The room I entered after opening the door was dark, but flas were emitting a faint glow.
The colorful lights flickering against the black background reminded of stars in the night sky.
Pretty.
I want to get closer. I want to understand more.
I moved forward without hesitation.
To understand the universe, to higher and even higher places.
But never truly understanding, my soul fell with an acceleration of 9.8, my mucous mbranes dried up, and I breathed through cracked skin as a swarm of 2,900 kinds of locusts crushed my body, leaving as an eternal subject of the apocalypse.
The necklace glowed.
[Survival]
"!"
Realizing my mind was becoming hazy, I imdiately shook my head to regain my senses.
Then, I quickly put on the [Tin Foil Hat], a ntal protection artifact.
Thud.
After regaining my senses, I heard the sound of my feet touching the ground.
It ant my body had been floating until now.
It didn't feel like I was being attacked, but basically, when I think about it, I beco dizzy.
It's like a feeling of rejection, of never accepting the mont you try to recognize and understand it.
A sensation beyond perception.
It seed to be a ntal attack.
I glanced sideways cautiously.
In the room, a being much larger than the superior entity I had seen before was praying.
Its appearance was still blurry. Even more so than the ones I had encountered before.
Even with the [Tin Foil Hat] on, it looked like this, so without it, I might not have been able to sense its existence at all.
In fact, before putting it on, I couldn't even perceive it.
From now on, I will never take off the hat.
'Hmm... If I try to perceive it properly, even with the [Tin Foil Hat] on, I feel the floating sensation again, so all I can tell is that it's huge and has so brightly glowing ornant attached to it.'
I whispered to Jack O'Lantern.
"Is that it?"
Jack O'Lantern confird it.
It seems to be using the lantern as a necklace.
"That's right. But it's better to give up."
"Why?"
"Seeing that huge figure and still asking why, you're not normal either. That thing is very strong. In chess terms, it's the queen, and it's also a conduit that gives power to my master and the winged guys."
"Oh."
"It must have received quite a bit of authority... Kid. If you face it, you'll die in an instant. At least bring reinforcents from the Institution."
"But you said the lantern is important."
"That's my business. An adult might tease a child, but they don't shirk responsibility."
I didn't ask Jack O'Lantern any more questions.
Instead, I responded with a smile.
Now, to get that lantern, I need to divert its attention.
What I need here is...
I took out a special mirror from my bag.
This is an artifact Alice gave , a mirror that can directly summon anomalies, not just items.
It reminds of Doraemon's spare pocket.
Actually, Alice said it's similar, so it must be the sa.
anomalies are beings born from human fear, unsettling thoughts, and urban legends.
Then, among the human senses, hearing, or sound-related anomalies, must exist in large numbers.
Alice doesn't know all anomalies, but seeing how she summons them well, maybe if I call out randomly, one will appear?
"Hey, I need a friend who likes silence. Can you help ?"
"...?"
Jack O'Lantern looked at as if I were doing sothing bizarre when I spoke to the mirror.
I ignored him and waited quietly.
...The mirror rippled.
A gray, squirming anomaly crawled out of the small hand mirror.
The hand mirror seed a bit small, and it looked like it was struggling.
I always feel this way, but while anomalies chase us and we strategize against them, the fact that they can beco helpful friends is quite interesting.
The anomaly I summoned solidified its squirming body into a human-like shape and created a mouth.
[Shhhhh]
Then, the flow of air changed.
An eerie silence filled the air.
This should allow to take the lantern without being noticed.
The inside of the room is filled with various lights, so even if one lantern disappears, it won't be noticeable.
I put on gloves to avoid sensing the touch and turned my head away as I approached the giant to get the lantern.
It was too big to reach the necklace!
What to do...
While I was pondering, Alice's mirror rippled again.
It seems only a limited number of anomalies can co out of the small hand mirror, so what's trying to co out now?
[--!]
What jumped out of the mirror was a monkey-like anomaly with its mouth taped shut.
I don't know which domain it rules over, but I could tell it was trying to help with its unique agility.
I took out scissors from my bag and handed them to it, and it climbed onto the giant, cut the necklace with the scissors, and brought the lantern to .
Thank you!
Thank you...
The sound is blocked, not the impact, so the monkey anomaly, struggling to cut the necklace, was rough, and the giant noticed.
"..."
[Uki-!]
The monkey scratched its head awkwardly. The sound blocking seems to have ended here.
I ran away without looking back, and the sound of the monkey being crushed echoed in my ears.
Jack O'Lantern outside the door scread as if he was going crazy.
"I thought you were using so mysterious thod, but in the end, it's this!"
"People can't always succeed!"
Anomalies aren't always perfect allies.
The giant monster chased after , and the ground shook with each step, tearing the space apart, making the corridor's scenery chaotic.
Even if I open the door we ca through, it will just lead back to the storage room. What to do?
"The number of moon wolves has increased, but to summon such a powerful being to deal with them, there's no way out!"
