Don’t you find it strange?

"…"

In response to Raffi's silence, Iberis continued softly.

"We are indeed data generated by the… system, a copy of Archi-Alice. Even though our bodies are like that, our minds and souls are unique. I don't know what kind of attachment you have to Arch-Alice. But…"

"…"

"To be identified with something different is very excruciating."

Raffi lifted his head and eyed Iberis. "… I am…"

He was about to say something when the chime of the hospital room rang, and Stelcis' voice came through.

"… Iberis, Raffi. This is Stelcis. May I have a few words with you?"

The person and the animal exchanged glances with one another. After some thought, Iberis spoke up.

"Yes, that'll be fine."

Upon hearing this, Stelcis opened the door to the hospital room. After telling the men and women around her to wait in the hallway, she entered the room leisurely. Standing in front of the bed, she gave a smile.

"How are you feeling?"

When she asked this, Iberis shrugged her shoulders.

"Not so good… But the wound is much better. Thank you."

"That's good to hear."

Raffi called out to Stelcis, who was wearing a smiling expression. "So… is that girl… Alice, doing well?"

The girl nodded quietly, puzzled by the question. "Yes. Since we doppelgangers are 'sturdy'."

"…"

"We are not designed to be destroyed by something like that. I don't think there's anything to be worried for."

Her expression was nonchalant. The mechanical expression on her face caused Raffi to gulp down the words he was about to utter and avert his gaze. Watching the black cat's appearance, Iberis turned to Stelcis and spoke up.

"I am grateful to you for the protection… I'll repay you eventually, including for the girl."

"Such gratitude is unnecessary. Please don't worry about it."

Iberis regained her footing and glanced up at Stelcis. "… So what is it you want to talk to us about…?"

"The central system of this shelter would like to have a word with you."

"The central system…? Oh, you mean the bishop."

Iberis said, and Stelcis tilted her head slightly before continuing.

"In your shelter, that's what you refer to the system as, isn't it? Rest assured. Your central system is well protected. It may take some time for you to adjust…"

"I'm glad to hear that… In any case, I thought I should greet them once. Let me pay them a visit." Iberis nodded while saying it.

Stelcis smiled and clapped her hands. From the hallway, a woman dressed in white clothes came into the room, pushing a wheelchair.

"I don't think you've regained your strength yet. Please ride it."

"I'll do that. Thank you."

As the woman supported Iberis into the wheelchair, Raffi climbed onto her thighs. The woman wearing clothes in white caught sight of Raffi but did not seem particularly concerned.

"Before I take you to the central area, there is one thing I need to tell you."

Stelcis started walking out. Iberis, who was helped into the wheelchair and lined up beside her, glanced up at her and asked.

"Something you need to tell me? What is it?"

"Yes. Don't you find it strange?"

Looking at the lush green trees outside the window, Stelcis cast a glance at Raffi. Raffi also narrowed his eyes in silence as he stared out the window.

"… This shelter doesn't seem to have been affected by the collapse," Raffi muttered.

Stelcis tore her gaze away from the window and walked down the hallway, twirling her long hair. "Yes. That's right. There's a interference barrier here that affects certain systems."

"Interference barrier…?" Raffi asked back with a dubious expression.

Stelcis nodded and said while looking ahead. "Yes. This is the only part of the shelter that has not been affected by the collapse. Even the sensing of the nightmare is immune to the interference. You could call it the last remaining paradise in this world."

The wind swept by; one can see the birds flying away from the street trees with their chirping.

"How… is that… possible?"

In what appeared to be a courtyard, a fountain was present; clear water flowed in it. Children were playing with their feet in the water. Iberis, however, was watching the scene with a furrowed brow. Returning a smile to her murmur, Stelcis replied.

"The central system of this shelter uses the Original Nightmare."

"… What?" Raffi gasped and asked back. Even Iberis widened her eyes and swallowed her words. Stelcis pressed the button for the elevator at the end of the hall, and once she was sure that Iberis and the others were inside, she slid herself in. A few moments later, the elevator began to descend.

"There is a Nightmare in this shelter that cooperates with humans. Only this area has been spared from collapse due to their power."

"… I've never heard of something like that! That's impossible!" Raffi turned pale and raised his voice.

However, when Stelcis looked at him with narrowed eyes, she grinned. "Naturally. That's what 'her' Seventh is all about."

"… What do you mean?"

When Raffi questioned in a suppressed tone of voice, Stelcis continued.

"'Her' name is 'Mock Turtle'… and she is possibly the first and last Original Nightmare that has not been affected by the demise of Apocrypha."