Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru - Volume 3 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Yesterday’s friend is today’s enemy. 

My disagreements with Charlotte Arisaka Anderson didn’t exactly start recently. 

It was more than three years ago since we first met. I had been working as Siesta's assistant for about half a year by then, and had finally gotten used to the…no, I hadn’t gotten used to the unusual life. 

“I want you to meet someone tomorrow.” 

When Siesta said that, I became suspicious, wondering stuff, like “Is that Siesta’s man?” I was so anxious when I went to sleep…no, I wasn’t anxious, I was just a little moody. 

And so the next day, Siesta brought a girl of similar age called Charlotte Arisaka Anderson. I remembered my first conversation with her. 

“Who’s this girl with black rings under those eyes?” 

“Who’s this guy with black rings under those eyes?” 

We insulted each other instead of having conversation. That day, there was a certain task to be done, and I wasn’t of sufficient help to Siesta, so Charlotte was called in …but she looked exceptionally annoyed. 

Thanks to a certain incident, Charlotte seemed to have viewed Siesta as her master, and herself as the eldest disciple. However, she was rather shocked to see me show up as the assistant. 

As expected, Charl and I failed miserably during the most important part of our work. Siesta’s order was for us two to work together and capture a target. But since we had such a bad first impression on each other, there was no way we could have worked well together. 

“Charlotte! Didn’t you realize that you’ve been stepping on my foot?” 

“Ah, sorry. I thought that was your face.” 

“Don’t reach your foot here!” 

We continued to bicker, and wanted to claim full credits to ourselves rather than focus on our combination, so that target got away . 

After that, we met up from time to time, whenever Siesta felt like it, and we always fought each other. That rotten bond was once broken by Siesta’s death…and then we were reunited, but, well, maybe it wasn’t broken to begin with. 

After all? 

"Kimizuka, nobody will ever be willing to marry you. That’s impossible." 

Since our encounter three years ago, Charlotte continued to berate me. 

"Well that's unreasonable." 

Minutes after I asked Scarlet to escape with Natsunagi and Saikawa, I found myself insulted by Charl for some reason. After our intense argument, we were in the wrecked living room, lying next to each other. 

"Will anyone nowadays actually beat up a weak girl?" 

I see. It seemed she’s unhappy about the last cheap shot I delivered to her at the very end. But to be honest? 

"I'm far more seriously injured." 

Next to Charl, I argued back while feeling the pain in my cut mouth. 

She was injured from Scarlet’s strike, but I still couldn’t beat Charl head on. It’s a miracle that I could live on like this. 

"Haa, I can’t exert any strength. Help me up here." 

The killing intent from before felt like a lie, and Charl let out a feeble voice as she raised her arms towards the ceiling. 

"Are you Siesta?" 

"…I never had intel of you doing this with Ma'am." 

"…I had to, I had to." 

Otherwise, that nap-loving detective wouldn’t leave that blanket at all. 

"Haa, whatever." 

Charl said, and got up. 

"Here." 

She said, and reached her hand out to this wounded me. 

"Is there poison?" 

"How little do you trust me?" 

Charl tried to laugh it off, 

"…Well, you know." 

She noted in a self-deprecating manner, and silently pulled her hand back. 

I endured all the pain in my body as I sat up, and faced Charl. 

"But Charl. You never really tried to kill me…right?" 

Charl didn’t respond to that. 

But during that confusion just now, Charl did say?her objective was to kill Yui Saikawa. Natsunagi and I happened to be there. 

And during the fight thereafter, it didn’t seem like Charl was serious. To be honest, that would be there’s some room for a conversation with her. 

"Even if it’s you, I won't tolerate it if you keep getting in my way." 

Charl averted her eyes, and answered so. 

"Charlotte, why are you targeting Saikawa’s life? Aren’t we companions?" 

Saikawa and Charl first met each other ten days ago, on the cruise tour. 

It's true that it wasn’t long since they met, but they had been living together under the same roof over the past few days. Charl had no reason to hate Saikawa. So why? 

"Companion? Who?" 

But Charl let out a dry laugh, and cut my question off. 

"I never had any of those." 

When Charl said that, there was no sense of pretense nor confusion on her face. 

She meant it. That’s how she always lived. 

"In the organization, I only act on the mission I’m given. This is my job, my life. There’s no sense of ambiguity allowed, like companion." 

Charlotte Arisaka Anderson?a lonely agent who received top notch military training since young, and wandered through various organizations. The orders of the organization were everything to her, and the notion of disobedience never occurred to her. 

"You mean the organization ordered you to assassinate Saikawa?" 

I asked, and Charl silently admitted so. 

Saikawa’s assassination. The moment I heard of this, I thought of the existence of ?SPES?.I couldn’t help but think so because of the prior incident involving the sapphire. But? 

"Charl, you don’t have any relation with ?SPES?, do you?" 

That was what Bat talked about earlier. ?SPES? …no, SEED’s objective was to use Saikawa’s body as a vessel, and wouldn’t kill her. 

But now the order from the organization to Charl was to assassinate Saikawa. No matter how I looked at this, it didn’t make sense. 

"…Yes, that’s right. I never betrayed you and defected to ?SPES?." 

It’s the opposite,  so she said. 

"I, and the person who ordered me to, have the same objective as all of you. We’re aiming to destroy ?SPES?." 

"In that case?" 

"But unlike you, we’re prepared to use any means necessary." 

Charl said, her eyes looking cold, and showed no compromise nor weakness. 

"You already understand, don't you? SEED’s in a state where it has to change vessels. What do you think SEED will do if the vessel is destroyed?" 

"…! If it doesn’t have a vessel to switch into, SEED." 

Will die. 

We didn’t have to fight SEED’s body directly. We just needed to destroy the vessel. 

If Yui Saikawa died, so would SEED. 

"…So you’re willing to sacrifice Saikawa to defeat SEED?" 

"I said it before, didn’t I? Our resolves are different." 

"Who.." 

I couldn’t help but stand up and say so. 

"Tell me this at least. SInce you're an agent who’ll always follow orders, tell me who’s your superior that came up with that crazy plan?" 

"It’s me." 

A cold, stoic voice echoed through the room, and dampened my agitation. 

I turned towards the source of the voice at the entrance, and over there was, 

"I’m the one who ordered the assassination of Yui Saikawa." 

A red-haired policewoman stood there, still gnawing the cigarette as befitting of her. 

The initial enemy was right there 

"Fuubi-san?" 

The appearance of the unexpected person caused my thoughts to freeze momentarily. 

In the meantime, she put out her cigarette with her foot and walked over to us. 

