Edited
SPR caught Ohashi in the dining room. After they reported their discovery of the body, it momentarily turned into a huge ruckus. The few psychics who had already awoken also turned embarrassed.
"… Corpse…?"
When asked this by Ohashi, Oliver nodded.
"I think it should be one of the two who had gone missing in February. I think it'd be better to contact the police."
"Please wait a moment."
Ohashi was green in the face.
"If that's done I'll be very worried. I can't decide on this by myself.
In any case, let me contact my master first. Before my master gives any instructions, would everyone please refrain from any reckless behavior."
Saying this, Ohashi stumbled out of the Dining Room.
"This corpse, where was it?"
Igarashi asked.
Oliver pointed at the floor plan.
After Igarashi looked at it, she appeared shocked and turned to Minami and Professor Davies who were seated at the table. She spoke, pleased, to the two who were still stunned.
"This is really too exciting. It's exactly as the Professor had prophesized."
"What is that?"
When Oliver asked this, Igrashi spoke with a satisfied smile.
"That is, just now the Professor made a prophesy. We asked the Professor about the whereabouts of the missing people; we begged the Professor to see for them. After seeing, the Professor said the missing people were in the west."
Everyone turned to look towards Minami and Professor Davies. Those two started to show an expression of extreme worry. In contrast, Igarashi appeared rather excited.
"This is really great. No wonder you're a Professor."
Oliver spoke with an extremely cold voice.
"Sensei, don't you understand?"
"Understand what?"
"If the people who disappeared in February are already dead, I think the other missing persons have almost no hope of survival."
When he said this, Igarashi's expression stiffened.
"… You're saying Suzuki-san is already dead?"
SPR knew the answer, but somehow couldn't say it.
"Not only Suzuki-san; I'm afraid even Atsugi-san and Fukuda-san are too."
"But, it's been quite some time since the people went missing in February. That person must have gotten lost."
Oliver interrupted Igarashi who had just started speaking.
"He couldn't have gotten lost in that room."
"… Ai?"
"That room was completely sealed from the outside. We, too, had to open a hole in the wall to get in. Normal people using normal methods wouldn't be able to get inside. That isn't a place where someone could get lost in."
Igarashi turned green.
Suddenly, Mihashi stood up. He summoned one of the servants.
"You, I want to go back."
"That…"
Mihashi shot these few sentences to the visibly troubled servant.
"I'm saying, I want to cease investigating and go back. Tell Ohashi-kun for me that I'd like to withdraw."
Leaving the stunned servant, Mihashi hurried left the Dining Room. Minami gestured to the Professor, and the two of them rose, and left hot on his heels.
The situation had turned from bad to worse. First it was Mihashi leaving this mansion. Then it was Imura and 圣-san who had just gotten up. When they heard the news of the discovery of the body they were shocked until their faces turned green. Then after they heard of Mihashi's withdrawal, Imura-san also announced his own desire to withdraw.
Ohashi looked bewildered. It looked like his master had objected to contacting the police. He tried to curb sentiment that the police should be contacted while speaking to Oliver, who had summoned a demolition crew to see the empty space clearly, while appearing to be at a complete lost.
Two hours later, they learnt that the young lady who was a medium for 圣-san had disappeared. Although SPR assumed she had disappeared, they had also found out that 圣-san's car had also disappeared, and understood that she had ran way.
Then there was a servant who had gone to the city for errands, after which he never returned.
The rest of the investigators who were left gathered in the Dining Room. 圣-san, Igarashi, and a woman who was Minami's helper.
圣-san spoke in an annoyed tone.
"My Atsugi-kun is but still missing. Even if he is really dead, I can't go back like this."
Igarashi nodded "Anyhow, if we don't hurry up and search… Poor thing…"
Saying that she covered her eyes.
Just at this time, Minami appeared.
"Shiraishi-kun."
Minami elevated a hand to wave at Shiraishi. In the other hand was a bag.
"… Minami-san."
Igarashi stood up. "Could Minami-san be going back?"
Minami frowned. "It can't be helped."
