6. Your Reason for Being Here (Part 2)

That's the Ploy Kickshaw I lost at the Kumano Inn four years ago. It's a personal wish granter, a box of wishing stars.

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"Gacha" does have a novel ring to it. It's too bad I didn't know that term when I made it.

This is no time to be regretting your naming decisions. That Ploy is what's causing this, right?

How could you abandonI mean, lose, something that dangerous? I can't even begin to describe how grossly negligent that was.

Please refrain from slander. I told you, it was stolen.

This was back in 1997. I had to figure out what to do with all the Ploys I didn't have any more use for.

My house was already over capacity with curses, so I couldn't store any more cursed objects there...

...but I also couldn't just throw things that dangerous in the trash. That's why I chose this mountain.

At first, I stayed in a small cottage while I worked to dismantle them, but then I caught sight of this inn.

I decided to change venues to somewhere more relaxing, and it worked. The work went apace.

I perfectly unraveled the cursed power holding the Ploys together, and completely neutralized them.

Then, when I made my way back down the mountain, I made little stone shrines in various places and held memorial services for each of the Ploys.

However...

...after I got back to my house, I checked my toolbox and realized I had an extra dismantling tool left over.

I realized then that I must have lost one of the Ploys before I could dismantle it, but couldn't remember what it was.

Looking back now, it seems clear that the ox god hiding in this inn's basement swiped it from me...

...and altered my memories so that I couldn't clearly recall what I had and hadn't dismantled.

The ox god shows people's wishes in the form of their future, so it must have wanted the Wishing Star Box as its new body.

It makes sense that it would be drawn to another wish granter.

The ox god may kill whoever it shows the future to, but that's not because it hates people.

I think it just enjoyed granting people's wishes, and only kept producing new victims inadvertently.

Wait. Isn't that just killing for pleasu

Shush, Sizuki. I feel the same way, but now's not the time.

So, you don't know where the Wishing Star Box is either then, Alice?

No, I don't. Now do you see? I did nothing wrong, and I'm not responsible for this situation.

That's not true, Miss Alice! What you meant to say was you CAN'T take responsibility for it!

...Still, going back to what you said earlier...

...I don't remember much of May of 1999, either. So I'm pretty sure I must have come here then, too.

For the purposes of this discussion, let's suppose that the Wishing Star Box somehow became activated in 1999.

If, around the start of that year, I'd heard that the Kumano Hot Springs's business was booming...

...I would have remembered that a Ploy was stolen from me there two years ago and gone to retrieve it.

However, since I'm not used to climbing mountains, and I would've known it'd be dangerous, I wouldn't want to go alone.

Which means there's a strong possibility I would have asked someone who IS familiar with mountains to come along.

Hm?

But according to you, Aoko, that retrieval attempt must have failed.

So I would have ended up defeated, and something must have gone wrong with the Wishing Star Box.

...I see. So in 1999, you came here before I did to try and stop this star thing, but you failed.

Now I finally understand why you were summoned here as a Servant, Soujyuro.

You do? Why?

The only reason it makes sense for you to be a Servant now...

...is if you died on this mountain, and were summoned in a spirit body.

Anyway, at least now we've identified what the unidentified star is.

Anything else we should know about the Wishing Star Boxabout Shiny Star, Alice?

Because your mother's heirloom Meinster Ploys aside...

...I'm not too thrilled at how easily you were able to make something capable of destroying the world.

This is just speculation on my part, but I think adding the ox god's characteristics to it must have strengthened it.

If so, then Shiny Star would gain more power with every wish granted. That's probably why there are five springs that grant their own wish.

Let's say it goes up a grade every time it grants someone's wish and takes their life.

You know how we often rate products and stores with a star system? You can think of this just like that.

Every wish the ox god-enhanced Shiny Star grants makes it go up a star rating. It granted five, so now it has five stars.

That must have been how it was able to defeat you so soundly back in 1999.

Why do you look proud of that? It defeated you too, didn't it!?

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"SSR"? Is that short for something?

Oh, sorry, never mind that, Soujyuro. That's just a little REM REM inside joke Senpai likes to make.

More importantly, if Shiny Star's raritI mean, rating, is going up, that must mean

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So two years ago, in 1999, Shiny Star used the five secret springs to grant guests' wishes and upgrade itself.

It was to prevent it from granting guests' wishes, huh. In 1999, Shiny Star was at a five-star rating.

At the time, Aozaki determined she wasn't able to stop it, and sent the whole Singularity into the future.

In doing so, she basically forced the 1999 Shiny Star into becoming a dud.

It's an even worse cover-up than tampering with election results, but, what's done is done. Let's say she made the right call.

Yeah, yeah. You know politics was never my strong suit.

My guess is, Aoko One knew there was no way she could stop the Shiny Star in that condition.