What’s going on here? I wanted to ask her, but? 

"Charlotte, what are you slacking off for?" 

The next moment, Fuubi-san smacked Charl. 

Charl rolled over heavily, and with a painful groan, she crouched down. 

"……! What are you doing!?" 

But Fuubi-san ignored me, approached Charl who was on the floor, and pulled her blond hair. 

"Say Charlotte. I ask of you again. What are you doing?" 

"My, apologies…" 

"Huh? I’m asking what are you doing? I told you?to eliminate Yui Saikawa here." 

Fuubi-san said, and pulled Charl’s hair hard once again. 

"…! What are you doing!?" 

I had enough, and got between the two of them. 

"Kimizuka, is she the person you should be protecting?" 

…Yeah, she might be an enemy who just targetted my companion, but, 

"Fuubi-san, you shouldn’t be hitting her." 

"…Hmph, now you’re talking." 

She didn’t seem receptive to my words, but she pulled some distance from Charl and me. 

"You alright?" 

I spoke to Charl, who had a swollen cheek. There’s blood oozing from her lips, probably because her mouth was cut. 

"…There’s no reason for me to receive your concern." 

"Seems like you’re alright if you can insult like that." 

And then, there’s one more person I had to face. 

"Fuubi Kase?who exactly are you?" 

She could give Charl orders, and instigate the assassination of Saikawa from the shadows. Who exactly was she? 

And to answer my obvious question, 

"?Assassin?." 

She said with no intent to hide it. 

"…So you’re one of the ?Tuners? too?" 

"Yeah, so you know about that term too?" 

"I always believed that you’re just a kind-hearted policewoman." 

"Hah, a mere female officer couldn’t possibly be a deputy inspector at this age." 

Fuubi lit another cigarette, and exhaled hard. 

"The police officer thing, that’s a disguise. My role amongst the ?Tuners? is the ?Assassin? ?I disguise myself, fool the world, kill the enemy. That’s my job." 

"…So that enemy’s Saikawa this time?" 

"No." 

Fuubi narrowed her eyes, and denied my words, 

"My target has always been ?SPES?." 

…That’s exactly what Charl said.. 

"So you’ll kill Saikawa if it means defeating SEED?" 

So her thought was that by killing Saikawa who would be the vessel of SEED’s revival, she could indirectly kill SEED? 

"That’s how it is. SEED went out to interact with Scarlet, and even that Scarlet teamed up with Bat and acted suspiciously, so we probably don’t have much time left. I ordered her to stay by your side…but I never expected her to be so useless." 

Fuubi looked down at Charl coldly. 

"……" 

Charl looked aside, remorseful at her own failure, and bit her lips. 

"I would have given the order earlier if that robot hadn’t gotten in my way…goodness, the plan’s in a mess." 

I see, so ?Siesta? went over to Fuubi yesterday. She already realized that Bat wasn’t the one to be dealt with, but rather Fuubi, and spent the whole day fighting, stopping her, until now. 

"Now then, Charlotte, where are they now?" 

You should know that,  she asked Charl with a thoroughly intimidating voice . 

"…Looks like they went to the airport." 

Charl then stumbled to her feet, a hand on the table as she stood up. 

She placed a tracker on Saikawa…? Well, we’ve been living together, so there’s lots of time to plant one. 

"I see. So the lady has a private jet, huh? I’ll order for the airport to be shut down. Let’s hurry." 

Fuubi turned around, dragged Charl along, and prepared to leave. 

"You think I’ll let you go?" 

If that’s the cae, that’s a pity. 

I didn’t wait for her answer, and aimed my gun at her back. 

But. 

"Obstruction of justice." 

The moment I heard that voice, I found myself thrown onto the floor. 

I found it difficult to breathe. 

For a moment, I thought I was shot, but I didn’t hear any gunshot, nor was there any bleeding. 

Just one hit. One hit, I got hit in the chin. 

I just couldn’t move, and my vision turned faint. 

They then ignored me, and left the house. 

"…First of all, that’s a violation of the Firearms Act." 

I had such an unimportant retort in mind, and my consciousness finally faded. 

And then, I didn’t know how long I lost consciousness. 

But then I suddenly smelled something familiar. 

I slowly opened my eyes, as though I was led to do so. 

There was someone standing there, and I reached my hand out. 

"……Sies, ta?" 

I instinctively called out the very familiar word. 

“Haa” That person then let out a deep sigh, and narrowed her eyes in a manner unbefitting a robot as she said to me while I was on the floor. 

"??You really are a fool, Kimihiko." 

If only you can be my assistant. 

"You looked hopeless." 

Siesta? lifted me up, and said with a dumbfounded look. 

"And you messed up my house. I shall charge you for the repair costs." 

"…Ack, That's unreasonable." 

I just fended off so many enemies. You should be praising me for hanging on for so long. 

"Anyway, you're the one looking terrible." 

She probably fought Fuubi before she came here. There were a few tears on her clothes, and I could see some scars on the skin that could be seen from there. 

"I was not defeated. It was merely a tactical retreat." 

"You really have as much pride as the real Siesta." 

"Tearing this maid uniform is merely a reluctant choice to suit your tastes, Kimihiko." 

"And don’t inherit the part about viewing me as a pervert." 

Goodness, this android. Not only did she look like the original, her personality and attitude towards me were the same. Natsunagi and Saikawa managed to put the past behind them, and I too wanted to graduate from various things…seriously, spare me already. 

"Say, what should I do?" 

…So it's no wonder I had to ask her for help. It's not my fault. It's society's fault. It's Siesta's fault. 

"I suppose you know the situation here is a little sticky." 

Unexpectedly, Charl betrayed us. If this kept up, Saikawa would surely be killed, and so would Natsunagi trying to stop them. There’s no way I could beat Charl when she was serious and then there’s that ?Tuner? Fuubi. 

Besides, if I chose to protect Saikawa, it might end up allowing SEED to revive. That’s basically a sacrilegious act against the world. 

"How pathetic of you." 

Siesta? sighed once again, and probably had enough of seeing me so frustrated. 

"In your case, Kimihiko, the world has already viewed you as an enemy." 

"That’s quite the deep karma…what grave sin did I commit in my previous life?" 

In any case, I didn’t want to be an enemy of the world either. 

And. 

"Even if that’s true, there was Siesta." 

Even when I had the world as my enemy, she was always next to me. 

Are you a fool? She would berate me, hold my hand, and we would fight together . 

As long as Siesta was there, I wasn't alone. 

"I’m fine as long as Siesta’s around." 

