Case 1: Murder on Gallery Island —Part 2—
Chapter 5: Sakuya-sama Does Not Play the Piano
I am Oitsuki Sakuya, a fledgling detective, accompanied by my assistant, Lilitea.
Joining us are the U.K.’s greatest detective dog, Fido, and his assistant, Belka.
Tagging along is the rookie actress and my self-proclaimed disciple, Haigamine Yuriu.
Our party left Tokyo after receiving a dangerous invitation from Chardina Infericous, one of the 『Seven Old Men』.
Needless to say, this was a journey fraught with all manner of peril. If possible, I would have politely declined. However, I want to know. I want to know what happened to my father, whose life and whereabouts remain unknown. I had no choice but to go if I wanted information.
Our destination was Reginleiv, an island owned by Chardina floating in the Mediterranean.
However, en route, engine trouble and a storm stranded us on Aquarius Island—also known as Gallery Island.
A solitary island in a storm. If only nothing would happen.
Perhaps it was because I had such a thought.
An incident occurred.
First, Herbie, the photographer visiting the island, was found dead. And in an impossible state, at that.
That discovery triggered this and that, bringing a certain hidden truth to light, and it seemed the case was safely resolved.
However, this storm-swept island, having swallowed a detective into its belly, was not about to release its prey so easily.
□
"Dmitri was killed by the Siren!"
The moment she came down to the basement, Katia Zavattini screamed with a pale face.
"Dmitri was!?"
Dmitri, Katia’s son and a total cynic.
He was... killed?
"Third floor of the West Wing! Blood... there was so much blood...!"
"No... That’s absurd!"
Lyle raised his voice louder than usual.
"Killed, you say!?"
"W-Wait a second! What do you mean by the Siren!? We just established that the Siren’s true identity is Graphio! Right!?"
Belka looked at me while clutching her head. But I was in the depths of confusion myself.
However—now that she mentioned it, I hadn't seen Dmitri since before we set out to search for Herbie.
He hadn't shown up even when we were arguing in Luciolla’s room.
"Gra... phio? I don't know who that is, but this is a disaster! Just come with me!"
Katia yelled back, irritated by Belka’s words, and dragged us along with a tone that brooked no argument.
We climbed the stairs back to the basement and boarded the elevator.
Chardina and her two subordinates boarded as well, looking as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Since there were more people than when we came down, the elevator was cramped.
"Everyone was making a fuss, but that child didn't show his face at all... So I went to Dmitri’s room, but he wasn't there. I... I wondered what happened to him and looked around, and the door to the connecting corridor was open... So, I went to the West Wing to look for him... and then!"
Katia explained the situation as if begrudging even a second of lost time.
In the midst of this, I stole a glance at Chardina.
Standing next to her again, I realized she was shorter than Lilitea; she looked almost like a child.
Chardina had decided to stay on this Gallery Island in search of Eliseo de Sica’s work.
Eliseo’s true debut work, never released to the world—if such a thing existed, its value would be immeasurable.
Even so...
To think such a dainty girl is one of the 『Seven Old Men』...
What kind of life did this girl lead to end up shouldering the outrageous, common-sense-defying sentence of 1,466 years as the 『Millionaire Phantom Thief』? I couldn't even imagine.
I couldn't imagine it, but I could certainly feel it now.
She is undoubtedly the 『Millionaire Phantom Thief』.
Otherwise, there is no way she would order a missile launch at this mansion.
The scheduled launch time is 6:00 AM tomorrow morning. It will be fired mercilessly from Chardina’s submarine lurking in the sea offshore.
If that happens, there’s no telling what kind of damage will occur.
Victim, culprit, murder, trick—none of it will matter. Everything will be blown away, buried under rubble.
Before that happens, we have to solve the case and convince—or rather, satisfy—Chardina.
Suddenly, my eyes met Chardina’s.
Whether she was lost in thought or just zoning out, she didn't glare or sneer. Instead, she smiled adorably, as if to say, "I'm looking forward to this."
That smile made her look like a perfectly ordinary, cute girl.
Stop it. Don't show me that face.
If you're a great sinner, then at least act like a demon.
"...By the way, who are those kids? were there kids like this here?"
Katia finally noticed Chardina’s group and lowered her voice.
"Uhh... apparently, a millionaire’s daughter ran into the storm during a boat trip and drifted ashore on this island."
I told Katia that to smooth things over.
I decided to keep the bombing of the island a secret from the people of this mansion and the Zavattini family for now.
Telling them now would only cause unnecessary confusion and fear.
After all, we are already in the midst of a murder case with no escape from the storm.
□
Just as Katia said, the door to the connecting corridor was unlocked.
I checked the key box. The key to the connecting corridor was missing.
"Ursna-san, please stay in the room with Lou."
"...Understood. Come, Young Mistress, this way."
"But, um..."
Luciolla moved her blue lips as if to say something, but eventually closed her mouth. Her complexion was nearly deathly pale. Having pushed herself to run around on prosthetics and delivering a painful, long monologue, she must be exhausted.
On top of that, the girl is currently tormented by guilt over what she has done.
"E-Everyone, please be careful."
Leaving Luciolla and Ursna-san in the East Wing, we crossed over to the West Wing together.
The connecting corridor was very short; we reached the door on the opposite side in less than ten steps.
We went inside and turned on our flashlights.
The West Wing was wrapped in dust and humidity.
Old canvases were stacked against the hallway walls, many of them slashed by a palette knife or something similar.
All of them were likely left behind by Eliseo.
Here and there, the half-life and anguish of Eliseo as a painter were piled high. But if we did nothing, in ten hours, everything would be reduced to ashes.
Unlike the East Wing, the West Wing had no elevator, so we had to use the stairs to go up.
Stairs were installed on both the north and south sides, but since the south stairs had collapsed midway due to aging, we had to take the long way around and climb the north stairs.
"Over here! Hurry!"
Katia’s face, which had been guzzling wine a short while ago, was now completely pale.
Climbing the stairs while watching our footing in the dark took longer than expected.
"That room..."
As soon as we finished climbing the stairs, Katia pointed to the room at the very end of the hallway extending to the south.
The door to the furthest room was open.
I approached and peeked inside.
The room was dim, and the lights wouldn't turn on. The bulbs seemed to have burned out from age.
Relying on the flashlight, I entered.
A small, empty wooden rack and an old, unreliable pipe bed were lined up. A bare, thin mattress was laid on the bed. A dried-up mouse carcass lay in the corner of the floor.
In the center of the floor of such a room—there was a pool of blood.
And the window at the back was smashed open, the damp curtains flapping violently.
It was a scene that was obviously abnormal at a glance.
