( ＣＡＮＯＮ ＡＲＣＨＩＶＥ ＥＰ２-４ )
This is basically an archive/text dump of some of Lambda's lines and scenes she appears in. Basically, her canon! I'll edit this later, so have a huge dump of text for now. This is mostly for my own reference and for easy canon-reviewing.
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho! I found you, I've finally found you, Bernkastel!!"
"............How are you, Lambda? Looks like you also have free time. I wonder if it's fate that the pair who hate boredom should run into each other again...?"
"Stupid kid. Why can't you realize that the only reason you won against me was because of a little luck and a problem of compatibility? After that, you became such a braggart, and now you're even picking a fight with Beatrice? Shouldn't you learn your place?"
"*giggle*, Beatrice is strong. And she's even more brutal than I am. Just a little!"
"And by the way, don't just shorten someone else's name to Lambda!"
".........You're dumb too, Beato. If this kid's in your game, she'll make a mess of everything."
"I really didn't just bring Lady Lambdadelta here to watch from the sidelines. After informing me that you were betting against me, she said that she would bet against you."
".....................You're still holding a grudge, aren't you."
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!! Because I'm the strongest witch in the universe. But I lost to you so I'm not the strongest! So anyone who is your enemy is my ally!!"
"*cackle*cackle*! In that case, with the great Lady Bernkastel as our opponent, it may not count as a handicap, but it will be suitable for entertainment."
"............Do as you like. ...Now that I've been exposed, allow me to get serious."
"That would be suitable. 'Going easy' has never been written in my dictionary. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*! Lady Lambdadelta, let us enjoy our valuable relationship this time."
"Yes, I'll be counting on you, Lady Beatrice! I've been terribly betrayed by her. Unless the two of us smash her up and pay her back double, I won't be able to rest!!"
"............I'll be counting on you, Lambda. And Beato. ...No matter what issue we fight over, this will be a very significant battle for us."
"That's right. Of course, I don't feel like losing, but who wins and who loses will be important."
"Anyways, we hate boredom."
The three witches giggled, cackled, and guffawed.
"......That's right. I should thank you, Beato. It looks like I can finally escape boredom. Do your best to entertain me. Together with Lambdadelta."
"Leave it to me. *cackle*cackle*...!!"
"If we're decided, Beato, then let's start a strategy meeting right now! I know all of this girl's weak points, and I'll teach you all of them!"
"And yet, Lady Lambdadelta, you were defeated by her, *cackle*cackle*...!"
"Urrrrrrrrgggh, I won't tell you, I won't tell you! Tsu-n!"
"*cackle*cackle* hahhahahahahahaha! ...She's never boring, that Lady Lambdadelta."
"............Isn't she? Take care of her. She's a lonely person."
"I see. So she's one of 'those' that are popular these days. *cackle*, as expected from Lady Lambdadelta. Quite cutting edge. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*."
"Go already. That child's waiting for you to chase after her."
"......Then, if you'll excuse me. See you next game. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!"
......I'm sorry.
That troublesome one came, but don't mind it.
More importantly, .........things sure got ugly.
I thought I'd experienced a very tragic end in Lambda's game, .........but this time, ......it's exceptionally horrible.
...It isn't as though I don't understand that feeling which makes you hug your knees and close your heart.
If you meet that end several more times, your heart will be killed without having to wait one hundred years.
......Beato saw through me, so I'll confess.
You are now just like I was in the past, when I was imprisoned inside Lambda's world.
Shut inside a labyrinth of cruel fate, tormented by a witch, in a manner of speaking.
...I am a witch who was born from there.
......So maybe I'm like an older sister to you. So I decided that I'd lend you my power.
However, ............even compared to my fate, ......your's is, ...truly brutal.Not only do I sympathize with you, I'm almost brought to tears by your tragic fate.
But please, don't lose heart.
Please don't submit to Beato, no matter what.
Certainly, that child's game is quite unfair.
I've only been allowed a glimpse of the game board, but the unfair and clever devices set up on the stage are so disgusting that they probably far surpass those of Lambdadelta's game board.
And what's even more frightening, is when that child moves a piece, it's not like she always makes the best possible move.
This is where she is very different from Lambda.
Lambda always uses an overpowering number of pieces to make the best possible move, in order to win.
But Beato sometimes intentionally cuts corners when she moves her pieces.
Since when we are in trouble, we try to seek out our opponent's strategy by looking at their moves, this creates a very formidable amount of noise in our information.
This could cause a troublesome amount of disorder.
......However, as in chess, a player might be able to create some noise for their opponent with a useless move, but they would still miss out on a more valuable move.
In other words, it's not like your opportunities to take advantage of it are zero.
Although you may not be able to believe it, this game was also like that.
......Even though those developments looked so overpowering, ...there actually was a weak point.
One that makes me want to take advantage of it.
......Even though I don't know if it's a trap or if she's testing us.
Anyways, don't surrender.
Don't stop thinking.
Don't deny any possibility.
As long as you continue to hold the will to fight, Beato will not win.
What's the most important element in defense during a witch's battle?
Rather than trying to win, try not to lose.
...If you lose when you accept her, then you definitely must not accept her.
......Making you accept witches.
There is no longer any doubt that this is one of Beatrice's victory conditions.
Now that I have announced that I am your ally, I too will make as great an effort as possible to lend you my power.
Make an effort yourself as well.
If you're still hugging your knees, quickly stand back up.
......Umm, in times like this, what did I used to say again?
.........Umm, uh,
.........Fi, ...fight, oh~.
Mii, nipa~☆
............It's so embarrassing, doing this.
......I've done this much for you, so quickly stand back up.
♫"...Ah, there you are. I wonder where Bern shrank off to? *giggle*, could she be any more lame?"
Even so.
Just like usual, the pieces Bern chooses are pretty shabby.
It's the same with chess, right?
If all of your pieces were pawns, you would have zero chance to win, right?
If all of your pieces were rooks and bishops, you definitely wouldn't lose.
......W, well, last time, I felt just a little pity and said that she could advance her pieces from anywhere she wants, and then that idiot Bern, without taking notice of my compassion, started with a-ll of her pawns on my side of the board!!
What's up with that, that wasn't a loss or anything!! Aaah, just remembering that makes me queasy.
Because of that, I won't be able to rest until I see Bern's speechless face.
Because of that, and because someone like you is Bern's piece, I'm feeling just great!
And also, I'd really hate that girl even if I didn't lose, so I'll definitely make her grind her teeth in regret, crying like a baby, she's so lame, *giggle*, hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!
C'mon, laugh with me, oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!
............Wait a sec.
Are you still hugging your knees?
You're already like this just because Beato got a little serious?
Could you be any more pathetic?
You're so pathetic, I'll help you just a little bit.
I, the great Lady Lambdadelta, the Witch of Certainty and the strongest in the universe, will associate myself just a tiny bit with you and your hopeless chances at winning. You should thank me.
You know, Beatrice may really be a cruel and powerful witch, but she's no match for me.
Why? Because she's soft.
While that kid will frame the board so that she can win with just a few more moves, she will intentionally not corner you.
She'll do things like take worthless pieces and place excess pieces on the board to make things one-sided.
In short, you could say she has the bad habit of playing around by making it look like she's won.
Almost all of the various attacks that are painful for you and Bern, look like utter waste and overkill to me.
...In other words, this means that she has a weakness, and you have a chance. See? She isn't an opponent to be afraid of, right?
She is sometimes mistaken in her strategy and goals.
And she has too much bad fun.
As a result, she even makes and exposes her own weak points.
It's impossible for one of the strongest witches like me to understand why she acts so relaxed.
Why she lowers her own chances of winning.
.........But, well.
Because of that, the type of witch like Bern, who thoroughly reads her opponent, has a really bad affinity with her. Because reading her doesn't work.
...Maybe it's really easy for Bern to read and handle an obedient and honest type like me. It makes me mad!
...Well, still, a super firepower type like me can flat out beat up a light, wide-range barrage type like Beatrice, so it's kinda like rock-paper-scissors.
If I'm paper, Beato is rock.
Which means Bern is scissors.
Well, maybe that doesn't matter.
Even though my paper loses to Bern's scissors, if it was super-paper, which is far more awesome than normal paper, it could even beat scissors, right?!
In other words, I, Lady Lambdadelta, am super-paper! Hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!
It looks like you regained a little of your complexion.
That Beato, she's having fun torturing some piece called Rosa.
At a glance, you'd think she has a really bad habit, right? Wrong.
......She's just killing time, hoping that you'll stand back up and return.
It's a move to fire up your righteous indignation by intentionally doing something detestable.
Ah man, I hate kids like that!
Well then, I'll return.
Ah! Don't tell anyone that I helped you out just a little bit!
I mean, it's not like I helped you because I wanted to save you, okay?!
I, the strongest witch in the universe, had my seat as the strongest stolen when I lost to Bern!
So I have to take that seat back from Bern, but if Bern loses to Beato here, then the position of the strongest will be moved to Beato this time, right?!
...Well, I'm not really complaining. It would be easier to steal it back from Beato, but then I wouldn't be satisfied, you see?!
And I'll take back my position as the strongest!
It's not like I'm really helping you, okay?!
I won't forgive you if you make Bern cry!
"Thank me, alright? I signed to recommend you for the succession of the witch, alright? In other words, if I hadn't signed, you wouldn't have been able to become the witch. So thank me a little, alright?!"
"This is the Witch of Certainty, Lady Lambdadelta. The recommendation of a witch from the senate was required for your succession as an Endless Witch. Lady Lambdadelta recommended you, and became your guardian."
"Th, ......thank you......"
"......He-y, Beato-! This kid isn't grateful enough! I'll stop recommending her!"
"The person who recommended her shouldn't act like a child, right? If you've signed, then just take responsibility."
"Lady Lambdadelta is also the Witch of Certainty. ......The Witch of Certainty prefers to make fate firm, to create a fate of Certainty. She really liked and highly valued your efforts until today."
"Well, a misfortunate childhood, unrewarded effort...I can sympathize ju-st a bit with that. It's not like I felt sorry for you or anything, don't be so full of yourself! Tsu-n!"
"......From my point of view, your succession, well, it's more of a coincidence than a miracle. It isn't worthy of my recommendation."
"*cackle*. This is Lady Bernkastel. She's a very hard-to-please person. Still, you could say that just having her participate and celebrate is very fortunate."
".........I only came because this is a rare event after one thousand years. And I heard that there would be some delicious sake."
"Hahahaha, wahahahaha! I never thought that Lady Bernkastel's piece would barge in at the very end...!"
"......I searched all over the place for a piece fitting for a game with you. ......I was sure that you'd like it."
"What's with that piece?! Who was that person, who was it?! She didn't say her name! That's mean!! Hey, don't you think so too?!"
"...I have a general idea. ......Come on, normally, anyone would know."
"Normally?! I don't get it, it was that character's first appearance, wasn't it?! If she doesn't say her name, I won't, the players won't, everyone won't understand, right?!"
"............Beato, it's alright if you don't tell her. Right? Isn't she a funny kid?"
"H, ...hmm. ......Lady Lambdadelta's naivete truly is precious and funny. ......*cackle*cackle*!"
"Why, why, why won't you tell only me, you meanie!! Then in exchange, I'll teach you a special secret that only I know! So tell me!"
"......Hoh. A special secret, you say?! I want to hear, I want to hear...!"
"Bleah! If you want me to tell you, first tell me who that girl really was! The secret I know sure is awesome! After all, it's about as awesome as knowing that Santa-san is actually daddy! Huh? *giggle*! I said it☆ Sorry, I'll bet you're so shocked that it turned your world upside-down, right?! Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!"
".........Your father was the one who came to your place, Lambda?"
"He came...wait, what do you me-an?"
"...Lord Santa Claus only visits the homes of children with clean hearts. He didn't come to your place, did he?"
"Well, Lord Santa Claus is gracious. Unless you are a re-ally bad scoundrel, he will give you a present. After all, he even gave them to me!"
".........As you grow and your heart is hardened, he stops coming, doesn't he? How old were you, Beato, when he stopped coming?"
