Part 95: Super High-school Level Update #85

We'll continue our investigation by going to the chemistry lab.





Ah, look who's here.



Hey, Togami-kun. Did you find anything new?



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

W...what's up with him? He's making me feel like I'm getting in his way...!



It doesn't look like we'll get much out of him. Let's turn our attention to the one interesting thing in the room.



This is the drug cabinet... It's actually pretty big.

I should probably take a closer look...



These are three cabinets joined together, making one big cabinet.
But, far more important...

What's up with the powder scattered in front of the cabinet?

Whatever it may be, I should be careful not to step in it...



Let's take a look.



There's a large amount of yellow powder scattered in front of the cabinet. If I step in it it would leave a footprint, so I should be careful.



There's something suspicious next to the scattered powder.



There's a broken bottle in front of the cabinet. Is that the source of the scattered powder...?



The label pasted on the broken bottle reads "Chemistry lab C-4"...



Let me tell you one important thing.
This morning, I walked around exploring the 4th floor. At that time, this room wasn't in the condition it is now.
So... the powder here was scattered...
...Around the time of the murder, most likely.



If the power was scattered around the time of the murder, it must be connected to it somehow.






Next, there are some kind of marks left in the powder.



Are those... footprints?

There are a number of them in front of the left cabinet...



We need a diagram showing where these footprints are located.
Are you... asking me to draw one?



You are very perceptive today, aren't you.

Sneering, Togami-kun passed me a pen and some paper.



...What are you waiting for? Do it quickly.
S...sure...

I drew a quick diagram on the paper.



Um... is that okay...?
This is fairly well done, for someone like yourself.

"For someone like yourself"...

I see. Judging from this diagram...
The person who left those footprints had business at the left cabinet.
They went straight to it without hesitating, and left when they were done...
...That's what the footprints tell us.



Are these footprints...



...Yours, Naegi?
They're not!!
Is that so? Show me your shoes. I want to check if the sizes match.

I had no reason to object, so I obediently did as he asked.



...I see. Your feet are larger.
Unfortunately, it's not you who left those footprints.
"Unfortunately"...



Nevertheless, it is now plainly clear who it was that left those footprints.

...In that case, these footprints are probably an important hint.



I think I should recap what I know about the powder...

There's yellow powder scattered in front of the drug cabinet. Its source is probably...



The broken bottle on the floor.
Its label says "Chemistry lab C-4"...

Furthermore, someone left footprints in the powder.



Judging from the footprints' position, that person had some business at the leftmost cabinet.
According to Togami-kun, the powder was probably scattered around the time of the murder.

...That's all I know up to this point.






Next, let's take a look at those cabinets. Starting with the one on the left.



This cabinet contains...



All kinds of nutritional supplements.

I'm pretty sure the can of protein I found in the recreation room also came from here.
Every container in this cabinet has a printed label showing a number starting with "A".

In other words, this left cabinet is "cabinet A".

Hmm...



There's one bottle here with a label saying "Chemistry lab C-9"...

Did someone place it here by mistake...?



On to the middle cabinet.



This cabinet contains...



Some chemical reagents... These are chemicals created for use in chemistry experiments.

Every container in this cabinet has a printed label showing a number starting with "B".

In other words, this middle cabinet is "cabinet B".

I can't find anything strange about it, though.
There's probably nothing here related to the murder...



And finally, the one on the right.



This cabinet contains...



Chemicals you can tell are dangerous just by looking.

These are... poisons and dangerous drugs, aren't they?
Every container in this cabinet has a printed label showing a number starting with "C".

In other words, this right cabinet is "cabinet C".



Hmm... I should try recapping what I know about the cabinets...

There are three cabinets in the chemistry lab.
Cabinet A contains nutritional supplements, cabinet B contains chemical reagents, and cabinet C contains several types of poison.



It's likely that Oogami-san took the protein can from cabinet A...



...But what bothers me is the bottle with a "C" label that got mixed in cabinet A.
How did a bottle of poison that should have been in cabinet C found its way into cabinet A...?

It... sure is a mystery...




With that, I'm done looking around the chemistry lab. I should return to the recreation room one more time...

