Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 4, Part 9

First Round of [Kingdom Royale]

Everything was so fresh, it really was enjoyable. The killing and deceiving was exactly as I had expected, so I was moved by how much this was the game I wished for.

Mh, but now that I think of it, maybe it lacked some tension because Daiya Oomine as [Revolutionary] was too strong. That guy plus [Revolutionary]? Talk about overpowered!

Second Round of [Kingdom Royale]

Awesome. There was also plenty of fan service, so it was great to watch. When Yuuri-chan begged me to kill Kazuki Hoshino right after seducing me, I really had to laugh my heart out.

But seriously, Yuuri-chan's just too scary. Right at the end when she killed my NPC, she made me unwary by acting a psychologically disturbed expressionless character with tears all over her face and stabbed me when I drew closer to comfort her! She sure is a fiend. A devil, indeed. How can I trust women any longer?

Third Round of [Kingdom Royale]

It all happened so fast, I had to laugh. Kaichou's face was just too scary when she killed Yuuri-chan first. Well, such a development is also quite enjoyable once in a while, I guess.

And at last, Fourth Round of [Kingdom Royale]

Because I started getting tired of the game and Kazuki Hoshino tried to prevent everyone from killing on top of that, there weren't as many enjoyable scenes. He sure doesn't know what's good. Let them kill more, seriously! Let them deceive each other! Just drop that friendship and reconciliation stuff. I don't need such drama.

Well, and hence I lacked concentration while watching the fourth round of [Kingdom Royale]. I didn't watch the scenes that had no interesting events like someone dying seriously. That's also why I wasn't all that focused when I watched the [Secret Meeting] between Daiya Oomine and Kazuki Hoshino.

«You haven't won against me at all.»

Until I heard that conceited line from Kazuki Hoshino.

What's that idiot who's mistaking the 'owner' saying? - I smiled wryly with these thoughts at first, but after watching their exchange and expressions thereafter, I suddenly felt like this:

Has he noticed that I'm the 'owner', perhaps?

Because I hadn't really been concentrating, I couldn't really tell. But that's what it looks like, to me at least. Well, I don't think Kazuki Hoshino would be able to do anything even if he knew.

But as I further watched them after that, I got that same hunch again.

Are those two secretly conspiring?

It's possible that Daiya Oomine's scheming something. Rather, it's better to assume he's scheming something.

But I doubt that Kazuki Hoshino knows the details of his plan. I didn't see Daiya Oomine telling him about it directly, either. To begin with, is it really possible to cooperate in that situation?

Or rather than cooperating, did Kazuki Hoshino comprehend his plan and approve of it silently?

I peek into the game machine. Kazuki Hoshino, who's going to turn into a mummy shortly, is murmuring something to the Daiya Oomine in the game.

He is saying this.

«I would have done better.»

What on earth is he talking about?

Suddenly, I notice that Daiya Oomine, who has been watching the screen as serious as if he was praying, has raised his head and is gazing at me.

But still, I think I've seen his face sometime in the past... Unless I am mistaken, Oomine-senpai was in the same middle school as me? But I don't remember having seen that guy's pretty face amongst the older students that pierced themselves, ignoring the school rules.

"Hey you. You had a girlfriend during middle school, right?"

Daiya Oomine suddenly asks such a weird question.

"I had several, so I don't know which one you mean... but I guess it's Rino you're talking about?"

"...Right, her."

"You're acquainted?"

Come to think of it, what was Rino's full name again? «Rino» was just a pet name derived from her surname if memory serves me right.

"I've known her since childhood, you know. Therefore, I'm also informed of what you did to her."

Oomine-senpai says plainly.

He was expressionless while speaking. But this lack of expression felt kinda creepy, too, so I get a certain thought.

"Perhaps, are you out for revenge?"

But he doesn't move a muscle.

"Do you plot revenge on me because you can't forgive me for leaving your cherished Rino behind in that hotel? And that's why you did that introductory role for [Kingdom Royale], in order to--- um, no, I have no idea why you would bother to do that?"

I say while scratching my head.

"Revenge? Not at all. I'm merely doing this for my goal. I did those introductions simply because I realized that observing the game would act as a step to achieve my goal."

"Your goal, hmmm... Oh? Weren't you an 'owner', Senpai? Couldn't you achieve your goal easily by using your 'box'?"

"Yeah, indeed."

I raise an eyebrow when he agrees.

