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  • ? rakurakutei ramen 343

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  • ? cuey c lops 15
  • ? mifilinah jegell 76

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  • ID: 2530811
  • Uploader: cralowec »
  • Date: over 8 years ago
  • Approver: OOZ662 »
  • Size: 165 KB .jpg (1000x1412) »
  • Source: pixiv.net/artworks/59278833 »
  • Rating: Sensitive
  • Score: 0
  • Favorites: 0
  • Status: Active

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Resized to 85% of original (view original)
mifilinah jegell and cuey c lops (original) drawn by rakurakutei_ramen

Artist's commentary

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  • 菓厘堂4コマ番外編小説もどき【Ghostrick_live】13

    右手で翳したナイフに、最高にスピードの乗った鋭い何かがぶつかる。
     反射的に、見当を付けずにそれが襲ってきた辺りに蹴りを放つが、やはりというか当然というか、空しく空を切った。足を止める事無く数mを駆け抜け、崩れて開いている壁の穴から中に踊り込む。
    「おっとぉ…こりゃまた、相手に有利なフィールドよねぇ」
     すっかり錆付いた鉄のコンテナが積み上げられたそこに反響するのは、ピンクちゃんの暢気な声だ。意図的にそうしているのではとすら錯覚を覚える、天井付近まで積まれたコンテナで規則正しく形成された事務的な通路の殆どは、薄暗く灯る明かりを遮られ、陰に影を潜ませている。
    「なんつーか、映画だとこういう場所に誘い込む敵役って、割と卑怯で陰険なクセに自意識過剰な小物、って印象しかないんだけど、その辺どうお考えデショうか」
    「そーかい?ゲームだと高火力を持った敵の実力者が、態々プレイヤーに有利な地形を選ンで対等に相手する、ってイメージもあるけどなァ」
     そういうものか?と小首を傾げるピンクちゃんの正面で、床に落ちる影の中がずるりと盛り上がり、人型を形取った。
    「ま、オレの能力的に有利な地形ってのは否めねぇがね。けどよォ、オレがここに誘い込んだんじゃなくて、お前からここに入り込んだんだぜ、オレはさっきので仕留める気満々だったんだからな。にしても、よく躱せたもんだよなァ、気配は断ってたし、殺気だって直前まで発しちゃいなかった筈だ、それで反応できるってお前スゲーよ。オレとしちゃあ増々楽しめそうでワクワクしてるぜェ」
     そう言う影の人型の、顔の部分に歯を剥き出した嫌らしい笑みが浮かぶ。対してピンクちゃんは悪戯っぽい笑みを浮かべて、にははと笑った。
    「違うよ、反応したんじゃない。単に、あの瞬間に奇襲仕掛けてきて、それをあたしが華麗に受け止められたらカッコイイだろうなーって、なんとなくナイフ抜いたら絶妙なタイミングで受け止める形になったってだけよ。本当に反応してたんなら、その後の蹴りだって当ててるもん」
    「…マジ?」
    「マジマジ。超マジ」
    (本気で言ってんのか冗談なのか判んねぇ…なんだコイツ)
     読めない。
     影…BBは、おそらく生まれて初めて、かつて自分と相対した者達が自分に対して抱いたものと同じ事を考え、ついでに若干の訳の解らなさを腹の奥に感じながら、目の前の女、ピンクちゃんと対峙する事になった。

    「えぅっ!?み、ミフィさん…!」
    「解ってる。静かに」
     遥か前方を疾走していたピンクちゃんを見失い、驚きで体を固くしたキュイが大声を上げそうになるのを手で制したミフィは、その場で足を止めて壁に手をついた。
    「…ピンクちゃんが消えたんじゃない、この先にある、壁に空いた穴に飛び込んだみたいだ。何も無ければ駆け抜けてる筈だから、接敵したと見て良いだろう。戦闘に巻き込まれずに済んだ、と思いたいが…」

    「じゃあ、ピンクさんが敵を押さえている内に、先に進みましょう!ここから先は私が…」
    「馬鹿言うな、先程の男や例の規格外シャドウ・ストーカーみたいな奴が、他に居ないとも限らないんだ。お前の怪力とビームは確かに強力な武器だけれど、もしそんなのが出てきたら、お前、まともにやり合って勝つ自信があるのか?元の大きさに戻って踏み潰せば、なんて考えているなら、ここまで身を隠して潜り込んできた意味をもう一度よく考えろ。それに、一緒になって踏み潰されたり、ここの崩壊に飲まれて生き埋めになるなんて、私は御免だぞ」
     最後の「お嬢と思う存分ぬっぷぬぷに愛し合うまで死ねるか」という呟きが聞こえなかったキュイは、ミフィの言葉が思いっ切り図星を突いていたらしく、しゅんとしてしまう。そんなキュイの肩を叩き、隠れ蓑を出すよう指示をしたミフィは、潜入時と全く同じスタイルでピンクちゃん達に近付いていく。
     穴の開いた壁まで到達した二人が、こっそり中を覗き見ると、果たしてピンクちゃんは攻防の真っ最中であった。一見してピンクちゃんが得意とするナイフ・ファイトを展開しているようにも見えるが、相手の動きが複雑怪奇で、無数に落ちる影に潜り込んでは別の影から飛び出して斬り結ぶ剣戟は、ピンクちゃんに白兵戦でいて全く違う戦いを強いているように思える。
     唯一、ピンクちゃんにいつも通りの軽薄な笑みが浮かんでいる事だけが、彼女がこの定石を外した戦いに全く怯んではいないという事を、二人に感じさせていた。
    「ビンゴ、言った傍からシャドウ・ストーカーとやり合ってるな。取り敢えず私達が知る中で警戒すべき相手二人は、巧い具合にこっちの戦闘要員に引っ掛かってくれた訳だが…結局、私達だけで進むのは危険だって事に変わりはない。決着をつけた侍従長が駆け付けて来てくれるなら話は別だが、一度退けられた相手に、短時間で事が済むとは思えない。となれば、ピンクちゃんが勝てるように、私達でできる事をやろう」
    「できる事って言っても…えうぅ…このままおとなしく隠れていた方が良いのでは…?」
    「これを被ってさえいれば、オーラで気取られる事も無い筈だ、気配も余程派手な事をしなければ隠してくれる。上手くいけば、あいつのサポートができるかもしれん」
    「な、何をするんですか?」
    「それを今、考えてる…」
     エルザなら問答無用で乱入して場を治めるだろうが、自分には戦う力など欠片も無い、頭脳戦で頼れるアイーナに助言を仰ごうにも、現在仕掛けている電子戦の邪魔をする訳にはいかない。実際、悔しい事に、ミフィの目では激しく死闘を繰り広げる二人の姿を追う事すらままならず、状況を好転させる作戦だって思い付けやしない。それでも自分にできる事は何かありはしないのかと、必死に戦う為の知恵を絞り、無意識に穴の断面を掴んだ。
     視界で追い切れない攻防を、石の無言達が静かにミフィの耳に語りかけてくる。
    (…あ)
     あった。
     自分一人では間違いなく不可能だが、キュイも居るのなら、可能だ。精霊使いとしての能力と、ただでさえ強力なキュクロプスの能力、片や全く成長しておらず、片や洗練されていない、拙く未熟な能力、しかしその二つの能力を合わせれば、あるいは…。
     勿論、それであのシャドウ・ストーカーを倒せるとは思っていない。むしろ、それがどんなに有用であったにせよ、真正面から仕掛けようものなら、この二人では返り討ちに遭うのが関の山なのだ。それくらいには自分の非力さを理解している。
    (だから、狙うのは…ピンクちゃんに奴を仕留められるだけの、一瞬のチャンスを与える事…!)
     その為には、焦れる心をぐっと抑えて、タイミングを見極めなければならない。少しでも見誤れば、逆にピンクちゃんを窮地に追いやりかねないのだから。
     ミフィから耳打ちを受けたキュイは、初めは驚きに目を向いたが、すぐに意図を汲み、力強く頷いた。
     できれば、こちらが隙を伺っている間に、ピンクちゃんが勝ってくれるのが望ましい。そうあってくれる事を願いながら、ミフィはそっとキュイの大きな手を胸元に抱き込んだ。ミフィがタイミングを計るだけではない、キュイとの連携が肝になるのだ。
     最早二人の目からは、ピンクちゃんの振るうナイフの剣閃だけが戦闘の軌跡として、辛うじて捉えられえる程度にまでなっている。
     微笑と狂笑、そのどちらもが、互いに刃を突き立て、切り裂き、抉ろうと、相手のスピードを上回り、更にそれを上回ろうと加速に加速を重ね、間合いという間合いが、瞬く間に刃の結界と化す。
     一方の命を奪う事でしか終わりの訪れない、目に見えぬ死の舞踏を前に、ミフィはただ、ひたすらその時を待ち、声なき声に耳を傾けた。