I couldn’t help but mutter so when I thought of the past. 

"…Kimihiko, did you utter so without realizing?" 

And for some reason, I noticed that ?Siesta? stared at me. 

"Hm? What do you mean?" 

I asked ?Siesta?, 

"…I wonder if my maternal instincts were unexpectedly piqued by that sullen look on your face." 

She murmured so with a voice too soft for me to hear. 

Well, in such moments, she’s basically badmouthing me. I guess it’s wiser to play dumb…yep,, that’s way too wise. 

"So, what are you going to do, Kimihiko?" 

Siesta? turned to me and asked me that question again. 

"An ally betrayed you. Your companion is in a crisis. There are too many powerful enemies, and finally you might be an enemy to the world?What would you do in such a situation, Kimihiko?" 

Siesta? ’s blue eyes stared right at me. 

It’s hard to imagine that she was man-made. She gave me the choice, with the exact same look as she gave that day. 

Should I abandon my companion and save the world? 

Or should I save my companion and make an enemy of the world? 

No matter how I thought about it, the burden of and decision was too heavy. 

For eighteen years, I got involved in various incidents. 

So why was it that the fate of the world was in my hands? 

"You are not drawn into trouble. You willingly get involved with them." 

…Goodness, that’s exactly what Hel said. 

But in this case. 

There’s only one action I had to take. 

There’s only one line for me to say. 

But if after this, I was the crucial character who pulled the entire world in this mess, there was someone I had to involve in the first place. 

It didn’t have to be the real person.. 

It’s only for now?but even then. 

"Siesta?be my assistant." 

I didn’t know what expression I had. 

But I was sure it was really awkward, and I held out my left hand. 

"Understood. Over here." 

Siesta agreed, but she didn’t hold my hand, and merely hurried off in a certain direction. 

"…Hey ?Siesta?. Didn’t you think I just said a really cool line?" 

It's pretty embarrassing to be ignored, oy. 

"We spent too much time. We cannot catch up to them if we do not hurry" 

"It’s so logical that I can’t argue back at this." 

"And also, I feel infuriated to see you all emotional, Kimihiko." 

"I wasn’t planning on that. Don’t badmouth me at this time." 

I grumbled, and followed ?Siesta? down the hallway?and over there was. 

"A wall…?" 

At first glance, it appeared to be a dead end. 

"Open sesame." 

Siesta? recited a completely old-fashioned spell for this era, and the wall rumbled aside, revealing a flight of stairs. 

"Let us go." 

Siesta? led me down the stairs. 

"Didn't you have a better spell?" 

"The spell itself is insignificant, for the identification function is based on the sound waves of my voice." 

Well, I guessed that’s ?Siesta? ’s lair for you. 

"Thus, it is possible to open the door with the words, ‘Kimihiko’s first love is Siesta’." 

"Don’t lie like it’s a secret question for a forgotten password." 

"We have arrived." 

At the end of the stairs was a hangar-like place. Inside, there was a large motorcycle with a familiar color scheme. 

"This is Sirius." 

Siesta? quickly strapped on its white body, and said, 

"The humanoid weapon ?Sirius?, this is its vehicle mode." 

"That was what we rode on in London…" 

Thinking back about it, Siesta did say that she borrowed it from the English government…I guessed she could hold formal negotiations with the military because she’s a ?Tuner?. 

"But can we catch up to them now?" 

"We'll take a shortcut through the underpass." 

How far does it go?…wait, it doesn’t link to the London underpass, right? 

So I wanted to ask, and when I turned from the bike to ?Siesta?, 

"…When did you get changed?" 

She had already changed from her tattered maid uniform, and wore the military-styled one piece dress that famous detective used to wear. 

"Changing clothes quickly is an essential skill for a detective." 

"That’s more appropriate for an idol." 

And don't change your clothes in front of a guy…goodness. 

"Now then, we should be heading off now. Hold on tight." 

"Yes yes." 

Siesta? prompted me to get onto the bike, so I did, and held her waist from behind. 

The silvery white hair and the grey dress. 

That was the back I had seen over those three years. 

"Please don't get sentimental while holding onto someone's waist." 

"Haa, your body is rather warm." 

"This is the most disgusting thing I have heard till now. Speaking of which, Kimihiko, you do not hesitate to sexually harass others, I suppose." 

"I’m usually the one who got sexually harassed. A reversal of roles is fine once in a while, right?" 

"Once in a while is not…goodness" 

So ?Siesta? said, and smiled. 

"…Say, ?Siesta?. Are you actually," 

"Now then, time to punish the disciple." 

But that lasted only for an instant, and ?Siesta? reverted back to a serious look. 

"??Sirius, advance. " 

She said, and stepped on the gas pedal. 

"That was kinda lame." 

"I shall throw you off." 

The detective is always there 

Dozens of minutes passed. 

"According to my calculations, we should catch up with the target in about six minutes and twenty seconds." 

We left the underpass and went down the seaside road when ?Siesta? muttered over her back. There wasn’t any other pedestrian or car around, except for us. 

"So we’re pursuing the ?Assassin? and an agent, huh…?" 

Of course, we knew this when we rode on the bike, but the thought of the strong opponents awaiting us left me feeling tense. 

Fuubi especially was a ?Tuner? ?in other words, she’s as strong as that Siesta and Scarlet. 

"You do not have to be nervous." 

Siesta? said while she handled the bike. 

"Kimihiko, you only need to keep fighting next to Charlotte." 

"? I’m not fighting Charlotte?" 

"Well, that is true." 

Siesta? ’s words were a little ambiguous. It seemed that like that famous detective, this robot just wouldn’t communicate the most important part clearly. 

"Speaking of which, where’s that thing you always carried?" 

While I continued to hold onto ?Siesta? ’s waist, I found that something that should be on her back was missing. 

"Ah, that? I gave it to an acquaintance the other day." 

"You make it sound easy…what are you treating Siesta’s stuff as?" 

"A child seemed to really want it, so I gave it." 

"Looks like that acquaintance’s quite a weirdo, wanting a musket gun." 

I didn’t know who that person was, but at the very least, I didn’t know of anyone who would want that. 

"But you don’t have a weapon. Can you really beat those two?" 

I said to ?Siesta?, whose back was still turned on me while she held the handlebars. 

"Yes, that is impossible." 

"No chance?" 

She had been so decisive, I thought she had a plan… 

"But." 

"But?" 

"Kimihiko, you are thinking of something, no?" 

Siesta? said as she continued to look in front. 

"Well, I guess." 

This plan was way too crude to be considered one, it’s like a last ditch effort. That’s why? 

