Kyoko told Makoto of the second Duel Noir she and Yui had participated in, along with Detective Nanamura.

They had arrived before any murder had occurred. Several people had been called to the Norman Hotel for an auction, only to realize they had been locked inside. Once everyone had arrived, the 'auction' began.

The 'auction' being a daily bid for 'detective rights.' Essentially, a guarantee not to be murdered for one night.

"Hold on," Makoto interrupted. "Are you telling me that the killer made up their own killing game on top of the Committee's killing game?"

Kyoko nodded. "That was essentially the situation, yes."

Makoto groaned in disbelief. "How could anyone do something so crazy? A killing game within a killing game? That's, like, the Leonardo DiCaprio of killing games!"

Kyoko blinked. "The what now?"

"Oh, you haven't seen that movie? It's pretty good. Maybe we'll watch it sometime."

"Uh, perhaps. Anyway…"

Kyoko elaborated on the game's rules. How every night, they had been required to stay locked in a hotel room, where they had been at the mercy of the killer who would murder someone each night. The only way to ensure survival was if the 'detective' (not to be confused with the Duel Noir's designated detective) freed them using a master key won at the auction, but since the detective also had to go to their room at curfew, the killer had a head start.

Every participant had been given 100 million yen for the auction.

"The killer had explained all this through prerecorded messages," Kyoko said. "All in the guise of Norman, a long-dead serial killer." She sighed. "Childish theatrics. Through 'Norman,' the killer ordered one of the participants, Taehime Uozumi, to help 'prepare dinner.'"

Next— there was a burst sound, as if something exploded.

What in the world just happened?

Uozumi who was standing on the balcony, bent her body and stumbled on her feet.

We watched her strange behavior with unblinking eyes. It was a kind of surreal and out of reality dance. We couldn't do anything except watch the dancer on the stage quietly.

At that moment, as if it multiplied, there was another sound— a gunshot.

Uozumi finally couldn't support her body, leaned against the railing of the balcony, and fell down towards us.

With a loud thud, Uozumi fell from the balcony onto the dining table.

She landed exactly where her hiking bag is.

She is facing the sky, her hands covering her abdomen.

Her white apron is red with blood, and it's obvious that two holes have been opened in her body. Her face is ghastly white and her gaze is lax.

"Uozumi-san."

At the moment when I tried to reach out to her—

Her whole body suddenly caught flames.

Makoto felt chills just hearing about it. "Even you must have been shocked, right?"

"I can't say I had anticipated it," Kyoko said. "However, while everyone was distracted by Uozumi-san, I took the opportunity to retrieve one-million yen from her hiking bag."

She… what? Makoto gave her a squeamish look. "You wrote her off just like that?"

Kyoko folded her arms and turned her face to the side. "I told you I'm cold."

He breathed deeply. "Well, I guess it was the practical thing to do. It is amazing how you're able to act quickly under pressure, even when something so awful happens."

Kyoko sighed. "I knew the wound was fatal, so I did the only thing I could. It's not that I didn't feel any pity for her. I was as horrified as everyone else. I'm just… good at suppressing those feelings."

"It is kind of scary," Makoto admitted, "but it's also what makes you so reliable. I'm sure you put that money to good use."

Kyoko smirked. "Oh, yes. We'll get to that. But first, Oneesama and I had to make a plan." Her smile faded. "I wanted to cooperate with Yui-oneesama to claim the detective rights. Together, we would have 200 million yen, and it was unlikely that anyone else would work together at the time. However…"

"Alright, whose turn is it next? There's a little bit of procedures to be done, so the time it takes you should be about five minutes."

After saying this, Nanamura showed us the card in his right hand, pulled a chair next to him, and sat down leisurely. He threw the hiking bag aside, which– was deflated.

"Wait," Makoto said. "Are you telling me he bid all his money?"

"Yeah, that's what happened," Kyoko said.

Makoto held his chin. "That's kind of a jerk move, isn't it? He was already off-limits for being the Committee's summoned detective, right?"

"True," Kyoko said. "Because of him, no one could claim immunity for the day."

"But he was on your side, right? He must have had a plan."

Kyoko sighed. "He had a plan, certainly."

Makoto grew worried. "You don't sound happy."

"Hmph. Spoilers, Makoto. Just listen to the story, okay?"

He hummed. "Although, could you really be sure that he had spent the money? What if he had hidden it somehow?"

Kyoko gave a wry smile. "That's what Yui-oneesama thought."

"Umm, everyone else is zero!" I couldn't help exclaiming. "What's going on here?"

"What's going on...?" Minase frowned. "Didn't you also see that detective's hiking bag? You actually wasted money on bidding after you saw it? No normal person would."

"If you don't win the auction, the money you bid will be gone, right? Didn't you listen carefully when the instructions were given?"

"How could you toss away important money just like that?"

Even Yozuru was talking about me.

I'm speechless.

It looks like I have over-interpreted...

I glanced at Kirigiri, she was looking at me with an icy gaze.

Sorry...

"Kirigiri-chan, sorry, I failed... I didn't expect things to turn out like this..."

"I can easily imagine what kind of psychological process Yui-oneesama went through to arrive at the number 5 million." Kirigiri said in a calm voice. "It turned out to be a failure, but I think this is just your style, Oneesama."

"Are you complimenting me?"

"No."

"R-right." I hung my head in defeat.

Makoto smiled awkwardly. "Uh, were you mad?"

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "No human language could express my disappointment. I told her it was best to skip that day's auction, but she didn't listen."

"Heh, uh, I wonder what I would have done. Hmm, I think I would have trusted Nanamura-san, so I probably wouldn't have bid anything, especially if you told me not to."

Kyoko crossed her arms and smirked. "Trying to one-up Oneesama, Makoto? Prove you are the better partner?"

"Oh, uh, that's not it," Makoto insisted. "I don't mean to compete with Yui-chan at all. I was just wondering how I would have acted."

Kyoko let out an adorable laugh. "Well, you are both dear to me. It doesn't have to be a competition."

Her cute laughter and affectionate words went straight to Makoto's heart. "Y-you're, uh, dear to me, too." He did his best to stay cool. "So, uh, how did you feel about being deprived of detective rights? Did you feel like you were going to explode or something?"

"Hmm, you would think so. I would have thought so, and Yui-oneesama asked me the same thing. However, I myself was surprised at how comfortable I was with the situation."

"Now that I'm deprived of my 'Detective Rights,' what's strange is that I am instead calmer, my mind is clearer than usual, and I can also be more cold and ruthless than before."

Kirigiri smiled while covering the corners her mouth with her fingertips.

—I don't understand, but maybe this 'Duel Noir' has stimulated her fighting spirit.

It's rare to hear her talk so much, and there was something about her expression that gave her a sense of enthusiasm. If I were to describe it I'd say– she looks excited.

The identity of the detective is the reason for her existence, but at the same time, it's also a very heavy burden. She has always survived with her small back and thin legs against this burden.

Ironically, this isolated space allowed her to get rid of the burden she is normally subjected to, which is allowing her to re-examine her true self.

"This is also thanks to Yui-oneesama."

"Eh? I didn't do anything..."

"Having someone like you by my side, telling me that I am not an empty shell, that's..."

When she said this, she seemed embarrassed all of a sudden, and quickly closed her mouth.

Makoto gave a teasing smirk. "Well? What were you going to say?"

