Prison Island, 2nd Floor Hall.
The young girls, confined within the prison and having just finished breakfast, were gathered together discussing the day's activity schedule.
"Hanna-chan, I found something interesting!"
Waving a dusty book in her hand, the blue-haired girl, dressed like a detective and holding a magnifying glass, spoke excitedly:
"'The Doppelganger'! Rumor has it that if a person sees someone who looks exactly like them, that person will have their identity stolen by the other and die!"
"It also says in here that the Heavenly Lord of the Western Cross Religion once encountered a Doppelganger, but He used His divine power to seal it in a lake of fire and brimstone!"
"Do not go looking for horror stories first thing in the morning, desu wa!"
"If you are truly that idle, could you perhaps wash your own clothes? You make me wash them for you every single time!"
Considerably shorter than the blue-haired girl, the blonde girl with twin-tails, wearing a princess dress resembling a Barbie doll, revealed an impatient expression.
Tono Hanna used the feather fan in her hand to vigorously swat Tachibana Sherri's detective hat, seemingly expressing her dissatisfaction.
"Hehe, I just think this kind of setting is interesting. If Miss Margaret were still here, she might be interested too!"
"For example, Hanna-chan, have you ever considered... what if the one sealed in the lake of fire wasn't the Heavenly Lord?"
"And if this setting were placed in a murder mystery, it would be equally brilliant! If the Doppelganger committed the crime against the original body, then even if the victim was killed, no one would know..."
"I said stop talking about such scary things, hey!!"
Unable to bear it any longer, Tono Hanna stood on her tiptoes and began to furiously smack Tachibana Sherri's head with her fan, filling the hall with a lively atmosphere.
"Haha, everyone is as energetic as always."
Dressed like a prince from a stage play and maintaining her usual elegant and gentlemanly demeanor, Hasumi Rhea leisurely took a sip of freshly brewed black tea.
"Thanks to everyone, there hasn't been another case for many days. If only it could continue like this forever."
[A very interesting setting. I have noted it down; it will surely be useful for the next time.]
Natsume An-An, a petite white-haired girl in dark gothic lolita attire, raised a placard. The text on it expressed her viewpoint.
"So noisy. I can't draw. All my inspiration has run away."
Jougasaki Noah, the little painter whose hair was dyed in colorful hues by paint, pouted, looking dissatisfied with everyone frolicking outside the art studio.
"Noah, why don't you go back to the art studio first?"
Sitting next to Jougasaki Noah, the Sakuraba Emma belonging to this world saw this and attempted to offer a suggestion:
"Everyone still has to discuss the play arrangement later; we might be staying here for quite a while..."
"No."
"There is no inspiration in the art studio. I'm going to paint somewhere else."
Before Sakuraba Emma could finish speaking, Jougasaki Noah picked up her brush and paints, rose from her seat, and walked toward the stairs leading to the first floor.
But at that very moment, a figure appeared at the stairwell of the second floor, blocking Jougasaki Noah's path.
Everyone couldn't help but look at her, seemingly a bit surprised.
The figure was none other than Nikaido Hiro.
"Hiro-chin?" Hasumi Rhea spoke in surprise, seemingly not expecting her to come to the venue where they were discussing the play.
"Have you decided to participate in the play too? If it's Hiro-chin, we welcome you anytime, anywhere..."
But unbeknownst to them, Nikaido Hiro, having arrived at the second-floor hall, was not listening to anyone at all.
Her gaze first swept across the group in the hall, finally landing on Sakuraba Emma sitting by the window. She froze for a moment, then her eyes widened as if she had seen something incredible.
"Sakuraba Emma, why are you here?"
How did she get up here before me?
Nikaido Hiro brainstormed for three seconds; the situation left her somewhat confused about what was happening.
There was only one staircase leading to the second-floor hall. If Sakuraba Emma had walked ahead of her, she definitely wouldn't have failed to notice.
This evil Witch, wasn't she just in the bathroom? Why has she run up here again??
"What's wrong, Hiro-chan?"
Suddenly addressed by her full name, Sakuraba Emma blinked, somewhat puzzled by the look her roommate was giving her, appearing slightly uneasy.
But at the same time, she also found it strange. Didn't Hiro ask her to meet alone in the bathroom later this afternoon?
Why did she suddenly come over now? Does she want to go to the bathroom together now?
"I've been here ever since finishing breakfast this morning. I don't understand what you mean..."
"You!..."
Looking at Sakuraba Emma's innocent eyes, a fire ignited in Nikaido Hiro's heart.
She abruptly raised her hand to point at her, but then, under the confused gazes of the crowd, she slowly lowered it.
