Code L?: Merry's Walk
Merry's Walk 1
You
Two reports are lying on my desk.
You
The one on the right is a neat stack of high-quality paper with a fancy title page.
You
Submitting a report like this indicates a strong desire to embrace, or at least pretend to embrace, societal norms.
You
Conversely, the report's contents aren't dressed up at all. The revisions show she struggled to put her thoughts into words.
You
Maribel Hearn is full of contradictions.
You
She's like yin and yang, or dreams and reality. It's like there are two sides of her always competing against each other.
You
She can't help but continually question herself. Then again, perhaps the same could be said of most people our age.
You
Our thriving civilization grants children a second developmental stage before they become full-fledged adults.
You
There are less expectations placed upon them, but it's not all fun and games, either.
You
And while this is a path everyone must take, no two experiences are ever the same.
You
Youth, with all its trials and joys, is like a colossal solitary prison cell that's as spacious as the world itself.
You
Merry is trapped within that cell. Renko is probably in a cell of her own, too.
You
The same goes for me as well. I don't think I've found a way to escape mine yet...
You
Now, I better read this report...
You
...and transcribe it word-for-word into my journal.
I've never heard of any Bottomless Tunnel. What was Renko talking about?
She's been acting odd lately. But that's not what worries me.
I was more than a little surprised when I heard about her childhood friends. I can't stop thinking about it.
Has Renko ever talked about her childhood friends before? I don't think so. But perhaps she did, and I've simply forgotten.
There's nothing strange about that. Plenty of people don't talk about their old friends.
So, what am I afraid of? I'm not sure if I can explain it.
This reminds me of the Swampman thought experiment and the five-minute hypothesis.
Memories are derived through experiences. However, you can't use memories to verify experiences.
Sometimes, the things you remember never actually happened.
Merry
H-Hello...
Merry
I-Is anybody home...?
The door was unlocked, so I stepped inside. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be home.
I felt too guilty to search the other rooms, but I doubt I would've found Renko in any of them.
I'm still not that familiar with the Last Ward. The only other places I really know are the school, which is too far away...
...and the riverside. I should check there.
I just hope Renko is still walking around there somewhere.
I'm really worried.
The uncertainty of my own memories terrifies me.
When Renko suddenly started talking about her childhood friends, I was sure she'd never spoken of them before.
But now I'm not so certain. I can't really explain why, but I've started to think she might have.
I'm sure I'll start to doubt these doubts as well.
Before long, I might just assume that I HAVE heard Renko talk about her friends before.
If that happens, I would have a memory of Renko doing just that, but that memory wouldn't be my own...
Then again, can I really claim ownership over any of my memories? I don't think so.
None of my memories are certain, so I don't have the right to question any of Renko's.
I'm scared of what's inside my own head...
???
...
There's a memory about my family that I can't stop thinking about. Did it really happen the way I remember it?
It seems too unnatural. I want to ask Renko for help, but it's not like she can check inside my head for me.
I'm desperately searching for proof of whether this memory is real or not.
It makes me feel so helpless...
Merry's Walk 2
Huh? Are they cosplayers?
I don't know where they came from, but two girls wearing maid costumes are standing before me.
I say costumes because they certainly don't look like actual maids.
???
...
One's wearing cat ears and the other has a cape. They'd get in the way if they had to do any actual housekeeping.
But I do think they look cute.
??? A
...
??? A
Have you seen Lady Koishi?
Merry
Hm?
??? B
Since you're here, we thought you might've seen her.
Merry
*silent confusion*
Merry
Uhhh...
Yeah, they're definitely costumes. A respectable maid would introduce herself before asking questions or at least say hello.
I don't know any Koishis, but I'm guessing she's probably another one of Renko's "childhood friends," just like these two.
I could ask them. They're not monsters or anything, so there's nothing to be afraid of.
Like, I could say, "Who are you talking about? I don't think we've met before. What's your relationship with Renko?"
...No. That's so childish. Why would I assume they're Renko's friends? Where'd that even come from?
???
Oh.