Looking away, Kyoko brushed her braided hair. "It was nice, that's all."

"That's it?"

She clasped her hands on her lap. "I already told you that Yui-oneesama helped me discover more about myself. I was grateful for that. If I had been in that situation before meeting her, I probably would have been much more distressed. I was… glad to have her." She had a hard time saying that last sentence.

"Come to think of it," Makoto said, "you don't get to do much detective work these days, do you?"

Kyoko sighed wistfully. "Yes, Nakazawa's case was the only one since leaving Hope's Peak. Not that I want another murder to happen, but… I miss it."

Makoto looked at her sympathetically. "Yeah, I can understand that." His heart was heavy as he continued. "If you really miss it, you could always transfer to the Sixth Division." Even though that means we'd be separated…

Kyoko scoffed. "And work for Sakakura? No thanks."

Would that really stop her? Makoto wondered. Does she… want to stay by my side, too?

"Umm, how is this job going for you?" Makoto asked.

"It's been a hell of a first week," Kyoko said, "but I'm managing."

"You're really okay with something besides detective work?"

"If I weren't, I wouldn't have signed up for it."

Makoto smiled. "Well, maybe when all this is over, you can get back to it."

"If I'm still alive," Kyoko said.

"Ugh, not this again."

"I told you. We have to be realistic." Her gaze trailed off into space. "I may have investigated my last case…"

"Kyoko…"

She closed her eyes. "Don't worry about me. I took this job because I wanted to. No matter what happens, I won't regret that decision." Although she had said that, Makoto could detect a nearly imperceptible trace of pain in her voice, so subtle that he likely would have missed it had he not known her so well.

"Hey." Makoto held her face and stared into her eyes. "Even if you're not a detective right now, you're going to help a lot of people."

She frowned. "I –"

"And before you say that's not what you're trying to do, then why did you take the job?"

Kyoko shrugged. "Who knows?"

I think you know. I don't know why you won't accept it, but you know.

Kyoko furrowed her brow. "Remember…"

"I don't intend to be like Yui-oneesama. I don't have these ideas of protecting others and everyone surviving. If necessary, I will achieve my goal even at the expense of others... this is what it means to be a Kirigiri."

Maybe that was what it meant to be a Kirigiri, but that wasn't what it meant to be Kyoko, even if she said otherwise.

Changing the subject, Makoto asked, "so, what was your plan then?"

Kyoko brushed her three-stranded braid. "I agreed with Yui-oneesama's opinion. The best strategy would have been for everyone to cooperate."

"Really? I'm glad to hear you say that."

Kyoko scowled. "For practical reasons, mind you."

Makoto smiled as if coaxing a child. "Of course."

Kyoko struggled to suppress the irritation in her furrowed brow. "However, that was easier said than done. Even Oneesama said…"

"But as long as one person is unwilling to cooperate, it can create more cracks."

"Yes, there will definitely be at least someone who won't be willing to cooperate."

"That's right... I don't think it's barbaric to defend yourself at the expense of putting others in danger. I think it's just instincts of living beings..."

"Are you one of these people, Yui-oneesama?"

"Who knows... I won't know until that time comes."

"I think it's 'that time' now."

Kirigiri puffed a smile and said.

"Ah, did you smile just now?"

"No."

"Nah, you definitely smiled. This is the first time I've seen you smile."

Makoto laughed softly. "Have you ever realized that you're kind of a tsundere?"

Kyoko groaned. "Please don't whittle me down to a single trope."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Makoto said sweetly. "You're so much more than that."

"Anyway," Kyoko said, "my question was rhetorical. I knew that Yui-oneesama was not the type to put her own safety before others. She had no reason to doubt herself, and I wanted to show her that."

Yeah, Makoto knew exactly how Kyoko felt… exactly.

"Right," Makoto said. "She was a detective of justice who always did the right thing." The right thing, just like…

"Indeed," Kyoko said. She shot Makoto a warning glare that screamed 'don't you dare say it.'

Makoto didn't understand. Kyoko had admitted that she had gained personal desires beyond her family's creed, yet she still didn't see herself as someone with her own principles. Was it really that deeply ingrained in her? What would it take to convince her that 'self-satisfaction' as she put it was nothing to be ashamed of?

Moving on, Kyoko told him about the game's first night. Nanamura had done what he could to rescue everyone from their locked hotel rooms, but it had been in vain. The killer had claimed their first victim, Akio Chage. Cause of death was strangulation, and his room had remained locked. Everyone had scrambled to understand how the murder had even been possible.

Yui had been the first released by Nanamura, and she had seen a figure enter an empty room. However, the figure had somehow disappeared from the room. Kyoko had asked Yui if she could identify who it had been, but Yui had only gotten a brief glimpse as the figure had raced through the dark corridor. Not to mention Yui had suffered from poor eyesight. It had only been natural that Yui had been unable to discern any useful details.

Regardless…

"You don't know anything. What were you looking at, Oneesama?"

"It couldn't be helped. It's that kind of situation."

"If only Oneesama looked at the criminal properly, maybe the case would've been solved by now."

"That's right, but..."

I have no words to say.

With a pang in his chest, Makoto's mouth fell open. "You really said that?"

Kyoko frowned regretfully, but didn't speak.

Even Makoto, as protective as he was for her, felt angry. How could Kyoko say that? And so soon after trying to encourage her?

"Why? You didn't have to be so harsh."

"I know," Kyoko whispered. "I have no excuse, especially since…" She winced. "I knew how badly she lacked confidence in herself, and I wasn't helping at all."

He was still angry, but Makoto's defensive side tried to rationalize Kyoko's actions. Maybe it had been tough love on Kyoko's part, trying to inspire Yui to improve as a detective. Problem was, it hadn't been Yui's fault in the least. Maybe Kyoko had been frustrated? Letting her emotions get the better of her? That wouldn't have been out of character for Kyoko.

Makoto calmed himself with a deep breath. "Well, no need to dwell on it. We all snap from time-to-time."

"… yeah," Kyoko muttered. "Although, Yui-oneesama did have something important to share. Before he died, Chage-san had told her something."

"Speaking of..." I remembered something. "When you entered your room at 10 o'clock, Chage-san stopped me and told me some strange things. At the time I thought he was talking nonsense again, but now that I think about it, he might've wanted to send me some kind of message..."

"What did he say?"

I told Kirigiri exactly what Chage told me.

"Shinsen-san is the Shinigami?"

One of the participants had been a man named Mikado Shinsen, who had supposedly stumbled on the Duel Noir on his own because, according to himself, he had 'sensed death,' not unlike Kyoko's own ability.

"I think he was most likely talking nonsense."

"But that doesn't contradict what Shinsen-san said when he introduced himself," Kirigiri said, staring at the floor intently. "He's always unconsciously drawn to death related places, whether it comes from his own will or not, maybe that's the case. It's a feeling I can understand."

"I don't understand it at all." I shook my head feebly. "But the fact that he was the only one who didn't receive an invitation to the 'Duel Noir' is concerning. I wonder if he is just an uninvited visitor, or if he's..."

The criminal?

If this is the case, it would be too simple. According to common sense, the most suspicious person isn't always the criminal, but...

"He may be an important person who will sway our fate in the future."

"I rarely hear you say abstract words like 'fate.'"

"Is that so? Yui-oneesama, you probably can't imagine it, but I actually like these kinds of words."

