Vol 1 Chapter 3 (2/2)

The irl’s voice reached his ears, Sousei-san became depressed as if the fire in him had completely disappeared

I glanced in the direction fro!” The students that had come out into the hall ju way for Moses with the Ten Commandments

This was a school hallway Even so, as it that I could hear the sound of an engine approaching as if from far away?

The surprising answer came several seconds later I couldn’t believe irl I had iined from the sound of the voice – it was a scooter-type motorbike It was an unmanned bike that closely resembled the faine echoing through the hallway

“Big bro! Big bro! Can you do so for me?”

Like a s around its master, the unmanned bike ran in circles around Sousei-san

“Shut up! Don’t run around me! Take human form if you want to talk!”

“Ah, I forgot”

Again, I couldn’t believe my eyes It wasn’t the first tiht in front of irl”, so I was unable to re timidly in our direction also raised their voices in cries of surprise

“That girl is a robot?” “Isn’t she pretty cute?” “Yeah So cute”

As the students’ excitement showed, she was a lovely robot with a beautiful outward appearance

From the fact that she too was able to transform from a bike, I deduced that she eneration as Sousei-san Most likely she originated froht also have been a specialized Suppression Weapon However, she was about half Sousei-san’s size Her physical appearance also differed froirl who looked to be about twelve human years old

That beautiful female robot planted her hands on her hips and looked up at Sousei-san

“Us on this list fro them home”

“Huh? You should just make Gramps buy it!”

“Sheesh!+ You always say things like that right away, Big Bro! We’re relying on Uncle Tetsu”

“Then ‘Ai’ should go Leave me out of it!”

“It’s impossible for Ai! I’m busy withit to you, Big Bro Ah, I’ Also, don’t cause trouble for other people! Ai is the one who always has to apologize afterward! So be good! Promise!”

The beautiful girl, with her cheeks puffed out, told him in a forceful tone as if for emphasis, suddenly shoved the ain

“Oi! Ai! Wait! Wait up!

“Hey! Get back here!” Sousei-san’s atteet her to stop were in vain, as she slipped between the students, and with an energetic speed, disappeared down the hallway

The irl had arrived and then departed like a shot I was du at the direction in which the girl had disappeared Sousei-san’s shoulders slumped dejectedly

I asked Sousei-san, and as I thought, that girl was also a specialized Suppression Weapon developed by the Kirijo Group Looking tired, he answered that her naami” and she was his successor

The chih the hallway and we finally came back to ourselves

“Er, she’s quite an energetic little sister, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, uh, sorry about her”

In the face of the storm called “Ai-chan”, the turbulent seas between us were only a trivial phenomenon

April 1Yagokoro High School

It was not the first time I stood in front of a class as a transfer student, but no matter how many times I did, the nervousness that accorow accusto, I introduced myself, but:

“Starting today, I’ll be relying on you for a while My naane”

My words rang a bit hollow Enduring my embarrassment, I raised ly filled with shouting In particular, the cheers of the female students flew around the classroo out “Prince!”, and even at the severe remonstrations of the homeroom teacher, who could not just stand idly and watch, the noise did not quiet down

It was true that being welco rejected, but I really could not hide my bewilderment at such an overly elcome

“I’ane-kun!”

The girl in the seat next to mine spoke rapidly “I’itation, “Is it all right if I get a picture later?”

When I asked, “Why?”, the girl responded with a dizzying answer “Huh? You don’t know, shi+rogane-kun? Right now, there’s a ‘Detective Prince craze’ on the Internet”

“Look! A collection of Prince photos on the Internet!”

