Himeko stepped inside her room without a word. Her heels left faint, wet traces of blood across the marble. She dropped her keys on the counter. It was the only sound in the room besides the low whisper of the news feed that flickered to life on the television she now switched on. It spoke in Japanese.
"Breaking news tonight. A catastrophic explosion has destroyed the Toshiro family estate in eastern Tokyo. Authorities have confirmed sixty-two casualties, including the family's core members. Eyewitnesses report that the ground 'split open' moments before the explosion, followed by a series of screams. Police are investigating the cause but early reports suggest a deliberate act. Multiple calls moments from the family before the fire mention the name 'Himeko Toshiro' as the alleged perpetrator."
Himeko stood there. Her body was covered in blood. She blinked once and exhaled through her nose.
"Of course. Can't even burn down quietly in this city."
The faintest smile touched her lips. She unbuttoned her blouse slowly, letting it slide to the floor, and walked toward the bathroom. Inside, she turned the water on. The hiss of the shower filled the room. She stepped in, closed her eyes, and leaned her head back as the first burst of heat touched her skin.
The water ran clear at first, then turned pink, then red, tracing spirals down the drain. It didn't bother her. She just watched it move, fascinated by how easily something that had seemed so heavy moments ago could dissolve and vanish with enough heat and water pressure.
"Sixty-two people dead, huh? I thought it would be less."
Her voice carried no pride or regret.
Steam clouded the mirror. The city lights outside flickered through the haze and in that shifting glow she looked less like a criminal and more like a ghost who had finally remembered her name. She reached for the shampoo lazily, scrubbed through her hair, and chuckled under her breath.
"They'll probably build a statue for me online. Or a hate page. Both have good lighting. But either way, I should be glad that they are dead."
When she finally turned the shower off, the silence was immense. She stood still for a long time, a towel draped loosely around her shoulders. Her reflection fogged beyond recognition. Freedom didn't sound like she expected it to. It wasn't loud or triumphant. It was the silence of not waiting for the next order, the next insult or the next performance for people who never loved her.
After wearing a hoodie and shorts, she saw a holographic interface glowing in front of her.
[You actually did it, didn't you?]
She smirked as she began putting all her outfits in her system inventory. This was the first time she had ever talked to her.
"Yeah, I did."
She padded across the apartment, poured herself a glass of wine and sank into the couch. The news looped again, her name repeated in that same detached tone, but it all sounded far away now. Himeko tilted her head back and laughed quietly.
"I'm free. I'm finally... free."
She swirled the wine. For a moment she almost forgot which world she was in. She saw a white hologram forming words in front of her.
[Even though this scenario was a Trial construct, your actions were real. The Toshiro estate no longer exists. This is not an illusion.]
Himeko blinked, leaned her head against the couch cushion, and gave a low laugh.
"I know. Believe me Hinesia, I know."
She let the sentence hang. The holographic interface flickered to life again, the text cascading across the glass coffee table.
[Do you wish to return to Altera Earth?]
"Yes."
[Why? Or do you want to escape the police?]
She exhaled through her nose, set the glass down carefully.
"To escape the police? No. They can't kill me anyway. I want to go back because I actually have people there. I have friends. I have family. I have people there that don't use me as a brand. Back on Altera Earth, I'm an Egyptian princess. It wasn't perfect, but it was mine. Here… I've just been a trophy they polished until they got bored."
[If return access of the system is denied, what will you do?]
Himeko tipped the wine back, finished it, and sighed like someone finishing a long day rather than confessing treason.
"Then I'll take over this world. Simple. You and I both know the Flux Goddesses would hate that."
[I see.]
For once, the original Hinesia said nothing. Then, the light on the table shifted from white to blue, revealing that Hinesia wasn't there anymore.
[The Trial of Himeko Toshiro has been completed.]
[Status: Passed.]
[Reward: Primal Synsiline Treasure granted.]
[Additional request available. State your wish.]
She stood up, stretching lazily as she walked toward the bedroom. Her desk glowed with the pale blue of her gaming rig. Rows of cables coiled like vines, the screens showing the paused logo of Masquerade of Dreams Shattered. She crouched, tugged at the power cord until the machine powered down, and held the computer like a prize.
"I want this. I want to take it with me. And please make it work there in Altera Earth. Not just as code but as a game."
[That is a high-weight request. The architecture of Altera Earth differs fundamentally from your original world but it can be done. Are you certain?]
She smiled, brushing hair from her face.
"You asked me for a wish. This is it. If I'm going to survive MoDS, I need the game itself. I'll keep it hidden. Only Outers I trust will ever see it."
The light pulsed again, slower this time, as though the System were considering not just her words but her tone.
[Request accepted. Integration protocol in progress. Are you ready to return?]
She looked once more around the apartment. This was the last time she would ever see it again since the olive will take over it in seconds.
"Yeah. I'm ready."
[Confirmed.]
A single chime echoed. For a second she saw the reflection of herself in her bedroom window. She was calm, barefoot and holding her entire computer system like an artifact before everything folded inward. The sirens rose, the door burst open somewhere far away, but Himeko was already gone.