Part 71: Rosa and the Witch of the Forest

BGM: White Shadow


"...Hmm. Were you? My apologies. I was lost in my thoughts. Forgive me."
"The weather is pleasant. Yes, I can understand how the weather has stolen your heart. Will you have your black tea here...?"



"...I will bring some tea now. Wait here for a while."
"Forget about the tea. Talk with me."
"...Very well."

Kinzo had used the excuse of getting black tea to try and interrupt the conversation for the time being. But his attempt had been very transparent.

I sat in a garden chair and beckoned Kinzo to do the same. Kinzo sat down heavily, exaggerating his age. For a while, we sat and appreciated the silence...

"...Who am I? Until today, no one has answered this question. For some reason, everyone averts their gaze and evades me."
"..."
"...I have known you for a long time. I think of you as my best friend, even as a father. That is why I want so much for you to tell me. You should know... Who I am..."



"...I do not know."
"What's this? Don't you even understand what it is you want to know? How mysterious. In one's youth, there are times one wants to play in the maze of thought that has no exit. Perhaps that's what your worries are..."

Kinzo laughed as though it was a trivial matter. However, I couldn't help but feel that this behavior was another attempt to force me to stop any further questioning.

"...Hmph. So you won't tell me... after all."
"There is nothing to tell. You are Beatrice. Isn't that more than enough?"
"...No, that's not it. What I wish to know is not my name. I want to know... who... I am."
"...Who am I? What am I? How long have I been here, and how long will I have to continue my days here?"
"...I really should bring some black tea. Don't you think it a waste of all this fine weather?"
"..."



"Something like that. To think I would go this far back..."
"Looks like you had some pretty deep worries even then, wondering who you were."
"...That is to be expected. At the time, I was unable to understand who I was, or why I was alive."
"Well, in puberty, everyone's captured by those philosophical worries at least once, wondering what meaning there is in their life. Doesn't this just prove you had a charming period like that at one point?"



"...I could walk freely throughout the mansion and the garden, but outside of that, not once was my desire to take just one step outside of my own accord granted."
"...What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that, as far back as you can remember, you were always a bird in a cage?"
"...That's what I thought at the time. After all, as soon as I became aware, I was living like that. I didn't even think to question it."
"Who in the world... are you?"
"That's it. That is what I also hoped to know."
"...Heh. I'm sure you'll say something like 'I wasn't a human, I was a witch,' right?"



"What the hell...? This is getting weird."
"...You probably won't believe it anyway, but listen first. I was a mighty witch, who had lived for one thousand years. But at one point, I was summoned by Kinzo, and by that hidden art, I was bound as his prisoner for eternity."
"...Never heard that before. From what we hear in the Ushiromiya family, you were summoned by Grandfather, made something like a devil's contract with him, and gave him the gold."
"Indeed. That is correct. Then, I was supposed to vanish until the contract was complete. But... well, popular women have it rough. By some turn of events, Kinzo fell in love with me."
"...Grandfather's nearsightedness must've gotten pretty bad. With astigmatism too, ihihi. To fall in love with you, of all things."
"...Hmph. Well, to me, there could be nothing more bothersome. However, the power of Humans is a frightening thing. He displayed that fearsome power and rooted me to this place. He said I wouldn't be freed until I nodded my head in agreement. Such an overbearing man."
"Isn't that awesome. Everyone knew Grandfather was obsessed with the occult, but who would've guessed he had the power to root down the Great Witch Beatrice... Heh, ridiculous. Who'd believe such a weird story?"
"...As I thought, you don't believe."
"All I believe is the fact that you lived in this hidden mansion in the middle of the forest. You are the 19th person on Rokkenjima, right?!"





"Mistress isn't the right way to say it. You should probably call it Kinzo's unrequited love. I spoke of it just now, correct? He fell in love with me of his own accord. He then courted me, but I rejected him."



"...I've got no idea what you said at the end there."
"You will just make fun of it and refuse to listen, right? After all, you say you don't believe in witches or magic. If you have no ears to hear what I tell you, saying it would be the pinnacle of foolishness."
"...I'll decide whether I believe or not. After all, if I don't ask, the story won't continue. Tell me. Let's hear this story from your past."



BGM: Melody (instrumental)

"...Talk about overbearing. Guess no one likes obstinate men, huh?"
"...*cackle*cackle* Regardless of whether I responded to his courting or not, having a man so desperate for me was... well, as a woman, it wasn't so unpleasant."
"...However, I never accepted his proposal. I tried to find some way to break through his guard, but that barrier was firm, and I couldn't crack it."
"...And then?"
"After trying to resist in various ways, I eventually reached the conclusion that, to escape from Kinzo's barrier, I would have to throw away this body of flesh. The physical body is a vessel with many restrictions for a magic user."
"Throw away your body of flesh...? What does that mean? Something like an out-of-body experience?"
"Well, if you want to think of it that way. However, I am no spirit. Even though I am a witch, in the beginning, I was born with a human's body of flesh. So for me, throwing away that physical body, while it didn't mean the same thing as death, it did require a similar level of resolve."
"So in other words, you decided that you couldn't be released except by suicide, is that it?"
"It wasn't suicide. It was nothing more than throwing away my body of flesh. Of course, becoming nothing more than soul is a precarious situation. When the soul leaves its body of flesh, it is constantly exposed to the strong winds of the sun. It was not easy for me to maintain myself and avoid being scattered by them."
"It was a final measure that I wanted to avoid if I could. However, there was no other way to break through Kinzo's barrier."
"*cackle* Anyway, I am an unfettered person. I couldn't stand being kept in a cage until Kinzo's life was over."



Grandfather persistently courted her, and to escape from that, she chose her own death...?

"...So you're saying you committed suicide? What are you talking about? Isn't that you, sitting carefree there in the garden chair?"
"...That's right. That is the new cage I was given by Kinzo."
"...Cage? You mean this mansion?"
"No. I mean my body, relaxing in the garden chair over there. Even though I was so desperate to escape that I became naught but a soul, Kinzo still had no intention of letting me go."
"...Oh, he was a fearsome person. Normally, when the object of one's unrequited love shows that she is willing to die, it should be enough to bring that person to their senses, even if their love has lasted a hundred years. Perhaps that's why even he managed to become a sorceror of sorts. *cackle*."
"Don't try to confuse me with that incomprehensible witch-girl talk. What exactly are you trying to say?"



