Chapter 78

The catfight (or whatever you want to call it) this time might be the worst so far. It broke the record of "No, no, buy it, buy it."

"Why do you two keep aiming for each other's faces?"

"Because we don't like each other's faces."

My voice and No. 2's voice overlapped. Since they were the same, for a moment I thought it was my voice echoing.

Well, I knew we were a bad match. But surprisingly, it never escalated into a fight to the death.

I asked No. 2, who had gotten up, "What are you going to do next? It's getting dark, do you want to stay over?"

"I don't want to sleep at your place."

"Then No. 2, you can camp out here, and I'll come back tomorrow."

"Huh? Normally, you should invite a guest, even if you have to bow your head, right?"

Ah, you want to stay, don't you? But you don't want to owe me anything, do you? What a troublesome personality.

I decided to be the adult here. I bowed and said, "Please come to my house," ... but I didn't like it. I really wanted to let her camp out.

Then, Patrick whispered in my ear, "What's going on? Is it okay to invite her?"

"I think it's fine. No. 2 is more friendly than I thought."

"... Friendly?"

"Because she hasn't used magic once."

We've had a few fistfights, but No. 2 and I aren't serious. If we really wanted to kill each other, a black hole would be the first move. Not to mention, she hasn't used any weapons or magic, which means she's willing to have a peaceful conversation.

It seemed that he understood her intention as well.

"Oh, I see... I didn't think that far after seeing that intense fistfight."

"Intense? Neither of us is bleeding, right?"

There's no blood, and there shouldn't be any bruises left behind.

We haven't attacked each other with the intent to kill, like choking each other. Oh, and we haven't tried to gouge each other's eyes out either.

Of course, we've hit each other with some force. A decent Yumiera punch and a strong Yumiera defense. It's just that the latter is stronger.

While we were having a whispered strategy meeting, No. 2 seemed to think she was being ignored. She spoke with a mix of irritation and slight anxiety.

"Fine! I get it! I'll stay at your place. Is that enough for you?"

"Of course, I wouldn't leave you alone... Ah, have you gotten used to being alone? Even I'm not that bad."

"Kill."

No. 2 lunged at me again.

This time, she tried to get into a mount position. I tried to get into a favorable position and flipped her over.

We repeated this, rolling on the ground in a grapple.

Amid the repeated reversals, Patrick's voice was heard.

"I'm not stopping you. Both of you are in the wrong."

Is Patrick a bit too lenient with No. 2? As my fiancé, he should take my side over a first-time meeting with No. 2, right?

It's obviously a hostile atmosphere. It's impossible to get along with someone who looks the same but is a different person. It's unpleasant that the insides, which should be different, are subtly similar. I'm sure she's thinking the same thing. Ah, how annoying.

By the time we finished rolling around, the sun had completely set. We should go home before it gets completely dark.

"Let's go home. You said you'd come, right?"

"Only because you insisted."

Did I say that? I think No. 2 said she wanted to stay, but if I point it out, it might turn into another fistfight. I'll keep quiet.

"It's not like you don't know the place. No. 2, you used to live there, right?"

"There's no attachment to that place. I just stayed in my room, slept, woke up, and ate. The person I talked to the most was the tutor who came from outside."

"Ah, I used to be the same until a little while ago. The dorm at the academy was similar, and I didn't have a place to call home."

"... So, you were a Yumiera too, huh?"

"Eh? Yeah, of course... "

"Then, why... why are you and I... No, never mind."

Yumiera No. 2 muttered and looked in a different direction. I followed her gaze, but there was only the dark sky.

We headed home in an awkward silence.

Since meeting No. 2, Patrick has been low-key, Remun has been hiding in my shadow without saying a word, No. 2 is in a bad mood, and I'm feeling gloomy too.

Now, how do I explain No. 2 to the household? I can't say she destroyed the world, and it's too far-fetched to say she's a doppelgänger I met by chance.

