Part 95: The Witch's Courtroom

October 5th, 1986, 6:03 PM



BGM: Corridor of the Sands of Purgatory

Jessica's woeful voice echoed throughout the rose garden...

Perhaps it was the intuition of a person who lived on this island. After checking the part of the rose garden where Aunt Rosa and Maria had fallen and seeing nothing, Jessica went to look in the arbor next. Normally, the arbor was probably a wonderful location to enjoy tea peacefully while appreciating the roses on a good sunny day. Maybe even Uncle Krauss and Aunt Natsuhi... had days when they relaxed and enjoyed their tea together here.

In that arbor lay their corpses. At least they aren't drenched in the rain like Aunt Rosa and Maria had been, but there was no way I could say that out loud to Jessica at the moment...



"...St-Strangulation, I believe. Come, take a look at this. On their necks, there are distinct markings that something thin was used to strangle them."
"Right. I doubt those things were the primary cause for their deaths."

Right there... lay two stake-like weapons decorated with an occult design, which had been found driven into Uncle Krauss's thigh area... and near Aunt Natsuhi's calf. When we found these sticking out of my parents' forehead and chest, we decided to preserve the crime scene and leave them for the police, but Jessica didn't care about such matters and immediately pulled the stakes out of her parents' forsaken bodies.

"...By now, bodies gouged in the head, chest, stomach, knee, and leg have been found."
"Aaaaaaaaahh, damn it, damn it, damn it!! I'll kill that murderer, kill him!! Uwaaaaaaaaaahhh...!!"
"...With this, the eighth twilight has been completed. Is this going to continue onto the ninth twilight? The witch shall be revived, and none shall be left alive."
"Bring it on... If the witch revives, that means the culprit is gonna make his grand appearance, right?! No one's going to be left alive? Bullshit... I'll kill him...! I'll definitely kill the culprit who killed Dad and Mom with my own hands...!!"



"...We still... haven't found George. Jessica, you children had better stay here. I'll go into the mansion."
"E-Eva-san, we mustn't split up...!! It's dangerous if we do not all stick together...!"
"There's nothing we can do for Nii-san or his wife."
"But George may be still alive somewhere...! I have no time to waste here...!!"

As Aunt Eva screamed this, Jessica glared at her. Eva had no more time to bother about the dead. She was more concerned for the safety of her only son, who had yet to be seen.

"Jessica-chan, you should stay by your father and mother's side. I'll make a short trip to the mansion. Battler-kun and Doctor Nanjo, you two can stay here as well."

After arbitrarily saying this, Aunt Eva rushed out of the arbor. I called out to stop her, but there was no way she would listen. However, being alone in this situation meant nothing short of death. If we silently watched her leave, it would be the same as letting her die. Since Aunt Eva was unwilling to stop, we had no choice but to follow her.

...And, while it may be cruel to say so, Uncle Krauss and Aunt Natsuhi were already dead, so there was nothing more we could do for them... In the end, we had no choice but to console Jessica and head for the mansion together. Fortunately, Jessica stood up. Perhaps she had been able to break free from her grief. But... what had surfaced in its place was an expression like a demon's.



"...I've got my own parents to avenge. Sorry, but this is first come, first serve."
"...Yeah, that's right... Let's kill them!"

At my words, Jessica finally seemed to feel like we sympathized with her emotions. She still had that dark expression, but I felt that Jessica had regained some of her sanity. We took off. Chasing after Aunt Eva. Through the rose garden, up the stone steps, running at full speed towards the mansion, whose large, intimidating shadow flashed in the lightning.

With this, the murders of the epitaph have reached the eighth twilight. And then, on the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive. None shall be left alive.



...But at the very least, I want to burn the truth into my eyes. That's the only thing motivating me to move right now.



It seemed that all the blood had risen to Aunt Eva's head. That was probably making her fingers clumsy. It looked like she couldn't even handle the simple task of inserting the key into the lock. Then, there was a faint sound. The sound of the door unlocking. Just as though it had waited for all the survivors to unite before opening.

It felt to me as though the malicious mansion... was trying to swallow up all the remaining humans at once...



It wasn't just the charred smell from Grandfather. I think it also may have contained the regrets of the servants and Dad's group, all of the dead. What did it mean as it floated out, overwhelming us? Was it the cry of the dead, telling us not to enter?

However, Aunt Eva didn't even flinch at something like that. And we who had to chase after her... were forced to step into the mansion, even after receiving that message...



Aunt Eva shouted at the top of her lungs. Considering the situation, it's probably far too optimistic to imagine that he's alive. When we started following Aunt Eva's example and calling out George's name in loud voices...

...Aunt Eva spotted something... and stopped walking. She was standing in front of the door to the parlor.

"...What is this...? D-Doctor Nanjo, could you come here for a second...?"
"Wh-What is it...?"

I'd heard about the eerie magic circles written on doors, like the one on the parlor, from the adults. Eerie is the only word to describe that thing, which was scribbled with a deep-red paint, reminiscent of blood, so that it slowly dripped down. However, that had supposedly been there since this morning.

...Wondering why Aunt Eva, who had supposedly seen it already, would think it odd now, Jessica and I stared at the door...

"...Certainly, I have no memory of numbers such as these being written here."
"Right, they weren't. Eerie magical characters were written here, but not numbers."

From what the two of them said, only the magic circle had been there this morning. However, right now, there were eight digits written near the upper part of the magic circle.



BGM: At Death's Door

07151129.

...I didn't know what it meant, but I didn't even want to imagine what someone had been thinking when they wrote it. It was drawn with the same paint as the magic circle, but it had clearly been written very recently. The way it had dried and the condition of the color was completely different from the magic circle part.

"...Pfeh. I'm sure it just has some magical meaning. No point wasting time thinking about it."

Jessica intentionally spat those words out in an attempt to push aside the eerie feel it gave off.

"It... could be a magic square. The idea that a ward against magic can reside in a certain sort of number play. I believe everyone has heard of the one where adding all of the numbers in each row leads to the same sum..."
"Wasn't that a group of numbers buried in a rectangle? This is just a single row. I don't have a clue what it could mean. What Jessica-chan said is probably correct. There isn't any point in us wasting time thinking about it..."

Even though she said that, she probably suspected that it actually meant something. Aunt Eva was deftly writing that number down on an old receipt or something with a short ballpoint pen. Unless it had some obvious pattern, it'd probably be tough to memorize a code made up of an eight-digit number.

...

"...Could... this be a date, or something?"
"A date...? What are you talking about...?"



"...Why would your birthday be written in a place like this? And what's up with November 29...?"
"That's what I wanna know... Still, it's probably just a coincidence. When I thought about it, it started to feel a little creepy. What if someone's birthday was November 29? That's not the birthday of anyone else in my family, not Dad or Kyrie-san or Ange. And of course, it isn't my Mom's either."
"Nothing comes to mind... I don't believe it's Kinzo-san's or Genji-san's birthday."
"It isn't from my family either. And it isn't Rosa's or Maria-chan's."
"It can't be anyone in my family... And it isn't Kanon-kun's or Shannon's. I always give the servants presents on their birthdays, so I know it for all of them, but I don't know anyone who was born on November 29..."

Once we started imagining that the eight digits weren't meaningless, but actually two dates written together, it really started to look that way. However, its true meaning may be something completely different, or there may be no meaning at all.

Anyway, since we don't have any real clues, it's probably pointless to stand around here worrying about it. The inside of the parlor's much more important. This morning, behind each of the doors with a magic circle drawn on them...had been the body of a victim.

So, if something new has been added to this door, does that mean something new has been added inside the parlor?



As soon as she opened the door, Aunt Eva let out a high-pitched scream and ran inside. That alone was enough to tell us what had happened inside the room... Doctor Nanjo and I looked at each other, and I shook my head slightly as we entered the parlor...



BGM: Requeim

George-aniki lay there crumpled alongside Shannon-chan's corpse. His chest was stained bright red. And judging by his still-opened eyes, I'd hate to say it to Aunt Eva, but I couldn't pick up any signs of life.

After moving to take George's pulse, Doctor Nanjo shook his head, wordlessly reporting that George was dead. Brushing him aside, Aunt Eva once again crouched beside George-aniki...and started crying at the top of her lungs... With Aniki's death, one thing is certain. The murders hadn't ended on the eighth twilight. The epitaph was being carried out in its complete form, including the ninth twilight, 'And none shall be left alive'...

I was really starting to lose track of things. For some reason, Aunt Eva's half-crazed cries actually made me cool down... Crestfallen and exhausted, I flopped onto the sofa and plunked my feet on top of the table. Maybe all these murders numbed my heart. Instead of just being frightened, I felt completely confused.

Dad and Kyrie-san are dead, and people have been killed off one by one, starting with the servants... And there's been a hell of a lot of them by now. I don't know when the first murder happened, but they might have been killed at a rate of about one person per hour by now. We believe that the boat will come for us around 9:00 tomorrow. There's still a full 12 hours until then.



BGM: Voiceless

With the four of us, if one goes each hour, we won't last any longer than four hours. We don't even know if we'll last until midnight tonight...

Yesterday, after lunch, we came into this parlor. Just as they started talking about serving some tea Aunt Rosa had bought, we kids decided to take a walk. Maria was jumping around, wasn't she? Didn't Shannon-chan bring us some cookies? She said Kumasawa-san had baked them, or something. It would've been hilarious if she'd baked some mackerel into them, wouldn't it? That's right, I'll never hear Kumasawa baa-chan's mackerel jokes again, will I...?

...Oh, right, if I only remember stuff about Kumasawa baa-chan, that wouldn't be fair to everyone else... Why did Dad and Kyrie-san... even go outside? It's not like going without food for a day would kill us. So why did gluttony get ahold of them and make them go out for food? I'll bet that fearless dad of mine just started complaining about being hungry... Kyrie-san, you were supposed to be the brakes for my reckless dad... Why didn't you stop him?

...And... what about your daughter, Ange...? She's still just six years old. Don't tell me you planned to leave her in my care... After all, it's doubtful now whether even I'll be able to leave this island alive...



