（リュート・カーマイン…！？）
　本人からのアプローチに、探しているのがバレたのかと焦ったエルザだったが、それも数瞬の事で、すぐに頭を切り替えてリュートに向き直る。
「私の事を？」
　エルザの問いにキョトンとした表情を返したリュートは、今気付いたとばかりに頷いた。
「うん？…ああ、うん、そうか、キミはボクを知らないのか、うん、うん。ボクはリュート・カーマイン、”発明卿”の孫といえば、大体理解してもらえると思う。以前のパーティーで、といってもキミと同じくボクもパーティーにはあまり出席しないから、最近の話じゃなくて何年も前の…そう、キミがまだハイスクールに居た頃だったかな、キミとアイーナ君が一緒に事件を解決して、二人揃って”こちら”に仲間入りした年のパーティーだ、あの時にキミを見て覚えていたんだよ、だって秘密結社なんてナンセンスな連中を解体まで追い込んで事件を解決したのが、”こちら”の社交界にデビューする前のシュトラヘルツとフォックスライダーの娘だったなんてね、印象深かったからよく覚えているんだ、うん、うん。けど、ボクがキミを覚えていたからって、話したのはこれが初めてだものな、うん、うん、知らないのも無理はない」
　外見に似合わず高い声で話すリュートは、一人勝手に納得している。言いたい事を一気に捲し立てて自己完結する話し方は、天才或いはイカれた研究者によく見られる特徴だ。
「まぁいいや。ちょっとね、キミに訊いてみたい事があって声を掛けたんだよ、ゴーストの事件を担当しているんだからね、色々思う所もあるだろう、うん、うん、それで、ゴーストに関してキミが何を感じたか、質問してみたくてね」
「…と、いうと？」
「断らないんだね、ボクの話が事件解決のヒントになるかもと考えているのかい、それは正しい、うん、うん、実に正しい判断だ、専門家の話は耳を傾けるに値する貴重なヒントとなるからね、うん、うん。けれどこれからボクがする質問はキミの役に立つかどうかは解らないよ、うん、うん、それならいっそ僕の発明品を使ってくれた方が何倍も役に立つ」
「っ…、それで、ご質問というのは？」
　何ともまどろっこしい。溜まっていた鬱憤もあり思わず怒鳴りつけたい衝動に駆られたエルザは、それを察知してそっと背に添えられたミフィの手の感触に我に返ると、全神経を総動員して冷静を心掛ける。やっと目的の相手を目の前にしているのだ、下手に喧嘩腰の態度で話を中断させてしまっては、パーティーに出席した意味が無くなってしまう。
「そうだね、つまらない事で話を長引かせても仕方がないよね、うん、うん。エルザ君、ゴーストは何故、ゴーストという存在になるのかな。残留思念、怨念、ネクロマンシー、ゴーストとして化けて出るケースは様々だけれど、何故彼等が生前の姿を取るのか、不思議に思った事はないかい？そもそもゴーストを構成している、俗にいう霊体って、何だと思う？」
「…えっ？そ、それは、魂なのではありませんか？」
　一瞬、ネクロマンサーの知識で受け答えをしそうになったがそれを呑み込み、当たり障りのない回答を返す。それに気を悪くするでもなく、リュートはますます饒舌になっていく。

「うん、うん、魂、そうだね、そう考えるのが妥当だ、では、その魂とは一体何なのだろう？魂は肉体を器とした生命の源とするのが一般的だね、けれどゴーストとなった魂にはその人の人格、知識や経験、記憶…それだけではなく外見まで残っている、それは魂が自分という自我意識の境界線を生きている内にそういうものとして認識し、自我に合った形を作り上げているからだ、うん、うん、けれどそれでは肉体の意味とは何だろう、魂が持つ自我は、肉体が持つ脳に蓄積された情報で作り上げられたものではないのか？例えば憑依だ、憑りつかれて別人のようになったなんて症例はよく見られるけれど、魂が肉体から得た情報で己というものを形作るとするなら、別の肉体に入り込んだ本人のものではない魂は、何故魂に残る情報と食い違う情報を持つ肉体を操れるのか、何故憑依している魂は肉体の持つ情報の影響を受けないのか、何故肉体との繋がりを持たない別人の魂が肉体を操れるのか、憑依された側の魂への影響はどんなものか？そうそう、これについては、幽霊に憑依の仕組みを訊いてみたという内容のレポートを読んでみたら面白い事が書いてあったな、本人達の弁によれば『二人羽織のような感覚』だそうだよ、じゃあ幽霊が肉体の本来の持ち主である魂を包み込んで、外部から操り人形のように動かしているのか、というとそうでもない、ちゃんと自分の体として動かしている感覚だというから驚きだ。これはボクなりに、幽霊がその人の魂と肉体との繋がりに横から自分を割り込ませて、繋がりに対して別回線を用いる形でハックしているからではないか、と考えている。幽霊になる要因については諸説あるけれど、その中に魂が別の存在に変質したという説があるね、あれは当たらずとも遠からずなんじゃないかな？」
（そうだ、幽霊は妖怪のように強い想いから産まれる事こそ同じだが、魂が己の強い思念を以て”生まれ換わった”存在であるとされ、生から死せし生へという、無から生命を得た妖怪とは一線を画す存在として認知されている。そしてネクロマンシーを用いたゴーストとの大きな違いは、負の生命を持つか否か。術で偽りの生命を与え呼び覚ましたアンデッドと違い、”自然発生”した者は己が元々持つ純粋な生命をそのまま持つ。アンデッドと同質とされながら異質、故に幽霊という存在は妖怪が跳梁跋扈する現代においても、妖怪にカテゴライズされていながら不可解な存在なのじゃ…）
　死者が幽霊となるのは、死の間際に抱いた強い残留思念が単体で”人間の想いが妖怪を生むプロセス”に近い現象を起こし、己を妖怪として変質させているからだ、とする説が現在では有力である。これは妖怪の誕生に人間の想いが強く関わっている事からの派生理論だが、実は必ずしもこの説に当て嵌まるともいえない事が、近年になって解明されつつあった。
　何処ぞの暇人が幽霊にインタビューして回ったレポート（後に三月星幻遊が作成したと判明する）によれば、統計的には恨みから幽霊となった者は極少数で、大半が幽霊になった理由を「なんとなくなっていた」「気が付いたらなっていた」「そんなことよりおなかがすいたよ」「アニョーン？」等と回答している。…意味を成さない回答はともかく、悪霊に成り果てた者を含めても実に６割を超える幽霊が、怨恨とは無関係に幽霊と化しているのだ。それでもなお妖怪という存在に変質したとする説が支持されているのは、彼等が肉体を持たない存在でありながら、生者との間に子を設けている者まで居る事実を根拠に、妖怪という一つの生物と成り得たからこそ可能な事、としているからだ。もっとも、これにも未だ解明されていない謎が依然として残っていた。
　妖怪を先祖に持ち、時代を経る内に妖怪の血が薄まっていき普通の人間として生まれた子孫が、突如先祖返りを起こす事は多々あるが、それで幽霊となった者など皆無だ。反面、幽霊との間に設けた子は普通の人間（或いは相手の妖怪種）として産まれ、極稀に生まれながらの幽霊となる事はある。そして、人間と妖怪、異種の妖怪同士では双方の特徴を併せ持った混血となるのに対し、幽霊は普通の人間（妖怪）か幽霊か、このどちらかの純血のみ（幽霊同士の場合は必ず純血の人間、ただし例外なく短命、非常に偏った異能者となる宿命を持つ）となる。つまり妖怪の子孫には起こり得る隔世遺伝が、幽霊には全く見られないのだ。このような違いが何故起きるのか、肉体を持たない彼等が何故子孫を残せるのかという謎が、理論上は幽霊を古知の妖怪種と位置付けておきながらも、未だ謎多き存在たらしめている一因となっている。
