The participants gathered together, surrounding the untranslated hieroglyphs, as if collective bewilderment could give birth to a translation.
— Aragi, why have you frozen? — Hov addressed from behind. — We are about to break into the library. Though, we haven't figured out how yet.
— The door is too big, — answered Kamiki. — We won't manage to move it. It's made as if from the hardest metal, we can't break through.
Frankly speaking, the options were becoming fewer and fewer with just one look at that door.
Now I finally realized, it was not a dream at all.
This was reality. The one where you suffer defeat, even if you were supposed to be the defender. Even if you were obliged to outplay the very hostess of this game.
I still feel that pain, and not in a figurative sense. It's as if it still pierces my body.
Did we really return to the second day?Everything happening had a familiar, poorly washed-out feeling of déjà vu.
There can be no mistake. I lost to her… on that first night. The murder of Gerudo.
I couldn't prove Enua's alibi. Although... did I even have any chance? She was playing on her own field.
She revived the victim and it, returning from the world of the dead, refuted my arguments. As if the game itself rejected my rules. Could it be… that the killer really was Enua?
No. I will never believe that. Especially when my enemy is a witch. Beings like her, by their nature, were always... too treacherous to simply tell the truth.
And then a thought came to mind. Too simple to be false. Too truthful to be convenient.
The witch spoke on behalf of the victim. To deceive. To achieve checkmate. She knew she couldn't refute my words otherwise. And therefore... resurrected the victim. Made her a witness. And forced her to say what she herself needed.
My thoughts cut off abruptly, as if someone pressed pause. That someone was Hov. His hand landed on my shoulder.
— Are you okay? We called you several times, but you seemed… drowned in thoughts.
— Sorry, it seems that's really the case, — I exhaled. — I didn't hear you.
— Were the thoughts about how we can open the door?
— Exactly about that. Although, judging by the silence, you are also out of ideas so far.
Yahweh was stubbornly ramming the door, as if brute force could solve at least one logical puzzle.
— Mister Aragi, are you okay? — Morgana addressed me. — You looked... concerned.
— You noticed that… Don't worry. I'm fine. I was just… flying in thoughts. But they vanished as soon as I saw a beautiful lady next to me.
The girl, unaccustomed to such casual flirting, immediately became embarrassed and hastily turned away.
— We have the key, — Yahweh spoke up. — But, according to Cheryl, a spell is cast on the door. It prevents us from opening it.
— What shall we do? — asked Kamiki. — At this rate, we will never find out what these lines mean.
— I will try to open it, — a voice came from behind.
The voices fell silent. Everyone turned to Cheryl.
— Ahem… we understand you want to help… — Yahweh mumbled. — But you are weaker than all of us. No offense.
— Shut up, Yahweh, — Hov said coldly. — Fine. There are no other ways anyway. Try.
Last time, Yahweh opened the door. Apparently, the scenario changes depending on our actions.
Although... for some reason I wasn't even surprised when Cheryl opened it as if it wasn't a puzzle at all.
— Aha-khah… — a restrained laugh was heard. — Did you see your face, Yahweh? So it turns out you are weaker than a kid whose physique is several times smaller than yours!
— Stop it. I admit it. I was wrong.
— Just come in already, — Cheryl threw in. — We don't have much time. It will get dark soon.