She snapped her fingers again and turned Ferrueh Merza into wires to try capturing Emilia. Since she used part of her own body, she had plenty of data; she could maintain this change for far longer than with a building’s steel frames. “You’re not getting away!” Swampman allowed Matoi to teleport with her target if she was touching them. She could follow Emilia so long as her wires reached the woman. But Emilia disappeared into thin air just by a hair’s breadth. The moment before she vanished, an amulet of six eyes showed from under her vestments. “…She got away. I’m sorry.” The wires coming from Matoi’s elbow turned to dust, as did the arm she’d used to create them. “No, it’s fine… Can you get your arm back…?” Emi asked timidly. Matoi nodded. “My frame is made of a special biometal. It will return to normal in a couple of hours after flushing it with mana. Additionally, my skincover is made of red dragon cells, so that will regenerate with the frame.” “Wow… The year 2149 sure is amazing, huh?” “It was a desperate attempt due to the lack of materials. A formidable match for Gulagalad.” “Hey, guys,” Sihlwald said. “How come all the holes from this fight and the earlier one are gone?” The floor and walls that had been wrecked by the battle were back to normal. “Ah, that is because we’re in the Man-Eating Gyoen. Beyondized places and things can revert to their original form,” Emi explained. “I see,” said Matoi. “So that’s why the gates look normal.” “It’s also this power to revise that causes subway riders’ residual thoughts to repeat over and over.” “Could that same power be why Gulagalad couldn’t manipulate the metal? It was neutralized by being corrected?” “Yeah, that is likely…” Emi’s voice petered out as she became lost in thought. “What happened, Emi? Did you notice something?” “…I don’t really wanna say it, since I’m not sure about it yet…” “Let me be the judge. Please don’t beat around the bush.” “Okay.” Emi raised her hands in acquiescence. “I noticed something during the battle here. Basically, I think my mom—sorry, the Collector—is beyondized. The way she regenerates even though she’s not an immortal could be explained by the beyondization trying to revert her to her original self.” “She’s beyondized?” said Sihlwald. “People can be beyondized, too?” asked Matoi, who had little data on beyondization. She knew only the very basics. “Rather, it would be more accurate to say they wear beyondization like a veil. There are cases of not only the buildings and things in the space but the organisms there being affected by the beyondization and acting like it themselves. I deduce that she might be an independent beyondization born from the hatred and fear directed at the Collector.” “So what do we do now?” Sihlwald asked. “Reveal the truth, like with any other beyondization. In the Collector’s case, that would be revealing her motives. And conveniently, we are here to expose a beyondization. Let’s consider it a trial of sorts. But we’re missing one of our team.” “…Right, I forgot about Veltol. Is he okay? I’m sure he wouldn’t lose,” Sihlwald said. “No,” Emi replied. “Never to a scoundrel like that.” Veltol returned with a scowl on his face. “The knave took off in the middle of our bout.” His armor was slashed from his shoulder to his side, the wound still healing. He swung his arm, and his outfit changed to the hunting cap and Inverness coat. “Veltol, who was that guy?” Sihlwald asked. “The man Machina met in Goar calling himself Zenol.” “Whoa, wait, was he really Zenol? The guy’s poise was as sharp as Zenol’s, at least.” “I cannot be one hundred percent certain… However, I am ninety percent sure he is not. Yet his movements resemble his too much. In any case, Emi, what about the other one? I believe that was the Collector, yes?” “Sorry, she got away.” “I see. Do not worry; we will have another chance.” “Yeah,” said Emi. “And now, since we’ve got everyone here, let’s begin.” “Begin what?” Sihlwald asked. “What else?” Emi flicked the bill of her cap with a wink and a smile. “The completion of our job. The mystery is solved.” “Oh right, we were here for a job.” Veltol nodded with a grin. “Allow your assistant the first attempt at a deduction. For starters, one can enter and leave the Man-Eating Gyoen without an issue so long as one is alone, yet when entering in a group, one person always disappears.” “That must be the origin of its name. Why do people realize upon leaving…? Or rather, why don’t they realize until they leave?” “Because they were together up until then.” “Exactly!” Emi pointed a finger gun at Veltol. “You’re a smart assistant. Testimonies say the person disappears upon leaving, which means they should be