When I got closer to investigate, I found the key to the connecting corridor and—a familiar orange cloth lying next to the pool of blood.
I picked it up.
"...It's Dmitri-kun's scarf."
The key to the connecting corridor was also lying nearby. But the most important thing, Dmitri himself, was missing. The room was filled only with the storm outside and the sound of the waves.
"Katia-san, where is Dmitri-kun?"
"H-He’s not here. But looking at that blood, you should understand!"
Indeed, it was an abnormal amount of blood. No matter how you estimated it, it was a serious injury, possibly fatal.
Katia pointed to the window with a trembling fingertip. The double-casement window was left wide open outward, and shattered glass shards were scattered on the floor.
"He was attacked, and surely taken out from there!"
Blood trails remained, leading toward the window.
"From the window...?"
Was he pushed?
I opened the window and stuck my head out, careful not to injure myself on the broken glass.
"Whoa!"
The wind slamming against the building walls blew upward from below with tremendous force, catching me off guard.
Grimacing against the wind, I shone the flashlight directly down to check. But nothing had fallen. No harvest.
I moved away from the window while fixing my messy hair.
Lilitea was crouching in front of the pool of blood, checking its condition.
Coagulation hadn't started yet. It was relatively fresh blood.
And—
"Lilitea."
"Yes."
Using that blood which hadn't even begun to harden, characters had been written on the floor.
『SIREN』
"A message left by the victim, Dmitri, huh?"
Poking his nose out from under my armpit, Fido spoke.
"So this is the reason Katia-san brought up the Siren’s name."
Following suit, Belka also popped her face out from under Lilitea’s armpit, imitating him.
"A Siren, huh... But just because of that, it's a bit hard to believe a legendary creature actually came from the sea and killed him... Could this represent something else?"
Katia responded indignantly to Belka’s simple question.
"It’s a message he left on the verge of death, you know!? He wouldn't go out of his way to leave a roundabout hint at a time like that! This isn't a mystery novel! If he could do that, he should have just written the culprit’s name directly!"
That certainly has a point.
If it were a case in a novel, it’s plausible the author would make the dying message a cryptic word to complicate the riddle, but unfortunately, this is reality.
However, if the victim died without being able to directly confirm the culprit’s face and name, it’s conceivable they would leave the culprit’s characteristics or related words.
As someone with experience, I feel I understand the psychology around that better than others.
But if that's the case, it means Dmitri was attacked by an opponent he could only think of as a Siren.
"Well, there doesn't seem to be a body, but as for the weapon..."
I looked up to see if it was around. Then Lilitea, who had stood up, pointed to the top of a small table beside the entrance.
"Perhaps they used what was here."
I checked, but there was nothing in particular on the table. Only accumulated dust.
However, what Lilitea discovered wasn't the weapon itself, but its trace.
"Ah, there’s no dust piled up only here. Is this a mark where a vase or something was placed?"
"I think so as well. Putting aside whether the object placed there was a vase or another ornament, the culprit likely brandished what was here and struck Dmitri-shi."
Assuming the culprit is a real Siren, would a terrifying legendary existence take such a realistic method as brandishing a vase to attack a human?
Cursing them to death, tearing them apart, sucking their blood. One would expect a different method of killing.
No, well, I've never actually met one, so I can't decide on a Siren’s attack methods, but still.
"The weapon isn't in this room."
Just as Fido said.
This was clearly an empty room with originally very few items placed in it, so it didn't take long to confirm that.
"They might have thrown the weapon out of that window, too."
Direction-wise, the vast ocean spreads out beyond the window. If you threw the weapon from this third-story window, it would undoubtedly reach the raging sea.
"By now, the weapon has been swallowed by the waves and completely destroyed... huh."
As I muttered and looked back at Fido, for some reason, he had his front paws on the bed, checking something.
"What's wrong?"
"Dust hasn't accumulated here either."
"On the bed?"
"I'm going to investigate a bit. Ah, wait up, Sensei!"
Saying that, he left the room.
I don't know Fido’s thoughts yet, but I'll do what I can.
"Lilitea, the last time Dmitri-kun was seen was when he was trying to go outside the mansion to look for Herbie-san, right?"
"Yes. I recall it was around 6:00 PM."
"From then until the middle of that trouble in the underground cavern, no one saw him. In terms of time, that's a little over an hour."
"However, Sakuya-sama, after everyone returned from outside, everyone except Dmitri-shi was gathered in Luciolla-sama’s room. At least after returning from outside, everyone has an alibi."
"Ah, right. In that case, the crime was only possible while we were searching outside."
So, while there was a huge commotion regarding Luciolla, Dmitri had already been killed behind the scenes.
"Then, the one for whom the crime was possible at that time is—"
I dared not put the rest into words, silently making eye contact with Lilitea.
The ones remaining in the mansion at that time were Luciolla, Ivan, and Katia—those three.
Is the suspicious one Ivan, or Katia who claims to be the first discoverer?
No, but Katia is Dmitri’s mother. And that frightened expression when she came to tell us about Dmitri didn't seem like acting.
"The time we were out searching for Herbie-san was... at most five minutes, or ten minutes if we estimate generously, right?"
"Yes. In that time, the culprit climbed the dark West Wing stairs to the third floor, killed Dmitri, concealed the body, immediately went down the stairs, and returned to the East Wing."
"There’s no elevator in the West Wing, and on top of that, the south stairs are collapsed, so they had to take the long way around. Time-wise, it’s barely possible... maybe."
"To do all that while not knowing when we would return from outside is quite a risky adventure for the culprit."
The more I think it through, the less I understand the modus operandi.
Let's change the direction of my thoughts a little.
"In the first place... why did Dmitri-kun cross over to the West Wing alone?"
When I muttered like a monologue, Lilitea also showed a gesture of deep thought.
Right. I don't know the reason. The reason to go to the trouble of unlocking the door and stepping into the West Wing.
"Unless he had some business, he shouldn't have come to a place like this. And business that he wanted to go alone for, if possible..."
"Looking for something... perhaps?"
Maybe influenced by me, Lilitea also spoke in a tone like a monologue.
But, I see. Searching—huh. That’s plausible.
"Ah."
Perhaps detouring my thoughts was good; momentarily delayed, I arrived at a possibility I hadn't considered yet.
There is one. Speaking only of possibility, there is still another suspect, isn't there?
"Sakuya-sama...?"
With the puzzled Lilitea at my back, I turned on my heel toward the entrance door.
And I stood before her—Chardina, who was leaning her back against the corridor wall outside the room, leisurely watching the events unfold.
She showed no particular surprise and looked up at my face.
"What is it? Asking a wallflower for a dance?"
"Char, when did you land on this island?"