...It's been kinda noisy for a while. By the time I looked up to see what it was, Jessica and Aunt Eva had suddenly started fighting each other. No, maybe I should say that Jessica was grabbing at Aunt Eva.



"How foolish!! Why should I know anything about what happened to your parents?!"
"Who was on the first floor of the guesthouse?! Aunt Eva!! Dad and Mom were in the first floor lobby, along with her! And who was left alive?! Only Aunt Eva!! Why? It's obviously because you're the culprit!! You killed Mom and Dad, carried them outside, and then shamelessly locked the door, trying to make it seem like it was the witch's doing...!!"
"Then why do you think George disappeared?! He never came down to the first floor! So, did he disappear from the second floor?! And who was on the second floor?! You people were, right?!! You knew, didn't you?! You knew that George slipped out of the guesthouse!! And you brazenly acted as if you didn't know anything!! If you'd stopped George, he'd be... he'd be...!!!"
"I said stop...! Jessica-san was in the cousins' room the whole time! And Eva-san was in the first floor lobby the whole time! Neither of you is responsible for anything! What we have here is simply the sadness of losing family members...!! The culprit is no one, nowhere...!! It is all... just the witch's fault!! So stop hating each other, you two...!!"



Yeah, I finally understand why three people evaporated from the guesthouse... when all the doors and windows were locked from the inside... This is what they were after. Making us think the culprit was inside...and sparking this ugly, mutual hatred... has to be the culprit's... the witch's goal.

...But if that's the case, how did the culprit lock it from the outside...? When Dad's group was attacked, their master key was definitely stolen. But the doors and windows to the guesthouse were built so that you couldn't lock them from the outside, no matter how hard you tried. So that master key should have had nothing to do with the guesthouse closed room...

Jessica and Aunt Eva were turning their sadness at losing their blood relatives into anger at the person in front of them. Doctor Nanjo was trying to step between them. And I sat in the sofa, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about things that didn't even matter anymore with a worn out expression... I just couldn't believe that this was the same parlor that had been so warm and pleasant midday yesterday, for just a short time before the typhoon hit...



BGM: Nighteyes

The sudden sound of a gunshot shook me out of my half-asleep trance. Smoke was rising out of the barrel of the gun Aunt Eva held. Jessica had fallen to the floor and was covering both her eyes. Aunt Eva and Doctor Nanjo were looking down at her in shock...

"A-Are you okay, Jessica-san...?! Jessica-san...!!"



"...I-It wasn't my fault... Th-This happened because you came at me even after I told you to stop...!"
"H-Hey, wait a sec, what's going on...?!"

So, did Jessica grab at Aunt Eva, which turned into a scuffle...? Did they start fighting over Aunt Eva's gun? Did some kind of impact cause the trigger to be pulled...? I didn't know if the bullet had grazed her or if she'd been burned by the discharge, but either way, Jessica was covering both of her eyes, screaming 'It hurts, it hurts' and rolling around on the floor.

"...Don't worry, calm down...! It is not a serious wound, so get ahold of yourself...!"
"My eyes hurt, it hurts, I can't see, I can't see...!!"

Doctor Nanjo let Jessica borrow his shoulder, saying that he would tend to her in the servant room. The servant room in this mansion had a bed and a first aid kit and was able to function as an infirmary.



"...I-It wasn't me, it wasn't me...!!"
"Jessica-san, you'll aggravate the wound, so don't move about...! Come, let us go to the servant room..."

Jessica continued to curse Aunt Eva as her parents' murderer. It seemed that Aunt Eva couldn't conceal her trembling at the fact that she had pulled the trigger, even if it had been an accident.

"...It wasn't my fault, it happened because that kid jumped at me... I didn't kill anyone... More importantly, who killed George? That's right, who killed George?!! George, Geooooooooooorge!! It isn't my fault, it isn't my fault...!!"
"W-Wait a sec, Aunt Eva...!! Don't go off on your own!!"

I didn't know if it was because Aunt Eva couldn't bear her mistake...or if she'd given up control of her body to anger at the person who had killed her only son...or if it was both of those all mixed together. At any rate, she ran out into the corridor, yelling, fearful, and screaming. I was also worried about Jessica's condition, but right then, I couldn't leave Aunt Eva alone. Why would she go off on her own in this mansion, of all places? Is she suicidal...?!

Doctor Nanjo took Jessica towards the servant room. I chased after Aunt Eva, dashing into the depths of the mansion...



The barrel had probably been near her eyes. There was a possibility that the flames from the discharge had injured her corneas. There was no threat to her life, but it would probably be necessary to take her to a doctor as soon as possible. Nanjo applied emergency first aid, covering the affected area with gauze and wrapping it with a bandage. As a result, Jessica completely lost her field of vision...

"Is that okay...? The wound may hurt or itch, but you mustn't scratch at it or rub it. When tomorrow comes, let us go to an ophthalmologist as soon as possible."



"...Eva-san would not do such a thing. That was an accident."
"You call that an accident...?! She killed Dad and Mom. There's no way any 19th person or witch exists on this island...!! She's behind everything. She was the only one on the first floor of the guesthouse!"



"...I-If that is indeed the case, then we'll find out about it as soon as the police investigate. The police are incredible, and with their powers of discernment, there is nothing that cannot be understood. There is no need for us to suspect or hate anyone. The police will resolve everything."
"So for now, Jessica-san, you should devote yourself to resting your body and keeping your eyes safe. Of course, if you wrinkle your forehead too much, it will do nothing good for your eyes, not to mention your beauty."

When Jessica's abuse of Eva had reached a crescendo, she actually had started glaring instinctively, and the pressure on her eyes had hurt her. Jessica herself realized that the more she talked, the more the wound would hurt, and regardless of whether she'd overcome her suspicions of Eva, she regained her composure for the time being...

"...She killed them, Dad and Mom. And Shannon... and Kanon-kun... Kanon-kun..."



BGM: Worldend (solo)

Jessica was now less fearful about the fact that she was blinded, and more frightened that the police would carry Kanon's body away while she still couldn't see, and that she would have to say her final farewell without being able to look at his face. Her anger at the culprit... and her sadness at the death of the person she'd liked. Those mixed emotions started her crying. But right now, tears were actually painful for her, so she wasn't even permitted to leisurely remember his face in bygone days... Jessica could do nothing but sit on the bed and let her head droop, withstanding the pain...

"...Well then, now I am worried more about Eva-san. I hope she isn't too shaken by this."

Realizing that Jessica had calmed down for the time being and letting out a sigh, he stuck his head out into the hallway to look for any sign of the others coming back.





BGM: Black Lilliana



Then, their eyes met. Nanjo, unable to understand who this person was, was bewildered for an instant.



"...Wh-What did you say...?"

Nanjo had no way of understanding who the person in front of him was, much less what she had just said.

"...Doctor Nanjo? What's going on...?"

Unable to see, Jessica had to rely on voices alone to make out the situation. But since she heard Nanjo say something in an uneasy tone, she tightened up, thinking that something bad might have happened.

"...S-Stop, please...! Please don't kill me...!! I have a sick grandchild...! I mustn't die here...! Please, spare me...!! Eeeek!!!"
"...Doctor Nanjo...? Doctor Nanjo?!"

Jessica couldn't do anything except call out from the bed. Judging by the tone of his voice, Nanjo was in the corridor, confronting someone. And he was scared. His life must have been threatened just a second ago.





The witch pointed the end of her gold staff at Nanjo. Even though he didn't know what she was planning to do, Nanjo assumed that she must be trying to take his life.

"Doctor Nanjo!! Doctor Nanjo!! Is someone there?! Answer me!!"
"Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, ahiiieeeeeeeeehhh!!"

*bang*! A sharp sound echoed.



Jessica, who could only try to grasp what was happening with her ears, had no clue what was going on. But even so, she was able to realize that with that sound, Nanjo had died. And, she could tell that that person was now in the corridor, right in front of the servant room. Furthermore, since she couldn't see, she wouldn't be able to run away, much less resist. Knowing that she was a mouse in a trap and in a life or death situation, Jessica shuddered...





"E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekk!!!"

Jessica was struck with fear and let out a frail scream. She wanted to scream in a much louder voice, trying to get someone to help her. But she couldn't. When faced with true fear, it clogs up a person's throat... Right then, Jessica could barely even breathe.

"H-Help me... help me...!! Eeeeeeeeeekk!!"

She searched around with her hands, trying to find some way to escape. But even though she should have known this room well, just being unable to see made it like a closed room of darkness. She ran into a shelf or something, and things like a candy jars and bottles fell down, hitting her on the head. As she was now, it would've been tough for her to even guard her head to block it. She was painfully aware of how powerless humans become just by losing their sense of sight.

Of course, she had no time to be impressed by this fact. She crawled around at random, trying to escape from that place, but she kept bumping into things that she didn't understand, getting hit by various falling objects, and it felt like the entire room was alive, bullying her and refusing to let her escape. Then, a footstep could be heard from that presence in the hallway. And then, a voice. She'd probably poked her head into the room, since Jessica had been so loud.

"You really are noisy. Act like a lady and wait there on the bed. 'Cause I'll give you a wonderful blood-red death outfit fitting for such an honored daughter. Something good enough to make the person who finds you faint, okay? Gehheheheheheheheheheh!!"
"E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkk!!"

Until just a second ago, she had sworn that she'd kill the culprit if she found them. However, she was now very powerless. She couldn't do anything except let out a scream, crawling around on the floor and bumping her head into the bed and the legs of desks.

Part 96: The Witch's Courtroom II

...A single gold butterfly secretly watched that scene from the corner of the hallway. It was Beato, who had barely escaped with her life once before.



By now, her power was so weak that even maintaining this form was difficult for her. Right next to her, Ronove also appeared.



