"It's Suigintou! Help me, someone help!"
The fleeing Hinaichigo was effortlessly caught in Suigintou's hand.
Suigintou grabbed the clothes at Hinaichigo's waist, lifting the small girl horizontally into the air.
Hinaichigo's pale, delicate, short limbs flailed wildly for a few seconds before her movements stilled sadly.
Could it be... her life was going to end here?
"Wah... Shinku, come save little Hina~"
Hinaichigo's limbs hung limply in the air. Her jade-green eyes welled up with tears as she sniffled, suspended aloft.
A scene enough to sadden any heart and bring a tear to any eye.
Alice Kuonji, who had been walking over slowly, gave Suigintou a helpless look.
"What did you do to her before?"
"Hmm..."
Holding Hinaichigo effortlessly with one hand, Suigintou tilted her head back, recalling past events.
A moment later, she had an epiphany and shook the Hinaichigo in her hand. "This dummy was super easy to find. I chased her for three days and three nights straight back then."
"If I'd had a Medium at the time, I would've taken her Rosa Mystica already."
After saying this, a somewhat fierce smile appeared on Suigintou's face, prompting an adorable whimper of terror from Hinaichigo, who was held right beside it.
"Eek—! Shinku! Frey! Come save little Hina!"
Frey? Was that Hinaichigo's current Medium?
As Hinaichigo's cries for help echoed, a dazed voice sounded from behind Alice.
"Umm... Let Hinaichigo go."
A girl in a school uniform stood behind the group. Her off-white long hair was tied up on the right side of her head. An impossibly long scarf, suspenders, and a fluffy lace bow made for an exceedingly cute appearance.
Besides that, a black wolfhound stood by her side. Judging from the armor on its right shoulder, it was an Automaton.
Suddenly the focus of attention from Alice and the others, the girl fearfully raised her hands in front of her chest, her whole body trembling like a little mouse.
Alice's gaze fell upon Frey's chest, and the gloves on the hands resting upon her ample bosom.
They were the same kind of gloves that Charlotte wore, the mark of those qualified to participate in the Night Party.
This timid girl was a Night Party participant?
Withdrawing her gaze, Alice waved a hand at Suigintou.
A soft thud sounded as Suigintou gently set Hinaichigo down on the ground.
Alice looked at Suigintou with some surprise, finding the latter meeting her eyes with a look that seemed to be seeking praise.
'So we're luring them in now, right? Being this gentle is fine, isn't it?'
Reading words to that effect in Suigintou's eyes, Alice nodded with satisfaction.
'Truly, Suigintou understands me perfectly.'
"Frey~!"
The moment her feet touched the ground, Hinaichigo's little legs immediately started churning, pit-a-pat pattering over to hide behind Frey.
Frey glanced at the returned Hinaichigo, blinked her red eyes, and bowed politely to Alice.
"...Thank you." After expressing her thanks, Frey turned to leave.
"Please wait a moment."
Alice's voice halted her departing steps.
Suigintou, who had been floating nearby, was suddenly picked up by Alice and placed in front of Hinaichigo.
Suigintou looked blankly at Hinaichigo, who let out an "eep!" and hid further away.
"It seems our Suigintou and your Hinaichigo are sisters of the same series."
Alice gently swayed the Suigintou she was holding as she spoke to the departing Frey. "How about letting the two sisters have a little reunion?"
She pressed slightly on Suigintou's back with her finger, and Suigintou immediately produced a kindly smile.
"That's right, I've missed you so much, Hinaichigo."
Hinaichigo's arrival brought her one step closer to becoming Alice.
The smile on Suigintou's face grew increasingly bright, even gaining a touch of sincerity.
Faced with this smile, Hinaichigo's trembling intensified.
"...Sisters?" The girl opposite looked somewhat at a loss, glancing at Hinaichigo, her tone becoming a bit firmer. "If you're family, you should come out and say hello properly."
Hinaichigo, hiding behind Frey, shivered and said, "I... I guess so?"
She peeked her head out slightly, only to snap it back again upon seeing Suigintou's smile.
"Are you really family?"
Seeing Hinaichigo's reaction, Frey took two steps back with Hinaichigo, asking doubtfully.
Alice helplessly pinched Suigintou's waist again, making her dial back that exuberant smile a few notches.
At the same time, she said in a slightly softer voice, "It's not just Suigintou. Shinku is with me as well."
Hearing the keyword 'Shinku,' Hinaichigo poked her head out again. "R... really?"
"Of course it's true." Seeing Hinaichigo willing to engage, Alice lifted Suigintou and slowly stepped forward.
"The Alice Game where we all fought each other has stopped now."
To keep Hinaichigo from getting scared, Alice subtly shifted Suigintou a bit to the side.
"Right, Suigintou?" Alice's voice was very gentle.
"Correct." Suigintou similarly softened her tone. "It's not just Shinku. Many of our sisters are living with us now."
Both the black and red pairs of pupils gazed gently at Hinaichigo.
"...Somehow it feels like Alice is committing a crime," Charlotte murmured extremely quietly into Sigmund's ear, watching Alice's current demeanor.
"Shh..." Sigmund immediately covered Charlotte's mouth.
Hinaichigo stared at Alice's smile, her fearfully scrunched-up features slowly relaxing.
Alice's gentle smile put her slightly at ease, and she stepped out from behind Frey.
Looking at the Suigintou who still hadn't attacked her, Hinaichigo tentatively accepted Alice's words.
She looked up and gently tugged on Frey's sleeve. "Frey... can we go see?"
Her teary, jade-green eyes were impossible to refuse, looking as if they would spill over with tears the moment she was denied.
"...Okay."
"Yay!" Hinaichigo jumped for joy, the prospect of reuniting with her sisters temporarily overshadowing her fear of Suigintou.
Yay.
Beautiful smiles bloomed simultaneously on the faces of Alice and Suigintou.
--+--
A sorrowful Suiseiseki was gripping a broom, cleaning the room.
Ever since she'd successfully pulled that prank on Suigintou, she'd been under close surveillance.
And because she had a record of instigating Suigintou's pranks, even Shinku was keeping a close eye on her.
Souseiseki was completely unguarded against her, but playing pranks on Souseiseki was no fun at all—nothing could startle her, and you'd only ever get a resigned smile in response afterward.
As for Kirakishou and Robin, she couldn't find any opening to target them at all.
Suiseiseki put down the broom discontentedly. She didn't dare mess with the higher-status Alice, and couldn't find suitable targets among the lower ranks.
"Is this the place?"
"It is~!"
The noise from outside the door snapped her out of her thoughts, and she hurried towards the entrance.
"Alice is back! Lunch is back!"
The hem of her emerald-green dress danced with Suiseiseki's steps, like a frolicking fairy from the woods.
Click.
The door opened.
"Suiseiseki!" Hinaichigo happily pounced on her.
Standing before Suiseiseki was a sister she hadn't seen in so long.
"Hinaichigo!" She cheerfully embraced Hinaichigo in return, a joyful smile appearing on her face.
The dolls hugged each other happily, the cheerful atmosphere making Alice unable to suppress a smile.
However...
She looked a bit strangely at the smile on Suiseiseki's face.
Why did it feel... this smile was a bit like Suigintou's?
Alice glanced in surprise at the Suigintou beside her.
This smile... could it be contagious?
--+--
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.