"Tying down a dead soul... is not something that can be accomplished easily, not even for a magician who specializes in such matters. Because I knew this, Kinzo's fearful magical power shocked me for the first time. Then, Kinzo seized my soul and brought me back. However, a cage to hold a seized soul cannot be made from iron or lead. Only one thing remained."
"...What? You aren't gonna say it was a magical cage or something, are you?"
"Wrong. It's that body of flesh over there, just like yours or mine. Only a cage made of flesh and blood can tie a soul down to this world. Kinzo shut my soul up in a cage of flesh built to be exactly like me."
"...So to sum up, it's like this? Grandfather obstinately courted you, you started to hate it, and you committed suicide, but you weren't clever enough to finish the job? Damn, you really took a roundabout way to say something like that."
"No, that's wrong. My soul was shut up in the seed of a homunculus, and I was born out of a test tube."
"Huh?! But that's crazy...! That isn't even possible, right?!"
"Kinzo accomplished even the miracle of creating life. And simply to shut my soul up in that cage. That he would show such magical power simply because of his own love... A thoroughly terrifying person."
"Aah, it's already gotten pretty ridiculous! Say whatever you want. I won't believe anything. Just do what you like."
"...Mu. What's with this unpleasant attitude?"
"Heh, in the beginning, I showed a little interest, thinking that there might be some huge hint hidden here, but the more I ask, the weirder this story starts to get. I get the feeling that even though this is supposed to be a game about denying witches, I'm suddenly being forced to just swallow this story about witches."
"Sorry, but I don't feel like listening to this any more. Just keep rambling on to yourself as much as you want. I'll be over here, picking at my earwax or something."
"...Hmph."



Of course, her expression was still shameless, but in that really easy-to-understand expression of hers, I had the feeling I was able to catch a glimpse of loneliness at my failure to find the story of her past interesting. For some reason, that subtle reaction made her seem pitiful, so even though I kept my careless attitude, I decided to cover for her slightly.

Damn it, even though she's an irritating witch, I'm still weak against her because her chromosomes are XX...



"So you treat the story of my past like little more than a snack... Do you expect me to just casually tell you when you insult me like that...?"

After I made fun of her, Beato reacted a little sensitively. It looked like, even though making fun of people was her specialty, she was horrible at being made fun of by others.

Just then, my black tea cup suddenly made a sound, surprising me.



BGM: Sukashiyuri

Before I realized it, the demon butler had taken my cup and was adding more black tea to it.

"Ronove, enough of that. This person just said it was too ridiculous to be worth listening to. Well, he's too ridiculous to be worth talking to."
"I'm baking some new cookies right now. Until they're ready, I thought you might find the story of Milady's past to be a perfect substitute for a snack. Pu ku ku...!"
"...D-Didn't I say that's enough talking about me?! Such unpleasant people, the lot of you. I'm leaving! Ronove, serve our food and then go. No pointless chitchat with Battler."
"Certainly. I will make an effort."

Beato's short temper peculiar to women, which I didn't really understand, took hold of her, and she turned her body into gold butterflies, scattered, and disappeared. After that, only Ronove and the scent of the black tea were left...



"As long as you're aware of it yourself, I need say nothing more."
"Wait a sec. Weren't you the one who struck the finishing blow?"
"Pu ku ku ku. My, what could you mean by that? How would you like some sugar and milk?"
"...Just milk will be fine. And some tea snacks would be nice too."
"...Well, it will be a bit longer before the cookies are ready."
"Didn't you say we've already got something to use in place of a snack?"
"...Certainly. If you will listen quietly, I will continue the story."



BGM: Witch in Gold

"Yes. Milady's soul was shut up in a homunculus, and she was revived into this world, receiving life again as a baby. However, because she was a baby, any professions of love on Kinzo's part would have been quite useless."
"...You aren't saying... that Grandfather shut that baby up in this hidden mansion... until it grew to reach the same age she'd been?!"
"Correct. That is what I am saying. However, while her soul was the same, a human spirit is strongly influenced by its container. Milady lost all her memories of the past and grew up as a very normal human girl."
"And you're saying... that's the Beato sitting in the garden chair?"
"Yes. That is correct. It grew to be completely identical. However, it did not possess her power as a witch. Milady was completely human."



Beato, who was sitting in the garden chair, looking up at the sky, voiced that same question again. She asked who she was.

The meaning of those words was finally starting to click. She couldn't understand why she was living here, all locked up. Grandfather had seized Beatrice's soul, shut it up in a body of flesh, and then shut that up in a hidden mansion. However, since she had lived here since the time of her birth, she couldn't even understand who she was, or why she lived shut up in there...



Grandfather met Beatrice. He then fell in love with her and courted her, but she didn't accept him. Then, he flew into a rage and shut her up inside this hidden mansion. Beatrice tried to escape, but no matter what she did, she couldn't succeed, so she finally chose her own death.

...And then... no. Maybe there was a girl who looked just like Beatrice... no, a baby. Grandfather raised this child with care. But maybe he didn't view this child as his daughter. 'The soul was once again shut up in a cage of flesh.' Those words probably meant that he didn't view this kid as her child, but as her reincarnation. Maybe that's what it meant. If you interpret it that way, even a story this weird might make a little sense...

...No, no, no. This might be some bullshit Beato cooked up to confuse me. As if I could accept any of this...! In the first place... Kuwadorian, was it? There's no proof whatsoever that a hidden mansion actually existed. Couldn't this be something she just fabricated on the spot?



BGM: Melody (instrumental)

"...Huh? R-Red?!"

Ronove used the red to say that Kuwadorian actually existed. Did that mean the same thing as the red Beato used?

"I may not look it, but I am a demon. Please keep this a secret from Milady, yes?"
"...S-Sure!"

Beato, who knew I would try to trip her up, had grown extremely cautious when using red. To think that Ronove could also use the red... However, it was the red of a crafty man. I didn't know how far I could accept it, but anyway, I might be able to get some kind of hint out of it...

"So that Beato relaxing in the garden of Kuwadorian...and that conversation she had with Grandfather... were the truth?"
"Yes. It is the truth. In the past, the pair actually had a conversation like that in this place."
"Th-Thanks a lot. I'll ask for some more red. You said she was born from a homunculus, but does that kind of unscientific, magical thing actually exist?!"



