Whoa, that was close!!

That noble was totally about to fire that domination beam at the end, right!?

I mean, they were getting beaten to a pulp. Story-wise it felt like we weren’t anywhere near winning yet, but there was a ton of blood on Moe-chan’s mace so… yeah. They probably did it.

So strong.

I threw the scissors I was holding straight at that pervert who was trying to pull a sneak-attack beam…

Nice shot me!!!

It was a perfect hit, stabbed right into the middle of his forehead.

Well… I kinda broke the original story, but whatever. It’s fine, right? We don’t need a guy like that anyway.

Alright!

Let’s go regroup with the others!

When I looked back, Misora-chan had gone weak in the knees, so I carried her on my back and walked over to the other two.

Moe-chan must’ve noticed the weapon I threw, because she said my name.

That’s right. It’s meee!

“...Karua-chan?”

Indeed.

When I nodded, she ran over and started patting me all over like she was checking my body.

“You’re okay, right!? What did you have to offer up!?”

She said it in a voice like she was about to cry.

It’s fine! This time I won’t show my junior any missing limbs!

I recite the line I prepared in advance.

“I’m fine. …This time, it looks like it worked out.”

Okay, now undo the transformation!

Normally, this is where the insane pain kicks in and whatever got eaten disappears again for a while!

But… somehow…

Kyuu-chan! I’m counting on you!!

‘…Understood.’

The transformation starts undoing from my face down to my legs.

This part is important. Kyuu-chan uses its power to fix my facial muscles in place with threads.

Since Kyuu-chan is normally moved by threads hanging down from above, we’re just applying that concept!!

It finished undoing down to my legs. My left leg is gone from the Achilles tendon down and it huuuurts… b-but here’s the thing!!!

Tighten the root with threads as hard as possible and fix it in place!!

So blood won’t leak even when I put my shoe on!!!

“Ugh…”

A sound came out, so now Kyuu-chan fixes threads to my throat too!!!!

I tried doing it like how people lose their voice when their vocal cords get crushed, but this also hurts!!!!! It hurts so bad!!!!!

But please bear with it here!!! I’m begging you!!!

I might not be able to!!!! It hurts like hell!!!!!!

Moe-chan looked at me suspiciously when I stopped making any sound for a while.

“Hey… Karua-chan, aren’t you actually hurt somewhere?”

She reached out to touch me again. Don’t! I can’t move right now!!!

Do something, Kyuu-chan!!!

‘…Okay.’

Threads attached from above to my body, which was frozen stiff trying to endure the pain in my throat and leg 'that isn’t there.'

Ohh, now I can move!! Amazing!!

As expected of puppet power. It’s way too easy to use when you can’t move on your own.

I wonder if I can talk without screaming like this?

The moment I thought that, the thread on my throat started tightening…

Guh— it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!!

“L… se… s, e, e… I’m, f, i, n, e, r, i, g, h, t?”

My voice came out on its own. It was super broken up though.

Kyuu-chan, you’re insane. Threads are way too usable. You can even make me talk, though it hurts like crazy.

It feels like that phase of a cold where your fever goes down but your throat hurts like hell, times two. That one’s internal, but this is just straight-up direct pain.

Moe-chan seemed satisfied after seeing that and said,

“Well then… that’s a relief….”

Then she looked at Misora-chan on my back.

“Misora-chan was here too? Did you fight together?”

“Yeah. She helped.”

“…Hmmm…”

The person being talked about had apparently fallen asleep while being carried.

The junior laughed and said that doesn’t really feel like Misora-chan.

* * *

Later, after we regrouped with Kaede-chan, we all went back to the protagonist’s house together.

On the way, half-asleep Misora-chan pulled on the threads moving me, undoing everything and nearly causing a scream to echo out, but it ended with me just face-planting into the dirt.

I appreciated the worried voices, but I really wanted to see their expressions… all I could see was soil.

“Karua-chaaan? Bath time!”

I’ve been called for a bath!

I’m going.

By the time we got home, my left leg had grown back and the pain was gone.

I almost passed out again from the pain on the way, but I asked Kyuu-chan to handle that too. Thanks!

‘……’

Don’t make such a complicated face, Aruka!

Over this past week, I’ve completely gotten used to being washed by Moe-chan.

When she says, “Okay, arms up!” my body just automatically raises them.

She was staring at my body when my clothes came off, but I wonder what that was about. Oh well.

* * *

After Karua-chan had fallen asleep, I was asking Misora about everything that happened today.

“And… that’s how it went. In the end, we still couldn’t beat that guy…”

I just heard something I can’t ignore.

“Still?”

Has this happened before?

When I asked that, “Yes. I challenged him once before… and I was made painfully aware of the difference in our rank.”

You fought. You fought?

“…At that time, were you transformed?”

“…Yes, I was.”

The moment she said that, I grabbed Misora-chan by the collar and pulled her face close to mine.

“H-hey!! What are you doing?!”

“What do you mean what am I doing!? Do you have any idea what you’ve done!?”

I shouted without caring that Karua-chan was sleeping next to us.

“What I’ve done?”

Misora-chan still looked confused.

“Don’t you know? …Every time Karua-chan uses that overwhelming power… she gets taken by her contract monster. Eaten. Directly.”

“Th-that’s a lie… She wasn’t hurt anywhere?”

“She heals every time. The monster does. That perfect appearance is what makes it so nasty. Because she acts like nothing happened. …When in reality it hurts like hell.”

I told her plainly.

Then I took several small cubes out of my pouch.

“What are these?”

“Looks like it politely keeps track of what it eats. The things written on each face are probably what’s been eaten so far. Do you get it?”

Each time she looked at the faces with writing on them, Misora-chan’s face turned pale.

“Then… when I fought him back then…”

“Yeah. I think she was eaten that time too.”

‘…Because of your pride, Karua-chan…’

I almost said it, but clamped my mouth shut.

Maybe she could tell what I was about to say.

In the dark room lit only by moonlight, only the small voice of one girl’s confession echoed.

The next day, Karua-chan came down with a high fever.

* * *

“Report. The reactions of Rubius, subordinate of Lady Kuneria and Test Subject No.53 have vanished due to an unknown party.”

“Oh? So they’re dead?”

“Most likely. At least Rubius.”

“Well, he doesn’t matter. So that means the missing Amber has finally started moving.”

“Yes. I witnessed it with my own eyes.”

“Interesting! To kill one’s own kind… I still cannot understand what that one is thinking. But I will not allow interference with my… no, our ambitions.”