True Name EP.15

"...Gematria?"

 

Gematria, that's... a group of people who'll do anything for their research, right?

 

"Why would they send me a letter, of all people..."

 

I'm not exactly the strongest student in Kivotos, so I don't understand why they'd bother contacting me with a letter like this.

 

Especially when they included the business cards of every Gematria member except for that monster.

 

 

"...Does my mystic have a true name too?"

 

 

 

Like Hoshino's Horus or Shiroko's Anubis.

 

 

 

"...Well, I'm not planning on meeting them anyway."

 

 

 

Their reason for inviting me is obvious. They're probably after my mystic, wanting to experiment with it, right?

 

 

 

But no matter how much I want to die, I have no intention of associating with Gematria.

 

 

 

For one thing, I'm not even sure if they can actually kill me.

 

 

 

And if they end up driving me insane while experimenting on my mystic, trying to kill me, then returning home will be meaningless.

 

 

 

I want to go home with my sanity intact.

 

 

 

 

 

"...Still, I guess I'll keep it."

 

 

 

You never know. I might need it later.

 

 

 

Or maybe I'll have to ask for their help if I can't die any other way.

 

 

 

"...Hmm? Well, well, look who we have here. A special guest."

 

 

 

A few hours later, I left Abydos and headed to the address on the letter. And there he was.

 

 

 

"Welcome. The only outsider in Kivotos with two mystics, or should I say, Takanashi Sora-san."

 

A strange adult with a black face spewing smoke, wearing a black suit.

 

'Two? Outsider? What is he talking about?'

 

 

As expected of the mysterious mastermind, he started spouting cryptic things, as if he knew a lot of things.

 

 

'...Maybe I'll test him.'

 

 

 

I decided to probe him for information, no matter how small.

 

 

 

"Hmm...? I'm seeing you for the first time today, but it seems you know a lot about me?"

 

 

 

"...Hehe, of course."

 

 

 

"After all, I'm the one who brought you to Kivotos."

 

 

 

"...What?"

 

 

 

"Ah, to be precise, I only gave a little assistance."

 

Wait... what did he just say? A little assistance? Brought here?

 

 

 

So, I'm here because of him?

 

 

 

As soon as that thought hit me, my body moved before my mind could process it.

 

 

 

Click

 

 

 

"Oh my, did I say something wrong?"

 

 

 

I swiftly drew my gun and pointed it at him, saying,

 

 

 

"...Tell me the truth, unless you want another hole in your face."

 

 

 

"Hmm... I'm afraid that's impossible. Revealing the details would violate the contract."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

'Contract? Is that the Black Suit's ability they talk about?'

 

 

 

The power to form unbreakable contracts with both parties.

 

 

 

'...I thought it was just a fan theory, but it's real...'

 

 

 

"...Tsk."

 

 

 

I can't get the exact truth, and threatening him won't work, so I lowered my gun.

 

 

 

"So, may I ask why you suddenly came to see me?"

 

 

 

"...Sigh."

 

 

 

Right, calm down. I have many questions for him, but that's not why I came here today.

 

 

 

"...I came here to make you a proposal."

 

 

 

"A proposal, you say?"

 

 

 

"Yes."

 

 

 

'A proposal that will change the future without any problems.'

 

 

 

I immediately told the Black Suit the proposal I had come up with.

 

 

 

And hearing my proposal, the Black Suit's reaction was,

 

 

 

"...Kukuku, not bad."

 

 

 

He seemed quite pleased.

 

 

 

'Right, of course, he would be.'

 

 

 

I put a lot of thought into it so that I wouldn't be tricked.

 

 

 

"But are you sure? Your proposal basically means..."

 

 

 

"You're giving up your life in place of Takanashi Hoshino, isn't it?"

 

 

 

"...I don't care."

 

 

 

That's not a problem.

 

 

 

"Hmm, is that so? Then let's make the contract right away."

 

 

 

Did he like my proposal that much? The Black Suit immediately drew up a contract and handed it to me.

 

 

 

Scratch, scratch.

 

 

 

And since I also wanted to finalize the contract quickly, I signed it without hesitation.

 

 

 

"Is this it?"

 

 

 

"Yes. Signed contract. Confirmed, Sora-san."

 

 

 

"Alright? Then I'll be going. I can't stay out any longer."

 

 

 

'If I don't leave now, I might just put a bullet in his face.'

 

 

 

"Yes, please return safely."

 

 

 

With my business done, I turned away from the Black Suit.

 

 

 

'Ah, but I can ask him this.'

 

 

 

"...By the way, there's something I'm curious about."

 

 

 

"...What is it?"

 

 

 

"You said I have two mystic earlier."

 

 

 

"Then, what's the true name of my mystic?"

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

"...Huh? Ah, Sora-chan!"

 

 

 

After finishing my deal with the Black Suit and returning to Abydos, Hoshino, who had returned by then, found me and ran up to me.

 

 

 

"Where were you? I came back to school, but Sora-chan wasn't there, so this old man... Sora-chan?"

 

 

 

"Ah, yeah..."

 

 

 

"Is something wrong?"

 

 

 

"No, nothing."

 

 

 

Hoshino seemed to have planned on scolding me for leaving without permission, but seeing my expression, she started worrying.

 

 

 

'...Is the Black Market story over?'

 

 

 

I saw unfamiliar faces inside the classroom, so it seemed they successfully robbed the bank and were now investigating the documents they brought back.

 

 

 

"....."

 

 

 

"Sora-chan?"

 

 

 

"I'll rest in the next classroom. Call me if you need anything."

 

 

 

"So, Sora-chan? Sora-chan!"

 

 

 

I ignored Hoshino's calls and went into the next classroom.

 

 

 

"...Damn it."

 

 

 

I feel terrible. Absolutely terrible.

 

 

 

The plan was a success. Seeing that the original story is proceeding properly, Hoshino won't get hurt this time.

 

 

 

But,

 

 

 

"After all, I'm the one who brought you to Kivotos."

 

 

 

The Black Suit's words made me feel utterly disgusted.

 

 

 

To think that the mastermind of the original story was the one who brought me here, what kind of messed up development is this?

 

 

 

And having to rely on that mastermind's help... I really want to hurt myself right now.

 

 

 

And what makes me feel the worst is,

 

 

 

"So, who the hell is the one who brought me here... damn it."

 

 

In the end, I couldn't find out who brought me here.

 

 

 

The Black Suit only said he helped... meaning someone else brought me here.

 

 

 

But the Black Suit can't answer that, so it's driving me crazy.

 

 

 

"...Still, I can't stay like this."

 

 

 

I have a lot to prepare for now. I can't keep dwelling on this.

 

 

 

"...Sigh, let's think positively. At least I got something out of it, right?"

 

 

 

I found out my true name, which I didn't know before.

 

 

 

'...Only one, though.'

 

 

 

"But..."

 

 

 

"I'm not familiar with the true name of your deeply slumbering mystic. However, I can tell you the name of the mystic that forms your foundation. It is none other than..."

 

 

"Isis."

 

"What the hell is Isis?"