Dual Souls, The Other Half is Bronya

"You actually loaded it with ammo—you did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Mm-hmm~"

Bronya didn't reply, but White Night definitely heard it—that faint, almost imperceptible chuckle. He shook his head helplessly. "I really don't know if that decision back then was good or bad."

At first, White Night just found it amusing, deliberately shaping Bronya's personality to match the original character. But later, as things developed on their own... it started getting a bit out of control.

"Isn't that a good thing? It's not like White Night hasn't read all kinds of web novels." Bronya clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward slightly, her mature body exuding a youthful vitality.

"Emm... how did it go? I think it was called... a 'Japanese' person?"

"No, no, that's still too ahead of its time."

Reaching out a hand to push Bronya away, White Night grabbed the Broken Blade Academy uniform and prepared to change. A small hand brushed across the skin of his back, making him pause. "Bronya~"

"Don't let Sister Kiko lead you astray."

"What's the harm~ White Night is a visitor from another world, and besides, this identity has no blood relation."

Without any hesitation, Bronya leaned in from behind, her slender arms quietly looping around White Night's neck, pressing her pair of hearts tightly against him. "Or maybe..."

"White Night would rather Bronya go find Sister Kiko? True, girls cuddling together isn't bad either~" As she spoke, Bronya breathed softly against White Night's ear.

!!!

"Hey, are you sure you're my other half? Are you a succubus?" Feeling the warm breath, White Night quickly struggled free—any longer and he wouldn't be able to hold back.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."

Bronya took a step back, separating from White Night. Though her work in medicine and biology had skewed her worldview a bit, at least she hadn't thrown her morals out the window yet.

After changing into the uniform, Bronya came close again, her fair hand resting on White Night's shoulder. "As expected of 'me'—handsome in anything."

"That outfit suits you too. It's not as good as Secondary Silver Wings, but it's still excellent."

White Night reached out and lightly brushed Bronya's spiral silver hair, the silky strands slipping through his fingers. "I guess a beautiful girl looks good in anything, doesn't she?"

"Even if White Night praises Bronya like this, Bronya won't feel shy."

One after the other, they walked out of the dorm. White Night scrolled through his phone, checking recent headlines. "No news reports—looks like the plot hasn't officially started yet."

"Using 'plot' now isn't quite right~ After all, we've become participants in it."

As she spoke, Bronya reached out and pressed down gently. A flash of Inherent Gear's radiance flickered... and a silver motorcycle materialized out of thin air.

"Unfolding an Inherent Gear on campus shouldn't be against the rules. Anywhere you want to go, White Night?"

"... I recall you don't have a driver's license, do you?"

( ? ? ? )

"Bronya doesn't need a license. What, White Night doesn't trust Bronya's driving skills?"

Taking the driver's seat without hesitation, Bronya turned around and patted the back seat with her fair hand, signaling White Night to get on.

Emm...

After a moment's thought, White Night still got on the motorcycle. Bronya guided his hands around her waist... a warm, soft, wonderful sensation tingled White Night's nerves.

"Hold tight, Bronya is about to take off." Twisting the throttle, the silver motorcycle roared, turning into a streak of light as it sped down the campus road.

4. Iconic Scene, Check-In

"... If I remember correctly, you two only enrolled this morning, right?"

In the familiar office, Shinguji Kuroko held a slim cigarette between two fingers, a faint wisp of smoke curling upward. "It hasn't even been that long, and you're already causing a speeding incident?"

"Chairman, that was Bronya's Inherent Gear." Bronya corrected the error in the other's words.

And White Night, sharing the same mind, added, "It's not every day you get the chance~ Besides, unfolding an Inherent Gear outside campus is against the rules."

"Same goes for inside campus. Regardless of location, unfolding an Inherent Gear outside designated areas is against the rules."

Shinguji Kuroko kept her smile, but it carried an immense pressure. After a long moment, she sighed helplessly. "Fine, be more careful next time. This academy isn't a racetrack..."

Unsurprisingly, the two got a harsh scolding, along with a requirement to write a self-criticism.

"What now?"

Back in the dorm, Bronya lay on the bed, not looking at White Night as she spoke to herself. "How about we go see Kurogane Ikki?"

"No rush—I'm still waiting for that iconic scene~"

"White Night isn't interested in Stella?"

"Just a little."

On the other side, White Night raised a hand and made a gesture... fingertip universe.jpg. "She's the heroine, after all—it'd be a lie to say I'm not interested. But..."

"I'm not some bulldozer, falling for everyone I see. I have some fondness, sure, but that doesn't mean I have to chase her."

"Because of Sister Kiko?"

"... Bronya, some things don't need to be said out loud. As for someone I really like? Of course there is."

"Bronya knows~ Twin Wings Edelweiss, right? Though I've never met her, Xiao Ai's pretty popular in some fanfics."

"Yeah~ a pure girl who's never even been in love and loves sweets—who wouldn't like her?"

"Bronya must remind you, pursuing Xiao Ai is going to be extremely difficult."

"I know that, of course."

