Release Princess Mika!

Chapter 2: Forgive me.

How much time had passed since I tried to sleep in bed? My eyes slowly fluttered open on their own. As I absentmindedly rubbed my eyes, I suddenly felt an unsettling sense of discomfort.

When I struggled to open my eyes, I saw small hands with pale white skin and delicate fingers.

Maybe because I saw something I wasn't supposed to, my heart was pounding faster than usual, thumping loudly in my head.

I quickly closed my eyes again and began to take deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I had known this would happen from the start. Why am I surprised now?

I faced the reality clearly before me.

Yesterday, I was eagerly waiting for the "pickup banner" to open for my favorite character, Misono Mika, after a long wait in the mobile game "Blue Archive." I had been browsing the community while waiting for the maintenance to finish.

As soon as the maintenance ended, I launched the game with the intention to greet Mika faster than anyone else. And from there, my memory cuts off.

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn’t in my own room, but in a room so beautifully decorated that one would believe a princess lived there.

Realizing not just the surroundings but also that my voice and body had changed, I stood in front of a full-length mirror, denying what had happened for a long while, only to eventually accept that this situation was real.

"...But what time is it right now?"

It might sound strange, but looking at my physical state, it didn't seem to be far from the time period in the original story.

It could even be during the original timeline, a year ago, or possibly, though unlikely, a year before that.

The quickest way to assess the situation in times like this is, as always, to check my phone. It’s a benefit of living in the information age—just checking the news on my phone can reveal a lot.

I picked up my phone, which was charging on the desk with its white and pink color scheme—a very "Mika" setup.

I touched the screen, and thankfully, the lock screen wasn't password or pattern-protected, but only required fingerprint recognition.

"...Huh?"

Unlocking it, I noticed a notification from the "Blue Archive" world’s messenger app, MomoTalk.

Without thinking, I swiped down the top bar, revealing a message that forced me to realize something I hadn't expected.

[Nagi-chan☆]

I'll come over right away.

I suddenly remembered that Mika had a childhood friend named Kirifuji Nagisa, whom she'd known for over ten years.

I was startled. I quickly tapped the notification and scrolled up to read the previous messages from Nagisa.

[Mika-san, you're a bit late today.]

[...I can’t say your behavior has always been exemplary, but you’ve never skipped class without notice before. If something’s wrong, please tell me without delay.]

[Mika-san?]

...

[...An afternoon tea without Mika-san is rather quiet. By the way, Seiya-san agrees with me. However, Seiya-san seems strangely distracted today.]

[Something’s off. Mika-san, are you really okay? Please reply as soon as you can. I’m worried about you and can't focus on my studies.]

[I’m not doing well. It’s almost time to head home, so I’ll come over to your place.]

[I’ll come over right now.]

"...Wait. Right now?"

The most recent message had been sent about an hour ago. This meant that it wouldn’t be strange for Nagisa to ring the doorbell at any moment...

This is bad. I’m completely unprepared for this situation. My head is already a mess from the possession, but now I have to deal with Mika’s friend.

To be honest, Nagisa, who has known Mika since childhood, is unlikely to not sense something odd about me.

No matter how much I try to mimic Mika’s mannerisms, can I really deceive Nagisa, who has heard Mika’s voice every day for years? I’m sure I’ll be caught. Even if I had the talent of a great actor, I wouldn’t be able to cover up the gaps in my memory.

"...Should I just go with the amnesia angle?"

Let it all out. That way, the other person will feel reluctant to attack, and they’ll likely sympathize no matter what I say.

Of course, it’s exaggerated, but it's definitely better than trying to act like Mika with a smile.

Another option is to simply ignore Nagisa, but I don’t plan on avoiding her forever, so running away would be the worst option.

Still, even though it’s not ideal, this seems like a better choice than awkwardly trying to act like Mika. It feels like the lesser evil.

Ding-dong——

While I was debating, the inevitable happened. Still in my pajamas, I groggily walked to the door.

The lights in the house were off. In the world of Blue Archive, parents and teachers, aside from Gematria, hardly ever appear.

I figured that there wouldn't be anyone else, but when I checked the shoe rack by the door, there were several shoes that seemed to belong to Mika, and nothing else was visible.

Should I be relieved or not? It seems like Mika lives alone in this house.

"...What should I do?"