Damn it, what scheme is this evil Witch plotting now?
Lying about even such a small matter, what exactly is she brewing?
"Ehehe~ Detective Sherri smells something different~!"
The blue-haired detective girl suddenly hopped out from the crowd, sizing up both Sakuraba Emma and Nikaido Hiro with great interest:
"It seems something suspicious has happened. Could this be the prelude to a conspiracy for the next case~?"
"Hiro, I don't understand what you mean..."
Sakuraba Emma clenched her fists and placed them against her chest,
"Have I... done something to upset you again?"
"Noah and An-An can testify for me. I have been staying here ever since breakfast ended; I haven't gone anywhere..."
"How long do you intend to deceive everyone, Sakuraba Emma?!!"
However, unknown to her, these words from Emma, which seemed like an attempt to explain herself, completely detonated Hiro's patience.
She raised her hand, pointing at the pink-and-white haired girl, and said sternly:
"You say you've been here the whole time, then who was the person chatting with me in the washroom just now??"
"You utterly hypocritical fellow, what exactly are you plotting in the shadows?!!"
As soon as Hiro's words came out, the venue fell silent.
But a moment later, Hiro felt something was wrong. Everyone in the hall did not look at Emma with suspicion; instead, even Hasumi Rhea looked at her with a strange gaze.
"Hiro-chin, did you not rest well?"
"Emma has been with us ever since breakfast. We did indeed see that she was here the whole time; she didn't even leave midway."
"Hiro-chan, although you always take care of Noah, you must take care of yourself too."
Jougasaki Noah, whose path had been blocked by Nikaido Hiro, nodded, chiming in while expressing concern for Hiro.
"Oh my, oh my. It seems my intuition as a detective is truly incomparably sharp. Something interesting has indeed happened!"
To the side, Tachibana Sherri pinched her chin, putting on a contemplative pose:
"Hypothetically, assuming Hiro-chan has no need to lie about such a trivial matter, and everyone can provide an alibi for Emma-chan, then who was the Emma-chan chatting with Hiro-chan in the bathroom?"
"No one present knows any 'transformation' magic, you know? That means————"
Tachibana Sherri held the book titled The Doppelganger high in the air and exclaimed excitedly:
"Then there is only one answer!"
"It must be Emma's 'Doppelganger' appearing in the prison, currently plotting to steal Emma's identity!"
"Everyone be careful too! Maybe our own Doppelgangers are also conspiring to steal our identities!"
"Sherri, you guy, that's enough! That is just a novel setting, desu wa!"
"And even if Doppelgangers really existed, who would want to steal the identities of prisoners like us, hey!!"
Tono Hanna held her forehead and sighed. She recalled a joke she had read in the past.
A corporate slave uncle was possessed by a mirror person urban legend and trapped inside the mirror. The next day, the mirror person was crying and begging the uncle to switch back.
Their group was locked in prison every day, the food was bad, and they had to suppress their own Witch Factors at all times while guarding against others killing them.
If there really were a Doppelganger willing to suffer in her place, Tono Hanna would raise both hands in approval!
[Perhaps the magic left by the seniors previously imprisoned here caused Hiro to have hallucinations?]
Natsume An-An raised her placard again, proposing the most likely viewpoint.
"How could it be such a coincidence! I was just... Ugh..."
"...Forget it. Indeed, it's just a trivial matter."
Hiro subconsciously denied it, but then immediately realized something was wrong, ultimately stopping herself from speaking further.
"Emma, no need to come see me this afternoon. I have other matters."
"Noah, you're right. Perhaps I am indeed a bit tired and should rest properly..."
Looking back at the pink-haired girl sitting by the window staring blankly at her, Nikaido Hiro held her head and frowned, preparing to distance herself once again from this Witch who annoyed her.
Regardless of whether everything that happened in the bathroom was a hallucination, her plan to kill Sakuraba Emma had to be prepared anew.
Why not try poisoning? But raw materials are a problem...
BANG——!!
Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot rang out from the Entertainment Room next to the second-floor hall.
This gunshot shattered the quiet atmosphere of the scene and also interrupted Hiro's thoughts.
"This is bad!"
A yellow-haired girl with long curly bangs ran out of the Entertainment Room in a panic.
Her appearance was extremely flustered, her eyes filled with anxiety.
"Miria-chan?"
Saeki Miria was still holding a mobile phone in her hand, displaying the screen of Sawatari Koko's live broadcast.
But at this moment, no one was visible on the screen; only the LIVE symbol in the upper right corner flashed silently.
"Quickly, go to the washroom on the first floor!"
"Koko... Sawatari Koko is in trouble!!!"
___
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