Baka was at a loss, but seeing Kaito was also troubled, he tried his best to think. Baka was a baka, but he was a baka who didn’t skimp on effort.
…And then.
“Umm… I don’t know about the room Tama, Mina, Venus, and Tsuchiya-ossan went into… I wanna see it.”
“You mean, when the demon made us investigate the Japanese Morse code?”
“Yeah! Tama was so cool, right!? I wanna see it!”
“My Unique Ability is definitely not for entertainment purposes!?”
And Baka’s conclusion made Kaito look like he was about to give up again. However, Baka was just beaming, saying, “I wanted to see Tama being cool!”
“But… I guess so. Indeed, it’s worth considering.”
“Eh, really!? I’m a baka, but it’s good to think!”
“Ah, don’t misunderstand? It’s not about the other team from ‘earlier’. It’s about the other team that ‘should be being cleared at the same time’ right now.”
And it seemed Kaito also had something on his mind.
“…I wonder what’s happening over there right now.”
Looking at the door that would soon open, but hadn’t yet, Kaito’s expression darkened slightly.
…What were Tsuchiya, Mina, and Venus doing right now?
“Well, I’ll decide where to use my Unique Ability after seeing how the other team acts. If nothing special happens, I’ll either confirm if Yo was really waiting at the exit of Amagi and Hibana’s room, or I’ll confirm the moment Amagi and Hibana die, I guess… I don’t want to see the moment someone dies, though.”
In the end, Kaito concluded with a sigh. Hearing that, Baka tilted his head.
“Kaito, you’re a good guy after all.”
“W-What are you saying!?”
“Huh? I’m saying Kaito is a good guy…”
‘Being a good guy is a good thing, right? Why are you upset?’ Baka tilted his head, but Kaito just sighed. He probably thought, ‘I’ve been disarmed!’
At that moment, the bell rang, lingon, lingon. Night had come.
“Is that side of the story okay now?”
“Yeah! Probably okay!”
Yo approached, and Baka replied cheerfully. Kaito was angry, saying, ‘Don’t you decide that!’, but Baka and Yo were no longer listening.
“The door opened. Let’s go quickly. I’m also curious about the other team’s situation…”
“Okay! Got it!”
Urged by Yo and Tama, Baka and Kaito also headed to the door.
“I wonder what Mina, Venus, and Tsuchiya-ossan have been up to.”
Baka thought naively, hoping they had eaten something delicious too, and leisurely exited the door.
…Then.
“Someone, help!”
Immediately, Venus’s scream was heard.
Baka and the others exchanged glances and immediately started running.
…But, since there was a difference in leg strength, Baka took the lead. His running speed was world-record-breaking.
Baka rushed towards the source of the voice and met Venus, who was heading towards them.
“Ah… help me!”
And Venus jumped into Baka’s chest, clinging to him. Baka was surprised, saying, ‘What happened!?’, and looked at Venus’s condition.
…Venus’s clothes were stained with blood.
Baka immediately understood that something had happened.
Feeling his heart pounding loudly, Baka waited for Venus’s words…
“Mina… killed Tsuchiya-san!”
…Hearing that, Baka felt a shock, as if he had been hit on the head.
Tsuchiya had been killed. And by Mina.
…Unable to immediately understand the meaning of the words, Baka just stared blankly.
“Tsuchiya-ossan…!?”
“Yes… Ah, what should I do? I don’t understand what happened anymore…”
Venus was clearly in a state of confusion, trembling.
Baka, saying, ‘Whoa, dangerous,’ made sure to sit Venus down properly, who was about to collapse from losing her strength while clinging to him.
Venus, pale and tense, looking like she was about to snap, made Baka’s heart also feel uneasy.
“Believe me… help me… I was betrayed by Mina, and I don’t understand anything anymore…”
“E-eh, eh, eh, um…”
Baka was flustered, fidgeting in front of Venus. …While he was doing that, Yo, Tama, and Kaito, who had caught up with Baka’s fast legs, also arrived.
“What’s the situation? What is this…”
“Um, well, Tsuchiya-ossan… died, and… um, Mina, killed him, they said…”
Baka said that instead of Venus, who was trembling so much she couldn’t speak, and the other three also showed tension on their faces.
