Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 3, Part 10

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

Even while I was thinking about what to do, things were progressing.

«[Iroha Shindou] was executed because she did not abide by the timetable»

- [Iroha Shindou], executed because she didn't return to her room until 17:40. Death by beheading.

▶Sixth Day {D} Big room

There were two jute bags on the table in the big room. The contents were the same as in mine, but the colors of the watches were different. The colors were black and orange. The colors Daiya and Iroha-san had worn.

The two days' leftover rations, in total four days', were of course taken by Koudai Kamiuchi.

But even while seeing that, Iroha-san's death still seemed unreal to me.

In the first place, she died because she could not obey the time schedule? Is that even possible, I mean, Noitan even comes to tell us it's time?

"A clear case of suicide."

Koudai Kamiuchi said.

"She couldn't endure this situation and let herself willingly get executed by not moving. Probably because she'd rather die than be eaten by me or something. Whoa, I'm already getting refused again after Maricchi, these girls are so rude..."

Iroha-san commited suicide? That Iroha-san?

This felt just too wrong. I had spent only a few days with her, but I could not believe she would make such a choice.

Yuuri-san seemed to have trouble realizing her death as well. She had taken the orange watch in hand and was eyeing it dumbfoundedly. Maria watched her suspiciously.

"Yanagi."

Yuuri-san reacted to Maria's call, still absentminded.

"Aren't you sad?"

Only when she was told that, emotions started to well up in her expression. When tears started to wet her eyes, she crouched down and gazed at the ground.

"......"

Maria seemed unable to endure watching her like that and averted her eyes after shaking her head.

"How kind of you to teach her when to cry, Maricchi."

"...hmpf."

Koudai Kamiuchi sneered when Maria exposed her aversion openly,

"How cooold. ...by the way, Hoshino-senpai."

He shifted his gaze to me.

"You're the [Revolutionary], right? So you'd be able to kill me in the next timeblock. Which happens to mean that I have to kill you during this block---"

---Dong.

He thrust his knife into the table.

"Do you want to try resisting? By all means, go ahead! Well, I'll use the knife while you only have your bare hands, though. Ah, you might as well attack me with the whole bunch, if you want?"

"......three against one?"

"If you think you can win, please go ahead."

...impossible. No matter how much Maria has refined her martial arts, she lacks strength. I don't think we could win against the armed Koudai Kamiuchi with violence unless we have some kind of agreement. And even then...

"In other words, it's already been decided that you're going to die, Senpai."

Koudai Kamiuchi pulled the knife out of the table. Then he pointed it towards me and raised the corners of his mouth.

"---or so you thought."

Unable to comprehend his behavior, I became dumbfounded.

He then guffawed because my expression was apparently funny.

"I wondered: isn't it boring if it's my overwhelming victory like this? We might as well make it a little more entertaining, don't you agree?"

I have no idea what that guy was saying. I didn't care about victory or defeat, entertaining or boring.

"Let's make a bet."

He continued, completely ignoring my frown.

"Let me confirm that again: you can use the [Assassination] command in the next {E}-block, right? I came to the conclusion that you won't [assassinate] me. Therefore, I'll bet on that."

"......?"

"As-I-said, I will naturally die if you [assassinate] me, right? If that happens, I lose of course. So let's conversely make it my victory when you let the time pass without doing it. That's all."

"...I don't get you! What's with such a bet? You don't profit in any way, do you? Do you want to be [assassinated] by me or what?"

"Of course not. Haven't I said it? It's not funny if my victory is that overwhelming!"

"That's exactly what I don't get!"

"Aah... umm, let's see. Taking a risk itself feels exciting - do you understand?"

I could only frown.

"For example, let's say that I entered the world cup, which is impossible of course, but anyway: I manage to make a goal. My team wins. In that case I become a superstar, no matter what kind of loser I actually am. However, if I contrarily let the enemy land a goal and Japan loses because of that, I'd be hated by numerous people and would become a villain."

