After returning to her room, she went through the usual routine of undressing and washing up. By the time she finished everything she needed to do before bed, the two on the bed were still chatting from time to time.
For Ei, it seemed she had finally found someone to keep her company besides her daughter. Judging from the gentle smile on her face, she was clearly enjoying herself. Pandora, on the other hand, responded with quiet nods, occasionally speaking a word or two, her expression calm and serene.
It was almost like a daughter-in-law trying to get along with her mother-in-law. Though that comparison was a bit exaggerated—Ayaka would probably fit that image better. After all, whenever she spoke with her own mother, her eagerness was painfully obvious. She shook her head slightly at the thought.
She had been busy all day. Although she didn't tire easily, Ei had forcibly activated her "sleep simulation," so at this moment she really did feel a bit worn out. Or rather, sleepy. Drowsy, even.
Standing in the bathroom, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. A trace of fatigue had appeared on her beautiful face. Her long hair hung loose without any ornaments, soft strands framing her chin. The tear mole beneath her eye made her look even more delicate and gentle, almost pitifully fragile.
"...Haa."
She puffed her cheeks slightly at her reflection, then pressed her lips together and reached up to pinch her own cheek.
"Why do I look a bit..."
Thinner?
Rather than thinner, perhaps more haggard. But why?
"Strange..."
She murmured softly before dismissing the thought. Tightening her bathrobe, she walked out of the bathroom.
"Finished bathing?"
Ei asked gently when she saw her.
"Mm..."
She replied vaguely, smoothing her purple hair over her shoulder as she sat on the edge of the bed, silently looking at the two who had gone quiet the moment she appeared.
"Why'd you stop talking? Don't tell me you were talking about me?"
She narrowed her eyes at Pandora and Ei, a hint of playful dissatisfaction in her expression.
"Not at all... we just happened to finish."
Ei shook her head.
"Mm... the timing was perfect."
Pandora nodded as well.
"...Whatever. Suit yourselves."
She glanced at them and didn't press further. They could talk about whatever they liked.
"Come on, get on the bed. Sit in the middle."
Ei patted the spot to her left—right beside Pandora—where a pillow had already been placed for her.
She slipped off her fluffy slippers, climbed onto the bed barefoot, and shuffled between them before leaning back against the pillow. Hugging her knees, she curled up in the middle.
"What were you two talking about while I was gone? You seemed pretty happy."
She glanced between them and asked curiously.
"Mother was telling me about your homeland, and about you, Shogun..."
"About my true body?"
She didn't seem surprised and asked casually.
"Mm... hearing that you're a puppet, I must admit, I was quite surprised."
Pandora smiled gently. No matter what she did, she remained quiet and composed. Even her surprise felt restrained, as if it existed only in her heart.
"Mm... were you disappointed?"
She nodded slowly, then asked softly.
"...Disappointed?"
Pandora tilted her head cutely, not quite understanding.
"After learning I'm basically a machine, did it make things less interesting?"
"Not at all. Precisely because you are a puppet, yet possess a human's gentleness, I admire you even more. In fact, I might even be a little captivated by you."
Pandora shook her head.
Though she was a puppet, the Shogun was not cold in the slightest. She had shown her care, even giving her a sense of reliance again. That gentle "heart" of hers was something truly precious. How could she be disappointed?
"Haa... you're pretty good with words."
Her face flushed slightly. She turned her gaze away and muttered softly.
"Look at you, getting shy."
Ei reached out and gently stroked her daughter's hair.
"You told her everything?"
She glanced sideways at Ei.
"What's wrong with that? They're just stories from our past. Sharing them isn't a bad thing. Besides, since you trust her, I simply followed your lead. Isn't that right?"
Ei spoke as she continued to stroke her head, looking every bit the loving mother. The touch made her narrow her eyes slightly, like a content child.
"I understand why the Shogun might not trust me... maintaining things as they are is already enough for me."
Pandora remained as gentle and obedient as ever.
"..."
The Shogun looked at her, her thoughts complicated. She recalled what Echidna had once said about Pandora. Even though Pandora had explained everything, doubt still lingered in her heart.
Looking at Pandora's gentle demeanor, Ei suddenly had a thought—perhaps a selfish one.
"Pandora."
She called softly.
"...?"
Pandora lifted her gaze immediately, meeting Ei's eyes, a trace of curiosity appearing in her calm expression.
"How old are you?"
Ei asked.
"Ah... my age? Around... five hundred years old."
Pandora answered plainly.
After all, as a witch, her age could hardly be as short as a human's.
"...How much?"
The Shogun blinked in surprise.
"Around five hundred."
Pandora repeated.
"...That's quite something. Even you're older than me?"
She said in disbelief.
"I'm sorry... how old are you, Shogun?"
Pandora asked curiously.
"I..."
She glanced awkwardly at Ei, who simply shrugged.
"I'm... not quite five hundred yet... around four hundred and eighty or so."
She admitted, blushing slightly.
It was the truth. Among her long-lived acquaintances, she was the youngest—even Yae Miko was over twenty years older than her.
