..........
[October 29th (Friday) 5:15 pm]
The orange sun shines into the classroom where Yumeto and the others are. Yumeto looked out the window as he put his right hand over up his forehead. In front of the school gate are men in protective clothing, carrying cream-colored boxes to the schoolyard. It looks like a bento box for dinner.
Yuna, who was by Yumeto's side, opened her closed lips.
"It looks like you can eat dinner."
"Yeah, but I don't have much of an appetite."
Yumeto answered while still looking out the window.
"I think they've probably prepared blankets and a change of clothes, because we'll be staying at school for the time being."
"So you're in the same position as the people of Hokkaido."
"That's right. We became infected with the same Keldo virus..."
He pulls his smartphone out of his pocket and looks down at the LCD screen. There was an email from the Prefectural Police Security Bureau.
[This email will be sent to all the students of Class 2A of Akaikeyama High School and their homeroom teacher Kazuyuki Iwamoto. Due to the possibility that you have been infected with the Keldo virus, we will be isolating you in accordance with the new Keldo virus related laws. Never leave school grounds until you have instructed to do so. Also, please do not contact the outside without permission. Even if the other party is a family member, it is prohibited. Please note that if you do not follow the instructions, you may be charged with a crime.]
"I will be charged with a crime...."
The image of a single mother emerges in Yumeto's mind.
... Mother must be worried. I hope she doesn't get sicker.
Yuna lightly poked Yumeto's arm with her index finger.
"Hey, Yumeto-kun. Do you know the rumor that someone that infected with the Keldo virus was killed?"
"Killed?"
"Yeah. A special unit of the Self-Defense Forces shot and killed a person who tried to move from Hokkaido to Honshu."
"Eh? Was there such news?"
"It's just a rumor. But I guess that's look like about it. To prevent the Keldo virus from spreading throughout Japan"
"..."
Yumeto moved his dry tongue in his mouth.
...If the rumor is true, we might get killed too. If we die, the Keldo virus in our bodies will also die. For the government, that would be the safest option.
Yumeto's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the classroom door opening. People in white protective suits enter the classroom. A muffled voice came from the man standing in the center of the podium.
"Please excuse me for dressing like this. I'm Daiki Miyauchi from the Saitama Prefectural Police Security Bureau."
"Ah...the one who was speaking through the loudspeaker."
Iwamoto's eyes lit up as he rushed over to Miyauchi.
"What are we going to do now?"
"Anyway, please calm down. I'll explain now."
Miyauchi moves the eyes in his protective clothing from side to side to check Yumeto's face.
"Regarding the blood samples you submitted earlier, the test results have come out. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that all of them are infected with the Keldo virus"
"Everyone..."
Iwamoto's face twisted.
"Is that inspection correct? Did you inspect it at the proper place?"
"Of course. It looks like a new type of Keldo virus that spread in Hokkaido."
"Is that so·······"
Seiichiro stood in front of Miyauchi, pushing aside Iwamoto who dropped his shoulders in disappointment.
"Hey! Didn't you develop antibodies against the new Keldo virus?"
"Unfortunately, not yet. Mr. Seiichiro Fujiwara."
"...Do you know my name?"
"Yeah. I have something to do with the king. I was allowed to investigate Iwamoto-sensei and all the students."
"So, did you know who the king was? Was he the one who have fingerprints on the paper we gave you?"
"Fingerprints of several people were found, but there is a high possibility that they are not the fingerprints of the king....the culprit. It probably belonged to the student who touched the paper and Mr. Iwamoto."
"D....Detective-san!"
Yohei raised his right hand from behind Seiichiro.
"I think Yumeto and I have fingerprints, but what about the characters? If it's written in blood, you can tell who the king is by DNA analysis, right?"
"Ah ... I had it checked with the latest appraisal method. Just as Yohei said, the letters were written in blood."
"So did you find the culprit?"
Yohei's words caused a stir in the classroom. The classmates looked at each other with tense faces.
"Don't worry. The DNA of everyone here and the DNA written in blood on paper did not match."
The classmates exhaled all at once and expressed relief. Iwamoto wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt and opened his mouth.
