以上がエレベーターのドアが開いて僅か３秒の間に起きた出来事である。
「ハァ…ハァ…どうよ！？」
　荒い息を吐くランの前で、脳天をカチ割られた筈の謎生物が何事もなかったかのように起き上った。
「クックックック、その程度か？」
「強がるなぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁ！」
　再び脳天に金属バットを振り下ろされ、沈黙する謎生物。ゆっくりと形成されていく小さな血溜まりが、効果が抜群だった事を証明していた。
「見事な先制攻撃、そして追い打ちでしたわ。あとは私共にお任せを。ピンク！」
「I,I'mam」　
　そして二挺のリボルバーから放たれた弾と振り下ろされるマチェットを、倒れていたとは思えない跳躍力で後ろに跳んで躱した謎生物は、その巨躯からは想像もできない身ごなしで店内のショーケースの上に着地すると、更に二度三度と不規則に跳び、その姿を追うコルに狙いを付けさせないように後退する。そしてレジの置かれたカウンターに素早く潜り込むと、次の瞬間には長大な銃身とドラムマガジンを備えたガトリングを構えて乱射し始めた。
「小お嬢、何ボケっとしてる、伏せろッ！」
　展開に着いていけず放心するランの腕を引っ掴んで横っ飛びしたミフィを狙ってガトリングが放たれる。しかしそれはスチールの棚に阻まれ、ミフィ達に当たる事はなかった。見ればコルとピンクちゃんは、ガトリングを撃ってきている方向に対し、何故か壕のように配置されたショーケースを遮蔽物として利用しながら、じりじりとカウンターに近付いていく。
　比較的薄い陳列棚に隠れたピンクちゃんに集中砲火が浴びせられ、その隙を突いてコルがショーケースを飛び越えた。すぐさまコルに銃撃が向かい、狙いから外れたピンクちゃんが一気に距離を詰めようと、足先に力を込めて床を蹴り走り出そうとするが、その一歩目を踏み出す前にカウンターからサブマシンガンが顔を覗かせ掃射を開始、流石に両手のマチェットで速射される銃弾を捌くなど超人的な事はできないらしく、身を隠すしかないピンクちゃんはいつもの能天気な顔を一転して忌々しげに歪ませ、舌打ちをした。
　ガトリングの標的となったコルは転がるようにショーケースの陰に隠れ、ケースの左右から牽制のフェイントを交えて撃ちながら、ケースの上に向けてハンカチを放り上げる。一瞬ガトリングの銃身がハンカチを追うと同時に、コルはショーケースの反対側からヘッドスライディングの要領で身を躍らせ、それを追うガトリングの弾に追い立てられるような形でカウンターの脇、従業員がフロアに出る為のスペース目掛けて横向きに転がっていった。が、その顔に驚きが浮かび、素早くその場から飛び退き手近なショーケースの陰に飛び込むと、少し遅れて直前までコルがいた場所に弾が撃ち込まれた。カウンターの脇には、コル達からは死角になるようにスナイパーライフルの銃口が覗いていたのだ。
　突然始まった銃撃戦の中、やっと我に返ったランは、ミフィに肩を押さえつけられながら辺りを見渡し、店内の内装が何一つ壊れていない事に気付いた。ガトリングの弾が命中したと思しきガラス製のショーケースも一切砕けず、さりとてそれは防弾ガラスであるようにも思えない。連日、実銃を撃たせてもらっているからこそ、それが解る。第一、着弾時に弾けるような音は聞こえるが異様に軽いのだ。
「これの何処がレクリエーション！？」
　何が起きているのか、と困惑の色を隠せないランが背にする壁からパチンと軽い音が聞こえ、床に伏せるランの前に丸くて小さな物体が転がってきた。
「BB弾…？」
　プラスチックの弾をつまみ上げ訝しむランに、苦笑したミフィがそっと耳打ちをした。
「説明が遅くなったけど、さっき小お嬢が殴ったのがここのオーナーだ。因みにあの外見は防弾仕様のマスク。侍従長とは傭兵時代の戦友の間柄らしくてな、侍従長がここに来る時には店を貸切にして、ああやって模擬戦をするのが楽しみなんだとさ」
「その考え…！人格が悪魔に支配されている！」
「今更だろ、お嬢程じゃないが侍従長絡みなんだぞ。ただ、店内は普通の内装で破壊する訳にもいかないから、電動ガンを使ってるそうだ。ほら、私の持ってるこれも本物じゃない。ピンクちゃんが持ってるのも同じで、硬質ゴムでできてるフェイクだよ。侍従長もペイント弾使ってるし」
　言われてみれば、コルが使っている銃はメイドへのお仕置きに使われている物なのに、外れた銃弾が壁に穴を開けている様子はない。見てみればショッキングピンクの塗料が壁に広がっているのみ。
　これは遊び…そう思ったらなんだか脱力してきた。
「…じゃあ、私に金属バット持たせた意味は？」
「…そ、そこはほら、あの…一応、形だけでも、って事じゃない…かな…多分」
「あ、そ…」
　ランは溜息を吐いた。それはもう、地の底まで届きそうな、深い深い溜息だった。その溜息の吐きっぷりにミフィが苦笑を深めた辺りで、取り落とした金属バットを拾い上げたランは、半眼でポツリと吐き捨てるように言った。
「つまり私はあの人達の趣味に巻き込まれただけと…その罪…許しがたし！」
　ランの肩を押さえていた手から感触が消え、目を丸くしたミフィの前でランの体が床下へ沈み込んでいく。霊体化による物質透過だと気付いた時にはもう遅く、未だガトリングとサブマシンガンの銃撃が止まぬ中で迂闊に動けないミフィは、床下に消える前のランの不穏な発言で何をするつもりなのかを悟り、こめかみに汗を滲ませていた。
「ありゃあ、キレたな。大人しい子ほどキレると怖いんだ…もうどうなっても知らんぞ私は」
　ミフィの呟きが終わるか終らないかの内に、謎生物もといオーナーの背後に床から現れたランは、実体化したランの気配に振り返るオーナーに向かって金属バットを叩きつけた。勿論フルスイングだ。非力な筈のランが振るった金属バットは猛烈な唸りを上げてオーナーの顔面にめり込んだ。
「よいこホームラン！」
　よいこパワーがライナーで飛んでいく！
　というよりオーナーが吹っ飛んでいく。
「小お嬢様！？」
「ちょ、いくらなんでもそれはやり過ぎデスっ！？」
「知るかボケぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇぇ！」
　めこっ。
　慌てて駆け寄ったピンクちゃんとコルの顔面にも金属バットが炸裂した。
　仰向けにのびたオーナーと崩れ落ちるメイド二人を足元に置き、金属バット片手に幽鬼の如きオーラを放つランの後姿を眺めながら、不思議な義務感に駆られたミフィはこう呟いた。
「３人は生命活動を停止…死んだのだ。今日も川越市は平和だった」

「彼女がエルザちゃんの妹？今日はミフィちゃんもいるっていうから手加減してたけど、コルちゃんでもピンクちゃんでもなく、まさかあの子に突破されるなんてねぇ。大人しそうな顔してなかなかやるじゃなぁい」
「言っておきマスけど小お嬢様を甘く見ない方が良いデスよ、先日屋敷で行われた変則オニゴッコで、お姉サマを負かしたんデスから～」
「コルちゃんに勝ったの、あの子が！？…成程、お前さんを負かしたとなりゃぁ、俺がやられるのも無理ねぇな。コルちゃんより可愛らしいし♪」
「…その腐った脳味噌に鉛玉ブチ込んでほしいの、ベア？」
「あらぁん、やれるものならやってみなさい？」
　頬に手を当てクネクネと蠢く気持ち悪い生物（”せいぶつ”ではなく”なまもの”）を、コルは呆れた様子で、ピンクちゃんはケタケタ笑いながら眺めていた。
　所々傷が覗く鍛え抜かれた巨躯に骨張った四角い顔をちょこんと乗せた、子供の悪戯でＧ．Ｉ．ジョーのフィギュアの頭に挿げ替えられた怪獣のソフビフィギュアのような風貌の男は、先程までマスクを被ってコル達と銃撃戦を繰り広げていたオーナーその人である。熊をも絞め殺せそうな筋骨隆々の肉体、半ば禿げ上がった垂れ目のヒゲ面で不快なほどにしなを作りオネエ言葉で話す様は、正直見ていて気色が悪い事この上ないが、これでも新人の傭兵だった頃のコルに戦場のいろはを教えた人物で、”グリズリー”の異名を持つ豪快、豪傑な傭兵として知られていた。彼もまたモンスターであり、正体は異名が示す通りワーベアであった。本来ならば銃を多用するより、銃弾をものともしない堅牢な肉体と腕力にものを言わせた格闘戦を得意とし、仮に今回、彼に電動ガンではなく白兵戦を挑まれていたならば、コルとピンクちゃん二人掛かりでも相当に苦戦していた筈だ。彼の言う手加減とはこの事であろう。
