Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 3, Part 6

▶Second Day {D} Big room

The [Revolutionary] and the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness' is --- Iroha Shindou.

This is the conclusion I've arrived at. I have to persuade her somehow so she won't murder anyone else.

I should be able to do it. She is not a bad person who makes light of others' lives, after all. Therefore we should be able to settle things, no matter how hard it may appear.

------As if!

Just why was I so unbelievably naive?

"Ah, AaaAh...---"

Heavy breathing.

A pool of red liquid was spreading towards my feet. But I stood stock still, without even thinking of evading it.

"Kamiuchi!"

Maria's shout brought me back to reality. I went on to recognize what has collapsed before my feet.

"Ah, ---"

The pool of red liquid is, blood.

I knew that. Yeah, I was aware of that. But, I didn't want to realize the meaning of it spreading slowly but surely but slowly but surely but slowly but surely but slowly but surely.

I crouched down slowly and touched the face of this person carefully. A smile was on it, almost as if it was ticklish.

This expression was so «like her» that I called her name unknowingly.

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

*step* *step* *step*---

What is this sound?

*step*. This was the sound of a step. Red footprints remained from each step. *step* *step*. The boy who was producing this sound sat down on his seat as if nothing had happened.

Although it was him who stabbed Iroha-san.

"Kamiuchi-kun, why...?"

"Why? You sure ask strange questions, Hoshino-senpai. Because Kaichou would have killed us if we left her alive~! So stopping her is a matter of course, isn't it?"

"You didn't have to go this fa---"

I stopped speaking unknowingly.

Kamiuchi's hand were trembling horribly. He noticed this absurd trembling himself and, 'Hu, kuku,' raised a chuckle that didn't fit to this scenery.

Surely he had found out that Iroha-san was the [Revolutionary] in the [Secret Meeting] with Daiya, hence he might have thought he would die if he didn't do anything about her.

But that was no excuse to murder her right away... Aah, I see. This meant Iroha-san and Daiya were right in being cautious of Kamiuchi-kun.

"Uh..."

Upon hearing this leaked moan, Maria awoke from her bafflement and rushed to Iroha-san. In order to give her some kind of medical treatment, she examined her body thoroughly and---

---stepped away wordlessly.

"......I... see, scapegoat..."

She said and---coughed up blood.

"Uwa, vomiting blood...... all over me... I look.. uncool..."

She whispered such things with a faint voice.

"------"

I was incapable of saying anything.

I mean, although a girl was vomiting blood before my very eyes, although she was about to die, I involuntarily thought like this:

---it might have been best like this.

"I'm sorry."

Iroha-san closed her eyes. ...Because she had not enough power left to keep them open.

".....sorry that... I cursed you."

She mustered her last strength and whispered in a weak voice,

"...sorry that I couldn't save you..."

"------eh?"

Those were her last words.

---sorry that I couldn't save you?

While gazing at her motionless body, I considered the meaning of these words.

Iroha-san knew that there was a dangerous character among us that would readily kill Yuuri-san. Knowing this, Iroha-san had to kill this person, whatever it takes.

She took the lead in this [Kingdom Royale], although it meant that she would be doubted all the more by the others. For the purpose of changing the situation for the better, this responsibility-minded girl put herself at risk.

---while being prepared to ruin her own life.

For the sake of protecting her life.

For the sake of protecting our lives.

".........Ah"

I touched her face one more time.

But she didn't show me a ticklish smile anymore.

She didn't move anymore. She didn't breathe anymore. She didn't live anymore.

And even so, the 'Game of Idleness' did still continue.

"------"

I stood up.

I turned my head slowly to him.

Daiya Oomine was touching the piercing in his right ear expressionlessly.

- [Iroha Shindou], chest stabbed by [Koudai Kamiuchi], death

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

«[Koudai Kamiuchi] was strangulated by [Assassination]»

Now he has exclusive control.

- [Koudai Kamiuchi], death by [Assassination]

▶Third Day {B} Big room

"The battle was over at the moment I realized you were the [Sorcerer]!"

Daiya started to disclose his trick in the big room, where only the three remaining players were.

Maria was haggardly sitting on her seat. As she knew everything, she had tried with all her might to teach Kamiuchi-kun about the 'box', but he hadn't lent her his ears anymore.

And then, Koudai Kamiuchi had been killed as expected.

Ultimately, we weren't able to avert the death of a single person.

Only why did I believe Daiya? Though I knew that Daiya was the 'owner', why did I believe such a cheap lie, that there would be another suspect?

