One morning, Gash Bell wakes up to find he has become a girl. He runs around screaming. But it's not just him. Kiyomaro is also a girl, Tio and Umagon have become boys, and Folgore has transformed into a woman of breathtaking beauty.
Due to the battle to decide the king of the demon world, an ancient curse has been triggered. To break the curse, they must find the 'Heart of Truth' within one week. But what is the 'Heart of Truth'? Nobody knows.
Panic erupts. Yet Gash, who can't ignore people i
Zatch Bell!! ~The Cursed Great Reversal!?~ - Found in the Library! The Mystery of the Mirror and the Vanishing Memories
The morning after the commotion on Sakura Street Shopping District, the Takamine household was greeted by the same unchanging dawn.
"Kiyomaroー! Isn't breakfast ready yetー?!"
A slightly raised voice echoed throughout the house. The sound of feet clattering up the stairs. Blond hair, slightly lengthened by the curse, swayed softly in the morning sun.
"You're too loud, Gash. I'm coming."
Kiyomaro turned the hand mirror on their desk face-down. Glossy black hair tied into twin tails slipped off their shoulder. Their narrow, brown eyes were slightly red from lack of sleep.
(*I still can't get yesterday out of my head.*)
That incident at the bookstore. The moment Tio cornered Gash against the wall, something inside Kiyomaro had clearly taken shape. *I don't want anyone to take Gash away.* This feeling wasn't just friendship.
But admitting that was terrifying.
"Kiyomaro, where are we going today? The bookstore again?"
Gash looked up with sparkling eyes. The small horn-like protrusions on their head seemed, somehow, more prominent than yesterday.
"No. Today we're going to the Mochinoki City Library. It's about a fifteen-minute walk from Hanazono-dai. They should have more specialized materials there."
"A library! A place with lots of books!"
"Merumeru~"
In the corner of the room, Umagon stretched leisurely. Their fluffy, platinum-white fur swayed softly. Aside from the ribbon perched neatly on top of their head, they looked the same as always. Only their gentle, dark eyes seemed to see through everything.
"Good morning! I'm here to protect Gash again today!"
The front door swung open with force. It was Tio. Their short-cropped purple hair sparkled in the morning sun. Their strong-willed, amethyst eyes gleamed brightly as they fixed their gaze on Gash.
"Tio! You're so energetic in the morning!"
"Of course! I'll always give it my all for Gash!"
Watching that exchange, Kiyomaro felt another sharp pang in their chest.
(*...Why am I the one bothered by this?*)
But they already knew. This was jealousy.
"...Let's get going. We don't have time."
Kiyomaro spoke coldly on purpose and headed for the door.
The Mochinoki City Library was a three-story building at the edge of Sakura Street Shopping District. It had an old exterior with a Showa-era feel, cracks running here and there along its walls. Yet, it was the largest library in the city, boasting a collection of 120,000 books.
"Whoa... It's so big!"
Gash looked up, eyes shining.
"Quiet. You have to speak in a small voice in a library."
Kiyomaro placed their index finger to their lips.
"O-okay."
Gash hurriedly covered their mouth. That gesture was somehow cute, like a small animal.
(*...Wait, what am I thinking?*)
Kiyomaro shook their head.
Passing through the automatic doors, a cool air and the smell of old paper filled their nose. The interior was quiet, with only a few patrons reading.
"I'll search the underground stacks. Tio, you check the local history room on the second floor. Gash, you..."
"What am I doing?!"
"...Stay put. And don't tear any books."
"What's that supposed to meanー! I can do things properly too!"
"Meru."
Umagon rubbed against Gash's leg, as if to say, "Now, now."
"Even you, Umagon... Do you think I'm useless?"
"Merumeru!"
They shook their head vigorously. As if to say, *No, that's not it.*
"...Fine. Then, do you want to come to the basement with me?"
When Kiyomaro said it with a hint of resignation, Gash's face lit up instantly.
"Yes! Leave it to me, Kiyomaro!"
That smile was too dazzling.