    (見てるね、ミフィちゃん、キュイちゃん…)
     胸の先端から8mmの所を影の刃が通り過ぎるスリルと愉悦を味わいながら、ピンクちゃんはほのかに漂う二人の精気の香りを感じ取っていた。正確には嗅覚というよりも、精気を香りや味として捉える、サキュバス独特の感覚能力だ。香りや味といっても、個人による違いは、ただの水と、食塩を数粒溶かしただけの食塩水未満の水の差程しかない。だが彼女達は、そのあるかどうかも判らない差を嗅ぎ分け、或いは味を感じ分けるのである。あまりにも美味に感じる精気を持つ人間自身を好いてしまう場合もあるが(もっとも、抑えがきかず短期間の内に過剰に味わい過ぎて、精気を吸い尽くして意図せず死なせてしまうケースが大半)、余程似通った感性を持たない限り、その人間の精気は他のサキュバスにとってはただの糧としか捉えられない等、その差は個々の好みといえる程に分散化すらしているのだ(これは、同じ対象に同族が群がる事で得られる糧の分量が減り、生命維持に支障をきたしてしまう状況を避ける為の、種の生存本能とも言われている)。中でも幼少期を過酷な食事情の中で過ごしたピンクちゃんは、良く言えば好き嫌いの無い、悪く言えば悪食を拗らせたサキュバスではあるが、顔を変えた暗殺対象の特定や影武者/変装した敵暗殺者を見破ったり、気配以外でも視覚外や物陰に潜む敵兵を発見したりなど、傭兵時代は腹を満たす以外の意味でも随分とお世話になった感覚なのである。
    (コーンとアロエの香りだもん、間違いなくあの二人よね。もしかして私の援護でもしようとか考えてるのかな?ホント、可愛いくらい生真面目なんだから…おぉっとっと)
     悩ましく腰をくねらせて、腹部を狙っていた刃を避ける。カウンターで肘打ち、それを避けられた後はナイフを大きく横薙ぎに振るい、影に潜り込んだBBを警戒して後退。
    (ただ、もう一つ、お嬢様やお姉サマとはまた別の、アッチの意味でソソる香りがあるのよね…まさかこいつ?そういや、さっきなんとなく先制攻撃をガードできたのは、この香りが気になってナイフを抜いてみたからだったっけ…)
     絶え間なく刃の応酬をしつつ考えながら体を捻ると、足元から突き上がってきた鋭い影が、偶然脇腹に隠し持っているナイフに弾かれ軌道を変えて、丁度乳房の間を通り抜け、メイド服とブラジャーを切り裂いた後、瞬時に影に戻っていった。半裸に剥いてあられもない姿で拘束した後であんな事とかこんな事とかする気か、ミフィちゃん達も見てるのにそんな事されたらめっちゃ興奮するじゃんこの変態、とか考えて、胸の先端がぷくりと隆起し、下腹に微熱が籠る。しょうもないがいつもの事だ。
    (毛色の違うシャドウ・ストーカー、ね…確かに違うよ、ミスターが言っていたのとは別の意味で。ホテルではパイナップルの不意打ちと、そこから小お嬢様を狙われた焦りもあって気付けなかったけれど、今はハッキリと解る。あんたに比べりゃ普通のシャドウ・ストーカーの方が厄介だってね!これが解っちゃったからには、あんたに勝機は無い!)
     常人では解るまい。サキュバス故に解ったから、ピンクちゃんの動きにわざとらしい淫靡な仕草が混じり出し、戦闘に尖らせていた思考をピンク色に染めていく。
     そしてこれこそがピンクちゃんの、実力を発揮する毎に拍車が掛かる悪巫山戯の真骨頂。意志とは無関係に張り巡らされる、白兵戦という状況下において最強にして最凶、最高にして最低でもある、敵味方関係なく巻き込む最大最悪のトラップの起動キーでもあった。
     いつしかBBの攻撃を紙一重で避けるようになり、少し服が裂かれる度、「いやーん♪」だの「ああん♪」だのと黄色い声をあげ、隠そうとしながら微妙に隠していない、徐々に露出していく肢体には傷一つ無い。意図的にギリギリを見極めて、わざと服だけを扇情的になるように切り裂かせているのだ。それでいて、ナイフ捌きは精彩を欠いてはいない。
     そんな気の抜けた、それでいて気の抜けない攻防が続いていく。
    「ンっだよそりゃザけんじゃねえ!オレをおちょくってんのか、テメェ!?」
     やがて、遂に男が本能的にむしゃぶりつきたくなるような乳房がまろび出た頃、すっかり遊ばれている事と何故か服しか斬れない事に苛立ったBBが吠えた。
    「ハッ、今頃気付いたかよマヌケッ!常に全力で真面目に悪巫山戯の人生送ってるあたしを相手にしてんだ、おちょくられた程度でガタガタ抜かすな!どうせ抜かすなら、今なら見放題のこの美乳でも眺めて一発ヌイた方が人生得ってもんだぜ、ケツ穴野郎!!にひひぃ♪」
     にぃ、とチェシャ猫のような笑みを浮かべるピンクちゃんに、増々苛立ちが募るBB。普段の通りなら相手を翻弄して小馬鹿にしているのは自分の筈だ。それなのにこの女ときたら、翻弄されているようで的確に見切り、逆にこちらの攻撃を逆手に取って自分をからかっている。それが余計に腹立たしさを助長していた。
     まさかこんなに早い段階で、自分が相手の術中に嵌っているなどとは、夢にも思わずに。
    「チチ見てマスかきとか思春期のガキかってんだよ、このビッチが!!」
     また、刃が刃を弾き、薄暗い中で小さな火花が散った。