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" 

I wasn’t going to inform ?Siesta? of that plan. 

And I felt that. 

If I told her now, she'd stop me. 

A little while later. 

"Kimihiko, there." 

There was a road by a cliff, overseeing the sea. At the end of it was another running motorbike. ?Siesta? stepped on the gas to approach, and we spotted a familiar red hair and blonde. 

"Kimizuka…" 

Charl, seated in the back seat, noticed us approaching from behind. 

"…Why are you chasing us?" 

The blond hair flowed in the night breeze, and she narrowed her eyes. 

"Actually, I still want to meet you." 

"It's been a year and you still haven't gotten your license, so can you please don’t say that?” 

"?Siesta?, ram that bike in front of us." 

"I too wonder why Kimihiko, the male, is not driving." 

"I’m against gender discrimination." 

It’s not the time to sound so casual, but I bantered off, and our bikes were side by side. 

"What, that robot isn’t wrecked yet?" 

Fuubi then tilted her head for a moment, and taunted us. 

"Yes, I am good at pretending to be dead." 

And ?Siesta? too replied with a ripoff joke from the original. 

"Well then, shall we have a car chase?” 

The throttle blared, and Fuubi stepped on the accelerator. ?Siesta? too sped up in defiance. 

…But right when we’re about to approach the white lighthouse standing by the cliff. 

"Do it." 

Fuubi instructed, and Charl, with her gun read, turned around and fired at us. 

"…!" 

Siesta? tilted the vehicle, and I too managed to evade along with her. 

"You dared to do so." 

Siesta? muttered somewhat belligerently. 

And then, 

"Missiles, fire." 

She pressed a button near the grip of the bike. 

"…!Charlotte, jump off!" 

"Eh?" 

The next moment, a small guided missile was fired from the vehicle we were riding on, and hit the bike in front of us, which burst into flames. The blast sent our bikes into a tailspin, and we lost our balance and were thrown onto the roadway. 

"That’s overdoing it…!" 

I dragged my aching body and got up, using the guardrail for support. 

"Nice firepower, as expected of Sirius ver." 

"Even though you lost once, this kind of payback is way too much…" 

The fire spread across the road, and Fuubi laid there. 

Was it how it was going to end? 

So I thought as I tried to get close. 

"Kimihiko!" 

A gunshot. 

Siesta? knocked me aside, probably to shield me from the bullet. Beyond the black smoke, the agent attacked. 

"…!" 

Charl swung the saber, as though cutting through the wind. 

"I shall take care of this. Please stand down, Kimihiko." 

Siesta? took out a rapier hidden under her one-piece dress instead of a musket gun, and used it to fight. 

"Charlotte Arisaka Anderson. I have heard that you are very skilled with a gun. Can you accept such a battle?" 

"…This might be better with you as my opponent." 

Charl waved her saber, as though knowing that a gun would be useless against ?Siesta?. 

Beneath the lighthouse, the sea breeze blew by, and their weapons clashed with the sound of metals, proceeding with superhuman speed. 

"…So many irregularities, that vampire,  you." 

Charl spat in annoyance in the midst of the battle. 

"Irregularity? That is quite the strange notion" 

"What, are you intending to lecture me? You act and dress like Ma'am…!" 

"No, I have no right to do that…But Master Siesta does." 

Siesta? saw the weapon that was larger than her own sword, 

"I am sure she would not ask others about the root of the problem." 

She answered with such correct logic. 

"……!" 

Siesta? ’s sword skills caused Charl to pull her distance. 

"…You have always been like this." 

Charl then bit her lip, eked a voice out, as if she was reminiscing someone else through ?Siesta?. 

"The first time I knew of Ma'am was five years ago.  I wasn’t under Fuubi Kase at the time, but I was ordered by the organization?to assassinate her." 

That was the past between Charl and Siesta, which I didn’t know of. 

I heard that Charl met Siesta before I did, but I never asked either of them about the details. 

"I followed my orders and tried to kill Ma'am…but I couldn’t, I failed my mission. Do you know what this means to an agent?" 

Charl wasn’t asking anyone in particular. 

If I had to answer…an agent who failed a mission would surely be eliminated by the organization, let alone a failed assassination. 

"I was prepared for my fate. I could have been killed by the target, and even if she let me go, the organization wouldn’t allow for my mistake. I thought my short life would be over." 

But, Charl  looked down and mused, 

"While I was dejected, she said to me?that she would die, and it was fine. That’s what Ma’am, like she’s protecting me, the one who should be her enemy." 

…Yeah, that sounded like something Siesta would say. 

Sometimes she would just straight up ignore her identity as a detective and help others, save others. It’s like she thought of everyone else other than herself as a requestor. 

"Ma'am said, I hope you’ll occasionally assist me in what I will do, and gave me this blue pendant as the proof of the contract." 

Charl squeezed the pendant that was always in front of her neck. 

Siesta probably let Charl assist with her work so that she could protect Charl. As long as she was under the ?Tuner? Siesta, any third rate organization wouldn’t be able to touch Charl. 

"Ma'am was always protecting me like that. When she lost her life a year ago, it’s like she knew it in advance, and I was arranged to work under a new ?Tuner? immediately." 

"…So that’s Fuubi Kase?" 

Charl didn’t deny my murmur. 

When Siesta died, she still protected Charl under her massive umbrella. 

"And that hasn’t changed even till now. It hasn't changed a bit, even in that form." 

Charl’s voice quivered a little. 

But she wasn’t sobbing? 

"Again she’s been holding back, and trying not to kill me!" 

She lifted her face, her face full of rage. 

"Why!?" 

Charl gripped the saber firmly, charged forward, and challenged ?Siesta?. 

"Why are you holding back? Why aren’t you fighting seriously!? Why are you…still protecting me!?" 

With a cool face, ?Siesta? continued to dodge Charl’s ridiculously fast swordplay. 

But she didn’t counterattack except when necessary, and remained defensive. 

"I couldn’t do anything a year ago. I swore then…that I would defeat ?SPES? in Ma'am’s stead. Even when I went through unreasonable things under her, I thought I had to defeat Ma'am’s enemy…" 

And yet ?she stomped hard onto the ground. 

"Why can’t I beat you, a machine!?" 

Charl raised the sword, and swung horizontally. But, 

"Too many useless movements. You will not use even half your strength if you are emotionally affected." 

Siesta? ’s upper body leaned backwards as she avoided the blade, swung the rapier with minimal movement, and sent Charl's weapon flying backwards. 

"…! That’s why!" 

The next moment, Charl looked at me. 

