Part 106: Okabe Rintarou begins properly forming his strategy

I had to bribe them with some pocket money to stop their complaining, though.



"I'll talk to him if it becomes necessary."

For now, it's not. I don't have time to leisurely explain things.



I might get reported to the police, but I'll probably time leap before they can arrest me. When I return to the lab, Kurisu looks amazed.

"They'll throw you in the slammer for breaking and entering."

"If I just return to the past, then that just now will be undone."

Kurisu hands me the headgear and I put it on.

"I see. That's how it looks from your subjectivity. What'll my subjectivity be like? What happens here after you leap?"

"You'll get that data shortly."

My memories are sent to the past. I know that from the time leaping I've done so far. So what about the body left behind? Most likely, if time keeps flowing, the present will be reconstructed. But if the many worlds interpretation holds, then after I leave, this world will continue as if nothing happened. I used to be really interested in the truth of the world's structure, but now I don't really care. As long as I can save Mayuri.

Kurisu's fingers stop typing on the keyboard.

"What's wrong?"



"It might turn out like D-mails."

With D-mails, the instant they're sent into the past, the present world changes. Aside from me, with my special ability Reading Steiner, nobody recognizes the changes in the world.

"That would be comforting, yet vexing."

"Because then you couldn't collect data?"

"Exactly."

Kurisu nods and begins tinkering with the settings again.

"I set the destination to 5 hours ago. Basically, around 1:40. Remember? I complete the Time Leap Machine after 2."

Is that right? For Kurisu, that happened only five hours ago, but for me, having repeated the same time over and over, 2 o'clock was several hundred hours ago.

"Nobody likes men who are loose with time. Show some respect. I keep a close eye on time, so I remember quite well what happened at that time."

Finished with the Keyboard, Kurisu turns to me.

"Okay, Okabe, if you're going to use the Time Leap Machine, at least remember this:"



"As long as you do that, you can leap to any time you want. But if you relinquish your phone and someone else uses it..."

If someone else uses it, then my memories would overwrite their brain. I don't want to think of what happens next.

"Or if it runs out of battery..."

If it runs out of battery, then I can't leap to that time. If it's destroyed, then I just need to change models and keep that number, but I can't use it for the hours it takes to do that.

"...then the time leap with fail. So, you must absolutely not relinquish your phone."

"Roger."

"After time leaping to daytime today, and until 2 when I complete the machine, you don't have to do anything in particular. If I don't finish this, that'll surely case a great change in the flow of time. Right after I finish, declare "we won't experiment" and disband all members. Then, just call out to me. If you say you came from the future, I'll probably believe you."

"How do you know?"



Kurisu grins faintly and stands up after she's done typing.

"I'm the one who improved the Microwave Ophone into the Time Leap Machine in the first place, aren't I? Earlier, when you said you time leaped, it meant to me that my theory wasn't wrong. I was happy it succeeded. Without a doubt."

I see.

"Let's decide a keyword, just to make sure. What I want the most right now is 'My Fork'."

"What...?"

"Nothing, it doesn't really mean anything."

"You want My Fork?"

"Because I already have My Spoon... wait, don't mind that. Okay, okay, everything's ready. You can go when ready."

I nod, and without any hesitation, I call the Microwave Ophone (Temp)'s number.

"Be careful."



Kurisu lightly touches my shoulder and lets go.









A high-school baseball game is broadcasting on TV. I understand just by seeing the high schools' names. Kumamoto and Aichi.

A prickling pain runs through my brain. The buzzing in my ears won't calm down, either. It's hard to endure this unpleasant feeling right after time leaping.

Looking at the clock, it's about 1:45. What was going on at this time? In about 15 minutes, Kurisu will finish with the Time Leap Machine. She's just starting the final touches, so I don't have anything in particular to do.

The pain in my brain pulls away. This time, the top of my head starts throbbing. Why?



Mayuri's at her sewing machine making her costume. Daru's at his computer, single-mindedly gathering moe images. Kurisu's in the development room adjusting the Time Leap Machine.

I end up waiting for 15 minutes in the same position.





"Okarin, Okarin. Come here a bit."

She holds the costume.

"Can you hold this for me? Spread it out like 'fwapp!'"

"Mayushii, say that 'fwapp' again."

Daru overheard from his computer.

"Fwapp!"



"Stop it already, you pervert."

Following Mayuri's directions, I spread the costume out by the sleeves.

"Mmm..."
"Yup, thanks!"

Her face looks a little tired, perhaps since she stayed up all night... but Mayuri's face is all smiles.

"Finished♪"

Um, I was supposed to say something now, but I don't remember what... I can't remember.

"I finished before Cris. It was a competition!"

"You win, Mayuri. Well done. But I'm finished here, too."





"Complete."

Alright, now.

"We won't experiment."

"Eh?!"

Crap, was that too soon?

"Hey, don't just suddenly refuse like that... Why do you think I worked so hard to make this?"

"Time leaping raises heaps of problems. I want to inspect them all carefully."

"H-Huh... That's quite an honest opinion for you."

"What sort of problems? Isn't it complete?"

"I'll explain in detail some other day? Everyone's tired now, so let's disband."

"We're not going to go all out and celebrate its completion?"

"That's also for another day."



Mayuri borrows my phone charger, since we use the same brand. Kurisu tries to go home too, but I secretly keep her back.