　加えて、彼等における「死」ともいえる、成仏や昇天といった概念だ。現世に執着する心残り、それは恨みであったり愛情であったり様々で、それらが満たされた幽霊は成仏／昇天するとされている中、そのまま居着いてしまったりする者や、この世に留まったとしても、お経を聞いたり強い霊力を浴びせられただけでうっかり成仏しかかったり、祈りに安らぎを与えられてつい天に召されたりする者も居る。その「ユルさ」が彼等の謎を余計に、まさにややこしくしているのだった。
「それともうひとつ、例えばポルターガイスト。いくらゴーストになったからって、超能力者でもないのにそれが自分にできるかどうかなんて、解りっこないだろう？まぁ、世間一般じゃゴーストが起こす現象だと知れ渡っているし、ゴーストやってる内にできる事を理解するのかもしれないけれどね、うん、うん、でも、情報を得る為の脳を失っているのに、彼等はどうやって”自分がゴーストになっていて、そういう事ができる”と知り得ているんだろう？」
　…そしてそれは、ランにも言える事だった。死して怨霊と化した少女、彼女は霊となってなお、成長している…。
「僕はあの魂が別の存在に変質した説に一つの可能性を見出したんだ、ゴーストとは魂が一種のエネルギー生命体に変化したものなのではないか、なんてね」
「え、エネルギー生命体…！？」
　ここで初めてエルザの顔が引き攣った。オカルト話かと思えば、これではまるでＳＦの考証だ。しかし、脳裏によぎった調査の手掛かりが、リュートの話と結びつく。実験データの内容、化学的なアプローチによる人工のアンデッド創造。引き攣った顔を瞬時に引き締めた。
「おかしな話ではない筈だし、少なくとも魔術師やってるキミには否定できる要素も無いはずだよ、うん、うん、何しろ世界には魔力や流体エイテルといった、現代科学では未だ解明されていない、存在すら認められていない因子がごまんと満ちている、ならエネルギー生命体だって存在しているかも分からないだろう？ボクがこう考えるようになったのは、ゴーストが起こす怪奇現象だ、彼等は電波のように霊波を発している、それは微弱な振動値と周波数を持っていて、物質に何らかの干渉をする事ができるんだ。さっきも言ったポルターガイストは言うに及ばず、念動力に近い指向性の力を発している訳だ、他にはラジオなんかが良い例だね、どこからか声が聞こえると思ったら、トラックの無線を受信して微かに震えるスチール棚から聞こえていた、なんて事があるように、ラジオの電波に同調した霊波が彼等の声をこちらに届けたりする、うん、うん。それだけじゃない、霊波と相性の良いもの、多くはかつての愛用品だったり、人の形を模した依代、霊的影響の高い水晶、磁気テープやアナログカメラのフィルムなんかもそうかな、それに怨念を宿したり姿を写したりなんかもするね、まるで記録媒体として扱っているかのように。物質界に干渉可能な波長、それは一種のエネルギーと呼んでも差し支えないんじゃないかい？」
（やばい、こいつの理論、面白い）
　魔法使いは永遠の探究者とも呼ばれる。ただでさえ死霊術を研究してきたネクロマンサーたる身だ、リュートが調査の対象だという警戒心がありつつも知的欲求が刺激され、つい引き込まれそうになる。
　そしてふとリュートの目を見て…エルザは戦慄した。
「お…面白い理論ですね。そんな事、思い付きも、しませんでした…」
　急速に渇き出した喉を鳴らし、やっと絞り出したエルザの言葉。それを意にも介していないのか、リュートは無邪気な笑顔になった。
「面白い、か。うん、うん、そうか、なら、この研究は続けるだけの価値はありそうだ、もし違っていても、それが間違いだという事は解るんだから。ああ、なんだか質問したかった事とはかけ離れた、キミには何の利もない話をしてしまったのは申し訳ないな、お詫びに明日にでも、キミの捜査に役に立ちそうな道具を贈らせてもらうよ、うん、うん、じゃあボクはこれで失礼するよ、ありがとうエルザ君」
　そう言ってエルザの返答も待たず去っていくリュート。その背を見送ったエルザの足下がぐらりとふらつき、ミフィが慌てて肩を支えた。
「ど、どうしたお嬢！？」
「あやつ…！」
　ミフィは見た。そのまま帰るつもりなのか、ボーイに二言三言を告げて老執事を伴いホールを出ていくリュートの背を睨み付けるエルザの目に、見た事の無い焦燥が浮かんでいるのを。
「奴の研究心は純粋そのものだった、それは間違いない。だがあの目、あれは儂を見ておらなんだ、奴の目には研究以外何も映っておらぬ…他人を全く映さぬ純粋な目、あんなもの、どう判断しろというのじゃ…！」
　苦々しげに言うエルザの、その言葉通りの目をした人間を想像して…ミフィは首筋が冷たくなったような錯覚を覚えた。
　足元の更に下で、鈍い地響きと微かな揺れを感じたのは、その時である。

　まばらに姿を見せる宿泊客と巡回している警備員達は、その揺れを軽い地震だと捉え、驚きこそしたがさほど取り乱した様子は見られなかった。が、次いで照明が消え、辺りが暗闇に支配されると、徐々に動揺の波が広がっていった。
　電子ロックが開けられず部屋に戻れなくなった者や不安気に身を寄せ合う者達は、今度は頭上からの振動に身を竦ませる。警備員達も皆、何事が起きているのかと確認を取ろうとするが、インカムはただ不規則なノイズを返すのみ。いち早く気付いたものは既に行動を起こしていたが、それが一体何を意味するのかを予測できずにいる者達はただ、不安を悪戯に募らせる事しかできない。
　その隙間を縫うように、いち早く気付いた者の内の一人、コルが己の感覚だけを頼りに駆け抜けていった。
（ジャミングされてる！それに先程の振動に混じって爆発音が聞こえた…いえ、あれは銃声？電力がストップし、予備電源も恐らく殺された、まさか襲撃を受けているというの！？）
　舌打ち一つインカムを投げ捨てると、階段を跳ぶように昇っていく。ホテル内の電力が完全に損なわれ、エレベーターはストップしている、自分の足だけが頼りだった。中に閉じ込められた宿泊客には悪いが、救出に手間を割く訳にはいかない。
　このホテルは発電施設から配電を受けておらず、不意の停電や支部としての機能を損なう目的での人為的な送電妨害を防ぐ為、そして有事の際にホテルを避難施設とする為に、地下に備えた数基の発電機で自家発電を行い、全館の電力をまかなっている。メインの発電機に異常が発生しても、余剰電力を蓄えた予備電源に切り替わり、理論上は無駄に電気を使用しても丸一週間は保つという規模の設備だ。若干やり過ぎともいえる余裕をもって供給される電力がストップし、更に備蓄した電力も使用されない。発電室で人為的なトラブルがあったと想像するに十分な理由である。
（二回目に起きた振動にも爆発音が混じって聞こえた。上からという事は、パーティ会場で何か起きているんだわ！地下も気になるけれど、お嬢様方の安全を確保しなければ…）
　地下では若干名の警備員に混じり、あのランを風雲快男児に変貌せしめた宝石商のオーナー・ベアが、コルと同じように駆り出されて警備に当たっている。傭兵を引退する原因ともなった傷は、彼から全盛期の頃の戦闘能力を奪い去っていたが、傭兵時代は敵兵を巻き込んで”うっかり”地雷原で転び、手持ちの手榴弾まで含めて周辺一帯を連鎖爆発させても、多数の擦り傷切り傷と骨一本の骨折とむさ苦しいストリーキングで済んでいた彼の事だ、オカマとなった今現在とて生半可な事では負けはしまい。なら、自分はシュトラヘルツ家侍従長としての責務を果たさせてもらおう。
　会場はホテル最上階の１０階。配置決めのクジで２階警備を引いてしまった己のクジ運の無さを呪いながら、コルは階段を吹き上がる疾風と化した。

　ピンクちゃんがそれに気付いたのは偶然だ。