"Ehhh— I expected you would disdainfully say that words like fate and hope are 'illogical.'"

"I'm just interested in things that can't be explained by logic alone."

Kirigiri said without emotion, turning her face to the side.

"Huh, I'm surprised, too," Makoto said.

"Hmph," Kyoko puffed disapprovingly. "You think I'm a cliché 'logic is all that matters' type of person? You should know me better than that by now, Makoto."

Makoto scratched the back of his neck. "Heh, uh, you're right," he apologized.

A smile creeped up Kyoko's face. "Why do you think I'm so drawn to you? There's nothing logical about your optimism, yet I can't stop myself from admiring it." She giggled. "That goes for you and Oneesama."

"But haven't we learned so much information already?" Although I mainly knew all of it due to her. "With a little extra effort, we can do it!"

"You're so optimistic, Yui-oneesama."

"Since I don't have much talent, the least I can be is optimistic."

"You really aren't skimping on the compliments, are you?" Makoto said.

"Should I stop?" Kyoko asked.

"I didn't say that."

"Good, because I don't plan to."

"… so," Makoto said, "what's the deal with Shinsen? Did you really think he just happened to stumble upon 'death' like he claimed? I mean, I guess it's not unlike your 'Shinigami' senses, so maybe it's not impossible."

"It was hard to say at the time," Kyoko said. "For now, let's just say that I was right about him swaying our fate." There was darkness in her violet eyes. "To put it mildly."

Makoto shuddered. He had a bad feeling about Mikado Shinsen.

"Umm, did you have any idea who the killer was?" Makoto asked.

"Well…"

After inspecting Chage's corpse – which, in a morbidly amusing way, thirteen-year-old Kyoko had to see – they had still been unable to conclusively identify the culprit. A detail that had stood out was that the strangulation marks had been upside down, but it wasn't enough to narrow down the killer.

In that case– who is the criminal?

Are they really among us?

After the night hours began, Nanamura and I basically acted together, so it's safe to say it's impossible for him to commit the crime. Of course, I'm not the criminal either.

Mifune was alone in the corridor for about 20 minutes, but Minase and Yozuru in the nearby rooms testified that she had an alibi. In addition, Mifune's testimony can also prove that Minase and Yozuru stayed in their rooms, so it should be correct.

The problem lies with the remaining three, Toyano'oh, Shinsen and Kirigiri.

After the incident, Nanamura released them from their rooms.

But during the period before they were released, it's impossible to prove that they had been in their rooms.

"Yui-oneesama, why do you look so serious?" Kirigiri leaned over to me and stared at my face closely. "Could it be, you are wondering if I'm the criminal again?"

"That isn't true!"

I never doubted her at all.

I trust her very much.

"In that case, you're too incompetent as a detective. Oneesama, a detective must suspect everyone equally, even their own relatives. As long as the possibility cannot be logically denied, it must be investigated to the end."

"Is this also part of the Kirigiri family tradition?"

"Yes."

Kirigiri said proudly with her head held high.

"That means you also think I might be the criminal."

"No I'm not," Kirigiri said, a little flustered. "Because I have logically dismissed the possibility that Oneesama is the criminal, so I wouldn't think so."

"Really?"

"Really, believe me."

Kirigiri said with a troubled expression.

Did Makoto dare ask what Kyoko's reasoning was? Did she really have any, or…?

"That was a lie," Kyoko said quietly, as if she had read his thoughts.

Makoto frowned, unsure how to react.

"Of course I wanted to believe her," Kyoko said. "If she were the killer… I sincerely hoped she wouldn't betray me like that. I would have loved to prove her innocence." She tightened her fists. "However, I couldn't spend all my attention on Oneesama. The case was bigger than her. I couldn't let her distract me."

Makoto titled his head. "Distract you? I'm not sure I understand."

"… you will," Kyoko said darkly.

"Huh? What does that mean? Why are you being so –"

"Makoto…" Kyoko cut him off with an intense glare. "Please, not now. Not yet."

Makoto solemnly lowered his head. He understood well enough to tell that they were touching on a traumatic subject.

"But why lie?" Makoto asked.

"Because like I said, I couldn't waste time," Kyoko answered. "My heart told me that Yui-oneesama was innocent, but I couldn't prove it. Had I tried, it would have consumed me. I was too emotionally compromised to deal with that line of reasoning. I had to focus on catching the culprit, not defending Oneesama."

Makoto wasn't sure if he agreed. "I guess I see what you're saying, but I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to defend Yui-chan."

For some reason, Kyoko stared daggers into him.

Makoto raised his hands in surrender. "O-okay, I'll drop it."

Kyoko sighed. "It's fine… even though I couldn't prove it logically, I did have faith in her. Just like I have faith in you."

"I know," Makoto said. "I still can't thank you enough for defending me in that trial."

"Don't mention it." She allowed herself a shadow of a smile. "I trust you, Makoto."

He smiled sweetly. "I trust you too, Kyoko."

She hummed contentedly. "I'm glad to have it." She reverted to her stoic expression. "Anyway, Yui-oneesama and I also thought about who the mastermind behind the entire operation could be, and…" Her eyes wandered. "She asked me about my father."

A chill ran down Makoto's spine. "What did you tell her?"

"Mostly what I told you," Kyoko said. "That he's a failure of a Kirigiri who abandoned his family, that I will never forgive him for making me live in his shadow." She ran a finger through her hair. "Although, there is one thing I haven't told you."

"It's just that, when... Mother was alive, Grandpa and that man never argued with each other, probably because Mother's existence eased the conflict between them." Kirigiri lowered her eyes and sighed. "Looking back now, Mother's death may have been the reason that man had to run away from home, because the Kirigiri family doesn't need a person who isn't a detective."

"How did your mother pass away?"

"Sickness. She was always frail and sick, and died when I was 7 years old. The image of my mother in my memories is her pale smiling face, on a hospital bed—" Kirigiri looked at the wall and seemed to recall the past. "In the end, I didn't get to see my mother one last time. At that time, I happened to be abroad with my grandpa, but my grandpa gave priority to completing his detective work, so we didn't return home. And I... learned from him."

"—You learned from him?"

She nodded.

'Detective work comes first, even over the death of a family member'– At the age of 7, she had been confronted with the creed of the Kirigiri family.

"Of course that man disapproved of Grandpa's actions, and then began to completely reject the Kirigiri family. Maybe what he really wanted to reject was the Kirigiri's blood in his own body."

She said in an unsentimental tone, as she always does.

Makoto stared at her agape. "Your grandfather… didn't let you see your mother?"

There was no sign of emotion in Kyoko's eyes. "Not on her deathbed, no."

Makoto struggled to find words, but he couldn't let that go. "That… that's not okay!"

Kyoko scowled. "Why does it matter?"

He stared at Kyoko in utter shock. "You think it doesn't? How can you say that?! She was your mother!"

Kyoko's gaze remained icy. "The last thing I remembered was her smiling face on a hospital bed. If I had gone to see her one last time, nothing would have changed. My last memory still would have been her smiling face on a hospital bed."

What?! How could Kyoko say something so cruel? Makoto could safely say that his opinion of Fuhito had plummeted to rock bottom. There was no excuse for what he had done.

"But," Makoto said, "I'm sure she wanted to see you. Her last moments were when she needed her family more than ever. At least you would have been able to have a proper farewell."