Kiyomaro instinctively averted their eyes.
The underground stacks were beyond an iron door at the very back of the library.
"I got permission from a staff member. Let's go in."
Kiyomaro pushed open the heavy door. *Creeeak...* The rusty hinges made an unpleasant sound.
Inside was dim and filled with a musty smell. Steel bookshelves reaching the ceiling were arranged like a maze, packed tightly with old books and documents from decades past.
"It's a little scary..."
Gash tightly gripped the hem of Kiyomaro's clothes.
That gesture made Kiyomaro's heart thump loudly.
"It's okay. I'm with you."
After saying that, Kiyomaro realized their voice had become a little gentler, and their heart pounded again.
(*Seriously, what is this feeling...*)
Pulling themselves together, Kiyomaro started walking between the shelves. History books, philosophy books, bundles of old newspapers. Tracing the spines with their finger, they searched for the target book.
"Kiyomaro, what's this?"
Gash pointed at a cardboard box piled on the floor.
"Unsorted donated books. Someone probably donated old books."
Kiyomaro crouched down and opened the cardboard box. Inside were several clearly old Western books. Unfamiliar characters were engraved on their spines.
"...This is."
Kiyomaro's eyes were glued to one book.
A thick book with a leather binding. On the cover, in faded gold letters, was written *Catalog of Dimna Zora Relics*.
"That's the same as the one in your room, Kiyomaro!"
"Yeah. But this one's in much better condition. And..."
Kiyomaro carefully turned the pages.
"...Found it."
The back of the last page. There, a paper like a thin stone slab was affixed. It was palm-sized, with a texture like gray stone. The surface was densely engraved with ancient Demon World script.
"A replica of the Dimna Stone Tablet. The real one is supposedly scattered across the Demon World, but this is a copy transcribed onto paper."
"What does it say?"
Gash peered in.
"Wait... I'll decipher it."
Kiyomaro mobilized all their knowledge from previously researched ancient texts and began to read the ancient Demon World script.
*'Only those who do not deceive themselves shall shatter the mirror.'*
*'Reflect your true heart in the mirror, and cast light upon the Pillar of Curses.'*
"Mirror...? Pillar of Curses...?"
"There's more."
Kiyomaro's finger touched the last sentence.
"...The curse progresses in stages. From the third stage onward, it affects not only the body but also emotions and thoughts. At the fifth stage, memory alteration begins. At the seventh stage—if 168 hours are exceeded—the subject completely forgets their original self, and a new personality takes root."
Kiyomaro's voice was trembling.
"Forget... myself...?"
The color drained from Gash's face.
"Yes. If the curse progresses, we'll stay in our current forms and forget who we were. Our family, our friends, everything."
"I don't want that...!"
Gash clung to Kiyomaro. Their small body trembled slightly.
(*So warm...*)
Feeling Gash's body heat, Kiyomaro's chest tightened painfully.
"...It's okay. I'll definitely break the curse."
Before they knew it, they had said it.
"...Okay. It's a promise, Kiyomaro."
Wiping their tears, Gash nodded slightly.
"Yeah. It's a promise."
When they returned to the first floor from the basement, Tio was waiting.
"How did it go?"
"We found a major clue. 'Reflect your true heart in the mirror, and cast light upon the Pillar of Curses.' That's the release condition."
"The Pillar of Curses... you mean Volca Medira, right? So we have to go to the Demon World?"
"Yeah. But before that, we need more detailed information. Especially what the 'true heart' is. To know that, we need specialized knowledge of the Demon World."
"But how do we look into that? There aren't any Demon World books here, right?"
"Right. So we need funds to purchase expensive documents."
That's when it happened.
"In that case, I'll figure something out!"
Gash suddenly shouted.
"Huh?"
"I want to be useful too! I'll get a part-time job and earn money!"
"D-don't be stupid! What could you possibly do?! Don't do anything dangerous!"
"It's fine! I'm an ally of justice! It'll work out somehow!"
Saying that, Gash dashed out of the library at full speed.
