The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria
Book 3: Chapter 11

•Iroha Shindo, dead via stab wound to the chest

inflicted by Koudai Kamiuchi

Day 2 <E> Kazuki Hoshino’s Room

KOUDAI KAMIUCHI WAS STRANGLED TO DEATH BY ASSASSINATE.

Now there is no one left to challenge him.

•Koudai Kamiuchi, dead via Assassinate

Day 3 <B> The Common Area

“The game was decided the moment I realized you’re the Sorcerer.”

With just three of us left in the common area, Daiya begins telling us all his tricks.

Maria sits in her chair, looking haggard. Since she knew everything, she had tried her hardest to explain to Kamiuchi about Boxes, but he refused to hear any of it.

And then, Koudai Kamiuchi was killed.

In the end, we couldn’t do anything to prevent his death.

Why did I believe Daiya? Why did I fall for such a convenient lie like the existence of another suspect, even though I knew he was the owner?

I knew Kingdom Royale was a game of deceive or be deceived…

That’s why I also understand how it’s my fault things ended up this way. But still…

“You said you trusted me.”

Daiya smirks at my caustic remark. “Yeah, I did. I said I trusted that there was no way you could kill me.”

“…And that was all just talk so that you could fool me.”

“That was a slip of the tongue. If you were smart, you might’ve noticed the real implications.”

I scowl.

“Still don’t get it? I assumed there was no way you could kill me as the Sorcerer. What I’m saying is, I was making fun of you because you can’t off me, no matter how far I take this.”

I bite my lip.

…So basically, he was mocking me. I thought he looked away from me then because he was embarrassed, but the truth is that he was actually just flustered because of his little verbal slipup.

“As the Revolutionary, naturally I’m going to want to know who the Sorcerer is, since they would be another Class with the ability to kill.”

“That’s why you asked if I was the Sorcerer…”

He wasn’t concerned about me; he merely wanted to know who the most dangerous Class was.

“And then you were. So if I let you live, I would never be a candidate for Murder.” Daiya smirks, then says, “Because I trust you.”

So that’s why Daiya said the game was over the moment he figured out I was the Sorcerer…

“Still, even you might have used Magic if you were absolutely sure I was the Revolutionary. And even if you didn’t, you might have tried something else. So all I needed to do was convince you I wasn’t the Revolutionary.”

I fell for Daiya’s scheme and ended up believing Iroha was the Revolutionary. Damn, it really was that simple.

All along, what I should have done was what I talked about with Maria back when all this started. I should have found a way to get through to Daiya and get him to hand over the Box.

It only seemed complicated because Daiya made it appear to be.

“…Even then, not everything went smoothly. Yanagi in particular.”

“Yuri?”

“Yeah. She was trying to recruit other people as allies. She probably would have been able to get everyone on her side except for me. If that had happened, things wouldn’t have worked out this way.”

…I see. Daiya wanted the game to start, and the presence of someone trying to stop Kingdom Royale was a thorn in his side. That was why he shot down her plan to share all our Classes, and why he killed her first.

“Now, then—”

Daiya brings his explanation to an end.

Letting out a breath, he looks over at Maria in her chair.

“All I need to do is kill one more person, and then it’s game over.”

The Revolutionary has one enemy left.

Maria Otonashi, the Prince.

She doesn’t even raise her head at the proclamation of her death.

…Ah, I see now.

The Revolutionary has no need to kill the Sorcerer to win. That’s why I’ll survive. Maria can save my life without lifting a finger. And Maria seems to have absolutely no interest in her own life.

So she couldn’t care less about Kingdom Royale.

She’s saying it’s fine, and she doesn’t mind if she’s killed.

“……”

Like hell.

I can’t let this happen.

If Maria says she’s a Box, and she’s willing to disregard that and offer her life up to save mine, then…

“Daiya.”

…naturally, I have to reject that.

I don’t mince words as I fix Daiya with a glare.

“I will never, ever allow you to kill Maria.”

That’s right. Back when Maria realized she’s powerless in this Box, didn’t she say she thought I might have to do something? Now that time has come.

At the time, I didn’t know what I should do. But now…

“If you’re intending to kill Maria, then I’ll stop you. I’ll do whatever it takes. Even if it means—”

The conclusion leaves my mouth so easily.

“—killing you, Daiya.”

Maria hadn’t even twitched at Daiya’s intent to kill her, but my words make her open her eyes and look my way.

I’m sorry, Maria. I’m betraying your faith in me, that I could never kill someone.

“…You sound like you mean it,” Daiya says, then falls silent.

