"Report to the captain, the seventeen rooms downstairs and the upper floor have been investigated, and the things and equipment in the rooms have also been counted. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info"

Being looked at by Ciel, Alex, and Susia at the same time, Selie tried to put on a serious expression and reported seriously.

"...... really? I know. ”

Susia nodded as if nothing had happened, trying to ignore Seli's current situation.

But Alex on the side obviously couldn't ignore it.

"...... that, I remember...... Cyli: Right? That one...... Is it okay for you to look like that? ”

Where Alex was looking at with a complicated gaze, a weak girl named Sally was leaning down her neck on the stairs in a position that perfectly matched the slope of the stairs, with only her head sticking out to the floor of the top floor, the second floor. From their position, part of Cylie's body was just obscured, with only one head poking out from behind the corner of the stairs against the ground. It looks like a strange creature from a horror comic.

Hearing Alex's slightly worried words, Seli, who was trying to look up at the side with her chin on the floor, let out a pretentious voice.

"Yes! Never mind! I love the floor! ”

"Yes, yes......"

The person who was put in that pose replied with such a forceful attitude, Alex clearly felt an atmosphere that she could not say anything more.

"But you only have your head on the floor."

However, Ciel, who couldn't read the atmosphere at all, spoke softly under Alex's slightly admiring gaze.

"I like the stairs and stairs too!"

Questioned, Cyrel made such a claim loudly.

"Yes." Hill nodded as if he was surprised: "I like it, to the extent that my body can't leave?" ”

"That's, that's it!"

"Hey, Ciel." Alex tugged at his clothes from the side with a red face for some reason: "Doesn't that seem too erotic?" ”

Ciel turned to look at the girl's face and blinked in confusion.

"Why?"

…… Also, it is natural that this three-nothing does not have this kind of self-consciousness, but at least other people will feel it too. With this in mind, Alex turned her head to seek the approval of the other two.

"I don't really understand either...... Is there anything wrong with Mr. Hill's words? Miss Alex, I would like to ask you to elaborate a little. ”

"That, that, I don't really understand Seli."

--Then I saw a young woman of twenty-four, who was looking at her with a serious expression, and a certain weak girl lying on the ground.

"Hmm! What's the deal with this mixture of anger and self-loathing? Now, I really want to have the ability to go back in time. ”

Ignoring Alex, who was talking to himself and falling into a depression, Ciel continued to cast his gaze at Selie, who was lying on the ground.

"You say you like it so much that you can't get off the ground, that is, when you walk?"

"Huh?" Saili tilted her head slightly, and then showed a stubborn expression: "Then, do you need to say that?" If you don't like it to that extent, can you still say that you like it? ”

"No, you just said 'huh'." Even in the trough of her mood, Alex couldn't help but whisper.

Not caring about the girl's complaints, Hill looked at Selie on the ground with clear eyes.

"Then, show me."

"Huh?"

Selie on the ground was stunned and blinked.

"I was curious about what it looked like to walk on the floor."

"Hey, Hill......"

Just when Alex couldn't help but speak, Susia on the side coughed loudly.

"Mr. Hill, Miss Alex, I have already told you both of you the whole story of the incident. There doesn't seem to be anything special on this floor, so why don't we go downstairs and see how ...... Hey, Sally! Don't lie there and don't move after falling, get up and lead the way! ”

Hearing Susia's words, Alex and Ciel also cast their eyes at Seli.

"It turns out, is it just a fall?"

Looked at at the same time by the captain's eyes full of various hints, and the boy's eyes as clear as water, Selie was doing inner hesitation. At this time, the young man's voice came with no ups and downs, but as if it was disappointed, her brain suddenly surged with blood, and her face turned red.

"I—I didn't fall!"

- Hearing such a stubborn assertion from Seli, Alex couldn't help but retort.

"But, we just heard a muffled 'thud'—"

"That'...... That's the sound of me banging my head on the ground! I sent it on purpose, like something like an appearance effect—"

"Less ghost! There is no such ostentatious character who seems to be self-harming in any work! ”

"Anyway, it's not a fall! I've never fallen! From birth to now, the number of falls is completely zero! ”

"No, that's too unlikely."

Alex complained calmly, but the other party obviously couldn't listen to her ears.

- If you want to ask why! Because I love the ground, it's always that way to walk! So fundamentally, there is no reason to fall at all! ”

“.…..”

“…… Ah, yes. ”

- This was the only sound Alex could make, who felt powerless. On the other side, Susia, as the captain, was helplessly holding his forehead with his hand.