    長い長い階段は、ふと気を許せば地の底に吸い込まれてしまいそうな、不確かな錯覚を突き付けてくる。
    「爺さんの趣向でね、研究室までの移動手段は階段しかないんだ、緊急避難経路にはエレベーターを設置してあるんだけど、普通逆だよね?ま、僕は爺さんの変わった思考が気に入ってるんで、当時の構造をそのまま使ってるんだけどさ、うん、うん。改装も、流石に施設全体は広すぎて持て余すから、一角だけに留めてあるんだ、もしかしたら、貴重な資料が残ってるかもしれないよ?とは言っても、爺さんが行っていた違法な研究の資料なんかは焚書に処されたらしくて、僕の興味を刺激するようなものは残っていなかったけれど」
     それはそうだろう、危険思想に基づくと判断された研究成果は、片っ端から処分したのだから。他ならぬエルザ自身が、その現場に立ち会ってすらいるのだ、今更分かり切った話だ。余程お気に入りなのか、これから向かう研究室の解説を嬉しそうに捲し立てるリュートの言葉を半ば聞き流しながら、エルザはどこまでも続く階段の先に視線を向けていた。
     この階段を使うのも二度目だ。この不便な、バリアフリー精神などどこ吹く風の、当時と変わらない面影を残しながらも、当時とは全く異なる空気が、足元から吹き上げてきている。
     かつては、万魔殿にでも通じているのかとさえ思えたほど、混沌とした瘴気に満ちていた。
     それから時を経た今は、今度は冥界への入り口に向かっているのかと思うほど、霊気が肌に纏わりついてくる。
    (こうして淡々と降りていくと、黄泉比良坂へ入り込んだ伊邪那岐命にでもなった気分じゃわい)
     そんな事を考えて、すぐに自虐的な笑みを浮かべて頭を振り、思考を打ち消した。何があろうとも、ランの手を取って必ず連れ帰る…彼の神と同じ轍だけは、決して踏むまい。そう心に誓う。
    「当初ここの事は、僕は勿論、父さんすら知らなかった。つまり父さんは、自分の足下で爺さんが何をしているのか、全く知らずに育ったという訳だ、うん、うん、父さんは研究に全く興味を示さない人だから、むしろ周りが父さんをここから遠ざけていたんだろうね。ところが、その息子の僕が爺さんと同じ道を歩み始めた、そして研究施設を構えられそうな土地を買い上げていたりしていた頃、爺さんの代から務めてくれている使用人達が、ここの存在を教えてくれたのさ、半分くらい呆れてたんじゃないかな、血は争えないって。ただし、僕がここを使うにあたって、爺さんが辿った過ちを決して繰り返さない事を、厳しく約束させられたよ、うん、うん」
     話は思い出話に差し掛かっていた。そこまでは話半分に聞いていたエルザだったが、気になる話が出てきた事で、意識を再びリュートに向ける。発明卿の代から仕えている、この研究施設を知っていた使用人。それは深くも浅くも発明卿の研究に関わっていた事を示唆し、当時の発明卿が研究素材を入手していたルートと繋がっている可能性、つまりリュートの言う「爺さんのコネ」になり得るのだ。
    「少しは、悪用を考えた事が?」
     とぼけたフリをして、意地悪な質問を投げかけてみる。
    「どうだろうね、僕は僕の事を一番理解しているから、僕の研究は知識欲と探求心によるもので、野心や悪意など無いと断言できるし、キミに対してはキミの妹の遺骨を返すのが、せめてもの証明になれば、と思うけれど、それを他人…例えば実際にキミから見て、それが嘘ではないと少しでも思えるかい?」
    「難しいな。少なくとも、隠れてコソコソと進めている研究など、後ろめたい事があるとしか思えん」
     ごもっとも、とでも言うように、リュートは楽しげに肩を竦めてみせた。
    「うん、うん、ぐうの音も出ないね、なまじ自覚がある分、まさにクリティカルだよ。でも、僕が扱う研究は心霊関係だ、魔術や魔法の研究に似た性質を持つ。何事にも適正な環境があるように、場に見合う雰囲気を作り出してやった方が成果が望める、分かるだろう?」
    「フィールド・エンハンスか、魔術師連盟が唱える理論だな」
    「それそれ。魔術師の使い魔の召喚とかさ、わざわざ気色の悪い素材を用意したり、おどろおどろしい儀式をしたりっていうのは、本来そうしなくても行使できるもので、要は成功率を上げるためのものだっていうじゃないか、それに近い事をしているってだけさ、うん、うん。結果を迎えるまでは善し悪しなんて誰もに判らない、結果に至るまでの過程の中で、そこにどんな思惑があるのかなんて、当人が本音を語っても―――それこそ、マインド・リーディングでもしない限り―――それが真意かどうかを知り得るなんて不可能だし、第三者の手で結果が明らかにされようとも、当人或いはまた別の第三者の手で意図的に曲解・意識誘導され、最悪の場合、改変されたものかもしれない。結局、どんなに清廉潔白を訴えようと、信じさせるには困難を極め、信じてさえもらえない事も有り得る、つまり僕が声高に”悪い事なんて考えていません”と言ったところで、信じるも信じないもその人次第、けれど僕はそう言い続けるしかない、これが僕の答えだよ、うん、うん。だから爺さんみたいな真似はできないかな、汚名を敢えて被って自分の行いが無駄にならないように伏せ、虚偽に織り交ぜた真実を新世代に残す、なんてヘソ曲がりで気の長い心理戦、僕には無理だ。実際、僕が気付いた爺さんの本当の狙いは、誰にも信じてもらえなかったからね」
    「…何?」
     コネに付いての情報が零れる事を期待して振った話が、思いも寄らない話に切り替わった事で、エルザの目が鋭さを増した。リュートは話ついでに何の気も無く口にしたようだが、それがかえって嘘偽りを感じさせず、真実味を増している。発明卿の正気を保ちつつも狂気に彩られた実験、ひいては彼の死の裏に、何かが隠されているのだ、と。
    「ん、今の爺さんの話に興味があるのかい?じゃあ、試しに聞かせてあげようか、僕が気付いた事を。僕は信じてもらえない事を前提に話すから、信じるかどうかはキミに任せるよ」
    「良いだろう、聞かせてもらおうか、発明卿の真実とやらを」
     エルザの答えに、特に気負った様子を見せないまま、リュートが語り始める。その背中には、今まで感じていた、常に研究に意識を向け続け、やり取りを意志の外で行われている感覚とは違う、諦めのような、どこか達観した気怠さのような気配が漂っている気がした。初めてリュートに感じた人間らしい人間味、それはエルザに、彼が何度も、幾人にも同じ話を聞かせ、しかし真実として受け取られてこなかったという言葉を、実感として感じさせるには十分だった。
    「爺さんは、人間とモンスターを人工的に組み合わせた超人兵士を生み出す研究をしていた、そして実験の過程で生み出したキメラが暴走して殺された、ここまでは知ってるね?だけどね、爺さんの研究が目的ではなく手段だったとしたら、キメラが暴走したのが実験の失敗や偶然ではなく爺さん自身の意志で、研究という手段を隠蔽する為のものだったとしたら、これは何を意味すると思う?」
    「研究が手段…それは当たり前じゃろう、超人兵士を造るのが目的であり、それには研究を重ねるのが手段となるのだから」
    「そう、誰もがそう考える、僕も初めはそう考えたさ、でも違う、てんで違ったんだ。爺さんの目的は超人兵士なんかじゃない、超人兵士は研究を継続し続ける為の狂言に過ぎなかった」
     それが表向きの狂言ではないと、言外で雄弁に訴えていた。命を不当に弄ぶ事になる超人兵士もキメラ創造も、当時は世界情勢の関係もあり禁忌とされていた(現代では僅かに規制が緩和され、兵器転用を目的としない事を条件に、例外的に使い魔扱いで登録しさえすれば、主に高位の魔術師/魔法使いに限りキメラ創造が許され、審査を通過すれば所有権を移譲してもらう事も可能。ただし審査は”ハムスターを鍛えてゴリラより強くするようなもの”と言われるほど厳しい)。狂言とはいえそんな事を公言すれば、危険思想の持ち主として監視ないし拘束、事と次第によっては処刑など、研究とは程遠い結末を迎える事は明白である。では『誰』に、『何者』に向けての狂言だったのか?
    「爺さんは研究に莫大な資金を投じた、父さんが事業に成功していなければ、カーマイン家の復興も叶わなかった程の負債を抱えるまでに。施設の維持、研究の継続、キメラ達の餌、そりゃあ出費には事欠かなかっただろうね。でもね、僕がこの施設と自分の研究を維持するのに、爺さんの頃と比べてキメラが居ないとはいえ、父さんが事業で稼いだ収入に頼らず、僕が開発した除霊具の特許料から払って、おつりがくるくらいで賄えているんだ。僕だって研究に必要なものを手に入れるのに、それなりに出費はしているけれど、資産を食い潰す程じゃない。勿論、爺さんも研究に必要な物を入手していた筈で、論理的に入手が難しいものも…処刑後の死体を素材として、刑の執行を免れない受刑者を検体として…調達していたのは記録として残っている、けれどその出費は、当時の帳簿を見ても驚くほど少額だった。つまり、一代で資産を食い潰すような別の”何か”に、爺さんはお金を使っていた。おかしいと思わないかい?爺さんは嗜好品や美術品の類は好まず、浪費は必要最低限の生活を維持する分と、使用人達の給金以外は設備の維持費と研究資材のみ、爺さんが受け継いだ遺産の額なら、以降の収入を無いものとして計上しても、一生かけてやっと食い潰せるかどうかって程度だ。それなのに、代々所有していた美術品や貴金属を、資金を調達する為に売り払っていたくらいにまで…中には物々交換もあったのかもしれないけれど…使い込んでいた。この、使われる事の無かった筈の資金は、どこへ消えてしまったんだろうね?」
     それは当然、非合法の素材の調達にだろう、と受け答えをしようとして、エルザはハッとした。その『当然』が指し示す意味に。
     発明卿が違法な取引に手を染めていた事は、事件後の調査で解っている。しかし、それ以上の事の詳細は、何も公表されていない。そう、取引を行っていた相手が、何処の誰であったのかさえ。
    「…発明卿は研究に没頭する余り、負債を抱えるまでに私財を投じた…これは発明卿の人物像を伝える情報に含まれる話であり、かの事件を知っている者なら、たとえ聞きかじりであったとしても、これくらいは知っておる。本来、それだけ不自然な資金の流れがあれば、嫌が応にも裏の繋がりを疑われるのは当然だ。が、事件の”その後”に関わっていない限り、誰もがそれを”事件の情報”としてしか考えず、その”先”を…裏に何があるのかなど、探ろうとはしない。儂がそうであったように、だ!」
    「気付いてくれたね?無関係の不特定大多数に伝わったのでは知られてしまう、だからこそ事件に関わる不特定極少数に、不確かで確実な情報を残した」
    「自らに嫌疑を掛けさせてまで、か…!」
    「それが爺さんの狙いだったのさ、自ら狂気を装い、いつ周囲が懸念の目を向けてきても良いように、仕向けていたんだ。本当は、それは最後の手段だったに違いない、しかし爺さんを以てしても目論見は失敗に終わった、いや、相手の方が一枚上手だったのか、そうせざるを得ない不測の事態に陥ったのか。だから爺さんはキメラを暴走させる事で、自らの演じる”狂気の研究者”という立場を盛大にアピールして、自ら命を絶ったんだ。そうやって自分の行っていた危険な研究と、何の為の研究だったのかという真の目的を消し去り、事故死を演出する事で相手の目を欺き、明確ではないにせよ、狙いを他の誰かに伝える為に」
     リュートの言葉通り、発明卿の死は、彼の違法な研究を際立たせるのに一役買う事となった。当然、捜査の目は非合法な研究素材にも向いた筈だ。もし本当に発明卿が自ら命を絶ったというなら、自身の研究が危険と見なされ、破棄処分を受けるのも、予定調和であったのだろう。
     これが全て、発明卿の計算通りなのだとすれば。
     計算を外した先ですら、計算していたのだとすれば。
    「爺さんは戦いができる人ではなかった。結果的に生み出したキメラで立ち向かう事も考えた筈だ、けれど、そうしなかった。自分には何ができて、何ができないかを理解していたから、できなかったんだ。強大な力を手に入れたからって、単純に戦いを挑んで勝てるような、甘い相手ではなかったんだろうね。だから爺さんは一人、爺さんなりのやり方で、戦い続けていたんだ」
     信じ難い事ではあるが、全てが繋がっていく。最早リュートが語る話をただの妄言と一笑に伏せない程に、エルザは魔法使いであった。
     仮に、魔法が通用しない相手であるならば。戦おうとも歯が立たず、圧倒的な戦力差を覆す事もできぬまま、それでもなお、気付かれずに立ち向かえる術が、自分ただ一人でなら可能であるのなら。その行動理念が、理解できる。理解できてしまう。
    「敵を欺き、味方をも欺いて、怪しまれる事無く、怪しまれながら、搦め手で、遠回りをして…」
     それは、命懸けの狂言回しだ。全てが狂言で、全ての狂言はただ一つの道を開く。誰かに打ち明ける事もできず、見破られる訳にもいかない、孤独と不安によって少しずつ精神が削ぎ落とされていく砂地獄に抗い続け、いつ気が触れるとも知れない中、正気を保ったまま狂気を纏う、静かなる戦い。
    「爺さんの本当の目的は、超人兵士なんて下らないものじゃない。敢えて違法な研究を行い、裏に流れた資金の行先を追わせ、その先に居る奴等を引きずり出す事」
    「奴等とは一体、何者じゃ」

