Part 77: How Could I Just Kill a Man

Sorry about that, folks! We had more technical difficulties, and this time I have no idea what caused it. Must have been Himiko's magic. At least we didn't lose anything important.

NO MUSIC



So many heavy conversations this morning.

...I shouldn't just sit here and complain. There has to be something I can do. I have to find something.



MUSIC: Spirit, Praise and Beauty



Since I'm on the student council, I need to decide my position. Angie's the president... Maybe I'll be the treasurer? I'm good at managing material costs.



Seances often bring the dead into the living. In Japan, it's known as kuchiyose, or channeling. You've heard of spirit mediums before, yes? Female psychics host Spirits within them.

They're very handy for solving murder mysteries. I wish we had one here.

What's up, Shuichi? Do you wanna join the student council too?

MUSIC: Becoming Friends



Oh, hey bro. What's up?

Atua will decide everything from now on... That's why we don't have to worry...

Atua is just and fair... He allowed me, a robot, to join the student council...

What is it? Can I help you with something?



Shuichi, you should join student council! Work hard with Gonta to help everyone!



Resurrecting the dead... Messages from the dead... Heh, hehehehehe... Everyone's goin' nuts now...









It's...back to normal? Did Monokuma...clean everything up? He's diligent in odd ways...



Angie's rise to domination... I feel like someone took all my stocks away... I'm a worthless Ultimate Supreme Leader...







Ah, I don't have anything to say... I just thought...we could hang out?

...

I guess that's a no? I thought that training with me and Kaito would bring us closer...



Really!?

...What's with your reaction? You're the one who invited me.

S-Sorry, I was just surprised. I honestly thought you'd reject me.



And I thought it'd be faster to give in to Kaito's demands...

...Not sure how to feel about that.

Even after hearing that, do you still want to hang out with me?



Good thing Maki was the thread's first choice, or else this would end awkwardly.

Fine, I'll hang out with you. But I think you'll end up wasting your time on me.









Maybe this'll offset her bitterness?

Hmm... You must not worry a lot if you're giving presents in a situation like this... Well, it's not like I mind. I'll take it.



I already said that several times. Detectives really are more skeptical than necessary.

W-Well, that's part of my job... Anyway, I was wondering how you did your work.

I've never heard of assassins working together, but she couldn't be working alone...



That is true...

If you want to know my job, then I don't mind talking about it. It won't be a problem.



Have you heard of the Holy Salvation Society?

...No, that's the first I've heard of it...

Of course. A normal person would have no affiliation to any cults.

A cult? What does this have to do with your assassinations, though?





...Even though you're a detective, you're pretty slow. It's a new cult. From behind the scenes, it trains assassins.

Th-That sounds...made up.



The clients ask for "consultation" and the fee is a "donation." That's how it's set up. The other believers don't matter—they're there for the founder. I'm not sure of the details.

...



Well, it's fine. They disguise it so those things aren't revealed to the public.

...



Well, yes, it does give off that impression...

Being shady like that is just a coverup for illegal things like assassinations. As a society, the cult is pretty normal. And it hasn't caused any trouble either. The boss and the staff actually don't believe in their god...



Her tone was neither demeaning nor cold. She sounded as if...she's just accepted that's the way things are.

Then, I assume...you're a devotee in this cult?



It may seem that way since I'm affiliated with the cult, but... Wait. Can't you figure that out without thinking? Are you sure you're a detective?

That's true, I suppose she couldn't be.

There are several assassins besides me, but no one is devout.



So you don't share that kind of information with each other.



When the time comes, assassins will be cut and disposed of.

...



She's just accepted it... What did I say to put her into that state of mind?











Even so, Angie's brainwashing is pretty impressive. If you aren't careful yourself, then you might get sucked in too, y'know?



I don't give two squirts of piss about the student council! It's got nothing to do with me! If those turds wanna roll downhill together, that's fine by me!

With seances, one can also summon gods, animal spirits, even astral projections. Things like ouiji boards and the Japanese game known as kokkuri are kinds of seances.

Kokkuri is said to summon the spirit of a fox to answer the participants' questions...



If the writing in the courtyard is a message from the people who died...then why didn't they write a more obvious message like "Help!" or something?

What is it? Do you wanna join the student council, too?

Hm, that's a good idea. It'll make Atua happy, too...



Oh, it's you Shuichi... Sorry, it's just... I'm pretty busy right now. Can you come by later? Sorry, man. See ya later.

*thump*

Kaito didn't look very good... is he okay?

Let the student council handle this resurrection ritual business. Right now, Atua is trying to figure out who we should resurrect.

If everyone dead is really alive...we gotta save them! No matter what!

Angie is right. We should let go of our desire to escape. Then we can live here in peace...











Speaking of student councils... Fictional student councils usually have a huge amount of authority.

It's almost like they were written to appeal to teenagers or something.









...And you're still fine with that? If you're putting up a front, then you'll get hurt later.









Maybe this'll come in handy on the job?

I didn't think I would get something like this from you. But I have nothing to give in return... Is that okay with you?



...



I'm sorry...did I ask something wrong?

...Not really. I just think it's strange that you keep asking me irrelevant questions.



Ah, is that right? I imagine stealthy weapons when I think of assassinations.

We use those too, but I mostly have knives. Also poison, sniper rifles, jiu-jitsu, bombs—



A warning kill has to be flashy. I've turned a 5 story building into a 4 story one before.

You can control an explosion to destroy just one floor? How frightening... No wonder she's the Ultimate Assassin...

It's rare to be that flashy though. Normally, disposing one target is enough.



What do you mean?

Well, I only know about assassinations from movies and stuff, so...

...This will probably disappoint you, but I don't kill only bad people.

...



I suppose that's just the way it is.

...But, I've also had to dispose of people who I knew well.



Friends from school.



A daughter of a yakuza leader. She was the child of a mistress with no ties to the gang. Her father loved her very much... Which was why she was seen as dangerous. The yakuza's elites decided to have her removed, in case rival groups used her.

What!? But she didn't do anything wrong!



Why!?

Why? Because it's my job.

But you were friends, right?

I said it before. It doesn't matter who they are.

...I suppose...you had to.

Yeah. That's when I realized this would be my life now. I heard them calling it an act of God... I don't believe in that. I also don't intend to blame it on anyone else.

Just make sure you don't forget her.

Why are you looking at me like that? I don't have to remember every face I killed.

...

But...I actually do remember her. Is this... ...No, it's nothing.



But... Everyone does what they can to live. You, me...and everyone I've murdered.



That's all.

...The cold and indifferent Maki had been overwhelmed by words... I had never seen that happen before. I couldn't think of anything to say.





Electric Blue Theme
K1-BO's theme.
The pride and pain of being a robot.







This would be my second choice of new themes.