"What? Do you have a machine gun? Did I hear that right? And why did you leave it in a place like this?" I ask, still bewildered.
Does this girl own a machine gun? I'm getting increasingly frightened about who I've gotten involved with. At the same time, I'm incredibly relieved to have her as an ally and not an enemy.
"Mistkerl, would you store all your resources in one place?" she looks at me and asks.
"I get your point. But apparently, you've already been discovered. Now we're at a disadvantage."
"I'll let that insult slide because I don't have time to punish you. Haven't you realized yet that I'm a professional? It's absolutely impossible for anyone to have followed me here without my knowledge, especially amateurs."
How proud. No matter how skilled she might be, it's not impossible for her to have slipped up.
"Alright, what's done is done. How are we going to handle this from now on?"
"The answer couldn't be more obvious. No one steals from me and gets away with it. I'll find this bastard, and they'll pay dearly."
We move to the site of the incident, which is evident from the crowd gathered around two girls. Keiko is on the ground, holding a bloodied body in her arms. The victim of the shot was another student council member, Natsuki, a first-year student.
The scene is heartbreaking. Red fluid still slowly oozes from the chest of a thin and fragile girl. The liquid flows to the ground, staining her clothes and those of her grieving friend.
Keiko, her eyes swollen from crying so much, seems to have given up on trying to revive her friend.
The scene's emotional impact fades, giving way to the sense of danger posed by a firearm, now dominating everyone's thoughts. Terrified, the spectators gradually leave the area, afraid they might be the following targets.
We wait for the number of onlookers to decrease a bit more before approaching Keiko.
"Hey, before you moved the brat's body, did you determine which direction the bullet came from?" Ailiss questions the witness, who is still in tears.
Don't be so direct. That'll put her on the defensive, and she won't share information with someone who's not only suspicious but also rude.
"Ah, no. I acted purely on impulse. I'm not sure which building the shot came from…" Keiko responds, somewhat confused.
Ailiss sighs in dissatisfaction.
I see. This means it's no longer possible to trace the bullet's trajectory, so we have no lead to follow for information.
"Are you stupid? What an imprudent action you took," Ailiss comments rudely.
Damn it, what are you doing?! Treating her so harshly won't help our investigation; it'll only create animosity, and she won't trust us anymore. There might still be some information we could get from her. Not to mention, she could help cover for us, as she did last night.
Well, Ailiss isn't much different from me regarding manners and sensitivity. Normally, I'd do the same. But in this case, where we have a vested interest, we must adhere to social norms.
I know very well that if I try to talk to her about being more polite, I'll at least be insulted and later ignored. In these circumstances, the best thing I can do is interrupt her and hope she realizes I'm acting for our mutual benefit.
I gather my courage and grab Ailiss by the arm before her social skills—somehow worse than mine—destroy any chance of cooperation from Keiko.
"Mistkerl, you have three seconds to let go of me," she says coldly, glaring at me with her fierce eyes.
"Trust me, let me talk to her," I reply.
I hope I didn't let my own insecurity show.
I turn my attention to Keiko, who stares at us in confusion. From her expression, her mind must be drowning in a mix of denial, sadness, and anger. Knowing this, I can use those negative emotions to our advantage.
"Keiko, I'm sorry my friend was so harsh, but I hope you'll listen to what I have to say. I sympathize with your situation," I begin.
"Yes. Please, go ahead," she replies, still wiping her tears.
"I can't claim to know exactly how you're feeling after losing someone so close. But one thing is certain: you're not willing to let an atrocity like this go unpunished. Am I right?"
"Absolutely. Someone capable of doing this to someone as kind as her can't go unpunished."
"I thought so. Do you remember last night when you found me in the corridors investigating someone? The truth is, like you, my friend and I are trying to find the culprit on our own because we don't have much faith in the council's investigation."
"So you weren't investigating under Kaichou's orders? Was that a lie?"
"Not entirely a lie. I can explain that in more detail later. But I think we have a more urgent priority at the moment, right?" I glance at Natsuki's body.
"Yes… you're right."
"Would you be willing to help us and settle the score with the culprit yourself?" I ask, looking her in the eye.
Keiko looks down as her tears fall more intensely.
"I-I want to make that bastard who took my dear friend away pay for this. She was practically my little sister. I won't rest until I honor Natsuki-chan's death!" she replies, clenching her fists.
"Alright, for now, just rest. Tomorrow, we can discuss the incident in more detail. I have an idea of how we can confirm the killer's identity."
She keeps looking at us intently, which I consider her silent agreement to the proposal.
8:40 PM
Back at Ailiss's hideout, I'm lying on the floor, leaning against the wall, and completely dazed from taking a punch to the face. Calling it a "punch" is an understatement—I was nearly knocked out. The weight of her fist doesn't match her appearance at all.
