I, along with Sakura, arrived at the location designated by Fate. This time, it wasn't the Sixth Division's barracks, but a special detention center. That's because Azenda is being held there.
"Is this your first time here, Shō-kun?"
"Nah, I've been here once before."
Turns out, this is also where Aria's mother is being held.
"Shō-kun, don't tell me you have a criminal record or anything..."
"Are you kidding me!?"
I admit, I've done things that could get me in trouble with girls, but still!
"Only the really dangerous ones end up here."
As you can tell from Aria's mom, this detention center has some of the tightest security on the island. And that's where Azenda is being held.
The truth is, Azenda didn't commit a crime that was all that terrible. I don't know about her past, but the crimes she committed in that incident were assault against Yami and the brainwashing of two girls. She had homicidal intent, so it counts as attempted murder, but it's not a crime that would normally land her here.
So why is she in this detention center? Because she's a Stand user. They can't risk even a one-in-a-million chance of her escaping. It shows how desperate the Bureau is for any information about Stands.
"Oh! Hello there, my little Yozuki-kun."
"...Why are you here?"
"How mean, being talked to like that hurts a big sister's feelings!"
The woman who started feigning tears wasn't Fate, of course. She was a woman a little older than me, hiding her mouth with a fan that had the words "Welcome" written on it.
"It's been a while, Sarashiki-san."
Tatenashi Sarashiki was standing there. Fate-san was standing next to her. From the looks of it, her injuries have completely healed. There was no stiffness in her movements.
"Aw, how boring. It's been so long since we last met."
Maybe because I'd been focused on Fate-san, Tatenashi-san started grumbling. It's true, it's been two weeks since we last saw each other.
I'm almost forgetting about it, but until just before I participated in the last Holy Grail War, Tatenashi-san was constantly hounding me. She'd just appear out of nowhere, say something random, and then disappear.
It was an extremely malicious habit, but it had stopped completely recently. I never thought I'd run into her again here.
"Shō-kun? Do you know this woman, too?"
"Yeah, but there's nothing special about our relationship."
"Ugh, you don't have to say it like that, do you?"
"We don't have any personal relationship, do we?"
Since the conversation wasn't getting anywhere, I turned to Fate-san, who had been silent.
"Fate-san, let's go."
"Hmm, it's true, Shō-kun, you have a lot of female friends."
"You too!?"
I didn't expect Fate-san to join in.
"That's right. The party is only made of girls. I wonder if he's dating one of them?"
"I see. So it's true, then."
"Tessarossa officer, have you seen Yozuki-kun's harem?"
I'm dating almost all of them, but can you please stop calling it a harem! Look, the security guards are looking at me with narrowed eyes!
"More importantly! Why is Tatenashi-san here?"
"Oh? You didn't know? The Sarashiki family is one of the sponsors who helped establish the Special Sixth Division. And as the head of the family, I've been given special authority regarding this series of incidents."
"This incident?"
The incident involving Yami and Azenda?
"Yes, the Stand matter."
"Ah, that."
"I've already read the report on this case. It seems the higher-ups have finally decided to get serious. Fate T. Harlaown, one of the most capable members of the Bureau, and Golden Darkness, a well-known assassin from the underworld. A power that can easily neutralize these two is now in circulation."
It seems Tatenashi-san is well aware of Yami as well.
"But thanks to this, I think we'll be able to move even more easily now. You'll cooperate, won't you, Yozuki-kun?"
"Of course."
If there's something I can do, I'm planning on taking an active role.
"That's good."
"Well then, let's get to the main purpose of today."
We headed towards Azenda's interrogation room.
---------
It was just like an interrogation room you'd see on TV.
In the middle of a cramped room that felt like it was suffocating you was a simple desk, and another one was placed in the corner of the room.
However, everything that could reflect something had been removed. It was a countermeasure against Man in the Mirror.
A male scribe sat at the corner desk, and Azenda and Fate-san sat at the one in the middle. Tatenashi-san was standing, fanning herself with her fan.
The interrogation was about to begin.