"...A stalemate?? What does that mean?"
"It's a chess term referring to a state in which, similar to a 'perpetual check', any further progress in a game becomes impossible. This would be the opposite of an endless repetition of moves, because all moves would disappear, and it would bring about a kind of deadlock. In chess, this would lead to a draw, just as a perpetual check would. However, there can be no draws in the game between you and Milady. Therefore, I am unable to answer a question that would bring about a stalemate."
"...You obviously want to confuse me by saying incomprehensible stuff, but simply put, you're trying to dodge the question, because you can't use the red to say that something magical like a homunculus exists, right?"
"If I were to say in red that 'a witch exists', what would you do, Battler-sama?"
"...Mh. Whether or not I believe that is what our whole fight's about, right? If I was told that point blank, it'd be game over."
"If I said 'a witch exists' in red, you would have no room for argument. However, since the reason would never have been made clear to you, Battler-sama, you probably wouldn't accept it. However, after being told that in red, you would have no room for argument and would not have been shown any proof."
"In this situation, even though you wouldn't be able to admit defeat, you would have no way to make a counterargument, and it would become a deadlock. Even though checkmate would not have been reached, there would be no existing moves left."
"Since you would not be able to play your next hand, it would never become Milady's turn, and the game would stop there for all eternity. As a result, Milady would be unable to force you to submit. That would be a deadlock situation. In order to avoid that, I am unable to answer questions of this nature in red."
"...So, to say it quickly, you're saying point-blank questions are prohibited? Well, that's true, I guess. If I were told 'a witch exists', I'd have to give up from the start."
"I am pleased that you understand. I believe we might be able to work together if you ask your questions in a different form."
"...Can you help me with that line Beatrice dodged when I told her to repeat it? About the number of people on this island?"
"If Milady held back on repeating it, then of course I cannot respond. As Milady's furniture, I am unable to be too forward."

Ronove made an exaggerated gesture, trying to act like a loyal retainer. This guy's so shameless.

"Heh. Just when I thought you might actually be useful. I'll give up on that and search for a different question. That's right. I was forgetting to check something important. This is a story about Beato's memories, right? When did it happen? It couldn't be happening right now, right?"



"...Hmmmmm..."

Let's try rearranging this story again. I wonder if it couldn't be something like this...

Grandfather fell in unrequited love with a person called Beatrice. Then, he confined her in this hidden mansion and continued to court her. But she was stubborn and didn't give in. Eventually, she grew pessimistic about being able to escape from here... and probably... committed suicide. And then, her soul was put in a homunculus and...

No, no, if I accept that, it's the same as accepting the witch.



Grandfather must've believed that her soul had been placed in a new physical body... and might have thought that the child was the reincarnation of Beatrice... That means, at least 19 years ago, Beato existed on this island as the 19th person, umm...

"...I'm starting to get confused. Either way, we can't do more than speculate. The only thing we can say for sure in red... is that in 1967, in a hidden mansion on Rokkenjima, Beatrice existed as a human. That's all."
"That is correct. In 1967, in a hidden mansion on Rokkenjima, Beatrice-sama existed as a human."
"Oh, thank you. That really helps."
"Congratulations. With this, you have made clear the existence of the piece known as the 19th person. A 19th human for you to blame, just as you longed for."
"...A sacrificial sheep upon which you can shift the blame of any crime. How amusing that it happens to be Milady. Pu ku ku ku."

Ronove laughed indiscreetly. Somehow, I didn't like how he put that, so I didn't feel like laughing along with him.

"...That's right. There's that thing Aunt Rosa said. Beatrice is dead? 'I killed her'? What did that mean...?"
"As for that, it may be faster to see the actual circumstances rather than listen to me tell you. Let us advance the clock a little more."

Ronove pulled a stylish pocket watch from his pocket and touched the watch stem. As soon as he did, I saw gold butterflies gather behind his back and take the form of a person. Was it Beato?!

I quickly realized that it was someone else. It was her. That oldest sister of the Seven Stakes, who loved tormenting me more than her three meals a day. If I don't consider myself lucky to see that sexy ass, I won't be able to keep up with their torture game...



BGM: Fishy Aroma

"My, my, what kind of urgent business could it be? It's seems my chat with Battler-sama has run a tad long."
"Well then, Battler-sama, if you will excuse me. Please continue to enjoy your game with Milady."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll enjoy it as best I can. 'Cause my conversations go a lot more smoothly when they're with you, as opposed to her. And you're more gracious with the red too. Come and talk again any time you like."
"...Battler-sama, despite how I look, I am Milady's furniture. I can do nothing that Milady does not desire. What I said in red was something that normally should have come from Milady's mouth. I did nothing more than announce the red truth in Milady's place as she sulked."
"So she really was sulking then? Ihihihi!"
"Pu ku ku ku."

Seeing me and Ronove incomprehensibly hitting it off, that Seven Stake chick cocked her head curiously.

"Ronove-sama, we are keeping Beatrice-sama waiting. Let us hurry."
"Yes, I shall go immediately. Well, Battler-sama, I will see you later. It appears that we have finally started getting along. As I thought, I have the feeling we'll manage to become good friends."
"Sure, if you mean partners at gossiping behind Beato's back."
"Ronove-sama!"
"Yes, yes. If you will excuse me."

Maybe she didn't like seeing him act so friendly with me, or maybe she really had been told to hurry. When the Seven Stakes babe let out a thunderous cry, Ronove laughed frivolously and disappeared, as if running away...



"Why so grumpy, girl? If you're hungry, eat a cookie or something. Why don't I give you the last one? Ihihi!"
"...Hmmmm? How thoughtful. Then, shall I take one?"

I casually pushed the snack plate with the last remaining cookie over to her.

"Thank you."



BGM: Organ Short #600 Million in C Minor

As though coming as a period at the end of the sentence, a sharp sound pierced the table... The nails on three of her fingers extended, grew sharp... and pierced the space between my fingers on the hand that was pushing the plate, missing them by a hair's breadth. It had happened in an instant, so for a while, I didn't even realize that her fingernails had grown. The tips of those sharp nails were like blades with a red manicure.

...The spaces between the bases of my fingers hurt sharply. Those razor-like blades had been plunged into the table a hair's breadth away from the back of my hand and my fingers... Because of those three blades, I was unable to even let my careless right hand tremble, and by now, all I could do was let a bead of cold sweat drip down.

"...Whoa. Isn't it about time you cut your nails, babe?"
"It's Lucifer. That is my glorious name. The honored furniture who serves Beatrice-sama, and the oldest sister of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory."
"...I'm not like my disgraceful younger sisters. If you don't show proper respect, you will regret it."
"...And why would I regret it, exactly? Can't really think of a reason."
"...Heheheheheh. Stupid kid. Do you really wanna play with me that much? Was it that unforgettable? I'll thrust my stake deep, deep into you and let you enjoy being gouged to the fullest, okay...? Heheheheheheheheehehehhh...!"
"...Dammit. Some day I'll have you down on the floor and say the same thing."

