Vol 5 Chapter 6 (2/2)
Royal road
Promised
-- promised
As we passed by high school students on a school trip, we crossed I a bit further, Aikawa-san finally stopped walking, and entered a cafe there The cafe, which played an FM Radio station through its speakers, was pretty filled, perhaps because it was around noon Was Aikawa-san going to treat ht? Wait, no, this is not the tis
I sat, and Aikawa-san sat herself opposite ht, and then she said, ”So, Ii-tan”
”Do you knohat my other business is?”
”-- about the case? Probably”
”A businesslike answer If you could crack a joke here your life would be so different,” Aikawa-san laughed ”Well, if you want to say it's about the case, you'd be right -- but let's chat a bit more before then We still have some time”
Aikawa-san said, without looking at a clock This person's internal clock was as accurate as an ato clocks However, it bothered me that she used the word still Or rather -- I finally realized it because of that word Just as I had realized Aikawa-san's disguise because of knife in your right pocket
I see So that is why he was able to escape froht by anyone Indeed, with this person's help -- it would be possible against anything
Perhaps -- that That was this contractor's job all along Following that theory, would it not explain why Aikawa-san did not reveal her identity to me?
I think thatit, however -- however, I cannot throay the illusion In that case, including the case of Neo-san, would it not est had acted, that research facility -- had in fact long since been left and abandoned?
My hts, Aikawa-san asked,
”So, what's happened between Kunagisa-chan and you, since then?”
”What has happened nothing Nothing has changed, why? We toured Nagoya together, and then I helped her home yesterday, and I have not seen her since”
”I see,” Aikawa-san nodded ”Well, that's, hoould be I guess”
”Why do you ask?”
”No no, I just thought you like being hugged ”
”I do not understand, Jun-san”
”That's because I'ot it Anyways, your loyalty to Kunagisa-chan surprises ht”
”You are praising me too much”
”A pretty objective Yup, but that said, your clumsiness really stood out this time”
”Did it”
It did, Aikawa-san laughed
”Especially -- as that? Narrowing down the suspects through process of elih?”
”You were listening?”
”Just the start It was so stupid I couldn't listen after a while So I heard most of it afterwards -- and I had to ju a puppet show That was more important”
””
Heard most of it afterwards
Noho did she hear from?
”Rooftop route You know, I should say so sense--” Aikawa-san said ”Can't use it because a woman Can't use it because rotund Can't use it because old Can't use it because bad sight -- hey hey None of those are actual reasons, you know?”
”Is that so?” I feigned ignorance ”I do not think so”
”Well it's risky, for sure But that's why you'd want to take the risk, I'd think? Take it the other way and itas you handle that risk, you escape suspicion --and you know, to be frank,” Aikawa-san pointed her thuender, while carrying a 250 kilograrandma of a hundred years, even with my eyes closed -- I'd still jump ten meters”
”Well, Jun-san is out of the question Iwalls”
”I can run along ceilings, man And you know of outliers like me, so ould you throay outliers like that? Did you forget what happened last month already? Of course not”
”Last month well, true But not one person said no, I can jump this distance”
”Of course they wouldn't It'd put the the syste, I'll give you that Process of elimination -- anyone would pipe up if they were told you're the suspect, but no one pipes up after being told you're not the suspect They wouldn't retort when things are in their favor”
Process of elimination
Froy standpoint -- there is no y However, there are situations in this world where that foolishness is the greatest weapon available -- and not just a few
”-- but really, I think that distance is pretty difficult Even I would not want to try that without being in such a situation”
”If you wanna go there -- then you could use the theory of process of elimination and wonder if it were possible even for Koutari It's one thing if he were an athletic eek, you know? Can he really jump that?”
”Who knows?”
I still ning ignorance, but it was fun having Aikawa-san corner h it may be a bit masochistic
”But, otherwise you would not be able to explain what happened It was the only feasible solution, so I could not refute it”
”Honna be like that, Ii-tan How cute C'mere,” Aikawa-san took the opposite side of the spectrum and smiled sadistically ”Then you know That story about going back, about how Koutari i's arm as a hook to escape the seventh ward -- you seriously believe that”
”Seriously seriously, and an extra, third seriously, at that”
”Swear to God?”
”Swear to God”
”Swear to Chiga Hikari?”