Kyoko stared into nothingness. "A proper farewell…"

"Even if she didn't have much time left, you both deserved a chance to say goodbye. I'm sure she loved you, and I'm sure she wanted you to know that before she passed."

Kyoko lowered her head with a troubled look. "I…"

"Kyoko, don't tell me you never realized how messed up this is."

"… I've always had my doubts," Kyoko admitted. "That's why I asked Yui-oneesama if it was weird to prioritize detective work over the death of a family member. I wanted to know what she thought. Even after I told her about my mother, Oneesama didn't speak out against my family's creed. Only you have done that."

"I… imagine Yui-chan didn't approve, either," Makoto said. "She probably just didn't know how to tell you."

Kyoko shot him a soul-piercing stare. "Do you resent my grandfather for this?"

"Honestly, yeah," Makoto said.

"Should I resent him?"

Makoto grimaced at this line of questioning. "I can't tell you that. You said that you love him, so it must be complicated." He tried to steady his pounding heart as he met Kyoko's sharp gaze. "Why are you asking me?"

Kyoko frowned. "I don't want to resent him."

"… did he hurt you?"

"You've asked this already."

"And you refused to answer."

Kyoko sighed. "No, he never 'hurt' me. My family isn't as strict as you might think. We are allowed to form attachments, as long as we don't allow them to interfere with our work. Grandfather never objected to my friendship with Oneesama, after all. My tendency to avoid connections was a trait I developed on my own."

It wasn't much, but at least Fuhito hadn't gone that far, assuming Kyoko was telling the truth.

"I see," Makoto said. "Keeping you from your mother was awful, but I'm still just an outsider here. I can't tell you how to feel about your grandfather as a whole." A lightbulb shined above his head. "He was just rescued, wasn't he? Have you talked with him?"

"Not yet," Kyoko said, "but… maybe I should."

"Umm, I hope it goes well," Makoto said.

Kyoko had already lost so much family. If things went badly between her and Fuhito, Makoto imagined that it would devastate her. Despite Makoto's distaste of Fuhito's actions, he did hope that Kyoko and her grandfather would work things out.

Makoto also wondered…

"Are you thinking about my father?" Kyoko asked.

His eyes widened. "H-how did you…?"

She smirked. "I'm psychic."

Makoto groaned. "Okay, Maizono."

"You're just an open book as always," Kyoko said. "And I'm sure you're wondering how my feelings toward him have changed." She stared contemplatively. "I can't say I forgive him, but I have accepted that he did care about me. Now that I look back with a cooler head, the evidence is hard to deny."

Makoto was glad Kyoko had at least accepted that.

"For what it's worth," Makoto said, "I don't think you should hate him. I know you said that it's a good thing he didn't take you with him, but I'm sure he wanted to."

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Then why didn't he?"

Makoto was taken aback. There was a hint of venom in Kyoko's words. Was she still holding a grudge against her father?

But Kyoko had asked an important question. Why hadn't Jin taken Kyoko with him?

"Was he… not able to?" Makoto wondered. "Did Fuhito not let him take you?"

Kyoko shot him a glare frigid enough to freeze the gates of Hell. "Is that what you think? Come on, Makoto. You're better than this."

"Is it really so far-fetched?"

The icy flame in Kyoko's eyes burned fiercely. "Allow me to educate you. First of all, do you believe that my grandfather is even capable of forcing custody of me away from my father?"

Makoto scratched his chin. "Well, he is a skilled detective. Maybe he had influence over –"

"Are you an idiot?!"

Makoto froze in shock as Kyoko glowered at him with gnawing teeth. Why was Kyoko getting so emotional? Because it was bad for her grandfather? Oh, Makoto had done it now. He had stepped into the wrong spot of the minefield.

"How many times do I have to say it?" Kyoko hissed. "The Kirigiri family, by our own design, is not famous. We keep to the shadows. My grandfather had no power over the authorities. Even if he were a renowned detective, do you really have that little faith in the courts? Would they truly take my grandfather's side just for that?"

"Umm…"

"How is there any scenario where my grandfather wins? I'm sure the court would love to hear how my grandfather let his seven-year-old granddaughter handle firearms. While we're at it, let's tell them how he allowed me to investigate dangerous murder cases unsupervised! That won't go poorly at all!"

"K-Kyoko…"

"Oh, but you see, Your Honor, I need custody of my granddaughter so I can train her to be a homicide detective! It's our family's tradition! We have to honor our traditions!"

Makoto wasn't even sure whose side she was on, if either.

Her face flushed red, Kyoko turned her head away. "So, anyway, you're wrong. My grandfather did not force anything on either of us. My father allowed me to stay with the rest of the family."

Makoto lowered his head. He couldn't say for sure that Kyoko was right, but Kyoko had made her position clear.

"The truth is," Kyoko said, "it was my decision. I wanted to stay with my grandfather and continue my training. I wouldn't have gone with that man no matter how hard he begged me."

"But, you were only seven. You couldn't make a choice like that."

"I grew older, and my decision never changed."

"But –"

Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "It was not that man's place to decide my fate."

Makoto supposed she had a point, albeit a weak one. Even a child deserved some respect for their own agency, though this was an extreme case.

Her face softened. "I believe that's why he did it. He knew that it was up to me to cut ties from the Kirigiri family. Not that I ever would."

Makoto wouldn't say that was a good justification for Jin's actions, but perhaps it was possible.

"… did you ever ask Fuhito about seeing him again?" Makoto asked. "Was it really necessary to get accepted into Hope's Peak just to meet him one more time?"

Kyoko paused. "In a way, I don't think he wanted to see me again."

"What? Why not? You said that –"

"It's not that he didn't care about me," Kyoko said. "I believe he didn't see me because he knew exactly what I'd say to him."

… that they were no longer family.

"In the end, he was just a coward," Kyoko said coldly.

"I don't think –"

"A coward who loved his daughter, but a coward all the same."

A coward? Makoto wasn't so sure. Jin had been brave to stand up against the traditions his family had passed down for generations, but why hadn't Jin let Kyoko see him one last time? Had he been planning to face Kyoko once she had been older? Hoping that she would willingly reject the Kirigiri creed as he had? Or was it just as Kyoko had said?

It was impossible to know for certain. It was almost ironic. Jin had denounced his father for refusing to allow Kyoko closure over her mother's death, but he couldn't allow Kyoko closure for his own departure. It wasn't until Kyoko had made it to Hope's Peak Academy that she had finally been able to seek that closure. Makoto hoped the two had found at least some kind of understanding.

A coward who loved his daughter…

Makoto smiled wryly. "I guess that's the best he's getting from you."

Kyoko returned the smile. "And I expect him to be grateful. Now, we're getting sidetracked again…"

Kyoko talked about the next round of the auction. Another participant, Yuzen Minase, had won with a bid of 50 million yen, and he had made it clear that he had no intention of saving anyone but himself. Everyone had to wait locked in their rooms all night in fear that the killer would come for them.

"Kirigiri-chan, what should I do next?"

I asked her in a low voice.

"Tonight we'll stay locked in our rooms and can't get out. No matter whose screams we hear, we won't be able to save that person."

She said, her eyes were more serious than ever.

Makoto held his chest, thumping just thinking about it. "Were you scared?"

The door in front of me opened, and there stood Kirigiri with red swollen eyes, and a blanket covering her head, as if she was pretending to be a ghost.