Part 72: Rosa and the Witch of the Forest II

The men wanted to hurry her into talking faster, but Kyrie intervened. If something like that really had happened, then it would have been a terrible experience that Rosa wouldn't want to remember.

After taking several deep breaths with her hand over her chest, it seemed that she had more or less resolved herself to talk...



"Which means... maybe about 20 years ago?"
"Back then, my grades weren't very good, and Mother was always angry at me. I tried to do my best in my own way, but I couldn't match up to Mother's expectations at all..."
"...Mother was always very strict with Rosa. I sympathized with her at the time."
"Hmph. You say that, even though you were always talking behind her back."
"Would you give it a rest, Eva?"
"And then? Where did you meet Beatrice, Rosa-san?!"
"Hideyoshi-san, you mustn't rush her now. It's okay, Rosa-san. Tell us at your own pace."
"...Thank you. It was a day I'd been harshly scolded by Mother."



Mother scolded me brutally, saying my name was a disgrace to the Ushiromiya family. Of course, I was doing the best I could. But I had none of Krauss nii-san's dignity, I couldn't get excellent grades like Eva nee-san, and I had no leadership abilities like Rudolf nii-san. I never stood out, didn't particularly excel at anything, and I found myself asking why I'd even been born into the Ushiromiya family.

I began to question more and more why I'd even been born at all. This is what happened on the day I experienced my mind going blank for the first time... For the first time in my life, I realized that in addition to facing or surrendering to my problems, I had the third choice of running away. Though I say 'run away', there was no way I could've left Rokkenjima and gone somewhere else.

But, anyway, I wanted to run away from the mansion and my own self at that time. In a way, it was like a kid running away from home, or maybe a passive sort of suicide...



"...I childishly thought that if I went into the center of the forest, escaped from the Ushiromiya house, and maybe became lost, then I'd make them worry and teach them a lesson."
"And then, you went into the forest that you were told never to enter?"
"...Yes. After reaching the beach, I followed alongside the ocean. I didn't have any particular reason, but I felt that, if I went around to the opposite side of the island, there might be a place there that no one knew about, which might become a hidden house just for me."
"If you go around by the beach, that'd be impossible. It becomes a cliff partway, right? There's no way you could pass that way."
"...Of course. So, I kept going wherever I could, which kept taking me deeper and deeper inland. It's a horrible forest without any paths, but that was comforting to me then. If I could make it through such a dangerous forest, then I'd be that much further away from the Ushiromiya family."
"...How shameful. If you were scolded because of your grades, all you had to do was work harder."
"You mustn't say that. Doesn't Rosa have her talent as a designer instead?"

Literally speaking, he was covering for Rosa, but everyone knew that Rosa's company hadn't been profitable.

"Quit it. This is no time for sarcasm. So, you managed to end up there by coincidence...? At Beatrice's... hidden mansion."

Rosa nodded weakly...

"About how far did you walk? Could you show it to us on a map...? Natsuhi-san, do you have a map of this island?"
"No, there isn't one here now..."
"It wouldn't help. I was just walking randomly. Even if you gave me a map, I wouldn't know. And 20 years have passed since then. I probably couldn't reach it again even if I went into the forest..."
"...Hmmmmmm..."

Several people let out dejected sighs. It was vividly clear that in their haste, they'd thought some hint related to the witch's epitaph... or maybe even the gold itself might be resting there.



"But just knowing that it actually exists is helpful. It would take some money, but if we enlisted an aerial photography company to investigate, or asked the businessman who constructed this mansion about what happened at the time, we could probably find some way to search for it."
"That's right. At least we have more options now, as opposed to when we weren't sure it existed."
"...Indeed. It may be worth investigating right away."
"The siblings will do that investigation together. We won't leave you on your own, Nii-san."

It wasn't yet certain that the gold was hidden in that secret mansion, but the sparks seemed to have started flying between Krauss and Eva already.

"Give it a rest for now, you two. Rosa, please continue."
"...Yes."



BGM: Psy-chorus

Suddenly, I came across something I thought was an animal trail. I was very tired and had no idea how far I'd walked, so at that time, I naturally took the easiest path.



It was a fence wonderfully adorned in a gothic style. For an instant, I thought I'd gotten turned around and returned to the original mansion. Of course, there were fences around the mansion to stop us from entering the forest. But this fence was decorated differently... and moreover, it was very tall. It probably reached a full two stories up. It was covered with ivy and created a mysterious, solemn atmosphere...

At the time, I believed in the legend of the witch of the forest, Beatrice. I had been told that she was frightening, but some of the servants told me that she'd sometimes help you if you respected her. Since I had little confidence in those days, I believed the only way I could be saved was by receiving her help. That's why I thought what I did. I believed that this was the fence of the mansion belonging to Beatrice, the witch of the forest. I thought that if I could meet with Beatrice, she'd definitely save me.

So, I decided to try going in. But the fence was very, very tall, and it didn't look like I'd be able go over it. So I chose to walk around it. I thought that if I did, I'd eventually reach a gate. But it wasn't that easy. The fence had an incredible length to match its incredible height, and no matter how far I went, I didn't reach a corner. It might have encircled a massive area, or maybe I just had that impression because my child's legs made it difficult to walk in the forest.

Anyway, I couldn't find a gate for a while, and I started to feel sad, as though the witch had rejected me...



It might get my clothes dirty, but if I crawled, it looked like I'd be able to sneak in...



"I don't know if it was the hidden mansion we've been talking about... Still, at the very least, it wasn't a place that we know of."



As I did, the forest suddenly opened up. And what appeared there... was an unbelievably fantastical scene.



A beautiful flower garden spanned the front of the mansion. It was a flower garden of a completely different design from the rose garden we know so well, and it was very lovely. Of course, the mansion was also wonderful. It was a couple sizes smaller than ours, but it was still elegant and adorable at the same time.



It was that black dress embroidered in gold that we would later know from that portrait. I hadn't seen an elegant dress like that except in fairy tales and on the stage of musicals. For a person to be wearing it as her normal clothes... That in itself seemed quite fantastical. That mysterious scene was enough to make me lose my sense of reality. If someone had told me then that it was a dream, I might have nodded obediently and waited to wake up in my bed...

I had forgotten to hide myself in my shock, so she eventually spotted me. At first, her expression was quite listless, but when she noticed me, her eyes opened very wide. It was only natural, considering that a guest she didn't know had suddenly appeared. I lowered my head automatically, planning to greet her and apologize for entering without permission...



