Chapter X: The Truth About this Story – The Ice Coffin Who Bring Forth a New Story – Part I

At the outskirts of the lower ring, there was a park. Here people usually come to look at beautiful scenery, the sea of clouds into which the sun was now diving, only to reappear the next day. One could see flying ships docking or undocking at the different ports, but also the big ring circling the city.

Standing atop stone stairs, her hairs floating with the wind, Alexandra looked at the scene which was new to her. As an upper ringer, she never went outside of the central part of the city, protected by big walls and surelevated in comparison to the peripheral area or lower ring.

"So that is the so-called sea of clouds, huh? It is not that impressive." Alexandra said.

"Maybe so…" Shogo replied, standing next to her.

"So? What did you want to talk about?"

Shogo shrugged, "Where should I start? Ah yes… Why not by 'master is manipulating you'?"

Alexandra crossed her arms and moved her lips forward, "Master? You mean N— hmmmmm?!!"

Shogo suddenly put her hand on Alexandra's mouth. 

"Listen," she whispered, "just call her 'master', will you? If you use her real name, she will appear here and you will die. In fact, WE will die."

"Pardon?" Alexandra asked once Shogo's hand left her mouth.

"As I said, she has been manipulating you ever since you met her. No, even before maybe. When she realized you were the main character, she thought she had to take measures against you. She modified your brain so that you would be in admiration with her whatever she does. Additionally, she made you emotionally dependent on her house, which is why you can't even think about leaving it. Even that crest was done at that moment. When you woke up, I tried to make you afraid thinking that the stress would make you run away, but it didn't work. Later, she modified my brain too so that I can't—"

"Wait, Wait, Wait! What are you talking about?! What is this story about Nya modifying my brain, and me being the—"

A shiver ran down Alexandra's back. As soon as she mentioned the name of that woman, she started hearing footsteps coming behind her. It could be anyone, but for some reason, she was convinced it was…

"Oh-ho? So this is where you two were hidden?"

That voice, it couldn't be anyone but Nya. Alexandra turned around and behind her, the towering woman in black Victorian era maid outfit. On her face lit by the sunset, was a little smile while her cold blue eyes stared at the two girls.

Shogo seemed as emotionless as usual, but Alexandra saw that her fingers were trembling.

When Nya came close enough, she raised her hand toward Alexandra who reflexively jumped backwards. Nya's smile disappeared, leaving only a puzzled expression. "What is wrong, girl? There was a butterfly on your head. I just tried to catch it."

"Eh?"

Indeed, on Alexandra's head, was a white butterfly, standing on her peculiar strand of hair. Quickly, it flew over to Nya and landed on her head. "Hm? Why would you do that my winged friend?" Nya asked, catching the butterfly with her fingertips.

The woman eyed the insect a second before eating it.

"Anyway, I heard that you threw my shopping bags so I thought something happened between you two," Nya said, turning around. "If you are okay, come back. Seeing you, I guess you fought again. It is good to have energy, but try not to kill yourselves!"

On those words, the woman disappeared again.

Between Alexandra and Shogo, there was another silence. The latter touched the former shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Please, act as naturally as possible. I will explain everything once we are alone."

Shogo then proceeded to follow the woman's steps. Alexandra stood there, paralyzed. 

"What in the world just happened?"

***

Lost in the district's streets, Alexandra walked without really knowing where she was going. She wanted to ask the people there for directions, but nobody answered. They just preferred to lie on the ground for no specific reason. The streets were filled by a deafening silence only broken now and then by the noise of automated machines in the factories. 

Shogo's words troubled her greatly.

At first, she dismissed it as a ploy to scare her and make her run away from her saver, but a few things didn't add up. She ignored many weird things around her for reasons that escaped her. First, she was sure she didn't ask for the woman's name, but somehow, when shopkeepers uttered it earlier she instantly knew it was hers. She didn't deduced it was, she JUST KNEW.

It could be thanks to the slavery crest since those things were supposed to mess with the slave's brain, but even then, why did she accept so easily to become the slave of an unknown woman? The only explanation that came to her mind was "because she is a fellow bibliomancer"

But that was wrong…

She didn't ask for the woman's name even though a name is an important thing for bibliomancers. She didn't ask for it and gave hers without a second thought. A doll… did… something to her twice in that house, but she didn't warn her owner because of her so-called pride, but later, she threw said pride to serve that exact same owner. 