"So the king is not a student in our class?"
"Not necessarily yet. But we do know whose blood it was written in."
"Who was that?"
"It's Kazuo Nakayama, a follower of Reborn. He's already dead."
"Dead?"
Iwamoto opened his eyes wide and stared at Miyauchi in protective clothing.
"What do you mean? Could it be that the dead person have started the King's Game?"
"No. The person who killed Kazuo Nakayama is the culprit who set up this king's game."
A muffled voice is heard in the room.
"Kazuo Nakayama was murdered in a one-room apartment in Nishi Ward, Saitama City. He was killed eight days ago, and his cause of death was blood loss. Their weapon was a sharp knife that stabbed him in the nape of his neck."
"Eight days ago?"
"Yes. There was evidence that Kazuo Nakayama was cultivating the Keldo virus in that apartment. I guess he also had a Nano Queen that could control the Keldo virus too."
"Then you can use it to play the King's Game..."
"Yeah, and It's just started. in this class."
Miyauchi moves his neck left and right to check the faces of the students.
"There is no doubt that the person who claims to be the king is involved in this class. I can't think of any other motive."
"No way, what about Tomoki's relatives who committed suicide?"
"The investigation is still ongoing, so I can't say anything about it.
"Hey, detective."
Narumi called out to Miyauchi.
"It's important to find the culprit, but what will happen to us now? Even if we catch the culprit, but if you didn't do something about the virus, we'll be living in school forever, right?"
"Unfortunately, that will be the case until the new Keldo virus antibody is perfected."
Miyauchi answered firmly.
"Currently, there are about 30,000 people infected with the Keldo virus in Hokkaido. And they still cannot leave Hokkaido. Neither do you."
"This is a small school site. Even if you still say that we are the same as those, who are in a position that can move around freely in the vast Hokkaido?"
"Research into the Keldo virus continues tirelessly. I'm sure we'll be able to complete a new type of antibody as well."
"In other words, the antibody will not be completed today or tomorrow."
Narumi sways her head from side to side as she sits on the desk near her and crosses her legs. Her healthy thighs peek out from her plaid skirt.
Miyauchi took his gaze away from Narumi.
"Anyway, we prepare all the food, bedding, and clothes. All that's left is to catch the criminal who claims to be the king and seize the Nano Queen..."
"Wait a minute! Seize Nano Queens? Isn't the Nano Queens owned by the government too?"
"... Kazuo Nakayama had independently improved the Nano queen program. Only that program can control the new Keldo virus inside you."
At those words, the air in the classroom froze. Iwamoto moved his pale lips.
"Then, even if the next King's game order comes, can't you cancel it?"
"For now, yes."
"No way..."
Iwamoto grabbed Miyauchi's arm, who was wearing a protective suit.
"Don't make it sound so simple. There's still a high school student here. Depending on the contents of the next order, we might die again!"
"that is···"
"Please calm down."
A dignified female voice was heard from the side of the silent Miyauchi. Everyone's gaze shifted to the woman wearing protective clothing next to Miyauchi.
"Were you a woman?"
"Yes. I'm Mina Kawashima from the Saitama Prefectural Police Department."
The head of the suit moved vertically.
"Even if you make a fuss here, it will not solve anything. Now you have no choice but to trust the Japanese government"
"Can I... believe you?"
Iwamoto stared at Kawashima's face in her hazmat with red eyes. Kawashima accepts his gaze without blinking.
"You have to believe. And you just can't leave the school grounds for now."
"Are you fucking kidding me!"
Ryuji, who was beside Seiichiro, slammed his big hand against the desk.
"I'm going home. I can't stay in school all day!"
"...You shouldn't. If you do that, you might die."
"Oh? Die?"
"Anyone who leaves the school grounds and tries to return to the town will be forcibly returned to the school. At that time, rubber bullets used for riot control will be used. If you're in a bad spot, you could even die."
A calm voice echoed in the classroom. The faces of the students turned white as if they had been bathed in cold water.
"...Are you serious?"
"Of course. Please be aware that you are carriers of the Keldo virus that could destroy the world. Depending on the country, you will be shot to death on the spot."