"Just a moment ago. You saw us in the underground cavern, didn't you? Sakuya, are you okay? A malfunction in your brain cells?"
"Yeah, I saw. But can you prove that was the first time?"
"Are you trying to say that Char and the others actually secretly landed on the island before that, snuck into this mansion, and killed people?"
"I'm talking about possibilities. With that submarine, you could break this closed circle and visit from the outside anytime. You said so yourself. So—"
"There is no such possibility. There was no other place around the island where a submarine could pull up. Besides, do you think we could manage to go back and forth between the West and East Wings killing people without conveniently being seen by all of you?"
When she says that, I have no choice but to fall silent. I've already considered that point too. That's why it’s just a discussion of possibilities.
"Also, just to add, Char has no motive."
"Are you saying you wouldn't commit a crime without a motive? You, who are counted among the 『Seven Old Men』?"
"Hey, you bastard! You've been running your mouth for a while now!"
In the middle of our talk, without warning, a tall woman blocked my path.
One of Chardina’s subordinates. I believe she was called Altra.
"Don't go casting suspicion on the Young Miss like you're some big shot! I'll mess up your body so bad you'll have a hell of a time playing the piano with your brain hemispheres swapped!"
Altra’s arm extended toward the side of my head with terrifying speed. It was a beast-like ferocity and agility.
But fortunately, the terrifying knife-hand strike missed my temple by a hair's breadth.
"Sakuya-sama does not play the piano."
Lilitea had kicked Altra’s knife-hand up with her white leg, deflecting the attack.
Perhaps not imagining she would be blocked, Altra looked slowly back and forth between her repelled arm and Lilitea’s leg, and then—laughed.
"Ni-ha-ha..What's this, there's a cute one here! This is the best! I curse you~! Young Miss! Can I start here?"
"Nooo. We're all having fun solving a mystery, so if Altra starts a massacre with neither motive nor trick, it’ll ruin everything, won't it?"
"Ehh!"
Even after being admonished by her master, Altra threw a tantrum, looking unable to give up on Lilitea.
"I said be quiet."
"Then, then! I'll be good, so do that for me later, Young Miss! It’s been so long!"
"Wait, again? No way. I just did it for you the other day."
"That wasn't the other day! That was twenty-four days ago! Do it! Come on, come on! This time, more slowly than before..."
"Idiot! Don't talk about details in a place like this!"
Chardina flusteredly moved to cover the mouth of Altra, who had started narrating something. Her face was visibly flushed with shame.
"Haa... Fine, I get it. I said I'll do it. Good grief."
"Yaaaay!"
I don't know what's going on, but Chardina finally folded. Altra jumped for joy just like a child.
"I-It's unfair! Hogging that all to yourself! Young Miss... um, I also... um..."
"Carmina! You too! Just be quiet already!"
What the heck is that?
The mystery of Chardina and her group’s relationship only deepens.
"So that means, you, I'll let you off for now. Name?"
"I am called Lilitea."
"Altra. Next time, I'll kill you."
"Is that so?"
Lilitea didn't move a single eyebrow even taking Altra’s parting shot head-on.
I am truly impressed by Lilitea’s nerves of steel. But thanks to her, we managed to get through an explosive situation.
"Good grief, did this place turn into a coliseum while I stepped out for a bit?"
Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, Fido and Belka returned.
"Where did you go?"
"Next door, and the one next to that... I checked a few rooms around here."
"Other rooms? R-Right! Now that you mention it, there is a possibility the body was hidden in another room...!"
"Wrong."
Katia nodded, sensing Fido’s intent, but she was mercilessly denied by Fido himself.
"W-Wrong...?"
"I thought so too and tentatively looked around the rooms on this floor in a hurry, but there was nothing."
As expected, the body has vanished.
"I told him there was no need for that, though. Meanie, I also worked so hard. Ahem. Sensei said he wanted to check the state of the beds. And, as a result of the investigation, he says he came up with one hypothesis regarding the trick of the victim’s disappearance."
Belka is holding a white sheet in her hands for some reason.
"What did you say?"
That is information I can't ignore.
"Are you saying you figured out how the culprit made Dmitri-kun vanish from this room?"
"Don't rush. It’s a hypothesis, a hypothesis. But with this method, it is possible. Belka."
At Fido’s command, Belka spread the sheet she was holding wide.
"I brought the sheet that was on the bed in the next room~."
She looks triumphant for some reason.
"Sheets were on the beds in every room. Maybe because they were neglected, dust had accumulated on all of them."
But, there was no sheet on the bed in this room, and no dust had accumulated on the bare mattress either.
What that means is—
"Someone stripped the sheet and used it for something?"
"Exactly. And that someone is the culprit, and if you ask what they used it for, naturally, it was to erase Dmitri’s corpse from this room."
"But how, using a sheet?"
"Belka, do it exactly as I said earlier. Yes, Sensei!"
Belka draped the sheet over herself like a cloak and tied the ends at her chest. Next, she tied the sheet around her waist in the same way, then walked backward toward the window.
Everyone watched, wondering what she intended to do. Seeming happy to be the center of attention, Belka was grinning.
"Watch this~."
Eventually, she opened the window vigorously with her hands behind her back and dropped the sheet from her back out the window.
"Sensei, is this right?"
At that moment—
Catching the strong wind blowing up from below, the sheet inflated like a parachute in an instant, and Belka’s body was yanked backward with a whoosh.
"Uwa! Wa! Wawa!?"
Since the ends of the sheet were tied to Belka’s body, that was the natural result.
"W-Wait, Sensei!? I-Is this right? It's fine, right? But at this rate, I'm going out the window? Hey~!, I'm gonna faaaaall!"
"Belka!"
I flusteredly rushed to her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back.
She was nearly blown out the window by the force of the wind.
"As you can see. If you use the sheet like a parachute and utilize the storm winds like this, you can transport the body a certain distance away. That was a bit cruel, Sensei! If it was such a dangerous demonstration, you should have said so beforehand~! I almost died..."
Ignoring the complaint of Belka who nearly died, the detective dog continued speaking.
"Right in front is the open sea. Unless the wind changes its mood drastically, the body goes kerplunk into the ocean. It becomes impossible to find easily."
"Much more efficient at hiding the body than dropping it directly under the window where it would be found immediately upon searching... huh."
"Yeah. At the very least, it means it’s possible to erase a body without using magic or miraculous powers."
Having smartly finished presenting his deduction, Fido breathed, "Hah, hah," sticking his tongue out like a dog.
In contrast, far from sticking my tongue out, I was tonguetied.
Detective Dog Fido. His history of cooperating with my old man to solve cases isn't just for show.
Oops, this isn't the time to stand around being impressed.
