Date A Live Encore - Volume 4 - Chapter 6

Kotori Mystery

 
In <Fraxinus>, Itsuka Kotori is walking in a hallway with her friend, Murasame Reine. Even though nobody doubts Kotori's position as a commander now, Reine is the only person who never doubts Kotori since the start. Thanks to that, Kotori and Reine become friends despite their age and position.

 
"By the way, do you have free time next week?"

 
"...When in the next week?"

 
"Hmm, I'm actually fine any day, but maybe around the weekend?"

 
"...Unfortunately, I have something to do on the weekend."

 
"I see. How unfortunate, I was going to ask you to try out a new menu at La Pucelle."

 
"...New menu?"

 
"Millefeuille parfait with seasonal fruit and high-grade mascarpone."

 
"...I'll make time for it."

 
"Now you're talking!"

 
While Kotori is discussing her plans with Reine, a screaming voice is heard in the hallway from the direction of Kotori's office. Reine and Kotori then quickly hurried to the office room.

 
However, since Reine's running speed is extremely slow, a gap between them is large.

 
When Kotori reached the office room at the end of the hallway, she saw <Fraxinus>'s crew, Shiizaki Hinako looking into the office room with her eyes open wide. Kotori asks Shiizaki what happened, Shiizaki flutters her hands and points into the room.

 
"W-when I came here just now, I saw that...!"

 
"As I said, what is it?"

 
Kotori peeks into the room from Shiizaki's side with a dubious look and widens her eyes at the scenery before her Kyouhei is lying face-down in the room. Blood is flowing out from the back of his head, making a pool of blood around him. Fragments of a flower vase could be seen scattered around his body.

 
As if it is a scene from a suspense movie, Kotori feels nausea sticking out to her throat at the smell of blood. Reine reaches the room shortly afterward. She enters the room to where Kannazuki is lying down and places her hand on Kannazuki's wrist.

 
"Reine... h-how was Kannazuki?"

 
"..." Reine closes her eyes and shakes her head. "...Unfortunately."

 
"That can't be..."

 
Hearing Reine's words, Kotori feels like her heart is being squeezed tight. Next to her, Shiizaki collapsed weakly to the floor. Kotori looks at Kannazuki again. The body lying face-down, the blood flowing from the back of the head, the flower vase scattering.

 
Kotori then came up with a possibility — that Kannazuki was murdered by someone, inside <Fraxinus>, the locked room in the sky. Kotori gives Shiizaki a look, and gives her an order.

 
"—Shiizaki, issue an order to suspend the Teleporter."

 
"Eh...?"

 
"I'm saying make it impossible for anyone to escape from <Fraxinus> to the ground. After that, check if there is a suspicious person on the ship, then — I'm going to hear everyone's story. Tell everyone to prepare."

 
Hearing that, Shiizaki realized the possibility. She then widens her eyes and gives a small nod to Kotori. <Fraxinus> is an airship 15km above Tenguu City. The only way to enter the ship is to use the Teleporter, which must be controlled from inside <Fraxinus>.

 
Thus, the possibility of suspicious people being on the ship is extremely low. Even though Kotori gave Shiizaki an order to look for a suspicious person, Kotori already realized it inside. — That the person who murdered Kannazuki might be one of the crew.

 
Two hours after the body is found, few <Fraxinus> crews are gathered inside Kotori's office. Kannazuki's body has already been transferred to another place. The floor is marked with an adhesive tape at where Kannazuki's body was. Location of the fragments of the flower vase are marked with the "A" and "B" markers.

 
Inside the room, there is Kotori, Reine, <Nail Knocker> Shiizaki, <Dimension Breaker> Nakatsugawa, <Bad Marriage> Kawagoe, <Shachou-san> Mikimoto and <Deep Love> Minowa.

 
Everyone is a <Fraxinus>'s crew, and a suspect for Kannazuki's murdering.

