According to the newspapers,
there's an increasing rate of car accidents involving kids wearing glasses.
Hey, c'mon! You're gonna be late!
Morning, Fumie.
G-Good morning!
I would never have imagined that Satchii was Haraken's pet.
You really can't judge a book by its cover.
You wouldn't notice anything special just by looking at him.
He looks to be the same old Haraken.
H-H-He looked this way!
Wh-Wh-What should we do?
Hey!
What are you doing here? This isn't your class!
S-Sorry!
Everyone back to their seats!
Today's lesson is...
But isn't Satchii supposed to be Daikoku City's automaton?
It is.
It's written here, too.
But it looks like it was written by an idiot.
Especially the nickname he gave it... Satchii.
I wouldn't call that silly behavior "cleaning up correctly".
Exactly!
He goes nuts after every piece of metabug.
I'm sure that whoever installed it was some hyster—
Hey, you two!
I'm talking about a serious matter here! Pay attention!
Recently,
some pervert targeting kids has appeared in this area.
Summer break is about to start,
so be careful not to speak to strangers.
Yo!
And be on the lookout for strange people; even more than you usually are.
A pawn of evil?
Haraken only pretends to be naïve,
but in reality, he's a pawn of evil.
But it's hard to believe that his pet is Satchii...
You just say that because you didn't see it!
Well, I'm not really into glasses.
Why did Haraken start researching the Illegals in the first place?
Who knows?
Oh, that's right!
It was a girl who asked him to do it.
But that girl...
Yeah, that's right, but...
But what?
That girl
died.
It happened over the summer break that year.
What? She died?
Apparently, it was in a car accident
near the Nakatsu Crossroads.
It scared me, too.
So two people started the research,
but only one finished it.
Her name was Kanna.
They were neighbors and childhood friends.
But he never did show that he was shocked by the news.
Since then, he's always seemed to be in a daze.
Maybe you're right.
Haraken isn't the type who'd let his feelings show.
Maybe it was a huge shock to him.
Regardless of that,
it doesn't change the fact that he's an evil pawn.
Yasako,
we'll act according to the plan at lunch time!
You're really going through with it?
I'm not so sure...
Where are you?
And why did you call me here?
Don't move!
Hands up!
Try anything funny,
and I'll shoot!
Um...
H-How are you connected to Satchii?
Tell us!
C-Cut it out...
We're on to you!
Now confess!
I-I can...
You can?
I can't reveal this secret because I have a duty of confidentiality!
A duty of...
Here it is!
"Duty of Confidentiality"
The obligation to respect a client's affairs and not disclose information without due authorization.
I don't understand this very well.
To be honest, I never understood Haraken at all.
But he was a little less gloomy the first time we met.
Fumie, how long have you known Haraken?
Let me see...
We first met last year because of his research on Illegals.
I don't really remember...
when he joined our club.
What about his family?
Well, his father works at a pet manufacturing company.
But Haraken's not very talkative, you know?
He doesn't talk about himself much.
Ah!
There he is.
What a creepy feeling...
Oh, that's right!
What?
Our teacher said a stalker was following kids around lately.
Knock it off! You're scaring me!
Where's Haraken?
Oh no!
He sure goes to serious and mature shops.
His attitude is even more incomprehensible!
So what do you think Haraken's "business secret" is about?
Now that you mention it,
I was puzzled about something he said earlier.
Something about his aunt's pet or some such.
Oh, I remember.
So his aunt must take care of Satchii.
That image doesn't suit Satchii.
Look!
The aunt?
Oba-san (aunt) is also used to refer to women who are quite a bit older than the speaker.
And she wears glasses, too.
Suspicious.
Look, Fumie!
There's no doubt about it!
The flower shop is just a cover.
In reality, it's Satchii's hideout!
So that gentle-looking aunt-like lady is...
The enemy of all kids!
Satchii's boss!
We lost sight of Haraken in the end.
I wonder what we can do in order to get some info on him.
Oh yeah!
What is it?
Mega-baa!
He's member Number Five, right?
She should know a lot about Haraken!
You're right!
I forgot about that!
I told you.
She went to the natural hot springs in Yugawara.
I totally forgot.
Let's call her right now.
This is paradise.
I'm so grateful that I can come to this hot spring right here in the middle of town!
Indeed!
By the way, what's your name again?
Tome, you're becoming senile. I'm Okonogi, from the dagashi store.
Oh, right, right...
By the way, those glasses...
Is it okay to have them on in the bath?
It's fine, as long as they don't get wet.
This is paradise.
Indeed, paradise.
