In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 72

Higashino Yu took a deep breath, putting aside the thoughts that had just crossed his mind. He didn't back down, nor did he make any aggressive gestures. Instead, he spoke slowly, trying to appear calm:

"Good evening." His gaze met those empty eyes calmly, his tone devoid of any fear. "Are you... lost? Or is there something here you're looking for?"

The empty eyes of the spirit Miya seemed to twitch slightly, somewhat surprised by Higashino's words. Normally, shouldn't a ghost seeing her like this shout and demand, "What the hell are you?"

It's quite strange that Higashino greeted people so calmly; this guy is incredibly bold.

She tilted her head slightly, thinking about how to answer. It was rare to meet someone so special, and she didn't want to scare him.

Her gaze remained firmly fixed on Higashino Yu.

"Mingya, my name is Yu Ling Mingya..."

Chapter 95 The Ghost Kidnapping Plan is Underway

“Yu Ling Mingya…” Higashino Yu repeated the name softly. Of course he knew the name and even knew a little bit about her.

But that's about it. Her role in the original work is practically that of a passerby. The reason Higashino remembers her is because the ghost attribute is relatively rare.

“A very unique name. I am Higashino Yu, and I live here.” He paused, then looked at Miss Ghost and continued, “So, Miss Mingya, could you tell me how you got to this room? Or rather, where… did you come from?”

Mingya remained silent for a moment, as if trying to recall, but in the end she just slowly shook her head with a hint of barely perceptible confusion.

“I… I don’t know.” Her voice carried a hint of disappointment and confusion. “I have no memory of ‘where I came from.’ It’s like… it’s like I suddenly ‘woke up’ and realized I existed, and I was already in this city.”

"I just happened to float downstairs, and somehow I ended up here." Maybe it was just a sudden whim? Mingya didn't know either; she just suddenly wanted to float up, without any reason.

"It was in Academy City from the very beginning?" Higashino confirmed, while quickly analyzing the situation in his mind. A ghost without any origin memories appearing directly in this city of science? This in itself is full of contradictions.

Could it be that she is actually an esper, or perhaps a test subject, due to some strange ability? Higashino couldn't be sure. He knew very little about her in the past, and the information he got from her was practically nonexistent.

“Hmm.” Mingya nodded, her movements very subtle. “Academy City, that’s what the people here call it. It’s very tall, very bright, and full of strange things.”

She described the facts she learned after becoming conscious: "People can't see me, and they can't feel me. I'm like... a shadow, or a gust of wind, that can pass through walls and through crowds, but can't touch anything, and no one knows I exist."

"Then why are you wandering around?" Higashino pressed, trying to understand her state and behavior. "Is there a purpose? Where do you want to go? Or are you just... aimlessly wandering?"

“Purpose…” Mingya tilted her head, a gesture that made her seem more like a confused girl than a ghost. “No particular purpose. Just…exist. Just like water flows and wind blows, I am there. Sometimes I stay in one place, watching people busy themselves and listening to them talk. Sometimes I travel through many places, seeing different scenes. But most of the time, I just…drift.”

Her tone revealed a deep sense of confusion and emptiness. She had no past to hold her back, no future goals, and even her very existence felt passive. She didn't know the meaning of her existence, and could only drift aimlessly like this.

She had hoped, but after countless failed attempts to be discovered, she gave up, until today...

"So what about tonight? Why did you appear in my room tonight?" Higashino steered the conversation to the heart of the matter. "Did you sense something? Or... did you really just drift here by chance?"

“A coincidence,” Mingya answered crisply. “Like when I drifted into many other rooms before. Only… this time is different.” Her gaze refocused on Higashino Yu’s face, her eyes filled with pure confusion. “You… saw me. You… are talking to me. This is the first time. Someone knows ‘I’ am here.”

"Because I'm a bit special," Higashino smiled, not explaining much about how he might be able to see her because of his abilities. "Anyway, I can sense you, just like how I'm talking to you now."

Mingya seemed to accept this explanation, or rather, she didn't care about the specific reasons; what she cared about was the result—the fact that she had been discovered and "seen."

It made her truly feel her own existence, not a false one.

"So how long have you been wandering around Academy City like this? Do you remember?" Higashino Yu continued to probe for information.

“How long…” Mingya fell into a brief silence again, recalling her past experiences.

"It feels like...not long. But I don't know exactly how long. Time here doesn't seem to mean anything to me. Day and night, people come and go, over and over again...I just watch, but when I feel tired, I'll find a dark corner to rest."

There was a hint of weariness in her voice, "Sometimes I feel very empty. It's very lively around me, but it feels like I'm inside a transparent dome."

Being able to see the outside world but being unable to have effective contact with it is a feeling that ordinary people cannot understand.

Although she can actually influence reality, it's pointless to simply cause destruction. No one can see her, and even if she does bad things, no one will notice her existence.

"Lonely?" Higashino Yu asked softly.

Mingya paused for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Yes. Perhaps. Without a past, without a goal, without being seen, I'm like a forgotten fragment of the world."

Silence fell in the room once more. Higashino Yu could sense the pure yet heavy sense of loss in her words.

