Night.
In the park, several children played with sparklers.
Okabe Rintaro leaned against a large tree nearby, while Makise Kurisu occupied a not-so-tall slide.
"Tonz's text message couldn't change the past."
"The course of the game should have changed," Makise Kurisu said, hugging her legs.
Okabe Rintaro sighed:
"In other words, this level of change won't shake the worldline."
...
Makise Kurisu's gaze drifted into the distance, as if to herself, she said:
"Do we need to find a more direct and clear method to confirm if the past has changed?"
Seeing this, Okabe Rintaro showed an interesting expression: "Hoh?"
Almost instantly, Makise Kurisu understood the meaning of his tone.
"I, I'm not saying I agree to conduct the experiment," she retorted repeatedly, then took a deep breath, calmed herself, and asked, "So, what do you think about the fact that only you retain your memories?"
"I've said it's the power of 'Demon Eye - Clairvoyance of Fate'," Okabe Rintaro spread his hands, emphasizing the words 'Demon Eye - Clairvoyance of Fate' with a hint of arrogance in his tone.
"Ah." However, as he spread his hands, enjoying the attention, he noticed Makise Kurisu's expression at that moment.
'^'
She didn't speak, just looked at him.
"To prove this," Okabe Rintaro shrugged, "you'll be sending the D-mail next."
...
After a long silence, Makise Kurisu shook her head: "I don't want to."
"Are you worried about a time paradox?" Okabe Rintaro asked.
Makise Kurisu lowered her head: "Changing the past feels a bit despicable."
Saying that, she slowly slid down the slide and then stood up.
"My life has only been eighteen years; I don't want to change it," she said. "Whether it's failure or success, it's my own life."
"But~" Despite saying what seemed like very reasonable words, Okabe Rintaro still leaned in, revealing an incredibly lewd smile:
"You love experiments the most, right?"
Startled by his expression, Makise Kurisu took a sudden step back and stammered:
"Lo-loving it is wrong?!"
Listening to her retort, the smile on Okabe Rintaro's face became even more lewd.
With a high curve at the corner of his mouth, he raised his palm in front of him and said in a sarcastic tone: "So you've decided to stand by, sacrificing others while you secretly gloat..."
"Mm-hmm, a genuine mad scientist~"
"Enough," Makise Kurisu snorted, turning away, no longer looking at Okabe Rintaro's foolish face.
[Brooch's expression is so hard to describe]
[Can't stand it, are you a primary school boy?]
[Full of mockery]
[A taunt, but Assistant should fall for it]
[I thought they hadn't considered controlling variables at all, but even if Assistant doesn't send the text, wouldn't it be fine if Tonz did?]
[It feels like changing the past is cheating... Assistant is unexpectedly conservative, huh?]
[Wait, if you listen carefully, it means that the text message was sent to the past, the past was indeed changed, the course of the game changed, but the result didn't change, so the worldline didn't jump, and the Demon Eye - Clairvoyance of Fate... forget it, it's too troublesome to say that, let's just call it RS, RS didn't activate, but the memories of those who knew about sending the text, including Tonz and Assistant, didn't change... I feel like I'm getting more confused the more I talk]
[It's not yet certain that Brooch actually has the Demon Eye; the current situation still fits the phenomenon where the past changes, and the person who sent the email remembers it.]
[In short, the text was sent, the course of the match changed, but Tonz still lost, Mayuri and others who didn't send the text have this memory, but Tonz and Assistant who sent the text don't have memories of the changed match, Tonz also doesn't have memories of receiving such a text, the worldline hasn't changed, RS hasn't activated, that's how it is.]
[We should know if we keep watching.]
"But honestly..." Okabe Rintaro had intended to drop his frivolous demeanor and say something serious, but suddenly, a 'beep-beep' sound from his pocket interrupted him.
'Flashy Shiatsu Master'
'Please, please ♦'
'I want to try sending a D-mail too!'
Looking at the message from Moeka, Okabe Rintaro was silent for a moment, then continued what he had been saying:
"Honestly, to further refine the D-mail..."
"Beep-beep--"
Then his words were interrupted again.
'Is it okay?'
'Please!'
"Tsk." Putting down his phone, he continued: "We still have to keep experimenting..."
"Beep-beep--"
For the third time, his voice was interrupted.
His extremely ugly and twisted expression made him not want to respond at all, but in the end, Okabe Rintaro couldn't help but look at his phone.
'I'm a Labmem too, right?'
"Ka-woo-gu-woo..." Okabe Rintaro was about to lose it: "Boring!"
"...No?" Suddenly, Kiryu Moeka stood before them silently, asking softly.
Her question received no response; instead, it startled both of them.
?!
Like a ghost, she stood silently before them, expressionless, holding her phone, blending into the darkness under the cover of night.
Quite terrifying.
[Honestly, I'm almost starting to dislike her.]
[So why did he let her into the Laboratory?]
[Is a text message that changes the past something you can just casually give to anyone?]
[My blood pressure is rising.]
[What's wrong with Brooch that he doesn't turn off the notification sound and lets her harass him?]
[Just asking, are there still people who 'stan' Kiryu Moeka now?]
[Yes, yes, I'm a dedicated fan of Miss Moeka.]
[Why?]
[Because I'm a pure body enthusiast.]
['Pure']
[She's really pushing her luck, isn't she? Saw the IBN5100, joined the Laboratory, and now she wants to send D-mail.]
[If I remember correctly, didn't she ask Brooch where he got the IBN5100?]
[They're not actually going to let her send it, are they? I have a bad feeling.]
The next day.
Under the clear blue sky, Okabe Rintaro sat on a chair in front of the Braun Tube Workshop, letting out a long sigh:
...Ah, in the end, I couldn't resist her persistent nagging.
A small car drove past him and quickly stopped.
"Alright, we're home," Mr. Braun's voice came from one side of the car: "Haha, was the crepe delicious?"
"Mm!" The little animal nodded vigorously.
Carrying a cardboard box, Braun walked towards the shop.
Soon, he saw Okabe Rintaro sitting at the entrance.
"What's wrong? Are you very idle?" Braun called out casually.