I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Fubuki scratched her cheek with her index finger, blushing and not speaking immediately.

She figured it out... but precisely because she figured it out, she understood it even less.

The details of the case have been largely reconstructed, but there are still two points of doubt—

After organizing her thoughts and stating her speculations in their entirety, Fubuki concluded: "...There are still two points of doubt that I don't understand."

"First, who exactly is the 'gravekeeper' here? Why does she act like a tutorial guide in a roguelike game, leading 'Athena' on her journey time and time again?"

"Secondly, what exactly are the 'Apostles' in the temple? Why are they integrated into the temple's owner's 'temple,' yet also so incompatible?"

"Your guess is correct, my 'assistant lady'."

As Amamiya spoke, he brushed aside Fubuki's bangs and affectionately nuzzled her forehead in encouragement.

【~???~】(Fubuki)

"So, Jok, regarding these two points of doubt..."

Fubuki at least pieced together the truth from the clues she already knew.

It's normal that she didn't know about the 'color' news. Suspicion arose (six) (one) Shaanxi Emu long (two) month/ripple-

Amamiya has never explicitly addressed the issue of 'Apostles'.

"Shiff's reasoning is very sound, but it's fair to say that he completely overlooked the 'Ten Commandments of Detectives'."

"...?"

After a moment of confusion, Fubuki suddenly thought of the seventh commandment in the 'Ten Commandments of Detectives'.

"Seven: The detective himself cannot be the criminal. However, it is permissible for the criminal to impersonate the detective."

Fubuki's knowledge of 'detective novels' was not extensive, and she had only heard of the 'Ten Commandments of Detectives' to that extent. She didn't quite understand why there was such a strange rule.

Amamiya, however, was aware of this particular taboo.

Since the story of 'Sherlock' exists in this world, then the story of 'Poirot' should also exist.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, a Poirot story, plays a peculiar narrative trick.

Then... this rule was added to what wasn't originally one of the Ten Commandments for Detectives.

"The 'Apostle' can be created by someone... so what about the clues related to the 'Gravekeeper'..."

Before she could finish speaking, Fubuki suddenly felt the temperature of the stove in the room rise sharply, and the water made a sharp, bubbling sound.

Then, the entire hut began to shake violently and rumble.

"……?"

What 'supernatural force' is preventing me from continuing?

Fubuki's expression changed slightly as she nearly lost her balance and fell due to the violent tremors.

She was about to fall when Amamiya, who was already very close to her, stepped forward and caught her around the waist, pulling her into his arms.

As she lay back in Amamiya's arms, Fubuki temporarily fell silent.

After quickly glancing around, her gaze finally settled on the 'Gravekeeper's' halo, which had flashed brightly just now.

She let out a soft breath, and Fubuki didn't immediately leave Amamiya's embrace. Instead, she tilted her head back and whispered:

“…Sensei, let’s go out first.”

Chapter Fifty-One: The True Meaning of "The Hanged Ones"

The exploration of the 'cemetery' soon came to an end.

The cemetery used to bury "foreigners" was not large. After splitting up and making one round trip, the girls had already collected almost all the information they could.

Upon returning to Athena's location, their first reaction, without exception, was to observe whether Athena showed any overly obvious changes in expression.

Unlike true 'natives of another world', Personas who come to another world possess the information that 'the real world and the world of perception correspond to each other'.

Even Aru and Kirino could clearly realize that the group of tombstones here buried a tiny, kind side that had briefly been born in the heart of 'Shiranui Hanaya'.

At this moment, Shiranui Hanae, who appears as 'Athena', is merely 'one of them' who has crawled out from under the tombstone or will soon enter the tombstone.

Upon returning, Aru, Kirino, Kayoko, and Yuriko all cast pity or inquiring glances at Athena.

But Athena didn't react at all—or rather, she had already figured something out on her own and didn't need to react further.

She simply stood in front of a tombstone directly opposite the entrance, silently facing the only tree in the courtyard.

This tree... is the tree Judah used when he hanged himself.

In some ways, it's quite legendary.

Even the more hellish version is probably as well-known as the "tree on Coal Hill where the emperor hanged himself".

Judas's goodness, remorse, and all sorts of emotions after his repentance were buried here.

Athena's radiance only subsided when she saw Amamiya and Fubuki emerge from the Gravekeeper's hut.

"……hehe."

"I see. I understand... I understand!"

"I am not the 'Goddess of Wisdom' at all, but rather 'one of the parts' that perished here."

With what seemed like a sense of relief and open-mindedness after figuring things out, Athena chuckled as her light armor as the goddess of wisdom crumbled, and the shield and spear of Aegis in her hands also broke.