"Hmm. He stopped coming when I was about 12. My maiden's heart awoke, and I quickly got somewhat embarrassed about Lord Santa coming.
After I wrote 'Thanks for everything, that's enough. So make sure you splurge on the last presents', he stopped coming. Oooh, and I was looking forward to it too! How old were you we he stopped coming, Lady Bernkastel?"
".........I was pretty wild. ...It happened fairly early. I think when I was about 9. ...Something about that beard really irritated me, so I waited in my futon with some sewing scissors ready, trying to cut it off. ............What a painful age."
"So, ......as long as she can remember, Lord Santa Claus has never come to see Lady Lambdadelta, is it? ............He usually comes until the last year of elementary school or during middle school."
"...Maybe we should have a doctor look at her. I hear that being too precocious can have a bad influence on the growth of mind and body. ...Yeah, there's definitely some of those. ...Bad influences."
"Hey, wh, what are you guys talking about!! Bleeeeah!!"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*! Wah-hah-hah-ha, it truly is boisterous when three witches gather!"
"......If you're talking about that level of secret, it looks like it isn't worth listening to. Can I go now? I have to prepare for the next game."
"Wha, hey, wait a sec! Tell me who that woman really was!!"
"......Well then, tell me this special secret first. If it's good enough, then I'll tell you."
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!! Alright, I'll tell you, 'cause it really is a special secret! ......Remember, in this game, there was a girl who found the gold and became the new witch, right?"
"Hmm. Just what kind of secret could that person have?"
"Uffufufufufu! I noticed who that girl actually is. Does anyone know? *giggle*giggle*! There was a hint in the way she talked.
Remember, that girl said it a lot, right? 'Why don't you somethi~ng?', right?! Yes, that phrase is the main point! Ebaa~?
Ebaaah
As mentioned in an earlier tip, a certain catch-phrase is pronounced 'heso kande shijimaeba'...
Ebaa~? Yes!
She was actually, Ushiromiya Eva!! What do you think?! Are you shocked?! Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!!"
"Hoh...! I didn't notice that! ...Muu, to think that there would be a hint in a place like that."
"......Nice job playing along with her, Beato. This kid's getting arrogant, so calm her down. See you, I'm leaving."
"Wait, wait! It's not fair if you just listen to my secret and don't tell me yours!! Tell me who she really was!!"
"......Your secret was so incredible that mine just wouldn't match up. ...So in exchange, I'll teach you a special secret. I'll tell you the name of the culprit in this game called 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni'."
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh, don't say it!! I'm still playing i-t!!"
"......Ahhahahahahhahhahhahha... See you, Beato. The black tea was delicious. However, the repertoire of jam on the crackers was lacking. Add some gochujang chili paste every once in a while. It goes great with Russian tea. Later."
"Oh, I see. I shall try it. I shall call for some after preparing for the next game. Until then, feel free to polish up your strategy at your leisure."
"Yes, I'll do that. This last game was pretty interesting. Later."
"He-y, wait a sec, tell me-!!!"
"*cackle*cackle*. My, my, you two really are close."
"..............................Yes, that's right. ...Oh, I really like you, Bernkastel. You could even say I love you. ......I want to gouge out your eyes so that you can see no one other than me. ......Oh, that would be truly wonderful. It'd be wonderful to dunk them in black tea. Aha!"
"To think that you would be so entranced, Lady Lambdadelta. ......I have a serious responsibility. Still, this last game really was close! I was a breath away from getting Battler."
"............Beato. Can I ask you something?"
"What is it? I won't tell you that girl's name. *cackle*cackle*!"
"...When'll you stop fooling around? ♫...Do you even feel like winning?"
Lambdadelta threatened her with a low voice that she had never used in front of Bernkastel.
...It completely blew away the calm atmosphere which had been there until a moment ago.
".........You know, I'm supporting you because you're supposed to be a witch who can win against Bernkastel. If you don't have the power to win against her, then I'll abandon you at any time, alright......?"
"............How harsh of you. What about me dissatisfies you? ...As you know, my Lady, my game board is perfect. Lady Bernkastel will never be able to win..."
"Yeah, that's right. Your board truly is impressive. It truly is an impressive and perfect game board that Bernkastel definitely cannot win in even after spending one hundred years, or even one thousand years.
......That's why, in exchange for letting me borrow that, I made you a witch. .........If I stop being your guardian, you'll immediately go back to being a human. ...Make sure you don't forget that, no matter how much incredible magical power you hold, ......you are nothing more than a temporary witch."
"I, ......I understand. ...I am grateful to you..."
"Don't speak so casually. I'll forgive that when Bernkastel's around, but I won't when she isn't. Recently, maybe you've forgotten your debt to me."
"Th, that is, .........n, ...no, ......not so......"
"...Aah, you're as disgusting as I thought. You can talk the same way as usual. But be mindful of what you say. ......I have a surprisingly short temper, you see?"
"H, ......hmm......"
"Let's return to what we were discussing. ...Your game board truly is perfect. ......You should be able to defeat Bernkastel without any trouble. ...But that kid won't surrender easily. She'll challenge you over and over."
"That is no problem. ...It has been certified by you, Lady Lambdadelta. ......My game board is perfect."
"Yeah, that's right, it's perfect. ............But are you, the player, perfect as well?"
".........What do you mean by that...?"
"What do I mean? That's what I want to hear. .........You play a lot in your game. ...At first, I thought you were speaking in riddles for Bernkastel's sake every now and then, as part of your tactics.
............But I get the feeling that's not quite true. Rather than toying with the opponent in a match you can win, ......actually, you don't care whether you win or lose, right?"
"R, ......ridiculous... How could that be..."
"You know what? Your role is to make Bernkastel surrender. In other words, that means being the victor in this game for all eternity. ......As long as you keep trying to become the 'certain' victor, then I will give you my power as the Witch of Certainty. ............However.
If you fight in a way that doesn't deny any possibility of your loss, ...that's a different story."
"Of course, this is a game... In the same way that Lady Bernkastel will lose if I win, ...there will be some days on which I will lose and she will win. The possibility of loss always exists. Therefore, I will-"
"..................This is why you're useless. There's no need for this to be a game board for you. It's alright if this is a bird cage to lock Bernkastel up here for all eternity.
...What's the role of a bird cage? Making sure the little bird inside certainly never escapes. ......What's a bird cage worth if it has cracks that sometimes let a bird out?"
".........O, of course, games exist for winning. So it is impossible for me to lose. ...Therefore, I will continue to win.........As you wish, for all eternity..."
"Good answer, that's alright. ......I'll allow you to play around and use fakes as part of your tactics. It was sometimes useful in this last game.
............But you know? If you make a move hoping for anything else other than victory, ............at that time, prepare yourself wonderfully, okay?"
"I, I will not do such a thing... I swear it...!"
"............Because originally, you weren't even a witch, and at any time, I'll remind you what a truly shabby creature you were. ............If you betray my expectations. At that time, you can look forward to a fun, fun punishment game.
...In the world of billions of kakera, ......I'll send you into the most miserable kakera and seal you there. .........You were miserable in the first place, so it'll really be worth choosing a miserable kakera. ...*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*."
"........................"
"Oh, I love you Bernkastel. ...Scrabble your feet in Beatrice's bird cage as much as you like, and learn that you can no longer escape after one thousand years.
......And when you surrender, ...I'll train you so that you can't do anything other than cry in the palm of my hand.
.........*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*, Ahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...!!"
......Yes. This looks like a portent that Bernkastel will appear.
But the atmosphere was different somehow.
Then I understood.
.........It wasn't Bernkastel.
...It was the other witch.
"How are you feeling, Ange...?"
♫"............Lambdadelta. ......The rules don't apply to you, do they?"
"Of course not. Rules exist to bind others. What kind of idiot would bind themselves with them?"
Bernkastel is a witch who supports me, ......but this girl is different.
This witch supports Beatrice. ...In other words, she is a being on the opposing side.
But there's some kind of difference between her and Beatrice.
Even compared to Bernkastel, there's something strange about Lambdadelta's existence.
......How should I put it, ...maybe like she's a being from a higher dimension...
In any event, I was still unsure about how to deal with her.
......The only thing that was certain was that she was my enemy.
...No, just knowing that might be enough, but...
"So, ......do you have some business with me?"
"Not really. When I listened in on your conversation, it started to get a bit interesting. I thought I'd let you hear something good."
"You're supposed to be my enemy. I can't think of a reason for you to tell me something that would help me. So the moment I start listening to you, I lose. Bye, < see you next time >."
"Don't misunderstand. My opponent is Bern, not you. ......In other words, it is possible for there to be a topic that benefits both you and I."
"...............Sorry, but I don't feel like listening."
......Although I said that, I probably won't be released from this frozen time until Lambdadelta is happy.
......This itself might be proof that she's in a higher dimension than me.
I haven't been given the option of not listening to her.
All I can do is try not to be shaken by anything she says, and strengthen my mental guard.
She'll probably try to make me believe something disadvantageous to me, and threaten me...
"*giggle*giggle*. There's no need to square off like that. I just came to resolve your misunderstanding. ......No, that's not quite it. I came thinking I'd inform you about the lie Bernkastel told you."
".........Bernkastel, .........lied?"
"Didn't Bern make it sound as though, if you defeated Beato, your big brother would come back?"
"............Who knows. ...I don't feel like talking with you."
My brother coming home... I hadn't been promised anything that dream-like.
Getting just one person only if I was lucky..., had been a promise without very high hopes.
But that is enough for me.
......After being promised an eternity of isolation, having a faint but still not zero chance was like a shining beacon.
"In a way, that promise of Bern's wasn't a lie. ......If Bern promised, then I'm sure that if you defeat Beato, Battler and your parents will be released and will come back to you."
"Then there's no problem."
"............Seriously? .........That kid is surprisingly cruel.
To think she'd deceive you, even though she・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ knows."
".........How are you saying I was deceived?"
Damn...
I'm letting her take the initiative.
...But I won't be released until I lend an ear to her story.
...So it's something I'll have to hear anyways...
Even though I realized that I was falling into a trap, I urged her forwards.
"What year is it now?"
"......You're talking about the world of the game board? ...In that case, it's October 4, 1986."
"That's right. So if you win against Beato, then on October 6, when the typhoon has passed, the people who were trapped on the island will return. ......On October 6, 1986, that is, right?"
"............So what?"
"How was your October 6, 1986? ............You were at your relatives house, right?"
......I had been at the house of the only Sumadera my mother trusted, Grandpa.
.........We had gotten a call.
When I had been playing with building blocks in the tatami room, we had gotten that call...
After watching to see that I had remembered, ......Lambdadelta laughed unpleasantly, ......and spoke.
♫"HEY. ON YOUR OCTOBER 6, 1986, DID BATTLER ONII-CHAN COME HOME?"
".............................."
Even though I didn't understand what she was saying, I noticed an unpleasant sweat seeping out all over my face...
......Aaah, I don't get it. I DON'T GET IT.
......What is, ......this witch saying.........?
"See? If you defeat Beato, Battler will certainly be released. And he'll probably return home. To his home in 1986. After all, that's how it is, right? Battler was locked up from the 4th to the 5th of October in 1986. It's only natural that he would return the next day if he were to be released, right? ......And you? You're a person from the year 1998.
You're Ushiromiya Ange of the year 1998
where Battler did not return・・・・・・・・. Know what that means?"
"............What...are you talking about? .........If my family came back home on October 6, ...wouldn't that be wonderful? I would come home from Grandpa's house right away. And then we'd meet. ......Everyone's happy..."
"Yes. Ushiromiya Ange probably would be able to reunite with her family.
...The six year old Ushiromiya Ange from 1986・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ would, right......?"
".........Who am I?"
"Ushiromiya Ange. An 18 year old one. .........No, that's not it. You aren't Ushiromiya Ange. You're a witch's piece with that name. Strictly speaking, the name ANGE Beatrice belongs to a completely different person. ......Know what that means?"
I don't...really get it anymore......
.........Huh? ......Huh? ......Who, .........am I? ............Huh?
"......And thaaat's why I think Bern's cruel. No, I think she's a meanie. Especially since it's not like she hasn't had that experience."