Video: The Witch's Flight

BGM: Hope

Those were the first words she said to me. I grew slightly calmer. Because I realized that we could talk to each other. Because I hadn't been turned into a frog just by meeting her eyes, like a terrifying witch in a fairy tale.

"...I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have entered the garden without permission..."
"...Who are you? Name yourself."
"I-I am Ushiromiya Rosa."
"...Ushiromiya... Hoh. One of Kinzo's family?"
"Huh? Ah, yes! I'm Kinzo's daughter. G-Good afternoon...!"

I was a little surprised. After all, Father was a great man, feared by everyone. And yet, she had spoken of him without using honorifics. So, I was immediately terrified of her. After all, if she could refer to my fearsome father that way, she must be a witch with incredible power.

After staring at me curiously, she beckoned me to come over. Frightened as I was, I obeyed. After all, I thought she might really turn me into a frog. The closer I got, the stronger that fear became. After all, as I keep saying over and over, that woman and her dress and the flower garden and the mansion... that whole picture was so fantastical and beautiful that it seemed separate from reality. It probably wouldn't have surprised me at all to learn that she really was a witch...

And I really was lucky. She hadn't turned me into a frog. As I awkwardly stood there, stock still, she motioned to an open chair and urged me to sit down.



As she said this, she let an unhappy smile show for just an instant. Because I was full of a strange mix of tension and excitement, I rudely asked her a question all of a sudden.

"...Umm, are you the witch of the forest... Beatrice?"
"Indeed. I am Beatrice."



BGM: None

"...Did she really look like the portrait?"
"...Yes. Really, just like the portrait."
"So, she wasn't just a witch from Father's imagination..."
"Well, what did you talk with her about?"
"...As she prepared some tea, she asked me all kinds of things about myself. First, she was surprised that I had come through the forest. It seems she believed that many dangerous wolves lived outside the fence. So when I told her I'd come through the forest to reach this place, she was shocked. She asked how I had managed to escape from the wolves. Did I give them a biscuit and they let me go? Or did I cover myself in a magic cloak? That kind of thing."
"Wahahaha. That sure sounds like a witch. What an interesting person."
"Quiet, dear. This goes way back, but didn't Father threaten us, saying we should never get near the forest because of the wolves that lived there?"
"Yes, he did say something of the sort. Ridiculous. Even though Japanese wolves went extinct long ago. Truly a trick to fool children."
"I don't remember though. Did Dad really tell us something like that...? It was the witch of the forest, right? I don't think I've ever heard about wolves."
"This was when you were still in elementary school. Don't you remember?"
"Back then, you actually said you thought it'd be cool to try petting the wolves. Father immediately gave up the wolf story and changed it to the story about the witch. Seriously, what transparent lies they were, ahahahahaha."
"Hahahahah. At the time, the witch story had a much more immediate effect on you, Rudolf, than the wolves. I remember it well. Don't you remember those nights when you clung to my back?"
"*giggle* I see, so even Rudolf-san used to be that cute."
"Shut up. I was just a kid."
"...Well, at any rate, if Father's the one who shut Beatrice up in there, it makes sense that he'd use the same story about wolves. To him, the vast forest of Rokkenjima was a wall that shouldn't be crossed, dividing his two incompatible worlds: the Ushiromiya family and his mistress's mansion."
"Considering the height of that fence, it does sound as though Father turned that whole area, garden and all, into a giant jail cell. Just like a border dividing his two separate worlds."
"...Wolves aside, could there have been some breed of stray dogs there at the time? Perhaps the fence was there to protect against those."



"But if she innocently believed that story about wolves, that's pretty... naive. That's nothin' like what I'd expect a witch to do."
"...You're right. I sensed that too. She was very pompous, just like my image of a witch, but she was somehow very childish. She was... how should I put it... too straightforward. She gave me the impression that she didn't know anything about the world. It was as though... she'd come from some fairy-tale land. She really was a strange person."
"...What happened after that? Did you end up talking about Dad at all?"
"Yes. Once every few days, usually on an arranged day but sometimes suddenly, Father would casually appear and they'd drink together, or else take a walk together or something. She said she just happened to be alone on the day I visited."
"I see. An obvious mistress, you might say. My, my. I don't know how much younger she was, but good for Father."
"...We can be sure this was no indecent relationship."
"Idiot, there's no way a lover's meeting between a man and a woman wouldn't have some sensuality. What happened next? What did you talk about after that?"
"...I'd already introduced myself, so I asked about her. When I did, the atmosphere quickly grew depressing. How should I put it... She seemed to grow listless and lonely. It was that same expression I saw on her face in the beginning."
"Well, she was his hidden mistress, after all. If she just walked around wherever she liked, Mom might've found her. I'll bet she was practically under house arrest. Even though she had beautiful clothes, a beautiful mansion, and a garden, she must've felt pretty cramped. I'll bet she had it rough. And then?"
"She was definitely worried about something. I remember feeling really sad myself, when I realized it wasn't something I could do anything about by talking to her. She seemed to forget I was even there. She gazed vaguely off into the distance... and was silent for a long, long time. I thought I must've said something wrong, but it didn't seem to be the type of atmosphere where I could apologize, so I remained silent too for a long, long time, until she remembered I was there..."

And then, ...she muttered unexpectedly.



BGM: Far

"...Huh? Y-Yes, that's right. I've never seen wolves, not even in a zoo."
"What is a zoo?"
"Ah, it's a place where they keep all kinds of animals. They're full of rare animals like elephants and giraffes and pandas."
"...So, there aren't any wolves in a zoo? Then, umm, it might not be so scary."
"Even if there were wolves, all of the animals are put in cages, so it's safe. That's why you can safely look at them and learn about them."

The mighty witch of the forest was apparently terrified of wolves. I remember it looked pretty funny to me, at the time.



"...Huh?"

She didn't know about zoos. I explained how fun zoos could be, but it was very difficult for a person like her, who had never visited one, to understand... On the contrary, as I explained it to her, her expression grew increasingly dismal.

She couldn't see the difference. Apparently, even though she lived in an elegant mansion that was surrounded by a high fence and seemed to lack for nothing, she couldn't see how she was any different from animals shut up in cages...

"Who am I? Everyone calls me Beatrice. And that does indeed seem to be the name of a great witch, as you say. But that isn't me. I cannot use any magic. I simply have the soul of that witch sealed inside my body."
"...?"

There was definitely something odd about her. Beyond just being cut off from the world, it seemed she truly believed that magic exists.

