Part 68: Cloche's Soulspace, Level 6-rewind

Boy, this is getting exciting. I'm not sure how they're even going to progress from here.

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Level 6? Wow. What's the deal here?



I don't really understand what you're saying.
The world collapsed, and you're going to redo the 6th level?
Yeah, I think so...
What the hell is going on in this girl's mind? It's all messed up! So messed up that I don't understand it.
The fall of the 3rd level, and after what happened this time... I don't even know how you guys are even alive!
Hey... A guardian shouldn't say that.
......
Fine. All we know is that Cloche's spiritual world is totally unstable.
You might need to find out why it's so unstable.

Of course if I WAS her mind guardian I'd know what was going on.





Lady Cloche...!?
Thank you for helping me destroy the former level 6 that was like an infection to this world.
Solar Paladin was able to accomplish her task too. I appreciate it.
You... sent Solar Paladin!?
Yes, that's right. I sent her into that horrible world to destroy it.
So... she wasn't even going to Paradigm Shift in the first place...
Certainly. That level was not even supposed to be there. It was not needed by Cloche.
Destruction was the right choice.
Really...?
Croix, I'm looking for Luca. Have you seen her anywhere?
Luca...!? She's in this level too?
Yes, looks like she escaped from the former 6th level. I need to find her and execute her...
Execute her!?
That's right. As long as she is present, a world like the former 6th level will be created again.
We need to find her, and she must be killed. Please, will you help me?
So you want me to help you look for her?
Yes. I'm glad you're getting this. Let me know once you find her. Well then, good luck.

How did 'Luca' escape from a level?



Looks like you're troubled. This world isn't that big anyway, show some spirit there.
I can't find her with my "spirit".
I'm sure you can find her, if you yelled a little bit. "LUCA! YOU THERE? LUCA!" Just like that.
......
Wh-what! You got a problem!?
It's not time for jokes.
Sh-shut up! I'm just trying to cheer you up!
Thanks for trying.

I mean excuse the hell out of me. Or simulation me. Whatever.





I'm looking for Luca. Have you seen her?
Nope, not me. Hey, I heard they're executing someone here soon.
Oh, really...





Well, I'm looking for Luca. Have you seen her anywhere?
Umm... I think I might have seen her going toward the hole... but that's all I know.
That's enough to help, thanks.
Huh, what? Is Luca finally gonna get killed?
Why do you look so happy?
Because I don't really like her.
......





Commander, have you seen Luca?
No, I don't think so...?
Okay, thank you.





Infel...? What are you doing?
Aaaaaahhhh!
What?
Where did you come from!? You scared me!
Oh, sorry. Were you contemplating or something?
Well, a little. About this hole...
A hole...?
I don't know if you've noticed... but this hole is getting bigger as the level gets deeper.
...Yeah.
Usually the deeper you go into a Cosmosphere, more mysteries will be solved.
However, in Cloche's world, it's the opposite.
...I see.
The fall of the 3rd level, redo of the 6th, and this hole... What is going on in here...
If I'm right... If this keeps going, Cloche will...
Infel... You do care about Lady Cloche after all.
...! Wr-wrong! My curiosity is just growing because of this ridiculous world!
There! You're in my way, go away!
......

Damn, did the simulation figure something out that I might have missed? I need to snych with it later. Also how dare even a fake Croix suggest I might care a little bit about someone!?





Luca... There you are!
What are you going to do with me!? Are you going to report me...!?
I was told to find you by Lady Cloche, and report you if I do.
Please! Let me go!
...What?
Lady Cloche is trying to find me to execute me! Please, I don't want to die yet...
But...



You think you can get away with what you did in the Cosmosphere!?
Ugh...
That's right!
What!?
Lady Cloche!
The only evil in this world is to trick someone.
Tricking those innocents, and not only saving yourself but to kill those others... Can't be forgiven!
Moon Executor, Viola will catch and crush your heart!
Crap! She found me... I'm just going to retreat!
I'm not letting you get away! Eat it! Violet Blue!
Noooooo!
Luca!
......
Croix, well done. We are able to get Luca finally.
We are taking Luca to execution.

Yeah I'm already calling that this will not go so well.





...! Is that...!
How ironic that this place is the place you die.
...What good will come out from my death!?
You degraded me. Your existence shook my pride.
I could've stayed as myself... if you weren't here in the first place!
So you think everything will be solved if you get rid of me?
If you're gone, I can return to being myself.
You really don't get it, huh? Why Cloche is so obsessed with "Luca".
And who you're really blaming using "Luca". I thought you figured it out from the last world.
...What!?
You're not blaming Luca. You're blaming... yourself.
What do you mean by that!?
What do I mean!? You still don't get it.
Who said that "Luca" is looking down on you? Who said that the people are losing faith in you?
That was...

Oh this is really bad. I'd really failed to properly understand what she was until now.



