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Chapter 48: Ei Sekigahara 4
I have to consider my next moves carefully.
Lotta stuff to consider here. Let’s go through everything one-by-one.
Consider Android
(A girl with red glasses and braids… She created NM: C0204, the same pills I take. I saw her at the school… But what business would an android have there? Besides, there was something different about her then…)
Consider DD-426
(DD-426… Likely the root of my memory loss. But who would create such a thing? …And why?)
Music: Bad Omen (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)
Suddenly, the communicator emits the now-familiar voice.
……
We’re not done inspecting all our thoughts, though, so unfortunately this dude’s gonna loop through the whole diatribe again trying to get us to pick up until we answer. Settle down, I’ll get it in a minute!
Consider Oral NM
(Found at the nurse’s office where Chihiro Morimura worked. The label matches the one on the bottle I had. “Oral NM: C0204.”)
Consider Medical Records
Ooh, choices. Let’s start with Ryoko.
(Ryoko Shinonome… Let’s see… “Attempting to delay nanomachine separation in the brain. Applying memory link enhancement… C0204 and C22…” So there are two types of pills, then. C0204 is the same one I have. It’s been over a week since she last received a dose. I wonder how she’s doing… Without the pills, her memory must also be suffering.)
Consider Medical Records
(Shu Amiguchi… He was administered NM: A8076. Looks like a different kind of nanomachine medication. Seems it was only administered once. All it says is “20% transplant rate.”)
Consider Medical Records
(Juro Izumi… He’s receiving two types of treatment. NM: A8075 and B01. He received four doses of A8075… then switched to B01 from the fifth dose on. There’s a scribbled note here… “B01 was synthesized by Tamao Kurabe.”)
Huh, Juro and Shu’s pill numbers are only one number removed from each other. Wonder if that means anything. No, really, I can’t remember if that’s important at all.
Examine Phaser
(A gun from the underground facility in the future. The android was using it.
Examine Communication Device
Fiiiiiiine, I’ll answer.
It seems you found your way onto school grounds. Unless you want to get caught, you shouldn’t wander about.
……
What business did you have there?
I wanted to learn more about the person I killed.
Forgive me. I should’ve been transparent from the start. Did you see anyone else there? Did anyone see you?
…No.
Blatant lies, you love to see it!
…I trust you. Partners don’t lie to each other, after all.
I’d say this dude’s being awful presumptuous calling us “partners,” but he’s also clearly full of shit so whatever.
…Partners? Us?
You really don’t remember? You and I are working together to save everyone.
Everyone? Even the one I murdered?
Well, not her. But everyone else.
That was a necessary action to prevent Operation Aegis. No one else has figured out the truth yet. Those who came from other sectors have been deceived… and Morimura was the one behind it.
……
There’s no coming back after total annihilation. And that was reason enough. It’s why you agreed to take the job.
What job?
You were tasked with retrieving information. It was to be extracted from a certain data unit. But circumstances have changed. That unit may jeopardize our escape. You must destroy it. It’s likely hidden somewhere at Sakura High School. And it may be accompanied by another student. Seek out Natsuno Minami in Class 1-C.
Natsuno…? Guess we’re killing BJ!
Not at all. I’m merely presenting options. The situation must be dealt with one way or another. If we don’t, there’s no turning back.
……
Examine Communication Device
(He’s aware of my circumstances in this world… and he knows about my memory loss, too. Should I have gotten more information out of him?)
Consider DD-426
(It’s basically the nanomachine equivalent of a virus program. …Except it causes brain damage. The infected will ultimately lose their memories… or end up as husks of themselves. It’s likely the cause of my memory loss.)
Consider Natsuno Minami
(Natsuno Minami… All I was told about her was her name and class number. She may be in the possession of that data unit. If not, she’ll know where it is. ……)
It’s my only shot at recovering my memories. Tomorrow, once classes are over… I’ll pay a visit to the school.
Consider Medical Records
(The medical records of three Sakura High School students. Shu Amiguchi, Juro Izumi, and Ryoko Shinonome. They’ve all been administered a pill called NM.)
Consider Natsuno Minami
(Natsuno Minami… She was the one who had that data unit…)
What’re you up to?
I’m just waiting for someone…
Miwako and the others?
No… Someone else.
Ah, okay. Well, I’ll see ya later!
Okay, see you!
Oh, Ei, you poor idiot.
Music: Taking It Easy (Kazuki Higashihara)
Were you waiting for me?
Mhm. I was hoping you’d show up.
……
Use Memories on Iori Fuyusaka
I-I see… Guess I’m not your—
That’s one way to get out of having to reply to a confession, I guess.
Huh?
Yesterday, I only pretended to know who you were.
What!?
But there’s a reason I wasn’t honest. I still don’t know who my enemies are. …I can trust you, right?
Seriously? Of course you can!
Then I’m going to need your help.
I’m happy to help… but I’m *not* happy you lied to me. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?
…I’m sorry.
…How did you find me?
Easy. Your student ID helped me track you down.
Oh, right…
…He doesn’t remember my confession?
No, unfortunately.
Use Memories on Iori Fuyusaka
About my memories, I mean.
Nope. You tend to pop up out of nowhere when I do see you. And when you do, you never really stick around long.
……
Although… The last time I saw you, you had this look in your eyes. Like you really had something to say. Maybe you were planning on telling me then…
Use Natsuno Minami on Iori Fuyusaka
Nat-chan? Yeah, she was just here. She’s the one I was talking to before you showed up.
…!
She’s probably gone by now.
Do you know Nat-chan?