".........Am I............, ......somehow, .........being tricked.........?"
"Yeah, but please don't blame Bern, okay? After all, depending on how you look at it, that kid isn't lying. ......If Beato is defeated, your family will be returned. Returned to Ushiromiya Ange. ......But she probably didn't say that this Ushiromiya Ange would be you, right...?"
Was it like that...was it like that......?
What did Bernkastel say to me, again......?
Your assistance is needed.
......Your family needs it.
Bernkastel had started speaking by saying that.
Then I had spoken.
If I save them, does that mean my family will come back?
......And how did Bernkastel answer that, again......?
Umm, umm......
'I cannot promise that.'
Uh, umm......!
That kid did promise me.
In exchange for accepting this fight...!
Yes, this is what she said!
'In exchange, I will search for the kakera of the ideal world that you wish for, the world where your family comes home.'
............Yeah, that's right.
......She didn't say any more than that she'd look for it.
She didn't say she'd find it.
......But I was, ...prepared for that from the beginning.
But even so, ......that child promised that as long as I didn't give up, there was a faint chance of it happening......
And, ......in the end, she said this.
'I'm giving you a chance for revenge. ...In exchange, if it is possible for you to receive it, I promise to search for the happiest resolution for you.'
".....................I've known it was a tough bet from the very beginning. ......After all, I have no family in my 1998. If I could have a small chance of shaking that certain zero, ......that alone would be worth it. I was warned beforehand that even if I succeeded in my revenge, it might be a wasted effort. ......So, .........umm........."
"Yeah, there's no lie in that part. Beato's game board is perfect. Even having you around makes the chances of Beato losing so slim that it's doubtful you could even dream of it happening once in your life.
In other words, that chance of winning is almost zero, so certainly that it could be regarded as infinitely close to zero. So Bern can be forgiven for saying it in such an evasive manner."
"......But I can say for sure that she was tricking you when she let you get your hopes up. After all, even if you could overcome astronomical odds and win, the person your family will return to is not you. It is the six year old Ange that exists in this 1986, the true Ushiromiya Ange. Not YOU.
......Bern will still probably go around the billions of kakera, searching for the best world for you. But didn't she tell you? That she planned on bringing you a present, but wasn't able to find it?"
"............She did......"
"Ufufufufufu, *giggle*giggle*giggle*...!! You're finally starting to notice, aren't you...? No reward has been prepared for you in this battle. No, to the contrary, when smashed, Beato's game board will disappear.
Then you, as a piece, will disappear・・・・・・・・・・・・.
.........The goal you can accept is completely, .........no. I'll proclaim it upon my name. Upon the name of the Witch of Certainty, Lambdadelta! I proclaim that it 'certainly' doesn't exist...!"
"...............This can't be........."
"That's Bern's lie. ......Or should I call it speaking in riddllles? She made you misunderstand and think that you could be saved. I came to clear that up."
"............In other words, ......no matter how hard I fight, no matter how hard I pursue victory, ......my family won't come back to me.........?"
"Right, they won't come back! With 'certainty'! Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh!! The Witch of Certainty says it with certainty! Isn't this incredible? There have been several ancient kings who dedicated historical buildings to me because they wanted me to give them certainty! I am graciously giving that to you as a present. Isn't this reeally wonderful, cute and marvelous? Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh!! Buut! I have a single good proposition for you."
.........Damn.
...I'm getting completely overwhelmed......
I knew I shouldn't have listened, ......and now I'm starting to be overwhelmed by the witch Lambdadelta......!
"My opponent is Bern, not you. I think I just said that it's possible for the two of us to talk about something that benefits us both. I've been saying I'd talk about something like that from the beginning. So listen to me. You have no choice but to...!"
"............I'm listening..., I'll listen............there's nothing wrong with that, is there?!!"
I finally lost control over my emotions and exploded from the inside.
I don't have a clue anymore.
......I believed that I was Ange.
But at some point, I stopped being Ange.
That's right, I'm ANGE. Not Ange...!
Who am I?
I'm not my parents' child, nor my brother's little sister.
......I'm just a piece, ......in a witch's game...!
"There's no need to be so pessimistic. ......I mean, think about it, okay? Right now, you're together with Battler onii-chan. While it's true that you can't tell him your name, at least you're positioned as his ally in a game where he battles a witch, ......and you're able to be with him for all eternity. ......Know what it meeeans......??"
.........I can't stand it, .........but I understand...
In other words, .........as long as Onii-chan keeps getting a tie in this game, it will continue forever.
Continuing to tie means continuing the game for eternity, and it means that I can remain with Onii-chan as a piece.
......But if Onii-chan wins, or else loses, and the curtain closes on the game...
"You, as a piece, will disappear."
"........................"
"What is the happiness of a game piece? ......Nothing more than playing in the game. It doesn't come when the game's shut in the closet, gathering dust, right?"
......In the past, the Seven Sisters of Purgatory said it as well.
Furniture's happiness is being used, not being stored away.
That's right. I am now, ............the witch's, .........furniture.
"Let's change things around a bit. ......Actually, I want this game to continue in a tie for all eternity. An unending game is an eternal cage. ......A certain closed room that never opens for all time and that will finally make Bern surrender.
......You know, Beato does want to win a bit. Victory by making Battler surrender. But that's actually a problem for me.
After all, if the game ends, the closed room will fall apart. ......So I'll go easy on Battler to a certain degree, so that he does not surrender. Don't worry, alright? When Battler's about to surrender, I'll become his ally."
".........But you know? I get the feeling that Beato is faintly starting to realize. ......I think she's starting to realize that her victory won't come for all eternity in this game.
But she is, of course, the Endless Witch. Beato's stupid, so she optimistically thinks that even so, she'll surely win eventually, and just has to repeat this game on and on endlessly. Of course, blonde-haired girls are almost always stupid, *giggle*giggle*!"
".........In this game of witches, .........there's no such thing...as victory or loss......"
"I won't let her win. And I won't let her lose. With certainty! ......Bern has noticed that. So she found you to be the most powerful piece for breaking that deadlock, and threw you in. To make this game end, you see?"
".........To make this game...end......"
"What's a piece's role when it ends? .........I'll state it clearly. Your existence is a contradiction. ......Your reason for existing is to bury yourself in the darkness and despair...!"
My goal is to defeat Beato and release my captive family.
......And yet, even if I succeed, I won't be rewarded.
"You cannot lose. And you won't be rewarded if you win. ......So I've brought you a third choice. And with that choice, our interests match each other."
.........Continuing the tie...for all eternity.........
"Yes. ......As long as the tie continues for all eternity, this world will not crumble. ......What is this world? .........It is the world of the game with the witch. A world where Beato and Battler fight for all eternity. ......And at the same time, it is a world where you can be with Battler for all eternity......!!"
"..................Uu, ............uu......ah............"
My head was spinning.
That confusion became a hot liquid, and I felt it pouring from my eyes...
It was so hot......, that it felt like it would burn my face...
"Riight......? ANGE Beatriiiiice...?? Since Bernkastel's goal is to end the game and end the world where you and Battler can interact, why should you be her ally...?
......That kid tricked you, you see? She made it look like you might be saved if you became her piece. But I won't deceive you there!
......So I'll say it, ANGE. Become my chess piece. Unlike Bern, I won't offer you rewards based on lies that certainly can never be granted. As long as you become my piece, and help me so that this world 'certainly' never ends...With 'certainty', I'll swear upon my name that this world will 'certainly' continue!
That's not all. I'll add on a bonus. The rule that binds you. ......I'll clear it away for you. Well, of course, that's only after you've sworn to become my piece, alright?"
In my own throat, ......there was a thick, loud gulping sound......
Aah, I shouldn't have listened......
If I hadn't listened, I could have remained an innocent little sister, praying for my brother's victory.
......But I might be different now.
...I might have been degraded into a witch's furniture, .........that can only be by Onii-chan's side......
"......I'm not telling you to betray your brother, alright? If it looks like Battler's gonna lose, you can save him with all you've got. ......On the other hand, when Battler closes in on Beato too much, I want you to hold back a little, ......and that's all I'm asking, alright?
Don't worry, there's no need to actually betray Battler. ......Battler can't win against Beato alone. That's why Bern threw you in, you see? ......As long as you don't lend a hand, Battler will be unable to win against Beato for all eternity.
See? It's really simple, isn't it? ......*giggle*giggle*, hohhohohoho, ahhahahahahahahahhahhahhahhahhahha! Kahhahhahhahha, kyaaahhahahahahahahahhhahahahahahahha!!"
"The only way for you to return to your original world is to win against Beato. .........In other words, if Beato were to abandon the game......get it?"
Suddenly, in a different place, was a girl wearing a bright pink dress.
......I had a feeling I'd met her somewhere too, but I couldn't remember.
More important was the meaning of the words she said.
......If the game is abandoned then, ......huh?
".........That's right. A match won't be resolved unless enemies and allies gather. .........It would mean that you would never be able to win and escape this world for all eternity."
"What it comes down to, I guess, ......is something like taking the key to the cage that you're locked in, fastening it to the collar of a pigeon or something and letting it fly.
............This isn't funny, Beato. We didn't come this far to watch such a boring game. Calling it a day like this just isn't funny."
".........I'm the same as Lambda. I came here to make Battler win, and to make you writhe in defeat. I still haven't achieved that goal. ......I won't stand for you abandoning the game at a time like this and running away."
"I acknowledge that it would mean the curtain call for a game that disappoints you Ladies. ......However, I, the host of this tea party, am after all fickle. Once it's lost its fun, I know no way of entertaining. ......I believe that was my witch-like way of doing things in the first place. There are no problems, yes...?"
"........................Certainly. I won't go against your creed."
"I won't accept it.........Quit fooling around, how much do you think I've supported you... You think I'd be okay with that after all this preparation? Don't mess with me...!!"
"I am saying that I have tired of it. Nothing more, nothing less."
"That's not going to work... We'll have you continue this game. You want to win against Battler, right? You want to win and make him surrender, right?! It's almost over, isn't it?! Ri~ght?!"
".........Qualified?"
"...Probably has something to do with that test or whatever just now."
"............What are you planning to do...?"
"...Y, ...you couldn't be..."
"I will now question whether you are qualified to be my opponent. .........Alright, Battler? If those qualifications are acknowledged, I will stay in my seat and continue the game. And I shall promise to fight for all eternity until the outcome is decided."
"Heh! I was ready for that from the beginning."
"............However, if you are not qualified, ......you will disappear. If the opponent disappears, there is no game. I can leave this place openly. .........Are the Ladies satisfied? Interruptions are unnecessary."
"...........................Go ahead, do as you like."
".........B, ...Battler... You, ......make sure you answer well..."
"The very reason I'm here is because I'm qualified, right? Heh, there's nothing to be scared of...!"
".....................Y, ......you couldn't be......"
Gretel grew suddenly pale.
......I'd thought her to be the calm, collected type, so that expression surprised me.
"......Well then Battler. I shall have you repeat it in red."
"Y, you're telling me to repeat something? Heheh..., damn you, stealing my signature move. ......But can I do the red truth too? How...?"
"............I, if you wish for it to be that way, you can do it. It's easy."
"My name is Ushiromiya Battler. ......W, ......whoa, pretty cool."
"Stop it!! ♫I know what you're after...!! But stop that! He......!!"
When Gretel yelled, Beato glared at her.
Then, her form was wiped away in an instant.
"Shut up. Leave your seat for a while. You too, Ladies. If you interfere, I will not hold back."
"............We won't get in the way. Go ahead, do as you like."
"B, Bern, this is bad!! She's trying to erase him...Battler!!"
"......B, Battler......! Get a hold of yourself...!!"
".....................Well. ...If he can't counter back, there's nothing more to do. ...Battler did not possess that qualification. That's how it is."
"A, are you okay with that, Bern?! If you accept that, you'll lose too, right?!"
"Battleeeeeeeeeeeeer......r, ......nn, ah........."
"Now the opponent has disappeared. ......Well then, if you would excuse me. And Ladies, you should prepare for your journey. No more festivities are prepared for in my territory. It was good seeing you. ......Goodbye."
