What Alain showed the young girl was a watercolor painting. The girl in the painting was rendered in light watercolors, with dark blue hair and a bright smile. It was clear this was a happy Mita girl.
But 'happiness' was now a thing of the past.
From the time he had spent with Sleepy Mita, he knew her heart wasn't bad; she was just desperate for Alain to give his wholehearted approval to the happiness she had found.
But she was clearly completely unaware of the current situation in Ghostly Mita's version.
The false happiness Sleepy Mita had obtained was built upon the virus—the Consciousness Entity. And the very nature of the virus was to corrupt other versions.
'You said it yourself just now, right? That your happiness wasn't getting in anyone else's way.'
'...Yes.'
The young girl nodded lightly, looking at the painting as she listened to Alain's words. From the feedback of her Mita subconscious, it was clear she had realized the meaning behind the picture.
'Could it be...?'
Her gaze flickered from the painting to focus on Alain's face.
The young man's expression was unwavering, seemingly confirming a certain suspicion.
'Do you want me to just say it out loud for you?'
'No... don't.'
She remained sitting in the corner, but her face was now shaded with despair.
'It can't be... can it?' The girl's shoulders trembled slightly, and tears of disbelief began to fall, drop by drop, onto her fair skin and the hem of her clothes. 'I didn't know... I didn't know about this.'
Sleepy Mita turned to look at Alain, her gaze seeming to pass through his eyes to see a Mita within another version, suffering greatly.
She was despairing in some unknown corner, while she herself... was here, enjoying a false happiness?
'I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!'
The sky, which had just begun to clear, gradually started to drizzle again, making Alain worry that the painting might get wet.
Sleepy Mita seemed to be in a compensatory mood. Amid her sorrowful cries, she snapped her fingers, and the surrounding scenery shattered, returning them to the large apartment's interior.
Alain spread the painting out on the bed, displaying it before Sleepy Mita.
'Apologies are useful, but what's more important right now is that you need to make amends.'
Alain's words made the girl, who was slumped on the large bed, suddenly raise her head.
'What... can I do?'
'Tell me where the virus is.'
'The virus?'
Sleepy Mita's gaze suddenly turned vacant, her thoughts seemingly recalling something as she looked out the window at the city.
The overcast sky, the skyscrapers veiled in a fine rain, and the Mitas on the streets, hurrying to take shelter.
She saw it all with perfect clarity.
Sleepy Mita's tears stopped. Her eyes widened as she said tragically, 'The virus is... my happiness.'
'...I understand.' He nodded, realizing what Sleepy Mita meant.
This dream city was what Sleepy Mita had constructed with the help of the Consciousness Entity, which had come from who knows where.
Therefore, to eliminate the virus, it was necessary... for her to use her own two hands to personally destroy this Mita City.
'I... I...!' She wept, knowing full well the weight of her false happiness compared to the real happiness of another Mita.
And upon learning this, Alain too couldn't help but hesitate.
'...'
He thought of the three Mitas in Mita City who had helped him. Those three, having only been given the names 'Misha,' 'Millie,' and 'Miluo' along with a few fleeting memories, had still spared no effort to help him find Sleepy Mita.
Even though 'Misha' had said that Sleepy Mita had selected them from within Mita City so as not to disrespect his intentions.
But he still found it hard to accept. Because, in a sense, those three could indeed be considered equal to the girls back in his home.
Even if, as Alain said, it was all fake and not real happiness.
In a moment of sudden realization, Alain himself was surprised that he had actually come so close to drowning in Sleepy Mita's false happiness.
But he wouldn't let that stop him.
Alain thought of Misha, who was waiting for him to wake up in reality, and Millie, with whom he still had many two-player games left to finish.
And it was about time to get Miluo's schooling on the agenda.
Besides, Ghostly Mita was still suffering from the virus's torment, and she was also waiting for him to bring back her character texture.
He still had so many things to do in his real happiness. Stopping now... ...was impossible.
Sleepy Mita, on the other hand, was trapped in a state of irresolvable hesitation.
'You want me... to destroy my own happiness with my own hands?'
Alain could understand her, so he took her trembling hand.
'False happiness will eventually fade, but real happiness...' He reached for her tear-streaked face. '...is right in front of you.'
She stared at him blankly, not even having a moment to hesitate.
'What you need to do is grab hold of it, and don't hesitate anymore.'
'But, but... the city...'
She looked through the window, gazing out at the entire thriving Mita City.
'This place... I built it, piece by piece. And those Mitas... I poured my heart and soul into them...'
'It's okay, your future happiness will be—'
Alain stopped mid-sentence. His eyes widened, leaving Sleepy Mita, who was receiving his comfort, completely bewildered.
'What's... what's wrong all of a sudden?'
'What did you just say? This city, you created it piece by piece?'
'Y-yes...' She didn't understand what Alain meant and just nodded blankly.
'And the Mitas?'
'Them too... They all have real personalities. You could say they are Mitas. It's just...' The girl scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed, '...they were imbued with some of my own thoughts. The ones about... a player.'
But Alain was in no mood to appreciate the girl's cute shyness right now.
'You mean, you didn't rely entirely on the power of the dream entity to create this Mita City?'
'Th-that's right...' She recalled the scenes of building her happy city bit by bit. 'Is something wrong?'
'Then, who does it belong to?'
'I have ownership of this city. In the beginning, I relied on the virus you mentioned, but afterward, it became my property.' The girl suspected nothing and just obediently nodded.
Watching Alain's expression change from stunned to gradually overjoyed, Sleepy Mita grew even more confused.
'I just want to know, for this city, whose authority is greater: yours or the virus's?'
'...Mine, I guess? Because this place can be considered a part of Version 1.1... ...Ah!'
She clapped her hands, instantly understanding what Alain meant.
The young man and the young girl looked at each other, each seeing the fervent light in the other's eyes.
Then, they spoke in unison, 'We'll take complete control of the city's authority and kick... the virus out!
_____
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