Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 4, Part 3

▶First Day {F} [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room

After that, Yuuri-san and Koudai Kamiuchi joined her «group». Leaving aside Yuuri-san, I didn't expect Koudai Kamiuchi to approve that easily. Well, most likely he hasn't given it any deeper thought, though.

Maria and Daiya have put their decisions on hold for now. Since Iroha-san also seems to think that absolute obedience isn't that simple to decide, she will wait until the third day --- or to be more precisely, until its «D»-block when we all gather.

But even now, we're already suspected to be on the side of the «instigators».

Not only Iroha-san, but also Yuuri-san is surely on guard against us, even if you can't see it on her face. We are already opposing each other. And there's no way anyone would believe the word of someone in an opposing «group».

But, well, of course, I have to move. I have to break her delusion of being able to become the «king».

To begin with, there's no way this game could be stopped with a «group» system. Koudai Kamiuchi's hideousness can't be suppressed by such a thing and I also don't think that Iroha-san's able to control Yuuri-san's actions. Those two may have joined the «group», but they haven't submitted themselves. Iroha-san can't know about this without knowledge from the previous rounds.

Therefore, I have to destroy the «group»-system itself.

But I don't think this is manageable by attacking her now that she has strengthened her resolve. She has already made becoming the «king» her goal.

I know all too well that she won't be shaken anymore once she has set something as her goal. I've come to know that firsthand during the third round and with her cutting her finger just now.

So, I have no choice but to attack another person.

"......which is..."

The person I should charge naturally flashes in my mind.

Yuuri Yanagi.

She won't be easy to persuade. But I can only destroy the «group» through Yuuri-san.

Yeah, right. Let's charge Yuuri-san tomorrow.

I close my thinking there and lie down on the bed.

I think the situation didn't turn out too well. I think I was totally too weak. I have to become more resolute and act better. But for now---

First day, no victims.

▶Second Day {B} Big room

"Okay, hand them over."

At Iroha-san's command, Yuuri-san and Koudai Kamiuchi lay their food portions, knives and, for some reason, their watches on the table.

Iroha-san takes them upon nodding and puts them on on her left arm that lacks a finger. Somehow I understood that this is supposed to be a sign that she's ruling the two of them.

...but it still seems strange to me that she can remain so straightfaced, as if she hadn't had that little finger to begin with. ...Doesn't it still hurt?

"Ah, don't even try to speak to them, okay? I restricted what they are allowed to say."

Now that she mentions it, those two haven't opened their mouth except for greeting us.

Judging from this state of affairs, I'm sure they also revealed their [classes] to her.

"Well, «we» won't have anything new to talk about with you, so if you've got anything, call on me."

Maria steals a glance at me but doesn't open her mouth after all. Maria knows that this is the deed of a 'box'. She knows that we can doubtlessly approach a solution if we convey this fact properly to the others.

But she can't say it.

Now that Iroha-san has built «groups», it doesn't matter anymore whether it's the truth or not. What matters is whether Iroha-san can believe it or not. And if she can't, then it'll be very hard to recover afterwards.

At least Maria won't be able to move until she knows why I already knew of the 'Game of Idleness'.

Therefore, it was inevitable that Iroha-san started talking to us one-sidedly, acting calm as if nothing had happened. She seemed interested in our everyday lives and happily addressed ordinary topics like our hobbies or what we're doing on our days off. But we know of the danger of our words being misunderstood. It was almost as if the prosecutor and the accused had a come-together party in the courtroom.

During all this time, I was looking at Yuuri-san while answering Iroha-san carefully.

She had her gaze turned downwards almost the whole time.

If she starts to move---

I recall the second round. Unlike Iroha-san who acts openly, Yuuri-san acts secretly. It's too late once her secret maneuvering gets revealed.

Will Yuuri-san really do anything? Being so calculating, I don't think she will take overly hasty actions if she has come to the conclusion that Iroha-san's plan will work the best to survive...

Yuuri-san suddenly notices my gaze and raises her head.

Even while being a bit nervous, she flashes a wry smile as if to sympathize with me. Her defenseless smile still carries the charm of a little animal, so I can't help but think she's cute.

Cute?

Is she trying to make me think she's cute?

She's not shunning me, but trying to make me her ally in this state of affairs?

"......"

No, I'm thinking too much into it. Even she doesn't produce each and every expression purposely. I know that.

I know that... but I noticed something else.

