"Master~"
The moment Alice stepped through the mirror, a little white bundle of cuteness flew straight into her embrace.
Kirakishou clung tightly to Alice, burying her face deep into Alice's chest.
Suigintou settled onto Alice's shoulder and continued poking Kirakishou.
Souseiseki and Suiseiseki, having no luggage to speak of, sat inside their own boxes floating along behind Alice.
Shinku brought up the rear, her expression shifting uneasily.
She stared at Alice's back, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke.
"...Alice."
"What is it?"
"Are you collecting Rozen Maiden?"
Alice's footsteps halted.
Not just Shinku, but all the other Rozen Maiden turned their gazes towards her.
'So I've been found out?'
'Well, it makes sense. I never exactly hid my actions.'
'Still, it's a bit embarrassing to be caught red-handed essentially luring these little dolls.'
Under their collective stare, Alice gave a slight nod.
"Why?" Shinku pressed further. "Both the theories you shared about the Alice Game, and now this... collecting us."
"Why are you doing all this?"
Shinku's fingers trembled slightly, but her tone remained firm.
She was afraid. If Alice got angry because she had laid her plans out in the open, there was little she could do to resist.
She had been so happy here with Alice, even living peacefully alongside Suigintou.
Alice was a wonderful medium... or so she had thought.
But now, Alice had actively invited Souseiseki and Suiseiseki, proving she was gathering the Rozen Maiden.
Surely, Alice would seek out more of their sisters in the future.
And then, that conversation Alice had with that Kuonji person about them and the Divine Machine... was that why Alice had approached them?
Sudden, unexplained kindness was the most untrustworthy, especially when it came from a powerful individual with unclear motives.
What did she truly want?
What if... what if Alice intended to harm them?
Shinku clenched the hem of her dress tightly.
If Alice meant them ill, she could at least warn the sisters who hadn't arrived yet.
If this was all a misunderstanding, then all the better. She would apologize, and beg for Alice's forgiveness no matter the cost.
Shinku didn't dislike Alice. That was precisely why she didn't want to have any regrets.
She wanted to ask clearly. She wanted to have this out with Alice.
"Alice... can you tell me? Why... why did you really approach us? Was it for that Divine Machinery?"
Her usually confident voice was now tinged with caution.
'Is she worried I'll harm her sisters?'
Seeing Shinku like this, Alice couldn't help but smile wryly.
'Well, when someone appears out of nowhere and treats you unconditionally well...'
'And then proceeds to try and collect all your sisters... it's only normal to be wary.'
'It's understandable, but being distrusted still stings a little.'
'In that case... it should be fine to get a little angry and be a bit forceful.'
"I have no interest in the Divine Machinery."
"The Alice Game you are currently participating in is flawed. Corrupted."
Alice's voice was calm.
"I believe Suigintou also mentioned it; the rules never stated the game had to be about combat, did they?"
"I don't wish to see such exquisite and beautiful dolls fighting and destroying each other."
Alice stared intently down at Shinku, who was looking back up at her.
"Just because of that..."
"If you don't believe that reason," Alice interjected before Shinku could finish, her words cutting through the air.
Under Shinku's stunned gaze, Alice adopted an uncharacteristically assertive stance.
"Then I have another reason." Alice crouched down, meeting Shinku's eyes.
"—I like you. I want to have you."
The forceful tone left Shinku flustered.
It wasn't just her; all the dolls present were thrown off balance by such a blunt declaration.
Alice placed a hand on Shinku's cheek and gave it a gentle pinch.
"Do you have any idea how thrilled I was when I found you all in my home?"
'Rozen Maiden... who wouldn't want to own one, if they knew about them?'
'And here I don't just have one, but seven!'
'Who wouldn't be excited?'
"Since you appeared in my home, that makes you mine."
"My possessiveness is quite strong, you know."
The witch's words echoed in the ears of every doll.
"Refusing is useless. You will all live here with me, happily and without complaint."
Alice continued to squish Shinku's face, molding her round cheeks into various shapes.
"After all, it's not like you can defeat me."
With that, Alice stood up, her demeanor seemingly returning to its usual cool composure.
Suigintou, seemingly dumbfounded by this first glimpse of Alice's other side, sat motionless on her shoulder.
"Exactly, exactly!"
Seizing the opportunity, Kirakishou shoved her older sister off the perch.
She happily settled onto the now-vacant shoulder, swinging her legs. "Being with Master is the best!"
"You just want a body, don't you?" Alice said with a resigned chuckle.
"Hehehe..." Kirakishou bashfully pressed her face against Alice's.
"It feels like being a princess forced into something in a fairy tale," Suiseiseki murmured, her cheeks flushed red as she shyly covered her eyes.
"Suigintou..." Souseiseki whispered, pulling the dazed Suigintou—who had fallen to the ground—to her feet. "Was our Master always like this?"
It took a moment for Suigintou to respond. "...No. I've never seen her like this either."
Hearing their conversation, Alice's cool gaze swept over them.
"What? Do you have a problem with that?"
Suigintou immediately shook her head. Even she didn't dare act disobediently in front of an Alice like this.
'Though,' she thought, 'this feeling isn't entirely bad.'
'Since she's the one who fixed me... I can afford to be a little tolerant.'
Fluttering her wings, Suigintou rejoined the battle for shoulder territory.
Shinku, her cheeks still bright red, looked up at Alice with her large eyes, puffing out her cheeks in a slight pout. "You're so forceful."
"Do you dislike it?"
Shinku shook her head, her mood finally lightening.
Alice had truly been very good to them. So... she wanted to try and believe in her.
Slowly, she raised a hand to her neck.
With great care, she unpinned the brooch from her ribbon.
She held it out preciously to Alice. "I want to trust you, Alice."
"Thank you." Alice accepted the brooch and tucked it carefully into her bosom.
The atmosphere warmed, returning to its previous state.
"Speaking of which," Alice began, as if remembering something, "if the game rules never specified the content, why did you all start fighting?"
The relaxed mood instantly froze.
Suigintou, who had just spread her wings, slowly folded them back and tried to silently slink away.
But several pairs of large eyes followed her every move.
Kirakishou also joined her sisters in staring intently.
Cornered, Suigintou nervously clutched her skirt, beads of sweat beginning to form on her forehead.
'Oh ho.'
Seeing this, Alice understood everything.
She pinched one of Suigintou's tiny wings. "You and I will have a nice, long chat later."
"Wait, wait, wait! I can explain! With only one spot available, were we supposed to just play house instead of fighting?"
"Why not?"
"Huh?"
"Even if there's only one winner, fighting isn't the only way to decide it, is it?"
"..." Suigintou fell silent and turned her face away.
'If you don't fight, if you don't struggle, who would willingly sacrifice their own life for someone else?'
She found it hard to believe.
Just then, a pair of slightly cold hands touched her cheeks.
She looked up. The black-haired girl was gazing calmly at her.
Her expression held the usual hint of chill, but Suigintou could detect a certain softness in it now.
'...Well, since Alice plans to gather all the Rozen Maiden anyway, I'll just wait until she's collected them all and then take them all out in one go.'
'I'll definitely make my move then.'
'Definitely.'
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.