”I cannot”
”-- you're so friggin' cute” Aikawa-san laughed, exasperated ”Well let's say you could sling a rope from the seventh ward to the sixth ward that way”
Aikawa-san said
”-- so, what then?”
””
”It can support the weight of a hureat But what then? You al force andThis is already pretty nutty -- but what do you do after? Tightrope walking or so?”
”Maybe you do?”
”With the strength of a science geek? Not even circuses nowadays try tightrope walking without even carrying a stick Even if you pulled out the kids from that school, Saijou Tomoe's probably the only one who could pull it off, you know? And then considering your life is on the line, you wouldn't be able to do it with any normal sense of calm”
”No, you cannot say that for sure While the probability is low, it does not mean that it is zero You never knohat people with their lives on the line can do”
”You're saying the opposite thing as you did earlier, Mister Whatever Works Now,” Aikawa-san laughed ”Then I'll say the opposite, too -- hey If you're putting so as precious as your life on the line, ould you take such a dangerous gamble?”
””
”If you're gonna try such an idiotic atte by just ju down”
”No, but That would just be faultfinding,” I tried escaping by leaving a red herring, like in mystery novels ”The solution offered at the end is the truth And in the end, Koutari-san completely accepted the suspicion--”
”Accepted, eh -- hahah,” Aikawa-san laughed drily
”Umm, as it? The proof -- was the hand print on his arm? But you know, Koutari never actually showed that hand print did he?”
”He iven up”
”Given up -- laughable,” Aikawa-san really laughed this ti, Ii-tan, come over here”
”-- what are you going to do?”
”Punch you”
There is no idiot that would hear that and walk over I did nother both of my pal, ”alright, alright”
”I won't punch you, so come here”
I heard that and felt relieved, and walked over
She kissed me
””
”Hmm? What's with that look It's not like it's your first ti is it?”
” well, that, is true”
I shrugged ain and showed composure With a completely unbothered attitude, I cos, sipped coffee, and then spread my arms out
actually, it was my first time
”Anyways, what I want to say, User of Nonsense Is that if you're going to co a more believable lie”
””
Farce -- exactly As Professor Kyouichirou said, it hat a stereotypical sca the truth with a memorable lie And then to truncate the conclusive half of reasoning To output a vague, half-finished solution, to offer a solution that could be interpreted in any number of ways, and to replace the truth with confusion
There was no need for a correct solution
There just needed to be an unexpected solution
Yes, there was never a need for me to uncover the truth
I just needed to surprise them
No ical
Not actions, but logic of recognition
”There was no helping it--” I shi+fted my eyes away in an effort to divert attention Of course, Aikawa-san did not take her eyes off e of white? ”I had no ti of details I realized as going on really at the last second, you know? And I had to cohts after Kokoromi-sensei treated me, so of course there would be holes”
And, andto act out the unexpectedness was difficult For example, there was a ladder in one of the research wards or used a helicopter would be so ridiculous that no one would believe it But it still had to be surprising
”Stopexcuses, idiot”
Wow, so harsh
”You know -- the detective and the suspect and the victim were all accouilt by the suspect no ht as well coant”
”But according to Koutari-san hirade”
”That's too nice I woulda given you a one”
”You are really harsh”
However, I cannot deny that I had every card going for me As the role of the suspect he had already prepared a solution for me -- so all I had to do was decide how to cook it
And that was not all, because I also had a favorable set of cast athered in that research facility They are used to wonders being wonders They understand that this world holds secrets aplenty A puppet show is a very simple performance for an audience like that
That hy all I had to do was point out their oversights -- point out their obscure and irrelevant oversights that they had subconsciously avoided because they were not worth any tied race
And -- pointing out oversights is the forte of the user of nonsense
A bluff to buy time, a counterfeit philosophy
If all I had to do was surprise theht into my hands The smarter they are, the sweeter the sound made by nonsense
”Well, considering that the one point was for the one point needed, it rade anyways”
”What was rough for s in reverse order You know when did you realize the truth, Jun-san?”
”Don't ask These things are better left unsaid,” Aikawa-san raised both of her hands ”And, you'll feel better not knowing”
””
” well, looks like it's about tiulped down the rest of her cup and leaned back And then she pulled out red sunglasses froo ahead and ask, because this ht be the last chance to ask Hey, Ii-tan -- did you really never, not for a isa-chan?”