Without saying anything more, she clouded her own form in darkness as well, and disappeared......
"A, .........are you, ......alright with this?! Battler, ......d, disappeared, right?! Someone who hates losing as much as you do is okay with this?!"
"..................Weren't you betting on my defeat? Then isn't this wonderful. Congratulations, Lambda. Well then, let's meet again in some other world, okay?
Well, this is a world of endless kakera. The chances of us having some connection again somewhere are probably less than one in a quadrillion. ............Alright, it was fun. Bye-bye."
"Ah, ...wait up, Bern...!!!"
Chasing after Bernkastel, who had disappeared first, Lambdadelta disappeared as well...
around a rest!"
At that time, there was a violent sound.
......Beato felt a cold, pathetic sensation in her legs.
"......Gotcha...! I finally got you, eh, Beato~?"
"Oh, Great Lady Lambdadelta is it............To think that you were still here."
Beato's foot was caught in an ice-cold steel shackle, ......tying her to the chair she sat in.
......She would no longer be able to escape from this seat.
"Ho-hhohhohoho! You won't be able to escape anymore, alright? I'm more persistent than I look. Surprised?"
"............It'd have been more surprising if you hadn't realized it yourself."
"You are not permitted to leave early or suspend the game. You'll fight for all eternity, in order to win, right? .........You don't want to lose, do you? You wanna little peek at the kind of wonderful world you'll be thrown into if you lose?
DON'T WORRY. You can win, because I, the Great Lady Lambdadelta, will be watching you
constantly until you win・・・・・・, looking after you for all eternity...!!"
"..............................Hmph, ......hahahahaha. .........But even if I wish to fight, I have no opponent across from me, correct......?"
"Battler's soul, ...is starting to come back."
"............But it can't quite reach."
"Aa~ah, and you even promised that you wouldn't turn around..."
"..................Beato's pretty frank."
"Battler didn't see it, so you could have just said that she turned into butterflies and flew away, or something."
On a large bed were scattered cute jellybeans of various colors, and coin-shaped chocolates.
A fork was stuck into a shortcake peeking out of a gift box, and there were decanters with drinks of various colors lined up on the side table.
But the color of the partially finished drink that had been poured into a cup was venomous, matching none of the decanters.
Someone had probably been playing around, mixing various things together.
It was very fun, regardless of the taste.
On top of the fluffy bed were several colorful, big pillows like something from a dream.
And on this bed that looked like something out of a child's dream world, Bernkastel lay face down, and Lambdadelta lay face up, clutching a pillow and relaxing......
"Ahhahahhahhahha, it was pretty thrilling this time, wasn't i~t? I got re~ally anxious when Beato said she'd stop the game."
"..................What a rude witch, to start a game such as this and try to end it by throwing it away."
"Wasn't Ange a good piece? After Beato ran for it, Ange dragged her back and made her resume the game. Although it is a shame that she gave Battler a little too much enthusiasm."
"............Because she knew Battler is weak against emotions."
"Too true. He looked like he might even go easy on his enemy Beato."
"............I was uneasy that, like the last game, he might in the worst case feel compassion for Beato, and take the game in a weird direction. .........Ange was a trump card to get Battler back on track when he mistook his goal. .........Although I wanted her to support him a bit more before using her. She really was used right off the bat. What a waste for a piece that required so much preparation."
"Uffufufu! It's a good thing she was shackled by the rule about not giving her name! If that hadn't been set up, the brother-sister tag team would have swallowed Beato up and won in the blink of an eye."
"............I thought it was a chance for them to press her all at once, but your mark was so restrictive that I couldn't make the best use of her. ......Aaah, what a waste that piece was."
"Isn't it obvious that such an unfair piece would have to be retired right away? Well, in the end, she did a good job of preventing the suspension of the game, and that helps me out too. The way she acted to make both our interests match is what made her a truly wonderful piece."
"............She was an innocent kid like Battler, so it was easy to get her to do as I said. .........Morons and impulsive types are the best for pieces. ......Aaah, I really can't stand losing that piece."
"By now, that kid's minced meat! Hey, let's make hamburgers out of that later on☆ Oh wait, didn't you like gyoza more? I wonder what little sister tastes like, *giggle*, hilarious!"
"..................Is it really alright for you to be so relaxed? Thanks to Ange, Battler has gotten all stirred up. I believe he's started a hot pursuit of Beato, making this game take a big turn to my advantage, right...? I mean, didn't Battler solve almost all the mysteries up until now this time?"
"Huuh? No~t even close! Almost all of Battler's blue truth is off! Beato's lukewarm red is full of holes. If she had any brains in her, she'd slip through it easily by setting up a suitable web of twisted logic. ......Yeah, it really ticks me off. If it were me, I'd thoroughly cut down all of it with the red."
"............Oh, really? And I was sure that those were all correct. ......Well, I don't know about that small bomb part though."
"Not all of Battler's blue truth was effective. ......Beato clearly declared, for the first game, that the identities of all unidentified corpses are guaranteed! This breaks Battler's reasoning about the culprit of the Eva/Hideyoshi closed room murder being someone who faked a corpse.
Next, Kanon might have died in an accident in the boiler room but, *giggle*! What kind of accident could drive a stake into his own chest? Are you a moron? I'll slice it with that red treasured sword.
Kanon did not die in an accident! For the next one, the murders of the three including Genji in the parlor, the thought that it was a simultaneous murder where they shot each other in a clockwise pattern at the same time is laughable. Genji, Kumasawa, and Nanjo are not murderers!
The final trap X to kill Natsuhi is also ridiculous. The thing that shot Natsuhi wasn't a trap, it was a real shooting murder with a gun raised and trigger pulled! *giggle*, how sad...!"
"......You mustn't do that. Saying something like that in red. That kid's trying to make it so that she bounced Natsuhi's bullet back with magic and killed her."
"Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh, oh my, how could I, that's true...! Even the blue truth for the second game was too naive. When the six were killed in the chapel, the culprit was inside the chapel! That guy tries to explain things left and right using trap X. What the heck is trap X, a pattern in some strange mystery novels?
It's also laughable to say that, in the case where Nanjo and Kumasawa were killed in the servants' room, someone inherited Kanon's name. The only one who can claim Kanon's name is the person himself! A different person cannot claim his name!
And that theory about borrowing the master key from Rosa for Natsuhi's room is also worthless! After the master keys came into Rosa's control, never did any of them leave her hands! Except for the time when she lent it to Battler to unlock Natsuhi's room. I can keep on going, just taking a quick look at them turns out like this, right?"
"............Forget taking a quick look...you've just denied Battler's blue truth for the first and second games across the board. .........My, my, what a thing. If Battler heard, he'd faint."
"......Right? Beato wasn't cornered at all. .........Looks like that kid's a pretty good actress after all. I'm sure she planned to make it look like she was getting cornered this game, and then sometime next game, *bang*, slice it up with a single red stroke and make Battler shocked and surprised.
*giggle*, and then I'm sure she'll say it again with a huge smile. 'Witches never ge~t into a pinch'! Pff, *giggle*giggle*giggle*!!"
"............Then that whole tragic feeling as though Beato was getting cornered was all an act?"
"Isn't it obvious! She really is a big actress! Even though she wasn't cornered at all, it felt like an astonishing, last-episode climax! She's totally the winner for best supporting actress this year!! Oh, but of course I'm the sta~r! Or it could be you, Be~rn!"
"............At the end, she said something like 'kill me' and laid out a big riddle. Wasn't that her last stand, with Beato to be finished for good if that riddle was solved?"
"*giggle*giggle*...! No way, you were tricked too, Bern? That wasn't even close to a last stand! Beato is still holding back a glaring hidden move. ......When she stuck out both hands to give the final riddle, did you notice how only her right hand fell down?"
"......Yeah, now that you mention it. .........Is that what that meant."
"Sure is! That kid still had plenty of hidden moves left! And none of the mysteries have been solved...! That tension, as though she had been seen through and the next episode would be the last...she truly is a genius at acting. Yeah, I want to see her knock Battler down to the very bottom right away!
That kid's been totally encouraged by her 'North Wind and the Sun Strategy' from last time, right? I'm sure Battler will sympathize with Beato again and fall for it completely...! Because a woman's single tear can trick a man, truly economical and profitable!!"
"............I wonder if Battler will get caught by that move again. I also must incite Battler to never feel sympathy again. ......Although Ange's mincemeat seems to have done that pretty well."
"A power-up from an Ange-flavored hamburger? Oh-hohohohohohoho! Of course, I won't lose either. Starting here, I'll thoroughly support Beato to rally her up enough to compete with Battler. ......Beato won't lose. I mean, I'm threatening her with a wonderful punishment game if she loses♪"
"............Your punishment games are seriously not cool, so you should go a little easy."
"I've decided what to do for your next punishment game, Bern. Wanna hear? Wanna hear?"
"No."
"Come o~~n, ask me☆ Guess what, guess what? I'll lock you in a wonderful, wonderful castle. That castle will be surrounded by pure white castle walls, 12 kilometers to a side. With a height of 10 meters. Magic and tricks are prohibited! You really couldn't jump over that, right?"
"1,440,000,000 cubic meters? .........You can stop there, I already know what you're going to say."
"Ufufufufu! And that place will start getting buried with gems, one every day! And I'll lock you in it until the castle walls are packed with them, and you've been buried to death with gems. Isn't that a wonderful, romantic punishment game?"
"..................If you multiply the length of the walls by 5, and make the height one tenth its current height, I wouldn't mind if you shut me in it right now."
"Really?! That would make it 3,600,000,000 cubic meters, right?! The time period for the punishment game would more than double, right?! Aaahh, I get to keep you as my prisoner for such a long time?! I really like you Bern, love yo~u♪"
Lambdadelta playfully clung to Bernkastel, who yawned, looking bored, as she touched the bottom of Lambdadelta's chin as though cuddling with a cat...
"You're betting on Battler's victory. And I'm betting on an eternal tie for the two of them. ............Doesn't that mean no one's betting on Beato's victory?"
"...............I wouldn't. Her chances of winning are zero."
"Oh-hoh-hoh! How truly pitiful, being told by the Witch of Miracles that there's no chance of a miracle! Although I wouldn't bet on her either, right? Certainly!"
".........It's also pitiful being told by the Witch of Certainty that it's certainly no good."
Unusually for them, they giggled together...
"I wonder how this game will resolve itself...?"
"............True, that at least we can't predict. ...That's why it's fun."
"I will no longer permit escaping or suspensions. I'll certainly make them continue the game, and won't let them run away...! Even though I can't even imagine what will happen next, I know a way that it is certainly impossible for it to end."
"..................At the very least, it won't end with Beato's victory."
"I mean, think about it. Neither you nor I are betting on Beato's victory! In other words, if it looks like Beato is going to win, she'll have to deal with us two Great Witches as enemies...!"
".........That's how it goes. Our powers are most in balance only when balancing between a tie and Battler's advantage. If it tips too much in Beato's favor, both of us will line up along the same vector, and drag Beato back."
"In other words, the instant Beato is in a superior position, ......she'll have to deal with both of us as enemies. .........Uffufufufufu! A common front with Bern, sounds fu~~n♪"
".........Thanks. ......But I'm not going into a konpeitou candy bath with you."
"Aaa~w, and I was going to cover you with melted marshmallows while taking a konpeitou shower."
".........How pitiful. That child is a living toy, a doll that you caught so that you could play with me, Lambda."
"I'm good at playing with dolls. ......I really can play well, right? I'm proud of being able to play with a single toy for hundreds of years without getting tired of it."
"............You're her ally at some times, and oppose her at others, toying with her for all eternity. ......How pitiful. That kid is now our doll."
"Uffufu, that's right, that kid is our doll. No end is prepared for her except the ones the two of us wish for. In other words, I can say for sure that this can only end by repeating a tie for eternity because of me, or else with Beato losing and being destroyed because of you, Bern. ............Ufufu, ...as far as this game ending with Beato's victory goes..."
"............I will proclaim it as the Witch of Miracles."
