Kiriko
TWENTY-FOUR hours had passed since Kiriko began questioning Lovel inside the Torah Church’s Interrogation Room. Only time passed, without yielding any significant information on Lovel’s objective or the whereabouts of her cube.
“Just spill it already!” Kiriko spat, burning Lovel with a seething glare. “Where did you get ahold of that cube and where did you hide it?”
“LIKE I SAID, I stole it from Jair and lost it after that! Just believe what I’m saying already!” Lovel argued back.
“Do you think what you are saying is believable? Everything you’ve uttered about this ‘Jair’ and some ‘mastermind’ sounds like convenient lies for framing someone else.”
Even supposing Kiriko believed her, for argument’s sake, Lovel was still keeping her lips sealed about her relationship with Jair. Kiriko’s hunch that Lovel was hiding something was steadily solidifying into an unshakeable conviction.
Even if she’s lying, it doesn’t hurt to consider Jair may not be the original distributor of the cubes. It’s plausible he obtained it from another person, and that other person recovered the stolen cubes.
Kiriko pondered the possibility further. It was mere speculation at this point, but she did have a good guess of who would be capable of both things. Various questions surrounding the cubes would be answered if he was involved.
Yes, he’d be capable of doing this! That depraved and corrupt man would—
An abrupt knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Kiriko looked over her shoulder as the interrogation room door opened and Spinoza stuck his head in.
“Can you spare a moment, Kiriko? The elders have summoned you.”
Kiriko’s expression soured. “Is it time for the deliberation? …Why must it come at such an inconvenient time?”
“It unfortunately always does. Save the fun girl talk for later and join me in attending the depressing party.”
Kiriko nodded reluctantly and departed the interrogation room with Spinoza. They climbed the stairs and arrived at the second-story conference room.
“Please excuse us,” she said before entering the room where the elders who ran the local Torah Church sat on six chairs in front of the panoramic window.
Kiriko and Spinoza sat down on the isolated chairs in the center of the room.
“You’re both late,” one of the elders remarked. “Let’s commence the deliberation meeting.”
The six elders fixed their dull, somber gazes on them. Kiriko and Spinoza gave visible nods and the first elder proceeded with the meeting.
“We wish to discuss the young girl you are currently questioning along with the sudden influx of Sehem-hamphorasch throughout the archipelago. A day has passed since you began your investigation. I presume you have obtained something of note?”
“We are currently in the process of diligently questioning the girl,” Kiriko answered in an even tone. “As for the cubes, the forty-seven members of the Civil Obedience Order are putting their full effort into the investigation. I guarantee we will have results for you in the near future—”
“Such an ambiguous report is unacceptable, Torah Chief Kiriko Strife,” the elder sitting on the far right interrupted. “The fact that someone is still digging into Sephiroth after four years have passed indicates that we are not simply dealing with a mere street rat. You do comprehend this, do you not?”
“That is my intention.”
“Intentions aren’t good enough. You should be more than aware of how vital that classified secret is to our Church and the military, as a primary member of the development team.”
Unsettling waves of apprehension crashed against Kiriko’s chest at the mention of the military.
Another elder continued the questioning. “It’ll be too late for us once the mainland’s military authorities catch wind of this incident. The military has continually cut into our funding ever since the accident four years ago. Should we pile on any further failures, regaining their trust will become a hopeless endeavor—”
“Why don’t you just get rid of that monster then?”
Tension shot through the room the moment the words left Kiriko’s mouth.
“Watch your tongue, Kiriko!” Spinoza reproved.
The elders’ expressions soured, and they each brought their grievances forward.
“Get rid of it? Such foolishness… Have you forgotten just why this archipelago exists?”
“Why do you think we built the Church out on this remote island?”
“All of it is for Sephiroth. Or do you think otherwise, hm?”
That was certainly what they had taught her. But the history, the teachings, didn’t matter now.
“I hope you haven’t forgotten how many lives were sacrificed for Sephiroth,” Kiriko coolly pointed out, leveling the elders with a hard glare.
“Are you referring to the victims of that accident? They became noble martyrs for the cause. Such misfortune is God’s will.”
“God’s will…? Are you saying the death of Alita and the others is God’s will?!” Kiriko’s emotions were about to burst. She desperately fought to restrain them, but failed. “What heretical view do you elders hold of the Church’s doctrines?! You trifle with sophistry, claim your self-righteousness as the will of God, and misappropriate the Torah, which we should strictly adhere to!”
“Mind your tongue, Torah Chief Strife!” an elder’s voice slapped down Kiriko’s angry outburst. “Those of you who were expelled from the Research and Development Bureau have nowhere else to go. We won’t hesitate to bring you before the Small Sanhedrin, if you continue to insult the Church. Depending on the verdict—”
“You will eliminate her?”
Kiriko heard a disappointed baritone voice beside her. Startled, she glanced at Spinoza, who finished his accusation with a grimace. “…Just like with former Torah Lord Grinzam.”
The room froze with an even thicker tension the instant that name was brought up.
“Do not mention that traitor’s name, Torah Lord. You’ll stain your reputation too,” one of the elder’s quietly rebuked.
“……”
“Setting aside our differences for the time being, we want you to carefully consider the gravity of this matter and handle it accordingly. That is all for today. Return to the investigation.”
Kiriko and Spinoza stood and withdrew from the conference room.