The situation has changed.

Rika's father suddenly changed his mind about having her help out with the research.

When Rika came down with a high fever the other day, her mother, who wasn't happy about her daughter helping in the first place, finally blew up...

...I was hoping the father would convince her somehow...

But now, he seems to be on her side.

Rika's father didn't get emotional like her mother, but he demanded that we make our research plans for Rika clear,

and that we finish our research within three months at most, which was completely unrealistic.

Research can't have a deadline. That's out of the question.

We cultivate results by grinding down our knowledge, skills, and time.

To take time away from us is like taking away what's vital to live.

How could he say such a thing? Curses, curses, curses, curses...

Rika's parents are only saying that because they don't know anything about scientific research.

However, as they are the parents of the queen carrier, we are completely lost about what to do.

Tests and experiments on the queen carrier are an essential part of our research into Hinamizawa Syndrome.

Her existence is the focal point of our work.

To lose her would be like losing your sense of direction out in open water.

Rika is providing her cooperation with our research, but the withdrawal of her guardian's consent could be a setback.

...The situation is extremely dire.

Rika's parents are only interested in finding a cure......

but to me, the cure is only a small part of solving the mystery.

I can't let her go.

Are our differences causing this predicament?

......And it's not only them. The same is happening between Irie and me.

He thinks it's inevitable that we'd need to stop the research if Rika's parents refused to consent.

......That's understandable.

From the beginning, Irie never had the determination to solve the mysteries of Hinamizawa Syndrome.

He won't back down from the research assertively, but he will passively by agreeing with Rika's parents.

Is that the attitude of a researcher who's trying to unravel mysteries?

He's the type of man who would step on my grandfather's research with his dirty feet...!

He is nothing but a coward who's in this half-heartedly. He started to feel guilty over his past the moment he saw blood.

He isn't qualified to even be involved in researching Hinamizawa Syndrome.

He is simply an outsider who joined in because of the client's demands.

If I were a man, he wouldn't be here in the first place.

While it's true he produced wonderful results with his development of a cure... he seems to think it's alright to close up shop with that.

Is he planning to waste everything by being satisfied with just that tiny result?

...That man doesn't have any right to discard my grandfather's research...

I can feel my guts boiling.

No, no, no, Irie isn't the main person at fault.

The one to blame here is that woman, Rika's mother.

If she wasn't so selfish, this wouldn't have happened...

Maybe it's partly my fault.

I maintained trust through relationships and obligations all this time.

But somehow, Rika's mother and I didn't get along, so I didn't try to socialize with her.

I thought it was fine because I got along with Rika and her father.

But now, the mother has influenced the father and changed his decision.

...What negligence!

What a reversal!

What a blunder!

Irie is saying we should talk to the office in Tokyo about what to do next.

But I know once the Tokyo office finds out about this, they'll order us to shut the research down.

I've worked so hard to even get things started.

If they hear anything negative, they'll put a stop to it.

I've come too far to complete my grandfather's research...

I can't let it be stopped!

I still have a little time to think about this.

...I need to calm down and analyze this carefully.

I've always come up with a great plan when I drink my favorite tea and bite my nails like this.

I looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes.

As tenderly as possible.

There were times where I couldn't find a solution, but someone else came up with a simple one.

I've been able to overcome everything that's been thrown at me.

I even endured the hell at that orphanage.

...So I will never let that woman get in the way!

...Settle your thoughts down.

Think about this clearly.

Be calm, Miyo Takano.

Someone else may come up with a better idea.

But who?

It's not me. It can't be Irie.

Of course, nobody from the village will do.

Do I talk to someone in Tokyo?

No, I can't.

I don't want to owe anyone a favor.

Even Koizumi-sensei would be disgusted if he finds out I can't solve such a simple matter by myself.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...Ah,

I know!

There's someone I can talk to nearby.

They are supposed to be my subordinates, after all, so it's worth the try.

I called the leader of the Mountain Dogs, Okonogi.

The Mountain Dogs are my subordinates, but they're part of the Self Defense Force, and I'm just a researcher.

So we never really had a chance to interact.

He did what he was supposed to, and I did what I was supposed to.

So, I never even thought of discussing anything with him.

But the Mountain Dogs are there to protect and support our research.

Why didn't I think of talking to him before?

"What a difficult situation.

Heh heh heh."

