Vol 1 Chapter 2 (2/2)
“Ho, didn’t you touch me here and there all over my body?”
“Idiot! I only investigated your body a little while testing the newest machinery! That’s what I told you! If I was serious, it wouldn’t have been like that, you know?”
“See? He’s a dirty old ht?”
Whether it was a joke or for real, I could only shrug ument
“So, this boy is Naoto shi+rogane, the ruation?”
“That’s right”
Touko-san nodded It seemed that she had let him know about me beforehand
“He’s small for a man!”
Froe-san leaned forward and clapped bothby the way he touched e-san soht I was male
“By the as that person earlier?”
To the question which I posed a second time, Touko-san readily answered, “A robot”
“Nuuy’s a specialized Suppression Weapon created for the purpose of fighting Shadows”
I was surprised but I wasn’t agitated I had just confirmed his abnormal ability with my own eyes As for Shadows, I haven’t mentioned them until now, but they were an existence hich I had firsthand experience Furthermore, as far as Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons went, I happened to be familiar with several However, the ones I kneere female types
“Naturally, Genesis didn’t cut it as a Suppression Weapon for the purpose of fighting Shadows To be frank, he was a defective product So the police took charge of him last year”
“Still, can’t you at least count hi the robots developed as Suppression Weapons, Genesis has been active for the longest time, his personality is well-developed, and he knows lots of things, right?”
Tsuge-san added to that boastfully
“So? What’s the whole story behind the police taking charge of Genesis?”
It ithout saying that normally one would not happen to find a robot at a police station The only time that would happen would be in a Hollywood movie I had also not heard of the existence of a “Special Forensics Division” There were certainly special circumstances tied into the heart of these mysteries
Touko-san and Tsuge-san exchanged glances with each other “I’ll leave it to you,” Tsuge-san replied to Touko-san, who opened her mouth
“You should be pretty familiar with them too, Naoto – the ‘Kirijo Group’”
Touko-san’s tone said she had done a “coation” into my past
“I see, so the man from before was one of the robots developed by the Kirijo Group?”
Kirijo Group They were an internationally pros company, a business whose electronics and AIs were particularly top-class The multiple Suppression Weapons that I knew had also been created by the Kirijo Group They each had deep personal connections to the Kirijo Group Naturally, I recalled the figure of the daughter of the president of the group, an intelligent and beautiful woman
“That’s right Good, it looks like this won’t take long Tsuge-san was originally a researcher in the Kirijo Group’s Robotic Research and Development Division”
“Nah, not ‘originally’ I’ve only transferred to the police Even now I’et, I’ you borrow state-of-the-art robots”
Saying that, Tsuge-san tilted back his cup of only water and gulped it down
“Tsuge-san did more than a little in the developot plenty of knowledge about Shadows”
“Well, even so, the reason Genesis was deployed with the police this ti story short, to oppose last year’s brutal crimes, the police and the Kirijo Group collaborated and ended up testing the use of huation That’s e decided to try Genesis, the failed Suppression Weapon that was s away at the research facility Then the Kirijo, ere acquainted with Genesis, chose the Yagokoro Police ‘cause Touko Aoi had become a member and they had connections with her, and I became the representative for the Kirijo side”
Because of Tsuge-san, the people wearing white lab coats and the machinery on this floor were also transferred froe-san and the other researchers’and maintenance of the robots, and from the standpoint of the police depart, they were named the “Special Forensics Division”, but in actuality, they were a separate division within the police depart a position like a Kirijo branch office
“But you know If the forensics team is needed to solve a case, I’ll be worked to the bone and Touko won’t apologize at all!”
“Do you have any complaints?”
Ie-san said “Knock on wood!” and his large body shrank Soe-san was also unable to stand up to Touko-san
“Sorry for e-san’s voice was unexpectedly low “Boy, I’ll say it straight, Genesis’s going as a mistake in the experiment In the middle of the mind interference experiment, Genesis went berserk”
Leaning back hugely on the sofa, Tsuge-san continued, “I stopped it, but he wouldn’t listen to anything I said,” and sent Touko-san a weak smile
Though her lips were foraze was somehow lonely
“I’d like to hear the full details of his situation sometime By the ill you please answer this?”
I glanced between each of their faces in turn
“If the fact that I aht now is not a lie, will you explain to me hoas it that I came to be saved?”
The slight, lingering feeling of sos I wanted to knoere countless in nuht now that was the question I could not overlook
“When I was attacked by Genesis when he had gone berserk, I lost consciousness At that tiht it was hopeless Even so, the next time I opened my eyes, he had collapsed and I was unharmed In addition, just before I lost consciousness, Touko-san said, ‘I will guarantee Naoto’s future’ What did that mean?”