By the way, who are you again?
Oh, good! I finally got ahold of you.
Oh, if it isn't Number Eight, Yasako.
So what is it?
Well, I wanted to ask you something.
It's about Number Five—
H-Hang on a sec.
Did you say something, Tome?
I asked if it's okay to put on your glasses while taking the bath.
It's fine as long as they don't get wet.
Hello, hello?
Disconnected.
What a rude granddaughter.
Our only lead just cut the line.
So we'll have to investigate Satchii on our own, huh?
Lemme play with you!
Pipe down already.
It's a dangerous job!
Meanie!
She only has one sandal!
She's so careless.
Any more info?
There's nothing else written here.
In that case, it's my turn...
Eh?
...to act as the vice president of the Biology Club.
Look.
What's this?
It was in the club room.
Let's investigate Satchii from a biological viewpoint.
Me Satchii!
Nice to meet ya!
Well, kurobugs are obvious targets.
Kurobugs...
Let's continue.
The metabugs are also obvious targets.
Metabugs...
Next.
Another obvious target.
Metatags...
Okay, next.
Almost all the items Mega-baa creates are illegal.
Fishing rod...
Well, as expected.
Next.
Poop!
Me Satchii!
Come with me!
What on earth are you doing?!
You know it's dangerous!
I wanna play, too!
Densuke...
Okay, next is determining its detection range.
He can detect it at ten meters.
Ten meters...
He can detect it at twenty meters.
Twenty meters...
Look, he can't detect it at thirty meters.
Observation is very important, isn't it?
The Kyuu-chans are expanding the patrol area.
Then...
We've learned so many things...
Kyoko!
Poop!
Run!
Stop!
Are you all right?
Don't come any closer!
Here.
That's why I told you it's dangerous!
Don't follow us without permission!
I remember when Satchii wasn't here; it was a lot more fun.
Hey, Fumie.
Don't you think you're being too hard on Haraken?
A month ago,
my pet was shot and killed by Satchii.
It was a mousematon I had raised for three years.
It only had a small bug...
There was no use trying to explain it.
It got killed just for that?
I don't want a pet any more
because it's painful when they die...
Even if they're not real.
Then what about Oyaji?
I told you, it's my servant.
It's not a pet to me, but a servant.
Okay, Kyoko.
Now follow this path to get home.
I didn't know there were so many shrines.
The shrines aren't the only places Satchii can't enter.
Parks, schools, and apparently even hospitals are off-limits.
Why can't Satchii enter any of those places?
Because of the strict hierarchical organization.
Huh?
Satchii is from the Ministry of Post,
so he can't enter areas that fall under other ministries.
For example, he can't enter places that belong to the Ministries of Education or Culture.
The shrines belong to the Ministry of Culture's office.
I see.
Also, the inside of a house is called a "home domain",
and it's separate from the "on-road domain", which is found outside.
That's why it can't enter houses.
Go back home by following the exact route on the map!
If you don't, that awful Satchii will come after you.
Poop...
It's really hard to believe that lady
is actually an agent of the Ministry of Post.
But you saw it too, right?
Satchii came out of that wall!
But if we're wrong, we'll be in trouble.
All set!
Are you sure it's going to be okay?
I unequipped everything.
But why does it have to be me and not you?
I have too many items to unequip them all.
Don't worry, you'll be perfectly safe.
Okay, but if my glasses break, you're paying for the repairs!
It's gonna work out just fine, right?
It's not working!
Isn't that...
the girl from before?
That's odd.
The scan didn't report that you had any bugs!
Come on!
That was almost two years' otoshidama!
How weird...
Yasako, you weren't infected by some bad bug, now were you?
How rude!
Hey, Fumie...
It just came to me.
What?
Can't we just turn off our glasses?
It's been a year since I last turned off my glasses.
I feel uneasy without them.
The cell phone's embedded,
so I rarely cut power to my glasses.
Maybe it's too late for us to become normal kids again.
Oh, welcome!
U-U-Um...
Yes?
A-Are you...
Yes?
Are you an agent of the Ministry of Post?!
What she means is,
are you Harakawa's aunt?
Harakawa?
Oh, so you must be Ken's friends.
Yes.
So you want to know if we're relatives?
Not at all.
But I've know him since he was a child.
Are you the lady that Harakawa calls "aunt"?!
Ken always calls me "Flower Lady".
You sure ask strange things.
So you aren't...
We're sorry for bothering you.
Listen...
Ken stopped smiling after the accident.
Please be cheerful around him.
So you were here.
Last year, during the middle of our research,
I had a fight with Kanna.