BGM: Melting Away

"...She has grown feelings of love for Kanon... I have toyed with them at times. However, such behavior was shameful for a witch."
"...Love is the single element. Romantic love is even more pure, more sacred. Though for some reason, you seem to despise it thoroughly, Milady."
"...Teacher told me. Magic exists to bring people happiness. That's something I myself must have been aware of in the past."
"...Ever since I forgot that, I stopped being a witch. And so, I lost the right to be Battler's opponent..."



"I know... Even if I do save her, she will become a plaything of the witch's banquet when the door to the Golden Land opens."
"...But even so, that death would be far more compassionate than what that person would do to her. The witch's banquet steals lives in a terrible way, but it does not do so more than once. It does not toy with life and death."
"...However, that person is different. She kills over and over. She kills for fun! There is not even a trace of compassion there. I want to at least save Jessica from that kind of cruel fate."
"...Certainly, by carrying that out, you would probably be praised as a good witch."
"...However, the new Beatrice-sama already views you as hostile, Milady. If you were to be seen by her again, you would not have any method of escape this time, correct?"
"...When I reunited George and Shannon, I finally understood what a witch is... and what magic is."
"...I am a witch. I must act as a witch. And I must be acknowledged as Battler's opponent, and make Battler accept me as a witch this time around."
"...The road to that goal may be long and difficult. However, if I do not take a step forward here and now, I won't be able to call myself a witch."
"I understand your feelings, but how do you plan to rescue her? There are not many forms of magic that your body is capable of now, Milady. Did you not have to borrow George's power even back when you revived Shannon?"



"...Right now, she is begging for Kanon to save her. If I can borrow the power of that emotion, my magic may be able to knock on the doors of the Land of the Dead once again."
"You may be able to knock. However, you would use up all of your magical energy. If you were to be spotted by the new Beatrice-sama, you would truly be without a method of escape."
"...I am no longer your butler, Milady. Understand that I cannot assist you if the situation worsens."
"...I know. By now, I have toyed with and taken more lives than I can count. So, I may not be able to make up for it... except by saving the same number of lives, bringing them through that door."
"...I have had nothing to lose in the first place. I am just a gold butterfly who has passed its name and magic power on, and who is no longer acknowledged as a witch."
"...What about Battler-sama? You are partway through a game with him. He has said that he would wait until you returned. Are you truly satisfied to end it here? You have a duty to return to the seat across from Battler-sama, Milady."
"For that very reason...! If there's a life that only I can save, I will save it. And I will be accepted as a witch. I must become a witch...! If this is training, it is a very childish thing, nothing that compares with the evils I have committed before now."
"...Vanish, Ronove. Watch what may be the final magic of a single butterfly who used to be called a witch...!"



"Go, my friend. If you can find enough ink, write down the story of my foolish life... and hand it over to some fool who is about to walk down the same path. So long, Ronove...!"





BGM: Soul of Soul

"...K-Kanon-kun...? Kanon-kun...?!"

It seemed to Jessica as though she'd heard Kanon's voice just then. She looked around with unseeing eyes, but of course, she saw nothing. On the contrary, that action caused her head to hit the desk again.

"...Kanon-kun, Kanon-kun... Help me, help me..."



"...K-Kanon-kun...?! Y-You survived...?!"

This time, she thought she heard his voice clearly. Jessica jumped up in surprise, banging her head against the desk once again.



"...Huh...?"







Jessica obeyed those words. She chased all idle thoughts from her head and relaxed her breathing. Of course, her heart felt like it was going to explode after hearing the voice of the one she'd liked and had thought was dead. She resisted the excitement with all her strength.

...When she did, she felt as though Kanon-kun really was right in front of her. Even though she shouldn't have been able to see him with her eyes, she was able to sense him clearly.



"Yeah... I can see. I can definitely see you, Kanon-kun..."
"...I exist only as as a soul now. So I cannot touch you, Milady. I cannot do anything except talk to you like this. With my current weak existence, I can do nothing more than that, but I should be able to be of some aid to you, Milady."
"...So, we can only talk...? I can't...touch you, Kanon-kun...?"
"I am now more fragile than smoke from a candle. So much so that if one of the living such as you were to touch me, I would be wiped away instantly. So please, don't try to touch me. Because I am also... holding back my desire...to touch you, Milady."
"Ah, o-okay..."
"More importantly, Milady, please listen well. The new Golden Witch has a cruel heart. She surely plans to make you meet with a horrible fate. You must escape from this room and hide."
"...H-How...? I can't...see anything...!"
"Quiet... I will be your eyes, Milady. Please move in accordance with my instructions. First, please crawl three steps from there, then stand up. You are now under the desk, Milady. If you stand there, you'll hit your head."
"...Th-That was under the desk...? Okay, 1, 2, 3... I'm gonna stand..."



"Ha, haha... This is pretty... embarrassing... Ah, ack, owowow..."
"Are you okay? Does your wound hurt...?"
"N-No, I'm fine... What next...?"

Jessica thought that if this was a dream, she didn't want to wake up. And, if she were allowed to, she would've wanted to take off the bandage covering her eyes and see him. However, if she did that, Kanon might vanish like frail candle smoke, just like he himself had said... She was afraid of that. So she satisfied herself with just listening to his words once more, repressing her desire to see him, to hold him.

Therefore, what hurt her eyes now were tears of gratitude. Tears of gratitude for the god... or maybe the witch... who had given her this miraculous moment.



"...I have erected a secrecy barrier. As long as we don't make any loud sounds or speak noisily, no one will notice us. That's why people can't tell when I'm around."
"...I-I don't really get it, but anyway, we'll be fine as long as we stay quiet, right...? Wh-What should I do next...?"
"Please walk 10 steps in that direction. You will touch the sofa. Please continue along that. Do it slowly. Stay calm. Believe in my words."
"...S-Sure. Heheh, it's weird... Even though it's so scary not being able to see, I'm not scared at all if you're with me, Kanon-kun..."
"...Yes, that is the sofa. Trace it to the left while advancing slowly... There is a table just to your left. Be careful not to bump into it with your shins..."



Even though she would have been killed in an instant if the terrible witch noticed her, there was no fear in Jessica's heart. She was being protected and guided by Kanon, someone she thought she'd never be reunited with.

...It would probably be just a momentary miracle. Even so, Jessica was deeply grateful for it. If she hoped for too much, she was sure that he would disappear, so she tried not to ruin this faint miracle. And, trying to engrave this moment into her heart for all eternity, she slowly, slowly... continued to walk, obeying Kanon's voice...

"...Okay, if you walk 10 more steps, you will exit the servant room. Then, please turn to face 9 o'clock, and keep walking very slowly. Put your hand on the wall to your right, and keep on following that. I will take you to a safe room."



"..."

Kanon didn't answer. But his lack of an answer was enough to tell her the truth.

"...Then, no way. ...I don't want to go..."
"If you stay here, you will be killed by the witch."
"I don't mind... If I'm killed, I can go to the world where you are, Kanon-kun..."
"...Milady, please listen to me. ...The human world is too bright and painful for the dead, like me... So I cannot stay for long."
"So Milady, please allow me to use what time I am allowed...to guide you to a safe place. Because after that, I will stay with you until my time runs out."
"...Is that...the very best you can manage, Kanon-kun...?"
"...Yes. In exchange, I will stay by your side as long as possible. I will stay with you... and talk with you, Milady."
"Talk...about what...?"
"...What do you want to talk about...?"
"...I don't care what, as long as you're willing to tell me, Kanon-kun..."





"...The story of how that girl, after being reunited with that boy by a miracle from god, used that chance to finally muster up her courage."
"...I also... want to hear that. So, for that reason as well, let us go. To a safe place."
"...Yeah... If I could be with you, Kanon-kun, I would walk however far, however long it took... I don't need eyes anymore. If you tell me to step forward, I will take that step, even if it leads off a cliff."
"Thank you. Come, Milady. Let us go. The first 10 steps."
"No, I don't like it. I won't do it... unless you call me Jessica."
"...Understood... Well then, Jessica. Take the first 10 steps."
"Yes, Kanon-kun..."

Very quietly, Jessica and Kanon slowly snuck out of the servant room. Just around the corner, the witch could be seen cruelly looking down at Nanjo's corpse, but she didn't even notice their presence.



...Kanon thought 'Oh no', grimacing and blocking Jessica with his back.

"..."



He played dumb, just as though he hadn't spotted Kanon in the first place. No, maybe he did appear to chuckle. From a finger on Ronove's hands, which were joined behind his back, a single small gold butterfly appeared, flying in front of Kanon as though guiding him. It went unnoticed by the master he served.

Kanon was surprised at the magic that butterfly held. Because it was far more powerful than the secrecy barrier Kanon possessed. He may not have known it, but that power of his had originally been Ronove's. Kanon's ability was an imitation of that, which Kinzo had made and given to him.

As that butterfly of secrecy magic scattered gold scales, it grew smaller bit by bit. It probably wouldn't last long. But without a doubt, even that would buy them enough time to get them far away from the cruel witch.



"Yeah. If I can be with you Kanon-kun, I'll keep on going, on and on..."

Led and protected by the small gold butterfly, the pair separated by the wall of life and death slowly walked away, towards the end of the corridor... There was no way that the evil witch could have had magic to notice their flight. Until they disappeared at the other end of the corridor, the witch didn't realize that Jessica had vanished...



Even though she would have been able to make it this far quickly if she had been able to see, as she was now, it had been a very long adventure.

"...Come, Milady. We've reached the parlor. I will now take you to the bundle of curtains by the window. If you hide in there, you'll surely be safe."
"Inside the curtains... Not bad. I used to hide in there a lot, long ago."
"...Beatrice-sama..."
"...Huh?"

Kanon called out the witch's name. Jessica looked around in surprise, but she obviously couldn't spot the witch when she couldn't see...



"...I don't know what sort of whim led you to revive me, nor do I understand what you're thinking now."
"...Oh, it was nothing more than a whim. No, this is how witches should be. It took me a thousand years to realize that. That is how... foolish it is."
"Wh-Who is it?! Who's there...?!"
"...Milady, be quiet. She is the witch, Beatrice... I owe her, because she let me be with you one more time."
"...The witch, Beatrice..."
"...Forget about me. More importantly, you should quickly hide that girl in the shadows of the curtains. You probably do not have much time left. You may spend it having a final conversation with Jessica."
"...A secret meeting inside a bunch of curtains? How clever you two are. *cackle*cackle*..."
"U-Umm, thank you, Beatrice...!! Thank you for letting me be with Kanon-kun...!!"

