by Kamiya Yuu
…However.
“I can’t hear anything after all.”
Naoto said with a soft, yet audible voice.
“I can’t hear anything. This clocktower has stopped—like it’s completely empty.”
The air suddenly felt heavy.
Marie’s voice was tangled in her throat, and seemingly wanting to affirm this, she said,
“…Do you know what you’re saying?”
That quivering voice was dry.
The Clock Tower had stopped.
The words were few and brisk, but what exactly was with this sort of an anomalous situation?
This was not simply the case of lowered functionality and causing extra burden on other Clock Towers. if the Core Tower was the brain of a city, the Clock Tower would surely be the vital organs. They were the lifelines of the city’s functions, to a point where there would be no benefit in swapping out any of them.
For example, the human body cannot perform its vital functions if it is lacking in any organs.
As the ex-Meister who partaked in many city maintenances, Marie was clearly able to imagine what would have happened.
Naoto turned his head back, and saw the exceptionally terrified look on her face, blood practically drained from her face.
“That’s why now, this isn’t just on the level of ‘abnormal’. This entire street is already.”
She gasped
“Dead, that’s what it is.”
“!!”
A bead of sweat trickled down Naoto’s cheek. It was not due to the steaming heat, and his limbs, trembling slightly, clearly indicated that was not the case.
In the midst of the silence, RyuZU narrowed her eyes sharply as she said.
“I see. So this is the reason why ‘there is no wind’ on this street.”
With this line, Marie and Halter widened their eyes.
At this time, the industrial complex in front of their eyes should be facing that thing called the ‘sea’.
Thus, it was impossible not to have wind. Despite this however, there was nary a breeze blowing at the watchtower.
“…This really isn’t something that simple.”
Halter muttered in a groan.
An ill premonition rose up his spine as he let out a sigh.
He did feel that something was amiss before they departed, and this was turning into a terrifying reality for him.
He turned his stare towards a silent Marie beside him, and said,
“Milady, I think it’s good to re-analyse that transmission again, you know?”
“Eh?”
“Normally, I won’t say anything if you have any grievances, Milady, but now that things have soured, I suppose the situation has changed, right?”
“…What’s going on?”
Halter nodded slightly, placed a hand on his forehead, and let out a sigh.
“First off…the premise is that the microwave transmission can’t reach a wide range.”
“I already know that. In other words, that guy—”
She cut off her words.
Marie’s face gradually became one of understanding, and Halter nodded slightly.
She recalled the taunting mail that was sent.
The prank mail that was deliberately sent using microwaves, a fossilized technology in this era.
If she were to calm down and think about it, there were too many skeptical points about this.
Marie let out a pant, licked her lips, and said,
“If that message really is sent to me, the one able to send it—needs a few prerequisites.”
“That’s how it is. One of them is obvious is that you’re still alive and living in Kyoto, Milady. The other is…”
“The one able to receive this message—in other words, someone who knows that you’re with me, Halter.”
Marie continued off from where halter left off, and nodded.
And with the duo’s conversation, Naoto seemed to have thought of something as he said,
“Ah, I see, uncle. Didn’t you say back then that those guys doing ‘special jobs’ are also using wireless transmissions?”
“It’s not some standard equipment actually, but…”
Halter let out a wry smile as he nodded.
“It’s not rare to have such a function installed in cyborg prosthetics that engages in unique—illegal activities. I too have it, and many infiltration troops or agents would have such things too.”
Also, Halter pondered.
If that person was using such prosthetics, it would not be a surprise to for him to have information about them.
—Marie Bell Breguet died, and the terrorist who leaked the information remained at large.
But that was simply just wanted was officially stated on the surface.
For the information syndicates, the information bureau of the 5 Enterprises for example, Marie and Halter’s current locations and identities were basically an open secret.
And so, naturally, Halter continued.
“I’m not saying that the possibility of it being just a prank is zero. Maybe it was just a transmission sent in all directions many times, and that maybe the original recipient wasn’t meant to be Marie. Looking at this current situation however, let’s forget this for the time being and go back to the start again.”
“In other words, why this sender decided to use eletromagnetic waves, huh?”
Marie nodded, and pondered.
For the time being, they would erase all pre-existing hints, including whether Halter did receive the message by chance.
It was already a severe crime to use electromagnetic waves without any permit.
It was way too risky to send this prank that may not reach its target.
Marie clasped her hands together, pressing it against her little chin.
And so, the first thing she thought of was—
“…A ‘trap’?”
“If that’s the case, some conditions are lacking.”
Halter immediately denied this, and looked over to Naoto.”
“There’s a higher chance of it being a prank, but even if we do get baited, we can’t possibly track him down without Naoto here.”
“…In other words, it’s not enough intel for him to lure us out.”
“Before that, wasn’t it you who went rampaging and not letting it go because of the mail, Milady—my apologies. Please continue.”