Did I just wonder whether she will move or not?

Why am I still so carefree to ask myself such questions? Things aren't at that stage anymore.

In the second round, she started acting immediately after arriving here --- well, of course being the player may have sped that up. But her actions are always fast. Thus, she's already planning something in this round, too.

Yuuri Yanagi had started moving long ago.

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

[Iroha Shindou] -> [Maria Otonashi] 15:00~15:30

[Yuuri Yanagi] -> [Iroha Shindou] 15:40~16:10

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

[Kazuki Hoshino] -> [Yuuri Yanagi] 15:00~15:30

[Koudai Kamiuchi] -> [Iroha Shindou] 16:20~16:50

[Maria Otonashi] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 15:40~16:10

The way things went forced me to immediately have a [Secret Meeting] with Yuuri-san.

Therefore I was unable to keep my appointment with Daiya. But that really couldn't be helped.

I enter Yuuri-san's room.

When she notices me, she promptly stands up from the bed and bows repeatedly.

"I'm sorry, Hoshino-san. I'm not allowed to speak with you in the [Secret Meeting] either. So I'm afraid I won't be able to speak even if you want to talk with me..."

This attitude.

Yuuri-san should definitely think that I'm one of «the instigators» and be on guard against me. That's for sure.

And yet she's trying to signify that she's just following Iroha-san without particularly disliking me.

So that she's still able to make me her ally if it's necessary.

......but even if she's that crafty, I have to bring that to an end.

"...Iroha-san isn't here! Will you still follow her instruction, nevertheless?"

"Um... I also have to show Iroha my portable terminal."

Iroha-san truly doesn't overlook anything. But that was within my expectations.

Therefore, I have a counter plan.

"I'll be frank: are you really okay with this?"

"U-Umm... as I said... I can't answer you. Really."

"Do you think that Iroha-san's plan will succeed?"

"U-Umm---"

When she looks around bothered, her look stops on the table.

Because she has noticed that something is written on the memo book I've put on the table.

«Our conversation won't leak if we write»

Things written on a memo sheet won't be recorded on the portable terminal. This is something I noticed in the second round when I received a memo sheet from Koudai Kamiuchi.

Yuuri-san widens her eyes and gazes at me. Looks like she's figured out the meaning of this.

I hold the pen out to her. But it seems like she can't decide on what to do right away. Apart from folding her hands in front of her chest, she doesn't move.

"...I got it! You can't say anything, right? I won't say anything either, then. Aah-ah, what a bummer. So I just wasted a [Secret Meeting], huh..."

In order to trick Iroha-san, I fake my words and then move my hand.

«What do you really want to do? Will you follow Iroha-san just like this?»

When I'm done writing, I hold the pen again out to Yuuri-san.

But she just shakes her head to signalize me that she can't.

«No matter what?»

I tried writing this, but she still gives me a negative answer.

...well, nothing to be surprised about. No one would readily listen to someone he's on guard against.

Thus, I'll tempt her.

I'll tempt her so that she won't be able to stay calm anymore.

I write the words that shall accomplish that.

«You didn't even love him.»

Surprised by that sudden, cryptic sentence, she looks at me with widened eyes. But, I won't stop now. I'll upset her even more by shocking her and make sure she will have to answer me.

I continue.

«You went out with the boy Iroha-san loved, right?»

"------!!"

The effect was outstanding.

Yuuri-san's shoulders have started to tremble fiercely and her face has become horribly pale.

I make a composed face and hold the pen out once again. Yuuri-san looks back and forth between my face and the pen several times before she eventually comes to the conclusion that she can't reject it anymore and accepts it with teary eyes.

But as it seems she still wants to play dumb; she wrote 《What are you talking about?》 with a trembling hand. However, when I stay silent without any reaction, she immediately tears off the sheet and crumples it up.

Yuuri-san then starts to write with a single tear drop sliding down her cheek.

《why do you know?》

《it should be impossible to figure out》

《iroha herself shouldn't have noticed yet》

After finishing, she passes the memo book back to me, along with the pen. She wipes her tears away and turns eyes up to me.

......Ha, I won't be rattled by such an expression!

《You told me yourself.》

To be exact, I heard it from Iroha-san but it'd be a pain to explain that now.

Yuuri-san shakes her hand almost fearfully.

《i don't get you! i've never told you anything like that. what on earth are you referring to?》

As expected so far. It was my aim to get her to ask that 《why?》.