Jessica didn't know where Beato was, so she said that while facing in the wrong direction. Perhaps because she found that funny, Beato snickered.

"I will now leave this room to the pair of lovers. Evil witches have no need for tales of love. Allow me to depart."
"...Beatrice-sama, thank you very much."
"Hmph, there is no need to thank me. You know that something like this cannot compensate for all of the evil I have done."
"I offer my gratitude to this good witch as a parting.webpt. I don't know what has happened before or what will happen later. However, at this very moment, you are without a doubt... a good witch."
"...You flatter me, furniture. The next time we meet, I may be an evil witch who doesn't betray your expectations. And with that, farewell."



Video: Endless

And, mustering the last of her remaining magical power, she sealed the door.

The fact that those two had escaped into here would eventually be noticed. And now that the ninth twilight had been reached, no matter how much they struggled, their inescapable fate had already been decided. However, until that final moment, they should be given the chance to speak with each other of their love.

The witch poured out all of her magical power to protect their time together. So that no one would be able to defile their time alone until the last possible moment.

At that time, Beato noticed something. Her body had been detected by a magical searching technique. The evil witch's furniture had sniffed this place out.

"...So, boorishness is the witch's way of doing things after all... To think that she doesn't even intend to let those two young ones speak together of their love... *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!!"



BGM: Dance of the Moon Rabbits



"Go ahead and shoot. Oh, and avoid her vital areas. There's something I want to ask that old hag."
"410, Firing. Nihi!"

The Chiester Sisters' gold bow released a gold snake. It crawled down the corridor starting from the front of the servant room, aiming for the parlor as it drew a soft, snake-like curved line trajectory... and pierced Beato's chest.



BGM: Prison

Gold butterflies gathered, and the cruel witch appeared along with her furniture.



"...Ugh... uu... I didn't think they would be... Still, the Chiester Sisters really have gotten rusty. To think that they failed to bring me down. And twice, at that...!"

Ronove spoke in a manner befitting the witch's butler. As she pushed her pain aside, Beato grinned and spoke back.

"M-My apologies, Predecessor-sama...! We were ordered to avoid vital areas...!"
"As soon as we get the order, we can pierce you at any time. We can pierce a hole in your ears, a hole in your belly button, any hole you like. Nihi!"

The gold snake that had pierced Beatrice grew even longer, drawing a funnel-shaped helix and awaiting its next order. It was prepared to pierce a vital spot as soon as the evil witch told it to.

"...For what reason would someone like you, who is no less brutal than I, make them avoid my vital areas? New Beatrice...!!"



"Why is it that even though you could've escaped by hiding, you took the risk of appearing again? It can't be that you came back just to protect those two young people, riight?"
"...Well, who knows? *cackle*cackle*...!"
"And just a second ago. Why'd you do something as soft as reviving the lovers and reuniting them? The more I hear about you, the more I learn that I don't even reach up to your feet as an incarnation of evil. If you're like that, why did you suddenly start acting so mildly? That's what I wanted to ask."
"...*cackle*cackle*! I am brutal, therefore I am fickle. What purpose could questioning that possibly serve?"
"Chiester Sisters, sew her."



As the cruel witch had ordered, it drew a cross-stitch through Beato's chest. The gold thread made a squeaking sound and tormented Beato... Rather than a gold snake searching for its prey, it waited for orders like a sewing needle ready to sew Beato.

"If it's you we're talking about, there's no way it could've been a whim. I've heard about you. And I've learned. You're such an incarnation of evil that I don't even rise up to your feet. I thought I was truly a fitting successor to you."
"...But you've always been in the way. You always say warm, pleasant things that shock me. What changed you? You explored the depths of evil for one thousand years, and I let you live... because I wanted to know what happened to make you change so much."



BGM: Thanks for Being Born

"Sew."



Beato's chest was once again sewn with a golden cross-stitch. It tightened once again, squeezing fresh blood from Beato's chest. The intense pain it caused ran in conflict with its beauty to the eye.

"...You might be one of those things that disappear when they die and don't leave a corpse. So I'll kill you slowly."
"But if you answer my questions honestly, I'll let you die easy. I'll give you a splendid, gorgeous death, perfect for my Predecessor-sama. I'll sink you in a coffin filled with water and roses. Isn't that wonderful? And you still won't talk? About the reason for your change of heart?"



"Sew. Twice."
"Gyoah, gwuaahh...!!"
"Of course, you don't have to answer. After all, that way I get to torture you. Kuukuhihihihihihihihihihi!!"
"The Endless Magic truly is wonderful. When you think about it, this world is limited in every way. The endless cannot exist in the human world. Because gods are without limits, the human world is deprived of all limitlessness, so that they can be looked down upon."
"...So, in other words, this endless power is the power of the gods! A wonderful power where, the more you play with it, the more fun ways of playing you find! You used that power as you pleased for one thousand years and went on a rampage! Why are you having a change of heart only now? You aren't gonna say you regret handing it over to me, are you?"



"And this is what you realized...? Then what... is it?"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*! Wander about for a thousand years without realizing, foolish witch."
"Sew. Three times this time."
"Gwoah, gyuooh, gu...!!!"

Beato's chest had been embroidered with the gold thread. It tightened even more, causing Beato more and more pain...

"...Well, that's fine. I'm no longer curious about what kind of revelations an old hag who refuses to die might've had. I'm bored now, so I'll just kill you. If I do, the barrier around the parlor will dissolve."
"...Then I'll torture Kanon and Jessica to death a whole bunch of times. Being able to have two lovers as my toys at the same time... sounds pretty fun, right? Kuhhihihhihhihihihhihihihihi!!"
"Kill her...!!!"



Beato finally remembered the actual feeling of dying, which she had forgotten over the course of a thousand years...

But... she couldn't die. She must not die. If she died, it would mean handing over the two in the parlor to the cruel witch. So she definitely couldn't die. She resolutely... refused to die...!



"No waay. Isn't tearing apart two who love each other fun? You said it yourself. So I want to try it!"
"*cackle*cackle*... In that case, I mustn't allow you that pleasure... *cackle*cackle* Yes, it can be fun, tearing apart lovers."
"Really? I'm sure it is fun. So don't get in my way!! Sew more! Sew, sew, sew!!"
"Nihi! 410, Understoood!!"

The merciless gold sewing needle sewed the gold thread through Beato's heart over and over again. However, no matter how much it tightened, that heart did not stop...

"Nng, aaaaahhh, this isn't nearly enough... I won't die by something like this...!!"
"What are you doing? Make this old hag shut up. Kill her quickly!"
"...W-We're killing her...!! Even though we've sewn her heart in place several times, this person's heart... w-won't stop...!!"
"...Are you... immortal?"
"Of course not. I've handed the endless over to you. My heart will not beat many more times."



"Sew!! Keep sewing until her heart stops moving!!"
"Guuh, guooooh, gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!"
"...Wh-Why doesn't she die?! It's impossible...!!"
"Why... isn't her heart stopping... even though it's been sewn in place?!"
"Who cares, we'll make the heart explode from the inside nyeh...! How pitiful, and you could've died cleanly if you hadn't resisted us!!"

As they said that, even though the gold needle and thread made round trips over and over again, Beato still didn't die... The cruel witch eventually grew pale at how bizarre that was.



"...*cackle*cackle*cackle* You probably cannot understand. Even I didn't understand. And yet, somehow or another, it seems that this is true magic. In other words, I have now... become it. I have become... a true witch!!"



"Detonate!!!"

There was a terrible sound...and gold leaf was scattered around the area, along with a cloud of gold butterflies. Beato's chest had opened wide from the inside, and from that, gold butterflies and gold leaf poured out, staining the surrounding area gold...

Then, Beato's flesh crumpled. Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, she crouched down...and crumpled.





"M-Monster, eeeeeeeeep...!"

When the Chiester Sisters saw that, they fell on their butts in shock. Somehow, even though Beato had become nothing more than a heart, it still kept beating, continuing to protect the barrier to the parlor. It was an immeasurably vast magical power. Impossible to measure. In other words, endless.



"Chiester Sisters!! Smash that heart!! Quickly!!"
"I-It's impossible, my apologies! We can't do it!!"
"...Indeed, it probably will be impossible. No number of people could crush that heart. And certainly not the soldiers who serve under His Highness the Dragon King."
"In that case, an Endless Witch like me should be able to crush it, right? My power is that of a god!!"



"...Just what... do you mean by that...?"
"Just as there can be no light without knowledge of shadows, there can be no infinite without knowledge of the finite. Before Milady Beatrice's true endless power, your frail magic is quite, quite lacking."
"What is... that... aah-"

The cruel witch was surprised and stepped back. It was thinner than a lace curtain... no, Beatrice's form was still standing there. Even after being laid bare so tragically like this, she refused to let evil through that door. At that time, a shadow just as thin as Beatrice stood behind her. It was Kanon.



"...Hmph. I'll hear those words of yours once the number of my blessings has surpassed the number of grievances I have caused. Was that long enough?"
"Yes. Truly, thank you very much. And Beatrice-sama... you have also done enough. Please, be at peace..."
"...Is that so? Is this... enough...? Ha, *cackle*cackle*cackle*..."
"What's going on...? ...Why are you guys calling that old hag Beatrice?!"
"Beatrice is my name, right?! It's got to be, since I'm the new Golden Witch and Endless Witch, right?!"
"...How rude. How dare you claim Beatrice-sama's name."
"I am afraid to say... that the name of Beatrice-sama belongs to the one crowned as the Endless Witch. Right now, you are the Predecessor. Pukkukukukuku."
"What... did you say...?"
"...Farewell, Kanon. I'm sure I'll see you soon enough. In a new nightmare."
"...In the nightmare of a new night, I will once again be your companion, Beatrice-sama... With that, if you would excuse me..."