"I'll do anything to win." 

Charl pulled a gun from her waist, and aimed it at me. 

"Kimihiko!" 

Siesta? crouched down once she saw this, and darted between Charl and me to parry the bullet with the rapier. But? 

"I see, so you still won’t kill me." 

Charl’s left hand held another gun, which suddenly appeared. 

"It’s over." 

"…………" 

Charl pointed the gun at ?Siesta? ’s forehead, while the latter knelt down. 

It was the worst situation. Even ?Siesta? couldn’t overcome this situation. 

In that case. 

"Charl, can you really shoot?" 

I, who hadn't done anything till this point, should start doing something now. 

"What do you mean? You think I’ll still hesitate now…?" 

"Even if it’s the real Siesta’s body?" 

That’s why that will would never die 

"The real, Ma'am…?" 

Charl stopped the moment she heard my words. 

Her mind might be thinking frantically though, for her shaking eyes looked at ?Siesta? ’s face? 

"Was I found out?" 

And while the air seemed to stand still, the first to move was. 

"Kimihiko, when did you realize it?" 

Siesta? continued to kneel down as she asked me, who was behind her. 

But that question seemingly affirmed my hypothesis. 

"Who knows? But I only figured it out from a guess." 

I couldn’t really give a clear reason. 

Maybe it’s because of the scent I was used to over those three years together, or maybe it was the warmth of the skin when I accidentally touched her. Or maybe it was that once in a billion expression she occasionally made which didn’t seem like one a robot would. In other words, I just had a feeling she’s Siesta, which was a conflicting instinct. 

"That is correct. 

Siesta? noted silently. 

As expected, this ?Siesta? was that famous detective I spent three years with. 

But of course, the consciousness left in her heart was asleep inside Natsunagi. In other words, this body, the exterior, was Siestas’. 

"Master Siesta’s body was cryogenically preserved after the final battle with Hel a year ago." 

Siesta? explained to Charl and me. 

“That was her intention before she died. As promised beforehand, the cryopreservation was done by a certain person as promised in advance, and afterwards, using Master Siesta's vast knowledge and memories as a database, an artificial intelligence was installed in her brain and spinal cord, and an artificial heart was implanted to give birth to ?me?." 

"…Is that so?" 

I could only nod my head. 

When Siesta died, she tried to revive as an android, and waited for the moment to meet us. She wanted to convey her memories of the tragedy that occurred a year ago, and to lend us the power to eradicate ?SPES?. 

"…I had a feeling that was the case." 

Saying that was Charl. 

"I haven't been with Ma'am for as long as Kimizuka. Still, I at least remember Ma'am's scent." 

Speaking of which, there was that moment in the hideout when Charl sniffed at the pillow. Maybe because it had a lingering trace of Siesta’s presence? 

"?But" 

Charl continued. 

"So, what? Even if your body is Ma'am's…that doesn't change my mission. I’ll defeat ?SPES? in Ma'am’s stead." 

The muzzle was still pointed at Siesta’s forehead while the latter knelt down. 

However, a single tear flowed from her eyes that should have been filled with anger. 

"Because, isn’t that supposed to be the case? Nagisa definitely won’t kill Yui. That’s why I’ll do it. Once we defeat SEED, I can fulfill Ma'am’s will?" 

As her voice trembled, the muzzle of her gun shook slightly. 

I see. That's the kind of person you are, Charl. 

You said you didn't need a companion, but you prioritized Siesta's matters…and before you knew it, you were inspired by her to protect others as well. 

You wanted to carry on Siesta’s will, not let Natsunagi get her hands dirty, and yet you’re so hesitant on assassinating Saikawa. Your mission and your feelings contradicted each other, and you even pleaded with me, the nemesis. 

You’re always so clumsy. Nothing changed ever since our first encounter…those two and a half years, nothing changed when we just kept arguing and arguing non stop. 

So while I sighed at this rotten, rotten, stubborn foe of mine, I looked towards Charl once again. 

"You sure you're fine with that?" 

"…! What do you know? You've been enjoying your peaceful days for so long." 

"I guess so. It’s true this is my fault." 

My loss of memory shouldn’t be an excuse. After Siesta’s death, I had a peaceful year, lived in this false peace, and wasn’t really in a position to boast. 

But…I said it. 

Those were the last words she left behind. 

"The legacy Siesta left behind are me, Natsunagi, Saikawa, and Charlotte, four of us. If we want to inherit that?Saikawa can’t die." 

Of course, it wasn’t just Saikawa. 

There’s also me, Natsunagi, and Charl. None of us should be left out. 

"…! But Ma'am’s a ?Tuner?. Her mission is to defeat ?SPES?, right!?" 

Ah, yeah. 

Siesta always fought the threats of the world as a ?famous detective?. There’s no doubt about that. 

But. 

"Charl, will your beloved master follow her mission or protect her companions?" 

"…!" 

Charl’s face contorted greatly. 

"Is sacrificing Saikawa to defeat ?SPES? really what Siesta wanted?" 

"Shut up…!" 

The next moment, Charl tore off the pendant chain around her neck. 

It felt like a ritual to look away from the past…from Siesta. She then coldly threw the pendant onto the ground…but the charm opened to reveal a photo. 

"…Why are you smiling so happily?” 

Inside the charm was a picture of Charl and Siesta, both smiling. 

It was as if they had no mission nor frustration, like they had just made a detour after school, and posted a peaceful photo onto SNS or something. 

"This, this thing…!" 

But Charl shook her head. 

If she admitted to that smiling Siesta, it would rattle her mission. She would be denying Siesta’s legacy, which she firmly believed in. 

And that’s why Charl…stepped on the pendant, like she wanted to break away from Siesta. 

"…!" 

No, she wanted to. 

But before that, Siesta, who had been kneeling on the road, reached the right foot out, and quickly put it between Charl’ foot and the ground. 

"…It hurt." 

"Ah, I’m…sorry…" 

Siesta? calmly protested, and Charl couldn’t help but apologize. 

Siesta? then picked up the pendant, put it around Charl’s neck from behind, and chained it. 

"Why…?" 

Charl widened her eyes in shock. 

Goodness , ?Siesta? then turned towards her again, sighed, and said, 

"Are you a fool?" 

Those were the words only the famous detective would have said. 

Of course, she didn’t exist in this ?Siesta?. 

Her consciousness and heart were both asleep within Natsunagi. 

But then. 

The body, brain and mouth surely remembered these words. 

Siesta? said the words she practically said every day over those three years. 

"It’s the first time." 

Charl looked down as if she was trying to hold something back. 