I think she talked about lots of weird things, but I don't remember the details. All I thought was that... this might be a person to be pitied. She was unable to leave this mansion of her own free will, a prisoner without even realizing it. And she didn't know anything about the outside world, didn't even understand who she was. She probably vaguely realized that she was to be pitied. But since she didn't know anything, she seemed incapable of recognizing her own unhappiness.

Long ago, when I told Nee-san that I felt sorry for a bird in a cage, she said this:



But this wasn't a bird. She really was a person. Even if she'd never been outside the cage, she understood that there was more to the world.

So... I invited her.



"...Th-There really aren't any wolves?"
"There aren't. You'll definitely be safe."
"...I want to leave. But the gate is always closed."
"There's the place I came in through. It's got a crack you can slip through."
"...If we go through there, will there be a world outside?"
"Yes."
"...There really aren't any wolves?"
"*giggle* Right, there aren't any."
"..."

I'd only planned on inviting her to go on a short walk, but she kept looking over her shoulder at the mansion, as though she was seriously worrying over the decision. Then, I learned what she was preparing herself for.



I didn't know what her life had been like before then. It was probably something she couldn't express easily. If it was harsh, she just had to say she wanted to escape. If it was sweet, she just had to say she'd stay. For example, maybe it was like how a hot fireplace on a winter day makes the air get thicker and thicker, giving you a headache... Even though you know you shouldn't keep things the way they are, you still need courage to open the window and be tormented by the cold wind...

She was starting to realize that she couldn't stay there forever. She was starting to realize that she had to go outside someday. But, since she didn't know about the outside world, she must have needed courage to take that unspeakable first step outside... And despite that, she had made her decision. She'd voiced her decision to go outside, a decision she was probably making for the first time in her life.

...I hesitated for a moment. Father had decided that she should live here. She was like Father's beloved bird in a cage. If I just let her escape, Father might scold me harshly...

"I want to see."
"...Hmm? See what?"



"...Ah."

I was just a little surprised when she finally gave me a gentle smile. Could that have been... a farsightedness brought about by her decision to venture out from her cage? It was a smile so gentle, I couldn't imagine that it had come from that once dark face...

"...When I speak with you, I keep hearing about things I don't know. I don't even know about this thing called school, nor do I know about zoos. I don't know about movie theaters. I don't know about amusement parks. And I feel, from the bottom of my heart, that I want to know about those things. Will you take me to see them?"
"Huh? ...Y-Yes."

I was nervous about how I could keep it a secret from Father, but her face looked so happy, so I went along with her and nodded. But she seemed not to notice the meaning behind my vague smile. She seemed to believe that I'd really take her to all those places. She was pure and genuine. She'd probably never been tricked by anyone. No... maybe it's better to say that she'd never learned how to doubt. Her smile was somehow radiant...and yet pathetic.

...I wanted to find a way to grant her modest wish.

"I...have had enough of Beatrice. I want to know who I am. I want to start out as a new human, not Beatrice. So, I want you to take me away from here. I don't need tea anymore. I don't need this dress. I won't meet with Kinzo again. Please, take me from here, Rosa."



Still, when I saw her serious gaze, along with that brilliant smile that made it look as though a possessing spirit had left her, I could feel a little courage start to rise up inside me. This was definitely something that would get me into a lot of trouble. And yet, it was definitely the right thing to do.

I don't know how it'll turn out... but I'll take her away from here. Of course, I won't be able to talk to Father, and not Mother either. Should I talk to Onii-sama or Onee-sama? No, what about that reliable Genji-san... or, that's right, what about Kumasawa-san, to whom I can always talk when I'm in trouble. I'm sure they'll be able to do something.

Anyway, for now, I'll take her out of here. This was already a place she didn't want to be. So, I took her to the crack in the fence and led her outside.



Every time she found something, she'd ask me about it. And they were all really trivial things. What's that flower? What's that leaf? And that sound? And that smell? It really was like the inside of that fence had been her entire world. So, now that she'd traveled beyond the limits of her world...

...It's strange. When I first saw her, I really thought she was the witch herself, relaxing inside the witch's mansion. But now, it was different. Or actually, the complete opposite. She'd left a world she'd believed to be finite... and was overjoyed at the realization that the world was endless, something she'd never thought of before. So everything she saw was new. It was almost as though she was the one who had been thrown into a fairy tale. If she was Alice, then I felt almost like a rabbit holding a watch...

To her, it was probably a really fun walk, filled to the brim with excitement. But I was actually at a loss at what to do. After all, I walked randomly to get there. Of course I didn't know the way back to our mansion. There were no lights in the forest, and I hadn't brought a flashlight. I realized it would be terrible if it got dark while we were still like this... and grew impatient. She was too innocent, and apparently, she couldn't understand at all how frightening it would be to face the night inside the forest.

But I was the one who brought her outside. I had to take responsiblity somehow and resolve this situation. So, I had a thought. Let's go out to the ocean for now. If we then follow the beach around, we should eventually make it back to the mansion. However, that was much more of a problem than I'd imagined. I didn't have a map or a compass. There was no way I could walk in a straight line through an uncultivated forest, and I immediately lost my sense of direction.



At this rate, night would definitely fall before I had a clue where to walk. But this was no time to cry. After all, that woman following behind me was so innocent and having so much fun. So, I definitely had to lead the way through this forest, for the sake of her smile as well. Gritting my teeth so that she didn't see me looking troubled, I pushed my way through the woods, advancing down a path that wasn't a path.



At that time, I still didn't even have a clue where I was on the island, but for the time being, I was just a little reassured, realizing that if I just went around this way, I would surely be able to return to the mansion. However, though I had reached the ocean, we were at the top of a rock cliff. The beach was far below us. I was tired from walking around the forest for so long, so I figured that an open area, even a rocky beach, would probably be much easier to walk in. So, I suggested that we go down that rocky cliff somehow. It looked pretty dangerous, but I figured there was no other way.

However, Beatrice agreed to my plan without any doubts. Even though she was probably older than me, she meekly obeyed, almost as though she were some kind of chick who thought I was her mother.

I searched to see if there was some part of the cliff I'd be able to get down. Then, I found a place where the cliff had fallen over and made a slope. It looked a little dangerous, but if I went down using both hands and both legs, like I was crawling, I thought it'd probably be okay.



"Indeed. If that's what you're doing, I'll go too. Even getting lost is fun for me. Quite amusing."

...She really had no sense of danger. There was probably no doubt that she'd lived a life without discomfort. Even though she knew it would get dark when night fell, she couldn't imagine how dangerous the inside of a forest could be without a light. Furthermore, it seemed that she couldn't grasp at all how dangerous it might be if she fell from the cliff.