"I was," Kyoko said honestly. "The thought of dying a meaningless death there did not appeal to me, but I took it better than Oneesama."

I couldn't help but hug her tightly.

The blanket fell to her feet.

My tears naturally poured out, and my face and her hair got a little wet.

"I'm so glad! You're safe!"

"You're overreacting, Yui-oneesama."

She said with a troubled look.

Makoto frowned sadly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Even before Hope's Peak, you've suffered so much."

"I told you that I don't want your pity," Kyoko said irritably.

"But at least you had a friend by your side, right?"

Kyoko paused. "Yeah…"

"It's okay." Kirigiri shook her head. "In exchange... will you be the first one to come to me in the morning?"

"Certainly."

Kirigiri seemed very happy, she showed a smile, and then disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Please stay safe.

Please—

The killer had claimed their next victim that night, a man named Seiunsai Toyano'ō. The next day, Kyoko and Yui had investigated the second murder, during which they had run into some complications…

"An extra effort. What's the point of doing this..."

Kirigiri muttered to herself and started walking down the corridor alone, and I hurriedly followed. It feels like I'm running around after a restless infant.

Kirigiri walked back and forth in the corridor while counting her steps.

"What are you doing, Kirigiri-chan?"

"I'm checking the sizes of the rooms."

"Then you can just measure it with the measuring tape."

I took the measuring tape from my backpack.

Kirigiri turned to me with an angry look.

"If you have a measuring tape, say it earlier."

"You never said you needed this."

"You should've been able to understand what I've been doing."

"The intentions of your actions aren't so easy to understand."

"—Forget it, I don't want it."

Kirigiri ignored the measuring tape and continued to measure the distance with her feet.

"Kirigiri-chan." I called out to her, grabbing one of her slender wrists. "The ideas in your head are always far ahead of mine that I've tried my best just to catch up with you. But if necessary, you can ask me for help, though I can't do much."

I put the tape in her hand.

She turned her face away and said:

"...I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I was too direct, sorry."

Kirigiri went back to room '302' with her shoulders slumped.

I feel like the more time I spend with her, the more expressions she shows. At first I thought she was an extremely logical person, but in fact she's a sensitive girl with emotional ups and downs.

I followed her back to the room.

Kyoko's face was flushed with embarrassment as she recounted this.

"Yeah, you definitely overreacted," Makoto said honestly.

Kyoko grunted. "Yes, you have been on the receiving end of that yourself."

"You don't have to beat yourself up over it."

For some reason, Kyoko gave him a rueful look. "I really was awful to you."

"Huh? Where's this coming from? You're not going to bring up that trial again, are you?"

"No, not that," Kyoko said. "Don't worry, we've discussed that topic enough. I'm talking about… everything else."

"Everything else?"

"Using you as bait, calling you arrogant, bossing you around, the list goes on."

"Kyoko…" Makoto winced. "You don't need to worry about every little mistake."

"These aren't little mistakes," Kyoko said. "Take the secret room. Enoshima could have killed you. I had suspected that the mastermind would attack you, but I lured you in anyway. All to confirm one small theory."

"I… I can't say I wasn't upset," Makoto said, "but I wanted to take down the mastermind as much as you did. If you had warned me of your suspicion, I still would have done it. Like you said, we couldn't spend all our time avoiding danger."

Kyoko frowned shamefully. "Not to make excuses, but it wasn't my intention to hide anything from you. I just have a bad habit of thinking that other people's understanding is the same as my own. I wrongfully assumed that the danger was obvious and neglected to mention it. Like with Yui-oneesama, I was always failing to communicate with you." She bowed her head. "I truly am sorry. For all of it."

"Don't worry about it," Makoto said. "Really, it's not healthy to dwell on the past so much."

"Mhm, I'm aware, but it can be difficult to put theory into practice."

Kyoko really had trouble with that, didn't she? Letting go of the past had never come easy for the girl. Being 'abandoned' by her father, her 'mistake' that had cost her Yui, 'abandoning' Makoto, whether the offended or the offender, Kyoko always had trouble escaping her regrets. Was that part of the reason why she was telling her story? She had said that she wasn't trying to solicit his comfort, but Makoto hoped it would help her find peace anyway.

"Well, you're getting better," Makoto said encouragingly. "At communicating, I mean."

"I should hope so," Kyoko said. "I'm a Division Head now. I can't afford poor communication skills anymore."

"I believe in you, Kyoko!"

She smiled happily. "Hehe, you always do. Speaking of teamwork…"

Kyoko talked about the next auction. Despite supposedly only having 50 million yen left, Minase had boasted that he would win again. Kyoko had boldly countered his claim, declaring that she would win. Once the bidding was finished…

"Kirigiri-chan, I won!"

"As expected."

Kirigiri said as she brushed aside her hair that was resting on her face.

Today's auction results:

Samidare Yui 5,300 Ten-Thousand

Minase Yūzen 5,200 Ten-Thousand

Kirigiri Kyōko 5,100 Ten-Thousand

"Wha- whawhawhat is this?" Minase grabbed the frame of the portrait and shook it desperately. "What's going on! Why? Why?"

"I knew that if I provoked you enough, your eyes would only be on me. You bid the 'maximum amount plus 2 million' to fight against the 'maximum amount plus 1 million', the same as I thought you would do."

"D-damnit..."

"Don't worry, Minase-san, no matter what kind of person you are, Yui-oneesama will protect you tonight. Isn't that right, Yui-oneesama?"

Kirigiri turned to me with an innocent smile.

Makoto smiled. "Cheeky, Kyoko."

Kyoko held her head high. "Yui-oneesama was a true hero."

"But, how did he have more than 50 million?" Makoto asked.

"It's rather simple, actually. Think about it. Where could someone find more money than the initial 100 million?"

"Oh, did he take it from someone else? Like when you stole from Uozumi-san?"

She smiled proudly. "Yes, Minase had taken Toyano'ō's money after he died."

"Devious," Makoto said. "Good thing you saw though it."

"Indeed. Unlike Minase, Yui-oneesama was committed to protecting everyone. That night, she got everyone out of their rooms, and no one died."

"Yui-oneesama, congratulations, everyone survived."

"Thank you, it's all thanks to you."

"And with the master key finally in our hands, a new area was within our reach."

I wonder what it would take to get over this missing staircase.

The missing span of the stairs is about two or three meters, but the location of the landing on the opposite side is higher than my line of sight.

"We can take some sheets and twist them into a rope and hang them on the opposite side. What do you think?"

Kirigiri proposed.

However, at first glance, there's nowhere to hang a rope on the opposite side.

"I guess this is where I come in."

This distance is not impossible to jump over.

I'm very confident in my jump. The problem is that there is no place for a run-up in this place, and the landing point on the opposite side is too high.

After I made up my mind, I went down the corridor, intending to start a run-up from here.

"Wait, Oneesama, you're going to jump over by yourself? I think that's still too much of a stretch."

Kirigiri said worriedly.

"Just leave it to me. If we want to keep going, then danger is unavoidable. In order to solve this mystery, we can't stand still, right?"

"No, Oneesama, if you are injured, there's no way to take you to a hospital right away. It's better to use your mind to think before acting blindly. There must be a better way, don't you think? Oneesama."

Kirigiri began to panic.

"It's okay, if I get hurt, I'll let you take care of me."