"So, why don't you just use it? Do you want to play pretentious or something?"

"Hmpf, don't think everyone's like you. Not everyone can easily believe that their 'wish' would be granted! I'm a realist!"

Now that he mentions it, the 'boxes' also grant feelings of resignation like «that can't come true» along with the 'wish', as far as I know.

"I understood right away that I couldn't master the 'box' when I heard the details from 'O'. Well, that's why I didn't use it after obtaining it, and started searching instead."

Daiya Oomine flashed a slight grin.

"For a way to master the 'box'."

When he said that, he seemed a little creepy to me again. Although he speaks like always, his words are somehow heavy, and sharp.

"...How do you search for a way to master something like that?"

"Sure, it's not something you can search for. But I was lucky in a sense. During the conversation with 'O', I found out that Kazuki Hoshino was holding the hint I needed. On top of that, I was accidentally involved in this 'box', and able to meet another person beside Kazu who could master the 'box'."

"...Me?"

"Exactly."

I finally get what he meant by «step» for achieving his goal.

Daiya Oomine had to become able to master the 'box' for his goal. Therefore, he didn't try to slip out of this 'box'.

Right---

"To discover the means to master the 'box' by observing the two of you."

That's the step.

Daiya Oomine exploited the 'Game of Idleness' in order to observe us. In order to discover the means he needs to master his 'box'.

"...But how can observation help you there? I mean, we can master the 'box' because, well, we're humans that just can. And I think it's impossible to imitate someone's human nature."

"I guess so. No one can change his nature. For instance, I can't imitate your human nature of hating boredom. But more than because of your human nature, you could master the 'box' because your 'wish' was within your scope. I could find the answer to mastering the 'box' in that fact."

"...? What do you mean by 'wish' within my scope?"

"In the first place, the 'wish' you put into the 'box' wasn't anything grand, right?"

"Well... yeah. I only wanted to stave off boredom."

"Right. Everyone would think that a simple diversion can come true. But if it's something like [Kingdom Royale], I'm sure even you don't think it's possible in reality, right? But you didn't care about the details of the game. You were satisfied as long as [Kingdom Royale] would be fun for you. Therefore, it didn't even matter whether you could believe the game system or not."

"...I think you lost me there... but well, yeah, if it had been a 'wish' like «redoing it no matter how often one dies», even I would have been unable to believe."

"That's exactly what I mean. It didn't only look like you mastered the 'box' because of your human nature, but also because you tried to grant your 'wish' indirectly."

Oomine-senpai chuckles and continues.

"Thanks to you, I figured out my way to master the 'box'. For example, let's say that I want to destroy the world."

"Quite an aggressive 'wish', huh."

"However, if I put in the 'wish' to destroy the world, I could still not help but have doubts in the depths of my mind. But in fact, it's possible to destroy the world with objects that already exist in it. Nuclear weapons and such. Of course I can believe the existence of nuclear weapons. And by now I'm also able to imagine obtaining them."

"Why?"

"Because, by diving into the 'Game of Idleness', I experienced the miracles of the 'boxes' firsthand. I experienced this much power, so I can believe as much as that the 'box' can make anything come true."

"...Aah, so watching the power of the 'box' was also part of the reason for your observation?"

"Right."

Geez, just in how many layers does that guy think...

"If it's a 'wish' of the level of obtaining a «tool» to destroy the world, I could already make it come true, despite being a realist."

I'm still a bit unsure whether I have understood his reasoning or not, but in short it's like this:

Daiya Oomine can already use the 'box'.

"------"

The instant I realize that, I get the chills.

I have a really bad presentiment.

Probably because of that presentiment, I unknowingly ask him.

I ask in the flow of the conversation, although I'm supposed to be disinterested even if he really wanted to destroy the world.

"So, what is your 'wish'?"

Then, at once.

Daiya Oomine's atmosphere changed completely.

Although I noticed his slight creepiness, I have just given him the last push.

"You know, there are kinds of people I can't stand."

He touches his right piercing expressionlessly.

"It's about those people that have stopped thinking for themselves. They act like they would be thinking, but they really just accept others' opinions and get manipulated. They have no self, so to speak. There's no worth in their lives. I can't stand that depraved scum that has barely enough brains to follow others' opinions, has no target and clings to the feed that's before their eyes like a bunch of hogs. It makes me sick just to breathe the same air as them."

"...aren't you getting a bit carried away?"

