Part 68: The past is changed without our hero's supervision

"It's me. Report the situation there."



"Of course she'd hang up. The only ones who can deal with Okarin's phone mannerisms are probably just me and Mayushii."

Let's try calling again...!





"It's Hououin Kyouma. Don't hang up."

"Ok, it's Okabe. I was sure it was a prank call."

"It shows you my number, doesn't it!?"

"You suddenly said something ambiguous, so I hung up."

"So basically, you mean you fear my, Hououin Kyouma's true insanity, eh? In that case, I guess it can't be hel--"



"Like I've said several times already, there's nobody skilled enough to talk to Okarin except me and Mayushii..."

I redial in irritation.





"This is Okabe Rintarou. Sorry, but could you tamper with the Microwave Ophone (Temp)'s settings a little, please?"

"You should've just said so. You're going to use the Microwave Ophone? I don't want to anger the Braun Tube Workshop manager, though."

"It's for a precious experiment. Understand, Assistant? You'll anger Mister Braun, but that small sacrifice will bring mankind's dream, the time machine, to completion."

"You're really irresponsible, you know. So? What should I set it to?"

I tell her Faris's father's mail address, and I have her set the timer.

"Okay, it's all in."

"Alright, thanks. Wait a bit."

I turn to Faris.



I already told Faris the mail address for the Microwave Ophone (Temp)'s dedicated phone. Faris nods to my question.

"What did you write? Something that can change the past, right?"

"W-Well, that's..."

What? Her usual buoyant attitude's gone...



"A secret?! Don't fuck with me, this is science! If you don't reveal what you wrote, we can't verify the experimental results!"

"What are you saying, nya! This isn't an experiment, it's a bargaining point! Faris isn't using the time machine for an experiment, but for herself nya!"

"That's unfair!"

"Okarin's not one to say that."

Gh, Daru, you jerk, are you siding with Faris?! You seduced supah hakah!

Faris covers her phone with her body. Looks like she doesn't plan on showing until the bitter end. Should we halt the experiment...?!



On the other side of the phone, an irritated Kurisu raises a complaint. We're not in that much of a hurry, dammit!

"Okarin, you know, it's probably something private, so I don't think it's good to pry into it..."

Wh-What... even Mayuri's on Faris's side...? She was like that with Moeka, too.

"Mmmgh..."

This doesn't look good... I thought I had Faris in the palm of my hand, but the twist was that I was in her palm?!

"Okabe? If you're not going to send anything, I'll hang up, okay?"



Dammit, I submitted to the catgirl!

"The discharge phenomenon started."

I nod to Faris after getting Kurisu's report. Faris puts her finger on the send button and...

"Click nya!"



Video: D-mail Sent, Nya







Alright, world. Show your transfigured self before me...!

I say that, but in the end, I don't know what sort of mail Faris sent. I'm still at Faris's home. I'm standing by the window. If I look down, an expansive view of Akiba greets me.

I look around the room.





"Awawa, another Virus Card?"

"You're still too nyaive♪"

"Hawww... You took three Link Cards, right? And we took three Virus Cards, right? Mayushii's driven into a corner..."



The three of them are sitting around a table, taking turns moving things placed on top.

"We still have a Terminal Card. We can seriously turn the tables next turn.

"Nyahuhu♪ It's way too late for a reversal now nya. Faris is going to use the Terminal Card, Virus Checker, now, nya. So, which card is Mayushii's last Virus Card nya?"

"Auwww..."

"Fascinating, Faris."

"H-Hey, could you wait one... no, two or three turns nya? Can nyu?"

Nyaha♪ Not even if you mimic Faris nyan."

It looks like they're playing RaiNet AccessBattlers.





Reading Steiner unquestionably activated. So basically, Faris's D-mail caused the world to change. The reason why the three of them are now nonchalantly playing a card game, despite being on guard an instant ago, is also due to the past changing. And then the fact that Faris sent a D-mail disappeared...

Most likely, even if I take a look at Faris's phone, the corresponding D-mail won't be in her sent mail history. Even if I interrupt her card game and demand Faris tell me what sort of mail she sent, she couldn't answer, because the very fact that she sent it had become undone. The only trace would be in the recipient's phone - namely, Faris's father's phone 10 years ago. But that 10 year old mail data was most likely erased long ago. I don't think we can check. Therefore, I can only find out the world's changed myself.

Now, let's begin the search for differences...








"Mayushii started out great too nya. You have the potential nya. But there's no way the defending champion can lose in a field game nyan!"
"I also promised to Papa that I'd win this tournament nya! I won't lose to anyone until that day nyan!"

"Papa?"

Faris nods happily.

"Papa said that if Faris won, he'd absolutely make time off work to congratulate me nyan."

"I want to congratulate you at full force too, but are you open that night?"

"That night, Papa and I are eating alone nya."

"Oh, I see..."

"You know, for the finals, everyone at the lab should come cheer!"

"Thank nyu♪"

"Isn't your final opponent the Viral Attackers duo? They've been under the radar, and yet they defeated Faris's rivals, Idiyona. Each of Faris and Idiyona's duels are god tier, so I was looking forward to it."

"I haven't seen any other RaiNetter matches, but are the Viral Attackers really that strong nya?"

"Well, they're not a threat to Faris. Faris is the strongest. Faris is a god!"

"Nyawwwn♪ It's embarrassing to be praised that much nya~"

Listening to their conversation gives me an indescribable bad feeling.



A voice whispers from deep within, deeper than reason. After ruminating on the current conversation, I soon realize the meaning of my discomfort.

Faris shouldn't have gone to any official RaiNet AccessBattlers tournaments so far. And yet, she's about to compete in the tournament finals, which means she's won matches up to the semifinals.

SO does that mean Faris's change to the past was so that she could go to RaiNet tournaments? Considering the recipient was her father, maybe he was strict and originally prohibited her from going to tournaments... I see. That seems possible. But is that something sending a D-mail can change?

Faris is still 17 years old, so even if she participates in tournaments now, it's not late at all. If there were an age limit to RaiNet tournaments, it would be a different story... or maybe it's just that everyone has their own morals?