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Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria (Light Novel) - Volume 4, Part 7
Volume 4, Part 7
Fifth Day {C} [Secret Meeting] with [Daiya Oomine], [Kazuki Hoshino]'s room
«Do you want to kill [Koudai Kamiuchi] by using [Deathblow]?»
This message was displayed on the monitor in my room.
Those messages are set to disappear during [Secret Meetings] so they aren't seen by the other players. Therefore, the message isn't there anymore, now that Daiya has come.
But in this case, that function's pointless.
After all, it must have been Daiya, the [King], who selected the target for [Murder].
"...what are you scheming? Weren't you supporting Koudai Kamiuchi?"
Daiya answers with a daring smile while sitting on the table with crossed legs,
"Whoa, that's a great joke. As if I would lend a hand to such a guy! I merely used him because he was a useful tool."
"...But in regards to your [classes], [King] and [The Double], you can coexist."
"Do you even think winning in [Kingdom Royale] is my goal or what?"
"------"
I'm bereft of speech for a moment. I didn't expect him to declare that he doesn't intend to win this game so distinctly.
What on earth is he up to...?
"...So, why did you kill Yuuri-san and Iroha-san? Did you really need to do that?"
"...in a way, yes. But in any case, Yanagi committed suicide! I didn't expect that at all!"
"......did you plan to leave Yuuri-san alive?"
Daiya flashes a sarcastic grin.
"No. But I planned to make use of her for a while by showing you how she suffers, being violated by Kamiuchi before your very eyes. In order to fan your anxiety."
I don't get it.
I have no idea what's going on in his head.
However, what he's doing is terrible, no matter what reason he may have.
"What anxiety are you talking about, anyway...?!"
"After Yanagi, Otonashi is obviously the next target in both life and sexual desire for Kamiuchi, isn't she? I wanted to make you aware of what Otonashi will have to go through if you don't do anything."
"Why?!"
Accidentally I shout.
But I know that, leaving aside the means, Daiya wouldn't do such a cruel thing without meaning. I won't mistake this fact and I also believe I'm right about that.
"......"
Right, Daiya doesn't do anything without meaning.
Therefore, there must have been a meaning in bringing this situation about. There also must have been a meaning in selecting Koudai Kamiuchi as the target for [Murder] and in initiating this [Secret Meeting] with me.
I just have absolutely no idea about his reasons.
I mean, what is this 'box'? A 'box' just to stave off boredom? What's that? That's not like Daiya at all.
«A 'box' just for the purpose of making others play a killer-game? Heh... just how nonsensical is this? There's no meaning to its existence.»
In fact, he said so in the second round. I don't think his NPC tried to deceive me then, knowing nothing about the 'Game of Idleness'.
«The 'box' can be no more than a way to kill time for people that were engulfed by boredom. Thus, this is only a game. A pointless game.»
He's contradicting himself. His statements don't match. Although Daiya would never, ever, put such a wish into his 'box', the 'Game of Idleness' is, without doubt, nothing but a way to stave of boredom. This is obviously contradicting---
"------"
No.
It's not contradicting.
«Otonashi can sense and intervene in 'boxes' and knows 'O' because she's an 'owner', right? As I'm already an 'owner' myself, it wouldn't be strange if I had the same abilities.»
Right.
That was it.
Daiya Oomine has been taking advantage of someone else's 'box'.
So, who is the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness'?
Only one person comes to mind. I know only one person that fits the pattern of 'someone that was engulfed by boredom' just too perfectly.
"Koudai Kamiuchi."
I raise my head and tell Daiya,
"Koudai Kamiuchi is the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness'."
Right, it's not Daiya.
Aah, he was even giving me hints the whole time. He didn't call himself the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness' even once, and his NPC seriously denied being its 'owner' as well. Daiya has not told a single lie, except when he concealed being the [Revolutionary] in the first round.
There were more than enough hints to notice. He was surprisingly fair and made sure I was able to fight against him.
And yet, I merely felt something was slightly wrong, but I couldn't figure out that Daiya wasn't the 'owner'.
He raises one of his cheeks to a daring grin and says,
"I guess I didn't need to give you some hints. You noticed pretty fast."
"Fast? ...it's too late already!"
I already sacrificed Iroha-san and Yuuri-san. You can't possibly call it fast.
Thanks to my slowness, I was controlled by Daiya like a puppet and failed miserably.
But...
But can't you think of this as a new hope?
I lost to Daiya. But I only lost to Daiya, not to the 'owner' of the 'Game of Idleness'.
Right --- I haven't lost to the 'Game of Idleness' yet.
Therefore, there might still be a possibility to slip out of the 'Game of Idleness'.
"Tell me, Kazu, do you know why you couldn't win against me?"
Daiya says that.
"It's because your goal is ambiguous."
