Part 109: Red Truth, Blue Truth

BGM: Rose



"...I-I only spoke of what I could comprehensively determine from his physical condition at the time. As a result, this year too, it just so happens-"
"So, even though it's doubtful whether Dad'll last until the end of the year, he's still totally focused on his occult research. And you still say he has only three months left, Doctor?"
"L-Like I said, Kinzo-san's-"
"Shouldn't you be happy that our respected father is still in high spirits? Out of a sense of parental respect, each one of you is so eager to greet Father. I can see how upset you are that he's unwilling to meet with you."
"...Considering that everyone has started aiming for the inheritance while the sun is still in the sky, I can understand why Father wouldn't want to see you."
"Y-You've got it wrong, Natsuhi nee-san. We just, umm-"
"Dad isn't immortal, and he'll die someday. We aren't telling him to die. We're just saying that he will die sooner or later. We're just talking together about how to prepare for that."
"And that is precisely what is so disrespectful!!"
"Stop it. You'll make your headache worse."

Krauss told Natsuhi, who had risen from her chair in agitation, to sit down. Trying to smooth over the atmosphere, which had suddenly become filled with suspicion, Hideyoshi put on a forced smile and motioned for everyone to calm down.



"Hahaha... That's just like you, Hideyoshi-san. Even though you're saying the same thing, you make it sound so intellectual."
"Yes, that's right. Unlike you, Nii-san."
"Quit it. We aren't getting anywhere. So like we're saying, Aniki, forget all this about the inheritance. I don't even care if Dad hits us. To make a long story short, we wanna meet Dad directly and say hello. Even if he says he doesn't want to. If he's locked up in his study, we don't care if we have to borrow a key from Genji-san. Right, Rosa?"
"...Oh, well, umm... it's not like we're forcing you... It's just... we haven't said hello to Father in such a long time. If his remaining life really is short, then there's a chance we might never be able to see him again... Today might be our final opportunity to exchange words with Father..."
"That's right, just like Rosa says. If he only has three months left, it wouldn't be odd for him to pass away any time now, right? Are you saying that despite that, we don't even have the right to talk with him one last time? Regardless of the circumstances, isn't that just a bit too much...?"
"...If greeting Father were truly what you wished to do, I'm sure he'd happily allow you to meet with him. But Father has already heard about the disrespectful topic you hope to raise! No one would want to meet with you under those conditions. The reason you cannot meet with Father is because of your own doing and nothing else, is it not?"
"Heheh. Exactly. You shouldn't have to rack your brains to understand why Father doesn't wish to see your faces, right? Father has seen through all of your tight financial situations."
"...What are you talking about? I don't have a clue what you're going on about, Nii-san."
"Heheheheh! Did you really think I didn't know about the state you're in...?"

Eva and the rest realized that he had seen through to their current lack of funds, and alternating between bluffing and returning to the point at hand and arguing back, they repeatedly pressed Krauss to let them meet with Kinzo. The sweet smell of the black tea Rosa had gone out of her way to buy had been completely wasted. The only thing she was glad about now was that the children weren't here for this. The fact that they'd gone to play at the beach right after lunch had been their only salvation.

Eva made as though to tackle Krauss, and Hideyoshi and Kyrie cut in between them, trying to calm both sides. Then, Kyrie took a deep breath and spoke.



BGM: Scar Sound

"What is it, Kyrie-san?"
"...First, and this includes my husband as well, for many years, we have belittled the efforts you've made by living with Father and taking care of him. Isn't that right?"
"...That's... well... We've got it easy since we get to go outside, but Aniki's been babysitting Dad for decades now, and that must've been a lot of work. I'll accept that, but what's your point, Kyrie?"
"We must acknowledge that Krauss nii-san is Father's caretaker. Isn't that right? We've always feared Father... and have pushed the task of caring for him onto Krauss nii-san. Everyone should acknowledge his efforts. Isn't that right, Eva nee-san?"
"...And so what? Nii-san is Father's caretaker? Don't decide things on your own, outsider!"
"H-Hey now, calm down. Kyrie-san, what are you talking about?"
"...Kyrie, please continue."
"We should be more grateful towards Krauss nii-san and Natsuhi nee-san. We should thank them for always taking care of Father. It's our lack of gratitude that's to blame for these wasteful conflicts we keep having. Isn't that right, Krauss nii-san?"
"...I'm surprised. I did not think you, Kyrie-san, would be able to understand our efforts, which even my true siblings have not stopped to consider."
"...It's a natural duty for the Successor to the Ushiromiya Family Headship."
"That's right. It's your responsibility as the Successor to the Headship, isn't it? It's because you take care of Father that we must acknowledge you as the Successor."
"Hey!! Why are you bringing this up all by yourself?!! You're just an outsider-"
"Wait, Aneki!! That's right. It's just like Kyrie says. Because you take care of Dad, you're the Successor, Aniki. It's just like you said."
"...Oh-"
"...Nn-"