Thanks to that, I can finally write what I wanted.

《It's not my first time playing [Kingdom Royale]》

Yuuri-san gazes at me anxiously; looks like she doesn't understand just by that.

But if I write it like that, she should be able to guess with her sharp mind.

《I've played this game several times with the same players. Now's the fourth time.》

Yuuri-san widens her eyes. Then, comprehension slowly starts to dwell in her eyes, but at the same time she starts to tremble in fear.

《Therefore, I also know a lot about you》

Yuuri-san shakes her head frantically as if to deny what I wrote. Then, she demands the pen herself.

《right! i would never tell anyone about my ex!》

《Under usual circumstances, yes. But are you really confident about not telling anyone in an abnormal situation such as this?》

"------gh!"

《I've been with you for three games. Therefore, I believe I know you pretty well.》

《That's also why I noticed something.》

Why was Iroha-san suddenly so unapproachable when it came to our [Secret Meeting]?

I figured that out when I looked at the name of the person she had the previous [Secret Meeting] with.

《You talked Iroha-san into building groups, didn't you?》

"Wha---"

She quickly covers her mouth with her left hand before even more slips out. She then starts to nervously write on the memo book without removing her hand from her mouth.

《what are you talking about? do you want to say that it's my fault that it became like this? everything? there's no way i could do that!》

《The Yuuri-san I know can do that.》

Of course it's not like she knew everything. She would have never been able to predict that Iroha-san would cut off her own finger.

But knowing Iroha-san's personality so well, she should at least have been able to guess the following as well:

《At least you should have known that Iroha-san would try to bring us under her rule.》

Yuuri-san turns her gaze to the ground and closes her mouth.

《The Yuuri-san I know uses others to survive.》

《Even Iroha-san.》

When she has no other choice in order to survive.

That is because unlike Iroha-san, she can't possibly become the 《king》 herself. With her personality it's impossible to rule over the others and unite the wills of all the members.

However, she is able to control the person that has become the 《king》.

That's why she tried making Iroha-san the 《king》. She tried to control us indirectly. She planned to ensure her own safety by that.

She still doesn't raise her head and keeps silent.

After that, she didn't move for a while. But before I knew, her breath has calmed down again.

"......"

She moves her arm at ease and starts to wordlessly write something on the memo book.

《i'll assume that you experienced three games. and i'll assume that you know me well.》

She slowly tears off the sheet and writes on the new one.

《so what?》

She raises her head.

"---uh"

I freeze.

Because her eyes were the blank eyes I've seen once before.

《if i apologize now and cry "i'll do as you say," will you be satisfied? if so, i can do that for you as much as you want!》

And then, really, tears appear in her eyes. After making this truly sad-looking face, she writes following.

《it's a child's play》

"------"

Oh, wow.

I've already lost.

《Listen, that's not what I》

Yuuri-san doesn't even look at what I'm writing anymore. After falling into silence, she stuck a half-hearted smile on her face and lay down on her bed.

"Uh..."

I planned to make her give in to..., no, I didn't even want to go that far. I just wanted to make her realize the truth and become my ally. Then, I wanted to do something about Iroha-san, taking this as a foothold.

But I obviously mistook the means.

Sure, if I had just directly told her the truth, she wouldn't have believed it. But, was there really no other way? Why of all things did I choose to attack this fearful girl?

«No, you hold a grudge against those guys that deceived you and killed brutally, don't you? They tried to kill you for their own life's sake even! Hehehe»

I recall what Noitan said to me.

Perhaps he was right? Did I unconsciously prefer to consider them as enemies I have to defeat instead of friends I have to save? And that's also the reason I attacked her?

If so... I might have been caught by the trap of this damned 'Game of Idleness' without noticing.

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

Maria enters my room bad-tempered, with her arms crossed.

"...Finally. Finally I can properly speak with you. Geez... what's going on in your head? You should have come to me directly to discuss things first. But no, you---"

Maria stops and frowns.

"What's with that gloomy face?"

So my face looks that depressed, after all?

The shock of my failure was so big that I was sitting on my bed, hanging my head.

"Hah... you're overflowing with fretfulness. So, what happened? Did Yanagi turn you down?"

"Turned down, huh... well, yeah, something like that, I guess."

She looks surprised for a moment because she was just joking, but then she lets out a deep sigh.

