Part 17: John Titor provides details about the future

"Daru, I know you can do it. Disclose their dastardly deeds, and procure a hint about the time machine."

"Dastardly deeds? Okarin, isn't that just your delusion--"

"We're not at the junction of whether we can use the Microwave Ophone (Temp) as a time machine, or it dies as garbage."

"You serious?"

"I'm always serious!"

Recklessly brushing off the garbage around his computer, Daru sits up in his chair.

"We don't know how this will turn out, you know?"

"The deal is done. Begin at once."

"Uha, let's do this!"



Daru's already concentrating so much that he doesn't seem to hear my last remark.

"Whelp, I'm sleeping. I leave the rest to you."

I lie down on the sofa and sink into sleep with the sound of Daru's typing streaming into my ears.








Daru's in exactly the same place he was before my nap, sitting in exactly the same position. The only thing that changed was his typing speed. He's working while muttering something... I guess he hasn't succeeded at hacking yet.

I look around the room, but Mayuri's not here. Maybe she's not coming today. I guess she's still holding a grudge about the food.



I take out a cold Dr Pepper from the fridge and quench my thirst. I throw myself down on the sofa again, and connect to @channel with my phone. And with nice timing, it's in the middle of Master Titor's descent.




While arguing on the internet, I hear the voice of an unfamiliar woman. The entryway door opens, and the woman timidly peeks inside. A familiar face.



"Greetings! I'm from the Braun Tube Workshop."

When our eyes meet, the "I love Braun tubes" woman smiles.

"The TV you sent in for repairs has been fixed. Will you come pick it up?"

Daru's tapping gets even faster. Looks like he's at the climax, so it would be a bad idea to disturb him by talking. I nod to the woman and hurry out.



Um, what was this chick's name again? I think it was something like "Aruma" or "Amore"... oh, right, it's Amane. Amane Suzuha.

"Right now, our partner, the genius, is in the middle of executing an important mission. I don't want to bother him."

"Hmm. What is it you guys do?"

"I told you before - you could also get endangered if you step into our secrets."

"You're called the Future Gadget Laboratory, right?"

"H-How do you know? I don't remember telling you. Don't tell me, are you an Organization spy?!"

I immediately take the praying mantis stance and raise my guard, but Suzuha just stares blankly.

"It was written on your mailbox."

"...I-I see."

I lower my guard. She's too damn misleading.



Suzuha nods firmly. Am I just imagining that gleam in her eyes?

"Our Future Gadget Laboratory is in direct opposition of the dark organization that manipulates the world from the shadows, as we take action to destroy their ruling structure. Fuhahaha."

"Huhh. By 'dark organization', do you mean SERN?"

"...?! Yes, but..."

"Ohh! So it's them? Those guys really are a contemptible lot, aren't they?"

Shes nodding to herself with an I-know-how-it-is look for some reason. And 'contemptible'? I thought I was the only one who used difficult words like that on a day to day basis.

"Why do you know we're hacking SERN right now?!"

"Eh? You're hacking? Now?"



"Just answer my question. Why do you know our relation to SERN?!"

"Ah, um, that's..."
"Well, ahahah, actually, during the day, I overheard you. If I stand here, I can hear you from the window."

Window... it was certainly left open, and Daru and I were talking loudly. But can we really be heard?

I look up to the second floor. The window's still fully open, but I can't hear a thing. Seems like Daru's working silently.



A so-called mountain bike. Its frame is sparkly, its tires mostly clean. It's probably new. It looks pretty fast, but whose is it?

"I began working here yesterday, but..."

Suzuha opens the Braun Tube Workshop door with a wry smile.

"I've got more free time than expected. I've gone outside 4 or 5 times today. I've been wondering if any customers would come, so I started to perlustrate the front of the store."



Her casual usage of an unfamiliar word left me unable to understand its meaning. I try to find the etymology in my mind. Perlustrate... per-luster... per as in perfect... thorough lightening... to bring thoroughly to light...

So, like surveying?! Is this woman some sort of conquistador?!



"So that's when I heard you guys talking on the second floor. I got interested and looked it up online. You know SERN's dark rumors perfectly."

Gh. We were careless. From now on, it looks like we need to close that window shut whenever we don't want anything to leak outside. But if we do that, the lab will turn into a scorching hell...

"A-Anyway, you absolutely cannot tell anyone else."

Or else black-suited westerners will raid us at full force.

"Ah, yeah, yeah, I understand. I'm actually tight lipped, so leave it to me."

The Braun Tube Workshop interior is quiet. The usual gigantic Braun tube TV's not on. Mister Brain's not here either.

"Where's Manager?"

"Just now, after he finished repairing your TV, he left."

It's probably related to the usual small woodland creature. That Manager occasionally disappears during business hours. I've asked him where he goes several times, but he'd always triumphantly answer "I went to my beloved daughter's school to meet her" or "My beloved daughter caught a cold, so I nursed her." Far from excessive care, he just dotes on her. I have no doubt that it's just annoying for his daughter.

Anyway, just how irresponsible is he to neglect work to go meet his daughter? Whenever he's been away from the shop, he'd but a sign on the door saying "Back Soon", but now Suzuha's tending the store.



"He said to charge 1000 yen."

Damn Manager. You gave it to us so you could charge repair fees?

Reluctantly, I take a bill out of my wallet and hand it to Suzuha. She takes out a receipt apparently written beforehand.

"Thanks for the patronage. Well, just take it away."

"Don't tell me, by myself?"

"What else? Didn't you bring it here alone?"

Woman, don't you know that it takes 10 times more effort to go up the stairs than down? How hard do you think it is to oppose gravity?!

"I can help you, but, oh, I see. We're already in the age where women do physical labor too."







"Hmph. I don't remember anyone asking for your help. Actually, getting help from a girl like you would just hurt my pride."

"Oho!"

Applause.



"Hmph, you think you can trick me? You're lying, aren't you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"One of my abilities... 'Coloring Gentleman' reacted."

This ability allows one to see through the opponent's lies. The bodies of liars appear to glow red. The opponent dies.

"Is that a psychic ability?"

When I nod, she whispers into my ear.

"Hey, people with abilities like you do, are there many others?"

...This girl's Japanese sounds weird.

"There's no way there could be. For I am special!"



"I-I see. So there's that many, then? That was a surprise. But for them to exist now is amazing. Maybe they diminished because of SERN after all..."

After muttering some ambiguities to herself, she finally nods in understanding.

"But when you're fighting someone, is there any point in seeing their lies? You'd think that abilities like accurate sniping at 1km range or identifying the efficiency of your opponent's limbs would be more useful."

Don't tell me...

"You... You're an Organization hitman, aren't you? You're called by the codename Miss Golgo, aren't you? Who hired you?!"

"No, nobody hired me. Wait, what's Golgo?"

Her confusion is suspicious. That reminds me, when we first met yesterday, it felt like she said some awfully dangerous things...