Several seconds passed, and she seemed to be reflecting on something? 

"This is the first time you say those words to me." 

Charl lifted her face, and her teary face looked so elated. It was as though she was a disciple hoping for her master to be angry at her. 

Siesta? showed a bitter smile as she looked at Charl. 

And right when Charl was about to leap into the widespread arms of ?Siesta? ?at that moment. 

"Charlotte, I told you’re too naive." 

Flying into ?Siesta? ’s chest wasn’t Charl, but a bullet. 

"……!" 

"Ma'am……!" 

Charl carried ?Siesta?, who had fallen over. 

And standing before my eyes was the ?Assassin? ?Fuubi Kase. 

The golden sword to fight the world. 

With a gun in her hand, Fuubi stood a short distance away as she looked down at us with frosty eyes. 

"Charlotte, I thought you'd be a little more sensible…but it looks like you’re the same as that brat." 

"…!" 

Charl glared at Fuubi for a moment, but then quickly turned towards ?Siesta?. 

"Ma'am…" 

Siesta?, who was shot, was oozing reddish-black blood from her left chest. Charl tore part of her clothes, and tried to stop the bleeding. 

"…Are you a fool, Charlotte?" 

Siesta? feebly grabbed Charl’s hand, 

"I am not your Ma'am." 

She said, showing a faint smile.. 

And unwittingly, she reverted to the usual ?Siesta?. 

"More importantly…the one you two should be facing is over there." 

With her hand trembling, ?Siesta? pointed at the person standing over there. 

"But if this keeps up…" 

"I am fine. This bit of damage can be dealt with through emergency measures." 

Siesta? smiled once again. I didn’t know if she was truthful or lying, but I had no choice but to believe since she said so. 

"?I’ll be right back." 

Charl and I gave each other a small nod, and we moved ?Siesta? to the guard rail, got up, and faced the greatest enemy. 

"Huh, what's with you guys? You're pretending to be on bad terms, and now you’re teaming up?" 

Fuubi taunted as she looked at Charl and me, lit a cigarette, and shielded the flame from the wind with one hand. 

"You sure about this, Charl?" 

Without looking at Charl’s face next to me, I asked, 

"You'll lose a lot if you stand up against her." 

Work-wise, Charl definitely offended lots of organizations and people. If she lost the backing of the ?Tuner? Fuubi after Siesta, her predicament would be really precarious, and she would find more attempts on her life. 

More importantly, Charl was about to rebel against the mission she always believed in. I was the one who convinced her, but I had to be sure, considering her issues. 

"You’re asking that now?" 

But Charl too didn’t look in my direction as she said, 

"More like, are you ready for this?" 

"Of course, I'd run away if I could." 

"…What are you ready for? Do we even speak the same Japanese?" 

Is your head alright? Charl had a facepalm. 

Don’t mind me, my brain’s got a bug out of terror. 

"Say Charl, I've got a great idea for our fight." 

"As to be expected of the brains. What kind of strategy do you have?" 

"If we survive this battle, we'll get married." 

"Eh, no…" 

"No, this is a reverse death flag." 

"That’s a weird concept." 

"A reverse death flag is when we say something that definitely won’t happen when we’re at death’s door. It’s a cheat to get us to survive." 

"Never thought the brains here is an idiot…" 

Charl cupped her head. 

Sorry, at this moment, there’s no brain that would function properly. 

"…But." 

Charl lifted her face, and looked at me, 

"I guess we've grown up enough to want to help each other out." 

She smiled, having remembered the colossal failure of the first mission we attempted together. 

"Is your strategy meeting over?" 

Fuubi exhaled a large puff of smoke. 

She probably was waiting for us…or not. That person just wanted to finish her smoke, and that time was already over. 

"First, flank the enemy! Charl, I’ll leave the right to you!" 

"Yeah!" 

Charl and I flanked and prepared to aim at the enemy from both directions. Fuubi finished her smoke, and stomped off the butt. Sorry, we’re not giving you the time to do that. 

So I raised my gun and pointed it at Charl in front of me? 

"…Why do I see Charl?" 

And Charl, who was right in front of me, widened her eyes. 

We’re supposed to flank Fuubi. Where did she go? 

"So it’s reckless after all?" 

Right when I heard that voice, the next moment. 

"…………!" 

First off, I felt suffocated. 

And then, I heard something hit my bones. 

The pain came several seconds later, after I tumbled several meters on the ground. 

"Ahhhh…!" 

Due to that shock and pain, I could only scream gaudily. 

I didn’t understand what happened to me. That might be a punch, or a kick. I might have a fracture, and a sharp pain spread all over me, so much so that my consciousness nearly faded. 

"That’s one." 

Fuubi then lost interest in me, and turned her back on me. 

"…!" 

Charl raised her gun warily, and kept some distance from Fuubi. During this time, I barely dragged myself to the roadside and evacuated. 

"What now? You’re alone." 

Fuubi didn’t fear the gun pointed at her as she said to Charl, 

"Are you going to continue this futile resistance, and delay the resolution to this problem?" 

"……" 

Charl continued to have the gun pointed as she listened with a grim look. 

"Say, Charlotte, I'll ask you once more. What about your work? Aren’t you going to continue the legacy of the famous detective? You don’t care about what happens to this world?" 

"…It’s not that I don’t care. But, I just feel that Ma'am won’t be happy if I do this." 

"Huh, you serious? It doesn’t matter whether she’s happy or not." 

Fuubi dismissed Charl's argument. 

"Can ideals save the world? No, the world can be saved if we just kill Yui Saikawa." 

"I'm sure Ma'am wouldn't want the world to be saved by sacrificing one person." 

"Really? I’d think she would gladly offer her life if sacrificing herself could save the world." 

"What do you mean…?" 

Charl frowned, looking unsure of Fuubi’s intentions. 

"You don’t get it? Then let's talk about an earlier moment. SEED originally thought that those who possessed its ?seed? and could use its power were the best candidates as vessels." 

"Ma'am and, Hel…" 

"Yes, but that thought was ended by that famous detective’s brilliant plan. She deliberately gave up her life to erase any possibility of her being a vessel." 

That was Fuubi’s hypothesis. 

A year ago, Siesta chose to die. She said it was to protect Natsunagi and protect her wish…but there’s also another hidden reason for it. That was the last plan Siesta set as the ?famous detective? to defeat ?SPES?. 

"So Ma'am knew of SEED’s real objective, and that’s why she…" 

Charl probably didn’t know the whole story, for her eyes faltered once she heard of the true intentions behind Siesta's self-sacrifice. 