※

The team members on the first floor, including Dai Wen, the deputy captain, have a total of 11 people.

Wearing a variety of professional equipment, they quickly surveyed and counted the rooms. Now, Dai Wenzheng is instructing the other team members to record and record the results of the inventory, which will later be submitted as part of the report.

Footsteps rang out from the stairs behind him, and Devin wasn't surprised. A few minutes earlier, it had been he who had sent Serie to report on the progress of the work to Susia, who was upstairs.

"Captain, all rooms have been thoroughly investigated, and the only ones worth noting are—"

Davin turned his head as he spoke, and his gaze swept over the captain who was a woman but was highly respected by him, a strange boy with an expressionless face and a taciturn doll, a strong girl with a cute appearance but no feminine charm on her breasts, and ......

“…… What are you doing? ”

He cast a cold gaze at his men, the "strange object" that was sticking to the ground like a caterpillar.

"Leave me alone! It's a walking habit I've had for years. ”

“…… Can your wriggling posture be called 'walking'? The corners of Davin's eyes twitched a few times, and he walked quickly to Sally's side.

"What a shame! Hurry up and get me up! ”

"Don't! I love the floor! ”

Looking at the farce of the two pulling each other in front of her, Alex gently touched the arm of the next Hill.

"Hey, do you have anything to say about this scene? It's all good things that Hill did. ”

Hearing her words, Ciel turned his head and looked at Alex with his usual expressionless face.

"Why, say that?"

"Why ......" Alex was speechless for a while, she carefully looked the young man's face up and down: "You guy, are you really Sanwu, or is it a black-bellied person disguised as Sanwu......"

"What do you mean by having a black belly?"

Hearing Ciel's bland voice, which seemed to blend with a little doubt, Alex sighed deeply.

"Nothing, forget about it."

While they were having this conversation, Devon, as the vice-captain, finally managed to drag his subordinate off the floor. After falling down many times and wiping the floor for a while, the pure white uniform on her body has completely turned gray. As she struggled like a child, the gray began to creep into Devon's snow-white uniform.

"Ahem!"

Susia let out a loud fake cough, and the two immediately stopped moving and straightened up.

"Occasionally, standing on the ground once in a while, it feels quite novel."

- Selie blushed and let go of her hand tugging at Devon's collar and stood up straight, whispering in a contrived acting voice.

"Shut up."

This was a rebuke from the vice-captain on the side.

"Devon, give a brief report on the results of the investigation."

Susia ignored their small gestures and gave orders to the vice-captain who was standing straight in front of him.

"Yes!"

Devin made a standard salute and took the notebook handed over by the team member next to him.

"In addition to some daily necessities that have been recorded, a total of two modified humanoid puppets have been found, 34 remains of combat insect-type puppets with no nameplates and no provenance can be determined, 304 books related to magic dolls, and a number of related parts. In addition, in the room behind you, 82 portraits of unknown girls were found, presumably by the target. And then there's ......"

At this, he paused hesitantly, and Susia, who was looking back at the studio by the stairs, noticed this and slowly turned her head.

"What else?"

"...... found the bodies of the victims, 127."

Hearing this, the faces of the other team members behind him also showed ugly colors, and Seli, who was standing on the side, turned even bluer - it seemed that they had all seen the "corpse warehouse" with their own eyes.

On the other hand, Alex also thought about the tragic scene she had seen. After knowing the details of the incident, it was difficult for her to rise up to a simple indignation like before, and instead it was replaced by an unspeakable complex feeling.

Susia was silent for a few seconds before speaking softly.

“…… There are 5 more on the second floor, for a total of 132. ”

"Yes."

Devin immediately took the pen and began to revise the data in his hand.

Seeing his movements, Susia turned her head again and looked into the studio.

"Is this what you said earlier, the girl from the Ampertian tribe who died?"

Seeing the honey-haired girl in the painting again, Alex couldn't help but ask.

"That's right." Susia nodded: "I've seen her photos in the information, and there is no doubt that this is the person." ”

"Really......"

Ciel and Alex looked at the portraits plastered on the wall again, feeling completely different this time than the previous one.

Previously, the author's fanaticism could only be seen from the tone of the portrait and the overall atmosphere, but as for the source of this fanatical obsession, now there is finally an explanation.

He fled from the floating island because of his feelings for the girl, because he believed that he could distinguish between the "individual and the whole", but this feeling was doubted in the hatred that he could not suppress and spread everywhere. It is conceivable how Anderson struggled in confusion, and the feelings that I don't know if it was an illusion or a real one were probably used by him as the only pillar to support him.