　そんな彼も迫撃砲の直撃には耐えきれず、重傷ながら生き延びはしたが実戦に耐える状態ではなくなってしまい、引退を余儀なくされた。その後の経緯はコルには知る由もないが、十数年後に再会した時にはすっかりオカマちゃんキャラとなっていて、何時の間にやら宝石商にまでなっていた。にわかに事実を受け入れられなかったコルは彼の眉間に発砲したものだ。そして今、彼の宝石店はコルのツテでシュトラヘルツ・コンツェルン傘下となり、こうして度々訪れるコルとじゃれ合っていたりする。それが高じて三人揃って鼻っ面に絆創膏が貼られているのはご愛嬌、なのだろうか？
　そんな事情とは無関係に、ランはミフィを引き連れて店内を見回っていた。
「これなんかどうかな、純度も良いしカットも上品だ」
「うん、確かに綺麗だけど…せめて０があと３つ少なかったらね…」
「何を貧乏っちい事を言っているんだ、あのカードならこのくらいポポンと買えちゃうぞ」
「平均的な家庭で育った若干１４歳に過ぎぬ某には荷が重過ぎると思わざりけり。ってか、ざりけれ」
　絞り出すような声色でそう言うと、ランはショーケースにしがみつく形でしゃがみこんでしまった。宝石商と聞いた時点で予想はしていたが、小市民でしかないランには気軽に買えるような値段ではなかった。ミフィが勧めたイヤリングひとつにしたって、これが買えるだけのお金があったら、友人達と豪遊し全員に奢ったとしても何ヶ月間遊び歩けるのか。駄菓子屋は勿論、ケーキ屋の買い占めだって夢じゃない。
　好きにできる大金が手に入ったのに何を悩んでいるんだ、とミフィは思う。未だに給料をエルザに（勝手に）貯金され、エルザのポケットマネーから出されるお小遣いで暮らすミフィは、羨ましいと思えど苦悩までは解っていなかった。一応シュトラヘルツ家で古参のメイドであるミフィの十数年分の給料が積み重なった貯金額は、メイド自体が高給取りという事もあり、とてつもない金額に達している。これを知った時、果たして自分がその大金を前に同じ事を思えるかは…神ならぬミフィには想像も付かないのだろう。
「これじゃお土産選びもままならんな。ふう、自分で選べないなら仕方がない…オーナー！小お嬢に似合うジュエリーを選んでくれないか？」
「お安い御用よん。何しろ社交パーティーに出るんだもの、ビシッと決めなきゃねぇ♪」
「「「「は？」」」」
　オーナーを除く全員の声がハモった。
「なぁに、おマヌケな顔しちゃって…エルザちゃんが言ってたわよ、社交界デビューするんでしょう？その為にウチに来たんじゃないの？」
「べ、ベア、本当にお嬢様がそう言ったの？少なくとも私は初耳なのだけれど…」
　狼狽したコルが一同を見渡すが、全員が全員、首を横に振った。
「間違いないわよぉ、耳は遠くなっていないもの、聞き間違いなんてしないわよぉ。『安物を買おうとしたらそれを止めて、ちゃんと本物をあしらった物を買わせるように』って言われたんだからぁ」
　キッチリ１０秒は固まっていただろうか。そろりと後ずさり、逃亡を図ろうとしたランだったが、一歩下がった所で全員の視線に射竦められてしまった。
「…そういう事なら、値段を気にしていられる立場ではないなぁ、小お嬢」
「か、借りれば良いじゃない！あの人いっぱい持ってるんでしょ！？」
「何を仰いますか、今後小お嬢様がお一人でパーティーに招待されるかもしれないのですよ、その際にお嬢様がご不在でしたらどうするおつもりです？ご自分用のジュエリーは必要ですわ」
「ち、ちょっと待ってよ、そりゃ、買えるんだったら欲しいとは思うけど、無理無理無理、無理だってば、そんなパーティに出席するなんて、私には無理！」
　髪を振り乱して首を振るが、大人達に慣れた様子でスルーされてしまった。
「しかし、そうなるとドレスも仕立てないとな」
「そうね…本当はドレスに合う物を選ぶべきなのでしょうけど、またここを貸切にするとベアに迷惑が掛かりますし、装飾品にドレスを合わせましょう。という訳でジュエリーを購入したら、ドレスの丈合わせに参りましょうね、小お嬢様」
「抵抗してやるぅ！霊体化してサイズ測るの阻止してやるぅ！」
「あ、ごめんなさい小お嬢様、あたしは見ただけでその人のスリーサイズが大体判りマスんで、小お嬢様のスリーサイズも大体把握済みデスよ～」
「あらあら、小お嬢様が不在でもドレスの寸法合わせは問題ないようですね？」
「じーざす」
　ラン撃沈。
「そうと決まれば小お嬢に似合う物を見付けないとな。どうせならティアラとか付けてさ、お姫様みたいにしたらどうかな、小お嬢ならイメージ的に合いそうじゃないか」
「良いね良いね～、じゃあネックレスも思いっ切りゴージャスにしちゃお！それと指輪と、イヤリングと…」
「ミフィ、ピンク、買うのはお嬢様なんだから。予算を考えなさいね」
「「I,I'mam」」
　砕けた敬礼をして、ランに似合いそうな装飾品を物色し始める二人。快男児も真っ青の暴れっぷりは何処へやら、話が大きくなり過ぎてガクガク震えるランに、コルはにっこりと微笑んだ。
「先日のゲームでは見事に逃げられましたが、今日は逃しませんよ、小お嬢様」

　結局、ピンクサファイアのネックレスとモルガナイトのイヤリング、ガーネットの指輪等、ランの黒髪と白い肌に映える赤を基調としたジュエリー一揃いを購入する事になった。本当にティアラまで用意されるとは思っていなかった（これにはルビーがあしらわれ、アクセントにローズクォーツが使われている）が、これで自棄を起こしたランは友人達への土産を値段を気にせず、物によっては自分用に買った物よりも高価なジュエリーを選ぶという暴挙に出ていた。ミフィはこれを、友人達に高価な物を土産と称して手渡す事で、自分が味わった「突如降って湧いた、簡単に手にできないような高価な品を手にするという驚愕と困惑」の一端を味あわせようとしているのでは、と考えている。
　そうして購入したジュエリー類の入った一抱えもある包みを膝に乗せたランは、ドレスの寸法合わせも終わり屋敷へ戻る途中の車内から、窓の外を難しい顔をして、しかしどこかぼんやりと眺めていた。
「浮かない顔をしているな、小お嬢。今までにない高価な買い物をした所為で、現実感でも吹っ飛んだか」
「…え？あ、うん、今頃になって怖くなってきた…取り返しのつかない事をしちゃった気分だわ」
　小さく笑ったミフィが、そんなランの頭を優しく撫でる。
「ふふ、大丈夫だ、この程度買ったくらいじゃ、お嬢の懐は痛みやしないよ。ところで玉竜殿達へのお土産は、何を買ったんだ？」
「んと…玉竜には竜化した時の瞳をイメージしてキャッツアイのブレスレット。紫月のもブレスレットだけど、こっちは獣化した時の瞳をイメージしたルベライト・キャッツアイ。私が買ったレッドベリルのブレスレットと同じデザインにしてもらったから、これでお揃い。学校には着けていけないけどね、怒られちゃうから」
「ふーん。他には？」
「犬飼さんにはブローチ、白石さんにはイヤリングで、二人は幼馴染だっていうからお揃いでトルマリンを使ったやつ。エーリィは、魔王に何が似合うのか判らなかったから、なんかそれっぽいオブシディアンのペンダント」
　中学生が身に付けるには確かに高価だよなぁ、等と考えていたミフィは、まだ教えてもらっていないものが二つある事に気付いた。ケースから察するに片方は指輪に見えるが、土産用にと分けられた袋に入っているため、ラン用に買った指輪ではないようだ。
「なぁ小お嬢、そっちのは？」
「こっちのは特別に玉竜にあげるの」
「そういうの良くないぞ、玉竜殿だけえこ贔屓なんかして」
「だからこれは特別なの。婚約指輪だもん」
　それを聞いたコルが思わずハンドルを切り損ね、車体が大きく蛇行し、ミフィとピンクちゃんが悲鳴を上げた。
「でええええええええええええええええええええええええええ！！」
「ひゃきゃあああああああっ、何やってるデスお姉サマぁ～ッ！？」
　幸い、既に私道に入っていて他に走っている車が無かったお陰で、事なきを得た。シートからずり落ちたミフィが安堵の息を吐く。
「も、も、も、も、申し訳ござ、ございません、あ、あまりにも驚き、いや、そう、木の枝、み、道に木の枝が落ちていましてっ」
　いつになく取り乱すコルは、無論のこと内心も穏やかではない。これ以上触れてはいけない話題のような気がして、バックミラーでランの様子を伺う事すらできないでいた。
（婚約指輪ぁ～～～～！？だって、タマリュウって子は女の子の筈…や、やっぱり男に乱暴されて死んだ所為、それともお嬢様の悪影響？うわぁ、そのどっちもな気がする！こういう場合、仕える者としてなんて言えば良いのかしら！？『ご婚約おめでとうございます』？違う！多分だけど違う！）