She asked that, as if she were asking on the side
And that made me pause for a moment
”For Kunagisa, the lock to the seventh ward is like her pinky finger You understood that, didn't you? The Professor wasn't just bla her for the sake of it I'm pretty sure to some extent he was dead serious Because there's no other logical solution Me like feasibility or impossibility or isa Toi Gaisuke?”
””
Mine even if I threw it away
Unpleasant, for someone else to pick up my trash
”-- I”
”You don't need to answer I just wanted to ask,” Aikawa-san placed a finger over o for just a bit longer I'uy”
Aikawa-san said as she stood up with the check in one hand She looked terribly dashi+ng, incredibly gallant, unbelievably cool, ht, that it was hard for someone like me to look at her directly No, probably, I had never been able to look directly at her
However, even so, while looking straight at the red that hurt my eyes, I opened my mouth
”Aikawa-san If we ain”
”Yup? What?”
”Will you sleep with me?”
A voice that was clearly forced into being calm
I knew, that I was covering it
I knew, that I was not covering it well
Aikawa-san looked a bit surprised at me, and had a stunned expression, a rare show of infantile-ness, but the next rin, and stuck out her bright red tongue
”You're a hundred years early, virgin”
And then she flipped the bird at me
”Well, if we find ourselves in a consuain, dear friend”
So she said in the end with Kouta-san's voice, and without waiting for my response, turned her back to me, and left the cafe I was left behind alone at the two-person table I did not think anything for a while I did not want to think anything However -- that was not a luxury I could afford IBy the time I realized it, I had found myself in such a situation
In the end -- as her employer?
Ishi+maru Kouta?
Neo Furuara?
Utsurigi Gaisuke?
Or perhaps -- Koutari Hinayoshi+?
” however, next time”
If such a thing
If such a thing were actually an option for me or not What a difficult question to answer However, if Aikawa Jun were to remain a friend of mine, then it did not sound like a bad idea to devote soht not be a bad idea to live a million years
I thought
I pondered
”Do not judge a person by their appearance -- well, you are right, Aikawa-san”
I thought as I sipped the coffee in front of me If one were to ask if it were possible or iisa to perform the criisa has that bizarre trait -- or perhaps more accurately an oppressive illness that prevents her fro the stairs or elevator, or other such transportation mediums are not an option for her Theoretically and physically impossible
However
If one were to adhere to untheoretical, unphysical hypotheticals If you were to ask if Kunagisa would kill Utsurigi
Kunagisa ht not do it
However, Dead Blue ht
Is what I thought
”-- such nonsense”
Yes, this is of course simply nonsense
However
Even if that security were isa Even if on one else could bypass that security All that isa held the isa herself could not actually execute the crime, if she were to hand the key over to soiven me the anti-lock blade
It would have been possible
”In the end, it depends on what Kunagisa and Utsurigi said to each other that day,” I ine, a conversation between those two geniuses--”
I cannot even begin to iine
But if Kunagisa had told him
If?
It would i was able to walk around the facility at his leisure He could disars He could walk around the facility as he wished
If he knew the back door -- he just needed to use the backdoor Refraining would sinity for the underhanded, anyways
””
Of course, if Kunagisa had told me the backdoor, I would not have been able to carry it out I lacked the skill to use the backdoor However, Utsurigi -- that nant did have the skill And the brain to understand it -- and the arms to carry it out
Then of course, Kunagisa must have told him You can escape froht him every last detail
But Utsurigi rejected it He was not able to accept that offer He was not i called the seventh ward He was imprisoned in the palm of Shadou Kyouichirou
That hy Utsurigi destroyed his own existence
”And he also destroyed Professor Shadou Kyouichirou”
Truly a cracker, truly nant bacteria
It was a story that made you wonder who the Mad De but destroying No saving, no forgiving, no cursing, no killing, just destroying A story that was too ridiculous, too ironic, too unshapely
In the end -- even though it was unnecessary, even though it was obvious Utsurigi would never escape for as long as the Professor used Kunagisa as a shi+eld -- even so for Professor Kyouichirou to have locked up Utusrigi in the seventh ward -- why he was forced to lock him up
Fear toward Utsurigi Gaisuke
Fright toward Utsurigi Gaisuke
Fear and the saisa Tomo
”That Professor knew all along, too”
Ahh, I see, I finally realized