"But I think that might actually be a good thing."
Pandora said, offering a completely different perspective.
"...Why?"
She froze for a moment.
"If you're the youngest, people around you might unconsciously take care of you. Haven't you felt that before? Being looked after by others?"
Pandora pointed it out directly.
"!"
Her eyes widened as memories surfaced.
"...That's true. Haa... is that supposed to comfort me?"
"Mm, of course it is."
Pandora nodded.
"Then how about this—why don't you become the Shogun's older sister? What do you think?"
Ei suddenly interjected.
"...Huh?"
She froze, then turned to stare at her mother with a strange expression.
"...An older sister? Mm—if the Shogun doesn't mind, I can accept that."
Pandora, as always, showed little reaction. After a brief moment of thought, she agreed readily.
"Shogun, do you mind?"
Ei asked.
"I do mind! Don't I already have enough older sisters?"
She complained.
"And so what? Like Pandora said, that's not a bad thing, is it? Besides, she treats you well. Having a caring older sister sounds nice."
Ei crossed her legs beneath the blanket, leaned against the headboard, and gently held her daughter's hand as she spoke.
"Mother, if the Shogun is uncomfortable, then it's better not to insist. I don't mind."
Pandora noticed her discomfort and spoke up to compromise.
Even without the title of "older sister," she would still do her best for the Shogun. After all, the Shogun was her only support now—unlike the loneliness she had endured under confinement before.
"What a pity... Shogun—"
"I'm sleepy. Going to bed!"
Thump
The Shogun didn't give her a chance to continue. She adjusted her pillow, lay down, wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, and even pulled it over her head in a stubborn, childish gesture.
"Sigh... honestly, such a childish side."
Ei sighed helplessly.
"Pandora, don't take it to heart."
"I'm fine, Mother."
Pandora reassured her gently.
"Mm... that's good."
Ei smiled warmly, then blew out the candle. The room fell into darkness. She climbed into the same blanket as her daughter and silently wrapped her arms around her from behind.
"!"
The Shogun squirmed slightly under the covers.
"Alright, alright, I won't bring it up again."
Sensing her temper, Ei quickly gave in and soothed her. Only then did the girl settle down, leaving Ei feeling both helpless and amused.
"..."
Watching the warm scene before her, Pandora couldn't help but smile. Then she quietly got off the bed. Her bare legs touched the cool air as she sat on the floor in a duck-sitting position, aligning herself with the Shogun's face on the bed, silently watching her fall asleep.
...
Tonight, she did not sleep straight through until morning as usual. Instead, she woke up around two in the early hours—a rare occurrence. The sky outside remained pitch black, and the room was dim, with only a faint silver moonlight slipping through the curtains and illuminating a corner.
Still half-asleep, she slowly opened her eyes. What entered her vision was not the moonlight, but the silhouette of a girl standing in front of it, blocking the glow and draped in a thin, desolate veil of silver. The girl's face was indistinct, obscured by shadow.
"...Pandora?"
Her voice carried a soft, drowsy nasal tone, barely more than a breath.
"Did I wake you? Was it because of me?"
Pandora replied immediately. Her voice was as clear as a silver bell. Perhaps due to the quiet of the night, it sounded even lighter than usual, yet in the stillness, it was unmistakably clear.
"No... I woke up on my own."
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she glanced at Pandora and reassured her softly.
Lately, for some reason, she often woke up in the middle of the night, only to fall asleep again after a while.
"Won't you sleep a little longer?"
Pandora reached out, gently resting her hand on her forehead. With tender care, she brushed aside the damp strands of hair clinging to her brow, then lightly touched her cheek, her tone filled with quiet concern.
"..."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, like a content kitten enjoying the touch. Then she looked up at the girl shrouded in shadow. Sensing her gaze, Pandora shifted slightly closer.
As she moved, the moonlight fell upon her slender figure. The shadows receded, revealing her delicate, almost angelic face, now bathed in silver light.
"You've been sitting here the whole time?"
She asked, noticing Pandora's duck-sitting posture.
"Mm... I don't usually sleep. Sitting here and watching your sleeping face is enough for me."
Pandora smiled softly. From her seated position, only her upright upper body was visible from the bed, their gazes nearly level. It somehow felt more intimate that way.
"You're planning to watch me sleep until morning?"
She couldn't help but chuckle. Then she slowly shifted her body into a side-lying position to face Pandora. Halfway through, she felt an arm wrapped around her waist and instinctively paused. Realizing whose hand it was, she softened her movement and carefully turned over.
"Mmm~"
Behind her, Ei stirred in her sleep, pressing closer against her back. Her arm tightened slightly around her waist as she let out a soft, almost animal-like murmur.
"..."
The Shogun exhaled quietly, relieved that Ei had not fully woken up.
"Mother is quite adorable..."
Pandora smiled warmly at the scene.
"Mm... she is. And she's very clingy. Though sometimes, I might be the one clinging to her."
She nodded in agreement, gently patting Ei's hand, her tone a little complicated.
"That's simply how emotions complement each other."
Pandora said.
"...That makes sense."