Indeed, that would be a high-risk-high-return match. Almost like a gamble.

"You're the type that would want to avoid such a match, right, Senpai? Because you fear being hated by so many people. But I'm the opposite! It'd be pure adrenaline. I'd love to do it."

...I see, I think I get it. But---

"...it's strange to... bet one's life!"

"Well, it might indeed be overdoing it."

"In the first place, what do you gain from betting your life?"

"There's a «reward», isn't there?"

"Eh?"

I had never heard of such a thing.

"I've been aiming for that «reward» from the start! I think I've also mentioned it at that time."

I still remembered his first words. I remembered having read it several times on my portable terminal. Surely, it was---

«'Morning. ...Oh, there are a whole three hotties! Lucky me!»

"......wait..."

"I've already received one!☆"

I had thought no one would possibly wish for [Kingdom Royale] to start. I had been completely sure I was right on that.

But I was wrong. Koudai Kamiuchi had been enjoying this situation from the very beginning.

"I can't understand you. There is no consistency in your actions. What on earth do you want after all?"

"They often say that about me!"

He answered Maria with a broad grin.

"'What do you want to do', 'get yourself a goal', 'be serious' - mind your own business! Isn't that all indifferent? I am better than those preachers. Just spare me their envy!"

"I see. You're a real idiot."

"Watch your mouth!"

Maria obediently kept quiet when he suddenly rebuked her in a cold tone.

"Alright, let's get back to our bet, Hoshino-senpai. We bet our lives - you got that, right? So let's talk about the price. Since I'm so gracious as to do this even though I would have won originally, I'm the only one who gets one, okay?"

He wouldn't allow me to reject anyway.

"All you have to do is to show me a good performance!"

I had known it could not be anything upright. But---

"Just show me how you get killed by Yuuri-chan."

But his demand exceeded all my expectations.

"......what do you mean?"

"Exactly as I said it. If I win, we'll all naturally be able to reach tomorrow's {C}-block unhurt. Then I'll again be able to enjoy my fun time with Yuuri-chan in our [Secret Meeting]. Well, I'll cooperate with Yuuri-chan then and [murder] you, Senpai."

"What are you saying? Yuuri-san is the [Prince], isn't she?"

"She's the [King]!"

Koudai Kamiuchi declared coolly.

"Eh? That can't---"

I stopped mid-sentence. Yuuri-san was looking up to me with a pale face.

"...Yuuri-san...?"

"I-It's not like this... don't get me wrong, Kazuki-san!"

Why? Why does she already excuse herself though I haven't said anything yet?

"In short, it's like this: Yuuri-chan faked her [class]. She exchanged [classes] with Kaichou."

"...for what purpose?"

"To survive, of course!"

Yuuri-san's pale expression told me that this was the truth.

"There's no way Yuuri-chan would be able to resist my threat, as she wants to survive so badly that she uses such tricks! I'll be able to [murder] you with ease."

"......I won't."

Yuuri-san whispered.

Koudai Kamiuchi sneered at her, acting surprised.

"You won't use [Murder]? Hehe, you will!"

"...D-Don't make a fool of me. I would never do such a thing to Kazuki-san, and I couldn't, either. So why can you claim that with so much confidence...?"

"No, I mean, you are a girl that submitted her own body in order to survive, aren't you? Yuuri-chan?"

Yuuri-san didn't reply and tensed up.

"Yuuri-chan will definitely kill in order to survive!"

"I would no---"

"Hey, shall I tell them how you begged to me for your life?"

Yuuri-chan widened her eyes.

"Our pure-hearted boy might not like you anymore if he heard what kind of things you said to me."

"......stop."

"Truly amazing. You have no pride at all, do you? Since I'm just a pure junior who had an illusion of girls, it was quite a shock for me~."

"S....top, stop, stop...!! Don't say it!!"