　頭の中が物理的にグルグル回っているような錯覚に陥りつつも、一応安全運転を心掛けるコルの横でも、ピンクちゃんが何やら考えていた。
（いや～、小お嬢様の発言には驚いたけど、それ以上に今のお姉サマの運転の方が驚いちゃった。お嬢様で慣れてるんだから、ここまで狼狽する事ないのに。それにしても、小お嬢様から婚約指輪を贈るって事は、小お嬢様が”タチ”なのか～。従順に従わせる方なのか、それとも甘にゅるく可愛がる方なのか…今度試してみよっと！）
　結果としてこの日の深夜、誰かの顔面に誰かの踵がめり込む事になるのだが、これはこの際どうでもいい事だったかもしれない。
「ぃ…よっと、ああビックリした。侍従長、避けるにしても気を付けてくれよなぁ。大丈夫か小お嬢、何処かぶつけたりしてないか？」
「…ん」
　シートに座り直しやっと一息ついたミフィは、ランを案じて声を掛けたが、もぞりと身動ぎするランはどこか上の空で、気のない返事を返してくるのみだった。実は帰路に着いてからミフィは何度かランに話しかけていたが、先程のように会話になる事は少なく、その殆どを生返事で返されていた。
（…小お嬢はどうしてしまったんだ？さっきからまるっきり反応が薄いが…）
　もしかして現実感が吹き飛び過ぎて、魂まで抜けてしまったのか？等と考える。幽霊から魂が抜けるというのもおかしな話だが、それが的を射ていたのは寸法合わせが終わり帰路に着くまでの話であった。それが解らないミフィはしきりに首を傾げるしかない。お陰でもう一つの包装の中身を聞きそびれてしまった。
　ランが上の空なのは、目にする街並みに何かが刺激され、行きの車内で試み果たされなかった生前の記憶の再生に、再び没頭していたからだった。思い出をより鮮明に、より詳しく思い出そうとするが、どうしても輪郭そのものがあやふやになった思い出は、ランの望む形を成してはくれない。
　ランは小さく息を吐き出した。
（多分、殺された時のショックと恨みが大き過ぎた所為で、怨霊化した時に生前の記憶の大部分が薄れてしまったんだわ。地縛霊とか怨霊って、ひとつの事に執着して、その他の事は曖昧になるっていうし、実際私はそうだった…悲しい事だけど、エトランゼは過去の存在、思い出の住人。人間ではなくなってしまったけれど、ランとして私は今こうして存在している。エトランゼはランになった、私はもう、エトランゼじゃない…そういう事なのかしら。こんな事、今まで考えた事もなかった…）
　それならばそれで良い、と思いたい。なのに、エトランゼだった自分の記憶を思い出せない事への焦りが、不安という雫となって小さな淀みを生み落とす。
　微かに…けれど確実に…それはランの心に、静かに波紋を広げていた。

　その頃、フォックスライダー家ではエルザとアイーナが捜査の手を休め、気怠い午後のひと時を過ごしていた。
「ＶＫから独自調査権が下ったよ。あンの野郎、１０件以上も手伝わせておきながら自分の都合で放り出しおって、コンチクショウめ。ＶＫの鬼！鬼畜！スベスベマンジュウガニ！」
「プふっ…意味の解らない罵倒しないで下さいな。今度の社交パーティーの会場は彼のホテルなんですから、オーナーとして監督しない訳にもいかないでしょう」
「そうなんじゃがのう…こっちはランの夏休みが終わるまでというタイムリミットがあるのじゃぞ、何の成果も上げられませんでした、ではランを連れてきた意味が無いではないか～」
「だから初めに申し上げましたのに、確定ではありません、って」
　上品にハーブティーを口にするアイーナは、テーブルに突っ伏したエルザのつむじを眺めながら、クスクスと笑った。
　ちょっとでも冷静に考えれば、手に入れた情報の洗い出し、捜査体制の再構築、それを元に再調査…と、段階を踏まえる必要がある事くらい判りそうなものだ。そも、何より求めているものが過去に殺害された少女の消えた遺体の一部、かつ世間に説明のしようがない訳ありの理由ともなれば、殊慎重に少しずつ調査を進める事になるのは必至であろう。それなのに、一刻も早く見付け出して返してやりたいという一心で本人を引き連れてきたのは、気が早いにも程がある。それが可笑しくて仕方がない。
（でも、それがエルザさんなりの優しさなんですもの。一度身内となれば、それはもうエルザさんにとって大切な家族に他ならず、血の繋がりを超えた愛情を注ぐ。エルザさんの愛情表現は拙くて、間違ったものだけれど、そこに嘘偽りが無いからこそ伝わる温もりがあるのもまた事実。不器用だけれど惜しみなく与えられる奇妙で不思議な家族愛、それが本物である事はセレンさんが証明していますもの。少しばかりヒネクレた彼女の性格上、エルザさんを憎からず想っていなければ、傍にさえ居させないでしょうから。愛されていると解っているからこそ、悪態を吐きながらも傍に居られるのですわ…いえ、あれは照れ隠しの一種かしら）
　エルザに愛される存在のランだが、アイーナからは敵視されていない。だって自分にとっても未来の義妹だから。
「ま、取り敢えず、だ。一応、街から殆どの霊が姿を消した件の調査を一任された、という形で調査権を貰った。ＶＫのフォローが受けらぬから、第三者の目に儂自身が気を付けねばならんし、その関係で魔法の行使も控えねばならんという制限が付いてしまったが、それと引き換えに調査の必要ありとする施設への侵入に目を瞑ってもらえるようになった訳だ」
　起き上がったエルザが伸びをしながらそう言い、プリントした街の地図に目を落とす。調査済みの箇所に×印が付けられているが、ＶＫに随伴して事件解決に奔走した場所だけな為、印の数は指折り数えられる程度だ。
「一長一短ですけれど、これで一気に巻き返しが図れそうですわね。捜査の遅れを取り戻しましょう」
「ああ。一応、捜査に役立つ魔法くらいなら派手な事にはならんから、自由に使えるじゃろう。とはいえ、一日で調べる事ができる施設の数は時間的要素から限りがある、闇雲に場当たりするより回る順番を決めて移動距離を短縮し、効率を上げたい。まずは、まだ調査の済んでいない、それでいて研究施設を隠せそうな場所をピックアップし、一度に見て回れるエリア毎に選定しよう」
　分かりました、と頷いたアイーナは、赤ペンを手に取り地図にチェックを入れていく。エルザが解読した実験データの内容から、それが個人の研究室では収まらない、大掛かりな研究チームによるものだという事が判っていた。それを考慮に入れ、住宅、アパートにマンション、個人経営の店舗や小規模の会社がいくつも入るテナントビル等、小規模な建物を省いていき、実験データの漏洩防止を意図した機密性により外部から隔離された研究施設であろうと推測し、日常的に人の出入りが多い大型の量販店、複合商業施設、飲食店等も省く。最終的には調べる事にもなろうが、現段階では可能性をひとつずつ、確実に潰していく方が先決だった。
　なお、軍事施設はアイーナが暇潰しにハッキングして遊んでいた為、この件とは無関係とされスッパリ切り捨てられていた。良いのか悪いのか。
「成程、製薬企業やら電子企業のラボは直球だがその分、情報管理にうってつけだし、性質上機密も高い。教会なんかも無関係に見えるだけに隠れ蓑とするには容易い、関連性もあるしな。無関係っていうならむしろ動物園の方が…判ったそんな目をするなちゃんと行く。ライフラインに関わる施設は、地下に何があるか分かったもんじゃない、面倒でも行かない訳にはいかんのだろうな。あとは廃工場が数ヶ所に病院に処刑場跡地か…らしい所が浮かび上がってきたじゃないか。この病院は国立だったか、仮に国絡みだとしたら骨が折れそうじゃのう。アイーナ、この廃工場と処刑場跡地は、今はどうなっておるのか？」
　エルザの問いに、アイーナは出番だとばかりに取り出した端末から情報を呼び出す。ポケットサイズにしてはやや大きいそれは一昔前のポケコンにそっくりだが、中身はアイーナが学生時代に自作し今も愛用する高性能端末で、常に最先端の技術を取り入れ、あらゆる環境に適合できるようバージョンアップと改造を繰り返し施されてきた、自室のＰＣ群に次ぐアイーナの武器となるハッキングツールを兼ねたオリジナルモジュールなのは、余談である。
「お約束もお約束な廃工場然としています。判っている範囲では、製紙工場、ガラス加工場、玩具製造工場、食品加工場、このくらいですわ。どれも五年から十年の間に工場を引き払っていて、初期実験データの作成日時とは噛み合わないのですが、仮に工場の放棄が予め計画されていたとすれば、土地の確保と施設偽装を目的としていた可能性が考えられます。単純に再利用しようとして浮いている土地なだけかもしれませんが」