It seems I let my anxiety show. Judging by their expressions, they've clearly realized that I don't belong here.
??? A
Sorry. We thought you lived here. I didn't mean to confuse you.
??? B
S-Sorry. But we really have to find Lady Koishi and bring her home.
??? A
You're right, Okuu. Let's go. We don't have time to chat.
??? B
Sure thing, Orin.
Are they looking for a child who's gone outside to play or something? Either way, it's got nothing to do with me.
Why do I feel so anxious and paranoid about everything?
Was I always like this? Or did I change since we started searching for the truth behind the Lost Barriers?
This isn't good. I'm back to questioning my memories again. Thinking about this might be a waste of time.
Doubting my memories just makes everything more complicated. I stop knowing what's real and what's not.
It makes me doubt everything. Then again, it could be argued that nothing in this world has ever been certain.
All theories are dependent on more established theories. Societal norms are based on the most pervasive ideas.
And people's livelihoods are protected by those in greater positions of power.
But that doesn't mean the most powerful person in the world is wholly self-sufficient. It's not like a pyramid.
It's more like a jumble of flexible intertwined rings, where dependencies vary in strength and constantly change.
It's basically the same as Earth's ecosystem.
The ecosystem relies on our planet for a place to exist and the Sun for energy. And our solar system is a part of our galaxy.
Even the universe is supposed to be part of something bigger. Though, I'm sure Renko could explain this better than me.
There's a massive group of universes, and while these are part of a bigger group again...
...they also kinda fold back in on themselves like a Klein bottle.
I'm talking about how black holes are tunnels to other universes. That's how I picture them.
If you passed through a black hole, you'd emerge within an elementary particle that exists in another universe.
And within that particle is yet another universe all of its own.
It's kinda complicated, but I'm basically just trying to explain the futility of relying on any one thing.
I need to find something to rely on, other than my fallible memories, so I can start living again.
I almost saw something in that laboratory, even though it wasn't a shrine or a temple.
And the tunnel connects the lab to the Last Tokyo Ward. That can't be a coincidence.
My ability lets me see boundaries, so the fact that I almost saw something means the truth behind the Lost Barriers...
...must be somewhere in the Last Ward. Though, I still have no idea how to find it.
...
Thinking about it now, what I'm doing isn't all that different from those two cosplayers looking for someone.
I should probably help them.
Merry
U-Umm, can I―
Merry
Huh?
Merry
They're gone...
You
It's happening again. I've woken up inside the report.
You
All right. Let's see where this goes.
Merry's Walk 3
This has been bugging me for a while, but why is it night?
When Renko told me she was going to investigate the Last Tokyo Ward, I decided not to accompany her.
Without me and my ability, she won't be able to find any clues about the Lost Barriers.
But we have another problem that we must deal with first. If Renko isn't willing to face it, I will.
We have to decide what we're going to do about our questionable memories.
Renko suddenly remembered her "childhood friends." And I... seem to have new memories about my family.
Talking this over with Renko won't help. It'd just muddy the waters even more.
If we shared conflicting memories, they'd overwrite each other, making it even harder to determine which are correct.
The memories inside my head are unstable. The slightest push is all it would take for them to come spilling out.
Taking notes doesn't help either. As soon as I put my thoughts onto paper, I can no longer trust them.
No, it's more like I don't even consider doubting my thoughts until I see them written down.
I start to question whether the notes I'm reading are the same notes I wrote.
There's no way for me to prove they haven't been switched with someone else's notes.
The same goes for these notes I'm writing now.
Each new word I write just gives me more and more doubts...
Merry
Urgh.
???
Are you OK? Do you need any help?
Merry
No, um, I'm fine...
Merry
Ah... Miss Suwako?!
Suwako
Hey, Merry. What are you doing here?
Suwako
Did you get off at the wrong subway stop?
Merry
Oh, umm...
I followed Renko here.
Talking to Renko makes me lose track of which memories are unnatural, so I need to gather information some other way.
I thought if I followed her and observed her own investigation, I might learn something.
But, for some reason, it was already nighttime by the time I left the station.
