One-way traffic

"So you're already prepared to face something a hundred times stronger than those things we just saw, right?"

"…ha?"

One sentence completely stunned Remilia.

"Wait, wait a minute! What are you talking about? You mean the matter isn't over just because those monsters were cleared out?!"

"I never said that those small fry could be considered real enemies."

Accelerator's straightforward statement completely broke Remilia's composure.

Because, in fact, just that number of enemies had already made her feel somewhat...troublesome.

It wasn't that the enemy was simply more powerful than her in any single aspect; it was just that their numbers were far too great…

Now Accelerator is telling her the opposite: enemies of that caliber are nothing more than a bunch of weaklings.

There are even more terrifying creatures than them.

"So, you mean you want us to help you get rid of these monsters in this world?"

Patchouli, clutching the grimoire she always carried, asked as she spoke.

"I never said anything like that."

Accelerator, however, said the opposite.

"Even without you, I'll be fine. It doesn't matter whether you're willing to help or not."

"But, like I said, even more dangerous guys will descend upon this city, and even the world... The kind of demon bastards you saw last time are nothing compared to this. I don't know how to get back to the original world either."

"What I'm saying is only for your own benefit."

These words silenced most of the girls present.

This is a strange world, filled with unfamiliar people and things.

Although, according to Accelerator, the people living in this city may not immediately reject the girls of Gensokyo, they cannot avoid a future where they continue to fight fiercely with the monsters they just encountered.

Nobody knows how to get back.

If they stay here, their only option is to fight.

Thinking about it that way, leaving this city and going to hide in some unknown place would probably be a more convenient option.

After all, for the girls of Gensokyo, Academy City and the like are completely irrelevant.

They have no connection with anyone in this world.

Even if all civilizations on the entire planet were destroyed, it wouldn't be enough to implicate them.

"I'll help you..."

All of this collapsed under one person's single sentence.

It was that girl.

A blonde beauty surrounded by various dolls, a girl with a face as delicate as a porcelain doll.

She clasped her hands tightly together, and in this tense situation, she spoke softly and slowly as she approached.

“Not just for the people who live here, but if, if it's to help you... then I'm willing to do everything in my power to do what I can.”

Alice.

She stood before the person in first place and spoke these words with such force that even though her voice was so small, the whole world could hear them.

The girl stands in her own tiny world of stage.

Both Accelerator and the other girls around him were shocked by this.

In everyone's mind, Alice... this seven-colored puppeteer should always be a girl who is aloof and quiet, mysterious and full of dark fairy tale colors.

But now he's doing something that's quite different from what he thought.

“Ah—Ahhh!!”

Marisa immediately noticed all of this.

"That's exactly what I'm saying! Even though it's in another world, just like when we resolved the incident in Gensokyo, what's wrong with helping the people here resolve the incident that belongs to this place?"

"...You wouldn't actually be planning on, would you, Black and White?"

Remilia looked at her with some displeasure.

"We are noble vampire lords, is it necessary for us to help humans we don't even know?"

"Ahem, just like Accelerator said, if we do nothing, even stronger enemies will attack the next day! Judging from the tone, we won't be able to escape at all then!"

"So what...?"

"Instead of just sitting around doing nothing, it's better to do something meaningful. Since we're going to get beaten up anyway, why not change things and fight back? Or is it that the invincible vampire is scared?"

"Are you kidding me! Damn black and white rats... I'm not afraid of some random guy who just pops up out of nowhere!!"

Remilia, stomping her feet as if throwing a tantrum, suddenly looked at Izayoi Sakuya and Patchouli beside her.

"Sakuya! Patchouli! We absolutely have to fight those guys!"

"Miss..."

"Oh dear, Remi's old problem is bothering her too..."

"Just do it! Anyway, as a powerful vampire lord, and with my most precious sister Fran by my side, these mere enemies whose identities I don't even know are no match for us!!"

now it's right.

Marisa couldn't help but chuckle to herself as she watched the fish take the bait so easily.