And we're going to do just that.





...Naegi-kun. How did the questioning go?

I told Kirigiri-san what Fukawa-san and Hagakure-kun told me.



I see... Togami-kun included, all three say they never went to meet Oogami-san.
That's suspicious. Someone is probably lying...

Someone is... lying...?



Leaving that aside, I've made some progress myself.
Oogami-san's body, the newspaper rack... and also the Monobear bottles...
I found some new evidence all over the place. I think you should investigate those places again.



We'd better check them out, then.



Oogami-san's body... Kirigiri-san said there's new evidence to be found, but...



You won't find anything just staring at it.
So... I'm afraid to ask...



You prefer not to touch it?
.........



...You're hopeless.



In complete contrast to my shuddering body, Kirigiri-san approached the body calmly.
...I've gotten used to seeing this scene.

But... when I think about it...

Being able to touch a body without any reserve... I don't think I'll ever be able to get used to it, no matter how many times I have to do it...



...That's just normal.
So, how come you...?



I... have come in contact with dead bodies for quite some time now...
Eh...?



...No, forget it.



More importantly, take a look at this.
Oogami-san's shoes...?
There's some yellow powder stuck to the instep, see?
Yeah, so it seems...



That yellow powder... is the first clue.






Next, take a close look at the wound on her head.
...Or rather, since it seems this is difficult for you, let me explain.



It seems it wasn't just a single strike wound left on Oogami-san's head...
There are actually two wounds there.
Two wounds...?



It's extremely interesting, isn't it? And there's one more thing that's very interesting...



Both of her hands are completely clean. There isn't any blood on her fingers...



Well, that's all I could learn from searching Oogami-san's body.




To think that she could discover so much just by searching the body...

I don't think any of us could have done the same.



The next item on Kirigiri's list was the magazine rack.



Kirigiri-san said there was something new to be found in the magazine rack...

Um... Is there something here that looks like evidence...?



...Huh? There's one magazine here that's placed upside down.

Did someone make a mistake when they returned it to the rack...?



...When you see something strange, don't you think it's a good idea to check it in detail?
Yeah, sure...

I took the upside-down magazine out of the rack, and flipped through the pages...



W...what's that...!?

On one of the inner pages, I found unexpected large letters written in blood...
They said... "FUKAWA".

Could that be...?

A dying message!?



I see you found it.
Kirigiri-san... this is...



A dying message. Someone wrote it with their finger.

As I thought... A dying message...



By the way, it's not my fault the magazine was upside-down in the rack.
When I found it, it was already that way.
After I looked at it, I returned it to the rack the way I found it, for the sake of other investigators.



Hey, is that...?
It says... "FUKAWA", doesn't it...?
Y...yeah. So it seems...



That means she's the culprit, doesn't it!? She must be!
No... I don't think we can say yet...



But it says so right here! She's the culprit, for sure!!
That's definitive evidence! It's something we can corner her with!!

Definitive evidence... She's probably right, but...

It's a little too obvious... to the point that it's suspicious...






One last thing Kirigiri wanted us to check again.



Kirigiri-san she found something new about the Monobear bottles...



Something new... Something new...

Um...



...So? Do you get it?
You'll see it if you look closely. There is a certain pattern to these Monobear bottles...

A pattern...

Hmmm...



Hey, Kirigiri-san. Why don't you just tell me?



A hint is one thing, but simply sharing the answer it leads to is dangerous.
I don't want to push too many preconceptions into your head before the school trial begins. You should come up with satisfying answers by yourself...
Are you sure you aren't telling me just because I don't have your trust...?



............
No answer!?



I do trust you, to a certain extent. If I didn't, I wouldn't even tell you this much.

To a certain extent, huh.






Actually, there is one more thing that worries me about the Monobear bottles.
But in order to confirm it, I want to conduct a little experiment. Can you help me, please?
An experiment...?



Please gather all the pieces of the broken Monobear bottle from the floor. Try not to leave anything out, even the smallest of shards.
Eh...? Are you sure it's alright, disturbing the crime scene like that?



It's been a while now, so it's not a problem. That bothersome Togami-kun isn't here, either.
I'm going to the chemistry lab to get some tools that I need. Get it done until I get back, please.

