12:28 PM
Lunchtime arrives, and Ailiss's idea has been put into practice. Everyone manages the kitchen on their own and improves something to eat. This has worked reasonably well, removing responsibility from the student council members.
At the moment, what I want most is to be with them. Unfortunately, I can't let go of this desire. The only thing postponing my suicide is mere excuses.
"Hey, Miyu-chan, what's gotten into you? Even after the president's speech, you're still so distant. Don't you feel even a little safer?" Shou comments.
Miyu continues with the same abnormal expression, constantly prompting Shou and Manabu to address the matter.
"If it's about Kobayacchi, know that she certainly wouldn't want to see you like this. We should support the council in capturing whoever attacked her," Manabu says.
"That's not it, Shimizu-kun, Manabu-kun. I feel this way because of dishonest people. Monsters with human faces... It's impressive, isn't it? How can we let such bad characters go unnoticed for so long? What I want most is for the council to succeed in capturing them," Miyu replies irritably, glaring at me.
Well, she's becoming quite defiant. Are you really implying you'll tell them what you saw?
"Huh?! What are you talking about? I don't understand a word of what's happening," Shou replies.
"I can't tell you now," she pauses, "but I should... oh, how I should..."
Despite her altered emotional state, I see that she can maintain some rationality. She's aware of what will happen if she breaks our agreement, right?
Now that I've united them, it doesn't matter much to me anymore. However, if Miyu exposes me, I won't be able to enjoy my last day alive. After lunch, I wanted to chat with them a bit more and see them in this strange, good mood again.
I clench my fist and glare back at her.
"Miyucchi, who are these false people? Please don't say it's a dig at us," Manabu asks nervously.
"I don't intend to elaborate on this matter. If you want to know more, why not ask Johann-kun? If that's even his real name," she replies.
"What are you implying?" Shou asks her and then looks at me.
She remains silent, and both continue staring at me in silence.
Her threat depends on how far she's willing to go. Is it just an empty threat, or does she intend to reveal it to them through hints? The only way to find out is to ridicule her. If it works, I might even spare their lives.
"Fine, I confess. I asked her not to mention this to others, but I see she can't keep such resentment to herself. The truth is, I ruined Miyu's chances of becoming friends with the president. When Mikoto realized Miyu knew me, she no longer wanted to interact with her. Basically, it's all because of my ridiculous confession to Mikoto."
"I see. She must judge people by their friends. In that case, if Miyucchi keeps hanging out with us, she'll be in trouble," Manabu says.
Miyu turns to me, visibly upset, her fists clenched. It seems she still doesn't understand what she's getting into by challenging me.
"Hey, Miyu-chan. Don't worry about the president. If she judges you by your friends, maybe she doesn't deserve to have such a great friend as you," Shou comments.
While the two discuss my excuse, I stare at her coldly. I hope she understands I'm not joking—I don't want my actions revealed now.
I finish my lunch and stand up abruptly.
"Hey, Jocchi. Leaving already?"
"I have some personal matters to attend to," I reply, glaring at Miyu again. She averts her eyes.
I imagine she won't want to risk me attacking Manabu or Shou, so I can now focus on my loved ones.
I leave the cafeteria and head toward the main block. However, a sharp headache followed by a shiver down my spine stops me in my tracks. New information floods my mind. Nothing concrete, but this abstraction is enough for me to understand that my mission isn't over. It's not over yet.
The distorted voices of the entities echo in my mind.
"Do you really think that was enough?"
I'm being naive to believe everything will be fine from now on... The rift between the two isn't limited to this past but spans infinite worlds. All this hatred won't disappear so quickly. Nothing guarantees that their negative emotions have only temporarily ceased within this "game."
"Advance, keep advancing."
Like a demonic whisper, I proceed, listening to their murmurs.
In this case, I'll have to revisit parts of my plan I thought were no longer necessary.
It's not enough to simply kill myself; I need to redirect all this infinite hatred toward another object.
3:04 PM
With my backpack in hand, I walk through the schoolyard. I'm searching for someone who can have an even stronger impact on my reputation. The name of a victim immediately comes to mind—a natural target, considering the sequence of murders I've been committing.
