Perhaps in direct combat, I am far superior to your forces.

After a long descent, the elevator finally stopped. Then Stelcis stepped out.

As Iberis was pushed along in the wheelchair, the entrance to what seemed to be a pure white operating room came into view. The surrounding light was intense. Iberis blinked a few times and then glanced up at Stelcis beside her.

"Wait… what do you mean by Original Nightmare? Are you guys coexisting with Nightmare?"

However, Stelcis made no answer to that, instead smiling serenely and directing the men and women around her. As they operated, the air c̲o̲c̲k̲ of the room opened and the door moved slowly with the sound of air escaping.

Inside was a blank white space. The only sound was that of the air conditioning, and there was a single bed made of pipes in the center of the room. Nothing else was visible.

The door slammed… and shut behind them, and Iberis and Raffi looked at each other uneasily. Nothing can be felt. Yes, there was "nothing" in the room.

Yet, as Stelcis silently approached the bed, she called out to someone in a quiet voice.

"… Don't be so frightened. These two are my own kind."

There was no reaction. After waiting for a while to confirm it, Stelcis lightly put her hand on her chin and contemplated.

"… This is troubling… It seems that I have frightened you more than I expected."

"I can't see or feel anything. We're the only ones in this room." Raffi told her in a reproachful manner. Then he continued in a stern tone. "Did you deceive us…?"

Iberis shushed him as she stared at Stelcis with narrowed eyes and took a breath before saying. "… Frightened you? What do you mean by that?"

"It is fine with you, Iberis. As you can see, you are a doppelganger just like me. But… Raffi."

"…?"

Stelcis fixed her gaze straight on Raffi, who cast a skeptical look at her.

"You are not an 'ordinary Nightmare' are you?"

Raffi's face turned grim as he halted for a few seconds being addressed to that. Looking down at the black cat, who was gritting his teeth, Iberis asked.

"Ordinary…?"

"'She' has told me that she senses abnormal readings from Raffi. She has no intention of having a dialogue unless you can explain the cause."

"No intention…? Isn't it she who wanted to speak with us?" Folding her arms, Iberis snorted. "If you wish to play charades, I'll be your partner as much as you like…"

"I apologize if I offended you. But I want you to understand. The reason I invited you here is so that you can explain the situation and we can verify it with our own eyes. And…"

A group of men and women dressed in white clothes detached themselves from Iberis and Raffi and surrounded them in a circle. Each of them took out a large stun gun from their pockets and aimed it at Iberis and Raffi.

"It's also to allow me to personally assess the danger you pose."

"… So that's what this is all about after all." Iberis, completely unfazed, held Raffi on her thigh with her hand before laughing mildly. "Well, I always knew there is nothing scarier than free stuff."

"Raffi. There's something you haven't shared with us yet, isn't there? 'She' informed me that there are certain things that don't match with your series of explanations…"

Disregarding Iberis, Stelcis turned to Raffi. Not knowing exactly what she was talking about, Raffi raised his face and gnashed his teeth on Iberis' thigh.

"There is no such thing. I am…"

The men and women around them simultaneously removed the safety of their stun guns and elevated their firing points.

"There is one thing I'd like to point out but…" Stelcis said indifferently, with a doll-like smile plastered on her face. "I also possess a Bandersnatch in my body."

"…"

Raffi swallowed the words he was about to say. Offering him a slight smile, Stelcis narrowed her eyes.

"And perhaps in direct combat, I am far superior to your forces."

Iberis scowled and glared at her. "… I don't like what I'm hearing. You think you're stronger than us when you've been hiding out in a place like this?"

"It's the truth after all." She said it casually, as if it was a trivial matter, and continued calmly. "I don't want to kill you if I can help it. I'd prefer it if we could be on friendly terms."

"…"

"So I've taken this step in order to get Raffi to tell us the whole story."

"That's a nice threat. Shall we test it? Let's see who's stronger." Iberis, too, with a snarling straight face plastered on her face, provoked Stelcis. The rainbow-colored fluctuation began to gather on her legs.

"… Go ahead," Stelcis said, tilting her head lightly. That was the moment when Iberis' legs were about to move, fluttering her skirt.

"Stop it, Iberis. There is no merit in fighting here at all." Raffi halted her with a strained voice. Iberis, who was on the verge of attacking her, ceased her movement and caught her breath.

For a few seconds, Iberis and Stelcis stared at each other. Raffi made sure Iberis sat back down in the wheelchair, then stood on the floor and turned to Stelcis.

"… Okay. I'll tell you everything I know. So, please let go of the device in your hand."

After being told to do so, Stelcis raised the mobile device she was holding as if to conceal it with a smile on her face.

"You've noticed…?"

"I don't think you're working to eliminate just us. It's a very obvious response to have Alice and Philrain as hostages in case something unexpected happens." Raffi said dispassionately. Stelcis let out a breath and put the mobile device in her pocket. Then she fluttered her hands towards Raffi.

"… Are we clear on this…?"

"Iberis has nothing to do with this subject. Would you mind putting the gun down as well?"

When Raffi said this, Stelcis directed her gaze to the men and women around her. They lowered their stun guns and moved away from Iberis and Raffi.