Vol. 5 Chapter 9.3

Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny

“Everyone, are you ready, Devi?”

“Yeah… I think so.”

In response to Lili’s question, I nodded slightly.

A pure white, spacious room. A large monitor was installed on the front wall and on the other three walls, rows of doors were lined up. Twelve doors in total. Just one of the doors behind me was red and it stood out incredibly.

Once again, I looked around at the people sitting around the round table.

Clockwise from me, Kurosawa-san, Akira Mitsuki, President Kurashima, Yamauchi Kiyoka, Hikami Kirito, Ryoko, Ponpoko-san, Shima-san, Kyoko, Kanaya-san, Masaki-chan.

Akira Mitsuki, President Kurashima, Yamauchi Kiyoka, Hikami Kirit, and Pompoko-san were still asleep. Their souls were pinned by Lili.

Wallets, smartphones, wristwatches. Everything they were wearing has already been confiscated.

This is to manipulate the time perception. Even though it’s currently nine o’clock at night, they’ve been told it’s nine o’clock in the morning to confuse their sense of time.

Looking at the others, Kurosawa-san had her hand on her chest, taking deep breaths repeatedly.

Masaki-chan seemed somewhat excited.

Shima-san was constantly writing characters in her palm and swallowing them.

Kyoko had her legs thrown over the edge of the round table, hands clasped behind her head and she was creaking the chair while tapping her feet.

Lastly, Kanaya-san was staring intently at Hikami Kirito.

“So, what about Pompoko-san?”

When I asked that, Lili casually responded.

“For now, don’t worry about it,Devi. As long as there are many people, even if a tanuki moves in any way, it won’t affect anything. If the numbers decrease, we’ll adjust accordingly each time,Devi”

And then, she raised her voice towards everyone.

“When you pull the pin, it starts, Devi. After that, the mascot character will lead the way and if any irregular events occur, I want you to immerse yourself in the assigned character and strive for appropriate actions and reactions, Devi.”

“Un, I’ll do my best.”

“Seyana.”

[TL:Okay, but in kansai dialect]

Masaki-chan and Shima-san nodded to each other.

“Leave it to me.”

As Kyoko said this and gave a thumbs up, Lili fixed a sharp gaze on her.

“You’re the one who’s most anxious,Devi.”

“I’ll be fine. Sheesh, you really don’t trust me.”

“Hey, hey. By the way, what kind of mascot are we talking about? I think something cute would be nice. Like a cat or a rabbit.”

When Kurosawa-san leaned forward and said that, Lili grinned.

“I’ve prepared an incredibly cute mascot character, Devi. Adorably cute and a bit macabre too.”

Honestly, I can’t help but feel uneasy. Lili’s sense of style is just too unique.

Well, it might be devilishly cute in its own way, I suppose.

“Alright, let’s begin, Devi. For now, everyone should pretend to be asleep, Devi. We’ll start from the moment you wake up, Devi.”

×××

“Uuu… mmm…”

I had a dream about a whale.

A majestic sight of rapidly ascending from the depths of the water to the surface. Following it, I – Sameta Yasuko – ascended to the water’s surface. Gradually, my consciousness was awakening.

‘Morning… I don’t want to go to work…’

While thinking something like that at the back of my mind, I rubbed my eyelids.

However, as I slowly opened my heavy eyelids, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.

‘A,aree? Where am I? Where is this…? When did I fall asleep?’

With a fuzzy mind, I tried to recall what had happened before falling asleep but like a small boat adrift in the ocean, my thoughts couldn’t seem to reach any shore.

“Pompoko-san! Pompoko-san! Are you okay?”

When I was called, I raised my head and saw MISUZU-chan looking at me from the other side of the wide table with a worried expression.

I absentmindedly looked left and right.

Several faces surrounded the round table, some familiar and some unfamiliar.

Around the same time I woke up, it seemed like everyone else had woken up too and they all had dazed expressions.

To my right, a woman with distinctive short hair and dressed in a black suit was sitting. I didn’t recognize her.

On the other hand, to my left was a girl with short hair, wearing a somewhat familiar muted orange top.

‘Where have I seen this girl before?’

As I thought that, a flashback of the scene where I was glaring at President Kurashima in the reception room of First Beauty Office rushed back.

‘That’s the girl who was in the reception room!’

Despite trying to remember, my memory was interrupted after that reception room incident.

Looking around at the people sitting at the table again, it became clear that all the individuals present were the same ones who had been in the reception room at that time.

President Kurashima, Manager Yamauchi, MISUZU-chan, Fumijima-san, and two other girls who seemed to be new models.

