Part 17: Super High-school Level Update #15

After more than 2 updates, I finally have more control than just pressing the circle button over and over. Everyone is here, so we can see if they have anything more to say, but first - let's see if something can be done about Enoshima.



I touched Enoshima-san’s body lightly...
I tried to act just like they do in the movies, and check her hand and neck for a pulse...

......
She’s really... dead...

There was nothing more and nothing less to it. She was completely and utterly dead.



You didn’t need to actually check. Anyone suffering such injuries and losing so much blood...
...if someone like that managed to live, that would be quite the miracle.



N...nn......?
W....wait.....



W...w...w...w...wait...!! G...g...g...give me a break...!!
If they’re d...dead, then...



This is all real!? It’s not just a strange event or initiation!?



N...no!! Someone save me! Let me out of here!!
Someone!!!



He... just noticed...



With your permission, I'm going to leave the obvious Plot Advancer that's standing in the middle for last. Let's see who's on the left side of the room...





.........
...Yamada-kun?



My senses are currently being rebooted... Please wait...



........

She doesn’t even open her mouth. It must have been a huge shock for her...



Right in front of my... eyes...
Uuuuuu....



We have no escape route. There is no choice but do as we are told.



Someone... someone... get me out of here...



T...this is our reality?
That fucking bear...!

...and who's on the right.





If we can finger the culprit they alone gets killed... But if we don’t...
We will all be executed...



That’s a school rule!? That doesn’t make any sense!!



Let’s go look for our culprit, already.



B...but, honestly... Was he serious? Can we really do it... find the culprit...?



I don’t like it... but I guess we have no choice but finding the culprit...
If we don’t... we’re all dead, aren’t we...



Huh...?



Hee hee... I just noticed something...



Noticed something...? What’s that...?



I just looked at the Monobear File that bear gave us...
...and noticed something very strange that's written there.
...eh? What are you talking about?
Have a look yourself. The place Sayaka Maizono was killed...
...was “Makoto Naegi’s private room”.



Ah! It really says so!



...so... that means...!!

Everyone’s eyes suddenly turned toward me.

H, hey, wait a second! You’ve got it all wrong!
I just exchanged rooms with Maizono-san for one night...
We did that because she was scared...



You’re a stinky liar, aren’t you...? W...why don’t you just tell us the truth...?!

Everyone’s expressions were now clearly different from just a moment before.
They were now expressions loaded with suspicion and fear... In short...

They... suspect me...!?

Finally, we speak to Kirigiri, who has just been standing there saying nothing.



Before we start investigating Maizono-san’s death, what are we going to do about preserving the crime scene?
Preserving the... crime scene?



We need someone to guard it so no one interferes.
If we don’t, the culprit may try to destroy evidence.



In that case, I will stand guard at the scene.
I’m not very good at thinking, you see...
I’ll leave figuring out who killed that girl for the rest of you...
So, let’s leave the guarding to Oowada-kun...



No. We can’t let him stand guard alone.



Ah? What are you saying!
Isn’t it clear? What if you turn out to be the culprit?
Whoever guards the room is in the best position to destroy evidence.



Wha...! You fucker--!



...so be it. I shall also stand guard. If there are two of us, the problem is gone.



Oowada Mondo-dono and Oogami Sakura-dono in 2P cooperative play... That is truly the strongest guarding combination!



I ask you all to give investigation your full attention, for the sake of the two of us who cannot participate.



I...it’s scary, but I’ll try...



Are we done with the discussion?
We should start the investigation. From now on, everyone acts alone.
In order to discover who killed Sayaka Maizono...
...we must gather relevant evidence, and use it to reason the correct answer.
If we do not succeed in doing that...
...I don’t have to tell you what will happen, do I?



I wish I didn’t know...



Let’s give him a good fight.

Leaving us with those words, Kirigiri-san quickly left the gymnasium.



I’m also going...

Following her lead, Togami-kun also left us.



And we should go start guarding the scene. We must get there quickly.
You are right...
Let me say this in advance, you fuckers!
If the killer really is here and is planning to get rid of evidence...



I will find and kill you first, before that bear can get to you!!
I’ll completely and utterly kill you!

With those unsettling words still in the air, Oowada-kun and Oogami-san left the gymnasium running.