　小さな地震の後に照明が消え、一向に予備電源に切り替わる事なく、窓から差し込む月明かりだけが照らす会場内。ケータイや特殊能力を用いて明かりを確保した各々のざわめきに紛れて、確かに聞こえたのだ。絨毯の上でくぐもった音だったが忘れもしない、戦場で嫌という程聞いた、金属とプラスチックによる重量を主張する、重さと軽さが同居した鈍くて無骨な硬い音。
（パイナップル！？）
　血の気が引くより早く、殆ど条件反射で体が動いていた。不安から身を寄せ合うようにしていた三人が一箇所に固まっているのを幸いに、両手を広げ、背中から蝙蝠を連想させるサキュバスの翼を服が破けるのにも構わず大きく広げ壁を作り、ラン達と音のした方向の間に自分を割り込ませると、懐かしい熱が背中を撫でていき、鋭い痛みと激しい衝撃がピンクちゃんを襲った。同時に、ホールの各所で衝撃と閃光が立て続けに生じ、悲鳴と怒号が飛び交う。
「ば、爆弾！？」
「そんな…まさかここが襲撃されるなんて…ピンクさん！」
　アイーナが驚愕の声を上げ、ランとキュイが絶句する。そして、月明かりの中に倒れ込んだピンクちゃんの惨状に、すぐに自分達が彼女に守られたのだと理解した。服が破れ晒された背中には細かい破片が無数に突き刺さり、不必要なほどの色気で男を魅了する筈の肌を火傷と裂傷で醜く変貌させ、広げられた翼は無残に切り裂かれ力なく垂れ下がっていたのだ。おびただしい量の出血が白いエプロンを紅く染めていく。
「え、えうぅ…血が…いっぱい出て…」
　出血を見て貧血を起こしかけているキュイが喘ぐように言うと、ランはすぐさま周囲に視線を走らせた。流石に手慣れたもので、爆発のあった各地点で腕に覚えのある者が警戒する中、爆発に巻き込まれた者の応急処置が始まっており、その中にエルザの姿を探してみれば、爆発に巻き込まれたらしいミフィの治療に当たっていた。
　闇属性を持つネクロマンサーたるエルザは、反属性となる光属性に多く分類される治癒術が苦手（膨大な魔力を有する為にそれと気付かれていないが、何故か弟子の雪恋も火属性なのに水属性ではなく光属性が苦手）である為、使えはするものの一瞬で傷を癒せるという訳ではなく、治療には時間をかけねばならなかった。それでも早急な治療には有効的である事に変わりは無い。だからミフィの傷が致命的なものではなさそうだと判断し、ピンクちゃんの治療をを優先してもらうべく、エルザを呼ぼうとしたランだったが、その腕を掴む者が居た。
　捕まれた腕を引かれ、体がつんのめる。この非常時に誰が、と苛立ち振り返ったランの目に、信じられないものが飛び込み、息を呑んだ。

『　ミ　ツ　ケ　タ　』
　そこに、自分の目の前に居る自分が、たどたどしくそう言った。
　鏡ではない、何故ならドレスで着飾ったランの前に立つのは、今よりもやや幼い”怨念を抱いていた頃”の姿をして、今にも闇に溶け込みそうなボロ布を身に纏ったランだったのだから。もう一人のランは、これまで自分が決して果たせなかった無邪気な笑顔を…しかし潜在的な恐れを抱かせる、途轍もなく空虚な笑みを貼り付け、ぬっと手を伸ばし自分の腕を掴んだ。頭のどこかで抗う事を考えるも緩慢な動きのそれを拒む事ができず、触れる細い指の感触に、ぞくり、と体の芯で寒気にも似た怖気を感じる。
『”　ワ　タ　シ　タ　チ　　”　ノ　ト　コ　ロ　ニ　カ　エ　ロ　ウ　？』
「あ…あ、あなたは誰…私達って、な…何を、言って…」
　ランの腕を掴むもう一人のランが、ランの腕を引いた。振り解こうとするが吸い付いているかのように離れない。続けて触れられている部分が異様に冷たくなったと思うと、二人のランの”向こう側”が透けて見えた。自分の意思に関係なく勝手に体が幽体化したのだ。
　かつての自分の姿をした存在を目にして止まっていた思考が、己の体の支配権を奪われたかの如き理解不能な現象に急加速で恐怖に支配され、ランの表情が恐れに歪んだ。
「いやっ、は、離して、イヤぁ！」
「小お嬢様が二人！？」
「あなた、何をして…ランさんを連れ去るおつもり！？」
　ランの悲鳴で異常に気付いた二人が、慌てて二人のランを引き剥がそうとするが、その手は空しくすり抜けてしまう。助けを呼ぼうと見渡せば、そこではいつの間にか異形の者達の戦いが始まっていた。力を持たぬ者を護る能力者、正体を現したモンスターと、黒い”何か”の集団との対峙は、個々の力は出席者達の方が遥かに上回っているものの、如何せん数で圧されている上に多人数を護りながらの戦いは優勢とは言い難かった。エルザもまた、ミフィと近くに居る者を背に大立ち回りを演じているが、大勢の前という事もあり、魔法使いという正体を隠す為に本来の実力を発揮できず、加えて乱戦状態であるが故に広範囲魔術の行使すら封じられ苦戦する様は、とても助けを乞える状況には思えなかった。

　そうしている間にも二人のランの力の拮抗は徐々に崩れていく。外に引き出そうというのか、もう一人のランが自分の体を壁にめり込ませて引っ張り、浮遊して抗い上昇しようとするランの身体をじりじりと壁に近付けていった。
「駄目ですわ！幽体化されていては、私達には手出しが…」
「小お嬢様、実体化して頂ければ私の力なら！」
「できないのっ、体が勝手に幽体化して…っ！」
　必死にもがくランの愕然とした叫びに、倒れていたピンクちゃんが反応した。激痛で思うように動かない体を叱咤して跳ね起き、スカートから引き抜いたナイフをもう一人のランに向かって振るう。
「くぉんの…小お嬢様から離れろ！！」
　ピンクちゃんの振るうナイフはコルの銃弾同様エンチャントされている。物理効果を一切受け付けない幽霊が相手、他に手出しをできる者が居ないとなれば、頼れるのは自分の持つナイフのみ。護衛メイドとしての意地が体を動かしていた。
（離さないなら、その腕を切り落としてやる！）
　半分ほど体を壁の中に潜り込ませていたもう一人のランの腕に、ナイフの刃が迫る。瞬間、床一面に広がる影が液体のように盛り上がり、質量を持った壁となってナイフの軌道を逸らされてしまった。踏ん張りが効かず体勢を崩した背中を塊となった影に殴打され、倒れ込んだピンクちゃんは苦悶の声を上げる。
「おっとと、最近のメイドは物騒だねェ、そんなアブないモン振り回しちゃってサァ。さァてと、オマエラも邪魔だよゥ、どけてろ」
「「キャアア！」」
　影は更に勢いよく膨れると、アイーナとキュイを弾き飛ばした。キュイは咳込みながらもすぐに起き上ったが、アイーナは衝撃で気を失ったのか、ぐったりとしたまま動かなくなった。
「なんだあっちはただのニンゲンかァ？ちょっと突き飛ばしたくらいで気絶しやがって…ノッポの方は体捌きがまるきりなってねェ期待ハズレのド素人ときた、一番楽しめそうなコイツはバカみてェにグレネードの爆風喰らってて歯応えねェしよゥ。ツマンネェな」
　不定形に人の形を成した影の、顔の部分に目玉と口が浮き上がり、挑発的に口端を釣り上げてピンクちゃんの脇腹を蹴った。
「がっ…あんた、シャドウ・ストーカーか…！周りで戦ってる黒いのも…」
「ケケ、正解、その通りだよゥ。ああでも残念、ワリィなァ、正解の賞品は、目の前でこのガキが連れ去られるのを阻止できなかった、ってェ後悔の念なんだなァ、これがサァ。んじゃなー」
「ま、待って、小お嬢様を返して…！小お嬢様ぁ！！」
「キュイさん…！」
　懸命に手を伸ばすキュイを嘲笑うように、影が二人のランを抱き込むように纏わりつき、床に消えようとした時、各所で影が爆ぜた。ホールに駆け付けたコルの放つ銃弾が次々と撃ち込まれ、それまでの戦闘で脆くなっていた部分もろとも影を引きちぎっていく。弾切れを起こした銃を手放し次の銃に素早く持ち替え、四方八方に居る影を正確に撃ち抜きながら何挺もの銃をばら撒くように疾走するコルの目が、影に飲まれようとするランを捉えた。その行く手を阻まんとする影を一足で飛び越え、空中からシャドウ・ストーカーに狙いを定め、躊躇なく引き金を引く。
