Definition

Conjecture

Kirito watched as his friend unlocked all the near-impossible locks. "Those three are gods."

"Hey, include me too. Without me, they wouldn't have a place for it in the first place."

"So what blueprints are we looking for?"

"Don't just ignore me!" Kousuke sighed before turning to the far end of the room. "Despite all the work she's doing with Yagami-san and Takuya-san, she's been designing a lot of LBXs too." He made his way over and found a cabinet filled with nameless books. "Do you remember what was Kamiya Craft's best LBX? Aside my Lucifer, of course."

Kirito scanned the room absentmindedly as he replied. "The Emperor, right? Jin's first LBX before he got acquainted with Cyber Lance."

"Exactly. Eva actually came to me back when I was first appointed to be Kamiya Craft's new head." He took out a book that was thicker than all the others. On the front cover was a familiar symbol. "She wanted to restart the Emperor series."

"The Emperor series?"

"More specifically, right now, I think she'd want me to make one for Jin that's even stronger than the Zenon he has right now. There might be a few designs for other weapons and specs here too."

"... And that's it?"

"Hm?"

"That's all we're taking from this entire room?"

"Have any other ideas?"

He looked around once more. Most of the machines there looked like they needed to be reassembled, but knowing the siblings, they're probably more complicated than that. The few machines that seem functional on its own had warnings on sticky notes all over them. Looking back at the cabinet, none of the other books appeared to be useful.

That is, until he spotted a bookmark sticking out inbetween. Pulling on it tugged out a much thinner book than the one in Kousuke's hands. It opened when it dropped to the floor, and they found sketches of a certain necklace with notes scribbled all around.

"Hey, wait, isn't this..."

"Yeah..." Kousuke squinted to get a better look at the notes. "I can't read what that says though. I don't think that's Japanese."

"It's not English either." Kirito clicked his tongue in thought. "You think this is some coded language they came up with?"

"Probably... We can bring that back and ask either one of the brothers." Kirito decided not to ask how he knew about Hugo while Kousuke took out his phone and check the time. "Come on, visiting hours end at four."

~~~~~

"Destructcher?" Asta continued to stare at the naked skeleton. "Why is she giving me an LBX? She knows full well I don't play."

"Maybe she wants you to start."

"San, you and Fran of all people know how bad I am at controlling one. Besides, if LBXs come and attack me, I'll just destroy them with a kick!"

"Even if they're tiny in comparison, an LBX's weapon is just as deadly as the real thing, Asta. They can puncture your ball before you could do anything to it."

"Ugh... So annoying..." He stared back at the case for a good, long, while before finally screaming in frustration. "Fine! FINE! I'll do it! I'll try playing..." He shot his friends a glare. "But if either of you starts laughing at me..."

"We won't." Fran's sweet smile made him falter by just a bit. "We'll teach you step by step. You'll do great in no time."

"I'd better." He mumbled. "I don't want to be the weak link of the group."

"By the time we're done with you, you won't be. Trust me." He wasn't sure if he should be grateful or terrified of San's words just then.

~~~~~

"He must've placed a lot of faith in you, then."

That was wrong. Kirito never had any faith in anybody. He's always one to do things himself, but he took the trouble to bribe her and plead the adults so that she would be the one interrogating Bishop.

He wanted to get me away from something.

That was the only conclusion she could draw from it all. But what did he want to get rid of her from?

She wandered through a few more hallways, unconciously stepping aside whenever someone passes by and ignoring those who greet her. She racked her brain for any sort of clue, until a memory of that morning popped in.

"... Kousuke, huh?"

She was starting to think that lunch meeting was a lie.

~~~~~~~~~~

Conjecture: An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information