Mei wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but she had a vague sense that her fierce ghost friend was about to slip through her fingers.
"Since Elysia-nee might just be something I imagined, you can try it too, Mei," Shiraha suggested enthusiastically.
Mei looked utterly bewildered. "How do you even try something like that?"
Shiraha pondered for a long moment, then smacked his fist into his palm. "You just... imagine really hard. That should do it."
Mei blinked. Seeing the complete sincerity on Shiraha's face, she closed her eyes and gave it her best effort. She imagined with all her might!
In her mind, she painted the image of her ideal fierce ghost friend. Someone strong, but not too scary. Someone who could talk, but not too mean. Ideally, someone like Shiraha's friend, someone who could help her win at video games.
She imagined for a long, long time.
Until Welt pushed the door open again, carrying their meal. He saw Mei standing there, eyes squeezed shut, her whole body tense with effort.
He paused.
"What's she doing?"
"Imagining a friend of her own."
Tesla answered without looking up from her controller. She and Shiraha were locked in a fierce battle. On screen, two characters traded blows, their health bars dropping in alternating rhythm.
The game sound had been turned down to its lowest. No one disturbed Mei. They left her standing alone in the middle of the living room, still straining to imagine.
In the end, Welt couldn't help himself. "Um... dinner's ready, Mei."
He'd assumed Tesla or Einstein were playing a prank on her, teasing the girl for fun.
Mei opened her eyes, deflated.
"I can't imagine anything at all..."
Dejected, she wanted to find Shiraha for some comfort, only to discover he was already completely absorbed in the game again.
Mei: ....
"Shiraha?"
No response.
Mei called again. Still no response.
Having already spotted Welt and confirmed he didn't need to keep scanning his surroundings, Shiraha's competitive performance had spiked dramatically. Even Dr. Tesla was clearly losing ground.
Elysia had considered reminding him, but she rested her chin on her hand, watching Shiraha so intently focused, and lost all interest in intervening. It wasn't like she was close to Mei anyway!
Over a dozen seconds later, Tesla let out a wail. "Impossible! This is impossible! How could I lose to a six-year-old kid?!"
Shiraha rose to his feet and extended his hand toward the empty air. Elysia blinked, then reached out and took it.
"Hmph." Shiraha lifted his chin. "Dr. Tesla, lament your unfortunate fate of having no imaginary friend."
Tesla: ....
She exchanged a look with Yang and let out a dry laugh. This kid was pretty interesting. And maybe because he was so young, he didn't seem to think schizophrenia was a bad thing at all.
Mei persisted, calling Shiraha's name one more time. Only then did he snap out of it.
"What's up, Mei-nee?"
Mei's expression had gone completely flat. "I still don't have my own fierce ghost friend."
This Shiraha.... he'd ignored so many of her calls now.
It made Mei suddenly realize something: before this ghost friend appeared, Shiraha had always been closest to her at home. Now, she was the one being left out.
"Maybe Mei-nee just hasn't tried hard enough?" Shiraha mused. "Back when I was at the orphanage, I spent all day, every day wishing for a partner who belonged just to me. And even then, Elysia-nee only showed up just recently."
At this, his expression turned regretful. "Come to think of it, Elysia-nee is actually really vain! Back at the orphanage, she barely ever kept me company."
Elysia had been feeling a little touched just moments before...
"Hey, hey, hey!" She protested. "Shouldn't you be thanking me for helping everyone at the orphanage find a happy, comfortable life?"
Shiraha ignored her.
Elysia sat herself down on the floor, cheeks puffed out, wanting to write this down in a little notebook of grudges. But without using Shiraha as a medium, she couldn't even pick up the controller.
Realizing this, she sighed again. Truthfully, she understood. Shiraha had been Manticore, it was woven into his bones to constantly use words to reinforce his cover. Hard habits to break.
Dinner was relatively simple, but both Shiraha and Mei ate heartily. They'd barely eaten on the plane at noon.
Welt did take note of one thing in Shiraha's words. "Are you saying... Elysia-nee has been around for a long time?"
But Ryoma Raiden's report had clearly stated she'd only formally appeared on the day of Mei's incident. That had come from Shiraha's own account.
Shiraha nodded, recalling. "Mm. Nee-chan just didn't show up often. She only appeared when I went looking for Mei yesterday."
Welt confirmed it and didn't press further. Then it really could be a mental issue. Maybe Einstein's theory is correct after all.
"By the way, your rooms are right next to each other. If anything happens at night, you can call out loud. Or if you're too shy for that, just knock on the door."
After dinner, Tesla gave the two children a quick orientation.
Shiraha nodded again. The room wasn't as nice as the Raiden residence, scientists probably didn't care much for luxury but it was very clean. That, at least, surprised him.
Once the three seniors had left, Shiraha shut the door behind him. He watched Elysia, who had already flung herself onto the large bed and was rolling around. He dove in too, pressing close to Nee-chan, burying his face in the covers.
"Nee-chan, are there any surveillance devices in this room?"
His voice was very soft. Both their heads were buried in the covers, fully guaranteeing they wouldn't be overheard.
Elysia: ....
She hadn't even considered the question. This kid had definitely come out of the Manticores, always assuming the worst of people.
Sigh. Reluctantly, she began scanning the room. Her starry eyes narrowed.
Her expression gradually turned serious.
Shiraha's own expression didn't change. He simply flipped through the bedtime reading on the nightstand, a habit he'd kept since the Raiden house.
Elysia suddenly lunged, her movements tense.....
And tackled Shiraha flat onto the bed. "Got you, Shiraha!"
Shiraha was pinned solidly, the back of his head bouncing off the pillow, his whole body still rolling with the momentum.
"What surveillance devices?!" Once they'd settled, Elysia laughed, her eyes curved like crescent moons, her finger poking his forehead. "Stop always thinking the worst of people."
From what Elysia had observed, Einstein, Tesla, and Welt Yang were all good people. And the facts matched her observations.
The three of them were completely at ease with Shiraha. Even more at ease with her, this "air person." They didn't seem worried about Shiraha's mental state either. It looked like they planned to address it gradually and judging by their attitude, they even intended to ask Shiraha for his own input.
Shiraha found himself forced to the edge of the bed. Watching Elysia-nee's dimpled smile, he sighed. Then he smiled too.
"Nee-chan really is exactly the same as I remember."
Hearing this, Elysia suddenly straightened up a little. She rose, smoothing her long hair back. "Then let me ask you, what kind of image do you have of me, in your eyes?"
Shiraha didn't hesitate. "Powerful, Brilliant, Mysterious, Well-loved by everyone. Always walking in the light—"
"And a pervert. And totally shallow about looks."
The smile on Elysia's face slowly morphed into bewilderment. Her starry eyes blinked and blinked.
Shiraha... sure, I can't bully anyone else....
But you think I can't bully YOU?!