    「…ヘル・スカルズ。キミの義妹の遺骨の提供元、死体回収屋の前身となった組織だ」

    超大型ハンドガンから放たれた銃弾が、やや遅れて響いた二発の銃声に、30cmも進まぬ内に軌道を変えた。
     直後に襲い来る二連射を半身になる事で避け、その隙を突いて懐に入り込んできたコルの顎を狙った銃床の一撃は、右肘で手首を打ち付けて返す。左拳でコルの右腕を打ち、そこから放たれる銃弾を逸らすと同時、滑るように回転するコルが放った左からの後ろ回し蹴りを、膝でガードする。回転は止まらず、次の上段回し蹴りを肩に受けるが、強引に左腕を振り払い、コルの脇腹を打ち据えた。受け身を取ってすぐさま跳ね起き、横に回り込もうとするコルに銃口を向け引き金を引き、コルも身を屈めつつ両手に携える銃を撃つ。轟音と二発の銃声、そして甲高く歪んだ金属音が響き、僅かに狙いが逸れたギガノフの銃弾が、コルの髪を乱して通り過ぎていく。照準を定め直してもう一発、体勢を低く保ったまま真横に走るコルを狙うが、銃弾はスカートに大きな穴を開けただけに留まり、空しく壁に突き刺さった。不意に声を上げて笑い出しそうになるギガノフだったが、なんとか衝動を抑える。しかし、自然と頬が緩んでいくのを堪えきれない。
    (クク、まさか銃弾を銃弾で迎撃してくるとは。弾道を見切っているのではなく、おそらく銃口の向きで射線を読み、わたしが引き絞るトリガーの軋む音に反応し、合わせてきている。よもや実戦で子供騙しの大道芸さながらの芸当を見せられるとは驚きだが、実際こうして射軸をずらされるというのは、成程どうして厄介なものだ。面白い)
     二発の銃声、一発はハンドガンで防ぎ、一発は首を傾けてやり過ごすと、逆袈裟から猛烈なしなりを伴った蹴りが迫る。脇に抱え込み力尽くで受け止めて足首の破壊を試みるが、コルは関節を極められる前に逆の足でギガノフの腹を蹴り、するりと抜け出すと宙返りで手を付き着地、咄嗟に上体を後ろに反らしたギガノフの胸元を、刃と見紛う鋭さでコルの後ろ回し蹴りが掠めていった。
    (私が一発撃つのに対し二発、小口径の銃では威力で劣る為に三発から四発を要し、より多くの弾を消費する。加えて攻撃も行うとなれば尚更だ。それでいて、これだけの弾を消費してなお、まだ手が尽きぬとは。弾薬の再装填もスペアマガジンの交換もせずに新たな銃に持ち替える事で、攻撃の手を休める事無く、僅かなりにもこちらに余裕を与えまいという腹づもりか)
     既に周囲には、どんな手品を使えばこれだけの量を隠し持てるのかと逆に感心したくなる、膨大な量の銃器が撒き散らかされている。次から次へと、手を変え品を変え手にする銃が変化していく様は、ギガノフにさえ銃の系統別に対処法を変える事を諦めさせる程、素早く鮮やかなものだった。
    (消耗を無視した手数勝負、しかも徐々にスピードが上がってきている…現に、銃撃ではわたしに分があるというのに、体術では圧され始めているのだからな。このまま続けていれば、いずれは凌ぎきれなくなるだろう。だが、大量に銃を持ち込んだとて古今東西の銃火器全て、ましてその数無限という訳ではあるまい!こちらもスペアに限りはあるが、お前とわたしとでは弾の消費量が桁違いだ、こんな消耗戦がいつまでも続けられると思うなよ…!)
     そして幾度目かの弾丸と弾丸のかち合い。コルの動きを追って流れるギガノフの視界の中で、弾の切れたスタームルガーSP101とグロック17が、床の上に転がり落ちる。が、これまでなら銃を持ち替えてすぐにあった発砲が無い。不審を感じる間もなく、鳩尾を狙い下から突き上げてきた掌底を左腕を割り込ませて防ぎ、コルの手が空いている事を確信したギガノフは、遂に品切れか、そんな考えが頭をよぎるが、戦士としての経験が、それは違う、と叫んでいた。
    (馬鹿な!全て撃ち尽くしたというのなら、わたしがまだ目にしていない銃があるのは何故だ!?)
     バレット・スコールの逸話、ホテル襲撃時の邂逅。そのどちら共に使用していた、バレット・スコールを象徴する二挺拳銃、彼女の愛銃―――
     何かを狙っている、そう警戒したままコルが放つ二連撃のショートアッパーをスウェーで躱し、振り上げの裏拳を右腕でいなしつつ左のストレート。その腕を取り、下から肘に掌打の一撃、もう一撃を加えようとしたコルは、素早く自分に向けられた銃口に気付き、打ち込もうとしていた掌打を中断して、すかさずギガノフの右手首を押さえる。両腕を掴まれたギガノフが、柔術の業を警戒し力任せにコルを引き剥がそうとするより早く、ギガノフの腹に足を当て、取った両手を支えに宙へ舞い上がった。柔術を使うでもなく、取った腕を離してまで、自ら敢えて逃げ場の無い空中に舞ったコルの狙いが判らないまま、それでも銃を向けようとしたギガノフの視界の片隅で、小さな閃光が迸った。同時に、反対側から乾いた炸裂音。
    (まさか、遠隔操作で銃が撃てるのか!?弾の残った銃を周囲に撒き、素手でわたしの油断を誘って…)
     見えた閃光と炸裂音の位置から反射的に予測した射線から体を退くが、予想に反して銃弾は飛んでこない。事態を呑み込む間も無いギガノフの眼前に、掌に収まるサイズの小さなリモコンが、ゆっくりと落ちていく。
     コルが遠隔操作をしたのは銃ではない。予め携行した銃に、ペンライトを分解して取り出した白色発光LED、爆薬に詳しいメイドに作らせたクラッカーボール(かんしゃく玉)を仕込み、アイーナが情報収集の片手間に作成した極小の受信装置と組み合わせて、スイッチ一つで発光/破裂する仕掛けを施していたのだ。初めこそ、ギガノフの反応速度への対抗手段として、ばら撒いた銃を利用して遠隔操作を試みようと苦心していたが、奇襲という意味での有用性は認められたものの、深い集中力が求められる銃撃を含んだ格闘戦に引き摺りこむという作戦上、どうしても意図的に思い通りの向きになるよう銃をばら撒く事にまで意識を割けず、また向けられたとしても精度に難がある為に確実性に欠け、満足のいく結果とは言い難かった。それならばと疑似的な発砲を演出する事を思い付き、試しに知覚と反射神経に優れる獣系モンスターのメイドを相手に模擬戦をしてみたら、面白いほど引っ掛かった。知覚に優れれば優れるほど、相手が銃使いという認識から発砲時に似た光と音を発砲されたと錯覚し易く、十分な攪乱になるとして採用した案だ。
     効果は一瞬、二度は望めない。だが、たった一度の一瞬を掴み取る努力さえできないようなら…コルはこれまで生き残ってはこられなかっただろう。
     その掴み取った一瞬の間を置き、コルの姿を追ったギガノフと視線が交差する。既にコルは二挺のリボルバーを両手に構え、引き金を引き絞っていた。
     コルト・パイソンとS&W M19から放たれた銃弾が、ギガノフの右肩を貫いた。
    (当たった!利き腕を潰せば、少なくとも反動を殺しきれなく…!?)
     高速で流れるコルの視界の中、ギガノフが顔色一つ変えず銃口をコルに向けた。右腕で、だ。
     つま先が地面に触れるか触れないかの瞬間、銃弾が放たれる。
     着地の衝撃を逃がす間もなく、軋む体を捻りながら真横に跳んだ。寸前までコルの頭があった空間を、物凄い質量と圧力を持った激しいうねりが、轟音と共に通り過ぎていく。
     横から殴りつけられたような衝撃に圧され、床の上を二、三度バウンドしたコルは、忌々しげに舌打ちしながら体勢を整えた。裂けたスカートの裾からは、今はもう見る影もなく埃で薄汚れた白のストッキングが、血に染まっていく様が覗く。跳び退くのにバネにした右足が、弾丸が空気を切り裂く圧力に掴まれ、膝から下の皮膚が引き千切られていたのだ。
     …徐々に避け切れなくなってきている。それも密度の濃い高速戦闘だ、実際に経過した時間は体感時間よりも遥かに短いだろうに、だ。
    「クソが…肩撃ち抜いたってのに、まだ反動無視して片手でそれを撃てるのか。これだから創作生まれは嫌になる、痛覚も身体構造もまるで無視して、致命傷でもなけりゃある程度までなら平気ってのはインチキだろ、ちったぁ弱味のひとつも見せやがれってんだイ○ポ野郎。さぞ良い気分だろうよ、理論も法則も一切無視のデタラメ火力で敵を蹂躙できる気分はよ?」
    「…やはりか。やはりお前にも理解できんか」
     これまでどこか楽しげだったギガノフの目に、揺らぎが浮かぶ。感じ取ったのは葛藤、コルは密かに眉を顰める。嫌いな展開だ。
    「戦争を終わらせる為に作られ、自我を持った時には既に存在理由など失われていた、あるものは生まれながらの人殺しの道具という事実だけ、それがどれだけ空しく、呪わしく、わたしを苦しめたか、たかが幾ばくかの報酬ごときで命を捨てられる傭兵には、やはり解らんのだな…!人間が始めた戦争で戦う為にわたしは生み出され、人間が終わらせた戦争がわたしから存在理由を奪っていた、まるでわたしという存在など初めから無かったのだと言わんばかりに!誰もわたしを必要とする事無く全てを終わらせられるというのなら、何故わたしは作り出された?何故わたしは存在している?何故存在を否定されたわたしは自我など持ってしまったのだ!!解るかバレット・スコール、戦う事を、命を奪う事を宿命付けられておきながら戦場を奪われ、それでも無用な戦いに身を投じなければ己を保てぬ惨めさが、貴様に解るのか!!」
    「ハ、戦う事が己の証明ってやつか?それとも超人系にありがちな『自分の存在に悩める主人公』か。実際に目の当りにしてみるとウザいったらねえな、それに少々おしゃべりが過ぎる。人間臭さを表現するストーリー上の演出なんだろうが、これはゲームでもコミックでもない、紛れもないリアルだ。そういうのは『お話』の中でやってくれ」
     挑発を篭めたコルの悪態に、ギガノフは構えを解いた。
    「あン?何を考えてやがる…私をナメてるのか」
    「勘違いをしているようだなバレット・スコール。教えてやろう、わたしは超人兵士の創作話から生まれた存在ではない」
     言いながら、手にする超大型ハンドガンを眼前に掲げる。
    「対戦車モンスターバレルAT14C-7G、通称ギガント。冷戦の時代、かの地の紛争に投入される事を前提に開発され、日の目を見る事なく開発計画そのものを抹消された対戦車ハンドガン、これが『わたし』だ!」
    「!?」
     言われて気付く、撃ち抜いた肩は出血などしていない。あの体はあくまで「本体」が同調し自身を撃たせる為の疑似体に過ぎなかったのだ。
     命を宿した無機物が人間の姿を取るには(極少数の例外を除けば)二通りの方法がある。一つ目は他の妖怪やモンスター同様、姿そのものを人間に変える「人間変身」。そして二つ目は本体の形状を変える事なく、同調操作で本体を持ち運べるもう一つの体を外部に作り出す「疑似体」だ。この疑似体は、自然修復の追い付かない激しい損傷を受ければ失われたり、本体から遠く離れた場合には自ら動く事すらままならない状態に陥るというデメリット(他にも血が出ない、涙を流せない等、本来人間なら「起こり得る事」が起きない)はあるが、戦闘という限定された状況においては、元々痛覚が無い故に痛みを無視でき、人間のように精密な生体組織を持たない為に、人間なら致命傷となる損傷も小さなものであれば問題なく動くというメリットがある。
     厄介だ。思っていたよりもずっと。手足を狙っての行動不能、あるいは急所を狙った一撃必殺を主とするコルにとって、同じ銃使いという条件を考慮すれば、ワースト1、2を争う相性の悪さだった。おまけに疑似体の強度に関係なく弱点となり得る本体は、銃弾を弾く剛性があるときた。
    (そりゃあ不死身の超人兵士なんぞと言われる訳だ。斬ろうが撃とうが爆風に飲まれようが意にも介さず、まして腕が吹っ飛ぼうが足が消し飛ぼうが頭を撃ち抜こうがケロリとしているなんて、何も知らずに相対する相手にとっちゃ悪夢以外の何物でもない)
     再びゆっくりと自分へと向けられる銃口を睨み付け、考える。
    (だが、まだ手は尽きちゃいない。疑似体のダメージは本体に影響はないようだが、疑似体自体は損傷する、という事は…疑似体を行動不能に追い込めばいい、やる事は変わらない。あとは残された手で、あの銃弾を見切る『目』を、欺けるかどうかだ。牽制でどうにかできるものじゃない、生半可なフェイントでは誤魔化せないのは先刻承知済み、考えろ…こちらが正確に奴を狙え、かつ奴の意表を突く方法を…)
     使える手と使えなくなった手の選定、高速で巡る思考の片隅に、一瞬「囮」という単語が引っかかる。そもそも囮を前提とした手を練ってはいない、と即座に切り捨てようとしたコルは、つい最近、自分が体験した出来事を思い出した。
    (ある…!あの方法なら、奴の目を確実に欺ける!問題は、その”トリック”を如何にして見破らせずに行うか、だが…)
     知らず舌なめずりをする。緊張している証拠だ。
    (きっとできるさ。いや、必ずやってやる。…感謝致します小お嬢様、貴女様はこのコルめに、知恵を与えて下さいました…!)