I left pretty early in the morning, so the Sun shouldn't have set yet.
I can guess how this happened, though.
This whole place is underground, so turning day to night is as simple as changing the artificial weather system's settings.
The question isn't how but why.
Why would someone go out of their way to set a different day-night cycle from the surface?
Merry
Miss Suwako... Why is it night?
Suwako
Huh?!
Merry
(Oops...)
That was way too direct.
I just blurted out what was on my mind without sharing any of the context. I hope she doesn't think I'm weird...
Suwako
Hmmm, I'm not really sure how to answer that.
Suwako
Anyway, it's pretty late. You should go home.
Merry
Oh, umm, OK...
Yeah, she definitely thinks I'm weird. I think she said that because she's worried about me.
And she might be right. Maybe I should go home.
Merry
I stopped by your place just now, but no one was home... and, um, the door was unlocked.
Suwako
What?!
Suwako
Did you look inside?!
Merry
S-Sorry! I didn't mean to pry...!
Suwako
Right... I didn't even think that was possible...
Suwako
No, don't worry about it! It should be fine. Probably.
Suwako
I'm more worried about you getting home safely.
Suwako
I'd like to walk you to the station...
Suwako
But, unfortunately, I've got stuff to do.
Suwako
Then again, I doubt anything bad will happen as long as you head directly there and don't get lost.
Merry
Hahaha... What are you so worried about?
Merry
The station's not that far. I can get there by myself.
Suwako
Are you sure? It's pretty dark out. In fact, I'm surprised you even made it to my place.
Suwako
Not to mention...
Merry
What?
Suwako
There are monsters about.
Merry
Eep!
Suwako
Haha, I'm just teasing.
Merry
Th-That was mean!
Suwako
Sorry. Perhaps you'll forgive me if I put the lights back on.
Merry
What do you mean?
Suwako
Nah, it's just that I'm already heading that way, so it's the least I can do. I think I know why it's nighttime.
Suwako
But you shouldn't wait for me. It'd be better if you just headed straight back to the station.
You
I thought this would happen.
You
There's something up with this report as well.
You
I bet I'm going to meet someone soon.
Merry's Walk 4
I can't find Renko anywhere.
Thinking back, today got off to a pretty rocky start. I lost sight of her inside the station.
Luckily, I managed to find the exit based on what I remembered from the last time we came here.
But I didn't see Renko leave from the same exit.
It made me realize how much I rely on Renko whenever we explore together.
I should write about my family.
We of the Hearn family tend to be more spiritually sensitive than others. It's in our blood.
There are different types of spiritual sensitivity, but generally speaking, you need to be spiritually sensitive to have an ability.
It's a kind of sixth sense separate from sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. In fact, that's what it used to be called.
However, some theorize that it's a spiritual extension of the five senses, or a part of them that other humans have lost.
Nowadays, it's called spiritual sensitivity, probably because the ability to sense spirits is one of the most well-known abilities.
Most medium clubs and circles are full of people who can't do much more than that.
Then again, it's still a pretty complicated ability since, to understand it, you must first understand the nature of spirits.
Most other abilities are either a different form of spiritual sensitivity or an extension of it.
Of course, there are exceptions, with a notable example being Renko's ability.
Abilities are also categorized as either extrasensory perception or psychokinesis, but I won't get into all that.
Merry
What am I doing?
Merry
I doubt there's any point in thinking about this stuff, especially not in a place like this.
Merry
Like, how many of these thoughts and memories are truly my own?
Merry
What am I doing?
Merry
Don't I ever quit?
Merry
How long am I gonna keep worrying about the possibility that someone else might be making me think these thoughts?
Merry
Is there any way to prove or deny that?
Merry
If only I could share what I truly think with Renko...
Merry
Heh, "truly think." What does that even mean?
Merry
Besides... It's impossible to perfectly share all your thoughts with someone else without causing misunderstandings.
What can I do to make you understand me, Renko? Please tell me.
Renko...
You
This section of the report ends here. So, what I should really be doing now is flipping over to the next page.