"By the way, Katia-san, what is Ivan-san doing?"
"...He’s in his own room."
"Does he know the situation? Um, about Dmitri-kun being missing."
"Of course he knows. He came here with me and confirmed it. That’s exactly why he’s shut himself in. Saying he can't trust anyone... Truthfully, I don't want to walk around either. After all, following that photographer... Dmitri... my son was killed. Doesn't that mean there’s a serial killer on this island?"
Now that she mentions it, we still haven't managed to tell Ivan or Katia about the truth of Herbie’s murder. The two of them still think the culprit who killed Herbie is among us.
"Um, about Herbie-san—"
When I summarized the truth of Herbie’s case and told Katia, her eyes went wide at the unexpected reality.
"So the two cases are unrelated."
"To think such an orca existed... But, that doesn't mean we can relax! Dmitri was killed, you know? The fact remains that there is another culprit somewhere!"
That is true, and if anything, the mystery only deepens.
□
Staying in a dark room in the West Wing forever wouldn't get us anywhere, so we decided to return to the East Wing to organize the situation.
"Hmm? Is this..."
However, on the way back, I noticed a door constructed differently from the others between the rooms lining the south corridor.
When I opened it gently, there was a narrow staircase different from the one we came up, continuing further upward.
Everyone else has already started going downstairs.
What should I do?
I hesitated a little, but since I was curious, I climbed those dark and steep stairs.
When I reached the top, there was another door at the end of the stairs. The fitting was poor, but I managed to push it open to the other side.
Immediately, a sharp wind blew against my whole body, nearly pushing me back.
Beyond the door was the mansion’s rooftop.
When I looked up from the ground, I thought it was covered by a triangular roof, but—
"I didn't know such a space extended over the roof."
A waist-high iron fence surrounded the rooftop as a fall prevention measure, but it was rotten in places, looking like missing teeth.
I timidly peeked down from a spot without a fence.
Looking at it this way, it’s quite high.
If I fall, I won't get off lightly.
"Sakuya-sama."
"Wa! Y-You startled me!"
Being called from behind suddenly, I almost fell off right there. When I turned around in a panic, Lilitea was standing there with an exquisitely dissatisfied look on her face.
"Don't scare me, Lilitea!"
"Please do not disappear suddenly. Everyone is already returning to the East Wing."
"Ah, I found stairs going up to the roof, so just for a bit."
"So a place like this existed."
Looking up, I could see the roof of the East Wing on the other side. I couldn't see clearly in the dark, but there was a section where soil was mounded up.
In terms of size, maybe five meters square?
Flowers were planted all over it, and they were being toyed with by the wind.
It’s small, but that is a respectable garden.
"A rooftop garden, it seems."
"Seem so. Oops, over here too."
Looking at my feet again, there was a garden of about the same size on this side too. Though, not a single flower is planted in this one.
"Does no one come to take care of the roof on this side?"
"No, Sakuya-sama. It may seem I am overturning your words, but..."
Lilitea crouched on the spot and gently touched the wet soil.
"Traces of light tilling can be seen here."
Looking closely after being told, indeed, marks like soil dug up by a small shovel or something remained here and there.
"It's true. Luciolla, maybe? Did she try to tend to it and stop halfway?"
But it’s too half-hearted for that. Yet, not a single human footprint can be found on the soil.
Did they dutifully smooth over only the footprint parts?
If I say it's nothing, maybe it's nothing, but somehow a sense of incongruity remained within me.
□
"Everyone, I have prepared a simple meal, so please help yourselves if you'd like."
When we returned to the lounge rubbing our cold bodies, Ursna-san was just lining up plates on the table.
Bread, soup, and coffee. It was frugal, but for us who had missed dinner, it was a grateful consideration.
I told Ursna-san what I saw in the West Wing and asked about Luciolla’s condition instead.
"No need for worry. However, having been soaked in seawater for a long time in that underground area, her body must have gotten cold. She fell asleep as soon as she wrapped herself in a blanket."
"Is that so..."
I glanced at the wall clock.
Before 9:00 PM.
The time limit remaining is nine hours.
Even if we asked Chardina to stop shooting missiles, it would be useless. If she were a girl who would reconsider by appealing to her emotions, she wouldn't be sentenced to a prison term off by two orders of magnitude.
If it comes down to it, we have no choice but to tell everyone the truth and look for a way to escape the island.
But—right now, there is only one small boat with a hole in the bottom on this island.
Really, she’s done something incredibly troublesome.
Wondering how the person in question, Chardina, was doing, I stole a look and she was sitting on the sofa, unexpectedly quiet.
"A murder case in a mansion in a storm; it’s like watching a mystery game from a special seat."
I was wrong. She only looked quiet. Chardina is enjoying this situation extremely imprudently.
Carmina and Altra. As for the two vigilant followers, they were engaging in a pushing match over something trivial.
"Hey Carmina, let's go to the toilet?"
"No way. Just go by yourself."
"...But like, it feels like it’s gonna come out."
"I know that. You're going to the toilet because it’s going to come out, right?"
"Not that... ghosts and stuff."
"Altra, are you scared? Are you actually freaked out by the atmosphere of this mansion?"
"I'm no good only when it’s the toilet! I feel like my heart and body are defenseless... Don't you feel like it’s the representative of exposed defenselessness? Hey, come with me~! I'll treat you terribly if you don't."
"Are you a maiden!? Endure it!"
What are they talking about?
Those two, I'm stuck deciding whether I should be wary of them or not.
A sigh escaped unintentionally.
Normally, the case should have ended with Luciolla’s confession, and by now we should have been returning to our respective rooms getting ready to sleep.
"...By the way, Ursna-san, the East and West buildings have rooftops, don't they?"
To gloss over the sigh, I brought up the topic of the rooftop.
"Yes. We only use them for hanging laundry, though."
Saying that, Ursna-san pointed directly up. She probably means the rooftop of this East Wing is where she usually hangs laundry.
And according to her, the elevator in the entrance hall goes directly to the rooftop.
"Also, do you call it a rooftop garden? There was something like a field too."
I bit into the bread while asking. Delicious.
"It’s not grand enough to be called a garden. In the field of the East Wing, the Young Mistress grows flowers modestly."
"And the field in the West Wing?"
I continued and slurped the coffee. This is also quite tasty.
"It’s an embarrassing story, but that one has been neglected for a long time and is in a ruined state. We rarely have business over there, after all."
"Neglected...?"
"Is there something bothering you?"
"Um... there were marks like it had been dug up in the West Wing field, so I thought someone might have gone there... Oh right, I just took a picture of it. I think it’s a bit dark and hard to see with the smartphone flash, but..."