I'm not sure if it's okay to introduce her to Elenora.

The reason I'm being friendly with No. 2 is that she doesn't seem to have any immediate intentions. But if things go well now, it will eventually turn into a fight to the death.

Elenora, who has been with Patrick and me since the beginning of the incident, might not accept the bad ending that has already been decided.

We walked through the dark streets of Dorkness in silence. Patrick and I walked side by side, and No. 2 followed a little behind.

We chose less crowded streets, so we didn't encounter many people. In the dimly lit town, no one recognized me, and no one noticed that there was someone who looked exactly like me.

In this darkness, only the three of us can see as clearly as in the daytime.

The mansion was already in sight. Hmm, I should have taken a detour to buy some time. I haven't figured out how to explain No. 2 yet.

Why is that? I suggested it, but I have a feeling that inviting her home will lead to something bad. The relatively peaceful interactions with No. 2, like fighting and mimicking each other in the mirror, seem to be leading to something irreversible.

Who will be the most hurt by this? Me, Patrick, Elenora... or even her?

I can still turn back. But my heart is already leaning towards not wanting to go home, and I look at the mansion that is right in front of me.

Then, a cute head popped up from the shadow of the building in the backyard. It moved its big head around and seemed to have noticed me.

"Ryu! I'm home!"

My Ryu is cute today, too. He was cute yesterday, and he will probably be cute tomorrow as well.

I can't say I don't want to go home and leave such a lovable dragon behind. I can just say I found him somewhere and if he does something bad to Ryu's education, I can kick him out immediately.

All my worries flew away as I ran towards Ryu. Compared to his cuteness, almost everything in the world becomes trivial.

Ryu flapped his large wings to welcome me, easily flying over the two-story building to the front of the mansion.

Even though we meet every day, and even a few hours ago, he greets me as if we haven't seen each other in years. I respond with all my heart to such a Ryu.

Ryu lowered his head and stretched his neck. Good, I understand. I hugged his head tightly and rubbed under his chin.

"Ryu, you've been a good boy! It's great that you can say 'welcome home'! It's great that you can make the 'gururu' sound!"

Bliss. I live to hear the sound Ryu makes in his throat. I live to see his cute gestures. I live to rub my cheek against his cool scales.

Everything in the past, present, and future exists for Ryu.

As I was enjoying this healing time, a voice came from behind. Oh right, there was this Yumiera No. 2, who I don't really understand.

I could hear her and Patrick talking.

"What am I being shown?"

"Ah, that... You just have to get used to it."

"You, what do you like about such a thing? Are you crazy?"

"... Well, I'm probably a bit crazy too."

Reluctantly, I left Ryu and turned around.

Yumiera No. 2 was staring at Ryu without restraint.

Ryu seemed to notice her and widened his eyes in surprise, looking back and forth between me and No. 2. Yeah, it would be surprising to see someone with the same face.

I thought it was a waste to show her to No. 2, but I decided to introduce my pride and joy.

"This is Ryu. What do you think? Isn't he cute?"

"... A friendly dragon is creepy."

What a thing to say. I hurriedly checked, and Ryu seemed to be deflated because he was called creepy by someone who looked like me.

"Hey!? What a terrible thing to say!?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You can understand words, can't you?"

"Ryu, don't mind what that person says. I and that person are different, okay!"

Poor thing. So deflated.

I really don't get along with No. 2. I petted Ryu's head and glared at her.

"Sorry. Your pet isn't bad."

"Ha!? He's not a pet, he's family!?"

"... Oh, family. Ah, then, what does he eat? What's his food?"

"Ha!? It's not food, it's a meal!?"

"You're so troublesome."

After belittling Ryu so much, to call him troublesome?

This is a war that can't be avoided. It's going to be a beating, a beating.

I can't hold back on using magic anymore. In a Yumiera vs. Yumiera battle, the first move is a black hole.

