Tatsuya stared at the door long after Erika had vanished behind it, his thoughts turning inward.
(Did I just stir up a hornet's nest?)
He had considered the possibility that Shuji Chiba's intervention the previous night was a coordinated effort by the Chiba family—perhaps acting as pawns for the Saegusa or the Intelligence Department's 3rd Section. However, it seemed Erika herself had been kept in the dark.
(Well, no matter. She was bound to notice sooner or later.)
He had already shown Erika too much. She had witnessed not only his own capabilities but the devastating power of Miyuki's "Cocytus." With her sharp intuition, it would have been only a matter of time before she connected the dots, even without his cryptic warnings.
(And as a result, I might be able to draw her into the fold.)
Tatsuya hadn't meticulously planned this specific outcome, but he decided it was a favorable development. All's well that ends well.
"Pixie."
『Yes, Master.』
Through his conversations with Pixie, Tatsuya had come to understand that telepathy conveyed concepts rather than literal words. The images she intended to transmit were translated into his own vocabulary within his mind.
Still, hearing a robot in a school uniform call him "Master" made him uneasy. But since that was how she perceived their relationship, he had no choice but to grow accustomed to it as long as they communicated telepathically.
He felt a brief sense of relief that his mind hadn't translated it into something like "My Lord" or "Milord." He was thankful for the limits of his own linguistic sensibilities.
"Before you inhabited this body, your kind appeared to possess a shared purpose and acted with high levels of coordination," Tatsuya noted. "Is there a commander among you?"
『There is no hierarchy of command among our kind.』
"Then how did you maintain such organized behavior?"
『To be precise, we are not entirely independent individuals. We are 'Many as One.' While we possess individual thoughts, we share a collective consciousness.』
"So, it is a single spirit managing multiple streams of thought?"
『It is more than just thought. It is perhaps best described as a state where lower consciousnesses, possessing incomplete egos and independent reasoning, are integrated into a single higher consciousness.』
"I see. But wouldn't the differing goals of the lower consciousnesses eventually erode the unity of the higher one?"
『When we inhabit biological hosts, it is impossible to remain unaffected by their primal desires. The survival and reproductive instincts of the hosts become integrated within our shared consciousness, dictating our actions.』
"To survive and proliferate. A remarkably simple biological mandate," Tatsuya mused.
『Precisely. We acted in accordance with those primary biological drives, making survival and self-replication our sole objectives.』
"If you share a consciousness, is it possible to form a cooperative relationship for goals beyond survival and replication?"
『Though we are integrated at our core, we still possess individual egos. We respond to the specific desires of our hosts on an individual basis. However, in this instance, our shared purpose was prioritized. I suspect that is why you perceived us as a single entity.』
"I see..."
Tatsuya fell into silence, contemplating the implications. Pixie waited patiently, her lack of interruption either a sign of her non-human nature or the mechanical constraints of her vessel.
"One more question. You said your connection to the others has been severed. Can you truly not sense their presence at all?"
『If a fellow unit's activity levels were to surge, it might be possible to... Ah.』
"What is it?"
『This... is a hospital?』
Tatsuya understood instantly. Pixie had sensed one of her kind.
"Pixie, return to the garage and change back into your original clothes. Enter sleep mode and wait for further instructions."
『Understood. I await your command.』
With a formal, polite bow, Pixie headed toward the garage. Tatsuya began mentally cataloging the equipment he would need. He made his way to the Student Council room to pick up Miyuki before heading home to prepare.
Tatsuya's realization that the Parasites had found new hosts sent him straight to his secure terminal the moment he returned home. He avoided the large-screen telephone in the living room, opting for the enhanced-security model in his private quarters.
"Tatsuya-dono. Precisely on schedule."
"Hayama-san. Thank you for your assistance last night."
Though Tatsuya had called at the very end of the designated window, neither he nor Hayama sounded rushed. They dispensed with the usual social pleasantries.
"As I said last night, no thanks are necessary. Protecting Lady Miyuki is the second highest priority for the Yotsuba."
"Hayama-san, it's troubling when even someone of your stature makes such reckless statements."
"There is no harm in it, provided one chooses their company and timing wisely. Unlike a certain individual, I lack the sheer audacity required to make an enemy of you, Tatsuya-dono."
"And what is the nature of our business? Given that this couldn't be sent via mail and there was no time for a face-to-face meeting, I assume it's an urgent matter."
"Ah, quite right."
Hayama's voice carried a tone of feigned realization—a performance Tatsuya saw through immediately.
"Tatsuya-dono, it appears the 3rd Section is on the move regarding the matter of the 'monsters.' I felt it best that you were made aware."
"The 3rd Section... The Counter-Intelligence Section of the Defense Force Intelligence Department? That 'interesting' unit is under the Saegusa's thumb, isn't it?"
A soft chuckle came through the receiver.
"As a member of the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion yourself, they might take offense at being called 'interesting,' but yes—that 3rd Section."
"If they've taken an interest, it's likely not to exterminate them. Does this mean the Saegusa are using the 3rd Section to investigate... or perhaps, to capture the Parasites?"
"I should say 'astute as always,' though their ultimate objective remains unclear. However, I suspect your assessment is correct."
"Thank you for this valuable information."
"We provide it only because we believe it necessary for Lady Miyuki's safety. You must never forget that, Tatsuya-dono."
"I am well aware."
Tatsuya could never allow the world in which Miyuki lived to be destroyed. Hayama's reminder was unnecessary, yet Tatsuya accepted it without resistance. He ended the call, his mind already spinning—it was time to start considering the variables of this new "IF" scenario.
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