The cruise ship sailed straight across that stretch of ocean.
The golden light flared brilliantly.
It nearly overturned the ship.
Deep beneath the sea, free from all restraints, Randou—whose true strength was still limited by his amnesia—was completely immersed in the exhilaration of his soul being set free. Like a peacock proudly displaying its magnificent plumage, he unconsciously expanded Illuminations farther and farther, far beyond the limits he had ever reached while in the Port Mafia. The waters surrounding him and Asou Akiya were transformed into a golden sea, as though nature itself had created a miraculous spectacle.
Then, all at once, the sunlight vanished.
The shadow of a cruise ship swept overhead, blocking their view.
What unbelievably rude behavior!
Randou was furious.
It was a rare moment when he could indulge in the twin pleasures of the sea and the blazing sun. Entwined in his lover's embrace, the two clung to one another with desperate passion, their sweet, breathless gasps mingling together as he wished he could stretch every second of this day into eternity.
Anyone who stood in the way of his happiness deserved to go straight to hell.
"Akiya—I want to sink that ship!"
"N-No, no, no! Randou, sweetheart! We're on vacation overseas!"
Although their honeymoon-like atmosphere had been completely ruined, Asou Akiya was profoundly relieved that he had come to his senses in time. Otherwise, the French beauty would have devoured him body and soul, leaving not even his bones untouched.
When you were abroad, it was best not to be too reckless.
Who knew what kind of trouble you might stir up?
Asou Akiya wrapped his arms around Randou, who was about to surface, cradled the back of the French beauty's head, took a deep breath, and dove deeper into the sea with him.
Beneath the water, Randou's skin looked smooth and pale. His hips brushed against the sandy seabed of the shallows, drawing a startled gasp from his lips.
Instinctively, Randou looped his arms around Asou Akiya's neck. His long, wavy hair floated around him like strands of seaweed, and his distinctly Gallic European features possessed an elegant, lingering beauty rather than anything overtly seductive. Having vented his anger, he had already withdrawn the offensive form of Illuminations, leaving the two of them once more in the ordinary, real world.
Asou Akiya kissed him, sharing his breath with him as tiny bubbles escaped from between their lips and drifted toward the surface.
Little by little, Randou calmed down.
The former French Transcendent twisted his waist in quiet protest, still showing a trace of dissatisfaction. Asou Akiya indulged him just enough, soothing the lover who, once roused, had been fully capable of tearing an entire cruise ship apart. Narrowing his eyes, he looked toward the sunlight filtering down from above as the disturbed seawater gradually turned cloudy.
Let's find somewhere else.
Asou Akiya gave Randou's lower back a gentle pat.
Golden cubes from Illuminations appeared, enveloping them both and carrying them freely through the seabed.
The British cruise ship passed safely through those waters.
"...Phew..."
Standing on the deck, drenched from head to toe by the seawater that had sparked the whole incident, the British Transcendent tightened his grip on the railing. He blinked uncomfortably as the dampness and salty residue left him thoroughly displeased, then tugged loose the bow tie and jeweled ornaments that had stuck to his neck.
Still shaken by the near disaster, the captain wiped the sweat from his brow before sending a crewman over to ask,
"Mr. Wilde... was there some kind of sea monster beneath the water just now?"
"There wasn't any sea monster."
The British Transcendent, vacationing under his real name, Oscar Wilde, leaned over the railing to watch the golden "speck of light" receding beneath the sea. It seemed to be taking the shape of a cube.
With a mischievous smile, he said, "It was a foreign ability user."
For the brief instant the two had surfaced, he had caught a glimpse of them. One of them had been a European beauty with long black hair, glaring furiously in his direction.
That face… looked oddly familiar.
"Arthur Rimbaud?
I must have been mistaken. According to the intelligence reports, that man is already dead."
During wartime, unexpected incidents were hardly unusual. Oscar Wilde had kept an eye on intelligence regarding the French Transcendents, just as the French government undoubtedly collected information on Britain's own Transcendents. Both sides were well aware of each other's capabilities.