You
But my eyes drift down to the blank margin below the last paragraph.
You
And then down further still, beyond the bounds of the page, causing me to stare into empty space.
You
Why would I search for more words to read here?
You
It's illogical.
You
It's the riverside in Merry's report.
You
But she has already left. This is exactly like last time.
You
Come on out. I'm ready.
???
...
You
Huh?! It's someone else!
???
...
???
Who are you?
???
Actually, it doesn't matter. I don't care who you are.
???
All I care about is getting rid of the fake mass-produced shrine maidens.
???
If you're a shrine maiden, I'll crush you by any means necessary. And if you're not a shrine maiden...
???
I'll destroy you for wasting my time.
You
So you're gonna destroy me either way...? You know that doesn't make any sense, right?
???
So you're confident enough to crack jokes, huh? Fine. I won't hold anything back.
You
(Me and my big mouth...)
You
(I guess there's nothing else for it but to present her with a third option... my survival.)
Merry's Walk 5
???
I said I wouldn't hold back.
???
But I never said I'd fight you for real.
You
Wow...
???
I still can't tell if you're a shrine maiden or not, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.
You
But aren't you a shrine maiden? You're dressed like one.
???
Seriously?!
???
Don't you think we should get to know each other better before you start dropping bombshells like that?!
???
Meh, whatever. I guess it's fine.
You
Hahaha...
You
Um, my name's PLAYER, but I'm guessing you can't tell me your name, huh?
???
What're you on about? Of course, I can.
???
□□□□!
???
Huh?
???
□□□□!
???
...
???
□□□□! □□□□! □□□□!
???
I don't get it.
You
Me neither. I'm still trying to figure it out.
???
Weird. But I guess there's no point worrying about it.
You
You're pretty accepting of all this, huh?
???
There's no point fretting about stuff out of your control. Sometimes you just gotta wait and see how things play out.
You
Hmm... You might have a point.
You
Um, do you mind if I call you Reimu?
???
...?!
You
I have to call you something, right? And I dunno... I think that name fits.
You
I met someone like her in one of my dreams. At least, I think I did... I don't remember them very well.
You
I don't remember any of those girls' names, either. So I'm guessing I probably read that name in a book or something.
You
It's kinda strange, but she really does feel like a "Reimu" to me. But I won't call her that if she doesn't want me to.
???
Reimu?
???
Reimu...
Reimu
I like it. I can't be sure, but I think my original name was something similar.
You
Hehe, I'm glad.
You
That's one thing sorted, at least...
Merry's Walk 6
The Bottomless Tunnel should be around here somewhere. I should've paid more attention when Renko talked about it.
But at least I've got plenty of energy left in the tank. I'm used to walking hours on end exploring for the Secret Sealing Club.
Have I ever told Renko about my family?
I don't think so.
But perhaps I've merely forgotten. Again, my memories are unreliable.
I live by myself in Kyoto now, close to the university, but when I still lived with my parents, they told me about our ancestors.
They said those of the Hearn bloodline are much more spiritually sensitive than other people.
However, I'm not entirely sure if my ability is inherited.
My ancestors probably had similar abilities, but I doubt they were as powerful as mine.
Though, I only mean that generally.
As far as I know, there was one other Hearn who had a strong ability.
But I've never met them myself.
They left this world long before I was born.
According to those who met them...
They had an unusual eye and a magical way with words.
They also saw spirits in every shadow.
However, unlike me...
They were soft-spoken and somewhat distrustful of others.
You
This section of Merry's report ends here.
You
I've got nothing to say. There's nothing I can say.
You
I've got no right to comment on Merry and Renko's inner thoughts.
You
I can only change and affect things within my own domain.
You
My possibilities are limited to the fantasy within me.
You
They appear...
You
...like this.
Reimu
Is that girl a shrine maiden?
You
Yikes! How can you make such a simple question sound so threatening? Also... I didn't realize you could see her, too.
Reimu
Of course I can. Why? Are you trying to hide something from me?
You
No, not at all! I was just surprised.
