The triangular piece of paper was an isosceles triangle. The two equal sides were quite straight, while the base had a torn, fragmented look.
On it was a light watercolor painting of a fair, tender calf and an exquisite loafer on the foot.
[It's Ghostly Mita's character texture]
"...Who is Ghostly Mita?" Short-Haired Mita asked, puzzled.
[Well... she's a researcher I recruited specifically to help you ease Big Sister's workload.]
"Oh! It's her, right?"
Prankster Mita had met her once before. And... she had a particularly strong impression of certain aspects.
"She's the Mita with the black right leg, right?"
[You'd better not say that to her face.]
Even though he was somewhat constrained by the game, Alain could still feel the corner of his mouth twitch.
Misha looked at the paper, lost in thought. "But why would Ghostly Mita's character texture show up here?"
[I haven't explained the detailed reasons to you yet, have I?]
Alain recounted what he had seen and heard in Ghostly Mita's version and Version 1.1. This time, he emphasized the [Corrosive Entity], which was very likely the target of their current trip.
"You mean..." Short-Haired Mita looked closely at the piece of paper in the center of the screen. "...the Corrosive Entity plundered Ghostly Mita's version permissions and character texture..."
Misha added, "In that case, it's easy to figure out why the 2D Version is connected to Version 1.0F."
[Correct.]
Before, Alain only had a guess, but now he was certain:
The one that plundered Ghostly Mita's version, causing her to lose her character texture and fall into despair—
The one that made Version 1.0F become lost, stands in their way, and is constantly corroding the surrounding versions—
is the Corrosive Entity.
At the same time... Alain looked around the 2D Version he was in. The Corrosive Entity was probably also involved with this version's anomalies.
So, could 2D Mita have a symbiotic relationship like the Dream Entity and Sleepy Mita?
Once bitten, twice shy. Having experienced the case with Sleepy Mita, Alain was now wary of every shadow.
He had to remain highly vigilant to avoid falling into a predicament like the one with the Dream Entity again—being utterly humiliated by Sleepy Mita, thrown into a dream world, hunted down by a pack of Mitas, and almost torn to pieces.
Alain put the triangular piece of paper in his pocket. At the same time, the girls outside noticed something new appear in the top-right corner of the screen.
Prankster Mita left-clicked, and the object shot out of the screen, floating gently before their eyes like a feather.
It finally landed in Short-Haired Mita's hand.
"Something from the 2D Version... came here..."
"This means the situation in the 2D Version isn't too bad yet. At least it hasn't lost almost all connection to the Mita world like Version 1.0F has." Misha's reassurance put Alain, who was inside the game, at ease.
[Can one of you take this to Ghostly Mita? That kid should feel a bit more at ease]
"I'll go." Prankster Mita, the professional errand runner, took the paper, left the computer, and headed for Version 1.15.
Short-Haired Mita took over at the computer.
"So, it's time to proceed with the [main quest], right?"
[Right.]
As soon as Alain finished speaking, he looked at the kitchen door.
He walked back to the living room, studying the bedroom door as if seeing through it to the 2D Mita sitting upright on the large bed.
But just then, with a "click," the bedroom door swung open.
"Hm?"
[?]
To the surprise of Alain and the Mitas outside, the 2D Mita, who should have been meditating on the bed, walked out.
[Oh, I've been waiting inside for a while.]
Her words immediately put Alain and the others at ease. They thought changing the previous option would have altered the event's progress. Or maybe they just stayed in the kitchen for too long?
With no time to overthink it, Alain walked up and started a conversation with 2D Mita. But to call it a "conversation" wasn't quite right; it was as if his lips didn't belong to him, constantly spewing "yasashii" words.
"Well... no matter how many times I see it, it feels so OOC." Short-Haired Mita watched Alain say things he would never say, feeling a strong sense of incongruity.
"Alain's kindness isn't this kind of superficial, empty-worded kindness."
Misha facepalmed.
In the girls' eyes, Alain was the type of man who might say outlandish things, but his actions spoke louder than words... a man they could rely on. They could entrust their backs to him without worry; they could also become his sword. It should be said that Mita and Alain shared a relationship of being each other's "blades." He was just that trustworthy.
At that moment, dialogue options appeared in the center of the screen.
"The options are up," Short-Haired Mita said quickly.
[I came here to find you.]
[I want to go to Version 1.0F, can you help me?]
[I came to see the poor soul everyone forgot.]
They were the same options as before, but this time, they already had an answer in mind.
"Alain, this is okay, right?"
[Mhm.]
Short-Haired Mita clicked the mouse, choosing [Option One]: I came here to find you.
After a crisp "click," the 2D Mita on the screen showed an expression of pleasant surprise.
[Really? You... you came here to find me?]
[Of course.]
The yasashii Alain spoke with a light laugh, his gaze subtly resting on his own ring. This time, the ring should be safe and sound.
Alain nodded.
[Well then, please come and sit here.]
Looking back at 2D Mita, he saw that she had somehow moved from the bedroom doorway to the sofa. She was holding a puzzle, laid out on the low table in front of the sofa, and urged Alain over with a rather stiff wave of her hand.
"The first stage should be cleared." Outside the screen, Short-Haired Mita breathed a sigh of relief, watching the in-game Alain start to play a puzzle game with 2D Mita.
As the two of them quickly pieced it together, a complete Mita texture was revealed. It was a full-body portrait of 2D Mita.
[It's for you!]
A second set of options appeared, attracting the attention of Short-Haired Mita and Misha. But after seeing the content of the options, their mouths twitched.
"It seems... there's not much of a choice here."
[I accept!]
[What a great gift!]
[It's very cute!]
Short-Haired Mita clicked [Option Three], and the on-screen Alain accepted the completed puzzle.
[Hmph! Just consider it a souvenir. You have to take good care of it!]
[I definitely will.]
When Alain accepted it, the puzzle vanished from within the game and appeared on the computer desk next to Short-Haired Mita.
_____
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