"But Fukuda-san from your society is still missing!"
Minami shifted his gaze. "If we continue to search and are able to find her safely, I'd stay. We can't stay in such a dangerous place, and expose ourselves to more danger. We are withdrawing."
Igarashi ran to Minami's side.
"How can you do this."
Igarashi grasped Minami's hands, then looked at Professor Davis who was standing behind Minami-san.
"Is the Professor going back too?! Clearly the Professor's powers are absolutely necessary to us right?!"
Neither Minami nor the Professor had an answer.
"I'm begging you. Please don't go back. Please help me search for Suzuki-san."
Igarashi grabbed the Professors' arm.
"I'm begging you."
The Professor, looking alarmed, shook his hand.
"I'm not."
Whether it was Igarashi or the rest of the investigators present, they all stared straight at the Professor's face. Although it was a little raw, it was accurate Japanese.
"I – am not – the Professor."
"What are you saying?!" Igarashi screamed.
"My – name is Raymond Woore, not- Davis."
"Hey, you!"
Although Minami tried to stop him, words that had already been spoken could not be taken back.
Woore wore a troubled expression.
"He, what he says, are lies. He only says things. It's not me. Only Minami-san said, that I am Davis."
A furious expression flashed on Minami's face.
Woore continued. "I – want to go back. Really – want to go back."
Igarashi let go of Woore's arm, which she had grasped. Woore hurriedly turned and walked towards the corridor. Minami followed him. Nobody stopped them.
...
"… That fraud!"
Although 圣-san mumbled this, nobody bothered replying. Everyone had moved to the room that SPR had been using as their base. The others had followed SPR as if lost chick's looking for their mother.
Oliver spoke with a calm voice. "I think it'd be better if the two of you also left this place."
Igarashi turned her head with a tragic expression.
"Why… why do you want us to leave?"
"This place is dangerous. It's alright to go back to Suwa city. I think it's best to leave this building."
Then Oliver said some shocking words.
"We will also withdraw."
"Wait… wait a moment!"
Takigawa couldn't help shouting.
"You said withdraw… then what about the other missing people? Do you plan to ignore them and go back?"
Oliver spoke in a calm voice.
"They are all already dead. There's no hope even if we search."
"But…"
"We've already searched the house. We can only conclude the missing people are in sealed rooms; and this is also a fact. However, that type of place isn't accessible unless one opens a hole in the wall. I don't know what method Urado used to take his sacrifices to the other side. The human body is unable to pass through walls, so I can only think that Urado manipulated space or time to do that. Do you know how much energy is needed to do this?
That fellow isn't loitering in this realm to wreck vengeance. Neither did he leave any love or regret in this world. That fellow merely wants to prolong his own life. Hence the need for sacrifices; that's why he goes hunting. This can no longer be called a ghost of a deceased. You can call it a 'demon', 'fiend' or 'monster'. It is such a monster."
"… But."
"Unfortunately although we know of methods to hunt spirits, we do not know a way to hunt monsters. It's not possible to exorcise it."
With that said, Oliver looked around at everyone.
"Amongst those seated here, is there anyone who knows of how to hunt this fellow?"
Takigawa spoke.
"To be honest, I'm not able to do it. I don't have the power to subdue this fellow who is able to make humans pass through walls."
Ayako also agreed. "I'm no good either. The circumstances are too poor."
John nodded also. "To those who have no fear of god, I'm unable to forcibly seal him."
Oliver nodded too, then crossed his hands.
"However, that fellow has a weakness.
That fellow can't leave this house."
"… Really?" Takigawa clenched his fist.
"The surroundings of the house is safe, Ma'am had said so before too. During his life Urado repeatedly committed massacres here - in this house, in that room which Mai spoke of. Up till today that fellow has been restricted by this house. Or one can call it imprisonment. So he can't hunt outside the house."
"I'm afraid it is like this." Oliver nodded.
"Therefore we can exorcise him."
"—is this so?!"
Takigawa smiled.
"Of course. Even Mai can do it too."