Ding-dong—— Ding-dong——

Nagisa’s persistent doorbell pressed me to act. I grabbed a pair of slippers from the top of the shoe rack and slipped my feet in.

They were much smaller than my usual shoe size—at least 40 sizes too small. Even in these small details, I felt an unsettling sense of the past being erased, which gave me a strange discomfort. Maybe it's just that I'm in a fragile mental state right now.

"Maybe pretending to have amnesia would have been better..."

Wait. That’s not acting, is it? How much do I actually know about Mika’s past?

Though I was a fan of Mika, the limits of my knowledge are clear. What I knew about Mika was mostly from official sources.

Pretending to know things I don’t would easily be exposed, so it might be better to pretend I don’t know anything at all.

I placed my hand on the doorknob and carefully applied pressure. To be honest, I was extra cautious because of Mika’s strength. I didn’t want to break anything by accident.

As I opened the door, I quickly organized in my mind how I should act. The conclusion was clear: I needed to go with the amnesia angle.

It would be presumptuous to try and maintain a relationship based on memories that don’t exist.

No matter how well I pretend to be Mika, it would be impossible to fool Nagisa if nothing was adding up.

Though it might be cruel to Nagisa, who has lost a ten-year childhood friend, I also have to think of myself. I didn’t choose this possession, after all.

So, sorry, Nagisa. Instead of giving you a reason to doubt me, I’ll just play it safe.

Click! Creak—

One thing became clear as I looked at Mika’s reflection in the mirror: the overwhelming beauty I once thought was unrivaled among women might need to be reconsidered.

If Mika was the princess everyone adored, Nagisa had the beauty of a young noblewoman from a duke or marquis family, admired by other aristocratic daughters in society. She looked perfect for the character of "Afternoon Tea."

Her hair color was a light brown, not overly flashy, lending her a noble, aristocratic air. Part of her hair was styled like a headband, with a flower accessory on the left side, which drew my attention. I recalled that Nagisa had a hobby of gardening, and it seemed to fit her perfectly.

Her sharp eyes, which might make her seem cold and calculating, were softened by her warm brown irises.

While it’s impossible to judge someone solely by their eye color, her gaze definitely had a comforting effect.

Nagisa, before and after her redesign, had a much softer look in person. It felt like a perfect blend of the best aspects from both versions.

Nagisa, just like Mika, was a beautiful girl. This made it clear that most of the named female students in Blue Archive likely had ridiculous levels of beauty.

"...Hello, Mika-san. You don’t look... um, very well. You weren’t just sleeping the whole time, were you?"

As soon as Nagisa said this, she let out a small sigh, relieved after seeing me in person.

...But what now, Nagisa? Now isn’t the time to relax; it’s the time to tense up.

If the day ever comes when I return to Earth, I’ll beg for forgiveness for this. If that day doesn’t come... Well, I’ll just let it slide.

So please forgive me, Nagisa——

Ah, no, I mean. Forgive me, Nagisa.

"Um... are you Nagisa-chan?"

"Huh?"

At the cute sound that came from Nagisa’s mouth, I almost burst out laughing, but I desperately held it in. Now was the time for all-out acting.

"A person saved as Nagisa-chan in the messenger said they were coming over, so I’ve been waiting. I thought you might be able to tell me who I am and what kind of person I was."

"Wait, wait. Mika-san, what are you talking about? Why are you acting like you’ve never seen me before? I don’t understand at all... and why would I—"

Seeing Nagisa’s face harden, I inwardly cheered. I knew I was doing something awful to her, but this was the right choice. Eventually, I would have to pay for this, but for now, it was the only option.

"...No, right? Please just tell me this was all some kind of joke. This isn’t funny, these bad jokes. Most importantly, it’s so out of nowhere. Just yesterday, we were laughing and saying we'd see each other tomorrow..."

"...Sorry. But I really don’t remember. Everything in my head is a mess."

"Haha... Mika-san... You thought I’d fall for that... ugh..."

Just like when I was first possessed, Nagisa went into denial, suddenly closing her eyes. As her knees buckled, the halo above her head went out.

Thanks to Mika’s superior physical abilities, I was able to catch her, but as I realized how hard I’d pushed her, guilt started to creep in. The guilt would eventually have to be dealt with, but for now, it was crocodile tears.

I couldn’t just stand there any longer, so I lifted Nagisa up in a princess carry and shut the door behind us.

On the first day of possession, I knocked out my favorite character’s childhood friend.