Perhaps it was because she still hadn't adjusted to the sudden loss of spirit power, or perhaps she still didn't trust the other version of herself before her—the true Natsumi Kyouno chose not to respond.
Seeing this, the current Natsumi Kyouno thought for a moment and decided to first unseal the main form of Haniel.
Then, picking up the Pen of Truth, she swiftly drew the uninjured appearance of the true Natsumi Kyouno on a blank page.
As spiritual energy flowed in, the Record of the Future activated, and the wounds on the true Natsumi Kyouno vanished without a trace.
She stared blankly at her now flawless, pale skin, no scars or injuries to be seen—completely unprepared for the idea that she could be healed like this.
Due to an earlier modification by the Tachibana Corporation allowing the Fake Witch to directly copy the abilities of the other nine Angels, she had naturally benefited from this change as well.
However, compared to Natsumi Kyouno, who had mastered the use of the Fake Witch through training with her companions, the true Natsumi Kyouno—who had been playing the role of Tokisaki Kurumi—only had a general understanding of the other Angels' abilities and lacked both skill and adaptability in using them.
Originally, she had intended to use Zafkiel to return her body to its original state.
But the Fourth Bullet, which can reverse time, consumes a considerable amount of time. Without access to the City of Devouring Time, such an action would need to be considered carefully, even for a long-lived Spirit like her.
She had struggled internally for a long time and ultimately couldn't bring herself to use it, instead choosing to recover slowly.
Yet unexpectedly, Haniel could be used this way. All the pain she had endured and the internal struggles she had faced turned out to be completely unnecessary.
The true Natsumi Kyouno pursed her lips. Perhaps sensing the other's goodwill, her expression became complex.
"I almost killed you before."
After a brief silence, the true Natsumi Kyouno finally spoke. "Why don't you hate me?"
"I do hate you."
Natsumi Kyouno's expression remained unchanged, her brows slightly lowered, and her voice grew more subdued. "We're both Natsumi—we both hate ourselves."
"But I'm not the same as you."
The true Natsumi Kyouno shook her head, clenching her fists.
In truth, she had secretly infiltrated the base where Meteora and the others stayed.
For a witch who could transform into anything, such a task was hardly difficult.
As Natsumi Kyouno, once she learned there was another version of herself in this world, it was only natural she became curious.
Maybe… just maybe, if it was another version of herself, they could finally understand each other.
With that small hope in her heart, she watched this world's version of herself.
But as she observed how the other Natsumi interacted with others, that fragile hope quietly faded.
Because this other version of herself acted in ways she could never imagine doing.
The other Natsumi could be her true self around others. The other Natsumi had companions who cared for her. The other Natsumi could genuinely smile…
But she couldn't do any of that.
Watching the version of herself cherished and protected by others, the inferiority within her grew even stronger.
She already knew she was a defective girl—that's why she had always shown a false version of herself.
But what she hadn't expected was that even compared to someone exactly like her, all she received was more of that sense of inferiority.
Confusion, disappointment, sadness—all swirled within her heart.
And of course, envy.
"I could never do the things you can."
The true Natsumi sat on the ground, burying her head deep into the circle of her arms. "You're better than me… more loved… and more… confident."
"Confident?"
Natsumi Kyouno blinked in surprise, not expecting those words.
She let out a self-deprecating smile and replied softly, "That's a luxury I don't have either."
"But…"
"When I first arrived in this world, I was just like you."
Interrupting her, Natsumi Kyouno continued, "Just as insecure, just as convinced I was unlovable, just as afraid to show my true self. After all, we're both Natsumi, aren't we?"
As she spoke, a hint of awkwardness flashed across her face.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, as if she was about to confess a long-hidden secret.
"I never planned to tell anyone these things, honestly—it's too embarrassing," she admitted shyly. "But since you're also Natsumi, I guess it's okay…"
She coughed twice, the blush deepening.
"Because I met a group of people who accepted me."
There was a bit of timidity in her voice as she continued, "They're kind, wonderful people. They helped me realize that even someone like me… can be accepted. That I can have a place in this world."
"They're lying to you!"
The true Natsumi eyes flashed with longing and hope, but were quickly swallowed by deeper darkness as she firmly denied it. "All that kindness, all that help—they just want to see you make a fool of yourself. They'll lift you up just to smash you down and laugh while you crawl through the mud!"
"Ahh, now I kind of understand what it was like for Mamika to be around me."
Scratching her head, Natsumi Kyouno could feel the overwhelming self-denial and the tendency to expect the worst in the true Natsumi personality. "Well… it's not like I've never thought about those things either, but I can promise you—they're really not like that."
"And how can you guarantee that?"
"Because of Haniel," Natsumi answered simply. "You should know Haniel's ability. If you don't believe me—or don't believe anyone in this world—you can use Haniel yourself to find out."
"Ah…"
The true Natsumi mouth fell slightly open, clearly not expecting that response.
She had thought the other version of herself would say something cheesy like 'bond' or 'friendship'—things that made people scoff. But to hear something so practical…
It was unexpected, yet made perfect sense.
Haniel never lies.
If she used that Angel properly—if she used it to see through people's facades and glimpse their true feelings—then maybe, just maybe, she could find a place that truly belonged to her.
"Really?" the true Natsumi voice trembled. "They… really haven't been lying to you?"
Her eyes showed clear signs of inner conflict.
Deep self-doubt and distrust warred with a desperate yearning for acceptance and recognition.
Her past told her not to trust anyone—that only by seeing the world in the most cynical way could she avoid being hurt.
But the words of this other self… were so tempting, so comforting, so hard to resist.
"They really didn't lie to me. Even if you can't trust them—at least trust me, okay?"
Natsumi Kyouno extended her hand, a faint, helpless smile playing at her lips.
"Because you and I… we're both Natsumi."