    Karindou 4-Koma Extra Story Pseudo Short Story [Ghostrick Live] 13

    With the knife in her right hand, she blocked something incoming, sharp and fast.
    On reflex, without knowing what it was, she launched a kick out in the direction the attack came from, but, naturally, or rather, obviously, it only hit air. With nothing to stop her kick, she kept going several meters, flying into a hole in a ruined wall.
    "Oh ho... Once again, a field that favors you."
    Echoing on the stacks of completely rusted metal containers, Pink-chan said casually. The containers nearly reached the ceiling and were stacked in a systematic, regular way, so as to block the dim light to the path, casting shadows all around. This was probably done on purpose.
    "Actually, it looks more like a place from a movie where the villain lures the hero to, and you're aware of every little thing because of how so unfair it is. That's what it feels like. Don't you think the same?"
    "Oh? I think it's like a game, where the one controlling a high attack power enemy chooses an advantageous terrain so he'll be a match for the players."
    "It's like that?" said Pink-chan as she tilted her head. Right in front of her, in the shadow that was cast on the floor, the shape of a human stealthily took form.
    "Ah, though I can't deny that this is advantageous terrain for my powers, I didn't lure you here; you were the ones who came here. I've been ready to take you on for a while. But you're quite good at dodging. I hid my presence, didn't give away my killing intent until just now, but you were still able to react. How wonderful! I'm looking forward to this so much that my heart is racing."
    Hearing this, the face of the human-shaped shadow bared its fangs as it gave a terrible smile. In response, Pink-chan gave a mischievous smile and laughed.
    "You're wrong, I didn't react. It was simply that in that moment when the surprise attack came, I thought how cool it would be if I was able to stop the attack, and I just pulled out my knife and stopped it with perfect timing. If I had actually reacted, the follow up kick would have hit."
    "... Really?"
    "Really really. Very really."
    (I can't tell if she's being serious or joking... What is she?)
    He couldn't read her.
    The shadow... BB, probably for the first time in his life, was thinking the same thing that all other people who he had previously fought thought. As he felt this confusion deep inside of him, he confronted the woman in front of him, Pink-chan.

    "Ehh!? M-Mifi-san...!"
    "I know. Be quiet."
    Losing sight of Pink-chan, who had ran off far ahead of them, Cuey stiffened up and started to scream, but Mifi grabbed her and placed her hand on the wall where her foot had stopped.
    "... Pink-chan didn't disappear; she's ahead of us. She seems to have flown through the hole in this wall. Since there was nothing, she would have kept going and stopped when she hit something. I hope it will be settled without us being dragged into a fight, but..."

    "Then, while Pink-san is keeping the enemy busy, we should advance! So I'll go first now..."
    "Don't be stupid. It's not as if there's no one aside from that guy earlier and that Shadow Stalker. Sure, your strength and beam are powerful weapons, but if something like them appears, are you confident that you can win in a real fight? If you're thinking you can just return to your normal size and crush them, then think about why we've been hiding ourselves this entire time. Also, we'll be crushed too, getting buried alive here in these ruins. No thank you."
    Cuey didn't hear the final "are you so lovey-dovey with the mistress that you're willing to die for her?" that she whispered. Mifi's words had had their effect on her and she felt despondent. Slapping Cuey on the shoulder, Mifi indicated her to bring out the invisibility cloak, and just like how they did it while they were infiltrating, they got closer to Pink-chan.
    They reached the wall with the hole in it, and as they stealthily looked inside, Pink-chan was engaged in combat, of course. At first glance, it looked like Pink-chan was engaged in a knife fight, her specialty, but her opponent's moves were a complete mystery. Hiding in the countless shadows, leaping out of another shadow with a bladed weapon. It was like he was forcing Pink-chan into a melee combat of a completely different kind.
    The two of them felt that the only thing that hadn't completely changed in this abnormal fight was Pink-chan's usual carefree smile.
    "Bingo, she's fighting that Shadow Stalker. As far as we know, they're focused on each other, and thanks to the fortunate circumstances, we didn't get dragged in as combatants, but... it doesn't change the fact that it would be dangerous if we kept going forward by ourselves. If the head chamberlain can finish her fight and get here, it would be a different story, but I don't think she'll be able to get rid of him that quickly. And so, we must do what we can to help Pink-chan win."
    "Even if you say that... Uh.... Wouldn't it be best if we stayed hidden like we are right now...?"
    "As long as we're covered by that, he shouldn't be able to sense our aura, and as long as we don't do anything to make our presence conspicuous, it will hide us. And if we do it right, we might be able to support her."
    "H-how?"
    "I'm still thinking about that..."
    If it had been Elza, she wouldn't even think about it and just invade and conquer, but Mifi didn't even have a sliver of combat power, and in a battle of the minds, even if she could rely on Aiina's advice, she couldn't interrupt the electronic battle that she was currently fighting. In reality, what bothered her was that she couldn't come up with a plan to turn the tide in their favor, nor even follow the battle that was erupting before her with her eyes. However, as she desperately wracked her brains trying to see if there was anything that she could do, she unconsciously gripped the sides of the hole.
    As she saw the untraceable battle before her, the silent stones quietly spoke to Mifi.
    (... Ah.)
    There was.
    It definitely was impossible for just herself, but since Cuey was also there, it was possible. Her ability as a spiritualist, and the strength of a cyclops. One that hadn't grown at all, one that hadn't been trained. They were unhoned, low quality abilities, but if they were combined, then maybe...
    Of course, it was unthinkable that they could defeat the Shadow Stalker with that. Actually, no matter how useful it might be, if they were to face him directly, they would immediately be at a disadvantage. She knew that was how weak they were.
    (So, our objective is... just to let Pink-chan defeat him, by giving her an opportunity...!)
    To do this, she steadied herself. She had to make certain of the timing. If there was even a small mistake, Pink-chan would be the one in trouble.
    Mifi whispered into Cuey's ear, and at first, her eyes went wide with surprise, but she soon understood her plan and nodded vigorously.
    If possible, while this opening was made available, Pink-chan would hopefully win. As they hoped this would happen, Mifi softly held Cuey's giant hand on her chest. It wasn't just Mifi who needed to figure out the timing, Cuey's cooperation was also essential.
    From their perspective, they could only just barely see how the battle was going from Pink-chan's knifeplay.
    A smile and a crazed laugh. Both of them stabbing, slashing, slicing with their blades, surpassing each other's speeds, then going even faster and faster, in a flash, becoming a barrier of blades.
    Only ending when one had taken the life of the other, a dance of death invisible to the eye. Mifi waited, focused, listening to the voiceless voices.