Yuuri-san burst out in tears right there.

"You sure cry quickly... Don't worry! I was just joking!"

"You sure cry quickly... Don't worry! I was just joking!"

Of course she didn't stop crying. Koudai Kamiuchi lifted his arms, "My, my."

"Well, it's your decision whether you believe her or not. I suggest you don't!"

Yuuri-san peeked at me while crying.

I felt sorry towards Yuuri-san, but I did think it was possible for her to [murder] me. After all, she even faked her [class]. If she got threatened with death, I doubted she would be able to resist.

Yuuri-san wanted to survive that badly.

"Well, that's it, concerning our bet. You've got no choice but to accept. But surely you don't mind, right? After all, you won't lose anything by it."

After ending this topic on his own, Koudai Kamiuchi suddenly laid his arm around my shoulder and over-familiarly pulled closer, almost like he had done before the murder.

---Huh?

The instant I thought that, he thrust something into the pocket of my pants. When I looked at him, he pressed his index finger against his lips. Because he was embracing my shoulder, Yuuri-san and Maria couldn't see what had happened.

After achieving his goal, he let go of me again.

I pushed my hand into the pocket and felt something thin.

Paper...? Did he give me a message he doesn't want the others to see or something...?

"Kazuki."

I instantly took my hand out of my pocket. Maria continued without going into my behavior,

"I don't think it's a problem, but let me say this once again:"

Maria focused her gaze on me and said,

"Don't kill."

...Well, yeah. I expected she would say so.

No matter the situation, no matter who it's about, Maria would never wish for a solution in which someone has to die.

"......I would rather not, as well. But what should we do then? I'm still fine, but you and Yuuri-san will..."

"You want to sacrifice yourself for that sake? Don't you know? If you kill someone, even if it's by [Assassination], it will shackle you for the rest of your life."

I was aware of that.

As soon I killed Koudai Kamiuchi, I would not be able to return to my everyday life anymore.

But---

«Don't betray me.»

Yuuri-san was still crying.

When I saw her like that, the words I had once said came back to my mind.

«I can't stand your company anymore.»

I won't do something like that anymore.

I won't make that mistake a second time. Therefore, I have to---

"You don't have to think about saving us, Kazuki."

I averted my eyes because I felt caught.

"You don't have to sacrifice yourself for such a thing. Just think about protecting your own life."

"...But if I lose the bet, I'm going to get killed?"

"Don't worry."

Maria said as if it was a matter of course,

"I will protect you, Kazuki."

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

Before even looking at the memo, I knew it wouldn't contain anything good.

«Everything will be solved if you kill Yuuri-chan!»

But I hadn't expected such a stupid message.

Sure, Yuuri-san's [class] is opposing mine, since I'm the [Revolutionary]. It's the same for Koudai Kamiuchi, who is the [Knight]. On the other hand, the [Revolutionary] and the [Knight] can coexist. In terms of the game, it's pointless to kill him.

So what?

Did he bet with me because he concluded that I would [assassinate] Yuuri-san if he gave me this memo or what?

Stop belittling me like that.

I crumpled the memo up and threw it onto the table. Then I looked at the monitor.

«Please select a target for [Assassination]»

I remembered how I thought I would never select something like that on the first day.

But---

I didn't know anymore. I had no idea what to do.

But it was clear that no one would be saved unless I did something.

...So am I supposed to kill Koudai Kamiuchi after all?

That means to give in to the 'box'. To lose. And---to not return to my everyday life a second time.

But does that even matter anymore? After all, if I manage to save «Yanagi-san», the everyday life I was so tenacious about might become indifferent.

That's right! If I can undo that mistake, if I can make a fresh start together with «Yanagi-san», I---

I---don't mind abandoning my everyday life.

I stretched my hand out to the monitor.

Too bad, Koudai Kamiuchi, but I've won the bet! I will save «Yanagi-san». I will be fine with that. That's justice to me.