At my words, the two fell silent and lent me their ears
“And when Tsuge-san heard Touko-san’s words, he relaxed immediately And at present I am alive, just like Touko-san said However, what there was to be relieved about in that situation remains a mystery to me”
I si behind Touko-san’s opaque actions
“Could it be that at that time – Touko-san, didn’t you already know that I would be saved?”
I could come up with only one answer Until I could confirh it was hard to believe so suddenly, that ansas that Touko-san also possessed the same type of ability as myself
Then Tsuge-san let out a “Huh,” as if in admiration and let his white teeth peek from behind his lips, and the corners of Touko-san’s mouth lifted up in satisfaction Immediately afterwards, Touko-san closed her eyes lazily and pointedly, but quietly, ordered:
“Answer, Kushi+nada-Hime”
In the next instant, a presence formed behind Touko-san where no person had been before I did not need any ti of that divine existence like a celestial reen
“You should know about it too, Naoto This special power – the one called ‘Persona’”
The one who opened his e-san
“Personas are a rare power that can only be wielded by those who are chosen There’re a lot of ru researchers, but one theory holds that Personas are the ‘other self', an ‘embodiment of the depths of the psyche’ of the user The condition to summon a Persona is to hit your utmost limit, which unleashes your latent power For exaht in a ‘critical moment between life and death’”
“The ability of my Persona, Kushi+nada-Hime, is the so-called ‘Prediction’ – that I can ‘see ten minutes into the future’ So I have ‘the power to see the future’”
“I see, it’s precognition It really did surprise me That Touko-san would be a Persona-user”
Kushi+nada-Hiht vision goggles, and those two hands covered Touko-san’s eyes from behind Most likely, those hands acted as a head-e ‘ten minutes into the future’
Touko-san laughed a bit At the saure disappeared as if it were an illusion
“Just like you’ve deduced, Naoto, I saw the future where ‘the three of us were in the director’s office drinking coffee’ So I was able to guarantee that you would be safe”
Touko-san druainst the side of the stainless steel coffee cup
“If you think about it the other e’re able to sit and drink coffee together in this time because you’re alive, Naoto In addition, you were on the Special Forensics Division floor at this time and you came to the station without an appointment”
I was so surprised I couldn’t speak I thought back to when I rushed down to this floor It’s true that fro
“As Tsuge-san says, ory”
“Other than Touko, a the non-combative Persona users that the Kirijo know of, there’s also a person with ‘High analyze’, the ability to see the Shadoeaknesses”
It was possible that Kujikawa-san’s poas also sie-san spoke of
“I think it’s not a bad power for a detective like me to have It’s been extremely helpful when I’ve used it at crime scenes”
My neas also a ‘non-combative’ type like Touko-san’s, but I felt it was not unsuited to me It may have been because a Persona was the user’s ‘embodiment of the depths of the psyche’
“Up till now, Touko’s prediction’s never been wrong I relaxed so fast ‘cause she has such a great track record”
Seeing Tsuge-san boast of her as if it was his own doing, I agreed again, “I see”
“Just that The reason that Genesis stoppedall of a sudden is a mystery to us too”
“Right Right when the boy lost consciousness, Genesis chose exactly thatlike this I’uys to look into the reason, but the way I see it, it’s not a technical issue”
“If we think about it that way, Genesis may have suspended movement by his oill, or possibly, Naoto exerted some influence on him For example, with the power of Naoto’s Persona?”
Touko-san’s narrowed eyes seized , I tilted my head
“Hm? You don’t remember? Your Persona ht?”
“Yes, of course I remember”
I thought back to the mysterious experience I had had while unconscious That may have been the mental landscape I sahen I reached the critical point, thinking “I ht die”
“This is really just a theory, but so like a ‘resonance reaction’ between fellow Persona users ht’ve happened in that ht’ve pulled out the potential in the other, kind of like an attractive trait”
“You mean to say Genesis is also a Persona user?”
Iht” It seemed that Genesis really was of the same type as the Suppression Weapons I had met in the past
“Thinking about it now, Genesis’s unexplainable actionsyou, boy, but that he was showing interest in you as another Persona-user At that time, Genesis was so far out of control that he’d destroyed a solid iron door If that bastard was serious, the boy would be headed to the hospital right now”
I remembered how Genesis had sized me up at that time
“But in the end, it looks like he lost hold of reason and wasn’t able to control his power, and when the boy was dying, it turned out like this! I’lad you lived!”
“Please don’t laugh as you say that I really was about to die, you know?”
“It all worked out! I’, don't worry about the details!”