"Are we in big trouble?"
"Puhahaha! It's beyond big trouble! They won't even be able to retrieve our bodies!"
"I'll find a way sohow! Stay in the bag!"
"Putting in a bag full of junk, what a funny joke... Ack!"
After stuffing Jack O'Lantern into the bag, I imdiately used the long-range attack items I had prepared beforehand.
Short-range items are useless in this situation, and using them would an certain death.
Ti-consuming items are out too. Ti is not on our side.
That thing is not one of Alice's anomalies.
It needs to be an item that can directly exert force, rather than solving riddles or stories thrown by anomalies.
Cursed doll, rusty arrow of resentnt, spider's lant, black radio, shrine maiden's soap bubbles.
All long-range items with offensive properties.
I poured them all out while running.
"...It's not working?"
Physical attacks, spiritual attacks, purification, curses. I expected it, but nothing worked.
It ans this thing is on a different level from ordinary anomalies.
It's not as fast as it looks, and so anomalies from the mirror are buying ti, but I can feel the space collapsing every ti it tries to attack.
We won't last long.
"I forgot to ntion, that thing is protected by authority. It's immune to all attacks."
Ah, you're quick to say that. I almost said sothing rude.
He probably didn't do it on purpose. Getting angry isn't right.
Alice would have gotten angry, though.
"Attacks are nullified... Like erecting a huge wall between us. Attacks can never reach it. To grant such authority, they must have planned to use it as a decisive blow in the battle between the fishes and birds... Well, birds are weaker in numbers and strength compared to fish, so utilizing powerful subordinates is a necessary strategy."
Nothing works against this anomaly.
I've felt this helplessness before.
It was when facing the anomaly summoned by the Ruler Freeman.
The reason we could defeat that anomaly back then was because of the divine power.
At that ti, I was advised by Sister Maria, who was made of scribbles, to use divine power through symbols using symtry.
Thinking of Alice, believing in Alice, and facing all this terror in so way, the divine power responds.
With that power...
"Uncle Jack! Would divine power work?"
"Are you a priestess? Or did you pick up a holy relic? Hmm, it might work, but I'm not sure if it can defeat it."
"Huh?"
"Divine power is the influence of an infinitely high god, allowing you to suppress the opponent's authority in any battle of powers. But if that solved everything, why would priests face hardships?"
"Then..."
"What good is dealing damage? If the damage dealt isn't fatal? If the authority to regenerate is restored imdiately after the divine power ends? If the divine power isn't strong enough to fully suppress the authority?"
What Jack O'Lantern calls the advantage in a battle of powers seems to be about suppressing the opponent's laws.
Using divine power might make the power that nullifies my attacks work.
The condition for victory is...
While suppressing the monster's various authorities with a large amount of divine power, we need to land a fatal, irreversible attack at the sa ti.
The problem is the lack of sufficient divine power and the lack of tools to deal enough firepower to break through its physical defense.
Can I emit enough divine power with the small cross I brought?
...I recalled Sister Maria using divine power.
She drove away anomalies and dealt damage, but it wasn't fatal.
"..."
When I practiced emitting divine power with the cross, I succeeded in emitting a faint light.
'But I couldn't produce the powerful firepower like when I defeated the ink monster.'
Freeman's world had the characteristic of being a comic, so the speech bubbles that popped out of my mouth, containing a symtrical sentence, allowed to manifest divine power.
"If divine power is weak, how can I make it stronger?"
I asked Jack O'Lantern.
He seed to know a lot, so he must know many things I don't.
"Well, I'm not sure if it applies here, but doesn't everyone have a thod that suits them?"
...thod!
Maybe he's right.
The thod using sentences from Alice in Wonderland worked powerfully, even if it wasn't truly symtrical.
The condition for Alice's divine power to manifest strongly is...
In a crisis situation.
Using wit.
In a plausible way.
Achieving symtry.
...That's my guess!
This ti, I need a similarly plausible idea.
Sothing that can emit divine power and deliver a fatal, irreversible blow at the sa ti!
Unfortunately, nothing cos to mind right now.
I had to ask for the help I've been putting off.
I knocked on the mirror.
"...Can you hear , Alice?"
"Alice?"
Jack O'Lantern was surprised, but I'm not sure what part surprised him.
Alice's calm voice ca from the other side of the mirror.
"Oh my. Ha-rim? Are you in a situation where you need help?"
"Yeah, I need help. How do you deal with sothing that nullifies all attacks and can't be touched? Can you give a hint?"
"Eh. What's that? Isn't it an anomaly created by a foolish and stupid guy who doodled in his notebook?
That's possible!
I've also doodled anomalies with such settings in my notebook.
I suddenly felt embarrassed and closed my mouth.
Alice seed to ponder for a mont, then spoke.
"A hint... I could handle it more easily if I stepped in, but that's not what you're asking for, right? Let's see... Usually, you'd run away or seal it, but if it's an opponent you must defeat..."
"If it's a must?"
