In the end, the majority decided that Steel Lady Nanase was fiction.
Sakuragawa Rikka's schemes have been rejected.
Well, well...
We've received an email. It's from Rikka-san.
Huh?!
This is Kuro-senpai's laptop, so I'm sure she knew his email address.
Rikka
Sakuragawa Kuro
Subject No Subject
Kuro, Kotoko-san, You win this time. See you again.
So she knew that it was you two who were getting in her way.
I guess that makes sense.
The only one who could get in the way of her ability to determine the future
is Kuro-kun, who has the same ability.
And she's the only one who'd do something like this.
Honestly, Rikka-san. I've asked you so many times not to call me by my first name.
Do you not like "Kotoko"?
It's hard for me to say myself, and I think others have a hard time, as well.
And because of that, it doesn't feel right when people say it.
That's why I have Kuro-senpai call me by my surname.
Oh, so that's why he calls you by your surname even though you're going out.
Did you doubt that we were actually dating?
I told you that from the start.
More importantly, Rikka-san said "this time."
I'm sure she intends to make another monster of the imagination.
This isn't enough to dissuade her, either.
Why is Rikka-san doing this?
People's imaginations hold an endless amount of potential.
They can create yokai, ghosts, and demons.
We give life to monsters without even realizing it.
And if that's true, then anything is possible.
You might even be able to create a god.
B-But that's...
That's not an answer at all.
What's the point in creating a god?
Good work out there!
After dying and coming back to life so many times, I'm sure you're out of energy.
You must replenish your nutrients at once. Eat this.
You're the one who needs nourishment.
You created so many possibilities and futures,
and had me grasp them. I know how much energy that takes.
Now, don't be like that. Just eat.
I'm sure it'll put Saki-san at ease, too, if she sees you eating like a human.
I only ask that I get to partake of your banana later, Kuro-senpai.
Please... I'm begging you...
Don't make vulgar jokes like that at a time like this.
Oh, blessed day! That accursed Steel Lady is gone!
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Hooray for our lady!
Let's hurry back home.
Aw...
Why not let me enjoy the praise a little longer?
It looks like Saki-san's about to pass out.
I'm sorry, Saki-san.
If I'd tried to stop Rikka-san earlier,
we might've been able to deal with this before Terada-san was killed.
I'm sure neither of you could have
predicted that something like this would happen.
So it was out of all of our hands.
Your ability to determine the future
isn't exactly powerful enough to save everyone.
There are very few people who believe in
and speak of the spectre Steel Lady Nanase anymore.
Steel Lady Nanase Wiki Site
People's interest transferred over to
solving the mystery and finding out if Nanase Karin was actually alive.
Steel Lady Nanase Wiki Site
Who Is Steel Lady Nanase? – kikipedia
Steel Lady Nanase Urban Legends
Page not found
Since Rikka-san lost, she deleted the website.
Steel Lady Nanase Wiki Site
Who Is Steel Lady Nanase? – kikipedia
Steel Lady Nanase Urban Legends
Steel Lady Nanase Archive
Steel Lady Nanase Wiki Site Wiki
The people who witnessed the wave of posts that day
are now talking about a different urban legend now.
Steel Lady Nanase Archive
Steel Lady Nanase Wiki Site Wiki
This is a site that has gathered up all of the deductions from the posts made on Steel Lady Nanase's Wiki on 9/4 to analyze them. Was Nanase Karin the killer? What's the Steel Lady Nanase Wiki site? Posted images Screenshot 1 Screenshot 2
The fictional tale about
Nanase Karin being alive and someone else dying in her place.
Was the one who created the Steel Lady Nanase Wiki Site Nanase Karin?
List of details regarding the Steel Lady Nanase case
The rumors are so dramatic
News about Nanase Karin
Nanase Karin sightings
that it's hard to speak about them publicly in the real world.
Someone said they saw a girl with big boobs in West Makurazaka on 9/3. Apparently, She was wearing a mask, despite it being summer and seemed worried being noticed.
Someone reported seeing someone resembling her at Makurazaka Central Park at the end of January
Someone saw someone resembling Nanase Karin get into a cab in front of Makurazaka Station
The truth behind those mysterious postings
Who made those mysterious posts?
List of posts
News about Nanase Karin Nanase Karin sightings Someone said they saw a girl with big boobs in West Makurazaka on 9/3. Apparently, she was wearing a mask even though it was summer, and seemed worried being noticed. Someone reported seeing someone resembling her at Makurazaka Central Park at the end of January Someone saw someone resembling Nanase Karin get into a cab in front of Makurazaka Station The truth behind those mysterious postings Who made those mysterious posts? List of posts
It's as if they're from an alternative reality different from our own.
