Part 147: Faris NyanNyan's past is rewritten

(Now, where were we in the primary timeline?)





Video: D-mail sent







The inverting floor returns to normal before I realize it. I've teleported to the lab development room.

Standing right next to me is Faris. My demon eye, Reading Steiner, clearly recognized the changing of the world line. Additionally, the pain the Viral Attackers inflicted on my body has gone away. When I take a look, all injuries on my body have disappeared.





All traces of tears had completely disappeared from her face.

"Kyouma! Do you know where Faris's phone is nya?"

The Faris who, until just a moment ago, was facing me with a painful smile, is no longer there. Instead, the one there is the usual simplistic, charming Faris with an impish smile.

I look at the phone I'm gripping. It's not my phone, but one with several cute, girly cat doll phone straps attached.

"Your phone's here."

"Nya?"

Faris walks up to me with a teasing smile on her face. She pokes at my fingers with her index finger, twirling it around.

"Kyouma... did you see that thing that's in here nya?"



"If you did see it, then please forget about it nya. That thing needs to stay sealed inside, nya. If not, those guys will awakenyan..."

"..."

"Hey, Kyouma? This is where you put in a comeback nya! The usual Kyouma would say 'Whaddya mean that thing?!' and turn all red in denyial!"

"...Sorry."

Before sending the D-mail, Faris said she didn't want to forget. I lied that she would surely remember.

"Today's Kyouma really is fishy, nya. Usually he'd show no restraint and act all pompous and-- nya?!



Strongly, strongly...

"I'm sorry."

Faris remembers nothing.









Nothing. She remembers nothing. Everything that happened in that world line was undone by that last D-mail. What happens to that world line, I don't know. Possibly, just like Suzuha had said before, it might simultaneously exist even now through superposition. Or possibly, the instant the D-mail was sent, everything vanished at the flick of a switch. You'd have to be a god to correctly observe each and every world line, so thinking about it is pointless.

But one thing's clear: I can never return to that world line again. Faris can no longer talk to her father. So...



"I'm sorry..."

I can do nothing but apologize.










Seems like she came to see a costume Mayuri made. Faris had to work after this, so she left the lab right afterwards.

After seeing Faris off, I head towards Yanagibayashi Shrine.



"Everything came back..."

The moe shops exist now. Animate, Toranoana, Mandrake, Gamers, Lammtarra, Melon Books, Asobit City... Each one of them revived in Akiba. There's a gigantic anime hanging screen on Sofmap. Maids walk around the street handing out leaflets. Cosplaying girls are advertising in the storefronts of game shops.

But I don't feel any relief in my heart for the comeback of the familiar scenery. The only thing grinding in my heart is confirmation of the fact that Faris's father is forever lost.

But now's not the time to stop. I shake my head and hurry to the shrine.







Naturally, since it's past Suzuha's departure. My heart throbs again just thinking about it. With this, the wounds within my heart have likely multiplied.





I repeatedly hit the intercom on the shrine office next to the main building.



Rukako comes out. Girly as always, even though he's a guy - No, wait. This Rukako is a genuine girl.

"Rukako, please ask your father for me. An old computer called the IBN 5100 should've been dedicated here."

"Eh... An old... computer...?"



She lowered her face immediately, so I couldn't make sure, though.

"Er, um, I'll go call my father..."

Rukako hurries inside. She looked... like she knew something.

Ruka's dad quickly appears.



I rush the greeting and get down to business.

"In this shrine, about ten years ago, an old computer was dedicated here. Did you know about this?"

"An old computer... Hmm, I certainly do remember that."

"Really?!"



(I have no idea whether that reference was put there by the writer or the translator.)

"I'd like you to show me by all means!"

"Okay. Please wait a bit."

Ruka's dad heads inside the sanctuary in the back.

"..."

"..."

Rukako's been silently moping for a while now. She's not calm at all, touching her hair and restlessly looking around.





"Eh?"

"I understand. I mean, after all, I uh... touched, your, uh, your... no-no spot, I guess..."

"..."

Crap, I just made things more awkward! At least use a more subtle word, idiot!

"Afraid of you, Okabe? No, not at all... That was really... embarrassing, but..."

"Sorry."

"Okay..."

"By the way, do you know about the IBN 5100?"

"N-No!"

Rukako shakes her head in an unnatural way.

"I don't... know."

"But when I called you earlier, you kinda seemed like you knew about it, right?"

"That's..."

Rukako shrinks more and more. I feel like I'm bullying her again, so I don't press her any further. I've done a terrible thing to this girl, so it might be best if we stop our previous master and disciple relationship. I need to treat her more gently, more fitting for a girl.



But just how exactly do I treat her 'more fitting for a girl'... I've been treating everybody the same.

"The costume Mayuri made... in the end, you didn't wear it, did you?"

"No, I didn't..."

"Because it's embarrassing?"

"Yeah..."

Why is Rukako this unconfident? If that's her nature, then I guess she can't help it, but didn't she say her reason for becoming a girl was to gain confidence in the first place?

And yet, she’s a girl now, but she still seems the same inside.



And Ruka's dad comes out. I'm saved. I was stumped since the conversation wasn't going anywhere.

"Did you find it?"

I try asking just in case, but Ruka's dad is empty handed. He's tilting his head in deep thought.



(Anime episode 17 cleared.)