Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 3, Part 11

▶Seventh Day {C} [Secret Meeting] with [Yuuri Yanagi], [Yuuri Yanagi]'s room

The Yuuri Yanagi I had known already wasn't there anymore. Any loveliness had disappeared from her white face and what remained was mere exhaustion.

And in her eyes dwelt that blankness.

Those were the eyes she had shown me yesterday before embracing me. I had thought that their origin was the emotional wound she had suffered.

But that was wrong.

That blankness resulted from her suppressing her feelings for a long time in order to act in front of us.

And---I was no longer able to mix her up with «Nana Yanagi» when she was like that.

...no, it wasn't just about her expression.

Probably, I had already realized that when I kissed her on the cheek.

Probably, I had already realized that when I thought that her tears are different from «Nana Yanagi»'s, when they didn't quench my thirst.

I simply gazed at the girl in front of me.

I simply continued to stare at her, without any sign of averting my gaze, but without putting any emotion into it as well.

The pale girl pressed her hands against her chest. She breathed fitfully.

Although I had been trying to keep my gaze free of any emotion, she had figured out its meaning. And she had started to suffer.

---from her awareness of sin.

She wavered slightly and immediately covered her mouth. But her resistance was futile; vomit flowed out through the gaps between her fingers.

"Uh, ghe..."

I was however unable to look after her and simply kept on watching.

Hate her.

Hate her.

I should hate her, who deceived us, who cornered us, who led us into this situation. It would be easier for me if I did. Also, if I perceived her as my enemy, there might still be chances. I need to hate her.

And yet, she lamented to me, looking so shameful.

---It's painful.

She lamented.

---It's painful, it's painful, it's painful, it's painful it's painful it's painful it's painful it's painful it's painful painful painful painful painful painful painful painful painful.

"------"

So what? Yuuri-san cornered and tormented others as well. She deserves to suffer like this now. Looking that painful might even be another of her tricks. Wouldn't it be downright idiotic to feel sympathy for her?

And yet---

"......Are you okay?"

I spoke those kind words to her and stroked her back.

"...I'm, sorry."

Come to think of it, she had always been apologizing.

"I'm sorry."

After her default apology she continued,

"But I'm still going to kill you, Kazuki-san."

I know that!

Of course you wouldn't let go of your life after hurting yourself so much to keep it.

"......Yuuri-san, you'd better lie down."

When I suggested that, even feeling compassion for her, she followed my advice obediently and lay down on the bed. But she didn't turn her head to me.

She asked me like that,

"......Won't you offer resistance?"

"I won't."

I myself was surprised by my distinct words. Though I had been unsure whether to oppose her or not, I managed to answer her question on the spot.

But it was probably okay like that. Those reflexive words were certain to be my final answer.

"...so why did you want to have a [Secret Meeting] with me?"

"Because I have one wish."

Then I told her why I didn't select Maria, but her to be my partner for the [Secret Meeting],

"Don't kill Maria."

I noticed Yuuri-san breathe in, in surprise.

"...Why do you think I'd kill Otonashi-san? I mean, I'm the [King] and Otonashi-san is [The Double]. In regard to the game, she has a [class] I don't need to kill in order to survive."

"You tried to make me kill Koudai Kamiuchi, right?"

"......Yes."

"Even if I killed him, the game would not end. However, you would become unable to make him kill me. Hence, no matter who you use to kill, in the end you have to get rid of the remaining one with your own hands. So, I wonder: why did you particularly want me to kill him?"

Yuuri-san kept quiet, but I had found the answer myself,

"Because it's easy to kill someone like me, right?"

Her head twitched slightly.

"It would be too risky to save him for last, since you have to kill the remaining one with a knife. But in my case, there's almost no danger for you. Hence, you wanted to save me. Or am I wrong?"

Yuuri-san kept silent for a while, but at last she answered properly,

"......you're right."

It was still a shock that she admitted it. But I hid those feelings and continued,

"But now you'll have to kill Koudai Kamiuchi yourself. On top of that you even need to do it directly with a knife, though you have no chances of winning against him in a direct confrontation. So what are you going to do, I wonder? How would you raise your chance of survival?"

"......"

