The audience held their breath. The detective's statement carried enormous weight and nothing was right with that statement, the timing, the recurrence, the target, it was the worst situation that could happen. Cithara, supporting Julian was confused.
[W... What? Mr. Luc, are you okay? Are you doing this again?]
The public wondered and the players whispered among themselves. Like earlier with Marcia, the detective's action was suicidal, who could have stopped the festivities in such a situation to punish the hero of the day? This hero who had delivered his last match.
The assistant approached, just as surprised.
[Mr. Luc... I admit that today I got a little lost in my concentration but... I don't follow you at all. First of all, he wasn't our main target, he doesn't sound like an MC, what makes you say he is? I believe Cithara would play this role better, without insinuating anything!... And then, Monsieur Luc, you always have the worst timing, no one here wants to witness that! That's the worst decision you've made today!]
The girl was right. Everything was wrong in this situation, but, in a way, it made her believe a lot in the detective's words. She knew it, she understood the real problem of the situation, in her eyes as in those of the public Julian was not an MC because nobody wanted to see him being one and getting arrested.
[Listen to me all. I understand your fears, I understand your annoyance, I myself would like not to believe it but... The present situation obliges me to act. If we don't do something now, it won't be our lives but Julian's that will be in danger.]
No one understood the situation, nothing made sense. Marcia and Puella were back and in disbelief.
[W...What's going on?]
[Another MC.]
[UrGhT!!]
[Oh no stay with me! Wake up!]
Cithara seemed calm for the situation, too calm. The truth was quite different: she was shaking, first thinking of a bad joke from the detective, his serious attitude and the risks of this declaration made her more and more nervous. Only the support of her childhood friend who shook her hand, aware of her agitation, calmed her.
[Mr. Luc, do you realize the consequences of what you say? You've done this twice today, still don't understand how irritating it is?]
[Calm down Citha... I guess someone who had such a great plan earlier wouldn't say that for no reason... Who knows... Maybe I'm more important than the captain after all haha ... ah... ]
[Seriously you... Don't talk too much, you need to rest.]
The detective was also different, usually haughty and triumphant at these times, this time he was dejected and bowed his head. A change too big for his assistant to ignore.
[Mr. Luc... You said his life was in danger, what do you mean?]
[...I think everyone here is very familiar with the concept of an MC, aren't they? The stories say that an MC's main threat is their influence on the universe around them. A harmless child can cause the death of all his classmates if his character development requires him to lose everything and grow up alone. A doctor can make all his colleagues clumsy if his character development requires him to be the most talented of doctors. A mother will die very early to deepen an MC's backstory. In all these cases the character development of an MC would cause a catastrophe for the life of the civilians, it is unfair because an MC is not actively responsible for it but... Between you and me, would you leave a bomb in a building on the pretext that the timer is down? It's not a guess, it's an assurance, sooner or later the timer will go off and the bomb will go off. This is the danger of an MC.]
He then walked towards Julian and continued.
[Only today, I learned two important lessons. First, an MC is not a monster that purposely destroys its surroundings. They are the first victims of their curse and for all those whom I had to arrest and judge, I would like to apologize deeply... Even if they certainly do not hear me. The second lesson I learned today is that an MC's character development can affect them too. Julian, you are a real basketball prodigy, I don't know this sport very well but... Your way of moving, your talent, and the fact that you don't need extensive training to succeed. All of this makes you the best, but... It also confirms that you're not normal.]
[What do you mean by not normal?! Have you ever seen someone be good just because they're in their element? Because he knows what he's doing? He has talent so he's an MC? What is this reasoning?!]
[Cithara please...]
[I'm trying to defend you, Stay out of it!... You said his character development should affect anyone, how come he's the only victim? How do you think that makes him an MC??]
She was fuming, no one wanted to face her now, for the first time love and hate had become the same side of the coin.
[Julian, you look very big to me, big enough to go see a doctor. What was his diagnosis of your illness?]
The Young Man paused momentarily, as if realizing something, then...
[...Nothing abnormal was found, it's like every year my condition deteriorates but no one knows what's going on.]
[It could be anything! Why do you only assume he's an MC?? For what?! Do you want to fill your calendar at this point? !]
She had pulled away from her friend, angry, but as soon as she let go of him, he fell to his knees, clutching his heart. Cithara quickly returned to his side, tears in her eyes.
[He just needs a doctor, not an interrogation... Please...]
The young man is breathing with difficulty and with increasingly prominent dark circles. The detective clenched his fists.
[Like everyone he's seen so far? Please can we briefly drop the game of bad guy and poor victim and focus on him? My only wish now is to save him! If he's not treated for what he is then it's all for nothing and we'll all have his death on our conscience!]