with the others right until then… So when do they disappear?” “…Isn’t it when they leave the Man-Eating Gyoen?” Matoi asked. “Yes, that is the most obvious answer. However, I have something else in mind. My magi-eye allows me to see the flow of mana in the air, and I could see a sort of film in the Man-Eating Gyoen’s entrance… But when I looked back, the film was no longer there. I deduce that it acts as some sort of filter.” “What do you mean?” “I believe one person went missing the moment we crossed that film. Considering it disappeared after we came inside, the most natural deduction would be that it accomplished its function.” “But aren’t we all here?” “Matoi, do you know about the tanuki, the mystical beast?” “Where did that come from…? Affirmative. I remember reading about it in The Wondrous World of Animals Encyclopedia. Member of the Mammalia class, order Carnivora, family Canidae, genus Nyctereutes. Memory tells me they went extinct after the Fantasion, alongside many other species.” “Heh. You’re missing a crucial detail, Matoi. Allow me to add: Tanuki have the power to shapeshift,” Veltol said. “Huh? No, that’s only legend. Real tanuki aren’t capable of such things…” “That’s my assistant.” Emi nodded in satisfaction. “They say the tanuki can take on many forms. This Man-Eating Gyoen has a similar characteristic. If my deduction is correct—there is a tanuki among us.” “…It’s not me,” Veltol said. “I’m a dragon!” Sihlwald insisted. “It’s not me, either,” Matoi said. “And obviously, it isn’t me,” Emi added. Matoi ran a scan but found no strange reaction. Everyone was normal. “Upon entering, the beyondization reads the memories of its target and creates an identical being,” Emi began. “That is what I believe to be the truth behind the Man-Eating Gyoen. And the impostor…” She pushed up the bill of her cap with her index finger. “…is you, Sihlwald.” Emi pointed at the Black Dragon. Their surroundings swayed, accompanied by the sound of waves. The lifeless floor and walls peeled off like a shell, as did Sihlwald’s body. The beyondization crumbled upon the revelation of its truth. The clinically clean landscape of the Man-Eating Gyoen vanished, and the glum and filthy underground district of the Roost took its place. And… “Sister.” …a dragon girl stood alone in the middle of scattered human bones. “Wahhh! Gahhh! Where were you guyyys?!” Sihlwald tearfully waved her arms and tackled Veltol. “Gwuh!” An adorable sight, but an impact of that degree would gravely injure a regular person. “I ended up here and there was no exit and I tried breaking it but I couldn’t and I was soooo lonesome! Veltol! Hug me! Tightly!” Sihlwald snuck into Veltol’s coat. “Ohh, you poor dear. You want a candy, little Sihlwald?” Emi asked. “Yeah!” “Would you like to fondle my pectoral armor? I learned this is effective for such times from syncing with my sisters,” Matoi offered. “Not unless you’re Hizuki-tier.” “Grr!” Matoi and Sihlwald began arguing, and the Black Dragon picked the bones up off the floor and threw them at the magiroid. “These bones…,” Veltol murmured, checking the remains after dodging the barrage of bones. “Victims of the Man-Eating Gyoen, I assume… They must have ended up like this after getting trapped.” “Question. Excuse me, Emi. Do you mind?” Matoi said. “What is it?” “How did you know Sihlwald was the impostor? My sensors couldn’t catch any anomalies. So how did you see through such a meticulous copy…?” “Process of elimination,” Emi replied casually. “Elimination?” “First, I wasn’t the impostor, obviously. Next, you couldn’t be, either, since you’re a magiroid. At least, I thought the chances were low, since you’re a machine. Ah, I hope you’re not offended.” “No offense taken. Please continue.” “So that meant it was between my assistant and Sihlwald, and you saw how he was wearing that armor when he came back, yes?” “…! If it was an exact copy of the person as they entered the space, it makes no sense that he would be wearing it, right?” “Even if it was able to recreate his abilities, since the copy is a beyondization…” “The revision would turn him back!” “Exactly. His armor was damaged, and he was injured. With that in mind, I eliminated my assistant from the list of suspects and deduced that Sihlwald had to be the impostor.” Emi took a deep breath, then whispered, “Mother got away, but could we change the future?” Matoi measured the space-time divergence rate. “…! Divergence changed to 99.999999999999999999999998 percent!” “That changes nothing!” Sihlwald yelled. “No, Sister. It may be small, but it is nonetheless a change.” Emi nodded. “That proves my hypothesis.” “Yes… I may be able to fulfill my mission,” said Matoi. “The