“There wasn’t any time! We didn’t know if everyone would make it, and you’re saying I should have prioritized others’ lives over my own?!”
“Even so, you shoved a girl?! That’s the worst!”
“When it’s a matter of life or death, there’s no such thing as man or woman!”
“In the end, there was enough time for everyone to use the antidote device, and you’re just saying you panicked on your own and looked ridiculous!”
“In that situation, we didn’t know how long the antidote would take! It couldn’t be helped!”
…Kaito and Venus are arguing. Baka can only vaguely understand the situation… Apparently, the other team had their own troubles.
“U-um, Venus-san. I’m okay, so…”
“No, Mina! If we let someone with no sense of cooperation like this run wild, who knows what they’ll do in the future!?”
“If you’re going to say that, you’re the same! If you hadn’t gone the wrong way, we would have had more time!”
It’s a shouting match. A shouting match is happening right now.
It’s not a sight Baka has seen much of. After all, when people at Baka’s workplace had a disagreement, it usually didn’t turn into a shouting match, but a fistfight, and then they’d put their arms around each other and laugh while opening cans of beer… that was the norm…
“You two, that’s enough! …Well, um, what was it? We should probably talk about our game too.”
In the end, Tsuchiya stepped between the two arguing, and then he explained what happened on his team.
Venus and Kaito were dissatisfied, but Baka was relieved, thinking, “At least they stopped.”
“Our game was about getting through a room filled with traps. If you stepped on a switch on the floor, or tripped on a wire stretched just above the floor, arrows would fly out… Well, that’s what took us so long, and as Venus said earlier, that’s what happened…”
“Eeeek…”
Baka imagined it a little and shuddered, thinking, “Scary!” Traps like the ones in games and movies are scary just to imagine.
“Well… and then, I accidentally got hit by an arrow.”
Then, Tsuchiya showed the inside of his jacket, his shirt.
“Whoaaa…”
“It was quite something. It went right through. Hah hah hah.”
Baka could only say, “Whoa…” There was blood all over the shirt, and there was a hole as if something had pierced it.
…But, beyond the hole in the shirt was unblemished skin. Baka tilted his head, wondering what this meant…
“Well, as you can see, I’m fine now. Mina-san helped me with her Unique Ability.”
Tsuchiya smiled and said that. And Mina, while fidgeting, smiled and said, “I’m glad I could help”… and then, she said to everyone.
“My Unique Ability is healing. I can heal injuries once between each bell.”
“Unique Ability, huh…”
Baka let out a sigh of admiration, thinking, “So they really exist.”
…Baka knew that a Unique Ability was a special power that wasn’t a human’s ability. But, he couldn’t think of any specific examples, so when he heard Mina’s confession, he was convinced, “Oh, I see, that’s how it is!”
“I see… Mina-san healed Tsuchiya-san’s injury with her Unique Ability, is that right?”
“Yes. It was amazing. The arrow that had pierced me slipped right out. And the bleeding stopped, and the flesh and skin returned immediately. I don’t feel any pain anymore. …Thank you again, Mina-san.”
“N-no! I’m the one who should be thanking you… If Tsuchiya-san hadn’t been there, I’m sure we wouldn’t have been able to get through that trap…”
Mina looked embarrassed. Tsuchiya was looking at Mina with gratitude, and the atmosphere was very good. Baka was relieved to see the two of them. “It’s better to be friends than to fight!” he thought.
“Well, if we’re talking about Unique Abilities, that means we’ve figured out two of them. Mina-san has a healing Unique Ability. And Kabashima-kun has Super Strength…”
“My power is natural!”
“U-um… Well, Kabashima-kun says that, but if you came here without reading the explanation of the Unique Abilities, we have no choice but to guess…”
Yo explained, but Baka interjected, and Yo gave a wry smile. Baka could only tilt his head, thinking, “Could it be that I’m really stronger than my natural power?”
“Hmm… Well, it’s likely that this ‘Game’ is designed to make us use our Unique Abilities. By doing so, it’s trying to encourage murder using Unique Abilities and the deduction of who did it. At least, if we find a ‘dead creature with signs of being beaten to death with bare hands,’ we’ll think Kabashima-kun is the culprit.”
