Bungo Stray Dogs - Volume 8 - Chapter 3.4

The security guard guided us to the facility’s innermost depths. The interior was surprisingly not worth mentioning. There was nothing more than a white corridor with six doors on each side, none of which were numbered.

Turning at the end of that corridor brought us to another corridor with six doors on each side. That was not surprising in the least; this facility was purposely designed this way to make it difficult for intruders to find what they were looking for. The reason why there were many turns was to prevent any gunfire from traveling long distances.

In other words, there was something top secret here that they did not want stolen under any circumstances.

The security guard typed something into the terminal at the end of the corridor and opened what appeared to be an ordinary wall that led farther into the facility. (My scanner had already discovered there was an area even farther back.)

The back room was the research department, which was relatively spacious and full of people.

Researchers wearing white lab coats bustled through the corridors. One was debating something with a colleague. Another was rubbing his eyes as if he had just awoken. Yet another researcher was frantically trying to wash a coffee stain out of her lab coat. There was even a man who clearly had not slept for three or so days.

Militaries, police forces, and criminal organizations have their own distinct features throughout the world, but researchers are the same wherever you go. Even the ones in Great Britain hardly differed from the people here. They had a very laid-back demeanor no matter what they were studying, which was perhaps due to the fact that most of them lived here in the facility.

We took in the sights until the guard behind us urged us to keep moving forward with the tip of his gun.

“Don’t stop and don’t look. Anyone interested in the research we’re doing here doesn’t get invited.”

“Uh-huh. Neat. You cocky little…,” Shirase began muttering to himself.

I carefully collected various data until a few things became clear. This appeared to be a military research division that had been studying special powers since before the war. That much became evident as I analyzed the conversations of the researchers we passed by. I would have loved to gather more detailed information, but this was a secret military facility. All electronic devices were protected from hacking and rejected any external connections. It would most likely take a lot of time and resources to bypass them.

However, that information alone was enough for now. After pondering for a few moments, I spoke up.

“I was thinking, Master Chuuya…,” I whispered at his side. “The reason why N is Verlaine’s next target… Perhaps he has evidence that you’re human.”

“Huh?” Master Chuuya looked back in surprise. “Where’d that come from?”

I viewed my data logs while continuing, “We do not know whether you are human or merely an artificial equation. Verlaine claimed you were an equation, but he did not offer any evidence to back up his claim. His word alone is all we have to go on, and that is exactly why he wants to dispose of those who know the truth—the truth that you are human. Because you would not need to go with Verlaine if you knew the truth. That is why Verlaine decided to target N. Everything would make sense if this was the case. Would it not?”

“But why would Verlaine even lie?”

“Because he could not convince you to come with him otherwise.” I was confident this was the truth. “He needs you for some reason, perhaps because like him, you can manipulate gravity, and you received said powers at a military facility. However, simply telling you to abandon the Mafia and join him would not work.”

“So the fact that he’s trying to kill N is proof that I’m human?”

“Precisely.”

Master Chuuya appeared to be racking his brain over the subject. He faced the wall, scratched his forehead, scratched his nose, and crossed his arms. He then covered his face and hid his expression. I could hear him exhaling in short bursts. And then there was laughter.

“Pfft. Ha-ha-ha… You’re such an idiot.” He let out a brief, exasperated chuckle. “So I am human, after all. I feel stupid letting something like this bother me in the first place…”

I smiled as well because it felt like this was the first time I had seen him smile in a very long time.

“The hell are you lookin’ at?” Master Chuuya glared over his shoulder at me while keeping his face hidden. “What are you grinning about? I’m not happy about the news. I’m indifferent.”

“So am I.”

As an extraordinary piece of machinery, I am able to lie with a straight face.

“Then how do ya explain those eyes?!”

“My eyes? I use them to see.”

“I’m startin’ to figure you out.” Master Chuuya pouted as he glared at me. “You’re playing dumb on purpose, aren’t ya?”

He saw right through me. After turning around and stretching in a forced manner, he began briskly walking ahead.

“Anyway, let’s hurry up and get this over with! Looks like we’ve got an easy job to do today!” he shouted to no one in particular.

My lips could not help but automatically curl into a smile as I watched Master Chuuya walk with a spring in his step.