 
"—Reine"

 
"...Yes. The approximate time Kannazuki enters this room is around 14:00. We don't know if he is called to the room by someone or have any other reason, it could be assumed that someone hit him on the back of his head. When Shiizaki came to Kotori's room at 14:20, she found Kannazuki's body. That is the story."

 
Minowa then asks while twining her hair with her fingertip who might the someone be.

 
However, Kotori tells her she still doesn't know. There is no suspicious person on the <Fraxinus>, and the crew that could enter Kotori's room at the time of the incident are those that are gathered here right now.

 
Everyone choked up hearing that. Kotori continues that she doesn't want to doubt anyone, and everyone is gathered here to prove that they are innocent. Kotori then asks the crew to tell what they were doing at the time.

 
"Ah, by the way, I was with Reine the whole time. Kawagoe, what about you?" Kotori looks at Kawagoe on the right and asks.

 
"Ha... I was in the sleeping room."

 
"Hmp, were you sleeping?" Kotori asked the obvious question, but Kawagoe looked away awkwardly for some reason.

 
"...Er, I was not."

 
"Then what? What were you doing?"

 
"...I'm sorry, next week is my daughter's birthday so I was selecting her present on the shopping site..."

 
"...I can't praise you for that. Resting is also part of the job."

 
"I-I understand... but my third wife is really hard to deal with. She won't allow me to meet with my daughter except in a time like this."

 
"...Is that so."

 
Kotori sighed then looked at Nakatsugawa. Nakatsugawa adjusted his glasses and answered.

 
"2PM, was it? Well, er..." Nakatsugawa faltered for some reason.

 
"Is it something you can't say?" Shiizaki asked with her eyes half-opened.

 
"N-no, it's not that! I-I was... building a Plamo in the resting room..."

 
"...What are you doing during working hours?" Kotori sighed.

 
"I-I'm sorry..."

 
"Well, is there anyone with you? Any testimony?"

 
"N-no, I was alone — Ah! B-but I saw Minowa-san walking past the resting room to the commander's office!"

 
"What?!"

 
Kotori frowned at Minowa. Minowa waved her hand hurriedly.

 
"N-no! Well, I did walk past the resting room, but I didn't go to the commander's office."

 
"So where did you go?"

 
"That is... er, um... to the toilet." Minowa blushes.

 
"...Okay, just for confirmation, you didn't do anything unrelated to work in the toilet, correct?"

 
"Ug...! I'm sorry, it was a Chance Time in a smartphone game..."

 
"...You all..."

 
Kotori said irritatingly. She then looks at Mikimoto.

 
"So, Mikimoto. What were you doing?"

 
"Yes! I was working on the bridge!"

 
"Can you be more specific about your work?"

 
"Yes. I received a notification from the site and was on a call using the secret channel..."

 
"I see. If you were on a call, then we could just ask the other party for testimony. So, what was the site, and who is the person you talked to?"

 
Kotori asked but Mikimoto remained silent.

 
"You can't say it?"

 
"D-don't tell me, Mikimoto-san...!" Shiizaki said with a shudder of fear. Everyone else in the room stepped away from Mikimoto and was on guard against him.

 
"N-no! I didn't!"

 
"Then you should be able to say it? Who was on a call with you?"

 
"That is... Jennifer-chan from 'Esperanza'..."

 
"..."

 
"...Can you stop using <Fraxinus>'s line to talk with a store girl? We're a secret organization."

 
"I-I'm sorry...! I didn't mean it..."

 
Kotori sighed and looked at Shiizaki.

 
"Then, Shiizaki. You were the first person to find the body."

 
"Yes..." Shiizaki nods while her face still looks pale.

 
"At 2 PM, I think I was still collecting data. I have two or three things to confirm with the commander, so I went to the office, and found vice commander Kannazuki..."

 
"...I see. But for such matters, you can just call me or email me. I don't see the need to go to my office?"

 
"That's true, but I also want to take a break, so I thought I'd ask while I'm at it..."

 
"Hmp... so what is the data?"