Baka listened, nodding, but he didn’t quite understand. He just thought, “I’m a Baka, so it’s good that they know what kind of guy I am early on.”
By revealing himself, he could leave the judgment to the smarter people. That was Baka’s way of surviving, in his own Baka way.
“The more you know about the other person’s Unique Ability, the more advantageous this ‘Game’ becomes. Well, that’s certainly true.”
At that moment, Venus said that with a smile.
Then, she glanced meaningfully at Hibana… and when Hibana made a face as if to say, “What?”
“…So, I’ll make an accusation here. Hibana’s Unique Ability is ‘the ability to create swords from flames’!”
“Huh?… W-whaaaaat!? W-what the hell are you saying, you!”
Hibana stood up. The others were also stunned. Only Venus had a relaxed smile on her face.
“I’ll confess too. My Unique Ability is ‘Fortune Teller’. I can investigate another person’s Unique Ability once per night.”
Fortune Teller… Baka was just impressed, thinking, “There’s a Unique Ability like that too.”
“By the way, the first person I investigated was Mina.”
“M-me…?”
“Yes. That’s why I wanted to team up with Mina. If I’m with Mina, I can be safe even if I get injured, right?”
Moreover, Venus was already making effective use of her ability! Amazing! Baka was truly impressed!
“Okay. So, can I ask why you investigated Hibana-kun?”
“There’s no particular reason. If I had to say, well… she seemed the most barbaric, and I thought she was the most likely to become an enemy. If that’s the case, I wanted to know what she was capable of, right? So, if Amagi-san were alive, I might have investigated him. He didn’t seem like he was going to cooperate either.”
Venus answered Tama’s question without hesitation, and then, she looked at Hibana as if to say, “Heh.”
“So, Hibana. Your hand has already been revealed. Don’t make any reckless moves.”
“You…”
Hibana just had a bitter look on her face. Having her hand revealed meant that she would be at a disadvantage in the future. Baka didn’t really understand, though.
“Even so… Ugh, this game really is a devil’s Death Game…”
At that moment, Tsuchiya muttered with a bitter expression.
“The souls of the dead enter those lanterns, right…”
…Tsuchiya’s gaze was fixed on the gate that would open on the fourth day, and the lanterns that were decorated around it. …And in one of them, there was a lantern with something like a flame burning inside.
Baka, who had just noticed the lanterns, looked at them and thought vaguely, “That’s old man Amagi’s soul…” The fire was burning brightly, looking energetic. If he had been reduced to just a soul, it was pitiful, but for now, it was good that his soul seemed to be doing well. That was what Baka decided to think first.
“A soul…”
And everyone focused on that lantern.
…Yes. The fire in that lantern was also the source of conflict for everyone here.
“…Eight people, and one wish will be granted, huh?”
Hibana narrowed her eyes, and Kaito pursed his lips. Mina looked away timidly, and Tsuchiya stared at the flame with a bitter expression. Tama, Yo, and Venus were staring at the lantern with faces that were hard to read.
Baka looked at the seven of them and thought, “I hope they don’t start fighting.”
But… he also thought that they probably would start fighting.
Tama had said that everyone gathered here had a wish they wanted to fulfill. In other words… they would surely fight over that one flame.
“So, what about the next teams? I’m sorry, but I don’t want to team up with Kaito anymore.”
Then, as if trying to change the subject, Venus said that. Then, Venus frowned at Kaito and Hibana. …She really seemed to dislike them.
“I don’t want to either, and Kaito’s no good, huh? What a selfish woman.”
“Indeed. Geez, it’s like she thinks she’s the center of the world.”
“Oh? Isn’t it natural for people who have done things that deserve to be hated to be ostracized? Before you start talking big, you should reflect on your own actions!”
Hibana and Kaito made unpleasant faces at Venus’s words. The atmosphere was very tense…
But, Hibana grinned.
“Well, whatever. I don’t care if you don’t want to team up with me. I’m teaming up with Tama. That’s the promise I made.”
That’s right. Hibana already has a partner. Therefore, she won’t be left out!
