3rei!! The Land of Dead Bookshelves III

Wow, look! A whole wall full of old books...

What's wrong, Ruby? You're shaking. You haven't talked much since we came here.

N-Nothing... (Shiver) Y-You haven't noticed? (Shiver)

Illya, you're s-s-s-s-s-such...W-W-Well, i-if you d-don't know, i-it's better that way... (Shiver)

You're being weird, Ruby. Oh, a stuffed lion!

...

That's my former partner. It's been a long time since he's spoken.

...

Huh!? Partner?

(Whispering) I've never seen anything so bizarre. No wonder I couldn't search inside...

Fujimaru, Mash, every book on that shelf is a grimoire.

All of them!?

Yes. For many years these ruins have been called the Land of Dead Bookshelves.

I'll tell you why.

The ghosts outside, as well as all the books in this room, they were once magical girls.

This is the graveyard of those poor girls who were plunged into this world. They're called "Echoes."

Echoes... You mean the echoes of magical girls. Jason used that word too.

Jason? Of the Land of Dragons and Sea? You're more adventurous than you look.

Wasn't that place dangerous? But don't worry, everyone here is peaceful.

They just sleep here, in the form of grimoires. Many magical girls liked to read.

The Echoes who attacked you outside wanted someone to join them...

Or perhaps they wanted to match spells with a rival, as they once did.

The reason the Echoes don't attack me is because my role here is to serve guests.

And I have the jewel that's a symbol of my role. That's all.

？！

Me? No, that's not me. I don't own the Reality Marble.

Then you're already aware that this world is inside a vast Reality Marble.

This world was created by a single magical girl. She's called the First Lady.

That's what the Echoes whisper to me. I've never met her myself.

It's said that the First Lady is in a sealed space at the center of this world, beyond the black wall.

No magic can destroy that black wall, and there's no way to know what's inside.

Wait, then what about Medb? The one from the Land of Snow and Honey?

Medb is a magical girl. A very powerful one. But she's not the First Lady.

Illya, right? Tell me the rest of your story. Why are you so focused on Medb?

Don't tell me you're asking if it's okay to defeat her...

N-No! Actually...

I see. A fellow magical girl was kidnapped. That's a shame.

But that's strange. Is that possible?

I thought Medb wasn't interested in anything but the jewels. Did changes in the First Lady have an effect on Medb too?

I'd like to ask a question too.

You seem to know an awful lot about parallel worlds.

Of course I do. Part of it is my knowledge of theosophy, but...

We magical girls were originally invited here from many different parallel worlds.

We were girls who, for various reasons, couldn't be magical girls in our own worlds anymore.

We had no choice but to come here. We had nowhere else to go. Here, we could continue being magical girls.

This is, in a sense, our paradise. And it's the final stop on our journey.

I don't know. Why not ask the First Lady?

Although... This may sound cruel, but...

Girls who can't accept what's happened to them end up like the Echoes outside.

...!?

The Throne of Heroic Spirits that's said to be a hall of records within the void? Unfortunately, it's nothing so noble and innocent as that.

They pathetically clung to being magical girls and fought until they ended up as mere ideas... as Echoes.

？！

I'd really rather not know this, but... there's something I have to ask.

Is it possible that I was summoned here as a magical girl too?

Isn't that what makes the most sense? You've got a familiar with you.

So I really was the cause... That's a big shock. How do I face Senpai...

Senpai, you stay my Mashter...! I mean... no! I-I'm not correcting myself!

？！

It's nothing for you to worry about, Mash Kyrielight. No...

The Dangerous Beast-type Magical Girl, Squishy☆Mash, was it?

It's Demi-Magical Girl! I mean... Demi-Servant!

All right. That's all I have to say.

Do you want the jewel? Very well. It's yours. Take it.

I named the stone "Vril." But that doesn't matter now.

But...!

Helena, if you don't have that jewel, won't the Echoes outside attack you?

It doesn't matter. At some point, Medb will come.

I'm not a magical girl anymore. Just a gravekeeper. I don't care about the power of the stone.

But...

There's no need to hesitate. After all, you will eventually meet the same fate.

The time will come when the world will abandon you, Illya. When you lose your wish.

I'll tell you the most important thing. It's about your friend, Miyu Edelfelt.

This is a guess, but I don't think it was Medb who kidnapped her. It was the First Lady.

I've always assumed that she was silently monitoring this world from beyond the black wall...

... by transforming her familiars to blend in with those of the other magical girls.

If you ask Medb, you'll get closer to the truth. That is, if she allows you to survive.

Thank you Helena. Miyu was who I wanted to know about most!

But I don't need the jewel.

Even if you needed all the jewels to get beyond the black wall?

What? All of them?

？！

Wait. Are you saying we need to take the stones from all the magical girls, including Medb's?

The jewels have enough power to alter the First Lady's Reality Marble?

Yes. The Echoes whispered to me...

The jewels are crystallized emotions that grant wishes. They should be able to cross the wall, and even reach the outside world.

But that may be part of what the First Lady wants, too. Even so, there's only one way to find out: get all the jewels.

See? It's just like I said.

Well, if my theory's right, the First Lady's familiars are capable of crossing the black wall.

I can't imagine her being dumb enough to let someone else take control of them, though.

That means the First Lady is deliberately making the magical girls fight!

That's awful! We have to stop her! But how?

I agree. We are a part of this fight, even if we didn't intend to be...

Fujimaru...

Yeah...

？！

You're going to fight against the rules of this world? It's useless.

Illya, how strong do you think your friend is? She obviously hasn't been able to resist.

In this world, the First Lady's power is absolute.

...

What are you talking about?

That's right! It's not over for you! There are still more things you can do!

？！

Stop it! Don't insult us!

All the grimoires on the shelves... They're shaking...

Do you think all these girls just accepted their fate, and didn't try to do anything?

But I... I can't stop here!

I can't just accept someone else's despair until I've tried everything for myself!

Miyu... Miyu isn't weak either! She hasn't given up yet!

？！

？！

Empty consolation...just like Al.

What do you... What could the likes of you know about my story!?

Senpai...

I'm tired. I want this to be over! Just take my jewel already!

Otherwise, I'll put you to sleep here! Forever!

Ruby!

Illya...!

I'm sorry for transforming without asking, Mash, Fujimaru.

But I'm a little mad right now!

You're about to learn that your hollow wishes are nothing but a fantasy!