Part 42: Devil's Proof

[BGM: Dog Days]


I tried to look around the cafeteria to see if I could see anything else. There were various chairs and tables. Tiger was guarding the weapon pile in the corner. There was the television where the race was displayed, obviously. And on the opposite side of the room, there was a kitchen area. The kitchen was super close to the pillar where Pig showed up, a mere couple of steps away.



Intrigued, I tried looking around the place. It was pretty barren, mostly housing things like bags of ice and stacks of plastic bags. Still, it did have a good selection of silverware. ...Including knives. Hmm.

Okay, time to start talking with Tiger.

Did you find all the clues?

Uh, yeah.

But how can you know that? It's a Devil's Proof.

A Devil's Proof? What's that?



Um, it just means that you were trying to prove a negative, which is pretty much impossible.

Not with that attitude!

That doesn't... okay. Let's go talk with Tiger.

And so, we walked over to Tiger. Hopefully she could provide some good info on everyone's movements.

Hey Mouse! I saw you two investigating over there. How are things going on that front?

They're, uh, they're coming along.



Great! Coming along is the first step in getting to your destination!

That's true, probably.

Um, Tiger, would you mind if we asked you some questions?

Hit me.

Where did you go when you input your move?

Oh, that? I wanted to stay as close to the weapons pile as possible, since I was on guard duty and all, so I entered this restroom over here. It's the closest separate room to the cafeteria.

That makes sense, I guess. Although, we probably could've just had you input your move at a separate time to everyone else and avoid even having to leave the weapons.

Oh, you're right. Man, we're kind of dumb, aren't we?



It's a stressful situation, and everyone's kind of just panicking. I've got a feeling a lot of us have been going about things pretty poorly.

You do need a clear head to make good decisions. Trust me, if you get too heated, you can, uh, really mess things up.

So no one else went into that restroom?

No, I don't think so.

What about when we looked for Pig's body? Where did you go then?

Oh, I didn't leave.



I take my guard duties seriously, you know! I stayed by the weapons pile.

Wait, you were here the whole time?

Yup.

Could you tell us where everyone went, then?

Uh, my memory's not that great. Plus I wasn't paying that much attention. I was focused on guarding, you know?

That's annoying.

Sorry.

But you would've seen if someone killed Pig when you were around.

Oh, totally! I wasn't blind or anything, I'm just not a genius. If there was anything blatantly suspicious I definitely would've seen it.

Huh.



Um, okay, I think that's it for now.

It is?

Isn't it?

Uh... yeah, we'll talk to you later, Tiger.

Alright, keep up the great work!

[BGM: Silence]


At Sheep's clear request, we walked away from Tiger. When we were far enough away, I started questioning her.

You noticed something?

Mouse, what Tiger just said doesn't make any sense.

It doesn't?

If she's telling the truth, Pig wasn't killed when we left to look for her. However, if Rooster was telling the truth, Pig wasn't killed when he came back.



But if both of those things are right, that means Pig was k-killed right... right when we were all there. We were in the same room as the crime!

I doubt that. I'm pretty sure we would've noticed if a murder was happening in the corner of the room we were in. Even a really silent murder would've made some noise. But you're right. At the very least, we were all accounted for.

Um, almost all of us.

What do you mean?

We still don't know where Dog is, right?

So?

Um, don't you think that might mean something?

Not really, no. At least, not regarding this incident.

Oh, okay.

[BGM: Dance of the Snakes]


Just as we were having this conversation, I saw Snake walking down the hallway.

Yo, Snake, hold up a minute!

He was another good person to interrogate.

Do you mind if I asked you some questions?

For your little investigation, yes? I doubt I will provide much of use, but fine, ask away.

That's exactly how a guilty person responds, you know.



Oh? What a fascinating observation. Surely you can make that claim as someone who's interviewed countless innocent and guilty subjects alike, no?

…

Your assumption doesn't come from watching a dozen low-rate crime dramas, does it?

Look, are you going to cooperate or not?

I already said I would, you're the one who has yet to ask me anything.

Alright then, why don't you tell me which room you went in to input your action for the fourth round?



I went down the upper-right hallway and entered the closest room, that is, the men's locker room. I then went back down that hallway, and I didn't see Pig's body. ...I suspect you might doubt that claim, no?

Of course I do!

The men's locker room, there's a restroom in there, isn't there?

Oh, you're also trying to see who visited restrooms, are you?

Then yes, there was a restroom there. I also feel it prudent to inform you that I saw Dragon input her action in the women's locker room down the hall. Also, if you're collecting locations, I believe Monkey was in one of the classrooms between us.

Providing an awful lot of information there.



I just wish to be thorough.

So, for the sake of thoroughness, where'd you look for Pig?

I believe I checked some of the rooms down the right hallway. Nothing turned up.

Tch.

Unpleased with my response?

There's not a lot to be happy about with it.



Did you think I was going to say 'I was murdering Pig'?

It would've been great if you did.

I fear for this investigation.

Hey, mind your own business!

I would very much think the potential apprehension of a killer is my business.

If I may, here's a thought that might help out some.

Didn't ask, but okay.



No matter who the killer is, it is an undeniable fact that killing Pig in that way would be a large risk to them. There's just no way to do that in a way that doesn't require some small leap of faith.

Therefore, we should consider why the killer felt the need to take a risk in the first place.

They need to kill us all so they can stay alive. Duh.

But they didn't need to kill someone in such a heavily crowded area when the group was splitting up.

So what are you saying?

Exactly what I said.

[BGM: Silence]


I should continue to look for Minor Trinkets. They are our lifeline, after all. If you want to keep interrogating people, I noticed that Ox and Bunny are working as a pair on the other side of this floor.

Got it. Thanks for the help.

A pleasure.

Snake walked away, continuing his search.

I am not a fan of that guy.



We got some information from him, though.

Nothing useful, I'm afraid.

You think?

Did you hear anything useful?

I guess not...

Well, if I didn't hear anything useful, and you didn't hear anything useful, I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say it wasn't useful. Now come on, let's go find Ox and Bunny.

...



We moved to the other end of the school and eventually found Ox and Bunny looking around an art studio.

Ox, Bunny. I'd like to ask you a few questions about your movements.

Interviewing witnesses, huh?

Classic investigation move. Good work.

I hope your search has been fruitful, seeing as you've prioritized it over finding Trinkets.

Oh, come off it, Ox. I was bad at finding Trinkets anyways. Besides, if you really cared about figuring out who murdered Pig, the cop and the prosecutor would be doing the investigation, not us.



Agreed. Because I don't really care about that, I care about finding the Minor Trinkets.

You seem to be really uninterested in this mystery. Almost as if you'd prefer we don't find out who the killer is.

Mouse, are you honestly calling me a suspect?

We're all suspects, Ox! I find it funny how you're so opposed to being called one.

Of course I don't want to be suspected, who would? You're just going to ask me about my movements during the suspected time of the crime, right?

Fine then. When we first split up to input our actions, I went down the left hall-

*bang!*

[BGM: Fire Breath]


Whatever he was about to say got cut off with the deafening sound of a loud bang. That was a gunshot if I had ever heard one. Oh God. Please don't let anyone else turn up dead.

AAAGH!

A gunshot!

From where?

I-I-I think it came from, um, the third floor maybe?

Quickly, we need to see where that came from.

Mouse, wait up!



I didn't. I rushed forward, determined to locate the source of the sound as soon as possible. I had to imagine someone was the recipient of the gun in this case.

Depending on where the gun was aimed, the time to find the victim might be the difference between life and death.