The dining hall fell silent.
Without a single person opening their mouth, everyone could only stare blankly at the letter I was barely managing to hold onto.
"...Hey, Shu..."
I was the one who finally forced the words out.
"Where... when did you get this...?"
"Ah, this morning... It was left in front of my room... Other than that..."
Shu, too, answered with difficulty.
That was enough.
"Those bastards...!"
Enough for Mayumi and the others to let their pent-up emotions explode.
"Two days ago, it was an introduction to ourselves. Yesterday, an introduction to our pasts. Today, an introduction to murder!? What is this, Pokémon? That's one hell of an evolution tree!"
"That comparison is a little odd, but I agree that there's a limit to how much they can disregard us! And saying they'll slaughter us all...!"
Yes. What Ubauchi was trying to say—that was the heart of it.
If no murder took place by nightfall, they would openly begin a massacre.
Needless to say, this was a declaration of war.
One sent by a wolf hidden among a flock of sheep.
Then what should the flock do once it realizes that?
"......"
Should we start turning the suspicion that had only barely begun to dull against each other again, like we were now?
"Come out."
Then someone spoke.
As though to drown out the voices gradually breaking loose, that voice alone drew everyone's attention.
"I'll gladly attend the party you've opened for us. But before that, would you not show yourselves?"
It was Hiranui, looking up into empty space.
"...Monotwins."
Of course. If the people he meant to address were not here, then it made sense not to direct his gaze at anyone.
[Hey, Hiranui, why are you suddenly calling for the Monotwins?]
"Kaiju, have you still not grasped it? If this is an invitation sent by [Ultimate Black] and [Ultimate White], then naturally their attendants ought to do the talking."
"...Good. Hiranui, that's exactly how a boss should act."
In other words, he was telling them to bring the people who would stamp the contract. But...
"......."
No matter how long we waited, those parties to the contract did not appear.
"...Hmm. Waiting any longer seems pointless. They're openly ignoring us."
"Akano, how can you be so sure of that?"
"Isn't it simple? Up until now, the Monotwins have always appeared in an instant at the most perfect timing. That means they already know our every move... So there's no answer to be found this way."
"Th-then... an outing! Let's go on an outing! How about meeting them there and asking them to play with us!"
"You mean we should go looking for them ourselves? But if we reverse what Akano said... that's impossible for much the same reason."
"Sonoconsigliere, Kitsui is right. It may even be their aim. No supplementary explanation at all... They might have thought that would be the most entertaining approach."
No one could argue with that.
"Hmm, I'm only putting this out there, but do you think this possibility is impossible as well? What if the letter itself has nothing to do with the Monotwins, and it's simply someone's fabrication...?"
"Narita, that's practically saying you suspect Shu. I can't just let that pass."
"Ah, no... My apologies, Keisha. I did not mean it that way. I have a habit of voicing my instincts without filtering them. I apologize to Roshiya as well."
I had inadvertently threatened him as a detective, but he immediately asked for forgiveness.
"No, it's okay. I think it's good to discuss each hypothesis one by one."
"Hehe, there's no need for that."
"What...?"
Akano gave a small laugh.
"No matter what else we discuss, there's only one path forward anyway, isn't there? In the end, [Ultimate Black] and [Ultimate White]... no."
A brief silence passed.
"How do we find and dispose of the two damned pieces of trash who are probably laughing at us even now? That's the only thing we need to focus on."
A few murmurs followed, but none of them amounted to a rebuttal of her.
"........."
At this point, no one dared claim they still failed to understand reality.
"Tch..."
It was merciless logic, but logic that could not be denied.
"..........Then. Who are they?"
Then, surprisingly, Niseato spoke first.
"N-Niseato?!"
"My, Niseato. I always think this, but what a waste it is for you to keep that lovely voice of yours shut away. Hehe."
"........Don't change the subject. If you're saying all that, then you already have an idea, don't you?"
"Forgive me, but allow me to deflect just once more. What exactly do you mean I have an idea about?"
At that, Niseato sighed as though utterly fed up.
"......Obviously. The identities of the mastermind and the white mastermind hiding among us."
She said it casually, coldly.
"...! I-is that true, Akano...?"
"I would like to say it cannot possibly be so, but..."