Rosa noticed, and then Eva did. Eva's barking demeanor towards Kyrie for advancing the discussion on her own disappeared in a flash, and she instead stared at Krauss and Natsuhi.

Natsuhi couldn't understand that sudden change and was slightly flustered.



"Of course, we won't demand to be present at his deathbed. We wouldn't even mind being absent at the funeral."
"...Oh? Where are you going with this? But I may as well listen for now. Let's hear your terms."
"First. The term Successor to the Headship refers to the caretaker of the current Head, Ushiromiya Kinzo."
"...Hmm. And then?"
"Second. The duty of the caretaker is to look after Ushiromiya Kinzo for the rest of his life. To make things simple, the caretaker's job is to care for him until his final moments. You were prepared to do that from the beginning, Krauss nii-san, so that won't cause any problems."
"Naturally. I have no objections to either of those terms. I am already carrying them out."



With that sentence, all slack disappeared from Krauss's face. Natsuhi alone was still having trouble figuring out what it meant.

"...Hoh. And just what are these... responsibilities of supervision that the caretaker bears?"
"It means supervision so that Father can live the rest of his life in the best possible health. I'll be more detailed than that. In the case that Father dies anything other than a natural death, the caretaker will be deprived of his rights as caretaker, and his status as the Successor to the Headship will be lost. If that happens, the next highest in rank, Eva nee-san, will be selected as the Successor."
"...Wh-What did you say...? How can you shamelessly speak such nonsense?!!"
"Hohoh. My, my, the caretaker certainly has a heavy responsibility... However, people can die in many ways. For example, senile old people sometimes die when food gets caught in their throats. Normally, this is called death by old age in its broadest sense. But with your argument, that becomes a death by accident, and I bear the responsibility of supervision. This is unjustly disadvantageous to me."
"I have no intention of forcing such an unfair argument on you. I'm referring to the kind of thing that the caretaker could have prevented beforehand by taking good care of and keeping his eyes on Father. It may be the caretaker's job to carry food to Father's mouth, but whether he swallows it or not is clearly outside the caretaker's responsibility. I would have absolutely no problems with the example you raise, Krauss nii-san."
"...Hoh. So, what kind of case are you referring to that might cause the caretaker to be blamed for making a blunder?"



"...Oh?"
"It seems that right now, Father is in firm control of himself, but dementia might begin to set in. He might wander around when you aren't looking and get into some kind of accident, or he might get lost in the forest and go missing. Wouldn't this type of case clearly be the responsibility of the caretaker...?"
"Father's mind is perfectly healthy! There is no need to bring up dementia...!"
"'One day, suddenly, I saw Father go into the forest. I chased after him, but I couldn't find him. I called the police and searched, but after being unable to find him after seven whole years, I had him declared legally dead.' My point is that we won't accept it if you use a story like that to treat him as dead."
"..."
"When Father passes away, an autopsy will certainly be carried out, and we will confirm that he died of old age in the most general meaning, within the bounds of common sense. A death of any other cause will be held as the caretaker's responsibility. See? These are all things you have toiled away at all this time, Krauss nii-san. These aren't strange conditions or anything of the sort, right...?"
"Y-You are mocking us, disgracefully so!! I find it hard to imagine why my husband must be coerced into a rule that disgraces him in this way!!"
"...Actually, I've been suspecting it since last year. No, everyone here probably suspects it as well. Eva nee-san and Hideyoshi nii-san. Rudolf-san and Rosa-san too. Everyone has suspected it the whole time, but it was so frightening to imagine that no one actually said it."