　そして鋼の弾ける音に、コルの目が見開かれた。
「！？」
「…遊ぶなと言ったはずだ。目的は達成した、離脱する」
「アンタか…ケケ、礼は言っとくかなァ、流石にあれ喰らったらオレでもシャレにならねぇもんな」
　発砲した瞬間、シャドウ・ストーカーとの間に割って入った人影が、銃弾を弾いたのだ。
「逃げられると思うな、ファッキンディック！」
　着地、ここまで温存しておいた二挺の３５７マグナムの同時射撃。再び鋼の弾ける音が生じ、二発分の火花が散った。堂々たる風格を醸し出す、額に十字傷を刻み野戦服を纏ったイエティにも見える大柄な男。その手に持った、デザートイーグルよりも一回り大きな超大型オートマチック・ハンドガンの銃身で、無造作にコルの放った銃弾を弾いたのだ。
「…生憎だが”バレット・スコール”、お前の銃弾はわたしには届かない、やめておけ。態々グリズリーの後を追う事もあるまい」
「！」
　油断なく男を狙っていたコルの銃が、ピクリと揺れた。
（今…なんて？）
「では、失礼する」
　男が床に向かって超大型ハンドガンを、しかも反動をものともせず片手で撃ち込むと、驚くべき事に一発の銃弾で床に大穴が空き、崩壊を始める。男の発言に一瞬、注意が逸れたのが致命的だった。反応できぬまま、およそ５発程度を狙いを変え床に撃ち込まれ、パーティ会場の床全体が崩れ落ちていく。
「こ…このおぉー！」
「むっ…！」
　沈んでいく床に成す術もなくへたり込んでいたキュイから、眩い閃光が迸る。それは偶然にもシャドウ・ストーカーの背に襲い掛かった。それを合図にしたかのように、暴れ回っていた影達が跡形もなく消えていく。
「うおぉっ！？」
「バカな事を！助けんとする相手ごと焼却するつもりか！」
　その言葉に、キュイはアイビームの照射を止めてしまった。その隙に、シャドウ・ストーカーの腕を抱えた野戦服の男は、二人のランを引き連れてテラスへと踊り出る。
「予想外な存在が居るようだ、それに予定よりも派手な事になってしまった…長居は不要ッ、撤退する！」
「クソがッ…そこの一つ目ェ！素人だろうが関係ねェ、これが終わったら、テメェはオレが殺してやる！」
いつホテル上空に来たのか、何処か場違いな民間ヘリから投下された縄梯子に男が足を掛けて体を固定すると、アイビームに焼かれたシャドウストーカーがキュイを睨みながら影の中に消えていく。抵抗を続けているランは、もう一人のランにそれすらも許さぬとばかりに抱き付かれ、ヘリの上昇に合わせて浮き上がっていった。
「く…逃がすものかッ！」
　コルが残った床に跳び移り追い縋ろうとするが、野戦服の男がその足元を撃ち抜き、床を砕く衝撃に後方へ吹き飛ばされてしまった。
「侍従長！」
　キュイの呼びかけを最後に、今度こそパーティー会場の床が完全に崩壊し、出席者達を呑み込んだ。エルザの、ミフィの、アイーナの安否を気遣う余裕もないまま、キュイもまた軽い浮遊感を全身に感じながら、瓦礫の中に飲み込まれていく。
　微かに、遠ざかっていくヘリのローター音に混じり、ランの悲痛な叫びが聞こえたような気がして…キュイは意識を失った。

(Ryuuto Carmine...!?)
Elza was flustered, thinking that maybe he had found that she was looking for him, and he himself approached her. But that was only for a few moments, and right away, she changed her thought process and turned towards Ryuuto.
"Were you talking to me?"
Elza asked with a puzzled expression. Ryuuto, just now realizing it, nodded.
"Yea? ...Ah, yea, that's right, you don't know who I am, yea, yea. I'm Ryuuto Carmine, I think you'll understand if I say that I'm the grandson of the "Lord Inventor". At the previous parties, I guess you and I didn't show up at the same ones, and this isn't something recent but several years ago... I suppose it was when you were still in high school, you and Aiina-kun solved that incident together, the party from the year when both of you together joined "this" group, I remember seeing you at that time, because you were almost finished resolving that incident with those guys and their secret society nonsense, and you were the daughters of Schtlehertz and Foxrider, before your debut in "this" society, it left a deep impression so I remember it quite well, yea, yeah. But, since I said I remembered you, this is the first time actually talking, yea, yea, so it can't be helped that you don't know me."
Ryuuto, talking in a high voice that didn't match his appearance, understood that this was all on his own. His way of blurting out everything he wanted to say all at once until he was satisfied was a trait often seen in geniuses or slightly mad scientists.
"Well. I kind of, had something I wanted to ask you so I talked to you, since you're in charge of the ghost incident, so you've probably thought about lots of things, yea, yea, so regarding the ghosts, what did you feel, is what I want to ask."
"...What are you saying?"