「偽装、か。だが少なくとも、それをやるには企業レベルでの資金が必要じゃ、それだけの金が動けば嫌が応にも目立ちそうなものだが…その流れから尻尾を掴めるか？」
「情報分析は私の仕事ですわよ、お任せを。エルザさんは研究施設の有無を確認して下さるか、あるいはそのまま目的の物を奪取しちゃって下されば結構です。ええとそれから、処刑場跡地でしたわね。こちらは二十年以上前…丁度義妹さんがお亡くなりになった時期に閉鎖されています。建物自体は残っていますが元々民間人は立入禁止の施設ですし、見学を装って入る事はできないようですわ。特にこれといった手入れも管理もされていないらしく、今ではすっかり廃墟と化していますわね。ここの土地を所有しているのは…えっ？」
　驚きの声と共に端末を操作していたアイーナの手が止まった。
「え、エルザさん…ノリス・カーマインという方をご存知？」
「無論。人間とモンスターを融合させ、超人兵士を生み出す実験をしていた男、ノリス・カーマイン。中世貴族から続く血統に生まれ、根っからの天才肌な男であったが、自らの狂気を自覚してなお正気を保っていた所謂マッドな研究者で、大金を注ぎ込んではタブーをものともせずオカルトめいた発明を繰り返し、ついた渾名が”発明卿”。終いには自らの生み出したキメラに殺された哀れな男よ。暴走したキメラの討伐には儂も加わったからな、よく覚えておる。だが彼が亡くなったのは第二次世界大戦中の話じゃぞ」
「ええ、ですが…彼には一人息子がいた。息子は研究に興味を持たず、事業家として大成し、ノリス卿が研究の為に抱え込んだ負債を一代で埋めたばかりか、再興までしています。そしてその息子、ノリス卿の孫になりますが…かつて祖父が研究に使っていた施設を使って、彼もまたオカルトめいた研究をしているという噂を聞いた事があります。そして処刑場跡地は、ノリス卿の孫…リュート・カーマインが、閉鎖と同時に土地を丸ごと買い上げたようですわ。エルザさん、何かお気付きでなくて？」
「…そうか、処刑場のように長く人間の死を積み重ねてきた土地は、そこで死した者達の無念や怨念が渦巻く。死してなおそこに留まる者達を実験に利用するつもりで土地を手に入れた、とも考えられるな。そうして霊を相手に何らかの実験を行っていたとすれば…」
「義妹さんの名が記された実験データ、その実験内容とも符合しますわね」
　しばし無言。あくまで可能性を述べただけであり、これが事実である確証は何処にもないからだ。
「そういえば、今度の社交パーティ。その発明卿の孫も出席するのか？」
「少々お待ちを…ええ、名簿に名前が載っていますわ、ほらここ、”リュート・カーマイン”。…エルザさん、もしかして彼を締め上げるおつもりですか？」
「お前は儂をどんな目で見とるんだ…ただ、こいつに接触して人となりを見ておきたいだけじゃ。そこに不穏なものを感じ取れずとも、順を追っていけば処刑場跡を調べるのは社交パーティの後になる、怪しいと思えば、その後の動向を探るなり捜査の予定を繰り上げるなりする必要が出てくるじゃろう。折角本人と面会できるのだ、多角的に見極めるチャンスじゃ」
　処刑場跡は郊外に、どの区画からも離れた場所にひっそりと残っている。順当に捜査が進めばエルザの言う通り、そこへ訪れるのは社交パーティの翌々日辺りになるだろう。
「ところで、義妹さんも社交パーティに出席なさるんですの？」
「ああ、出席させるよ。もし彼奴がランを…エトランゼを知っておるならば、何らかのリアクションくらいは見せるじゃろう、その確認も含めてじゃ。それに儂が引き取ってからこちらには戻っておらんから、今回ので社交界デビューになる。戸籍をしっかり作ってあるから誤魔化しも効かんし、かといって表に出さない訳にもいかんしな。丁度良い機会じゃ、シュトラヘルツの一員として大体的に紹介してやるわい。今日はコルがショッピングに連れて行きたいと言っておったから、店の方にもパーティに相応しい物を準備させるように言っておいた、着飾ったランを見るのが今から楽しみじゃ」
　懐から招待状を取り出し、不敵に笑うエルザだったが、その手元を見たアイーナはこめかみに汗を浮かべた。
「どうしてエルザさんが招待状を二枚とも持っているんですの？…ちゃんと伝えたんでしょうね、社交パーティの事、義妹さん本人やコルさん達に」
「そりゃあ、…、？………あっ………」
　伝えていない。見事なまでに忘れていた。郵便で届いたのなら、エルザの元へ届ける前にコルがそれを知っただろうが、この招待状はパーティー会場であるホテルのオーナー、ＶＫと共に超常事件を解決して回っていた際に、郵送する手間が省けるからと直接手渡しされたものだ。帰ってから誰に何を言うでもなく速攻でベッドに潜り込む生活を続けていた為、招待状を受け取った事を知る者はエルザを除きシュトラヘルツ邸には誰一人居ない。
　エルザの表情から全てを悟ったアイーナは、呆れ返った顔で深く溜息を吐いた。
　社交パーティ開催まで、あと五日。

A mere 3 seconds after the elevator doors opened, something happened.
"Hah... hah... What!?"
Right in front of Ran, who was breathing wildly, some mysterious being with a shaved head appeared out of nowhere.
"Kukukuku, is that all?"
"Don't act so toughhhhhhhhh!"
Bringing down the metal bat on top of its head, the mysterious being fell silent. The small pool of blood slowly started forming was proof that it was super effective.
"That was a wonderful preemptive strike, and now we'll follow it up. Leave the rest to us. Pink!"
"Yes, ma'am."
And then, the mysterious creature jumped backwards with incredible force, dodging the bullets flying out from the two revolvers, and the machetes being swung down. With agility that would be unimaginable for such a large frame, he landed on top of the store's show case, and jumped again and again, retreating so Col couldn't follow him. Quickly hiding behind the counter with the register on it, a moment later, he opened fire with a large caliber gating gun with a drum magazine.
"Little mistress, what are you doing, spacing out, get down!"
Ran, who was dazedly not paying attention to the developing situation, had her arm grabbed and was flung to the side by Mifi, as the gatling gun shot at her. However, they were protected by a steel shelf, and none of them were hit. Looking, Col and Pink-chan were using a showcase that was built like a trench for some reason as a shield, and watching the direction of the gatling gun's fire, and preparing for a counter attack.
