Part 148: Tea Party II

Video: The Last Battle, Part 1

And, if you opened your eyes amidst the darkness, the two of them could be seen in a rose garden...



BGM: Dreamenddischarger

"Me."
"How bold."

In the rose garden, beautiful rose petals danced.

The color of those rose petals... was red. Did the fact that they faced each other in this beautiful rose garden... prove... or make claim to a red, single truth?

...That must be why the roses are red. But in the language of flowers, roses represent passion. Not truth. The flower for truth is a forget-me-not.

And that flower... is blue.

"I'll bore through everything with my blue truth. From the very beginning of everything. I'll start from the very first game!"
"Very well. Let's see what you've got. Come."
"Here I go... I've already proclaimed it, but I'll say it again. This isn't just for the murder of Doctor Nanjo in the last game. This'll tear apart every scene from every game since the beginning...!!"





You can break through all of the murders in Episode 1 by supposing an unknown person X. Furthermore, it's even possible to explain the mystery of Kinzo's evaporation from the closed room sealed by the receipt... by making the bold assumption that Kinzo wasn't there in the first place. Unless Beato counters this with the red truth, the Illusion of the Witch from Episode 1 has been completely smashed.

...This blue truth is valid.



Was the red blood pouring out from there... a protest being made by her red truth...? Beato shut one of her eyes tight, enduring the unbearable pain of the blue truth that denied her.

"Hmm, not bad. But I mustn't be denied yet, I mustn't be killed yet. This is not yet enough. In the subsequent games, there were mysteries that couldn't be explained with that alone, right?"
"...Which mysteries?"
"In the final stages of the second game, George took Gohda and Shannon with him, barricaded them in Natsuhi's room, and was killed. The key that unlocked Natsuhi's room was locked up inside the room, and all of the remaining keys that could unlock that door were in Rosa's hand. Even if a culprit X existed, it should have been impossible to construct that closed room."

The blue wedge that pierced Beato shook. She was resisting, fighting to pull it out.

"No, that doesn't shake my blue truth. If culprit X were to obtain a master key, that's not even close to a closed room."
"No, it was impossible for the culprit to obtain one. All of the master keys were under Rosa's control!"
"But that's meaningless if Aunt Rosa was the culprit! Aunt Rosa handed a key over to culprit X by some method, assisting in the closed room murder! And after that, she retrieved the key by a similar method!"
"Too naive, Beato!! I'd already guessed that much at the time!"
"*cackle* Yes, you did, didn't you..."
" "...Gwaaargh...!!! ...Agh, ack-"



Beato let out a cry of anguish at that pain.

"...Guh, nngg... Not yet... This is still nothing..."
"Not yet, not yeeeeeeeet!!"



"This argument was already won back then. And even that final riddle you proposed through EVA, the murder of Doctor Nanjo, can be explained with an 18th unknown person X. That breaks through the whole third game!!! Can you counter that?!"
"Guh, aah...!! O-Of course...! This much is... nothing to worry about...!"
"In that case, how do you explain George's disappearance from the guesthouse? I shall add to the red truth. George did not go down the stairs of the guesthouse. He flew out through the window!"

In the final stages of the third game, George suddenly vanished from the second floor of the guesthouse. Eva, who had been on the first floor, claimed that no one had come downstairs, but because of the blue truth, George could've snuck down to the first floor and escaped while Eva was busy carrying Krauss's and Natsuhi's corpses outside. But by adding an additional red truth, Beato had denied that possibility. To go outside without going down the staircase to the first floor, he would've had to leave by the window. But all of the windows had been locked from the inside...!

"So what? It's just like you said. He flew out the window, right? There was a lawn, so we couldn't tell if he'd jumped down, and it was raining so hard. Any light traces would've disappeared."



"I'll use more of the blue. I said it myself at the time."
"In that case, everything works out as long as someone locked the window after George-aniki escaped through it! Nothing difficult about that!!"
"Gwaaaaaaaahhaaaaah...!! Gguuuuhhh... Can I not...escape after something like this...?"

