Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 3, Part 5

▶Second Day {C} [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room

«No target has been selected for [Murder] yet.»

The times when I could feel relieved by just this had passed.

I didn't know who was able to use [Murder]. But this person would certainly select someone.

He would urge me to kill that player.

«Well well well - it's abOut time - for the - [Secret Meeting]! - Please sElect - the player - you want to hAve - a [Secret Meeting] wIth»

I immediately touched the spot on the screen where «Maria Otonashi» was written.

«Please wait - untiL everyone - has selEcted - their partNer»

After a clearly longer while than last time, the [Secret Meeting] pairs were displayed. ...Maybe someone chose later on purpose to adjust the order.

[Iroha Shindou] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 15:40~16:10

[Yuuri Yanagi] dead

[Daiya Oomine] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 16:20~16:50

[Kazuki Hoshino] -> [Maria Otonashi] 15:00~15:30

[Koudai Kamiuchi] -> [Daiya Oomine] 15:00~15:30

[Maria Otonashi] -> [Iroha Shindou] 16:20~16:50

"......"

So this time Daiya and Kaichou designated me. Daiya aside, why did Kaichou select me?

I suppose Daiya is both the [Revolutionary] and the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness'. After all, I can't believe there would be another 'owner' so conveniently.

...But if Daiya was neither the [Revolutionary] nor the 'owner', then it would almost certainly be Kaichou.

Those two suspects are going to meet me.

I recalled their argument at the big room and cringed. For me it's absolutely impossible to persist against them.

I waited for the time to meet Maria while holding my head.

▶Second Day {C} [Secret Meeting] with [Maria Otonashi], [Maria Otonashi]'s room

Maria was sitting on her bed with crossed arms and a frown.

As soon as I sat down next to her, she immediately started to speak.

"Kazuki, we must not permit another casualty after Yanagi. You are aware of that, right?"

"Yeah."

"This has, however, become extremely difficult. If we don't do anything, the [Revolutionary] will definitely kill another one. ...We have to break this cycle somehow."

"What should we do...?"

When I asked this, Maria clenched her teeth once and declared,

When I asked this, Maria clenched her teeth once and declared,

"We will tell Shindou everything about the 'Game of Idleness'."

"Eh...?"

Couldn't Kaichou be the 'owner' as well?

"I understand your concern. But we can no longer avoid all risks. ...this will probably put you in danger, but please forgive me."

"......could it be that I was the reason why you didn't tell them about the 'box'?"

"What other reason could there be?"

Maria raised a brow, wondering.

...I had scruples about this thinking of hers... but since it wasn't the right time to say this, I asked:

"Err... we're going to tell Kaichou about the 'box', so that means that we're acting with the assumption that Daiya's the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness', right?"

"Well, yeah."

"I'll assume Kaichou believed the story about the 'box' with this example now, okay? If so, I guess the present Kaichou would... probably kill Daiya...?"

Maria grimaced.

"......Yeah, you're probably right. But it is absolutely necessary to show Shindou and Kamiuchi that there's also another way out of here than winning in [Kingdom Royale]. To hold them back from killing Oomine, I will also have to clearly convey my will to them. ...this will be hard indeed."

"...Ah, but if Daiya's the 'owner', Kaichou can hardly be the [Revolutionary], and she can't do anything about Daiya by using [Murder]. As the [Sorcerer] I have a veto after all. Everything's OK as long I don't press the button."

"Why can't Shindou be the [Revolutionary] if Oomine's the 'owner'?"

"Eh...? No, I mean, if she's not interested in starting [Kingdom Royale], what would be the motive to kill Yuuri-san...?"

Maria didn't nod to this logical reasoning.

"Oomine has said something about there not being a reason to kill Yanagi... but can't you think of it like this: taking the lead in the game does not matter to the [Revolutionary]. He merely always hated Yanagi; enough to kill her. Therefore, he took advantage of this situation, in which murder gets justified, and executed it on an impulse."

"Eh...?"

First I thought this was another one of her jokes that doesn't sound like one, but her serious face didn't change, no matter how long I kept looking at it.