"Then I will proclaim it as the Witch of Certainty."
""Beato certainly cannot win. And a miracle certainly will not occur.""
""Ahhahahahahahahahahahahaha......!!""
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho! I found you, I've finally found you, Bernkastel!!"
"............How are you, Lambda? Looks like you also have free time. I wonder if it's fate that the pair who hate boredom should run into each other again...?"
"Stupid kid. Why can't you realize that the only reason you won against me was because of a little luck and a problem of compatibility? After that, you became such a braggart, and now you're even picking a fight with Beatrice? Shouldn't you learn your place?"
"*giggle*, Beatrice is strong. And she's even more brutal than I am. Just a little!"
"And by the way, don't just shorten someone else's name to Lambda!"
".........You're dumb too, Beato. If this kid's in your game, she'll make a mess of everything."
"I really didn't just bring Lady Lambdadelta here to watch from the sidelines. After informing me that you were betting against me, she said that she would bet against you."
".....................You're still holding a grudge, aren't you."
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!! Because I'm the strongest witch in the universe. But I lost to you so I'm not the strongest! So anyone who is your enemy is my ally!!"
"*cackle*cackle*! In that case, with the great Lady Bernkastel as our opponent, it may not count as a handicap, but it will be suitable for entertainment."
"............Do as you like. ...Now that I've been exposed, allow me to get serious."
"That would be suitable. 'Going easy' has never been written in my dictionary. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*! Lady Lambdadelta, let us enjoy our valuable relationship this time."
"Yes, I'll be counting on you, Lady Beatrice! I've been terribly betrayed by her. Unless the two of us smash her up and pay her back double, I won't be able to rest!!"
"............I'll be counting on you, Lambda. And Beato. ...No matter what issue we fight over, this will be a very significant battle for us."
"That's right. Of course, I don't feel like losing, but who wins and who loses will be important."
"Anyways, we hate boredom."
The three witches giggled, cackled, and guffawed.
"......That's right. I should thank you, Beato. It looks like I can finally escape boredom. Do your best to entertain me. Together with Lambdadelta."
"Leave it to me. *cackle*cackle*...!!"
"If we're decided, Beato, then let's start a strategy meeting right now! I know all of this girl's weak points, and I'll teach you all of them!"
"And yet, Lady Lambdadelta, you were defeated by her, *cackle*cackle*...!"
"Urrrrrrrrgggh, I won't tell you, I won't tell you! Tsu-n!"
"*cackle*cackle* hahhahahahahahaha! ...She's never boring, that Lady Lambdadelta."
"............Isn't she? Take care of her. She's a lonely person."
"I see. So she's one of 'those' that are popular these days. *cackle*, as expected from Lady Lambdadelta. Quite cutting edge. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*."
"Go already. That child's waiting for you to chase after her."
"......Then, if you'll excuse me. See you next game. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!"
......I'm sorry.
That troublesome one came, but don't mind it.
More importantly, .........things sure got ugly.
I thought I'd experienced a very tragic end in Lambda's game, .........but this time, ......it's exceptionally horrible.
...It isn't as though I don't understand that feeling which makes you hug your knees and close your heart.
If you meet that end several more times, your heart will be killed without having to wait one hundred years.
......Beato saw through me, so I'll confess.
You are now just like I was in the past, when I was imprisoned inside Lambda's world.
Shut inside a labyrinth of cruel fate, tormented by a witch, in a manner of speaking.
...I am a witch who was born from there.
......So maybe I'm like an older sister to you. So I decided that I'd lend you my power.
However, ............even compared to my fate, ......your's is, ...truly brutal.Not only do I sympathize with you, I'm almost brought to tears by your tragic fate.
But please, don't lose heart.
Please don't submit to Beato, no matter what.
Certainly, that child's game is quite unfair.
I've only been allowed a glimpse of the game board, but the unfair and clever devices set up on the stage are so disgusting that they probably far surpass those of Lambdadelta's game board.
And what's even more frightening, is when that child moves a piece, it's not like she always makes the best possible move.
This is where she is very different from Lambda.
Lambda always uses an overpowering number of pieces to make the best possible move, in order to win.
But Beato sometimes intentionally cuts corners when she moves her pieces.
Since when we are in trouble, we try to seek out our opponent's strategy by looking at their moves, this creates a very formidable amount of noise in our information.
This could cause a troublesome amount of disorder.
......However, as in chess, a player might be able to create some noise for their opponent with a useless move, but they would still miss out on a more valuable move.
In other words, it's not like your opportunities to take advantage of it are zero.
Although you may not be able to believe it, this game was also like that.
......Even though those developments looked so overpowering, ...there actually was a weak point.
One that makes me want to take advantage of it.
......Even though I don't know if it's a trap or if she's testing us.
Anyways, don't surrender.
Don't stop thinking.
Don't deny any possibility.
As long as you continue to hold the will to fight, Beato will not win.
What's the most important element in defense during a witch's battle?
Rather than trying to win, try not to lose.
...If you lose when you accept her, then you definitely must not accept her.
......Making you accept witches.
There is no longer any doubt that this is one of Beatrice's victory conditions.
Now that I have announced that I am your ally, I too will make as great an effort as possible to lend you my power.
Make an effort yourself as well.
If you're still hugging your knees, quickly stand back up.
......Umm, in times like this, what did I used to say again?
.........Umm, uh,
.........Fi, ...fight, oh~.
Mii, nipa~☆
............It's so embarrassing, doing this.
......I've done this much for you, so quickly stand back up.
♫"...Ah, there you are. I wonder where Bern shrank off to? *giggle*, could she be any more lame?"
Even so.
Just like usual, the pieces Bern chooses are pretty shabby.
It's the same with chess, right?
If all of your pieces were pawns, you would have zero chance to win, right?
If all of your pieces were rooks and bishops, you definitely wouldn't lose.
......W, well, last time, I felt just a little pity and said that she could advance her pieces from anywhere she wants, and then that idiot Bern, without taking notice of my compassion, started with a-ll of her pawns on my side of the board!!
What's up with that, that wasn't a loss or anything!! Aaah, just remembering that makes me queasy.
Because of that, I won't be able to rest until I see Bern's speechless face.
Because of that, and because someone like you is Bern's piece, I'm feeling just great!
And also, I'd really hate that girl even if I didn't lose, so I'll definitely make her grind her teeth in regret, crying like a baby, she's so lame, *giggle*, hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!
C'mon, laugh with me, oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!
............Wait a sec.
Are you still hugging your knees?
You're already like this just because Beato got a little serious?
Could you be any more pathetic?
You're so pathetic, I'll help you just a little bit.
I, the great Lady Lambdadelta, the Witch of Certainty and the strongest in the universe, will associate myself just a tiny bit with you and your hopeless chances at winning. You should thank me.
You know, Beatrice may really be a cruel and powerful witch, but she's no match for me.
Why? Because she's soft.
While that kid will frame the board so that she can win with just a few more moves, she will intentionally not corner you.
She'll do things like take worthless pieces and place excess pieces on the board to make things one-sided.
In short, you could say she has the bad habit of playing around by making it look like she's won.
Almost all of the various attacks that are painful for you and Bern, look like utter waste and overkill to me.
...In other words, this means that she has a weakness, and you have a chance. See? She isn't an opponent to be afraid of, right?
She is sometimes mistaken in her strategy and goals.
And she has too much bad fun.
As a result, she even makes and exposes her own weak points.
It's impossible for one of the strongest witches like me to understand why she acts so relaxed.
Why she lowers her own chances of winning.
.........But, well.
Because of that, the type of witch like Bern, who thoroughly reads her opponent, has a really bad affinity with her. Because reading her doesn't work.
...Maybe it's really easy for Bern to read and handle an obedient and honest type like me. It makes me mad!
...Well, still, a super firepower type like me can flat out beat up a light, wide-range barrage type like Beatrice, so it's kinda like rock-paper-scissors.
If I'm paper, Beato is rock.
Which means Bern is scissors.
Well, maybe that doesn't matter.
Even though my paper loses to Bern's scissors, if it was super-paper, which is far more awesome than normal paper, it could even beat scissors, right?!
In other words, I, Lady Lambdadelta, am super-paper! Hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!
It looks like you regained a little of your complexion.
That Beato, she's having fun torturing some piece called Rosa.
At a glance, you'd think she has a really bad habit, right? Wrong.
......She's just killing time, hoping that you'll stand back up and return.
It's a move to fire up your righteous indignation by intentionally doing something detestable.
Ah man, I hate kids like that!
Well then, I'll return.
Ah! Don't tell anyone that I helped you out just a little bit!
I mean, it's not like I helped you because I wanted to save you, okay?!
I, the strongest witch in the universe, had my seat as the strongest stolen when I lost to Bern!
So I have to take that seat back from Bern, but if Bern loses to Beato here, then the position of the strongest will be moved to Beato this time, right?!
...Well, I'm not really complaining. It would be easier to steal it back from Beato, but then I wouldn't be satisfied, you see?!
And I'll take back my position as the strongest!
It's not like I'm really helping you, okay?!
I won't forgive you if you make Bern cry!
"Thank me, alright? I signed to recommend you for the succession of the witch, alright? In other words, if I hadn't signed, you wouldn't have been able to become the witch. So thank me a little, alright?!"
"This is the Witch of Certainty, Lady Lambdadelta. The recommendation of a witch from the senate was required for your succession as an Endless Witch. Lady Lambdadelta recommended you, and became your guardian."
"Th, ......thank you......"
"......He-y, Beato-! This kid isn't grateful enough! I'll stop recommending her!"
"The person who recommended her shouldn't act like a child, right? If you've signed, then just take responsibility."
"Lady Lambdadelta is also the Witch of Certainty. ......The Witch of Certainty prefers to make fate firm, to create a fate of Certainty. She really liked and highly valued your efforts until today."
"Well, a misfortunate childhood, unrewarded effort...I can sympathize ju-st a bit with that. It's not like I felt sorry for you or anything, don't be so full of yourself! Tsu-n!"
"......From my point of view, your succession, well, it's more of a coincidence than a miracle. It isn't worthy of my recommendation."
"*cackle*. This is Lady Bernkastel. She's a very hard-to-please person. Still, you could say that just having her participate and celebrate is very fortunate."
".........I only came because this is a rare event after one thousand years. And I heard that there would be some delicious sake."
"Hahahaha, wahahahaha! I never thought that Lady Bernkastel's piece would barge in at the very end...!"
"......I searched all over the place for a piece fitting for a game with you. ......I was sure that you'd like it."
"What's with that piece?! Who was that person, who was it?! She didn't say her name! That's mean!! Hey, don't you think so too?!"
"...I have a general idea. ......Come on, normally, anyone would know."
"Normally?! I don't get it, it was that character's first appearance, wasn't it?! If she doesn't say her name, I won't, the players won't, everyone won't understand, right?!"
"............Beato, it's alright if you don't tell her. Right? Isn't she a funny kid?"
"H, ...hmm. ......Lady Lambdadelta's naivete truly is precious and funny. ......*cackle*cackle*!"
"Why, why, why won't you tell only me, you meanie!! Then in exchange, I'll teach you a special secret that only I know! So tell me!"
"......Hoh. A special secret, you say?! I want to hear, I want to hear...!"
"Bleah! If you want me to tell you, first tell me who that girl really was! The secret I know sure is awesome! After all, it's about as awesome as knowing that Santa-san is actually daddy! Huh? *giggle*! I said it☆ Sorry, I'll bet you're so shocked that it turned your world upside-down, right?! Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!"
".........Your father was the one who came to your place, Lambda?"
"He came...wait, what do you me-an?"
"...Lord Santa Claus only visits the homes of children with clean hearts. He didn't come to your place, did he?"
"Well, Lord Santa Claus is gracious. Unless you are a re-ally bad scoundrel, he will give you a present. After all, he even gave them to me!"
".........As you grow and your heart is hardened, he stops coming, doesn't he? How old were you, Beato, when he stopped coming?"
"Hmm. He stopped coming when I was about 12. My maiden's heart awoke, and I quickly got somewhat embarrassed about Lord Santa coming.