You
I had assumed that only I could see her, but now I get the feeling you could reach out and touch her if you wanted to.
Reimu
Hmm, so that's how you see me, huh?
Reimu
It's like I should be able to, but I can't, which makes it way more frustrating.
You
What would you do if you could interact with her? Assuming she's actually a shrine maiden.
Reimu
Well, then I'd hit her with my purification rod. Is that even a question?
You
You didn't even think about it!
Reimu
What's there to think about? If you see a shrine maiden, you hit it with a stick.
Reimu
Or what? Is it different in your world?
You
It's just... I'm kinda having trouble accepting there's a world where that could possibly be normal!
Reimu
Huh? Are you prejudiced against other worlds or something? You should keep those thoughts to yourself.
You
Is that prejudice...? Hmm, maybe it is. But then again, what about the shrine maidens getting hit?
Reimu
If you see a chance, you take it. If you see a cake, you eat it.
You
And if you see a shrine maiden, you... No! You wouldn't hit her! That doesn't make any sense!
Reimu
Tch. Almost got you.
You
It seems she's a bit of a jokester, too.
Reimu
Well, I say all that, but I can't actually remember my world... All I know is that I gotta get rid of shrine maidens.
You
Oh.
You
What would that be like?
You
In a way, it sounds worse than not remembering anything at all.
You
Sorry... I didn't realize.
Reimu
Don't worry about it. It doesn't bother me.
Reimu
I'll be happy as long as you admit that you're a shrine maiden and let me destroy you.
You
Is that really all you want...?
You
I'd like to ask her what she means by "shrine maiden," but I'm guessing she'd just give me a standard definition of the words.
You
I'll have to wait until she remembers what shrine maidens truly mean to her.
Reimu
Honestly, I haven't really thought about it much. There's no point questioning stuff you have no way of knowing.
Reimu
All I can do is keep pushing forward, trusting that... I never needed any of the answers in the first place.
You
So you just kind of wing it?
Reimu
*dramatic sigh* You're starting to sound more and more like a shrine maiden.
Reimu
Anyway, there's no point overthinking stuff. All you gotta do is keep moving forward, beating up whoever gets in your way.
Reimu
You know what they say: Always carry a big stick.
You
Um, does anyone actually say that? There's another proverb about a big stick, but I don't think that applies here...
Reimu
Doesn't it? *waves her gohei about*
Merry's Walk 7
Renko
Your extended family? Now that you mention it, I don't think you've told me about them before.
Renko
...Or maybe you have. I can't remember.
Renko
No, um, that came out wrong. I'm sure I'd remember it if we actually sat down and talked about it.
Renko
You might've mentioned something in passing, though.
Renko
But isn't that kinda normal? Like, I don't think I've really told you much about my family, either.
Renko
...Huh? Now you're even more confused?
Renko
How come?
Renko
Please explain it to me, Merry.
The Hearn, who had a similar ability to mine, changed their name later in life, so I doubt we're directly related.
However, I know their descendants live somewhere here in Japan.
Merry
That's what I remember.
Merry
But I can't tell if these memories are true or not. I'm not sure if I can trust them...
???
What's wrong?
Merry
Eep!
???
*stare*
Merry
...
Merry
Umm...
???
Oh.
???
Sorry. I mistook you for someone else!
Merry
Huh?
Phew. It's just a normal girl.
But what is she doing walking around out here in the dark? Isn't she worried about running into wild animals or monsters?
Then again... I guess the same thing could be said about me...
???
I thought you were my sister coming to take me home. I wanted to surprise her a little.
???
Sorry for scaring you.
???
Can you keep the tunnel up ahead a secret? I don't want anyone else to know about it.
Merry
Um... OK.
???
Thanks.
???
See ya.
Merry
*stunned silence*
That was weird.
I don't know who that girl was...
But I'm guessing she was probably another one of Renko's "childhood friends."
Merry's Walk 8
Reimu
I think I've managed to get rid of all the shrine maidens within this data source.
You
Haha, we didn't see any shrine maidens, so I guess you're technically correct.