If I completely erase Yumiera No. 2, all the problems will be solved. Victory! Chapter 3, complete!

Just as I was thinking that, a weak voice came from behind. I turned around and saw Ryu making a sad sound. Ah, I understand. "Don't fight for me."

"Sorry. I'm a violent mother, sorry. We shouldn't solve things with violence. Ryu is a kind boy, you know."

"What am I being shown?"

So, the decisive battle was postponed. I'm glad Ryu is kind.

Now, I can't keep cuddling with Ryu forever. It's time to go inside the house, and the voice I least wanted to hear came.

"Yumiera-sama? I was worried when you suddenly left."

Ah, Elenora found us.

I looked at No. 2, wondering how to explain, and she had a displeased look on her face. Ah, of course she knows.

"Why is a duchess's daughter here?"

"Various things happened, and the Hillrose duchy was abolished. So now I'm... like a guest?"

"Huh? What do you mean—"

No. 2 tried to ask for details about the fallen noble, but I don't think such a conversation is possible right now. Once Elenora appears, everything goes at her pace.

Elenora seemed to have come outside when she heard my voice. Instead of coming towards me, who was hiding behind Ryu, she went straight to No. 2.

As she got closer, she noticed the differences in clothing and hairstyle, and realized it was a different person—

"Wow! What a beautiful dress! What happened to it? You usually hate frilly things, don't you? Oh, your hair has grown a bit since I last saw you. It's time for a haircut."

Ah, she didn't recognize her.

Elenora was circling around, observing the Gothic Lolita dress, and No. 2 looked annoyed.

"Hey! You're too close, back off!"

"Of course, the black dress suits you, Yumiera-sama! It's really beautiful!"

"That's it! I'm not the Yumiera you know!"

"I understand. I'm happy to see a side of Yumiera-sama I didn't know!"

Elenora-sama has a steel mentality.

I realized again that Ryu is a very sensitive child, as he was damaged by the insults.

I felt sorry for him and patted Elenora's shoulder. By the way, the one who's pitiful is No. 2.

"Um, it's me over here."

"Eh? Yumiera-sama?"

"I'm the usual Yumiera, and that person over there is... a doppelgänger."

Elenora looked at me and No. 2, then fell silent.

I blurted it out, but the doppelgänger thing is a bit of a stretch—

"Really, they look exactly the same! I can't tell the difference at all."

"Eh?"

Really? You believe it? That's beyond the realm of a pure child.

"Nice to meet you, Yumiera-sama's doppelgänger. I'm Elenora, what's your name?"

"Yumiera."

"Oh! Your name is the same too! What a coincidence!"

Wow, maybe I underestimated Elenora-sama. I thought it was amazing, not sarcastically, but genuinely. I remembered the time I believed in Santa. Where did I lose that purity?

Elenora started observing No. 2 again. In the dark, she got so close that their faces almost touched.

No. 2 frowned and turned away. She could have pushed Elenora away with force, but she just let it happen.

I think No. 2 isn't that bad of a person. But she did destroy the world, after all.

She glared at me and said, "Hey, do something about this one."

"Ah! Your tone is a bit different. I think I can tell if we talk a bit more."

"Elenora-sama, my doppelgänger is in trouble."

I grabbed Elenora's shoulders and pulled her away. She didn't resist, though she looked unhappy.

I kept holding her shoulders and pushed her towards the mansion.

"Come on, let's go inside. Sorry, Ryu, for not paying much attention to you."

I reluctantly left Ryu and went inside the house.

As soon as I opened the door, Ritta greeted me.

"Welcome back. Dinner is ready, but what would you like to do?"

"Ah, about that, can you prepare one more serving? We have a guest."

"That's fine, but... a guest?"

Ritta, surprised by the unusual request, widened her eyes. Guests rarely come, so it's understandable. Well, maybe it's time to expand our social circle a bit.

A sound came from behind. Patrick and No. 2 had arrived.

Ritta bowed and then