    (So you're watching, Mifi-chan, Cuey-chan...)
    As she felt the thrill and joy of having a shadow blade pass 8 mm from the tip of her chest, Pink-chan felt the faint scent of their life-force. Or more precisely, it wasn't her sense of smell, but instead it was her special succubus sense, which her mind interpreted as a smell or taste. And though it was like a smell or taste, it was only a difference between regular water and slightly salty water, depending on the person. However, for them, she could figure out the normally imperceptible difference. Or rather, she could feel it. There were times when she would be infatuated with humans who had a tasty life-force (Usually, she would be unable to hold back and feed excessively during a short time frame, draining their life-force and unintentionally killing them), but otherwise, humans were treated merely as food by other succubi, and the differences were considered different tastes. (This meant that, for the same target, the amount of food obtained would be spread out over their family, and thus reduced, so they avoid any troubles like going on life support or the species' survival instinct.) For Pink-chan, who spent her childhood always hungry, you could say she'd eat anything, or that she was forced to eat bad food for a succubus. But if an assassination target could change their looks or was using a body double/disguised counter-assassin, she could tell, and could spot enemy soldiers, even if they were hiding their presence and were out of sight or hiding. While she was a mercenary, it was a sense she relied on a lot, beyond just satisfying her hunger.
    (The scent of corn and aloe, it's definitely them. Maybe they're thinking they can support me? They're so serious it's cute... oh ho.)
    Enticingly bending her hips, she dodged the blade aimed at her midsection. She countered with an elbow and once that was dodged, she made a big side sweep with her knife, warily stepping back as BB retreated into the shadows.
    (Ah, again, there's a scent that excites me in that way, like the mistress or Onee-sama... Could it be him? Come to think of it, when I defended against that preemptive attack earlier, did I pull out my knife because I was worried about that scent...)
    As she twisted her body, fighting against the incessant blades and thinking, a sharp shadow came up from by her feet, and by luck, it was deflected by a knife she had hidden at her side, and it flew perfectly between her breasts, ripping her maid uniform and bra, and then instantly returned to the shadows. As she thought 'after binding me, is he going to do this and that to my half-naked lewd body? Even though they're watching, that pervert will do that to me and be so aroused', her nipples got hard, and she felt hotter below. This sort of thing was terrible, but a common occurrence.
    (A Shadow Stalker of a different temperament, huh... He certainly is different, though in a different way that Mister said. At the hotel, I didn't notice it from the surprise grenade attack and because the little mistress was being targeted, but I can clearly tell now. Compared to you, a normal Shadow Stalker would be much bigger trouble! And since I know this, you have no chance of winning!)
    A regular person wouldn't understand. But since she's a succubus, she understood, and Pink-chan purposefully included lewd moves in with her actions, honing his battle thoughts to be pink-colored.
    Thus, this was the real effect of the teasing that Pink-chan included each time she fought hard. It wouldn't consciously affect them, and in melee combat, and would equally affect the strongest and the unluckiest, the best and the worst, enemy and ally alike. It was the activation key to the most horrible trap.
    Eventually, she was dodging BB's attacks by a hair's breadth, and each time her clothes would get slightly torn, she would say "Nooo♪" or "Aaah♪" in a high voice, and act like she's covering it would actually doing so, eventually exposing herself without sustaining any injuries to her body. She was intentionally just barely dodging, and purposefully letting only her clothes be lewdly cut up. And so, her knife had not lost its edge.
    With this lightheartedness, the serious battle continued.
    "Grah, stop fucking around! Are you trying to mess with me!?"
    Finally, the man's instincts got revved up once her breasts became fully exposed, and BB yelled out, annoyed that he was being played with and that the only thing he could slice was her clothes.
    "Hah, you only realized it now, you fool! When fighting against me, who has spent her life perfecting the art of teasing, the more you get teased, the shakier you become! And now you can stare at my beautiful breasts as much as you want and have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to jack it, you ass man!! Nihihi!"
    Pink-chan had a Cheshire Cat grin, and it only made BB even angrier. Normally, he was the one who was playing with his opponent. But with this woman, he could clearly see he was being played with, and she was messing with him by turning his own attacks against him. This caused him to get unnecessarily irritated.
    He never imagined that he would get caught by his opponent's tricks at such an early stage.
    "You're showing me your tits and treating me like a teenage boy, you slut!!"
    Once again, blade struck blade, and sparks flew in the dim light.