Kanna was upset because
I wasn't taking it seriously.
So she ran off by herself, saying she would come to this crossroad.
She never came back.
Haraken...
Kanna was probably killed by an Illegal.
You know that the modern traffic system
is plugged into cyberspace, right?
Yeah, the cybernavi.
It appears that the car
that killed Kanna was autopiloted by a cybernavi.
What?!
But isn't the autopilot supposed to be 100% safe?
My aunt said
that the cause of the cybernavi's malfunction
might've been an Illegal.
So that's why you research Illegals...
Who's this aunt of yours?
Is it also a duty of confidentiality?
She's my father's younger sister,
so she's my aunt.
She's currently employed at the Daikoku Cyberspace Management department.
Oh really?
It's my aunt who installed Satchii.
When I told her that I wanted to continue my research on Illegals this year,
she enabled me to stop Satchii for exactly one minute.
But the only commands I can use
are "stop," "sit," and "shake hands".
Is that so...
The existence of Illegals is not recognized as such,
and so the autopilot car incident
is not considered a driver error.
So in the end, the case was closed,
and it was stated that Kanna's negligence was the cause.
I'll continue with our research this year, too.
I'm the only one who can do it now.
Otherwise,
Kanna won't rest in peace.
Haraken...
I'm sorry for calling you a pawn of evil.
I'll help you with the research.
Me too!
We're in the same club after all!
Thank you.
Oh, mom?
Kyoko?
But I sent her home over an hour ago.
Something happened to Kyoko?
She's not home yet.
I knew it! We should have taken her home.
Kyoko... you mean, the little girl who was with you earlier?
That's right.
I saw her a little while ago.
Near Nakatsu Crossroads.
Did you find her?
No...
And you?
Me neither.
Why can't we use the map?
Her phone is out of reach, too!
The signal is weak in this area.
It's the second worst place in Daikoku.
What about the alleyways?
The streets zigzag a lot here.
Then let's split up and search for her!
Kyoko!
What should I do?
I'm a failure as an older sister...
Satchii...
Densuke's in danger, too!
I have to find her quickly!
Kyoko!
Kyoko, are you all right?
Do you know these two?
Yes, she's my little sister.
This area is very dangerous. Be careful.
There's even been an accident before.
Yes... I know.
Um, thank you very much.
Yasako!
Kyoko!
I'm so glad to see you!
Ah, it's the stalker!
It's Satchii!
Stop!
Shake hands.
Sit.
Who are you?
You guys are playing with dangerous toys.
I-I don't know what you're talking about.
You know...
I'm well-versed in hacking.
Like metatags and such.
So who are you?
You've finally found her!
Thank goodness.
Ken!
A-Aunt!
A-Aunt?!
C'mon, Ken...
I've told you not to call me "aunt".
I'm a lively 17-year old gal, after all!
L-Lively gal?!
An outdated word?
I'll introduce you.
Yasako, Fumie.
My aunt.
Ken!
I've told you not to hang around with bad company, haven't I?
They're not bad!
They're helping me with my ongoing research.
Well, whatever.
I'll turn a blind eye this time, so get lost.
Okay, Ken. Let's go home.
Dad, don't come out yet!
I know, I know.
I'm so tired after what happened today.
I can't figure out what will happen next.
I'm tired from work, too.
Your tiredness has nothing to do with my tiredness!
Why are you suddenly being so cold to me?
I pray that all adults who are mean to kids disappear.
I don't understand a woman's feelings at all.
Why do you need so much?
If I'm going to employ this much of the taxpayers' money on it,
then you at least owe me an explanation.
If I say it's necessary, it's necessary.
As a consultant of cyberspace management, I have the authority to do so!
Even if you're a consultant, you're still a simple employee.
As for you, Director, you've only recently transferred from Kanazawa, correct?
Don't forget about the additional request.
I don't understand a woman's feelings at all.
Have you finished the adjustments?
Yes, ma'am.
But do we really need such a powerful automaton?
We need it so badly that even this won't be enough.
You'll understand later.
We had such a hard time yesterday!
Yeah...
So you just moved to this town?
Right.
Okay, let's decide how we're going to split the research workload.
Yeah.
What's wrong with you, Yasako?
I know you must be tired, but...
Is it because of all the bad stuff that happened yesterday?
It's not just that...
Then what is it?
She's been like that since this morning.
Like that...
You mean...!
I guess she's started to admire Haraken's aunt.
It's her new thing.
Next time on Dennou Coil:
Move out! Coil Investigation Agency.
See you next time!