So, it's okay, right, Maria? You're okay with that outcome, right?

I asked with the expectation that the Maria in me would answer in my favor.

But what she said was---

«I will protect you, Kazuki.»

---the words she had said before.

".........ah."

I stopped my hand because I noticed that something about those words felt strange.

Right, why did she say something like that...? Did I perhaps overlook anything?

---Aah, right. Come to think of it, what was the reason for Iroha-san's death?

Iroha-san would never give her life up so easily. There's something wrong about that...

But what if she was already on the verge of death at the time she was executed? Or else, what if her death was already decided at that time?

I took my portable terminal and checked the rules.

Even if one got selected as the target of [Deathblow], it wouldn't be executed until 17:55. Iroha-san had died at 17:40. If, at that time, she had known that she would be killed by [Deathblow]...

Wouldn't she have sent us a message?

......No, that can't be after all. Iroha-san was the [King]. There's no way she would select herself as the target for [Murder]---

---Wait, that's wrong. It's different. Iroha-san was the [Prince].

The [King], who can select the target for [Murder], is---

---Yuuri Yanagi.

No, no, that's impossible. Don't jump to a hasty conclusion. It's only a thought of mine from my current point of view that this was a message from Iroha-san.

But,

I checked on the portable terminal.

There was no doubt. Right until her death---Iroha-san had been in a [Secret Meeting] with Yuuri-san.

Iroha-san hadn't abode by the schedule and had been executed. Because she hadn't returned to her room until 17:40. Because she had not returned from Yuuri-san's room to her own.

In short---

Yuuri-san had witnessed Iroha-san's death before her very eyes.

«Aren't you sad?»

That was the question Maria had posed to Yuuri-san, who had been watching the orange watch. Then, Yuuri-san had started to cry as if the dam had finally been broken.

As if she had remembered that she was supposed to cry.

«I didn't want to die on any account. Therefore, therefore, I---»

Because she doesn't want to die?

Because she doesn't want to die.

«I love you. I love you, Kazuki-san.»

"......"

I stretched my hand out to the table. I unfolded the memo I had crumpled up.

«Everything will be solved if you kill Yuuri-chan!»

...Let's assume I killed Koudai Kamiuchi. Of course the game would still continue because I'm the [Revolutionary], Maria's [The Double] and Yuuri-san's the [King].

So what will she do then? What will Yuuri-san do when she doesn't want to die on any account?

Koudai Kamiuchi had said it.

«Yuuri-chan will definitely kill in order to survive!»

I suppressed my chest that was throbbing wildly.

«Don't kill.»

Why didn't Maria add «Koudai Kamiuchi» to the end of that sentence?

I reluctantly took out my portable terminal. Then I replayed Maria's words.

«I will protect you, Kazuki.»

No matter how often I listened to the recording, the words didn't change. Maria had known. So that's why she, although Yuuri-san had been crying, although she should have wanted to save everyone, had not said:

«I will protect you all.»

I understood why she hadn't said that.

And then, I---

▶Seventh Day {B} Big room

"I won."

I lost the bet against Koudai Kamiuchi.

▶Seventh Day {C} [Secret Meeting] with [Koudai Kamiuchi], [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room

[Iroha Shindou] dead

[Yuuri Yanagi] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 15:40~16:40

[Daiya Oomine] dead

[Kazuki Hoshino] -> [Yuuri Yanagi] 15:40~16:40

[Koudai Kamiuchi] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 15:00~15:30

[Maria Otonashi] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 16:50~17:20

I never thought he would choose me for the [Secret Meeting].

"Heh, judging from your face, you did not [assassinate] me because you noticed the truth, right?"

Though his life had been at stake, Koudai Kamiuchi spoke to me leisurely as always.

"...did you have confidence?"

He smiled lightly.

"No way! Didn't I tell you? I enjoy the risk!"

His mental structure was a riddle to me after all.