"Alright, let's begin."
Fate-san was the main interrogator. The scribe silently started moving his pen, and Tatenashi-san remained smiling.
It was strange that Fate-san, who was attacked, was the one conducting the interrogation. Normally, someone else would do it, wouldn't they? Maybe it means that information about Stands is that highly classified.
"Ha! You say 'begin,' but I've already told you everything I know."
Right from the start, Azenda spat out those words.
"Your history is consistent with what we've investigated. You don't know the identity of the client, you were just introduced to Golden Darkness... Is that all?"
"Really? It'll be bad if we find out something else later, you know? You know a lot about Stands and other things, don't you?"
"Yeah, that's right! I've told you everything you want to know about this case. The Stand was just given to me for this incident! Though it was taken from me that night. Anything more... If you want me to talk about my pathetic life, then get me a better room!"
"You're quite confident, aren't you?"
"I have nothing left to lose. I couldn't get a proper job because of Golden Darkness, and I failed at my revenge. Even if I got out, I'd just die on the streets."
Does she have no intention of atoning for her crimes and living a decent life?
"If you make a plea bargain, you might be able to become a Bureau officer."
"Me, work for the good of people? Ha, what a joke."
"So you're not interested?"
"I'll pass!"
Azenda was getting quite irritated. Being locked in a small room would do that to you.
"Hmm, but you know, are Stands something that can be attached and detached so easily? According to our investigation, a Stand can't manifest without a special arrow."
"I don't know anything about that! A DISC was stabbed into my head! Don't make me say it again!"
This exchange must have been repeated many times. Azenda slammed her fist on the desk.
"When you're this honest, it makes me think you're trying to deceive us."
"You're persistent! If you're that suspicious, then use a truth serum or use an ability to look into my mind! Do whatever you want!"
Even for a criminal, an interrogation using a mental ability requires passing a lot of paperwork. Delving into someone's mind is a difficult and reviled act.
And the same goes for investigations that use drugs.
"Oh? Well, that makes things faster for us."
However, Tatenashi Sarashiki lightly clapped her arm in a casual tone.
As if on cue, a person walked from the back of the hallway. It was a small girl in a school uniform. The twin peaks pushing up her uniform didn't match her small stature. Sakura stepped on my foot.
A small bag was slung diagonally, bisecting the two mountains. It was very bad for my eyes. Sakura pinched my arm.
The pupils peeking out from under her voluminous blonde bangs had a distinctive cross pattern.
Shokuhō Misaki appeared there without any warning.
"Huh...?"
"...!"
Even I was taken aback. Shokuhō seemed to sense something, and she forcibly moved me out of her sight and opened the door. The door leading to the interrogation room.
"Let me introduce you. This is Shokuhō Misaki. Mental Out. You know her, right?"
"Hahaha, what a big deal you are..."
"Alright, then Shokuhō-san, please go ahead... What's wrong? You seem fidgety."
"Nothing, really~? You don't have to worry, I'll do my job properly~"
The thing she took out from her bag wasn't a decorated smartphone, but a regular TV remote.
She aimed it at Azenda as if she were pointing a gun. A finger wrapped in a white glove pressed a button. The next moment, the same pattern as Shokuhō's appeared in Azenda's eyes.
"Alright, 'answer my questions honestly, okay?'"
"Yes."
Azenda, who had suddenly become docile, started speaking in a calm tone.
Though, no new information was gained.
---------
"Haa, it was no good."
"I guess so. It seems she was really telling the truth."
After the interrogation, we were taking a break in the lounge.
The facilities made it clear how high-class the ones at the Sixth Division barracks were. There were three vending machines, and three cheap four-person tables. A tall potted plant stood in the corner of the room, as if to serve as an accent.
I, Sakura, Fate-san, and Tatenashi-san were sitting around one table, and Shokuhō was leaning on her elbow, fiddling with her phone.
"So, does that mean Azenda is no longer a Stand user?"
"It's difficult to say for sure. There's a possibility that her memory was overwritten from the outside."