Kirigiri-san left the recreation room, leaving me with a task.

I don't get what she wants to do, but...
I guess I have no choice.

I used the broom and dustpan that were left in the room, and gathered the pieces of the broken Monobear bottle.

And then, just after I was finished...



...Sorry to have kept you waiting.
Are you done? I want to start...
So... what's that experiment of yours?



I brought scales from the chemistry lab. We can compare weights with them.
What do you want to weigh...?



Those glass shards you gathered, and one of the remaining Monobear bottles.
Why would you want to do that...?
You'll see when we do it. But as preparation...



First, I'm going to compare two of the remaining Monobear bottles.



The scales are even...
That means the weight of the Monobear bottles is just about the same.
Yeah, as expected...
The figure inside is mostly the same, and there's nothing that looks like it can cause a gap in weight.
Right. On to the main experiment...
Put the shards of glass you gathered on one side of the scales.
I wonder what the result will be...
If everything is as it should be...
The shards should either weigh the same, or be a little lighter than the bottle.
I did my best, but it's possible I missed some pieces, after all.
Well, let's try and see.



Huh...!?
The shards I gathered are heavier!?
What the... Why...!?



...Just as I thought.
...As you thought?
This experiment and the pattern of the Monobear bottles... If we put them together...



It all leads to just one answer. Or at least only one that I can think of.
What do you think? It's up to you.






* ding dong ding dong *







...........
...Whoops, I feel asleep! Your investigation is way too boring!!
Can we do it? Can we? Is it okay with you?
Let's start the school trial!! Please gather at the regular location!!
Enter the red door on the first floor of the school area.
Upupu, see you later!!



It's already time...! I still have nothing on the locked room trick...

I guess I'll have to figure it out during the trial...

No, I'll definitely figure it out...!











After hearing Monobear's announcement, everyone gathered at the room behind the red door.

And then...



...Super High-school Level Wrestler
...Locked room murder



What...?



It's something I noticed. It's really amazing!
You can take any negative thing, add a , and it becomes positive!!



For example...



I found a rotten dead body during our picnic



That's just creepy, 'right?



So, how about the opposite?



You can take any positive thing, add a , and it turns negative!!
For example...



I made 100 new friends today



It works! It sounds so sad!!



Please enter the elevator
I'll be going up ahead





W...what was that... just now...?



I don't get him at all...



It's you two who I don't get at all...
Killing someone... and then standing here chatting and smiling...



I...I'm not smiling...!



...And I didn't kill anyone, I'm telling you!



I...I'm innocent... D...don't just go calling people killers...!



We'll see...



Whatever the case may be, we'll soon know.
There's no doubt the culprit is among us.

The culprit... The person who killed Oogami-san...



Oogami-san, who was stronger than any of us...

The culprit who killed her...



...is here...

Can they really be among us...!?





As has become customary, let's do the final rounds before entering the elevator.



We've been over this last time, 'right? I'm not a killer...!



The culprit is among us. That is certain.



I...I'm innocent... How many times do I have to tell you...!



What's wrong with them? How can they just throw their blame away so easily...?



Nothing will change if we stay here. Let's go...



Let's go...



I faced the elevator, and started walking towards it.

The closer I got, my confidence drifted farther and farther away.
The restlessness inside my body, the overwhelming fear...

I've experienced them several times now, yet I can't get used to them...

And then, we were all on the elevator. No one spoke a word.



The doors closed....

...and the trip down began.



With a creaking noise, the elevator travelled down...
Deeper and deeper into the ground...

And as always, the trip was suddenly...



...Over.

Then, the doors opened.





Um, we have only six participants this time...



Such a small number! It's getting very lonely here!
What the hell are you saying...! This is all your fault...!



And the number is only going to get smaller after this school trial, isn't it... or maybe...



Maybe this school life itself will be over!



...Well, let's begin! Please take your places at the designated seats!



And then, for the fourth time, it began...

A courtroom of life and death... Mutual deception of life and death... Betrayals of life and death...
Puzzle solving of life and death... Vindications of life and death.. Trust of life and death...

A School Trial... of life and death...