But you know... we’re not police officers or detectives... how are we supposed to investigate a murder...?
I don’t even know how to begin!
W...we don’t have to do anything, do we...? We already know who... killed Sayaka Maizono...
You don’t mean...
It’s you, of course...
I told you, you’re making a mistake...!



Don’t come near me! Are you thinking of killing me too!?



A...anyways... let’s do whatever we can. We don’t know for sure that Naegi is the culprit...
That’s right... let’s investigate as much as we can manage...



I...I can’t really... do something like investigating a murder...



Huh? Why?



I’m not good with... blood...
If I see more of it... I’m sure I’m going to faint...



Well, do as you please. It’s not like we were expecting much from you.
Right. I’m also going.
...Hey, wait...! Listen to what I have to say before disappearing...!

Without listening to a word I was saying, everyone left the gymnasium in succession.
...Giving me a suspicious look as they did so.

............

So everyone really think I’m the culprit?
Why... did it come to this?

It doesn’t make any sense...

Why would I, of all people, want to kill Maizono-san?!

I must... do something!

If everyone still thinks that, then...



Execution means execution. Eh-kse-kyu-shon.
Zap-zap in the electric chair! Choke-choke from poison gas! Maybe I’ll tear your body up in a hurricane storm!

We’ll all be dead...!
I can’t let Monobear do what he wants...

So I must find out who really is the culprit.

The culprit who... killed Maizono-san...



INVESTIGATION START





Let’s start by looking at that file Monobear gave us.



The victim is Sayaka Maizono...
The time of death was around 1:30am.
The body was found in Makoto Naegi’s private room in the dormitory area.
The victim was killed in that room’s shower.
Cause of death is a wound to the stomach area made by a sharp object.
Other than that, there are traces of a blow to her right wrist.
In addition to the traces, her right wrist’s bone is broken.

So based on those facts... I should go find out what I can learn at the crime scene...

Somehow... I must find out who did it...!
For the sake of everyone here!
And also... for her sake...
I will definitely find out why she was killed!!




Evidence we collect is listed as "Evidence Bullets" and can be checked using the menu. I'll keep a list for reference in the thread's second post, right after the character profile. Look for it sometime between this update and the next.



Almost everyone is gone. Let's see why those two are still here.



Fujisaki-san, aren’t you joining the investigation?
I can’t leave Enoshima-san here alone... It’s so sad...
I should... stay with her for a while...



Uuuu... no.... It’s all real... I don’t want to die in this place...!



Please! Save me! Oh God, Oh Goddess, Oh Buddha, Oh Space-Master, Oh King Kai!
I don’t care who just save me...!!

It doesn’t look like Hagakure-kun is mentally prepared for the investigation...

That last deity Hagakure tries to enlist for his help is from Dragon Ball.

Right. Let's get out of the gymnasium and start our investigation.



Anyway... I should first go to the crime scene... that is, my room.
The first steps of the investigation are surely over there.

And so, I set out to my room... the place where Maizono-san’s body is surely waiting...



Let’s start by investigating this room thoroughly.
Maybe I’ll find something useful...

Let's start by seeing how our guards are doing.



Oogami-san, do you think I did it?



I am not good with deductions. Whether you are the culprit or not... is not for me to say.
I will heel... whatever conclusion the rest reach...
...I see.



I just realized it just now, but...
What if the culprit already got rid of evidence? For example, before the body was found...
There’s a garbage dumping room in these dorms, you know. You can easily destroy evidence there...
Y...yeah. It’s a possibility, I agree...



The fucker!!!
On principle, I can't forgive anyone laying his hands on a woman. Those fuckers deserve the death penalty. That’s what my big brother taught me.
I won't let the kid who killed Maizono get away with it! I'll beat him to death!
B...but... what if the culprit is a woman?



............
We’ll cross that bridge when we reach it.

They seem to be doing a good job. Now let's get to business and see what we can find here.





There are carve marks on the bed and walls.

Are those... traces of a fight?

Which means, a struggle undoubtedly happened here.

Shit... even though I was in the next room I didn’t hear anything...!



Do not be so hard on yourself.
...eh?
It was said before. Our rooms are soundproof.
No matter what transpires in the neighboring room, it is impossible to notice.
It is most likely another ruse made by Monobear. The perfect location for a murder to occur.
.......