I saw the display on the cell phone she held out and became htening

As to why, there were countless pictures oftaken Furthermore, until just noord of this reached my ears, I, the one in question, had really not known of this “Detective Prince craze”

It was disco to know that my name had been spread somewhere without ht feel if told by a doctor that they were a somnambulist

My fa; however, if by any chance it was ill-intentioned – just i it, a shi+ver ran down my spine

In the next moment, Kujikawa-san’s face surfaced in my mind How much hardshi+p did she suffer as a famous idol? It was surely the case that every day, she was the target of hts than I was

Even so, ht, “Ah, it isn’t just ely reassured

Only one week had passed since I had last seen her, but suddenly I felt nostalgic at the thought of Kujikawa-san She was high-handed and ily wanted to hear her voice

Of course, it wasn’t as si, “If you want to hear her voice, then call her” I could never say such an e, and if I did, her triu

And so I spent the re up excuses to call her tonight

I adhered to the precept of “do your own legwork” that was the

For exaation file, if one went to the actual scene and made observations, it was often the case that they would have a different impression Many times in the past, there had been cases where I had co able to look at the situation from a different point of view Thus, I usually wanted to visit the actual scene as far as I was able and confirht what people said in the past, that “Hearing a hundred ti just once,” was exactly the truth

But it could be said that the case this tis would becos about it, but it see

“You caht?”

“Yeah, yeah That’s the only reason the prince would come to a remote school like ours, isn’t it?”

Fro, the people around h in particular, they were the female students and students who introduced themselves as members of the newspaper club

During break ti with curiosity “Get mochi from mochi sellers and information from newspaper reporters!” said the wildly excited newspaper club, and though I didn’t ask, they gaveto the disappearance case It did feel a bit anticlirateful for everyone’s curiosity It was just that I was fed up with the fact that I did not even have the freedoo to the restroom

Just as had been in Touko-san’s explanation and report, the ones who disappeared were two students of Yagokoro High School I had heard before that it had now been approxi of the incident

The first one who had disappeared was a then-first-year female student, Miyuki Midorikawa (16)

The one who disappeared next was a then-second-year male student, shi+rou Konno (17)

“A connection between the to each other”

“I never heard about it either She’s a delinquent and he’s the student council president There’s no way they would be involved with each other”

According to the newspaper club’s infor students did not have any particular connection That was consistent with the investigation report I had received from Touko-san

“You want to know ht? Won’t you come to the newspaper club room?”

It was data on the case that they, students of this school like thepersons, had collected themselves I had no reason to refuse I headed to their club roo one dusty corner of the document room

According to their data, Miyuki Midorikawa had problerades had slumped, and she was insulted as a “delinquent” behind her back; the male students she had relations ere an extremely far cry from honor students

On the other hand, shi+rou Konno had irades, and furthermore, was so much an honor student that he served as student council president He was popular a the female students, but there were no particular stories of frivolous behavior

The two of theht of it as a serial disappearance case, but at present it was difficult to find a connection between them, so rather, I could only think that it would befor different reasons within a similar time frame

I had finished inspecting the data, said “You’ve been of great help,” and it was just before I exited the small room

It was said there was always a price to pay for good information, and the students of the newspaper club entreatedyou the data, ant to write a ‘Know Everything About the Prince’ interview article” I had no reason to refuse No, there was no way I could refuse now I said evasively, “Sometime soon” and left the room

Lunch break While eating lunch in the school cafeteria withrumor was mixed into information about the disappearances It was about a certain incident involving the death of a female student

“Right, this isn’t related to the disappearances, but half a year ago a second-year female student at this school died”

“Oh, that incident? That thing with the train wah, just thinking about it makes me feel cold”

It seeo, there had been an accident where a then-second-year feokoro Station platform, was hit by a train, and died It had unfortunately been a liirl as hit had been scattered across the platforruesome

They had not found a suicide note or will, so the police had declared the female student’s death an “accident” However, the students knew that the girl had been worried about the Internet slander directed at her since about two months before her death, and there were still some hispered that it had been “suicide” In the end, it seemed it was only on the level of a rumor and the authenticity could not be verified

In truth, it was a very intriguing story My detective soul ached to begin an investigation iht now there were a large number of other matters that took precedence