"So, now you want me to assist you in killing Yuuri-chan? ...no way, huh. If you did, you'd have killed her yesterday already. Uhihi, Yuuri-chan was quite flustered when I disclosed that she's ready to kill you, wasn't she, Senpai?... that sure was cute."

"...Why?"

"Mh?"

"Why did you write it like that? Why didn't you just spell out what she was doing?"

Koudai Kamiuchi answered coolly,

"I can't do that."

"But why?!"

"Well, because I fell in love with her."

I first thought that was just another joke. But his eyes weren't lying.

"...but you noticed that you were being used, huh? You also noticed that she's going to kill you, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"And you're still in love with her?"

"That's what I'm saying the whole time."

That's just weird. It's not normal to think like that.

"What's with that face? Didn't she do something similar to you as well? You should understand my feelings, then."

"There's no way I could u---"

"So Senpai, did you think about killing her even for a moment?"

"...I,"

I closed my mouth subconsciously. No, he had to be mistaken. I would not kill, no matter who the target is.

But it was true that I had been on the brink of killing him while not thinking a tiny bit about killing Yuuri-san. And even now that he pointed it out, I still didn't want to.

"Even while being deceived, one is still charmed by Yuuri-chan. That applies to the both of us, right? Because we can understand that she wants to survive so well, we want to forgive her. ...well, in short, we still continue to be deceived although we noticed it. Hah... geez, Yuuri-chan really is too strong at this game."

...we still continue to be deceived.

...I guess so. I'm still thinking that Koudai Kamiuchi might just be making this up in order to deceive me. I want him to.

Therefore, in order to free myself from that naive thought, I asked him further,

"...Since when have you been cooperating with Yuuri-san?"

"Since the [Secret Meeting] on the first day! Playing the bad guy at that time was also a request by Yuuri-chan."

So it had really been since the very start. Yuuri-san had been groping for a way to survive already at the very start, already at the time she was pale.

"...was it Yuuri-san's instruction to kill Daiya as well?"

"Well, yeah. It seems Yuuri-chan pretty much believed that story about the 'boxes', and seriously thought that it would end with Oomine-senpai's death."

"She believed the story about the 'boxes'...?"

Although she denied their existence all that time...? Aah, I see. That was a performance to avoid being doubted by the rest of us as well.

"Do you remember that I was looking at my portable terminal at that time, right before I did it? Actually, I was re-reading Yuuri-chan's instructions!"

"...how detailed did she instruct you?"

"She roughly specified how I should act. Basically she wanted to make sure that she wouldn't get doubted, you see. Well, that's not the reason she gave me, though."

Yuuri-san had smiled happily until Kamiuchi-kun caused that incident.

Even though she had known what would happen.

"......Maria..."

"Mh?"

"Why did Maria keep quiet despite knowing that Yuuri-san was involved in it?"

"Ah, you even noticed that?"

Maria had a [Secret Meeting] with Koudai Kamiuchi before that. So he forced her to keep quiet about it somehow?

"To tell the truth, Maricchi had already noticed yesterday. She wasn't convinced, though, and only suspected her. Then, she questioned me about Yuuri-chan's involvement in our [Secret Meeting]."

I suddenly remembered Maria's statement.

«......what I want to say is... you have already spent four [Secret Meetings] with Yanagi, right?»

"......don't tell me,"

Did Maria doubt Yuuri-san already at that time? Did she suspect Yuuri-san's behavior when she subtly urged me for a [Secret Meeting] with her?

But I was unable to notice Maria's warning and still had a [Secret Meeting] with Yuuri-san. Because I was captured by my past with «Yanagi-san».

And that led to this worst-case situation.

"But don't you think Maricchi's too frank? Didn't she fear for her own safety when she asked me about Yuuri-chan?"

I could only agree with him, but that was the only way Maria could attack.