Daiya Oomine scowls with cold eyes at me.

"Because they devour."

"What---"

"At times they even devour virtuous people."

Seized by his cold gaze, I can't move.

"You should already be able to guess my 'wish', and my goal, right?"

He flashes an odd smile, with only the right side raised, and says,

"My 'wish' is --- to exterminate all that scum."

Daiya Oomine doesn't hide his hostility anymore. He turns his eyes to me. While they look calm at first glance, they seem to have become darker and darker after a long succession of years, until eventually a light of insanity has started to dwell in them.

"Hey, are you listening, Koudai Kamiuchi? Or should I rather address you like this?"

Then, he declares it.

"You hog that has stopped thinking, sunk in boredom."

That he's my enemy and will exterminate me.

"------Haha,"

A dry laugh leaks from me.

Exterminate me?

That's a bad joke. Or it should be. Right now he has no weapon, so he can't possibly win against me as I'm used to the world of empty-handed violence. That's for sure.

And yet, why on earth do I feel like that?

What's that cold shiver that's running down my spine? What's that fear that arises from the depths of my heart?

"Kamiuchi, what do you think will happen to Kazuki Hoshino now?"

He suddenly changes the subject.

"......he's going to die by turning into a mummy, right?"

Daiya Oomine chuckles.

"The heck? Are you making light of him? Do you seriously believe that he didn't do anything although he was aware of his approaching death?"

"...yeah, well, I mean, what should he do?"

"As expected from a brainless hog. Don't think he's like you! That cheeky fellow has merely understood what I'm up to."

Daiya Oomine says with a wry smile.

"Kazuki Hoshino won't die. Because I will destroy this rotten 'box' called 'Game of Idleness' before that can happen. He understood that."

He disinterestedly looks at me as if he's looking at the broken lead of a pencil.

"It's evident how I will do it, right?"

He says,

"I'll crush the 'Game of Idleness' by killing you."

Like the Grim Reaper announcing my death.

"......Uh..."

No, I can't stay calm. I'm drenched in cold sweat as if my body senses the truth behind his words.

What on earth is this sensation? I shouldn't have to fear him so much; in [Kingdom Royale], Kaichou and me killed his NPC after all.

But where does this self-confidence of his come from?

And why do I feel so cornered?

"......You think you can win against me with force?"

I manage to squeeze out this sentence somehow.

Daiya Oomine contorts the shape of his mouth and says in an absolutely composed manner,

"Not at all."

"Hah?"

What's that guy babbling? So what's with that attitude?

"Why so surprised? There's no way I could win against you in a direct fight. Leaving aside my physical condition, I was an honor student and almost never involved in a quarrel, you see. I have no experiences in martial arts, either. Well, I guess it would work out somehow if I was prepared to go for a simultaneous KO."

"...why are you so confident, then?"

"That goes without saying," he begins to speak. "Because it has already ended."

"Hah?"

Right when I let out such an idiotic sound again, my body gets seized.

"?!"

Not by Daiya Oomine. He's still standing before my eyes, even crossing his arms.

His associate...? No, that can't be. This is a space created by the 'Game of Idleness'.

But I'm being seized by something. The head of the person that's holding me down touches me.

I turn my head around. I can only see the top of his head.

Long hair... a woman?

She's much smaller than me and doesn't seem very robust.

Long hair... a woman?

She's much smaller than me and doesn't seem very robust.

"------gh!"

But for some reason I can't free my arm from her grip, due to whatever kind of trick she uses.

The long-haired girl in a pajama raises her head that she has pressed against my back.

When I see her face---

«You haven't won against me at all.»

That phrase flashes through my mind for some reason.

The basis for Daiya Oomine's self-confidence was that he knew that she would appear and save him by restraining me.

And I'm sure Kazuki Hoshino realized that, too, in that [Secret Meeting]. I don't have the foggiest idea how he would be able to conclude so much, but he realized.

And he tried to make sure I would not notice outside the game machine that Daiya Oomine's planning to kill me. Because he knew that, in the worst case, I would kill Daiya Oomine if I got wind of it.

Wait? Why didn't she save him right away? Perhaps, did she only help him because certain conditions have been met?

What are those conditions, then?

Why does that woman need to help Daiya Oomine? Would his death bother her?

Assuming Daiya Oomine died here - what would happen? Daiya Oomine would fail to realize his intentions. The 'Game of Idleness' would not be destroyed. [Kingdom Royale] would be continued. Then---

---Kazuki Hoshino would turn into a mummy and die.

