Part 39: Kiryuu Moeka sends a large number of emails

She faintly bows her head without any expression. Aren't you supposed to at least greet me?

I don't have a problem standing out here the whole time, but I reluctantly invite her in. I'm still half asleep. Not minding Moeka, I collapse onto the sofa.



"...Sweaty."

"Hmph, what. I just had a little taste of what it's like to be a particle drifting through space."

No, don't tell me that bad dream was... Maybe I'm more shocked at the truth of SERN's experiments than I thought I was. At any rate, I feel disoriented since I just got up. My vision's a little hazy, too. I feel like yawning again. I fail to stifle it this time.

"So... did you really come to see the IBN 5100?"

Moeka stiffly nods. Then, she starts entering something on her phone.






I've never seen anyone do something like this. Maybe... is this the reason they call the Shining Finger ability an evil power...?!

She didn't say that. No, she didn't.

"I'm not looking."

Moeka's shoulders tremble.

"What sort of idiots would exchange mail when they're right in front of each other?"

And right now, I don't have the energy to look at each and every mail.

"Ask verbally."

Moeka says nothing, and just stares at her phone. She doesn't look my way. She's probably daunted by Hououin Kyouma's aura of wickedness. Understandable. For I am he who desires chaos, fuhahaha.



Looks like she feels like talking now, but the single word "okay?" is ambiguous.

"Ask in a way I can understand."

I notice Moeka quickly looking around the lab.

"I want to see... the IBN 5100."

"...Fine. But you can only look. After you look, you go home. Is that okay?"

No matter what, I won't sell it or lend it, because we need this to complete our perfect hacking operation against SERN, the enemy. Moeka bites her lip at my words, but she soon nods faintly.

I open the curtains to the development room. At the edge of the room lies the cardboard box with the IBN 5100 inside.

"That cardboard box over there. It's inside that."

I point to it by jerking my chin. Moeka slowly walks up to the cardboard box, readies herself, and peeks inside.



She keeps looking at it in fascination. She shows no signs of examining it in more detail, nor of taking it out of the box. Maybe she’s not just an editorial part-timer, but also a retro PC maniac? Or maybe she's even a pervert with a retro PC fetish? No way. Under no circumstances do I want to live in the same world as perverts of that level.

So, after stiffening for a while, Moeka cheerfully starts another mail.






Besides, it's not really something that'll compel me to take my phone out and open the mail screen. Honestly speaking, it's not worth it to read the mail. It would be over in a second if she just talked.

Silence flows through. Unable to calm down, Moeka looks down at my feet.

"...Mail."

"Ask verbally."

Moeka stays silent, and for some reason, slowly raises her phone above the cardboard box.

"H-Hey, what are you doing!"

That was clearly a shutter sound... she took a picture?! I snap both hands at Moeka.



Fortunately, Moeka complies. She obediently places her phone on the shelf, but she doesn't let go. She keeps her hand on it.

"Why did you take a picture?"

"...I wanted to."

"You could've asked for permission. Why didn't you?"

"I asked, by mail..."

So that was the last mail?

"Oh, is that so. Ask verbally..."

But why did she take a picture? Ah, I see. That reminds me, she said she was a part-timer at an editorial company. So that means the photo's for an article? But, taking an article picture with a phone camera...? She really seems to be fatally lacking in media talent. Or maybe she's too nervous about doing an article on me that she forgot her crucial camera?

At any rate, this is getting pitiful.



"I won't take pictures. Not of Okabe's face..."

Moeka quickly starts shooting inside the box. She doesn't notice me, Hououin Kyouma. Hmph! You may have desperately denied it, but I can tell you want to shoot me, Shining Finger. Did you think you could deceive my eye? My photograph sells at an eye-popping price. I should probably consider myself as the true target of this woman's editorial article... but, I won't be exposed so easily! I'm sorry for Moeka, but I still can't let The Organization find me. I've always been escaping with my life on the line. That's why I can say that I leave no trace, and that I'm vigilant around the clock. That's the only worldly wisdom I've learned in life so far.

At any rate, Masseuse is shooting to her heart's content. She doesn't pay attention to me at all. Tch, she dares shred my pride... this woman.





The period between shutter sounds starts to lengthen, but she keeps adjusting her angle with a serious expression. You're not photographing a model.

I gaze at the spectacle from the lounge, half amazed. I stuff my cheeks with banana for breakfast. I didn't want to go to the convenience store because Moeka's here. I know she can't carry it off by herself, but there's still the danger that Moeka could take the IBN 5100 away if I take my eyes off her.






Dammit, what is it this time? It's so absurd that I have to go along with her tedious mail interaction.

It's probably just another worthless mail from Masseuse. If she wants to assert herself, then she should speak up.




She silently glances at me more, and for some reason, begins to lift the cardboard box.

"Wh-hey, hey, hold it right there!"



"...Bringing it home."

"Don't screw with me! Who said you could?!"

Well, it's not like she can lift this ridiculously heavy behemoth with those slender arms of hers.

"You didn't... reply... to my mail."

"What...?"

I hurry up and check the mail that just came.



"--That argument's irrational!"

"..."

"Anyway, leave."

Moeka keeps clinging to the cardboard box. She takes my words and reluctantly stands up.

"Okay? Just listen. The phantom retro PC, the IBN 5100, has chosen me, Hououin Kyouma, to be its contractual master. That's the undeniable truth. Not even God can change this decision. It is Steins;Gate's choice!
In the first place, I'm only borrowing the IBN 5100's power temporarily. When I'm done with it, I'm returning it to its original owner."






"I can't tell you that. I'm sworn to confidentiality through the contract, and I must protect the original owner from those who desire the IBN 5100."

Maybe if Moeka seduced Ruka's dad and asked to borrow the IBN 5100, he might just lend it to her, and then I couldn't complain when Moeka takes away the IBN 5100. I must avoid that situation at all costs.

Well, I don't think Moeka can seduce anyone with the way her character is, and since Ruka's dad has a wife and kids, I don't think he'd fall easily, either.






I'm probably just thinking too much. Moeka hangs her head without saying a single complaint.

"...I'm not that evil. I formed a contract with the IBN 5100 for my own goals. After I achieve those goals, you can negotiate with the original owner to form a contract."

When I return the IBN 5100 to Yanagibayashi Shrine... Ragnarok with SERN will be complete, and the fate of the world will have already been decided.

"And then, when Ragnarok completes, be it in victory, or be it in defeat, my life as Hououin Kyouma will already be... wait, please forget what I just said. This isn't the time to be thinking that far into the future. That's right, the future..."

"...? More importantly, where..."

Geez, I even said it with conviction. She just can't read the atmosphere.