"......No way. I mean, we're talking about Yuuri-san. There's no way someone would have such a grudge against her."

"Yanagi is charming. Such charm that shakes the feelings of others can sometimes also arouse negative emotions. For example, I'm sure there are girls that are jealous of her because she's so popular with the boys. Also, I'm sure there are guys whose love has changed to a grudge when they were turned down."

"...that is..."

"...Well, this is not more than a possibility. It's not like I felt anything strange in Shindou's attitude towards Yanagi. In the first place, Shindou is also blessed with talent herself. I don't think she'd be jealous of Yanagi. I just wanted to say that it's dangerous to arbitrarily decide something in advance."

She was right. I had only been thinking like: «[Revolutionary] = 'owner'». If I hadn't thought about the other case, I probably would have tripped.

I wondered what to do. The amount of questions was increasing in spite of the lack of time. I had to believe that we could do it. But the situation was --- hopeless.

"......Kazuki."

A comfortable weight was put on my downcast head. Maria ruffled my hair.

"I don't know about Shindou, but I was jealous!"

"Eh...?"

I raised my face reflexively and looked at Maria.

Maria continued to speak expressionlessly while stroking through my hair,

"It took you a long time to stop calling me «Otonashi-san», but for some reason you called Yanagi by her first name «Yuuri-san» in no time. Yanagi was over-familiar as well, and held your hand, and she even whispered into your ear! On top of that, you even arranged a [Secret Meeting]? Boy, this is irritating!"

"......?"

"What do you want to say with this puzzled look of yours?"

"How is that connected to jealousy...?"

Her hand stopped its movement immediately.

"...are you seriously asking this?"

"E-Err..."

"Then let me explain it to you politely. I just said that I found the thought of Yanagi being in your favor to be mortifying."

With those words, Maria laid her hands on mine. Then she brought her face close to mine. I should get used to this by now, but her face was still unbelievably pretty, so my face turned red at once.

"Err... y-your face is, too near...?"

"Do you get why your possible [Secret Meeting] with her irritated me...? The both of you, boy and girl, all alone in a separate room... you know?"

The soft blow of Maria's whisper brushed against my ear gently. Then, Maria put her index finger into it.

"Hya!"

Maria's bewitching expression disappeared immediately from her face when she heard the little scream I let out and then burst into a contented laugh. While I was completely baffled, she moved back a little and kept grinning at me.

"You're being easily toyed with by a younger girl, Kazuki."

With those words I finally realized that I was being teased.

Uuh... to begin with I haven't admitted yet that Maria's younger than me...

"Geez, why do you get this flustered just by a little joke?"

......Joke - from where...?

When I felt entirely down and fell into silence, Maria stopped grinning and said,

"You don't have to worry, Kazuki."

And then she smiled more gently than anyone else.

"I will protect you!"

▶Second Day {C} [Secret Meeting] with [Iroha Shindou], [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room

"W...hy...?"

This leaked unknowingly out of my mouth as soon I returned from Maria's room.

I looked dumbfounded at the monitor.

«A target for [Murder] has been selected»

That wasn't the problem. I had already presumed that the person, who can use [Murder], would execute this command. But the selected person was someone other than I had presumed.

«Will you burn [Iroha Shindou] to death by using [Sorcery]?»

Below this message was a picture of Kaichou's face with the word «KILL?» written over her eyes. If I press this picture, Kaichou will burn to death.

Why isn't Daiya, but Kaichou the target of [Murder]...?

I desperately tried to sort my thoughts that were about to go wild. Only the [King] or [The Double] could select a target for [Murder]. Neither I nor Maria are one of those two. Also, there was no way Kaichou would [murder] herself. Which meant that either Daiya or Kamiuchi-kun did the selection.

...But Kamiuchi-kun was supposed to be completely convinced that Daiya's the [Revolutionary]. I don't think he would select Kaichou then.

So it was Daiya...? No, didn't Kaichou claim that he was neither the [King] nor [The Double]?

Wait a sec!

So who on earth is the [Revolutionary]...?

"Ya, here I am."

"HII!"

I almost jumped just by this.

"Mh? Aren't you exaggerating a bit? You knew that I'd come, after all."