“…… Let's check out the rest of the place. ”

Time advanced in silence for a moment, and Susia proposed.

With unanimous approval, they walked the reverse path that Hill and Alex had come from.

The remains of the "alien puppet" remained in the interior of the magic workshop, the book that Alex had pulled out was still standing on the shelf, and the plaster sculpture with the wrist severed, and Alex desperately put on a nonchalant face in Ciel's gaze as the other team members speculated about its fragments.

"How to put it, it was just a few hours ago, but for some reason it feels like a long time has passed." Alex muttered to herself.

With that, they came to the last room, the storehouse of the corpses.

"You stay here."

When she was about to reach the door, Susia turned to the people behind her.

No one objected, there was no need to see such a miserable picture repeatedly, and even Hill and Alex did not confirm the idea of the picture again.

They watched Susia's figure from behind, and when they reached the door, her back apparently froze, and after a while, she folded her hands and bowed inside.

※

"Is it really okay for us to go straight like this?"

At the entrance of the castle, Alex confirmed to Susia once more. The team members, with the exception of Susia, are working on various aftermath work in the castle.

"It's okay, this matter has nothing to do with you in the first place, and there is no need to involve you in superfluous chores." Saying this, Susya seemed to suddenly think of something: "Of course, the goal is that you defeat, and I will present it truthfully." But in general, it's hard to expect any rewards. ”

"It's okay."

“…… By the way, you don't seem to have asked us for details. Like ...... I didn't ask any questions about why I came to such a place, what my specific identity was, how I defeated that person, etc., so it really doesn't matter? ”

Alex couldn't help but throw out the question she had been asking for a long time.

"In general, that's certainly something to figure out everything." A smile appeared on Susya's face: "However, knowing that you won't get an answer, naturally there is no need to make unnecessary inquiries, right?" ”

"You haven't even asked, why don't you conclude that you won't get an answer......"

With that, Alex seemed to guess something when she saw Susia staring at Ciel's strange smile.

"Do you mean ......?"

"So if I ask now, can I get the answer? Mr. 10086 of the Kiss of Death? ”

"Ahh ”

Ignoring the girl's reaction, Ciel was looking up to meet the seemingly smiling gaze from Susya.

"No, these are all confidential matters."

He replied in a voice lacking in undulation.

"What are you talking about secrecy until now...... Your identity, name, and even your number are all known! Alex couldn't help but say, and then she turned her face to Susya in confusion: "Yes, why does Susia know the identity of this guy?" ”

Hearing her question, Susia silently raised her hand to Ciel's chest.

"Isn't it all written on it?"

Alex looked in the direction of her finger, and Ciel was looking down to check the round metal sign on the left chest of his robe, which read in standard white generic text - "Kiss of Death One Zero Eighty Six".

“.…..”

"Isn't this exposed at a glance!?" Alex couldn't help but complain fiercely: "Why? Why should the identity that needs to be kept secret be engraved into a nameplate and hung in such a conspicuous position? I can't figure out your thinking circuits! ”

In Alex and Susya's sight, Hilmer silently removed the nameplate from her clothes. After pocketing the signs, he looked up at them again.

“…… No, even if you take it off as if nothing happened. Alex complained weakly: "After all, why do you want to make that kind of nameplate when you say that it should be kept strictly secret?" ”

"'The more fanfare, the more suspicious it becomes. What about potatoes? Or a radish disguised as a potato? That's how it is used to confuse the adversary.'" ”

"Whether it's potatoes or turnips, they're going to end up eating anyway, aren't they? What a pointless strategy. ”

"...... great discovery."

Looking at the expressionless young man in front of him who seemed to have suddenly realized, Alex sighed deeply and increased the unreliability level of the "kiss of death" in her heart to another level.

Turning her head, Alex looked at Susia.

"That, Captain Susia, is it okay? Because it's the kiss of death, I don't say anything...... It's hard to write a report over there, right? ”

"Of course it's not." Susia said as she smiled and pulled out a notebook with a pen on it and handed it to Ciel.

"- So in exchange, can you sign me a name?"

※

As soon as Susia entered the gate of the castle, he was immediately greeted by the vice-captain Devon.

"Captain."

"Have you contacted the Northern Plains Branch?"

While taking the document from Devon's hand, Susia asked.

"Yes, they will organize people to come tomorrow morning, and the identity of the victim has been handed over to them to notify the various merchant groups for identification."

"Yes."

Seeing Susia begin to browse through the documents with a serious face, Devin hesitated slightly.