“Eh… is that so? Tama?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Isn’t that right, Tama?”
“…Well, I guess it’s fine.”
Venus looked surprised, but Hibana looked triumphant, and Tama was calm, with a look that said, “It can’t be helped.”
Baka was honestly happy, thinking, ‘Hibana, I’m glad you’re not alone!’ Baka is a good-natured Baka.
“Then, I’ll join too. Is that okay? Hibana, Tama-san?”
Then, Kaito came over as well. It seems he also started moving so he wouldn’t be alone.
“I’m fine with it. Since we’re both hated by that damn woman, let’s get along.”
“…Well, I guess it’s fine if we add more people.”
Tama glanced at Baka and Yo.
“Shouldn’t you ask the other two as well?”
If Hibana and Kaito join Tama’s team, either Baka or Yo will be left out. Baka finally realized this and thought, ‘That’s a little lonely!’
But, seeing Kaito’s worried face, Baka couldn’t say, ‘I’m lonely too!’ It would be cruel to make Kaito feel lonely just so he wouldn’t feel lonely himself.
“Hmm… then, there are two ways to think about it.”
There, Tsuchiya raised his voice.
“One way is to make these three the first team. Then, divide the remaining five into two and three, making a total of three teams. And the other way is to accept one more person here, and proceed with two teams of four.”
Baka counted on his fingers and understood, ‘I see, that’s how it is!’ Conversely, the fact that he’s slow to understand unless he counts on his fingers is the reason why Baka is a Baka.
“Well… if we’re adding one more person here… hmm, I thought Tama would be fine? But, if Tama is teaming up with Hibana…”
Venus pondered, groaning, and then smiled and pointed at Baka.
“Yeah. I don’t mind being with Baka-kun.”
“Eh? Me?”
“Yes. How about it?”
“Yeah, I’m fine with that.”
Baka doesn’t particularly dislike anyone. So, if he’s nominated, he wouldn’t mind joining Tsuchiya’s team, considering it an honor.
“No, there’s one more option.”
But, Yo spoke up there.
“We can also split into three and five. …Kabashima-kun, you see, doesn’t have a collar…”
“Ah.”
And Baka finally remembered. He doesn’t need an Antidote Device!
In other words… Baka, and only Baka, can become the ‘fifth person,’ which would normally be impossible!
“…So, there are three options. Let’s see, like this.”
There, Yo spread a piece of paper on the table in the Great Hall, took out a pen, and started writing something. Whether he picked up the paper from the junk pile or it was originally in the Great Hall, well, anyway, the team assignments were clearly shown so that even Baka could understand.
The first option was, ‘Tsuchiya, Mina, Venus,’ ‘Tama, Hibana, Yo,’ ‘Kabashima, Kaito.’
The second option was, ‘Tsuchiya, Mina, Venus, Kabashima,’ ‘Tama, Hibana, Yo, Kaito.’
The third option was, ‘Tsuchiya, Mina, Venus,’ ‘Tama, Hibana, Kabashima, Yo, Kaito.’
…Baka looked at it and nodded, hmm, hmm. Then, Venus also looked at the paper from the side… and glared at Yo.
“…Yo. You want to be on Tama’s team, don’t you?”
“Ah… no, it’s not like it has to be me, but if my wish can be granted, I’d like to. You see, since Hibana’s ability is known, it’s a bit of a safety measure, and even if it weren’t, I’d like to team up with someone I already have a relationship of trust with.”
Yo said that a little awkwardly, and then looked at Tama and Hibana. Hibana had an indescribable look on her face!
“Hey, hey! If that happens, I’ll have to look after this Baka alone? No way!”
“Ehh, don’t say that, Kaito, let’s get along.”
“It’s too much for me. If there’s going to be a two-person team with this Baka and someone else, I want someone other than me to bear that burden!”
…But, Kaito doesn’t like this idea.
Then, the first pattern is not good. Even Baka can understand that much.
“…Then, it seems like Kabashima-kun will have to decide.”
Then, Tama said to Baka.
“Kabashima-kun, which team do you want to join?”
…That’s right. The choice was entrusted to Baka!