Kaichou stood in front of the door and raised her hand with an amazed face.

"I-I'm sorry, Kaichou."

"...I won't coerce you into it, but could you stop already with that 'Kaichou'? I don't really like it, since it gives me the feeling that me as the person beneath it is ignored."

"...so, Shindou-san...?"

"'Iroha' would be nice."

"......Iroha-san."

"The 'san' isn't needed, but... oh well... I'll sit down here!"

While saying she wouldn't force me, Kaichou---no, Iroha-san forced her opinion upon me and sat down on the table like Daiya had done the previous day.

"Umm... why did you choose me, Iroha-san?"

Kaichou answered with a smile to this question,

"To beg for my life."

".........eh?"

"Do you not understand? If I don't kill Daiya Oomine within today's {C}-block, I'm almost certainly going to be [assassinated]. In other words, my life is in your hands, Kazuki-kun. Kyaa~ please save me~, Kazuki-KUN!"

"...Why do you say this to me...?"

"Aren't you the [Sorcerer]?"

I desperately suppressed the disturbance that was about to assault me. This was the same trick as Daiya had used on me. Making the same mistake twice would be too pathetic.

"Oh, you don't fall for it? You're surprisingly careful, aren't you? Anyways, if Daiya Oomine doesn't get [murdered] today, I'm going to die. Ohmygod!!!"

"...umm, are you in a position to use [Murder]?"

"I'm not!"

Iroha-san denied distinctly.

"Then I couldn't save you on my own even if I were the [Sorcerer]! After all I wouldn't be able to select the target of [Murder]."

"You can't? After that conversation in the big room, do you really think Kamiuchi-kun or Otonashi-san would not [murder] Daiya Oomine? That guy dug his own grave there, didn't he? So shouldn't it work out if only you did something?"

At least Maria would never select «a target to kill» and, in fact, Iroha-san herself was the selected target.

But since I couldn't tell her that, I kept quiet.

"I chose you as my partner for the [Secret Meeting] because the probability of letting Oomine-kun go seems the highest for you! I mean, I gather that Oomine-kun and you have been intimate originally and look, you're kind after all."

I could only hear sarcasm in those words.

"See, I'm bothered if you let him go. Therefore, I came to give you a push."

A push to kill Daiya---huh.

"......But didn't you say previously that killing someone will ruin your life?"

"Yeah, exactly! By urging murder like this, I'm definitely going to ruin my life. To be honest, I have no idea how much I'm going to suffer in the future because of this, since I lack imagination! No, rather I'm trying to not think about it. After all---"

Iroha-san declared with a smile, but also with a strong light in her eyes,

"This is definitely better than dying."

After seeing these unhesitating eyes of hers, I finally noticed---

---the danger she posed.

What makes her a superman is not just her natural ability. It's the nature of her psyche. The characteristic that she goes straight for her goal without any detours might resemble Maria. However, compared to Maria, who puts others first and hence may change her own goal, Iroha-san prioritizes her own goal and definitely does not change it. For her goal's sake, she may step on others from time to time. Naturally, without even noticing it, like a train that crushes a pebble under its wheels.

And this time her goal is «to survive».

Suddenly, I recalled how we first met, which sent chills up my spine.

"......Say"

Iroha-san had said she wanted me to press the button to kill Daiya. But what did she plan on doing if I shook my head at this request?

What would she do in a situation where she believed that she would die if I didn't do it?

"Do you have your knife equipped?"

Iroha-san widened her eyes.

"Oho"

Then she looked at me interestedly and asked,

"How did you notice?"

She thrust her hand into her skirt, took a knife out and threw it to the door.

"Or did you discover it when you tried to peek at my panties? You pervert!"

"......"

"Haha, just joking! ...ah well, that I hid a knife can't be settled with a joke, huh. Aah~... can you at least let me make an excuse? It's not like I equipped the knife because of the [Secret Meeting] with you! I'm always holding it when I'm not alone in my room. For real."

"But if I had rejected your request to [murder] Daiya, you would've threatened me with the knife, right?"

"Yeah. But isn't that normal?"

