Chapter 139: The Conclusion of Murder Speculation (3)
During the ad break, the plot of Kara no Kyoukai's second episode, Murder Speculation, sparked discussions across the Empire.
While ordinary citizens focused on dissecting the storyline, the archmages at the top of the Alchemy Tower were engaged in far weightier debates.
"Dual personalities and soul overlapping—have there been any similar cases in real-world magical theory?" asked Dean Hohenheim.
Archmage Rosa pondered before replying, "Researchers specializing in spirit and soul magic have proposed similar theories. However, achieving this in reality is extraordinarily difficult. Merging two souls into one entity is a fundamental challenge. Some researchers suggest splitting each soul in half and combining them into a single vessel, but the exact method of splitting is still hotly debated. Very few have dared to conduct such experiments due to their extreme nature."
A relatively young middle-aged archmage interjected, "Has the School of the Undead conducted similar research? I recall their experiments often being quite extreme, so much so that even I don't have full access to their records."
Archmage Rosa responded calmly, "Indeed, they have. However, the processes involved exceed what is acceptable to most humans. I strongly advise against pursuing this knowledge. My colleague Stitch vomited uncontrollably and was unwell for days after reviewing some of those documents."
"Er, I'm curious why you were unaffected, Archmage Rosa..."
Rosa merely smiled and said, "That's a woman's secret. If you want to know, be prepared for the consequences."
"!!!"
Seeing the middle-aged archmage genuinely startled, Rosa laughed and said, "Just kidding. But truly, some things are better left unknown."
While these two discussed, the other archmages debated the plot's details. However, Murder Speculation contained fewer magical elements than Overlooking View, so their discussions remained relatively superficial.
All the archmages were eagerly anticipating the third episode of Kara no Kyoukai. They were curious to see if Durin could deliver an unexpectedly remarkable experience in this concluding chapter.
....
At the same time, in the imperial capital, Commander Wilcliff was still deeply troubled by whether Shiki Ryougi had actually committed murder.
Even though Shiki ultimately didn't kill Mikiya Kokutou and ended up in the hospital herself, Commander Wilcliff, with his strong sense of justice, was only concerned with the final outcome.
"If Shiki Ryougi is really a senseless killer and she's being portrayed as the protagonist, I must report this film and advise His Majesty to ban such morally questionable content from being broadcast on television!"
Seeing Commander Wilcliff's overly serious demeanor, Ryne, who had already been beaten up earlier, dared not speak up again. Instead, he turned to General Wilhelm and asked, "There was a beast's roar right before the screen went black. Was that a magical beast?"
Wilhelm pondered for a moment before replying, "It sounded like the Silvermoon Wolf, a common creature in the imperial forests. They're highly aggressive and often attack travelers. Shiki Ryougi might have been attacked by one, which could explain why she ended up unconscious."
"A magical beast attack? But why was Mikiya Kokutou unharmed?"
"That..."
Wilhelm had no answer to this question and remained silent.
Meanwhile, the surrounding knights weren't delving into such deep discussions. They were simply thrilled that General Wilhelm had managed to get a television from Durin. Being able to watch such an exciting show firsthand brought them great joy.
...
At Edward's Tavern, Durin stretched lazily after Murder Speculation ended.
Watching television for long periods really took a toll on one's body. Considering the empire's current state of unrest, perhaps the broadcasting schedule should be more strictly regulated to allow for adequate breaks?
As Durin pondered over this potentially unpopular idea, the room around him erupted into a heated debate.
"Shiki Ryougi can't be the killer. The clues are too obvious, like it's a deliberate misdirection," Chase declared. Though he hadn't spoken much during the film, he confidently shared his opinion as the credits rolled.
Winry nodded in agreement, clearly hoping for a happy ending and believing Shiki hadn't committed any heinous acts.
On the other side, Zat and Aya, who had been fighting, were calmed down by Helena and Daphne. Zat then said, "I don't think Shiki is evil. If she were, Mikiya Kokutou wouldn't have survived."
"Hmph, Zat, you finally said something useful," Aya retorted smugly.
In response, Zat grabbed her blue hair and yelled, "Why are you acting smug? What useful point can you make?"
Through tears of pain, Aya shouted, "I can! Shiki never killed anyone, and she didn't decide to kill Mikiya. I even think she was trying to commit suicide in that last moment!"
"What?!"
Everyone was stunned, especially Durin, who wondered if Aya had somehow seen spoilers. However, knowing he hadn't written the next script yet, he realized she was just following her intuition.
"Are you a fool or an idiot? Your logic makes no sense!" Zat scoffed.
Unfazed, Aya was about to argue back when Durin intervened, "Alright, alright, the ad break is almost over. The next episode is about to start."
"It's starting?!"
Immediately, everyone in the tavern sat up straight. At the same time, the flickering black screen on the television caused viewers across the Empire to fall silent in anticipation.
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