"Yes. That ?famous detective? willingly sacrificed herself to protect the world. Didn’t she say so? The four of you are her final legacy. You understand the meaning of that??You’re going to follow my will and die protecting the world." 

"…!" 

Charl widened her eyes at this explanation of Siesta’s will. 

"You hear me, Charlotte? You’re an outstanding one. Don’t be fooled by the words of that assistant. Do understand correctly the meaning of the words the famous detective left behind, and inherit it." 

"I…" 

"To be honest, Nagisa Natsunagi can’t do it…she’s too weak. Only you can do it, Charlotte. You’ll inherit the legacy, and be the ?famous detective? of the ?Tuners?." 

Fuubi turned around, and suddenly showed Charl a gentle look. 

"Don't worry, if you're worried, I'll train you again. Just focus on fulfilling your mission. Kill Saikawa and defeat SEED. And then you’ll really become the famous detective." 

That’s good,  Fuubi patted Charl on the head. 

"You always wanted this, don't you? Now your wish will come true." 

"I, become the ?famous detective? …" 

"Yes. So to do that, finish the last job." 

Fuubi then turned her back and walked to the bike we rode on. She probably intended to pursue Saikawa and Natsunagi. 

But. 

"What are you doing, Charlotte?" 

Fuubi said while her back was still turned. 

She didn’t need to look behind to sense that killing intent?Charlotte had the blade pointed at her back. 

"Don’t you want to be the  famous detective?" 

"…No. What I admired, wasn’t the famous detective." 

Charl closed her eyes, and muttered so. 

She seemed to be saying it to herself. 

Or maybe she was saying the true thoughts she had always buried deep inside. 

After five years of reminiscing about her mentor?she clutched the blue pendant around her neck with her left hand and shouted. 

"I admired Siesta as a beautiful, strong woman!" 

Charl gripped the saber once again, and swung at Fuubi’s back. 

"This is stupid" 

Fuubi didn’t turn back, nor did she even glance at the attack, yet she dodged it nimbly. 

"…!" 

"I really am being underestimated. Do you think you can beat me alone?" 

Once she said that, Fuubi drew a handgun from her waist, and pointed at Charl’s forehead. 

"Game over." 

She stopped Charl right when the sword was a step away, and got Charl to kneel down. 

At this point, Fuubi wouldn’t hesitate to squeeze the trigger. That aside, in this situation, Charl alone wasn’t going to reverse the situation. It was completely one-sided. 

"It’s true that I?can’t beat you alone." 

And Charl simply admitted her defeat?or so it seemed. 

"But we haven’t lost yet." 

The next moment, Charl looked up at Fuubi with fiery eyes, and at the next moment 

"Zeroing 9mm right, 7mm down?now, Nagisa-san." 

A stomach churning sound could be heard from above, and a bullet was fired. 

"??!" 

The bullet flew in from the night sky, and knocked aside the pistol Fuubi held. 

And the one who fired that shot? 

"I guess that’s expected of Siesta’s ?seven tools?, no recoil at all." 

There was a familiar musket gun ramped from the cockpit of a mini fighter jet with its window opened. 

"…You actually came back yourself." 

Fuubi looked up at the fighter jet in the night sky, and said, 

"I hope you're prepared?Yui Saikawa, and Nagisa Natsunagi." 

That was the final derived answer 

"Yui, Nagisa……" 

Charl looked up at the approaching fighter jet. 

The two-seater aircraft had Saikawa in the pilot's seat and Natsunagi sitting in the back.. 

"I heard you went to the airport…so you went to get that?" 

Fuubi looked up at the sky, and cracked her neck, looking unamused 

"A little lifeboat, and now a fighter jet. Compulsory education nowadays sure is all-encompassing." 

"It’s all the interests of a maiden…or so I’d like to say, but these are all autopilot. A certain person with good ?ears? is controlling it remotely using my ?eye?." 

Saikawa replied to Fuubi's sarcasm lightheartedly. It seemed that somewhere in the distance, that half-android was watching our battle. 

"Hah, so you really take her as an ally? She just tried to kill you." 

Fuubi then snorted dumbfoundedly at Saikawa and Natsunagi in the sky. 

"…!" 

And once she heard this, Charl, still on her knees, bit her lips. 

Charl knew more than anyone else the severity of her actions. 

But the direct party involved, Saikawa. 

"Yes, we’ll save her. We’re companions after all." 

She still called the person who tried to kill her a companion. She looked towards the dumbfounded looking Charl, and continued, 

"And then we’ll have a huge argument after that. Is that alright, Charl-san?" 

Saikawa smiled, and looked towards Charl on the ground. 

"I’ll say this first, Yui-chan isn’t alone." 

This time, it was Natsunagi, seated in the back seat, who gave a somewhat miffed look at Charl. 

Yeah, before we arrived back, Natsunagi took a hard hit from Charl. That’s why she said that so sarcastically to Charl. 

"You hear me? When we argue, it’ll be me and Yui-chan?we’ll kill you twice over." 

Charl heard these words from the ground, 

"…I’ll take it any day." 

Her eyes were a little moist, and she showed a smile. 

"Don’t worry, that future will never come." 

It was a ruthless voice. The ?Assassin? raced through the darkness, determined to destroy the future Charlotte wanted. 

"…!" 

Charlotte gripped the saber tightly and faced the oncoming enemy. 

On the other hand, Fuubi, whose gun has been shot away, has a short survival knife in her hand. Of course, Charl had the reach advantage?but there was an overwhelming difference in ability, and Fuubi put Charl on the defensive with some fancy technique. 

"You’re slow." 

She seized the chance to kick aside the metallic sword, and then sent Charl flying back. 

"…!" 

Charl landed on the asphalt with a dull thus. Fuubi didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath, and stomped the ground hard. 

"Nagisa-san, please!" 

At that moment, a bullet was shot at Fuubi from above. 

Using the clear instructions as advised by Saikawa's ?eye?, Natsunagi raised the musket gun without hesitation and squeezed the trigger. 

"Sorry, I don't fire to scare." 

The fighter jet descended to increase accuracy, and Natsunagi continued to fire at Fuubi. 

"?You're in the way." 

Fuubi dodged the bullet that landed at her feet, and then, 

"Eh?" 

Natsunagi lifted her head unwittingly, and she saw?a hook tied to a rope latched onto the fighter jet, along with a red-haired assassin jumping in the air. Fuubi then landed onto the cockpit, 

"……!" 

She raised a knife with a reverse grip at the shocked Saikawa. 

"I won't let you…!" 