"Anyone can do it by burning the place down. I already mentioned that."
Mai said sarcastically from the corner of the room as she packed up small items into a box.
"That's right. There's nothing in this world that cannot be cleansed by fire. That fellow is restricted by the house and is unable to escape; therefore it's ok to just burn the house."
"Wouldn't it remain on the ashes?" Masako asked.
"It shouldn't. Because that fellow isn't attached to this place, but the house itself."
Oliver gently sighed.
"If Ohashi-san followed our advice, called the police, and dismantled the house, the missing people will be found. That isn't our job."
Takigawa grinned and said.
"Hence we will escape and leave? This isn't Naru-chan behavior."
"It's not running away. Our work is already complete."
Everyone but Mai stared wide-eyed at Oliver. Mai had stopped what she was doing in the corner and was staring at the space just meters in front of her.
"I came here not to fulfill Ohashi-san's request. The request itself did not trigger my interest; even now I don't think it is anything that interesting."
"But… if that's the case then why…"
"I did not accept Ohashi-san's request. I accepted Madoka's request."
"This Madoka is… Mori-san?"
"Correct. She said that Minami Psychic Research was apparently carrying a bogus Davies all around, and wished me to investigate.
Our job here is already complete. There's no reason for us to stay and expose ourselves to this danger. Even if we stayed, I don't think we'll encounter any interesting phenomenon. We are withdrawing."
"We were played by you… you fellow."
Oliver looked as though it was none of his business.
"This is what they call keeping a secret in battle. Amongst us there is a fellow who can't keep a secret."
Saying this he looked at Mai briefly.
"By the way, Mai. I'm curious. What did Suzuki-san say to you when we had Lin call her? We could see her say something, but we couldn't hear it. It was like the sound had turned off."
Mai turned to look at the confused Igarashi and 圣-San and bowed.
"I am sorry. We knew they were dead before this, since we had performed a seance for Susuki-san."
"Mai!" Oliver exclaimed.
Mai turned away and looked back in the space she had been staring at for the last few minutes.
"Susuki-san told me, that Urado wanted me..."
Everyone dropped what they were doing and turned to where Mai stood. They were rooted to the ground, stunned. Mai...
Was no longer there.
"Mai!"
"Jou-chan!"
The room turned into chaos.
"Where did she go?!"
"She was right there!"
Amidst the chaos only Oliver and Lin were calm. They opened the floor plan.
"If I have to say she is in a particular place, she can only be inside the void."
He pointed at the countless blank spaces left on the floor plan.
"… What should we do?" Takigawa asked.
"Now we can only knock down the wall to go in to take a look."
Just as everyone was nodding in agreement, someone knocked on the window. It was still some time from dusk. It was very bright outside. They saw Yasuhara and Madoka standing outside.
Oliver succinctly explained the situation to them. They would destroy their way into each void one by one starting from the nearest and following the plan that Mai had left them. That was the order they had decided upon. Ordering everyone to carry the equipment and set out, Oliver called Lin to him.
"Lin. Follow me."
"Naru?"
"We are going to take a look at Mai's luggage. You guys go first."
They carried the equipment to the nearby void. Just like this morning they set up the equipment. After a while, Oliver returned.
"Hey, let's not investigate it one by one; isn't it faster to knock them all down systematically?"
Everyone helped to connect the equipment, and gradually became frustrated.
'While we are doing this type of thing, Mai could be killed by them.' Was a reoccurring thought in everyone's minds. Even Oliver, despite how calm he looked showed a slightly panicked expression in his eyes that had never been seen by the others before.
However, despite their haste, it was a fact that the rate at which the walls were knocked down would not increase.
In the same order as they had done in this morning's job, first was investigating the wall's thickness, and boring a hole at the weakest point. Next was sticking the camera inside. The first void was a simple hole; there was nothing inside at all. The team carried the equipment to the next void. Getting frustrated by the constant running about, just like this they investigated the blank spaces one by one.
"Why did you come?"
Oliver asked Yasuhara while carrying the equipment.
