So Much To Ask

As soon as I confirmed the sudden intrusion, I reflexively raised my strength.

He is Pierrot. The enemy boss in the last chapter.

A clown that has power outside the norm to the point of piercing the barrier at the school.

Truly the most annoying enemy.

"You seem to be very surprised by this?"

Pierrot tilts his head.

After he said that, I realized my mistake.

It is not clear whether the current Pierrot is an enemy or an ally, but rather, he must be acquainted with the original Ella.

Trying to fight as soon as I see him is suspicious.

I relaxed and spoke, pretending nothing was wrong.

"It's been a while since I heard that voice."

"It is. I've been very busy lately. It's partly because I didn't go looking for Mary. But... There are people I haven't seen before."

He looked at James and Maria.

These 2 are outsiders. They are the ones who forcibly entered this world.

I wondered if he would feel something about them, but Pierrot turned his head indifferently.

It was as if he had no interest in the extras in a play.

"It doesn't matter. Hmm. You guys..."

This time Pierrot's gaze turned to the children.

And I saw.

His eyes were burning with killing intent.

Eun-jeong and Ha-rim seemed to be sensitive to that kind of gaze, and they were frightened.

My anger rose.

"Clear those eyes."

I raised my knife at Pierrot.

He waved his long arms as if really surprised by his own behavior.

"...Oh, excuse me. Please forgive me! It was not intentional."

When Pierrot snapped his fingers, 4 balloons floated up.

Then boom! It exploded and dropped various items.

There were a lot of dolls and game consoles that children would like. Is there any candy?

Kyeong-min was amazed.

"Wow, this is a limited edition that is hard to find!"

"It is a gift of apology. Sorry to scare you. There's no need to be afraid, Miss Ha-rim."

Pierrot is showing a surprisingly gentle reaction. I feel uncomfortable at it.

"Now, Ella, why don't we get away and talk for a while?"

A conversation with Pierrot. It may be an opportunity to resolve questions that have not been answered so far.

I glanced at James and Maria.

Maria was keeping a watchful eye on Pierrot, and James was checking the gauging machine.

Then, feeling my gaze, James opened his mouth.

"I think it would be good to go. And we'll talk later, I need to look for my group."

Is that his judgment?

I think it would be good to have a conversation for now too. Let's clear up all doubts so far.

I talked to Pierrot in a place where the kids were not in sight.

Questions pop into my mind like a text.

Similarly to a Tsukkur game, let's slowly ask questions one by one as if pressing all the options.1

[About the murderous intent.]

"I am really sorry. I guess it just happens like that. I don't know why, but it's a natural frame to attack children, so I ended up doing it unconsciously. I have no intention of hurting kids!"

He made it clear that he had no intention of hurting children. I think it would be good to let go of my guard now.

Perhaps the frame means the flow in the story, but there was no reason for the bosses to target children except that they were enemies in the game.

Mary seems to be full of thoughts of killing, but Pierrot seems to be self-aware of his senseless intent to kill and restrains it.

It looks like that the reason for changing our location was also due to the unconscious killing intent.

Now, next.

[About the note.]

"Aha! You saw what I wrote when I fell into a strange place by an elevator monster. At that time, it was not long before I got out of the frame. It was around the time when I realized the existence of the half-devil and acted differently from the flow of this world. I was attacked by them and suffered great damage. This is the irreparable wound from that time."

Pierrot showed his arm. At first glance, it looked like a serious injury.

However, I quickly noticed something odd.

"You are being eroded."

Was this the meaning of the word "late" written on the note?

"Occasionally, I hear an unpleasant voice. Erosion is still going on. You have to do something before it's all over."

It sounds like you're making a pretty double-edged statement, but I hope it's because of my mood. If you get controlled, we would be in big trouble!

"The curtains were helpful."

"It is my pleasure!"

[About Mary.]

"Mary! She is a pure child. The attack using the phone is straightforward and bloody! However, because she is both innocent and ignorant, she is easily deceived. It seems that she is slow in realizing about the frame, but I am still surprised that you did it before her."

"Did you keep in touch through Mary?"

"It wasn't a lot... But thanks to her power, we had a pretty easy way to talk."

"Do you know anything more about her?"

"She said she is looking for someone, but hmm... I don't know who that is."

Ok, next.

[About Miss Spider.]

"Arachne, you mean. All I can say is that I am sorry."

"You're sorry?"

Pierrot shook his head.

"Arachne was attacked by the half-devil. Recognizing the flow of the world, she seemed to have tried something on her own by using her power... It appeared to have bothered the half-devil. We won't know the exact details unless we ask the person itself."

He was truly sorry. "I should have warned you sooner", he muttered.

So there was circumstances like that.

Could it be the "attempt" made by Ms. Spider is related to the spiders that tried to parasite other monsters?

I already thought she wouldn't be in a normal state, but it's scary to think she was attacked by the Devil.

Next, let's ask what I'm most curious about.

[About half-devil.]

