Part 49: New Rule II

Video: Human Trick

"...What happened? You grew silent all of a sudden. Don't worry. Surrender is but a momentary shame. All that's left is the joy of giving in... *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!! Come on, cry out in resignation. Can you hear me? Say it clearly in a loud voice."



BGM: Scar Sound

"...Hoh. Very well. It is your turn, after all. *cackle*cackle*"
"I was making the mistake of thinking that this rule you made was your own weapon. However, I've realized that it can also become a weapon for me. It all comes down to this."
"Try it."
"I've spent the whole time focused on how they entered the closed room of the chapel... That way of thinking was no good. Aaah, it's no good, it's no goddamn good at all... Flip over the chessboard."
"...That's right. The direction of my thinking was backwards. This is how I should think. How was the chapel, which wasn't a closed room in the first place, made to look like a closed room?"
"Here it is. The thinking technique that humans have given birth to after a century. Give it a try, *cackle*cackle*!!"
"...Say this in red for me. If it's impossible, then refuse. Here I go."



"I understand that the only way to enter the chapel is through the door, and that there was only one key. But hold it right there... Was that key really handed over to Maria yesterday before noon?"
"...That's quite long. Summarize it."
"It's something like this. We've been under the impression that since midday yesterday, the key was unusable. Therefore, we've been under the impression that this was a closed room from midday yesterday until this morning!"
"I want you to clearly state that this isn't just an impression, but a fact."
"Interesting. So you reason not about the door, but the key."
"Yesterday, Maria received an envelope from you. Maria didn't open it, but she might have felt it and known there was key inside. But there's no way she could be sure it was definitely the key to the chapel."
"...So this is what it means. There was a fake inside the envelope that was handed to Maria."



"Heheh... I know that much. I'll continue. So, when Maria received the envelope, inside it, was there definitely that same key to the chapel?"
"...Hoh."
"In other words, it's something like this. Midday yesterday, you gave Maria an envelope with a key inside. And you told her that she must not open it. Maria probably realized that there was a key inside."
"And because later on, Aunt Rosa used what was inside the envelope to open the door to the chapel, we thought that was the key to the chapel. This is the suspicious part!"
"...So is this what you are trying to say? That when I entrusted Maria with a key, that key was a fake? And then, by the time Rosa obtained it, it had been switched with the real thing...?"
"Yeah, that's it. What's wrong, Beatrice-sama? Looks like you haven't been feeling good for a while...?"



"It's your turn, Beato. <Turn of the golden witch!> Show me how you defeat that."
"...Very well. The key to the chapel truly was the object inside the envelope I gave Maria."
"I'll chase you. Can you repeat it in red? 'That envelope was completely under Maria's supervision until Aunt Rosa opened it'."
"..."
"...If it's impossible, then state that you refuse. Check."



"Now I've turned it over with just one move. Now it's time for your king to run, Beato."
"...Fu, I have a reason for refusing. That is regarding the definition of the phrase 'under her supervision'. In its purest meaning, Maria would need to have her eyes on it around the clock."
"...But Maria didn't go that far. It was probably completely under her supervision during the time she had it outside of her handbag, but after she put it into her handbag, it disappeared from her field of vision. It's just that the phrase 'under her supervision' is inappropriate in that sense, so I couldn't use red... ku..."
"...That was probably a painful move. Your face tells me that you've guessed the next one."



"...Repeat it for me in red, if you can say it, try saying it. 'No one was able to touch Maria's handbag until Aunt Rosa took out the envelope'."
"...I will also... refuse this. I won't explain the reason."
"That's wrong. It's not that you won't explain, it's that you can't explain it. With this move, have we reached checkmate...?"
"...Ku..."



BGM: Dread of the Grave

"...However! Maria didn't have the handbag under her complete supervision! There's no need for magic. It's a closed room trick that's possible for a human!"



"You can't deny the possibility that during that time, the culprit took the key from Maria's handbag, used it, and returned it by morning!! Can you say it in red?!"



"N... not yet. I remove the check... The envelope with the key in it should have been sealed with wax...! Rosa took it from an unopened envelope..."
"Really, then try saying it!! Repetition requested!! 'The envelope handed over midday yesterday and the envelope that Aunt Rosa opened are the same thing'."



"...Haah...! Aaaaah, it's no good, it's no goddamn good at all. That probably doesn't matter anymore. I expected that. I thought that if you had resigned here, you might be pretty good at reading between the lines. So I'm disappointed. You've betrayed my expectations."
"Wh, wha... aat...!!"



"...Ku... kuuuuuuu..."
"This time, it's all over, Golden Witch. It's a real checkmate. ...I'll ask one more time, repetition requested!! If you can say it, try saying it!"



...Ku... how...! How... c, could I... to a lowly human...!!"
"I'll keep on saying it, Beatrice!!! Repetition requested!! 'The key to the chapel inside the envelope Maria received wasn't used even once until Aunt Rosa opened the envelope'!!"
"...ooh, ku... ooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhh!!!"







"This is a trick with a cheap loophole, the assumption that the key wasn't used because the sealing wax wasn't opened!!"
"Checkmate!! There's no magic, it's nothing more than a trick that's possible for humans!!"
"I, in that case... who do you say stole the key?! Try answering! This time, you try repeating it...!!"
"That's right, I'm making you repeat things all the time. I probably have to answer every once in a while...



"I've smashed your closed room with something possible even for humans. However, I won't specifically investigate who the culprit is."
"Because I believe humans!! Because I definitely won't accept that there's a person among us who would steal the key from Maria, use it, and do something so horrible!!"
"Fu, fufufufufufuhahahahahahahaha!!! I give up, I resign! Just once, for this board, I'll give up. But, you really are naive, Battler."
"Parting remarks are a loser's privilege. Say as many as you want."
"...Ku...! Since you continue to deny my existence, you will eventually be cornered..."
"After all, since you deny me, you will have to suspect those relatives that you can't stop loving...! In the last moment, when you have to suspect one who is beloved to you, then you will definitely accept my existence...!!"