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—What?
“I mean, it has to be, right? There’s no way they could’ve done all that on their own. Plus, what’s the motive?”
“What about the reason they gave me? The Armed Detective Agency was getting in the way of their business in Yokohama, so they planned all this to get rid of us.”
“Yeah, and that’s probably what they believe, too. But is that really something they just had to do?”
“…What are you getting at?”
“Well, they saw the detective agency as a threat after the whole Azure King incident, but we’re not the only armed organization that would get in their way. They’d have to keep an eye out for the military, the coast guard—and if we’re talking skill users, the Home Affairs Ministry’s Special Division for Unusual Powers. Don’t you think it’s a little overkill to cause such a scene just to go after the detective agency? It’s not cost-effective.”
“Get to the point.”
“Somebody manipulated them—convinced them that the detective agency was their biggest threat.”
Don’t tell me that the real Azure Apostle is still out there, then?
“So tell me, Dazai. Do you already have an idea of who this person is?”
“Yep.”
“Who is it?!”
I can’t help grabbing Dazai by the collar, but he doesn’t even bat an eye as he stares directly into mine.
“I e-mailed them and asked them to come here. Said I had evidence that they were the real culprit. They should be here any minute now.”
What?
I survey the room.
It’s extremely ordinary, most likely a sickroom at one point. The entrance is in front with a window in the back. Two rusted bed frames lie before us while an empty medicine cabinet stands by our side. There is nothing else in here. It’s basically empty—not even much dirt or dust on the floor, either… The real culprit is coming here of all places?
“I hear footsteps,” Dazai suddenly says.
I reflexively look to the entrance. I can hear them, too, one after another, slowly coming this way. I notic
e Dazai tightly holding the pistol. So that’s why he brought it. I already returned my gun to the president. Should I use my notebook to make another? No, there’s not enough time.
Sweat unexpectedly drips down my cheek. The footsteps are getting louder. They’ll be here any second now. I see their feet—their body—their face—
“The hell are you doing here, Four-Eyes?”
The person standing at the entrance is…
“Why…are you here?”
“I oughta be asking you the same thing. Did you come here to find out the truth, too?”
Standing in the doorway is the young hacker Rokuzo.
—Are you the one behind this?
Are you the Azure Apostle?
My brain automatically jumps into gear. Rokuzo would indeed be able to remotely access Dazai’s computer and send an e-mail. Not only that, my suspicions about Dazai stemmed from the information Rokuzo gave me. Furthermore, contacting foreign underground syndicates and providing biased information wouldn’t be that difficult for an illegal hacker, either. And above all…he has a motive. He has a motive to resent the detective agency—a motive to resent me.
“Why, Rokuzo? Is it my fault? Is that it? Because it’s my fault your father died—you resented me that much?”