"Well, since I didn't think I could keep it a secret anymore, I just told her almost the whole truth. Ah, as you guessed, I also made sure she would keep quiet about it."

"...How? Maria can't be threatened that easily! Even if her own life was at stake, she wouldn't obey such a threat!"

"I guess so. She doesn't obey no matter what you threaten her with. ---therefore, I threatened her with doing something to you, Hoshino-senpai."

"......eh?"

"No, I hadn't planned to do that, really. I simply announced to her that I would kill you next, Hoshino-senpai. Then she made that proposal herself: «I'll keep quiet about the truth as you want, so don't harm Kazuki. You can kill me instead.» Really, how brave."

---Aah, I see now.

«I will protect you, Kazuki.»

That's what those words meant.

"I agreed to it. Well, I don't intend to stick to it, though. Or do you see a sense in it? I mean, Yuuri-chan can't leave the [Revolutionary] opposing her alive anyway."

...Maria has been more than enough aware of that. She certainly knew that her sacrifice wouldn't solve anything.

But still Maria can't abandon me.

Because that's what she takes pride in.

However---

"I wonder if she's surprisingly an idiot... Maricchi, that is."

---Koudai Kamiuchi was unable to comprehend that.

As he lived at a place far away from such pride.

"......Kamiuchi-kun."

"What's the matter?"

"If Yuuri-san hadn't given you the instruction to kill Daiya, would you have let him live?"

He answered on the spot.

"No way."

That probably wasn't even a difficult question to him.

"She just gave me the last push. Even if she hadn't handed me a knife, I would have done something similar, I guess. I mean, it would be idiotic to just wait until the time runs out."

He continued amusedly,

"When we could enjoy such nice entertainment!"

Aah, I got it.

Yuuri-san's secret maneuvers don't matter in that regard. I must not forgive him, whatever happens. On no account.

While I was clenching my fist silently, Koudai Kamiuchi searched his jute bag beside me.

"Since I pity you, I'll give you this!"

He stretched out that knife.

"......what are you scheming?"

"Take it as a means of self-defence for now. It seems Yuuri-chan doesn't plan to select the target of [Murder] until the [Secret Meeting] with you. If you kill Yuuri-chan quickly, you might survive."

"...are you serious?"

"...mh? Is it strange for me to help you? As I said, I'm doing this out of sympathy, really. Consider it a farewell gift from a member of the 'Victims of Yuuri Yanagi Club'!"

"That's not it! What I mean is... don't you love Yuuri-san?"

He stared at me perplexedly as if he had not understood me.

Aah, I see.

He has nothing to protect. It's like I can't see a core in his heart. That's why we couldn't see consistency in his actions. Silencing Maria and giving me hints at Yuuri-san's secret manoeuvering didn't bother him at all.

That was enough. I didn't feel like talking with him anymore.

"......I don't need that."

"Oh well."

He threw the knife on the table without showing any deeper emotions.

The conversation ended like that. He sat down on the bed and boredly played around with his portable terminal. I sat down on the ground and pressed my head against my knees.

I didn't want to talk with him anymore, but there was something I had to confirm.

"Kamiuchi-kun."

I asked him without raising my face.

"Will you kill Yuuri-san after I die?"

Since Yuuri-san and Koudai Kamiuchi were the [King] and the [Knight], they couldn't survive together. If he wanted to win the game, he had to kill her.

He answered,

"Honestly speaking, I don't know."

With his usual leisure tone. Halfheartedly.

"Isn't it okay to look at it as another gamble?"

I raised my head and looked at his face.

As always, a loose expression was there. Koudai Kamiuchi had not changed at all. He didn't feel any sin for killing Daiya and Iroha-san whatsoever.

"...hey, Kamiuchi-kun. It's the first time I'll say something like this, but I have to get it off my chest."

"Just come out with it."

I took a deep breath and braced up as much ill will as possible,

"I hope you get fucking killed by Yuuri-san."

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