Halter muttered, only to stop himself when Marie shot him a dirty glare.
“In that case…it probably is a ‘warning’. Or rather.”
“A ‘notification’? That doesn’t give a reason as to why he would use a microwave transmission.”
Halter shrugged his shoulders.
No matter what sort of message it was, it would be meaningless if it did not reach its target.
For the sender to take such unnecessary risk, there clearly was a reason why he used an electromagnetic transmission.
What if?, Marie lifted her face.
“Maybe there’s a possibility that this electromagnetic transmission itself is a message.”
“Isn’t it too indirect? It’ll be better to just write it out, or maybe convert it into a code.”
“But what if…he was forced to do this?”
“Using an electromagnetic transmission instead of a gear transmission in this era? What kind of situation can that be…?”
Halter groaned as he sighed.
And so, Naoto, who had been silent till this point, suddenly raised his hand.
With a smile, he said in a single breath.
“I see. The mystery’s all solved now!”
“…”
Marie and Halter gave Naoto incredulous looks in response to his words.
And with those looks, Naoto looked extremeley serious as he muttered,
“What’s with this cold reaction?”
“No, that’s because…”
Halter averted his eyes skeptically, and Marie sighed, saying,
“What do you w
ant to say? Let’s hear from you.”
She prompted him to continue on with a disbelieving voice.
Naoto nodded, and confidently boasted, saying,
“In other words—there’s a possibility of there being an Initial-Y series over here, no?”
……
Marie closed her eyes to ponder Naoto’s words, regurgitating them.
“—Erm, well.”
“Yeah?”
With a tender smile of a kindergarten child, Marie said to a confident Naoto.
“None of those are related, you know? I already began to feel this way when I first met you, but now my mind’s blown, you know? It’s fine, I guess you’ll be fine drinking some medicine…a bit better, maybe.”
“No, hear me out a little. You’ll understand it if you think about it normally.”
Naoto’s eyes were half-closed as he muttered, and Marie sighed,
“Is that so? I really have no idea where you got that name from.”
“—I see. So that is how it is.”
RyuZU suddenly interrupted.
“The sender was trying to transfer some information, and yet was unable to do so in that suitable. If we assume that to be the situation—there is such a possibility.”
Marie frowned skeptically.
Why would she be saying such a thing too? Marie wonder. Naoto’s sudden ramblings were not something that actually began at this moment, but even RyuZU at least would have some semblance of sanity in his mind, excluding the fact that she had a ridiculous swear filter function.
And so, Halter spoke up, seemingly to express Marie’s doubt,
“…I’m really sorry, Missy. I’m stupid, so I can’t understand what you just said…”
“Yes, that may be the case, but there is no need to despair that might. Your self-awareness makes you akin to a Mr Rotten Metal that is ranked higher than mitochondria.”
RyuZU solemnly concluded, and narrowed her eyes.
“This sender may have met my little sister.”
—Eh? And all that were present turned to look at RyuZU.
“Did you not say it beforehand? ‘It’s not rare to have such a function installed in cyborg prosthetics that engages in unique—illegal activities’ The sender may have been forced to use this microwave transmission. Assuming that the sender was already in that predicament, it can be deduced that it was not under ordinary circumstances, but during a mission instead.”
RyuZU calmly continued with her words.
“Supposing that the sender encountered a predicament beyond his expectations while in the midst of gathering information, and was unable to escape. His final means would be send a code to you, Master Marie? This would indicate that the sender was involved in such a situation.”
“Ohh, as to be expected of you, RyuZU! Yes yes yes, this is what I want to say!”
Naoto nodded excitedly.
But Halter stroked his chin skeptically,
“In other words…that certain thing’s a member of the Initial-Y series?”
“Oh? Do you have any disagreements with that?”
“That’s the only issue I have here. There are quite a few situations in missions where we can’t escape, and alive aside that, what reason would someone an agent undertaking a mission provide intel to our Milady? I dare say the sender’s not a Breguet.”
“I do not know that much, but I do not think that is something that important.”
“No, isn’t that the biggest mystery…?”
While Halter muttered, Marie merely nodded slightly.
“But if an agent undertaking the mission is the sender—this condition can explain why the ‘resonating gears’ aren’t used, but microwaves instead.”
“Yo, Milady.”
“This theory may be a little far-fetched, but anything is possible till this point. Leaving aside why I’m the receiver, there’s only one doubt left, the real intent of the message.”
That message. That transmission was the reason why Marie came to this place.
That was,
“—Hey Bitch. Aren’t you getting all too jumpy over there, you ghost girl? Are you not satisfied because your little hole hasn’t received anything? Are you waiting for the little big cock to fuck that thing you have? Shake your cute little ass and beg me here, you Nympho.”
That was it.