She might not have known exactly how it worked, but from its characteristics and the way it attacked...

...she probably at least figured out that she had to stop it from granting wishes again.

So she kicked the Singularity down the road to the next time when the Shiny Star would appear, then went there herself to head it off.

She must have been trying to lower its rating before she fought it again. That's why she said something like "Nobody's getting their wish granted on my watch."

So, Shiny Star granted two wishesyouth and annihilated stiff shoulderswhich means its rating is at two stars.

...Though it could have been just one star if a certain someone had exercised better judgment.

Yeah, yeah! Excuse me for wanting to treat myself for once!

Still, this Shiny Star, at a two-star rating, should be much weaker than the one Aoko One faced in 1999.

So doesn't this mean that Aoko's plan worked perfectly?

Right!? I'm glad you at least understand, Mash!

All we have to do now is destroy Shiny Star, and this case will be well and truly closed!

...Of course, we still have to figure out where it is first. I still have no idea.

Hang on. There's one thing about this Shiny Star that still isn't adding up for me.

If it was granting wishes to upgrade its rating, then whose wishes was it granting?

Was it just granting its own wish to improve its capabilities?

Or...was there someone else trying to make Shiny Star stronger so that it could grant a bigger wish?

That's an excellent point, Sizuki. You're exactly right.

Shiny Star has no desires of its own. It only grants wishes for the people who activate it.

Which means someone must have been the first to turn its handle and get lucky with their wish.

But to grant that wish, the Ploy first had to upgrade its wish-granting capabilitiesits star rating, as we've been calling it.

I'd bet that's also why these hot springs suddenly gained five secret ones that each granted a different wish.

Phew. That's good to hear.

How so? I don't see anything good about this.

It means your Ploy didn't start making trouble on its own. Just knowing that makes me glad I came here.

...I guess that's true. This would mean the real culprit is still at large.

Someone at this inn must be holding on to the Shiny Star in secret.

It won't do anything unless it's trying to grant someone's wish, which means someone must have it even now.

I suspect you already have an idea who that could be, Fujimaru.

That's amazing, Senpai! Please, tell us the answer then!

I know how you feel, so I'll spare you the burden.

The answer's pretty obvious. Shiny Star disappeared in 1997, right? So that must mean

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That's right. There's only one other person here who was also here in 1997.

Kinomi.

You were the one who invited me to stay here four years ago, weren't you?

Aaaaaah! Stop, stop! Please, don't say any more!

I didn't steal it, I swear! I just found it in my room after you left!

IT. WAS. YOU!?

It was meee! But you can't blame me!

How was I supposed to know that toy was so dangerous!?

Well, it is. Now hurry up and hand it over. Once we destroy it, these hot springs will finally be safe.

...Okay. I'll go get it.

So it was all Kinomi, huh. No, wait. Maybe that's not quite right.

He did say he just found it in his room. What do you think, Kuonji?

I believe him.

Even if the ox god, or someone it was possessing, stole Shiny Star from my room...

...it wouldn't have any wishes of its own. It just likes to grant other people's wishes.

So someone nearby would have had to be the one to activate Shiny Star.

Kinomi must have been the perfect patsy, since he'd just started living here after the last owner took a liking to him.

That being said...

What now? Is there still something nagging at you?

...I still don't understand how this happened. Shiny Star was a failure.

(Huff... Huff...) Whew. Man, I'm bushed.

Here. Part of me hates to see it go, but this is it, right?

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That was...surprisingly easy. I was expecting you to put up more of a fight, Kinomi.

The Kumano Inn's welfare comes first. Anyway, you said this will stop the world from ending, right, Prez?

That's right. On that, you have my word. Thank you, Kinomi. In the end, we couldn't have done this without you.

Oh, so what'd you wish for when you turned the handle, anyway?

I'm not telling you that.

Huh?

Wait, Aoko. Let me see that. ...I knew it.

Wanwan is in here. Or rather, the stuff that created it.

The ox god must have kept a part of itself inside Shiny Star, so that it could still function as Wanwan even if its main body was gone.

Shiny Star must have already been half Wanwan when it activated in 1999.

Damn, seriously? Is this all because I made up that name and legend?

It just picked up on something you said, Kinomi. If it hadn't been "Wanwan," it would have been something else.

Anyway, this means we'll need to finish exorcising Wanwan first. Let's go to the Room of No Opening.

We should be able to get rid of Wanwan once and for all if we bring Shiny Star to the omnipotent spring.

After that, I'll let you decide what to do next, Aoko. Whatever you choose, I won't stop you.

I'll take the lead and let you know if I find any dangerous protrusions along the way.

Yeah. The ox god is still completely gone after yesterday's events.

All that's left of it is the part that stayed behind inside Shiny Star.

I know what you mean. No wonder they say whatever happens twice happens thrice.

