Part 163: Okabe Rintarou explains his situation for the 500th time

"Haah, I'm stuffed! Mayushii barely ate today, so I've been oh so hungry."

"Is it still going on tomorrow?"

"Yeah, and not just tomorrow, but the day after, too!"

Mayuri, who just got back to the lab from ComiMa 30 minutes ago, and Kurisu, who was watching over the lab, finish eating their cup noodle dinner. Now Mayuri's lecturing about ComiMa.

It's already past 8. Nothing happened. As expected, Mayuri didn't die.



That's all up to somebody's will - perhaps even God's, or Fate's. Or maybe it's merely a coincidence.

But that doesn't matter now.

"Okeydokey, then, Mayushii's got an early day tomorrow, so I'm going home, kay?"

Mayuri makes a big stretch and starts getting ready to go home. She woke up at 5 today, stopping by the lab before heading to Ariake. Looks like she plans to get up that early tomorrow, too. Daru's also enlisted in the same war, so I haven't seen him today. He told me earlier he's heading straight home without visiting the lab. Busy checking his spoils of war, I guess.

"Hey hey, Cris, Okarin, won't either of you come to ComiMa?"

"I'll pass, but Assistant looks like she wants to go."

"Huh?"

Kurisu jumps at my prompt answer.

"Hey, Okabe, what are you lying about on your own?"

"Just now, weren't you listening intently to Mayuri's cosplay talk?"

"Well, yeah, but nobody said anything about going."

"Let's go, Cris!"



It's not always true that @channeler = otaku, but it's rare for the former to not be the latter. When I think about it, she's hinted that she has interest in cosplay.

"I refuse. I can't breathe in such huge crowds."

"Compared to today, there's not many people on the second day! If you come in the afternoon, it'll be okay. All the popular doujinshi and stuff will be sold out, though."

"Okabe, you go. You're Mayuri's guardian, aren't you?"

"That's not it! Mayushii is Okarin's hostage."

"Ahh, yeah, yeah. That's what it was. It'll be bad if your hostage escapes, right? Shouldn't you take her along with handcuffs?"

"There's something I must do here in Akiba."

"What do you mean, something you must do?"



I already sent a mail. I'm awaiting a reply. I wrote "I want to see you", but hope looks thin.

"Judging by your silence, you just don't want to go, huh?"

"Cristina. We need to talk."

"Again? Abrupt as usual, huh."

"Hm? What do you mean 'again'?"

"Nothing."

"Huh, huh? What do you mean 'talk'? You know, Okarin and Cris, you've really gotten along well lately, haven't you? You're always talking together. Mayushii really wants to join in on your secret meetings."

"It's just a meeting about the Time Leap Machine. Even if you do join in, it'll probably just sound like gibberish to you."

That's not quite it, but it isn't a lie.

"And what Cristina and I are going to talk about now... could possibly decide whether or not she goes to ComiMa. Mayuri, please wait warmly! Fuhahaha!"

"Ah, okay, I get it♪ Thank you, Okarin!"

Mayuri waits in the room while I take Kurisu outside.

"And so, Cristina."





"Just now, you said 'again', didn't you. So, you mean we've done this one-on-one consultation several times before, right?"

"So now your memories are all confused, huh. Does our little insane mad scientist have an acetylcholine deficiency?"

"Answer me seriously."

"Something's off about you, you know?"

"Please. Answer me."



"What about me actually time leaping?"

For one instant, Kurisu opens her eyes wide in surprise. But soon after, she starts glaring angrily.

"Did you?"

I nod.

"More than ten times."

"Eh, that many?! What are you doing so selfishly?!"

Hmm... it looks like she doesn't know anything about our discussion about Rukako, or how many times I've time leaped and changed world lines. Obviously...







And now I'm at α World Line 4. By the time I canceled Rukako's D-mail, α World Lines 1-3 were undone from my subjectivity. At the same time, for Kurisu and everyone else in α World Line 4, α World Line 3, where Rukako was a girl, is another unrecognizable possible world line. I guess I have to explain everything again.

I start the tedious talk with Kurisu.



Kurisu signs and lightly taps my upper arm.

"Don't overdo it."

"It's a disgrace to be encouraged by my assistant."

"Why's it a disgrace?! I even tried so hard to be nice. You're really full of yourself, aren't you?"

"I don't need any sympathy. Everything went wrong because of me. I'm getting my just deserts. So, Assistant, you've talked to me like this four or five times, but I've done this each time to the point that it's torture."

"Okabe..."

"Don't worry about me; worry about Mayuri. Most likely, Mayuri will die tomorrow. I don't know how, though."

If Mayuri doesn't come to the lab after going to ComiMa, she probably won't get killed by Moeka. But the way things are going, the world won't let us avoid Mayuri's death. Unless we escape the α World Line, it will definitely converge to her death.

"...I'm sorry about this, but I want you to ascertain Mayuri's death tomorrow."



"We can't avoid her death. Resistance is futile. You just have to ascertain Mayuri's death and report it to me. Once you contact me, I'll time leap."

"...I can't believe you know Mayuri will die, but won't do anything. It just doesn't feel real, but it's the truth, isn't it? I can tell from your eyes... is everything okay?"

"It's not okay. Saving Mayuri still hasn't--"

"That's true about Mayuri."

Kurisu interrupts me.



"What about me?"

"Don't get so worked up."

It's rare for her to give me such a worried face.

"I told you, didn't I? Don't worry about me, but about Mayuri. Tomorrow, I'm going to look for Moeka."

If Mayuri doesn't die tomorrow, I can postpone time leaping. If Mayuri does die, then I should go back to the past no matter what.

"I don't want to give Mayuri any painful thoughts if I can help it..."

"Then you should time leap right now."

"...When's the deadline in this world line? Unless I find that out, I can't form a good plan."

"...I'm just saying this, but I don't want to see Mayuri die."

"I know how that feels, but you're the only one I can ask."



"...You are my assistant, after all."

Kurisu forces a laugh at my joke.

"You're full of yourself."

Our strategy is set. Kurisu will go to her first ever ComiMa. When I tell her that, Mayuri will be innocently delighted.