 
"Y-yes... actually..." Shiizaki hesitated a little. "...a map of sweets shops in Tenguu City..."

 
"Is that for a spirit’s date? Or was it for your hobby?"

 
"...Er, both."

 
"...Is that so."

 
Kotori sighed once again. Now that Kotori heard everyone's story, nobody except herself and Reine could prove an alibi. Kotori scratches her head. Since <Ratatoskr> is a secret organization, they can't rely on police or detectives to find the culprit.

 
"Um... by the way, why was the vice commander in the commander's room?" Minowa raised her hand and asked with a dejected look. Kawagoe then folded his arms and answered.

 
"Obviously, the culprit called him there."

 
"But it was the commander's room? Doesn't it seem unnatural?"

 
"Hmm, true. The only person that could call someone to the commander's room without getting suspected..." Everyone then stares at Kotori.

 
"...What?"

 
"N-no, nothing..." Kawagoe shook his head with sweat on his face.

 
"Maybe he was not called?" Nakatsugawa changed the topic.

 
"What do you mean?" Mikimoto questioned.

 
"So perhaps it's not a planned murder, but an accidental one." Nakatsugawa answered while adjusting his glasses.

 
"Accidental..."

 
"Yes, something like this."

 
Nakatsugawa then lifts up his finger and continues.

 
(—Excuse me, about the topic earlier.)

 
(Gyaa! Why did you get in without my permission!)

 
(Whoa! C-commander's immature body!)

 
(Shut up! G-get out of the room!)

 
(Haahaa, I-I can't resist anymore!)

 
(Gyaaaaaaaaaa)

 
(Rubs rubs! Pero! Peropero, peroperopero!)

 
"What are you doing, you...!"

 
*Bang*

 
(Augh!)

 
(Ah! K-Kannazuki!? K-Kannazuki…!? H-hey, don't joke with me…!?)

 
"…or something like that."

 
"Ah!"

 
Everyone nods in agreement after Nakatsugawa is done. Kotori protests them saying she won't change her clothes inside the office. Nakatsugawa put on a wry smile and explains that it is only a possibility while shaking his head.

 
Kotori then adds that the flower vase is not something from Kotori's room, and it was not here in the morning. Shiizaki was surprised at Kotori's words and asked back "then whose flower vase is this?" Minowa suggests the flower vase is the culprit's, but Shiizaki is not convinced.

 
Shiizaki then explains that she doesn't see the need of bringing the flower vase into the room just to attack Kannazuki, as the culprit could use something in the room to do that too.

 
Minowa seems convinced at first, but she adds that the only thing in the room that could turn into a blunt weapon is commander's terminal and her PC. If the criminal uses that, the machine would break.

 
Hearing that, Shiizaki suggests maybe the culprit doesn't want the machine to break. Mikimoto continues that the culprit might be someone who will be in trouble if the machine breaks. After his words, everyone's eyesight is gathering at Kotori once again.

 
"...W-what is that, since earlier. You all suspect me?"

 
"N-no! No way!" Mikimoto shook his head.

 
"Really. Before anything, I don't really have any reason to kill Kannazuki! Why do I even need to do that?" Kotori folded her arms and said with a displeased face.

 
"T-that's right. Commander Itsuka doesn't really have any reason to kill such an excellent vice-commander."

 
"I agree. Even though his words and actions are somewhat a sexual harassment sometimes."

 
"Even though he is really creepy sometimes."

 
"Even though the commander got really angry at him sometimes."

 
"I can't believe it would turn out like this..."

 
"Commander! Why don't you consult with us first?!"

 
"As I said, what's with that conclusion!"

 
Hearing the discussion, Reine then wonders about the killing's motive. Kotori also wonders, even though Kannazuki is weird, she never thought someone would hate him enough to kill him.

 
Minowa widens her eyes at Kotori's words, as if she remembered something.

