Part 168: Round 2: Aftermath
VLR OST: [Sinisterness]
There's no one in the infirmary...
No Quark and no killer, at least as far as I can see.
Listen in: [English/Japanese]
Well, there is someone here.
Technically, at least.
Oh yeah...
She was lying silently on the bed furthest away from us.
If it weren't for the bloodstains on her chest and arm, her peaceful expression would have fooled most people into thinking she was just asleep.
The blood had dried and darkened, and now looked like any other stain.
That was when I noticed it.
Wait a minute... Look at her wrist.
It seems remarkably clean.
Yeah... For some reason there's no blood on this part.
Maybe she had something on her wrist. A watch, perhaps?
A watch?
Yes.
It was likely removed after she was killed.
That would account for the lack of blood splatter on her wrist.
A watch, huh...
I donno, it just looks like it was kinda wide for a watch.
Aren't women's watches usually...thinner?
You raise a good point.
Perhaps it was some kind of jewelry?
Jewelry?
You mean like a bracelet or some—
[Music fades out]
Why didn't I see it sooner!?
VLR OST: [Portentousness]
This is the same size and shape as our bracelets!
Look, look, it's exactly the same width!
Then, that would mean...
She was wearing a bracelet when she was killed.
She was a participant, just like us.
This old woman, a player in the Nonary Game...
...
...
K? Is something wrong?
Oh. No, nothing.
We were quite thorough during our earlier search.
But I know that I saw nothing, and none of the others reported finding a bracelet either.
Then that means they've been holding onto it this whole time. They've probably still got it.
That would seem likely.
No, wait...
If they'd been carrying it around, the sensors in the Chromatic Doors would have picked it up.
Without the right combination of bracelets, the secondary door would never have opened.
So our suspect is not only a killer and a thief...
...But a skilled imposter as well.
What are you saying?
In fact, it is entirely possible they are wearing it still.
Yes, that would make sense...
Yes.
And you're telling me they're probably wearing it...?
Correct.
Do you remember what Zero Jr. told us?
Something about how the bracelet will come off if the wearer's heart stops, I don't recall the exact words.
But in any event, once the old woman had died, her bracelet would have detached, allowing the killer to easily collect it.
Why...?
...What?
I suspect the killer was someone who was not originally intended to be a participant.
For whatever reason, however, they were willing to go to great lengths to insure that they were.
To that end they killed the old woman, who was one of the original participants, and took her place.
But why would someone do that?
That...
...
...
...
...
Certainly they must have a goal of some sort. You would have to be mad to choose to come here.
But as to what that goal is, and how the killer intends to achieve it...
I'm afraid I do not have even speculation.
...
...
Have you noticed something?
Since that's where the bracelet was, then the bracelet the killer stole should have blood on it.
Right.
But none of us is wearing a bloody bracelet...
Sigma, please tell me you're kidding...
The killer would have, of course, wiped the blood off.
Only a fool would walk around with a bracelet covered in blood.
So you're saying they cleaned it?
Yes.
Hmm...
Have you discovered something?
...
...
...
...
Oh?
We just need some of that luminol!
It doesn't matter how well they cleaned it—there should be some traces of blood left!
Ah ha! I see! That could very well work.
That is where the luminol was, I believe.
Yeah.
First we need to finish looking for Quark, though.
We've still got the infirmary and everything beyond the green door.
Once we're done with that, we can head back to floor B to meet up with everyone else.
Understood. Shall we go, then?
[Music fades out]
Listen in: [English/Japanese]
The same as what we found on the other side of the blue door.
But...
...
...
...
It looks like two of them are already unlocked.
So it does.
Perhaps the layout here is different...
Hm...
...
...
...
Whatever. Let's take the door on the right first.
999 OST: [Eternitybox]
Huh...what's this room?
That looks like a workbench of some sort...
Maybe, but what sort of work?
...
...
Well, we're here to find Quark, not look at a workbench.
You go check out the far end, all right?
Very well.
...
...
Hey, K! How's it going over there?
K! Can you hear me?!
K was bent over with his back to me, peering underneath the thing that looked like a workbench.
What the hell...
I walked toward him as I spoke.
Hey man, what's going on here?
I bent down and saw he was staring at something that appeared to be a safe.
Yes.
Was there something in there before?
No, it was empty when I found it.
Was it?
Yes.
Then what are you doing staring into an empty safe?
I was...thinking.
Specifically, I was thinking about who opened this safe.
Wouldn't that have been the team that went through the green door?
I think that was Dio, Phi, and Clover...
No, that's unlikely.
When we met up with Dio, he told us that he had been in the treatment center.
The nameplate on this door says this is the GAULEM Bay, however.
So you're saying they didn't go here?
I believe that is the case.
Which, as you can see, is why I was puzzled.
If Dio, Phi, and Clover did not open this safe...who did?
...
...
...
...
Well, there's no point thinking about it.
We should get back.
Yes, there was another unlocked door, wasn't there.
Yup.
Let's get moving then.
Listen in: [English/Japanese]
This is the room that Dio visited.
Until now, all the Chromatic Doors have led to a single room each.
So why are there two rooms on the other side of the green door?
An excellent question.
We can talk to the others later, I guess, and see if they know anything.
K and I split up, and began to look for places where Quark might have hidden, or small holes he might have escaped through.
They must be the treatment pods Dio mentioned.
The window's all covered with frost on the inside... I can't see in.
Shall we open it?
Yes, might as well. Have at it.
[Music fades out]
