.............
[November 3 (Wednesday) 09:35 pm]
Yumeto and the others gathered in the computer room and ate the provided bento. Tokisada who was next to him, looked at the grilled meat in the lunch box and frowned.
"Why is it a yakiniku bento at time like this? I don't want to smell the meat."
"Even so, you should eat."
Yumeto stares at the yakiniku bento in his hand with a pale face.
"I don't know what kind of order will come next. we need to keep our physical strength properly."
"...Damn! I get it!"
Tokisada threw the beef into his mouth along with the fried onions. Yuna and Fuka also looked pale and moved their chopsticks.
"Yumeto-kun, can I have a minute?"
Seiya let out a gloomy voice and placed the bento on his desk.
"Is it okay for me to be in this group?"
"Hmm? Why are you saying that?"
Yumeto stopped his hand and looked at Seiya's face. Seiya has his lips tightly closed and his fists trembling.
"Seiichiro-kun, he said that there was a trace of modified Nano Queen program left on my home computer."
All eyes were focused on Seiya. Unable to endure their gaze, Seiya dropped his gaze to the floor.
"If you think about it normally, I'm the king. I have such a program on my home computer."
"..... To be honest, I think you might be the king."
Yumeto said in a calm voice.
"But I can't say for sure. There's a reason for that."
"Reason?"
"If there was such important evidence left in Seiya's computer, I think you would have been caught before the king threatened the police. Nevertheless, the police did not act. In other words, it wasn't conclusive evidence."
".....I know I'm not a king, but it's hard to explain to other people. I hope god in heaven can prove it"
Seiya twisted his lips in frustration.
"There's no way the Nano queen program is on my computer....."
"If that's true, then the king must be trying to take you as a scapegoat."
"Scapegoat....."
"Yeah. Maybe Hideyuki-kun and Takeshi-kun, who were marked by the police, are like that. The king is trying to increase the number of suspicious people so that they can't be identified. But if that's the purpose..."
"What are their purpose?"
"It means that the king is not Sousuke-kun."
Yumeto's voice echoed in the silent room.
"Sousuke-kun isn't here. He's been missing since the beginning of the King's game. If Sousuke-kun is the king, there's no point in increasing the number of suspicious people. Because originally, he was suspected like this."
"So you mean there's a king among us?"
"That's right. It may be the king's purpose to make us each other suspicious."
Yumeto stares at Seiya's face.
"That's why I'm not thinking of removing Seiya-kun from the group. Unless it's confirmed that you're the king."
"...Thank you. After all, joining your group was the right choice."
"It's not my group."
Yumeto's wry smile hit him.
"No, you are the leader of this group."
"I don't mind if you replace me."
"Don't be joking. I don't want to do a job that doesn't even make money. And I'm glad I joined your group too."
"I think so too."
Fuka opened her mouth as she reached for the plastic bottle that was beside her.
"If I had acted alone, I would have died already."
Yuna, who was next to her, also shook her head up and down.
"That's right! Yumeto-kun is amazing. Because no one in our group died."
"I just got lucky"
Yumeto tightly gripped the chopsticks he was holding.
"If we were even a little bit unlucky, we would all be dead. Of course, myself too...."
"Hey, Yumeto-kun, isn't the king already dead?"
"Then, Sakura-san or Yoji-kun, who died today, was the king?"
"Yeah. Is that possible? I don't think Iwamoto-sensei is the king who was gave such terrible orders, but if it's Sakura-san or Yoji-kun..."
"Maybe....I don't think so."
Yumeto denied Yuna's prediction.
"Sakura-san liked Iwamoto-sensei. She can't give such terrible orders to someone she love."
"Then what about Yoji-kun?"
"Yoji-kun was in the group that bullied Tomoki-kun. I don't think you're going to play the King's game to get revenge on Tomoki-kun. that's of course."
"...It means that the king's game is still going on."
Yuna's voice sank.
"....When will the king's game end?"
"You have no choice but to catch the king, because then you won't be able to send orders."
"Order..."
Fuka growled.
"Hey, Yumeto-kun. If there's a king among us, how does the king give orders to us? We were all in the classroom when the orders came, right?"
"As Hideyuki said, it must be remote controlled. Hide your computer somewhere and send orders from your smartphone or mobile phone."
"Then, if you check everyone's smartphones, can't you tell who the king is?"
Seiya opened his mouth at Fuka's question.
"I don't think you can sent order from our smartphones or mobile phones. If so, the police should know immediately. Maybe they're using someone else's phone."
"It can't, huh? I thought it was a good move."
"Because it's sold on the back site of the Internet. Even high school students can get it if they pay."
Yumeto clenched his molars as he listened to Seiya's conversation.
...Who is the king?
The faces of his classmates pop up in his head.
...There are 19 remaining students, including Sousuke. Narumi's group is 4 people, Seiichiro's group is 3 people, Hideyuki's group is 6 people, and we are 5 people. The men suspected by the police were Seiya, Hideyuki, and Takeshi. If what Hinako-san said is true, then Iori-san, who came to school early in the morning, is also suspicious. Also, I'm curious about Souta-kun. Souta-kun bullies Tomoki-kun and he's not a good guy, but I feel like he's enjoying the King's game, and he doesn't hesitate to kill people. There are many other people who could be kings.
"Somehow, we have to find the king!"
"But how are we going to find out?"
Tokisada asked Yumeto a question while throwing a grain of rice into his mouth.
"Well, the police have already stopped investigating, and if orders are being sent from someone else's mobile phone, there's nothing we can do about it."
"I think it's good idea to narrow down the king's candidates and monitor them."
"Heh...monitor, so who are you going to monitor?"