The gunfire was concentrated on Pink-chan, who was hiding behind a relatively thin display case. Taking that opportunity, Col leapt over the showcase. The gunfire immediately turned towards Col, and Pink-chan, who was not taking fire, moved to close the distance, putting her strength into her legs and kicking off from the floor. But before she could take her first step, a submachine gun poking through the counter opened fire, and she wasn't able to use the machetes in both hands to stop them all, and so Pink-chan had no choice but to hide. Her normally optimistic face was contorted in frustration, and she clicked her tongue.
Col, who was being targetted by the Gatling gun rolled and hid in the shadow of the showcase, and while exchanging fire to the left and right of the case as a feint, she threw a hankerchief above the case. For an instant, the gatling gun aimed at the hankerchief, and at the same time, Col dove head first from the other side of the showcase, towards the side of the counter to draw the gatling gun's shots. She turned sideways to aim at the space where the employees come out from the floor. However, the face looked surprised, and quickly leapt out from there, and jumped into the shadows of the nearby showcase. Right after that, the bullets coming from Col's location made it there, just a little too late. At the side of the counter, from where Col was, there was a blind spot where the barrel of a sniper rifle was poking through.
During this suddenly erupting gun battle, Ran, who had finally come back to her senses, was being held down by Mifi, as she looked around. She realized that none of the interior of the shop was destroyed. None of the showcases that seemed to be glass that had been hit by the gatling gun's bullets were broken, but she didn't think that it was bulletproof glass. Since she had been spending every day shooting a real gun, she knew. First, that the sound of the impact of hitting something sounded strangely light.
"What part of this is recreation!?"
Still at a loss about what was happening, Ran heard a light paching sound from the wall behind her, and dropped to the floor. In front of her, a small round object rolling there.
"BB bullets...?"
As Ran picked up the plastic bullet with her fingers, Mifi gave a dry laugh and quietly whispered in her ear.
"It's a little late for an explanation, but the one you hit earlier was the owner, little mistress. By the way, that was a bulletproof mask. He was a war buddy from when the head chamberlain was a mercenary, and when the head chamberlain comes here, the store is reserved, and they have fun with this fake battle."
"His thinking...! He's being controlled by a demon!"
"It's too late, he has a relationship with the head chamberlain, thought not as much as she has with the mistress. The store's interior can't be normally destroyed, so they use electric guns. See, the one I have isn't the real thing. The one Pink-chan has is the same. They're fakes made out of hard rubber. The head chamberlain is using paint balls."
Now that she mentions it, the gun that Col is using now is the one that she uses to punish maids, but it doesn't seem to be making holes in the wall with their misses. Looking closely, it's just spreading along the walls in a shocking pink color.
This is a game... Thinking this, she felt exhausted.
"...Then why did she give me a metal bat?"
"...T, that's, umm, well... I mean, for show, I guess... I think... Probably."