I did my stretching exercise.

I hope that the prison life these days didn't make my legs dull.

The stairs are straight down the hallway, then 90 degrees to the left.

Here I go.

I'm going to use my high jump technique.

Then as the stairs came into view.

Jump—

The height difference on the opposite side is almost the same level as my line of sight.

I never thought I could land on both feet.

Once I manage to reach the upper half of my body there, all I have to do next is crawl up with the strength of my arms.

—After a short time in the air.

I tried my best to let the part above my chest reach the edge on the opposite side.

"Ngh!"

I climbed desperately to the edge, using both arms for support.

Both feet were hanging in the air.

"Oneesama?"

"Nnnaaaaa!"

I put my whole strength on both arms and propped up my upper body.

Lifting a leg up, I finally climbed the edge.

Then I just rolled and laid down on the stairs landing.

"Amazing, amazing!"

I heard Kirigiri's happy cheers.

Wait? So she can raise her voice like this? I'm glad to see her many expressions during this period of time...

Makoto's face lit up with a grin. "Cheering for your oneesama? I would have liked to see that."

Kyoko turned away, but she smiled shyly. "I was glad she wasn't hurt."

"Yeah, I can tell you were worried, and you call yourself cold?"

"There are exceptions," Kyoko said.

Makoto crossed his arms and imitated Kyoko's smirk. "And 'if we want to keep going, then danger is unavoidable?' That sounds familiar."

Kyoko's face flushed slightly. "Let's focus on the investigation."

After clearing the broken staircase, Yui had used her master key to gain access to the next floor. At least, it was supposed to be the next floor, but in reality, it had been the rooftop. This revelation alone helped crack the case wide open. Kyoko had soon deduced that the killer had hung from the roof to strangle the victims through the windows. After considering the conditions required to reach the rooftop during the two murders, Kyoko had deduced that the killer was a participant named Sae Yozuru.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the case, because the Duel Noir's official detective had refused to act.

"What, why?" Makoto asked in exasperation.

"Money," Kyoko said.

"Money?!"

"Yes, he liked money."

"But, how does helping the criminal even…?"

"Yozuru had promised to pay him 500 million in exchange for his cooperation."

"She bribed him?!" Makoto gnawed his teeth. "What a… jerk!" He exhaled sharply. "So, you had to win the auction, right?"

"The next two auctions," Kyoko said. "Without Nanamura, the only way to win was to protect the final target until the time expired. I believed that Meruko Mifune was the next target. The remaining participants ended up splitting into two teams. Shinsen and Nanamura supported Yozuru, while the rest of us supported Mifune. Oddly enough, our funds were evenly matched at 233 million." She smirked "At face value, that is."

"And you had a plan to win both auctions?"

"Don't you know who you're talking to?"

"Nothing is impossible," Kirigiri said with a sweet smile. "We will win fair and square. Isn't that right, Oneesama?"

That day, Kyoko had ordered Mifune to bid the full 233 million, while Yozuru had kept all her funds in reserve. It had seemed hopeless for Mifune to win the next day, but Kyoko had a plan.

Mifune had kept everyone safe that night, though they knew that Yozuru had deliberately been biding her time.

The next morning…

I suddenly felt something touching my face, and I woke up.

Kirigiri is staring at my face with a worried look.

She is touching my face with her fingertips.

Like she was wiping away my tears.

"Yui-oneesama, you're crying."

"Sorry, it's nothing."

I sat up, took off my glasses and put them on the bed to wipe my tears.

"You like to ask me so many questions, but you don't talk much about yourself."

Kirigiri frowned as she got a little upset.

"I still dream about my little sister from time to time." I talked about a topic I had never mentioned to anyone before. "She's always asking for help, but I haven't been able to save her once. Even in my dreams, I'm still powerless... It's frustrating..."

"Yui-oneesama." Kirigiri brought her face closer to me. "Then you will protect me this time. If anything happens to me... Yui-oneesama, you will have to come and protect me, and you will be able to do it."

I stared at the smiling Kirigiri.

"Kyoko…" Makoto rested a hand on her shoulder. "That's so sweet."

"I wasn't trying to be sweet," Kyoko said, a little flustered. "I just saw that she was sad, and it made me sad, and I, umm…"

Makoto squeezed her shoulder. "You are sweet. When you want to be, at least."

Kyoko exhaled softly, seeming to enjoy Makoto's touch.

"I can understand how Yui-chan felt," Makoto said. "I still dream of the people we've lost, and I'm also powerless to save them."

Kyoko's gloved hand caressed his cheek. "You saved me."

Makoto frowned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make this about me. I just feel bad for Yui-chan."

"… so did I," Kyoko said. "I know she was always thinking about the burden I was carrying, but she had her burdens, too. I wanted to help her however I could."

Makoto didn't doubt that.

"What happened next?" Makoto asked.

She looked a bit blurry.

Speaking of my glasses...

I tried picking up my glasses on the bed.

But Kirigiri quickly snatched it away.

She put the glasses on her face and joked:

"Do I look good?"

"Sorry, I can't see you well."

"...Forget it."

Kirigiri took off the glasses and shoves them at me as soon as she can.

Although she looks calm, she is easy to get angry sometimes... or she is just shy.

Makoto grinned. "So you can be playful."

She gave a demure smile. "Occasionally."

"It's a shame she couldn't see you," Makoto said. "I bet you do look good in glasses."

Kyoko teasingly clicked her tongue. "Who are you, Yamada?"

So brutal. Makoto pouted. "Aww, come on…"

It really was a shame, though. Kyoko had given Yui a rare moment of lightheartedness, and Yui had kind of shut her down. Makoto sympathized with Kyoko's disappointment. Not that it had been Yui's fault, but…

Kyoko's lips curled into a lopsided smile. "I have an idea."

"Eh?"

Kyoko took something out of her pocket, a spare pair of gloves. They were identical to the ones she normally wore. Black, decorated with studs. She handed them to Makoto, leaving the request unspoken.

Makoto awkwardly tilted his head. "You want me to…?"

She simply kept smiling at him.

Oh, how can I say 'no' to that face?

Makoto took the gloves and rolled them onto his hands. The leather felt comfortable, but the studs were a bit, err, much for him personally.

Kyoko grinned. "You look very pretty, Makoto."

Although his face lit up red, Makoto did his best impression of Kyoko's thinking pose. "I feel as if my deductive reasoning has increased by forty-percent."

Kyoko giggled. "It'll take more than a fancy pair of gloves to become a great detective."

"They are some fancy gloves, though," Makoto said. "Did I ever tell you how much I love your fashion sense? Your cool gloves, your stylish jacket, your cute braid."

She smirked. "My sexy skirt and boots."

Makoto had a hard time processing that the word 'sexy' had come out of Kyoko's mouth. "Ah, uh, heh… I can't deny that."

Kyoko placed a hand against his chest. "And you look dashing in that suit."

"Oh? You didn't like my hoodie?" he teased.

"No, it was very cute." Her gloved fingers delicately traced his chest. "Is it okay if I call you cute? I know boys don't always like that."

"I don't like it; I love it." He grinned. "You need to stop judging things based on narrow-minded cultural assumptions, Kyoko."

"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind." She took Makoto's gloved hands into her own. "They really do look good on you."

Their gloved hands joined, Makoto leaned in and kissed Kyoko's lips. "I'm glad you think so."

