The factory corridors eventually opened into something… different. A wide room. Cleaner than the rest. Almost staged. At the center stood a long table—perfectly set with small chairs. A tea party setup. The Hashira stopped instantly. Mitsuri frowned. “…Why does it look like this is planned?” Sanemi clicked his tongue. “Don’t like it. Not even a little.” And then— a voice echoed through the speakers. Soft. Sweet. Familiar. “…Guests detected.” From the far end of the room, she appeared. LILY LOVE BRAIDS. Stitched smile. Braided hair. Hands folded neatly in front of her. She tilted her head. “…You’re here for the tea party,” she said gently. Muichiro blinked slowly. “…Tea party?” The doll stepped closer to the table. Three empty seats were already arranged. And beside them— three plush dolls sat scattered across the floor in different corners of the room. Shinobu narrowed her eyes. “…That’s the objective, isn’t it.” The doll nodded slowly. “…Set up the tea party.” A pause. Then, in the same soft tone: “…Bring the three guests.” The room lights flickered slightly. The doors behind them clicked. Locked. Tengen exhaled sharply. “…Of course it’s a trap.” Lily Love Braids turned her head slightly. “…Guests don’t leave before tea.” Sanemi immediately moved toward the side exit. “Yeah? Watch me.” The moment he stepped toward the door— it sealed shut with a heavy metallic THUNK. Silence. Then the doll spoke again, still calm. “…The guests must be seated.” Three plush dolls slowly began to twitch. Not alive. Not fully. But moving just enough to make it clear they weren’t normal. One near a broken shelf. One under the table. One hanging slightly from a chair. Muichiro took a slow step back. “…They’re moving on their own.” Giyu’s hand tightened slightly. “…She’s controlling the room.” The doll raised one hand politely toward the table. “…Please begin.” And then— the factory changed. Metal shutters dropped over exits. The lights dimmed into a soft, unnatural glow. And somewhere in the distance— machinery started humming. Shinobu’s voice stayed calm, but sharper now. “…She’s forcing us into a sequence.” Mitsuri looked at the dolls scattered around the room. “…We have to place them on the table, right?” The doll nodded. “…Tea party rules.” Sanemi scoffed. “Rules? I don’t take orders from a doll.” He ran again for another exit. It sealed instantly. This time faster. Closer. A soft giggle echoed through the speakers. Not fully human. Not fully mechanical. “…Bad guests don’t leave early.” Silence. Muichiro looked toward the plush dolls again. “…We can’t leave until we do it.” Giyu exhaled quietly. “…Then we adapt.” One by one, they began moving carefully through the room. Avoiding triggers. Watching the dolls. Trying not to let the system “notice” too much movement at once. But Lily Love Braids only stood by the table. Watching. Waiting patiently. Like this wasn’t a trap. Like it was tradition. And every so often, her voice would return— soft, almost hopeful: “…Tea time is important.” “…All guests must be present.” “…No one is allowed to be missing.” And somewhere in the back of it all— beneath the stitched smile— there was still something that sounded like Gracie Green trying to make everything feel normal… in the only way she remembered.