BGM: Closed my Heart

"...You mean the very last bit, the mystery of who killed Doctor Nanjo?"
"That's right. The witch definitely said a lot in red. She mentioned the names of all 18 people and announced whether they were alive or dead, and then she claimed that there were no humans besides them. But with this theory, I can weave my way through that gap...!"
"...I see. So, this is one of the answers that doesn't cause those two to contradict. Makes sense."
"See what I'm saying? You catch on pretty quick. It's nice that I don't have to explain."



"That's it...! The witch mentioned the names of 18 people one after another, and announced whether they were alive or dead. And on top of that, she announced that there were no humans other than the 18. There was a single illusion in there."

It wasn't guaranteed that the 18 names of people = the 18 people on the island.

"When she named off all 18 people and announced who was alive and who was dead, she hid the name of culprit X, and instead mixed in someone who wasn't on this island...! By doing that, even though the culprit was on the island, she was able to leave him out of the list of living or dead people! The person who was mixed in wasn't actually on the island, so he didn't count towards the total number of people on the island."
"By this, even though the culprit counted towards the total of 18 people on the island, it was possible for his name not to be listed! The two statements in red are completely independent, so this theory creates no contradictions...!"
"If someone's name was used to hide the existence of the culprit, that name must satisfy several conditions. First of all, even though this person isn't on the island, they've got to be someone we think is on the island. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to trick us."
"And it's best if this person happens to be dead. No alibi is more perfect than death. After all, at that point, the mystery was based on the fact that the crime was impossible for all 18 people. Is it something like that?"
"Yeah, that's it...! And, that person was... Grandfather. Right now, there's only one thing Kyrie-san can be about to say. We thought Grandfather was locked up in his study, saying that he didn't want to meet anyone, but there's a possibility that he's actually dead already, and that Uncle Krauss is lying when he claims that Grandfather's alive...!"



Maybe he was already dead, and Uncle Krauss and the others were conspiring together, trying to trick everyone...!!

"...If Kinzo dies, the distribution of the inheritance occurs. However, if Kinzo doesn't die...no, if he dies, but it isn't announced, the distribution of the inheritance won't take place."
"In other words, Uncle Krauss could have all of Grandfather's wealth to himself...! That's right, he's got more than enough motive!"

Maybe a 19th person X really doesn't exist on this island. But a person X existed. And that person was the 18th person!

"In other words, there were originally 17 people on this island, not 18. Then, an unknown person X snuck in and committed the crime."
"How's that, Beato?! Come out, I've just solved the final, biggest mystery from last time!!"

As Battler claimed that forcefully, the crisp sound of clapping came out of nowhere, and their surroundings turned bright, becoming the usual witch's tea room.



BGM: Organ Short #600 Million in C Minor

"Even a lump of concrete can stop thinking! So, you have now finally evolved into a being with intelligence."
"...You might say you've finally taken a step forward from the crying creature you were before, just licking my shoes and grinding your teeth. *cackle*cackle*!"
"...I can't believe that stupid wordplay threw me for so many loops last time. My lameness pisses even me off!"
"All right, Beato, time for a repetition request!! If you can announce that the 18 people on the island included Grandfather, just try and do iiiiiiiit!! Yeah, you can't. Because he was already dead. This is the end of your deceptiooooooooooon!!"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle* Ahhahahahahahahahahaha...!! Well now, what have we here? ...Shall I slice that in two with the red truth?"
"No, no, it might also be good to hold back for now and let you get all excited. If I'm going to push you off a cliff anyway, it would be more interesting to lure you to a higher place first. *cackle*!"

As Beato sneered obnoxiously, she looked like she was searching for an expression that would tick me off even more. As though she was saying that the answer I'd reached was impossibly ridiculous. Compared to me, annoyed as I was with the witch's attitude, Gretel had a blank and composed expression on her face. Almost as though she'd expected the witch to act that way.



