Chapter 72
When my brother announced the start of the “First Treasure Meeting,” I stared at him intensely, prompting him to ask why I was looking at him like that.
“Brother.”
“What is it?”
Same voice, same gestures, same expressions.
But the doubt didn’t go away. Soon, it turned into certainty.
“You… Who are you?”
“Calling me ‘you’? Do you want to get scolded?!”
“You’re not my brother.”
No matter what anyone says, I can tell. After all, I’m his only sister.
Hearing my words, the “something” that wasn’t my brother suddenly bowed its head and burst into hysterical laughter.
“Hahahahahahahahaha!”
“….”
A chill ran down my spine, like nails scratching a chalkboard.
What is that thing?
After laughing madly, the “something” stopped and stared at me.
“How did you know?”
“Because you’re different.”
No matter how well you imitate someone’s appearance, I can tell.
We’re siblings, after all.
“A variable, huh.”
As soon as it said that, it tried to lunge forward, but Lillian and the Heavenly Demon blocked its way.
“…I must reflect on this.”
“It’s a perfect replica.”
It seemed to have a purpose, targeting something. But what could it be?
And more importantly, where’s my brother?
When did they switch him out?
Ah, from the very beginning.
Since entering this floor, something had felt off.
Starting with behaviors my brother would never do—everything seemed suspicious.
“Where is my brother?!”
“He’s probably sleeping!”
Even while avoiding us, the “something” kept aiming for something.
“We’ll interrogate it.”
With those words, the Heavenly Demon drew her sword.
In one swift move, the creature disguised as my brother was split in two.
“W-wait, weren’t we going to interrogate it?!”
“Look over there.”
As I protested, pointing a finger, the Heavenly Demon directed my gaze to something that had turned into a gelatinous mass.
And I’d seen it before.
“Isn’t that… Darami’s technique?”
The writhing blob reformed itself as if nothing had happened, brushing off its clothes.
“You’ve caught me.”
Ah, a familiar voice.
It was Darami’s usual tone.
Then the Darami perched on my shoulder must be a shadow clone.
“Why…?”
“I’m sorry.”
With that, it reached out, and shadows began to envelop us.
“I won’t harm you. Just stay still for a while.”
*
*
*
“How did we end up trapped here?”
【…….】
We were deceived. By Darami, of all beings.
The “gift” Darami had handed me before we entered the Tower was the key. It was swapped when we entered the floor.
Nika and I were dropped into a tiny space together, with a screen displaying the current situation.
Even the imposter mimicking me.
But… it’s like me, yet different.
“Darami’s ability? It’s perfectly mimicking my behavior patterns.”
【No.】
Nika shook her head furiously, insisting it was different.
Frustrated by the confined space, she attempted to break it, but I stopped her.
I needed to understand Darami’s purpose.
If secrets existed, we couldn’t climb the Tower together.
Should I feel fortunate to have realized this beforehand, or regret that it’s too late?
“What is Darami trying to do?”
On the screen, the shadowy figure tried to bind my sister, Lillian, and the Heavenly Demon.
But was Darami always this strong?
Though an S-rank Gate boss, its powers were supposed to be sealed. How is this possible?
“Why is she so strong…?”
【Because, unlike us, she was on a lower floor?】
“Then her power seal would have been lifted earlier.”
【That’s right! Master is smart!】
Even in this situation, what should I do with our adorable Nika?
As I patted Nika for a while and watched the screen, things looked dangerous.
“Looks like it’s time to step in.”
【Shall I break it?】
“Break it.”
【Okay!】
With those words, she swung her giant arm, and the space began to shatter into pieces.
As the background turned pure white, Nika forcefully opened the space.
She hugged me through the small opening she created and entered inside.
After a moment, we were transported to a space where shadows flickered along with a bright light.
“H-how did you get out already?!”
At the sound of a scream, I looked in that direction to see our Darami staring in astonishment.
“Darami, we have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
“…….”
She bit her lip using my face and darted her eyes around, searching for something.