Karafuru, Kadra, and the others began to stir.
"...Pfft, so that's how it is... I expected as much, but you saw right through me beautifully, didn't you? Very well, as you wish, I'll tell you."
But Akano's voice immediately subdued that storm.
"This is only a hypothesis, however."
The finger she pointed at everyone weighed down even the lingering breeze.
"You are the true culprits."
Slowly, everyone's gaze followed her finger.
Defying the faint guilt within us, we turned our heads to see the people she had dared accuse.
Yet only two people came into view—two people who could not possibly turn around.
Of course they could not.
"Karafuru Ikiro. Komada Kichio."
There was nowhere behind them for them to look.
*
*
Once again, chance seemed truly cruel.
"W-what?!"
"Akano... you're..."
Of all people, the sickly pair who had lost their memories were accused side by side.
"C-calm down, both of you! Until we've properly heard what Akano and the two of you have to say, no one can blame you!"
"Of course... Akano, will you tell us why?"
I asked in a tone almost like an interrogation, but her relaxed smile did not disappear.
"It's exactly that uneasiness all of you are feeling right now."
"Uneasiness...? Tana doesn't feel anything... Ah, but I am thinking about eating red velvet cake made with the two of them and blood!"
"I sincerely hope that cake is laced with deadly poison. It would be more efficient in many ways. Hehe, I'm joking, of course?"
[Ignore Tana and explain this properly. Baseless suspicion is...]
Before Kaiju could even finish his sentence—
"Why were only those two the ones who testified that they had lost their memories?"
Akano's wedge slammed into everyone's ears.
".....!"
Everyone's eyes widened, but the two of theirs widened even further.
"W-wait! You can't suspect them based on just that—"
"Of course, it would be unreasonable to suspect them based on that alone. But everyone thought something was strange, didn't they?"
...Certainly, there was no denying that the image of something being wrong had been planted in our minds.
"I understand what you're trying to say, Akano. You're saying those two are acting?"
"If they're acting, then they made memory loss into a cushion to avoid being exposed as the mastermind and white mastermind?"
"......"
Akano did not answer Kitsui and Shu's conjectures.
"...Wouldn't that be a self-serving deduction? If you were the mastermind and white mastermind, do you really think you'd create a connection by having only yourselves conveniently lose your memories?"
"Hmm...! Wouldn't it be far more advantageous for hiding your identity to simply choose any talent at all and wear a mask?"
Even in the face of Kadra and Narita's objections, she did not speak.
"...What about the two of you?"
No—more accurately, she did not offer a counter-counterargument.
"Y-yes...?! Us...?"
"Karafuru, Komada. Why are you two keeping quiet when you're the ones being accused? It doesn't seem as though you fail to grasp the situation."
"Th-that's... I mean..."
"...It's strange. Concluding that just because we lost our memories... There's no way to refute something like that..."
Only then did Akano, after hearing Komada's answer, sigh as if conceding a point and shrug.
"You've all got it backward."
Then, with her crimson eyes once more gone cold, she glanced at them.
"What...? B-backward...?"
"Kadra, Narita, you, Komada. All of you seem to think I'm claiming you're pretending to have lost your memories, but..."
A derisive, hollow laugh slipped from her lips.
"What I'm saying is that you really did lose your memories."
What followed was a light, contemptuous tone.
"Heh... So you're changing positions at this point. You have a silver tongue, don't you? Then tell us your deduction."
"As you command. It's a simple reversal of perspective. The fundamental issue so far has been that the mastermind and white mastermind would arrogantly lead us into killing them, correct? But... that's wrong."
Akano politely lifted her skirt to Hiranui, then recovered her sinister smile.
"What if their real objective isn't the 'result' of identifying and killing them, but the indiscriminate slaughter that unfolds in the 'process' of suspecting one another?"
As though she would hear no more noise, she continued.
"Earlier, you told us to think from the culprit's perspective, didn't you? Just as you said, from the culprit's perspective, this would produce a far more satisfying outcome."
"Ah...!"
If they established a direct confrontation between themselves and the rest of us, then no matter how wildly things spiraled, the maximum number of deaths would stop at merely two.