"I don't deny it, are you considering that my words might contain a hint to resolving this incident, that's correct, yea, yea, actually that is correct, listening to an expert can be a valuable and important hint, yea, yea. But I don't know if my question will be of any use to you, yea, yea, in that case using one of my inventions would be much more useful."
"...So, what is your question?"
Very slowly. Elza felt the urge to scream from her rising anger. Behind her, Mifi could sense it as it she accompanied her. Feeling the touch of Mifi's hand calmed her down, and she used all her feelings to calm herself down. Her goal was finally right in front of her, and if she ruined the conversation by acting hostile, then there would be no point to attending this party.
"That's right, there's no point in prolonging this conversation with boring things, yea, yea. Elza-kun, why do ghosts, become these things we call ghosts? Lingering attachments, grudge, necromacy, there are many different cases of becoming a ghost, but why do they take on the form of when they were alive, don't you think that's strange? Fundamentally, what ghosts are comprised of, what we call a ghostly body, what do you think it is?"
"...Eh? T, that is their soul, isn't it?"
For a moment, she was about to answer with her knowledge as a necromancer, but she caught herself and gave a standard answer. Ryuuto didn't take any offense at it, and started talking even more.

"Yea, yea, the soul, I see, looking at it that way is correct, so then, just what is this soul? It's generally thought that the soul is the origin of life that uses the body as a container, but a soul that becomes a ghost has that person's personality, knowledge and experiences, memories... and even their appearance, the soul recognizes itself and the boundary of its own self-consciousness when it was alive, so it creates its image to match itself, yea, yea, but then what point is there to the body, the self, which the soul contains, is created by the information which the brain stores, right? For example, being possessed, when someone's possessed it's like they're someone else and is often viewed as a medical problem, but if the soul takes form from the information that it obtains from the body, then how does a soul which invades another body which is not its own, manage to control a body which has different information than that which resides in the soul, why doesn't the possessing soul absorb information from the body, why does the soul which has no connection to the other body control it, and what influences does the soul of the body being possessed have? Yes, regarding that, there was a report investigating how this worked that I read that was quite interesting, to use his own words, it "felt like there were two people inside", so it wasn't like the ghost enveloped the soul that originally inhabited the body, and was making it more like a puppet, but rather it seemed like it was moving it as though it was their own body which was surprising. To me, a ghost is interrupting and severing the connection between a person's soul and body and using some other connection like a circuit like a hacker, don't you think? Regarding the reason to become a ghost, there are many opinions, but among them, one idea is that the soul transforms into a different existence, so that's not too far off, isn't it?"