Anyone looking at that would know.
“Is the treasure you need here in this place, Darami?”
“…Yes.”
“Then I’ll give it to you, so could you explain the situation?”
“…I’ve already betrayed you, Master. Even so, will you trust my words?”
“I trust you.”
At my firm answer, her eyes wavered.
“Why… Even my own people didn’t trust me, so why does Master trust me so?”
“Because Darami is mine.”
At those words, her form turned into shadow and melted away, transforming into the woman I saw at the S-rank Gate.
A mysterious and beautiful figure.
I can’t quite define it, but maybe that’s the charm of shadows.
She—Darami—slowly approached me and took something out from her embrace.
“Rather than me telling you, I think it’s better if you experience it yourself.”
A transparent orb.
It’s called a Memory Orb, an item that allows you to show your memories to others.
As I received the item and applied some force to break it, the world went dark.
*
*
*
Feeling like I was floating in the sky, I opened my eyes to find that I truly was floating.
Then I heard screams.
Following the screams and looking down at the ground, I saw a castle engulfed in flames.
And numerous soldiers were fighting; the soldiers desperately resisting were made of shadows.
Are they Doppelgänger Soldiers?
Despite their desperate resistance, the tide of battle was turning against them.
The beings pushing them back—
Every time something that looked like ‘angels’ with pure white wings on their backs pierced with their golden glowing spears, the shadows scattered.
Thus, numerous soldiers returned to nothingness, and the angels invaded the castle.
The castle walls collapsed, and as they entered, countless soldiers tried to block them but were helplessly swept away.
Soon, they broke down a huge door and entered a vast space.
Inside, Darami was sitting on a throne.
“Why are you invading my kingdom?”
To Darami’s question, only sneers returned.
Numerous angels parted to make way, and from within, a figure emerged.
An existence emitting a mysterious aura, with twelve pairs of pure white wings, appeared.
“Because you’re weak.”
It was a very succinct answer.
At the same time, Darami rose from the throne and extended her hand, but it was useless.
She was overpowered in an instant, and seeing her making a resigned expression hurt my heart.
“I won’t kill you. Because you’ll make a very amusing ‘toy.’”
At that moment, the world went dark again, and when I opened my eyes, I was back in the original world.
“Did you see? To take revenge on them—the ‘Angels’—I needed the Sea God’s Treasure. To awaken the being that can erase the angels from this world—the ‘Fallen Angel.’”
“…….”
“So… that’s why I betrayed you, Master.”
Our Darami looked at me with an expressionless face.
As I approached her, she flinched, and at that moment, I hugged our Darami.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Darami.”
“Why are you doing this?”
As I held Darami tightly while she struggled in my arms, she stopped resisting.
“Darami is mine. So I’ll help you with your revenge.”
“W-wait a minute. Why are you saying such things so casually?”
“Because Darami is mine.”
“D-do you have no shame?!”
When I released the embarrassed, squirming Darami, she stepped back a pace.
I told Darami to pick the treasure she needed, and she hesitated before slowly moving to search for something.
Not long after, she chose an orb that was on the verge of breaking.
“This is it. The orb in which the ‘Fallen Angel’ is sealed.”
“Why is this in the hands of the Sea God’s Race?”
“No one can easily steal the Sea God’s treasures. Unless they want to be buried at the bottom of the sea.”
They say the Sea God’s Treasure Vault has stricter security than any other floor.
It’s said that the security is so tight that even other races on higher floors entrust their items to the Sea God’s Race if they have something to store, but since ownership is also transferred, they must be cautious.
It seems they entrust items that should never reappear in this world to the Sea God’s Race—is it that kind of item?
“I can’t use it yet, but if we obtain the ‘Heart of Fire’ from the Giant Race on the 59th floor, we can break this seal.”
“Then we’ll have to climb to the 59th floor first.”
“That’s right.”
Even as she said that, Darami was watching my reaction.
I gave her a bright smile.
“But since you did something wrong, you have to be punished, right?”
—
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