Chapter 207: The Other Me In This World. Is This Phrase Still Romantic?
Translator: Pluto Editor: Vermillion
“I can’t really say what I find suspicious,” the teenager said grimly, revealing a hint of helplessness about the situation. He bit his lip and continued at an almost inaudible level,” Anyway, I feel that the person inside isn’t my sister.”
As echoes were unavoidable if they were in the corridor, Lin Sanjiu and Reno entered the apartment unit opposite from the one where “Rena” was, to avoid her overhearing them. Reno closed the door shut, but he continued to whisper.
Lin Sanjiu was puzzled and quickly spelled: “But she used her ability”. After she recovered all her higher consciousness, not only had her form become larger, but she could also spell a lot more proficiently. Reno hesitated for some time; he seemed unable to explain that point.
“Erm… Yes, I fell a few times,” he somewhat admitted. “But we can’t exactly infer that it was my sister’s ability. I did fall to the ground, but the other party could have used some other ability or special item… Don’t forget, if posthumans from other worlds die here. They will still retain their evolved abilities.”
“That’s true.” Lin Sanjiu couldn’t help remembering that one of the girls she met in Garden of Eden had the ability to force someone to fall. If a posthuman with a similar ability died and became a duoluozhong in Kisaragi Station World and used that ability to pose as Rena, it would be hard to distinguish.
Luckily, Reno’s ability was rare. Once he drew out that almanac page, it basically confirmed his ident.i.ty.
“Why do you suspect her?” Lin Sanjiu processed her thoughts and simplified her question.
“I don’t know if I should call it intuition… We grew up together so we know each other very well. After she was. .h.i.t by that almanac page, I chatted with her. That was when it became more and more obvious to me that I was speaking to someone else who was trying its best to imitate my sister’s personality and behavior.”
Lin Sanjiu tried her best to remember the details but she didn’t find Rena’s behavior any different from usual. Then again, she had only known Rena for a short time.
“I didn’t have that feeling when we were play-fighting. But thinking back, I have to say that it was right to use my ability.” Reno exhaled. “I wanted to say this earlier but I have no idea what is happening on the other side so I wanted to wait for a few hours first. Not only can we lower that person’s guard, I also noticed that you have been changing and was busy with something… So, I waited until now.
Lin Sanjiu had witnessed too many weird things happening that night and was a little confused by everything. However, she was certain about one thing. The person that could use [Did you check your almanac before leaving your house today?] was the real Reno. With that in mind, she quickly spelled, “Make a mark on yourself.”
Even though Reno usually showed a carefree att.i.tude, he picked things up quickly and understood almost immediately, “You’re afraid that someone might pretend to be me?”
His face turned pale thinking of that possibility. He took a ceramic bowl from the kitchen and quickly broke it into two silently by using his hands. He took the sharp edge of the broken ceramic bowl and carved a small “X” on his inner wrist.
“That should be enough…” Reno looked at the mark he made on his hand and put aside the broken bowl. Just then, a voice came from the door, “What are you two doing?”
The girl’s voice startled them so much, it was as if their whole surrounding shook. Rena slowly looked in from the front door. She was standing in the shadow by the entrance so the expression of her face couldn’t be seen clearly.
Both Lin Sanjiu and Reno were shocked. There was a wall in front of the entrance which blocked the view from the entrance, but also prevented them from seeing what was at the entrance. Lin Sanjiu and Reno exchanged glances. None of them expected that the “Rena” without any accessories could move around so silently.
“Oh, nothing. We are telling each other ghost stories,” Reno instantly laughed, pretending that nothing happened. “You really get that feeling when you’re telling ghost stories in the dark in Kisaragi Station World.
“Rena” slowly walked in. She scanned Lin Sanjiu suspiciously, “How can she tell you any stories in that form?”
Lin Sanjiu observed Rena from head to toe without replying. The girl was wearing a sparkling, pink wig. Her Tulle dress was in a mess. She also had that slightly proud tilted chin… She seemed exactly the same, be it in appearance or att.i.tude.
“It is hard to believe that she isn’t the real thing.” Lin Sanjiu thought to herself.
“I am the one who mainly does the telling. She listens.” Reno didn’t want to continue with this excuse that was full of loopholes. He also seemed to be unsure of the ident.i.ty of the person in front. He quickly changed the subject, “Is the effect from the Almanac over? Maybe, you should continue lying down for a while. Just to be sure.”
“It’s not necessary,” Rena played it down by waving her hands, almost as if she didn’t care, “I think the effect ended. This place is really boring. Bro, could you play cards with me?”
Reno pressed the mark on his inner wrist subconsciously, he hemmed and hawed for a little while but couldn’t come up with an excuse. When he saw Rena’s expression turning more and more doubtful, he finally acceded, “Ah, okay.”
“This could be an opportunity to turn things around.” Lin Sanjiu thought. She sneaked behind Rena, and stayed where the girl couldn’t see her and spelled: “Can you manage this alone?”
Reno looked at the words, trying to guess her intentions. Then, he nodded his head subtly.
“Great!” Lin Sanjiu turned and sped out of the door before the siblings in the living room noticed.
“If the Rena here was an imposter, the real Rena must be somewhere in this building.” Besides, Lin Sanjiu was still brooding over the ‘siblings’ she saw when she first reached the 15th floor. Now that Reno had a mark on his hand, she could investigate and look for the real Rena at the same time.
However, Lin Sanjiu never guessed that she would find another Rena so quickly.
The floor below the current 15th floor was still the 14th floor (that she saw with Rena). Lin Sanjiu almost wondered if she was imagining things. But, she quickly realized that something was wrong. After she flew down another two floors, it should be the 12th floor, but she saw the siblings playing cards in the corridor under the “15” which was painted on the wall.
Another 15th floor and another pair of siblings.