--Back to the protagonist perspective -

----- ---------- ---

The open street.

The crowds.

The scattered sky.

And me a lonely self in the corner.

Many things in front of me.

...... Where is this place?

I remember I was taking an exam, right?

Passed the exam, then I was brought before the city lord, then ......

"Good morning."

A blurry-faced male crouched down and greeted me, who was curled up.

......

Strange kindness.

"Well, good morning."

He took me by the hand and led me through the crowd to a small, secluded store.

"...... Where is this place?"

"A little book bar."

"......"

I looked up and around and found that everything here was a perfect fit for my ideal.

"It's nice here, isn't it?"

"It is already perfect to me."

I touched the décor of the place and didn’t even try to hide my envy.

If I can live here for the rest of my life, even if it's just me alone ......

alone?

"Everything here can belong to you. However, if you accept it, it would also mean that you would never see her again."

...... her?

Who is it?

Seemingly clear memories became confused in my mind -

Which person?

The one who made it possible for me to give up my ideals to pursue her ......

Emmm ......

The long silver hair pouring down like a waterfall --

The loose, heavy white robe --

The face as delicate as a porcelain doll --

The cutest person in the world --

"That's... ..."

......Emile?

The man laughed softly.

"It looks like you've already remembered it, so, first answer me a question. What kind of person is your Emile, what kind of person is she?"

Emile, she ......

"is an idiot who is very impulsive and does something stupid from time to time."

"Just like that?"

"But those actions of hers are unexpectedly effective, how should I put it? Not like a wise man pretending to be stupid, maybe her idea is so out of the box that works instead ...... She is also very gluttonous, very playful, often gets herself into trouble, she loves sweets, she ......"

"Is a very rich person then."

The man smiled and applauded me.

"Well, that's good, you've learned a lot, and as a reward at this stage, I can answer a question for you."

One question ......

I stared at his blurred face, trying to sort out the mess in my head.

Who are you? Where is this?

Questions like that made no sense.

The question I most want someone to answer for me ......

"Emile, what do you know about herself that she showed me earlier?"

The man froze for a moment and laughed helplessly.

"Well ...... this is really more than a question. the world Emile showed you is the same world you are in now, the worlds of mind. Only one belongs to her and one belongs to you."

The world of mind? ......

"In Emile's world of mind, who is the person who looks a lot like me?"

The man rubbed his chin with some distress.

"It……is a little bit too much for me. I can only say that it's not that she looks like you, but that you look like her."

"I ...... look like her?"

"Well, this image named Molly Ann was originally shaped according to Emile's ideal form, the one in Emile's world of mind is based on the model when the Coffin of Beginning shaping you."

My ...... model ......

"As for why a character imagined by Emile could move like that, I can only say that I have no comment. I guess Emile didn't expect that one day one of her fantasies would actually be able to sing and deliver letters."

Can't understand ......

"By the way! The kind of letters with black feathers ......"

"Stop."

"Eh?"

The man clapped his hands and smiled at me -

"Bonus time ends now, I suggest you wake up quickly."

"?"

"You've been unconscious for so long, if you don't wake up quickly and contact Emile through the mental link, she's going to destroy the world."