reason for my existence.” Month of the Gryphon, Day 2, 2099 FE, 21:03 Shinjuku, from the rooftop of IHMI’s headquarters. “Why the return order, Ange?” Zenol was speaking with his colleague through the aether comms while looking down at the streetlights from the skyscraper that essentially ruled the city. “Wasn’t I sent to eliminate Emilia?” he asked. “The Priestess.” “Give me a break! Whatever, we can’t let that freak roam free! Isn’t it against the guidelines? And then there’s Veltol… Dammit! I was defeated. I ran away in confusion…” “Swordman, you fought Veltol?” “Ah… Erm, well, yes. It just kinda happened.” “I see… I’ll refrain from reporting it. Whatever you want to do is no business of mine.” “Thanks… You’ve become more human lately, huh?” “Suggestion.” “Hmm?” “Characterizing me as a certain species might qualify as discrimination. I recommend you be more careful with your words.” Zenol responded to Ange’s ceremonious answer with a sigh. “Now, back to the return order. There is a chance her actions might not be against the guidelines.” “You mean Emi…the Collector…the Priestess?” “Affirmative. Swordman, do you recall the Guild’s doctrine?” Zenol was taken aback by her out-of-left-field question. “Collect enigmas and save the world, right? I still don’t really get it, though.” “Affirmative. And so long as the Priestess follows that doctrine, she is our comrade.” “Hold on. I’m not following.” “Zero said the future has begun to change.” “The fuuuture?” “Even after stealing the Eye of the Horodict and falling into madness, the Priestess is still a Hero looking to save the world. Her deregistration has been rescinded. She’s been reinstated as a Hero, and we are no longer allowed to capture or kill her.” “…Roger.” A moment of silence. Despite the acknowledgement, Ange did not end the call. “Hey, Ange.” “What?” “Who am I? I’m Zenol, but I’m also not him… So what am I?” “…” Silence flowed with the night breeze. “You are the Hero Swordman, my colleague, and partner. What else do you need?” “…Nothing.” “Agreed. That’s all.” She ended the call. Zenol took off his helmet, exposing his face. He filled his lungs with cold air. “The future, eh?” Month of the Gryphon, Day 3, 2099 FE, 08:11 “Now then, folks.” Veltol’s vigorous and beautiful voice echoed inside the Chabatake Detective Agency office. “We solved the Roost case last night and proved the future can be changed. A great feat, but we have yet to solve the fundamental issue.” Unlike Matoi, Emi and Sihlwald were not morning people, but Veltol’s clear voice made them naturally sit up straight. They were holding their morning detective meeting. “Let’s go over her actions up to now. If we infer that her crimes have a ritual meaning to them, there should be no change to the regularity of time and place. And most likely, considering the frequency of the crimes and the date and time of the causality outbreak point, the Collector’s next crime should be her last.” “Yeah, I think the same,” Emi said. “Which means we have some time until then. Hopefully we can get a lead and stop her beforehand,” Matoi added. “Heh. Matoi, allow me to tell you something.” Veltol smiled boldly as he flicked the bill of a cap he was not wearing. “We know the time and place of the final battle. We have the advantage. There is only one thing for us to do.” “And that is…?” “Naturally, detective work,” he said confidently. Matoi dropped her shoulders. “Analysis tells me that is very logical…” “A calm mind is crucial in all circumstances,” said Emi. “Doing detective work like normal is the best option.” “I suspect everyone but Emi lacks the experience to call detective work their normal,” Matoi noted. “You could say that. Emi, do we have any new clients?” Veltol asked. “Hmm? Let me see… Oh, we’ve got one. Our last case before changing the future is…an infidelity investigation!” “Wow, a huge case.” “Is it…?” Sihlwald said. “Question.” Matoi frowned. “Should we be doing that when the world’s survival is at stake?” “We must, precisely because of the urgency,” Emi insisted. “We must remain composed and prepare for the coming time.” “I’m not a detective, though…” “Heh. What are you saying? We worked together to solve a case and spent the night at the detective agency. That makes us detectives!” said Veltol. “Is that so, Emi?” “Of course. Granted, from my point of view, you’re still rookie assistants.” “Whoa?! Am I a detective, too?!” “Yes, Sihlwald. You’re our comrade, after all.” “Yaaay!” Sihlwald raised her arms and wings and wagged her tail. Matoi closed her eyes in resignation. “Understood.” Then she opened her eyes wide. “The strongest and cutest detective Matoi shall accomplish this job.” The 2149 magiroid