----Kouki Arakawa Viewpoint

　I've been thinking about the situation for about two hours since I finished communicating with my mom, trying to gather my wits, but eventually I realized that I couldn't do anything without seeing how they came out, so I decided to watch the footage of the Russian Deathman breeding that was given to me quietly.
　I wasn't interested in this guy, but I still thought it would help pass the time and watched it, but it's almost time for the date to change.

Mr. Anton, it's time to get sleepy. Won't the Commander and his men be coming back today?

'Hmm, I don't know.　If you're not coming, I'm sure they'll call you, but...

　Apparently, Mr. Anton isn't so sure about this either. To tell the truth, I want to sleep, but I can't greet the Commander and others in bed.
　I was wondering what I should do and took out lemon juice and soda from the mini-bar provided in the room, and was making lemon soda when I heard a knock at the door. As soon as I heard the knock on the door, Anton thrusts his hand into his inside pocket and opens it cautiously.

'Sorry I'm late, Mr Arakawa,'

　It was the Lieutenant Colonel and Yuri-san who came in. However, the lieutenant colonel's uniform was wrinkled and Yuri had loosened his tie and looked tired. Did they see my proposal as that much of a problem? As I was looking at the Lieutenant Colonel inwardly in a cold sweat, he cleared his throat and then asked me a question in a sticky tone of voice.

'Let me ask you point-blank. Arakawa-san, to what extent did you know that you were aware of this proposal?

　Oh, shit, this is over. Probably upper management or some kind of political or financial advisor, but they've noticed that the other sales are more profitable than simple broadcast profits.
　 What to do──, is it far better to split the profits through discussion than to pretend to be ignorant and let them take the best part away?

''I knew about it to some extent from the beginning. However, it's only a prediction, so I'd like to settle future matters through discussion.

Thank you. 'So let's start at the beginning, and we'll decide what to do with you once we've explained everything. Also, my real identity is not in the Intelligence Bureau, but in the Ministry of the Interior. Likewise, Yuri Pamfilova's real identity is not in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but in the Foreign Intelligence Service.

　The Home Office?　Why is the Ministry of the Interior coming out here? It's just to decide on the allocation of sales rights.　So how is it that a lieutenant colonel, who is in charge of maintaining the country's security, is in charge of this situation? The fact that Anton-san next to me has a surprised look on his face means that a department I don't know about wasn't newly established within the Ministry of the Interior, and I seriously can't keep up with the changes in the situation.

Then, let me first explain the 'Alice Plan' that caused all of this. Please take a look at this document.

　For some reason, there was a picture of Alice printed on the paper handed to me, and when I turned the page, I saw that it was written in Russian as 'Genetic Improvement Project'. What is this?　I don't know what you're getting at, but I don't know about this plan.
　I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but I don't know where the sales are. As I stood up, I hurriedly tried to tell the Commander that I didn't know, but as if to stop me from doing so, the terminal on my arm rang out a voice transmission alert.

'Yes sir.....'

"Kou-chan, I want you to calm down and listen to your mother. Call off the meeting and send them home immediately. From this point forward, you don't need to know.

　I see........even I, an idiot, can understand what's happening in Russia now. When Alice was kidnapped a long time ago, Macho was talking about "Alice's Plan" in secret with Mom, and it seems to be the cause of the current commotion.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this, but I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about the contents of the plan as well. And if it has something to do with Alice herself, I'd like to know even more.

'Did your mother know anything about Project Alice?

No, I'm still investigating. I don't want to hear it, but you need to do it now!

No, and like I said, I'll take full responsibility for this one. Don't tell my mother.

　I couldn't help but be honest and say 'I', but it's okay anyway. Mom was still saying something on the other end of the terminal, but she ended the call unilaterally from our side. At the same time, the ice from the lemon and soda on the table melts and the sound of clinking echoes in the room where no one is talking. There's no point in staying silent like this, I cleared my throat and opened my mouth to let the commander continue the conversation.

'Hmmm, my apologies. Now please continue.''

Are you sure?　Well, I mean, Arakawa-san...I heard Miki-san say something about it.

That's fine. I'll take responsibility for this case, and it has nothing to do with my mother.

　I'm not the kind of kid who hides behind your mother's skirt forever. Once I decide to do something, I'm going to finish it. I will help Mr. Anton's bosses, get the Chernobog's men out of the country, get the information on the Alice plan, and create a sales channel for Noah in Russia before I return home.
　If this happens, I'll reopen the door and be my mom in a state of having a meeting with the military uniform version of Claire!　We'll see who's a better negotiator. While thinking about this in my mind, I re-crossed my legs and smiled Claire's smile, which Macho named "The Witch's Smile"....





