"All right, all right, attention! Orientation is over, so now it's time for the long-awaited souvenir presentation!"
While everyone was still confused, the Monotwins casually opened their mouths.
"Souvenirs...? What else is there?!"
"That's right, you little shit!! Did you think we were nothing but cruel psychopaths who'd make you students play a killing game!?!"
"Sonoconsigliere... That's sophistry hardly worth rebutting."
"Everyone! Please check your pockets! We slipped them in with techniques that could send five men at once!"
The instant Momono's vulgar remark ended—
Ding!
"...!"
As though it had been waiting, a notification sounded from my jacket pocket.
"Shoko, you too?!"
"When did they put this in...? Something this bulky..."
It had appeared so suddenly that it would have made more sense to think it had just been “created,” but we silently took them out.
"Is this... a cell phone?"
It was a black-and-white device resembling a smartphone.
"Hmm? A cell phone? What's that? More importantly, this thing's glowing! It goes vmmm and lights up when I touch it! Wow! This is so fascinating!!"
"Calm down a little, Tana. What are you idiots doing? Explain it already. Keep dragging this out and the kid's going to pass out."
Kaiju, who had likewise been examining the device, spoke as he calmed Tana down while she bounced at his side.
"Yes, certainly! That is a cutting-edge electronic device called a Monophone!"
"A Monophone...? What's that?"
"Put simply, it's an electronic student handbook exclusive to Private Kyusen Academy! It's a fucking awesome machine containing students' profiles, school rules, and other useful functions for daily life!"
Upon hearing that, the others began operating their Monophones with doubtful looks in their eyes.
...Vmmm...
All except one person.
"W-wait, Miss Niseato! What are you doing?!"
"...You're loud. Annoying."
It was Niseato, using her “psychic powers” to levitate her Monophone in midair.
"Is this where the psychic shows what she can do? If you want, I wouldn't mind if you smashed this academy to pieces right away."
"...You're loud too. Shut up."
Without paying any mind to Hiranui's nonsense beside her, she continued glaring at the Monophone.
...Bzzzt... bzzzzt...
The sharper her gaze became, the more the Monophone was somehow enveloped in a faint fluorescent glow.
"...Tch. Useless."
...Tap.
At her cold remark, it lightly fell back into her gloved hand.
"Niseato... what did you just do?"
"...A simple hack and analysis. I thought it might have a hidden rescue-contact function."
"You're a psychic, and you can do that too?! The more I see, the more dizzy my head gets..."
At Tsurudo's admiration, she stared him down for a moment.
"...I can. I'm a psychic."
After that brief reply, she shoved the Monophone into her clothes as though she could not care less.
"Hey, damn it, Niseato!! Don't handle it so roughly!! You'd know if you looked at the school rules, but deliberately losing or damaging a Monophone means ‘punishment’!! That applies to every single school rule!!"
"What...? Execution just for breaking them? What a truly unpleasant place..."
Even as he said that, Kadra and the others hurriedly began studying the school rules.
I was no exception. Before my eyes, countless school rules were already displayed on my Monophone.
"...Hmm."
Fortunately—or unfortunately—the contents were not all that unusual.
Just as they had said earlier, if someone killed another person during this academy life with no time limit, a class trial would be held.
Violence not intended for murder was strictly restricted, and the Monotwins would not interfere in murder.
For now—or rather, hopefully forever—the rules consisted solely of a collection of rules concerning incidents that I never wanted to see.
"...Huh? Hey, Momono. What does this mean?"
Then Ubauchi spoke to Momono.
"Yes? What is it, Miss Ubauchi?"
"I mean, what exactly is this school rule..."
The rule she showed us read as follows.
[During nighttime hours, from 10 PM to 7 AM, travel between the floors of the dormitory is prohibited. However, using the elevator to go outdoors or to the rooftop is permitted.]
"Ah, it's simple! The dormitory is this very building you're all standing in right now! Well, you should be getting the idea by now, shouldn't you?"