made a sideways V-sign with a smug yet blank look on her face…all the while wishing deep down this moment could last forever. Month of the Gryphon, Day 3, 2099 FE, 18:12 The members of the Chabatake Detective Agency stood in the middle of the crowded Kabukicho Street at its busiest hour. “Tofu here. Observing the target with Egg. No anomalies.” “Batter here. Currently following with Mernius. No anomalies.” Tofu (Emi) whispered to Batter (Veltol) through the aether comms. “Suggestion, Veltol.” “Mernius, I understand your need to speak my exquisite name aloud, but we are in the middle of a mission. Use our codenames.” Veltol scolded Mernius (Matoi). They were both wearing detective-style outfits, along with sunglasses and facemasks, hiding in the shadows and making their way among the crowds. The four companions had split into two teams because they would stand out in a group of four, and because it seemed more fun this way. “Our client this time is the target’s spouse, correct?” Matoi asked Veltol. “Yes, it appears so. The target has been acting strange lately and is under suspicion of adultery.” Then an aether comm came from the other team. “Tofu here. The target has moved. Ah, Egg, give me a bite of that.” The target was a lion therian in a red coat. “Let’s go, Mernius.” “Roger, Batter.” Veltol and Matoi made sure not to be noticed as they followed the suspect, who was leaving a franchised bistro. The two teams were split into monitoring and pursuit. Their job was to get evidence of adultery. “Heh. Stealth missions are exciting, wouldn’t you agree?” said Veltol. “Affirmative. I have no experience in this type of mission.” The suspect had a big frame and tough look on his face, yet he walked sneakily and timidly, eyeing his surroundings. “Ow, you jerk!” “Ah! I-I’m sorry…” The suspect bowed in apology after bumping into a human two heads shorter than him. Veltol saw something fall from the suspect’s pocket in the collision. “Batter.” “Yes, I noticed. Let’s pick it up.” “Roger.” Both kept their heads low as they approached to retrieve what the man dropped. No matter how sneaky they tried to be, a duo in detective outfits stood out like a sore thumb. “What’s this…?” It was a small prescription bag containing white powder. The pair moved to the side of the street and opened it. “It might be some sort of illegal drug. Let me taste it.” Veltol scooped a fingerful of the white powder and licked it. “Mm! This…!” His eyes opened wide. “Urgh…!” Then he fell facedown. “Ack, Batter! Excuse me.” Matoi grabbed Veltol’s arm and licked his sticky finger. “Analysis…complete. Potassium cyanide, a chemical compound that is toxic to humans.” “That was crazy to watch,” Emi said from where she’d been observing things. Veltol slowly got up again. “Phew, that was close.” “C’mon, Batter, you can’t be licking everything you find. By the way, they say cyanide smells like almonds, so let me get a sniff of you later.” “Suggestion. Why do you think the suspect is carrying this around…?” “No idea, but it cannot be for anything good,” said Veltol. “Look.” The suspect had stopped. His gaze was set on an elven woman. She wore a luxurious black fur coat and did not seem like a respectable individual. She walked ahead, and the suspect followed her from afar. “What the…?” “Looks like the pursued has become the pursuer,” Veltol remarked. He and Matoi tailed the suspect as the man snuck after the elven woman. “Veltol.” “What is it?” “I…want to apologize.” “Why all of a sudden?” Veltol furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry I antagonized you.” “We already said our apologies during the detective meeting. What is the need to bring it up again?” “I still wanted to say it.” “If you have more to add, go ahead. I shall listen,” Veltol urged. “Although our acquaintance has been brief, my ultra-high-performance processing unit has come to a conclusion.” “And that is?” “You would not destroy the world.” “I said so from the very beginning.” Matoi nodded. “My analysis tells me you are the opposite. You worry more about the big picture than your individual emotions. Although you did drop that meteor on the city out of rage. However, I am speaking in more general terms.” “I was born to a leader of a nation and led one myself for a while. That line of thought is etched into my soul. Consider it an occupational hazard. Like how you feel you might actually encounter an enemy at every turn in a dark passageway after you play Bloody Spirits.” “That’s not so much an occupational hazard as a case of gamer brain… Either way, I acknowledge your character. You aren’t the type to destroy the world.” “Heh. I do not acknowledge you as a real Hero, however…” “But