Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning (スパイラル ～推理の絆～)

Everyone is searching for a new world

to attain that overflowing dream.

They all jump over the horizon,

regardless of what lies beyond.

We've run,

we've dived into hope,

and forgotten only courage.

And we've been swept away by the crowd

only to lose something dear to us.

I smile with a twisted face,

and it was the best smile I could put on.

The inside of my mask overflowed with tears

so I covered my wet mask with yet another mask.

I continue to walk through the flat battleground,

and I struggle, unable to warp.

The dream waits quietly on a cape far away.

Even if I fumble around clumsily,

I'm sure I'll still be able to make it there.

Great. Overslept again.

Almost forgot today was the day.

Two years ago today my brother, Kiyotaka, disappeared.

'I'm going to pursue the mystery of the Blade Children,' he said.

And with those words, he vanished without a trace.

Oh, no! Are you okay?! Come on, young lady, say something!

Hello? Talk about dangerous. The auard rail's missing.

Did you do this?! Did you push her off there?!

Huh?

Thanks for coming, Assistant Inspector.

Enough talk. Let's hear it.

Yes, ma'am. The injured girl's a second year student

at Tsukiomi Academy, Sayoko Shiranagatani.

She fell from a fifth floor landing. Broken auard rail. We're looking into that.

Oddly enough, the delivery truck parked below her

acted more as a cushion than anything, so her injuries aren't severe.

But we won't be able to question her for a bit, she's pretty freaked out.

Is it an accident, suicide, or attempted murder?

We can't rule anything out yet.

No, Wataya. Given the situation, I doubt this was a suicide.

Why do you say that?

Notice anything strange about those glasses over there?

Well, if I was a high school girl, I'd probably think they looked lame!

That's not what I mean... People who take their own lives

generally care about their appearance before they die...

A girl her age, literally, wouldn't be caught dead wearing glasses like those.

How do you know? Maybe she was just weird and liked the way they looked on her?

Open your eyes and tell me if she's wearing them in her school ID.

This girl doesn't normally wear her glasses. She only puts them on if she has to.

You're right.

Wouldn't be the first time. Now start using your brain, Detective.

Sorry.

Professor Sonobe, with your skilled educator's eye,

do you believe you saw the freshman student, Ayumu Narumi, commit this horrid crime?

As one of the teachers here, I don't want to place blame on anyone...

but I did see young Mr. Narumi... standing exactly where Sayoko fell from.

That's eyewitness testimony, folks!

How do you feel about these accusations?

I already told you once, I didn't do it...

Besides, what kind of an idiot would try to kill someone

by pushing them onto a truck parked not fifty feet below?

Only, today, the truck just happened to be parked there.

Any other day, any other time,

it would have been a straight shot right to the pavement.

Care to explain this exciting new development in the story, Ayumu?

I don't have to explain anything to you...

But you look like you have something more to say.

Yeah, who are you anyway?

I am a sophomore at the Tsukiomi Academy, three-nine grade point average,

and head of the school newspaper... Hiyono Yuizaki!

Enough, young lady.

It's my job to question the witnesses here, not yours.

This is from Professor Sonobe's sworn testimony.

"Actually, I just transferred to this school a few days ago.

So I've taken to exploring the campus during my lunch."

"As I turned the corner I heard a girl scream.

Naturally, I looked around to see what was happening."

"Then I saw her fall, with the auard rail in tow. Everything froze for a moment.

When she hit the around, instinctively, I went to help her.

Then I looked up and saw Mr. Narumi standing there.

He didn't seem to rush to help."

That's his statement word for word. It makes you nervous.

I'm trained to see that kind of thing...

Now, tell me again, what were you doing up on that roof, boy?

Like I said before, I was taking a nap...

I got up, and as I was headed back downstairs, I heard someone scream,

so I checked to see what it was all about. Don't like it? That's your problem.

Inspector, he obviously did it!

Calm down.

Now, when you were on the landing,

did you notice anyone else in the immediate vicinity?