    The long, long staircase caused a hazy illusion where it seemed like you would get sucked down to the bottom if you stopped concentrating for a moment.
    "My grandfather's plan, you see, was to have stairs be the only way to get to the laboratory, though there's an elevator installed in case of an emergency evacuation, but that's backwards? Well, I like my grandfather's odd way of thinking, and I kept on using the structure that was left from back then, yeah, yeah. And remodeling, naturally doing it to the entire facility was too much, it's too big, so I focused on just one corner of it, there might be valuable documents still there? Though I say that, all the documents about the illegal research my grandfather did were burned, so there's nothing left that really caught my interest."
    That's probably true, the fruits of his research had been deemed to be dangerous ideas, so all of it was disposed of. More than anyone else, Elza herself had personally been there and already knew it. I guess he really liked it, she thought, only half paying attention to Ryuuto as he babbled on and on about the laboratory they were heading to. Meanwhile, Elza continued to gaze onward down the stairs.
    This was the second time she had used these stairs. This inconvenient, completely open wind blowing had the same markings as back then, but now has a completely different feeling to it, as it blew up from below.
    Before, she had even thought that they might be going into the depths of Hell, such was the extent of the rising confusing miasma.
    And even now, after all that time, she thought they might be heading to the entrance of the underworld, feeling the spirit energy wrap around her.
    (Descending so easily like this, I feel like Izanagi entering Yomotsu Hirasaka.)
    Thinking that, she shook her head with a self-derisive smile, and stopped thinking about it. No matter what happened, she would get Ran and bring her back for sure... She definitely would not make the same mistake as he did. That she swore.
    "At the beginning, I, naturally, didn't know about here, like my father. In short, my father was raised without any knowledge of what my grandfather was doing, yeah, yeah, and my father was someone who didn't express any interest in research, or rather, everyone else kept kept him away from here. Though, his son, that is to say me, started going down the same path as my grandfather, and when I bought the land that was situated above this research facility, the servants who had been with us since my grandfather's time told me about the existence of this place, though I guess it's not too surprising, since we're the same blood line. However, once I started using this place, I solemnly swore not to repeat the same mistakes that my grandfather did, yeah, yeah."
    The conversation was almost like talking about past memories. Elza had already heard about half of that, but the part that worried her was how Ryuuto was steered towards this. The servants had worked since the Lord Inventor's time and knew about this facility. It's possible they suggested to him about the Lord Inventor's research, whether superficially or detailed, or regarding how to obtain his research data. Basically, turning Ryuuto into "his grandfather's cat".
    "Did you think there might have been some ill intent?"
    Feigning ignorance, she asked a malicious question.
    "I wonder, I know myself the best, so I can state that my research is due to my own desire and thirst for knowledge, and not for any ill purpose or scheme, and for you, I think giving back your younger sister's remains will be proof enough, and for others... For example, from your perspective, you have a feeling that I'm not lying, correct?"
    As if to say that it was a possibility, Ryuuto cheerfully shrugged his shoulders.
    "Yeah, yeah, I don't know what to tell you, the part of me that is only somewhat aware, that's the critical part. However, the research I do is related to the spirit and it aspects that are similar to magic and magical research. In any case, I need an appropriate environment, and creating a suitable atmosphere for the location creates desirable results, you know this?"
    "Field Enhance, huh, the theory that the Mages' Alliance believes."
    Yes, that. Like when summoning a mage's familiar, they use specific odd materials and use strange rituals, and though there's need to do so, they do so because it increases their success rate, and so this is something like that, yeah, yeah. Until we get results, there's no way of knowing if it's good or bad, and until it's over, while we're in the middle of it, even if we truthfully say that we expect this or that to happen — as long as there's no mind reading — it's impossible to know what our true motivation is, and even if a third party uncovers the results, we could have a different third party intentionally twist or reinterpret it, and at the worst, might even transform it. In the end, even if you claim that all your motives are pure, making someone believe you is difficult, and it's very possible they won't be able to believe you. So if I shout "I'm not thinking about anything evil", it's up to each person whether to believe me or not, but all I can do is continue to say it, that's my answer, yeah, yeah. So I can't pretend to be like my grandfather, and have my reputation sullied and my work all be for naught, leaving a mix of truths and lies for this new era, this sort of twisted, lengthy psychological games, it isn't for me. In reality, no one believed what I realized were my grandfather's true goals."
    "... What?"
    The conversation was bursting with more related information than she could hope for, and now that it switched to a topic that she wasn't expecting at all, Elza's eyes became sharper. Ryuuto had been casually talking, but it didn't feel like he was lying, and it was true. He was implying that there was something hidden that preserved the Lord Inventor's sanity even as his experiments descended into insanity and was the secret behind his death.
    "Mmm, are you interested in the story about my grandfather? Very well, I guess I'll let you hear what I realized. I'll start with the things that I don't believe, and let you decide for yourself."
    "All right, please tell me, the truth behind the Lord Inventor."
    Hearing Elza's answer, Ryuuto began talking, hiding his excitement from her. The sense that Elza got from looking at his back was now different from what it was before, as his mind was always on his research, and she could sense his talking was somewhat subconscious. Now, as if resigned to it, he had an air of philosophical detachment. At first, she felt a kind of humanish feeling from Ryuuto. And now, it was like Ryuuto was repeating the same story that he had told to countless other people, and even if she couldn't accept the truth in his words, it was enough that she could feel his genuine belief in them.
    "My grandfather was researching how to artificially combine humans and monsters to create super soldiers, and during his experimentation, a chimera that he created ran wild and killed him, this you know, correct? However, if the chimera was not the goal of my grandfather's research, but rather a method, and the chimera running wild was not a failed experiment or a fluke, but rather was my grandfather's intention, so that it was intended to hide the methods of his research, then what do you think it was for?"
    "The research into the methods... That's obvious, of course, his goal was to create super soldiers, and for that, it would be method for him to expand on his research."
    "Yes, everyone thinks that, and I thought that at first, but no, that's wrong. My grandfather's goal was not to make a super soldier, super soldiers were nothing more than a cover for him to continue his research."
    He was implying that it was just a cover story for everyone else. Playing God and creating a super soldier and chimera, due to the state of the world back then, was taboo. (Nowadays, there has been a slight relaxing of restrictions, and as long as it's not for military purposes, as long as it's registered as a special familiar, it's permitted for high class mages and wizards to create chimeras, and it's also possible to transfer ownership of it, as long as it passes an inspection. However, the inspection is said to be as difficult as "training a hamster to be stronger than a gorilla".) As a cover story, if that was made public, as someone with dangerous thoughts and without any supervision, he would be immediately executed and his research terminated. This much was obvious. So then, for "who", or "what", was this cover story intended?
    "My grandfather put an enormous amount of money into his research, and if my father hadn't been successful in business, the Carmine family would still be in debt, let alone restored as a wealthy family. But, even though I'm maintaining this facility and have my own research, compared to my grandfather's time, even without the chimera, even without the income from my father's business, the royalties I earn from the exorcism tools that I invented are enough to cover all the costs and have some left over. I obtain things I need for my research and have to pay for them, but it's not so expensive as to deplete our fortune. Of course, my grandfather needed to obtain things for his research, and logically, some would be difficult to obtain too... Using corpses that had been executed as materials, death row inmates who become test subjects in exchange for a pardon... There are records of him getting these, but those expenses, even when looking at the books from back then, are surprisingly small. In short, in order to burn through our fortune in just one generation, my grandfather was using the money on "something else". Don't you think that's odd? My grandfather didn't like luxury goods or art and he only spent the bare minimum to maintaining his lifestyle, and aside from the servants' wages, there was only the costs for the maintenance of the facility and research materials, and from the amount of money my grandfather inherited, even if you exclude all he earned, it wasn't enough to burn through it all in his lifetime. Despite that, he even sold all of the works of art and valuables that had been in our family for generations, just to have enough funds... He may have traded some of them too... But he used them. So, where did all this money, that he supposedly didn't use for anything, go?"
    That's obvious, it was to obtain materials that were illegal. But just as Elza was about to reply with that, she stopped. She realized what that "obvious" thing was indicating.
    The Lord Inventor was involved with illegal deals. She knew this from the post-incident investigation. However, beyond that, the details were not made public. Not even who these deals were being made with.
    "... The Lord Inventor was so focused on his research that he took on debt and spent his own money on it... That is the information that is told about the Lord Inventor's profile, and even those that know about that incident, even they don't know much, they know that. Thus, if his money were to slip away mysteriously, it's only natural to suspect there is some hidden connection, regardless of the veracity. However, as long as there's nothing "after" the incident, everyone will only think about the "information about the incident", and as for the "before"... no one will even think to investigate if there was something hidden behind that. That was how I thought!"
    "You realized it? A large number of unrelated people were told this, so for the very small number of people who had some part in the incident, there remains certain uncertain information."
    "You're even doubting the man himself...!?"
    "That was my grandfather's goal, to set up his own insanity, letting others gaze at him uneasily, and encouraging it. When in actuality, I'm certain that that was his final method, and though his plans ended in failure, no, that maybe everyone was smarter than him, that it was inevitable that it would end with some unexpected circumstance. That's why my grandfather let the chimera run wild, to promote his part as the "mad scientist", and lost his own life. By doing that, the true goal of his dangerous research that he was doing, and what he was doing the research for, would be lost, and by setting up his own accidental death, it would draw everyone's attention, so they would tell others about that, even if it was vague.
    According to what Ryuuto said, the Lord Inventor's death, even his making his illegal research conspicuous was just an act. Naturally, the eyes of the investigation would be aimed at illegal research materials. If it was true that the Lord Inventor caused his own death, then his research would be seen as dangerous, and therefore, it would be disposed of.
    And if this was all part of the Lord Inventor's plan.
    And if, even if this was outside his plan, he had planned for it.
    "My grandfather was not a warrior. He would have also thought about how to fight the chimera which he created, however, it doesn't look like he did. He knew what he was and wasn't capable of, and he wasn't capable of that. He wouldn't be naive and think that he could simply win a fight just because he had obtained something powerful. So my grandfather, even by himself, would be able to keep on fighting in his own way."
    It was hard to believe, but it was logical. Ryuuto's speech was not something Elza could dismiss as a tall tale with a laugh, for Elza was a wizard.
    Even if she was fighting against someone who was immune to magic. If she couldn't get a hit off, if she couldn't make up for the vast difference in their battle power, if she couldn't come up with some way to fight them, even alone, as long as there was a possibility. She knew she would think of something. She knew that.
    "Fooling his enemies, and also fooling his allies, without anyone suspecting a thing, and when they did suspect, faking, and using such an indirect method..."
    That was a risky role. It was all a role, and it all opened a single path. Keeping everyone in the dark, not letting anyone see through it, resisting the sandstorm of loneliness and anxiety that slowly eroded away his mind, not knowing when he would finally lose his mind, protecting his sanity as he cloaked himself in insanity, it was his silent battle.
    "My grandfather's true goal, wasn't anything as uninteresting as super soldiers. It probably was illegal research, and as I followed where that secret money trail led, I met up with those guys."
    "Just who are those guys?"

    "... Hell Skulls. A group that became the first corpse collectors, who provided your sister's remains."