Other familiar faces were Akira Mitsuki-chan and Hikami Kirito-kun.

And… Kanaya Chihiro.

I don’t have direct acquaintance with her but I have offered to photograph her several times before.

Back then, she was a model highly recommended by our editor-in-chief and was supposed to be part of First Beauty Office. However, my offers were continually declined and before I knew it, I stopped seeing her in the media.

It seems I’m not the only one who doesn’t understand what’s happening. Everyone has a perplexed expression and is looking around.

Only one person, a woman with bright red hair and a short leather jacket, resembling an outdated hard rocker, had a smirk on her face, her lips slightly parted.

“What the hell is this! Whose prank is this!”

Suddenly, President Kurashima slammed his fist on the table and shouted loudly.

“Why is Kanaya here! What the hell are you scheming!”

His cheeks twitched as he pointed his finger at Kanaya, who stared back at the president with a steady gaze, remaining silent.

“Shut up, old man. Don’t be such a scaredy-cat.”

The red-haired hard rocker spoke in an annoyed tone, propped her legs onto the table and began to rock the chair back and forth.

“Who the hell are you! What’s with that attitude!”

“A–, shut up, shut up. Sit quietly, if you don’t want to die either?”

‘You don’t want to die…’

With her unsettling words, everyone exchanged anxious glances.

Just as the president was about to raise his voice even more, a crackling noise suddenly filled the air, and the large monitor mounted on the wall displayed an image in an instant.

A black circle in the centre. Surrounded by white.

As everyone held their breath wondering what the pattern could be, the camera began to slowly zoom out.

Gradually, it became clear that it was an eye, a perfectly round eye. And as the entire body of the eye’s owner came into view, someone muttered in disbelief.

“…A salmon?”

Indeed, it was a salmon. A full-fledged salmon.

Not some cartoonish character. It was a genuine salmon.

“『Good morning, Jake. This is Aramaki-san, the salmon here to inform you that it’s nine in the morning!』”

Accompanied by the voice of a childish girl, the salmon’s mouth moved with a flapping motion.

Instantly, question marks appeared over everyone’s heads.

In a single phrase, it could be summed up as 『What is this?』.

“『Aramaki-san is the mascot who will oversee the progress of this game! Counting on you, Jake!』”

Everyone had an expression that suggested they didn’t know what to do, staring at the monitor in bewilderment.

Among them, Fumijima-san had a face that seemed to be holding back a headache, clutching his head for some reason.

“A mascot…Seriously, that’s such an underwhelming visual.”

The person with short hair to my left commented with a hint of exasperation.

Speaking in Kansai dialect, she probably couldn’t help but react.

People from the Kansai region tend to think that responding when someone makes a humorous comment is a form of politeness.

“『You rude little girl, Jake. Aramaki-san is a cute and macabre mascot, Jake!』”

On the screen, Aramaki-san’s eyes zoomed in.

“Why do they keep zooming in so much! Well, I mean, calling it macabre, yeah, it’s kinda macabre, but still!”

Rather macabre…Fish eyes are unsettling because you can’t really tell what they’re thinking.

“『Hmph, we’ve gotten off track because of your rudeness, Jake. Let’s get back to the main point, Jake!』”

Saying that, the camera zoomed out again, revealing the supposed Aramaki-san’s entire body.

And then she (or it) said this again.

“『You all are going to kill each other, Jake.』”

In that instant, it felt like the temperature in the room dropped.

While I think it’s unlikely, I’ve seen this kind of development in manga or novels before.

“A… A death game?”

As MISUZU-chan’s voice trembled, Aramaki-san on the screen nodded skillfully.

“『That’s right, Jake… but it’s not like directly killing each other, Jake. You’ll decide together who to kill, Jake. We’ll handle the actual killing, Jake.』”

“D-Decide? What do you mean…?”

This time, a girl with a disproportionately large chest despite her youthful appearance asked the question.

The other girl who was in the reception room at that time.

“『It’s now past nine in the morning, Jake. You all have until nine in the evening to decide who to kill and vote, Jake. When it’s nine in the evening, we’ll count the votes. The person with the most votes will be taken care of here, Jake.』”

“S-So, s-so, you mean someone among us will die?”

Fumijima-san, with a terrified expression, spoke with a trembling voice.

“『Not exactly, Jake.』”

Upon Aramaki-san’s response, Fumijima-san let out a sigh of relief.

But──…

“『Except for the last two remaining, everyone else will die, Jake.』”

“「「Hiiiiii!?」」”

Aramaki-san zoomed in again, causing both MISUZU-chan and the girl with the youthful face and large breasts from earlier to grimace in fear.