After I wrote 'Thanks for everything, that's enough. So make sure you splurge on the last presents', he stopped coming. Oooh, and I was looking forward to it too! How old were you we he stopped coming, Lady Bernkastel?"
".........I was pretty wild. ...It happened fairly early. I think when I was about 9. ...Something about that beard really irritated me, so I waited in my futon with some sewing scissors ready, trying to cut it off. ............What a painful age."
"So, ......as long as she can remember, Lord Santa Claus has never come to see Lady Lambdadelta, is it? ............He usually comes until the last year of elementary school or during middle school."
"...Maybe we should have a doctor look at her. I hear that being too precocious can have a bad influence on the growth of mind and body. ...Yeah, there's definitely some of those. ...Bad influences."
"Hey, wh, what are you guys talking about!! Bleeeeah!!"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*! Wah-hah-hah-ha, it truly is boisterous when three witches gather!"
"......If you're talking about that level of secret, it looks like it isn't worth listening to. Can I go now? I have to prepare for the next game."
"Wha, hey, wait a sec! Tell me who that woman really was!!"
"......Well then, tell me this special secret first. If it's good enough, then I'll tell you."
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!! Alright, I'll tell you, 'cause it really is a special secret! ......Remember, in this game, there was a girl who found the gold and became the new witch, right?"
"Hmm. Just what kind of secret could that person have?"
"Uffufufufufu! I noticed who that girl actually is. Does anyone know? *giggle*giggle*! There was a hint in the way she talked.
Remember, that girl said it a lot, right? 'Why don't you somethi~ng?', right?! Yes, that phrase is the main point! Ebaa~?
Ebaaah
As mentioned in an earlier tip, a certain catch-phrase is pronounced 'heso kande shijimaeba'...
Ebaa~? Yes!
She was actually, Ushiromiya Eva!! What do you think?! Are you shocked?! Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho!!"
"Hoh...! I didn't notice that! ...Muu, to think that there would be a hint in a place like that."
"......Nice job playing along with her, Beato. This kid's getting arrogant, so calm her down. See you, I'm leaving."
"Wait, wait! It's not fair if you just listen to my secret and don't tell me yours!! Tell me who she really was!!"
"......Your secret was so incredible that mine just wouldn't match up. ...So in exchange, I'll teach you a special secret. I'll tell you the name of the culprit in this game called 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni'."
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh, don't say it!! I'm still playing i-t!!"
"......Ahhahahahahhahhahhahha... See you, Beato. The black tea was delicious. However, the repertoire of jam on the crackers was lacking. Add some gochujang chili paste every once in a while. It goes great with Russian tea. Later."
"Oh, I see. I shall try it. I shall call for some after preparing for the next game. Until then, feel free to polish up your strategy at your leisure."
"Yes, I'll do that. This last game was pretty interesting. Later."
"He-y, wait a sec, tell me-!!!"
"*cackle*cackle*. My, my, you two really are close."
"..............................Yes, that's right. ...Oh, I really like you, Bernkastel. You could even say I love you. ......I want to gouge out your eyes so that you can see no one other than me. ......Oh, that would be truly wonderful. It'd be wonderful to dunk them in black tea. Aha!"
"To think that you would be so entranced, Lady Lambdadelta. ......I have a serious responsibility. Still, this last game really was close! I was a breath away from getting Battler."
"............Beato. Can I ask you something?"
"What is it? I won't tell you that girl's name. *cackle*cackle*!"
"...When'll you stop fooling around? ♫...Do you even feel like winning?"
Lambdadelta threatened her with a low voice that she had never used in front of Bernkastel.
...It completely blew away the calm atmosphere which had been there until a moment ago.
".........You know, I'm supporting you because you're supposed to be a witch who can win against Bernkastel. If you don't have the power to win against her, then I'll abandon you at any time, alright......?"
"............How harsh of you. What about me dissatisfies you? ...As you know, my Lady, my game board is perfect. Lady Bernkastel will never be able to win..."
"Yeah, that's right. Your board truly is impressive. It truly is an impressive and perfect game board that Bernkastel definitely cannot win in even after spending one hundred years, or even one thousand years.
......That's why, in exchange for letting me borrow that, I made you a witch. .........If I stop being your guardian, you'll immediately go back to being a human. ...Make sure you don't forget that, no matter how much incredible magical power you hold, ......you are nothing more than a temporary witch."
"I, ......I understand. ...I am grateful to you..."
"Don't speak so casually. I'll forgive that when Bernkastel's around, but I won't when she isn't. Recently, maybe you've forgotten your debt to me."
"Th, that is, .........n, ...no, ......not so......"
"...Aah, you're as disgusting as I thought. You can talk the same way as usual. But be mindful of what you say. ......I have a surprisingly short temper, you see?"
"H, ......hmm......"
"Let's return to what we were discussing. ...Your game board truly is perfect. ......You should be able to defeat Bernkastel without any trouble. ...But that kid won't surrender easily. She'll challenge you over and over."
"That is no problem. ...It has been certified by you, Lady Lambdadelta. ......My game board is perfect."
"Yeah, that's right, it's perfect. ............But are you, the player, perfect as well?"
".........What do you mean by that...?"
"What do I mean? That's what I want to hear. .........You play a lot in your game. ...At first, I thought you were speaking in riddles for Bernkastel's sake every now and then, as part of your tactics.
............But I get the feeling that's not quite true. Rather than toying with the opponent in a match you can win, ......actually, you don't care whether you win or lose, right?"
"R, ......ridiculous... How could that be..."
"You know what? Your role is to make Bernkastel surrender. In other words, that means being the victor in this game for all eternity. ......As long as you keep trying to become the 'certain' victor, then I will give you my power as the Witch of Certainty. ............However.
If you fight in a way that doesn't deny any possibility of your loss, ...that's a different story."
"Of course, this is a game... In the same way that Lady Bernkastel will lose if I win, ...there will be some days on which I will lose and she will win. The possibility of loss always exists. Therefore, I will-"
"..................This is why you're useless. There's no need for this to be a game board for you. It's alright if this is a bird cage to lock Bernkastel up here for all eternity.
...What's the role of a bird cage? Making sure the little bird inside certainly never escapes. ......What's a bird cage worth if it has cracks that sometimes let a bird out?"
".........O, of course, games exist for winning. So it is impossible for me to lose. ...Therefore, I will continue to win.........As you wish, for all eternity..."
"Good answer, that's alright. ......I'll allow you to play around and use fakes as part of your tactics. It was sometimes useful in this last game.
............But you know? If you make a move hoping for anything else other than victory, ............at that time, prepare yourself wonderfully, okay?"
"I, I will not do such a thing... I swear it...!"
"............Because originally, you weren't even a witch, and at any time, I'll remind you what a truly shabby creature you were. ............If you betray my expectations. At that time, you can look forward to a fun, fun punishment game.
...In the world of billions of kakera, ......I'll send you into the most miserable kakera and seal you there. .........You were miserable in the first place, so it'll really be worth choosing a miserable kakera. ...*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*."
"........................"
"Oh, I love you Bernkastel. ...Scrabble your feet in Beatrice's bird cage as much as you like, and learn that you can no longer escape after one thousand years.
......And when you surrender, ...I'll train you so that you can't do anything other than cry in the palm of my hand.
.........*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*, Ahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...!!"
......Yes. This looks like a portent that Bernkastel will appear.
But the atmosphere was different somehow.
Then I understood.
.........It wasn't Bernkastel.
...It was the other witch.
"How are you feeling, Ange...?"
♫"............Lambdadelta. ......The rules don't apply to you, do they?"
"Of course not. Rules exist to bind others. What kind of idiot would bind themselves with them?"
Bernkastel is a witch who supports me, ......but this girl is different.
This witch supports Beatrice. ...In other words, she is a being on the opposing side.
But there's some kind of difference between her and Beatrice.
Even compared to Bernkastel, there's something strange about Lambdadelta's existence.
......How should I put it, ...maybe like she's a being from a higher dimension...
In any event, I was still unsure about how to deal with her.
......The only thing that was certain was that she was my enemy.
...No, just knowing that might be enough, but...
"So, ......do you have some business with me?"
"Not really. When I listened in on your conversation, it started to get a bit interesting. I thought I'd let you hear something good."
"You're supposed to be my enemy. I can't think of a reason for you to tell me something that would help me. So the moment I start listening to you, I lose. Bye, < see you next time >."
"Don't misunderstand. My opponent is Bern, not you. ......In other words, it is possible for there to be a topic that benefits both you and I."
"...............Sorry, but I don't feel like listening."
......Although I said that, I probably won't be released from this frozen time until Lambdadelta is happy.
......This itself might be proof that she's in a higher dimension than me.
I haven't been given the option of not listening to her.
All I can do is try not to be shaken by anything she says, and strengthen my mental guard.
She'll probably try to make me believe something disadvantageous to me, and threaten me...
"*giggle*giggle*. There's no need to square off like that. I just came to resolve your misunderstanding. ......No, that's not quite it. I came thinking I'd inform you about the lie Bernkastel told you."
".........Bernkastel, .........lied?"
"Didn't Bern make it sound as though, if you defeated Beato, your big brother would come back?"
"............Who knows. ...I don't feel like talking with you."
My brother coming home... I hadn't been promised anything that dream-like.
Getting just one person only if I was lucky..., had been a promise without very high hopes.
But that is enough for me.
......After being promised an eternity of isolation, having a faint but still not zero chance was like a shining beacon.
"In a way, that promise of Bern's wasn't a lie. ......If Bern promised, then I'm sure that if you defeat Beato, Battler and your parents will be released and will come back to you."
"Then there's no problem."
"............Seriously? .........That kid is surprisingly cruel.
To think she'd deceive you, even though she・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ knows."
".........How are you saying I was deceived?"
Damn...
I'm letting her take the initiative.
...But I won't be released until I lend an ear to her story.
...So it's something I'll have to hear anyways...
Even though I realized that I was falling into a trap, I urged her forwards.
"What year is it now?"
"......You're talking about the world of the game board? ...In that case, it's October 4, 1986."
"That's right. So if you win against Beato, then on October 6, when the typhoon has passed, the people who were trapped on the island will return. ......On October 6, 1986, that is, right?"
"............So what?"
"How was your October 6, 1986? ............You were at your relatives house, right?"
......I had been at the house of the only Sumadera my mother trusted, Grandpa.
.........We had gotten a call.
When I had been playing with building blocks in the tatami room, we had gotten that call...
After watching to see that I had remembered, ......Lambdadelta laughed unpleasantly, ......and spoke.
♫"HEY. ON YOUR OCTOBER 6, 1986, DID BATTLER ONII-CHAN COME HOME?"
".............................."
Even though I didn't understand what she was saying, I noticed an unpleasant sweat seeping out all over my face...
......Aaah, I don't get it. I DON'T GET IT.
......What is, ......this witch saying.........?
"See? If you defeat Beato, Battler will certainly be released. And he'll probably return home. To his home in 1986. After all, that's how it is, right? Battler was locked up from the 4th to the 5th of October in 1986. It's only natural that he would return the next day if he were to be released, right? ......And you? You're a person from the year 1998.
You're Ushiromiya Ange of the year 1998
where Battler did not return・・・・・・・・. Know what that means?"
"............What...are you talking about? .........If my family came back home on October 6, ...wouldn't that be wonderful? I would come home from Grandpa's house right away. And then we'd meet. ......Everyone's happy..."
"Yes. Ushiromiya Ange probably would be able to reunite with her family.
...The six year old Ushiromiya Ange from 1986・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ would, right......?"
".........Who am I?"
"Ushiromiya Ange. An 18 year old one. .........No, that's not it. You aren't Ushiromiya Ange. You're a witch's piece with that name. Strictly speaking, the name ANGE Beatrice belongs to a completely different person. ......Know what that means?"
I don't...really get it anymore......
.........Huh? ......Huh? ......Who, .........am I? ............Huh?
"......And thaaat's why I think Bern's cruel. No, I think she's a meanie. Especially since it's not like she hasn't had that experience."
".........Am I............, ......somehow, .........being tricked.........?"
