I silently open my eyes, and the view of an unfamiliar ceiling falls into my eyes.
… Doesn't seem like heaven, so I must've lived through.
I then move my hand slowly on the stomach, the place that was ripped off by Akutagawa earlier, and feel its existence with my whole body.
Once again, I lived.
"You look rather calm for someone barely avoiding death…"
Another person.
If I had to guess the one with such an elegant yet sadistic (?) voice, I would say…
I slightly adjust my head to the left, and see the girl I just met in the morning along with Kunikida. She's reading a magazine with a casual attitude, not even bat an eye on me.
"I don't know… Dying doesn't feel that bad…"
I mutter such words with an emotionless tone, and her hand slightly flinches at my response.
That's not a lie, the feeling is weird. Even after experiencing this for a second time, I don't really have any deeper thoughts about this whole experience…
The only thing I can clearly remember about this, is the feeling of "unreal".
I know I died, yes, but the feeling is scarily relaxed. After the initial pain, the feeling's gradually leave your mind, and your string of thinking will be distorted.
Like you become less of yourself… and being more of an empty thought.
"I see…"
She squinted her eyes at me for a moment, but then returned to the book with her usual uninteresting look.
"So… may I ask my current location, dear lady?"
I asked her with a hint of flirting, but it fell pretty short with my casual tone. I could try to express my voice more, but being careful with myself wouldn't be a waste after all.
"We're at the Agency office, and it's almost sunset."
As if to confirm her word, I reluctantly looked at the window, now tainted with an orange light, and confirmed her word.
So I've been dying for some hours huh… Wonder what Aya's doing right now…?
I opened the chat group again, and immediately got hooked on something.
[Jouno Tsukami: @SaruyamaKenichi.]
[Saruyama Kenichi: Yo!!! What've you been, man?! Trying to contact you all day!!]
[Aya Koda: Jouno-san, are you okay?!]
[Jouno Tsukami: I'm fine guys, it's no big deal…]
I would love to make a joke about being ripped in half to the chat, but that seems inappropriate.
Besides, I still need to question Saruyama about this…
[Jouno Tsukami: Explain, Saruyama. What's with the "Lala bodyguard" you're talking about?!]
[Saruyama Kenichi: That, I'm going to explain…]
On the other side, lying in his room all alone, the spiky-haired boy let out a relieved sigh.
After saying that he was gonna take the mission, the guy then went silent for a whole two days, accidentally missing his whole story.
But just as Saruyama is going to retold the whole story, someone walks into the room which forces me to abandon the talk altogether for now.
[Jouno Tsukami: Sorry, tell me the story later, gotta greet someone.]
[Saruyama Kenichi: Ah man…]
With that, I closed the chat group again and looked up, just to see Kunikida looking down on me with an intense glare.
"You are reckless."
That was his first word to me, and it's a complaint.
That's the first thing that comes to his mind in front of someone who just got twiced?
… Well, it's not like I didn't understand his unusual demeanor.
With Akiko Yosano here, as long as the patient still breathes, she can bring them back with her ability. So with that mindste, it's no surprise that the Agency can afford to be honest even after going through the most painful and gruesome injuries a few minutes ago…
"Saying like you can make a better one…"
I immediately grinned back at him, not bothering with formality. Even though this guy isn't much of a pushover, his method to utilize his ability still intrigued me even now.
He has such a gifted ability, even on par with Yosano, yet he can't develop it to its full potential…
Also, his straightforward attitude is really annoying for me, so in all, I don't have any favors for this guy.
"… But at least be more about your life! You have been so reckless back then…"
After startled by my cold response, he rambled on about concern for my life to me, which doesn't seem that convincing in any way.
If I truly wanted to waste my life, I could just turn around and run out of there. The reason I don't do it is simple, to leave a mark on the Agency and buy more time for them to arrive.
Although being with Ranpo is outside of my previous plan, this actually help me a lot more than it supposed to be, as his Super Deduction (namesake) could offer me great assistance for future events.
My win-con at that time against the clearly outmatched Akutagawa with his disgusting ability is to rely on the Agency, which is like the only option I have at that time…
Speaking of that guy, maybe I should prepare a bit in case I need to run into him again…
"Kunikida."
A gentle voice suddenly echoes throughout the room, which makes Kunikida figure suddenly frozen mid-talking and Ayano to look back.
A man with a stern face, standing tall, slowly walks in the room. His aroma immediately attracted my gaze, as his atmosphere seemed rather peaceful yet intense.
His instinct tells me that, one wrong move in front of this man, his head will surely fall down. My hand started sweating just by looking into his unwavering gaze, as I tried my best not to shiver.
Damn… so this is what turned out after all those years fighting for the government? Such calm yet sharped aura this man possessed…
"Please pardon my employee's actions, he'a actually worried about you."
He slightly looks back at Kunikida with a silent gaze, and he immediately shivers down in terror. With that, he once looked down on me and, with swift yet elegant demeanor, he bowed before me.
"P–Please mister, you don't have to do that! I didn't do anything at all, and even get myself killed by the black dude…"
I frantically speak up trying to convince the man, and he slowly stands up again looking at me.
"Ranpo told me everything, from your actions to your "supposed" background…"
His gaze became colder, which made me shiver out of reflex and instinct.
So this is what "killing intent" feels like? Not a pleasant feeling, I would say.
"… He also mentioned that you wanted to join the Agency."
"?"
With a sigh, he slowly speaks again after such intense gazing which makes me a little worried. Although my chances to become their official member aren't that low after today event, like I say, being cautious kill no one,
"If you still want to join the Agency, I'm more than pleased to let you be one."
"Oh…"
Phew, seems like he did acknowledge my actions earlier.
And with that, my ticket to join the Agency is guaranteed.
"If you say so, mister, then may I place myself in your care?"
"Of course, you've already proven yourself."
Yukichi Fukuzawa, the man in front of me, nodded with a stern emotion in response to my request, and from now on I have officially become a member of the ADA.
"Well then, since I have joined the Agency, may I ask for another request?"
"Go on?"
"If I can, may I ask for your training?"
"My training?"
Fukuzawa slightly lifted his eyebrow, wondering what exactly was my request. Behind him,
"I just wanted to improve my own physique, and by my "knowledge" about you, may I ask you your path of training?"
"I see…"
Fukuzawa thought for a bit with my relatively normal request, and he then nodded in agreement with it. He already knows something about my background through Ranpo, so he has no reason to panic about my statement.
On the contrary, both Kunikida and Yosano furrow their eyebrow in doubt at my odd choice of words with the question just now, but they seem to prefer to keep quiet about it for later.
And with that, the first on the long list of things I must do before the cannibalism event takes place is completed…