Reimu
All right, I better get going, PLAYER.
You
It's strange... We hit it off pretty well, but I still feel like I don't really know you.
Reimu
Of course you don't know me. I don't even know myself.
You
Yeah, 'cause you lost your memory. Nice one.
You
With that attitude, I'm sure you'll go far. Even with all the shrine maiden stuff, it's almost impossible not to like you.
Reimu
Thanks.
You
You're welcome.
You
What a dazzling smile.
You
By the way, Reimu, why do you want to exterminate shrine maidens so much?
Reimu
Exterminate?!
You
Hm?
Reimu
That's a bit extreme, isn't it?!
Reimu
Who said anything about exterminating them?!
Reimu
Oh, right. It was me.
You
You're joking around again, aren't you? You seem to do that a lot.
Reimu
Yep. It's fun.
You
Can't argue with that...
Reimu
But, yeah, "exterminate" is right, though you could also use the words "eradicate," "wipe out," or "uproot."
You
Yikes!
Reimu
It's like with weeds. You can't just just cut them. You gotta pull them up by the roots to stop them from coming back.
You
Right. That is how weeding works.
Reimu
If you uproot something, you'll never have to worry about it again. The problem is identifying the roots.
You
I'm not sure I follow...
Reimu
No, um, that's just what my intuition as a shrine maiden-exterminating shrine maiden tells me.
You
That can't be a real thing!
Reimu
Since I have to exterminate shrine maidens completely, I thought for sure I'd get sent to the past.
You
You're talking like traveling through time is a given, but all right. Please continue.
Reimu
Going to an earlier age to exterminate shrine maidens would make everything easier since fewer existed back then.
Reimu
I have to uproot the concept of shrine maidens, the profession, the traditions... and even the words themselves.
Reimu
So that not even a hint of them remains.
You
Um, all the extermination stuff is still kinda yikes, but are you trying to tell me you came here from the future?
Reimu
Yes, that's the logical conclusion. But for some reason, it seems my memories got lost somewhere along the way.
You
It's like losing your luggage at the airport... but worse.
Reimu
Then again... I'm not entirely satisfied with that explanation.
Reimu
It only works if time flows linearly from the past to the present.
Reimu
But time can flow in other ways.
You
You mean like how books and this report I'm reading now don't have to be experienced linearly?
You
Normally, books don't make any sense unless you read them from front to back. But that doesn't apply to encyclopedias.
You
There are also gamebooks where you flick to specific pages based on dice rolls or choices you make.
You
Of course, you can also flick through a novel you've already read to relive your favorite parts.
You
In that regard, I suppose music can be enjoyed non-linearly, too. You can loop different sections or adjust the speed.
Reimu
The same could be said about this place.
You
Hm?
You
Oh, right. We're in a movie theater.
Reimu
I'm guessing the reason this place looks the way it does is because movies are stories that have been recorded on film.
Reimu
The scenes captured on film don't actually move.
Reimu
The "movement" you see is merely an illusion created by ordering multiple scenes that exist independently.
Reimu
Then again, perhaps that's the only way anything can actually "move."
You
What do you mean...?
Reimu
I'm not sure I can explain it any better. That's just the feeling I get. Call it my intuition.
Reimu
Also...
Reimu
I gotta get going.
You
Oh, right...
You
See you, Reimu. I hope we meet again.
Reimu
Yeah.
Reimu
I'm sure we will.
Reimu
Because I still think you might be a shrine maiden.
You
...
You
I took a moment to stop and think.
You
That mysterious girl, who I had a strange urge to call "Reimu," was obsessed with shrine maidens.
You
What made her so obsessed? Or was it all talk? Was it just another one of her jokes?
You
What could she possibly hope to achieve by exterminating them?
You
No, that's not the right question.
You
People justify their actions after they've committed them. They don't always do things with a clear objective in mind.
You
Like, I don't make the conscious choice to breathe. It's just what I do.
You
I'm kept alive, not by conscious thought, but by an indescribable instinct deep within me.
You
Is that what drives Reimu?