"Ah, I see..."
Ran sighed. It was a deep, deep, sigh, one that could almost reach the depths of the earth. Hearing that sigh, Mifi laughed even more. Ran then picked up the metal bat that she had dropped, and with half closed eyes, said.
"Basically, I got caught up in their hobby... But that sin... Is hard for me to forgive!"
Mifi suddenly stopped feeling her hand pushing on Ran's shoulder and stared wide-eyed as Ran's body sunk into the floor in front of her. Realizing too late that she could go through physical objects by turning her body ghostly, Mifi, who couldn't move due to the gunfire by the gatling and submachine guns, realized what Ran intended to do due to her words and vanishing into the floor, and broke out into a cold sweat.
"Oh, she's mad. When such a meek child gets mad, it's scary... I don't know what will happen now."
As Mifi was muttering this, behind the mysterious creature that was the owner, Ran appeared out of the floor, and as the owner, sensing Ran turning physical, turned around, he was struck by the metal bat. Of course, it was a full swing. The metal bat that was swung by the frail Ran made the owner's face cave in as he screamed.
"A home run!"
It's a line drive! Or rather, the owner got sent flying.
"Little mistress!?"
"Wai, no matter what, that's a too far!?"
"Of course you idiottttttt!"
Bomp.
Pink-chan and Col, in a fluster, ran over, and also got a metal bat to the face.
With the owner lying face up and the two fallen maids at her feet, and the metal bat in one hand, Ran gave off a ghostly aura. Mifi, staring at her from behind, felt a strange compulsion to mutter this.
"The 3 of their lives has stopped... They're dead. Once again, Kawagoe is safe."

"So she's Elza-chan's little sister? I was holding back since Mifi-chan was here today, but even if Col-chan and Pink-chan weren't here, I wouldn't have been able beat that girl. Even though she looks quiet, she's pretty good."
"I'm going to say this, but you shouldn't treat the little mistress lightly. The other day, at the mansion, Onee-sama lost in a strange game of tag~"
"She beat Col-chan!? ...I see, then defeating you would have been impossible for me. And she's cuter than Col-chan."
"Do you want a lead ball shot into that rotten miso brain of yours, Bear?"
"Oh, if you think you can, then try and do it?"
The disgusting, wriggling raw food put his hand to his cheek, and Col was surprised. Pink snickered and watched.
He had scars here and there showing on his large, bony, squarish face. With the mask he had been wearing for the gun battle with Col, the owner looked like if a child were to replace the head of a GI Joe figurine with one of a soft vinyl monster figurine. With a strong body that looked like he could kill a bear bare handed, a receding hairline, sleepy eyes and a beard, and talking in a charming older sister type way that was uncomfortable, there wasn't anything that was outright disgusting, but he was the one who taught Col many things on the battlefield when she was a novice mercenary, and was known as the great mercenary with the alias "Grizzly". He was also a monster, and as his alias indicated, his true form was that of a werebear. As such, rather than mainly using a gun, or bullets, hand to hand combat with his great body and strength was his specialty, and even now if he didn't have his electric guns and were to fight hand to hand, even if both Col and Pink-chan were to both attack, it would be a relatively close battle. That was what he meant by holding back.
Even he couldn't withstand a point blank direct hit, and while he could hold on for a long time with a serious injury, it would be impossible to last long in actual combat, so he no choice but to retire. Col didn't know the details of what happened after, but about 10 years later he reappeared, with a totally gay personality, and at some point, had opened a jewelery store. Col wasn't able to suddenly accept this truth and shot him right in the forehead. And now, his jewelery store, due to Col's connection, was under the umbrella of the Schtlehertz Konzern, and Col would often come to play here. And for the three of them, who had a band aid covering the middle of their face, this was fun?
Ran, who was unconcerned about this situation, dragged Mifi along as she looked around the store.
"What about this, it's very clear and has a good cut."
"Yeah, it is beautiful, but... maybe if it had 3 less zeros..."
"What are you saying, being so cheap? With that card, you can easily buy something like that."
"For a 14 year old who grew up in a normal family, that's too much to handle."
Sputtering that out, Ran squatted down against the showcase. This is what she expected when she heard the words jewelery store, but for Ran, who was only lower middle class, that wasn't a price she could lighthearted pay. For the price of just one of the earrings that Mifi recommended, she could treat all of her friends to lots of different places for several months. It wouldn't be impossible for her to buy up the entire candy store by the station, or the cake shop.
Even though she has so much money to buy whatever she wants, something is bothering her, thought Mifi. Even now, Elza was (without her permission) putting her wages into a savings account, and Mifi was living off of the allowance that Elza gave her. Mifi felt jealous, but didn't understand her worries. As one of the senior maids of the Schtlehertz family, Mifi had earned decades of her salary in her savings. And since maids make a good living, she had gotten a huge amount of money. When she learned this, maybe she thought the same thing about that huge amount of money... But imagining that was beyond Mifi.
"Then you won't be able to pick out souvenirs. Hmph, if you can't choose one yourself, then it can't be helped... Owner! Could you choose some jewelery that will suit the little mistress?"
"Something cheap? In any case, since it's something you'll wear at the social party, it needs to be flashy."
""""Huh?""""
Everyone's voices, except the owner's, were in harmony.
"What's with those dumbfounded looks... Elza-chan told me, she'll be making her social debut? And so, that's why you've come here?"
"B, Bear, did the mistress really say that? At the minimum, this is the first I've heard of it..."
Flustered, Col looked at everyone else, but each and everyone of them had their head tilted to the side.
"I'm sure of it, my ears weren't far away, so I didn't mishear it. 'If it looks like she's going to buy something cheap, I want you to make her buy something that was made well.' is what she said."
Everyone stood still for a good 10 seconds. Ran slowly inched backwards, as if to flee, but the moment she took 1 step back, the gaze of everyone was fixed on her.
"...If that's the case, then this isn't the time to worry about the price, little mistress."
"C, can't I borrow one! She has lots, right!?"
"What are you saying? From now on, you might be invited to parties by yourself, and what do you plan on doing if the mistress is not there? You need to have your own jewelery."
"W, wait a minute, that's, if I can, I'd like to buy it, but no way no way no way, no way! There's no way I can appear at that party!"
Her hair became disheveled as she shook her head, but the adults were used to it and ignored her.
"However, in that case, we also need to have a dress made."
"That's true... We should choose something that matches the dress, but if we make another reservation here, that would be problematic for Bear, so we'll have the dress match the accessories. Therefore, we'll buy the jewelery, and then go get a dress, little mistress."
"I'll resist! I'll turn my body ghostly and stop you from measuring me!"
"Ah, sorry little mistress, I can tell a person's three sizes just from looking, so I already have a general grasp of your three sizes~"
"Oh, so even if the little mistress isn't there, then we can have a dress made to fit her?"
"Jesus."
Ran capsized.
"Now that that's decided, we need to find something that will suit the little mistress. In any case, what do you think about a tiara, it will make her look like a princess, and that would suit the little mistress' image, right?"
"Good, good, then a necklace would make her look really gorgeous! And a ring, earrings..."
"Mifi, Pink, the mistress is the one buying it. So think about the budget."
""Yes ma'am.""
With a simple bow, the two of them started looking for accessories that would suit Ran. In a way that would make a nice guy turn pale and run off, Col gave a big smile at Ran, who was trembling at how big the conversation got.