With that disclaimer, I showed the photo I took on the way back. It showed the state of the soil in the West Wing’s rooftop garden.
"Haa..."
Ursna-san looked down at the photo on the screen, looking slightly puzzled.
"Please look. The surface of the soil looks like it’s been dug up, right? I thought Lou or Ursna-san had tried to tend to it or something."
While listening to my story, she zoomed in on the photo with her fingers and gazed at it, but eventually, she raised her voice in a bright tone, "Ah!" as if she noticed something.
"This is the work of seabirds."
"Seabirds, is it?"
"Sometimes they come down to dig up the soil looking for food. They must be looking for earthworms or insects. Oh my, it looks like you're almost out. I'll bring a coffee refill."
Saying so, Ursna-san left the lounge. Indeed, before I knew it, the cup in my hand was almost empty.
I watched her back feeling somewhat let down.
"What... seabirds, huh."
Accepting it with a slight disappointment, I drank the remaining coffee.
Well, now that I've filled my stomach, let's visit Ivan’s room right away.
As I verified with Lilitea earlier, the person most suspicious and capable of the crime currently is him.
Just as I was about to stand up from the sofa, my eyes stopped on Katia sitting on the sofa diagonally across from me.
Her state was—clearly strange.
"Dmitri... was dragged into the sea... surely that’s it..."
She wasn't touching her coffee, biting her red-manicured nails while muttering to herself.
"To think he would be erased... I shouldn't have come to a place like this...!"
"Katia-san, are you okay?"
I unintentionally called out to her out of worry. Katia’s shoulders jumped, and she looked at me as if returning to herself.
Her shock is immeasurable to me.
"Um... I know you're worried about your son, but it hasn't been decided that he was killed yet. The body hasn't been found, after all."
"...Are you saying he might be alive somewhere? With that bleeding?"
"It’s just a possibility, but..."
"Leaving a message written in blood like that, and being fine somewhere in the mansion? That’s impossible!"
Trying to reassure her seemed to backfire. Katia’s nerves became increasingly frayed, and she screamed hysterically.
"He was killed! By the Siren! If not... by Eliseo’s ghost!"
"Wait a moment. Why does Eliseo-san’s name come up there?"
I couldn't ignore those words and involuntarily interjected. Then, she gasped, raised her face, and covered her mouth.
As if trying to pretend the leaked words never happened.
Come to think of it, Katia was showing a reaction different from just the fact that her son was killed.
It is fear.
The fear that she might be the next one killed.
Why does she think that?
Is it because she has an idea of why they are being targeted?
"Katia-san, perhaps you know something? For example, why Dmitri-kun went to the West Wing... or something."
"I... I don't know! It’s irrelevant! I have nothing to do with this house!"
"Irrelevant? Doesn't sound like words coming from a relative’s mouth."
"Shut up! It has nothing to do with you, right! Leave me alone!"
This person, just what is she hiding—
—Jiriririri...!
It was then that the phone installed in the lounge rang out.
Everyone reacted hypersensitively and turned around.
In that interval, the bell sound, exquisitely grating on the nerves, repeated two, three times.
When I approached the phone, the extension lamp was lit.
"This is an internal line."
"N-Naaah, what!"
Yuriu and Belka uttered the same words simultaneously. Contrary to their words, the two were hugging tightly, supporting each other. They must have been quite startled.
"I wonder who it’s from?"
It seems to be calling from some room, but we won't know until we answer.
"Lou, maybe?"
Since I was closest to the phone, I picked up the receiver as a representative.
"...Hello?"
I called out.
But there was no response.
Instead, a strange humming song I had never heard before came from the other side of the receiver.
A woman’s singing voice... I think. It is eerily clear. Yet, somehow sorrowful.
"Hello?"
When I called out again, a man’s pained groan was heard from the other side.
『Uhh... nu... Who is it?』
"That voice... is that Ivan-san?"
『Ah... the Oriental kid... What on earth... did I...?』
He sounded in pain—or rather, somewhat groggy.
"What do you mean? You called this phone, right Ivan-san? Didn't something happen?"
『Phone...?』
At my natural question, for some reason, he showed a reaction as if he didn't know what I was talking about for a moment.
"...Am I wrong?"
『No, I was... drinking sake in my room... when suddenly my consciousness became hazy... and before I knew it............』
"And then you woke up? Can you move?"
『My body won't move as I wish... I've never been drunk like this...』
"Don't tell me..."
Someone slipped him something like sleeping pills?
The singing voice is still audible in the background.
Something—is unsettling.
"You are in your room right now, correct?"
Ivan’s room is Room 111 on the first floor. From the lounge, we can cross the entrance hall and go check on him immediately.
『Room...? No, wait... Wait... Where... is this?』
"Eh?"
『This... is not my room. The moon... there is no moon...』
Ivan is in a different room?
"No moon? Are you talking about the painting in the room?"
『Ah... It’s pitch black... When did I... Where is this place?』
"What do you mean? Are you saying someone drugged you and took you to another room..."
『Guaaaah!?』
In the middle of my question, Ivan suddenly screamed, interrupting me.
"Ivan-san...? What happened!?"
『Wh... Who... is it!? Is someone there!? H-He......』
He must have dropped the receiver; his voice grew distant.
『Sto... p...! It can't be, you...? Is it you...? Yuri!?』
—Thud
A dull sound echoed, Ivan’s scream stopped—and the call cut off.
A silence as if water had been poured over us dominated the lounge for a moment.
"W-What was... that sound just now?"
Yuriu tugged weakly at my sleeve. She must have heard it faintly through the receiver.
"Everyone, would you like a refill of coffee?"
Just then, Ursna-san returned, pushing a handcart.
"Oh my? Everyone... Did something happen?"
"Ursna-san!"
"Y-Yes!?"
"The room with the painting without a moon... the painting of the new moon, what room number is it!?"
"Eh? Eh?"
"Please tell me!"
"Um... T-The New Moon Room... T-That would be Room 303 on the third floor, I believe!"
"We're rushing. Yes, Sensei!"
The moment they heard the room number, Fido and Belka were running.
They have faces that have already guessed the situation. They must have heard Ivan’s scream through the receiver.
Me and Lilitea, Fido and Belka—Yuriu a little behind. The five of us flew out of the lounge into the entrance hall.
Just then, I saw Luciolla coming out of the north corridor in her wheelchair.
"Ah, Saku... Lou is okay now..."
"Lou! Go back to your room!"
"D-Did something... happen?"
"It’s okay!"
Truthfully, I wanted to call out to her more calmly, but I didn't have that luxury.
We raced up the stairs, heading for the third floor.
"303... 303... Over here!"