"Hey, wait, Gash!"
Kiyomaro tried to chase after them, but got caught up organizing the documents, and Gash disappeared from sight in an instant.
"...That kid's power of action is really something else."
"This is no time to be impressed! I have no idea where they went!"
"Merumeru~"
Umagon yawned, as if to say, "Well, it'll probably work out."
Sakura Street Shopping District.
Gash stopped in the middle of the shopping street.
"I'm looking for a part-time job! Someone, please hire me!"
When they shouted loudly, people in the shopping street turned around.
"Oh my, what a cute kid. What's the matter?"
A lady from the greengrocer called out.
"I'm Gash Bell! I'm looking for a part-time job!"
"Well, aren't you admirable. But we're fine here. Sorry, dear."
"Ah... Okay. Thank you."
Gash went from shop to shop. The taiyaki shop "Wakaba," the used bookstore "Tomoe-do," a stationery shop, a candy store. But everywhere, they were turned away with a "Sorry."
"Haa... I can't find one at all."
As they walked with slumped shoulders, a particularly suspicious shop at the edge of the shopping street caught their eye.
The sign read *Mochinoki Dispensing Pharmacy*. But the show window was covered in dust, and it was dim inside.
"Maybe this place will hire me."
Gash timidly opened the door.
*Clink-clank.*
"...What is it? A customer?"
A hoarse voice came from the back of the counter. An old man with white hair was holding a beaker filled with a suspicious liquid.
"I'm Gash Bell! I'm looking for a part-time job!"
"A part-time job? A kid like you?"
"I'm not a kid! I'm a mamono child! I'll do anything!"
"...Hmph. Fine. I was just looking for an assistant. Organizing chemicals and helping with compounding. Can you do it?"
"I'll do it! I'll do anything!"
"Alright. First, organize the chemicals on this shelf. Sort them in order of the numbers on the labels. Understood?"
"Leave it to me!"
Gash replied energetically.
Fifteen minutes later.
"Hey, brat! What are you doing?!"
"I-I'm sorry!"
Gash had knocked over the entire chemical shelf. Beakers were broken, and suspicious liquid was spreading across the floor. The labeled bottles were all mixed up in a mess.
"I told you to sort them by number! Why can't you even do that?!"
"Because I didn't know where the numbers were written..."
"They're written on the labels! Can't you read?!"
"It's different from the Demon World script..."
"Enough! Next, help with compounding! Mix this blue liquid and this red powder. Simple, right?"
"I'll do it this time!"
Gash stared at the two beakers handed to them by the owner.
"First, put the blue liquid into this beaker..."
Their hands trembled. Carefully, carefully.
"Ah."
Their hand slipped.
*Crash!*
"You broke another beaker?!"
"I-I'm sorry!"
"Forget it! Just try adding the red powder! You can't break that, can you?!"
"O-okay..."
Gash picked up the bag of red powder. They carefully poured it into another beaker.
*Sssss...*
"I did it! Is this good?"
"Yeah. Next, stir it and..."
That's when it happened.
*Bubble bubble bubble...*
Inside the beaker, the red powder and the clear liquid that had been inside it earlier mixed together and began to foam.
"W-what is this?!"
"You fool! That's 'sodium sulfamate'! It was in the beaker you broke earlier! When you mix it with the red powder, a chemical reaction—"
*BOOM!!!*
With a loud explosion, smoke filled the shop.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
Gash's scream came from beyond the smoke.
"Gashーーー!!!"
At that moment, Kiyomaro's shout rang out from outside the shop.
The sound of running footsteps. The door was flung open with force.
"Gash!! Where are you?!"
Kiyomaro rushed into the shop, which was filled with a strange odor and smoke. Their twin-tailed black hair was disheveled, and sweat glistened on their forehead.
"K-Kiyomaro... I'm here..."
Gash came out from behind a shelf, crying. Their face was completely black with soot. The hem of their blue clothes was singed.
"You idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Kiyomaro grabbed Gash
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