"...Eh? But my goal is clear? It's to return to my everyday life... or it should be..."
I need to slip out without killing anyone. Because I would be unable to return to my everyday life as soon as I kill someone - even if it is just an NPC.
That's why I tried to clear the «everyone has to survive for eight days»-condition Daiya told me of, and intended to become the «king».
"Kazu, did you seriously think you were geared for becoming the «king»!"
The same phrase as yesterday.
The same phrase as yesterday.
"...what do you mean?"
"Just like I said. Only someone that's prepared to devote themselves to others' happiness, without caring about their own, is allowed to become a «king»."
...I wonder?
If only such people may become the «king», then I'm indeed not geared for it. I don't want to become like that.
There's only --- Maria who would want to become like that.
"Since that's not happiness for you, you can neither become it nor do you need to. At the most, you can become,"
Daiya says, wearing a wry smile,
"A «knight» who solely protects a certain somebody, right?"
«Knight».
This word calls a picture forth in me.
A picture of myself on my knees, stretching out my hand to the princess.
I know that scene.
The background's blurred. I don't know whether it was a castle, a terrace, a corridor or a classroom. I suppose the background has been painted over by my everyday life.
But I can vividly recognize who the princess is.
If I don't take her with me, this princess would surely become the next «king». And then she won't be able to think about her own happiness a second time. Even though she would really want to escape, taken by the hand by me.
That's why I had decided to betray everything and make everyone my enemy, protecting her.
For her sake.
...Aah, right.
Until I met her, I insisted on my everyday life because of a distortion. It was just an emotional measure to forget about the incident with «Nana Yanagi».
But that started to change when I met her.
I wanted to have her by my side. I wanted her to be a part of my life, to exist in my everyday life.
Having her by my side was what I called my «everyday life».
So that's it.
Before I knew it, my goal----
My goal has become saving Maria.
That's why Daiya told me it's «absolutely impossible» for me to win.
He recognized that I wasn't comprehending my own goal. He was sure not to lose against me as long as I was like that.
Damn... he's perfectly right!
"If your goal is clear now, do what must be done."
"...what must be done?"
Daiya says plainly,
"Yeah, what you have to do. To kill Koudai Kamiuchi."
"......Kill......?"
The Koudai Kamiuchi that's here is just an NPC, so the 'Game of Idleness' won't be stopped by killing him.
"But... ah, I see."
If I don't do that, the Maria in here is going to be killed. Not only that, she would even be made his toy.
Being her «knight», I can't allow that.
Therefore, I have to kill the 'owner', Koudai Kamiuchi.
"......But still."
Can I really pull it off?
Sure, Koudai Kamiuchi is someone who's beyond all hope. If I wasn't concerned directly, even I wouldn't care too much if his NPC was killed.
But when you have to do it yourself, everything's different. I'm sure I won't be able to return once I choose to «kill» him. I would have to falsify myself when socializing with Kokone, Haruaki or Mogi-san.
But Daiya's telling me to do it anyway.
Daiya's telling me to do it if I know what's really dear to me.
But will it really be my «everyday life» I return to after killing him and slipping out of the «Game of Idleness»?
"Kazu, try touching the monitor for a few seconds."
I touch the monitor as he told me. Nothing happens right away, but after waiting about five seconds, the monitor turns on and the message «Do you want to reveal the screen?» appears.
"If you accept, the screen where you can use [Deathblow] will appear. You can decide right now to kill Koudai Kamiuchi."
"......I see."
I press the «Yes» button, whereupon the message «Do you want to kill [Koudai Kamiuchi] by using [Deathblow]?» appears.
I can kill someone just by pressing this button.
I haven't done so in any of the games up to now, but I guess I can't avoid it anymore.
So if I can protect Maria with that, I......
I reach out for the button and---
"......"
---stop my hand.
Wait.
Am I really okay with this? Is it okay to move as Daiya says?
Am I seriously thinking that I can protect Maria if I follow Daiya?
"...What's wrong? Did you get cold feet?"
"Daiya."
He looks at me suspiciously when I call him with a frown.
"You're Daiya's NPC, right?"
"...why do you need to state the obvious?"
"So it's not like you know the intentions of the «real Daiya» completely, right?"
The suspicion in his look becomes even stronger.
"Answer me."
I say, focusing on Daiya.
"What happens to our promise?"
Daiya grasps what I'm driving at and keeps silent.
"I wasn't able to «make everyone survive until the eighth day». Hence, the Daiya on the other side doesn't need to destroy the 'Game of Idleness'."
"......"
"If the «Game of Idleness» doesn't get destroyed, I can't protect Maria. Even worse, being unable to kill Maria, who's the «Prince» in this game, I'm going to die for sure. And Maria will definitely not be able to win her round when she's the player. In other words, I can't protect Maria."