My target couldn't be anyone else, so it wouldn't be surprising if she already suspects she's next. The big question is, how will she react? I have faint memories that, under stress, she can suffer the same madness as Takashi. However, there hasn't been enough time for a psychotic breakdown to mature, leaving her pathetic, nominal personality intact in this world.
Thus, what could be crueler than eliminating a poor, crying, defenseless girl? Moreover, as the second treasurer of the student council, the last remaining high-ranking member besides Mikoto, there's no better choice.
It has to be her.
Well, let's see... What's the best way to approach her? A succinct death like Keiko's? No, that's too weak. Something similar to my attack on Takashi would be ideal—far more impactful. However, for an open-field death, something quick might be best after all.
I spot the girl crying in the middle of the yard and approach her.
"You know that sitting here crying all day won't bring them back, right? It's a waste of time," I comment.
"What? Why are you saying this to me?" she looks up, confused.
It seems my hypothesis was correct. She's still broken; dealing with a coward won't be difficult.
Probably no one besides Mikoto has ever scolded her like this. After all, who would dare pick on such a graceful little girl like Natsuki, who looks more like a defenseless little animal?
Unfortunately, I'm not that type of person. She's a potential sacrifice for my goal, and that's all I see her as.
"Because watching you cry and being comforted by other students irritates me. There's no room for weaklings like you. In other words, you're a burden to Mikoto, a burden to the student council, and a burden to everyone around you," I say coldly.
"A burden? No, that's not true..."
"Why so surprised? Has Mikoto never told you this? I think she's too kind to tell you how pathetic your actions are openly. Instead of helping during this chaotic situation, the only thing you know how to do is sit and cry, waiting for a miracle to save you from this torturous reality. Everyone here is risking their lives, but you only seem to care about saving your own skin, don't you? Do you think appearing harmless will make the killer spare you?"
"I... no..." she shakes her head. "I never wanted to trouble anyone..."
She's in shock. I think I'll take advantage of this and end it quickly.
If I recall my premonitions correctly, in worlds where only Keiko died, she went mad after a few days in this state. But it seems in this reality, she'll never move past her phase of lamentation. The absence of Haruki and Keiko hasn't done her any good.
"Kill her."
"Kill her."
The voices in my head continue.
"But you know, even though I don't sympathize with you at all, I'll help you. You want Haruki and Keiko back, don't you? Look how generous I am—besides freeing you from your mediocrity, I'll reunite you with your dear old friends," I say, opening my backpack slowly.
"Of course, that's all I want—to have Haruki-senpai and Keiko back. But what could you possibly—" she stops mid-sentence, eyes wide.
She'd stand no chance in a survival game in this state. If she escaped alive, it would be merely by the whims of her adversaries. Without a doubt, freeing her from this insignificance shows just how merciful I am.
"If there's any chance for you to see them again, it's this way," I point the machine gun at her.
"Y-you?" she stares fixedly at the barrel of the gun. "All this time, it was you?" she says, tears streaming from her eyes.
Too late. Her slow reasoning ultimately became her grave.
"It doesn't matter," I pull the trigger.
A sequence of projectiles pierces the small girl's body.
Informing her of anything would have been pointless since I intended to kill her either way.
The gunfire's thunderous sound will attract people from all around, but this is precisely my goal. I will finally put an end to this theater. Now it's time to present myself as the great villain responsible for all the deaths.
The girl's bullet-ridden body collapses at my feet. Due to the many wounds, her blood flows at such a high rate that it forms a red pool on the ground and stains the snow around her.
"MY GOD!" a girl screams, her face frozen in panic.
"What is happening here?!" another exclaims.
Since Takashi's body was never made public, this is the first brutal death they've witnessed. Therefore, I believe this case will have an even more significant impact than the multiple poisonings and Keiko's murder.
Shortly after, more students who were nearby arrive, drawn by the gunfire and her scream. They aren't fully processing what they're witnessing—only the shock of seeing the second treasurer dead at my feet remains.
Now, it's only a matter of time before fear spreads through the school.