Why do you think I'm able to have the rights and magic in this world?
...Because...
It's because you admitted that I am "Cloche"... Isn't it?
......
You approved "Luca" as "Cloche", and you created the imaginary civilians that look down on you.
So what can you conclude from this? You should know that by now, right...
The person who doesn't approve you the most is... you.
You're the one who doesn't approve of you the most out of anyone in this world!
My... self...?
The reason why you doubt "Luca" and the civilians is because you have no self confidence.
It's because you don't believe in yourself.
It's because you think you're not the Maiden.
I see... I was the one... who didn't believe in myself...
This is...
Croix! Watch out! Cloche's spiritual world is going to collapse if this keeps up!
...What!?

I'm just glad I'm watching this from the outside.



You got rid of that world with your own two hands.
I don't have a way to save this one. I can't stop you from disappearing.
Luca! You're the one who initiated this!
Heh... It's alright, Croix.
...I don't mind. If I'm here because of you, then I would rather die.
Lady Cloche! What are you saying!
If my presence depends on Luca... my pride will not allow this to go on.
If I have to live degraded... I'd rather get rid of my existence.
Wah... I don't! Lady Cloche!
I'm sorry, Croix... You've helped me out so much... That's all a waste now.
The only person who can forgive me, is myself.
I see, this execution is... for me...
*gasp * ...Lady Cloche.

I'm really not proud of what my simulation does next.



Infel, what is this... is this it!?
...!
...There is no hope. She is wishing for this. This girl can't be saved.
Can't I do anything!?
Nope. The fallen 3rd level could've been done by her like this.
In conclusion... She possesses an extreme hope for self destruction. If that's so, there's no need to stay.
What...? What do you mean!?
You might be able to save her, if you can work miracles.
I'd rather look out for my own safety, than to count on that miracle happening.
Hey! Infel!
You better escape too, or you will disappear with this world.
You've been co-existing with Lady Cloche for this long, and you're leaving her now!?
Just be quiet... I was just using her...
Is that what you want!?
I said, be quiet! ...I'm tired of watching people break down like this!

So I cut and ran. I mean in context it made sense, I still had things to do back when this would have been happening. And how could I predict this dumbass would still find some way to fix things?



Lady Cloche! Please, get a hold of yourself! I still need you!
I don't... need... myself...
There are so many people that do!
......
Lady Cloche! I will always be with you! I will be with you, and protect you!
Croix... thank you...
But...
I've always been alone... ever since I was born...
That hasn't changed now...
I don't have anyone that I can trust...
Lady Cloche!
No one...
Waaahhhhhh!

I mean who could predict this crazy crap?



???: ...roix... Croix...
...Croix.
Hm... What... I'm...
Croix...
You're... Alice...
Hm... hmm!? I'm, still alive... The world... It's not gone...!?
I'm scared...
Alice... You were scared too...?
...Yeah.
Where's Cloche...?
That's right! If this world is still here, she must still exist!
Lady Cloche! Lady Cloche!
......
So she is... gone...
......
Oh! What about Infel...
Infel! Hey! Infel!
...She really did run away. What kind of...

Hey! Jerk!



...Alice.
Let's look for Cloche... Let's look together...
Alice... You...
Hehe. Let's look together...
Yeah, you're right. There is no use to just standing around here...
Let's look around.
Okay...

I wish there was someone else here so we could have a bet on how long it takes him to figure this out.





Cloche...
This world... is already vacant...
...I'm so sad... I'm so lonely...
Don't worry, Alice. I'm here with you.
Okay...
...This was the beginning of this whole thing...



I'm actually a stupid, scared, and lonely... loser...
Everyone, please look at me. This is the real me...
I'm Luca's toy... but I can't live without her.
The real Cloche is Lady Luca... Lady Luca is the real Lady Cloche of this world...
I've been lying all this time... I'm a horrible person!
...Did she need to do that? Could that have been avoided...?
I didn't even know she was so stressed out at that time.
Maybe that's why this happened.
I was so lonely...
That was the first time you and Lady Cloche met, huh?
Yeah, but she hates me...
Now that I remember, Lady Cloche almost disappeared then too...
What was that all about...? Are you and Lady Cloche not supposed to interact...?
......





...Oh I forgot, she has a different name here...
Miss Reish!
......
......
Nothing, huh... An empty school is kind of sad.



Oh, good morning.
Are you supervising again? You're so devoted!
Of course, this is to protect the tradition of this school.
That's fantastic! You will always have my respect! Good luck!
A school... huh...
To think about it, the interaction with the Principal was similar to when President Alfman and Lady Cloche were arguing...
I wonder if completion of this world changed Lady Cloche...?





Cloche...
Alice...
Lady Cloche!
......
......
This flower field... has a good memory...