After all, that's the Biyi! No matter how she acts in private, just getting her to look you in the eye is no small feat. Not just anyone... can catch her attention.

"...Bronya thinks White Night still has a chance. Maybe?"

"Just let it flow. Who says you have to collect the whole harem? There's never been such a rule. If I fail, I fail~"

White Night rested his head on his arms, completely indifferent. Three worlds, nearly three lifetimes—he was no child anymore.

A moment of silence. After a long pause, Bronya's voice rang out again, but this time... that milky, flat tone seemed to carry a hint of allure?

"It's fine if you fail. Besides Sister Kiko, White Night still has Bronya. What do you think?"

"...Bro↗ny↘a↗"

After enrollment, not much changed overall, except sparring became much more restrained... Spirit Armor unfolded into Fantasy Form. After all, drawing blood in school duels would be going too far.

Days passed, until finally, this day! A news report aired on TV:

--Second princess of the Kingdom of Vermillion, Her Highness Stella Vermillion, has arrived in the Far East today!

So she's finally here?

"Quick, Bronya, get up and get ready to watch the show." White Night tidied his clothes, a look of anticipation on his face as he called out to Bronya, still lying in bed.

"Mm... what is it, White Night..."

Just woken up, Bronya's voice was especially soft and sweet, with that unique milky tone—just hearing it was enough to get gentlemen excited.

"Telling you to get up and watch the show."

"Mm... just a little longer..."

The blanket shifted a few times as Bronya reached out from inside, revealing a large expanse of fair skin. "White Night, help me get dressed..."

"...You're really testing my willpower here~" Even though she was the same person, this was still a bit much... But in the end, White Night still helped Bronya get dressed!

Then, White Night carried Bronya to the bathroom. "You don't need me to help you wash up too, do you?"

"Of course, Bronya can do it herself." This time, her tone was back to normal. Bronya skillfully tidied herself up, showing no trace of her earlier drowsiness.

Hmm... Did I just get played? Seeing this, White Night fell into deep thought.

Once everything was ready, White Night and Bronya leaned against the wall in perfect sync, silently scrolling through their student handbooks.

Time ticked by.

"Almost time." (White Night)

"Mm, around this time..." (Bronya)

"Kurogane Ikki should be just finishing his morning training." (White Night)

After all, they were the same person—splitting a sentence in half didn't feel awkward at all; the flow was seamless. In perfect sync, they put away their handbooks and moved.

"What a shame..." (White Night)

"Can't go in and watch, after all." (Bronya)

"Oh well, it's probably about the same anyway." (White Night)

The two waited not far from the door, silently counting the time. Sure enough~ not long after, a scream rang out from the dorm room, echoing through nearly the entire floor!

"No!!!"

◆A classic scene, check-in successful?

"White Night, should we keep following? The next scene happens at the Chairman's place."

Hmm... White Night thought it over: the Chairman, Shinguji Kuroko—the original World Clock, ranked third in the world! Comparing that to his own small frame...

"Better not. Let's head straight to the training ground."

Though he didn't actually see it, based on the anime in his memory... White Night couldn't help but laugh. "Kurogane Ikki—a real man who dares to strip in front of a woman~"

"Pretty impressive, or rather... very gentlemanly?" Bronya added from the side.

"Bronya, where was the match supposed to be again?"

"...Can't remember. Doesn't matter. The student handbook will broadcast it later, probably?"

In the end, it was arranged at the Fourth Training Ground. Kurogane Ikki and Stella stood face to face in the center of the arena.

"That girl's the 'Crimson Lotus Princess' of Vermillion, right?"

"Wow, that figure is absolutely killer!"

"But who's her opponent?"

"Never seen him before. A new student this year?"

"..."

Since school hasn't officially started yet, there weren't many students on campus. The open space was fairly quiet, the murmurs of conversation not too loud, and still somewhat audible.

But that had nothing to do with White Night. He and Bronya swept their gazes around, quickly spotting Shinguji Kuroko. "Yo~ Chairman, what's going on here?"

"You don't seem surprised?"

"Mhm~ I just caught a glimpse. After all, Inherent Gear always has all sorts of bizarre abilities." That was complete nonsense, but there was no way to verify it, was there?

"You mean... you saw the future?"

"Just a tiny bit, and it's not even accurate." White Night made a gesture. (Fingertip universe.jpg)

Seeing White Night like this, Shinguji Kuroko suddenly came to her senses—back then, these two had insisted on rooming together. "...Did you already see this moment coming?"

"Chairman, it's about time to announce the start." At that moment, Bronya reminded her from the side.

5. Settled

On the field, both sides had already manifested their Inherent Gear. Seeing this, Shinguji Kuroko, acting as referee, declared:

"Begin the match!"

The next instant, blazing flames erupted. Stella, backed by a massive surge of Magic Power, charged at Kurogane Ikki at lightning speed.

"Boom!!!"

The golden greatsword, wreathed in flames, slammed down heavily, shattering the training ground floor and shaking the entire facility violently!

"White Night, can you really see the future?"

"I told you, it's not accurate~"