"...I think you already understand what I want to say, right? In order to raise your chance of survival---you will use Maria Otonashi."

Yuuri-san curled her body up.

"Well, I don't know how exactly you plan to use her! Just, it's unreasonable to think you would start to restrain yourself after having done all that. Yuuri-san, at worst you would even kill Maria in order to survive."

I drew closer to her face and looked into her eyes.

"Therefore, please."

I repeated my words.

"Don't kill Maria."

I wouldn't let her avert her eyes. I had to make her promise this.

The girl with a blank look answered, looking slightly frightened,

"...It's easy to promise that. I just need to say it, even if it's a lie."

"......Mh?"

"I mean, you have no means to confirm whether I abide by it, because you'll be dead when I would use Otonashi-san. So isn't it pointless to promise something like that now? By now you should be aware that I lie if I need to."

Although she'd just need to make the promise, she intentionally gave me advice.

"...you're different from Koudai Kamiuchi."

"Eh?"

"You have a proper awareness of sin. Therefore, you're going to give in to my threat."

Threat. She widened her eyes because I had used such a word.

"If you kill Maria---I will ruin your life."

I won't be alive anymore when Yuuri-san breaks our promise. But that doesn't mean I can't threaten her.

I just need to prepare something that will be invoked when she breaks the promise.

"If you kill Maria, I will curse you and torment you until the end of your life. I will become a spirit that throws curses at you all day long. I won't let you forget the fact that you're a murderer even for a single moment. By doing so I will make you lose the meaning of life and erase you."

Upon hearing the determination in my voice, Yuuri-san contorted her face to one that was either smiling or about to cry...I couldn't judge.

"She's important to you, huh."

She whispered.

"Otonashi-san's very important to you, isn't she?"

I was relieved that she had understood my intent.

"Yeah... therefore I won't forgive you if you kill her."

This threat could only work because Yuuri-san had an awareness of sin.

Now she was going to fall prey to her feelings of guilt at the moment she'd kill Maria.

So she wouldn't kill Maria anymore.

I stepped back from the bed and sat on the table.

"...So, why did you want to have a [Secret Meeting] with me, Yuuri-san?"

"......"

"You selected me as the partner of your [Secret Meeting], didn't you?"

I gazed at her from the table.

"Indeed. ...I did."

She shifted her gaze to the ceiling.

"There's one last thing I wanted to tell you. It may be hard to listen to, but can I tell you about my misdeeds? ...well, it seems you know most of it already, though."

"...As a confession?"

"No. It would be easier for me to keep it hidden, after all."

"Why then?"

"Because it will help you."

I frowned.

"It will help me? What will?"

"The details about how I created this situation will help you."

I didn't get it. Wouldn't I die shortly after? What might help me or not didn't matter anymore.

But Yuuri-san didn't elaborate on her reasoning and began her talk,

"I thought about ways to survive since I arrived in [Kingdom Royale]."

Her voice was trembling. As it seemed, she really didn't want to talk about it.

"While fearing for my life, I thought about how I could raise my chance of surviving. In other words, I planned to become the winner of this murder-game at that time. The conclusion I came to was to first make the others my allies for the time being.

I especially wanted the [Revolutionary] and the [Sorcerer] on my side. Hence, I wanted to know who had those [classes]. For that sake, I intended to propose a coming-out of the [classes]. But surprisingly, Oomine-san proposed it instead."

"You wanted the [Revolutionary] and the [Sorcerer] on your side---"

"---in order to kill."

She declared so unhesitatingly. ...maybe she had become a little bit too frank about her deeds.

"But the [Sorcerer] was Oomine-kun and he didn't want to become my ally. I suppose he saw through my acting that allowed me to let tears flow like a faucet. And the [Revolutionary] was you, Kazuki-san. But you wouldn't be able to kill anyone even if I asked you to."

"Thus, you made Kamiuchi-kun, the [Knight], your ally...? But your decision was quick, wasn't it? He told me that he had already received some instructions on the first day."

"It was... well, obvious that he had a crush on me. I'm pretty sensitive to such things. Therefore, I quickly made him my ally and had him throw a tantrum to raise the tension."

"Why was there a need to do that?"