Almost like a story we'd see on TV or in the newspaper.
Which means it's unlikely that anyone would actually
bump into anyone involved in Nanase Karin's case in real life.
This drama was resolved within the Internet.
The story would be sullied if anyone pursued it in reality.
Even if people continued to embellish this story and talk of it quietly,
they would still deny Steel Lady Nanase's existence.
That's how much care she put into all of this.
I'm never making her my enemy...
As for the police,
they apparently intend to look into the possibility that
Nanase Karin's body was someone else's,
and find out who created the site.
Even if they looked into it,
there's no proof that the body belonged to someone else.
I'm sure the brass will eventually decide that they
were just being led around by the rumors
on the Internet, and that Nanase Karin did indeed die in January of this year.
We won't find out what happened to Nanase Karin and her family.
The killer who murdered Detective Terada has disappeared.
Back to business as usual. This is my life.
Saki-san.
Uh, wait. Where's Iwanaga-san?
She's still asleep.
Huh? But it's been a full day.
She overworked her brain all day yesterday,
so I figured this would happen.
You should act a little more concerned.
I will, when it's necessary.
You wanted to know about Rikka-san, right?
Yes. What is she after?
I asked Iwanaga-san, but she just changed the subject.
I've resigned myself to the fact that I have this body and this ability.
For now, it seems that I'm still growing and aging normally,
so while I can't die from an accident or injury,
I'm hopeful that I can still die of old age.
If I die, I won't be able to use my ability to determine the future,
and I'm not usually put in situations dangerous enough to kill me,
so I think I'll be able to live a normal life.
Normal... Normal, huh?
But that's not the case for Rikka-san.
She's trying to use her ability as much as she can
to return to being a normal human being.
Is that even possible?
Even if she used her ability to go through all the possibilities...
A future where she's a normal human being?
How could such a miracle happen?
That's right. Rikka-san was at the university hospital
trying to find out if it was medically possible to return her back to normal.
In the end, there were no possibilities based on logical methods.
She decided she'd have to grasp the future she wanted herself.
And then what happened?
People's imaginations might even be able to create a god.
So Rikka-san is trying to create a monster of the imagination
that possesses the ability to turn her back into a normal human being...
She's trying to create something that has godly powers like that?
I'm quite certain that Rikka-san
will do whatever it takes.
I don't know what she's thinking.
She wants to be normal, but does the most abnormal things.
Even before she consumed the flesh of the kudan and mermaid,
I can't help but think that she may have always been a monster at heart.
But Kuro-kun, you still love Rikka-san, don't you?
I can't shake that, either.
So what will you do now?
Rikka-san's going to continue trying to make a monster, right?
Iwanaga won't let that happen.
No matter what the reason may be,
a person or monster trying to create a monster for their own desires
goes against the natural order.
That's basically why she gave up her right eye and left leg.
So I guess you're not going to let it slide either, then.
As much as I hate to say it...
Did you delete my number from your phone?
Yes.
Iwanaga kept nagging me about it.
Even if she didn't nag, you can't keep my number.
She's the type who'd let that bother her.
Yes, but...
It's not like we could ever start over again, Saki-san.
Yeah. Seeing you after all this time just confirmed that it's impossible.
I'm okay with sitting across the table from you,
but I'd be a bit hesitant to touch you.
I'm sorry.
No, it's also my fault for keeping it a secret.
Make sure you take care of Iwanaga-san.
I do.
She's always been oblivious of danger.
In a way, she's more fearless than I am.
She's been hurt more than a few times
while trying to resolve conflicts between monsters.
To be honest, I didn't want to involve Iwanaga in the matter with Rikka-san.
I was trying to take care of it before she got involved.
But after this incident, Rikka-san realizes that Iwanaga is the biggest obstacle
that stands in her way.
Which means that Rikka-san might go after Iwanaga next.
That never even crossed my mind...
Considering what Rikka-san is capable of,
if she thinks Iwanaga-san is in her way...
So that's why you were looking for Rikka-san without telling Iwanaga-san?
Though I'm sure if you had told her,
Iwanaga-san would've tried to get involved.
I won't let Iwanaga die.
Because she's someone who deserves to be happy.
Now I can finally get some closure.
I'm pretty sure I'll never see him again.
Are you sure I can have this bike?
