Chapter 188: Threads in Motion
Ren fast-walked out of the canteen to the bathroom. Once inside, he slipped into a stall and locked the door.
"Rika… give me my phone."
A small black spot opened in the air beside him, and from it a pale finger slowly pushed a phone into view. Ren grabbed it, lips twitching faintly.
'It's been a while since I held this. I gave it to Rika long ago, but after the binding vow during the fight with Geto sealed her, I lost access to everything in her storage. This phone was just one of the many things… I really should buy a new one. Ugh. Anyway, her number… it was… there. Got it.'
He put the phone to his ear. Somewhere far away, in another country, a phone rang.
A woman sipping tea picked it up. "Hello, who is this?"
Ren spoke in an amused tone. "How have you been, Ogami?"
The instant she heard his voice, Ogami straightened, her tone sharpening into respect. "Oh… Master, it's you. I've been fine. My cursed technique is no longer in burnout. But how have you been? And… is this your personal number? I didn't know it was yours."
Ren leaned back against the stall wall, calm. "Yes. My last phone was destroyed in the battle. This one's my personal number. Good to hear you're fine. Don't worry about me. Have you collected what Mei Mei told you?"
"Yes," Ogami answered quickly. "I have the fragments of the black rope, and I also collected your last body. I tried investigating the cave, but I couldn't for long—the Congo government and sorcerers had already surrounded it. Still, the rope is sealed in the storage curse you gave me."
Ren smiled. "Good work. Don't worry about the investigation. That was secondary. You completed the first task perfectly. Now come back to Japan. I think I owe you an explanation."
Ogami's voice softened into devotion. "No, Master. Your word is order. I need no explanation."
Ren nearly laughed but stopped himself. "Alright then. Return to Japan. And one more thing—keep your eyes on the higher-ups. I want reports on everything, every move."
"You can rely on me, Master. I will not disappoint you."
"Enough flattery," Ren said lightly. "I still have classes to attend. Goodbye."
He ended the call.
Far away, Ogami lowered the phone, nearly chuckling. "Classes… What could anyone possibly teach him? Still, his tasks are precise. But what truly puzzles me is the master himself… That storage curse he gave me so casually—it's an artifact, tamed and obedient. Where did he find it? Did he create it? With someone who conceived of Project 'Rebirth,' perhaps even this is nothing… And his body—without a head, yet alive again. Unreal. Following him was the right choice. No doubt."
Back in Japan, Ren slipped the phone into his pocket and stepped out of the stall.
'Ogami's efficient—almost too efficient. A great servant, really. Smart, reliable. That's why I left Worm with her. Mei Mei only told her to gather the remnants at the cave because I told Mei Mei to. Everything was my plan—recover the black rope, and more importantly, recover my last body. Project Rebirth doesn't erase the corpse; it leaves it behind. Headless, proof of what I did. Ogami cleaned it all up. Perfect. Nothing left for anyone else to find.'
He walked out of the bathroom casually.
The day rolled on. Training, lectures, dull errands. He spent most of it with Maki, Panda, and Inumaki, playing his role as a student. When night fell, he lay once more on the floor of his dorm, blanket under him, Maki asleep on the bed.
'Things are moving fast. I didn't want to contact Ogami so soon, not before completing Red Stitch. The Interschool Evaluation will be here before the month's end… I wonder if Todo and the rest will be there. Looks like I'll meet the whole cast earlier than I thought. But no… not yet. Without Rika, I'm still weak. I need Red Stitch complete. Stronger. Sharper. And all the understanding I need… is already on its way back to Japan.'
Ren closed his eyes, mind still threading theories together.