Nevertheless, the close-up of the salmon was incredibly intense.

“『Voting happens every day. It continues until there are only two people left, Jake! The last two people are safe. As a souvenir, Aramaki-san’s homemade ikura will be given, Jake.』”

[Red caviar]

“This is ridiculous! What are you planning, money? Revenge?”

“Cut it out! I can’t take this anymore!”

As President Kurashima raised his voice and Akira-chan let out a hysterical scream, the woman in the suit who had been sitting next to me stood up, kicked her chair, and spoke.

“This is a trivial farce. I don’t know what your intentions are, but surrender now! If you do, your crimes won’t be that severe.”

“『Hooou? Detective Terashima, you won’t join the game, Jake?』”

Zooming out again, Aramaki-san’s full body was displayed on the monitor.

Apparently, this woman was a detective. Honestly, I felt relieved. It was like I had found a saviour, or at least that’s how it felt.

“There’s no way that’s happening. This sushi nonsense! The exit is probably that red door, right?”

Saying that, she started walking toward the red door with determined steps and on the screen, Aramaki-san let out a sigh. Well, at least it looked that way.

At that moment──…

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the image of the female detective disappeared.

No, to my eyes, it seemed as if her figure had been abruptly erased.

Panicking, I looked over and where she had been standing, the floor was wide open.

‘She fell!?’

Almost simultaneously realising this, a [Gyaaaaaaaah!] echoed from within the hole, a scream that made me want to cover my ears, coming from the female detective who had fallen into the hole.

“「「Hiii!?」」”

“「「Wha!?」」”

Everyone hurriedly rushed to the edge of the hole, peering down, their voices choking in their throats.

Inside the hole, there was a thick iron stake, about ten centimetres in diameter, jutting out from the bottom. The female detective was impaled on it, much like a kingfisher impaled its prey, trembling involuntarily.

“Uaaaah!?”

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”

Everyone recoiled in horror at the spectacle, something one might have only seen in fiction and stumbled back as if their legs had given way, landing on their rear ends.

Then, the floorboard closed and a heavy silence descended.

“『Foolish, Jake… There are always these types, Jake. Misunderstanding women like her. It’s regrettable that the number of participants is decreasing, but there’s no helping it, Jake.』”

Aramaki-san sighed with a mixture of exasperation, and Kirito-kun muttered in disbelief,[Seriously…]

Looking at everyone, it was clear that everyone had faces filled with fear. Most likely, I was no exception.

Especially President Kurashima, Akira-chan and Kirito-kun had turned pale.

But amidst the heavy atmosphere, someone let out a chuckle, saying, [Haha…]

Turning toward the source of the laughter, I saw the rocker in the leather jacket, who had her  legs thrown over the table, sitting with a wry smile as she rattled her chair.

“Don’t be so scared. After all, you’ll be seeing people die almost every day from now on.”

“Yo-you’re part of this scheme too!”

As the president raised his voice, she grimaced in displeasure.

“Give me a break, old man. I’m just a survivor, a veteran of this. The previous winner of this death game. I never thought I’d get dragged into this mess again. I have no luck… just my damn luck to be in this situation again.”

As the president continued to raise his voice, Aramaki-san interjected.

“『Uh, hello? Can I continue with the explanation? If you don’t listen carefully, you might die without even knowing it, you know?』”

Being told that, the president had no choice but to quiet down. Everyone exchanged uncertain glances and settled back into their chairs.

Of course, I did too. I had no strength left to resist anymore.

There was no longer any doubt that this was a real, serious death game.

And Aramaki-san cleared her throat and resumed the explanation.

“『Ahem, well… I did say that eliminating the person with the most votes was a possibility, but it’s not a dead end. If you complete the missions we assign, the voting results can be nullified.』”

“Missions?”

“『The details of the mission are announced at the time of vote counting each time. If you complete it, you can avoid death on the spot.』”

“…But in the end, only two people will survive, right?”

When Kanaya-san asked, Aramaki-san nodded, 『That’s right,Jake.』

“『Alright! Until night at nine o’clock, please relax and think about who to vote for. The doors around here are everyone’s individual rooms. The doors have names written on them. You’re free to use those rooms.』”

And just as the screen was about to go dark for a moment, Aramaki-san seemed to remember something and zoomed in again.

“『Oh, right, I almost forgot. For more detailed rules, refer to the 『Death Game Manual』 prepared in each room. It’s a good idea to read it thoroughly. If you’re careless and get yourself killed, it won’t be fun for us either.』”

At this, President Kurashima let out a groaning sound.

