January 6th, 9:00 AM.
After breakfast, everyone gathered in the main room. Tohka was currently chasing Origami around the table, desperately trying to stop her from diving into Shido's lap. Natsumi had jumped onto the table with her tail fully puffed up, glaring warily at Miku.
Mikoto was pouring tea for everyone, her tail wagging gently back and forth, looking to be in a very good mood. Kotori, anwhile, was deep in conversation with Reine.
Kaguya and Yuzuru were currently engaged in a heated ga of rock paper scissors to decide who got the last sakura shrimp rice cracker. However, since both of their arms had turned into wings, this match was unlikely to reach a conclusion even after the tea went cold.
Nia was framing the scene with her fingers, seemingly planning to use this chaotic sight as reference material for her manga. By the way, to make up for the severe emotional trauma she suffered yesterday, Yoshino—following Yoshinon's advice—was currently sitting comfortably in Shido's lap, happily enjoying head pats from the boy.
"Everyone, regarding the recent incident, please listen to Reine's analysis."
After finishing her discussion with Reine, Kotori turned to the group and announced. The room temporarily quieted down as everyone focused on Reine.
"Let's start with the conclusion."
Reine turned on a projector, casting a holographic screen into the air.
"This incident has absolutely nothing to do with animal spirit possession."
"Just as I thought..."
Hearing Reine's words, Mikoto nodded. Even though she had suggested the possibility of animal spirits, she herself didn't really believe that the current situation was the work of animal spirits. That was exactly why she had called Reine.
"Everyone's Spirit Waves show significant discrepancies compared to our normal records. Based on our analysis, the conclusion is—there is magical energy mixed in."
Magical energy. The supernatural power generated by Realizers, and the core foundation Wizards relied on to fight Spirits.
"If that's the case, then that laboratory really must belong to DEM..."
Hearing Reine's words, Shido imdiately thought of DEM. After all, the only organizations capable of producing Realizers in the modern world were DEM and Ratatoskr.
"I'm afraid that's not the case. According to our investigation, just as the village headman said, that laboratory belongs to the governnt."
Kotori waved her Chupa Chups and replied.
"In other words, they were secretly researching Realizers."
Mikoto instantly understood the full picture. Magical energy—it was a powerful energy source capable of generating Territories that could freely alter the laws of physics within their boundaries.
This kind of zero emission, pollution free, physics defying energy source was sothing any nation would desperately want to monopolize. Frankly, it would be far more surprising if the governnt wasn't conducting secret research on Realizers.
"So you're saying all of this is the result of a Territory?"
Shido confird with Reine. Judging by what Reine was saying, this entire phenonon was likely caused by a Territory.
"Correct. Our preliminary hypothesis is that the Realizer in question is a failed prototype."
Reine explained. It was an abandoned laboratory, after all. Even if there was a Realizer left inside, it was highly likely to be a discarded, defective unit.
"We don't know the exact trigger, but that Realizer undoubtedly activated. And the Territory it generated has completely enveloped this entire town."
Reine switched the screen, displaying a map. With the laboratory at the epicenter, a massive Territory covered the entire village.
"Impossible. Without a Wizard to operate it, a Territory cannot enact any changes. Unless they are using a secondary Realizer to control it..."
As an actual Wizard, Origami frowned. A Territory alters the environnt within its borders according to the will of the operating Wizard. In other words, without a Wizard, the world inside a Territory remains perfectly normal. At least, that was how it was supposed to work. For large scale battleships, Realizers could not only generate magical energy but also automatically manage and control it.
"Regarding the 'Wizard,' based on our analysis of the Territory, we have concluded that the 'Wizard' controlling it... is every single person in this town."
Reine stated.
Because it was a failed prototype, its performance couldn't be judged by common sense. This Realizer had captured the collective subconscious thoughts of the townspeople, rged them together, and manifested them into reality in the form of an urban legend.
"Normally, even a trained Wizard cannot easily manipulate a Territory. However..."
Origami tried to object, but eventually stopped herself. She realized that for a machine that was already a failed prototype to begin with, it could activate under any bizarre condition, and whatever effects it produced wouldn't be strange at all.
Honestly, if it could successfully deploy a Territory perfectly under a Wizard's control, it wouldn't have been discarded as a failure in the first place.
"But even so... turning people into sothing resembling animal spirit possessions, and even making them grow actual ears and tails... Is a Realizer really capable of doing sothing like that?"
Shido asked in disbelief.
"Stupid Shido, don't tell you forgot about dical Realizers?"
Kotori bit her Chupa Chups and sighed helplessly.
"Ah..."
Because he had his healing flas, Shido almost never used dical Realizers. But thinking about it carefully, a piece of equipnt capable of regenerating almost any non fatal injury would obviously have a massive degree of interference over the human body.
"To sum it up, everyone's physical changes are the result of the Realizer. It most likely manifested the townspeople's collective expectation of what would happen if 'the Shrine Maiden failed the exorcism.'"
Kotori summarized.
"However, because you are all Spirits, this Territory cannot interfere with you using normal logic. So instead, the outco shifted, ultimately manifesting your subconscious desires."
Reine added.
"Wait a minute! I never heard about this part! What do you an by 'manifesting our subconscious desires'!?"
Kotori looked shocked.
"In other words, the original scenario of 'failing the exorcism and being possessed by animals' rged with the subconscious desire of 'wanting to receive Shin's affection.' As a result, it manifested the outco of 'turning into cute little animals to be pampered by Shin.'"
Reine explained flatly.
Hearing Reine's words, the girls's faces instantly turned beet red. As the target of those affections, Shido was so overwheld with embarrassnt that he had no idea what to do, opting to awkwardly scratch his cheek and stare intensely at the ceiling.
"Anyway! This broken Realizer captures the thoughts of the people inside its Territory and turns them into reality. Right now, it's only manifesting harmless ghost stories. But if we leave it alone, things could get much, much worse."
Blushing furiously, Kotori forcefully steered the conversation back on track.
"That's true. Leaving this alone is incredibly dangerous."
Mikoto nodded in agreent. Even within the realm of ghost stories, there were highly destructive legends, like the rumor of evil oni living in the mountains. Not to ntion, if the machine started manifesting malicious thoughts like, "I hate that guy, he should just die," or "I wish my awful boss would get into a car crash," the situation would spiral completely out of control.
"Exactly. We have to stop this."
Shido nodded firmly.
"Then it's decided. Let our date (war) begin."
Biting her Chupa Chups, Kotori declared with absolute determination.
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