"Yeah, but please don't blame Bern, okay? After all, depending on how you look at it, that kid isn't lying. ......If Beato is defeated, your family will be returned. Returned to Ushiromiya Ange. ......But she probably didn't say that this Ushiromiya Ange would be you, right...?"
Was it like that...was it like that......?
What did Bernkastel say to me, again......?
Your assistance is needed.
......Your family needs it.
Bernkastel had started speaking by saying that.
Then I had spoken.
If I save them, does that mean my family will come back?
......And how did Bernkastel answer that, again......?
Umm, umm......
'I cannot promise that.'
Uh, umm......!
That kid did promise me.
In exchange for accepting this fight...!
Yes, this is what she said!
'In exchange, I will search for the kakera of the ideal world that you wish for, the world where your family comes home.'
............Yeah, that's right.
......She didn't say any more than that she'd look for it.
She didn't say she'd find it.
......But I was, ...prepared for that from the beginning.
But even so, ......that child promised that as long as I didn't give up, there was a faint chance of it happening......
And, ......in the end, she said this.
'I'm giving you a chance for revenge. ...In exchange, if it is possible for you to receive it, I promise to search for the happiest resolution for you.'
".....................I've known it was a tough bet from the very beginning. ......After all, I have no family in my 1998. If I could have a small chance of shaking that certain zero, ......that alone would be worth it. I was warned beforehand that even if I succeeded in my revenge, it might be a wasted effort. ......So, .........umm........."
"Yeah, there's no lie in that part. Beato's game board is perfect. Even having you around makes the chances of Beato losing so slim that it's doubtful you could even dream of it happening once in your life.
In other words, that chance of winning is almost zero, so certainly that it could be regarded as infinitely close to zero. So Bern can be forgiven for saying it in such an evasive manner."
"......But I can say for sure that she was tricking you when she let you get your hopes up. After all, even if you could overcome astronomical odds and win, the person your family will return to is not you. It is the six year old Ange that exists in this 1986, the true Ushiromiya Ange. Not YOU.
......Bern will still probably go around the billions of kakera, searching for the best world for you. But didn't she tell you? That she planned on bringing you a present, but wasn't able to find it?"
"............She did......"
"Ufufufufufu, *giggle*giggle*giggle*...!! You're finally starting to notice, aren't you...? No reward has been prepared for you in this battle. No, to the contrary, when smashed, Beato's game board will disappear.
Then you, as a piece, will disappear・・・・・・・・・・・・.
.........The goal you can accept is completely, .........no. I'll proclaim it upon my name. Upon the name of the Witch of Certainty, Lambdadelta! I proclaim that it 'certainly' doesn't exist...!"
"...............This can't be........."
"That's Bern's lie. ......Or should I call it speaking in riddllles? She made you misunderstand and think that you could be saved. I came to clear that up."
"............In other words, ......no matter how hard I fight, no matter how hard I pursue victory, ......my family won't come back to me.........?"
"Right, they won't come back! With 'certainty'! Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh!! The Witch of Certainty says it with certainty! Isn't this incredible? There have been several ancient kings who dedicated historical buildings to me because they wanted me to give them certainty! I am graciously giving that to you as a present. Isn't this reeally wonderful, cute and marvelous? Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh!! Buut! I have a single good proposition for you."
.........Damn.
...I'm getting completely overwhelmed......
I knew I shouldn't have listened, ......and now I'm starting to be overwhelmed by the witch Lambdadelta......!
"My opponent is Bern, not you. I think I just said that it's possible for the two of us to talk about something that benefits us both. I've been saying I'd talk about something like that from the beginning. So listen to me. You have no choice but to...!"
"............I'm listening..., I'll listen............there's nothing wrong with that, is there?!!"
I finally lost control over my emotions and exploded from the inside.
I don't have a clue anymore.
......I believed that I was Ange.
But at some point, I stopped being Ange.
That's right, I'm ANGE. Not Ange...!
Who am I?
I'm not my parents' child, nor my brother's little sister.
......I'm just a piece, ......in a witch's game...!
"There's no need to be so pessimistic. ......I mean, think about it, okay? Right now, you're together with Battler onii-chan. While it's true that you can't tell him your name, at least you're positioned as his ally in a game where he battles a witch, ......and you're able to be with him for all eternity. ......Know what it meeeans......??"
.........I can't stand it, .........but I understand...
In other words, .........as long as Onii-chan keeps getting a tie in this game, it will continue forever.
Continuing to tie means continuing the game for eternity, and it means that I can remain with Onii-chan as a piece.
......But if Onii-chan wins, or else loses, and the curtain closes on the game...
"You, as a piece, will disappear."
"........................"
"What is the happiness of a game piece? ......Nothing more than playing in the game. It doesn't come when the game's shut in the closet, gathering dust, right?"
......In the past, the Seven Sisters of Purgatory said it as well.
Furniture's happiness is being used, not being stored away.
That's right. I am now, ............the witch's, .........furniture.
"Let's change things around a bit. ......Actually, I want this game to continue in a tie for all eternity. An unending game is an eternal cage. ......A certain closed room that never opens for all time and that will finally make Bern surrender.
......You know, Beato does want to win a bit. Victory by making Battler surrender. But that's actually a problem for me.
After all, if the game ends, the closed room will fall apart. ......So I'll go easy on Battler to a certain degree, so that he does not surrender. Don't worry, alright? When Battler's about to surrender, I'll become his ally."
".........But you know? I get the feeling that Beato is faintly starting to realize. ......I think she's starting to realize that her victory won't come for all eternity in this game.
But she is, of course, the Endless Witch. Beato's stupid, so she optimistically thinks that even so, she'll surely win eventually, and just has to repeat this game on and on endlessly. Of course, blonde-haired girls are almost always stupid, *giggle*giggle*!"
".........In this game of witches, .........there's no such thing...as victory or loss......"
"I won't let her win. And I won't let her lose. With certainty! ......Bern has noticed that. So she found you to be the most powerful piece for breaking that deadlock, and threw you in. To make this game end, you see?"
".........To make this game...end......"
"What's a piece's role when it ends? .........I'll state it clearly. Your existence is a contradiction. ......Your reason for existing is to bury yourself in the darkness and despair...!"
My goal is to defeat Beato and release my captive family.
......And yet, even if I succeed, I won't be rewarded.
"You cannot lose. And you won't be rewarded if you win. ......So I've brought you a third choice. And with that choice, our interests match each other."
.........Continuing the tie...for all eternity.........
"Yes. ......As long as the tie continues for all eternity, this world will not crumble. ......What is this world? .........It is the world of the game with the witch. A world where Beato and Battler fight for all eternity. ......And at the same time, it is a world where you can be with Battler for all eternity......!!"
"..................Uu, ............uu......ah............"
My head was spinning.
That confusion became a hot liquid, and I felt it pouring from my eyes...
It was so hot......, that it felt like it would burn my face...
"Riight......? ANGE Beatriiiiice...?? Since Bernkastel's goal is to end the game and end the world where you and Battler can interact, why should you be her ally...?
......That kid tricked you, you see? She made it look like you might be saved if you became her piece. But I won't deceive you there!
......So I'll say it, ANGE. Become my chess piece. Unlike Bern, I won't offer you rewards based on lies that certainly can never be granted. As long as you become my piece, and help me so that this world 'certainly' never ends...With 'certainty', I'll swear upon my name that this world will 'certainly' continue!
That's not all. I'll add on a bonus. The rule that binds you. ......I'll clear it away for you. Well, of course, that's only after you've sworn to become my piece, alright?"
In my own throat, ......there was a thick, loud gulping sound......
Aah, I shouldn't have listened......
If I hadn't listened, I could have remained an innocent little sister, praying for my brother's victory.
......But I might be different now.
...I might have been degraded into a witch's furniture, .........that can only be by Onii-chan's side......
"......I'm not telling you to betray your brother, alright? If it looks like Battler's gonna lose, you can save him with all you've got. ......On the other hand, when Battler closes in on Beato too much, I want you to hold back a little, ......and that's all I'm asking, alright?
Don't worry, there's no need to actually betray Battler. ......Battler can't win against Beato alone. That's why Bern threw you in, you see? ......As long as you don't lend a hand, Battler will be unable to win against Beato for all eternity.
See? It's really simple, isn't it? ......*giggle*giggle*, hohhohohoho, ahhahahahahahahahhahhahhahhahhahha! Kahhahhahhahha, kyaaahhahahahahahahahhhahahahahahahha!!"
"The only way for you to return to your original world is to win against Beato. .........In other words, if Beato were to abandon the game......get it?"
Suddenly, in a different place, was a girl wearing a bright pink dress.
......I had a feeling I'd met her somewhere too, but I couldn't remember.
More important was the meaning of the words she said.
......If the game is abandoned then, ......huh?
".........That's right. A match won't be resolved unless enemies and allies gather. .........It would mean that you would never be able to win and escape this world for all eternity."
"What it comes down to, I guess, ......is something like taking the key to the cage that you're locked in, fastening it to the collar of a pigeon or something and letting it fly.
............This isn't funny, Beato. We didn't come this far to watch such a boring game. Calling it a day like this just isn't funny."
".........I'm the same as Lambda. I came here to make Battler win, and to make you writhe in defeat. I still haven't achieved that goal. ......I won't stand for you abandoning the game at a time like this and running away."
"I acknowledge that it would mean the curtain call for a game that disappoints you Ladies. ......However, I, the host of this tea party, am after all fickle. Once it's lost its fun, I know no way of entertaining. ......I believe that was my witch-like way of doing things in the first place. There are no problems, yes...?"
"........................Certainly. I won't go against your creed."
"I won't accept it.........Quit fooling around, how much do you think I've supported you... You think I'd be okay with that after all this preparation? Don't mess with me...!!"
"I am saying that I have tired of it. Nothing more, nothing less."
"That's not going to work... We'll have you continue this game. You want to win against Battler, right? You want to win and make him surrender, right?! It's almost over, isn't it?! Ri~ght?!"
".........Qualified?"
"...Probably has something to do with that test or whatever just now."
"............What are you planning to do...?"
"...Y, ...you couldn't be..."
"I will now question whether you are qualified to be my opponent. .........Alright, Battler? If those qualifications are acknowledged, I will stay in my seat and continue the game. And I shall promise to fight for all eternity until the outcome is decided."
"Heh! I was ready for that from the beginning."
"............However, if you are not qualified, ......you will disappear. If the opponent disappears, there is no game. I can leave this place openly. .........Are the Ladies satisfied? Interruptions are unnecessary."
"...........................Go ahead, do as you like."
".........B, ...Battler... You, ......make sure you answer well..."
"The very reason I'm here is because I'm qualified, right? Heh, there's nothing to be scared of...!"
".....................Y, ......you couldn't be......"
Gretel grew suddenly pale.
......I'd thought her to be the calm, collected type, so that expression surprised me.
"......Well then Battler. I shall have you repeat it in red."
"Y, you're telling me to repeat something? Heheh..., damn you, stealing my signature move. ......But can I do the red truth too? How...?"
"............I, if you wish for it to be that way, you can do it. It's easy."
"My name is Ushiromiya Battler. ......W, ......whoa, pretty cool."
"Stop it!! ♫I know what you're after...!! But stop that! He......!!"
When Gretel yelled, Beato glared at her.
Then, her form was wiped away in an instant.
"Shut up. Leave your seat for a while. You too, Ladies. If you interfere, I will not hold back."
"............We won't get in the way. Go ahead, do as you like."
"B, Bern, this is bad!! She's trying to erase him...Battler!!"
"......B, Battler......! Get a hold of yourself...!!"
".....................Well. ...If he can't counter back, there's nothing more to do. ...Battler did not possess that qualification. That's how it is."
"A, are you okay with that, Bern?! If you accept that, you'll lose too, right?!"
"Battleeeeeeeeeeeeer......r, ......nn, ah........."
"Now the opponent has disappeared. ......Well then, if you would excuse me. And Ladies, you should prepare for your journey. No more festivities are prepared for in my territory. It was good seeing you. ......Goodbye."
Without saying anything more, she clouded her own form in darkness as well, and disappeared......