---- Yakov Tarkovsky's point of view----


　The mood of the Arakawa in front of me has changed. Instead of the child who was smiling an age-appropriate smile like he used to have before, he wore the atmosphere of an interrogator with a long career. I scolded myself for almost screaming if I wasn't careful and started explaining "Alice's Plan" to Arakawa.

If you say it's good for you, I'll continue. It all started with the Nanomachine Genetic Modification Project, which was successfully tested in 2051. This was an experiment to artificially mutate transposons ... mobile genes in the human genome and chromosomes. Of course, as you may know, this experiment had the ultimate goal of mutating the human body - in other words, 'artificial evolution' - but it was frozen for 'ethical reasons' before we could confirm the results.

　Arakawa listens to the explanation in silence as he holds the glass to his mouth. As a researcher, he would know this much as a matter of course, but here's the thing...

In spite of the United Nations resolution of '55, which officially banned this type of experiment worldwide, we have continued to conduct this research in secret. Our ultimate goal was to create a soldier with a strong body, but the research was so difficult to carry out that at one point there was even a suggestion that we should abandon the project itself. But then the Intelligence Bureau came across information that the Canadian government was doing the same kind of research. We contacted the Canadian government after we had confirmed the facts, and immediately proposed a joint research project.

'I see, that's the beginning of the 'genetic improvement project' described in this document...'

As you may have guessed, we will provide full funding for the research while Canada will provide the location, researchers and equipment. I will provide you with a separate document that will explain this in detail. As I explained earlier, our goal was to create a soldier. However, this was on one condition: that we would use drugs and nano-machines to modify the body after birth, and simply put, it was an attempt to make the existing soldiers stronger. But the Canadians wanted to change the genes 'from the start' - that's what Project Alice was all about.

　The acquired mutations in the human body are insignificant. The basic idea behind the "Alice Project" is to create a more powerful individual by manipulating the genetic information from the start. Normally, I would like to explain it to Arakawa, but since it concerns Alice Alford, I have to speak softly.
　If I were to call his lover a 'special individual', I would definitely not be able to see the dawn of tomorrow.

I'll spare you the details of our nation's enhanced soldier program since it involves state secrets, but I have no problem judging that the Alice plan has achieved a certain level of success. On the basis of that, there is actually ... well ... Alice-san.

''Hmm. So Alice is a successful example of what this document calls a special individual, the 'Evolution Sisters'?

　Ugh!　You call yourself a special individual? Put yourself in my shoes for a moment!　For a while now, the Secretary and I have been wondering when you're going to get angry!　Even if it's to avert a potential threat to the homeland, it's still too heavy a responsibility to explain to Arakawa Kouki, who is now a global threat.
　After getting permission from him to read the material, I lit a cigarette and was spitting out smoke when he suddenly looked up and I couldn't help but brace myself. What the hell is this?

　Alice didn't tell me you have a sister or sister.

"The reason they call themselves the Sisters is that it was easier to genetically engineer the female form during the experimental stages. There are no male-types, and there have been no successful cases except for Alice. I don't know what to say exactly, but...

What is it?

　When I looked at the director with my eyes, he must have understood what I was trying to say, and he twisted his head with a reluctant look on his face. It's really a good idea to have a good idea of what you're talking about when you talk about "soul" and "reincarnation" to a researcher.　I hope he only laughs at me for being a liar, but there's a chance he'll be offended that I'm not fooling around when I'm talking about something serious.
　However, if Arakawa Kouki really does have a devilish mind, I think he might understand the theory the researcher was talking about. I'll take a gamble here....

To be precise, the only one who succeeded was Alice-san. The other experimental subjects did not show any biological reactions.

So, you think Alice just happened to be successful?

'No, not really. This is a hypothesis formulated by a researcher who participated in the study, and it probably has elements of the occult, but... do you believe in the existence of the 'soul', Arakawa-san?

Oh, the soul...

　Well, that's how I would react, when I first heard this hypothesis, I also thought he was crazy. The reality is that he was already mad at that point in time... Otherwise, he wouldn't have created such an incomprehensible cult as 'New World'. When I was thinking about this, Arakawa replied with a slightly troubled look on his face.

''I believe in it to a certain extent,''

I see. Well, let's continue. A researcher made a hypothesis that a vessel called 'man', for example, can only contain a soul the size of a human being, and he said that if it is an insect, it may be the size of an insect, and if it is a dog, it may be the size of a dog. If it's an insect, it may be the size of an insect, and if it's a dog, it may be the size of a dog, and so on. So... what kind of soul can be placed in a vessel shaped like a human being with more power and brain than a human being?



Yeah, that's not what I meant!

I don't mind, and I don't think he would mind that much. But didn't the researcher say that?　'Reincarnation' - for example, the possibility of a soul jumping through space and time from another dimension, past or future, to settle in a vessel...