The murmurs grew in the room, some wanted to believe the detective but his arguments were difficult to accept. In fact, it was Julian's condition that made people turn to the only current voice of reason.
[I know this is a very wrong question but... What was the promise you made in your childhood? I mean the very first, before even playing basketball seriously.]
Cithara was too broken to answer, but she lifted her head and looked straight into the detective's eyes. But before she could formulate her sentence, a voice rose.
[To... Play basketball together... When we grow up.]
[I see... I understand now. And so it's different than just going to nationals. You two, listen to me, this is going to sound silly to you, but understand me this time: your story began on those days, the day you promised to play together forever. A simple and cute promise of children but it went wrong when you "woke up" as an MC: you are an MC with a sporting history, this kind of MC is characterized by their talent being superior to others, the level of their team terrible, but sometimes...]
[By a... Physical insufficiency...]
The detective nodded and continued.
[Yes, some MCs have this strange attribute. It's not a disease that can be cured by a doctor, it's something that will stop when your character development decides... But that's why I can't let you continue like this. Your speeches, your dreams, your tone... Julian your character development is not ordinary, even for an MC, it's the development of someone who is going to die.]
Silence fell over the room, no more whispers, nothing. Shocked gazes were fixed on Julian. No one, not even the assistant, believed what she had just heard.
[He will die?]
[What...seriously?]
[Mr. Luc... Do you seriously mean that?]
The headlong detective nodded to his assistant.
[Yes, from what I understand the curse of the MC will prevent you from playing with Cithara, due to heart failure, but if you continue this way, even as a substitute, your situation will only get worse. "This MC must have heart disease to not play" is the effect of the curse on you, only what if the effect lasts for years? Under these conditions, the notion of the last game would simply become deadly for you. Only the development of your character has evolved a lot since then. First "play forever", then "play until the national championships" and now until the end of this game. Each time the theme changes and logically the only conclusion now, given your personality, is death. I fear that because of the importance of this game, and especially because you are both sure that you will not continue, you will pass away today.]
These words were the last straw for Cithara. The young girl was now crying bitterly, supported only by her childhood friend. Everyone on the pitch, except for some people in red who were crying for other reasons, had tears in their eyes. Puella saw through Cithara, Marcia ended up regretting not being the MC and assistant, fists clenched staring at the floor.
[It's unfair... It's completely unfair.]
It was the only thing she was able to formulate. For the very first time, she regretted identifying an MC. The detective stepped forward nonetheless and put a hand on Cithara's shoulder, smiling sadly at Julian.
[Raise your head, it's not too late yet, you are still alive. I told you that it was the cute of the MC but... Isn't that why I'm here?]
The faces straightened up, at this moment everyone wanted to have the slightest hope.
[My job is to capture an MC before his character development affects his surrounding, meaning that by logic, if I catch you now your character development won't spread anymore and you'll be free. If there is just one chance to save you, please allow me to use it.]
[But Mr. Luc, you're not considering sending him to MC's prison, are you? Maybe a doctor can't do anything for him, but that's no place for someone like this!]
The assistant was right, or not? Nothing made sense when two good morals faced each other. Saving Julian according to the logic of the world would mean sending him to MC prison, but could we imprison someone destined to die the same day? However, the detective only had one conviction.
[I don't know the future, I don't know if I'm right, I don't even know why this task falls to me, but I have to say one thing. I've been doing this job for years and I've never, ever met an MC who turned his curse on himself. You Julian, you are a treasure among a million people. My only wish today is to hear at 11 p.m. that your condition has improved. If our only chance is to send you to MC's prison, then I'll do anything to do it. Please let me help you.]
He turned to the audience and added as if to seek their support.
[Even though it sounds horrible and hypocritical, prison is the only alternative we have left. We only have one theory. I ask you all to grant it to me: let me save Julian! I will personally ensure that he is only handed over to the prison infirmary, I swear on my life that he will not see a cell. Please!]
The silence lasted a moment, then one person stood up to applaud...then a second, then 5...19...Soon the whole room stood up and applauded, chanting Julian's name. The substitutes and the coach too, Marcia and Puella also applauded. Julian smiled and looked at his friend too sad to answer. These two had known each other for so long that they could communicate with just a look. Julian turned to the detective who was watching him with a tender smile.
[Mr. Luc, you can go.]
[Thank you, my friend. Mister Basketball player...]
Julian hugged Cithara for the last time.
[Sorry.]
[...You are... An MC.]
The mark of truth appeared on his forehead, but no one was shocked, no one was surprised. This mark was one of relief: Julian could be saved. At this moment, under the ovations for Julian, the large locker room door opened, revealing an impressive and beautiful young woman with red hair and a big ponytail accompanied by two young men, all three in officer's uniforms.