“You… playing around like this, just who the hell are you?”

“『Fufufu, Aramaki-san is just a part-time worker. Hourly wage is 870 yen. The wage goes up by 10 yen for each person who dies. So, I hope everyone dies enthusiastically.』”

“Money!? If it’s money, I’ll give it to you! Just tell me how much you want!”

“『Nnn…that’s impossible. If you get off here, Aramaki-san herself will be killed. After all, among these eleven people, Aramaki-san’s employer is also mixed in!』”

After saying that, Aramaki-san disappeared along with elaborate effects.

A heavy atmosphere hung in the air, making it difficult to breathe.

Even after Aramaki-san’s image disappeared from the monitor, no one dared to speak for a while.

Aramaki-san’s employer, in other words, the mastermind behind this Death Game, is among these eleven people. There’s no way to stay calm knowing that.

Not knowing what to do, I observed my surroundings with a somewhat anxious gaze.

If you suspect one person, you suspect everyone. In this inexplicably tense atmosphere, the first to move was Hikami-kun. He got up from his seat and walked towards the president.

Following suit, Akira-chan and Yamauchi-san also stood up and the four of them began whispering quietly.

Meanwhile, near MISUZU-chan, two people who seemed to be new models and Fumijima-san also started gathering.

President’s group and MISUZU-chan’s group…

If this Death Game is based on a majority vote, then the choices of these two groups will undoubtedly shape the course of the game.

‘But in the end, only two can survive…’

Even if these four work together to eliminate others, there will come a point where they must part ways.

For instance, if the president survives, who would be the other survivor?

It’s clear that the president has a strong affection for Akira-chan but it’s also well-known that Yamauchi-san is the president’s mistress. If a choice had to be made, who would he ultimately choose?

On the other hand, it’s hard to believe that Hikami Kirito would simply accept being cast aside.

If the president’s group and MISUZU-chan’s group clash, the key to victory or defeat would lie with the remaining individuals.

Myself, Kanaya-san and the hard rocker.

Turning my gaze toward the hard rocker and Kanaya-san, the two of them have hardly moved since earlier.

The hard rocker is leaning back with her feet up on the table, gazing up at the ceiling, while Kanaya-san is looking towards Hikami Kirito with a detached expression.

I’ve had my fair share of exposure to movies, manga, and novels centred around death games, so I’m not exactly devoid of background knowledge. I really want to navigate this situation successfully and make it out alive.

If I were to choose a partner to team up with and survive among this group, it would undoubtedly be MISUZU-chan.

After all, I barged into the First Beauty Office to protect MISUZU-chan and ended up getting dragged into this death game in the first place.

However, I think it’s risky to join MISUZU-chan’s group so early on.

There’s a possibility of becoming a target for the President’s group…

‘First, I should talk to the hard rocker… she’s an experienced participant. But she seems intimidating…… but….Un’

Just as I mustered the courage to stand up and approach the hard rocker to talk, almost simultaneously, I heard MISUZU-chan’s voice.

“Fumijima, for now, how about you die?”

“T-That’s… MISUZU-san, th-that’s just a joke, right?”

Kicking at the feet of the approaching Fumijima-san, MISUZU-chan coldly retorts.

“Don’t come closer. You’re creepy. You think you can be useful to me? I’d be happy if you just died. Are you stupid?”

Then, she turns to the two seemingly new models and speaks in a commanding tone.

“Both of you, for now, put your votes on Fumijima, got it!?”

“Well… MISUZU-neesan…”

“What? NATSUMI, since when did you get the privilege to voice your opinions to me?”

Under MISUZU-chan’s intimidating glare, the girl with the short haircut falls silent.

“Understand? I am the most valuable one among us. I’m going to ride the stardom and become a big success. If I die here, it’s a huge loss for the world, you know? If you listen properly, one of you can survive, so it’s fine!”

Honestly, I was taken aback. I never thought MISUZU-chan would be such a foolish person.

If anything, I thought she was a polite and well-behaved girl.

The way she earns everyone’s resentment with such a domineering attitude and even discards her own group’s votes, it can only be described as the epitome of foolishness.

“P-Please spare me, MISUZU-san… I-I don’t want to die either…”

Fumijima-san pleads, prostrating himself right there without any hesitation. MISUZU-chan laughs loudly and proceeds to trample on his head.

“Ahahaha! Shut up, ugly. Be happy that you can die for me.”

“Uuuu…”

As I stare in astonishment at the scene, I hear a murmured voice from Hard Rocker.

“…The first one’s decided.”