“…Let’s check the situation. Lead the way.”
Then, Yo and Tama took Venus and headed to the room Venus and the others had entered. Kaito also followed them inside. Baka supported Venus’s body and headed to the room together.
…And then, there.
“This is…”
It was just a white room. But, chairs with restraints were arranged in a circle, and goat dolls were sitting on the chairs. Next to each chair… guns were set up.
And.
“…Tsuchiya-ossan…”
Tsuchiya was lying near the chairs, apparently shot through the side of his head.
“…It’s no good, he’s already dead.”
Yo, who had knelt beside Tsuchiya and checked his condition, shook his head with a gloomy expression.
“Mina… shot him…”
And Venus whispered that in a small voice.
“It wasn’t during the Game. After the Game ended… after the antidote was done, when Tsuchiya-san was completely off guard… she said, ‘What’s here must be Tsuchiya-san’s doll,’ and took Tsuchiya-san to this room… and then…”
…Hearing Venus’s words, Yo and Tama exchanged glances. But, no conclusion was reached.
A person had died. Nothing would be born from here anymore.
“…I haven’t seen the situation. I can’t say anything,”
Amidst all that, Kaito was trying to remain calm, though his face was pale.
…That’s right. If Kaito used his Unique Ability, he could find out the truth of Venus’s story. But, even if he found out… Mina and Tsuchiya wouldn’t come back. And, if Kaito proved Venus’s story with his Unique Ability, he would be exposing his Unique Ability to everyone. If that happened, Kaito’s life might be in danger.
Baka didn’t know what to do in these situations.
Hibana and Amagi had died, and now Tsuchiya too. On top of that, Mina was said to have killed Tsuchiya.
He didn’t know what to do more when there was a suspect than when he didn’t know who the culprit was. Because… Baka thought Mina was a good person too.
Mina was a good person. She filleted the fish and made sashimi for Baka. She seemed a little timid, but she still seemed to be trying her best.
So… Baka couldn’t believe that Mina had killed Tsuchiya.
But, he didn’t think Venus had killed Tsuchiya either. Because Venus was trembling so much now, asking Baka for help…
“…There’s no guarantee that Mina-san killed Tsuchiya-san. Venus. You were also in a position to kill Tsuchiya-san.”
Yo threw out those words. Immediately, Venus raised her face and let out a scream-like voice, “Are you suspecting me!?”
“We don’t know the reality of the game in this room, nor the situation in this room. Just because you came for help first, there’s no way to decide if Mina-san is really the perpetrator.”
Yo was calm to the end. While showing tension on his face, still.
“Well… that’s true. It’s not impossible to prove it, though…”
And Kaito was flustered, wondering ‘where should I reveal my Unique Ability’. He seemed to be trying to be calm, but he didn’t seem to have enough resolve.
…And then.
“…Hmm.”
Amidst all that, Tama made a small sound. And then, she crouched down next to Tsuchiya, beside Yo… and looked at the floor in a position hidden by Tsuchiya’s body.
Then.
“…How should we interpret this?”
There was a blurred pattern drawn in blood.
It was the symbol of Mercury.
“…That’s it. It’s Tsuchiya-san’s, dying message, right…”
Venus said that and let out a deep, thin, trembling sigh.
Baka was in shock. Even in between, time flowed on. And, Yo and Tama recovered faster than Baka.
“…Where’s Mina-san?”
“Well… I think she was still in the room when I left… I wonder if she came out right after me.”
Venus, looking uneasy, moved her gaze around the room…
“…Huh?”
She suddenly raised her voice.
“A gun… is missing… Could it be, Mina…!”
“…Damn it, why didn’t I notice it sooner!”
At that moment, Kaito raised his voice.
“Baka! This way!”
“Huh!?”
Called by Kaito, Baka moved almost reflexively.
“In this situation, there’s only one other place Mina-san could be!”
“Eh!? Eh!?”
As if he didn’t understand the situation at all, Baka ran…
…And so, Baka and the others had arrived at the Room of the Scales.
“P-Please don’t come any closer!”
And there… they found Mina, glaring at them while trembling.
“If you come any closer… I’ll tear Venus-san’s doll to shreds!”
…Behind Mina was an open door.
And in Mina’s hand was Venus’s doll.