"What's wrong, Beato?! Don't act so tough!! I asked if you can repeat it! Answer!!"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*..."
"...Stop it, Battler. The witch won't answer so easily. She won't do it until she thinks it'll benefit her."
"What?! What do you mean...?"
"You've been toyed with by this red truth in the games up until now, so the witch has used it many times. But now, the situation is different. You're trying to draw the red truth out of her... and are instead using it as your weapon. In this situation, there's no way the witch will keep firing off the red without reason. Right?"
"Gretel, or whoever you are. It seems your mind is quite sharp, unlike Battler's. What a fearsome enemy I've welcomed in."
"That is correct! When Battler hopes I'll use the red truth, do I have any responsibility to do so?!"
"No! I don't even have a crumb from that croissant you ate this morning's worth of responsibility to please yooooooou!!"
"Y-You bastard...!!"
"Yes yes yes yes, that's the faaaaace! I started playing with the red truth just because I wanted to see that face! I have no reason to play around if it won't give me a chance to see you look like that...!"
"...Heheh. You just don't like losing, right? Just saying whatever you can to trick me because you can't answer my demand won't work!!"
"Don't be so full of yourself!! An answer like that could be cut to pieces without any effort!! But I won't go out of my way to speak in red. I won't say it because that's what you're asking me to do. Do you know why?"
"...You just said it. You want to push him off at the sweetest spot. This ill-natured witch is saying she won't use the red anymore, because that's what you want. In other words, she won't go along with this game of telling her to repeat things anymore."



BGM: Closed my Heart

"That's it. Basically, it's the witch's right to use the red truth as she pleases. She doesn't have to use it at whatever time the human side desires. But even that depends on the sitution."
"...The situation...? What do you mean...?"
"The witch has no responsibility to respond when you tell her to repeat something. But it does become her responsibility if and only if your claim can destroy the witch theory. After all, in this trial court without a judge, that which is not refuted becomes the truth."
"...Just like how the witch theory made by the witch... will instantly become truth if you collapse and stop thinking."
"Then, since she doesn't have a counterargument for my guess, that means it's right?! It's right that the culprit is the mysterious 18th person X, and Grandfather is already dead?!"
"...At least, until the witch argues back. Truth always loses to new truths farther in the future. The tricky part is that even the timing of the counterargument is up to the witch."
"...In other words, maybe your reasoning just now was correct, or maybe the witch is refraining from arguing back even though you're wrong. Or, the witch may be ignoring it because it doesn't shake the basis of the witch theory in the first place, but either way, we can't tell the difference at the current time. Is that more or less it?"
"*cackle*cackle*, *cackle*cackle*cackle*! Damn you, Lady Bernkastel, for throwing in such a troublesome piece. Thanks to that, I'm losing all my lines!"
"The witch has learned that she can respond to your demands to repeat phrases at a later time. Maybe you could even call it a delayed move."
"...Sh-She's messing with me... So, even if I announce some mistaken reasoning, there's a possibility that Beato will intentionally let me flounder about without denying that guess, and at the very end, when I propose an even more massive line of reasoning, she can cut it off at the base, and spin everything around...?!"



But since that bastard Beato learned this strange delay tactic, I can no longer confirm or deny my reasoning. This is like finally finding a staff that'll let me search around in the darkness, only to lose it right away. I'm just stuck now, right...?!!

"Hey, hey, Battler, if you make a despairing face like that, I won't be able to stop drooling, you see♪ From the beginning, that staff was nothing more than something I gave you because you were so worthless."
"All this means is that you can finally challenge me without a handicap, right? Kuhihihihihihihihi!"
"...But that alone doesn't change the fact that demanding that you repeat things is one of Battler's ways to fight back. As I already said, as long as it's something fatal that'll destroy the witch theory, the witch is obligated to argue back, and therefore, to speak with the red truth. While the timing of that counterargument is up to the witch, it must be performed eventually. Isn't that right?"
"Hmm, that may be so. If I cannot deny the 'tricks done by humans' theory Battler lays out by the time the game ends, Battler will use that as a reason to deny me, and it will be possible for him to proclaim his victory."
"...So, should we view this as a restriction on the witch's side...? That the 'trick theory' laid out by the human side, in other words, what he tells you to repeat, must be countered during the game (during the episode)?"
"That is so. Battler's goal is to show that he can explain the entire pleasant game I have laid out on this island with humans and deny me. If Battler succeeds in that, at that time, he will become the victor of this game."
"Let me confirm the rules. Should we view the time the game ends as referring to 24:00 on October 5, 1986, going by the time of the Rokkenjima in the game?"
"I have no problems with that."
"At the time the game ends, the human side must state a theory using tricks for all of the mysteries, and if the witch side cannot argue back, the human side can proclaim its victory. Does that work?"
"...Let us be more specific. When the game ends, the witch side will be given a chance to argue back."
"Let's decide on an amount of time. One minute. If you cannot carry out your counterargument within one minute, victory will be proclaimed."
"Then allow me to impose the same rule on you. At the time the game ends, the human side will be granted one minute to counter the mysteries it has been given. If even a single mystery has not been countered within that time, it becomes the witch's victory, and that game is over. It would be such a killjoy to have the game stopped for lengthy consideration, right?"
"...You asshole. Moving things along without me... But I more or less get what's going on. Even if the lines I demand that you repeat aren't countered instantly, they've gotta be countered eventually."
"Yes, that's right. And that must happen before 00:01 on October 6."
"...But be careful. She only has to cut up one of the things you tell her to repeat. You can't proclaim your victory unless you solve all the puzzles."