"Captain, those two were the 'Kiss of Death', right?"

"You can see it, what's wrong?"

"No, nothing...... I thought, with our identity, it's not convenient to connect with them, right? ”

Susia looked up and saw that her deputy was frowning slightly with a hesitant expression.

"Of course! I'm not trying to judge the captain's interpersonal interactions...... But in any case, Kiss of Death is an illegal organization......"

Looking at the hesitation and embarrassment on Davin's face, Susia smiled and was just about to speak, when a voice suddenly sounded from the side.

"Huh? Were those two people the 'kiss of death'? ”

Susia and Devin looked away, and there was the gray-haired, clasped hands folded in a longing look.

"Isn't that the legendary Rogue Organization? See it for the first time! I should have asked for a group photo if I knew it...... Brother, you stupid, why didn't you tell me earlier! ”

"Call me the vice-captain when you're working!" Devin reflexively scolded loudly, and then looked up and down his biological sister's whole body: "Didn't you insist on lying on the ground before?" I'm running pretty fast now. ”

"That's, that's ......" Selie blushed, "I suddenly feel that the air in the high places is pretty good...... From now on, I decided to live as an upright human being! ”

"I don't remember my sister crawling on the ground before."

Not caring about her brother's complaints, Sally threw herself on Devin's back.

"Why don't you tell me those two people are the Kiss of Death? Brother, you know that I am their admirer! ”

- While shouting loudly, he hit his body with his hands.

"It's because I know that I don't tell you!" Whether it's the kiss of death, the 'bloody hand', how can people like us have anything to do with that kind of illegal syndicate - you tell me to come down! Don't put the dust on my clothes! ”

"'Kiss of Death' is not the same as 'Bloody Hand'! They're thieves! Dressed in a white gown, with a prior notice, and then appearing on a full moon night to take the life of a sinner - wow! Excellent! ”

"You've read too many comics! Besides, you just saw the black clothes that the man was wearing!? While trying to shake off his sister hanging on him, Devin shouted, "Also, what a thief! Anyway, they are both killer organizations, and both are just the same dog. Now, only a fool like you would worship that kind of lawless organization......"

"I'm not the only one! Irene-chan is much more fanatical than I am! ”

"Ah......h

Reminded by his sister's words, Devin reacted instantly. He cautiously turned his head to look at his captain and explained.

"That...... Captain, the stupid guy I just said was just talking about this guy, and I didn't mean to allude to your sister at all. ”

We've been together for more than a year, and Devin already knows a lot about himself, a meticulous, serious and perfect captain. He knew very well what would become of this usually perfect superman when her doting sister was involved.

"It's okay, I just got Mr. Hill's autograph for Irene. Just think of her happy face when she goes back...... Now, I can tolerate any crime. ”

Susia, who had an incomparably warm smile on her face, in a sense, made the two people in front of her feel even more terrifying.

"That, that, it's not okay to be lazy all the time! I'm going to work—"

Usually natural and weak, so she was very sensitive to danger, and immediately jumped off Davin's back and disappeared into the passage behind the hall.

This bastard.

Devon thought to himself and began to think of ways to remove the captain from this dangerous "saint gesture".

"Well, Captain, there are only two people guarding the wreckage of that giant puppet outside, do you want to send a few more people?"

"Well, let's add two more. None of them, including the target's corpse, can be lost. ”

"Yes." Devin saluted and was about to move, when he suddenly stopped again.

“…… Captain, are we really going to take back the remains of these puppets? No matter what organization it is, no one will come out to admit it. ”

"I know that, too." Susia sighed: "But that kind of thing has nothing to do with us, we just need to be responsible for bringing things back, and other things will naturally be investigated by the people above." ”

"No...... I'm afraid that on the way back, I might be intercepted by those organizations. ”

“…… That is very likely, the puppets don't have any coding or features on them, and there is no need for them to increase the risk of exposing themselves for these things - take 10,000 steps back, even if they really dare to come......" Susia pressed a hand on the one-handed sword hanging from her waist, and a confident smile appeared on her face: "I tracked this operation for half a year before I planned it, but it was completed by someone else before I could do it, I just feel a little anticlimactic." If they dare to come, it will only be two more pages to the report. ”

"Yes!"

Devin saluted, turned and went back to the castle.

Well, I'll take a look too. Thinking so, Susia also prepared to enter the castle.

Turning back inadvertently, the scenery outside the castle gate unfolded in front of her eyes. In the frosty moonlight, the silhouette of the woods swayed in the distance.

In that wood, there should be a boy and a girl on the way home.