I warned her repeatedly to be careful. I cautiously examined our potential route down. It seemed to be... quite a long drop. I think it might've been about 10 meters down. If you looked at it from the bottom up, it would probably have looked shorter than the roof of the mansion. But looking from the top, it felt almost like staring down from the observation room on Tokyo Tower.

But Beatrice still appeared to be completely without fear. It felt as though she had never even been taught that high places were dangerous. No, maybe she believed that she was a witch... and that she could fly, so there wasn't any need to worry.

"Please be careful. We're... pretty high up."
"Indeed. I shall be careful. It looks like we can get to the ocean if we go down. Is there an aquarium there?"
"No, there aren't any aquariums on this island. But there should be lots of fish in the sea."
"I see. So there are fish. Are there...umm, whales and dolphins and penguins, like you talked about?"
"No, you'd have to go to an aquarium for those. ...And you'd have to leave this island to find an aquarium."
"Is that so? Well, I'm looking forward to it. What kind of fish are whales?"
"Umm, they're really big fish... huh, aren't they mammals? And they spit seawater into the air."
"Hoh. And dolphins?"
"Umm, they're really smart fish, and...oh, weren't they also mammals? They're really smart and can be taught tricks and stuff."
"Hohhoh. Then what about penguins?"
"Umm, ...uh, weren't they birds...?"
"What's going on? We're talking about aquariums, but none of these things seem to be fish..."
"Ummm, uhhh... Well, um, there aren't just fish. It's full of all kinds of things that live in the ocean."
"Hohhoh. I really am looking forward to that... nn-"



She let out what might've been a funny, rushed and short cry... no, it was probably a scream.

It came right out of the blue.



I immediately wanted to say something to her. I wanted to say 'Didn't I tell you to be more careful?!' It was the thought of a child. It was how a child immediately gets mad when something bad happens, trying to find an excuse to show it wasn't their fault.

Part 73: Rosa and the Witch of the Forest III

"..."
"...What happened to her, Rosa?"

Rosa fell silent. Her gaze dropped to her feet, as though she were seeing through the floor into some disgusting memory...



Eva's brutal words were the ones Rosa had most wanted to avoid. And when she was hit with them, she screamed in resignation.



BGM: The Candles Dance

"I spoke to her, shook her!! But she refused to respond, not even a blink...no, she wouldn't even close her eyelids!! It was my fault! She was wearing a dress, remember?! Even though I knew her outfit was difficult to move in, I said we should go down the cliff!! She was incredibly innocent, so she obeyed what I said without any doubts...!!"



"I was just flirting with your friend the sexy-assed chick. More importantly, what the heck's going on here?"
"Well, as you can see, I missed my footing, fell down, and died."
"What the hell...? Even though you showed up as the 19th person... you were already dead...?"
"Don't mess with me, that's impossible...! Aunt Rosa was a kid, and she was panicked. And it's not like a doctor was there. She probably just mistakenly thought you were dead, and you were probably...umm...alive and pretending to be dead or something. Isn't that right?!"

It can't be true. She's got to be alive. Otherwise, how can she be here...?!



I stared into that face too, but her eyes were still open, and it really was a corpse. I wanted to dodge the issue by saying something vague, like 'she must be playing dead', but no matter how I looked at it, it didn't look fake at all... it really did look like she was dead... Beatrice had fallen upside down from a cliff of that height, and her head had smashed against the pointed tip of those sharp rocks.

...Yeah, you probably would die... after landing on those rocks... from that height... But I couldn't accept it... No matter how dead she looked, she had to be alive...! Then, she went on to become this damn irritating witch! That makes all the inconsistencies fit. Grandfather must have kept her confined constantly in a hidden mansion. Then, to take revenge for that, she committed several atrocious murders!

Aunt Rosa probably just mistakenly thought she was dead. But she was actually alive, and as soon as Aunt Rosa left, would miraculously breathe again. Then, she somehow lived on until today...and opened the curtain on her revenge drama. Otherwise, the facts don't fit together!!

"...I won't let you trick me so easily. Can you repeat it in red?! That she's certainly dead!! She has to be alive, right?! It's obvious!!"



"...Nnngggggg..."

My theory that the 19th person was Grandfather's mistress, a human Beatrice, had been defeated. I had planned to strike back from a defensive position, but...

"...Then... who are you? You just died, right?! Don't tell me you revived yourself with magic?!"
"*cackle*cackle* I've already explained that, have I not? The 'me' lying over there definitely possesses my soul, but that body's nothing more than a cage of flesh tying me to the physical world. This is how that cage of flesh was broken. Do you understand what that means?"
"...I don't have a clue anymore. ...Keep having fun with your witch girl tricks. I'll listen to that in place of a snack! What the... it's empty. Hey, could I get some more black tea?"
"*cackle*cackle*! Ronove, our guest would like some tea."



...Butlers sure are convenient.

"A refill, you say? Certainly. How much shall I pour you?"
"Well, I've got more than enough snacks. Half will be fine."
"Even so, filling it to the brim is the English custom."

Even though just enough to wet my throat would have been fine, he filled it to the top. I turned my back to Beato, sipping it in silence...



Rosa shook me... no, shook the corpse that had once been me. I watched over her from a short distance away. Ah, so I fell from there and died...

For a while, I believed that was true. I saw Rosa spend a long time beside my corpse, then watched her as she ran away. Eventually, I realized that I was a different individual from that corpse...



BGM: Haruka

Eventually, I felt the memory returning... The fact that I was an Endless Witch who had lived for one thousand years. Then, I remembered that I'd been summoned by Kinzo, and that I'd been imprisoned by him for a long time...

While being imprisoned in a cage of flesh, I completely lost my memory as a witch. However, thanks to Rosa, if you could say that... Thanks to my accidental death, I'd now finally regained my self...

"...Rosa, you probably regret bringing about my death. But I should be thanking you. *cackle*cackle*!"

I couldn't see Rosa anymore. Did she go to call a doctor, or was she so terrified that she ran away? It no longer matters. That soulless shell no longer has any value.

And yet... I'm so frail now. Even this glorious midday sun is agony to me. I destroyed my human form. Then, I changed it into several gold butterflies. Yes, with my magical power as frail as it is now, this form is easier to maintain.

To escape even a little from the light of the sun, I rode the wind and gently flew up the side of the cliff. It will probably be a bit cooler in the forest. Anyway, I'll take some time to recuperate and regain my former power. As I ponder how to make Kinzo pay up all he owes me.