And behind her, Natsunagi shot at Fuubi. 

The bullet shot through the right shoulder cleanly, and Fuubi lost her balance greatly?but. 

"Pain? That is meaningless before the mission." 

Fuubi didn't show any change in expression even as she fell out of the fighter jet, and threw a knife at the engine on the main wing. There was then a strong frictional noise and a burning smell. Black smoke rose, the fighter jet tilted left, and then control was lost. 

"…!Nagisa-san, please hang onto something…!" 

Saikawa held the controls desperately, but the fighter jet fell from a high altitude, and crashed into the asphalt. The impact shook through the ground like an earthquake. It's a little hard to stand upright. 

"…Yui, chan…" 

"…Nagisa, san…" 

The fall impact shook Natsunagi and Saikawa completely, and they winced in pain as they crawled out of the machine that was in risk of exploding. 

"Now you're finally down." 

Fuubi then lumbered her body, and looked towards Natsunagi and Saikawa. 

The ?Assassin? ignored the reddish-black blood flowing from her right shoulder, and kicked the ground hard. 

"?I'll be troubled if you forget about me." 

At that moment, someone barged in within the two of them. 

"I said it already, didn't I? I'm not alone. I'll give my all in my work." 

"! Charlotte? Your weapon is already destroyed however." 

And in that black smoke, Fuubi swung her left leg with her right leg as support?but. 

"I'm borrowing your power." 

Beyond the scattered smoke, Charl held   ?Siesta? 's rapier. 

"…!" 

That couldn't stop Fuubi from moving though, and she kicked her left leg out against Charl who had the rapier in hand?and then. 

"Ka…!" 

But it was Charl who groaned in pain. She took another kick from Fuubi, and went flying several meters back. 

"Charl-san…!" 

Saikawa dragged her groggy body towards Charl. 

"You…alright?" 

"…! Yes…but I broke a leg." 

Charl still had difficulty breathing, but she still smiled and said, 

"This is, my…our way. I can't beat you alone, but if everyone's power comes together…" 

"?You're still talking about companions now? This is stupid." 

Once she heard Charl's words, Fuubi spat, as though she really despised it. 

"It's not stupid at all…!" 

And Natsunagi spread her arms wide as she stood before Charl and Saikawa, as though protecting them. 

"We're…the last hope Siesta left behind. We won't fail, we won't give up, we'll win together…!" 

And while facing Natsunagi, along with Saikawa and Charlotte, 

"All of you." 

Fuubi quietly noted. 

Her hair clip was gone, and the red hair fluttered in the night wind. 

"Companion, bonds, friendship, thoughts, love, connections, fate?will, do they serve to protect the world?" 

It seemed the fury continued to rise within Fuubi, and so did her voice. 

"Yui Saikawa?your death will save the world. Charlotte Arisaka Anderson?your murder of Yui Saikawa will save the world. Nagisa Natsunagi?the world will be saved if you can be as strange as that past famous detective. Why wouldn’t you do so? You can’t? Really, you can’t. In that case?!" 

And like the blazing flames, Fuubi yelled with a furious look. 

"If you can’t do it! If you don’t have the power…! Then at least don’t drag down those who’re trying to save the world…!" 

That scream was the first time I ever heard her true thoughts. 

"You’re right." 

After a short silence, Natsunagi muttered. 

"What you said may not be wrong. There are people who are more rational than us and more worthy of being called righteous." 

"! If you understand, then?" 

"But." 

Natsunagi cut off Fuubi, 

"The overly rational detective is already dead." 

The assumption of justice might not necessarily win out. 

"That's why I shall choose that possible wrong choice. I shall choose the future that may not be correct, may not be justice, but that we'll be able to smile with our loved ones." 

I won't let anyone else die again. 

That was the denial Natsunagi  issued to Fuubi…or rather, to Siesta. 

"This is hopeless." 

Fuubi didn't rein in her bloodlust. 

Instead, she seemingly gave up, and said. 

"But this makes things easy. Last man standing is the winner." 

It was the simplest yet cruellest conclusion. 

But this was the only way left. 

No, this conversation might have been meaningless to begin with. 

"Die, evil." 

The ?Assassin? ran like the wind. 

There was no sound, and nobody could catch sight of her. The ?Tuner? began her execution of justice. 

"Nagisa!" 

"Nagisa-san!" 

While Natsunagi spread her arms wide, Charl and Saikawa cried out from behind. 

"It's fine. I can't see her, but she can see me, and hear my voice. That's why? this ability can be activated." 

And then, the red eyes of Nagisa Natsunagi glowed. 

"Fuubi Kase, you shall not move a step further " 

The next moment, Fuubi stopped completely. 

"…!" 

She froze, her eyes widened with shock. 

Just a step further?and the knife in her hand would have stabbed at Natsunagi's left chest. 

That was the brainwashing effect of the ?red eyes? ?Natsunagi had a talk with Hel, accepted her, and inherited this ability. 

"…This, little thing!" 

But the ?Assassin? wouldn't stop until she killed her target. 

"This half-hearted ability isn't going to stop me!" 

She broke the brainwashing with her strong willpower, and slowly but surely, she approached Natsunagi with the blade in her right hand. 

"You think just the three of you can stop me…?" 

And Fuubi gave a vicious, agitated look?but it suddenly disappeared. 

"Wait a sec…three? That robot aside, when did I end up fighting only you three?" 

She finally realized something she had forgotten about, and asked the targets she was about to kill. 

"Say, where’s that guy? Where did Kimihiko Kimizuka go?" 

It wasn't an arrogant presumption, it was the correct analysis. 

It's true that back then, the useless man of an assistant couldn't fight after he took one hit. That's the difference in ability. She could handle any enemy within her sights, so by that thought process, she focused on Charlotte, and Natsunagi and Saikawa who joined in the fray. Fuubi's decision wasn't wrong. 

But there's one thing. 

If there's one thing she miscalculated, that was, 

"Kimihiko Kimizuka, did you?just consume Chameleon’s seed!?" 

I never feared the risks that might be derived from receiving the ?android? power. 

"Side effects? Like I care about that. You can take my senses, my lifespan, all you want. Take it all as nutrients." 

I said to the parasite seed nestling in my body, turned invisible, and went towards Fuubi. I just needed to send that infuriating police officer flying, the one who twisted the justice of my beloved partner, that's all. 

Is this really fine? 

I could hear someone mutter so in my ear. 

It's fine, it's not going to trouble anyone after all. 

I clenched my fists and answered so. 

But of course. 

"This is my story." 

I swung my fist right at the justice of this world.