Iwanaga bought this so she could travel around the city.
It'd be a pain to take it back home, so Iwanaga wanted you to have it.
Oh, and she told the monsters
around the city not to appear in front of you anymore.
Thanks...
Not sure if that makes me feel any better...
See you!
I still get scared at night.
But...
There's someone out there protecting the order of things.
I'm sure the world won't end up a crazy mess after all.
She Who Defends Order
I messed up again!
I keep messing up over and over again!
I slept for a day and a half...
Oh, it's still only six.
I feel quite refreshed, for only sleeping about four hours...
9/6 (Tues)
September 6th?
I was completely knocked out for 28 hours?!
I gave Kuro-senpai and Saki-san so much time to spend alone together!
This is the biggest mistake of my life!
Iwanaga?
Huh, she's not here?
Senpai!
Ow! Ow!
Oh, she's just in the bath.
Take your time in there.
If you're still tired, we can probably stay another ni—
You reek of Saki-san!
That's impossible.
But I know you saw her!
Yeah, because you said you wanted to give her the bicycle.
So I thought the sooner the better.
And I had some time on my hands.
Well, yes, I did, but...
How did you get her contact info?
On the way back in the car the other night, we exchanged numbers...
But I already deleted her number.
I won't be seeing Saki-san again.
That's not the problem here!
You need to dry off first. You're going to catch a cold.
Wait! What are you doing?!
I don't have another clean shirt!
This isn't funny!
Just give in!
Thanks for everything.
Thank you for staying with us.
You're still mad?
I'm not. I'm just reflecting.
I should've woken up after 12 hours.
I'm going to work on increasing my strength and vitality.
Should we take a taxi?
The station isn't that far. Let's just walk.
It looks like it's going to rain.
For Pedestrians and Bicycles
Am I going to have to sit around on a bench with you as you nap again?
Even I couldn't possibly doze off after sleeping for 28 hours!
Senpai.
I'm sure Rikka-san won't make her next move immediately,
but I'm going to tell all of the yokai and monsters across the country
to let me know if they see anything.
I'd rather not go through all that trouble again.
The best way to take care of this is to find her and talk to her in person.
Also, if you find out anything new, please don't act without telling me.
I'll see what I can do.
Honestly...
Iwanaga...
If you know about the Kuebiko, then you also know about Princess Iwanaga.
Yes, from the Kojiki.
It sounds just like my surname, so of course I know about it.
Princess Iwanaga.
The older sister of Princess Konohana-no-Sakuya.
They were both given in marriage to Ninigi-no-Mikoto,
descendant of the high god.
But Ninigi-no-Mikoto only married Princess Konohana-no-Sakuya
and sent Princess Iwanaga back home.
That enraged their father, Oyamatsumi.
There was a reason I gave you both sisters!
Just as the "iwa," or "rock," in Princess Iwanaga's name suggests,
she was able to give life as eternal as rocks
that never change month to month, year after year.
But because Ninigi-no-Mikoto didn't marry her and returned her to her father,
he and his progeny were granted short lives that scattered like flowers on trees.
They became mortal.
Then you get it, right?
I'm immortal, so I don't belong
with Princess Konohana-no-Sakuya.
I need Princess Iwanaga.
I'm sure you thought that was smooth,
but you know why Princess Iwanaga was returned home, don't you?
Let's not worry about the minor details.
It's not minor at all!
Princess Iwanaga was sent home because she was ugly!
You couldn't have used a worse metaphor for a girl!
But you're prettier than any flower, so I haven't sent you back anywhere.
Either way,
it's never good to judge anyone by their physical appearance.
You're just an amalgamation of a mermaid and a kudan.
Stop trying to sound like you're so cool.
Senpai, will you be staying at my place tonight?
My parents have been wanting to see you.
Well, I do need to apologize for putting them out.
There's no need to be so formal.
You can think of them and our house as your own.
I can't.
I can't let you fence me in just yet.
Do you still think you can get away from me?
In this world, there are yokai, ayakashi,
spectres, demons,
mononoke, and ghosts.
Creatures with those names exist, just like everything else.
There is reason that transcends reason,
and logical and illogical go hand in hand.
But there's no reason to be afraid.
There is an order to all things.
No matter what methods Rikka-san tries to use,
no matter how much she wants to create a new god,
I will protect that order, regardless.
Even if I have to create a rational fiction...
or a fiction that transcends the truth.
I will defend this world from that gap between truth and fiction.
Kuro-senpai.
I believe today will be a lovely day.
The End