"Yeah. We'll have to keep an eye on her for a while."
Information about the DISC had already been shared. Or rather, it seems they had already found out from the interrogation of Dangerous Zombie.
A voice interrupted.
"There aren't many espers or mages who can use an ability more powerful than my Mind Control, you know?"
Shokuhō, who had put her phone with a blank screen on the table, turned to us and said.
"That woman, Azenda? When I briefly scanned her mind, there was nothing strange, and there were no signs of her memory being tampered with... I think anything more would be a waste of time."
Shokuhō Misaki. A character from the "A Certain" series. She's a top-tier esper, a Level 5. She's a girl who wields the strongest mental ability, Mental Out, which is like a Swiss Army knife that can do anything related to the mind: mind reading, brainwashing, telepathy, erasing memories, amplifying will, recreating thoughts, and transplanting emotions.
If she says so, it must be true.
However, can Tatenashi-san really move such a powerful esper? Is this what power is?
"It's not like I can afford to upset her. I'd be in for a terrible time myself."
"Sarashiki-san, there are a lot of things I want to say to you, but I'm doing this job of my own free will."
"Your own free will...?"
I didn't think she was the type of person to do something like that.
"She's also been a big help with the investigations related to Blad."
"And with great enthusiasm, too."
"Huh...?"
The mystery only deepened.
"A job related to Stands...?"
"You're quick on the uptake."
But I had no idea why. However, I could tell that she was glancing at me, trying to gauge my reaction. Hmm.
"Don't tell me there's a reason related to me?"
"..."
Shokuhō said nothing. Instead, Tatenashi-san reacted.
"Oh? Do you have a guess? Do you have any ideas that would lead to that kind of flag?"
"I don't have any idea like that at all...!"
I could feel Sakura's foot twisting into mine.
But in my case, I sometimes go back in time to solve incidents. So, not having any ideas right now doesn't mean anything.
"...I see, not yet."
Hearing that murmur, I thought, it's probably one of those times again.
---------
"Yozuki-san~."
The discussion had ended, and as I was about to leave, Shokuhō called out to me near the entrance. She beckoned to me from around the corner of the hallway.
"Could you come here for a moment~?"
"...Why?"
"Just do it. Don't be rude and turn down my invitation. You're being too un-graceful."
"Alright, alright, I'm coming..."
I sighed and did as I was told. But I couldn't let my guard down. The person I was dealing with was Mental Out. If she were an enemy, she would be a formidable one.
Although, she didn't try to catch me off guard this time, so my level of caution was a little lower. Or maybe I was already under her control.
"So, what do you want?"
"Before that~, I want to confirm something. Do you really not remember anything?"
"...I don't remember. Based on my experience, this should be the first time we've met."
"I see. I guess you couldn't forget that... So it's true."
She looked a little sad, but her expression returned to normal right away.
"A while ago, about a year ago, you asked me for a favor."
A year ago, huh. That confirms that we've met in the past. It's only been about two months since I came to this world.
"If I ever had the chance to use my ability on a man named Kōhei Niitani, you asked me to tell you about it the next time we met."
"Kōhei Niitani... Dangerous Zombie, huh."
He was a zombie that was annoying to even think about, but the influence he left behind was significant. I might be able to come up with a countermeasure if I knew what he was doing.
"So, did you have that 'chance'?"
"...Well, it was a favor, after all. And I have some sense of obligation, so I participated in the interrogation of Kōhei Niitani's case. Honestly, it's unbelievable that someone would use a busy Level 5 for their own personal use."
"You're that busy, and yet you fulfilled your obligation?"
"Huh? Oh, well... Hmph! Anyway!"
She pointed the remote at me.
"What are you going to do!? See it!? Or not!?... I should tell you, it wasn't a pleasant experience. So, I don't recommend it. Do you still want to see it?"
"I understand."
But I couldn't look away.
"Show me."
"...Don't regret it, okay?"
As soon as Shokuhō pressed the button, a massive amount of information flooded into my head.
--------------------------------------------
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