"After returning from doing interviews, there was a message left at the hotel's reception. It said we were withdrawing. Then we thought we would come to help pack up…
Good thing we came." Yasuhara mumbled.
"Then? Have you found out anything?"
"Ai?"
"Your interviews. Did you collect any new news?"
Yasuhara nodded.
"I went to the Old Folk's Home once more. This time I thought there might be someone associated with the hospital or the facility. Then I really found one – a living witness."
"The living witness you speak of is…"
Oliver placed the equipment on the floor while questioning Yasuhara.
"A person who had helped in the facility when it was sealed in Meiji 40."
"… Really?"
"Yeah. He was thirteen then; he's ninety-six now. Although he is suffering from severe dementia, he still remembers events from the past very clearly. Then, despite my asking, he had forgotten practically everything related to the hospital and the facility. Except people frequently disappeared from the facility, he remembered only this."
"People… disappeared?"
Yasuhara spoke while deftly untangling a cable.
"Although the facility guaranteed supplying its residents' clothing, food and shelter, it apparently wasn't completely free. People who left the facility were obligated to repay the sum of the things received during their stay at the facility. There were many who ran away like thieves. However, there was an incident that was famous amongst the staff. Amongst those who had run away, some were brought to the mountain villa, and then just like this, they never returned.
That old man was apparently frequently threatened by his seniors, 'if you laze of and not work you'll be brought to the mountain villa'. That's why it left such a deep impression on the old man."
"… So that's the case."
Smashing open the voids all around, they still couldn't find a trace of Mai. They had even investigated the X floor facing the North Block. The time on the clock had long past midnight.
They used the radar to verify the 10 walls that they thought faced the void. Whichever wall they looked at, they were all relatively thick; it was probably not possible to open a hole using simple equipment.
Suddenly, Oliver stopped moving and turned to stare in one spot.
"... Mai?!"
...
When Mai regained consciousness, she was in the execution room. It was dark and she could just barely make out the surgical bed directly in front of her,which she was fully thankful for not being on right now, and just past it close to the door was an old fashioned bath tub filled with a dark liquid dripping over the sides. Mai didn't bother looking too closely at that. She already knew what it was fill with.
Mai took a deep breath, closed her eyes and relaxed. She forced herself into her astral state and on opening her eyes found herself looking up at a worried Gene.
"Mai..." Gene said softly, worried.
"How long was I out?"
"A couple of hours..."
"Then there is no time to waste. Help me find your brother. I need to give him something."
Mai stood up, and with Gene's help, they wandered through the astral plane towards Oliver and the others.
It took some time but when the pair finally found them, they were further in than she thought they would be. Letting go of Gene's arm, Mai stepped forward. She placed a hand in her pocket and with her other hand, reached out to tug on Oliver's shirt.
Oliver spun around, shocked at the sight of Mai in astral form. He knew she could do it, but seeing it was another matter entirely.
"Mai?!"
Mai nodded. "It's me."
Mai was unsure if Oliver could hear her or not. Judging by his confused expression, she guessed he couldn't.
"Are you OK?"
Mai nodded again. "Yes."
"... Are you safe?"
Mai shook her head. "No."
Pulling the hand out of her pocket she grabbed one of Oliver's hands and placed something inside it. Closing his hand tightly around the object on doing so.
"Find me. Fast." She pointed to the wall they needed to go through next.
"That way."
Oliver nodded and began giving orders to the others who looked confused.
Mai and Gene trailed along behind the others. Oliver still apparently couldn't see Gene but he kept a close eye on Mai's figure, ordering any wall Mai pointed at to be knocked down.
In the next room, Lin identified the point of opening.
"This place in the wall is thinner than the rest."
Everyone boisterously gathered around the monitor. They could see that right in the middle of the snow white wall, there was a thin, gigantic, square shaped shadow. The image produced by the radar shows the areas where the electromagnetic waves are reflected strongly as white. That thin shadow meant that the wall at that location was comparatively thinner.
