Vol 4 Chapter 20 – The Fake Maid and the Living Doll (【Revolver Maid】 Arc)

“Hey!”

“Hello?”

My voice echoes throughout the room.

And indeed, I can hear it in my own ears.

“Can you hear me?”

There is no reply to such a call.

“You can hear me, right? Then why aren’t you answering?”

No answer.

Only a lonely, desolate silence rings in my ears.

I sigh at the unchanging situation.

“Just like a doll…”

Today is no good either.

I wonder how many days it’s been now.

I really want to breathe some fresh air.

“Sigh…”

Right now, this room contains only the bare minimum for daily life—bed, table, and such furniture.

A game console, books, and some other forms of entertainment are also here.

Yet I have absolutely no desire to touch any of that————

“———————When are you going to let me out of here!!”

Meido Arisu, confined within this void-like space, shouted that.

——————————————————

“I’m done—I’m going to sleep!”

Dressed in a maid outfit, Arisu sulks as she goes to the bed.

She feels the warmth of the blanket against her skin.

Yet, contrary to that warmth, my heart has grown completely cold.

“I wonder when they’ll let me out. I’m not here to cause harm…”

Back then… the room we were brought to after the executives’ meeting.

Every day, I spent my time in this room, being given meals.

Without any clock here to check the time, my daily rhythm has begun to fall apart.

“And above all, what bothers me is…”

The endless supply of spare clothes prepared in the bathroom.

“Why are they all maid outfits?!”

Every day I am forced to wear what could be called the original personality’s uniform—a maid outfit.

It isn’t that I, as this secondary personality, dislike maid attire;

but having to wear it daily under such absurd circumstances is a heavy mental burden.

“Hey, why do I have to wear a maid outfit every single day?”

Peeking out from under the blanket, I speak to the figure before me.

“Well, talking wouldn’t change anything anyway.”

There is one distinct feature about the room where I’m confined:

Between the entrance door and the front hall lies an iron-barred gate.

The gate is entwined with numerous chains, making any escape impossible.

And what stresses me out the most is the guard standing beyond those bars.

Their eyes never light up, and no matter how much I try to speak, there’s no reaction.

They simply get replaced by someone else on a regular basis.

They resemble a doll—it’s downright creepy.

The only time we ever have any contact is when food is provided through the gap in the bars.

Even if I throw a book or lunge at them during mealtime, nothing happens.

“If that’s the case, I wish my original personality would come back soon…”

The condition for leaving this place is, first and foremost, for my original personality to return.

For several days after this confinement, there was no sign of it—but now, given the current situation, I had hoped to regain control once more.

“Why isn’t it showing up?”

No matter how many days pass, my original personality never appears.

It’s true that one can’t switch personalities at will and the change is sudden,

but this long delay is a first.

“I can’t imagine the original personality has vanished… And even if it did, could this body keep living?”

My body, Meido Arisu’s body, is still alive without a problem.

As long as this body functions, I believe my original personality still exists.

“Well, there’s no use overthinking. I’m tired—time to sleep…”

Exhausted by all this thought, I let the day end and fall asleep.

Oh, how I wish that when I wake, my original personality would have returned…

——————————————————

“…Nothing’s changed, huh.”

I wake up and stretch.

I don’t know how long I slept, but there’s no sign that my original personality has reemerged.

At the same time, hunger strikes me.

“Well, I guess I should eat…”

When it’s time for a meal, the system is that I call out to the guard, and the food is prepared.

“Oh, you look different today.”

Standing beyond the iron bars is a different person from yesterday.

As usual, I request my meal.

“Today as well, please. I’m hungry.”

It’s the same exchange as always… or so I thought.

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

“Mm… Mm?”

Something feels off.

It happens the instant the guard opens the door to prepare the meal.

“———————————Shah! You…you talked!!!!”

“Huh?! Please don’t suddenly shout!”

My outburst startles the guard, who shows clear surprise.

For several seconds, an awkward silence passes between us.

“I-I’m sorry. No matter how much I tried speaking before, there was never any response…”

“I-I see… So, it’s rare to encounter someone like me, huh?”

A girl offers a dry, wry smile.

I look at her face and suddenly wonder:

“Wait? Haven’t we met somewhere before?”

There’s something familiar about her face.

Her long black hair is tied back, and her eyes shine with light.

Her height is about average—not too short and not too tall.

“N-No…”

I don’t recall having a direct conversation with her,

yet, for some reason, her face has left the strongest impression among all the guards I’ve seen.

“Ah, yes. We met once.”

“That’s right… but when and where did we meet?”

“At the airport.”

“The airport…?”

I try to summon a memory.

But the oldest memory in my mind is of awakening in the hideout’s medical room—

the moment when I, as a personality, first became aware.

I most vividly remember that my face was “severely swollen” at that time.

“…No good. I can’t remember. Perhaps the one you met was my original personality?”

“My original personality?”

“Ah, I suppose you wouldn’t know. Simply put, the Meido Arisu you met isn’t the current me.”

“Ms. Meido—are you a person with multiple personalities?”

“Correct. Although it’s only been happening recently.”

“I see… I don’t know all the details, but I was indeed surprised when the executive, Ms. Meido, was locked up like this.”

The girl nods in understanding.

At her cute demeanor, I can’t help but smile.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Y-your name?”

“Yes—I thought that since you seem different from everyone else, you must have a name.”

“Well, I am a subordinate directly under the executives.”

“Oh! So you’re outstanding, indeed!”

I clap for the girl as if I were a proud mother admiring her child.

Receiving such applause, she smiles.

But her smile isn’t one of genuine delight——————

“My name is ‘Ichiban.’ This is the precious name I was personally given by Kirino-sama.”

———————It was a smile crafted like a mask.