After dinner, the Kuonji residence grew rather quiet.
The mistress of the house was seated in the sunroom on the first floor, so the dolls didn't dare make too much of a racket.
Alice propped her cheek idly in her hand, fiddling with a chess piece.
On the table before her lay the Second Ticket, placed sideways like an ordinary mirror, reflecting her delicate profile.
"Alice, we're heading up now." After clearing the dishes, Souseiseki bid Alice goodnight and pulled Suiseiseki upstairs.
Shinku, about to head up herself, glanced at Alice.
Lately, Alice had been spending a lot of time sitting down here. When she wasn't around, Suigintou would take her place keeping watch.
Shinku had asked about it once. Their reply was, 'We're waiting for a kind soul to bring us gifts.'
No matter how many times she asked after that, the answer remained the same.
'Probably just playing some game,' Shinku shrugged and headed upstairs.
'I'll read for a bit and then turn in.'
Once the other dolls had gone up, Suigintou crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, bored. "Nothing again toda—"
Before she could finish, ripples suddenly spread across the surface of the Second Ticket, and numerous figures appeared within the mirror.
At the same time, from another mirror leaning against the wall, white thorny vines emerged.
Two vines intertwined in the air, sketching out a large ? heart shape.
Seeing the signal, Alice's lips curved into a slight smile.
'Finally.'
She casually placed the chess piece onto the Second Ticket and walked towards the full-length mirror by the wall.
Suigintou, who had just been complaining of boredom, immediately grew tense.
She followed behind Alice, fidgeting slightly.
Alice stroked the white thorns and asked the doll behind her.
"Are you sure you want to follow?"
"Of course."
Even with her nervousness, Suigintou's voice was unwavering.
"Alright."
With that, Alice stepped into the mirror.
Suigintou spread her wings slightly and followed.
--+--
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft golden glow upon the sea.
Three warships slowly approached an island. On the deck of one, a figure stood gazing at the distant landmass.
"Hey, Yamamoto, what are you doing?"
A voice suddenly called out behind him, and a rough hand clapped him on the shoulder.
"It's you, Mizuguchi." Yamamoto brushed Mizuguchi's hand off dismissively and continued looking towards the island.
"We're about to go ashore. This is the final rehearsal, right?" Mizuguchi continued, unbothered.
"Yeah. The formal exchange with Her Majesty's forces is tomorrow. We'll be setting up camp here tonight."
"Strange, why they'd pick this timing."
"Shh... Don't say that. This is a private, unofficial exchange. Can't exactly be public about it."
Finished, Yamamoto glanced around and leaned in close to Mizuguchi's ear. "Between you and me, Oborofuji is something else."
"Agreed. But why's she have to be so cold? Couldn't she be a bit cuter?"
"Wanting a killing machine to be cute? That's disgusting."
"Screw you."
The two soldiers joked around playfully.
Woo—
A steam whistle sounded, and the playful figures immediately stilled.
Mizuguchi patted Yamamoto's shoulder and headed towards the assembly point.
"Time to hit the island. Let's go."
"Right."
The sun vanished completely beneath the waves, and night fell.
With the rumble of engines, small boats drew near to the island.
The boats cut through the waves. Many soldiers stood unsteadily inside, chattering about something.
Among them, a sharp-eyed officer, roughly in his thirties or forties, sat motionless in the center with his eyes closed, meditating.
He seemed utterly deaf to the discussions around him.
Oborofuji stood expressionlessly before him.
A few seconds later, the boat gently halted.
The officer's eyes snapped open, and he disembarked in one fluid motion.
His heavy military boots thudded onto the sandy beach. The sound of dense footsteps echoed along the shore.
The officer led the way inland, followed by a steady stream of boats landing on the island.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the foliage, dappling the grass. Leaves rustled in the treetops, as if whispering to one another.
The once peaceful forest felt unnervingly eerie for some reason.
As the officer stepped onto the grass, near a distant pond, a single white rose slowly retracted beneath the water's surface.
The officer stood on a relatively flat patch of ground and addressed the soldiers behind him.
"We camp here tonight. Ensure there are no other unauthorized personnel on the island."
He cast a glance around. "If you find anyone... eliminate them."
--+--
Boom—
Near the soldiers' camp, a series of thunderous crashes erupted as something heavy slammed into the earth.
The officer stretched a hand towards Oborofuji, channeling magical energy.
As the mana surged, the towering trees nearby began to shrink and compress.
The sound of splintering wood echoed on all sides.
The magical glow intensified. The next instant, several large craters suddenly appeared around Oborofuji.
Inside lay trees, completely flattened.
The watching soldiers let out gasps of astonishment.
The officer nodded in satisfaction, then gestured towards one soldier.
Seeing this, the soldier immediately reached for his hip.
He raised a pistol and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger aimed at Oborofuji.
Bang—
Fire spat from the muzzle.
The bullet shot towards Oborofuji, cutting through the air.
The officer clenched his fist sharply, and mana erupted the next moment.
The bullet, still in flight, was instantly crushed to the ground by immense gravity.
It spun weakly twice in the dirt before falling silent.
"POWER! FUL!"
Even louder cheers came from the surrounding soldiers.
The officer smiled with satisfaction.
He clapped his hands, dusting off the grime from his fingers.
The dust hung around him for a long moment, refusing to disperse, like a thick fog.
No, it wasn't just similar. It seemed a real fog was rolling in.
Fog on an island was perfectly normal. Paying it no mind, the officer turned to several soldiers holding clipboards.
"Oborofuji is functioning perfectly."
He looked at the devastation Oborofuji had wrought and sighed with feeling. "Such a powerful weapon. No human heart, absolute obedience to orders."
"I almost want to take her home and keep her for myself."
"I think so too."
A voice, beautiful and clear like a birdsong, sounded by his ear.
Impossible! There were others on this island?!
"Who's there?!" The officer's dark pupils contracted sharply. He immediately looked around, searching.
In the distance, a figure clad in black descended onto a tree branch, accompanied by the clear, crisp sound of a small bell.
Alice stood poised on the branch, steady on her toes.
The girl's gaze was fixed on Oborofuji, standing in the center of the clearing.
She offered the officer not a single glance.
--+--
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!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.