Takigawa and Yasuhara rolled up their sleeves and approached the wall, lifting a grub hoe and a hammer. Relatively easily, they made a hole in the wall. Takigawa shone the torchlight inwards and looked inside.
All of them pooled their strength to expand the hole.
The other side of the wall was more than a meter lower than this side. Inside, there was a stone crafted staircase and a veranda. Then there was a double paneled door that faced them straight ahead. One look identified it as the front porch. Above this was a building; there was maybe one or two or three floors above it.
Takigawa and Yasuhara jumped in and sprinted to the door. They used the tools they held to pry open the door. Rather than destroying the lock, they destroyed the door itself. The door opened inwards.
Entering the doorway was the front hall. On the dust covered carpets, the furniture was still placed properly there. Everything was covered with dust like snowdrifts after a storm. The corridor extended straight inwards from the hall. On the right there was a staircase towards the second floor. Using the torch to illuminate it, they could see the second floor landing was blocked off.
"Mai, which way do we go now?" Oliver asked.
"Here." Mai said while hurriedly passing through the corridor to open the door at the end of the corridor.
"… This room!"
The room inside contained a furnace. A low table in front of the furnace. Closets to the right of the furnace.
Mai pointed to a closet door and Oliver opened it. A curtain hung inside. He opened the curtain. There was still a door inside. Oliver opened that door. On the other side of the door was a narrow corridor.
"Found it!" Ayako clapped her hands once.
"Incredible, Mai!" Oliver spoke expressionless.
"Going in."
The corridor ceased in only 10 meters or so. Opening the door at the end, a 3 tatami sized room appeared in front of their eyes. Opening the other door inside that room, a dark spaced appeared.
"Ai~?"
"Aah?!"
An enormous hole. The torch's light shone all around; they couldn't help getting shocked.
Dark, cut off from the emptiness. A huge yet vacant space, about the size of a gymnasium. Although the floor of the upper level was repeatedly crisscrossed with uneven blocks jutting in and out, the lowest point was only as high as Mai's crouching body, the highest point was as high as Lin's fingertips with his hands raised.
Then in this space, there were the skeletal figures of wilted trees lined up.
"This is a maze…"
The trees were clearly lined up in a maze-like shape. When the trees were covered with leaves, the exit at the other side would definitely not be visible. Since the trees have now all withered and died, one could see the other side through the naked white branches.
It was very easy to walk through the maze. That was because the branches could be broken with a hard twist. While they shone the torch light at their surroundings, they broke off branches; they followed the wall inwards, where they found a door.
After comparing the compass and the floorplan, Lin spoke.
"Naru, we have approximately reached the edge of the enormous void."
Mai tugged on Oliver's shirt again. He looked at her in a panic and tried to grab her when he realised she was fading.
The X-floor in the North block. The floor that protruded out in the middle. Then there was that enormous void that extended even into the second floor. They understood that all those were connected together.
Opening the door, there was a hall inside. There was a flight of stairs extending upwards across the scene of the wide room. There were three doors connected to the hall. There was neither furniture nor carpet nor anything else inside.
Faintly from inside, they heard a scream.
Oliver started running.
"Mai!"
"Naru!"
Lin followed closely on his heels with the others not far behind.
...
Mai jolted awake back in the execution room. She slowly stood up, noticing the slight movement of the blood in the bath.
The floor was slippery and covered in old blood. She stumbled and fell towards the bed. Grasping the bed's side she could feel the ice-cold sensation of wet tile with her hand.
Suddenly there came a weak tapping sound from somewhere. Mai looked towards the source of the sound.
The source of the sound was the bathtub.
Mai's body trembled.
She raised her hands, ready to start chanting.
'Tap', came another sound. The surface of the liquid shimmered. Creating a wave of ripples, the surface of the water started vibrating. The blood-red fluid sparkled. A human head appeared above the fluid. That person slowly floated up. The forehead appeared; the eyes looked all around; that pair of eyes paused on Mai. Then he slowly stood up.
