"What?"
Isaac picked up a file from the table and counted carefully. "…It's twenty-four people."
"But the file I got has only twenty-three. Are you sure you didn't send the wrong one?"
"…"
Seeing Isaac and the investigator puzzled, Rinji tossed his bag aside and stepped closer. "From what I've learned, when the dead one appears, people's memories are altered, and records are rewritten too. That makes finding the dead one extremely difficult."
"I see."
Isaac nodded and continued into the phone. "Alright, since you say you received a list of twenty-three, then read out every name and I'll see which one is missing."
"Understood."
Isaac took a pen and placed it on the list.
"First, Kazami Tomohiko. Second, Sakuragi Yukari. Third, Teshigawara Naoya. Fourth…"
The voice read out each name, and Isaac crossed them off one by one. After a minute, the other side finished. Isaac put the pen down, frowning.
"…Strange."
"What is it, boss?"
"You just read twenty-four names."
"Huh?"
On the printed list, every single name was crossed out.
"Boss, I…"
"It's fine. This isn't your fault. I get the general idea now."
After a few more words, Isaac hung up and sat back in thought.
"How is it?"
"A little more complicated than I expected, but I can confirm a few things." Isaac raised two fingers. "First, this so-called curse seems limited to Yomiyama. The investigator is based in the prefectural capital. If the curse had wider range, it could have altered his memory and the information source's as well. That would've prevented me from suspecting anything."
"Seems so."
"As for the second point, because of the limited range, the curse's influence is also limited, but it can affect machines. For example, when transmitting information, the moment the signal entered Yomiyama, the curse tampered with it. By the time it reached my ears, it was already altered."
"Could it be that your memory was altered too?" Rinji laughed. "Though I think that's unlikely."
"If the curse could alter my memory directly, it'd actually be better. The moment it invaded my brain, I'd notice and track it. But it's smart—it avoids that and only tampers with external factors." Isaac chuckled. "Cowardly maybe, but a safe move."
It seemed the calamity's influence worked under the premise of avoiding Isaac.
"But maybe not." Isaac suddenly smiled. "If it can target memories, that proves the curse has consciousness. Consciousness means purpose. If we block it from achieving its goal, it'll be forced to act."
"True… By the way, Dad, there's something I need to tell you." Rinji suddenly said.
"Hm?"
"There's a girl in class who seems to have already found the dead one."
"Huh?"
Rinji pointed to his left eye. "She lost an eye and had it replaced with an artificial one. That eye can see things others can't. She calls it the color of death. She used it to find the dead one."
"An artificial eye?"
Hearing this, Isaac instinctively touched his own left eye hidden under his bangs.
"Yeah, like you, she's one-eyed." Rinji smiled. "She said her mother made it. If you want to know who the dead one is, maybe ask her mother to make you one too?"
"No thanks. This eye is a technological masterpiece. I don't want some spooky thing installed." Isaac laughed.
He had no interest in who the dead one was either. Like Rinji, he only cared about the calamity plaguing this city for twenty-six years. The phone call was just to confirm how the curse operated.
"Did that classmate not tell you who the dead one is?"
"No, and I'm not interested." Rinji said. "I want to use my own wisdom to uncover the truth."
"…"
"What's with that face?"
"No… It's just, you didn't challenge her to some kind of deduction contest to see who figures out the curse first, right?"
"No."
"Good. Otherwise you'd probably get crushed and depressed." Isaac covered his face. "Take it from me, don't overestimate your cleverness. Trust me, I've been there."
"…Can I punch you?"
---
The next day, Rinji went to Yomiyama North Middle School as usual. Ever since he became the ignored one, the nonexistent person, he had grown more brazen. The first day he still carried his schoolbag, and though he slept in class, he at least opened his textbook. Today, he didn't even bring a bag, just two cans of beer and a pack of cigarettes, swaggering into school.
As expected, even when he walked into class looking like someone who wasn't there to study at all, no one looked at him. Only Mei by the window glanced at him.
After he sat down, Rinji opened a can of beer but immediately sensed something different in the classroom. A heavy atmosphere weighed over everyone. Their faces were gloomy, their smiles gone. It was the look of people who sensed death might soon come for them.
Then he noticed an empty seat in the corner.
Click.
The classroom door opened and the homeroom teacher, Kubodera, walked in. His middle-aged face was dark and heavy.
"Everyone, I'm sure you've heard… It's very sad news. Takabayashi collapsed at home last night from a sudden heart attack. He stopped breathing on the way to the hospital."
The calamity had finally arrived.