On the rocky shore... lay the figure of what had once been me, the figure I would eventually regain. To regain the form of that physical body I had thrown away, it would probably take more than one hundred, two hundred days. And it might require one thousand days, or perhaps even more. However, I am the Endless Witch. The Golden Witch who has lived for one thousand years. Waiting any countable number of days would be no problem.

*cackle*cackle* Oh, Kinzo. Regret that you are not here now. No longer will you be able to capture me. *cackle*cackle*!



BGM: Voiceless

"That is correct. I take this form to sneer at you, but most of the time, it is easier magically for me to keep my form as gold butterflies."
"Hey, feel free to take a load off and stick to whatever's easiest. I wouldn't mind not having to hear your irritating laugh."
"*cackle*cackle* When I turned into butterflies and slipped into the forest, it was already no longer possible for Kinzo to find me. However, Kinzo was not dismayed. Still, he was not immediately able to prepare a way to catch me."
"So, he first moved to prevent me from leaving this island... and to keep me from regaining my power."
"...My, my. At any rate, Kinzo's spitefulness was unimaginable. It was pretty tough to be loved by someone like that. *cackle*cackle*!"
"He found a way to keep you from leaving after you turned into butterflies? What, did he put a bug net around the entire forest?"
"Indeed. A magical one. Didn't you know? On the sea in front of the harbor is a reef... upon which sits a small shrine of Eastern magic."
"...Ah, that. It was gone by this year, though. It was a small shrine built long ago by a mountaineering ascetic, right?"



"*cackle*cackle*, please."
"...They brought harm to humans and probably left several eerie legends in their wake. That small shrine was built in ancient times by an Eastern magician who heard of them. A long time passed, and that power was lost. By repairing it, Kinzo restored this island's barrier... and once again bound me to the island."
"...Can Eastern magic work on a Western witch like you?"
"Normally, the affinity would be poor. However, for the purpose of sealing me here, it may have been quite convenient in a way."
"If it was Western magic, I would have had some knowledge. For any barrier, there would have been some measures I could have taken. But Eastern magic is outside my area of expertise. It was as if I had been given chopsticks instead of a spoon for some soup that I wanted to drink."
"In a space dominated by Eastern magic, Western magic loses much of its power. Even if she were given one thousand days to regain her strength, she would have to wait many, many more."
"...So you're saying it took you 20 years to regain your power, and now you've revived, as we can all see?"



"...That period of 20 years was fortunate for me. Kinzo tried to use all sorts of magic to find and capture me, but each failed. There's a limit to how many miracles a single human can bring about. Even simply holding me captive for that long had been a miracle far above his place. It would be unthinkable for me to be captured like that multiple times."
"...Grandfather said something in the previous game. It was something like... magic lies in a miracle of probability."
"Indeed. As Kinzo was searching for a hidden art to capture me again, he stumbled upon that. Then, he finally worked out the ceremony involving the offering of 13 people as sacrifices to revive me again."
"13 people... as sacrifices..."
"That is the witch's epitaph. A song of sacrifices. Six people on the first twilight. Two people on the second. And then five more people on the fourth through eight twilights. A forbidden ceremony, involving the offering of a total of 13 people as sacrifices... Those sacrifices were to be chosen randomly, and the one who held the ceremony, Kinzo himself, was no exception."



I'd had a vague idea that this might be the case... But I couldn't just hear that it was true from a witch and a demon and say 'Oh, really?' and accept it!

"There are 18 people on Rokkenjima. 13 are offered as sacrifices, five are left alive. Then I revive."
"...In other words, the odds that Kinzo will be able to meet me again are probably around one in three. He bet his own life on those odds, wishing for a reunion with me for the last bit of his remaining life."
"...You're saying he gathered our family for the sake of that joke of a ceremony?! Don't fuck with me!! Don't say stuff like that, damn it!!"
"It was all set out in our contract from the beginning. When Kinzo's life ended, all the gold I lent him and all of the assets he created would be given to me."
"...Yes, Kinzo did stab me in the back quite brutally, but looking back now, it was a rare and precious time during my thousand years of life. After all, boredom is my natural enemy. To Kinzo, who offered me a chance to run away from that for several decades... yes, you could say I owe him for that."
"I decided to go along with Kinzo's game. So, to start, Kinzo returns the Ushiromiya Family Head's Ring to me. It was my gold that revived the family, after all."
"...Then, 13 people are chosen at random to be sacrifices. While that happens, you all run about, showing me all kinds of human interactions as you try to oppose me, and entertaining me greatly. Yes, I truly have taken a liking to this game of Kinzo's! *cackle*cackle*."
"Aaaaaaaaaahh!! I definitely won't believe in that kind of magic story! Then who are you?! You fell off a cliff and died, right?! Your soul slipped out, became butterflies, and went to the forest? That isn't possible!!"
"But you're here! Who are you?!! Aren't you the 19th person?!"
"That is true, I am the 19th person."
"*cackle*cackle*! But it's no good, I'm afraid...? It's no goddamn good at all!"





BGM: Black Lilliana

"Wha... what did you saaaaaaay...?! So you're saying... that the 'X' in the 18+X doesn't exist?! Are you saying the piece I took... the X... doesn't exist?!"
"Pu ku ku ku... That is what this means. My condolences. Still, you do move fast, Milady. And I thought you'd let him flounder about before spinning everything around at the end. Well then, Battler-sama, would some more tea be agreeable?"
"I-I don't need it, damn it!! I don't believe it! The culprit can't be one of the 18! Then what are you, and why are you here?!! If the 19th person doesn't exist, then are you saying you're one of the 18 in disguise?!"
"*cackle*cackle*! Perhaps you are castling. Though reluctantly, you are doubting one of the 18 people as your last way out."
"However, it will be difficult for me from here on out. If you choose to stop caring about propriety, you could prepare a culprit freely amid 18 people! Making you reach checkmate by evading those 18 pieces... will be truly difficult."
"As if I'd do that!! I won't suspect any of the 18! I don't want to suspect people!! Have I really been cornered here again...?! Damn it, damn it, damn it!!"
"It looks like we're finally approaching the end, in the third round of this game of ours. You've nowhere to run anymore, right? *cackle*cackle*! You don't want to suspect any of those beloved people in the 18, do you? Were you trying to hide that from me? Then why do you refuse me?"
"They say you should play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine. I'll corner you from here on. Slowly, carefully, surely. Or, on the other hand, would it be better if I pressed you all at once, which might suit your style more?"





BGM: Ageha