I shook my head at her, who had admitted it easily. There's no way that would be normal.

"Really? Oh well. But as it stands I can't threaten you anymore, so."

"The jute bag..."

"Mh?"

"Hand over the jute bag on the table, because my knife's in there."

Iroha-san widened her eyes once to my words and then smiled wryly. As she was told, she threw the whole bag over to me.

I caught the bag, took the knife out and threw it to the door like Iroha-san.

"...did you also sit down on the table because you thought my knife would be in the jute bag?"

"Ahaha, I didn't think that far. By the way, can I confirm something?"

"What?"

Iroha-san looked straight into my eyes and asked,

"Whether you cooperate in killing Daiya Oomine or not!"

She said this easily and with a fresh smile.

"......um,"

"What?"

"I won't kill anyone! No matter whether it's Daiya or anyone else."

When I replied like this, Iroha-san kept quiet with her gaze and smile directed at me. I averted my eyes and dropped my gaze unknowingly due to this silent admonition.

"You don't get it. What I'm asking is:"

Iroha-san made a short break once and continued,

"Will you kill Daiya Oomine or will you kill me? - That's what I'm asking!"

I raised my face and looked at Iroha-san. She was looking at me as if I were a unreasonable child.

"Don't think you can escape from sin if you don't press the button! If you press the button, you will kill Oomine-kun indeed. But if you don't press it, you'll have killed me for sure!"

"T-That's---"

"Believe what you want, but that's what it's like for me. If I get [assassinated], I will think that you have let me die!"

"Uh..."

In fact, I knew it. I knew that it wasn't possible to stay clean in this killer-game, no matter what action one might take.

"...I got what you want to say. But I'm not able to [murder] Daiya in today's {C}. ...I can't tell you the details, though."

"Does this mean you are no [class] connected with [Murder]? ...wait, don't tell me Oomine-kun wasn't selected?"

She was almost scowling at me when she asked this. Of course I could not answer her question.

"Judging from your expression, it's the latter one! Whoa, hey! But ain't I sure to die then!"

When I kept quiet to this weird excitement of hers, Iroha-san let out a sigh and laid back on the table.

She then covered her eyes listlessly with her arms.

"...hey, Hoshino-kun?"

While maintaining this posture, she whispered so with a completely different voice than before.

"Yuuri was cute, wasn't she?"

Confused at why she asked this, I gazed at her silently.

"You know, I had never found anything enviable until I met Yuuri. Because I thought I could basically achieve, like, anything. The first person I respected and found enviable...and probably, was jealous of, was Yuuri."

Jealousy.

I recalled Maria's words, 'charm can sometimes also arouse negative emotions'.

"Because it's like showing my weak spot, I haven't told anyone until now, but only once during my high school life I was in love. I was on good terms with him from the beginning... and well, since I was inexperienced in love matters and such, I was alright with being friends."

Iroha-san flashed a bitter smile and said,

"Until he started to go out with Yuuri."

I was unable to read her feelings from this bitter smile.

"And as a friend of both parties, I had to help both of them out with relationship counseling. Thanks to that I even knew how far they had proceeded! For example when they first held hands or when they first kissed. Hearing that, I naturally thought: ---if only their bonds would rip apart."

"......"

"And as if my prayers were answered, they broke up three months later. Am I not idiotic? I had hoped so, although I didn't profit when he and Yuuri broke up. After all there was no way he would go out with me and we even became estranged as I stayed Yuuri's friend... Why did I pray for such an indifferent thing? In other words, I only prayed for their misfortune! Though they were supposed to be important to me. To put it mildly, I'm horrible."

Iroha-san finally looked at me.

"Did you just think this is a boring, common story?"

I shook my head distinctly.

"Well, that means that even I have some of those clichéd worries. ...just how am I a superman?"

Iroha-san shifted her gaze to the naked light bulb at the ceiling and said,

"...I had already forgotten about this childish worry. Really. Because I was satisfied with just knowing that Yuuri's important to me."

She flashed a self-ridiculing smile.

"But I remembered when Yuuri died. Even worse, I can't get it out of my head anymore. I can't get this inconsequential matter out of my head. Just when my dear Yuuri dies, I can only think of such a thing."

