Chapter 29: Shark Pajamas

****

We succeeded, but the aftermath was complicated.

The Peacekeeping Force personnel returned home safely, the three prisoners were locked up in the Foundation’s containment cells, and Nanami was reportedly facing disciplinary action for insubordination and deliberately cutting off communications.

This is the Humanoid Anomaly Containment Wing.

The researchers thought it would be a good idea for me to meet the prisoners. I wasn’t sure if it would help, but I wanted to see them too.

Three prisoners in total. The Returnee, Kairos, and Cosmos. I wasn’t sure what happened to the rest.

I looked at the man sitting beyond the glass of the containment cell. Kairos. The man who had infiltrated a Foundation facility and smuggled out an important prisoner.

Though he’d been recaptured.

Kairos was wearing a black coat.

It wasn’t the coat he’d come in with. The Foundation’s emblem was embroidered on it, so the staff must have brought him something similar.

Black hair and brown eyes. I couldn’t pin down his nationality from appearance alone, but his face had a somewhat exotic cast to it. I suppose you’d call the overall impression rather intense.

Anyway. I sat down in the chair prepared in front of the glass, and Kairos bowed his head to me.

“Is there anything uncomfortable about the containment cell?”

Kairos ignored my words.

“What about the anthrax? Is my daughter Cosmos going to survive?”

“She’ll recover fine as long as she takes the medicine.”

Silence.

Kairos let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry. I’ll do anything—I’d even die—just please, spare my daughter.”

The girl who had opened the gate for teleportation.

“Is Cosmos doing well?”

I don’t know what measures the Foundation researchers used to block teleportation, but it probably wasn’t a pleasant experience. They hadn’t run any dangerous experiments on her yet, though.

“Miss Cosmos is doing fine. Once we finish the examinations, we’ll let you see her by tomorrow.”

“Thank goodness.”

“Mr. Kairos. We’ve confirmed that you have no blood relation to Miss Cosmos. Please tell me the truth. What exactly are you?”

I glanced back for a moment.

“I am what you see. Cosmos is my adopted daughter, and she has a very special ability.”

The Humanoid Division researchers were recording the conversation. Judging from Kairos’s expression, it seemed to be the truth.

Let’s press a little more.

“Do you realize what you’ve done, Mr. Kairos? You attacked the Foundation, smuggled out a dangerous anomalous, and tried to pin the blame on another Group of Interest.”

I’d like it if that were true. He was probably connected to those bizarre cultists I saw in the Garden, or those artists from the museum.

More precisely, there was no evidence he wasn’t connected.

I looked at the prisoner, but Kairos shook his head.

“I’m sorry. It was nothing more than cheap sympathy for a fellow oddity. I had no grand purpose.”

“Mr. Kairos. I’d like to ask you about the anomalous instances called ‘the Librarians.’ Do you know them?”

The Librarians.

They were anomalous instances found in the building where Kairos had been hiding—humanoid in shape, made of clumps of black tentacles.

They didn’t die when shot, and they showed no hostility beyond approaching. Though they’d been subdued by Nanami’s gun before that.

“Those who die in the Temple of Knowledge serve the gods of knowledge forever. Those black beings are them. We don’t create them.”

I stared at Kairos.

Didn’t he realize that giving such a bizarre answer would only make his position worse?

Anyway, I’d gotten a lead. They were connected to some anomalous space called the Temple of Knowledge.

Time to wrap up the interview.

“Is there anything you need?”

“Nothing for me. Please take good care of my daughter.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I rose from my seat.

****

Next up was Miss Cosmos. She was already sitting in front of the glass panel in her containment cell, waiting. She must have known I was coming.

Still, she looked fairly happy.

Because Cosmos was sitting in the containment cell clutching a rabbit plushie she’d gotten from somewhere.

“Hello, Miss Cosmos.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Cosmos was just a pretty girl. Judging by appearances alone, she looked about high-school age.

She was wearing clothes the Foundation had prepared, though. The one unusual thing was that, when you looked into her eyes, her pupils occasionally glowed purple.

