“If you don’t want to die, what you need to do is simple. …When your clocks show ‘noon,’ the surrounding doors will open. Beyond them lies a fun ‘Game.’ And beyond that game is the Antidote Device. It will neutralize the poison injected into you. Wonderful, isn’t it?”
Even so, the devil’s announcement continued. It seemed to slide over the already half-demotivated people, like the devil’s cheerful announcement was just passing them by.
“At the same time, you’ll be injected with a new poison that will kill you ‘the next night,’ but you can deal with that in the next game. …Well, anyway, to survive, you have no choice but to clear the game and use the Antidote Device. However, there are four points to note!”
Baka, being Baka, listened to the explanation properly, even though it wasn’t necessary. “Four points to note! Got it!” he said, full of enthusiasm.
“…First, the doors leading to the game can only be opened once each. If a door has never been opened, it can be opened anytime during the day. But once you’ve opened it, it’s closed for good, and it will never open again!”
Baka was happy, thinking, “I understand about the doors!”
Baka had already gone through two doors, the Lion’s room and the Fish tank room. He roughly understood their nature. Mostly. …And as for what Baka didn’t understand, Tama and Yo probably did, so it was all good!
“Second, there’s a limit on the number of people. There’s no limit to how many people can enter any door. But… the Antidote Device at the end of the game is only for four people. And the exit won’t open until night. …Do you understand? In other words, if five or more people enter the same room, it’s certain that at least one person will die!”
“No, it’s not certain…” Hibana muttered again. Baka nodded, “That’s right!” …He had learned when he was really worried last time. “If there are no collars, five or even six people can enter,” he remembered! Baka remembered it properly!
“Next, third! The antidote in the Antidote Device can only be used during the day when the door is opened, so be careful.”
Baka recalled that this was also true. If it became night, the light of the orb loaded in the Antidote Device would disappear. That meant it couldn’t be used anymore.
“And finally, fourth… we cannot be held responsible for anything that happens in the game beyond the doors. And, let’s say that ‘no matter what happens,’ there will be no repercussions.”
“Got it! We can do anything! That’s great!” Baka replied with a big smile.
That’s right! This was what Baka wanted to hear! …A guarantee that he wouldn’t be scolded even if he accidentally broke something, killed a Lion, or ate a Fish! This was what he wanted!
Baka was overjoyed. Seeing Baka happy, the people around him were either worried or dumbfounded.
“…Um, Kabashima-kun,”
“Yeah? What is it, Tama?”
“I think the meaning of the announcement earlier was, ‘So, it’s okay to kill other people during the game.'”
Hearing Tama’s words, Baka was startled.
“…I don’t want to kill anyone!?”
“Okay. That’s good then.”
While Baka was flustered, Tama sighed a little. She was dumbfounded.
“But, I’d be happy if I wouldn’t get scolded for accidentally killing a Lion, eating pilaf, or breaking a door!”
“…A Lion will appear? And pilaf…?”
“Yeah! The one that swims!”
“Swimming pilaf… Ah, are you talking about piranhas or something…?”
Everyone had question marks floating above their heads at Baka’s words. But Tama urged Baka to focus on the speaker, saying, “Come on, let’s listen to the rest,” so the conversation ended there for the time being. Baka was saved.
“Well, that’s how it is, everyone. Enjoy the game. Oh, and one last thing… each of you has been given a different Unique Ability. Did you read the explanation in the safe? If you act accordingly, you should be able to use your Unique Ability without any problems. And you should fulfill your wishes.”
Baka remembered this too. In other words, it was a story about people who wanted to fulfill their wishes fighting each other. Baka frowned, thinking, “Fighting is not good…”
“Your wishes can be fulfilled on the ‘day of the 4th day,’ with ‘tonight’ being ‘night of day 0.’ At that time, we will responsibly… fulfill the wishes equal to the number of souls of the people in that lantern. But, of course, even if the number of souls is less than the number of survivors, we will not increase the number of wishes to be fulfilled. You decide who gets their wishes fulfilled.”
Baka frowned again, thinking, “The devil is stingy…” If they were going to go through the trouble of talking about human souls, he wished they would fulfill everyone’s wishes.
“The method of putting human souls into that lantern is simple. When a human dies, their soul enters that lantern. First, let’s put the souls of those who died by the next night’s bell into the lantern at the same time as the bell. And then the next time, it’s the next night’s bell. Remember that.”
And Baka mostly remembered this too. In short, the souls of the dead would go into that lantern. …What would it feel like to be put in a lantern? Would it be cramped and uncomfortable? Baka became worried.
“Well then, let the game begin. Participants, do your best.”
…And so, putting aside Baka’s worries, the announcement cut off… and finally, the game began.
It was the second time for Baka, and the first time for the others, a Death Game. Probably.
“…Um, excuse me, can I say something?”
The first to speak was Venus.
“…Isn’t this game already… broken?”
…It was a very valid question… a question that she probably wanted to ask the devil directly, but when Venus voiced it, everyone around her fell silent.
“…Well, it is, isn’t it?”
When Tama said that, Venus frowned, “That’s right…” and pulled her collar a little resentfully. Of course, Venus’s strength couldn’t break the collar. Of course. Baka was the strange one. Baka was.
“Anyway…”
“Let’s introduce ourselves! I’m Kabashima Tsuyoshi! Call me Bakashima or Baka, whatever you like! I’m called Baka at work! Nice to meet you!”