She closed her eyes, then opened them again after a few minutes, looking at the girl in front of her.
"Pandora..."
"I'm here..."
"You..."
She hesitated, her words lingering as she carefully chose them.
"You haven't done anything to betray me, have you?"
She asked quietly.
"..."
Pandora paused briefly, thinking, then parted her lips.
"I—"
"I'm serious. Don't lie to me. I don't want to hear lies."
Though her words carried a trace of warning, her eyes held a complicated sadness—as if she feared hearing the truth.
"..."
Seeing the emotion in her gaze, Pandora gently took her hand beneath the blanket and placed it against her own chest. Through the thin fabric, she could feel the faint coolness of her body and the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
"Do you feel it? My heart."
Pandora asked softly.
"Mm..."
She responded quietly.
"What I'm about to say comes from here. Shogun, I have never done anything to betray you. Not once. I am not lying to you. I have no lies."
Pandora spoke with unwavering sincerity.
"If you still don't believe me, you can tear out my heart right now. I promise I won't make a sound, nor wake Mother."
"...There you go again. Can you not be so morbid?"
She rolled her eyes helplessly and pulled her hand back under the blanket.
"...Did she say something to you?"
After a while, Pandora asked softly.
"Mm... you could say that."
She pulled the blanket up to her mouth, only her eyes visible as she spoke.
She then repeated everything Echidna had said about Pandora, word for word.
"..."
Pandora listened quietly, her expression unchanged, as calm as ever.
"...That's what she said."
"A despicable and filthy Authority... perhaps she's not wrong."
Pandora let out a self-mocking remark.
"..."
The Shogun watched her silently.
"What she said is true. That is what it means to be the Witch of Vainglory. My Authority... it is exactly that."
"Shogun, do you remember what I told you before? That witches will pursue their desires at any cost?"
"(nod)"
She nodded quietly.
From Echidna, she had already experienced that firsthand. As the Witch of Greed, her thirst for knowledge was overwhelming, even excessive. Yet even so, she did not consider her a bad person—in fact, she found her rather interesting.
"To be consumed by desire is the true nature of a witch. And yet... as the Witch of Vainglory, I should follow my desires, no matter the cost. I should lead people into traps of lies, rewrite their thoughts, their memories, even causality itself."
"But..."
For once, Pandora's expression showed sorrow. She gently pressed both hands against her chest, her lips trembling slightly.
"Now... I don't want to lie to you. I don't want to deceive you. I even..."
Her voice grew fragile, as if it might shatter at any moment.
"Even your doubt makes me feel unlike myself... it hurts me."
Her hands clenched, and she seemed to collapse inward.
"Sometimes I wonder if I should even exist. If I should have ever been separated from her. A witch is meant to pursue desire, and someone like me... perhaps I'm unnecessary."
Just as she sank into that self-denying state, a hand reached out to her.
"...?"
The Shogun looked at her silently, her fingers moving slightly, urging her to take it.
Pandora obediently grasped her hand with both of hers, and she returned the grip.
"No one in this world is unnecessary. Since you were born, you have a responsibility—to yourself, and to those who care about you."
Her eyes met Pandora's blue ones as she spoke softly.
"..."
Pandora's eyes trembled, then she smiled in relief.
"Mm... you're right."
"And I can be quite stubborn. Once I believe in something, it's hard for me to doubt it again. So... as long as you don't do anything to betray me—or everyone else—I will never doubt you."
"Thank you, Shogun."
Pandora nodded gently.
"It's nothing... I'm sleepy. Stay with me."
With drowsy eyes, she tugged lightly at Pandora's arm, urging her like a sleepy kitten.
"Mm... go to sleep."
Pandora stroked her head.
"Get on the bed. You should sleep too. Stay with me."
The bed was large enough. Besides, being watched like this while she slept felt a little embarrassing. And Pandora's cool body temperature would balance Ei's warmth, making it more comfortable.
"..."
Pandora froze for a moment, a little dazed.
"Hurry... I'm sleepy. Stop stalling."
She tugged at her arm again, insistently.
"Mm..."
Pandora came back to her senses and smiled gently. Then she carefully slipped her cool, delicate body into the blanket. It was her first time sleeping like this, and she instinctively narrowed her eyes slightly in comfort, letting out a soft, cute murmur.
Looking at the back of Pandora's neck, the Shogun suddenly remembered what Ei had suggested earlier.
"About what Ei said earlier... if you want, I'll agree."
Fighting off sleep, she spoke softly, her voice drifting through the air into Pandora's ears.
"..."
Pandora didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned over to face her, lying on her side, gently cupping her cheek.
"If you're sleepy, then sleep. Forcing yourself awake isn't good for you."
Her voice carried the gentle tone of an older sister.
"...Haa..."
Hearing this, the Shogun finally let go of all her worries and drifted into sleep. Her warm breath brushed against Pandora's face, carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance.
"Good night... Shogun."
Pandora wrapped her arms around the sleeping beauty before her and whispered a sweet goodnight by her ear. Then she closed her eyes as well, beginning her very first night of sleeping beside someone else.
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