"Why are you calling them a half-devil?"

"Because it's shapeless."

"Shapeless?"

"It is exactly what it says. They never showed up while attacking."

Pierrot continued while stroking his chin.

"I am Pierrot. Even if I can't solve every riddle, I still have a knack for it. It stinks! The smell of mystery! There must be a reason why they can't show themselves or have no form."

He suddenly raised his arms and said in an exaggerated gesture.

"And that hint is the dream of Shin Ha-rim and the miscellaneous demon we just met!"

"How are you sure?"

"I told you! I'm Pierrot! Because I can feel it!"

I'm speechless. But I believe him.

The mysterious smell that he was talking about must have something to do with his ability.

In the game, there was a pattern of giving out a quiz and dying instantly if you couldn't get it right.

If this pattern is linked to his ability, his intuition cannot be ignored.

...I think most of the important things were asked. Is there anything more?

...

[About Ella.]

"What I think about you? Do you have a heart for me?"

"Shut up."

"It's a joke! Ha ha ha! I'll answer honestly, so don't be angry."

"If you don't want to do it, just say it!"

Pierrot thought for a moment as if trying to recall a memory, then opened his mouth.

"...Ella, you have a lot of emotional ups and downs, so there were times when you were overly angry and laughed, and finally there were times when you were extremely depressed. Your mental health was literally crap! It could even be noticed by phone!"

I'm starting to get angry even though it's obviously not about myself. Should I kill you?

"Ah, and you say I'll kill you whenever you get a chance."

"..."

"But lately you have been very different. You seem to have been cured because you made friends. Congratulations!"

Clap clap clap.

That's because I'm not the real Ella.

However, these words and applause somehow fitted to "me" and "Ella".

My emotions fluctuate a little. The way I was in the past...

"..."

"Is it important to you? Those kids."

"It's something you don't need to know."

"Oops, excuse me."

Pierrot laughed and then spoke with a serious tone. He seems to be finished with the talk.

"...Now is the time to part ways. I'm busy keeping the half-devil in check. If they keep gathering power, they might become a stumbling block and annihilate us? By all means, let's do our best on my and your side!"

Swoosh.

A curtain came down from over Pierrot's head and hid his figure.

A voice came from behind the curtain.

"Ella. You feel somehow special. Maybe it will be a sign that will lead you on the right path. Change the flow, Ella. If you're going down a unknown path, you'll need to change the arrows to guide those on the same way. Even if we are killed, we are those who cannot die, we must try even in death. And at that point..."

It would be really beautiful.

Swoosh! When the curtains opened, Pierrot was nowhere to be seen.

"..."

Anyway, the conversation with him ends here.

Ah, I forgot to ask if I could put the artifact on his stage.

"Well, for a guy who abandons his stage and wanders around, maybe the boss stage doesn't matter in the first place."

Even if I'm wrong, I think he will easily allow it.

After the talk finished, I went back to the kids.

James seemed to have gathered all of his group before I knew it. In the process, many were injured, but there were no fatalities.

You are competent.

We set up an artifact as planned and went back to school.

The children fell asleep as soon as they arrived.

All of them looked to be quite tired from fighting a strong enemy.

I was recovering from fatigue after letting the kids rest.

This time I consumed quite a bit of energy.

To the extent that the materialized body outside the mirror got blurred for a moment.

I didn't notice it because I talking to Pierrot, but if I had left it unattended, I might have really died...

After recovering in the mirror, I went on patrol.

I was supposed to have a meeting with James and Maria by evening, as there was nothing to do before that.

I checked carefully to see if there was a monster that tried to enter.

It was then.

Jingle jingle jingle.

The Cheshire Cat's bell reacted.

"...!"

A bell that sounds when a monster other than myself invades.

The soldier doll didn't respond, so it was in the club room.

The children are all tired now, and James and Maria had their powers drained quite a bit.

I think it would be better for me to handle it alone this time.

'What kind of monster is it?'

Another attack of the Devil? I don't think they will attack twice in a day.

Since the sound of the bell is low, it doesn't seem like a powerful monster either.

I opened the club room door.

Creak.

[...Ella?]

Ha-rim was standing there. No, to be precise, there was a monster in the shape of Ha-rim.

Now Ha-rim is sleeping. She can't be here.

'A doppelganger?'

[I obviously got rid of it... Why are you alive?]

She looked at me and muttered in disbelief.

"What?"

[Why did you come out of the mirror? Why did you kill Kyeong-min? Why? Why? Why?]

"It doesn't know how to properly speak."

This monster is definitely a doppelganger.

This is because in the game, a dot is present to distinguish the real one from the doppelganger.

There was a dot on her cheek that Ha-rim didn't have.

And the Ha-rim I know doesn't have such an impoverished face.

And even such a painful expression.

If it tried to copy Ha-rim, it wouldn't act like that, it's strange.

[-Why are you making everything I've done meaningless!!!!]

Before I could finish thinking about it, the fake Ha-rim attacked me.