"Yugo, what do you make of this incident? Do you have any idea who the mastermind behind the attack on this village is, or what they might be after?"
At around that same time, Yugo—who had been scouting the village ever since the morning meeting concluded—found himself facing that very question from his companion, Marcos.
After confirming that no one was eavesdropping, Yugo shared his personal theory with the partner who had been helping him unravel the mystery, drawing on his expertise as a Nichiasa Otaku.
"Assuming everything Shiroi said is true... I don't think the villagers have been brainwashed or possessed by parasites. I think their identities have been stolen. Essentially, the culprits are mimicking them."
"I agree. It’s the only way to explain how Melt could be in two places at once. The real question is, what happened to the people they replaced?"
"I can’t prove it, but I believe there's a strong chance they're still alive. It's just a hunch, though."
"May I hear your reasoning?"
Whoever had targeted the village possessed the ability to mimic others. There was no doubt about that. Marcos’s testimony—the fact that he had witnessed a duplicate of Melt entering Egos's Room while the real Melt was showering back in their own quarters—was all the proof they needed.
Taking his theory a step further, Yugo explained to Marcos why he believed the original villagers might still be breathing.
"I’ve been trying to figure out what the culprit’s objective was in doing all this... but I can't find an answer that makes sense. Every time I think of a plausible motive, I run into a contradiction."
"True. Despite launching a large-scale offensive against an entire village, the situation hasn't progressed. It is certainly bizarre."
What was the goal of the imposters living in the village? Yugo and the others were at a loss. If their goal was to quietly mimic humans and occasionally prey on people without being caught, there would be no need to replace every single resident.
Conversely, if they had attacked the village to increase their numbers—like the Toadstinger they fought at Mount Yumyum—they should have moved on to their next target the moment they finished with this one.
In short, their behavior was inconsistent.
The fact that they had stopped their criminal activities after such a significant initial strike didn't align with any standard motive Yugo could imagine. If their goal was expansion, they should have attacked the group the very day they arrived... but they hadn't even attempted it.
The only tangible harm they had identified so far was the existence of the mimics and the fact that they had used their forms to seduce Cyan and Egos. In a way, it was a half-hearted strategy that made their true objective impossible to read.
"I have no idea why the culprit is doing this... but maybe they're unable to leave the village?"
"Unable to leave? What do you mean?"
"I suspect the things mimicking the villagers can't act on their own. There’s a central command center somewhere, and they only move according to the orders it gives. They are, quite literally, the culprit’s marionettes."
"Hmm... that would explain a few things. It makes sense that young Shiroi could escape so easily and that no one searched the forest for him if the command center wasn't giving specific orders to do so."
"The culprit is pulling the strings from somewhere inside the village. If the marionettes wander too far from the base, the signal probably cuts out. That's why they haven't made a move yet... or at least, that's what I think."
"But how does that lead to the conclusion that the villagers are still alive?"
"Again, I don't have proof, but wouldn't it require an immense amount of magic power for one person to operate dozens of marionettes? I suspect they're keeping the villagers alive somewhere to drain their magic power and fuel the puppets."
"........."
Marcos realized this answer was born more from Yugo's own desires than a series of logical deductions. Because Yugo desperately wanted the people of this village—and Shiroi's parents—to be safe, he had reached a somewhat forced conclusion. Marcos chose not to point that out.
While it was a naive way of thinking that could easily become a weakness, Marcos knew that this very compassion was the greatest strength of the man he called his rival. Furthermore, Marcos himself didn't want a tragic ending either; he, too, hoped for the safety of the residents.
"...If you're right, then the villagers must be being held captive somewhere nearby. Let's find them."
"Yeah... you're right."
Yugo's theory was optimistic, but it wasn't entirely outside the realm of possibility. Thinking they might truly be able to resolve this incident without any casualties, Marcos clapped Yugo on the shoulder to urge him forward.
Just then—
"Yu-Yugo! It’s bad! It’s really bad!"
"President Presia? What’s wrong?"
A breathless Presia came sprinting toward them, desperately calling Yugo's name. Sensing the panic in her voice, both men tensed as she reached them.
"Please, come quickly! They found Shiroi!"
"What!?"
At the news that the boy's hiding place had been compromised, Yugo and Marcos's expressions hardened instantly. The two of them sprinted off, racing back toward the room where they had been sheltering him. When they arrived and saw the massive crowd gathered outside, they both let out a sharp, collective gasp of shock.