[133] Release of "The Garden Of Sinners"(7)

Chapter 133: Release of "The Garden Of Sinners"(7)

Edward's Tavern.

"Phew, it's finally over... That was way too much. Why did they put in half an hour of ads?" Helena complained.

Durin responded quietly, "Because it's the scheduled duration. We need to give advertisers a taste of what we can do, or else no one will want to participate later."

"Well, that makes sense."

As the picture on the TV returned, Helena and the surrounding patrons quieted down, clearly eager for the upcoming storyline.

"So, does the next part continue the story from 'Overlooking View'? Sir Edward, will there be new enemies?" Winry asked, evidently curious along with the others.

Durin explained, "Actually, the timeline of the second chapter predates the first. This chapter tells how Mikiya Kokutou met Shiki Ryougi."

"Huh?"

Surprised by the revelation of the narrative structure, the group watched as the screen displayed an artificial snowfall, with a young boy walking up a long slope.

...

Imperial Mage Academy.

"Oh! Has it started? I just got back from the restroom!"

"Your timing is impeccable. They just showed a preview for 'Fate/Zero' Part 2. It looked amazing, getting me even more excited."

"Yeah, while 'The Garden of Sinners' is great, I'm more excited for the intense action of 'Fate/Zero'. The battle between heroic spirits and mages for the Holy Grail is what we mages dream of!"

"My biggest regret is not choosing the Magical Alchemy Department. Argh!!!"

"Quiet, it's starting!"

"..."

As the picture appeared on the television, the mages in the hall showed their excitement, but their expressions soon turned puzzled.

"?? What's going on? Why do Shiki and Mikiya act like they don't know each other?"

"Not sure, but there's something off about this Shiki. She feels different from the one before."

"Well, we'll find out as we watch. I think it's a flashback. The director didn't say it had to follow a strict timeline."

''''....''''

.....

On the television, "Kara no Kyoukai" continued its broadcast.

"You're dressed refreshingly as always, Shiki."

Approaching Shiki Ryougi, Mikiya Kokutou greeted her without any hesitation, to which Shiki responded somewhat resignedly, "It's enough for now, but it'll get tough in a while."

"Do you dress like this in winter too?"

"Of course, but don't worry, I'll wear a coat."

"Oh, so there are coats that go over kimonos?"

"Of course there are."

"Like a leather jacket?"

...

"I heard there's a murderer. Just recently, it happened in the western shopping district."

"A murderer, huh? Things aren't very peaceful."

"Yeah, and it's pretty horrifying. They say the victim's arms and legs were cut off and left on the roadside, turning the scene into a sea of blood. The culprit hasn't been caught yet."

"Just the arms and legs? Wouldn't that kill a person?"

"Yeah, they'd die from massive blood loss, leading to cessation of vital functions. But in this case, they probably died from the shock first... Ah, sorry, this has nothing to do with you, Shiki."

"It's okay. Things happening nearby can't be said to be unrelated. But, Kokutou… this isn't exactly dinner conversation, is it?"

...

"Kara no Kyoukai" Chapter 2 maintained a shroud of mystery in its first half. On the surface, it seemed like a simple school romance, but the recurring mentions of 'murder' and 'crime' indicated much deeper, darker themes.

As a result, the audience began to discuss fervently, but most found themselves unable to debate independently, being completely led by the narrative. When Shiki's male persona, SHIKI, appeared later, the confusion intensified exponentially. No one knew how the story would unfold next. This was especially perplexing since the first chapter, Overlooking View, had already provided future clues, making Murder Speculation (Part 1) seem like a flashback in comparison.

Of course, even the mages at the Imperial Mage Academy were puzzled by this chapter. Although they could recognize its appeal, they couldn't quite pinpoint what made it so intriguing. They could only speculate about the perpetrator behind multiple incidents.

"I think it might be another personality of Shiki Ryougi. There are so many clues pointing towards some uncontrollable destructive impulse within her."

"That's not necessarily true. Many clues may seem to lead you in one direction but actually are just misleading you. Wasn't that the case with Overlooking View? You thought it was a female ghost, but it turned out to be a flashback, and the culprit was actually a living person..."

"Yeah, it feels like 'Kara no Kyoukai' deliberately guides you in many places. So I also suspect there's someone else besides the ordinary person this time, especially considering the main character has a dark history of killing innocent people."

"Maybe, if it was SHIKI who committed the murder instead of Shiki, then killing SHIKI would just cancel it out, wouldn't it? Besides, in Overlooking View, it's clear the personality was Shiki's."

"That makes sense unexpectedly. But as they say, many things can be guided, and there might be a twist later..."

As the discussion grew more intense, the scene on the television moved into the middle part.

...

"Did I ever tell you that I hate humans?"

In the dimly lit classroom, conversing with Mikiya Kokutou Is SHIKI.

"To think that... you hate humans?"

"Mm, Shiki has hated humans since she was young... You see, everyone's childhood is filled with ignorance and innocence, isn't it? We naturally assume that everyone we encounter, and the entire world, loves us unconditionally just because we like them. Isn't that common sense?"

"That's true. In childhood, we don't doubt anything and simply believe that as long as we unconditionally love everyone, they will love us back. Perhaps only when it comes to ghosts might one be afraid. However, it seems that humans now are more frightening than ghosts."

"Exactly. But that's a very important matter, Mikiya. Ignorance is necessary. In childhood, you only see yourself and don't notice any ill will others may have towards you, even if it's a misconception. As long as you actually experience being loved, it seems like you can be gentle to anyone—because humans only show emotions they have experienced themselves."

"..."

"But I'm different. Since birth, I knew there were others because of Shiki inside me, so she can think about various things, know that there are other humans in the world besides herself, and know that she cannot be loved unconditionally. Shiki knew from a young age how ugly people are, so she couldn't love them, and I don't know when she started to become indifferent to others, holding only rejection in her emotions."

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