Kanon's form grew faint, and he disappeared into thin air.



Then, there was a *splat*. The golden heart that had been floating in midair... lost its sparkle, became bloodstained flesh, and fell to the ground. How frail it was. It was ragged and full of holes. But until a moment ago, it had sparkled so much, had continued to beat so forcefully.

That heart still just barely managed to beat. However, it was only a matter of time before it stopped. Beatrice, whose form had become fragile and faint like incense smoke, lay on the floor, steadily watching her own heart... There, the cruel witch could be seen...



"How can there be a finite infinity? That's a contradiction, it couldn't exist! This is the limit of your magic! The endless is better than the finite!!"
"..."

Beatrice no longer even had the will to respond. No, on the contrary, it was doubtful that the words of the cruel witch even reached her ears...

"If you're a real Endless Witch, try standing up!! How's it going? You can't stand, can you?!"
"Why do you think you can't stand?! It's because you aren't the Endless Witch!!"

The cruel witch poked Beatrice's heart with her fingernail. Beatrice had no words with which to respond to that provocation. However, instead of words, she returned a single expression. It felt humiliating only to the cruel witch.





There was no way she had misheard it. That rough squeaking of heels was the sound of Battler's footsteps...

"...Battler, is it...? Ha, *cackle*cackle*cackle*... After talking so tough, I ended up like this..."
"..."
"...I've been trying to become... the true witch you talked about... in my own way..."
"...Yeah. I was watching."
"...Hey, have I... been able to become... a witch...? Have I earned... the right to become your opponent...?"



Battler said it unbelievably bluntly. As Beatrice breathed painfully, she saw this and sneered at herself, as though she should have expected it.

"...Ha, *cackle*... I see. Yes, the road to becoming a true witch will be much, much longer than this..."
"...However, I will not surrender... Just like you never surrendered to my torture, I will definitely... become a true witch... and be... accepted as your opponent..."
"Yeah, it's no good. It's no goddamn good at all. You aren't my opponent."



"Die, you old hag!! Let's see how endless you are when you've been crushed to a pulp!! I'm the witch! I am the Golden Witch, Beatrice!!! Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieee!!"

Part 97: The Witch's Courtroom III

BGM: Wings

"45, understood, attacking everywhere!!"
"410, understood. Die, Battler!!"

The Chiester Sisters each readied their own golden bows and fired golden arrows. The two only pulled the bowstring together when using precision guidance. If they were fighting against an enemy before their eyes, they fired their bows at the same time. And their might did not suffer in the slightest.



"Wha, i-i-it was deflected?!?! There's no barrier, it was deflected by resistance alone... Uh, 45, Target Analysis!!"
"45, understood... Huh, whaaaat...?! D-Did I... break down? Am I insane...? A-Anti-Magic Resistance Power, Endless Nine... E-Even mythical-class magical attacks won't be effective against the target!!"

Golden bow warheads could penetrate any magical armor through reciprocal corrosion. When one tried to block them with anti-magic resistance power, even eight digits were not sufficient to prevent their penetration.

By the way, even famous gods that appear in myths rarely reach as high as nine digits. For that reason, nine digits were enough to measure pretty much all sensible values. Battler had buried all 9 of those digits with nines...

"...How foolish. When Battler-sama gets serious, magical arrows and the like aren't enough to even make his hair tremble."

The Chiester Sisters dropped their golden bows in shock... To Battler himself, it was as though a pair of dragonflies had flown past his shoulder.

"...What are you doing? Is that some kind of game?"
"...Eeeeeeek, m-monster..."



""E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!""

The Chiester Sisters couldn't hide their fear at Battler's ferocity, and they backed up as though they'd been struck. Beatrice watched this scene in shock...

"...B-Battler, what... is this supposed to be...?"
"Just like you see. You aren't my opponent."
"She is!! That impostor over there, who's using your name!!!"
"Ack...!"
"...I'm fighting against a witch. I face off against an opponent who claims to be a witch, and I deny witches by defeating them. I've seen more than enough of your arrogance."

Then, Battler's eyes grew as sharp as blades as he stared down the cruel witch.



"Understood. Preparations are complete, so go whenever you're ready. Beatrice, stay back and rest."
"I-Indeed..."

Beato looked at Battler timidly. She still hadn't been acknowledged as his opponent. Was she qualified to watch the game board from the sidelines...?

"Beato, stay back and watch!! I'll tear it off!! I'll thoroughly dismantle this fake witch!!"
"I won't let someone like this call themselves a witch!! You protected the honor of true witches!"
"I-I, umm..."
"You don't need to say anything."
"On your behalf, I'll teach her that the name of the Golden Witch definitely isn't that cheap!!"
"...B-Battler..."



"...Thank you, Ronove. I get most of the rules now."
"...I see. You can't win with magic, so you came to face off with me in a world where victory is decided by something other than magic."



"Yeah, I do. I'll crush all of your twisted logic, Aunt Eva!!"
"I-I am not Eva...!! That is the name of the old shell I shed. I am a true witch, born inside of her...!!"
"Don't try to trick me! Your true form isn't a witch or anything like it, but a flesh and blood human. The human culprit, Ushiromiya Eva!!! Virgilia, reconstruct the second twilight!!"
"Understood."



BGM: Lost Paradise

"Huuh? Ridiculous! Come, arise, try to remember! What form did Ushiromiya Hideyoshi have?!!"
"Whaat? What's this supposed to be?"
"...It's a summoning of the dead. A witch can easily bring even the dead up to the stand for testimony..."



...Talk about convenient. He looked as though he couldn't see what was going on here, almost like a person on the other side of the TV.

"Witness summons. Ushiromiya Hideyoshi's testimony. Come, Hideyoshi, speak...!"
"...I was taking care of Eva in our room the whole time. Of course, Eva didn't leave the room."
"Aunt Eva. Around here, testimony that isn't red isn't worth crap. I demand that he repeats it again in red!!"
"Oh yeah, that's right. Sure, say it in red!"



"See, look. This makes it impossible for Eva to be the culprit, right?! How will you counter this?"
"Ridiculous. That move's so lame, I could yawn."
"...Beato never used such childish tricks, not even once."
"...Battler..."
"Repetition requested!! 'Aunt Eva was also in the room for the entire time before and after the crime'!!"
"Uncle Hideyoshi was just there to create an alibi. You made him stay in the room and stealthily snuck out. If that isn't true, this guy should be able to say so in red!!!"
"I-I refuse to repeat it...!"
"Hideyoshi's evidence is sufficient!! There's no need for me to repeat that, right?!"
"...She has refused. You need show no mercy. This is check."
"Yeah, I'll take it. This opponent's slow!!"
"Check!! Maybe Uncle Hideyoshi didn't leave the room the whole time. But saying he was taking care of you the whole time... is a bright-red lie! Therefore, no alibi exists for you!! You had a chance to slip out of the room and kill Aunt Rosa and Maria! If you think you can dodge that, try proclaiming in red that 'Aunt Eva didn't take a step outside of her room'!! You can't, right? Checkmate!!!"
"...Wh-What the hell...?! I-I don't get it...!!"
"Sorry, Aunt Eva. Even if you aren't used to the rules, beating your opponent down with all your strength is how this game is played. Right, Beato?!"
"I-Indeed..."
"The witch side resigns. Let us continue on to the next game. Next is the fourth through sixth twilights."



She was probably also angry that a shot had been taken at her while she still didn't get what was going on... However, I won't go easy on her at all. Just like she didn't go easy on the victims at all, I won't go easy on her...!!

"Virgilia, next crime! Let's reconstruct the case with Dad and the rest!!"
"Understood."



"My move won't change. Aunt Eva, you are the culprit!!"
"This time, you don't even have an alibi from Uncle Hideyoshi!! You claim that you were sleeping in that room all by yourself. But that's not true!! If you can proclaim it in red, just try it!!"
"...I refuse. So tell me! Eva is just a woman. And the people who died were three adults with two guns, right? How did she kill them all by herself? How did she do it with those stakes as weapons? Like everyone keeps asking, how is this stake-shooting device constructed?!"
"Explain that!! Unless you can explain it, even if Eva doesn't have an alibi, that doesn't mean that it was possible for her to commit the murders!"
"I refuse to explain!! It's a 'Devil's Proof'! Just because I can't explain it, that doesn't deny the existence of an unknown murder technique, or maybe an unknown weapon!!"
"In short!! Even if I can't explain how the stake-shooting device is constructed, that doesn't prove that it doesn't exist!!"
"Wh-What the hell?!! Does that ridiculousness even count?!"
"...Your 'Devil's Proof' is valid."
"Agreed. It's a valid 'Devil's Proof'. Battler-kun can claim that a stake-shooting device exists without bearing the responsibility of explaining how it is constructed. The witch side cannot object to this move."
"...N-Not bad... How pushy..."



"That's right, you shouldn't be able to say it! If you can't say it, it's over, checkmate!!"
"...Th-That's so irrational...! This is... messed up...!"
"Those are the rules of this game. How about some black tea first? And some delicious cookies as well."
"I don't need all that!!"
"Ah, that pisses me off...! So you fight like a coward just because you can't win with magic...!!"
"Don't get irritated. Drink some black tea or something. I'll take mine straight. What about you, Beato?"
"I-I am fine... More importantly, Battler, don't let your guard down. Your opponent is only unfamiliar with the rules. This will only really start once your opponent gets the gist of it..."
"But I'll crush her. I'll thoroughly crush her. Because she isn't a witch."
"If I accept her as a witch, all your stubbornness will count for nothing! I don't care what kind of irrational argument or twisted logic I have to use, I'll crush her with all my heart and soul!!"



At the time, there had been no one on the first floor except for Eva and the victims. As before, no one could establish an alibi for Eva. Back then, Eva had claimed that they'd disappeared while she went to the bathroom, but there was nothing to support that, and the witch side couldn't repeat it in red either. Using the same style of argument as that question regarding the stake shooting machine, the witch side asked once more how Eva could have strangled both of them at the same time all by herself, but of course, Battler splendidly counterattacked by refusing to explain because of the 'Devil's Proof'.