The Professor found out that I had escaped froht, but rather because he had been passed the word I see He was annoyed because I was unable to solve the mystery -- that I was unable to reach the conclusion that he had already prepared
Indeed
Including his conversation with Neo-san, I realized now just how many hints he had strewn so brazenly about--
”But you still never notice--” I put the emptied cup of coffee back on the plate ”But how are you supposed to notice? Although I suppose you could also ask as supposed to notice”
It was quite absurd
Did I really have to put up with that absurdity? Did I really have to go along with that absurdity? Akawa-san gave-- but even that one pointAnd even I could not rate this truth
Ahh, Professor Kyouichirou
Now, finally, I truly understand how you felt
And Kunagisa Tomo
Utsurigi Gaisuke
”There is no way I can think and understand, or even listen and accept how you guys feel”
Much less predict their thoughts
But the solution offered at the end is the truth
That is the rule
The puppet show rule
It does not need to be understood It did not need to be accepted
It did not need rewards, it did not need ratings
Nor demand, nor request
Just, follow
Silent like a la
”-- the upic, you scum”
Make hell the hell named hell
Massacre the Massacre named Massacre
Guilt the Guilt named Guilt
Despair the Despair named Despair
Confuse the Confusion named Confusion
Dominate the Domination named Domination
Don't hold back, none can obstruct us
Be proud, we, of this beautiful world
This is the bedrooe of death allows it
” freedo -- what are you all, Otokojuku[7]?”
Truth the truth?
How stupid How stupid How stupid
What is truth What is real
Cut it out
This is -- just a result
But
If you come up with results -- no one can complain
”No matter how you explain it or interpret it -- it is nonsense”
It is not that I do not understand
I do not know
That is why my explanation, is to not explain
Go forhilebackwards
The last wall
-- and then the waitress hurried over, having noticed the empty coffee cup She asked if I wanted seconds, but I turned her down Is that so, she parted with a smile It was just a business sreat Great things -- never disappear
”-- and this is it for nonsense”
Thump
Echoing footsteps
That sound echoed above the endless FM Radio sounding through the cafe
Thump -- thump thump -- thump thump thump -- thump thump thump thump -- thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump -------
My left arht of the knife I still had equipped underoff the belt of my trouser Well well, how unreliable an armament
And then the footsteps passed by me -- and sat down across from me In the seat that was until just now occupied by est, without any hesitation whatsoever
Legs crossed, and arantly, too
Covered in a rather stylish fashi+on Probably from some famous brands, a pure white suit Gloves Shoes Wristwatch Instead of a lab coat, this was probably the standard fashi+on But everything see in a unique but inti aura
While he wore sunglasses just as he did in the facility, the lenses were no longer orange nor black, but rather an opaque, as close-to-translucent-as-can-be green
And on the other side of the green were his grinning, grinning, laughing eyes But the back of his eyes were not s at all
And he
And he, continued, to say nothing
”-- ahh, it was my turn”
He was a surprisingly conscientious fellow
Despite the situation, I felt a bit pleased
The face of the rolled dice was pleasing
I did not hate, nor did I find it unpleasant
”Did you cut off the arerprints?”
He--
Silently, affir, nodded
It was a very easy answer Truly, an easy solution
If every -- if every time, problems could be solved like this, so cleanly, so clearly, so acceptably, so satisfyingly -- it would be great
”Coisa Dead Blue -- no one else knew of that alias to begin with”
Shut up and watch, Kunagisa Tomo
Kunagisa -- probably knew everything from the start
That Ishi+maru Kouta was Aikawa Jun
The truth, the reality behind the scenes
And this conclusion
And yet she remained silent
She remained silent, and watched
Alright, that is not bad at all
That is not betrayal
There is no betrayal where there is no conviction
There is no betrayal where there is trust
Even I--
Learned how to remain silent
”Well, then--”
Well then, everyone
Please bear with er
I cannot quit such -- amusement
Let us begin the beginning of the end
”You actually hate Kunagisa Tomo, don't you?”
Utsurigi -- Utsurigi Gaisuke, suddenly, without any forewarning or prefacing, as if it were the s in the world, without one bit of wavering or holding back, without a moment of hesitation or a trace of mercy, yet without any sense of pressure or any sense of accusation, as if ad, as slick and s the most obvious of the obvious, asked
I answered
”I don't know”