Iroha-san turned her head slowly to me.

"Tell me Hoshino-kun, what do you think?"

She asked gently with a whisper.

"Did I really --- like Yuuri?"

I couldn't reply anything to this question.

Iroha-san gazed at me expressionlessly for a while. But after she watched me being silent, she suddenly raised the corners of her mouth contentedly.

"Huhu... how was it? My strategy?"

"...Huh?"

"Don't you want to become my ally after hearing about my human side?"

She said so and chuckled.

But I understood. She might have tried to end that with a joke, but everything she told me were her true feelings. She had no one she could show her weakness. And I was sure she couldn't even show herself. Therefore, she didn't even understand her own heart.

This was her weakness. She could only let it out just because she was really about to die.

When Iroha-san saw that I dropped my gaze and closed my mouth, she stopped laughing.

And then she said, in a joking tone---

"I just cursed you."

With a refreshed expression.

"Now you will always remember this story if I die."

Her strategy was successful.

Even if she were the origin of all this, I couldn't wish for her death.

▶Second Day {C} [Secret Meeting] with [Daiya Oomine], [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room

Daiya sat down on the table and controlled his portable terminal.

"Did you know, Kazu? This terminal cannot be controlled by anyone but its owner."

Saying so, he searched my jute bag on the table, took out the portable terminal and showed me that he was indeed unable to use it.

"...you seem composed."

Contrastive to Kaichou who had been under pressure.

"Well, because I know that I won't be [murdered]."

"Eh...?"

Daiya raised the corners of his mouth.

"Don't ask something as stupid as why I know this. Of course because I selected the target for [Murder]."

"...so your [class] is..."

"I am the [King]."

He said this so naturally, I was about to believe him right away---but, I wasn't allowed to. That had to be a trick.

I racked my brain to find a doubt.

"...umm, if you're the [King], then that means you knew that Iroha-san's the [Revolutionary], right? So why did you not select Iroha-san immediately when the {C}-block started? Why did you select her only after your [Secret Meeting] with Kamiuchi-kun?"

"During the {B}-part, I suggested subtly that Shindou's the culprit, but I wasn't too confident, to tell the truth. Because I doubted Kamiuchi to the same degree as Shindou."

"Kamiuchi-kun?"

Though he had gotten so emotional due to Yuuri's death?

"So did you ever think that Kamiuchi-kun might be acting his anger?"

"He's a dangerous guy in his own way. Even you noticed that he's at least a slippery fellow, right?"

I nodded slightly.

"And just remember. Shindou's first partner for the [Secret Meeting] was Kamiuchi. The reason being that he was the one Shindou was the most cautious of."

Indeed, Iroha-san might have selected him, but...

"...come to think of it, Daiya, it seems to me like you knew Kamiuchi-kun already."

"Yeah, I knew him already. We went to the same middle school. I didn't remember his face, though."

"......eh? But Kamiuchi-kun didn't seem to recognize you?"

"As if an ant like me would be noticed by our oh-so-great Sir Kamiuchi. Unlike me, who has only good marks, he is a celebrity. I could as well tell you some bad rumors about him, but there's no necessity to talk about this now, is there?"

I decided I'd take that as 'there are enough bad rumors to make Daiya and Iroha-san cautious of Kamiuchi-kun'.

"Okay, now I'll tell you another interesting fact."

"...what?"

"The [Revolutionary] hadn't planned to kill Yanagi."

"...eh?"

My mouth opened with a whack.

"Hah... do I have to explain everything right down to the last detail? The [King] has another special command besides [Murder], hasn't he?"

"Ah!"

Right, [Substitution].

Using this command, it is possible that [Assassination] hits the wrong target.

"The [Revolutionary] wanted to kill me, not Yanagi!"

Daiya was suspicious and used [Substitution] right on the first day. Hence, Yuuri-san was killed instead because she was [The Double].

If it were really like this, then one couldn't call Kamiuchi-kun's anger a performance even if he were the [Revolutionary]. After all this would mean that Kamiuchi-kun had killed his favorite Yuuri-san unknowingly because of Daiya.