I checked the research records. Cosmos is an anomalous capable of teleportation. There must be some way to keep her from teleporting, right?

“Give me a moment to read through the file.”

Hmm, there it is.

Sedatives mixed into her food, a reality anchor installed in the containment zone, and the containment cell is woven with osmium. A tracking device attached, similar to the case of Returnees.

Furthermore, they’ve reportedly increased her suggestibility and placed suggestions on her so she’ll cooperate with the Foundation’s work.

It’s good that they prepared thoroughly, but I’m not sure an interview under these conditions means much. She’s basically just sitting there with her eyes open. Well, let’s ask anyway.

“Miss Cosmos. Can you explain how you teleport?”

“Um, when I reach out my hand and recite the incantation, a gate shaped like a black sphere opens. It connects two points in reality, but using it consecutively or multiple times a day is a bit difficult.”

A far clearer answer than I’d expected.

What I want to know about these two is this: they’re ultimately members of a specific Group of Interest. What’s Cosmos’s group’s goal? What are they trying to do?

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“I want to go outside.”

A fair thing to say.

“If you receive treatment and cooperate with the Foundation’s work, we’ll make sure you can leave soon.”

Cosmos nodded.

****

The interview was over.

There was no great achievement, but at least an interview record was left behind. As I stepped into my office, Popo walked up to me as if to greet me.

“Friend.”

Popo looked up at me. I sat at my desk and fiddled with my notebook.

It all seems connected, but I don’t have enough information to judge on my own. There’s no one to ask, and I don’t want to call headquarters.

I entered the Foundation as an aide to the Director. Thanks to working hard, I’m now functioning as the Director’s Office mascot… and that’s about it.

Foundation employees come to me when they want something confirmed or something pushed forward.

I lack experience and don’t know much, but from the employees’ perspective, reporting to someone and offloading even a little responsibility must be reassuring.

Popo climbed onto my lap.

“Popo. What do you think we should do?”

No answer. The decision is mine to make — Popo’s job is just looking cute.

****

“Dr. Geum! We have a fairly serious problem. You need to come see this.”

****

[On the Recent Movements of Groups of Interest]

[Filed by: Intelligence Division]

[We believe activity by Groups of Interest has increased significantly nationwide. We are working to identify the cause.]

[We do not believe the words of Cosmos and her father. The objective fact is that they attempted to seize weapons of mass destruction from the Foundation’s hands.]

[Even if we don’t dissect them, there’s no need to believe what they say. Their abilities and their connection to Groups of Interest must also be studied.]

[There will be a solar eclipse soon. A direct connection has not yet been confirmed, but that doesn’t mean we think there is none.]

[The Peacekeeping Force soldiers returned safely. They whined a bit, but the Peacekeeping Force seems to understand our situation.]

[Something big is coming.]

****

[Humanoid anomalies, Kairos and Cosmos.]

[Filed by: Dr. Geum]

[A document written directly by Dr. Geum after receiving a briefing.]

[The two instances claim they carried out this incident out of sympathy for contained humanoid anomalies. For now, it appears to be a lie.]

[Kairos.]

[Kairos is an adult male who appears to be a foreigner. He speaks multiple languages.]

[He is believed to be a wizard-type anomaly capable of utilizing anomalous phenomena as needed. Kairos has attacked Foundation facilities and destroyed Foundation assets on more than one occasion.]

[Cosmos.]

[Cosmos is a girl whom Kairos claims to be his daughter. There is no evidence to support this, and the two instances do not share genetic material.]

[Externally, she appears to be around high school age. She has been cooperative with Foundation affairs so far. However, given her teleportation ability, she is an extremely dangerous anomaly, and the Humanoid Division is maintaining the highest level of caution regarding her.]

[Since being contained, Cosmos has requested various items — books, dolls, snacks, clothing, and so on. Her requests have been fulfilled to the extent possible.]

[P.S. If anyone knows what a shark pajama is, please contact the Humanoid containment wing.]