Under the storm and stress of Battler's spirit, the witch side was completely swallowed up, having to resign three times during the short period of time she had to grasp the rules...



BGM: Miragecoordinator

Listen to this one.

"This time, let me take the initiative. Ronove, reconstruct the fourth through the sixth twilights! Pick out Ushiromiya Kyrie! For now, let me return to the murders of Rudolf, Kyrie and Hideyoshi during the fourth through sixth twilights."
"...Wh-What is she thinking? Why would she return once more to a situation where she's lost?"
"I see... This is an unusual attack, and one you do not use. Be careful."
"At the time, the survivors were barricaded in the guesthouse. They didn't have food, but out of concern for their safety, they were at least prepared to go without eating until the next day."
"...However, in the end, three of them went out for food."
"...That's right. In the end, three people went outside to get food."



"And yet, she herself suggested that they leave the guesthouse to get food. Isn't that a contradiction?"
"Yes, a spectacular contradiction. A contradiction exists in Kyrie's pattern of behavior."



"R-Ridiculous! There's no way that kind of magic exists!!"
"It's a 'Devil's Proof', right?! Just because you don't know about that magic doesn't deny its existence! And I don't bear the responsibility of acting out that magic for you. And yet, you have even less room to counter this argument!!"
"*giggle*giggle*! I wonder if it's alright to fight this way."
"Yes. It is truly a spectacular move. Battler-sama, your response, if you please."
"That's a weird strategy she's taking... So just what is this?"



"And yet, she herself took the initiative, taking the contradictory action of going out to get food. Unless you can explain this contradiction, she will use this violent move to claim that magic was the cause."
"...Well, that's probably what Kyrie-san thought in the beginning." But she probably... uh... thought through a few things midway, then changed her mind and decided that food really was necessary... It'd be bad if, when things got tough, we were so hungry that we had no energy, and, well..."
"...She is claiming that this change of heart was due to magic. In short, while it might be extremely difficult, you must explain the reason for Kyrie's change of heart."
"...Wh-What are you saying...? You're talking about the inside of Kyrie-san's head, right...? Can I also summon Kyrie-san's ghost and question her?! Beato! Can't you call Kyrie-san here or something?!"
"She cannot. That is a move permitted only to the witch side."
"...S-Sorry..."
"...Aaaaaaahhh, damn it!! She was probably... umm... thinking of us kids and... umm... on the whole, thought that food was necessary and..."
"You must present your claim through objective means. You'll need concrete proof that Kyrie changed her mind and decided that food really was necessary for some specific reason. For example, if someone heard her say that, or if it was written down somewhere."



"So it's impossible to explain!! You don't have a single counter to my move! Isn't it your turn to resign now, Battler-kuuun...?!?!"
"...It is possible to hypothesize endlessly as to the reason behind her change of heart. And, it is impossible to crush all of those endless possibilities."
"A detestably spectacular move. If Battler-sama were to have a method of countering, it could probably only be that move."
"...Wh-What move is that...?"
"...Well, I wonder what kind of move it could be. I have the feeling that it was Milady's specialty, but I cannot remember."
"...Nnggg... Quit being stingy and tell me...!"
"Beatrice, no answers will be given to those who stop thinking for themselves. Think. Think in your own way!"
"Why don't you resign right now?"
"And I'll corner you even more with red. Until the last instant before she died, Kyrie's behavior pattern of 'not going to get food = not going to the mansion' was maintained!"
"And yet, she took the initiative and headed towards the mansion. She was pushing a cart, ready to carry food. Why that contradiction?"
"Because I controlled her with magic!!! This is proof that my magic exists, and that I am a witch!!"
"...Shut the hell up...!! A-Are you saying that she never even changed her mind?! That the whole time until she died, Kyrie-san thought 'we don't need food', and 'we won't go to the mansion'? Then why did she step forward herself and say that they should go to get food, and go to the mansion...?!! Are you saying that Kyrie-san was being controlled with magic?! That's stupid...!! How... how should I break through this magic?!"
"...If only Kyrie were here, and just told us the reason behind her change of heart... No, I've already been told in red that she never even changed her mind...! What should I do...?!! There's no move that the human side can counter with!!"
"The more I learn about this game, the more advantageous the rules seem for the witch, right? Even if I lose in a lot of areas, if I can win in just one, that alone can display the existence of a witch."
"...In other words, Battler-kun has no way of denying witches other than a complete victory! How truly funny that even though you thought you could corner me and call me Eva, it's all been spun around by nothing more than the inside of your respected Kyrie-san's head, right?!"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*, ahhahahahahahahahahaha!! Just do it, resign!! If only you'd just accept it! If only you'd just lose!"
"...Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiit... It's impossible for a human to prove... I can't do anything but guess at what the dead were thinking when they acted. Furthermore, I can't deny the magic based on conjecture alone. To break through it, I need objective proof as to why Kyrie-san had a change of heart..."
"...But damn it, it's been said in red that no proof exists as to why she changed her mind and wanted food... What should I do, damn it, damn it...!!!"



"...Nggg...! 'Not going to get food = not going to the mansion'. But then how should I understand Kyrie-san's thoughts, which actually do contradict each other...?!"
"You can't understand!! It's impossible to understand, and impossible to interpret!! That darkness is all of the witch!"
"Come on, it's useless to think, so quit, okay?! You just can't deny witches! After all, I exist right here."
"I am the Golden Witch!! I stole that name from the former witch over there!! You can't deny that I am Beatrice!!!"
"Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit...!!! You have no right to use that name...!"
"...And yet, I can't think of a move to deny it...!!!"

Battler could no longer counter this witch, who was laughing insanely in triumph...

He didn't want to give up, but no move appeared. He ground his teeth, making fists with both hands. But even so, he couldn't think of a brilliant counterattack...!

"Battler-sama, your time limit is over, so will you resign...?"
"Nng, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!"
"...The human side has no move in response. It will res—"



BGM: Prison

"Wh-What did you say...?"
"Huh?! What kind of move could possibly exist, Predecessor-sama?! Won't you tell me what kind of move could deny this magic of Beatrice's?"
"You can't, it's impossible!!"
"...If the proposition that 'not going to get food = not going to the mansion' cannot be explained by itself, I will explain it with the contrapositive. In short, you can also explain it with 'she still went to the mansion = she had a goal other than food'."
"...Th-This is less my specialty, 'Hempel's Raven', than it is Battler's specialty, 'chessboard thinking'. If it was impossible for Kyrie to have gone to the mansion with food as a goal, then we can only explain it by saying she had another reason that got her to go outside despite that. In other words, if we can prove that she had such a goal, we can defeat this magic...!"
"I-I see... So, she didn't go to the mansion with food as a goal, but she had a different goal, and she said she wanted to go and get food in order to disguise her real goal..."
"...T-True enough, it might be possible to find an explanation that way. But... how?!"



"Yes, there is no problem. I shall reconstruct the scene where Ushiromiya Kyrie died. We cannot call Kyrie's ghost here, but by finding out what Kyrie left behind, we may be able to use that as a weapon."
"Ha, hahahahahahahahaha!! Fine, search as much as you want!!"
"There's no way you'll learn anything! I just said it in red a short while ago. Kyrie did not leave anything written down! No matter what you find, how could you possibly figure anything out?!!"
"...We may find nothing..."
"But, Battler is grinding his teeth, fighting to think of a move to break through you. This is all that I can do..."



"I-I am completely clueless when it comes to fighting on the Human side... We need to find evidence, right...? Then what should I search for?"
"The Great Lady Beatrice is getting down on her knees and crawling around! And she's even indecently searching a corpse? *cackle*cackle*cackle* That look suits you...!!"
"...Say whatever you wish... I cannot do any more than this... I care not how I am despised..."
"...However, I cannot throw Battler away, as he is fighting for my honor... Even if I must crawl on the ground and search through dead flesh, I must answer to that responsibility..."

Bathed in the witch's sneers, Beato searched through Kyrie's corpse. She fished through the pockets, taking what was inside out and laying it on the floor...



There was no special, suspicious object... Although Beato was down on all fours and being sneered at, that was all she could find.

"Ahhahahahahahahahahahahaha!! What's with that seedy looking trash?! How do you think you can break my magic with that stuff?!"
"Worthless, worthless, are you a moron?!! How can you be so lame, and right after you cut in between us, talking so tough?! Aaah, how pathetic, how embarrassing!! Why don't you just give up and die forever?!"

The witch fell over laughing, lambasting Beato. Beato hung her head, trying to withstand this shame.

"...Milady, are you finished with your inspection?"
"...I-Indeed... I will not find any more than this..."
"Can you make any counter from this evidence? If not, then the human side must resign."
"...Nnnnn..."
"Obviously, you don't have any room to argue back!! I am a witch. You cannot break through my magic!!"
"You're no longer anything but a former witch. A loser who isn't even allowed to take the name Beatrice anymore!! Come on, pile up as much trash and rubbish as you like, and just try to break my magic!!"
"...You can't, right? You can't, can you? Kuhhihihihihi, and why's that? It's because I'm a witch. It's because you're just a loser without a name!! Kuhhihhyahhyahhyahhyahhyah!!!"



BGM: Thanks for Being Born

As Beato held back tears at the words of humiliation she was being showered with, she tried to find if Kyrie was holding something else, to find something that could save Battler from his plight, searching earnestly. However, nothing more came up...

"...Damn it... Please, Ushiromiya Kyrie... You must save your son from his plight... Please, after death, lend me power for his sake..."

However, Kyrie's body did not answer. It was only natural that a corpse would remain silent. No dead person existed that would answer Beato, who had lost the Endless Magic...

"It's pointless, pointless, pointleeess. Toying with the dead is a privilege only for witches. For you, who is neither a witch nor even a Human, no one exists who will lend a hand!!"
"You'll be alone for all eternity!! You have no witch or Human allies, and no one will save you!! If that's frustrating, why don't you cry?! If only you'd just apologize, saying 'I'm sorry I'm so useless'?! Ahhahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
"...Sorry, Battler... I... couldn't help you... at all..."