 
Kotori noticed Minowa's reaction and asked her if she had anything in mind. Minowa answers, though she doesn't know if it should be counted as a motive, Kawagoe said something when they went drinking together at the bar. Minowa then looks at Kawagoe, whose face is full of sweat.

 
"Kawagoe-san, you said it, didn't you? That if only Kannazuki is not here, you'd have become a vice commander."

 
"W-what?!"

 
"Don't tell me, Kawagoe-san...!" Everyone is surprised at Minowa's words.

 
"W-wait a minute! That was a joke! Everyone does it too when you drink, right?!"

 
"No..."

 
"Not really..."

 
"I never said that..."

 
"Well, Kawagoe-san really wants to get promoted..."

 
"Are you sure, saying that." Kawagoe grinds his teeth and looks at Shiizaki. "Shiizaki-kun, I saw it."

 
"Eh...?! W-what did you see...?"

 
"That straw doll of yours, I saw you put Kannazuki vice commander's picture on it."

 
"What...!"

 
Shiizaki looks surprised. At the very same moment, a straw doll falls from her pocket. Kannazuki's picture is sticking to its face with Kannazuki's long hair tied to its head. The crew shuddered in fear when they saw it.

 
"T-this is...!"

 
"Hina-chan, don't tell me, you..."

 
"You cursed the vice commander to death...?!"

 
"No, I didn't! This is only a second-type curse, it can't really kill anyone! The victim may get a scar where the nail is hammered, feels a dull pain or feels suffocated, but that's only it..."

 
"...That's scary enough." Kotori said with a tired expression. Everyone then nods in agreement. "Before that, Shiizaki. If you're not the culprit, why did you even have such a thing?"

 
"Well... Kannazuki-san asked me to."

 
"Eh?"

 
"...'Shiizaki-san, you can curse someone right?! I wonder what kind of pain that would feel. Watashi, ki ni narimasu!'..."

 
"Ah..." Everyone nods in agreement at Shiizaki's explanation. It's not strange if Kannazuki said that.

 
"So it wasn't you who attacked Kannazuki?"

 
"O-of course...! If you doubt me for that, I know someone who has an even clearer motive to do it."

 
Kotori then asks her who that might be. Shiizaki turns her face to Mikimoto and points her finger at him. Mikimoto bends backward at Shiizaki's words.

 
"Mikimoto-san! You said it, didn't you? —That you brought Kannazuki-san to the store once and angered at how he took away your favorite girl...!"

 
"Ugh...!"

 
"How about it? Even though you were drunk, you seemed really angry about it."

 
"T-that is..."

 
"Is that true, Mikimoto?" Kotori asks with a calm face. Mikimoto hesitated for a few moments then gave up and gave a nod to Kotori.

 
"Y-yes... but you see, she said she loved me, super loved me, I love you, wo ai ni, mahal kita, I don't have anyone but you, by the way Shachou-san I want that new Chanel product... You see, Catherine-chan who said those to me..."

 
"...Isn't you just being tricked by her?" Shiizaki said with a doubtful face, however Mikimoto didn't take notice and continued while gripping his fist tight.

 
"When she saw the vice commander, her eyes turned into a heart mark and left me...?! How can I make it through without drinking?!"

 
"...Well, Kannazuki-san does look good."

 
"Not only that! The vice commander then said to Catherine-chan 'Hmm, nice legs you have there. Can you step on me for the time being? Saa, saa. Eh? This store is not that kind of store? How unfortunate... Then it can't be helped. Please get me some alcohol. Yes, with a large glass. No, without ice please. Instead, before I drink it, can you bathe your legs with it first? Saa, saa.'..."

 
"Eww..." Kotori knits her brows. That seems like something Kannazuki would say.

 
"Then Catherine-chan creeped out and a man in black suit took the vice commander and me out of the shop. Then I'm banned from entering it ever again! And you know what Kannazuki-san said? 'Haha, I see. This kind of play is OK, it seems.'! He said that after destroying one of the oases of my heart!"

 
"Ah... I can picture it."

