"Is this little box... mine?"

Driven by curiosity, Irene felt completely drawn toward the unfamiliar small black box before her.

The closer she got, the more the box radiated an increasingly potent aura of mystery—faintly mixed with an inexplicable sense of fear.

Once she approached, Irene was certain: this box was definitely not hers.

The fear and ominous mystique it emitted were reminiscent of Pandora's Box from myth.

She didn't know what was inside, but whatever it was, opening it would surely unleash something catastrophic.

Both her instincts and reason screamed at her not to open it.

Yet, curiosity and desire kept nudging her: just one peek inside wouldn't hurt, right?

"Ren?"

Just as Irene was torn in indecision over the black box, Miles' voice called out to her.

"Ah! M-Miles? W-what is it?"

Like a child caught doing something naughty, Irene backed several steps away from the box, nervously flailing her hands, not knowing where to place them.

"Nothing, really. You just suddenly went quiet."

At that moment, Miles was still being greedily hugged and nuzzled by Aisha.

Though Aisha looked thoroughly pleased, Miles—still in control of Irene's body—looked helpless and bored.

"I-I was just curious. It's my first time seeing what a Soul Room looks like, so I was looking around. Haha, ha ha~"

Irene stammered, even though Miles had no idea the black box even existed. She instinctively avoided bringing it up.

'…Why am I even thinking like this?'

Irene sensed something was wrong.

The Soul Room inside the Millennium Puzzle… a mysterious box she had never seen before.

'Could this box be related to Miles, too?'

That random thought only made her curiosity more unbearable.

"Ren, I think it's about time we switched back. If Aisha keeps hugging me like this, she might never let go till I go numb."

"Switch back? Yeah... I guess you're right."

After all, she had only borrowed the Millennium Puzzle by asking Miles for help. Now that the issue had been resolved in the best possible way, that excuse could no longer hold.

"So we're parting again... it was so short."

"Hm? What was short?"

"Nothing, it's nothing." Irene shook her head firmly. "You want to switch? Sure, no problem. Just... could you wait a little longer, Miles?"

"Wait a little? Of course, Ren."

"Yeah, just a little. Thank you."

She didn't know if she'd ever get the chance to return to the Millennium Puzzle's Soul Room again.

If that chance never came…

Just imagining it filled Irene with complicated emotions.

Was this... jealousy?

Jealousy toward her closest friend?

The fleeting moment she had longed for… was just another casual daily routine for Aisha.

Could the difference between people really be that stark?

In this storm of feelings, Irene moved as if compelled by magic. Her hand reached toward the mysterious black box.

If she never returned here, she'd never know what was inside.

Whatever the possibilities, Irene couldn't allow that.

Even if life was so unfair—at least in this moment, she could choose whether or not to open the box.

Click—!

A crisp snap echoed. Irene felt the box had opened the moment she touched it, without any force on her part.

At the same time, the Millennium Puzzle on her chest glimmered faintly.

Inside the box—what emanated that mysterious aura was a card.

A HERO card.

"There's still... a HERO card like this?"

But this HERO card was unlike anything Irene had ever known. Neither Elemental HERO nor Masked HERO.

To her, HEROes meant justice. A presence that protected others.

Even Masked HERO Anki, used by Miles today, walked in the shadows yet still bore the spirit of heroic justice.

Despite that, this HERO card in the black box—there was no justice in it at all.

The fear she had felt before opening it now radiated even stronger, exuding overwhelming evil.

A HERO who had twisted their will to protect and completely fallen into darkness.

"Why... would a HERO like this exist in my Soul Room?"

More than the fact that she didn't recognize this HERO, what shook Irene more was that it had appeared in her own Soul Room.

As if to flee from reality, she forcefully shut the black box again.

"Are you okay, Ren?"

Noticing a faint flash from the Millennium Puzzle at her chest, Miles asked in concern.

"I'm fine. Nothing happened. Let's switch back, Miles."

"Alright. As long as you're okay."

Miles gently closed Irene's eyes.

—Soul Exchange.

When Irene opened her eyes again, her soul had returned to her body. And nestled in her arms was the clinging, clearly not-yet-satisfied Aisha Carlos.

"Hey, Aisha, it's me now."

"Eh? Why is it Ren-chan again?"

"What's with that obvious disappointment?! Am I really that unbearable to you?!"

Grabbing Aisha's soft cheeks, Irene pulled them so far that half her face nearly warped.

"Mmph! I'm sorryyy~"

Back in the Millennium Puzzle's Soul Room, Miles opened his eyes to find a blank-faced Dark Aisha staring up at him—closely and directly.

"Uh..."

It was the first time anyone had ever waited for him in his room, and Miles didn't know what to say.

"Um, I'm back... Is that the right thing to say now?"

"Welcome back~"

Her voice was flat as usual, but at least she made the effort.

However, what she said next left Miles completely speechless.

"Welcome back. Did the other girl's body... smell good?"

"W-what are you talking about, Aisha? I have no idea what you mean."

Miles had done absolutely nothing wrong—yet somehow, he still felt guilty.

...Why did this feel like he was a cheating husband coming home?

...

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