zettai | [IC] Mindscape continuations

[notices that, and decides that eavesdropping shamelessly on Battler and Beatrice sounds most interesting.]

[At the moment, Battler seems to be starting a toast.]

"Glad you could all make it!! This marks the end of my long game with Beato...! I've invited everyone who has been a part of this game as a piece, a player, or a Game Master! I hope you'll enjoy this unending night to the fullest!!"

[And for a while, the conversations just seem to go on about rather mundane and pleasant things, and eventually Lambda starts trying to get a quiz competition started.]

[still listening, but also looking for anything out of place.]

"Okay, okay, now it's my turn to think of a question! Umm, okay, so you have a third of a whole cake, a quarter of a cake, and a fifth of a cake all on a plate! It takes 30 minutes to eat one whole cake, so how much is left on the plate when you've finished eating?!"

"......None. That's a riddle you were tricked with once, isn't it?"

[A voice of a newcomer to the party rings out, and the crowd parts, revealing Bernkastel.]

"......Sorry I'm late. I was just so caught up working out some festivities to liven up the party."

[She looks around and stops when she notices Will and Lion among the attendants.]

"Ooh. And I thought you'd wasted away in the Fragment sea."

"They're my pieces now. Pretty cool, right?"

"......Hmph."

[Bernkastel calls for Battler and Beato, and it seems she's come to challenge them to a game of her own design.]

[Amused and interested. Drifting closer, curious as to what kind of game Bern would design.]

[It's a fairly typical murder mystery puzzle, where you deduce the murderer from facts given. Beato and Battler challenge the puzzle with some difficulty, but are able to come to the correct answer after some deduction. It seems that Ange went missing and Bern agreed to release her if her game were beaten, so now everyone is loitering around waiting for Ange to show up.]

[loitering around waiting for the other shoe to drop sounds like as good a plan as any, really.]

[Ange does indeed show up after a while, though seemingly not in a very good mood. She seems to be demanding the actual truth from Battler, and seems insistent on that truth being written in a certain diary. After arguing for a bit, she finally snaps, and releases a swarm of goats on the game board, which begin to devour it as everyone else tries to fight them off. Beato and Battler put forth every effort they can to protect the people there; however, Lambda isn't acting like she's compelled to lend a hand in the least.]

"......Don't think badly of me. ......Even I'd die if I was torn apart by nothingness. Sorry, but I think I'll stick to being an observer."

"That's what you've always been. ......Though it is a shame that we can't ask for your help."

"......Nah, she's being nice. Doesn't want to steal our show."

"Heheh. Sure, let's say that's the reason. See you later. ......I think I'll watch this game between you and Bern 'til the end. ......I'll be rooting for you."

[And she disappears.]

[really unsurprised by Lambda's behavior. Watching Ange primarily]

[It seems Ange took advantage of the distraction to disappear elsewhere. A lot of fighting happens, and everyone is moving to the second floor, trying to escape into the Golden Land. Everyone eventually makes it through, but Beato and Battler come back late with the news that Ange made off with the book with truth inside of it.]

[just making herself comfortable watching]

[After this, Lambda leaves for a while and Beato and Battler decide to keep watch outside the gates of the Golden Land, where there can be seen a fleet of ships gradually approaching to infiltrate the final safe haven. Eventually, Lambda comes back with the news that Ange was taken to the Capitol of Books--a name that might sound familiar from earlier. Everyone resolves to save Ange from there, and turns to Lambda for help. It doesn't go over as well as it could.]

[...it explains so much]

[After that outburst, everyone seems content to give up on her and makes themselves busy trying to figure out what to do from here.

In the meantime, you can feel a familiar outside presence floating in the air next to you.]

See? It's just this kind of story. There's not even much left to see of it, you know.