He once said it himself: If I’m certain who the Revolutionary is, there’s a possibility I would use Magic.

He failed. Kamiuchi went against Daiya’s predictions and killed Iroha, which means he doesn’t have any more scapegoats. It’s now obvious he is the Revolutionary.

“Give us the Box, Daiya. Do that, and you don’t have to die,” I say.

Daiya’s expression seems to suggest he still has it all under control. But as someone who used to be his friend, I know better.

He’s more panicked than ever.

“I don’t have to die, eh?” Going back over my words quietly, Daiya sneers. “…Kazu, do you know what type of Box the Game of Indolence is?”

I frown at this sudden change of topic.

“The Game of Indolence is a Box that staves off boredom by forcing the summoned players into a killing game called Kingdom Royale.”

“…So what’s your point?”

“Do you really think the ultimate escape from tedium would just end like this? Do you think I’d actually be satisfied with a single playthrough of the game?”

“……”

“This is meaningless slaughter. Your desire to save Otonashi, your resolve to kill me if that’s what it takes to do so—all of it is pointless. In the end, none of it matters. The next game will have different players, and that alone will make it unfold differently. You and I may even end up working together.”

What the hell is he talking about…?

“That said, the sins you commit in this stupid game will carry over, if nothing else. If you kill me, that guilt will remain with you.”

“…So you’re saying I shouldn’t kill you?”

“Yeah.”

…Oh, come on.

I had thought it might be something more, but it’s all just a bunch of garbage meant to try to save his life. Even now, Daiya’s still trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

“I didn’t want to see you reduced to this, Daiya. I don’t care about any of that, so just hand over the Box.”

As a former friend of mine, Daiya has to know—more than he probably cares to admit—that I am seriously prepared to kill him.

Even so…

“That’s the one thing I cannot do.” Daiya states this coldly.

“…You know you have nowhere else to turn, right?”

“Like I give a crap. I know about the hope the Boxes bring. And now that I do, I’m not gonna let anyone take that away from me. If I lose my Box, then I’ll no longer have any purpose. I’d just be a CO2 factory blundering through the motions of life in a thoughtless haze.”

“The Boxes are hope…?”

The Boxes that brought such suffering to Mogi, to Asami, to Miyazaki…?

“They aren’t as good as you think.”

“Shut up. You annoy me. I’m not interested in your cheap-ass bargain bin values.”

Scarily enough, Daiya sounds like he really means it. He’s serious when he says the Box is his hope. Even though he knows well enough about the previous two instances.

As my thoughts reach this point, I suddenly realize something. Could it be…?

“Does this have something to do with Kokone?”

Daiya doesn’t respond right away.

“…Does what have something to do with her?”

“I mean, does Kokone have something to do with your wish?”

“Why’re you bringing her up? I almost feel sorry for your pitiful brain and the irrelevant intellectual disasters it comes up with.”

I don’t miss it, though. There was a stony expression on Daiya’s face before he said that, and he seemed to be forcing himself.

No doubt about it. Kokone definitely has some connection to Daiya’s wish.

I’m certain of it now.

“You…aren’t going to hand over the Box, are you?”

I’m certain—that Daiya will not part with the Box, no matter what.

“Uh, yeah. That’s what I said, right?”

No matter how much I threaten to kill him, Daiya will never give us the Box. In other words, Daiya has us—

“……”

Realizing this, I look at Maria.

Maria is smiling.

“……Stop it.”

She’s smiling… As if she has given up on everything.

But maybe that’s an appropriate reaction to our situation.

I’ve known it all along. I can never kill Daiya and crush the Box by force. I can never use Magic, no matter the circumstances.

Not because I don’t have the resolve to kill Daiya. My willpower doesn’t have anything to do with it. I mean, I can’t use Magic on my own. Yeah—

I can’t use Magic because Maria will absolutely never take another person’s life.

And that’s why…

…we are going to lose to Daiya Oomine.

Day 3 <C> Private Meeting with Maria Otonashi – Maria Otonashi’s Room

I knew it would be this way, but for the entire thirty minutes, Maria ignored my pleas for us to use Murder.

I think back on what Maria said yesterday.

“I will protect you.”

I took her words at face value.

I had been a fool basking in her strength and kindness, taking it for granted.

Even though I knew the truth. Even though I was well aware that Kingdom Royale was a game of murder and deception, and Maria was powerless within it.

I was wrong.

I’m the one who should have said those words.

“I will protect you, Maria.”

But it’s too late, and there’s no time left.