"You've suddenly become so mean."

Reimu Hakurei stood beside her, speaking with a hint of lingering fear.

"Could it be that they're plotting something similar against me sometime soon?"

"Ah... I actually learned this from Patchouli's book; I personally didn't know how to do it at all."

"This statement is completely unconvincing..."

Alice was somewhat stunned as the girls continued talking.

I originally thought I would completely transform into an outcast, separate from everyone else.

But... I never expected that everyone would choose the same path as me.

'…Thanks.'

The blonde Western beauty silently thanked him in her heart, in a corner where no one knew.

She slightly raised her head and looked at the white humanoid figure standing in front of her.

He was right next to me.

Throughout so many nights and so many days... the person she thought about day and night, who tormented her to the point of making life unbearable.

It was right in front of me.

"what--!"

She vaguely realized that the distance between her and the other person was... only a breath's distance.

Alice couldn't help but blush again.

She was bewildered, her eyes slightly misty. Although she was deeply moved, she couldn't help but take a few steps back...

It's like they're running away.

"Oh dear, I feel like things have gotten really complicated!"

suddenly.

With one arm around her shoulder, she took a few steps forward.

"Eh...?!"

Alice looked over in surprise; it was Marisa.

The blonde mage casually pulled him along, leading him closer to the path leading to one direction.

"You know what, White-haired Guy! Ah—we've known each other for so long, I shouldn't be using that term to describe you anymore."

"...What else do you want to say?"

Accelerator looked over with his usual intimidating gaze.

"Don't be so fierce. I don't really have anything to say, but, well, Alice really wants to have a chat with you."

"what?"

"You don't understand, do you? Come here, Alice was very surprised when she first arrived at this place, and after looking around carefully, she seemed to be quite fascinated by it."

Marisa, while pulling Alice along, smiled and spoke to Accelerator.

"She hopes you can show her around the city properly, in other words, let her get familiar with its layout! For example, take her shopping together, show her different places and stuff—"

"Wait, what does this have to do with me?"

"Ah~ Don't you know her personality? She's a loner and doesn't really have deep conversations with people. Under such circumstances, it's very easy for her to break away from the group when traveling! Or are you really going to be so heartless as to let this lonely girl go alone, without anyone by her side, and leave the group all by herself?"

It's like he's become a completely different person.

Marisa was almost completely different from the person I remembered... With these words, she stepped forward.

Alice was incredulously led by the hand.

"It's rare that you guys lived together for so long back then, so there's nothing wrong with doing this kind of thing together, Da☆Ze!"

"Marisa..."

The two girls each looked at themselves with different expressions.

Marisa had a normal, carefree expression, but also a very cheerful smile.

Alice, on the other hand, dared not look at herself at all, yet she gazed at herself with a faint look of anticipation and excitement.

Accelerator gave a helpless shrug.

"In a place like this, where battles are raging everywhere and a nuclear bomb could be dropped at any moment, you expect me to take her shopping?"

"Just show her the structure, that'll be enough~ Besides, even though I don't know what a nuclear bomb is, you sound completely dismissive of it, don't you?"

Alright, everything is ready.

Marisa didn't wait for the two of them to say anything more, and suddenly stretched out Alice's hand forward.

There was absolutely no malicious intent involved.

In other words, the reflective barrier will not be effective as a result.

pat.

With Marisa's help, Alice's delicate hand grasped Accelerator's hand.

"I'll wait for your good news then, that's all for now~"

"…Hello."

Before one of the drivers could respond, the guy had already run away like the wind.

Speaking of which, the other girls from Gensokyo around here... seem to have all disappeared without a trace as well.

If you look at it this way.

On this dilapidated street, only Accelerator and Alice remained.

After Accelerator came to his senses...

He then realized that what he was feeling in his hand was an extremely delicate... and irresistible touch.

The girl named Alice held her hand tightly.

Although she was hesitant to speak, she still mustered the courage to look at herself.

"Is this... the world you live in?"

"Ah, I guess you could say that."

"That…"