"You were already making a move on her...? Well, that's what it means to be a natural philanderer, huh. Did you think you could succeed because she looks so helpless? What an embarrassing misunderstanding. With those looks, she must be idolized by a whole bunch of guys. Someone like you with a preference for female clothing stands no chance."

...no, it was you who forced me to wear that get-up.

But I don't even have the energy to retort and keep silent, my face still downcast.

"...in the first place, how dare you fall in love with a girl you met only yesterday? If it was Mogi, at least..."

"Eh...?"

I reflexively raise my head because she became silent. Maria scratches her nose and scowls in my direction, whereupon she sits down next to me with excessive vigor.

She wordlessly punches my shoulder.

"Kazuki, buy me a strawberry tarte."

And tries to scrounge from me for some reason.

"......"

"Don't look at me like that. I'm saying that I'll keep you company because you lost so embarrassingly. I'll be so kind as to listen to your pathetic excuses that dumped losers use all the time. Like that you didn't really care about her, or that she wasn't all that cute. A strawberry tarte is actually pretty cheap if you think of it as payment for the trouble I'll have by enduring your unsightly state of mind."

"...no, err---"

"I don't know about Yanagi, but I'll be with you. That's what I'm saying."

Maria says so with a composed face.

Since she says it so bluntly, as if it's nothing special, I can't help but be surprised by her kind words. But then I smile because she cares so much.

Right. It's not the situation to be depressed. Indeed, I lost. But it should not be too late yet. I still have ways and means to use - without making a mistake this time.

In order to protect Maria.

"Sorry, Maria. It's not like I confessed to her and was turned down."

"...I know. There's no way you'd have enough guts to do it. That was merely a joke to cheer you up."

Wasn't she dumbfounded just now...?

"So, what happened between you and Yanagi?"

"I failed at persuading her."

Maria suspiciously raises an eyebrow.

"Yanagi? Not Shindou?"

I nod. When I answer like this, Maria holds her chin with her hand and ponders for a while.

"Why? Could you conclude that that was a necessary step to take by considering your available information? ...Ah, right. To begin with, I wanted to ask you what on earth you actually know."

"Ah, yeah..."

"Spill it."

Maria's face tells that she's profoundly convinced that I'm going to rely on her and tell her absolutely everything.

That's certain. Having spent a whole lifetime together with me, she can see through me.

However---

"...Sorry, but I'd rather not tell you."

I have since experienced several tragedies she doesn't know of.

I was shown several times that I must protect her.

"......what... are you saying? You won't tell me? Why?"

"I think I mustn't depend on you each and every time."

"...why is that? That's not a problem of depending or not, is it? Isn't it obvious that it's better trying to find a solution together than alone!"

It sounds perfectly reasonable. With my brains, I might make another mistake just like before. I'm aware that my own abilities are unreliable.

But what would happen if I told her about our situation? For example, what if I told her that she's just an NPC? She would certainly consider herself replaceable and would neglect herself even more than she already does!

I can't let her do that. Everyone has to survive.

Maria's self-sacrificing actions---stand in the way of reaching my goal.

Therefore, I can't tell her after all.

It's best when Maria acts as little as possible.

"------"

Maria opens her mouth with a sad expression.

"...did I hurt your pride by helping you out all the time? Do you think that I look down on you? If I acted in a way that made it seem to you like that, I apologize."

"I've never thought like that!"

"Then...!"

She probably didn't mean to burst out like that. Maria averts her eyes awkwardly and continues more calmly.

"...then... depend on me!"

"......Maria."

...perhaps, I would have considered those words strong and reliable in the past.

But now I can't think like that anymore. It even looks like the opposite to me.

I know, after all.

I know Maria's aware that it's nothing but selfish talking.

Hence, her previous statement---

"I will save you!"

---was just a sad cry really.

Well, that's how I see it, but that doesn't change what I have to do.

"...Maria, can you keep silent about the 'box' for a while? I think it's dangerous to tell Iroha-san about it."

"...you have no intention of clearing me up?"

"......yeah."

When I say so, Maria drops her gaze and crosses her arms.

"...I see. You must have thought about it, so it can't be helped, I guess."

Suppressing her feelings, she tries to accept it.

She is, however, not able to fully conceal the bitterness on her face.

Maria stares at me, acting expressionless. Our relationship isn't so shallow that I wouldn't notice the sadness in her eyes.

And then, she says,

"You are... Kazuki, right?"