"......"

«You can survive if nobody kills anyone during those eight days.»

Daiya Oomine told him this lie. But, something felt strange. Why did he tell such a crude lie even though he didn't tell any when it would have been useful?

...I try to construct a hypothesis.

A hypothesis, according to which his lie was, in fact, the truth.

If everyone was alive, they would all become mummies on the eighth day because of their food running out, and die. Of course, Kazuki Hoshino would die as well. Just like it's about to happen to him right now.

«You asked him in detail about that week, didn't you?»

I don't know what he means by 'that week'. I couldn't know.

But probably, they could acquire this information from that week:

Right, those two---

---knew that this woman will appear when Kazuki Hoshino is about to die and prevent it. Therefore, they also knew that, consequentially, he can survive if no one dies for --- no, as long Kazuki Hoshino is about to turn into a mummy.

"---hehe..."

The girl whose face is completely unknown to me raises the corners of her mouth.

"......Who are you?"

She answers.

"Nana Yanagi."

"......Nana Yanagi?"

"Aah, maybe this name makes more sense to you."

The girl says with a mysterious smile.

"I'm 'O'!"

Daiya Oomine flashes a scornful smile.

"Hmpf, so you chose to turn into Kazu's first crush. What's your point by using Nana Yanagi's appearance?"

"There's no deep meaning, really. I merely supposed that it would be the most interesting to meet him in this appearance! Well, but it seems like I won't have occasion to show him, thanks to you."

"But strictly speaking, Kazu has seen you right when he came here, hasn't he?"

"Well, yes. But he was so cruel and stepped on me. On top of that, he didn't even recognize me. Boy, at least you should be able to recognize your first crush at a glance!"

"Anyhow, it surprises me that Nana Yanagi looked like this. I thought it would be another beauty because our picky Kazu was in love with her, but that visage is really nothing special, huh."

"That's rude to her!"

While listening to their strange exchange of words, I think:

'O'?

'O' he said?

Aah, certainly. Only 'O' is capable of such a mysterious smile. 'O' is about the only one that could ignore the rules and intervene. Therefore, I can understand it.

But why should this inhuman being, 'O', who could even be called a god, help Daiya Oomine? Why should he need to save Kazuki Hoshino's life?

Why were they able to predict 'O' 's behavior?

Daiya Oomine laughs at me while I'm confused thinking about these matters.

"You look like you're wondering why 'O' saved us. I'll tell you, no problem!"

Then he says,

"'O' loves Kazuki Hoshino. Didn't you know?"

"......that doesn't explain anything."

"You sure are slow on the uptake. It's natural to save a guy you love when he's about to die!"

"So you predicted that?"

"Not predicted. I knew. Well, because I asked in detail about what happened during the 'Sevennight in Mud'."

There's no way I could understand from such an unfriendly explanation. In the first place, what is that 'Sevennight in Mud'? ...But well, I guess 'O' saved Kazuki Hoshino in that week... or tried to. Thus, he knew that 'O' would come.

Because he knew that, he took advantage. In order to dispose of me and my 'Game of Idleness' after figuring out how to use the 'box', he utilized 'O'.

He utilized a godlike being.

"------"

What the fuck?

How did he come up with the thought of utilizing such a being in the first place? That's something I'd never, ever be able to think of.

Someone that arrives at that thought---

---cannot be human.

Aah, now I've got it... why I'm so frightened.

I have never met a person who's more skillful than me, so to speak. Or at least I haven't perceived anyone that way. I always thought I was stronger, no matter who I was looking at.

But now I know better. Compared to that guy, I'm---

---overwhelmingly inferior.

"------Ah."

My body sways.

It feels like a sensation of giddiness, but it doesn't stop. My legs have sunk deep into the ground of this dark room that smells like dissolvent. ...no, that's not really happening. Probably, it just seems this way to me.

What, what is happening to me?

Someone's laughing at me. "Ahahahaha," he ridicules me. It's neither Daiya Oomine nor 'O' who does this. That black shadow is trying to kick me, to take me over.

---Who are you?

I had a hunch that it was my father of whom I had not even seen a photo. With the desire to throw grudges at him, I scowl at the appearing shadow. But as soon I focus on him, my father dissolves and becomes another person.

Aah, I know that one.

---It's... me.

"Geez... ridiculous how it is exactly as expected."