Sure didn't... It was only me.

What a grade A moron! By saying that, you just placed yourself as the only person

in the whole world who could've pushed Sayoko off that landing!

You are the guilty party!

You know, I don't have time for this. If I don't get home soon...

I'm going to be in trouble up to my eyeballs.

Oh, is your mommy aonna yell at you?

Not quite.

It's his gorgeous sister who will be mad at him...

if he doesn't hurry home right now and get a nice dinner ready.

Huh?!

Sometimes I'm amazed you made detective... What's my full name, Wataya?

Inspector Madoka Narumi.

Good. Now tell me his full name.

Ayumu Naru- That's the... same name.

Brilliant deduction, you get a cookie.

You mean this kid is...

This kid is my brother-in-law.

What!?

I'm going to let you go. I just hope you realize

what kind of trouble you've gotten yourself into this time.

Trouble and I are friends... I'm getting used to him.

I swear that girl is such a freak.

Wow... So That inspector is actually Ayumu's older sister-in-law.

This story is aonna explode in the headlines!

What is this supposed to be?

It's just what it looks like - curry.

Of course it's curry... I'm not blind.

I just thought we'd be eating what I wanted for dinner...

You promised a Mediterranean bouillabaisse and mountain risotto!

Where is the complex aroma of the saffron?

The fresh, tender mussels and scallops? I don't ask. I just want good food.

I was busy being treated like a criminal all day.

Sorry I didn't have time to prepare your feast before your arrival, Queen Madoka.

And what have we here?

I thought it was strange that you didn't even dirty a pot making dinner,

but this is the last straw... A baa of pre-made heat-&-serve curry!

Wow... Nothing gets past you, does it?

Are you mocking me?!

I can't believe it's been two years since he disappeared...

Two longest years of my life.

I never noticed before, but you've kind of got an attitude at work.

Many people inexperienced in the real world confuse professionalism

with a bad attitude.

Maybe. But you can't say the people you work with would call you 'nice'...

Ow.

You can't get mad at me for speaking the truth.

Seriously, you know things don't look good for you, right?

If a judge or jury gets a look at your testimony,

you stand out as the only possible suspect.

Sure didn't... It was only me.

Those few words could pin you as the culprit.

It's highly unlikely that this is a case of suicide.

And it looks more like someone pushed the poor girl than it does a simple accident.

Honestly, Ayumu, as it stands now,

it looks like you were the one who pushed her over the railing.

So unless someone used a "special trick" we couldn't see, then I am the only suspect?

What kind of "special trick?"

Figure out the trick and you'll find the real culprit.

You've gotta give me more than that. What's this trick about?

Well... I'm just an amateur, Madoka. I don't know for sure.

I guess I'll wash the dishes.

You lie. You've figured it out already.

No, but if I were you, I'd have someone keep an eye on Sonobe.

Remember how he talked about the truck

like he was some kind of expert on the parking lot?

How could someone know that having only worked there for a couple of days?

Good point.

No one would have known that kind of detail

unless they spent some time keeping an eye on that spot.

In other words, he really did his homework when he cased the area around that landing.

But he rushed right over to her when she hit the around.

Meaning that if he did push her... he would have had to run down the stairs

just as quickly as she fell. Even faster. The story doesn't hold water. Sorry.

That's what I'm getting at. Unless someone pulled some kind of magic trick,

I'm the only one who could have pushed her.

Not to mention, Sonobe did make a point to shout at me at the crime scene.

Did you do this?! Did you push her off of there?!

When he said that every eye down there turned and looked at me.

It was in that brief moment that he picked something up and slipped it into his pocket.

Earth to Ayumu, you still with us?

You should really work on not being so introverted...

Unless you speak your mind, you'll just be found guilty.

I'm not really that concerned about it.

How could you not be concerned about being the prime suspect?

Because I'm just a lowly high school freshman.

You're the police inspector, I'll leave the detective work to you.