Kyoko smiled as she returned the kiss. "You always look good." She let go of his hands and leaned back. "Th-that said, we should get back to the story."

Makoto gave an excited look. "I think I already know how you won."

"WHAA!" Yozuru stared at the result, her eyes almost popping out. "Howw? What's going on?"

"Look at the results... I don't have to explain anything for you to understand."

Today's auction results:

Kirigiri Kyōko 100 Ten-Thousand

Sae Yozuru 0 Ten-Thousand

"That's right," Kyoko said. "Unbeknownst to Yozuru, I had used the one million yen that I had taken from Uozumi. Yozuru would have preferred that no one claimed detective rights that day, so she hadn't bid anything, believing that no one else had money to bid."

"But you showed her," Makoto said.

"Yes, and although we couldn't capture her, we did expose her as the murderer."

Although Yozuru had refused to outright admit that she had been the murderer, she had explained that she had targeted Mifune as revenge for being the star of a fraudulent psychic show, even though Mifune had genuinely believed that she'd had psychic powers. Yozuru's father had worked at the production studio and suffered blame for the scam, which had driven him to suicide. After admitting this, Yozuru had drawn a gun and resisted capture. She was going to lose the Duel Noir, but she'd apparently had the funds to repay the Committee.

"So," Makoto said, "what was it like to hold the 'detective rights?' You had to protect everyone, right?"

Kyoko frowned. "Well, that was complicated. That night, I reminded Yui-oneesama that I'm not a detective with the intention of helping anyone."

There she goes again, Makoto thought.

"Still," Kyoko said, "I knew that Oneesama wanted to keep everyone safe, and I… didn't want to let her down."

Makoto looked closely at her. "I know your family trained you to fulfil the commission and nothing else, but… I know you want to help people. That's the kind of person you are. You're not as cold as you make yourself out to be."

Kyoko looked annoyed and turned her head away. "Keep telling yourself that. Doesn't make it true."

Makoto fought back a smile. Kyoko could keep telling herself that, but he remembered that kiss just a bit earlier. Kyoko had appreciated Makoto's efforts to make her believe in herself… or maybe it had just been her way of shutting him up.

"Y-you have too much faith in me," Kyoko had said.

No, Makoto knew he was right. He believed in Kyoko wholeheartedly.

He just wished Kyoko would believe in herself, too.

Kyoko's brow creased with sadness. "In any case, everyone but Yozuru stayed the night in the same room with me. They were safe from her. However…" She bit her lip. "I let my guard down. After 9 AM, Yui-oneesama woke me up, and…"

When I came to the corridor, I immediately noticed an abnormality.

On the wall in front of me, traces of blood were scattered all over.

What is this...?

Where did everyone go...?

Isn't it a bit too quiet...

Behind me, Kirigiri stared at the corridor, holding her breath.

"Yui-oneesama, this..."

"Yeah..."

At this time...

My cell phone suddenly rang.

"Ah, okay, I'll put her on the line." I handed the phone to Kirigiri.

"It's your grandpa."

"What... at a time like this?" Kirigiri put the phone on her ear.

"Happy New Year, Grandpa. Is it too early for you there to say that?... Okay, I will turn on the speakers."

Kirigiri turned on the phone's speaker.

"Samidare-san, you should listen carefully too. I heard about the Crime Victims' Relief Committee from Kyōko before. I didn't particularly care about it at the time, but now the situation has changed."

"What's going on?"

"The chairman seems to have some unusual movements. I don't know what exactly he is up to, but if my reasoning is correct... it should be almost time for him to come in contact with Kyōko."

"Eh! The chairman is coming in contact for us? Why does he want to contact Kirigiri-cha... Kyōko-chan?"

"There are lots of ties between him and me."

"What's going on, Grandpa?"

"I'll tell you in detail next time. In short, now you have to be extra careful, and if possible, do not approach that man."

"Even if you tell me not to approach him, I don't know what he looks like."

Kirigiri said a little troubled.

"His appearance has no reference value. What he is good at is camouflage and disguise. He is a Variationist who won't let anyone see his true face."

"Then how are we to be careful?"

"I'll tell you his name. If you hear that name, run away no matter what."

"This's... too excessive." Kirigiri shrugged. "And the name of that man is?"

"Shinsen Mikado... the former Triple-Zero rank detective."

Kirigiri and I looked at each other.

Could it be him...

He is... the chairman of the Crime Victims' Relief Committee?

"His goal should be me. He probably wants to lure me out, so he wants to start with you, Kyōko. To summarize, if you feel even the slightest hint of him, run away. You are no match for him now."

"...Got it."

Kirigiri said, her voice having a rarely heard tremble.

"Good, don't make contact with him until I arrive, okay?"

"Yes."

"Good girl. Happy New Year, Kyōko."

The phone hung up.

Kirigiri's hand is shaking.

Makoto's mouth opened wide in shock. "Shinsen was the mastermind?"

"Yes," Kyoko said.

Not only that, but Fuhito had ordered Kyoko to stay as far away from him as possible. Shinsen really must have been a dangerous man. Makoto was surprised that Fuhito had wanted Kyoko to prioritize her own safety, but had Fuhito been protecting his granddaughter, or his legacy?

"Uh, how did you feel?" Makoto asked.

"Terrified," Kyoko said bluntly. "The person behind the whole organization had been with us the entire game? He had a history with grandfather? And he was an expert at disguise? A suspicion I'd had was starting to solidify."

"A suspicion?"

"We'll get there. First, I had to investigate those bloodstains."

This person's head was smashed and turned into a gruesome corpse... It was Yozuru Sae.

Blood had splattered everywhere from the floor to the ceiling, telling us of the horrific story that had happened here. A large hammer is beside the body.

"Not good..."

Kirigiri approached the corpse and began to fumble around it.

"What are you doing! Let's run away!"

"Oneesama, the gun is gone!"

Makoto turned pale. "What…?"

After that, they had made a break for the exit, which had been scheduled to open soon.

I pulled Kirigiri and ran to the front door of the main entrance.

I pushed the door.

Not open yet.

I looked at my phone.

9:57

3 more minutes to go–

"You're too late, young ladies."

A voice came from somewhere.

Kirigiri and I turned around.

In the middle of the lobby, Nanamura, who was on ground earlier, had stood up. He patted his blood-stained suit and looked at us.

"You're pretty good at avoiding danger. I didn't think you girls would actually ignore me. I could've definitely taken care of you both as soon as you got close."

Nanamura is holding the revolver in his right hand.

How is this happening...

The esteemed Double-Zero detective is actually...

"There are still four more rounds left."

Nanamura said while looking into the magazine.

I didn't move with Kirigiri, I only watched his every move.

He aimed his gun at Minase, who was lying next to him, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

After a momentary flash, Minase's body flicked lightly.

A meaningless bullet.

"It would be bad if the murderer fails in this 'Duel Noir.' The 550 million I'm supposed to get will be returned to the organization, huh? I let her win. But fate is ironic. I didn't expect a team of a high school girl and a middle school girl could do this... The world of detectives is truly far-reaching."

"He… he killed them?!" Makoto said in horror. "Just so he could keep the money? How could he…?"

"He thought he was too important," Kyoko said. "In his mind…"

"It can't be helped. This is the most rational conclusion for society and the world. The world should understand better, that by investing in high-ranking people like me, civilization can advance much faster."