Kawashima continued her words while looking around at the stunned students.
"That's why, for now, please stay calm. Don't give up and follow our instructions. That's the best thing to do."
"You mean there's nothing we can do?"
Iwamoto asked Kawashima a question.
"Please cooperate with our investigation. If you know the culprit, you can stop the King's Game."
"If the culprit is known..."
"Yes. The email sent to the prefectural police contained several instructions to obstruct the investigation. Therefore, our actions are restricted."
"What kind of instructions?"
"Surveys are not allowed on school grounds, and entry times are set. They threaten to spread the Keldo virus in Tokyo if we do not follow their instructions."
Kawashima's eyes narrowed in her protective clothing.
"From here on, it's a hypothetical story, but if any of you are the culprit, I want you to come forward. The Japanese government wants a rational discussion. If there is an objection to Tomoki Kitamura's suicide, it is possible to set up an investigative committee and thoroughly investigate it. how is it?"
No one opened their mouths to Kawashima's proposal.
"...Well, it's more likely that none of you are the culprit."
"Maybe so..."
Narumi move her mouth while sitting on the chair.
"If there's a criminal among us, they'd infected with the Keldo virus too, right? I don't think they'd do such a dangerous thing."
"Yes. I can't imagine that. if it being normal circumstance, but...."
"But...., what is it?"
"The culprit isn't normal, so maybe they'd doing like that?"
"...…Ha ha, Certainly, isn't it normal for a criminal to kill three high school students using the Keldo virus, right?"
Narumi's words sent a shiver down to Yumeto's spine, who had been listening in silence.
...........
[Friday, October 29, 11:45 pm]
Yumeto looked out the window while drinking the tea from the plastic bottle that he was received. It was already dark around him, and the stars were twinkling in the sky. When he lowered his gaze, the forest outside the school grounds was illuminated by many lights.
"Are they watching us?"
Hearing Yumeto's mutter, Yohei approached.
"I didn't want to run away, but I had hard time too, i think."
"That's right. It's pointless for us who are infected with the Keldo virus to flee anywhere. It will only just spread the infection."
"Oh, yeah. I really don't want to do that. I've become a celebrity after all."
"A celebrity?"
"Our class roster and photo have been leaked on the internet. Every bulletin board is full of topics related to the King's Game."
Yohei showed Yumeto the screen of the smartphone he was holding. There was a row of writings related to the King's Game.
[Akaikeyama High School 2nd year Class A, are you watching? Good luck! With this croquette food, I'm rooting for you while eating]
[All men should die. girls survive]
[Certainly, the level of women in this class is high. There are many cute children. My favorite member is Narumi Makimura]
[Because Narumi was doing a reader model. But I prefer Iori Shirakawa. The mysterious atmosphere is the best]
[I prefer Wakabatan Suzuki. I want to lick Wakabatan's side]
[Lolicon]
[Narumi Makimura : S, Iori Shirakawa : S, Wakaba Suzuki : S, Yuna Ito : A, Fuka Matsuzaki : A, Miku Okuzono : A, Miki Maeda : B, Riko Kojima : B...]
[Don't say that! Miki is A, not B. Also, Yuna Ito is fine with S]
[Many boys are cool too. Hisashi Yukihara looks like idol Jun Takekawa. Souta Kanzuka is also cute. I'm going to wake up with Shota fetish]
[You guys, let's have a serious discussion. Who is the king, what is the purpose of the king, etc.]
[There was a student who committed suicide in this class, so they'd be the parent, right?]
[That seems likely, but it's not fun. Do you have any other opinions?]
[Isn't that the immortal guy who's been rumored lately?]
[Is it a rumor that if you become the last person in the King's Game, the virus in your body will mutate and you will become immortal?]
[No, I have heard that the power of the Keldo virus can stop aging]
[If I could become immortal, I wanted to participate too]
[Absolutely, it's a lie. I'm really sorry.]
[Well, no matter what, everyone should die. Honshu will safer that way.]
[I wonder if it is. I'd rather them to be annihilated. I don't want to infected with the Keldo virus.]