"I-I don't need consoling...! Just how could you possibly argue back with this pile of rubbish...?!!"
"Just how could you possibly strike back with this rubbish I scraped together while she sneered at me...?!"

In front of Beato, who was still crawling on all fours and hitting the pile of objects Kyrie had left behind with her fist, Battler also crouched. And, after patting her on the shoulder in thanks, he moved that hand to the ground, picked up the cigarette butt, and held it up over his head.

"...What are you trying to say with that trash...?"

Part 98: The Witch's Courtroom IV

True, she didn't have an actual box of cigarettes, but at a glance, it naturally looked as though Kyrie had a smoking habit...

"...Dad smoked, but Kyrie didn't. But she did walk around with just a lighter to light Dad's cigarettes."
"Ha! So what? If the husband smoked, then even if the wife didn't, it wouldn't be strange for her to be holding a cigarette."
"Maybe she just picked up the cigarette butt of her husband, who had bad smoking manners? What are you trying to say? What does this have to do with my magic? Nothing at all!!!"
"I'll say more. This is a different brand of cigarette than what Dad smokes. Sorry, Beato. Could you look in the pockets of Dad's corpse too?"
"...I-Indeed. You mean this...?"



"And so what? Maybe Kyrie is just a good girl who likes things to be clean, so she couldn't leave a fallen cigarette butt alone and picked it up? I wouldn't though!!"
"...Beato, sorry, but one more time please. Uncle Hideyoshi's pockets. In this family, only Dad and Hideyoshi smoke cigarettes."
"...I-It's here...! Is this it...?

Beato found a cigarette box in Hideyoshi's pocket, took a single one out, and held it up.

"...Checking the brand. We acknowledge that the cigarette butt is of the same brand that Hideyoshi smokes."
"A-And so what?!! How can you break my magic because you found Hideyoshi's cigarette butt in Kyrie's pocket?!!"
"...That's right. This cigarette butt is a message from Kyrie-san. No, this cigarette butt itself is the reason that Kyrie-san left the guesthouse."



BGM: Dread of the Grave - More Fear

"...Virgilia!! Reconstruct the situation! The guesthouse after it came to light that Aunt Rosa and Maria had been killed on the second twilight!!"
"Understood."



"There's nothing suspicious about that at all. What are you trying to say? Why are you bringing up the second twilight when we're talking about the fourth twilight and after...?!"
"Dad carried a portable cigarette butt holder with him. I'm finally starting to see why Kyrie-san went out of her way to put a cigarette butt in her own pocket."
"...It was because that cigarette butt meant something. That cigarette butt was itself a message left by Kyrie-san for us...!!"
"Th-Then let's hear it!! How do you plan to deny me with that single cigarette butt?!!"
"...As we've heard, after the second twilight, an inspection was done of all the rooms in the guesthouse. At that time, Kyrie-san found something that shouldn't exist, in a place where it shouldn't be."
"...S-Something that shouldn't exist...? What do you mean by that?"
"It's this. This cigarette butt. This was set in the ashtray of the guest room that Uncle Hideyoshi was in."
"Whaah?!?! What's wrong with there being a cigarette butt in an ashtray?!! Are you sure there isn't something wrong with your head?!"



"However, there was a cigarette butt in the ashtray. When she saw that, Kyrie-san noticed immediately. Uncle Hideyoshi was lying. She realized that Aunt Eva hadn't really been sleeping, and that she'd snuck out of the room!!"
"Repetition requested!! 'This cigarette butt was crushed out in the ashtray of the room where Aunt Eva and Uncle Hideyoshi were resting!'"
"...I-I refuse...!"
"I've finally got it... Thank you, Beato."
"...W-Was I... of some... use...?"
"Yeah, you were!! Tear it, we'll tear the mask off of the fake witch!!!"



Hideyoshi had been tasked with watching over the room to create an alibi, and during that time, he was unable to withstand the tension and smoked. Then, Kyrie had confessed that to Rudolf. She confessed that there was a good chance Eva was the culprit, and Hideyoshi was an accomplice.

"...Next, Kyrie-san proposed that they go to get food. She then asked Uncle Hideyoshi to lend a hand!! This could only mean one thing."
"Kyrie-san planned to isolate Uncle Hideyoshi and question him about the truth!!"
"Your 'Hempel's Raven' is valid. Unless the witch side counters this move, the existence of the magic that supposedly controlled Kyrie has been denied."
"Wh-What did you saaaaaaaaaaaayy?!?!"
"I-I deny it, anyway, I deny it...!! It wasn't me, noooo! It wasn't Ushiromiya Eva, Eva was sleeping in her room!!!"
"Then try saying it. Yeah, you can't say it! You can't say it this time either!!"



"What the hell is thaaaaaaaat?! I'm the one who was attacking, right?! Why am I the one being attacked now?! When did offense and defense get reversed?! I'm the one questioning you, right?! The witch, me, so whyyyyyyyyyy!!!"



"Does the witch side have a move in response?"
"...There cannot be one. There is no truth that can be accepted from a false witch dressed up with truths and falsehoods."
"You aren't qualified to call yourself a real witch!! You aren't the Golden Witch! You're a human!"





"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!"

The witch howled. Her entire body was burned with the tremendous heat that denied her own magic and existence, and she let out a howl like a dragon... Her body flickered repeatedly, flashing as though Eva's figure and the witch's figure overlapped.

However, that yell was sucked into the flicker, making it return to the original form of the cruel witch.



Video: The Perfect Checkmate

"...That's right, I actually can't repulse all moves related to Ushiromiya Eva being the culprit. I may have been dragged down from the position of Golden Witch, and you might call me Ushiromiya Eva now..."
"But you know what? That by itself doesn't mean that witches and magic have been denied!! I'll teach you starting now... I'll teach you that I am not Ushiromiya Eva, nor a Human..."
"...but a real witch...!!! Take a look at this red truth!!"



Battler and Eva dashed to the front of the parlor, calling out Jessica's name. They were searching for Jessica because they had gone to the servant room, found Nanjo's corpse, and didn't know where Jessica was.

"...So, what's your point? What are you trying to say?"
"...Y-You couldn't be... Oh no..."

Beato went pale. In other words, the move the evil witch was about to make was bad enough to make even Beato go pale...

"This time, I'll give you a fatal move that you won't be able to talk yourself out of... No, I'll make this move against all Humans who support you. Listen carefully to my move."
"...St-Stop it, that move is...!"
"Beato, stay back...!! I'll take it! Come on, you fake witch!!"



BGM: Happiness of Marionette - Omake

"...Wh-Whaat...?"
"I'll seal you, and Humans as well, in a red barrier that most certainly cannot be escaped from. Farewell, lowly Humans. Sleep for all eternity in a absolute closed room of magic with no exits. Come on, listen carefully. Listen to the red truth."



Throw away your foolish thoughts of mysterious people hiding and committing crimes.

But if I say it that way, you might also suspect animal culprits. I couldn't stand to hear some irrational theory about how an orangutan trained to commit murder wouldn't count as a human. So, I'll change it like this.



That's how it is. Next, I'll explain the situation of all 18 people who exist on this island.



Those 15 are all dead.

And.



That's everyone, all 18 of them!



"...Wh-What did you say...? D-Dammit, you don't mean..."





"...And I know what you're thinking. Your next move will be this, right? There's also a chance that Jessica is the culprit! But too bad, I'll slice it up in red before you try!!"





"W-Wait a second!! That doesn't make sense!! There were only three humans, then a murder occurs, and none of those three were involved?! That's insane!!"



"No, umm, th-that's right! What about multiple personalities...?! Just like how you were originally another personality of Aunt Eva's, let's say Jessica had another, witch-like personality, which took the name of 'someone other than Jessica' and killed Doctor Nanjo...!!"



"No matter what kind of personality she was possessed by, murder could not be carried out with her body! I wonder if you'll be satisfied if I say it this way?



"Y-You've got to be kidding me!!! I mean, everyone else is definitely dead, right?!!"
Then... all that's left... is the 'Doctor Nanjo Suicide Theory', right?! And the trap theory! The culprit was already dead, but a trap that they had already prepared went off..."



"But wait!! There are only three survivors! You said in red that everyone else is dead! You basically confirmed the life or death status of all 18 people. Furthermore, the existence of a 19th person has already been denied in red...!!"
"In other words, no one can exist except the three survivors!! And yet, a fourth person other than those three appeared before Doctor Nanjo!! How could a person other than us appear and murder Doctor Nanjo when no 19th person exists?!?! Insane!! You're lying!! You're lying with the red!!!"



"D-Damn it...!!!"
"Right now, I'll state it clearly. The one who appeared in front of Nanjo was me. A witch."
"...The Golden Witch, who can't be explained away with the 18 humans!!"
"V-Virgilia! Ronove...!! Isn't there a contradiction in this situation?! Is she really telling the truth with red?!"



"...What an... elaborate and precise cornering..."
"H-How should I make a move against her...? Virgilia...! Aren't there any moves...?!"
"...I... cannot think of anything..."
"...And you, Ronove?!"
"...My apologies. However, in these last thousand years, I have never seen... such an elaborately beautiful game board layout."
"...I hate to admit it, but it's beautiful... What a... beautiful... checkmate made in red..."



...Forget surrendering, they were impressed at this perfect checkmate, which simply had to be admired... When people accept defeat from the bottom of their hearts... It gives rise to neither regrets nor humiliation. Nothing is born except feelings of respect...

I... no longer knew... what was what anymore. There were absolutely no weak points in her red. She had said in red that all of 15 people had died. She had said in red that no people existed other than the 18. In other words, no more than three people: me, Jessica, and Aunt Eva, existed. And even though none of those three people were the culprit, Doctor Nanjo was killed. And without a doubt, Doctor Nanjo's death was a homicide, he was murdered by 'that person' openly from in front of him...!

