Mmmm.

　On the first floor of the inn, Kanade looked gloomy.
　She was looking out the window in a daze, with her cheekbones in place.
　His tail was wobbling...wobbling...and occasionally wagging as if he remembered.

'What's up, Kanade?'

　Tina came down from the second floor, thumping the stairs with a thumping sound.
　She noticed Kanade in a daze and moved closer.

'Hmmm ... what a haze.'
Was Lane's husband having an affair with you?
'Rain wouldn't do that!
Oh.

　Kanade bang-bang-bang on the table, showing a huge reaction.
　Tina, who was only going to tease him a bit, is surprised by Kanade's reaction.

'Rain would never do that!
Oh, I'm sorry. I just wanted to tease you, but I didn't expect Rain's husband to do something like that.
f*ck it.

　Kanade puffed out his cheeks while

'Mostly, I don't know how long it took Rain to realize how we felt. You can't have an affair with Rain like that.
...What a terrible thing to say. Well, I can't deny it, but...

　They had a strange trust in Rain.

''So ... why do you look so melancholy?''
Hmmm....

　Kanade spun the words one by one while wagging her tail with a twitch.

''How ... strange?''
Strange?
Well, let's say I have a fish in front of me, right?
You really like fish......so?
My excitement was at an all-time high with my favorite fish in front of me. You can grill it or eat it raw. I'm just trying to enjoy it as it is... and then I think, 'Is this real fish? Is this a real fish?　And...
What's that?
I don't understand it either.
We don't know more about...

　Kanade let out a sigh, and Tina let out an exhale as well, following suit.

　As it was, an indescribable air flowed...
　Suddenly, Kanade turns serious.

'We're........happy now, aren't we?
Yeah.
But you know, I have a feeling there's something different about it.
....

　Tina remains silent.
　That's because she felt something in Kanade's words........
　Because I couldn't stop thinking about it.

"I'm happy, but I'm happy, but I'm a little hazy. I feel like I'm forgetting something...I'm not sure if it's really worth it.
Well as a matter of fact, I was thinking something similar.

　It all started when I talked to Rain.
　At that point in time, I started to feel some kind of discomfort.

　What is that like?
　I can't explain it specifically, but...
　My chest is buzzing and I'm not sure I can keep it up.　The other me seemed to be appealing to him.

'Mmm,'
'So Kanade and Tina were thinking the same thing as Sora and the others.
Oh, Sora.
Luna and Tania.

　As they were thinking, Sora, Luna, and Tania appeared in a new place.
　The three of them seemed to be thinking about the same thing, and each of them talked about their thoughts.

'I can't put it into words well but I feel terribly unsettled. You could say that the world has deceived me, but I can't recognize the reality in front of me as reality. There is a disconnect.
'I have no idea what my sister is talking about but how I feel like I'm dreaming. It doesn't feel real.
Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. I didn't care for it at first, but now I don't know why I don't care for it at all.

　What does this mean?
　We all groan and think about it.
　But no answer is forthcoming.

　It feels like we're one step closer...
　The last step doesn't work.
　The strange, uncomfortable feeling of having a small bone stuck in my throat won't go away.

　It's not going to go away....
　I was one of the girls, after all.

I'm home.

　Nina and Rifa came back to the inn.
　When they saw them, Kanade and the others looked at them, oh?　I think.
　I don't see Nina's mother and Carus, who were supposed to be out for a walk together.

　Are they acting separately?
　I think about that, but when I see the expressions on their faces, I know it's not the same.

　Nina and Rifa........looked like they were about to cry.
　But they don't feel like it's hard or sad.
　It's as if their tear glands were unintentionally loosened by touching old fond memories.......
　That's what you look like.

'Nyah ... Nina, Rifa. What's wrong?
My mother isn't here.
Your brother's gone, too.
Meow?　What do you mean?
'It's not like we're... separated, is it?　Um... what do you mean by that?

　After a short pause, Rifa answers Tania's question.

'We are...'



----------



　How much do you think it is now?
　I think I've climbed quite a few floors, but I still can't get to the top.

'Miss Lane, are you feeling strong?'
Yeah, that's not a problem.

　He has the strength he got from making a contract with Kanade, so he's not a problem when it comes to physical strength.
　Iris is also using the wings on her back to move halfway around, so she won't be too tired.

''It's just.......as expected, it's a pain in the ass to deal with this many.''
Well I hope you'll be able to put an end to this for good.

　The physical fatigue is still fine.
　However, the mental fatigue is tougher in its own way.

　The fight has been going on for a long time, forcing me to concentrate for long periods of time...
　My mind felt worn out.

　Is Alpha-san creating a demon?
　Or....or has he joined forces with a third force?
　I hope it's the former, but it's called optimistic hope, and it's probably the latter.

''Oh, we've found another transition gate.

　I climbed the stairs and found a transition gate that connected space to space.
　It was wavering like a mirage, and demons were showing themselves from it.
　It must have been left behind by a third party in the form of a trap.

''Go away.''

　Iris waved her hand, and the transition gate disappeared along with the demon.
　It seems that with the application of summoning magic, it's possible to interfere with the transition gate and erase it.

''This is the fifth...............................It's really tricky.
But I think we're getting closer, step by step.

　In fact, the number of demons had been decreasing.
　It can't be called zero, but compared to when I started climbing the tower, it's less than half of what it was when I started climbing the tower.
　A certain amount of fatigue is building up, but........
　That should have put the enemy on the back foot.

Is it about time for the end of the line?
I hope so, but I don't think we're going to get there easily.
Oh, is that a flag?
'I didn't mean to, but...'
''But since you say such a thing, Rain-sama, it seems that a new enemy has appeared, doesn't it?

　The sound of tapping down the stairs.
　The sound of three footsteps, not one, but three.

　There was a slight one, and the one who showed up was....

'Millefeuille?　And chocolates and ... chiffon!