Beato couldn't remove the blue wedge that was buried into her foot. The fake witch was burned more and more by that forceful blue...

"There's still nothing that shakes my blue truth in any of the first three games. In that case, the only game that can prove you're a witch... is this game, the fourth game."
"...Since I haven't countered you with the red, that is so. I shall have to prove witches using only this game. Very well. Give me everything you've got."



"The murders of George-aniki, Jessica, and those who escaped from the dungeon can also be explained with guns, just like the dining hall. There's nothing strange about it!"
"But I'm sure you've got a counterattack, right? Bring it on!!"
"Your greatest sword, this 18th person X, is based on the theory that Kinzo was already dead. I knew you would make that claim. That's why I took Kinzo out of his study. All members in the family conference welcomed that Kinzo, right? All of those who met at the family conference acknowledged the presence of Kinzo!"
"That's right. But Grandfather was seriously ill, bedridden on the verge of life and death, right? If he was so worn out that he looked like a different person, maybe no one would've cared, right?"
"I'll counter with this. That Grandfather was a different person, a body double. A different person the relatives mistook for Grandfather!"
"Then I'll counter with this. No person would mistake Ushiromiya Kinzo by sight. No matter what disguise might be used, they would not mistake Ushiromiya Kinzo by sight!"
"Then I'll use this. In the second game, when you announced with the red truth that there were five master keys, even though there could've been more than five in first game, you changed the premises of the later games. So, it's possibile that Kinzo's life or death status was changed for the 4th game alone."
"Therefore, Kinzo's presence in the fourth game doesn't serve as proof that he was present in the previous games...! Therefore, even if we suppose that the six murders in the dining hall were carried out by Grandfather, it contradicts nothing!"
"Then let me counter this way. Kinzo's life or death status is the same at the start of all four games. The setup was not different for the fourth game alone...!"



"Decline repetition. I won't answer, Battler. I won't give you the red truth you so desire...!"
"...Damn, you're standing in my way, geezer...!! Are you putting yourself on the line to protect Beatrice, this most beloved witch of yours?!"

Swaying, that damn geezer came into view. Heh, is he trying to be some kind of knight, blocking the path between me and Beato...?!



"I won't let you reach, I will not let you reach, not to the Golden Witch's height, you seeeeeeeeee?! Fuhhahahahahahahahahaha!! Your thoughtless reasoning cannot surpass even me alone! Die!!!"



Faced with that black dragon's roar, I calmed my breathing and closed my eyes lightly...

"I'll swallow you up in a single gulp!! Disappear, inexperienced fooooooooooool!!!"
"...Quiet, you damn undying ghost."
"Hoh, so you call me a ghost? So, you intend to see it through to the end, this theory that I am already dead!! That will prove fatal to you!! Be swallowed up by the first twilight of the fourth game and disappear!!"

The black dragon's vast mouth, its snout, its fangs...swallowed Battler whole...!!! In that instant, Battler suddenly opened his eyes!

"Thanks, Beatrice. Your third game became a foothold for my counterattack."
"What...?"
"See ya, damn geezer. This is goodbye. As a basis for claiming that 'Kinzo was dead' even in the 4th game, I propose the following theory!"
"Very well, come with all you have, my descendant!!"









"I... can... not...!! Gah, gwoooooooooooooooooooragghgghghh!!"
"Rest in peace, damn geezer. Thank me. You were finally able to die. This is your requiem, take it and drop dead!!"
"Ushiromiya Kinzo was already dead! That's right, you definitely deserve to be pitied, since whenever we find your corpse, it's always completely burnt. That was a device to hide the fact that time had passed since your death!! Then, you passed that name on to someone else!! With this theory, even though 'you' were dead, 'Kinzo' was able to appear at the family conference!!!"





"...Be...atr...ice..."
"...Kinzo, thank you for everything. Rest... in peace... I will not forget... my time spent with you..."

Dispersing along with the shadow of the black dragon as golden flower petals scattered, Ushiromiya Kinzo became a gold-colored cyclone and disappeared... Even after death, he had fought for the sake of the woman he'd loved. There's no doubting that your love and madness were the real thing...!

