Edited
Lin handed Oliver the two talismans that he and Mai had found the day before. Oliver studied them.
"Curse Seal?"
Lin nodded to Oliver's words.
"Yes. If this is buried at a junction it can make someone else go crazy, if it is buried beneath a shrine it can kill someone. This one is one that Mai collected from a student on the first day. This one Mai and I found buried at the nearby shrine."
Oliver was deep in thought, his finger knocking repeatedly on the table.
Lin continued speaking to his profile.
"Somebody… called this curse seal a Kokkuri prop and spread it around… The ignorant students unconsciously became accessories to murder."
"Sakauchi-kun." Mai clarified.
Oliver's low, clear voice asked, "Is it confirmed?"
"Yes. Fortunately the ones who made and activated the curse are only outsiders. If it were me, this single piece would have been enough to kill a person."
"If it is like this."
Oliver took the papers from Lin's hands.
"The completely ignorant students, unaware of the consequences, created these curse seals and performed the ritual for a killing curse every day. Incidentally this was used supposedly as a summoning prop; spirits were gathered together… and in the end it became a situation of mutually devouring spirits, it became a Kodoku…"
"Yes, I think it is like this."
"What will happen when the Kodoku is complete?"
"This person will die."
"Who is it?" Takigawa asked.
"Matsuyama Hideharu." Mai answered.
"Matsuyama!" The others cried out.
As though replying to their cry, Matsuyama appeared in the Meeting Room. He came to a halt suddenly, then gave them an all-over.
"What was that, this rude form of address?!"
Everyone looked at Matsuyama.
"Have you completed your preparation to leave?"
He said that with a face full of triumph at someone else's troubles.
Oliver's expression did not change.
"Excuse me, could you please leave for a moment?"
"What the, still scheming about something?"
"I feel that Sensei would be better off not listening to our discussion."
"Ke~ Why is that?"
Oliver quietly picked up that piece of paper, and showed it to Matsuyama.
"What is this thing?"
"A curse seal."
"Curse seal?!"
"Sensei, are you aware that Kokkuri is popular in the school?"
Matsuyama's mouth slanted.
"Of course I know. I don't even know how many times I've caught these foolish students."
"This is the paper used by that Kokkuri."
"Isn't this a curse seal?"
"This is a curse seal. Someone masqueraded this curse seal as a new style of Kokkuri and spread it around."
Matsuyama wrinkled his nose looking very unconvinced.
"And then?"
"Amongst other things, this curse seal can be used for a killing curse. Something used to curse someone and cause their death. Following that, we believe the target of the curse is… you, Matsuyama Sensei."
Instantaneously, Matsuyama's face stiffened and trembling, he turned to look at Mai. She stared back at him calmly with an eyebrow raised.
Oliver turned to look at Lin.
"It is like this, right, Lin?"
"It is."
"And the reason for that is?"
Hearing Oliver's query, Lin spread out the paper used for Worikiri-sama. He asked Takigawa.
"Takigawa-san, are you able to read sanscrit?"
"Ah, En, just about."
Lin displayed the symbol at the center, the symbols on the right of the human figure. With a finger, he pointed to the worm-like words crawling around.
"The target of the curse is written here."
Takigawa reasd it.
"… So... It is like that… However one looks at it, Matsuyama Hideharu is written here."
Matsuyama looked like he wanted to shout something. His color was also very poor.
Lin completely ignored all these.
"It doesn't mean to say that it needs to be written in Sanskrit. And here," pointing to the left of the human figure.
"The age is written here, exactly as seen by everyone."
"Current age fifty three" was written there.
"Mai, can you please read Kanji?"
Mai glanced at the spot that Lin was pointing at.
"53 years old this year."
"Indeed, he looks about this age."
Saying that, Oliver looked at Matsuyama with a "What do you think about that?" questioning look. Matsuyama nodded.
Lin continued.
"It is better to write the target's name in Kanji, as it was over here. Or rather, this is the correct way of writing it. However..."
"If Matsuyama's name were written clearly, anyone would find it suspicious."
Oliver continued.
"Yes."
"Therefore it is purposely written in Sanskrit."
"I think it is like this."
Oliver's dark gaze settled beside his own hand; as though Matsuyama's situation would soon cease to be the main topic.
"The target is Matsuyama… who is the culprit? Worikiri-sama started with a first year student in the Aesthetics Department. Furthermore this is not a commonly known spell. Someone not very interested in this type of thing…"
When he heard Oliver's low-toned mumbling, Matsuyama shouted loudly.
"Is it Sakauchi?! It is Sakauchi!"
Oliver nodded.