Makoto couldn't believe it. "But to kill those people… that's sick! No amount of money was worth their lives!"

Kyoko clenched her fists. "Yui-oneesama was angry, too. I was angry."

"As a result, I got 900 million yen and my reputation is preserved. There is just one more problem. If what happened here spreads out, it will definitely be a problem. Therefore, I must seal your mouths shut. I wonder if you girls are tight-lipped?"

"...I will expose you after I get out of here!"

"Right, I knew you would say that, Samidare-kun. How about Kirigiri-kun?"

"...Just like Oneesama."

"Oh wow, I thought you wouldn't care about such trivial matters. Did you get affected by Samidare-kun?" Nanamura sighed, then pointed his gun at us. "Then please, die for this world like everyone else. It's precisely because of the existence of slow people like you that this world has become stagnant."

Makoto gaped at her. "Kyoko, you really said that? Even though –"

"I doubt he was going to let me live, regardless," Kyoko said. "However, it's true that I didn't want him to get away with what he had done, but for different reasons than Yui-oneesama. Her image of a detective was someone who fights for justice, and mine was a bringer of absolute truth. Nanamura had shattered both of our illusions."

"But no one commissioned you to do that," Makoto said. "I thought pursing the truth outside of a commission is 'childish.' What made you want to expose him?"

"I…" Kyoko closed her eyes. "Hard to say."

"Because you're a good person," Makoto said, "and I'll keep telling you that until you believe it. Still, being held at gunpoint like that must have been terrifying. How did you get out of it?"

The distance is about 10 meters.

At this distance, anyone with a gun can easily hit their target.

However, this is if the target isn't moving.

If we run around with all our strength, we might be able to dodge the remaining three bullets.

It's better than just waiting to be hit–

"Yui-oneesama, don't."

Kirigiri grabbed the corner of my clothes.

"But! We'll be shot if this continues!"

"There are 30 seconds left."

"Eh?"

"Buy time."

Oh right, the remaining time for the front door just behind us to open–

Bang!

Nanamura pulled the trigger at us mercilessly.

The bullet grazed my left ear and made a hole in the door.

My left ear is ringing.

"Trying to stall for time? Too bad, did you think I don't know what you are thinking. I will shoot you this time."

Nanamura pressed down the revolver hammer with his thumb.

Makoto was practically biting his nails. Was this where Yui died? No, that didn't add up, but…

We'll get shot.

I stood in front of Kirigiri, using my body as her shield.

There are two more bullets.

If I can block them both, she'll be saved.

I opened my arms wide.

"What do you think? I made it easy for you to hit. Now shoot!"

"Oneesama, no!"

"Very well, one bullet to finish you off, and the last one will be for her behind you."

Nanamura's finger grabbed the trigger.

"She… she was going to take the bullets for you," Makoto breathed.

Kyoko trembled. "I tried to stop her. I much rather would have taken the bullets for her, but then…"

Just then, the door to the cafeteria slammed open.

Mifune, covered in blood, appeared from there.

She is about to fall to the ground, kneeling on the lobby floor, stretching out her index finger and pointing straight at Nanamura.

"Beeend—!"

Nanamura quickly turned around and pulled the trigger towards Mifune.

However, no bullet was fired.

Nanamura looked at the gun in his hand with a surprised look and tried to operate it, but the gun didn't seem to work properly.

Could this be her psychic power—

However, Mifune was exhausted and fell head first to the ground.

"What's going on?"

Nanamura finally threw the whole gun at Mifune, and the handle hit the back of Mifune who was lying on the ground, yet she was unresponsive.

An electronic beep sounded behind us, and the door opened.

"The door is open!"

Kirigiri opened the door.

We rushed out of the foyer.

"W-wait!"

A voice came from behind us. Without looking back, we opened the entrance door, and finally escaped from the hotel.

Makoto held his pounding chest. "I'm not sure what happened there, but I'm glad you both made it out."

"There was one last surprise," Kyoko said.

We rushed outside.

Standing there is...

Shinsen Mikado.

He had been with two other triple-zero detectives, Johnny Arp and Gekka Ryuzoji.

Makoto was shocked that three triple-zero detectives had been with the Committee. Kyoko had not had it easy.

Nanamura had followed them outside, and…

Johnny drew a revolver out from the inner pocket of his suit, rolled it around his fingertips, and placed it on Shinsen's right hand.

Shinsen took the pistol and approached Nanamura.

Is he going to shoot—?

Nanamura couldn't move, his knees were trembling.

"N-no, it can't be... how is this possible..."

Shinsen turned the gun grip towards Nanamura and handed it to him.

At this point, Nanamura must have understood everything with his 'Allegro Agitato' thinking speed.

He took the gun with a trembling hand.

"Right... this means... the fall has already begun..."

Nanamura whispered this and pulled the trigger at his temple.

He immediately turned into a corpse and collapsed in front of the main entrance of the Norman's Hotel.

Makoto's eyes widened. "What? Why would someone so self-absorbed like him do that?"

Kyoko shrugged. "Who knows?"

"The fall? What were they talking about?" A soft gasp escaped his lips. "Could they have meant The Tragedy?"

"Interesting theory," Kyoko said, "but to this day, I really have no idea."

The trio of ace detectives had not harmed Yui or Kyoko, but Shinsen had left Kyoko with some parting words.

"You've grown admirably, Kirigiri Kyōko, a worthy daughter of the Kirigiri family." Shinsen said without looking back, waving his right hand. "Farewell, when we meet next time– I will be in a different face."

And that concluded the Norman Hotel Case.

Makoto stared sadly into Kyoko's eyes. What a horrible ending – a horrible case from start to finish. Having to stay locked alone in a room every night, fearing that the killer would come for them next. The cutthroat auction. Nanamura's betrayal, and the massacre that followed. Kyoko had experienced all this at thirteen years old.

"Did anyone else make it?" Makoto asked.

Kyoko shook her head. "Of the ten people that went inside, only myself, Yui-oneesama, and Shinsen escaped alive."

So many dead. "I'm sorry."

Kyoko turned away. "I'm not a detective with the intention of helping others, but I felt sorry for Yui-oneesama. All her efforts to save everyone were in vain, all because of Nanamura." She grimaced. "No, not just him. I should never have let him out of my sight."

"Hey, you couldn't have –"

"Couldn't I?" Kyoko challenged. "I knew that Nanamura had only been looking out for himself. I should have known that he wouldn't allow Yozuru to lose the game. I should have stopped him."

Makoto couldn't deny that in hindsight, someone probably should have watched Nanamura. He wanted to say something in Kyoko's defense, but he knew that she wouldn't accept any excuses.

"But you're not like him," Makoto said. "Nanamura was a detective who would step over anyone for his own goals, and that's something you wanted to stop. You're better than that. You were always better than that."

Kyoko stared off into space, probably thinking about how she had treated Makoto during the Killing Game, but they had already said everything there was to say.

Well, almost, but Makoto couldn't tell her yet.

"What about Shinsen?" Makoto asked. "What did he want with you?"

"Even now, his motives elude me," Kyoko said. "He was not done meddling with me, however." Kyoko's eyes darkened. "That man, I will never forgive him."

Makoto was scared to ask what had happened next, but Kyoko began anyway.

"After hearing what Grandfather had told me, there was something I had to investigate. Parting ways with Yui-oneesama, I went back home…"