It Seems We Cant Escape the Loop. But the Loop Cant Escape Me Either, Right?

* * *

Loop?

I inadvertently repeated Extra-samas muttering.

Loop.

I know the meaning of that word.

Ive heard it in my previous life too.

<Yes. A loop, Emi. The time in this manor is time is repeating.>

Ufufu~! This ring is really cute! The lizard carved into it is so stylish~!

Im glad, Keranko!

Fufufu, Miss Keranko You must take good care of that ring.

What nonsense are you saying, Extra-sama?

Yes, I couldnt just laugh it off.

Because the scummy familys conversation I could eavesdrop from inside the manor did not deviate from what I heard before by a single word.

To the point where I was forced to understand, leaving no room for doubt, that time was indeed repeating.

Time is repeating?

I dont understand the meaning.

What is that?

Its a phenomenon beyond human comprehension.

I cant think of any countermeasures at all.

It doesnt seem like a problem that can be resolved by hitting.

An unreasonable injustice with no way to resist.

Sensing something immense and incomprehensible behind this phenomenon, I instinctively broke out in goosebumps.

<Lets escape, Emi. From this manor. Right now.>

Extra-sama proposed that to me in a serious tone, not dropping her usual air.

Can you at least tell me the reason?

<Probably, if you get caught in this loop, you wont be able to escape. Ever.>

Cant escape?

<Yes, you cant escape. Its strange for me to say ever since time wont progress forward and the future will never arrive.>

Im having trouble visualizing it properly

<In any case, youll be forced to endlessly repeat the same period of time. The future you were supposed to welcome will vanish entirely, and watching that shitty tragedy from before will become your entire lifes purpose.>

..

I turned my back to the manor and dashed at full speed through the hazy fog.

Because I didnt want that.

I couldnt endure such a life.

<Fortunately, it seems you repeated time while retaining your memories of the previous events. This means you have not been fully ensnared by the loop yet.>

Listening to Extra-samas words, I ran and ran.

Parting the hazy fog in the air, kicking up the snow beneath my feet as I fled, fled, fled.

<If you have not been fully ensnared yet, then perhaps!!>

Extra-samas voice remained firm.

That alone made me understand that the phenomenon weve been caught up in this time is quite serious.

Ultimately, while its cruel, Extra-sama and I are the most important.

To survive, Ill kill and devour anything, abandon everything to escape.

Which is why this time too, I will escape.

I feel not an ounce of guilt.

The people of that manor will likely be abandoned as a result, but so what.

I simply want to survive.

To keep moving toward the future.

With that sole desire, I continued running through the endless fog and snow.

However.

No way

Faced with the unwanted reality stretching before me, those words inadvertently slipped out.

I had turned my back on the manor and continued running at full speed through the fog.

And yet.

Before I knew it, I was standing dumbfounded in front of that manor with its outwardly strange appearance.

Its roof was bright red. Bright crimson red. Additionally, the window frames and other key areas were also painted red.

The walls were coated yellow, with red polka dot patterns drawn here and there.

With only pure white snow piled up around it, its outward appearance stood out bizarrely.

Stop it, Keranko!!

H-How cruel, Karashia Onee-sama Dont be so rough? Look, the palm of my hand has turned red

Oh my! This is terrible, Keranko-chan! We should treat your injury right away!

Oh dear, Miss Keranko

The conversation I didnt want to hear came from inside the manor.

In other words, I failed to escape.

Time had looped again

<I see, simply putting distance between us is not enough to escape, is it>

Extra-sama muttered with a tinge of frustration.

The fact that I couldnt escape weighed heavily on my back, causing me to inadvertently drop to my knees in the snow.

Could it be Im doomed to remain like this forever?

Will I eventually lose even the sense that time is looping, doomed to repeat the same events over and over?

What kind of life is that?

<Emi.>

A sense of emptiness and despair filled my chest.

The usually cheerful, rational part of me that tried to keep my mind positive had vanished somewhere.

And rising from the depths of my heart was anger toward this unreasonable reality beyond anyones control.

<Emi!!>

What the hell.

What is this loop?

Dont screw with me.

Dont screw with me!!

Why do I have to be caught up in some incomprehensible phenomenon like this!?

Why must I offer up my future to some inexplicable phenomenon!?

I dont want that! I dont want it!! I dont want something like that!!!

The murderous aura I usually suppress leaked out from my body alongside a pitch-black magic power, swirling around me.

<Emi! Emi!!>

Seeing my state, Extra-sama

<Magnificent That spirit, Emi!!>

Praised me like that.

Eh?

<Emi, while we indeed failed to escape the loop earlier, that does not mean we have been fully ensnared by this loop space.>

Extra-sama spoke to me gently, like lecturing.

Eh? Eh? Really?

<Yes, thats right.>

..

I reined in the swirling murderous aura and magic power around me.

Ah, right.

Thats right

I guess I got carried away and lost my temper out of a misunderstanding Kinda embarrassing

<If running away doesnt work, we simply need to try a different method. There is always a trigger behind phenomena. Even for this supernatural loop phenomenon, the same applies.>

Ah

Yeah, thats right.

I see, I see.

Alright Alright, let me switch gears.

Ive switched gears!

So? What does that mean, Extra-sama?

<In other words, if we can discover the trigger behind this loop and do something about it>

The loop will be dispelled?

<Precisely. And you, whose mind has not been fully ensnared by the loop yet, are the only one who can do that!>

I see.

I stood up and brushed off the snow clinging to my knees.

Then I glared at the strangely decorated manor!

Got it, Extra-sama.

Lets do it, shall we!

Find the cause behind this loop and put an end to this endless, shitty tragedy!

Me, that is!!

Loop phenomenon! Be prepared!

Because Im about to!

Smash you to pieces!!!

<Yes, Emi! I will also provide my full support using the deductive prowess Ive cultivated from watching so many isekai reincarnation broadcasts! Lets work hard together!!>

Struggling is inevitable, huh

<What did you say!?>