"It should be him. This incident started around September, just at the start of the second semester. It was mid-September when it really caught on. After that time, Sakauchi-kun committed suicide. I'm afraid he… lit the sparks, and saw the sparks light a fire, then sought his own death."
Matsuyama groaned balefully.
"Why would that idiot do such a thing?! Why would I…"
Yasuhara glared at Matsuyama.
"Don't you understand?"
"Understand what…"
"Sensei, do you really not understand the reason why you were chosen?"
Matsuyama was silent.
"Sakauchi-kun left a suicide note. 'I am not a dog.' This was the prologue of his suicide note. The school plans to train us like dogs, that's why we, as students, understand. If someone were to ask who the representative in all this is, even I would reply with Matsuyama-sensei's name. Because you are the symbol of the school."
Matsuyama's face flushed bright red upon being chided by Yasuhara like this. Matsuyama expression changed to one of fury.
Oliver expressionlessly stopped Matsuyama who was about to scream in anger.
"It is meaningless even if we now know who the culprit was. Right, Lin?"
Following Oliver's gaze, Matsuyama's greenish face looked at Lin.
"Yes. The curse has already been activated. Even the one who made the curse cannot stop it. The spirits mutually devour each other to complete the Kudoku – this is the only even we are waiting for now."
"Is there no way at all?!"
Matsuyama shouted.
"The solutions are?"
Oliver asked the cool Lin.
"None."
"The curse can be reflected back, right?"
"That can be done. Is it all right to reflect the curse back?"
Oliver sank deep into thought. There was a long silence.
"… with this too there is no alternative."
Oliver looked coolly and darkly at Matsuyama.
"Although it's a person whom I will not feel sorry for even if he died, I cannot stand aside and let him be killed. Reflect the curse back."
"… If that is your wish."
Oliver momentarily wore a dark look.
"That's right."
Matsuyama was clearly gawking.
"Wait… wait a moment! I don't understand what you are saying!"
"What are you talking about? Hey?!"
Takigawa was also confused.
Oliver spoke with a low voice.
"What we call 'reflect the curse' is to send the curse back to the curser.
There are only about 4 large spirits left in the school. The winner would be chosen from amongst these 4. Regardless of which spirit it is, we are already unable to handle it; I will not consider such an option that will put our lives in danger. Do I want to see Matsuyama killed in front of my own eyes? When the Kudoku is complete, Matsuyama would only be waiting for death. And I'm afraid it would be a terribly cruel death."
"No. This scenario is no good at all."
"If that's the case then shut up. Does anyone else have a different opinion?"
No one replied to Oliver. No one could say something in the vein of just let him die. Not lest with the very subject right in front of them.
"It is just like this."
Oliver raised his head to look at Lin.
"Yes."
Matsuyama started laughing softly. It was a laugh of relief. It was a laugh of having pleaded with people whom he had called con-men, and being saved by those very people.
Oliver turned to look at the laughing Matsuyama.
"You are the cause. Please remember this point."
Oliver looked severely at Matsuyama; Matsuyama ceased his laughter and turned to avoid Oliver's gaze.
Takigawa asked softly.
"But Naru-chan, Sakauchi-kun is already dead. Is it possible to reflect the curse back to a dead person?"
"Curses cannot be reflected back to dead people, and this has got no relation to Sakauchi at all." Oliver said stiffly.
"The curser was not him."
Nearly the entire room suddenly froze.
"If the curse is reflected back, the curse would return to the curser. Disregarding whether or not they knew of the consequences, the ones who activated the curse are the students."
Everyone but Mai and Lin in the room started shouting at him.
"Naru… wait… a moment."
"If this is the case… then, everyone will…"
Yasuhara's face had turned green.
"Yasuhara-kun… can you understand?"
"… I understand." He nodded, with a deathly pale face.
"If the curse is reflected back, what will happen to us?"
"The number of cursers is too big. The strength will be dispersed; the effectiveness should also be diminished. Theoretically it is like this. Please pray that this will be the case."
Yasuhara nodded.
"We were the ones who asked you to resolve this case. If this is the only way."
"There is no other way."
"Then we are counting on you."
A hint of a smile appeared on Yasuhara's pale face.
Oliver turned back to look to Lin, who was waiting shadow-like.
"Lin. Start the preparations."
"They are already done."
...
The school was deserted the next morning. Mai, Lin and Oliver were in the Meeting Room base. Lin sat in front of a table.
Mai stood to the side of the table. She was watching Lin set up as she leaned on Oliver, who stood next to her with an arm around her waist. He had spent the entire evening before making it up to Mai for completely ignoring the information she had initially provided him at the start of the investigation.
Quietly opening the door, the irregulars peeked inside.
"Yo." Takigawa opened the door wide.
Oliver looked back and frowned. "What are you all doing back here?"