(That's right, a ghost has strong emotions like a youkai so their birth is the same, but due to the soul's strong thoughts of "reborn", it goes from life to death and life. A youkai, which obtains life from nothing, has a clear demarcation that can be verified. And a ghost made by necromancy is completely different, as whether it has negative life or not. Unlike an undead, which uses magic to call forth a fake life, a "naturally occurring" one fundamentally keeps their original pure life. Like an undead, yet unlike, thus the existences known as ghosts are still roaming in this age. And while they are categorized as youkai, they are a mysterious existence...)
It is a common theory that the dead becoming a ghost, by embracing their strong lingering feelings at the moment of death, is very close to the occurrence of "the process of a youkai being born from human emotions", and it is turned into a youkai. This is based on the theory that the creation of youkai is strongly related to human emotions, but in reality, this isn't true 100% of the time, but even now, it is still continued to be refined.
According to a report where some person interviewed many ghosts (later identified to authored by Mitsukiboshi Genyuu), statistically the number of ghosts that were created from a grudge were very low, and the answer the majority of ghosts gave as a reason were things like "I just ended up as one" "When I became aware, I was one" "Who cares, I'm hungry" "Bwah?". ...These no-meaning answers, even when you include ghosts that were evil spirits, accounted for more than 60% of ghosts. And these ghosts became them despite having no connection to a grudge. There's a theory that their existence had changed to that of a youkai, and while they exist without having a physical body, the fact that the children they had while they were still alive still live is used as their foundation, and it's possible they became a youkai as a result of that. In any case, this is still a mystery that has not been explained yet.
Those who have youkai as their ancestors, even as their youkai blood had grown weaker over the generations and they were born as normal humans, can often have descendents where their ancestor's abilities suddenly show up. However, this isn't the case for turning into ghosts. Conversely, children who are born while they are ghosts (or if their partner is a youkai) can be born as normal humans, or in rare cases, become ghosts when they are born. Compared to humans and youkai or different kinds of youkai, where both the good and bad traits of the parents will mix together, ghosts will either be a human (youkai) or a ghost, but either way, they will be pure blooded (if both parents are ghosts, then it will definitely be a pure blooded human, however, without exception, it is fated to have a short lifespan and extremely strange abilities). Basically, the descendants of youkai can have their traits skip generations, but this is never seen in ghosts. Why there is this difference, and how, without physical bodies, they can have descendants, is a mystery. However, according to the theory, ghosts are placed as an ancient type of youkai, though an existence which still has many mysterious about it.
Also, for them, there is the thing called "death", the concept of a final rest or end. The attachments with this world, whether a grudge or emotions or others, can be fulfilled, and the ghost can have a final rest/end. However, among them, there are those who continue to exist, or remain in this world, and can only be given a final rest through hearing a sutra, or to be bathed with powerful spiritual energy, or be sent to Heaven through prayers. This "laxness" is an additional mystery for them, and is even more confusing.
"And one other thing, these poltergeists. Many become ghosts, despite not having supernatural powers, but they know what they can do and what they can't, right? Well, the public knows about ghosts, so maybe the ghosts themselves know what they can do, yea, yea, but despite losing their brain which is holds the information, they know still know 'I've become a ghost, and can do these things', right?"
...And the same could be said about Ran. The girl who died and became a vengeful spirit, and then became a ghost, and has grown...
"I've found one possibility from the theory that the soul transforms into a separate existence, that a ghost is a soul that has transformed into an energy lifeform, what do you think?"
"E, energy lifeform...!?
At this, Elza's face twitched for the first time. Just when she was thinking this was a conversation about the occult, it turned into a totally sci-fi investigation. However, it crossed her mind that this could be a clue related to Ryuuto's conversation. The contents of the experimental data had a very chemical approach in creating a man-made undead. Her twitching face hardened in an instant.
"It shouldn't be strange to you, as a mage yourself, you can't deny it, yea, yea, in any case, magical energy and the flow of ether is still currently not explained by science, and there are many who don't admit that it exists, so maybe that's why they say it's an energy lifeform? I've started thinking this, about the phenomenons that ghosts create, that the spirit waves they emit are like electromagnetic waves, and they have a low power frequency, and they can somehow interact with matter. The poltergeists that I mentioned earlier obviously have telekenetic-type powers, and this could be the reason, like radios for example, when you think about where the voice is coming from, it's coming from a steel shelf that's picking up a wireless radio signal, that sort of thing, and in the same way as radio waves, spirit waves are their voices, yea, yea. And that's not all, things that are compatible with spirit waves, often things that were their favorite, an object that takes on the form of a human, crystals that have high spiritual influence, magnetic tape or analog camera film, etc are also like that, can also show the thing where the grudge resides, and treated just like the recording medium. Wavelengths that can interact with the physical world, everyone calls those a type of energy now, don't they?"
(Uh oh, this guy's theory is interesting.)
Wizards are called researchers of eternity. As a necromancer, a researcher of ghost magic, while she was vigilant about the focus of Ryuuto's research, her intellectual curiosity was piqued, and she got drawn into it.
And then she looked at Ryuuto's eyes... And Elza trembled.
"T... That's an interesting theory. I've never, thought of it, that way..."
Elza managed to say that from her suddenly dry throat. Maybe Ryuuto didn't mind, as he gave an innocent smile.
"Interesting, huh. Yea, yea, I see, in that case, I guess there's some worth to continuing this research, even if I'm wrong, then I'll know that it's incorrect. Ah, this turned out to be a lot different from the question I wanted to ask, I'm very sorry that it turned out to be something that's not useful to you, as an apology, I'll send you some tools which will be useful in your investigation tomorrow, yea, yea, then please excuse me, thank you Elza-kun."
Saying this and without waiting for Elza's reply, Ryuuto left. As Elza's legs shook as she watch him leave, Mifi quickly came over to support her.
"W, what's wrong Mistress!?"
"That guy...!"
Mifi watched. Maybe he was planning on leaving now, but Ryuuto said a few words to a boy and the butler accompanied him out of the hall. Elza's eyes were fixed on him, with some invisible irritation.