"You were able to escape very well in the game a few days ago, but today, there's no escape, little mistress."

In the end, they bought a set of a pink sapphire necklace, morganite earrings and a garnet ring, based on how the red would highlight Ran's black hair and white skin. They didn't actually have a tiara prepared (for that, they would have a ruby processed, with rose quartz for the accent), but with this, Ran, who was beyond despair, bought souvenirs for her friends without worrying about the price. Depending on the item, she recklessly bought items which even more expensive than the ones for herself. As Mifi handed her the expensive items for her friends that were being called souvenirs, she felt and thought "this must be the shock or confusion of suddenly obtaining expensive goods that you can't easily get."
And after buying the jewelery, and having the package of it placed on her lap, Ran had finished getting measured for the dress and was now in the car, returning to the mansion. Looking out the window with a difficult expression, she also somehow seed spaced out.
"You look sad, little mistress. Now that you've bought some expensive goods, does it not seem real?"
"...Eh? Ah, yeah, I feel scared now... I feel like I've done something that can't be undone."
With a small smile, Mifi gently patted Ran's head.
"Hehe, it's all right, buying something like this won't hurt the mistress' wallet. By the way, what did you buy as souvenirs for Tamaryuu-dono and the others?"
"Mmm... For Tamaryuu, I bought a cat's eye bracelet that matches when she turns into a dragon. Shizuki's is also a bracelet, but her's is a rubellite cat's eye that matches when she turns into an animal. They have the same design as the red beryl bracelet I bought, so they match. We can't wear them to school, though, since we'll get in trouble.
"Hmm. And for the others?"
"For Inukai-san, a brooch, and for Shiraishi-san, earrings. They're childhood friends, so they have matching tourmalines. For Elly, I didn't know what would suit a demon lord, so I got her a obsidian pendant."
Mifi thought that it certainly is expensive for a middle schooler to wear, and realized there were two other items that she hadn't mentioned yet. Based on the case, she guessed one was a ring, but it was in the pouch where the other souvenirs were, so it wasn't a ring for Ran.
"Ah, little mistress, what's that?"
"This is something special for Tamaryuu."
"That's not good to favor only Tamaryuu-dono."
"I said it's special. It's an engagement ring."
Hearing that Col's hands slipped from the steering wheel, and the car swerved, and Mifi and Pink-chan screamed.
"Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"
"Hyaaaaaaaaaa what are you doing Onee-sama~!?"
Luckily, they were already on a private road, and there were no other cars around, so nothing bad happened. Mifi, who had slid down in her seat, gave a sigh of relief.
"I, I, I, I, I'm terribly, sorry, I, I was so started, I mean, umm, a tree branch, f, fell onto the road."
Col was uncharacteristically flustered, and of course, her mind was in a panic. She felt that this was a topic that she shouldn't touch upon any more, and as she saw Ran in the back mirror, she wasn't able to ask about her circumstances.
(Engagement ring~~~~!? But, that Tamaryuu is a girl, right... I, is it because she was violated by a man and died, or maybe it's because of the mistress' bad influence? Uwa, I have a feeling it's both! In this case, as an attendant, what should I say!? 'Congratulations on your engagement'? No! Probably, but no!)
Feeling like the inside of head was physically spinning, Col focused on driving safely. Beside her, Pink-chan was thinking.
(Oh~ I was surprised by the little mistress' words, but Onee-sama, who was driving, was even more surprised. Even though she's used to the mistress, so she's never this flustered before. But still, for the little mistress to give the engagement ring, the little mistress must be the "top"~ Which one is the submissive one, and which gently loves the other... I'll have to confirm that next time!)
As a result, late that night, someone's heel got smashed into someone's face, but that's probably not important right now.
"O... Uh, that surprised me. Head chamberlain, even if you're avoiding it, please be careful. Are you all right, little mistress, did you get hit anywhere?"
"...Mmm"
Sitting up in her seat and finally sighing, Mifi asked Ran, but Ran was fidgeting around up in the sky, and only gave an uninterested response. Actually, while they were coming back home, Mifi had talked to Ran many times, but unlike before, she only gave a half-hearted response.
(...What happened to the little mistress? Her reactions have been really weak for a while...)
She thought maybe it was because her sense of reality had been blown away, and she was even giving up the ghost? Though that would be strange since she is a ghost, but she had been like that since the measuring had ended and they were on their way home. Mifi, who didn't understand, could only tilt her head to the side. Because of this, she missed her chance to ask about the contents of the other package.
Ran was in the air, so seeing the city streets stirred something in her, and she restarted her previous attempt while she was in the car to remember when she was alive, so she was absorbed in this. She tried to remember more clearly and more detailed, but no matter how hard she tried, the memories were only general and vague, and wasn't as good as what Ran wanted.
Ran gave a small sigh.
(Probably, due to the shock of when I was killed and that my grudge was too large, when I turned into a vengeful spirit, the majority of the memories from when I was alive faded. Location bound spirits and vengeful spirits are attached to a single thing, and all other things because hazy, and I was the same... It's sad, but Etranger is a past existence, a memory of person. I'm no longer human, but I now exist as Ran. Etranger became Ran, and I'm no longer Etranger... I guess it's like that. Although I've never thought about this before...)
In that case, it's fine... Is what she wanted to think. But her impatience towards her inability to remember her memories as Etranger gave her a small feeling of anxiousness.
Faintly... Although real... This quietly had an effect on Ran's mind.

Meanwhile, at the Foxrider home, Elza and Aiina were taking a break from their investigation, and were spending some of the afternoon lazing around.
"It's independent investigation VK handed down to me. That guy, making me help him with over 10 incidents, while he neglected his own city, that bastard. VK, you oni! Brute! Atergatis floridus!"
"Mmm... I don't really get it, but please don't speak ill of him. This social party is being held at his hotel, so he will need to supervise it as the owner."
"That's true... For this, we have a time limit of the end of Ran's summer vacation, so if we can't produce any results, then there was no point in bringing Ran along~"
"I told you at the beginning, that there was nothing certain."
Aiina elegantly brought her herb tea to her mouth, as Elza faceplanted into the table. Staring at the back of Elza's head, she snickered.
Thinking about it rationally, processing the information she obtained, recreating the data system, and started her investigation over from the beginning... She knew that was what was necessary to take a step forward. In the first place, what they were looking for most of all was the missing part of a girl's corpse from a past murder. But since there was no way this could be explained publicly, the investigation could only go forward slowly and with great caution. Despite this, the person herself had been brought along, who wanted it to be found asap and go back, so she was very impatient. So it couldn't be helped that it was funny.
(But, that's Elza-san's kindness. Once they join her family, they are nothing but one of her precious relatives, and she showers them with love that goes beyond blood ties. The way Elza-san expresses her love is clumsy, and can be mistaken, but it's not fake, so the warmth that she expresses it is real. It's not done well, but it's an oddly mysterious family love that she can freely give and it's real. Seren-san told me this. Though she has a slightly rebellious personality, since she doesn't hate Elza-san, she'll be there for her as long as she's nearby. I know she loves her, so even when she's badmouthing someone, she'll support them... No, maybe that's one way she hides her embarrassment.)
Aiina was not hostile towards Ran, who Elza loves. Because she would be her future sister-in-law.