"I was still wondering how you guys will do it." Ayako asked.
"Don't you need our help?" Masako added.
"I'm here only to join the fun." Takigawa joked.
"This isn't an exhibition." Oliver replied in disdain. He sighed.
Lin remained beside the table, and did not even raise his head. On the table there were candles and flat alms bowls made of metal. In the alms bowls were white notes with some Kanji written on them. Unknown incense burnt in the censer, filling the air with smoke. Lin sat very straight on the chair without moving, and held a straight golden colored knife in his hand.
Lin was about to take this curse with severe consequences and reflect it back to the cursers. The cursers: all the students who had summoned Worikiri-sama before. Of course, that included Yasuhara.
Mai's body started shivering unconsciously. This job had come to the end of a phase. Oliver held her tighter.
Time passed.
Suddenly a noise resounded from the school hall.
It was done.
Everyone trailed out of the Meeting Room and headed slowly towards the hall. Oliver helping Mai to walk since her ankle was still recovering.
"Is it done? Really?" Ayako asked Oliver.
"Ah."
They arrived in front of the Gymnasium. Takigawa placed both hands on the thick and heavy iron door, and pushed it open. The irregulars stared blankly at the scene in the Gymnasium.
On the floor of the Gymnasium, the neat rows were now scattered, into piles of human dolls.
"… but, just now it…"
Ayako mumbled softly. They had seen students waiting in assembly in the hall when they had arrived.
Mai limped into the Gymnasium. She picked up a doll by her feet. It was a wooden board cut into a human figurine, and even had a note stuck on it.
She ran her fingers over the doll. Part of the arm and chest broke off and fell.
A white hand reached out from her side and picked up the broken pieces.
"… It worked." Mai said softly to her boyfriend.
Oliver looked at the fragment in his hand. He quickly looked around, checking the dolls around them. He nodded.
It looked like every single doll appeared to have sustained damage somewhere.
"Naru… this is…" Takigawa shouted.
"Confirm the state of the dolls. Gather the dolls that have not been damaged."
"… Ah." Takigawa wore a complicated expression of slight confusion and relief.
"Matsuzaki-san, Hara-san, … Mai."
"—Yes."
"You will separately check the names on the dolls that have not been damaged, and call those people. Their names are on the notes. Check the telephone numbers in the register, and then ask if this person is all right. Use the telephone in the office."
"… Yes."
At the same time, Takigawa and John abruptly walked into the pile of dolls.
...
The result of the phone calls from the office was that there wasn't a single student whose doll was not damaged who had anything abnormal happen.
"Is there anything abnormal? No, right?"
Mai called the last student's home.
"This question is a little random, but have you ever played the game Worikiri-sama that is so popular in school before? – yes. Ah, you have not. I understand. Thank you." She hung up.
Masako and Ayako looked at Mai.
"That person said there's nothing wrong."
Ayako clapped her hands. "That's done!"
The curse that was to be reflected back to the players of Worikiri-sama – the students who had activated it – which had been completely transferred to the dolls. In the end various parts of the dolls were damaged… the undamaged dolls belonged to students who had no link to the curse.
Ayako gave Mai a hug.
"That's great, that's incredible, Mai."
"En…"
They gave each other high-fives.
"How is it?" John appeared in the office.
"It's fine. Everyone's fine!!"
John's face glowed.
"What 'fine'?"
Mai turned to look at Takigawa who had entered the office. Takigawa took out the thing in his hands.
Dolls that were damaged in various places. Mai looked at the name tag. "Araki Kozue", "Okamura Kazumi", "Miyazaki Masayo"… "Yasuhara Osamu".
Mai gently hugged the dolls she had received from Takigawa. He caressed her head.
She flew out of the office to find Oliver.
He was solitarily gazing at the field.
"Naru!"
The normal, beautiful expressionless face turned back. "How is it?"
"Everyone is fine. They all said they had never played Worikiri-sama."
"Is that so?" A small, satisfied smile rose to his lips. He opened his arms as Mai flew into them.
"I love you."
Mai said softly with her face buried against Oliver's chest.
Oliver looked down at her and smiled softly. He could feel her emotions of relief, gratefulness and love pulsing through him.
"I love you too."
He pulled away a little, looking down at the dolls in her arms. Keeping an arm around her waist, they turned to walk back inside.
"Let's burn and cleanse these."
...
Lin looked at the mountain of dolls piled in the Gymnasium. Oliver nodded.
"This would be safer. – Bou-san, we're counting on you."
"Yeah."
When they were collecting the dolls, Takigawa had built a fire-altar in the corner of the school compound. The dolls were piled on this.
Takigawa lit the fire. The flames licked the sky and swallowed everything. The case was finally over.