Arthur Rimbaud, who was the same age as Oscar Wilde but had become a Transcendent even earlier, might not have been famous, but he had long been listed among Britain's highest-priority threats. The title of Transcendent was never granted lightly. There were only a few dozen Transcendents in the entire world. The less famous someone was, the more likely it meant their ability was extraordinary and that the French government had been cultivating them in secret, sending them on missions that could never see the light of day.
Oscar Wilde couldn't imagine France playing such an elaborate joke, so he merely shrugged.
After the Great War had been forcibly brought to an end by the Seven Traitors, every nation sat down to negotiate and divide the spoils. In theory, there were no such things as "victorious nations" or "defeated nations."
After all, unless people fought until their brains were splattered across the battlefield, who would ever admit defeat?
So why did people still speak as though there had been winners and losers?
The answer was simple.
For the sake of their own interests, every major ability nation had tacitly accepted an unwritten rule for determining the division of benefits—
The more top-tier ability users a nation possessed, the larger its share.
The nations that possessed Transcendents were the victors.
Those without Transcendents—or whose overall strength fell short—were the defeated.
It was as simple, crude, and ruthless as that. It was a law of the jungle, every bit as unreasonable as the methods the Seven Traitors had used when they kidnapped the heads of state and supreme military commanders of every nation.
The strong ruled, and the weak were crushed without mercy.
Britain claimed the largest share of the spoils from the Great War because it had the greatest number of Transcendents. France came next, but among the list of Transcendents it submitted, one name was conspicuously absent.
Arthur Rimbaud.
No matter how foolish the French officials might have been, they would never have concealed a trump card if it meant sacrificing their share of the postwar gains. The only explanation was that something had happened to Arthur Rimbaud during the war.
The loss of a single Transcendent had cost France dearly.
Oscar Wilde returned to his cabin aboard the cruise ship to change clothes.
When he emerged again, the nineteenth-century aristocratic gentleman had vanished, replaced by an outfit striking enough to leave anyone speechless.
His long golden hair had been cut to shoulder length, falling in soft curls around his face. He wore a lightweight silk summer suit, draped with a glossy black fur coat entirely unsuited to the season. A pair of sheer black stockings wrapped around his legs, boldly accentuating his ankles, while pointed crimson high heels completed the ensemble.
He strode out of his room with unmistakable pride and confidence.
"I'm attending tonight's sea auction."
For a brief moment, the crew fell silent.
By now, they'd seen Mr. Wilde appear in bizarre outfits more than once. His fashion sense assaulted their eyes so thoroughly that they could no longer decide whether to criticize it or admire it.
He possessed all the brilliance and striking beauty of a man, yet carried an added touch of feminine allure.
Those red high heels...
They were undeniably smoking hot.
One of the British intelligence agents assigned to secretly accompany him overseas and monitor his every move felt a splitting headache coming on. The last thing she wanted was for the American government to find out about this.
Letting Mr. Wilde travel abroad, she thought, was practically advertising to the world that Britain's Transcendents were all eccentric oddballs.
And yet...
The way Mr. Wilde dressed was his privilege.
Britain was a democratic society.
Not even the government could force him to dress more conventionally.
Remembering that he was genuinely attracted to both men and women—and was an unapologetic admirer of beauty—she couldn't help pulling out a small mirror to inspect her own face. Satisfied that her makeup was flawless, she concluded that she was at least attractive enough to serve as his companion at the auction that evening.
As for what might happen afterward, that was beyond her control. All she could do was make sure he enjoyed a pleasant, relaxing vacation—and, more importantly, ensure that the object of his affections wouldn't turn out to be a spy from another country.
That evening, a charity auction for wealthy elites and prominent public figures was being held on the island of Hawaii.
The rich and influential had all received their invitations well in advance.
Asou Akiya had brought the children along while vacationing with Kudo Yusaku. His plan was to have Ranpo and Chuuya attend the "summer training camp" Yusaku was hosting.
After all, in the original story, Kudo Shinichi had learned all kinds of specialized skills in Hawaii—piloting airplanes, operating boats, handling firearms, and more. As someone who placed enormous importance on education, Asou Akiya found the idea incredibly appealing and insisted on bringing his own children.
With Ranpo's intelligence and Chuuya's physical abilities, they had to be even more gifted than Kudo Shinichi, right?