She didn't show any 'misery' or other emotions; she was very carefree and composed.

"I will eventually return here... to become nourishment for this tree, to become part of this 'cemetery'."

Looking up at the withered, almost collapsed tree, 'Athena' first bowed to Amamiya and Fubuki, then turned to pay her respects to the girls behind her.

"Thank you, heroes... for allowing me to return to this place and reflect on my past."

"My journey ends here... I am no longer the 'guardian' of this world, nor do I need 'Odysseus'."

"……No."

"I should say... I was never 'Athena' to begin with."

"I am 'Judas'."

"Judas, who turned his back on his family and friends."

"He committed a grave error, therefore he is neither forgiven nor blessed."

"This land will become my final resting place."

"Gentlemen, now..."

"I will die here."

After saying these farewell words, Judas walked calmly and serenely toward the tree that was meant to hang her.

She walked very slowly, and the 'spectators' who witnessed it all remained silent.

As for Amamiya, she was caressing the tree seed that 'Hanaya*Terror' had given her, engaging in final contemplation and strategic maneuvering.

Amamiya now has only one question to consider: Is the colorful Hanaya... credible?

Should we plant the 'olive tree' seed she gave us here?

In ancient myths and legends, the olive tree is often regarded as a symbol of peace and tranquility.

In the story of 'Noah's Ark', the pigeons that were released to confirm the situation brought back olive branches.

In the myth of Athens and Poseidon, Athena's 'gift' was an olive tree.

During the ancient games, all city-states would cease all wars and implement a 'sacred truce'.

The winner's prize was a crown woven from olive branches.

'...'

What might be the consequences of planting an olive tree?

Can the peace and tranquility of the olive tree dispel the 'evil' in Huaye's inner world?

Amamiya felt that things were a bit risky.

It really is just as simple as 'planting trees'; there's no need for the fighting and infiltration routes in the halls.

After much deliberation, Amamiya made her decision—

Trees must be planted.

The tree under which Judas was hanged symbolizes pure 'repentance'.

Pure regret, no matter how much, is useless and cannot change the status quo.

Another legend about 'hanging from a tree'...

Amamiya thought of 'Odin'.

I fought 'Odin' once in the Temple of the Holy Trinity.

In Norse mythology, Odin hung himself upside down on the World Tree for nine days and nine nights in order to gain wisdom, thus acquiring the power of 'runes'.

This is also the prototype of the "Hanged Man" card.

The Hanged Man card, in general, symbolizes the difficult state before enlightenment. The key word is 'sacrifice'.

The Hanged Man in its upright position symbolizes inner peace and acceptance, waiting and reflection, empathy and new perspectives, and voluntary sacrifice and pause.

Odin discovered the power of runes precisely because of his new perspective of 'putting himself in someone else's shoes'.

The reversed Hanged Man...

Resistance and struggle, procrastination and stagnation, futile sacrifices, the center of egoism.

The upright 'sacrifice' is altruistic. The reversed 'sacrifice', on the other hand, is selfish—using 'sacrifice' to manipulate others or gain sympathy.

It's all 'sacrifice'... but hanging oneself out of remorse is meaningless.

If someone sacrifices themselves in the pursuit of wisdom, then they deserve respect.

Not everyone has the courage to "hang themselves upside down in a tree and observe things from a completely new perspective."

Thinking this through, Amamiya called out to Judas, who was about to step into his grave.

"……etc."

'Judas' seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief. Instead of resolutely continuing forward, he stopped immediately and looked hesitantly at Amamiya.

"Is there... anything else you want to say?"

Amamiya nodded slightly and tossed the 'olive seed' in her hand.

"Can simply repeating 'sacrifice' atone for sins?"

Judah was taken aback by the question and fell into deep thought.

From a psychological perspective, every intelligent being has a survival instinct.

They all had the idea of ​​'ending it all'.

But can simply 'death' truly eliminate everything?

"...What do you mean by this?"

"...meaning that if you're going to 'sacrifice,' at least make the 'sacrifice' more meaningful."

Amamiya took out the 'Colorful Flower' he had given to his tree seed and waved it in his hand.

The risk is extremely high... but Amamiya decided to give her faith in the 'colored' Hanaya.

Because the keyword for Huaye is 'traitor'.

After being colored, she should have existed as the 'color pioneer' mentioned by the black-clad woman.

But the keyword 'traitor' is itself unpredictable and elusive.

In the real world, she intends to 'rebel' against Rin and seize the commissar's authority for herself.

So... if you stand on the side of 'pioneers of color', won't Huaye rebel?

Hard to say.

As a traitor who 'saw the truth and felt deep remorse after betraying his master,' perhaps the color-changing flower is genuinely trying to express goodwill.