You
Is she driven by some kind of primal urge to exterminate shrine maidens?
You
Anyway...
You
I better finish reading Merry's report.
How can I tell which memories are real? Are any of them real?
I can hear the voices of my family replaying in my head.
Hearing my name pronounced correctly makes me feel homesick.
I miss them... but maybe this feeling isn't real either...
Have I always had these memories, or were they implanted in my brain somehow?
There's no way to tell.
It's the Bottomless Tunnel...
But I can't see Renko anywhere. It seems I beat her here.
She probably got distracted by something on the way. That's what usually happens with Renko.
Or maybe she's already in the tunnel. I could go and check, but then I'd end up blindly searching for her in the dark.
Merry
...
Merry
I guess I'll wait.
I'm used to waiting for Renko.
If she's in the tunnel, she'll come back out before long. She's more cautious than me, so she'll turn back if it's a long tunnel.
But if she still hasn't gotten here yet... I might be waiting for a while.
Then again, it's not like we promised to meet here or anything. There's no guarantee she'll be here.
I'll just have to tough it out.
Merry
It'll be fine... I can spend the night out here alone if I have to.
It's been an hour or so, but I still haven't seen Renko. It seems she wasn't in the tunnel.
That means she mustn't have gotten here yet. I might have to wait quite a while longer.
She should be here any minute now.
Unless she forgot about her original objective or something...
I calculated it based on the time she left in the morning, her walking pace, and how much she usually gets distracted.
Merry
...
Merry
...
Huh? What was that?
I heard a sound coming from inside the tunnel.
Merry
...
Merry
...?!
Merry
N-No way...
Merry
Those footsteps...
I'd recognize them anywhere.
But how can she be in the tunnel?
Was she in there all this time?
Maybe there was a bright spot inside the tunnel that she stopped to investigate.
No, but then she would have had to get here way earlier than me... And I walk a fair bit faster.
So, does that mean it's someone else?
But judging from the shoes Renko is wearing, the time between steps, today's humidity, and the ground's texture...
The more I think about it, the more certain I am.
They're definitely...
Merry
...Renko's footsteps.
???
Hello! I hope I'm not late.
You
Oh, are you... Miss Gengetsu's sister?
???
So Gengetsu got here before me, huh?
Mugetsu
Yep, that's me. I'm Mugetsu. Nice to meet you!
You
Y-You too.
Mugetsu
I bet Gengetsu gave you the whole tutorial thing already, so I'll get straight to the point.
Mugetsu
I'm gonna lay it all out, skipping over all the pointless talk. Brace yourself.
You
O-OK!
Mugetsu
All right, here I go! I'm gonna explain this tragic situation! If you wanna know more about me, go ask someone else!
Mugetsu
This cutie's friend is about to step out of the tunnel.
Mugetsu
Even though her friend shouldn't have been able to enter the tunnel without her noticing.
You
Couldn't Renko have just gotten to the tunnel before Merry?
Mugetsu
To put it bluntly, no. You read her thoughts, didn't you? She's already ruled out that possibility.
Mugetsu
She seems to know everything about her friend. Everything from the shoes she wears to the way she walks...
Mugetsu
It's actually kinda scary. No, um, forget I said that. There's no way a devil like me would be scared of a lowly human.
You
(She's shaking!)
Mugetsu
Anyway, she knows more about her friend than you.
Mugetsu
So you can't second-guess her observations.
You
Yeah, I know that. Merry has to be right.
You
But then, what is she so worried about...?
Mugetsu
Can you guess what this cutie is thinking? She's distressed, distrustful, and feels guilty about something. But what?
You
Merry knows Renko better than anyone. So what reason could she have to distrust her...?
You
(Oh.)
You
(I'm thinking about this all wrong.)
You
(I just assumed that because Renko is the person in the tunnel, she must be worried about something to do with her.)
You
(I didn't even consider that there might be other options.)
You
(There's another person here...)
You
Merry doesn't trust herself.
You
She doesn't trust what's inside her own head.