Part 110: Red Truth, Blue Truth II

"Blue... So I'll talk in blue when I tell you to repeat things...?"
"Not quite. When you told me to repeat lines, you were able to do it for any trivial thing. But the blue is a little more restrictive. Unless it by itself denies witches, it will not be valid."
"..."

It's starting to get confusing, but it's more or less something like this.



BGM: Mind

That had been to confirm that there really were 5 master keys, when she claimed there were no more than 5. But since that by itself wouldn't deny witches, I can't say it in blue.

So, in order to speak in blue, I'd need to say something like this...



...Only then would the witch, who claimed that this was a closed room murder made with magic, be responsible for making a counterargument. In other words, I can't demand that she repeat something that merely confirms the premises of my reasoning. That'll probably be a significant disadvantage for me. Crap... It's enough to make the red Beato used to toy with me until now look extremely merciful...



"...Are you gonna surrender before the fight begins again? Calm down. No one said you could only use the blue once for each mystery. Do you know what that means?"
"N-No. What does it mean...?"
"In the pitiful way you've been fighting up until now, you've made a single theory, glanced at the witch's complexion, and if that one didn't work, you'd then start making another theory. You won't corner a witch like that."
"Then how should I fight...? You don't mean..."
"Yeah, that's right. You don't attack her riddles with a point. You assault them with a wall. You said so yourself in an earlier game, that the force of your reasoning should be like that."



BGM: Answer

Guessing and trying to expose the mystery is like trying to shoot a distant target with an arrow. Until now, I've just been shooting off arrow after arrow, asking the witch if I scored a hit, and then preparing my bow again once I'm told that I've missed. There's no way I'll hit at that rate...

Bullets might be a better example than arrows. If you take one shot after another at a distant target with a handgun, you probably won't hit it easily. So how can you hit it? If a handgun doesn't work, use a shotgun! Instead of a single bullet, beat her down with 'shot' comprised of countless projectiles at once...! Shot scatters, so it impacts a wide area. That makes it optimal for shooting small, fast targets like birds. That's right, there's no rule that says I have to guess like a pistol, shooting one shot off at a time.

...Making a single theory and just hoping that it hits is no better than stopping your own thinking. Blast away with a massive number of bullets, of guesses, and make them impact like a wall, so that only one of them hitting the target is enough.



"I see, so it's an awkward gun that fires many shots. *cackle*cackle*! That sort of crude analogy is just like you."
"The climax of a detective novel is always the same. The famous detective gathers all the suspects at once and displays a single trail of logic that works splendidly. Almost like William Tell spectacularly shooting through an apple with a single arrow. That's why I mistakenly took that to be a virtue."

...It probably would be splendid. If I could shoot through the truth with a single guess. But, that isn't realistic. Look at real wars. Do they really have everyone pull long guns out of the trench, aim reeeally well, and take shots at each other one at a time? They don't, right?! They fire rapidly, they fire all over the place, they pin down the enemy with a barrage!

Reasoning is the same way. Because of that weird virtue, I've been stuck thinking it's better to take one line of reasoning at a time. We humans can fire off countless guesses and possibilities! The bullet is the power of imagination. Suspension of thought is a clogged barrel...!

The pathetic way I've been reasoning up until now is like a peashooter. I've been so lame, weakly firing off shots, getting them denied in red, and then taking the next bullet and reloading. My 'blue truth', which claims that humans and tricks are what's real, will overpower its target, the illusion told by the witch, with its firepower and the force of what I can imagine...!