If it were him, he felt it would drive him crazy. When his parents passed away, he became withdrawn for a long time. Having no one to accompany and communicate with was definitely a form of torture.

"So, what about the name 'Yu Ling Ming Ya'?" Higashino changed his perspective. "How do you know that's your name?" He was very curious about how an amnesiac ghost knew his own name.

“A name…” Mingya’s gaze became somewhat blank. “I don’t know where it came from. When I think about ‘who I am,’ the name is already there. Like a mark engraved on existence itself. ‘Yu Ling Mingya’… that is ‘me’.”

“I understand.” Dongye nodded. “A name is the starting point of self-awareness.” He looked at her, his tone becoming more sincere: “At least now, you are no longer an unknown shadow. Miss Mingya, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

This ordinary social phrase seemed to cause Mingya, who was floating in the center of the room, to pause slightly.

For the first time, a trace of emotion, which could be described as a "fluctuation," appeared on that pale face and in those lifeless eyes—a very faint, unbelievable touch.

"Do you know me?" she repeated, her voice more cautious than before, carrying a hint of uncertain probing.

“Yes,” Higashino Yu answered affirmatively, his voice gentle and clear, “My name is Higashino Yu, and you are Mikoto Meiya. Now, we’ve met. At this time, in this place.” He gestured around, “Although the way we met is a bit unusual.”

It's quite rare for a girl and a man to meet for the first time in the boy's bedroom, right? Although it's even rarer that the object of their encounter is a ghost.

Mingya remained silent, as if processing this simple yet profoundly significant fact for her.

After a long while, she murmured in a voice that only she could hear, "Higashino Yu... knows... Meiya..." The sentence was like a strange spell, giving her an unprecedented and indescribable sense of "reality".

Chapter 96 The Ghost Kidnapping Plan Successfully Completed

Higashino Yu looked at her, feeling that the time was about right, and continued, "You said you're like the wind, like water, without purpose, just existing, just drifting, right?"

"Hmm," Mingya responded, waiting for Dongye to continue.

"Do you think this state is... good?" Higashino looked directly into her eyes. "No origin, no destination, unseen, unperceived, just observing this noisy world that has nothing to do with you, day after day?"

Mingya was silent for a moment. "...Not good."

Although she is no longer human, intelligent beings find it difficult to endure loneliness, especially since, apart from her different mode of existence, she is actually no different from ordinary people.

She felt somewhat lost and bewildered, "but I can't change any of this."

This honest answer put Higashino at ease. She was clearly aware of her own state of pain, which in itself was an opportunity for him to persuade her; if she hadn't cared at all, he wouldn't have had any reason to talk to her.

“Then,” Higashino’s tone softened, with a hint of persuasion, “what if there were a place, a spot, that could temporarily stop this aimless wandering?”

Mingya stared at him, not understanding what Dongye meant: "...point?"

“Yes, an anchor point.” Higashino pointed to the ground. “Right here, in this room. A point where you can be ‘seen’ and ‘perceived’ as you exist. A point where you can choose to stay or leave at any time.”

For him, it would be very simple for Mingya to be seen by ordinary people, as long as she herself is willing.

Mingya tilted her head, as if trying to understand the meaning of this "anchor point." "...Here?"

She repeated, her voice tinged with confusion and... a faint hope? "Why here? Because... you can see me?"

"It has nothing to do with the location, but rather because I can set up a point where you can be seen by other people," Higashino Yu frankly stated what he was capable of doing.

He paused, then added, "Moreover, it's relatively safe and quiet here for the time being."

“Safety…” Mingya murmured the word. In her past existence, safety seemed to have never been a consideration. After all, no one could see her, so why would she need to think about such things?

"Then... if I stay, what do you need me to do? Offerings? A contract?" she asked.

It's impossible for someone to be so kind as to help a stranger for free, especially a ghost.

Higashino smiled, this time with a hint of ease. He knew he was only one step away from successfully persuading her: "No offerings are needed, no contract is needed. I said it's a 'temporary stay,' not a binding order. You can do whatever you want, observe as you did before, or simply stay quietly. If I absolutely need you to do anything..."

He shrugged. “That is simply ‘existence’ itself. Your very existence is valuable to me.”

"Value?" Mingya was even more confused. What value could she possibly have? Could she be used as an air conditioner in the room during the summer? If that were the case, it might actually be somewhat useful.

“Yes, it has value,” Higashino Yu affirmed. “My ability is different from that of ordinary ability users; it’s quite special, as you’ve probably noticed. Your form of existence is a very unique and worthwhile ‘sample’ for me to study. Understanding you might help me to understand some of the rules that govern this world more deeply. That’s very important to me.”

Higashino didn't hide his purpose; honesty actually made it easier to gain trust. Moreover, he didn't believe such things needed to be concealed. If one had to stammer about even this small matter, how could one gain genuine trust from others?

And only in this way can the other party feel at ease.

Mingya fell silent. She seemed to be processing Dongye's words. Someone who could see her, understand her pain, someone who didn't ask for anything from her, but instead said that her existence was valuable to him, someone who provided an "anchor" for her to temporarily escape the boundless feeling of floating...