He used to speak standard Japanese, but now, he has the Hinamizawa accent.

I guess "fitting in" to the region is the first thing they need to do.

"We may lose the queen carrier, and not only that, but her mother might end up exposing our secrets.

Can you do something about it?"

...I asked Okonogi rather directly.

...I'm not really expecting an answer.

But...

"Understood.

The Mountain Dogs will take care of it. Just give us a little time, and we'll do a clean job."

"...'Take care of it'?"

"We'll make sure the police won't get involved. We need a little time to prep,

but it won't be difficult."

I'm startled.

......Rika's mother is my enemy, but I was thinking about how I could convince her...

......But the leader of the Mountain Dogs, the counterintelligence unit whose duty is to protect this secret research, came up with a much simpler plan.

"Do you mean... to kill her?"

"To preserve the secret, I was told to do whatever is necessary.

Of course, we won't do anything until we get an order."

Right...

This is a very simple problem to him.

Rika's mother has started to interfere with our research.

Not only that, there's a chance she might talk to people about the Institute,

so they will eliminate her.

"......Ah,

that sounds like a good idea...

Can you do a good job of it?"

"That's why we're here.

This will be our biggest job since the kidnapping of the Minister's grandson."

Ah, I remember now.

The Mountain Dogs are the ones who kidnapped the grandson of the Minister of Construction, and used that to blackmail him.

It has been a few years, so I completely forgot about that. They did such a marvelous job then.

That's right, that's right, that's right.

I have the Mountain Dogs on my side!

"...Can you get on with it right away?"

"We could easily kill her, even tonight.

But that'd create too much of a fuss. We'll make it look like she disappeared.

So give us a little time to make some arrangements."

Just like a cat's eyes under a bright light,

I can feel something in the back of my eyes open up.

Up until now, I'd been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to make her my ally, or at least make her surrender, or pacify her.

Yet... one order to this man, and the problem's easily solved!

I feel like a bird taking its first flight.

Ahh, how easily I can get rid of that annoying mother. All I have to do is give an order.

I feel grateful to Koizumi-sensei for giving me such terrific subordinates.

What a wonderful power he has given me.

I was taught that all people are equal.

But if I have the power to control people's lives, then that means I'm more important than they are...

...What a feeling it is to be above others.

"So did you just want Rika Furude's mother to disappear?"

"Eh?

Ah... well... wait a minute..."

Does he mean "only" Rika Furude's mother?

...I can feel chills all over my body.

If possible,

maybe I should have her father disappear, too.

Rika is willing to help.

She has no other relatives in the Furude family.

If both parents die, she has to depend on someone.

The Irie Institute can support her.

We can give her status, money, and protection. We can give her everything.

By doing so, maybe it's possible to make her one of us, rather than just having her as a helper.

All my worries are melting away...

Everything I was just concerned about seems like a joke now.

...I had such powerful subordinates all this time, yet I never realized.

All of my tension is being released, and I'm starting to feel relaxed. I can feel myself regaining my cool head.

I'm going to get rid of them.

Rika's parents, that is.

The queen carrier is my guinea pig.

A guinea pig doesn't need parents.

That's right...

It's almost time for the Watanagashi festival.

If they die on that day, people will call it the curse of Oyashiro-sama.

...The murder case from two years ago and the accident from last year are two separate incidents. Yet, because they happened on the day of Watanagashi, they're being called 'the curse of Oyashiro-sama'.

Then, if her parents' deaths occur on this year's Watanagashi, it'll be Oyashiro-sama's curse three years in a row.

The miracle of Oyashiro-sama.

Also, the curse.

I'm going to create them.

This is a chance for me to ascend to godhood and toy with human fate.

The incidents that occurred two years in a row are said to be a curse, but not everyone believes that.

However, if it happens three years in a row, then everyone has to believe.

Because that'll be a true curse that's created by me.

I'll become Oyashiro-sama.

My desire for revenge against God is coming together...

"...Making her merely disappear isn't that fun, is it?"

When I started to laugh, Okonogi grinned to show his interest.

"We're going to create the curse of Oyashiro-sama.

...Hee hee hee hee."

I can't just let her die.

She'll be demoned away, and I'm going to enjoy dissecting her alive.

Of course, I won't just have fun.

This will be extremely useful for our research.

After all, she's the previous queen carrier...!