I swear, how does life always find a way to make you repeat the things you least want to do!?

Dammit, I told the director I didn't want to host any more food shows COUNTLESS times!

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It looks like everyone made it down safely. I'll go next.

Guess we should go down, too. Wanna go first, Alice?

No, you go first. That way, you can catch me if I slip and fall.

Huh? Why're you acting so scared? If you're that afraid, maybe I should just scoop you up and jump down?

...

Hey, Aoko. What made you think Sizuki died here?

It's not like you saw it happen, right?

Well, no. I probably didn't even see his body. But I can still tell how he must have died.

There's only one way a guy who I could easily see surviving a world-shattering meteorite could end up dead.

He died protecting you.

I see. If that's what you think...maybe you're right.

Okay, I'm ready. Let's get this over with. Hand Shiny Star to me, Aoko.

Here you go. So what're you gonna do with it?

Good question. What do you think I'm going to do with it, Fujimaru?

Wrong. If that was all it needed, we could have done it back in our room. No, the correct answer is this.

Correct. I can see how you Chaldean mages were able to repair so many other Singularities. You really know your stuff.

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Huh? You're putting it in the water!? Won't it rust? For that matter, if the hot water gets inside

It's Wanwan! Tsukiji, Housuke, please stand back!

It's okay. I can handle this myself.

Wanwan disappeared... What was that? Its last lingering traces or something?

That's right. The springs grant wishes by appearing as the wish-maker, remember?

What you just saw was the futurethe wishof the remains of Wanwan itself that were still hiding in Shiny Star.

Of course, now that its body is gone, I was able to defeat it easily, since it no longer had any power.

I also now understand why I had trouble fighting back against the devil in the reference room.

It's because Shiny Star was jamming other Ploys.

Essentially, it was putting up a kind of field that kept lesser Ploys from working.

I do feel bad for erasing the lord of the Kumano mountains, but might makes right in the world of Mystics.

Besides, it had this coming when it began misusing one of my Ploys.

Oh, right. I heard someone saying "wanwan, wanwan" in a dream, and decided to borrow it for Wanwan's name.

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So, all we have to do now is shut down the Ploy Kickshaw.

I hate to destroy such a beautiful object, though. Is that really the only way to stop it?

I'm afraid so. I still don't know how it got activated in the first place, so our only choice is to dismantle it.

...

What is it, Aozaki? Is there something else you haven't told us?

There actually is. This is something all of you should know.

Once we destroy Shiny Star and the world is safe again, I'll end up going back to my original time, and this Singularity will disappear.

The Kumano Inn will then go back to being the same peaceful inn it was before...aside from all the hauntings, anyway.

At the same time, it'll be as if the 1999 Singularity never happened, since I'm the one keeping the two Singularities linked.

That means the world-ending threat in 1999 will go away...

...and destroying Shiny Star here in 2001 will prevent that threat from ever arising here, too.

That's great. Makes this whole investigation worthwhile. Now I can finally go home.

However...it also means that Soujyuro's death will become permanent.

Not everything that happens in a Singularity goes away, even when space-time is repaired.

People who die in a Singularity will still be treated as if they died at that time, even after the Singularity is repaired.

Ah...

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So, you're saying destroying Shiny Star here won't change the fact that I died at the Kumano Inn in 1999...

...which means that I'll officially have died in 1999 in exchange for closing the case now?

That's right. It's the surest way to keep the world safe.

No thank you! What about MY safety!? Isn't there any other way!?

Hmm, I don't know. IS there any other way? Doesn't seem likely.

...There is. Since the reason Sizuki died in 1999 was because he got caught up in this whole incident...

...if we destroy Shiny Star and repair the Singularity before he dies, we can save the world AND his life.

How so? You said he already died, right?

Not necessarily. Soujyuro died inside a Singularity, which means that as long as he's still alive when the Singularity ends, the facts will still line up!

It's not too late to go back to 1999, either. The only thing keeping this Singularity in 2001 is me.

If I just undo the lock, it'll automatically go back in time to two years ago.

At the same time, I can set our own timeline to when that Singularity begins.

Then, all we need to do is destroy Shiny Star before Alice and Soujyuro show up, while its damage can still be contained.

So, on that note, I have a request to make...

I'm sorry, but, is it okay if we go back to 1999?

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Okay, if we're gonna do this, let's do it! But, uh, what're we gonna find when we get back to 1999!?

I'd like to say it'll be an unbelievable sight, but...

...the truth is, the moment I cut off my magical energy holding this Singularity in 2001, we'll be back in 1999.

The Singularity back then was something of a disaster zone, so I can't guarantee your safety.

Once we get there, find some big rocks to hide behind and look for Shiny Star.

The rest of us will take it from there.

Between me, Alice, Fujimaru, and Mash, I think we stand a good chance.