Daiya remains silent. Therefore, I continue,
"You actually don't know how the «real Daiya» intends to solve this incident, do you?"
"......"
Daiya doesn't answer.
That's basically telling me that he really doesn't know it.
"...I can't just follow you, then. I have to find a way to save Maria myself."
"......that Koudai Kamiuchi has to be killed is certain."
"Yeah, I also think I have to kill him because Maria would be killed otherwise, but..."
...Oh?
No, wait. What did he just say?
Because of his uncomfortable expression, I assumed he was just trying to evade my previous question. But is it really like this?
What if his statement was the answer to my question about how the «real Daiya» is trying to solve this incident?
«That Koudai Kamiuchi has to be killed is certain.»
This sentence.
I know. I know the easiest way to destroy a 'box'.
So, didn't he actually want to say the following?
He'll crush the 'Game of Idleness' along with its 'owner'.
The «real Daiya» will settle this by killing the «real Koudai Kamiuchi».
But why did he hesitate to say that, then?
Because it's an awful solution? ...No, Daiya can say such things easily.
Daiya is scowling at me. He's forbidding me to put my understanding into words with his glance.
What's with this reaction? Why is he on guard, even though nobody can listen to what we talk about in this [Secret Meeting]?
Sure, there is a possibility that Koudai Kamiuchi will hear this conversation on our portable terminal later. But if that was it, he wouldn't have told me to «kill Koudai Kamiuchi».
Which means that there's someone else who can hear this conversation? Someone which should better not hear it?
Besides us, there is---
"......"
I look to the ceiling without thinking.
There's just the blank concrete ceiling that doesn't change no matter how long I stare at it.
The «real Daiya» seemed to know about what I've done so far. I can't say for sure, but I guess he's watching my fight through that game machine even now.
Right, in short --- the [real Daiya] and the [real Koudai Kamiuchi] can hear this conversation.
The «real Koudai Kamiuchi» mustn't get wind of the «real Daiya's» intentions of killing him. The odds would be against Daiya in a direct fight...all the more when there are no knives and such in that dark room.
But how does he plan to kill Koudai Kamiuchi then?
I reconsider everything Daiya has said. "'Natures' are like this. Every event changes its shape according to your nature." "Doesn't matter. I have now tasted the «hope» called 'box'. As I have tasted it, there's no way I'd let someone steal it from me." "You should know that I didn't do anything for a while after obtaining a 'box'. In other words, I was merely in possession of the 'box' without using it." "You can survive if nobody kills anyone during those eight days." "Have I ever lied to you?" "Therefore I am --- your enemy."
"......"
I see.
So that's how it was.
"Daiya."
He looks at me with a frown.
"You asked him about that week, didn't you?"
Daiya doesn't answer.
That makes it certain.
"......hehe..."
I've fully understood Daiya's intentions.
"Daiya, you are such a liar."
Therefore I can't help it but swear at him like this.
"You haven't won against me at all."
I mean, his plan would miscarry just by exposing his scheme right now.
You can't call that having won already.
"...Don't get carried away, Kazu! What can you do, being unable to kill Otonashi?"
Indeed.
I may have figured out that Koudai Kamiuchi's the 'owner', but in order to confront him I would need to win this round of [Kingdom Royale] first - even though I can't win because I can't kill Maria.
But that's no issue in the plan Daiya's scheming. Because he's going to destroy the 'Game of Idleness' even before that.
But---
"So I'm supposed to rely on you?"
Quite odd, isn't it?
"Even though you're my enemy? And even though we have no idea whether your plan will succeed? I'll try to think of a better strategy then!"
"......"
Daiya closes his mouth.
Daiya's plan is advantageous for both of us. In truth, I am aware of that and I'm sure Daiya knows that I am as well.
I would immediately follow him if he just bowed lightly and said please.
But Daiya won't do that.
He would never bow before me.
Daiya would never lower his stance in front of me. That's not just because he wants to protect his pride. I still don't know Daiya's goal, but I'm sure he mustn't bow before me for its sake.
Just like Maria who doesn't ever bend.
Therefore, Daiya just keeps scowling at me with enmity in his eyes, not lowering his head.
With a cutting intensity.
"......Daiya."
I'll be the one that bends, then!
If I don't, Daiya may be killed. And I don't want that, after all, since he has always been my friend.
"I have a request."
It's no request, really. It's something Daiya is forced to do. He would need to do it anyway.
"I want you to talk Koudai Kamiuchi around to not do Maria any harm."
I mean, I won't hold back anymore if Maria dies because of one of Koudai Kamiuchi's whims.
If that happens, I will kill Daiya.
And he can't win against me. Because his plan doesn't allow him to kill me.
"......"
Daiya kept silent with a frown, but that was definitely a sign of acceptance.
