THE STORY · EPISODE 08
The word free lightens the heart before it lightens the wallet.
Many signs hung along the corridor beyond Reception Plaza. Safety inspection. Free check. See your current status now. Busy passersby stopped and held up their devices.
“It says it’s to prevent what happened yesterday.”
Mana read the sign’s explanation.
After an executive impersonation, people would want to check their defenses. Just after a problem came something that seemed to solve it. Even their reasons for not wanting to doubt it had been carefully anticipated.
Phishingon approached the sign.
“If this is real, we could tell everyone about it.”
“Wait.”
At Mana’s call, his fin stopped.
“We haven’t checked where it leads yet.”
The short link did not reveal its destination by appearance alone. Even memorizing every character would not tell her what waited beyond it.
The sign also displayed a sample of the check page. Mana read the information on the sign without following the link. She had not started a check on her own device.
OPTIONAL QUESTION · 08-D1What HTTPS protectsWhich statement correctly explains a URL beginning with https?Open illustration & choices
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“If the connection is protected, it’s official? A...”
At Mana’s command, the sign’s emblem appeared on Securidon’s shield. A black ring passed through it and wound around the handle.
“Mana!”
As Yuki cried out, Securidon dropped to one knee.
Mana had confused the letters https with proof of a legitimate provider.
“The official name is right here, don.”
Securidon pointed to the sign.
“We have to check who is providing the information separately, not just what’s displayed.”
Mana answered.
She compared the destination visible in the preview with the provider’s official information. A preview alone could not reveal every redirect. She decided not to use an entry point whose destination was unclear.
“Then if we open it once to check—”
Phishingon stopped himself.
Black chains were beginning to rise around his feet.
Every step closer to the sign had narrowed his way back. Dark rings linked together behind the FREE tag.
“Have I gone back to pulling people in?”
His voice grew small.
“No. Right now, we’re both about to be pulled in.”
Mana took his fin.
“You wanted to help, didn’t you?”
She contacted the doctor.
“I gave https more meaning than it actually has.”
“Protecting information in transit and trusting the person receiving it are separate things. Even a locked envelope reaches the wrong person if you address it incorrectly.”
The doctor asked again using a different situation.
OPTIONAL QUESTION · 08-D2The operator behind a protected connectionAn online shopping page indicates that the connection is protected. What can you still not determine from that alone?Open illustration & choices
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“A. We still don’t know whether the seller will really deliver the goods.”
At her instruction, Securidon removed the sign’s emblem from his shield. The next ring slid off the outside instead.
They had defended successfully. But the chains were still heavy. Defending and cutting off the enemy’s route were different turns.
Phishingon nodded.
“Then let’s use another entrance to do that.”
Episode 8, Illustration 1 | A free-check sign and an unseen destination
OPTIONAL QUESTION · 08-A1A different service asks for your passwordAn unverified free-check website directly requests the password for your email account on a different service. What should you do?Open illustration & choices
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“D. Don’t enter the password. Verify with the legitimate provider through another channel.”
Mana moved away from the sign and opened the official bookmark she had used before.
She found no announcement of the check. Through the legitimate contact listed there, she asked where the sign had come from.
While they waited, its display changed.
“Sign in to continue your free security check.”
It asked for a sign-in before explaining what it would examine.
Miscure looked at the screen.
“The information they want doesn’t match what they say they’ll do for you.”
The existence of legitimate sign-ins to a genuine service did not mean it was safe to enter secrets into an unfamiliar invitation. Here, they had not even verified who provided the check.
“Check the destination before opening the link.”
Mana read one word at a time.
Verify the destination. Do not open it while it is unknown.
“We will not use this entrance.”
Their inquiry and report were accepted, and a caution was added to the sign. The flow of people changed. Even those in a hurry stopped to look for another trustworthy entry point.
“Securidon, now push that entrance back. Patchron, support our footing!”
At Mana’s command, the light of protection and the light of repair overlapped.
The chains weakened.
Securidon supported Mana and Phishingon with his shield while Patchron loosened the tangles around their feet. The black rings looked strong, but could no longer catch new people.
When the last sign disappeared, the shadow was surrounded by its own chains, unable to move.
Purifying light flowed between the links.
A blue body, glossy as a water droplet, appeared. A slender stalk rose from its head, and it held a large chain in both hands. A little FREE! tag swung from it.
The new companion started offering the chain to Mana, then quickly drew it back.
“May I connect us?”
“Connect what?”
“So we won’t get separated. But if you don’t want to, I won’t.”
Mana smiled.
“When we’re walking, wave and call to us. If we need help somewhere dangerous, we’ll ask.”
“All right. I’m Linklar.”
After giving his name, he coiled the chain into a bundle. Not a shape for dragging at someone’s feet, but one he could carry himself.
COL-004: Linklar. Looking at the eighth entry, he asked, “Will this page connect somewhere without asking?”
Mana laughed. “It’s a page to record that we met you.”
Phishingon came beside him.
“I have a tool for pulling too.”
“Do you make mistakes?”
“I just did.”
“Then teach me.”
The two set off together, perfectly serious.
On the way back, Mana talked with Phishingon.
“Thank you for stopping when I called earlier.”
“I wanted to help, and went too far ahead.”
“I do that a lot too.”
“You do, Mana?”
“When a job is new, you want to say you can do it.”
He resettled the fishing rod on his shoulder.
“If I manage to stop, does that mean we don’t have to start everything over?”
“Not everything. We can choose what comes next together.”
At the end of the corridor, Linklar looked back and gave a broad wave with his little hand.
No chain reached out.
Mana waved back.
Farther ahead, a thin crack crossed the corridor floor. Patchron indicated the safer side. Linklar began reaching for his chain, then asked Mana.
“May I make something to hold on to here?”
They checked with the attendant in charge and let him help provide support where it would not obstruct traffic. His chain no longer decided where to take people without asking.
After crossing, Mana looked back. Linklar was waiting for the last passerby’s hand to leave the chain.
Episode 8, Illustration 2 | Linklar supports the way back
“What should I do when it isn’t needed?”
He asked.
“Put it away and come with us.”
At that answer, his body quivered brightly.
Even when his tool had no task, he could still be a companion. Mana felt a little glad she had put that simple truth into words.
When they reached the doctor’s house, the entrance terminal showed that an attachment had arrived.
Security_Update.zip.
Just when they thought they had left the free offer behind, an update itself had arrived like a parcel.
END OF EPISODE 08