One-way traffic

"In the end, we still used the most familiar solution."

Standing here, you can still faintly hear the cheers coming from the village of Renjianzhili.

They were probably celebrating their survival.

A bunch of ridiculously stupid people... But that's what humanity is all about, isn't it?

The first monster gave a familiar, lonely smile.

"That's it. I'm planning to move on. Staying here won't help me. It's better if no one remembers me—"

"It's not that nobody remembers."

His steps, which were just about to leave, came to an abrupt halt.

A sudden voice called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.

That sound, could it be...?

Thinking of a certain possibility, Accelerator couldn't help but turn his head away.

The result was exactly as he had expected.

Standing at the entrance to the village, where lights mingled, was a beautiful blonde girl dressed in a white and blue Western-style dress.

She was looking at him with a calm expression.

"you…?"

The two faced each other and stared at each other.

The white and gold figures stood in two different worlds.

The white monster was in a dark forest.

The blonde girl was at the crossroads between a brightly lit village and a dark forest.

It's almost as if it's hinting at something.

"Are you planning to keep your fame and fortune hidden? The villagers are looking for you everywhere, and even the Hakurei Shrine Maiden is starting to think about what's going on with you now."

"It's not that nobody remembers you. Everyone in this village knows very well that there was a strange, inhuman white-haired man who, although he looked frightening, was indeed the hero who saved everyone here."

"It's all just pretty nonsense... So what?"

"Pfft... He actually said something like 'So what...'?"

Alice clasped her hands together as if she had been amused.

"What a heartless human being..."

And then, that's how it is.

They slowly approached the dark side.

"Are you planning to leave like this? The Hakurei Shrine Maiden, who could clearly help you, is right here in this village."

"Even if I leave this place right now, it won't really have anything to do with you."

That's absolutely true.

The other person looked directly at him.

"So, where do you plan to go next?"

He naturally opened his mouth to answer.

but.

It should be a very simple question.

At this moment, Accelerator was unable to say anything.

"You are indeed a human who entered Gensokyo from outside, right? If that's the case, then you truly have nowhere to belong in this Gensokyo."

"...Even so, I already said it had nothing to do with you, right?"

"Perhaps, it really is unrelated."

even so.

The girl standing in front of him spoke calmly as well.

"But don't forget."

"The one who saved you in this Gensokyo is me."

A single sentence that can be described as decisive.

For some reason, Accelerator could vaguely see certain things revealed in Alice's eyes.

It was an aura that could be seen even in the eyes.

A kind of blandness that makes one feel extremely lonely.

From this perspective...

Accelerator also vaguely sensed the same feeling.

It was as if I were looking into my own eyes.

He quickly snapped out of his daze; the total time he spent thinking seemed to be only a few seconds.

But his inner thoughts had already changed.

"How about it."

The blonde girl in front of him stared at him again.

"Where do you plan to go next?"

then.

The first person uttered the only words he could think of at that moment.

"...Do as you please."

He clicked his tongue in obvious displeasure.

"It doesn't mean anything by it, it's just that we need a place to stay temporarily."

"That is to say..."

"You talk too much nonsense... hurry up and lead the way."

Neither of them said anything more.

However, with just that, both sides had already understood each other implicitly.

Alice smiled gracefully.

But it's unclear whether it's just a misperception caused by Accelerator.

That smile seemed completely different from any of the gloomy expressions I had seen before.

Accelerator doesn't yet understand what's hidden in that smile.

But at least he understood this one thing.

From this moment forward, on this land called Gensokyo.

I will no longer be alone.

Chapter 411 The Shadow After the Fantasy

"is that so…"

"To be specific, that's true. Although he wasn't here in person, it's a fact that we witnessed him fighting against that monster for us before that..."

"...Oh, I see. Anyway, thank you so much for your help."

"Not at all, it would be our honor to be able to help the shrine maiden..."

From the old man who was in charge of today's festival, Reimu learned about the specific anomalies that had occurred since the start of the banquet.

The most striking point is the human who uses his own strength to fight against that inhuman monster.

According to the old man, the other party seemed to have been fighting the monster ever since it appeared.

But when I arrived at the scene, I couldn't see anything.

Moreover, I don't know if it's just my imagination.

After dealing with that monster, I had a feeling that there were other people at the scene.

If that's the case, then where exactly is the other person? Or does they even exist?

I clearly didn't see anything at the time...

"Ultimately, why would such an extremely bizarre monster appear in the Human Village? It's really strange..."

That was a monster unlike any I had ever seen before.

It is neither a monster, nor a monster transformed from a human, nor a god. Reimu had already figured this out when she saw that kind of monster.

Having defeated and resolved countless monsters in various incidents, she knows very well what true monsters and gods are like.

Furthermore, he could not sense any magic or spiritual power emanating from that monster.

…It's almost like an abnormal creature that doesn't belong to this Gensokyo.

"Ugh, this is so troublesome. So much has happened today..."

Even the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, who is regarded as an expert in mutations, is not an omnipotent being.

Encountering such an incomprehensible problem all at once would definitely not be an easy thing for Reimu, and she doesn't like overly challenging content.

Thinking about it, it's really a headache...

"Reimu!!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—!

Suddenly, a series of explosive sprinting sounds came from behind.

boom! ! !

Immediately afterwards, someone slammed into my back.

Even the most powerful shrine maiden of Gensokyo fell victim to this move by the mastermind.

"Whoa—?!"

Before she could react, Reimu's body, along with the incoming meteor, crashed into the ground.

It let out a cute wail, its mouth accommodating the terrible state of its condition.

Fortunately, there was no one around.

If others were to see the Hakurei Shrine Maiden like this, it would be incredibly embarrassing.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!!"

Like a streak of sparks and lightning, a huge gash was carved into the ground.

It was just like a real meteorite hitting the Earth.

Besides Reimu Hakurei herself, another figure hurriedly got up from the crater.

"Yow!"

Judging from her age, she is undoubtedly a young girl.

But how should I put it?

Although she was a stunningly beautiful girl with exceptional looks and age, everything this blonde girl did after getting up was disproportionate to her cute and gorgeous appearance.

"You...this family..."

"Oh dear? I thought that the dignified shrine maiden of Hakurei should be able to easily withstand a surprise attack of this magnitude."

She was wearing a black and white dress.

However, it was more like an apron than a dress. The girl wore a large black witch's hat on her long golden hair, which made her seem like the complete opposite of Reimu, who was a priestess.

A not-too-long broom was left where it fell.

Although it looks very old and worn, this broom withstood the impact it just suffered and is still undamaged.