“Seems like it.”

Kanaya-san agrees.

Looking over at the president and the others, even they all furrow their brows in unison.

It’s certain that votes will accumulate for MISUZU-chan. That’s the only conclusion I can draw.

But MISUZU-chan, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air, wears a broad smile and raises her voice.

“Everyone! For now, let’s all vote this Fumijima. That way, we can survive the first day.”

“P-Please forgive me… P-Please…”

As Fumijima-san pleads desperately while being kicked, his pitiful state is embarrassing but even more glaring is MISUZU-chan’s high-handedness.

‘If MISUZU-chan continues like this, the president’s group will undoubtedly have a huge advantage. But if the president survives, my chances of staying alive disappear, don’t they?’

Even if the president manages to secure four votes, getting close to MISUZU-chan is not a good idea. She’s like a sinking ship.

‘For a while, it seems better to stay quiet and not team up with anyone…’

In this kind of voting system, not standing out is crucial.

“Well then, breakfast should be arriving in our rooms around now.”

As I solidify my immediate strategy, Hard Rocker springs up from her chair and walks toward one of the doors.

“Ah, this one, this one.”

Pointing at one of the doors, she enters it.

Next, Kanaya-san also stands up and enters one of the doors.

Since I’ve decided to not stand out, it’s not wise to stay in this place.

I also look for my name and go around checking the names written on the doors one by one.

And then… I found it.

“Ryoko Terashima or Sameta Yasuko”

Written on the door.

I shudder. Most likely, from the beginning, it was decided that someone would die as a warning.

That one person was either me or that detective.

Instinctively, I imagine myself being impaled by that thick stake in my stomach. With trembling hands, I turn the knob and step into the room.

On the other side of the door is a simple room about six tatami mats in size.

The walls are still all white with no windows and there’s a basic bed and desk. It looks like a cheap business hotel room.

I’m relieved that I can lock the door from the inside.

Next, I peek under the bed but there’s nothing suspicious.

I let out a relieved breath and looked around. On the desk, there’s a hot sandwich, a salad with boiled eggs, a pot of coffee and a tea cup.

Hard Rocker said, 『It’s about time for breakfast to arrive』 and I guess this must be it.

I wondered if it’s safe to eat… but I’m hungry. There’s no benefit to poisoning the food here, so it should be fine. Reassuring myself, I reach for the hot sandwich.

When I take a bite, the hot sandwich is still warm and quite delicious. It tastes fancy, like the breakfast in a high-end hotel.

With the hot sandwich in one hand, I glance around the top of the desk and notice a few items of interest.

There’s a black box with a slot like a piggy bank, labelled 『voting box』. Next to it, there’s a stack of papers and a ballpoint pen.

Presumably, I need to write a name and put it in here.

Vote counting is at 9 PM in the evening. Since I don’t know the exact time, it might be a good idea to vote early.

And beside that, there’s a stapled booklet.

Nowadays, mimeographed on traditional Japanese paper. On the cover, it says 『Rules of the Death Game』.

The cover art is a deformed depiction of a boy and a girl smiling happily. However, there’s a noose around the boy’s neck.

‘It’s pretty bad taste…’

I furrow my brows involuntarily and open the first page. It reads, 『The Death Game lasts until you enter the grave. Let’s follow the rules and enjoy killing each other together』.

The following pages list what seem to be detailed rules. I can’t remember them all but I should at least grasp the ones that might come into play.

The main points are as follows.

──────────

1.Please make sure to vote. Invalid or multiple votes will result in immediate death as a penalty.

2.Meals will be provided three times a day on the desks in your rooms.

3.Apart from the time of vote counting, you are free to stay in your own rooms.

4.There are no assigned seats at the round table. Feel free to sit wherever you like.

5.If you wish to enter someone else’s room, you must have the resident’s permission. Unauthorised entry will result in immediate death as a penalty.

6.The name used for voting will be counted as a valid vote as long as the person can be clearly identified, even if there are spelling differences or nicknames.

7.If necessary, killing each other is also permissible.

8.Bananas are not included in snacks.

──────────

Particularly, we must be cautious about Rule Five.

It seems likely that someone might try to use this as a trap. Pretending it’s their own room to lure others into a different room…

And Rule Seven is just too unsettling.

As for Rule Eight, it’s like stating the obvious. Bananas are definitely not considered snacks.

Perhaps it’s best to avoid contact with anyone as much as possible. At this point, there’s only one person among us that I truly think wouldn’t matter if they died.

I picked up the pen, wrote 『President Kurashima』 and dropped the paper into the ballot box.

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