Belka, who was ahead, jumped up and down calling me. I hurried over and put my hand on the doorknob, but it was locked.
Belka banged on the door hard, calling inside.
"Ivan-san! Are you okay!? Ivan-san!"
There is no response.
Instead, that eerie singing voice can be heard from the other side of the door.
"We're smashing it. Help me."
At Fido’s signal, we timed our body slam against the door.
Twice, three times—
As we repeated it, I could tell the old door latch was loosening.
On the sixth try, the door broke, and we tumbled flashily to the other side.
We avalanched into Room 303 and looked around.
But—Ivan wasn't there.
"Eh...? He’s not here?"
No one is here. It’s unmanned.
Even so, only that singing voice continues to be heard.
Yuriu noticed the source of the sound fastest and pointed to it.
"This! It’s a boombox... right?"
Indeed, a music player was placed in the corner of the room, and the song was playing from there. It’s an old type of product one rarely sees these days.
The window glass was broken, and shards were scattered on the floor.
It’s the same situation as with Dmitri.
"Was he... killed?"
The words leaked from my mouth unintentionally.
The most suspicious person in the Dmitri murder case was Ivan. That should have been the case.
That’s why I was going to talk to him...
And yet—
Is Ivan not the culprit?
"Ivan-san... sounded like he was attacked by someone on the other end of the phone. There was a sound like he was struck by something, and then..."
Lilitea cautiously opened the window. Outside was wrapped in twilight as expected, and almost nothing could be seen. Only the window of the West Wing corridor on the opposite side emerged faintly.
"I-In other words, Ivan-san was also attacked by someone and taken away through the window... is that it? This is the third floor, right?"
Belka shook her head as if she couldn't believe it.
"Ah, I know! The culprit used a sheet like with Dmitri-kun to take Ivan-san...!"
As if remembering, Belka looked back at the room’s bed. But she immediately slumped her shoulders.
"I thought of that too, Belka. But..."
The sheet is laid on the bed without disorder. The culprit didn't use the sheet.
Unlike with Dmitri, we rushed here immediately after the phone call. Even if they procured a sheet from another room, there shouldn't have been time to tie the sheet to Ivan’s body.
Besides, the moment the internal call came, we were all in the lounge, and Luciolla was in her room on the north side of the first floor. Considering everyone’s location, no one could have entered or exited Room 303 at that time.
Then who on earth did it, and how?
Is there anyone who could attack Ivan under these conditions?
And assuming he was killed, is there any other method to instantly erase the body without using a sheet?
No... doubt it. If you're a detective, doubt everything. There must be some method.
I scolded myself and examined the room’s situation again.
First, I reached out to the boombox continuing to emit the singing voice and stopped it.
I took out the cassette inside.
"Tape, huh..."
What had been spinning was a cassette tape without a label. The length is sixty minutes.
"What is that song that was playing? Have you heard it, Lilitea?"
"That was a solo aria by a singer, but I believe the original song was traditional music familiar in the Mediterranean since ancient times. Originally, it is a very short piece, but they likely looped and dubbed it repeatedly."
Lilitea says she thinks it’s almost unknown in Japan.
"The title?"
"Apparently it spread after a certain poet named it later, but if I recall... Rondo for a Sinking Siren."
I see. They really set the stage.
"Can you lend me that for a second?"
"Hmm? Ah, sure."
Since Yuriu reached out, I handed over the old cassette tape and turned my eyes to other parts of the room.
The light. When we entered the room, the ceiling light was on from the start.
The installed phone. The receiver is firmly settled in the main unit.
One chair at the round central table.
"...There are no signs of a struggle. Just before being attacked, Ivan-san said his body wouldn't move. Maybe sleeping pills, or some drug was used."
"Did the culprit drug the alcohol Ivan-san was drinking? And then carried him to this room while he slept and attacked him..."
"Yes, Belka-sama. It is much more logical than thinking a Siren used mysterious supernatural powers to seal his movements."
"Ah, Lilitea thinks so too? Ehehe. Right~. Don't get cocky over such obvious deduction. What a pathetic assistant."
Putting aside the specific method, Dmitri followed by Ivan have disappeared—that is clear.
"What do you think, Fido?"
When I asked for his thoughts, he remained silent for a while, staring at a certain point.
"Dmitri, and Ivan. Why were they attacked in the first place, I wonder?"
"That is..."
Why?
Unless the culprit is a madman indiscriminately attacking people who catch their eye, there must have been a reason for the victims to be attacked.
"The Zavattini family and Eliseo. Somehow, I can't help but feel there are still secrets we don't know. Right, Kozo."
I turned my gaze to the same place Fido was staring at.
Beyond the round window, a strange painting simply painted black all over was displayed.
The moon is not depicted there.
Nothing, just an ominous sky.
Just as Ivan said—a New Moon.
□
Just to be safe, we searched every room on the third floor. However, Ivan was nowhere to be found.
Next, as a precaution, we decided to check Room 111, the room originally assigned to him.
As expected, it was empty.
On the small round table sat an empty glass and an extinguished cigar. The bookshelf was empty, devoid of any decent reading material. A travel bag, presumably his, sat beside the bed. There were no signs that the room had been ransacked.
Instead—
"Where is his cane...?"
Ivan's favorite cane was missing. It hadn't been in Room 303 either.
Where on earth did it go? Did it vanish along with its owner?
I checked inside the closet just in case, but Ivan’s corpse hadn't been stuffed inside.
"That is a magnificent full moon," Fido remarked, looking at the painting decorating the room.
True enough, a perfect circle of a moon floated against a black background beyond the round window frame. The color of the moon was green.
"Not here either, huh. In that case, let's search outside again."
The wind was still strong, but the rain had stopped. If we were going to search, now was the time.
However, Fido’s reaction was slow.
"Fido?"
"Hmm? Ah... Agreed! Sensei will go with you this time!"
Belka answered in place of Fido, who seemed deep in thought, and Yuriu innocently agreed.
"Let's go! He might have fallen from the window and be suffering in the courtyard! Dmitri-kun too! If so, we have to help them immediately!"
"Suffering... huh."
If they were suffering, that would still be a good outcome. The probability that they were already in a state where they couldn't feel pain was far higher.
But no one can say for sure that the dead don't suffer.
Herbie was still in that state, too. He might be in the midst of agony as well. If possible, I wanted to lower him to the ground soon.
□
Leaving Room 111 and heading to the entrance hall, we found a bit of a dispute occurring.
"No! I have heard that place is Eliseo-sama's precious atelier. No one is permitted entry except the Young Mistress!"
"Even you?"
"Even me."
"You're quite stubborn. But is this really the time for that?"
The argument was between Ursna-san and Chardina. Carmina and Altra were standing behind her.