Daiya Oomine complains.

Yeah, I bet.

I'm going to be destroyed now, as expected. Just like I have done with other people for all the time until now.

So, maybe I can finally go to the place I've always sought. Maybe I can finally become what I've wanted to.

'O' lets go of me.

I slump down and land on all fours.

My hands touch the ground of this space. It feels like touching rotten meat. It's strangely warm, yet it's rough and crumbles in my hands.

That makes me finally realize.

This space is --- disgusting.

"Yes, as expected, I suppose."

'O' repeats Daiya Oomine's words.

"Well, but I guess it's also as Kazuki Hoshino-kun has expected."

"...what do you want to say by that?"

"There's no hidden meaning! By the way, Daiya Oomine-kun. I would also like to ask you something."

'O' looks at Daiya Oomine as if I have already disappeared from his sight.

"It's a question concerning your contradicting actions. I had trouble understanding why someone like you would do something that's not beneficial, you see."

"...what do you mean?"

"Hehe, you don't have to hide it! Your plan took advantage of my fondness for Kazuki Hoshino-kun. Which means that it wouldn't have worked if I hadn't come to the rescue. So why---"

"It's not like it wouldn't work without you."

Daiya Oomine interrupts 'O' and starts to explain.

"To begin with, I don't have to destroy the 'box' because I already won [Kingdom Royale] and survived. And while I was confident you would come, I didn't have proof. This rescue measure was out of pity because Kazuki Hoshino tried his best although he ultimately lost. If he had won our little match, I would have done something about it even without you... after all, I promised! With the preparedness for a simultaneous defeat, in that case."

"Pity, huh... But I think you should know which one of you was really pitied? Anyhow, I didn't ask for that explanation."

'O' calmly tears Daiya Oomine's words into pieces.

"Please don't evade my question. Let me formulate my concern once more. Even though you need me to come---"

'O' asks.

"You tried to change Kazuki Hoshino-kun to make me lose interest."

"------"

"Kazuki-kun should have been able to let everyone survive for eight days. But in order to change him, you tricked Koudai Kamiuchi's NPC into killing Iroha Shindou and made it impossible for him to win. Why did you do that when you only needed me to come?"

Daiya Oomine scowls at 'O'.

"You sure are kind. You wanted to save your friend, Kazuki-kun, right? You wanted to free him from me, right? Well, naturally I have not lost my interest due to such a slight change yet."

'O' continues with a smile.

"But it's certain that it reduced the probability that I would come! It's nothing like you to reduce your own likelihood of winning."

"...indeed, I took some actions that could be taken like that. But it's my NPC who did. My NPC merely misunderstood my intentions and acted on his own accord - that's all. In fact, my NPC didn't know that Kazuki Hoshino would die if you didn't come to the rescue. Even I make such slight mistakes."

"But even if it was a misunderstanding of your NPC, would he really have done that without wanting to change Kazuki-kun, being an exact copy of you? Besides, that's definitely a lie. Didn't you just say that everything was as expected?"

"That was a figure of speech."

"I don't think so. It was exactly as you expected. Also, I think you wouldn't have let Kazuki Hoshino just die if I didn't appear. I'm sure you would have tried to kill Koudai Kamiuchi - with the preparedness for a simultaneous defeat, in that case."

"Don't talk nonsense. Why should I sacrifice myself for Kazu?"

"Because you were the one pitied."

Daiya Oomine is bereft of speech.

"Letting the person who pitied you and silently approved of your plan die because your plan failed? That's definitely not something your pride would allow you."

"......what makes you so sure?"

"That's what Kazuki Hoshino thinks like, not me."

"What?"

"Kazuki-kun doesn't put confidence in my whims, sadly. Therefore, he didn't think your plan would work for certain. And yet he entrusted you with his life. You should know the reason by now, with your wits, right?"

Daiya Oomine widens his eyes and bites on his lips.

"He was convinced that you would save him even if your plan failed."

Daiya Oomine seems mortified for some reason, but 'O' continues,

"Indeed, as Kazuki Hoshino-kun has expected."

"---Just how much is he messing around with me!"

"Hehe, he's not messing around with you. He just understands you, doesn't he?"

"Shut up. ...I got it already. All right, I'll admit it! I tried to break you and Kazu apart. You're blaming me because you're bothered by that, right?"

"That's also true, right."