"...Nggg, Battler..."
"Don't hate me. Let the dead sleep. Don't wake them. You're up next. This is the end for you too."

Beato still couldn't pull out the blue wedge that pierced her foot... She realized that she was on the verge of death...

"I've gone along with you a whole bunch. I think I've more than fulfilled any responsibility I had to play with you. But it's about time to finish things up. I've got a lonely little sister waiting at home."
"...Let me take my leave with my whole family...!!"
"...Then kill me. In that case, try and kill me! I won't run or hide, and by now I won't even be able to avoid it!! Come ooooooooooooooooooooooon, Ushiromiya Battleeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!"
"You've got it!! With the 18th person X from the 'Kinzo was dead' theory, everything that remained has been pierced through!"
"George-aniki and Jessica's deaths in the fourth game can also be explained by culprit X!! And the five who escaped from the dungeon and were killed, and the two in the gardening shed, and Maria in the end! All of those can be explained with 18th person X!! There's nothing strange there at all!!"



BGM: None



Beatrice, who couldn't dodge, had several blue stakes driven into her and was skewered... Beato grabbed at them, trying to pull them out somehow...



BGM: Worldend (solo)

...This'll... kill me, won't it...? If I don't pull these out, I'll die... I've had enough of the pain... I've had enough of... the... anguish...

With both hands, Beato firmly grasped one of the blue stakes. Naturally, the power of the witch-denying blue truth burned her hands. Unable even to hide her tears at the pain, Beato howled and tried to pull the stakes out with all her might...

If I can't pull these out, I'll die... This is... my final counterattack...



Certainly, at that time, Rosa witnessed gold butterflies gathering and the fixing of a marshmallow by the miracle of magic.

"*cackle*cackle*... Rosa alone witnessing it isn't very credible, right...? That's why I increased the number of witnesses to the uppermost limit later on. Which is what... happened in this last game..."
"The summoning of my minions! And brutal murders due to magic! All of those were witnessed by a great many people...!! That is itself... proof that my magic exists...!! How do you explain that, Ushiromiya Battleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerr...?!!!"
"...Stalemate."
"...Wh-Whaat...?"
"'Magic exists because magic exists'. Didn't the rules of our Braun tube trial say that you couldn't use that kind of argument?"
"...Y...es, you're right... Heh, hahack, guh..."
"No matter who or how many people witnessed magic, that cannot become proof of magic's existence!!"
"Whether all the magic you've shown exists or not, I can ignore it all and explain things with Humans. That's my undeniable right. Am I wrong?"

At those words, the blue stakes let out an even brighter light, knocking my hands away. Seems I can't... pull them out after all... ggghh...

As Battler is now, even if I pull up a witness for each individual bit of magic and demand an explanation, he'll probably use some kind of move to deny all of them. Not just the magic with the marshmallow I showed Rosa, but all the miracles of magic. So, I can no longer even claim to be a witch without questioning him about something like how a marshmallow was fixed... I'm in such an inferior position that I must fight over such trivialities... It may be... impossible for me...

...I knew this...



Have I fought... up until today... just to lose to Battler...?

...I began the game... thinking I might be able to win. Even if I wouldn't be able to win easily, I believed that in a game repeating endlessly, a miracle would eventually occur. After all, I had certain willpower on my side, an unwavering desire to win with certainty.

...However, I've now lost that miracle completely. And, that certain willpower resides in Battler, leaving me certainly without even a one-in-a-million chance at a miracle. Or perhaps I should say I've been left without a miracle or certainty...

I will have no victory... and no end through a tie. The only resolution allowed me... is to continue on resisting... until defeat is given to me... in this game... That's right, I... am fighting... only to be killed by Battler...



...The figures of the little sister waiting for his return... and the family he had to bring back were reflected in those eyes. To him, my existence is already... not even that of an individual. Obviously. From the very beginning, he has been trying to deny the individual that I am.

Yes, that last game... sure was fun... I was only tricking him a bit, but for just a short period of time, it felt like we understood each other, and that was fun... That's right, I should've made my move then... I should have continued for eternity with Battler still totally fooled...