Though I knew that [Kingdom Royale] was a game about deceiving...

Therefore, I knew that that outcome was my fault. But, still---

"Didn't you say you believed me?"

When I complained like that, Daiya raised the corners of his mouth,

"Yeah, I said so. That I believe you will never kill me."

"...so those were just empty words to deceive me, weren't they?"

"It was a verbal slip. You could have noticed the true meaning of those words if you were keen."

I frowned.

"Don't you get it? I concluded that you, the [Sorcerer], can't kill me. In other words, I mocked you by saying I could do what I want, you wouldn't kill me anyway."

I bit on my lips.

...in short, he made a fool of me. At that time I had thought he averted his glance because he had blushed. But in truth, he had merely noticed his verbal slip and became nervous.

"As I'm the [Revolutionary], it's only natural that I want to know who the [Sorcerer] is, since he also has the ability to kill."

"That's why you asked me if I'm the [Sorcerer]..."

He hadn't been worried about me, he simply wanted to know who the person with the most dangerous [class] for him was.

"And you were the [Sorcerer], Kazu. Therefore I won't be [murdered] if I let you live."

Daiya flashed a grin and declared,

"Because I believe you, hah!"

So that's why the battle was over at the moment he found out that I'm the [Sorcerer]...

"But if you had become convinced that I'm the [Revolutionary], you might have still used [Sorcery] anyway. And even if not, you would have done something about me. In short, I just needed to make you think I'm not the [Revolutionary]."

So I danced to his tune and believed Iroha-san's the [Revolutionary].

---Oh. In fact, everything was simple.

What we should have done was exactly what Maria and I discussed in the beginning. It was just about persuading Daiya and getting the 'box' from him.

It was only complicated because Daiya made it look like this.

"...Not everything went without problems, though. Especially Yanagi was a bother."

"Yuuri-san?"

"Yeah. She tried to make allies. Actually, she probably would have managed making everyone but me her ally. If I had let her live, it wouldn't have gone this smoothly."

...I see. To Daiya, who wanted to start the game, Yuuri-san's existence was a bother, as she was going to stop [Kingdom Royale]. Therefore, Daiya rejected her coming-out proposal and killed her as soon as he could.

"Well then---"

He finished disclosing the trick.

Daiya took a breath and looked at Maria who was sitting on her seat.

"I only have to kill one more player to clear the game."

Only one of [Revolutionary]'s enemies has remained.

Only the [Prince] - Maria Otonashi.

Maria didn't even raise her head when he announced his intent to kill her.

...Ah, I see.

The [Revolutionary] has absolutely no need to kill the [Sorcerer] in order to win. Therefore, I will survive. Maria doesn't need to do anything, I will survive anyhow. And Maria has no interest in her own life whatsoever.

Therefore, Maria has no interest in [Kingdom Royale] anymore.

She doesn't mind getting killed like this.

"......"

---don't mess with me.

As if I could allow such an outcome!

If Maria plans to save me, throwing her own life away, calling herself a 'box', making light of herself---

"Daiya..."

I will of course---refuse that!

I scowled at Daiya and declared,

"I won't let you kill Maria!"

Right. when I noticed Maria's powerlessness in this 'box', didn't I realize that the time would come when I had to do something? Right now was the time for this!

At that time I hadn't known what to do. But now,

"If you plan on killing Maria, I will stop you. I will stop you no matter what. Right, even if---"

I've easily come to the conclusion.

"---I have to kill you."

Maria, who had not moved even slightly when Daiya announced to kill her, widened her eyes and looked at me.

Sorry, Maria. I will betray your belief that I would never kill anyone.

"...you seem serious."

Saying so, Daiya fell into silence.

In the first place, Daiya said so himself. That the possibility existed that even I would use [Sorcery] when it was clear who's the [Revolutionary].

Daiya made a mistake. Due to Kamiuchi-kun killing Iroha-san, he became incapable of making her his scapegoat and opened up that he was the [Revolutionary].

"Hand over the 'box', Daiya. If you do so, you won't have to die."

Daiya countered with a composed expression. But having been his friend, I know.

Daiya couldn't be more nervous.

"Won't have to die, huh."

He repeated my words and smiled wryly,

"...Kazu. Do you know what kind of 'box' this 'Game of Idleness' is?"

Because the sudden change of the subject, I frowned.

"The 'Game of Idleness' is just a 'box' with the purpose of killing time, that makes the called players play the killer-game [Kingdom Royale]."