 
"And then you did it... I see." Minowa said while acting as if she is swinging down a blunt weapon. Mikimoto then shook his head.

 
"N-no! The story right now is true, but I didn't kill the vice commander."

 
"But, you see..."

 
"Mikimoto-san right now looks just like a criminal who is trying to insist on being a victim..."

 
"I-If you say that, then Minowa-kun! Didn't you say the vice commander destroyed your relationship between you and your boyfriend!"

 
"What...?!"

 
While everyone's eyesight is gathering at Mikimoto, Mikimoto groans and points his finger at Minowa. Minowa was surprised at his action and stiffened her body. Shiizaki inclined her head and questioned.

 
"Wait...? Isn't Minowa-san's boyfriend..."

 
"Isn't the trial already ended? I thought you're not allowed to contact him?"

 
As with Minowa's <Deep Love> alias, her love is so heavy that she has been sued by her boyfriend. Minowa is currently disallowed to be in contact with him. Minowa nods at Kotori's question.

 
"Yes... that is why for a few years until now, I only cloaked myself and observed his actions in secret... Even though we can't meet, before that, we can't even talk, but I was happy. Just hearing the sound of his life in my room, I..."

 
"...Um, you never learned, do you? Minowa-san?" Shiizaki remarked but Minowa ignored him.

 
"But, when the vice commander knew about it, he said to me. 'Ah... , your love for him with all your heart and soul, how wonderful it is. Please let me help!' I was very happy when I heard it. Finally someone understands my pure and platonic love with him! But it was a mistake..."

 
Minowa continues while acting as if she is wiping her eyes. "Kannazuki-san sneaked into his room while he was away and stuck a picture of me everywhere on the wall...! Thanks to that, a bug and a hidden camera is found and I have been summoned to the court again! And you know what Kannazuki-san said? 'Eh? Isn't it a long-term neglect play?'! He played with my pure love for him! Damn you Kannazuki! I won't ever forgive you!!!!!!!!!"

 
"...So in short, you got caught... I mean, for your boyfriend, isn't Kannazuki-san a hero..."

 
"So you killed him because of that..." Nakatsugawa said it, but Minowa folded her hand in disagreement.

 
"I didn't. I won't do something that I will get caught."

 
"..." The rest of the crew put on a wry smile at Minowa's somewhat convincing words.

 
"And if we're talking about motives, I know someone with even larger motives. — Isn't that right, Nakatsugawa-kun?"

 
Minowa glanced Nakatsugawa sideways. Nakatsugawa is surprised that his name is being called and his body shivers.

 
"M... me?"

 
"Yes, you said it, didn't you? That Kannazuki-san defiled your wife."

 
"...!" Hearing Minowa's words, Nakatsugawa's eyes looked as if he was a savage beast.

 
"That looks serious. What happened?" Kotori asked.

 
"...Yes. It was a month ago. When I was pouring my love into Mei-chan in my room..."

 
"Mei-chan?"

 
"A figurine Nakatsugawa-san is treasuring. I think she is a character from Misty something Kid Anime." Shiizaki explains.

 
"Ah, I see." Kotori then nods at Shiizaki's explanation.

 
"Then Kannazuki-san who passed by by accident suddenly got interested in her. It's true that Mei- chan's is younger than other Battle Otome, and her charming immature body is something that Kannazuki-san likes. That time, I got pumped and drank with him..."

 
Nakatsugawa wipes his eyes and continues "But it was a mistake. It has been a while since I drank, so I slept right away. When I woke up, I was shocked at what I saw..."

 
"W-What happened?" Kotori asks while her cheek is dripping with sweat. Nakatsugawa feels upset and raises his voice.

 
"Kannazuki-san was rubbing Mei-chan's body with his lustful hand, not only that, he also licked her! Peropero!"

 
"Eww..." Kotori put on a sullen look and stepped back. Although she doesn't understand Nakatsugawa's hobby, it is definitely unpleasant when your private belongings are licked by someone.