It feels like I stepped into the ring with a bear. I imagine she held back when she hit me, worried I might die from the impact.
"What was the point of that?" I ask, still on the ground.
"Discipline," she responds without making eye contact.
"Did you have to hit so hard? I think getting hit by a train would hurt less. I only reprimanded you because that way, we'd have more resources to build a strategy against the killer."
"You call that hard? I barely used any strength. Taking a hit like that is the least you can expect when you disrespect a superior, regardless of your intentions."
Come to think of it, if I had to bet money on a fight between her and a bear, I'd bet on her without hesitation. What are her muscles made of? Tempered steel?
How unfair. I only interrupted her because it was necessary—she almost ruined everything. What a mess. Well, at least now I know there's no reasoning with her. It doesn't matter if it's beneficial for her or not; I can't make any decisions that contradict what she's already established.
"Can I ask what you would have done if she refused to cooperate because of your rude behavior?"
"I never thought you cared about manners, considering your personality reeks of the opposite. That's precisely why I accepted you as my subordinate."
"True, but that's not the point. I'm saying we should know when to wear the mask. Living in society is a big farce, but sometimes we have to play their game."
"Not necessarily. Maybe you need to, but I can handle everything perfectly through my own methods. Let's say I'd put her in a situation even worse than yours until she decided to cooperate. As I told you before, this wouldn't be the first time I've used torture to extract information."
With each exchange, it becomes clearer that this girl's existence doesn't fit into this environment.
After a few more minutes, I'm surprised by her comment.
"Hey, Mistkerl," she looks at me.
"Yes?"
Based on what I've observed in the hours we've spent together, her initiating a conversation with me out of nowhere is quite unusual.
"When you were talking to that girl, you said you spoke with her the night before. Tell me what the conversation was about."
Could she be…? No, that's impossible. And if I try to joke about this, I'll be wishing she could kill me, as she said.
"Remember I told you I was investigating Takashi? Well, she and Miyu found me after curfew in the corridors while I was following him. The conversation was just an excuse to explain why I was out of the dormitory."
"Miyu? Who is she? Another girl?"
If I transcribed this conversation and read it, I'd definitely think she was speaking with embarrassment. However, her tone remains cold and utterly devoid of emotion. This contrast makes it so amusing that it's irresistible not to make a provocative joke.
"Miyu is the girl you insulted and told to shut up."
"I've insulted a lot of people. Be more specific."
"She's my classmate. She was with me and my two friends when we talked the day before yesterday. Don't tell me you're jealous about that?" I ask sarcastically.
"I must have hit you too hard for you to think that. I'm only interested in knowing who's aware of your involvement in the game, nothing more," she continues to stare at me coldly.
At least I didn't get hit for this joke. Since when did I start enjoying risky behavior like this? The anomaly must have triggered some form of masochism in my brain. I keep putting myself in situations that almost beg for a beating.
"Alright, since I've agreed to all your terms, will you at least consider my request regarding our move against Takashi? I want to resolve this soon for President Mikoto's safety," I shift the conversation to a relevant topic.
"Yes, I'll go along with the suggestion. But not because you asked. We'll do it because, strangely, I sympathize with that girl."
Strangely? I think you two have a lot in common, like a sadism that's directly proportional to your beauty.
In the end, this gives me some peace of mind. I was worried Takashi might take Mikoto hostage, so it's better to distance her from him before that happens. That's where Keiko comes into the picture.
I glance at the clock and stand up, startled.
Wow, I was so dazed from her punch that I overlooked the time. I hope I don't have any trouble getting back into the dorm after curfew.
"It's already late. I'd love to stay longer to continue our conversation, but I need to return to the dormitory."
She doesn't seem to care much about my sarcastic comment. Sadly, it's as if she's non-verbally saying, "Just go already."
In yet another pathetic attempt to get some attention, I make a new comment.
"So, as agreed, we'll meet with Keiko at eight o'clock in the morning, right?"
"Sure, fine. As long as I get my weapon back soon," she replies.
Before leaving the hideout, I glance upward, and the falling snow catches my attention.
Ailiss stops next to me by the window and also begins watching the snow. Well, she was born in Germany too. She's probably recalling winters from her time there.
I study her face for a few seconds, thinking about saying something, but nothing comes to mind. Since she doesn't seem inclined to prolong our conversation, I simply turn my back to her and leave the location.
I exit the hideout cautiously to avoid being seen and head toward the main building where the dormitories are located. I make use of the free pass I received from Mikoto as an excuse for arriving after curfew.
There, I run into Takashi.
I can't help but think that the enemy is so close. Any slip-up could result in my end.