And this time, we'll have another advantage. Remember how two of the same thing can't exist in the same time?

Well, when we bring the 2001 two-star Shiny Star back to the same time as the 1999 five-star Shiny Star...

...the two Shiny Stars will combine, and the five-star one will be detuned to two stars.

So that's why you didn't let it grant many wishes.

That's right. Aoko One couldn't tell what she was up against, but she still figured out a way to weaken it.

This is great! It sounds like we've got everything going for us!

All right then, let's get going! I wanna see this world of wishes come true for myself!

Not me, thanks. You all go on without me.

Huh!? Why're you raining on our parade, Your Highness!?

This is a battle to protect the world and save your friend's life, right?

Why're you getting cold feet now? Are you THAT scared of dying!?

Of course I am, jackass! I don't want to keep my wife waiting for me any longer!

Huh? You're married, Your Highness? Even though we all swore we'd be lifelong bachelors when we were in school?

I'm sorry, Soujyuro. I promised her I'd get back safely, so I can't go with you any further.

My detective work is done. I'm sure you all can take it from here.

Don't give it a second thought. And congrats, Tobimaru.

Thanks. Feels weird having you congratulate me twice, but I appreciate it.

So who's the lucky lady? I'm sure my adult self knows, but I don't.

Oh, you've met. I'll introduce you over the phone sometime.

Well, that clears up that mystery. The reason you went to the old building at six on the dot every evening was so that

You could call your wife in Tokyo and tell her you're gonna be home soon!? Go to hell!

Forget this traitor, Sizuki! When this is all done, you should quit your job at his agency!

Sorry, Tobimaru, but that's not happening. You're too involved to turn back now.

Since you all know what's going on, you're all going to come back to 1999 with me whether you want to or not.

Huh? Wait. THAT'S why you opened up with an apology!?

So you KNEW this would happen when you explained the situation to us!?

I sure did! I knew you'd catch on quick, Tobimaru! Even ten years later, you're still the best vice president I could ask for!

Okay, stop here. This is where I'm going to undo the lock keeping this Singularity in 2001.

Once I do, our surroundings should immediately snap back into 1999, kind of like a rubber band.

It can be pretty disorienting, so if any of you get motion sick easily, you might want to close your eyes.

I'm sure. Nobody ever comes here, right? This is the same spot I jumped to when I came here, too.

I see. So this is where Aokos Two and onwards have been arriving from.

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Oh crap. I know I was totally on board with this, but I'm starting to get cold feet.

I mean, we're gonna be time traveling to 1999, right? Are we gonna be okay? What if we just up and die?

I know Prez has always been fine with stuff like this...

...but Fujimaru, Mash, and even Vice Prez are acting like we're just running to the store or something...

...mi. ...mi. ...Kinomi.

Aah! Who said that!? Oh, it's you, Alice. I-I-I'm not scared, okay?

I've just got, uh, you know, pre-battle jitters. Really, that's all.

I mean, us supporting characters gotta make sure we don't mess things up for the main cast, right?

...I see. I've never considered you a supporting character, myself. I'd say you're an extra at best.

But never mind that. I wanted to talk to you before we go. I've been thinking about how this happened, and I can't come up with a single answer.

As far as I can tell, it should be impossible to activate Shiny Star. It was a complete failure.

There is a huge hole in the plot needed to work as a fairy tale.

...What kind of hole?

It's right in the name: "Only One" and "Number One." The Ploy grants wishes that are the only one of their kind.

It sounds good in theory. Everyone wants to believe their number one wish is like no other.

But that's not the case.

Every person's number one wish is the same as everyone else's. There's no such thing as a number one wish that's also the only one of its kind.

"I want to be successful." "I want to be promoted." "I want a lover." "I want to bring someone back to life."

The world is chock-full of wishes like that. They're as commonplace as the stars in the sky.

That's why Shiny Star should never actually shine, because there's no such thing as a special, one-of-a-kind wish.

...

So I'm going to ask you again, Kinomi. What is it you wished for?

I'm not saying.

I see Alice and Kinomi are talking alone. Probably about the wish.

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Right. I'm surprised he's not even telling Alice, though. I'm not sure I've ever seen him dig his heels in like that.

He's probably just sulking. Real heartfelt wishes aren't the kind of thing you usually go around telling others about. He's embarrassed and trying to save face.

But never mind him. Are you done yet? I get that we don't need to hurry if we're going back in time, but there's no sense taking longer than necessary, either.

I know. I just finished setting the coordinates, so all I have to do now is let go.

Okay, everyone, get over here! Once you close your eyes and count to three, we'll be back in 1999!

It won't make any difference, but if you're nervous, you can hold hands! Now, is everyone ready?

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Okay! Beginning Regression Canal Singularity! Get ready to party at the Kumano Hot Springs like it's 1999 again!