A key is lying on the floor. It’s the key that has my own name written on it.

That’s right...



That’s right. Let’s give each other our keys.

When we exchanged our rooms, we also exchanged our keys...
Which means that ever since then the key was inside this room, in Maizono-san’s possession.

...wait a second. If that’s the case... How did the killer enter this room in the first place?

Did Maizono-san... forget to lock the room?

No. That doesn’t make sense...



And you too... if anyone comes by don’t open the door.
I will not open it even to you, Naegi-kun. If I do, there wouldn’t be any meaning to exchanging the rooms.

I can’t believe she forgot to lock up or opened the door on her own volition after saying that

So, maybe she dropped the key somewhere and it was stolen...?

No, that’s not right either.

When we exchanged our rooms, Maizono-san stayed here. She was so scared, there’s no way she went outside for a walk...

That is... there wasn’t any time the key could have been stolen.
So... how did the culprit...?






This is...
The golden practice sword I took for self defense. Does that mean... it was used in the murder?
In addition...



It was taken out of its sheath. This is the first time I’m actually seeing the sword’s blade... Sure enough, it’s also completely painted in gold.

Furthermore...
The paint on both the blade and the grip is peeled off in several locations...
The grip especially lost a lot of color...

It's not so strange. After all, just touching that sword got my hands covered in gold paint before...






This is...
The golden practice sword I took for self defense. Does that mean... it was used in the murder?
In addition...



This is just the sheath. The blade was taken out of it.

Huh?

The sheath is damaged... it looks like it was scratched by something sharp...

But... why... is the sheath damaged?

Even if the sword was used in the struggle that happened here, it isn’t natural for the sheath to be hit. If you’re going to use a sword, you usually take it out of its sheath first...

I mean... the sheath is a heavy hindrance, and it may get loose in the middle of the fight.

So why... is this sheath scraped?






Huh? My roll-brush...
It looks like there it has less tape on it from before.

Did Maizono-san worry that my room was too dirty, and decided to clean up a little?



Inside the drawer I found my tool set.
It's still sealed as always, and shows no signs of being used.

...well, that’s as expected.
I mean, I haven’t used it yet, myself.
...thinking of it, was there even any situation where it could be useful...?



You think so, too?
Oowada-kun...
So you haven’t used yours either yet... It’s not like we’re in the mood for construction work...
So you haven’t used yours as well?



It’s not just me... all the other boys are the same. The subject came up yesterday when I was talking to everyone.
They all said they didn’t find any use for it yet.
Well, that’s to be expected, right?






My notebook here.
I don’t think this has anything to do with the investigation.

There's nothing else that Naegi can find, so let's see if Kirigiri found something she feels like sharing.



Hey, Kirigiri-san...

I tried to gently start a discussion with Kirigiri-san, who was standing looking around the room...
...but...



What... are you doing?
...Can’t you tell just by looking?
No, not really...
I’m searching for something.
Searching...?

She was squatting down, and was going over the floor of my room inch by inch.

...did you lose your contacts or something?
...........

I don’t really understand... but her concentration is amazing.

And then, after a while,
She suddenly stood up and turned to me.



Do you... have a hygiene obsession?
Eh? No... I don’t think so...

She gave a little nod and continued, as she looked around at the floor.



I see...
What... do you see...?
There is something a little strange in this room. Don’t you think so as well?

strange

What’s... so strange here?



I searched this floor thoroughly, but I couldn’t find even a single strand of hair anywhere in the room.
N...not even one...?
It would be fine if I couldn't find any of Maizono-san, the victim. But not finding any from the room’s owner is quite strange.
Now that you mention it, I did notice something when I was looking over the room just now.
It looks like the roll-cleaner in my room has been used since yesterday. Maybe someone used it to...



I see... A room with no trace of human hair... A roll-cleaner that has just been user...
In short, someone besides you decided to clean your room.
Was it... Maizono-san? Or maybe the culprit?



It makes you think, doesn’t it?




There's one more place to investigate in Naegi's room.



The shower room...

On the other side of this door...





...........
It’s no good! I can’t get weak right now...!
I don’t have any time to stand still...!

Trying to convince myself, I stepped slowly into the shower room.