"To make the rest of you want to do something quickly. If they feel threatened, people want to make a plan against it. By doing so I made you want to do a coming-out."

I see... indeed, if everyone concluded that such a killer-game could not happen, there would be no need to do anything new.

"I concluded that the story about the 'boxes' is true. Therefore, I had to get rid of Oomine-san."

"That's why you made Koudai Kamiuchi kill him?"

"Yes. But [Kingdom Royale] didn't stop when Oomine-san died. Thus, I shifted my goal from killing the 'owner' to winning the game. ---you overall know the rest, right?"

I nodded. I was confident to have understood it in general. ...But I still had one more question.

"Then what about Iroha-san...? I assumed the way she died might have been a message, but what exactly happened?"

I saw clearly that Yuuri-san's face tensed up.

I comprehended from her expression that Iroha-san's death was something special to her. Although she had spoken so boldly about her actions, this matter apparently caused some reluctance in her.

Yuuri-san bit on her lip once, but then she spoke,

"...I think it's as you presumed. We selected Iroha as a target for [Murder]. And when Iroha came to know, she died like that to leave behind a message to tell you and Otonashi-san about my secret maneuvering."

She willingly suppressed her feelings and spoke in a plain voice.

Suddenly, I noticed a certain thing. The watch she was wearing on the right wrist. Her original watch had been beige-colored. But---her present one was orange.

"Even in this game... I can still not win... against Iroha..."

And then she fell into silence.

I had the hunch that she would not answer any more questions about Iroha-san.

Therefore, I stopped pressing her on that matter any further.

"Okay, I understood what you did secretly.... but I still don't understand how this should help me?"

To this question, Yuuri-san raised herself up from the bed and gazed at me with those blank eyes.

"......Why do you think I believed the story about the 'box'?"

"Eh?"

"Can you please believe what I'm going to say now? ...No, sorry. After betraying you like that, it's stupid to expect you could still believe me, isn't it?"

She continued hesitatingly,

"But since you asked me, I'll tell you. Unlike everyone else, I can remember what happened right before we arrived here."

"------!!"

I widened my eyes confronted with those unexpected words.

"There, I received an explanation from the 'owner'. He told me that I would be going to play a killer-game called [Kingdom Royale]."

The 'owner'...? So she knew the 'owner', the wirepuller of [Kingdom Royale], from the very start?

"...who is that 'owner'...?"

Yuuri-san answered me,

"It's Oomine-san."

Daiya is the 'owner'...?

I held my breath. Honestly, it wasn't unexpected. Rather, it was only natural that it was him. She probably believed Maria because she knew that Daiya was the 'owner'. But---

"But---the 'box' wasn't destroyed in spite of Daiya's death."

Right, if Daiya had been the 'owner', this 'Game of Idleness' would have ended already.

"As I told you previously, I also thought it would end like that. But as you see, it didn't. By that I immediately came across the answer."

She said,

"The Oomine-san that was here --- was not «Daiya Oomine»."

"......What are you talking about? So what on earth was that Daiya?"

"Well---"

But Yuuri-san hesitated.

"...I'm sorry, but I'd rather not tell you. If I said it now, you probably would not believe me anyway. But think about it just for once: it can't be called a proof, but the Oomine-san here had no self-awareness of being the 'owner' of this 'box', right?"

"Well, probably..."

If he had been self-aware, he would not have let himself get killed like that.

But even if that was true, that didn't mean that Yuuri-san was telling the truth. I couldn't judge how much of her words were true.

"Yuuri-san, I'll die soon, right?"

"Yes."

"So when I can't fully believe you now, when on earth will I be able to?"

This question was probably a bit mean, as there could be no answer.

However, she answered on the spot.

"At the moment when it's your turn."

"My turn...? What turn...?"

But she didn't answer anymore. That was probably another matter I «couldn't believe now».

Maybe---[Kingdom Royale] won't end even after she won and I died? Will it be started over again? But until when?

Don't tell me until the 'owner' is satisfied...?

"Will we have to fight against each other like this again...?"

Yuuri-san averted her eyes when I said so.

Instead of the answer she told me,

"...Kazuki-san, I have one wish. Will you listen?"