"A, .........are you, ......alright with this?! Battler, ......d, disappeared, right?! Someone who hates losing as much as you do is okay with this?!"
"..................Weren't you betting on my defeat? Then isn't this wonderful. Congratulations, Lambda. Well then, let's meet again in some other world, okay?
Well, this is a world of endless kakera. The chances of us having some connection again somewhere are probably less than one in a quadrillion. ............Alright, it was fun. Bye-bye."
"Ah, ...wait up, Bern...!!!"
Chasing after Bernkastel, who had disappeared first, Lambdadelta disappeared as well...
around a rest!"
At that time, there was a violent sound.
......Beato felt a cold, pathetic sensation in her legs.
"......Gotcha...! I finally got you, eh, Beato~?"
"Oh, Great Lady Lambdadelta is it............To think that you were still here."
Beato's foot was caught in an ice-cold steel shackle, ......tying her to the chair she sat in.
......She would no longer be able to escape from this seat.
"Ho-hhohhohoho! You won't be able to escape anymore, alright? I'm more persistent than I look. Surprised?"
"............It'd have been more surprising if you hadn't realized it yourself."
"You are not permitted to leave early or suspend the game. You'll fight for all eternity, in order to win, right? .........You don't want to lose, do you? You wanna little peek at the kind of wonderful world you'll be thrown into if you lose?
DON'T WORRY. You can win, because I, the Great Lady Lambdadelta, will be watching you
constantly until you win・・・・・・, looking after you for all eternity...!!"
"..............................Hmph, ......hahahahaha. .........But even if I wish to fight, I have no opponent across from me, correct......?"
"Battler's soul, ...is starting to come back."
"............But it can't quite reach."
"Aa~ah, and you even promised that you wouldn't turn around..."
"..................Beato's pretty frank."
"Battler didn't see it, so you could have just said that she turned into butterflies and flew away, or something."
On a large bed were scattered cute jellybeans of various colors, and coin-shaped chocolates.
A fork was stuck into a shortcake peeking out of a gift box, and there were decanters with drinks of various colors lined up on the side table.
But the color of the partially finished drink that had been poured into a cup was venomous, matching none of the decanters.
Someone had probably been playing around, mixing various things together.
It was very fun, regardless of the taste.
On top of the fluffy bed were several colorful, big pillows like something from a dream.
And on this bed that looked like something out of a child's dream world, Bernkastel lay face down, and Lambdadelta lay face up, clutching a pillow and relaxing......
"Ahhahahhahhahha, it was pretty thrilling this time, wasn't i~t? I got re~ally anxious when Beato said she'd stop the game."
"..................What a rude witch, to start a game such as this and try to end it by throwing it away."
"Wasn't Ange a good piece? After Beato ran for it, Ange dragged her back and made her resume the game. Although it is a shame that she gave Battler a little too much enthusiasm."
"............Because she knew Battler is weak against emotions."
"Too true. He looked like he might even go easy on his enemy Beato."
"............I was uneasy that, like the last game, he might in the worst case feel compassion for Beato, and take the game in a weird direction. .........Ange was a trump card to get Battler back on track when he mistook his goal. .........Although I wanted her to support him a bit more before using her. She really was used right off the bat. What a waste for a piece that required so much preparation."
"Uffufufu! It's a good thing she was shackled by the rule about not giving her name! If that hadn't been set up, the brother-sister tag team would have swallowed Beato up and won in the blink of an eye."
"............I thought it was a chance for them to press her all at once, but your mark was so restrictive that I couldn't make the best use of her. ......Aaah, what a waste that piece was."
"Isn't it obvious that such an unfair piece would have to be retired right away? Well, in the end, she did a good job of preventing the suspension of the game, and that helps me out too. The way she acted to make both our interests match is what made her a truly wonderful piece."
"............She was an innocent kid like Battler, so it was easy to get her to do as I said. .........Morons and impulsive types are the best for pieces. ......Aaah, I really can't stand losing that piece."
"By now, that kid's minced meat! Hey, let's make hamburgers out of that later on☆ Oh wait, didn't you like gyoza more? I wonder what little sister tastes like, *giggle*, hilarious!"
"..................Is it really alright for you to be so relaxed? Thanks to Ange, Battler has gotten all stirred up. I believe he's started a hot pursuit of Beato, making this game take a big turn to my advantage, right...? I mean, didn't Battler solve almost all the mysteries up until now this time?"
"Huuh? No~t even close! Almost all of Battler's blue truth is off! Beato's lukewarm red is full of holes. If she had any brains in her, she'd slip through it easily by setting up a suitable web of twisted logic. ......Yeah, it really ticks me off. If it were me, I'd thoroughly cut down all of it with the red."
"............Oh, really? And I was sure that those were all correct. ......Well, I don't know about that small bomb part though."
"Not all of Battler's blue truth was effective. ......Beato clearly declared, for the first game, that the identities of all unidentified corpses are guaranteed! This breaks Battler's reasoning about the culprit of the Eva/Hideyoshi closed room murder being someone who faked a corpse.
Next, Kanon might have died in an accident in the boiler room but, *giggle*! What kind of accident could drive a stake into his own chest? Are you a moron? I'll slice it with that red treasured sword.
Kanon did not die in an accident! For the next one, the murders of the three including Genji in the parlor, the thought that it was a simultaneous murder where they shot each other in a clockwise pattern at the same time is laughable. Genji, Kumasawa, and Nanjo are not murderers!
The final trap X to kill Natsuhi is also ridiculous. The thing that shot Natsuhi wasn't a trap, it was a real shooting murder with a gun raised and trigger pulled! *giggle*, how sad...!"
"......You mustn't do that. Saying something like that in red. That kid's trying to make it so that she bounced Natsuhi's bullet back with magic and killed her."
"Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh, oh my, how could I, that's true...! Even the blue truth for the second game was too naive. When the six were killed in the chapel, the culprit was inside the chapel! That guy tries to explain things left and right using trap X. What the heck is trap X, a pattern in some strange mystery novels?
It's also laughable to say that, in the case where Nanjo and Kumasawa were killed in the servants' room, someone inherited Kanon's name. The only one who can claim Kanon's name is the person himself! A different person cannot claim his name!
And that theory about borrowing the master key from Rosa for Natsuhi's room is also worthless! After the master keys came into Rosa's control, never did any of them leave her hands! Except for the time when she lent it to Battler to unlock Natsuhi's room. I can keep on going, just taking a quick look at them turns out like this, right?"
"............Forget taking a quick look...you've just denied Battler's blue truth for the first and second games across the board. .........My, my, what a thing. If Battler heard, he'd faint."
"......Right? Beato wasn't cornered at all. .........Looks like that kid's a pretty good actress after all. I'm sure she planned to make it look like she was getting cornered this game, and then sometime next game, *bang*, slice it up with a single red stroke and make Battler shocked and surprised.
*giggle*, and then I'm sure she'll say it again with a huge smile. 'Witches never ge~t into a pinch'! Pff, *giggle*giggle*giggle*!!"
"............Then that whole tragic feeling as though Beato was getting cornered was all an act?"
"Isn't it obvious! She really is a big actress! Even though she wasn't cornered at all, it felt like an astonishing, last-episode climax! She's totally the winner for best supporting actress this year!! Oh, but of course I'm the sta~r! Or it could be you, Be~rn!"
"............At the end, she said something like 'kill me' and laid out a big riddle. Wasn't that her last stand, with Beato to be finished for good if that riddle was solved?"
"*giggle*giggle*...! No way, you were tricked too, Bern? That wasn't even close to a last stand! Beato is still holding back a glaring hidden move. ......When she stuck out both hands to give the final riddle, did you notice how only her right hand fell down?"
"......Yeah, now that you mention it. .........Is that what that meant."
"Sure is! That kid still had plenty of hidden moves left! And none of the mysteries have been solved...! That tension, as though she had been seen through and the next episode would be the last...she truly is a genius at acting. Yeah, I want to see her knock Battler down to the very bottom right away!
That kid's been totally encouraged by her 'North Wind and the Sun Strategy' from last time, right? I'm sure Battler will sympathize with Beato again and fall for it completely...! Because a woman's single tear can trick a man, truly economical and profitable!!"
"............I wonder if Battler will get caught by that move again. I also must incite Battler to never feel sympathy again. ......Although Ange's mincemeat seems to have done that pretty well."
"A power-up from an Ange-flavored hamburger? Oh-hohohohohohoho! Of course, I won't lose either. Starting here, I'll thoroughly support Beato to rally her up enough to compete with Battler. ......Beato won't lose. I mean, I'm threatening her with a wonderful punishment game if she loses♪"
"............Your punishment games are seriously not cool, so you should go a little easy."
"I've decided what to do for your next punishment game, Bern. Wanna hear? Wanna hear?"
"No."
"Come o~~n, ask me☆ Guess what, guess what? I'll lock you in a wonderful, wonderful castle. That castle will be surrounded by pure white castle walls, 12 kilometers to a side. With a height of 10 meters. Magic and tricks are prohibited! You really couldn't jump over that, right?"
"1,440,000,000 cubic meters? .........You can stop there, I already know what you're going to say."
"Ufufufufu! And that place will start getting buried with gems, one every day! And I'll lock you in it until the castle walls are packed with them, and you've been buried to death with gems. Isn't that a wonderful, romantic punishment game?"
"..................If you multiply the length of the walls by 5, and make the height one tenth its current height, I wouldn't mind if you shut me in it right now."
"Really?! That would make it 3,600,000,000 cubic meters, right?! The time period for the punishment game would more than double, right?! Aaahh, I get to keep you as my prisoner for such a long time?! I really like you Bern, love yo~u♪"
Lambdadelta playfully clung to Bernkastel, who yawned, looking bored, as she touched the bottom of Lambdadelta's chin as though cuddling with a cat...
"You're betting on Battler's victory. And I'm betting on an eternal tie for the two of them. ............Doesn't that mean no one's betting on Beato's victory?"
"...............I wouldn't. Her chances of winning are zero."
"Oh-hoh-hoh! How truly pitiful, being told by the Witch of Miracles that there's no chance of a miracle! Although I wouldn't bet on her either, right? Certainly!"
".........It's also pitiful being told by the Witch of Certainty that it's certainly no good."
Unusually for them, they giggled together...
"I wonder how this game will resolve itself...?"
"............True, that at least we can't predict. ...That's why it's fun."
"I will no longer permit escaping or suspensions. I'll certainly make them continue the game, and won't let them run away...! Even though I can't even imagine what will happen next, I know a way that it is certainly impossible for it to end."
"..................At the very least, it won't end with Beato's victory."
"I mean, think about it. Neither you nor I are betting on Beato's victory! In other words, if it looks like Beato is going to win, she'll have to deal with us two Great Witches as enemies...!"
".........That's how it goes. Our powers are most in balance only when balancing between a tie and Battler's advantage. If it tips too much in Beato's favor, both of us will line up along the same vector, and drag Beato back."
"In other words, the instant Beato is in a superior position, ......she'll have to deal with both of us as enemies. .........Uffufufufufu! A common front with Bern, sounds fu~~n♪"
".........Thanks. ......But I'm not going into a konpeitou candy bath with you."
"Aaa~w, and I was going to cover you with melted marshmallows while taking a konpeitou shower."
".........How pitiful. That child is a living toy, a doll that you caught so that you could play with me, Lambda."
"I'm good at playing with dolls. ......I really can play well, right? I'm proud of being able to play with a single toy for hundreds of years without getting tired of it."
"............You're her ally at some times, and oppose her at others, toying with her for all eternity. ......How pitiful. That kid is now our doll."
"Uffufu, that's right, that kid is our doll. No end is prepared for her except the ones the two of us wish for. In other words, I can say for sure that this can only end by repeating a tie for eternity because of me, or else with Beato losing and being destroyed because of you, Bern. ............Ufufu, ...as far as this game ending with Beato's victory goes..."
"............I will proclaim it as the Witch of Miracles."
"Then I will proclaim it as the Witch of Certainty."
""Beato certainly cannot win. And a miracle certainly will not occur.""
""Ahhahahahahahahahahahahaha......!!""