"Tch... So it really is exactly what it looks like."
Apparently, just as Tsurudo had guessed, this place truly was our new home.
"And not being able to travel between floors means that, during those hours, you can only meet face-to-face with students on your own floor!"
"If they're students on each floor... then naturally, we'll be living in rooms assigned to us on those floors, correct?"
"That's right!! I was just about to fucking tell you: this dormitory has four people on each floor, one in the east, west, south, and north, across four floors! In other words, sixteen people will live in one building! The assignments are already set, so check them!"
Ding!
At the same time, the screen displaying the school rules abruptly changed to a dormitory assignment chart.
There appeared our names and talents, listed floor by floor.
"Huh? Tana's on the fourth floor! Aah, I hate it because it's unclean! I'm going to be torn to shreds and die! It's an Eastern curse! I want garlic!"
"You idiot, it looks upside down because you're holding it backwards. You're on the first floor with me. More importantly, stop trying to eat your Monophone! It's hard enough keeping you under control!"
...Like that, we quickly exchanged information about the dormitories we had each been assigned to.
"Shoko, it says I'm on the third floor... What about you?"
Shu and I were no exception.
"Ah... damn, I'm on the fourth floor. I'm a little ways away from you, too."
"What?! W-well, I guess it can't be helped...! It's a little... no, very disappointing, but..."
"Hm? What did you say?"
"N-nothing! Ah, Tsurudo! Come to think of it, you're on the fourth floor with Shoko too?"
Shuko abruptly changed the subject and spoke to Tsurudo.
"Haa... Why did it have to be you...?"
But the response that came back was an unexpectedly dispirited sigh.
"What? Do you hate being on the same floor as me that much?"
"That's not it... I got stuck on the same floor as this one!!"
"This one...? Ah..."
On the screen he held out, the pixel image of Ubauchi, the resident of the south-side room, was enlarged.
"At least I didn't want to get tangled up with someone this troublesome..."
"What did you say?! Why are you acting like you're the one getting the short end of the stick?! We've switched positions, idiot!"
Who knew when she had heard him, but she was already standing next to Tsurudo with an offended look on her face.
"W-what are we supposed to do if your ears are that sharp?! I can't even talk behind your back freely like this!"
"It's even weirder for someone as shameless as you to talk behind people's backs!"
"You two... are you still fighting over that cape...?"
Shu had been about to say they were so childish, but at my restraint, she stopped with a wry smile.
"Ahem, ahem! Everyone, attention! This concludes all of today's events!"
At that moment, the Monotwins shouted.
"You're probably tired in your own way, so please disperse to your assigned rooms! Oh, and we've put an additional ‘special gift’ in each of your rooms, so make sure to check it! Well then, goodbye! Next time, I'll come up with a more distinctive farewell!"
The next moment, they vanished with a boing! sound and a pop! effect.
"A special gift...? What could that be...?"
"Who knows... More importantly, compared to everything they've done so far, wasn't that kind of a pathetic exit? Well, I suppose it doesn't matter?"
Mayumi replied to Karafuru as she briskly walked forward, then shouted from in front of us.
"Guys! How about we head back for now? It's late, so let's sleep on all the complicated stuff and think about it tomorrow!"
Just as she said, by then the hollow was illuminated only by soft moonlight and starlight.
And since everyone was equally exhausted, we followed Mayumi toward the elevator without complaint.
"Then... I'll take my leave here. Unfortunately... I have no need to go up."
Komada alone came to a stop.
"Komada...?"
"Me too. And Tana, where do you think you're going on your own? You're this way too?! (•̀д •́)✧"
"Waaah! Don't pull me! This is Tana's favorite gown!"
"I-I'm the same too... Um..."
No, Kaiju, Tana, and Karafuru were as well.
"Ah, so you're on the first floor? Then unfortunately, we'll have to part here for tonight."
