```
"...Hmm."
Annan had almost lost control of his expression.
He was on the verge... of bursting into laughter.
...It was too similar.
It was just too similar—
This nightmare's plot was exactly like the opening scene of a detective novel.
If things were to follow the usual pattern, the murderer would now be among all these people...
"—The one who killed me, is among you."
The low voice flowed from the statue of the old man sitting in the wheelchair.
As the voice arose, the surroundings changed.
The grand hall, originally bright and splendid, was now faintly echoing with deep laughter and whispers.
Annan felt as if the statues surrounding them were looking down at them from another world, whispering in voices they couldn't hear.
"...Hmm, cough!"
In the next moment, the sound of an old man coughing forcefully rang out.
All the whispering abruptly ceased.