No, not at all…
Use Cryptic Note on Iori Fuyusaka
Okay, at this point we’re operating on classic adventure game “rub everything in your inventory on everyone” logic. There’s no way this is actually gonna help us.
I don’t think so…
In the background, Miwako walks up.
Oh, hey, Miwa-chan.
Oh boy, time for Miwako’s standard hot guy reaction.
Wh-What? Chill out, Miwa-chan.
Sooo, are things going well with you two?
Oh. Well, uh… I’m not sure… Hehehe…
(whispering) So did you get to first?
*blushing* Huh?
No… You didn’t go to second, did you!? Already, Iori-chan!? You move fast!
Miwako rules so goddamn hard.
…Are you done?
Ah! Sorry… I’m doing it again, aren’t I?
Classic Miwa-chan.
Well anyway, just keep at it!
Th-Thanks…
What’re you holding, by the way?
Oh, this? I’m trying to figure out what these numbers mean…
Let’s see here… …… Oh, I think I know what these are for…
…Wait, Miwako knew!?
Please tell me.
They’re for the telephone message service, I think. It just started last month.
Oh, where you can leave messages over the phone?
Mhm. My mom uses it. Whenever she worked late, she leaves me a message.
A message service, huh…
Hey, it’s that girl who keeps trying to shoot you in the face!
(And she’s the one who aimed a gun at my head. She’s definitely up to something.)
Where are you going?
There’s something I need to do…
Do they both live here together?
Music: Lonely Struggle (Rikako Watanabe)
It’s easy when you’re the one holding the gun, isn’t it? But not so much when you’re staring down the barrel. Now tell me… You said that I asked you to shoot me. What did you mean by that?
…That’s just what I was told.
Tell me everything you know.
I—
No, wait!
Very brave Juro, but man, that kitchen must be pretty big for you to not have immediately noticed this ruckus.
You shouldn’t startle me like that. Unless you want to die, that is.
Juro…
You can’t barge into someone’s house without permission.
Huh?
Stay out of this, Juro Izumi.
Izumi? You’ve got it all wrong.
Whoever you are, get out of my way.
He’s not dead. I only stunned him.
Suddenly, the TV turns off.
There must be some trick to it…
The only trick here is my unrivaled genius. Cats aren’t stupid, unlike humans. Especially you. You tried to ditch your Sentinel. You thought you could escape the game? Pff.
Are you talking about the fight against the kaiju?
Sure am. All you could ever think about was running away. But it looks like you came around eventually. I’m guessing you learned some new information.
…New information?
Yeah, you know. The unshakable truth. That’s why you came crawling back… And *begged* me to put you back in the game.
…I did?
Anyway, as promised, I’ll let you back onto the battlefield.
When you say all I could think of was running away… Do you mean I was trying to escape from this world?
Hmph… Who knows?
…Then what did you mean by “new information”?
Man, you really don’t remember a thing, do you? You can always ask, you know.
Miura-kun…
…… Did you say… Miura?
Yes, those are, in fact, the computer’s ellipses just there.
Oh, hello again.
For all third-generation Sentinels, actually.
A familiar voice emanates from the console.
*looking towards the console* …… Just know, I don’t intend to report what you told me. However… I suggest you stop poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.
Afraid I can’t do that. Now, I need a favor from you. If anything happens to me… I want you to keep my line open.
…… *sigh* …Fine.
Wait, Miura!?
I saw Tamao Kurabe at the Sentinel No. 18 lift, too. Who is she? Is she also from the future?
She’s Sentinel No. 18’s pilot.
But I thought only AI could operate Sentinel No. 18.
……
Yeah, uh, heh, about that…
I noticed you didn’t refer to me by number. You used my real name…
Well, you *did* say you were a human once.
So you… believe me?
You got awfully serious. What is it? ……
Let’s talk face to face. Raise the lift so no one else can disturb us.
Heh, “face to face,” I get it, because he’s… whatever.
Quite imposing. Anyway, what is it?
That’s the computer in the underground UFO, right?
Music: STAGNATION (Yoshimi Kudo)
Right. It turns out it was created in the year 2188.
That’s even further in the future than Ida and the others…
I’m positive that’s the era they come from. I spent a lot of time analyzing the mainframe’s data. That’s when I found a massive report on this so-called 2188. I’ve only managed to decode a portion of it so far. Once I’m done, we’ll find out what set this all into motion. Who knows? We might even find a way to save the world.
Really!?
The data on the mainframe has been quarantined. Someone made it inaccessible.
*shocked*
I’m positive Chihiro Morimura was the one who did it.
Morimura?
If I had to guess… there are some things she didn’t want us to find out.
I thought she came here to help save this world.
It definitely seemed that way… But as it turns out, she has ulterior motives.
I’ve tried everything. It’s impossible.
So there’s nothing we can do?
*frustrated sigh*
Impressive, sighing without lungs. Or air.
I’m going to let you in on something. Something even Tamao-san doesn’t know about. …There’s one more data log. The one I copied to my brain.
That’s right. But if Morimura finds it, I know she’ll erase it.
You think? She probably isn’t the only one who wants it erased.
That’s why I’m asking for your help. If this Sentinel suffers extensive damage… please recover the memory block at all costs. When that time comes, I’ll be counting on you.
…I won’t let you down.
What brought you here in the first place?
Oh… Well, I came to update your system. It won’t take long.
Yeah?
…… Miura… Of course we are…
Well, Miura is somehow Sentinel No. 17’s AI. That’s… quite a revelation. Wait a minute, I feel like there’s some other detail about Sentinel No. 17 we heard a long time ago… Oh, right. Wasn’t that the Sentinel BJ’s looking for? The one… he… piloted? …Oh. Fuck.