"...so?"

"Do you think it ends like this, though its purpose is to kill time? Do you seriously think I would be satisfied with just one round?"

"......"

"This is a meaningless fight to the death. Thus, the feeling of yours that you want to save Otonashi, as well as the resolution to kill me are also meaningless. The outcome is completely indifferent. The next round will have a completely different development of things, just by changing the player. I might even become your ally."

What on earth is he talking about...?

"However, the sin in this sh*tty game will remain. If you kill me, the regret alone will remain."

"......Therefore I should not kill you?"

"Yeah."

......Hah.

So this was just idle talk to make me spare his life, huh. Even now he still tried to deceive me.

"It's painful to see you like this! Please, just give me the 'box' already!"

Having been my friend, Daiya should know very well how serious I am about killing him.

And yet---

"That's out of the question."

Daiya declared coldly.

"...You know that you're cornered, right?"

"Doesn't matter. I have now tasted the «hope» called the 'box'. As I've tasted it, there's no way I'd let someone steal it from me. If I lose the 'box', I will have no goal anymore. A human that merely lives without thinking much, doesn't differ from a CO2 machine, does it?"

"The 'box' is «hope», you say...?"

This 'box' that tormented Mogi-san, Asami-san and Miyazawa-kun is...?

"It's not such a good thing!"

"Shut up, you're annoying! I have no interest in your cheap values that could as well be sold at the special sale of some supermarket!"

What was dreadful was that Daiya was serious. He seriously said that the 'box' was hope. Though he should know about the previous two incidents.

Thinking that far, something struck me suddenly. Perhaps---

"Has it something to do with Kokone?"

Daiya couldn't counter immediately.

"...what has?"

"I said, does your 'wish' have something to do with Kokone?"

"Why do you suddenly mention her? I almost pity you for this brain of yours that produces such painfully unrelated thoughts."

But I hadn't overlooked the strained expression he made until he wrung out these words.

There was no doubt. Daiya's 'wish' had something to do with Kokone.

I then became convinced.

"You don't plan to... hand over the 'box', right?"

I became convinced that Daiya would absolutely not hand over the 'box'.

"Yeah, that's what I've been saying all the time."

No matter how much I threaten to kill him, Daiya would not hand over the 'box'. In other words, we---

"......"

Maria looked at me when I had realized this.

Maria was smiling.

"......Stop it."

She was smiling. ...Smiling as if she had given up on everything.

But I suppose that was the appropriate expression for this situation.

I knew it from the start. I couldn't crush the 'box' against his will by killing Daiya. I couldn't use [Sorcery] no matter what happened.

That was not because I lacked the resolution to kill Daiya. It had nothing to do with my resolution.

The problem was that I couldn't use [Sorcery] on my own. Right---

I can't use [Sorcery] because Maria would never kill anyone.

Therefore,

we lost against Daiya Oomine.

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

I had known it, but my attempt to make her use [Murder] was ignored for a whole 30 minutes.

I recalled Maria's statement the day before.

«I will protect you!»

I accepted this right away.

Just how foolish am I for accepting her kindness and strength readily like this?

Didn't I know from the start? Didn't I know from the start that Maria was powerless in here, as [Kingdom Royale] is about killing and deceiving each other?

This was wrong.

It was me who was supposed to say it.

«I will protect you, Maria!»

But it was too late already.

▶Third Day {E} [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room

«[Maria Otonashi] was strangulated by [Assassination]»

- [Maria Otonashi], death by [Assassination]

*********** GAME OVER ***********

Winners

[Daiya Oomine] (Player)

[Revolutionary], has killed Yuuri Yanagi, Koudai Kamiuchi and Maria Otonashi with [Assassination], alive.

* Victory conditions have been met due to Yuuri Yanagi, Koudai Kamiuchi and Maria Otonashi's death.

[Kazuki Hoshino]

[Sorcerer], alive.

* Victory conditions have been met due to him surviving.

Losers

[Iroha Shindou]

[Knight], chest was stabbed by Koudai Kamiuchi on the second day, death due to hemorrhagic shock.

[Yuuri Yanagi]

[The Double], death on the first day due to [Assassination] by Daiya Oomine.

[Koudai Kamiuchi]

[King], killed Iroha Shindou directly on the second day. Death on the same day due to [Assassination] by Daiya Oomine.

[Maria Otonashi]

[Prince], death on the third day due to [Assassination] by Daiya Oomine.

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