And she's saying that 'that person'...is a witch...?!!

"The culprit who killed Nanjo was not an animal or anything of the sort. That has already been dealt with in red, right? Everything other than humans has been completely removed from consideration. Even things like robots don't work."







"...In other words, it was me. The Golden Witch, Beatrice!!"



His soul still refused to surrender... However, his knees had already... started to accept surrender...

"Kuhhihhihihihihihihihihi! Oh, did you kneel...? That's right, you're already starting to understand. The Golden Witch does exist. And that Golden Witch, Beatrice, is me...!!"
"Come on, praise me. Now, praise the resurrection of a true witch. Now, praise the resurrection of the Golden Witch, Beatrice!! On the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive, and none shall be left alive...!!!"
"Daaamn iiiiiiiitt... I don't... understand...!"
"After... being so thoroughly immobilized by the red, I don't... have a clue anymore...!"
"...B-Battler... D-Don't lose heart... You and I... promised that we would fight each other again, right...? Will you surrender here...?! Will you disappear in a place like this before fighting with me again...?!"
"I don't want to break that promise... However, I can't think of any move to deny her...!! In the first place, this isn't even a puzzle! Nothing exists outside the suspects, and all of the suspects are innocent! I was told that they were innocent in red, right?! And also that it was a real homicide, and that the culprit was human, and that they did appear before Doctor Nanjo's eyes and kill him! I give up, there's nothing I can do...!!!"
"Please, Battler, don't give up, don't lose heart...! If you stop thinking, it automatically becomes your loss. I'm begging you, don't lose heart... I'm also cheering you on, so don't lose...!"
"I can't think of anything anymore...!! I find myself thinking she's gotta be a witch, who must've done it with magic, which makes all thinking pointless...!"
"It's useless, my head hurts, my brain's tired... I'm starting to think that thinking's pointless, so I should just stop...!!"



A fool's mate is, simply put, a strange way of playing chess, in which the fastest methods of losing are considered. Opening the area in front of your own king and inviting the opponent's queen in. Even though the average game time in chess is several hours, a game can be resolved in a scant four moves.

...In other words, if both sides try to win in a fight, they are compelled to take a painfully long period of time, but if one side decides to lose, the game can be ended far too easily, at any time...

"...When the human side stops thinking, it hands the problem before its eyes over to the witch, and even an apple falling from a tree can be immediately resolved as the work of magic."
"...It is the same for the witch's side. Witches use the red truth. By using that, they can explain the true form of magic with humans... and immediately lose."
"...You don't have to tell me that... You're telling me to not stop thinking, right...? However, how should I counterattack that person's perfect bright-red move...? For me, for humans... it's no longer possible..."
"...Is it... impossible...? Is it really... impossible for you, Battler...? Please, don't lose heart..."
"...Sorry... I've... reached my limit..."

Battler scratched at the floor, crying heavily. Beato watched that with a distressed face... Then she stood up and spoke to the witch.



BGM: Thanks for Being Born

"Huh? I wonder just how you plan to cut up this perfect checkmate."
"How can this checkmate, one totally impossible for Humans to break, be defeated by the likes of you?!"
"...B-Beatrice, you don't mean to..."
"Indeed. If a Human cannot make a move, I will assault you with a move I can use precisely because I am a witch..."
"A move you can use because you're a witch...?"
"...Wh-What are you planning to do...?"

Part 99: The Witch's Courtroom V

BGM: Thanks for Being Born

The teacher and the butler were both startled. I also immediately understood what it meant.

To use the red that only witches could use. To use the red to deny witches. It was like using her own sword to slit her own throat.

"...Wh-Whaaat...?! H-Hey, what are you saying? Deny witches with red...?"
"...Q-Quit talking like an idiot. If you do that, you won't get away unscathed either...!!"



"...Very well then. Right here, right now, there have never been any witches in the first place. I will strip this deception away myself."
"Aren't both of us real, obvious witches?!! Being able to use red is itself proof of witches!"
"I don't know what the definition of a witch is to you, but if you think that you alone will be able to get away unscathed, then-"
"How could I make such a mistake? I care not."
"Wh... What did you say...?"
"I never did manage to become a witch. I've done nothing more than finally begin walking down the road to becoming a true witch."
"...If what I am right now is a witch, then I'm a false witch like you, one who is merely drunk on power."
"...Rather than existing in that shabby form, I shall erase this form of mine along with you, without any regrets...!"
"...A-Are you insane?!?! S-Stop it...! I still wanna be a witch! I hate being Human...!!"
"...Witch-sama, please return to your seat. Please, receive the human side's counter from your seat."
"Wh-What are you doing?! L-Let go of me!! Don't let that woman use the red!! Make her stop!! Let gooooooooooooooooooo!!"

As the witch stood from her seat and tried to spring upon Beato, Ronove pressed down on both of her shoulders, forcing her back into her seat. And, even after that, he didn't remove his hands from those shoulders.

Denying witches was the same thing as denying magic. That included demons such as Ronove. However, instead of running away, Ronove chose to act as the facilitator for the game, and to carry out that duty for his master's sake.



"That's my line. Sorry, Teacher. Even though you taught me so much about fun magic and magic that brings happiness, I wasn't able to use it well at all. So I'll study from square one... and start over again. I am truly sorry... that you had to suffer for your stupid disciple's misconduct."
"...I had a good disciple in the very end. Go, do what you believe in."



"...But I do understand one thing. And I can say this... Beato, I don't know what you're trying to do, but stop trying to do it...!"
"You have no moves. But I have one. If we let that move get away, she will be revived as a witch in the truest sense, and this time, she will control this whole island. All nightmares will be hers to do with as she pleases, and this island will fall into the deepest hell of the evil witch's repeating delusions, for all eternity."
"...Can you permit that? Don't you care if your dear relatives are toyed with for all eternity in that witch's nightmare?"
"S-Still, you shouldn't have to sacrifice yourself... Th-This is a game between me and her."
"You shouldn't have to make your move and sacrifice yourself! I-I'll think of something! I'll surely think of a miraculous move...!!"
"So don't rush into it!!" Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh, damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, I'll definitely think of one, so don't rush into iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!"
"...This game is cruel. The time limit for your consideration has already run out. I am now the only one who can do it."
"Calm yourself, Battler. I'll defeat her. I'll defeat that cruel witch with my own hands..."
"W-Wait, Beato!! Stop it, quit it!! There's absolutely no need for you to sacrifice yourself!!"
"Weren't you fighting to deny me? What a strange person. Hahahahahahahaha."
"...Let that child do as she likes. And please, watch her until the end."
"...B-But..."



"My ears...? Why...?"
"...Starting now, I will deny witches in red. I will slice up the game board that she has laid out with her red. By doing that... I will probably lose my form as a witch as well. If you also hear the red truth I speak, you will understand my true form."
"...If you alone cover your ears, that truth will not change at all. However, even so, I want you alone to cover your ears. I at least want to be a witch... in your eyes. Please."
"...Beatrice-sama, there are no problems on the witch side. Please, your move."
"Let gooooooooooooooooooo!! I won't let you get away with this either, okay?!"
"She's insane!! Do you plan on dying and taking us with you?! Stop it, don't deny it!! Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!!"
"...How unsightly for a Golden Witch. Okay, are you ready? I will remove your check in Battler's stead. What happened on the chessboard where 15 died and only three remained? Starting now, I will expose it in red. With that red truth, I will pierce and kill both fake witches!"



Most likely, no one would believe that the witch who had gone to the limits of cruelty... would try to leave a smile as the last expression she showed Battler. And that smile signified her last wish, that she wanted him to cover his ears... Denying witches in red... was the same as knowing her shabby form.

Battler put both of his hands against his ears... To protect her final... bit of honor as a witch, he put his hands against his ears, rejecting the truth.



After that... was a world where Battler could hear nothing. Beato was saying something in red. Even the evil witch covered her ears at those bitter contents. That was... the red truth. Words of power. Words that denied her own existence. Unique words that only witches could use, which denied witches.

Beato spoke. With the red truth, she cut up the bright-red game board that the witch had released. She explained difficult problems that could not be solved by humans, with moves that could only be solved by witches, and began cornering the witch. The 'truth' that Battler was not permitted to hear.

If Battler had broken his promise and sneakily eavesdropped... In an instant, Battler would probably have been able to become the victor in his game with Beato. He would probably have understood all the riddles on the island, all of the magic and tricks, closed rooms, spells, curses, legends, and this entire tale of anger and sadness. However, Battler would only learn what that was when he reached the truth by himself.

Yes... From the beginning, Beatrice had wished that Battler would reach that truth by himself. It was something one shouldn't reach by being told it. It was a truth that Battler would have to drag himself to by his own power. A brilliant light gathered with Beato and the evil witch at the center... and grew gradually stronger...

It was...the power of truth. Its heat and brilliance like the sun... shone on all the falsehoods that hid in the darkness, trying to deceive, and burnt them to nothing.



"...Learn that even with a mountain of gold, even with magic to split the sea, there are some things you can never obtain. Come, show yourself. Show your true form, Ushiromiya Eva!!!"

When the sun exploded and blew everything away... Eva could be seen there, holding a gun.









Without any hesitation or mercy, Eva raised her gun and pulled the trigger. As an explosive sound rang out, Battler's heart was shot through, and he fell to the floor. After going into convulsions for a short time, with blood dripping from his mouth... Battler died...

But in his last moments, he realized without a doubt that she was a murderer. And not just for killing him... There have been many murders, and I don't have a clue how they were carried out. However, while my ears were covered, Beato exposed all of them with the red, blasting away all magic. In other words, even though I didn't understand it, was that nothing more or less than proof that magic can all be explained with humans?

...Beato made me cover my ears. So I myself don't know the whole truth.



So, in other words... No, I must not think of that. If I do, then the time I spent covered my ears would be made pointless. If I'm going to regret, I can only regret my own actions. If, at that time, I'd thought of some move to spin things around and counter the witch's final move, there would have been no need for Beato to sacrifice herself.