"...Do you rember the first anomaly we defeated? You can defeat it in a similar way, though not exactly the sa. What cos to mind when you think of ? It should be very easy."
...I understood what Alice ant.
The anomaly we defeated together with Alice was Slenderman.
At that ti, Alice, who was a mirror ghost, couldn't deal fatal damage to the sturdy Slenderman, so we used one thod.
Though it's impossible to do exactly the sa, an idea for a dium to manifest divine power flashed through my mind.
Maybe my ideas always co from this.
"Now, if there's no suitable situation or ans, I'll send you so power."
"What kind of power?"
"It's not about becoming physically stronger. My power is stronger in creating a situation where humans can defeat monsters, rather than just suppressing it. It makes problems that were originally unsolvable sothing even a child like you can solve."
Honestly, except when Alice lost her power, I've never seen Alice in a tight spot.
If Alice can solve it with power, maybe I should just let her.
Still.
If Alice's specialty is helping the weak overco strong evil.
Then soday, when a stronger enemy than Alice cos, maybe we can help.
...Like the rabbit that imitates the sound of a storm and a girl's laughter.1
This anomaly sotis cos and does strange things, so I don't pay much attention to it now.
"Like there were strategies for anomalies. Can you create weaknesses for other enemies too?"
"Maybe, or it could be a completely different thod. Don't worry. As long as you're with , there will be an answer."
Alice smiled from the other side of the mirror.
I nodded in response to her smile.
"This kid's voice is young, but the way she talks seems a bit old, don't you think?"
Jack O'Lantern whispered from inside the bag.
She probably didn't hear?
Alice tends to hide her age.
I know Alice has lived longer than us, and her height and developnt are ahead of ours.
Still, she's shorter than Suho, a boy, but if you bring up age, she easily feels left out and sulks.
"Hey, you. I don't know who you are, but you're being noisy."
Eek.
"Haa... I'll send you my power. We'll see how it turns out. Co back soon when it's over. I already miss you."
"Okay!"
Alice sent a beam of light toward .
An intense light that could blind filled the corridor completely.
When I opened my eyes, the anomaly was charging at magnificently.
It must have instinctively realized that the light was a great threat to it.
"...?"
But nothing has changed?!
"Kid! Look over there! A huge door has appeared!"
Literally.
A huge door!
It was so big that even the chasing monster could pass through!
If it's a place for refuge, why is it made so that even the monster can enter?
As if, to defeat the monster, it must also enter the door.
In a panic, I slipped through the gap of the huge door, and it closed completely.
The sound of frantic knocking ca from outside.
Normally, it would be knocking with arms, but the monster's perception distortion seems to distort even the sound, making it hard to tell how many tis it's knocking or in what rhythm.
Trying to gauge it makes my mind hazy.
Tick tock.
The sound of a clock.
The space beyond the door was basically white, but the furniture and objects were particularly ssy.
Tick tock. Tick tock.
Even though there's no clock, the sound keeps coming, hinting at a ti limit.
I intuitively understood.
This is a puzzle.
Looking at the floor, there's a thick line dividing this six-sided space in half, along with scattered objects.
This is the center line.
There are 1-3 objects, and 2 pieces of furniture each.
And so furniture is subtly misplaced.
There's a reference line.
The line cuts the door in half.
...I think I get it.
"Aha..."
"...Oh, you've figured sothing out? Then hurry up, kid. Ti's running out!"
I know that!
I hurriedly ran and arranged the furniture and objects.
I put scattered books on the bookshelf and changed the piano keys.
I pushed the bed to the sa spot as the opposite bed and tore open the belly of a perfectly fine teddy bear.
I scribbled on the painting, lit the extinguished fireplace.
Moving back and forth between reference points, I frantically organized.
A problem arose.
There were quite a few leftover objects.
The ticking sound grew faster. Ti was running out.
Ah.
Then...
I stuffed all the leftover objects into the wardrobe or threw them into the fireplace to burn.
And I completely cramd Jack O'Lantern into the bag and closed it.
"Is it done now, kid? Did you do everything you could?"
"No. There's still more."
I rubbed the mirror to summon an anomaly.
A black figure squird out of the mirror and eventually took on a form similar to mine.
A doppelganger. Another stood here.
Tick tock tick tock!
Ti's up.
I faced the doppelganger and placed our hands together along the center line.
Boom-!
As the monster opened the door and entered, the conditions were t.
This room.
Both sides had to be made into the sa scenery based on the center line.
There were two pieces of furniture each, arranged on both sides. The shapes and conditions were made the sa, and ambiguous objects were burned.
Now, the only thing that's not the sa is , so I summoned the doppelganger.
Now, this room is a perfect symtry and mirror.
As I reminded myself of this fact, the doppelganger's warm hand turned cold and rigid like glass.
Divine power manifests in this symtry.
Light violently burst forth, filling the room.
All of this happened simultaneously,
And when I opened my eyes, the situation was over.
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