you acknowledge my cuteness, right?” Sideways V-sign. “Let’s say I do.” Veltol smiled. “Oh, he entered a shop. Follow me, Mernius!” “Roger, Batter.” Matoi’s expression functions formed a smile, too. Month of the Gryphon, Day 3, 2099 FE, 19:05 A corner table at a bar on Kabukicho Street in Shinjuku City. It was an expensive place for the area. The pursuit team had shuffled, with Veltol and Sihlwald swapping places. Now the latter was teamed up with Matoi. It was Veltol and Emi’s idea, the reason being because it sounded fun. The suspect was drinking at a spot where he could see the elven woman, and Matoi and Sihlwald watched both individuals at the same time. “Question. What are you eating, Egg?” “Anpan,” replied Egg (Sihlwald). She showed Matoi the cross-section of the round bread with black sesame on top. “Anpan. A sweet roll with red bean paste inside, correct?” “Yes. Takahashi—my friend—said anpan is a must for pursuits.” Sihlwald’s anpan was not from this bar. She’d purchased it at a shop during the pursuit. “I realized something,” she said as she munched on the anpan. “I’m not good with these sorta fastidious investigations. I need some more bang, bang! Y’know? Some BOOM! I get bored too quickly.” “I’m not a fan, either.” “Right?! Where’s the bangs?! The booms?!” “I was designed as a weapon and have little experience in anything other than combat. I haven’t been trained or synced in this sort of detective work, and the lack of experience causes delays in choosing the right patterns. Hence, I’m not good with this.” “Ah, I just meant I get bored, personally…” “I always want to increase my experience in things I am not good with. It doesn’t mean I don’t like it.” “You’ll get your experience with us.” Matoi had no future. The causality correction would erase her if the future changed, and if it didn’t change, she would lose her reason to exist. When Matoi spoke again, her idea circuit couldn’t process whether she was talking because she hadn’t been listening or because she had forgotten—or maybe she was saying it intentionally. Either way, her “happiness” emotional parameters increased for certain. “I have no future. Completing my mission would mean my end.” “Hmm? Ah, the correction thingy? Hey, we won’t know ’til the time comes. Who said it’s gotta be like that? You won’t disappear. No way.” “But the theory says—” “Ha! Baloney! I don’t care about theory nonsense. I said you won’t disappear, so you won’t. Got it?” “That’s preposterous…” “Listen.” Sihlwald gulped down the last piece of anpan and licked the crumbs off her fingers. “I consider you a pal. Don’t care what ya think. That’s how I feel.” Sihlwald’s voice lost the innocence of a little girl, turning rough like a rock and weighty from her many years of life. “This happened a little ago.” The Black Dragon spoke softly and eloquently. “I lost someone in Yokohama. Someone I owed a debt to. A little girl like a baby who inherited a soul and kept an old vow. She died right in front of my eyes. Thanks to one hero’s help, we managed to take down the bastard who let her die, but I couldn’t do anything myself. It was the first time I felt so powerless.” She was almost whispering. “Dragons are sturdy. Our bones stop swords and our scales repel magic. We’re probably the strongest species on an individual basis. And I’m an immortal on top of that, so any wounds heal right away. But no matter how strong my bones are, how hard my scales are, or how quick my injuries are to heal, my heart doesn’t do any of that. I’m happy to meet good guys and sad to lose them. I’m no different from other people in that way, I think. Saying good-bye to a friend hurts.” Sihlwald looked up at Matoi and added softly: “So please don’t leave me, yeah?” “…I cannot promise.” “Promise. Okay?” Sihlwald made a sideways V-sign pose. Then the elf woman stood up. “The woman’s moving. Is she leaving? Going to the bathroom?” Sihlwald wondered. “The suspect moved, too.” Matoi stood up as well. The therian man walked up to the elf woman’s seat and stared at her untouched drink while feeling around in his pocket. “…H-huh? Wh-where is it…?” he said. “Question.” Matoi approached the suspect from behind. “Huh?! Wha—?” “Is this what you’re looking for?” “Ah! Th-that’s…!” Matoi held up the prescription bag. “Wh-who are you?! A cop?! Yakuza?!” “Neither.” “Let’s not make a scene, guys. C’mon outside.” Sihlwald led everyone to the parking lot. Veltol and Emi were already there. “Good evening.” Emi took her hat off. “I am Detective Emi Chabatake.” “D-detective…? What do you want from me…?” “Your wife asked us to make sure you weren’t cheating on her, since you’ve been acting strange lately.”
Chapter 56
21 min read