...But... that's just no good, right...? That... just wouldn't be true victory...



Beato had been run through with several blue stakes, skewered over and over to the ground while still standing. Because of that, she wasn't even able to fall over, and, still looking up into the sky, was sewn in place... That tragic form... might have been a fitting end for the cruel witch who had endlessly toyed with 18 people's lives and who had killed constantly for hundreds and thousands of years.

Gently, as though someone was mourning over something, rain began to fall. Amid that rain, Beato was soaked... and crucified...



"...Can't... even let out a squeak..."
"Not yet. You aren't a woman who'll let things end with just this."
"...Don't be... ridiculous... How can you look at this... and think that it isn't... over...? Quickly, deliver the final blow..."
"..."
"...Just say it. With your... blue truth. 'According to this, witches do not exist'. Say it... Just say it... With that single blow, just put a stop... to my breathing..."
"That's no good."
"...Hoh... So you would expose me... to even further shame...? Isn't it settled already...?"



"...Not over, you say...?"
"That just now wasn't you losing. You just stopped and gave up."
"...Isn't that... enough...? Wouldn't giving up... mean your victory? You should... return to your little sister... right away... Just throw me away... right here..."
"Didn't I tell you? I won't run away. And... I won't let you run away."
"..."
"Just who are you? And what in the world is it that you want?"



BGM: Eternity

"...Isn't it better this way...? With me as a mere... delusion, an illusion... Isn't that... enough...?"
"That's no goddamn good at all. I won't... let you run away."
"..."
"I'll break through you. How could I let you run away like this?"
"..."
"I won't let you run back to the darkness of illusions while you're still all hazy like this. I'll break through you. Completely. So stand up. Don't act all frail like that! You're still hiding several moves! I can tell!"
"...Why... won't you just let me escape...?"
"Dad, Mom, and Ange. All the cousins and all the relatives. And all the servants. You toyed with them so much and killed them...!! I definitely won't forget, won't forgive that inhumanity!"
"I can still feel... Ange's arms on my shoulders...!!"



Battler's eyes burned with the flames of hatred... The time had long since passed during which pitiful behavior would have earned his compassion. After being tricked once, Battler will never sympathize with me again. Instead of the wolves and sheep puzzle, this is like the boy who cried wolf, isn't it...?

...What am I supposed to do...? What should I do...? Is fighting endlessly only to avoid admitting defeat... a fitting endless torture for the Endless Witch? Is endlessly harassing Battler, to avoid giving him victory, also part of being the Endless Witch...?

...It's so sad... Is this... what the Endless Magic is...? I've... had enough...



I will have no victory... and no tie. In that case, there's only one result that can release me. Hmph, hahahahahahaha...

Since the time I succumbed to the path of witches. Since the day I made that contract with demons. It was promised that I would meet my end through tragedy, was it not...?



Lightning. The world was smashed with white. Fitting last moments... for the ruler of Rokkenjima.

Haha, hahhahahahahahahahaha...



BGM: Happiness of Marionette

"..."

Still pierced by the blue stakes, Beato faced the rainy sky and let out a cry of laughter. Then, she slowly raised her face... and stared at Battler.

"...Fool. Just when I was about to praise your good fight and hand over victory... You shall regret that pride..."
"This isn't something for you to hand over. I'm gonna take it from you!! The same goes for you, right?!! You could never accept an easygoing victory where I just say 'Maybe witches existing isn't so bad'... Isn't that the very reason you intentionally fell apart like that at the end last time...?!!! That's right, last game, you took pity on me just once, didn't you?!!"



"Hahhahaha... Fool. You foooooooooooool, hhahhahahahahahahahahahaha!! You simpleton...!! You think you'll get another chance?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!"

When Beato yelled, the blue stakes that had pierced her chest blew to bits and disappeared. However, the blue wedge that had pierced her foot in the very beginning did not vanish.

"You can't pull it out yet. You can't pull out the blue truth of the 18th person X...!!"
"I will respond to one thing you told me to repeat. As you reasoned, Kinzo is already dead at the starting time for all games!"