“Sample…research…” she repeated softly, a glimmer of light seeming to flash in her empty eyes, no longer pure confusion, but carrying a hint of contemplation. “Is it the kind of research that requires dissecting people?”

“No, not like that.” Higashino answered decisively. He wasn’t a researcher; how could he possibly do something like dissection? “I won’t do anything to hurt you.”

“My research is more about ‘observation’ and ‘understanding.’ Just like we were talking about earlier. You can stop at any time, or leave at any time; that’s your freedom.”

Higashino felt that he had said enough, and there was no point in continuing to persuade him. He was sure that Mingya would make the right choice.

After all, cognitive modification works on ghosts. Higashino had already secretly tested it during their conversation, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, she wouldn't think in a bad direction.

The room fell silent again. Just as Higashino had expected, Mingya wasn't thinking about things that would be detrimental to him; instead, she was considering whether her staying would affect him and whether she truly had that kind of value.

After a while, just when Dongye thought she needed more time to think, Mingya's voice rang out.

“Okay.” She nodded gently, looking intently into Higashino’s eyes. “I’ll stay. For now.”

She paused, then added, "When I need to leave..."

“You can leave anytime,” Higashino replied immediately, his smile sincere. “This is a temporary refuge, not a cage. You are welcome to stay, Miss Mingya.” He gestured towards a corner of the room. “You can choose your favorite corner. Or…”

Actually, Higashino wanted to be more generous and let her choose a room, but Himegami Akisa's move-in had already left the house without any spare rooms.

Higashino felt it was time to consider moving. This small apartment was no longer suitable for living in; it would become very crowded if there were more people. He had already felt that way when everyone came to visit him last time.

"Floating is nice too?" Higashino pointed to the ceiling.

Mingya's gaze followed his finger, finally settling on Dongye's face. She nodded slowly. She didn't complain about the accommodation Dongye had arranged for her; after all, this was how she usually rested, and she didn't find anything strange about it.

"Okay, I'll go over there then." She pointed to the shadow next to the wardrobe and floated over, disappearing into the shadow under Dongye's surprised gaze.

"Good night." Mingya's voice came from the shadows, but this time Higashino could clearly feel that the voice was full of trust in him.

"Okay, goodnight." Although I was a little curious about what it felt like to rest in the shadows, now was not the time to ask.

Now that the Ghost Kidnapping Plan has been successfully completed, it's time to think about how to explain the situation to Index and the others tomorrow.

Hopefully they won't mind sharing a room with a ghost.

Chapter 97 An Ambitious 'Plan'

The next morning.

Higashino Yu rubbed his sleepy eyes as he walked toward the kitchen. He had spent a lot of time trying to persuade Miya last night, and since she arrived late, he had been severely sleep-deprived.

However, the addition of Mingya is ultimately a good thing, and sacrificing a little sleep time is definitely worthwhile.

However, the sight in the kitchen instantly brought him to his senses.

Index, wearing her pajamas, stood on tiptoe in front of the refrigerator, trying to reach a carton of strawberry milk from the top shelf.

Himegami Akisa was preparing breakfast at the counter. Higashino felt that with her around, he wouldn't need to get up early anymore; having someone cook for him was much better than getting up early to prepare it himself.

However, it wasn't these things that brought him to his senses. Just as Index was about to successfully get the milk, the head of the spirit Miya popped out from the shadows next to the refrigerator.

Her eyes were somewhat dazed, as if she had just woken up. She glanced around and then her gaze fell on Dongye.

"Whoa!"

Index was startled by the sudden appearance of Mingya, and almost dropped her strawberry milk carton.

She stared intently at the suddenly appearing white figure, her eyes filled with surprise.

"Huh! This...this is?! A ghost?!"

After her initial surprise, the knowledgeable nun immediately recognized Mingya's identity. Although she had only learned about ghosts from information recorded in certain books, this was her first time actually encountering one.

Seeing the ghost already drifting towards Higashino, she immediately put aside her doubts about the ghost and shouted nervously, "Wait, Yu, be careful! Ghosts are very dangerous..."

The ghosts described in the book are mostly evil spirits, and Index is worried that they might harm Higashino.

Higashino waved his hand, signaling her not to be nervous, then cleared his throat and introduced, "Ahem, good morning, Index, Himegami. Don't be nervous, she won't hurt me. She's our new 'tenant,' Miss Mirei Meiya."

Himegami Akisa, who had stopped what she was doing at the food counter to observe, felt relieved. She had been extremely nervous when she heard Index mention ghosts. But when she turned around, she was even more frightened by their appearance.

Despite her still expressionless face, she was already panicking inside. After all, girls who aren't afraid of ghosts and evil spirits are always a minority, and she just happened to be an ordinary girl like that.

"tenant?!"

Index's worries vanished instantly. She looked at Higashino in disbelief, unable to believe that there would be another person in the house while she was sleeping.

She pointed at Yu Lingmingya speechlessly, then looked at Dongye, who had a helpless expression.