"His intent on researching is completely pure, that I'm sure of. However, those eyes, they weren't looking at me. Nothing except his research is reflected in his eyes... They're pure eyes that don't see anyone else. That is my verdict...!"
Elza bitterly said this. Mifi tried to imagine a person with those kinds of eyes... And she thought she felt a coldness around her neck.
And at the same time, she felt a small rumbling and shaking beneath her feet.

The guards, patrolling and seeing the occasional guest, noticed that rumbling and shaking, and though they were surprised, they didn't see much out of place. However, right after that, the lights went out, and the place was plunged into darkness. Quickly, the rippling shaking expanded.
Those who couldn't go back to their rooms since the electronic locks wouldn't open, and those who were huddled together in fear, covered their heads as there were now vibrations above them. Everyone, including the guards, tried to check what happened, but the only thing they got from the intercom was static. The ones who realized it first tried to take action, but since this was unexpected, it was meaningless, and only served to make their anxiety greater.
One person out of those who realized it first, Col, was running and zigzagging through the people, like a stitching pattern, relying on her intuition alone.
(We're being jammed! I heard the sound of an explosion mixed in with the rumbling earlier... No, is that a gunshot? The electricity has been cut, and the backup generators have probably also been killed, could this be an attack!?)
Clicking her tongue once and throwing away her intercom, she leaped up the stairs. The electricity in the hotel was completely offline, and the elevators were stopped, so she could only rely on her own feet. It's bad for the guests who were trapped inside, but she had no time to help free them.
This hotel didn't have any power lines from a power plant, in order to protect it from sudden blackouts and artificial electrical disruptions, since it was the branch office. So in an emergency, in order for the hotel to be a refuge, there were multiple private generators installed underground that could provide electricity to the entire building. Even if there was something wrong with the main generator, it would switch over to the reserve electricity source, and theoretically there was enough electricity to last one week, according to the plan. It might be a little much, but the excess electricity was stopped and also the spare electricity can't be used. This was plenty of reason to guess that there was some artificial trouble in the generator room.
(I heard the sound of an explosion mixed in the 2nd shaking. The fact that it came from above means something is happening at the party! I'm worried about below, but I have to check on the safety of the mistresses...)
There were a few guards below, and with them was the nice mercenary turned jewelery store owner, Bear, who was impressed into guard duty like Col. The wounds which caused him to retire from being a soldier had reduced his abilities from when he was in his prime, but in this soldier days, when he was clearing an "accidental" minefield with enemy soldiers, even when a grenade caused a chain reaction of explosions in that area, he only ended up naked, with multiple cuts and 1 broken bone. So even now as a gay guy, he wouldn't lose to anything non-serious. Therefore, she would fulfill her duty as the head chamberlain of the Schtlehertz family.
The party was on the top floor, the 10th floor. She had drawn her post on the 2nd floor, so though she was cursed with bad luck, Col flew up the stairs like the wind.

Pink-chan realized it by accident.
After the small earthquake, the lights went out, and since it didn't switch to the reserve electricity, only the moonlight coming from the window was illuminating the party location. As everyone was talking as they used their phones or special abilities to create light, she was sure she heard something. The sound of it on top of the rug was something she couldn't forget, something hateful from the battlefield, which from the metal and plastic weight, a clunky hard sound that was both both heavy and light.
(A pineapple!?)
Before she had time to turn pale, her body moved as a reflexive action. Fortunately, the 3 of them were huddled together in fear in the same place. Spreading out both hands, her bat-like succubus wings tore through her clothes from her back and acted as a wall, as she placed herself between Ran and thing making the noise. As she did this, a nostalgic heat scorched her back, and a sharp pain and strong blast hit Pink-chan. At the same time, blasts and lights were going off all over the hall, along with screams and yells of anger.
"E, explosions!?"
"What... Are we being attacked... Pink-san!"
Aiina let out a cry of shock, and Ran and Cuey were speechless. And then, seeing Pink-chan collapse in the moonlight, they quickly understood that she had protected them. Her clothes were torn apart in the back, and there were countless shards stabbed into her. Her skin was burned and cut up, looking like an overdone skin coloring meant to charm men. Her outstretched wings were merciliessly shreded up and hung powerlessly down. A large amount of blood had stained her white apron red.
"Eh, euh... There's so much... blood..."
Cuey, who was feeling lightheaded from seeing the blood, gasped as she said that. Ran quickly scanned the surroundings. Naturally, there were people who were used to this sort of thing, and were on the alert for where explosions were taking place, and a emergency was being set up for those caught in the explosion. When she looked for Elza in all of it, she found her healing Mifi, who looked like she had gotten caught in an explosion.
Elza, as a dark elemental necromancer, was not good with healing magic, as that was considered light elemental magic, its opposite (No one realized this due to her huge amount of elemental power, but her apprentice, Seren, even though she was fire elemental, she wasn't bad with water elemental magic, but light elemental as well). As a result, when she used it, she couldn't hear the wounds in an instant, but rather the healing took time. However, it was the same in that the emergency healing was effective. So once she judged that Mifi's wounds weren't lethal, Ran thought that Pink-chan's healing should take priority, and started to call Elza over, but her arm was grabbed someone.
The grabbed arm was pulled, and she fell over. Annoyed that someone was doing this during a crisis, Ran turned around, and she gasped as she saw something unbelievable.

"I F O U N D Y O U"
Right before Ran's eyes was another her, who said that disjointedly.
It wasn't a mirror. For some reason, the one standing before Ran, who was wearing a dress, was a slightly younger version from "when she was embracing her hatred", with tattered clothes that melted into the darkness. She had never been able to make an innocent smile before... However, the other Ran was rousing her dormant anger, and with a very empty smile, she suddenly reached out her hand and grabbed her arm. Even as part of her mind tried to fight against it, she was unable to resist the slow movements, and she felt the touch of the slender fingers, and she felt the coldness of fear as it penetrated to her core.
"L E T S G O B A C K T O 'O U R' P L A C E ?"
"W... W, who are you... W, what you mean... By, our..."
The other Ran, who was grabbing Ran's arm, pulled on it. She tried to shake her off, but she wouldn't let go, like she was latched on to her. The part of her that was being touched felt strangely cold, and the two Ran's "other" looked transparent. Her body was turning ghostly against her own will.
She thought about not looking at that thing which looked like her former self, but Ran's expression became distorted in anger, as if she had lost control of her own body from some mysterious phenomenon or she was ruled by fear.
"No, l, let go, no!"