While saying that, Tsuge-san heavily clapped lance at Touko-san, hoping she would come to my rescue
“A resonance reaction, huh Itthe request for this case to Naoto”
Saying that, Touko-san twirled the pendant at her chest with her fingertip while showing so smile
When I thought about it, I had been attracted to the person na that, naturally I had a flashback to the faces of ether
“I’d like to ask because you two know so much about Personas and my past Why is it that the Persona I summoned this time differs from the Persona I had before?”
Amatsu Mikaboshi+ The sound that I had made at that time ords, a name that I had spoken for the first time I was deeply interested in whether the Persona this time was of the type that could be continuously manifested
“Right, if I had to give a reason, I’d think it’s because you’ve matured emotionally”
“Matured?”
“Yup, isn’t it that you’ve become an adult, boy? A Persona is said to be the ‘embodiment of the depths of the psyche’ of the one who sue for the Persona’s appearance and abilities to transfore in the user’s heart, or to put it another hen they mature”
“I see”
I could not declare that eue a concept At the very least, it was true that there had been a change in my physical maturity and circumstances as coht about ly
“Nah, well, don’t forget that it’s just my theory in the end, okay? This is about the limits of technical research because Persona users themselves are rare How ‘bout it? If you want to know h place like this has the right machinery If it’s an easy scan like brain waves, we can do it right now if you want?”
Though Tsuge-san’s eyes were glittering fiercely like those of a boy, I was filled with apprehension and looked to Touko-san next to him, who said:
“Naoto, this guy is a perverted old man Take care he doesn’t strip you naked, okay?”
She was giving me a malicious smile
“I refuse!”
I would have to excuse e-san was not showing anyto remove my clothes
“Men don’t grumble about one or two naked bodies!”
As I resisted Tsuge-san, whose body was more suited to a martial artist than a researcher, I was forced to think that it was only a matter of time before he tore off th
“P-please wait! Tsuge-san! Isn’t Touko-san a Persona user too?”
At the words I cried out in desperation, Tsuge-san stoppedcompletely “Touko?
“Idiot! Instead of awith Touko, a mature woman with a voluptuous body!”
“Ohhh, so that’s the kind of disgusting ie-san normally thinks of when he looks at me”
Touko-san was s him, sharp as the tip of a needle The temperature of the roorees
“W-what! I’! There’s no way I’d think anything like that! Even if I thought that in the depths of my heart, there’s no way I would say it!”
Tsuge-san lifted his voice, laughing dryly with a stiff se, turned around to face me
“She’s giving me a scary look because you said too much, boy! I value my own life, you know!”
After giving a s I lostfar too carried away, but even Touko-san appeared to be enjoying watching le
“Boy! Just accept it! Sacrifices are an important part of research!”
“To-Touko-san!”
I glared at her with tears in my eyes, and Touko-san finally moved herself from the sofa
“Yes, yes Ehh, at 1513 hours, I have secured the perverted old man”
It happened lightning-fast “Oow!” Without any unnecessary e-san in a wrist lock and pinned him to the floor with extreme ease
“I’e-san, so I went really easy on you, you know?”
“H-he’s so happy, he could cry! So I’d be really happy if you’d let go of my arm that hurts so much, I could cry!”
Then Touko-san suddenly let go of his hand and released Tsuge-san from the lock
“Hey, boy Get it now? Making a pass at Touko Aoi ends up like this”
Tsuge-san said in a voice full of feeling as he rubbed his arm
“Yes, do your best to be careful not to follow Tsuge-san’s bad example and make the same mistake”
I knew, of course The person called Touko Aoi had not changed since I first o However, the one she had held down at that ti robber
“Tsuge-san, you’ll be able to finish Genesis’s adjustht?”
She acted like it had nothing to do with her Touko-san, who stood in an intie-san, on the floor
“Well, we only need to do a few repairs for the hardware, but if a lot of problems haven’t cropped up in the software, we’ll just need to do a reboot It’s not iht if you want?”
“No, it’s fine Naoto, you should go hoain tomorrow”
“But toh School”
“Yeah, I know So coo to school It’s about five minutes fros I want to explain to you, so please hurry and remain on standby”
“Touko, you can’t mean to have Genesis and the boy confront each other?”
“Rather than confronting each other, I ate this ‘Yagokoro High School student disappearance case’ together”
At that point, an unexpected suggestion came from Touko-san’s mouth
“Whoa, that’s pretty rough Boy, don’t lose heart, okay?”
“Touko-san, that’s–”
“You ive you and Genesis the details together early to”
It was a stiff tone that brooked no argument
After a moment of hesitation, I took the teacup inwith the black, bitter liquid that had gone cold, sed down my words of protest completely