She, who has always been able to look right through me as if she could read my mind, --- who, during the 'Sevennight in Mud', even told me that she could recognize me by the usage of my facial muscles --- said that.

"......eh?"

So, just shocked... shocked that she said such a thing, I'm left completely dumbfounded.

Maria averts her eyes.

With her gaze turned away, she whispers weakly,

"...nothing. Please forget it."

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

Since the [Secret Meeting], Maria's attitude hasn't particularly changed.

I'm sure that statement was just a tiny verbal slip. Proof of that is that she didn't tell anyone about the 'boxes'.

Because no one aggravated the situation, things stayed the same.

But that's only for today.

Iroha-san demands an answer regarding the question of whether to join the 《group》 or not on the third day.

But anyway, today has ended.

I collapse on my bed.

Second day, no victims.

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

[Iroha Shindou] -> [Daiya Oomine] 15:40~16:10

[Yuuri Yanagi] -> [Iroha Shindou] 16:20~16:50

[Daiya Oomine] -> [Kazuki Hoshino] 15:00~15:30

[Kazuki Hoshino] -> [Yuuri Yanagi] 15:40~16:10

[Koudai Kamiuchi] -> [Iroha Shindou] 15:00~15:30

[Maria Otonashi] -> [Daiya Oomine] 16:20~16:50

"...Did I really say I'd destroy my own 'box' if nobody dies until the {E}-block of the eighth day?"

"Yeah."

When I nod, Daiya starts to ponder silently.

I could finally finish telling him everything about the 'Game of Idleness' this time. Originally, I planned to not tell him that he's just an NPC, but Daiya noticed immediately that I was hiding something, so I had no choice but to tell him.

But Daiya didn't mind that too much. Rather, he seemed to mind being the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness'.

".....Hey, Kazu. What did I say to you when I sent you off?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Stop nitpicking and just tell me, TrashKasu-Kazu."

What? Now his insults even rhyme?

"...uuhm, when I told you that I would win, you countered with 《Absolutely impossible》. Those should have been the last words I exchanged with you."

"Oh well, for you to win against me is about as impossible as the world rotating 10 times faster than now."

Isn't that guy being too rude, right now?

"Which means that the 《real me》 believes it's impossible that nobody kills in [Kingdom Royale], huh."

"...I guess so."

Still unable to fully understand, Daiya crosses his arms. Since he looks like he's pondering whether to believe me or not, I reluctantly ask,

"...will you believe me?"

Daiya raises his head and answers without relaxing his stern face.

"If you're really Kazuki Hoshino, then I have no other choice, I guess. After all, the Kazuki Hoshino I know isn't capable of thinking up such a story on the fly, and he can't lie on top of that."

...in short, he believes me?

"...still, if you're Kazuki Hoshino... you really have changed."

Unexpected words.

"Yeah, you're still an existence that repels others' wishes, but I feel like the reason behind that changed a little. I once told you that you look like you're floating, right? That feeling weakened a bit."

"Why... is that?"

"I wouldn't know! Perhaps something happened in this 'box' that changed you?"

"In this 'box'...?"

The first thing that came to mind was Nana Yanagi.

While thinking that I've forgotten about her, having averted my eyes for so long, I've been captured by her all the while - by my first love.

I guess it's not like I am completely released from her even now. I will try to be released by forgetting her once again.

But sure enough, I realized that I can't escape. I clearly realized that fact.

Because of such a tiny change, I seem different to the others?

"To me it looks like a goal... no, a desire has evolved in you. If so, then you may not be able to master the 'box' anymo---"

Daiya stops mid-sentence.

"...what's wrong?"

But as if words can't reach him anymore, he's petrified with his eyes wide open.

"......master the 'box'...? I see... so that's..."

"Daiya...?"

But Daiya grasped his chin and was absorbed in pondering, ignoring me. When I gave up on expecting an answer and waited, he suddenly raised the corners of his mouth.

"Heh, hehe..."

I have no clue what the meaning of that chuckle is.

"Thanks, Kazu!"

"Eh?"

"It sure is easy to understand one's own thoughts. Thanks to that, I just got what the 《real me》 is thinking."

Daiya grins triumphantly while saying that.

Seeing that expression I can't help but feel anxious.

...what? Is Daiya scheming something?

But the NPC Daiya and I are supposed have the same goal. He's supposed to have believed me about the 《victory if no one dies until day 8》.

So, I wonder why.

Why does it feel like he won't become my ally anymore?

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