    The bullet shot out of the very high caliber handgun, with two delayed firing sounds, and it changed direction within 30 cm.
    Taking a stance to dodge the two shots fired one after another, Col slipped through an opening, and he tried to pistol whip her in the chin, but in response, she hit his wrist with her right elbow. Punching Col's right arm with his left fist, and avoiding the bullets that were fired, Col spun and did a roundhouse kick from the left, which he blocked with his knee. Continuing her spin, continued with a high roundhouse kick to the shoulder, but with a powerful shake of his left arm, he hit Col in the side. With her body taking the hit, she leapt away, and while sideways, aimed and pulled the triggers, and fired the guns in both of her hands with her body still twisted. The loud noises and gunfire of two shots, and then the high pitched sound of bent metal rang out. Giganov's bullets were only slightly off their mark, but they messed up Col's hair as they passed by. Fixing his aim, he fired another shot as Col stayed low and ran sideways, but the bullet only made a big hole in her skirt, and ended up embedded in the wall. Giganov suddenly wanted to laugh, but suppressed the urge. However, he couldn't stop his facial expression from unconsciously becoming softer.
    (Heh, she's intercepting the bullet with a bullet. She's not predicting the trajectory of the bullet, but probably reading the direction of the muzzle, and reacting to the sound of me pulling the trigger, and matching it. In an actual battle, it's just some childish trick, and though I'm surprised she would pull this stunt, it actually does change the direction of the shot, and it really is an annoyance. How funny.)
    Two firing sounds, one protected against with the handgun, one avoided by tilting his head up, followed up with a powerful rising kick across the body. He tried to grab at his side and break her ankle, but before he could get a hold of her ankle, Col kicked Giganov's stomach with her other foot, and easily flipped away and landed. Giganov immediately bent over backwards at the waist, and avoided Col's roundhouse kick with razor-sharp reflexes.
    (Although I fire one shot, she fires two, and with such a small caliber gun, the power decreases and she needs three or four shots, and it consumes even more ammo. Even more when she attacks. But still, as she uses up her ammo, she still doesn't run out. She doesn't reload and swap out the magazine. She just swaps it with a new gun, without pausing her attack. So her plan is to not give me any breathing room.)
    Right now, regardless of which trick she uses, he was impressed by the sheer number of hidden weapons she had, as there was an enormous amount of weapons scattered around. One after another, she was changing the gun in her hand for another, and even Giganov was forced to deal with each type of gun differently, such was the speed and skill.
    (Ignoring efficiency and making it a battle of attrition, and with gradually increasing speed... Even though guns are my specialty, that's why she started using martial arts on me. If this continues, I probably won't be able to keep up. But, while the very large number of guns that she has are guns coming from all countries and eras, they can't actually be unlimited! As long as I have spare ammo, the difference in our bullet usage is massive, so don't think you can keep up this war of attrition forever...!)
    Once again, for the countless' time, bullet and bullet clashed. Giganov's sight followed Col's movements, as she dropped a Sturm Luger SP101 and Glock 17 that had run out of ammo onto the floor. But, unlike before, there was no immediate shot from a gun that she brought in to replace it. Immediately sensing something was amiss, he threw his left arm down to guard against her rising palm aimed at his solar plexus. Giganov, believing that Col's hand was empty, thought that she had finally run out of weapons. But just as he thought that, his experience as a soldier told him that that was wrong.
    (What! If she was completely out, why does she have a gun that I've never seen before!?)
    A tale about Bullet Squall, a chance meeting during the hotel raid. In both, she used them, Bullet Squall's symbol, her dual hand guns, her beloved—
    On guard since it seemed like she was aiming at something, he swayed and avoided two consecutive uppercuts by Col, blocked her upraised backhand with his right arm, and attacked with a left straight. Grabbing that arm, she struck from below at his elbow, and just as she was about to follow up with another hit, Col quickly realized that the gun was pointed at her and broke off from her attack, immediately grasping Giganov's right wrist. With both hands grabbed, Giganov stayed wary of some jujitsu move, and tried to break away from Col with all his strength. But before he could do that, Giganov was hit in the stomach by her foot and flew up in the air, still held by both his arms. It wasn't jujitsu, but unless he separated himself from her, he would be floating in the air without anywhere to hide and not knowing what Col would target next. However, as he tried to point his gun at her, out of the corner of his eye, Giganov saw a flash of light. At the same time, he heard a dry explosion come from the opposite side.
    (No way, she can remotely control guns to fire!? With all these guns with bullets still in them lying around, she fooled me and drew me into hand to hand combat...)
    Guessing at the line of fire from the positions of the flash of light and sound of the explosion, he tried to move out of the way, but contrary to what he thought, no bullets came. Giganov had no time to figure out what was going on, but right in front of him, a small palm-sized remote control slowly fell to the ground.
    What Col was remotely controlling wasn't a gun. On a gun she previously used, there was a white light LED that she extracted from the pen light, and attached it to a cracker ball (firework) that she had a maid that was an explosive specialist make for her. She combined it with a miniature transceiver that Aiina made while she was gathering intelligence and a switch that would cause it to light up and explode. At first, it was made to be a counter against Giganov's reaction speed, a test for using remote control of the guns scattered around, but she recognized its use in making a surprise attack. And since she was employing a tactic of melee combat with guns that required heavy focus, if she could intentionally draw his attention towards all the guns scattered around and make him wonder about the certainty of that, then it would be a success. Therefore, she came up with the idea of staging a fake gunshot, and when she tested it on a beast-type monster maid with good perception and reflexes, she fell for it so badly that it was funny. It was even more effective with better perception, so since her opponent was a gun user, he would have an easier time thinking that the light and sound was a gunshot, and could be used to completely throw him off.
    The effect was only for a split second, which was all she needed. But the skill needed to take advantage of this split second... If Col didn't have that skill, she probably wouldn't have managed to survive as long as she did.
    In this split second, Giganov came into focus in Col's eyes, as he watched her movements. Col already had a revolver in each of her hands and was pulling the triggers.
    The shots from her Colt Python and S&W M19 went through Giganov's right shoulder.
    (It hit! If I can take out his primary arm, then at the minimum he won't be able to withstand the recoil...!?)
    Very quickly, Col saw that Giganov aimed his gun at her without batting an eye. With his right arm.
    Instantly, unsure if she was barely touching the ground or not, he fired.
    With no time to avoid the impact from landing, she spun her aching body and jumped to the side. A very heavy and powerful shock wave, along with an explosive sound, passed through the space where Col's head had been just moments before.
    Feeling like she had just gotten hit from the side, Col bounced two or three times times on the floor,and angrily clicked her tongue as she took a stance. Covered in dust and blood, through the hem of her torn skirt what were once her white stockings could be partially seen. Even though she had leapt away to avoid it, her right leg, which she had jumped off of, had gotten caught in the pressure that ripped up the air around the bullet, and the skin below her knee had been torn off.
    ... Soon, she wouldn't be able to dodge anymore. And since this was a close, high-speed battle, the amount of time that had actually passed was much shorter than what it felt like to her.
    "Shit... I even shot you in the shoulder, but you still ignored it and fired with one hand. That's why I hate guys like you who were born from stories. You fuckers completely ignore pain and body construction, are fine as long as it's not a mortal wound and don't show any weaknesses. Must be nice, completely ignoring logic and rules to beat down your enemies with ridiculous firepower?"
    "... I thought so. You don't get it."
    A waver appeared in Giganov's eyes, which had before only contained joy. It felt conflicted and Col slightly raised her eyebrows. This was a troubling development.
    "I was made to end war, and by the time I had become self-aware, I had already lost my reason for being. The fact is, I was born only as a device for killing humans. Do you know how empty, hated, tormented I was? A mercenary who throws away life for money could would never understand...! I was born to fight in wars that were started by humans, and the meaning of my existence was taken away by a war ended by humans, as if to say that I never existed in the first place! If nobody needs me and everyone wants to end it all, why did they make me? Why do I exist? Why do I, who had my existence denied, have a sense of self!! Do you understand, Bullet Squall, how it feels to be fated to fight, to be fated to kill, and be denied a battlefield, but the only way to protect your sense of self and despair is to throw yourself into some meaningless battle, do you understand it!?!"
    "Hah! Are you someone who thinks that fighting defines you? Or maybe you super-human types are just another "protagonist who worries about his own existence"? So you don't like looking reality in the face, huh. And you talk too much. Your story is all too human, but this isn't a game or a comic, it's reality. Keep those things to 'stories'."
    Giganov relaxed in response to Col's provocative insults.
    "Huh? What are you thinking... Are you making fun of me?"
    "You seem to be misunderstanding, Bullet Squall. Then I'll tell you, I'm not an existence that was created from a story about super soldiers."
    As he said this, he brought the super high-caliber handgun in his hand into view.
    "The anti-tank monster barrel AT14C-7G, nicknamed Gigant. During the Cold War, it was developed to be deployed in any combat zone, but it never saw the light of day, and the development project was scrapped. The anti-tank handgun, this is 'me'!"
    "!?"
    Now that he said that, she realized that his shoulder that got shot wasn't bleeding. That body was nothing more than a fake body, acting in concert with the "real body" to fire itself.
    For an inorganic thing that has life to take on a human form (not including a very small number of exceptions), there were two methods. The first was the same as other youkai and monsters, "human transformation", and turn their form into that of a human. The second was "pseudo body", retaining their their original form and creating another separate body that would be controlled in concert and carry the real body. The downsides were that this pseudo body would be lost if it took grievous damage to overcome its natural healing and would be unable to move on its own if it became separated from the main body (also it couldn't bleed, cry, or anything else that a human could). However, if this was only for combat, it had the advantages of having no sense of pain, so it could ignore pain, and it had no distinct living tissue, so wounds that would be fatal to a human would have minimal effects on movement.
    How annoying. Much more so than she thought. Col had been trying to aim at the arms and legs to prevent their use and aimed at vitals for a one-shot kill. As a fellow gun user, this would be one of her worst two match-ups. In addition, while it wasn't a strength or weakness of the pseudo body, the real body was hard enough to repel bullets.
    (That's why he was called an immortal super soldier. Being cut, shot or blown up doesn't matter to him, not to mention getting an arm blown off, or a leg taken off or his head blasted off, and he would still be fine. Without knowing that, he's nothing less than a nightmare to face.)
    Staring at the barrel of the gun that was once again lazily pointed at her, she thought.
    (But, I'm not out of tricks yet. Doing damage to the pseudo body won't have any effect on the real body, but doing damage to the pseudo body would... hopefully cause the pseudo body to stop working, and I could keep doing what I'm doing. And with what I still have left, I might be able to trick that "eye" that watches the bullets. It can't be a diversion, I already know a heart-hearted feint won't fool him, so let me think... If I aim, and somehow surprise him...)
    Selecting what she could and couldn't use, quickly going through her thoughts, the word "decoy" immediately came to mind. At first, she hadn't worked out any decoy plan in advance and immediately discarded it, but now she remembered something from her experience.
    (That's it..! With that method, I'll be sure to fool his eyes! But the problem is how to do that "trick" without him seeing through it...)
    Unconsciously, she licked her lips. It was proof of her nervousness.
    (I'm sure I can do it. No, I'll definitely do it. ... Thank you, little mistress, for giving me this knowledge...!)

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  • Type-kun
    over 8 years ago
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    Raku's comment (not sure if anything interesting, but will post anyway):

    異様に膨れ上がりそうだった戦闘描写を削って縮めてみたら、今回でピンクちゃんサイドの戦闘が終わっちまいましたw
    本気で巫山戯始めたら、もう誰も逃げられない!

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