"Well, first of all. Officially, I was given the task of investigating the incident of almost all the spirits vanishing from the city, and accepted that responsibility. None of VK's followers accepted it, so I have to be careful as a 3rd party. In this role, I need to hold back in my use of magic, so I have that limitation, but in exchange, he will turn a blind eye to me barging into any facilities in order to do my investigation."
Saying this as she got up and stretched, Elza gazed down at the printed map of the city. The locations she already investigated were marked with a X, but those were only locations were VK was accompanying her for incident resolutions, so the number of locations were few enough to count on her fingers.
"For good of bad, with this, we can plan how to reverse the situation all at once. We need to correct the slowness of the search."
"Ah. In terms of magic that's useful for searching, it can't be flashy so I can use it freely. So, there's a limit in terms of the number of facilities I can investigate per day. Rather than randomly selecting places, we should decide on an order to shorten the travel time and increase the success rate. First, we should pick up the places that haven't been already investigated, and the locations that look it could hide a research facility, and select each area to look around.
Aiina nodded in agreement, and grabbed a red pen to make a checkmark on the map. From the contents of the experimental data that Elza decyphered, they knew that this wasn't a single person's lab, but a large research team. With this in mind, houses, apartment buildings, office buildings that contained lots of small business, and small buildings could be ignored. From the secrecy required to prevent the experimental data from being leaked out, they guessed that it would be a research facility isolated from the outside, and they could ignore places with lots of people coming and going all the time, like stores with lots of commercial activity, facilities involved in multiple businesses, and restaurants. Finally, in terms of investigating, currently it can only be done one at a time, so it would naturally be hindered.
In addition, since Aiina liked to hack military facilities in her spare time, in this case, they had nothing to do with this, and could be completely ignored. Is that a good or bad thing?
"I see, the labs of drug companies or electronics companies would be the obvious choice, not only for information control, but for their inherent high secrecy. Religious organizations also seem like they wouldn't have anything to do with this, but it's easy to use them as a front, and they could be related. If I had to say unrelated things, then the zoo would be... I got it, don't make those eyes, I'll go. The facility would have a lifeline, and who knows what's underground, so even though it's a pain, I have to go. Also, there are several abandoned factories and ruins of hospitals and execution sites... Those sorts of places to mind, right? This hospital was a public facility, but if they have a connection to the government, it would be hard to do that. Aiina, what is going on at this abandoned factory and hospital right now?"
From Elza's question, it was now Aiina's turn, and she called up the information on the screen. It was pretty big for a pocket-sized one, and it looked just like an old pocket-sized computer. However, it was made by Aiina during her school days, and even now was her beloved high powered computer. She constantly updated it with cutting edge technology and the latest version, and it could operate under all environments. After the PC cluster in her room, this was her also her best hacking tool and her original module. But that's another story.
"Just as it says, it's an abandoned factory. As far as I can tell, it was something like a paper or glass or toy or food factory. In any case, the factory has been abandoned for about 5-10 years, and it doesn't match the time that of the first of the experimental data was created. However, assuming the factory's abandonment was planned for in advance, then it's possible that it is to preserve the land and provide cover for the facility. Though it might be that the land is being held on for some other use."
"Cover, huh. However, at the least, to do that would require the funds of a corporation. If they move that much money, then they would stand out, whether they want to or not... Can you pinpoint the end of that trail?"
"Data analysis is my job, so leave that to me. Elza-san, if you could confirm the existence of the research facilities, or even reclaim the thing you're after, that would be great. Umm, and then, the ruins of the execution site. This has been there over 20 years... That time coincides perfectly with your sister dying. The building remains, but people aren't allowed in there, so you won't be able to go in there and look around. Especially since there aren't any repairs or maintenance done on it, so right now it is now completely ruined. The owner of this land is... eh?"
Aiina's hands stopped as she she gave a gasp of surprise, and stopped working the computer.
"E, Elza-san... Have you heard of Norris Carmine?"
"Of course. Norris Carmine was a hybrid of a human and a monster, created in an experiment as a superhuman soldier. A descendant of medieval nobles, he was a genius since birth. However, he was aware of his own insanity and tried to preserve his sanity. So, he became a mad scientist, and used his money to invent many occult inventions considered taboo by most, and gained the nickname "Lord Inventor". He was a pitiable man, who was killed by a chimera he created. I helped to subdue the rampaging chimera, so I remember quite well. He died during world war 2."
"Oh, but... He had a son. The son didn't have any interest in research, but was very successful as an entrepreneur. In one generation, he was able to clear all of the debt that Lord Norris accumulated from his research, and reestablish himself. And then his son, Lord Norris' grandson... I've heard a rumor that, using the facility that his grandfather used for his research, he was also conducting research into the occult. And those ruins of the execution site, around the same time that it was abandoned, the whole area was bought up by Lord Norris' grandson... Ryuuto Carmine. Elza-san, did you realize something?"
"...I see, a place like an execution site that has long accumulated human death, would be a maelstrom of the regret and grudges of the dead. So he thought to obtain that land as a place to perform experiments on those who died and linger there. And if he performs some kind of experiments on spirits there..."
"Then those experiments would be in line with the experimental data that contained your sister's name."
There was a brief silence. Because this was only a possibility, and there was no proof of this fact at all.
"By the way, this social party. Will the Lord Inventor's grandson be attending?"
"Wait a second... Yes, his name is on the list, see, right here. 'Ryuuto Carmine.' ...Elza-san, could it be that you're planning on giving him the third degree?"
"Is that how you see me... I just want to make contact and see his personality. And even if I don't sense anything wrong, going by the order of investigation, the ruins of the execution site will be after the social party. And if I feel there's something strange, I'll look for trends, and move up my planned investigation if necessary. I'll finally be able to meet him face to face, so it's a chance to see all sides of him."
The ruins of the execution site were in the outskirts of the city, and was separated from the other districts and was left alone. Just as Elza said, if the investigation continued normally, she would get to it 2 days after the social party.
"By the way, will your sister also be making an appearance at the social part?"
"Ah, I'm making her appear. If they know Ran... I mean, Etranger, they should give some sort of reaction, which would be confirmation. And, since I've taken custody of her, I haven't returned here, so this will be her social debut. She's been registered as part of my family, so trying to dodge the point won't work, so she has to show up. And it's a perfect opportunity, I'll generally introduce her as a Schtlehertz. Col told me that she wanted to take her shopping today, so I told the store employees to outfit her with something appropriate, and I'm looking forward to seeing Ran all dressed up."
Taking an invitation out from her pocket, Elza gave a bold smile, but Aiina, who was looking at her purse, started sweating.
"Elza-san, why do you have 2 invitations? ...You did tell your sister and Col about the social party, right?"
"Of, ...?...Ah..."
She didn't tell them. She splendidly forgot. If they had arrived in the mail, Col would have known about it before Elza got it, but since she was going around resolving supernatural incidents with VK, the owner of the hotel where the party was taking place, to save time mailing it, he gave the invitations directly to her. Once she got home, she immediately went to crawled into bed without saying anything to anyone, and continued on with her routine. So, aside from Elza, no one at the Schtlehertz mansion knew anything about receiving the invitation.
Aiina realized all of this from Elza's expression, and with a look of astonishment, she deeply sighed.
There were only 5 days until the social party.