The upper body of the man who had been soaking quietly in the blood appeared. He was a gaunt man. He held on to the edge of the bathtub and stood up. He looked at Mai, a cold smile appearing on his lips. His face, shoulders and hands were all stained completely red. Drenched completely in extremely sticky, viscous, blood, he looked like a bronze stature painted with a frightening color.
"… Urado!" Mai spoke semi-calmly.
The man smiled. Even his mouth was filled with blood; it looked like he had just vomited blood.
Mai began chanting.
"Rin, Pyō, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen."
The man who was getting up suddenly fell back. With an intense sound, bubbles rose, shattering the surface of the water; the spray reached even where Mai was.
Mai stumbled towards the door. Just as she reached it and was about to sprint away from this place, something grabbed her arm from behind.
The well-muscled male hand grabbed both her arms. She was held against what clearly felt like a wall behind her. Mai looked down to see the living, male hands which held her extending from the wall.
Once more, a 'tap' sounded. From somewhere came the splashing sound of a person rising from the bathtub. The intense sound of blood splatter.
Mai screamed.
The force that held Mai's hands increased, so much so she couldn't catch her breath. Thud, came the sound of a foot stepping on the tiles. Thud, thud. It gradually approached her in the darkness.
"Mai!"
The sound was faint but it was close. It was Oliver's voice.
Just at that time, the bathroom was filled with light.
"Naru!"
The strong beam of light from the torch shone across the room. In front of Mai, she could see Urado, completely blood red.
"No!!"
Takigawa picked up his gold colored holy prop. Even faster than this, Lin whistled once.
At the same time as the high, sharp sound, 5 glowing animals flew over. Lin's shiki carved a sharp arc and hurtled towards Urado, slamming into him. Just at that moment, Urado's expression twisted, then suddenly vanished. Following that, the sensation of the hands grabbing Mai's arms also disappeared.
Oliver pulled Mai towards him and dashed out of the room, towards the presence of the light. Running towards where everyone was.
...
Everyone welcomed Mai back, haphazardly patting her back and head. Although it hurt a little, she felt a bit happy.
"Let's go. Urado has yet to be vanquished. I have only scared him a little."
With Lin's urging, they ran to the corridor. They ran down the stairs and through the hall. They sprinted through the maze. Walking out of X floor, they stumbled outside. Ignoring the equipment placed around the hole, they hurriedly walked out of the house through a window.
The night sky was clear and bright. Just like that, they fell sitting on the overgrown lawn, and finally let out a breath.
Mai had been pulled down into Oliver's lap with his arms wrapped tightly around her. Although it was painful, Mai endured it, just happy to be safe in his arms again.
"Really… don't… go off on your own."
Takigawa said disjointedly.
Mai laughed shakily. "It's not like I left the room willingly by myself."
"But, thanks to you, you could say we found them.
It's all in the second floor, everyone."
Mai could only nod.
Takigawa pointed to the sky while lying down.
"The missing people. … My throat hurts."
Although the way he expressed it was very strange, Mai understood his meaning. As expected, that blood belonged to those people.
"They were all piled in the room next to the bathroom. Just like objects.
The room in front of that was fitted with shelves on all walls, the shelves were piled with bone. It's a good thing you didn't see it. It was a number that is nauseating on sight."
"… Why did he do that with the bones…?" Ayako asked tiredly.
"Who knows? But those were bones that had already been cremated. Most likely they were collected after being burnt in the furnace. But they were carefully arranged. It's almost like they were put on display."
"Mr Hiroyuki hid that place – because that wasn't a quantity that a person could have gotten rid of. And to ask a single person to do it, it'd have been impossible for anyone."
"Poor things…"
"… Aah."
Just like that they sank into silence.
After a while, Oliver grabbed Mai's hand and placed a couple of objects into it. Mai looked down. She held the key that she had given him and her comb. She smiled up at Oliver and pulled his face close for a kiss.
"Thank you."
Takigawa moved closer and Mai noticed.
"What's up?"
"What's with the key and comb?"
"Naru must have grabbed my comb before you started searching for me, and I handed him my key when I astral projected myself from the execution room to find you all."