"Don't worry. I won't do that anymore. If he stands in my way from now on, I will take advantage of him and fight against him, that's all."

"I see."

"But sure enough, I think a light-minded smile fits him best. I don't want him to have anything to do with those 'boxes'. It's the best if he has his everyday life."

"Oh? Why did you try to change his goal into protecting Maria Otonashi, then? Isn't associating with her also something that keeps him away from an everyday life, I wonder?"

Daiya Oomine bites on his lips.

"......that's the only thing my NPC could think of to dissociate him from you."

"Indeed, that could be possible. But judging from your expression, that's not all there is to it."

'O' says and claps his hands artificially as if he had suddenly understood something.

"Right. Let me tell you something good, that may even put you in the right way. Maybe I should also tell Kazuki Hoshino-kun and Maria Otonashi."

'O' says joyfully while Daiya Oomine raises an eyebrow,

"This girl --- Nana Yanagi --- is alive! Ah, incidentally, her boyfriend Touji Kijima is, as well."

Raising his eyebrow even more, Daiya Oomine asks,

"...if they still live, then where are they?"

'O' nods contentedly to his reaction and answers,

"In Maria Otonashi's 'box'!"

Daiya Oomine stands still with widened eyes.

"Did you understand now that Maria Otonashi is someone that disconnects him from his everyday life? So if you really want to achieve your goal, you ought to ignore your own feelings and just hook them up!"

"...what are you talking about."

"You want to hook Kazuki Hoshino-kun up, don't you?"

Then, 'O' says it.

"With Kokone Kirino."

He says --- this nostalgic, dear name.

"You always thought that Kokone Kirino and Kazuki-kun would be a good match. You assumed that it would be the best if love would sprout between them, to bring her happiness. Because Kazuki-kun would not reject her whatever he learned about her. And yet you used violence against Kazuki-kun when it was about to happen because of Riko Asami. And also this time, you tried to make protecting Maria Otonashi his goal. To me, it seems like your actions are not consistent with your goal."

"......Shut up."

"You want to dedicate your own life to your goal, right? But at the present time, you can't match Maria Otonashi or Iroha Shindou by far. As long you don't let go of Kokone Kirino, that is."

"Shut the fuck up!"

I watch Daiya Oomine roar, clenching his fists.

Why does that name come out of 'O's mouth...?

Why does Daiya Oomine react like this to that name?

Why does the name of my admired, docile Senpai make him suffer?

"------Aah."

I see. I remembered.

I remembered who Daiya Oomine was in the past.

"Do you really think you can achieve your goal? «No matter what you do, no matter where you go, you can't get away from your nature» - these are your very own words. Even if you put on piercings that symbolize your resolve, even if you could sever your feelings for her - your human kindness, cowardice and foolishness don't change."

Daiya Oomine scowls at 'O' with a look that bears so much enmity, it could almost kill.

It's only natural that I couldn't remember. His impression back then was completely different. During middle school, he didn't have any piercings and had no silver hair yet. He was a softly smiling Senpai that was admired as the «prince» by the girls because of his coolness and refinement.

He was the perfect boyfriend --- of the docile girl I admired.

That's why I gave up on her right away. I didn't know Daiya Oomine well. It's just that I was convinced that Kirino-senpai would definitely be happier together with him. I was disabused that I wasn't the only one who had discovered her charm. And I also realized that I wouldn't be the one to draw out that charm. My illusion that she was something special only for me crumbled down just like that.

I see.

So Daiya Oomine was the one who created the occasion that made me go out with «Rino» --- «Miyuki Karino».

"......Heh."

Daiya Oomine stopped scowling, relaxed his fists and contorted the shape of his mouth.

The smile that has appeared now that he has regained his composure doesn't have a bit of his former softness and looks only fearless.

"You may be right. But it doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter, huh? Even though you're going to suffer?"

"Yeah, I will achieve my goal no matter how much I need to suffer. I'm able to bear up against feelings of that level."

'O' asks, seeming deeply interested,

"Why do you think so?"

"Because an even greater feeling than pain is driving me. My nature, as you call it, is painted over by that. That's how strong it is --- my hatred."

He says, strongly.

"Since that time, boku[1]«I» hate the everyday life."

I don't have the slightest idea to what time he refers by 'that time'.

"You delight me!"

But 'O' smiles contently after hearing Daiya Oomine's words.

"By letting me listen to your creaking heart like this. By letting me listen to it as easily as playing on an instrument where you only have to touch a single string."