The more skills they mastered, the better off they'd be in any profession.
A parent's hopes and dreams.jpg.
Originally, Asou Akiya had planned to spend the vacation quietly with Randou, and neither of them had received an invitation. However, after returning from a swim, he heard that the renowned American investment magnate Fitzgerald would also be attending.
Having admired the man from afar for a long time and even done business with him indirectly, Asou Akiya's interest was immediately piqued.
"Kudo-san, do you happen to have an invitation?"
"I come to Hawaii on vacation quite often, so they sent me one. Each invitation only allows one guest. Since I'll be spending time with my wife and son, I wasn't planning to join the festivities." Kudo Yusaku handed him the invitation with a knowing smile. "If you're interested, Asou-san, you're welcome to attend the auction."
Randou was interested in the items up for auction, but seeing that Akiya's real purpose was to meet people from the business world, his enthusiasm quickly faded. His body was craving a proper rest.
Besides, gatherings of high society from every nation were far too complicated. Instinctively, Randou wanted to stay as far away from those people as possible.
At moments like this, he couldn't help admiring Akiya's stamina.
The man who had been complaining all day about being exhausted still had the energy to attend an auction that evening!
With a teasing smile, Randou said, "Ranpo-kun and Chuuya-kun wore themselves out playing all day. If I don't go, are you really planning to attend all by yourself?"
Sitting in his chair, Asou Akiya laughed.
"Randou, you've forgotten someone."
Tilting his head back, he looked toward another companion who was quietly taking a break.
"Fukuzawa-san, would you be interested in accepting my invitation and accompanying me to the auction?"
"...Me? Isn't Randou-dono going?"
"No. His back hurts."
"..."
Fukuzawa Yukichi shot Randou, who was calmly sipping fruit juice, a rather strange look.
Randou draped a bath towel over his shoulders, looking utterly exhausted. The effortless French languor in his bones showed through naturally. He was unmistakably a man well nourished by love, a faint look of satisfaction lingering on his face. Quietly, he reached out and poked Asou Akiya in the waist—right where his kidneys were.
Asou Akiya winced.
"My back hurts too," he added. "We overdid it during the day. But the chance to meet Mr. Fitzgerald doesn't come around often, and I don't want to miss it."
Fukuzawa Yukichi nodded in agreement. "Very well. I'll go with you as your bodyguard."
Randou relaxed at once. Fukuzawa-san was exceptionally reliable when it came to protecting others.
At half past six, Asou Akiya and Fukuzawa Yukichi departed.
Back in the detached beachfront hotel suite, Edogawa Ranpo and Nakahara Chuuya were sleeping soundly. They had spent the day playing beach volleyball, solving mystery games, skydiving, and taking part in all sorts of adventurous activities.
Randou cradled the chinchilla cat that had no one else to dote on. His long wavy hair spilled across his chest, where the cat lazily batted at it with its paws.
Gazing at the lights shimmering across the sea, Randou's expression gradually grew tranquil.
"So forgive me for not going with you."
Leaving Japan and arriving in America, he could feel the country's spirit of freedom. At the same time, surrounded by foreigners of every skin color, he found himself overcome by a strange sense of detachment.
His past remained shrouded in mist.
Yet he had become increasingly certain that he had once been an intelligence agent.
He couldn't return to his homeland.
He couldn't allow himself to have too much contact with foreigners.
He wanted to protect the happiness he had finally found.
If the price of love was the loneliness of living far from his homeland... then so be it. After all, he had lost his memories. He didn't have to betray his country—it was his country that had forgotten him in Japan.
Supporting the chinchilla with one arm, Randou used his free hand to tuck the blankets more securely around the two sleeping children.
"Sweet dreams... all of you."
Randou kissed Ranpo and Chuuya on the cheek in turn.
The French were never shy about showing affection to the people they loved.
Then he noticed a faint blush creeping across Nakahara Chuuya's cheeks and let out a soft chuckle. His fingers gently traced the boy's brows and eyes. Without the effects of the makeup techniques, Chuuya no longer resembled Akiya so closely.
His fingertip lightly tapped Chuuya's tightly shut eyelid.