　You're kidding, right?　You understand this hypothesis just from the explanation you just gave!　It's a good thing that you're not the only one, because it's a good thing that you're not the only one. It's a good idea to have a good time with them.

I can't prove it, but I think my hypothesis is correct. The researcher is undoubtedly a 'genius' on the same level as my mother, I just want to know how in the world he arrived at that conclusion.

Oh, come on!　So you think she was right about everything she said?　What have I done?

It was a woman. Where is that man now, Commander, what's going on?


　Arakawa notices something wrong with me and calls out to me with concern. What do I look like now?　If he's right, if his hypothesis is correct, then I'm ultimately responsible for giving birth to the cult of "New World". Why didn't you believe in her at that time?　Why did I, along with everyone else, treat Sandra like a lunatic? If I hadn't done that, if only I, who was her lover, had believed in her, this might not have happened──.




----Kouki Arakawa Viewpoint

　The Lieutenant Colonel put his head in his hands as he put on a blue face. What the hell is wrong with you?　Did I say something strange? I've been talking to you for a while now and you haven't responded, but I need to know where the researcher who solved the mystery of your reincarnation is right now. I'm not saying I want to go back to the world before I died after all this time, but I want to do something about the subtle amnesia that I'm experiencing, where I'm forgetting only the things that pertain to me.　And as for the soul in Alice - well, you have some idea of that. The only creatures with more power and brains than people are creatures from other worlds, dragons and spirits. I'm more worried about the Commander who is about to collapse in front of me right now.

''Commander, Commander!　Are you okay?　I'm starting to get seriously worried myself.

Oh, oh, I'm sorry, that's okay. It was about the researcher, wasn't it?

Yes, if you could, I'd like to talk to you.

That's impossible. She....Dr. Sandra Zelenskaya is missing. And she is the head of the New World cult that attacked Ms. Arakawa and Alice and has been causing terrorism not only in Japan but around the world.

　The words of the lieutenant colonel, who had a face like he'd chewed up a bitter worm, helped me understand all the pieces of each that I hadn't been able to sort out until now. I see, the matter of the 'nuclear weapons' mentioned in the documents I saw when I entered Macho's room to play a prank on him, the cult funds that my mom was talking to Claire about, and the mystery of possessing new weapons such as the VSTOL aircraft that I saw at the academy when Alice was kidnapped. And the reason why the members of Chernobog have asked for asylum....
　Apparently, I'm involved in a huge conspiracy that I thought was only in movies and novels from my past life. I'm sure Mom is listening in anyway, so let's settle all the questions here. It will ensure the safety of my dear Alice.

"Commander, can I remind you that you and your men are in possession of a nuclear weapon, which is prohibited by treaty.

Yes.

The money the New World is using came from a secret Russian source, didn't it?

Yes.

You conspired to prevent a Chernobog member who had information that could be used against you from leaking, didn't you?

Yes.

She left the institution because of her discrediting and heretical view of Dr. Sandra, who developed a new theory, didn't she?

Yes.

From now on, will you cooperate with me to the extent that it is not detrimental to the national interest?

'I will cooperate!　So please allow me to go any further.......please.

Then let's keep this conversation private.

What?

　Not only the Commander, but even Yuri-san is surprised at my words, rolling her eyes. I can understand that if this story becomes public, it won't be at a level where the heads of the two of them will be physically blown off or anything like that. In that case, it's time to ingratiate yourself with our allies and get them to help us.
　I don't know why Dr. Sandra set up this new world religion, but if Alice is in danger, I'll do everything in my power to thwart his plans. In order to do that, we need information... but for now, we'll take back Mr. Anton's former boss and Chernobog as we had planned, and we'll leave Noah's eyes and ears in Russia, just like in the movies and other theories.

"As a condition for our secret dealings with you, I'm giving you Mr. Anton's former boss and Chernobog. In exchange, your country will be granted free broadcasting rights, which are expected to be of enormous benefit, and the establishment of a 'diplomatic window' with Noah.

Are you sure you want to be treated so unfairly?

That's fine, and I've already come up with an excuse for other countries to look to you for support. It will probably take a few days before I can hand you a formal letter, but I'm sure you'll need time to get back to your superiors, so it's just as well.

All right, then, we will release Captain Yuliya, who is being held as a sign of our trust, immediately. I will see to it that the rest of the team is informed of this decision as soon as possible.

　Alright, now we just need to call Claire and have her pick us up and then get my mom to draw up the paperwork. Also, we should talk to Macho about getting Alice, Shingo and the others to provide more protection, right?　
　Oh yeah, I need to talk to some other bosses of Mr. Anton's, like Captain Yuliya or something like that. I mean, I'm running out of time, can we watch tomorrow's cartoon?　I'd better call Con and ask her to schedule a recording. While thinking about this inwardly, I decided to operate the terminal on my arm and contact Claire-san....