At the end of hoane Co no idea why I would be scolded by the teacher, I knitted my eyebrows dubiously and followed behind the teacher

“Your ‘co trouble within the school, shi+rogane Honestly, it’s still just the first day”

These were the details While the fe clothes after physical education, a boy with clothes of black and red said “I’etically, and invaded the locker room As the duan to panic: “You’re noisy! Don’t shout! Like I give a dary at them for their embarrassment instead of the other way around, and in the end, when he was chased after by the teachers who caue, ju roo

“We had no choice but to approve the presence of that strange character in the school by request of the police It’s too late and soane, if you don’t take responsibility and keep an eye on him, there will be trouble”

Having finished listening to my homeroom teacher’s lecture, it was inevitable that I could only let out a leaden sigh

April 1Yagokoro High SchoolRooftop

After school, I removed ht, and the first words to leave my mouth were to quietly, perhaps cruelly, tell the red and black-clothed person whose large body that was hunched over small before my eyes:

“Just as I promised, I will tell Touko-san about this”

I took my cell phone from the pocket of my uniform and:

“No, don’t! Wait, wait! Listen to what I have to say first!”

Sousei-san panicked and stole my cell phone from me

“…Are you trying to say that there is any legitimate reason at all in this world for you to brazenly invade the girls’ changing room?”

I hit hiaze as with an uppercut, and:

“Ah, no, I really wasn’t thinking I knorong But! I definitely didn’t do it because I wanted to peek or anything!”

Sousei-san stared at nothing and mussed the hair on the back of his head as if he kneas in a bad situation

“In that case, what are you saying was the reason?”

I stole back my cell phone Then Sousei-san whispered with a serious expression

“I thought I would do ation while you were in class, Naoto”

Sousei-san quickly cast his gaze around There were only two shadows, one long and one short, stretched out across the concrete floor Aftersure that no one else was nearby, Sousei-san called out

“–Come out! Tsukuyomi!”

When I laid eyes on the jet-black existence that manifested behind Sousei-san, I unconsciously spoke “Persona” It was a Persona with athat of Sousei-san, and its special characteristic was a design reminiscent of an electronic marquee on its head

“The ability of reat Tsukuyomi is the ‘power to hear the voices left behind by the dead’”

“That old ’”

“Wow” My ad ability

“H able to detect the past conversations of dead guys and transcribe them”

“U you can’t transcribe the conversations of living people?”

Sousei-san nodded

“In the end it’s only if they’re dead Then it’s ‘transcribing’ like I said, so what I can detect isn’t a picture or voices but just ‘words’ Instead I can visualize the words and a third party can read them Look at Tsukuyo on this black part”

It seemed that, just as it appeared, Tsukuyomi’s head played the role of an electronic marquee

“It’s truly an a ability”

There were liured out how to put it to practical use, it seereat help in the investigation

“Hmph! This ability! I can’t stand it!”

It was a compliment that I truly meant rather than flattery, but Sousei-san shook his head with a griant personality, it see modest

“I see In other words, Sousei-san wandered the school in order to detect the conversations of the dead?”

“Yeah” Sousei-san grinned as he continually nodded

“Think about it What if the two students who disappeared aren’t in this world anymore?”

“Ah, you mean the possibility that you would detect and transcribe their conversations?”

“Exactly” Sousei-san thrust out his chest proudly

It was unfortunate, but I could only conclude that Sousei-san’s deduction was not off the mark About teeks had passed since the disappearance of the two students Froh probability that the tere no longer alive

“Naoto, you’ve got pretty good judgment, don’t you? Doesn’t look like you’re stupid You’re qualified to be partnered with reat self”

“Thank you,” was my only reply, and, “I’ht,” did not leave my mouth, but I kept it to myself

“So? How is this related to the incident in which you invaded the girls’ changing room?”

