Just as Imhotep was about to resume her torment—no, her teasing—of Houraiji Kyuusyou, Rita finally mustered the courage to intervene.
"Um... Lady Imhotep, perhaps we could let Lady Kyuusyou go for now? We still have important matters to discuss, don't we?"
"Isn't this an important matter? Hurry up and answer, you purple-haired pig trotter! Which 'me' do you actually like?!"
"..."
Under Miss Imhotep's relentless soul-crushing interrogation, Kyuusyou seemed to finally fill a meter labeled "Courage"—
The purple-haired Valkyrie spun around with a sudden burst of strength, scooping the white-haired girl off the ground. The now-darkened Savior Lord held out her hand toward the girl in her arms, then clenched her fist...
"I—want them all! And I want you, too!"
Then, Miss Houraiji Kyuusyou, now buffed with courage, gazed at the small wings on Imhotep in her arms. The wings were trembling slightly, mirroring their master's stunned confusion from the sudden ambush. With commendable bravery, she reached out and stroked them...
Hmm, the texture is quite nice. A bit fluffy, but smooth and not clingy, with a cool, icy feel... But why does it seem to be heating up as I keep petting it...?
Finding the sensation incredibly pleasant, Houraiji Kyuusyou gave the wings a few more strokes... then realized something was terribly wrong.
"...Magnetic Field Rotation: Ninety-Nine Thousand Horsepower."
"Whoa, wifey, listen to me explain—!"
"Sea Tiger Blast Fist—!!!"
"Ptooey—! Where did this female pervert come from...?"
Imhotep, now back on the ground, spat at the human-shaped hole in the ceiling.
"Um... Lady Kyuusyou should be fine, right?"
Rita stared at the hole for a moment, then dismissed the thought.
There's a Shenzhou saying: 'A scourge lasts a thousand years.' Lady Kyuusyou is probably still alive and kicking... Having reached this logical conclusion, Rita turned her attention back to the white-haired girl before her.
"So... how should Rita address you now?"
"Imhotep, if you must call me that, then fine... And this embarrassing Ms. Island Bomber is one of us now, in a way—so stop looking at her like you're deciding whether to silence her today... Also, Rita, put the scythe down."
"As you wish."
Rita retracted the scythe she had been holding across the doorway, poised to shatter Cioara's neck. Miss Raven, who had been trying to sneak away, once again became the center of attention...
"Um, can I go now...? I just remembered I have something to take care of at home..."
"No—you're one of the star actors in this performance. At least read the script before you leave, right?"
"First question: will I get beaten up in this script?" Cioara asked cautiously, apparently still traumatized from her last encounter with Kyuusyou.
"Yes, but it's just acting—everyone will hold back~"
"...I have a feeling your idea of 'holding back' and mine aren't measured by the same standard... or even the same thing..."
Cioara glanced at the massive hole in the ceiling and wiped the cold sweat from her brow.
"I'm not the one who's going to beat you up... What are you so panicked about?" Imhotep shot Cioara a look and pursed her lips.
"Instead of overthinking, let's eat—come on, come on. The future of civilization, the course of the world, the fate of humanity... let's discuss it all over a meal."
-
"So... you guys were in Heliopolis Life Sciences, under Jackal's name, in her VIP reception room... discussing how to screw over that scientist with a hole in her head???"
"Isn't that a bit disrespectful?"
Kyuusyou, who had just climbed back in from outside, watched the group before her, her mouth twitching.
"And you did it all in the time it takes to eat breakfast?"
"Indeed, Lady Kyuusyou."
Rita nodded, then added as if remembering something—
"Actually, we only spent about five minutes discussing the arrogant Ms. Jackal."
"The rest of the time, Lady Imhotep was discussing you."
"Me...?"
Houraiji Kyuusyou, who had just taken a heavy punch not long ago, felt her ahoge radar start blaring again.
"That's right... Lady Imhotep asked us whether it would be better for you to kneel on a washboard or a keyboard..."
"And the result?"
Hearing that the choice was between a keyboard and a washboard, the purple-haired Valkyrie let out a sigh of relief. A mere keyboard and washboard? As if that could defeat me, Houraiji Kyuusyou!
The advantage is mine!
...However, history has proven time and again: never pop the champagne at halftime... like right now—
"Well, the conclusion we reached is..."
Rita deliberately dragged out her words, hoping her nominal colleague would mentally prepare herself.
"So, what is it?"
But the victim didn't seem to get the hint... Instead, she stared impatiently at the maid, awaiting the answer.
"Here, this is it..."
The maid pulled out a pair of sunglasses from behind her back, calmly put them on, and then produced an electronic canvas.
"That's it?"
The Savior immediately showed a disdainful expression.
"No... According to Lady Imhotep—"
"This electronic canvas contains all of dear little Sirin's artworks... and, of course, Lady Imhotep's own works."
"...And then?"
Kyuusyou quietly edged closer to the VIP room door again. She had already guessed the outcome but still asked Rita for confirmation, clinging to a sliver of hope.
"You need to kneel on this electronic canvas... It detects the pressure applied to it and changes accordingly..."
"And according to Lady Imhotep's settings... if the applied pressure changes, this canvas will switch away from the initial work by Lady Imhotep and randomly display a stored image..."
Rita raised her hand, index finger pointing up, and seriously finished explaining the fate that awaited Miss Houraiji Kyuusyou.
"Let me ask one last thing, then—"
"The ratio of her works to Little Sirin's... what is it?"
"Hmm, it's about one to a thousand, I think?" Rita said, sounding a little uncertain.
"Is it too late for me to compose a death poem?"
The purple-haired Valkyrie gripped the doorknob, preparing for her final gamble. She had to escape!
"Don't. Even. Think. About. Reincarnating—!"
Imhotep's chilling voice seeped through from the other side of the door.