Mugetsu
Bingo! Cute little Merry's head is about to explode!
Mugetsu
It's terrible, isn't it?! She's basically making herself go crazy!
Mugetsu
Are you just gonna leave her like this? Or are you gonna try and help? Can you even help?
You
You're right that Merry's memories are a little messed up. But that doesn't matter right now.
Mugetsu
Oh, really?
You
This mystery can be solved without touching upon Merry's dubious memories.
You
There's a solution where Merry doesn't go crazy and Renko acts just as Merry predicted!
You
I'll uncover the secret!
You
With...
You
...a battle of bullets!
You
Miss Mugetsu! Please act in Merry's stead... and shoot bullets at Renko!
You
To make my theory more than just a fantasy, Merry and Renko have to arrive at the same conclusion!
You
All I can do is check if I'm right. If I'm wrong, you can take my soul or whatever! I don't care!
Mugetsu
Wow, you'll really let me have your soul? Just like that?
Mugetsu
You can't take back words that have already been spoken.
Mugetsu
You understand that, don't you?
You
Of course.
Mugetsu
Hehe, you're such an insolent human.
Mugetsu
But...
Mugetsu
...it sounds like fun, so I'll help! Hear that?! That's the only reason! I'm not doing this for you!
You
That's fine. Thanks, Miss Mugetsu.
Mugetsu
Just call me Mugetsu!
Mugetsu
That's my one condition.
You
Thanks, Mugetsu.
Mugetsu
All right, let's do this.
Mugetsu
Those who have been found have regained what was once lost.
Mugetsu
Come forth, my avatar. Fulfill the prayer instilled in you.
Mugetsu
Now, step back. It's maidin' time!
Merry's Walk 9
Merry
Huh?!
Merry
It's daytime...?
Merry
Oh, right... Miss Suwako said she was going to turn the lights back on...
Merry
She also said she had stuff to do, so maybe that's why it took so long.
Merry
Uh oh!
Merry
...
Renko
...
Renko
I should try again with my hand on the opposite wall, just to make sure.
Renko
Which, I guess, would be the wall I'm touching right now since I came out on the opposite side of the tunnel.
Merry
...
Merry
There doesn't seem to be anything off about her.
Merry
...
Merry
I better follow her!
The report ends here.
Renko
There are multiple layers.
Renko
New Tokyos are built atop the old, with the Last Ward supposedly being the oldest and deepest layer.
Merry
So, we both explored different, almost identical Tokyos on different layers.
Merry
I think my layer was deeper, which means there is, in fact, a Tokyo older than the Last Ward.
Merry
Though, I'm guessing it's not meant to be as easily accessible.
Renko
I see.
Renko
That might explain why it was "nighttime" in the Tokyo you explored. It's probably kept that way to save costs.
Renko
Also, the fake sky probably isn't as high as it looks. I bet it was made to be as low as possible.
Merry
Yeah, it was probably designed to be just low enough that you can walk between layers through the tunnel in the mountains.
Renko
It feels so simple now that we figured it out, huh?
Merry
Yeah, but maybe we should've expected that. Most things aren't nearly as mysterious as they first appear.
Renko
Then again, I'm actually kinda glad nothing strange happened this time!
Renko
By the way, weren't you going to apologize about something? What was that about?
Merry
Oh, um... right... about that...
Renko
Hm?
You
Their little adventure ended peacefully.
You
Nothing strange happened. There weren't any secrets for the Secret Sealing Club to expose.
You
They didn't find any barriers or other worlds.
You
And no progress was made in uncovering the truth behind the Lost Barriers.
You
Or so I thought...
Merry
You know Professor Violet, the leading expert on dreaming disease?
Merry
Well, apparently, we're related.
You
Merry cut her own path forward like how the brave Yamato Takeru of legend cut a path through the burning sea of grass.
You
She decided to trust her dubious memories, at least for the time being, to continue investigating with Renko.
You
Nothing can be gained from doubting everything. By taking this step, she crossed a threshold, a boundary.
You
However, sometimes, once you cross a boundary...
You
There's no turning back.