With a face that seemed to be on the verge of crying.

"Yeah, I'll listen."

She flashed a spiritless smile and said,

"Thank you very much. So, please make a promise. Next time, the time after next time or even the last time, anyway, sometime your turn will come without fail. At that time, we're certain to confront each other again. At that time---"

She stood up and staggeringly walked to me.

"At that time---"

Tears started to flow from her eyes.

"---please kill me."

Then she clung to me. However, rather than embracing me, she just leaned against me.

"Absolutely, absolutely, kill me, please. If you don't, I won't be able to forgive myself. No... I can't forgive myself already, but then, it would be even more so. So please kill me. And let me meet you again afterwards. Please. Please, please, please---"

"---Don't betray me."

Then, I realized.

Maybe I could start over again. Maybe there still was a chance to survive.

However---I could not save «Yanagi-san».

Looking at her, I recalled «Nana Yanagi» once more.

I had mixed up «Nana Yanagi» and «Yuuri Yanagi». I had thought that I might be able to change my past by getting attached to and saving Yuuri-san.

Although that was completely unreasonable.

They were different individuals, so saving one couldn't possibly mean saving the other. I hadn't noticed that obvious point because I didn't want to notice.

Because I sought relief.

But I now knew. I couldn't possibly attain relief in such a 'box' that was used by someone to kill time.

"Sorry, but I'll betray you."

I told her straightforwardly.

After all I was certain to---forget «Yanagi-san» again.

"Even if it's my turn, I won't kill you."

Maybe Yuuri-san would continue to suffer even when [Kingdom Royale] has ended because of that.

But I had decided.

Without giving in to such a 'box' and without giving in to my past with «Nana Yanagi», I would protect.

I would protect myself,

Maria,

and---my everyday life.

...huh, the same conclusion as always.

"I see......"

Whispering so, she retreated to her bed, her face downcast. There, she turned her back to me in order to hide her face. I posed a question towards that back.

"...Can I ask just one more question, too?"

"...What?"

"Do you think you can defeat Koudai Kamiuchi?"

She was going to fight against her last enemy afterwards, Koudai Kamiuchi. She had to kill him directly with a knife, though she had virtually no chance of winning in a proper fight.

"...Of course!"

She turned around after saying so.

"......Ah."

I was surprised.

Those eyes weren't blank anymore. The charming smile had returned to her face.

Of course it wasn't a heartfelt expression. But that was exactly what surprised me.

I was astonished that she could conceal even such horrible suffering perfectly.

"If it were Iroha or Otonashi-san, I could understand your doubts, but there's no way I would lose to such a little fish, is there?"

She, who had used me without depending on me, unlike «Nana Yanagi», said so sharply.

"I'll deceive him until the very end and kill him."

"...I see."

Though I had been deceived more than enough myself, I couldn't suppress a laugh. Doing so, I remembered:

«I'm scared... I'm scared...!»

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

«Save, me.»

She had deceived me indeed. But she told surprisingly few lies. After all, she really had been scared, she did suffer and she had sought help.

And---

"Kazuki-san."

Yuuri Yanagi flashed a smile like when I kissed her on the cheek and said,

"I really did like you, Kazuki-san."

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

I told Maria everything I had found out.

No matter how hard it is for her to accept this outcome, she can't do anything about it.

Yuuri-san has already selected me as the target for [Murder]. Maria knows that nothing can be done against it any more.

Therefore, we were just sitting on the bed, connecting hands. As if to carve the shape of each other's hand into our mind, we entwined our fingers, correcting our grip over and over, just feeling each other.

Feeling each other for the last time.

"Kazuki."

Maria called my name.

"Truth be told, there's something I purposely didn't tell you."

"...Eh?"

"I don't have the 'Flawed Bliss' at the present time."

As I didn't get what she was talking about, I just gazed at her.

"I suppose that I lost my power temporarily, but I can't say for sure. I haven't come upon such a 'box' until now, but that might be one of the characteristics of the 'Game of Idleness'."