Yumeto sighed and looked away from the smartphone screen.
"Everyone writes whatever they want."
"Humans are like that, aren't they? More than that..."
Yohei made a serious face and put his hand on Yumeto's shoulder.
"Hey, Yumeto. Do you think the king is among us?"
"I don't know about that."
Yumeto shakes his head left and right.
"First of all, I just transferred to another school, so I don't know anything about my classmates."
"Well, that's why I asked you this question."
Saying that, Yohei moved his gaze. All the desks in the classroom are placed in the back, and sleeping bags and blankets are piled on top of them. Many of the students in the classroom had a weary look on their faces, and they were all close friends.
"I think there is a king in this class."
"...Do you have any basis for this?"
Yumeto lowered his voice and asked Yohei.
"The fact that there is a king in the class means that they killed their fellow classmates, Takaaki-kun and the others, right?"
"That's right. Normally, it would be impossible, but just like the female detective said, it wouldn't be strange if there were people who weren't normal."
Yohei stares at his classmates with stern eyes.
"Maybe when all of Japan got caught up in the king's game, their senses went crazy like that."
"Sense?"
"Ah. I guess it's a way of thinking about people's death. Until we got caught up in the King's Game, I thought death was something far from me. However, most of my former classmates died in the previous king's game."
"...Yeah. A lot of my friends died too. Fighting with the orders of the King's game, before receiving the antibody"
Yumeto's eyebrows wrinkled.
"Ah, In Japan these day. Death is a commonplace. it even look like a trivial thing."
"In such an environment, the king's sense of values has changed..."
"Maybe. Even if they have complaints about Tomoki's death, normally you wouldn't do something like this. However, due to the current environment, you've gone crazy. ... Well, this story is a little off."
Youhei stares at Yumeto's face.
"I think you are the only one who is not the king. After all, you are someone who don't know Tomoki, right? In other words, you has no motive to play the king game like this, that's what i think"
"Is there anyone that you suspect about?"
"Almost everyone."
"Everyone..."
"Because, isn't it like that? I don't understand people's hearts. Even if their appearance is perfect, they may have a dirty heart inside."
Yohei's gaze turned to Narumi. Narumi and Wakaba and Iori in the same group were eating the snacks provided. Wakaba and Iori's expressions were stiff, but Narumi's expression seemed to be relaxed.
"Narumi-san, She has a lot of guts."
"Because she's a perfect superhuman. Of course she looks good, but when it comes to studies, she's second only to Hideyuki, the chairman of the committee, and she's also top class among girls."
"... Would someone like that kill her classmate?"
"Well... I see. It's true that the people in Narumi's group don't seem to want to waste their lives like that."
"Isn't Seiichiro-kun's group also not the king?"
Yumeto glances at Seiichiro. Seiichiro also gathers with his fellow group members and talks. His eyes were grim and he seemed angry at what had happened to him.
"Seiichiro-kun and others were bullying Tomoki-kun, weren't they? Would king who thinks about Tomoki-kun's revenge can bully Tomoki-kun?"
"It's unlikely, but it's possible. Those who do bullying have twisted minds. Even Tomoki may not be the real motive."
"Another motive?"
"Yeah. What's written on that paper isn't necessarily true. It could be the culprit's strategy."
Youhei clicked his tongue as he touched his short hair.
"I haven't heard from the police, but I'm sure there will be more orders."
"...I don't know that. But if it arrives, it will be tomorrow afternoon, i think."
"Why do you think so? Orders can be given at any time with the 'Nano Queen', right?"
"Maybe it's because the word 'King' was written on the paper."
In Yumeto's mind, a sentence written in blood appeared on the paper.
"If you're going to play the King's Game, I feel like the orders will come out every 24 hours. It's been like that with most of the King's Games up until now."
"Ah, that's right. If you are about to call yourself a king, so you might do that."
"Yeah. I don't want it to come true, but..."
Yumeto looks around at his classmates as he puts his thumb nail to his lips.
....Is there a king in this place? Or somewhere else....
Before he knew it, his mouth was dry. Yumeto poured the tea from the plastic bottle he was holding into his mouth.
................