"But what if the very opponents needed to establish that confrontation were forcibly—and permanently—left unknown? Can't you picture it? Pouring salt water into the wound called suspicion?"
And if there were a single method that could catch both the rabbits of coercion and permanence with absurd ease...
"...They erase even their own memories and sincerely blend into the group...?"
It was a deduction plausible enough that I muttered it without thinking.
"Good...! Keisha, exactly."
"Sh-Shoko! Are you seriously saying that?"
"Ah... n-no, that's..."
I tried to deny it, waving both hands, but the distorted truth already seemed to have spread to everyone.
"G-guys! I really don't know...! No matter how hard I try, I can't remember anything at all...!"
"...It's painful, but I can't prove it. But it isn't me either...!"
Yet once suspicion had gathered momentum, it would not stop.
"Oh? Is that so? But it would be quite troublesome if you cannot prove that right now, you see. The reason is that tonight is the deadline."
It had come right up before them in the tangible form of Akano Kiramari.
"...Ah, right...! Then what about that letter saying it'll kill us tonight?! That's the very thing—!"
"That is the 'best trigger.' A system that restores the memories you forgot once the time comes. If they're the true culprits behind this enormous incident, they surely have technology on that level, don't they?"
"Urgh...!"
"Hey...! Why are you doing this to Karafuru...?!"
Despite Komada's attempt to stop her, her momentum did not slow.
"H-hey, Mari! Calm down for a second! Nothing's certain yet, and by your logic, it wouldn't be too late to judge them after their memories return, would it?!"
"What if what returns is a means to kill us instantly? Then who will die in my place? Ah...! Mayumi, are you saying you'll do it? How wonderfully omnipotent of you...!"
"Th-that's... ngh..."
"Of course I won't overreact. A puppeteer who kills people? I've never even heard of such a disgusting creature. But..."
At some point, Karafuru had been backed all the way to a pillar, and Akano planted her palm beside him as if staking out territory.
"A puppeteer who interrogates excessively... I'd like to try reaching that level at least once. What do you think, Karafuru...?"
"Ah... u-ugh..."
Something that might have been cold sweat began to gather around his eyes.
"Relax. For now, I only intend to tie you up completely at worst. But before that, I would like to confirm the 'true nature' you've been suppressing without even knowing it, at least once."
But perhaps, to Akano, he looked no more than a fruit whose juices had begun to burst forth.
"A-Akano... I-it's true... I... I don't know anything..."
"Of course you don't know anything. That's why I'll press you until you know something, anything. Now...!"
"Hey! That's enough—back off for now! You won't learn anything that way!"
Ubauchi raised her voice in anger, unusually enough, but—
"Then please, tell me. It's nearing noon, and the end is seven in the evening. If you have a plan to spend the few remaining hours of this nightmare more productively than this, then please tell me."
Her coldly turned head did not receive Ubauchi's words.
"......."
Frustratingly, no one could answer that.
Of course, continued protests flew at her, but agonizingly, no one could physically stop her.
"Urgh..."
"Shoko..."
Perhaps we had merely remembered something we had known from the start.
That passive war was necessary for ultimate peace.
And that this war was a joint creation of Akano and Karafuru.
"A-Akano... please... Just a little, please step away from me..."
"I'm the one who wants to ask you. Could you remember just a little, just a little bit? Hmm?"
Only the conversation between the two of them, surely meaningless until the end and endlessly continuing, filled the dining hall.
"...Tch."
...That was what I thought.
".....!"
Until that one person spoke.
"...Oh?"
"Huh...?"
Everyone's eyes turned in that direction, and the two of them, noticing it, joined them.
"My... Do you perhaps have something to say? I would advise you that a half-baked rebuttal would be a waste of time, however..."
Akano's urging, heaped atop that pressure, would surely have made an ordinary person shut their mouth.
"This is hopeless."
But this man only narrowed his eyes as though he found us pathetic.
"Hopeless...? Surely you're speaking about me?"
[What's with you? You've been keeping your mouth shut until now... (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑)]
"Heh..."
No, perhaps it was only natural.
"...!"
He was the man I had acknowledged, and who had acknowledged me.
"...Yeah. Completely hopeless."
That person had not opened his mouth even once until now.
"All of you are completely hopeless!!"
It was Tsurudo Chosuke.
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