"Honestly, there are a lot of candidates for the king. But if you're going to monitor them, I think it's Souta-kun. I get the feeling that Souta-kun enjoys killing people."
"Souta? Yeah, if you think about his personality, he might be the king. Well, he is the type who really wants to play games like this."
"Yes. Besides, even if he's not the king, you should be careful with Souta-kun."
Yumeto remembers what happened at the summit of Mt. Akaikeyama. At that time, Souta tried to kill all the members of Yumeto's group and Hideyuki's group.
.....As a candidate for the king, Seiya may be targeted. Besides, Souta thinks that a girl is king. In that case, Yuna-san and Fuka-san are also in danger. I have to protect everyone!
Yumeto looked down at the bento in his hand.
"Okay! Everyone, let's eat quickly. And let's go to bed!"
Fuuka smiled at Yumeto's words.
"Hey, Yumeto, you're surprisingly bold. Let's go to sleep together."
"...Ah, no! That's not what I meant."
"Ahaha. I understand."
Fuka touched Yumeto's reddened cheek with her index finger.
"It seems that Yumeto-kun isn't used to girl."
"I-Isn't it fine? Anyway, in this situation, I can't have a relationship"
"I agree"
Suddenly, Fuka's face became serious.
"Actually, we're old enough to enjoy our romance life now..."
"Romance..."
Yuna whispered.
"I want to go back to my normal life. I want to take classes, go home, have dinner with my family, and sleep in my own bed."
"What a modest wish."
"But I can't grant that wish now. Maybe I won't be able to go home again."
"That not true!"
Yumeto said in a strong voice.
"Once the King's game is over, we will be able to live a normal school life. You can even go home or play together!"
"With everyone?"
"Yeah. We're friends in the same group, right?"
"..... That's right. The only good thing about participating in the king's game is that I can became friends with Yumeto and the others."
Yuna's words warmed Yumeto's heart.
"Certainly, thanks to the king's game, I was able to become friends with everyone. For me, transfer student, that alone made me happy. That's why I don't want everyone to die. They're friends that I've worked hard to make!"
...That's right! We will survive together!
Yumeto looked around at the faces of his fellow group members and bit his lips.
..................
Order 7
[November 4th (Thursday) 11:55 am]
Yumeto, Hideyuki and the other are gathered in Class 2A's classroom. Everyone's face is tense, and they are looking down at the screen of the smartphone or mobile phone they are holding.
"It's coming soon."
Yuna, who was sitting next to him, brought her face closer to Yumeto.
"What kind of order is this time?"
"I don't know. But whatever order comes, be prepared to act immediately."
Yumeto said in a low voice.
.....We have a cooperative relationship with Hideyuki's group. However, depending on the contents of the order, there is a possibility that we will fight with Hideyuki and the others. So, be careful!
When I turned my eyes to the window, I saw Narumi and the others gathered in front of the gym. Seeing Yohei in them, Yumeto's heart ached.
...I used to thought that I could be friends with Yohei-kun...
All of a sudden, the boy next to Yohei raised his head. It was Hisashi Yukihara.
Hisashi was over 175 centimeters tall and had long legs and a slender figure. His skin is white and his hair is parted from the middle to the left and right. Hisashi stood still, his face still raised.
Because they were nearly 100 meters away, Yumeto felt that Hisashi was looking at him, although his expression could not be seen.
....Come to think of it, I haven't talked to Hisashi-kun yet. what kind of personality does he have?
"What's wrong, Yumeto-kun?"
Fuka called out to Yumeto, who seemed to be worried about Yumeto's grim face. Yumeto hurriedly turned his gaze back into the classroom.
"No, I have a feeling that Hisashi-kun is looking at me."
"Hisashi-kun? Ah, that's true."
Fuka placed her hand on her forehead and looked out the window.
"Hisashi-kun, as usual, doesn't stand out."
"Inconspicuous? Even though you're so handsome?"
"Hmm, it's true that he looks cool from the outside. But he doesn't really show himself much, does he? Even in the group, it's like he's hiding behind Narumi-san."
"But he's popular with girls, right?"
"Maybe. However, his studies and exercise are normal, and he has a gentle personality. Somehow, It's kind of a semi-transparent image."
"Transparent, huh..."
"Yes. If you're not conscious of him, he's the type that blends in and can disappears."
At that time, the smartphone he was holding notified the incoming mail. At the same time, many ringtones rang out around me.
After taking a deep breath, Yumeto looked at the screen of his smartphone.
[11/4 (Thu) 12:00 pm.
Sender: King
Subject: King's Game
Text: This is the King's game played by the 2nd year class A students of Akaikeyama High School.
*The King's orders are absolute, so please obey them within 24 hours.
*Withdrawal is not permitted.
*Order 7: Hideyuki Hayashi writes the name of the student who seems to be the king on a piece of paper. Punishes the student whose name is written. If the named student is not the king, Hideyuki Hayashi will also be punished.
END]
"This order is..."
Yumeto moved his neck in a robot-like motion without oil. Ahead of his line of sight is the figure of Hideyuki, who is staring at the screen of his smartphone with a pale face. The students in Hideyuki's group around him are also staring at him with dumbfounded faces.
Before long, Hideyuki's pale lips slowly opened.
"Would someone please call the members of Narumi and Seiichiro's group?"
"Heh...?"
Miki, who was next to Hideyuki, grabbed Hideyuki's shirt with a surprised face.
"Why are you calling these people?"
"Let's have the class trial begin."
When he said that, Hideyuki laughed with a pale face like that of a corpse.
..................
[ Followings 'King's Game Purgatory 11.04' ]