"Well, I guess that's why you gave me the 'box'. I won't be unwilling, I'll let you hear as much of it as you want! No matter how much my heart may creak, I will achieve my goal. Thus, I'm very grateful to you!"

"I'm delighted to hear that! Although I distribute 'boxes' that can grant any wish for free and give the receivers a proper explanation, there are many amongst them who seem to have a misplaced grudge against me."

Having said this, 'O' lifts me up and restrains me again.

"Alright, Kazuki-kun is about to become a mummy. We have to hurry up."

"That goes without saying."

Daiya Oomine spits that out and rushes to me.

"Koudai Kamiuchi."

He smiles coldly.

"Amongst all the people I know, you're top-level trash. You're the trash amongst trash, living a meaningless life, driven by boredom and hurting others. I don't expect that you'll change your mind, nor do I think that you will hand over the 'box'."

He reaches out for my neck.

"Like Kazuki Hoshino has changed, I will change, too. For that sake, I have to get rid of my weakness. So, let me use you for that."

He puts force into his hands and strangles me.

"I'll cut my retreat by killing you."

Then, the person who once was the «prince», says,

"And then I will become the «king»."

Man, don't bother yourself telling me that! If you do, it sounds almost as if you say it to yourself.

......Oh, or is he really saying that to himself?

Why did Daiya Oomine leave the 'Game of Idleness' unharmed for so long? Why didn't he kill me right away? - There were several reasons. To understand the usage of the 'box'. To wait for 'O'. To change Kazuki Hoshino.

But if you look at it from the other side, doesn't that just mean that he searched for so many reasons to postpone the determination to become a murderer?

Of course, that may be my misunderstanding. But I think it's certain that he wanted to make himself believe that it's alright to kill me. After all he's still a «prince», not the «king».

My sight flickers.

I'm going to die.

I see, I've lost to him. ...no, I guess I've been losing the whole time already, before this incident. I've not only lost to Daiya Oomine, but to everyone and everything. I've been losing because I wasn't even in the ring, ever since I started escaping.

My feet sink into this room that seems like the solidification of desire. Probably, I will melt and vanish if I keep sinking.

I unconsciously thought that such a thing might be Eden to me.

Am I an idiot?

What a lack of imagination. It seems to me like this only because I've never met with death before! Even without knowing what my desire ultimately is, I don't want to end like this!

Though I have no choice anymore but to accept.

So, I'll do at least one counterattack at the very end.

"Eh......ph...e..."

I try to say one last sentence, but my strangled vocal cords don't form the words correctly anymore. But it doesn't matter. As long they reach him, they don't need to be exact.

Even if it's all as he expected, I'll at least pester him.

I look into his eyes.

I can see slight indecision in them.

Aah, looks like it reached him a bit.

«Help me.»

The intention of these words.

Of course that won't change the outcome.

But there's one thing I know. Having seen him laugh at Kirino-senpai's side when he still was a «prince», I know one thing.

You are the one who's going to lose from now on --- Daiya Oomine!

Or --- did you seriously think you were geared for becoming the «king»!

I feel that my body has been completely engulfed by the darkness. My sight has turned black as well, so I can't see anything. I can hear the echo of his voice in my head.

"......Kazu, do you really think you could have done better?"

He says with a trembling voice, apparently thinking that I've already lost consciousness.

"Even if I hadn't wanted to use Kamiuchi's death like this, I probably would have found no other way to stop the 'Game of Idleness'. But you would have found one?"

Of course I can't see his face anymore.

I feel something on my head. What is this? I can smell something sour.

Aah, I see... it's vomit.

Hey now, Daiya Oomine, you're overdoing it!

Well, I guess I'm the pot calling the kettle black. After all, I also scattered vomit all over the street on my way home after leaving Rino behind in that hotel. I really can't explain why I did that. But what's beyond doubt is that I was still suffering then.

And yet, when did violence start to become a pleasure?

I don't know. I don't know, so that means I'll likely never know.

I fall into the darkness.

But it's almost the same as the place I was in until now.

So, since when have I been engulfed by this darkness? Well, it's understandable that I was incredibly bored then, in such a place. I've been running around, raising my voice, reaching my hands out, but still I didn't find anyone and was exposed to fear.

But, if I had continued searching a bit, maybe I would have been able to come into contact with someone?

---heh.

Nope.

After all, even my mother left me.

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