RyuZU narrated it fluently like a repeated broadcast.
Marie smiled savagely as the veins popped out of her temples
“—Even if it was really something beneficial, I’m definitely going to hang that guy.”
Marie hissed such a declaration, but RyuZU ignored her as she continued on solemnly,
“But pardon my directness, Master Naoto, is there really a code in there? Though the other person is uncouth, he really is insightful, no? I can only see truth in this no matter how I think about this.”
“You wanna get wrecked!? I’m a virgin!!”
“…Oh?”
“…!”
She just declared that she was a virgin in the wilderness.
Completely enraged and embarrassed, Marie’s face was flushed red as she turned away, her clenched fists quivering madly.
Halter pressed down the shoulders of this girl who was about to explode at this point, and continued on with the topic,
“…Anyway, assuming that our hypothesis is correct, let’s think about it. First—well, the little big cock to fuck part? This does seem like a strange way of describing it.”
Naoto folded his arms, and spoke up,
“Normally thinking—well, what does that mean? Little, big, that thing?”
“Well, the word ‘cock’ does have the meaning of ‘bird’ and ‘stopper’.”
Halter gave a wry smile, and continued,
“Also, there’s the meaning of ‘nonsense’ or ‘wind vane’—or it can also have the meaning of ‘whim’. Also, though I’m not willing to consider it this way, but back when I was in the army…”
At this moment, Halter froze. A still-agitated Marie glanced diagonally upwards at him, prompting him to continue,
“What?”
Halter gasped,
“…That’s what we call the ‘firing hammer’.”
—
Silence descended upon them.
Marie’s narrowed her eyes sharply, lowered her head, and pressed her right hand on her chest.
“…In other words, it means that there’s a little weapon that’s big in firepower?”
“Yeah. But I have to say this, a gun that requires a cocking motion nowadays is—”
“I get what you’re saying. Cocking, an antique? Little and big, antique arms, arms…”
Marie continued to mutter in rhythm, and suddenly looked towards RyuZU, standing beside her.
“…? What is the matter?”
RyuZU’s skeptically tilted her head, but Marie ignored her as she bit her lips.
—The first model of the Initial-Y series.
An antique automata which could easily wreck all modern weapons.
…Maybe this is really what it’s hinting at. She thought.
“A small big cock (small, powerful, weapon)…?”
After hearing Marie’s little mutter, RyuZU simply showed a sweet smile.
And then, she lifted her skirt, the hem letting loose an ominous gear grinding sound.
“Master Marie, you actually called me a male reproductive organ. My apologies, I have never realized that you were so irked with life. I shall now fulfill your wish.”
Accompanying the words were the black scythes that could easily sever heavy-armored automatas.
Marie raised her hands, shrieking,
“Wait, woah!!! I-I don’t mean that way!”
And then, an inspiration struck her.
She turned her head to Naoto, and standing there was a boy who looked nonchalant and stupid, yet arrogant and uncouth if seen in another direction.
This guy just made that guess instinctively…?
Marie n
arrowed her eyes.
There were flaws in that guess, and there were many ways of refuting that guess no matter what, and the logic was a little far-fetched. Even so, she could not deny his thinking, just that it was extremely unlikely and ridiculous.
And in any circumstances, the chances of him being correct was not zero.
The most important crux to this was that his almost unnatural trail of thoughts was able to conclude this so quickly. Marie did see such instances before.
Marie’s older sister, or a few of the Meisters she worked with, were of this category themselves. They were people with astounding instincts, able to conclude through their instincts, not by getting the answers through logical deductions and verifications, but to skip the entire process to obtain the correct answer…
Their ideas were typically so out of the world.
But even so, with some actual verification, they would be deemed to be almost completely perfect.
Assuming that a person like Naoto Miura, who had such a superhuman-like abnormality, was that sort of person, perhaps his instincts were infinitely closer to the truth…
Marie groaned silently, and then slowly opened her mouth to admit.
“—It may sound stupid, but there may be an Initial-Y series model here.”
“You serious, Milady?”
And Halter spoke up.
Marie met his surprised look right in the eyes, and waved her hand.
“I don’t have any intel regarding where the Initial-Y series are. I can’t deny that there’s a possibility of it being here.”
“No, we’re still not certain if it’s referring to the Initial-Y series, and I guess there are still other explanations…isn’t this getting too far-fetched?”
“I know that very well. I just can’t deny it completely, and in fact—”
Marie stared at the street below.
If it was a ghost city as Naoto had said, a faux city ripped of its gears,
“…We can only go inside and check it out ourselves.”
“Yeah! In other words, we’re going to find another of the Initial-Y series, right? I wanna take part in this sandbag thing! How can I not be involved if you do find RyuZU’s little sister? I’ll be so envious! Let’s go, RyuZU!”
“You’re really the same as usual…”