And then, there was the fact that more or less everyone in the district knew about her. Why was that?

Looking up, she found herself in front of Nya's clinic. Somehow, she succeeded in coming back here without any help. 

Alexandra gulped loudly. With all her earlier thoughts, this place now looked ominous under the sun's red light. Is this really where she had to stay? She could run away now, couldn't she? She could try to find that red eyed girl and take Zazzera's invitation from her… 

Surely, being a dog was better than being dead, wasn't it?

Alexandra shook her head and sighed, "Yeah right, as if I would believe something like that."

That doll really made her doubt herself, but all those points could be explained simply: Alexandra was just an obstinate person. She didn't want to lose to that doll even though she was confused. It was that confusion and her admiration toward Nya who fueled her decision to become that woman's slave. In fact, it was advantageous, since she was protected from slave traders that way.

That was the only reason. 

Alexandra thought about her interest first, there was no place for any "brain modification" in that. Well, there was still that thing about her body suddenly becoming mad with horniness which didn't add up, but that was probably because she didn't have the full explanation yet. There was probably a really good reason for that too.

***

"Um, good afternoon~..." Alexandra weakly said as she entered the clinic. 

Around the table was Nya reading a book with a cup of tea in front of her. Shogo was there too, sitting across Nya, back to the entrance. 

"Oh, here you are. Take a seat, please. We will have dinner soon." Nya said without taking her eyes off her book.

Alexandra nodded and sat two chairs away from Shogo.

"Oh-ho? I thought you two finally became friends after all the bonding you had today." Nya commented.

"As if I could be friends with a doll," Alexandra replied, letting herself fall on her chair. "And what 'bonding' are you talking about? We fought to… um… well… we fought, didn't we?!"

"But you went on a date at the outskirts together, though."

Alexandra eyes narrowed, "Don't joke like that please! Who in his right mind would go on a date with a doll?!"

"You kissed too."

"That… That is different!!! And you know about that kiss?!!"

"I even know about your dinner yesterday. It sure is nice to be young!" Nya teased.

"Ah, that doll sold me, huh?"

Alexandra sighed.

Of course that doll was just trying to scare her. She even bought it for a second! What an embarrassment…

"Well, listen here, master. Yesterday night, that doll was touching herself thinking about you! That is prosperous don't you think?!"

"Um… I must admit I can really imagine it."

"My point! Such insolence is… huh…?"

While talking, Alexandra accidentally peeked at Shogo. The doll was silently sitting on her chair without moving or saying anything, but it wasn't because of her usual indifference. There was blood coming from her now red sclera, her mouth and her ears. She seemed paler than usual and wasn't wearing her nun outfit but a white short-sleeved dress instead. Her turquoise eye was utterly lifeless – in fact, it wasn't just her eye. 

Shogo looked like she was… what was the word? Just like those people outside…

Alexandra stared at the girl for a long moment in incomprehension. What was happening to her? Why was her dress stained with blood? Why wasn't she moving?

As if to answer to her questions, Nya spoke again, still looking at her book, "If you are wondering, she isn't ■■■■. Well, she is, but she won't stay that way."

Alexandra looked at Nya with wide eyes. Her heartbeat accelerated, but she felt a kind of paradoxical calm. A sort of detachment as if her mind didn't want to process what she just saw and heard. 

"Her body is amazing," Nya commented. "Whoever cursed her must be a genius. She won't ■■■ even from a total brain destruction. I wonder where her memories are kept? Is she a fictional character brought to life by a bibliomancer? She certainly is weird. She didn't even scream when I broke all of her bones. That's sad. That's really sad."

"Ma… Master?"

"What is it, girl?"

"What… What did you do to that doll?"

"Me? Nothing. Technically, it is your fault she is ■■■■."

"What… What did you just say?"

Nya raised her eyes to Alexandra which made her heart almost stop.

"Ah… It affects you this much already, huh? Let's NOT cut to the chase then."

Suddenly, Shogo's body twitched. Her eyes seemed to regain life. She slowly started moving like a puppet whose strings were suddenly pulled. 

"Ah, rise and shine, parasite," Nya mused,  putting her book on the table. "Your timing is perfect if I can say so myself. Now I would like you to answer a question for me. Girl, ever heard of the 'fiction theory'?"