 
"And you know what is the most unforgiving...! Even though I wasn't into NTR, for some reason I got excited! After that I started to get excited in such a situation...! Do you know?! The pain that I have to look at my hundred wives in the other dimension with such eyes...! I won't forgive you Kannazuki! Your sins can't be repented even with your life!"

 
"...Is that so." Kotori said while her cheek is dripping with sweat. Nakatsugawa then shook his shoulders realizing something and made an excuse.

 
"B-But I didn't do it! I didn't kill him...!"

 
Everyone looks at Nakatsugawa for a while and avert their eyes away when they realize they are in the same boat. Kotori then said with a sigh that when they talked like this, everyone seemed to have their own motives.

 
"...Well, he is like that."

 
"Though I know he doesn't have any ill will..."

 
"His words and actions are usually really creepy..."

 
"And he's a real pervert, in the true sense of the word..."

 
"I don't intend to defend the criminal, but I think I understand his feelings..."

 
"I wonder why he doesn't get caught..."

 
"..."

 
Everyone kept silent for a short moment, then...

 
"—Hahaha. What happened, with everyone together like this?"

 
The office's door opens suddenly. Kannazuki walks into the room with a refreshing smile and a bandage on his head. Everyone in the room opens their eyes wide for a moment, and realizes.

 
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!"

 
"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-what...?!"

 
"G-Ghost?!"

 
"Hmp? Such a novel reaction. As if you're seeing a ghost." Kannazuki said with a smile on his face.

 
"Kannazuki?! You're alive?!" Kotori asks, but Kannazuki widens his eyes at her question.

 
"Of course I am. Ah, is this a new type of neglect play, treating if I'm something that doesn't exist?! Ah... I like it! I'm fine with something like this too!"

 
After seeing Kannazuki's reaction, Kotori is sure that Kannazuki before her eyes is the real one.

 
She then looks at Reine who kept quiet for a little while ago.

 
"Reine, what is this? Didn't you said Kannazuki is dead—"

 
"...? I didn't say it."

 
"Eh? But you—" Kotori then remembered Reine's words when she took Kannazuki's pulse. Reine shook her head and said "unfortunately." That's right, Reine didn't say Kannazuki was dead. Kotori mumbles "How misleading...".

 
Kannazuki then notices that everyone's atmosphere is different from usual. Kannazuki opens his eyes wide, places his hand on his mouth, and sobs. "D-don't tell me everyone is worrying about me...! Ohh, how touching! The world is so beautiful!" Kannazuki then spread out his arms.

 
The crews knit their brows and sighed quietly.

 
"? What happened, everyone?"

 
"No, nothing."

 
"Yeah... nothing..."

 
"I didn't think 'Damn criminal, why don't you finish him properly' at all."

 
"Oh, is that so."

 
Kannazuki laughs. The crew looked at him and sighed again. Kotori then suggests that even though Kannazuki is safe, it didn't change the fact that an incident happened. Kotori then asks if Kannazuki remembered what happened before he lost consciousness and asks him who is the culprit that hit him on the head with a flower vase.

 
"The culprit... is it? No, I just tripped on my own."

 
"What...? What do you mean?"

 
"Even if you ask that, it's exactly as I said."

 
"What?! Then why are you in my office? And what's with the flower vase...!" Kotori frowns at Kannazuki. Kannazuki then raised his thumb and said with a smile.

 
"Ha! I thought I'd place a flower vase with a hidden camera in the commander's room, but I slipped."

 
"..."

 
The crew that had been gathered in the room kept silent hearing that.

 
"...Shiizaki."

 
"Yes."

 
Kotori called Shiizaki with a small voice. Shiizaki understands what she meant and hands her a straw doll. Kotori twisted the doll with all her might. And how mysterious, Kannazuki who was standing at the entrance collapsed to the floor holding his stomach.

 
"Thank you very much?!"

 
While still in pain, Kannazuki said with a happy voice, as expected.