"Be good. Get up and take your colored contacts out before you go back to sleep."
"...!!!"
Mamma mia!
If Nakahara Chuuya had been Chinese, that would have been the exact scream echoing through his mind.*
*{Note: In Chinese internet slang, "我的妈呀!" ("Oh, my mother!" or "Oh, my God!") is a common exclamation of shock or panic.}
Beneath the covers, Chuuya desperately tugged at Ranpo.
Help!
Help!
Ranpo, wake up already!
On the other side of the bed, Edogawa Ranpo, who was sharing it with Chuuya, was roused by the commotion. Still half-asleep, he mumbled,
"Randou-san figured out you were wearing colored contacts ages ago. If he's telling you to take them out, just take them out."
Nakahara Chuuya stiffened with anxiety.
He vividly remembered that Randou hated blue eyes.
"R-Randou-san..."
"So you're really that afraid of the color of your own eyes? Let me guess... they're blue."
Randou sat down on the edge of the bed. The chinchilla leaped onto the blankets, happily padding across them—and straight onto the lump that was Nakahara Chuuya beneath the covers.
Embarrassed, Chuuya murmured, "I'm sorry."
Randou smiled. "What are you apologizing for? Go on and take them out. Don't end up scratching your corneas."
If this had been when they'd first met, Randou would never have been so gentle.
Time was, after all, the greatest balm.
"I won't hate you."
Hearing those words spoken in the Frenchman's warm, gentle voice, Nakahara Chuuya felt a comforting warmth spread through his heart. He pulled back one eyelid with practiced ease and carefully removed one of his colored contact lenses.
The lens itself was yellow-tinted, but once worn, it made his eyes appear green.
Randou watched him in silence.
Chuuya's eyelashes trembled uneasily before he cautiously opened one eye.
No longer disguised as a false green, it was revealed to be a brilliant blue—the clear, luminous blue of the sea. During all the time it had been hidden behind the contact lens, its true beauty had been concealed.
Those eyes should have shone with pride.
They should have been looking at him.
Blue...
A sharp pain suddenly pierced Randou's heart.
It was agonizing, as though something had stabbed straight through it, followed by an overwhelming tide of sorrow.
"These are..."
He reached out, his fingertips moving toward Chuuya's right eye.
The next instant, darkness swallowed his vision.
Edogawa Ranpo, who had already woken up, climbed onto Randou's back and covered his eyes with both hands. In a childish voice, he complained,
"Randou-san, I know Chuuya's eyes are beautiful, but my green eyes are beautiful too! You can't favor one and... um... neglect... me?"
The consequence of never taking school seriously was that Edogawa Ranpo had a habit of misusing idioms.
Distracted by Ranpo's playful antics, Randou corrected him with a smile.
"Ranpo-kun, the expression is 'favor one while neglecting the other.'"
Ranpo grinned with innocent delight, forever a child at heart.
"Then look at me, Randou-san. Let's stop looking at blue eyes."
He slowly let go of Randou's eyes.
Edogawa Ranpo shot Nakahara Chuuya a meaningful glance.
Concerned about damaging his corneas, Chuuya hurriedly removed the contact lens from his other eye as well. He tossed both lenses into the bedside drawer, then quickly burrowed back under the blankets and pretended to be asleep.
When Randou looked again, all he saw was Chuuya lying there with his eyes peacefully closed.
Turning around, his gaze met Edogawa Ranpo's eyes instead—emerald green, unlike his own in color, yet so remarkably pure they seemed almost unreal.
They were like emeralds crystallized from wisdom itself, a beauty one might encounter only once in a century.
"Ranpo-kun, you're a truly clever child."
"Mhm!"
"Can you tell me why seeing Chuuya-kun's eyes made me feel so sad?"
"Randou-san, you already know the answer."
Ranpo gently tapped the spot over Randou's heart. His eyes held nothing but pure reason, while his face was filled with unmistakable human warmth and affection.
"You chose the present. You chose us."
You're grieving what you've forgotten.
Not because of that man… that… the former partner who betrayed you!
Ranpo-sama will protect this family for you, Akiya!
So when you get back, don't forget to praise me!