"I became convinced that Kamiuchi is not the [Revolutionary] in the [Secret Meeting] just now. Therefore, only Shindou can be the [Revolutionary]."

If Daiya is telling the truth, then this would mean that Iroha-san killed Yuuri-san unintentionally.

If so... the nuance of Iroha-san's confession just now might change slightly.

To drown her feelings of guilt, she's desperately trying to find a reason that would justify Yuuri-san's murder.

---This is how it could be interpreted, maybe.

"B-But... why were you that indirect in the {B}-block then? If you had revealed that you're the [King], wouldn't that have cleared up the doubt about you?"

"It's absolute idiocy to reveal one's own [class]."

"But didn't you tell me---"

"That is because I believe that you would never kill me."

"Eh...?"

When I widened my eyes, Daiya made a frown as if to say that he just made a slip of the tongue. He then averted his eyes almost as if he had blushed.

...he just said that he 'believes me', right? This Daiya has?

"...I'll explain what I wanted to achieve with my statements in the {B}-block."

Daiya began his explanation, quickly thrusting aside his previous statement.

"Let's start with my first intention. Making out the suspects. The [Revolutionary] knows naturally that Yanagi died because of [Substitution]. Thus, I purposely raised the question about why Yanagi was targeted, in order to get him to make a mistake. Well, this didn't work, though."

I nodded and urged him to continue.

"Then my other intention. Making them think I'm not the [King]."

"...Why would you want to do that?"

"The [Revolutionary] made me his scapegoat. Because he wants me to be the target for [Murder]. But since I'm the [King] myself, this is completely meaningless. Oh well, after all I'm the one that selects the target for [Murder]."

In truth, Iroha-san was selected for [Murder] and not Daiya.

"So what do you think the [Revolutionary] would do about me, when I'm worthless as a scapegoat and even realized his lie?"

Daiya raised the corners of his mouth, seeming almost pleased.

"He would naturally kill me with [Assassination]."

I gulped unknowingly.

"Therefore it's better he doesn't speculate that I'm the [King]."

I recalled a line of Iroha-san's.

«Besides, if you were the [King] or [The Double], you would have surely noticed this, so you can't be one of those two [classes].»

Aah, I see.

This argument they had was to make Iroha-san believe he's not the [King].

"------ah"

I noticed that I was about to get sucked up in Daiya's fast thought process.

But---it might be best to get sucked up and follow him. I mean, I can't think that Daiya shammed when he said he believed me. ...I don't want to think so.

We're friends, after all.

Should I really believe Daiya? And should I really assume Iroha-san's the [Revolutionary] as well as the 'owner'?

"Kazu."

While I was silent, Daiya said to me,

"Kill Iroha Shindou."

"---that's,"

"If you just use [Sorcery], neither you nor Otonashi will have to tread on thin ice anymore to settle this 'box'. We'll get released from everything just by a single resolution of yours. ---No, you have to kill her. Or do you want to render even my resolution futile?"

I'm aware that this proposal he interrupted me with is the wisest solution.

But,

"I won't use [Sorcery]."

My answer won't change.

"If Iroha-san's really the 'owner', I will persuade her somehow to hand the 'box' over to us."

"Although you and Otonashi might die because of this hesitation of yours?"

"Yeah!"

Daiya sneered at me when I declared so.

"Wow, how naive that you act the goody two shoes as always, even in a killer-game. 'She looks like a good person, so let's believe her!' - or what? That is quite the worst kind of simplemindedness there is. Look at this arm of mine! I got such bad goose bumps I can't seem to wash this out anymore; how will you compensate for that?"

"......Sorry."

For some reason I apologized, though I was the one that was being called names. But... that was almost like our usual conversation in the classroom.

"I did, however, know."

Daiya said while stroking his arm studiedly,

"That you would answer like this."

Daiya smiled wryly as if he had given up.

"...huhu"

"Whoa, you're repulsive. Why do you laugh although I'm making a fool of you? What on earth happened to your mind?"

Unintentionally, because, well, acknowledging me while complaining is just like you.

And then I was convinced.

Daiya is telling the truth.

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