"This fellow really surprises people… Young lady, aren't you rather outstanding.
You see the past and the future; this time, was it an out of body experience?"
"It's called astral projection."
"Your skills are only increasing."
"Bou-san, you haven't even seen the tip of the things I can do." Mai turned away in a snit.
...
As dawn approached, they stood up one by one, and walked towards the house. Maintaining silence, they circumvented the veranda. Because the door was locked, they knocked on the door to have the people inside open the door for them.
After opening the door, Ohashi stared at them, wide-eyed.
"Everyone… what happened?"
Ohashi mumbled to himself, then sighed a heavy breathe.
"… that's great, sometime in the night everyone disappeared, for a moment I thought all of you had vanished…"
Saying that, Ohashi's gaze locked on Yasuhara and Madoka's body, and was shocked.
"Shibuya-san, when did you… that… this is…"
Oliver slapped Yasuhara's shoulder and whispered to him. Then Yasuhara nodded and stood up straight.
"We have already found the rest of the missing people."
"Really? Where…?"
"In the depths of the mansion. Unfortunately, they are all already dead."
Hearing Yasuhara's words, Ohashi looked towards the ceiling.
"I request to contact the police."
"… Yes."
Ohashi nodded, then said to Yasuhara.
"How is it going on the side of the exorcisms?"
Yasuhara spoke heavily.
"Exorcism is impossible."
"… Then."
"Subsequently I will submit a report to you. Either you seal the house tightly, and follow the last will and let it rot away slowly, or we suggest using fire to cleanse it."
"… Undestood." Ohashi bowed deeply.
At dawn, SPR started packing the equipment.
"… Right, Lin-san."
While they worked, Mai paused to kiss Lin's cheek.
"Thank you for sending your shiki to save me."
Lin did not reply however a small smile appeared on his face and his eyes softened.
"Right, Lin-san." Takigawa asked while moving equipment from the stand.
"What was that at the end?"
Takigawa asked.
Lin inclined his head expressionlessly.
"At the end…?"
"When we were rescuing Mai, didn't you throw something out or what?"
"Ah", Lin replied.
"That was my shikigami."
Just then someone gently patted Mai's back.
Turning back, Madoka was grinning. She hugged Mai tightly.
"I'm glad you're safe. You are incredible."
"How can it be, I'm not the least –"
"You are, you are."
Takigawa stuck his head in.
"Ma'am, you cannot praise this fellow. If she gets proud she'll stampede out of control."
"When have you ever seen me stampede?"
"Well that's true. You almost gave me a bit of conscience.
This fellow, if she had superpowers like Atlas, if she were to see an old lady struggling to tear some pancakes, she'd help the old lady out of compassion; if she were to exert herself, the world would be torn into two sides – she's this type of person."
"You have some weird impression of me, somehow."
Yasuhara and Ayako also laughed simultaneously.
...
After that they toured Suwa.
10 days after they had returned to Tokyo, the newspapers reported news of a small fire on a mountain in the region of Suwa district. Apparently it was caused by fire starters left by vagrants. The nearby forest and a holiday home were completely destroyed. Coincidentally there was a shower which extinguished the fire.
...
Tokyo, Shibuya, Dougenzaka.
"Good day everyone." Madoka appeared.
"Ah, welcome."
"Where are Lin and Naru?"
"They have gone out for lunch."
"Ah la."
Madoka showed an expression of regret.
"Came to say goodbye?" Mai asked.
Madoka nodded her head.
"I simply thought of eating a meal with them."
"You're going back? Where are you going back to?" Yuuko asked, while serving up red tea.
Madoka and Mai smiled mischievously.
" "That's a secret~." " They said together before giggling.
After drinking her tea and having small chatter with the girls, Madoka stood up.
"Since Naru and Lin are not around, we might as well close the office to go for lunch. Ladies, my treat. What do you guys want to eat?"
"If you want to treat me, anything will do."
"Ah la, well said."
With a peng, Madoka patted Mai's shoulder.
They walked proudly out of the office.
Outside, the Sakura was in full bloom.