If his goal had been to see if he could detect Miyuki Midorikawa’s past conversations, it would have been completely unnecessary to do so while the fe clothes

“That’s because e of effect, or to be ood for a five-meter radius around me”

Sousei-san spoke with an expression like he was sulking

“You’re a Persona-user too so you know, right, Naoto? You’re concentrating really hard when you’re invoking your ability”

“In other words, so your Persona’s ability and weren’t really looking around you, so you inadvertently entered the girls’ changing room?”

“Yeah! It couldn’t be helped!”

“You astound ru in a smile

“I don’t think it’s the case, but you didn’t let anyone see your Persona, right?”

“Don’t say stupid things! Like I’d screw up like that! Even if I saw those brats in their underwear, I wouldn’t let them see my Persona!”

I pressed ainst my temples I withdrew my previous remarks This person ht

“So? What did you acco a riot?”

“Hey, it’s like how the sun can’t always o that well, you know?”

I gave a sidelong glance at Sousei-san, as gazing distantly at the setting sun, and let out a large sigh I could not help but feel that I had sighed enough for a year in today alone

“Oh, by the hat kind of ability do you have, Naoto?”

Sousei-san asked Because of all the co it off completely, but because it was his partner’s Persona, I should have revealed it to him sooner

“‘A picture is worth a thousand words,’ isn’t it?”

I nodded at Sousei-san, and with the words, “–Give me power, Amatsu Mikaboshi+,” I summoned my own Persona

“Hmm, so that’s your Persona, Naoto?”

It was a Persona with an appearance si an orchestra That was my Amatsu Mikaboshi+ It was non-coallant, but rather, its smart appearance well pleased me

“Well then, Sousei-san Try using Tsukuyomi’s ability”

“Huh? Me? Even though you haven’t shown me your own ability?”

Sousei-san’s suspicion was pointless

“Yes, that’s why ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’”

I san to concentrate Several seconds later Tilting his head, Sousei-san looked back over his shoulder at me

“Oi, oi? What’s going on?”

Sousei-san’s expression was full of surprise

“My detection range is wider than usual It’s doubled to ten meters No, it covers the whole roof, could this be My true power has finally awakened!”

Sousei-san shouted ide eyes Of course, when he realizedon his back, he said, “there’s no way, right?” and shrugged his shoulders slightly

“I get it That’s how it is The reason ’ is powered up is because of the power of your ‘Aht?”’

“Yes” I nodded

“This is the ability of my ‘Amatsu Mikaboshi+’ – the ‘power to tune a Persona’s ability’”

It was so I had experienced before In the moment I summoned my Persona, all the information about “Amatsu Mikaboshi+” ithinthat fire was hot without having to be told This may have been due to the fact that my Persona could be called “my other self”

“When I talked to Tsuge-san about my ability, he named it ‘Ability Tune’”

“Still, it’s a pretty boring ability”

“Is that so? I like it This power”

That was because the power I had wished for was the ability to support someone

“But you know, if you’re alone you can’t count on it, right?”

“On the other hand, my ability can be more than helpful if I’m with another Persona-user like you, Sousei-san How is it now? What is your ithened Persona?”

Sousei-san sent a glance at his own Persona standing behind hi a complex expression I couldn’t help but feel proud at his reaction

“Well then, we know each others’ abilities, so let’s work together and begin the investigation immediately”

It was clear e had to do

My “Athen Sousei-san’s “Tsukuyoo around and do an exhaustive search of the school pre, then that was that On the other hand, if we detected past conversations, it would be proof that someone who had once existed at this school had died If the conversations were those of the s unknown to the police

“Well, let’s go”

There was no time to lose Well aware of the limited time we had in which to work, I took the initiative and headed for the entrance to the roof

“Wait! Detective Prince! Before we go somewhere else, it’s not too late to take a look at ‘the past conversations detected here on the roof’, you know?”