"I suppose so. Sorry if I've made you worry in all sorts of ways. Well then... I'm tired, so I'll be going first."
Komada responded to Shu's smile with a detached expression, took off his cap, offered a perfunctory farewell, and left.
The other three likewise disappeared after each offering their own goodbye, but—
"Ah, Karafuru! Please wait a moment!"
"Yeah...?"
For some reason, Karafuru stopped walking when Rekida called his name.
"Um, sleep well! It's okay even if you don't remember! What matters is always thinking positively about small things, like wondering what's on tomorrow morning's menu!"
"Ah, yeah... Thanks, Rekida..."
It turned out to be an ordinary but warm piece of encouragement. Though it seemed burdensome to the person receiving it.
"Hey, Rekida... shouldn't you say something like that to Komada too?"
"Eh, it's fine! Komada remembers his talent, at least, doesn't he? If he hugs that fact like a body pillow and sleeps with it, he'll be fine tonight!"
"Indeed! An air body pillow, in other words! Hahahahahaha!"
Narita's laughter, which echoed through the hollow, only subsided once the elevator doors closed.
Ding!
Perhaps because we were packed in so tightly, the elevator reached the second floor in no time.
"Indeed! Then we'll be taking our leave as well!"
"Yes! That blue door I saw earlier really was my room!"
The ones who got off there were Narita, Mayumi, Akano, and Kadra.
"Then everyone, I hope you have a pleasant night. Sonoconsigliere..."
"Likewise. Well then... I suppose I'll see you tomorrow morning."
With that, they left as we saw them off.
"Come to think of it, Kiramari, what are you doing tonight? I'm thinking of applying the air shogi Ryuichi taught me to air sleep!"
"Hehe, I would like to say I'll be doing some air reading as well, but regrettably, I plan to do some real reading. I found the ‘perfect book’ in the open library."
After their mundane conversation, the elevator doors closed once more.
Ding!
This time, it was time for the third-floor residents to get off.
"Then I'll be going. I need to restore my energy for tomorrow."
"Right! I'll be going too! Looks like I'll be tossing and turning for the first time in ages tonight! Damn this rotten shit!!"
The ones who got off were the relatively normal Kitsui and Rekida.
"...Tch."
I know what you're thinking: why was Rekida casually included among the relatively normal ones?
"Hmph... The third floor. Such a lukewarm altitude does not suit a boss."
"Hiranui..."
Because the next person to get off was none other than him.
"Well, since it's come to this... I look forward to getting along with you all from here on out. I anticipate a cheerful, lively killing academy life."
There was no reply to that greeting full of pretense, not even from Hiranui himself, who expected none.
"...Wait a moment."
That was why I quietly called out to stop him as he turned away so freely.
"...I do not speak with police officers at night. That is my rule, but I suppose I can make an exception this once."
"...Given the circumstances, I'll keep this brief."
I could feel everyone's gaze subtly turn toward me.
"I don't know what kind of life you've lived, but as a detective, I'm not someone you can take lightly. To borrow your words... you'd be better off taking it easy."
"Heh... Too soft for a threat, too harsh for a suggestion. Then shall I borrow those words in reply?"
His pale face, mottled with shadows, slowly turned toward me.
"...I'll take it easy. To an extent."
Those were the final words left by the Ultimate Boss.
"........."
What followed was a silence as cold as the pouring moonlight.
"...Shoko. Don't let him bother you."
It was Shu, who had gotten off the elevator at some point, who broke it.
"...Shu."
"I told you earlier, didn't I? Not to worry about people like him. That still stands, you know?"
As she said that, she gave me a brief wink.
"Th-then... see you tomorrow, Shoko!"
Perhaps she was embarrassed herself, because she saw me off with a slightly awkward smile.
"...Thanks, Shu. Um, you too..."
It had been ten years since we had exchanged a goodnight, and the many strange looks made me rather self-conscious.
"Sleep well!"
But if it was something I was saying to her, did any of that really matter?