"What are you arguing about?"
"Ah, Sakuya-san!"
When I called out, Ursna-san grabbed my arm as if seeking help.
"These people are being persistent about seeing Eliseo-sama's atelier!"
"Atelier?"
"I told you, didn't I? Char's goal is to buy Eliseo's phantom work at a fair price. I intend to search any place where it might be."
"So, show me the atelier, is it?"
"Ursna-sama, are you referring to that small building standing on the edge of the grounds?"
"Was there something like that?"
"There was. Sakuya-sama, please do not neglect your observation and memory."
Now that she mentioned it, I felt like I had seen it when we first visited the mansion.
"That place was Eliseo-san's atelier?"
Ursna-san nodded hesitantly.
"Yes... Because it is a precious place, I have never entered it either. The Young Mistress manages the key to the atelier herself."
"Is that so. That child, Lou, was it? Then perhaps I'll go to Lou's room and borrow it for a bit."
"No! The Young Mistress is currently extremely haggard!"
She wouldn't give an inch, even against Chardina's group. Ursna-san was brave.
"No, no, no. What an inflexible maid."
Chardina narrowed her eyes and puffed out her cheeks. She was in a bad mood because things weren't going her way.
But then, she suddenly started staring intently at Ursna-san's face.
"W-What is it?"
"...Come to think of it, I've thought this since I first saw you, but haven't we met somewhere?"
"I... I do not know you."
"Really? But I've seen you somewhere. What was it..."
Chardina pressed her index finger to her temple, pondering alone. It was Carmina who smartly assisted her master's memory.
"Could it be the last Olympics?"
"That's it! A track and field athlete!"
Having scratched the itch, Chardina clapped her hands in delight.
"The Spanish women's representative! Long jump! Right?"
"Eh? Ursna-san was a track and field athlete?"
It was such unexpected information that I reacted involuntarily.
"And an Olympic representative?"
"That's right! Absolutely! The name was surely... um, um... Ursna Iglesias! I remembered because her form was beautiful!"
"If that is the name, I have a recollection of hearing it!"
Rarely for her, Lilitea also showed a strong reaction.
"You know her?"
"Yes. I recall seeing her in a newspaper or something long ago."
"You know too, huh!"
Lilitea and Chardina were connecting in a strange way.
"There's no mistake!" While Chardina was excited, Ursna-san looked away embarrassedly.
"That... is an old story."
"Heeh! Is that so!"
Both Belka and Yuriu seemed unable to hide their surprise at this.
"I have long since retired. In the end, I could not leave any significant record..."
We learned of Ursna-san's surprising past at a strange timing.
"Is that so? So you took this job after retiring?"
"Yes... After retiring, I was like a shell, or rather, I had nothing I wanted to do..."
"Oh, really. What a waste."
"Enough about me, please."
Ursna-san waved both hands in front of her face, saying, "Please spare me!" I felt like I saw a cute side of her for the first time.
"Well, fine. Char feels refreshed remembering it. By the way, you lot."
Despite all that excitement, once the mystery was solved, Chardina completely shifted her interest and turned to us.
"How was it upstairs? Did anyone die?"
"We're about to go confirm that."
When I told her we were heading out to search for bodies, she grinned and ran over to me.
"Corpse hunting. Sounds fun."
"...You're not confusing this with a treasure hunt, are you?"
I know she's not normal, but what kind of sensibilities does she have?
"Char will tag along for that."
This has turned into something strange.
□
And so, holding flashlights in hand, we all walked around the perimeter of the mansion searching for Dmitri and Ivan.
I could understand Ursna-san and Lyle joining in, but it was a little surprising that Katia came along too. I had assumed she would be too depressed to move, but she must be worried about her son after all.
"Uwah!"
It was fortunate that the rain had stopped, but the strong wind—hard to tell if it was a storm or sea breeze—was exhausting.
"Sakuya-sama, please be very careful of your footing."
Lilitea followed, desperately holding down her skirt with her hands. At times like this, girls have it rough.
"I am totally fine! I have a policy of not wearing skirts~."
Belka said, walking with large strides. Apparently, she isn't afraid of the outdoors as long as Fido is with her.
As for Chardina, following at the very rear—
"Aah! The Young Miss is in trouble!"
"Carmina, do something!"
Her luxurious red dress was fluttering in the wind, causing her trouble.
Seeing her mixed into this group, I once again felt a sensation akin to dizziness.
Chardina Infericous. She should be the objective of this journey, yet before I knew it, we were working together on a midnight corpse hunt.
How should I put it? It's an absurd development.
□
We searched carefully with everyone's eyes for Dmitri and Ivan—or their corpses—but in the end, we found nothing of the sort around the mansion or in the courtyard.
Regarding Herbie's body, we couldn't do anything in this strong wind, so we returned to the mansion without gaining any results.
Each of us stood listlessly in the entrance hall.
"We shouldn't have gone out..."
Chardina was completely disgruntled after being toyed with by the wind. Carmina hurriedly fixing her messy hair looked completely out of place in this situation.
"Ah... why did things turn out like this..."
On the other hand, Ursna-san was visibly expressing feelings of dejection and fear. Perhaps sympathizing with her state, Yuriu spoke up to encourage her.
"Please rest assured. The famous detective Oitsuki Sakuya, who is this Haigamine Yuriu's master, will definitely catch the culprit for you!"
I just witnessed a disciple perform a magnificent passing of the buck.
Ignoring my distress, Fido took Belka and quickly moved away from the group.
"Where are you going?"
"We're thinking of checking Room 111 one more time. Sensei seems to have something on his mind."
"Understood. I'll leave that to you."
The other detective team might have their own deductions. I'll trust them and leave it to them.
"Oops, is it already this time!"
Lyle said, looking down at his wristwatch. As if that word was a trigger, Yuriu yawned, "Fwaah," next to him.
It would be midnight in a few minutes.
Seemingly catching it, Char also yawned, "Hwaah."
"It seems there's nothing else we can do at the moment. In that case, Char will retire for the night; that's fine, right? You there, maid. Prepare the finest room."
"It is Ursna! This is not a hotel, so there are no first or second classes! However, there are plenty of rooms! Please follow me!"
While angrily huffing at Chardina's haughty attitude, Ursna-san still tried to guide her properly. She's a dutiful person.
Seeing that, Belka raised her voice in a panic.
"W-Wait a sec~. Is everyone sleeping in separate rooms? U-Um... at times like this, shouldn't we all group up in one place to pass the night? Just saying..."
"You were Fido's owner, right? You're suggesting we watch each other so there won't be a next victim?"
"T-That's not what I mean, but..."
