Part 146: Okabe Rintarou embraces the new world

"Gah, it's a little early, but I should use a Terminal Card and turn the tables... No, that seems like a trap in itself..."

"What you do is up to Kyouma, nyan."

"Wait. Wait just a minute! It's this dangerous, so if I use my grey matter..."

No matter how I think about it, I simply can't visualize how Faris has her pieces set. The rules to RaiNet Access Battlers actually aren't that complicated, but if the finals are already tomorrow - no, already today - then we can't win against the Viral Attackers. Since I’m Faris's partner, I have no choice but to participate. So Faris proposed a special all-night training session.

"Alright. After careful consideration, I choose this Virus Checker."

"So that’s how it is, nya. But Faris has already come up with plans and backup plans, nyan."

"What... you say?"

"With this, Kyouma's server is fully exposed. I use this Terminal Card to assault you, nyan."

This game's luck component is only about a tenth. The rest is all about the RaiNetter's ability and tactics, and Faris also has the special ability to read the states of people's minds, so she can already know the results. Faris's ability is overwhelming. She tears apart my carefully thought out plan, easily defeating me.

"Guh. Another loss... That's 19 losses out of 19 matches. I'm a disgrace to mad scientists everywhere."

I memorized the rules well with these 19 matches with Faris, but I'm still not tournament-ready. Was I really on the same caliber as Faris in this world line?





"Kyouma... you really did forget the art of RaiNet war, nya... It didn’t really feel like Kyouma lost his memories until now... I didn't think you'd get this poopy, nya..."

Excuse me for being poopy.

"Did Kyouma also forget everything about Faris, nya?"

"Well, I wouldn’t say everything. At least, I don't have a single memory of when we became lovers."

"Hnnyaa..."

Faris gets more and more downhearted. Now she's even on the verge of tears.

So, there's no way Kyouma will love Faris at all now, nya..."

"..."

"If that's how it is...!"

Faris suddenly clenches both fists.



"--gh?!"

Faris's eyes become bloodshot. She draws near me while wiggling her fingers.

"You, You’re not planning to attack me, are you?!"

"W-Well, there's that too... This is my first time, so I want to do it gently, nyan."

"Calm down! If this is the first time, then how the hell will my body remember it?!"

"Kyoumaaa nyauuuuuun!"

Finally, Faris gets on all fours. She raises up her back a little, exactly like a cat about to pounce.

"Papa and mama went overseas for work, nya. Kuroki's also gone home, nya. In other words, Faris and Kyouma are all alone in this wide house, nya~"

She slowly approaches.

"What'll you do, nya? Even without your memories, when petticoats meow, breeks may become speed."

"Don't say that, you catgirl!"

This girl... I'm in such a shock that I can't make proper judgments...

"Kyoumaa, hey-hey-Kyoumakyoumakyouma!"

Finally, Faris blasts off! If I dodge, Faris will surely fall flat on her face. That's how fast she was going. To avoid that, I catch her in my arms.



All I can do now is prepare myself. Faris goes silent while clinging to me.





"Faris...?"

When I look, she's pressing her face against my chest, muffling her sobs.

"You losing your memories... is so... painful... nya... The person I knew became someone I don't know... Only I recall how things were before you lost your memories... I can't force those memories back... If only one of us will remember, Faris would rather lose her memories too, nya..."

Faris's words all strike close to home.

The Faris I knew.

The Mayuri, Daru, and Kurisu I knew.

Are all gone.

This world line closely resembles mine. Even though nothing should be missing, it's a whole new world to me.

Because only one of us remembers these memories are nothing but an illusion.

But this illusion is not only an illusion.

I'm all alone in this world.

Alienation.

Desolation.

They will never remember.

My memories never happened.

"But, that's..."

I gently embrace Faris's small head.



"Chose...?"

"Yeah."

The path I chose so that neither Mayuri nor Faris's dad would die. I won that bet, so I have to settle with this alienation, this desolation. In order to gain something, you must pay compensation. I already did once, when I sacrificed Suzuha's memories. Such was the path to save Mayuri.

And that's what Suzuha had asked of me. It's absurd for me to live without losing anything after making a sacrifice out of Suzuha. So this is fine. Because, objectively speaking, I reached my goal.

This is fine.

"But still, honestly speaking, I'm glad to have you, Faris."

Mayuri and Daru became strangers. As for Kurisu, she's probably not even in Akiba anymore. To me, who became all alone, Faris's familiarity is my sole salvation.

"I have no memories of becoming your lover, but..."



"Kyouma..."

Faris lifts up her face.

"In this world line, the only one who still knew me is you, Faris. As long as I'm with you, Faris, somehow or another, I can stay calm. I'd be happy if I could be with you from now on, too. I probably won't get my memories back, but... I want to fall in love with you again, Faris."



Cat ears...?

Oh, I see. Back to Rumiho mode. I gently take the cat ear headband off of Faris's head. Her long hair becomes undone, and dangles onto my face. I comb through that hair with my fingers, and Faris closes her eyes as if enjoying it. She really is like a cat.



This is the second time I've been asked that. Last time, I felt too shy, and couldn't do it in the end.

"Rumiho."

I endure my shyness, and call out to her.

I approach Faris's face.

"Will you... kiss me?"



Then, Faris gradually smiles. Her smile with eyes still wet is awfully cute.

"You're my prince, you know?"

That's the second time I've been told that. I endure the tingling in my body.

"Can I still love you from now on?"

"Yeah."

"Thank God."



I don't intend to, either.

Because I saved Mayuri and Faris's dad.

I'll keep living in this world line.



























I hear cheers. The RaiNetAB Grand Champ finals are about to begin. Of course, our opponents are the Viral Attackers.

In the previous world line, Faris wins, and after that, all the haters in Akiba chase us and it gets violent. But that also never happened.

Normally, I would have refused to stand here. Since I didn’t get my memories back, if I had stepped down, the cheerful catgirl would've probably accepted, and proceeded to fight alone. But I'm still standing here, even if I'm aware I'm a burden.



Faris once more turns to me anxiously. I still turn back and vigorously nod my head.

"I chose to keep living here."

The Hououin Kyouma, the Okabe Rintarou, of this world line, begins again here.

Our first step on a fresh blank page.

I discard my previous attachments to the world line that never happened.

I put away my erased memories as memories alone.

In order to live here from now on, I assimilate with this world line's Okabe Rintarou.

"Besides, the Viral Attackers are a troublesome opponent, win or lose. I have to protect you from them."

Furthermore, Faris's dad won't gallantly come in his limousine to save us this time, seeing as he's now on a business trip. The only one who can protect Faris now is me.

"Kyouma, I'm so happy, nya."



"Together."

"Yeah. Together."

That hand of Faris's. My connection to this world line, to this present point in time.



Video: Ending 2