Part 105: Makise Kurisu remains a loyal assistant

"You suddenly rushed out. So this is where you were."

"...Hey, Cristina."

"What?"

"What time is it now?"

"5:38. Hey, if you have the free time to go trolling here, then come shopping with me."

Shopping... Oh yeah, that's right. Preparations for the party. At first, I went shopping with this girl at the UPX supermarket. At about the same time as now, we had a similar conversation on this bridge.

It feels like so long ago now. Back then, I had no idea of the events following shortly.

"So? Will you go shopping or not?"

I sigh deeply. I don't think my time leap actions so far are wrong. But...

"Kurisu."



While I hang my head. While Kurisu stands up straight.

"Help me."

Alone, I can't save Mayuri.
Alone, I have limits.
I've realized that.

I've noticed it, but there's still meaning to me repeating the same time over and over. Tasting the same pain over and over. Receiving the same wounds over and over.

Because of those experiences, I've quit being alone.

"Help me..."

"Talk."



"What...?"

I look up in surprise. WIthout making eye contact, Kurisu leans on the guard rail with a sour look. Her glance is turned to the plaza seen under the bridge.

"I thought you got a phone call from somebody and then you suddenly changed. You can't deceive my eye."



"What happened?"

"...Mayuri was killed."

My nose pricks again, and I put strength into my brow to hold back the tears.

Then, I explain about SERN. About Moeka. How Kurisu deftly put the Time Leap Machine into operation. About how I've leaped five or six times already. How the world wishes for Mayuri's death, so no matter how hard I try, I can't evade it.

I kept talking on and on for about 30 minutes. Kurisu didn't interject very often.

"...Everything is my fault."

By talking to Kurisu, I was able to sort everything I've done, and everything I've seen.

"I shouldn't have had Daru hack into SERN. I shouldn't have suggested making a time machine. I shouldn't have let Moeka become a lab mem. Mayuri's death is all my fault..."

That's why I shouldered everything alone. I had decided to definitely save Mayuri without giving a single complaint. But, my heart was quickly broken...



Kurisu puts on a haughty tone. As if she were looking at the usual me.

"...Because I just don't know anymore."

"You don't know what?"

"How to save Mayuri."

"Based on what you said, the chronology protection conjecture is true, huh."

"No matter what I do, or how I do it, Mayuri ends up dead..."

"That's why you keep on time leaping, huh... It's not like the Time Leap Machine has been proven absolutely safe beyond theory."

As usual, Kurisu mutters without looking at me.

"You may have safely succeeded up till now, but repeated use may have an effect. You may have gone outside the ring of time, that is, the law of cause and effect. You're risking that great a danger. You need to realize that."

"What does it mean to go outside the law of cause and effect?"

"It's in a lot of Sci-Fi novels, right? Endlessly wandering in a closed time loop. You won't age for all eternity, but you'll never leave the same day for all eternity, either. In the worst case, you may become 'nonexistent'."

Nonexistent...?



"Leaping through time is that dangerous."

"'Humans are temporal beings.'"

Kurisu loses her breath.

"...Heidegger, huh. I was thinking of that quote, too."

"I learned that quote from you."

"When?"

"I've time leaped several times."

"Oh, I see."



"If what you said is true, then I want to save Mayuri, too. But as someone involved with the Time Leap Machine's production, I can't recommend you use it that many times. Will you still struggle despite that?"

"...I"

Alone, it's impossible...
I know it's impossible.

"That's why I'm asking you for help... To struggle. To save Mayuri. I can't do it alone, but if I have your cooperation, we might be able to do something. I want to believe we can do something. Lend me your strength..."

Kurisu sighs.





"You know, it won't be strange if you broke."

Unbelievably, she sounds worried. She looks at me dearly, but then quickly turns away as if embarrassed.

"I'll cooperate."
"But it's not like I'm cooperating for you or anything. Its all for Mayuri."

"Yeah, of course."

"That, and it looks like I can get good data off of you as a test subject."

"So basically, you approve of SERN's human experimentation?"

"Not at all."

"How so?"



"Mad scientists are perfectly fine with self-experimentation, right? I mean, that's pretty mad."

"I guess..."

I'm no longer afraid to time leap. I'll do anything to save Mayuri.

"I-I'm just kidding. Don't take it seriously."



"Alright, there's not much time, so instead of rushing, you should polish up a more deliberate counter plan."

"Meaning?"



"Then explain the situation to me again."

Kurisu's certainly right. Polishing up a counter plan is necessary. The result of all my random actions so far is that not a single attempt turned out smoothly. If I come more properly prepared, that result might change.

"Let's go."

Kurisu stretches out her hand. I grasp it and pull myself up.