"...Yeah!"
At the very least, I hoped the way she cheerfully waved as she left meant she felt the same.
*
*
Ding!
At last, the elevator reached the top floor: the fourth floor.
The four of us got off there, myself included.
Tsurudo, Ubauchi, and—
"...Good night."
With just those words, Niseato turned her back on us and walked away without a care.
"...I think it'll take time to get close to her. Well, she might coolly decline us from the start, anyway?"
"Maybe that's why, but the air on the fourth floor feels especially cool?"
"Yeah, the moonlight comes in the strongest too. I like it here in all sorts of ways!"
As if they had forgotten their earlier squabbling, the other two were already warmly sharing their impressions.
"Ah, then, Keisha, see you tomorrow! We don't know what's what yet, but... let's get a good night's sleep first and think about it after that."
"...Yeah, then I'll be going too. Sleep well, you two."
After parting with them, I began walking toward my room.
"More importantly, shouldn't you get going already? Why are you sticking to me like gum? Ah, don't tell me you secretly like me or something...?"
"What the hell are you talking about, you lunatic?! My room is over that way, so I'm only following you because I have no choice! More importantly, compensate me for my cape!"
Even then, the two started bickering again, but even their voices gradually grew quieter.
‘At least those two seem like they'll become close the fastest...’
Chuckling to myself with that certainty, I found a heavy, sharply angular shadow cast before me.
"...Here, huh."
It was the shadow cast by a deep-navy door.
"They said each student's room can only be opened using their own Monophone, right...?"
I immediately held my phone up to the terminal near the handle, and the door opened with a ding.
"...Huh?"
When I opened it, what was revealed was not the ordinary room I had expected.
[Ultimate Detective Research Lab]
Along with that nameplate, I was greeted by a room decorated like an ordinary detective's office.
"Could this be what they meant by the gift they mentioned earlier...?"
It seemed that every room was furnished with items and an environment suited to its occupant's talent.
True to that, my research lab had been set up with the basic tools of a detective: various documents, handcuffs, spare uniforms, and more.
"...What?"
But if it had merely been the typical sight of a detective's office, I would not have been this surprised.
There were naturally no personal belongings, but the layout and detailed interior of this research lab...
"...This is my office."
It had nearly the same structure as the office personally assigned to me before I was brought here.
"Why on earth... No, how did they even know something like this...?!"
Only then did I begin to see the contradictions in all this unreality.
Everyone here was likely famous enough, large or small, to bear a part of society on their shoulders.
Yet there had been no word of any commotion despite people like that being kidnapped.
More than anything, knowing even such trivial details of our private lives with this chilling precision would be impossible without power and capital on an Ultimate level.
And yet they had somehow made it happen. What exactly is this academy?
"...Ah, damn..."
Once my thoughts reached that point, dizziness came over me as though my body were telling me to stop and just sleep already.
"Whew... Yeah. For today, I'll just get some proper rest... I'm exhausted..."
Muttering that, I naturally reached for the side door at the back.
Not for any particular reason, but because it was a door that had not existed in my office.
Then this door must lead to a room unique to this academy.
Click...
"...Just as I thought. This is my actual ‘room.’"
I had called it unique, but it was simply a modest room furnished with a bed, a study, a small bathroom, and a television.
Thump!
"...Whew."
Thinking that perhaps only Niseato or Akano would refuse to lie down over something so trivial—
"...Sleep."
Click!
As if bewitched, I turned off the light while lying down and closed my eyes.
I went over everything that had happened, one by one, from the moment today's ceremony had been allowed to begin to this unforgivable moment now.
I fell asleep with a slight furrow in my brow.
But at that time, I could never have known.
That by the next morning, I would come to long for this cheap imitation of peace.
As if awaiting it—or praying for it... the first night at the academy quietly came to an end.
*
*
*
[Chapter 1]
[Your Smile Is a Sneer to Me]
(Non)Daily Life Arc
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