And, because Baka was strange, he proposed introductions here.
…Everyone already knew that Baka was this kind of person, so they looked at each other as if saying, “What should we do?” “What should we do?”…
“…Well, it’s inconvenient without names. So, I’ll go first. Call me ‘Tama.’ Tama, like the ‘ball’ of ‘Earth.’ Nice to meet you.”
Tama was the first to introduce herself!
Because Tama introduced herself, everyone started introducing themselves one after another.
Yo, Venus, Hibana, Tsuchiya, Mina, Amagi… and then it was Kaito’s turn. So.
“And this guy is Kaito! Nice to meet you!”
“Why are you introducing me!?”
Baka introduced Kaito instead. So Kaito lost the chance to introduce himself with a name other than “Kaito.” Baka thought he was doing a good thing, but Kaito was glaring at him with a terrible look!
Kaito seemed like he wanted to complain, but a more important matter came up, so Kaito’s name was swept away. Drifting along, drifting along.
“So, um, what, what should we do? Um, if things stay like this, the three of us will die, right…?”
That’s right. A more important problem than names. That was the problem of “three people.”
The three people whose collars Baka had failed to destroy… Tama, Mina, and Venus. Coincidentally, the three women were still wearing collars…
“Yeah. Only the three of us will die if things stay like this. But…”
Tama glanced at the other six people and sighed.
“…The other six aren’t. That’s why it’s even more dangerous, I think.”
“That’s right… if you put it simply, it means that those wearing collars can no longer defy those who aren’t,”
Kaito stepped forward, nodding at Tama’s words.
“Eh, is that so?”
When Baka asked, Kaito ignored Baka and started talking to everyone else.
“The doors that open during the day ‘can’t be opened a second time once they’ve been opened,’ right? And the Antidote Device at the end of the daytime doors can only be used during the day when the door is opened. …In other words, if all the doors are opened and closed, it’s certain that those wearing collars will die.”
The three women became more tense at Kaito’s words.
“…So, the guys who aren’t wearing collars are the majority, and the ones who are wearing them are the minority, right…?”
Hibana added. Baka didn’t really understand the meaning, but the women became even more tense.
…And then.
“So, I have a proposal. …I think we should open all the doors on the first day. What do you think? The other five men!”
Kaito proposed that!
“I object.”
And Yo was the first to object.
“Ah… well, sorry. This girl is my lover. I can’t let her die.”
And just like that, Yo said it, and squeezed Tama’s hand! It seems that Tama and Yo have decided to make their relationship public this time.
“…I see. Anyone else?”
Kaito looked around with an indescribable expression… and then.
“I also oppose it.”
…What?!
Amagi had spoken up.
“Eh!? Old man Amagi, you’re against it!?”
“…Yes, that’s right. I’m against it. Isn’t it too cruel to tell those young ladies to die?… Or did you think I would agree?”
“Yeah! I thought you would! That’s why I’m so surprised now!”
Baka was surprised.
After all, it was Amagi! The same dangerous old man who had initially suggested killing Baka! That old man was now opposing the plan to kill Tama, Mina, and Venus!
Baka was astonished! He muttered, “I’m so surprised my eyeballs might pop out!” to which Tama gently replied, “Let’s just keep them popping out, okay?”
“Hmm… that’s unexpected. What do you know about me? What makes you so surprised?”
“Eh? Uh… even if you say that…”
Baka was troubled by Amagi’s glare.
Baka tried to seek help from Yo and Tama, but neither of them seemed inclined to help him. Baka could only fluster under Amagi’s gaze!
“…Well, never mind about that Baka. What about you?”
Then, Kaito turned his attention to Hibana. Thanks to that, Baka was slightly relieved. In reality, he wasn’t particularly relieved, but the fact that the conversation had shifted away from him made him feel like he was, which was typical of Baka’s baka-ness.
“Huh? Me?”
“Yeah. What do you say?”
…And when Kaito pressed Hibana for a decision.
“…I’m against it too.”
What?! Hibana had also started to oppose it!
“Eh!? You’re against it too!?”
“What about it? Is that bad?”
“No! It’s not bad! But I’m surprised!”
And Baka was once again surprised!
After all, Hibana was the one who had been trying to kill Baka! After the Lion’s room, he hadn’t been particularly hostile towards Baka, so he had completely forgotten… But Baka had the impression that Hibana was someone who wanted to kill people, so he was simply surprised.
“Seriously?” Baka’s eyes widened, and Hibana looked away with an awkward expression. Baka could only sigh in astonishment.
“Well, I don’t think I need to state my opinion anymore… I’m also against it. In the first place, I don’t want to fulfill my wish by killing people.”
And finally, Tsuchiya declared. Baka was happy that Tsuchiya-san was as unwavering as last time.
“You don’t want to fulfill your wish? …Then why did you come here?”
“Well… that’s none of your business.”
Tsuchiya said, and glared at Kaito.
Kaito seemed intimidated, but he met Tsuchiya’s gaze head-on.
…And then.
“…I have a proposal as well.”
Amagi said, raising his hand.
“Shouldn’t we eliminate… this one, instead?”
…No one said anything. Only Kaito was glaring at Amagi with a tense expression.
“Shouldn’t we kill this Kaito?”
“Eeeeeeeh!? Not me, but Kaito!?”
And Baka was very surprised!
Everything was so different from last time!
How did it end up like this!? Baka didn’t know! Because he’s a Baka!