"There are 2 little mistresses!?"
"What are you doing... Are you trying to kidnap Ran-san!?"
Realizing something was wrong from Ran's scream, the two of them quickly tried to grab Ran, but their hands passed right through her. When she looked around and called for help, she saw that a battle had begun against some strange shapes. Those with special abilities protected the ones who were powerless, as monsters revealed their true form and fought against a mass of black "something". The individual abilities of the attendees were much higher, but sheer numbers, as well as having to fight while protecting many others, made it so they didn't have much of an advantage. Elza, had Mifi and others behind her and was fighting, but she had a large number of enemies in front of her, and as a wizard trying to hide her true identity, she was unable to show off her true powers. In addition, it was a melee, and therefore, using large area of effect magic couldn't be used, making it harder. So she didn't think she would be able to request any help.

And so, the two Ran's power struggle began to deteriorate. Seemingly trying to pull her outside, the other Ran sunk her body into the wall and pulled, and slowly reeled Ran, who was floating trying to resist, towards the wall.
"No! We can't help you when your body is ghostly..."
"Little mistress, if you turn your body physical, we can help!"
"I can't, my body turned ghostly on its own...!"
At Ran's desperate scared scream, Pink-chan, who still collapsed, gave a reaction. Telling her pain-wracked, unmoving body to move, she sprung up, and pulled out a knife from her skirt and swung it towards the other Ran.
"You... Get away from the little mistress!!"
The knife that Pink-chan was brandishing was enchanted just like Col's bullets. Against a ghost, which wouldn't be affected by physical things, and without anyone who could do anything about it, this knife she had was the only thing she could rely on. She willed her body to move as a guard maid.
(If she won't leave, then I'll cut off that arm!)
The blade of the knife drew near to the arm of the other Ran, whose body was halfway sunken into the wall. At that moment, a large shadow that was spread along the floor swelled up like a liquid, and turned into a wall that deflected the knife. A lump of shadow hit her in the back, and unable to resist, Pink-chan collapsed with a scream of agony.
"Oh, maids these days are dangerous, swinging such a dangerous thing around. Well, you two are also in the way, move."
""Kyaaa!!""
The shadow expanded, and sent Aiina and Cuey flying. Cuey quickly got up, coughing, but Aiina, maybe losing consciousness from the impact, stayed down, unmoving.
"Oh, that was just a normal human? To be knocked out just from being sent flying... That string bean didn't move at all. How disappointing it was a normal human, the most fun one took the grenade blast like an idiot and is limp. How boring."
The shadow took on the shape of a human, and on his face, his eyes and mouth appeared, and he provocatively smiled as he kicked Pink-chan in the side.
"Gah... You're, a shadow stalker...! And those black things fighting around are also..."
"Keke, that's right, just as you said. Ah, but too bad, sorry but your prize for getting it right is the feeling of regret of having this brat kidnapped right in front of you and not being able to stop it. Well, see you later."
"W, wait, bring back the little mistress...! Little mistress!!"
"Cuey-san...!"
Laughing at Cuey, who was desperately reaching her hand out, the shadow wrapped around the two Rans like they were being held, and started to disappear into the floor. At that moment, the shadows all over the place started exploding. Col rushed into the hall guns blazing, and the ripping all the shadows that had been fighting in one section to shreds. When she ran out of bullets, she tossed aside the gun and quickly switched to another gun, accurately shooting the shadows all around her as she ran forward, countless guns scattered around her. Col saw the shadow that was swallowing up Ran. Leaping over the shadows that were trying to block her way, she aimed for the shadow stalking while midair and pulled the without hesitation.
Col's eyes opened wide to the sound of the steel exploding.
"!?"
"...I told you not to play around. The objective is completed. Withdraw."
"You... keke, I guess I should thank you, if that had hit me, it would be no laughing matter."
The moment she fired, a shadowy figure jumped in front of the shadow stalker and repeled the bullet.
"Don't think you can escape, you fucking dick!"
As she landed, she fired her two .357 magnums that she was keeping in reserve at the same time. Once again, there was the sound of steel exploding, and a burst of 2 fireworks. It was a large man, who looked almost like a yeti, wearing tattered combat fatigues and had a x shaped scar on his forehead. In his hand he had an automatic handgun that was a size larger than the desert eagle, which he used to casually repel the bullets Col shot.
"...Sorry, 'Bullet Squall', but your bullets won't reach me, so stop trying. You shouldn't try to follow after Grizzly."
"!"
Col's gun that was trained on the prepared man wavered.
(What... what that just now?)
"Then, excuse me."
The man aimed at the floor with his huge handgun, and completely ignoring the recoil, fired with one hand. Surprisingly, with one shot a huge hole opened up in the floor, and it started to collapse. Losing concentration for a moment due to the man's words was fatal. Unable to react, aiming at different parts of the floor with 5 shots, the entire floor of the party room collapsed.
"Y... You-!"
"Mm...!"
Unable to prevent herself from sinking into the floor, a bright flash came from Cuey. Surprised, it hit the shadow stalker in the back. Almost as if that was a signal, the rampaging shadows disappeared without a trace.
"Whoa!?"
"What the! Are you trying to fry the one you're trying to save!?"
Hearing that, Cuey stopped letting out her eye beam. At that moment, the fatigue wearing man grabbed the shadow stalker's arm, and rushed out to the terrace.
"Looks like there was an unanticipated someone there, and this drew more attention than planned... We better no stay any longer, retreat!"
"Damn... You one eye! I don't care if you're a rookie, when this is over, I'm going to kill you!"
At some point, a private helicopter had arrived in the sky above the hotel, and when the man set his foot on the rope ladder that was hanging down from it, the shadow stalker, who had been burned by her eye beam, glared at Cuey and disappeared into the shadows. Ran, who continued to struggle, was still being clung to by the other Ran, and floated up to match the helicopters ascent.
"Kuh... They got away!"
Col tried to jump off the remaining floor and chase them, but the fatigue wearing man shot at her feet, and the impact from hitting floor behind her knocked her away.
"Head chamberlain!"
At Cuey's scream, the floor of the party room finally completely collapsed, and swallowed the attendees. Without any time to worry about Elza's or Mifi's or Aiina's safety, Cuey felt a light floating feeling all over her body, as she was swallowed up by the rubble.
Faintly, mixed in with the distant sound of the helicopter's rotor, she thought she could hear Ran's pained cries... And Cuey lost consciousness.