Why suddenly? What's wrong?
It's nothing sudden. I... don't know since when, but I was starting to like you a lot.
I just couldn't tell you through all the messy times... But now that you're on a leash, I feel like I can.
I love you... I really do, Croix... I wanted to tell you for so long. I wanted to tell you how I feel...
Uh... Croixbaby on a leash... You look so cute...
Now that I think back, that was probably the best she could do to share her feelings.
I should've understood where she was coming from...
I like festivals.
I remember you played the shooting game. That was bad when you shot that old owner.
Yeah, on purpose.
...Hahaha... You say it so innocently...





Croix... look...
...Oh, the Sacred Modern Restaurant... Brings back the memory.



You're right! Tradition is important! But how come I don't see anyone there, when our restaurant has a line out the door?
Your restaurant stole all of our customers!
We didn't steal anything. Customers are honest, you know... Maybe they got tired of your place...
We can make a better omelet than you. I'll get all your customers back to us.
You sound pretty confident there. How about we compete, which one of us can get more customers.
...Compete!?
Lady Cloche was working so hard...
It was really tasty...
Oh that's right, I gave you a bento box. So it was pretty good?
Yeah! ...Thank you.
Oh, yeah no problem.

Oh lovely, such reminiscence.





......
This is the place that I first met you.
...I'm so scared... No... I don't wanna be here...
...You okay? ...Alice.
No... I don't wanna go back... I don't wanna go back there...
Calm down! We better get out of here...

I think this might be getting close to resolving.



Yeah, I'm okay...
Okay, good... So you were alone for a long time, right?
...Yeah.
Do you remember who your parents are...?
...I don't know... I was alone in the cold for a long time...
Alice is always alone...
......

Hey, he might be figuring it out!



That hasn't changed now...
I don't have anyone that I can trust...
Lady Cloche!
No one...
...!
...Croix...?
Oh, oh... sorry.
...?
Alice, let me pick you up.
Whoa!
I bet you've never been picked up like this before.
...No.
......
Croix... You're so warm...
Yeah...
I... I want to go home...
I'll take you there.



Yeah...
You won't leave me alone...? You won't scare me or hurt me?
Nope, I won't.
Teehee... That's good...
......
......
Lady Cloche...
Where can I go to see you again...
...I want to see Cloche too...
Hey Alice... How do you think I can really protect her?
How will she trust me? What do I do to be her friend?
I wasn't a true friend to Lady Cloche... I couldn't protect her.
......
Croix wanted to protect Cloche?
...Yeah, of course I did.

This has turned really interesting. I would have been MORTIFIED to miss this.



If that's possible...
......
I don't know how to be Cloche's friend, but...
I know how to redo it...
You do!?
I'll tell you... because you're my friend... I just have one thing to ask...
...What is it?
I want you to take me back home...
I want you to take me back to where I'm from...
Yeah, sure.
Really...!? Thank you...
Then... you can have this...



Feinne's Fourth Wall Lectures:
Reset button is sort of an odd piece of magic, it lets you start a fight over. I guess if something was going very badly or you just wanted to go back and not miss a block or something it would be pretty useful.



If you press this button... everything will be back to how it was like nothing happened...
...Like... nothing happened...!?
Yeah. I was saving it to use for something...
But I forgot what it was, so I don't need it anymore.
...I see.
You can decide whether you want to use it or not...
This is all I can do for you right now...
...Thank you, Alice.
...Hehe.
Croix... thank you. No one has ever treated me like this before...
I made my first friend... hehe. I'm so happy...
Thank you...
Alice...

This is so nuts.



Alice... are you...
...Huh?
Let's just head to Stonehenge.





...How... Paradigm Shift...!?
......
Alice, you might be Lady Cloche, but I still don't know that.
Only thing I can say now is that there is only me and you in this world.
...Yeah...
There is a good possibility that you provoked the Paradigm Shift...
Me...?
Me becoming your friend might have done something to Lady Cloche too...
I'm... so happy... hehe.
......
If I can go to the next level after this Paradigm Shift, I might be able to find Lady Cloche.
If I didn't see any change though...
......
Let's press that "Reset Button" that you gave me earlier.
...Okay...
Okay... Alice... We're going to Paradigm Shift.



I'll go with you. So... don't worry.
Okay...
......
Well then, let's go...



Madness. Sheer madness. Also I need to be careful with this simulation of me, it's kind of got a life of its own.



Why... Is it still here...!?
Can Alice... possess one of Cloche's personalities...!?
But if it was, she should be understanding how this Cosmosphere works...
Anyway, Cloche's world is so messed up... She will slowly destroy herself in reality if this keeps going.
I wonder what is going to happen... Will she... be saved?
......
Oh man... Ugh...
Why does this always happen...?
...Dammit! So I do have to save this girl after all!
Goddess, everyone is so ignorant! I can't believe he can't protect just one girl...
That's why this world should be destroyed... That's why this world needs some advancement...
......
Just a little... a little bit longer... Then this world will...

......
No sense thinking about what's past. Time to recompile and see what happens next.

Simulation Projection: Armageddon