“You mean–”

I stopped walking and looked back My gaze was directed at Sousei-san, the corners of whose lips were tilted upward confidently

“I’ don’t be impatient From the conversations I’ve detected, only one person has died But you know, I haven’t been able to figure out if it’s froets or not In the end, all ‘Tsukuyomi’ can detect are ‘the words of dead people’”

“Yes, please leave the detailed investigation to me I’ll see what I can infer about the person from the contents of the conversations”

Deducing the truth from a limited amount of information – it was the perfect opportunity to display my detective spirit

“Got it Then I’ll show you my skills”

Sousei-san held his palm over his head, toward Tsukuyomi, and on the marquee on its head, words that seemed to be the contents of the conversation appeared one after another one and scrolled through It was a dizzying but exciting experience

“That’s right Please allow me to ask a basic question As far as the conversations of the dead go, about how far back in time can you detect?”

“If it’s just me, about half a year This tio ‘cause you’re supporting o back two or three years? How ‘bout it?”

I shook my head

“No, there’s no need to go that far back this time What we’re interested in is the contents of the conversations just before the disappearances Most importantly, Miyuki Midorikaould not have o”

Sousei-san squinted one eye and snorted “That’s true

“Fine, I’ll go back to the beginning” Sousei-san flicked his finger in thin air as if he werea touch panel, and the words shown on the nal, he sent out the words in turn During thoserestlessly back and forth

“Me being a slut Why is that sort of unfounded ruht Site’? T-that’s terrible! It’s all lies! The stuff this Uzuotta have soet that it’s just a ”

“How could Why Why is everyone falling for the rus posted on the site over the words of the person herself? I really, don’t get it”

“That Uzuuy, he knows a lot about what I do at school He’s definitely a student here! This is iet a break I haven’t told my brother about it I don’t want to worry him for no reason”

“I can’t trust anyone anys that sound like they’re worried but they don’t get how I feel at all! I can’t take this anymore! I’d rather they insult me to my face! Give me a break! Anyone aroundat shadows Even you, Takizawa-san Ah, sorry Forget it I’ weird”

When the words disappeared from the marquee:

“So what’s your reaction, Mr Detective?”

Sousei-san peered into my face critically

“It is truly valuable information”

I was quietly excited at the results, which were beyond my expectations

“Oh! You mean you found a clue to the disappearance case?”

“No, I don’t know yet”

“Huh? I don’t get it Then what the hell is valuable?”

“That I’ve detered to From the speech style, we can be fairly sure she was a feic is correct, her name should be – ‘Kaoru Hioka’”

“Kaoru Hioka?”

His face screwed up, Sousei-san stroked his chin It seemed he had no idea

“Ah, I apologize It’s a name that wasn’t in the case file we received from Touko-san It’s infor lunchtime today–”

I explained the “train accident” that had occurred half a year ago, in which a feh School named Kaoru Hioka had died, to Sousei-san Sousei-san was lost in thought, his expression one of having a save up “Well, whatever” I glowered at Sousei-san

“Sousei-san? No matter how detailed it seems, please say it without reservation When we coether, we’ll approach the truth faster”

If we did not cooperate, there was no use in having a partner

“Nah, I just felt like I’d heard the name Kaoru Hioka before I’ll tell you if it comes to me”

Sousei-san did not look ean to feel as if soed in it

“From the rumors of the students, it seeht Site’”

When I heard the naht Channel” If it were a si the name, that would be a relief, but if its substance was si but trouble

“That point is in agreement with the contents of the past conversations In addition, e consider that her death has already been confirmed, it fulfills the condition for your ability to detect ‘the words of the past conversations of the dead’, Sousei-san”

“Hey, no, in that case, what do you ood in investigating so not related to the disappearances! It’s a waste of tiht?”

Sousei-san shook his head exaggeratedly and snorted

“I just wanna solve this case fast and concentrate on what I should’ve been doing in the first place”

“Even if you say that, we have no other ht noe can only carefully scrutinize every piece of information before us and steadily search for clues related to the disappearance case”

“Geez, you’re too perfectionist!” Sousei-san pouted like a child

“They say ‘haste makes waste’ I