...wasn't that actually rather important?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Maria turned her glance slightly downwards and said while entwining our fingers,

"I am not a human, but a 'box'. I am just a being that exists for the sake of others. That's how I always explained it to you. Maria Otonashi... no, Aya Otonashi has to be such a being. And what sustains me, what lets me be like that, is the 'Flawed Bliss'. However, I cannot use it now. So, what am I?"

"Maria is Maria!"

"......and this is where we ended up, huh."

Maria gripped my hand so strongly, it almost hurt me.

"Am I not even able to protect just Kazuki...?"

"...Maria."

"Hah! [The Double]? I wish I'd be able to die in your place, then."

Maria's bad habit appeared again.

The bad habit of straightaway disdaining herself.

"...Please stop. I don't wish for anything like that."

"I know! I know that this desire serves nothing but my own selfishness!"

I opened my eyes wide when she suddenly shouted at me.

"...Eh?"

Maria was aware of it? She didn't actually believe that it would help others?

"After all during «that week» you harshly taught me that it's just my haughtiness..."

She said and scowled at me.

"But still! But still, I'm a 'box'!"

I was overwhelmed by the intensity of her words and kept silent.

She had noticed it, but she couldn't change it. Because she held a conviction that was unshakable for her. If she changed that, she wouldn't be able to stay the person she was anymore.

"......Sorry for shouting at you."

Maria averted her eyes awkwardly.

"But it's mortifying. I'm downright unable to accept this outcome."

"...Don't worry, Maria. If Yuuri-san's telling the truth, we can meet again."

"That doesn't matter. The fact that you're going to part from me shortly doesn't change. I'm certain to lose you now, Kazuki."

"......Maria."

Indeed, I can't believe it either, that I can come back to life.

"...Kazuki, as I said just now, you can't call me a 'box' at the moment. Therefore, I'm unable to protect anyone. Even after this I might have to watch Yanagi suffer, without being able to do anything. In [Kingdom Royale], I'm only a powerless girl."

After saying that, Maria embraced my head.

"Therefore I think it's okay to show some of Maria Otonashi's weakness."

Close to my ear she whispered.

"I'm sad!"

Her lips slightly touched my ear.

"I can't bear your death. It breaks my heart. I don't want that. I want to be with you."

Suddenly I remembered the scene during the repeating classroom when I had knelt and held my hand out to her.

"I may be powerless. I may be just Maria Otonashi right now. But---"

At that time, she had certainly been a powerless girl as well, though just for an instant.

And similarly, she was a powerless girl in the 'Game of Idleness'.

"---still, I want to protect you even if I have to pay with my own life."

I didn't know what her face looked like when she said that.

But I knew the answer I had to give.

"Sorry."

After all I had decided at the time when I had chosen Maria, and not «Yanagi-san».

"No matter how hard this may be for you, this time it's not your job to protect."

When I had chosen her, who made the me I am now, I had decided.

"It's my job to protect you when you have lost your 'box'."

I had decided to protect Maria.

And like that, to protect my everyday life.

To protect the everyday life Maria didn't desire.

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

And then I was pierced by an invisible blade.

- [Kazuki Hoshino], death by [Deathblow]

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

Winners

[Yuuri Yanagi] (Player)

[King], killed Kazuki Hoshino on the seventh day by selecting him as the target of [Murder]. Killed Koudai Kamiuchi directly on the same day. Alive.

* Victory conditions have been met due to Iroha Shindou, Kazuki Hoshino and Koudai Kamiuchi's death.

[Maria Otonashi]

[The Double], alive.

* Victory conditions have been met due to Iroha Shindou, Kazuki Hoshino's death.

Losers

[Iroha Shindou]

[Prince], executed on the sixth day because of ignoring the time schedule.

[Daiya Oomine]

[Sorcerer], carotid artery was directly cut by Koudai Kamiuchi on the sixth day, bled to death.

[Kazuki Hoshino]

[Revolutionary], killed on the seventh day by Yuuri Yanagi and Koudai Kamiuchi's [Deathblow].

[Koudai Kamiuchi]

[Knight], directly killed Daiya Oomine on the sixth day. Killed Kazuki Hoshino using [Deathblow] on the seventh day. Was stabbed in the stomach by Yuuri Yanagi on the same day, death due to hemorrhagic shock.

Share