Since both the culprit's profile and objective are unknown, the view that being alone is dangerous has a point.
"But I refuse. Staying up all night? Char sleeps when she wants to sleep and wakes when she wants to wake."
Leaving those words behind, Chardina accompanied Ursna-san and disappeared to the second floor.
Watching her leave, Lyle raised his hand lightly as if he had been waiting for the moment.
"I apologize, but I will return to my room as well! Honestly speaking, it is difficult to trust everyone right now! I'm sorry. I hesitate to say it loudly, but I want to be alone!"
"...Me too. Since we're here, I'll say it: from my perspective, you people are the most suspicious."
Following her husband, Katia also pointed at us with a resolute expression.
"No way! Even if you're anxious, splitting up poorly now is exactly what makes it dangerous!"
Belka objected to the blatant look of suspicion, but Lyle and his wife left regardless.
"Sakuya..."
"I'd prefer to stay in one group too, but since it's not decided that there will be a next victim, I can't force them."
Unless the culprit's goal is to massacre everyone on this island, I can't force Lyle and the others to bend their will.
"Let's go back to our rooms too. The point is to lock the doors and let no one in until morning. Besides, our rooms are next to each other. If anything happens, we can rush over in a few seconds. Right?"
And so, holding onto our anxiety, we faced lights out.
□
Yuriu and Lilitea went up the stairs together.
Checking that no one was left there, I also set foot on the stairs.
But I thought better of it and decided to turn back.
My destination was—Luciolla's room.
I knocked quietly and called out.
"Lou. Are you okay?"
After the incident in the underground cavern, I was concerned that I hadn't been able to check on Luciolla properly due to the succession of terrifying events. I wanted to see her face and exchange even a few words before sleeping.
If there was no answer, I planned to assume she was sleeping and leave immediately. However, a reply of "Come in" came from inside sooner than I expected.
I entered the room.
Luciolla was by the window.
She had sunk her small body into her usual wheelchair, gazing out the window.
Glint—
Something shone dully beside the bed.
It was Luciolla's prosthetic legs.
It seems she takes them off like that when she sleeps at night.
"What were you looking at?"
I asked, standing next to her and looking out the window.
Then she said, "Mr. Rabbit."
"It's true."
The light from the room spilling out the window illuminated a square patch outside. Two eyes shone there.
"Sometimes he comes to show his face."
She said she doesn't particularly take care of it; it's a wild rabbit.
When I asked if they were good friends, she said not really.
"But I like that hopping movement."
Luciolla called the rabbit's bouncing "beautiful."
While we were talking, the wild rabbit hopped slightly and disappeared into the grass.
After watching it go, Luciolla looked back at me and said,
"What happened after that...?"
Luciolla hadn't been told the details of the incident by anyone yet.
"Lou... did something terrible regarding Graphio..."
"That matter is fine now. At least for the moment. More importantly... it's hard to say, but something even more terrible is happening."
I explained what had happened in the mansion, choosing my words and expressions as carefully as possible.
That Dmitri and Ivan were attacked by someone and disappeared.
That the culprit is still unknown.
However, I couldn't mention the time limit Chardina had mercilessly set.
Learning the circumstances, Luciolla leaned forward from the wheelchair's backrest and gripped my sleeve tightly.
"No...! Those two...? Disappeared... Why? Neither Lou nor Graphio did anythi..."
"I know. But right now, it's better to sleep soundly than to repent."
Trying to calm her down, I pulled back the blanket on the bed to show her.
"...Mn."
Luciolla nodded obediently and used her arms to skillfully move from the wheelchair to the bed. There was no need for me to help.
I turned off the room light and switched on the small lamp attached to the bed.
Luciolla poked her face out of the blanket and stared intently at my face.
I was surprised anew by how beautiful her face and eyes were.
I checked the small clock by the bedside before speaking to Luciolla.
"Lou. Happy Birthday."
"Eh? Why?"
The clock hands were pointing to midnight.
"I heard from Ursna-san. Happy Birthday."
I didn't touch on the surprise Ursna-san was preparing, so it should be fine.
"Th-Thanks."
Luciolla touched her earlobe shyly.
"Hey, Saku."
"Hmm?"
"Is dying... scary?"
My heart skipped a beat at the sudden question, a complete turnaround from the birthday topic.
"I'm sure it's scary, and it hurts. Right?"
"Why do you ask such a thing?"
"Because..."
Her eyes wavered anxiously. Seeing that, I understood the intent of the question.
There's no 'why'. It's natural to be anxious when people are losing their lives one after another like this.
For a moment, I thought she asked that question knowing about my unique constitution.
"It's okay. Lou won't die. Everyone is with you. You saw Fido's fangs, didn't you? He's reliable."
"Saku too?"
She extended a white hand from under the blanket.
"Umm... yeah. I'm there as a runner-up. Lilitea is also a reassuring presence. So it's okay."
I squeezed that hand gently.
"But people die eventually, sooner or later, right?"
Is she talking about lifespan?
"That's... true, but."
"Is that death scary too?"
I hesitated for a while on how to answer that pure question.
"...I don't know. But, I think that death might not be scary in some cases. What's scary is dying without having accomplished something... surely."
"Accomplished what?"
"Dreams... or love, maybe?"
What am I saying? I'm starting to feel incredibly embarrassed.
"You're talking about regrets, right?"
"Right. That."
"Does Saku have them too?"
"Regrets? Well, I have my share..."
Luciolla twisted her body slightly under the blanket.
"Saku... don't die, okay?"
"I..."
How should I answer?
After thinking a little, I eventually said this.
"I won't die."
"Why?"
"...Actually, it's a secret. But maybe I'll tell only Lou specially."
"Eh? Eh?"
When I lowered my voice and whispered, Luciolla lifted her head slightly from the pillow, biting onto the hook.
"Because, I am immortal."
"...Immoral? Immortal?"
She has a face like she's listening to a fairy tale from a distant country.
Why am I telling this child such a story? I wondered at myself.
Because I want to reassure Luciolla in any way possible?
Because I assume she won't take it seriously anyway?
I don't know.
"You won't die? No matter what happens?"
"That's right. Even if my head gets chopped off, I'm fine."
I mimicked slitting my own throat and stuck out my tongue.
Seeing that, Luciolla buried her face in the blanket and giggled.
"Then, that's a relief. A relief."
"Yeah. Even if I get dropped into the other world, I'll dance right back to this one. Again and again."
"In that case—if Lou dies first, will you come to pick me up, Saku?"
"I will. The other world is full of the dead, but I'll be able to find such a cute girl immediately."
Getting carried away, I made a lighthearted remark, and Luciolla's face turned red before my eyes.
"It's a promise, okay."
"It's a promise."
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