looking at a real idiot!!"
Being choked by the black dodo didn't stop the little doll from speaking. She stared at the ruffled bird before her as if she were looking at a moron.
"Yep, that's the Second Herrscher's current body," Imhotep confirmed with a nod, clearly enjoying the chaos she'd stirred up.
"Does she bite?" Cioara suddenly remembered something and turned to Imhotep.
"No, but she'll hurt you in another way—"
Imhotep flashed a teasing smile, as if she had already glimpsed a certain future.
"Hey, human! A few months ago, Schicksal and its subsidiary insurance companies started tallying and distributing huge amounts of compensation and resettlement funds. Guess who didn't get any?!"
Doll Sirin, now clutched in Cioara's hands, began to reveal her highly aggressive nature.
"Who?"
Cioara, slow to react, stared blankly at the purple doll flailing wildly before her.
"You, of course—!"
The little doll let out her classic, three-part queenly laugh.
"..."
"See? She hurts you in other ways," Imhotep remarked with an amused expression, her prediction having come true.
"..."
"Ah, dear Raven, you can't keep dwelling on the misfortunes fate has dealt you. You need to enjoy the present, hmm... Let the past be the past—"
The girl sighed and shook her head helplessly as she watched Cioara, who hadn't heard a single word she'd said, once again get into a brawl with the little doll.
-
"...You seem to take great pleasure in teasing her, Your Excellency. And yet, you also provided her adopted daughter with a substantial sum of financial aid so she could house those orphans."
Gray Serpent watched Imhotep, who was sipping wine and observing the brawling pair, his tone laced with confusion.
"Ah... 'I am part of that power which eternally wills evil and eternally works good,' and I am but one of its currents—"
"So, Gray Serpent, what were you just thinking about?"
"If I could, I would never have allowed that painter lady into the Elysian Realm..." the man replied after a moment of contemplation.
"Ah, about that... Unfortunately, Old Ancestor Kevin already approved it long ago. Big Brother Kevin, who has no idea how to handle little girls, promised her she could go to a place called the Elysian Realm to meet new friends."
Leaning back on the sofa, Imhotep delivered news that made Gray Serpent's heart stop.
"...Then, Your Excellency, please be sure to notify me in advance on the day she arrives."
Gray Serpent's words froze in his throat.
"You might as well hope that Little Sirin's 'invincible Big Brother Kevin' will solve all your problems for you..."
"More than that, I'm still worried about Miss Griseo among the Flame-Chasers..."
"Heh heh, enough about that. Since Scummy Old Ancestor Kaslana actually screwed over his own descendants, don't blame me for screwing him over in return—"
The girl's tone was filled with the triumphant satisfaction of revenge finally served.
"Could you two please refrain from dragging the entire World Serpent into your personal grudges...?"
Gray Serpent felt his blood pressure, which had remained stable for millennia, about to spike to its highest peak.
"I don't care. Go tell that to your revered Sire Kevin. I'll bet you—he'll just ask which side you're on..." Imhotep retorted with a nonchalant expression.
"On this matter alone... I choose neutrality."
Barely recalling the feeling he'd had when he first saw that painting, Gray Serpent decisively chose to follow his instincts.
"Tsk, why isn't Kiana here yet? Don't tell me she got caught by the Arc City police...?"
Pushing the impending disaster in the Elysian Realm to the back of her mind, Imhotep began to wonder why a certain someone hadn't rejoined the group yet.
"Miss Benares—what do you think Kiana is doing right now...?" Imhotep asked the Dragon Girl, her voice filled with confusion.
"Hmm... Probably persuading and comforting her?"
Benares scratched her chin uncertainly and offered a guess.
"After all, back when we were being chased around the house like headless chickens, we were brutally honest about Miss Sirin's painting being very, very... uh, you know what I mean, right?"
"Comforting a child... Wait, does she even know how...???"
Imhotep suddenly realized something, her expression turning grim.
"As an Old Ancestor, Kevin's child-comforting skills were barely passable... and that's after he'd raised a child. Her father, Siegfried, had no clue how to comfort her at all—he even taught his own daughter how to pick up girls... By Kiana's generation..."
BOOM—
A tremendous explosion erupted outside the bar's window, drawing the attention of everyone inside. At the same time, the blare of alarms and the panicked screams of the crowd reached their ears.
"What the hell is that thing...?"
Even the usually composed Gray Serpent swore aloud—
An immense, grotesque creation hung in the sky—its form resembled a doll in a formal evening gown, suspended upside down from a massive, floating gear...
"...I know the other game had a crossover with Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but... did this Witch's Night wander into the wrong worldline???"
Imhotep did a spit-take, spraying the alcohol she'd just downed all over the place.
"Whatever. At least it's not some fat, green, octopus-like creature from the deep sea... Gray Serpent—lead the way! We're heading to Heliopolis Life Sciences' underground base!"
"I highly doubt Arc City's Guards, Schicksal's Valkyries, or that Ms. Island Bomber who couldn't even beat a doll can handle this thing—"
"...We're going to retrieve the Judgement of Shamash!"
"Immediately! Now! Right this instant! Everyone, move it—"
[White Blazing Cat, what new trick are you pulling on Little Sirin?]