"...Thanks to you, I've figured out my true fighting style. Thanks, Gretel!!"
"You're welcome."
"Makes me think of how pathetic I was before."
"...Yeah, it's like Beato said. I've had a handicap up until now. I'll acknowledge that...!! New rule, understood!! I have my own way of fighting! I'll show it to you!!"
"*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!! That willpower is good, I like it! Then, try using it right away, this blue truth of yours...!!"
"...Yeah, I'll use it. With this blue truth, I'll break apart your witch theory, which states that only a witch culprit was possible because everyone had alibis!!"





BGM: At Death's Door

"...Ridiculous."
"Th-That is correct, this is worse than ridiculous!! I have never heard such an insult!!"
"It'd even be possible for us to check by force whether he's alive or dead, with the police there to witness it. Isn't that right, Eva nee-san...?"
"...Y-Yes... That's right, Nii-san. There are all sorts of ways we could set you up. We could easily arrange for a situation where you'd have to hold a meeting with Father under the supervision of a third party...!"
"Still, I think that would bring a lot of shame to the Ushiromiya family. That's why I'm making this proposal. Here we have the responsibilities and duties of the caretaker. And a penalty in the worst-case scenario. If you consent to those terms, we'll be able to refrain from doing something like dragging Father outside."
"...Yeah, that's right, Aniki... Didn't you just say it yourself...? You're carrying out your natural duties as Dad's caretaker. Kyrie's conditions shouldn't be anything to worry about, right? Why this overreaction? Are you really that worried about having the position of Successor dragged out from under you if Dad dies something other than a natural death?"
"Or else, what? Do you have some reason to think Father might die something other than a natural death...?"
"How could I? I see, now I too understand how Father feels. How pitiful his later years have been for him, unable even to die as he pleases."
"Yes, his later years truly have been pitiful. And the thought that these 'later years' are already something of the past is exactly what we're suspecting. You could completely clear this suspicion away just by letting us meet with Father. So, even after being humiliated by us this much, you still won't allow us to meet with him, Krauss nii-san...?"
"..."
"Father is probably already dead. The corpse may have been disposed of in absolute secrecy. And after taking all of the wealth for yourself as Father's agent, you will make it seem that he 'disappeared' until seven years pass, making Father a corpseless member of the deceased."
"...I'm sorry, but please don't take it badly, okay? I'm just playing detective here."
"...H-How rude can one be?!! You have no right to stay in this mansion!! Leave immediately!! I won't permit you to cross the threshold of this house again!!"
"It worked last year, but you've used up your luck if you thought it'd work this year too. Father is in a bad mood, so he can't meet with us? That was plenty suspicious last year, and yet you're doing it again. If you really wanted to fake being Father's agent and grab up all his assets, you should've done it a little more speedily, making him disappear without waiting for today's family conference. You really are naive, Krauss onii-sama..."
"...I have no idea what you are-"
"However! If it's a fact that Father's in a bad mood, and you're preventing us from meeting him as part of your responsibilities as his caretaker, then it's a very wonderful thing you're doing. In that case, if you just accept our conditions, everything will be settled here and now. After all, you care so greatly for Father, Krauss nii-san. There's no way Father will die in a manner that leads to trouble during the autopsy. Father hates hospitals, so he'll pass away in his study, right? An autopsy will certainly be carried out no matter what happens. The only way to kill him without an autopsy would be for him to disappear."
"...Enough, Kyrie-san. I think you've bullied Nii-san enough."

Eva rebuked Kyrie in an sickeningly kind voice. Considering the situation, that was impossible. Which is why it was sickening...



"...Yes, that's right. She might have made light of Krauss nii-san's pride as the eldest son a little too much. I'd feel bad for him if we were to force him to sign a statement regarding the duties of the caretaker as Kyrie-san has laid them out."
"That's right. You're doing a good job, Aniki. Taking that into account, we might consider avoiding all that about signing strange papers and worst-case penalties... and leave everything to you."
"...Y-You people..."

Not just Eva, but Rudolf and Rosa as well, with unnerving smiles on their faces as though they'd planned this beforehand, began closing in on Krauss. They now understood perfectly how Kyrie had cornered Krauss... and exactly where she was prepared to compromise...

"...We were talking about a signed statement regarding the responsibilities of the caretaker. But, even without signing such a thing, you can make it so that we'll never demand a meeting with Father again. If you can prove your fitness as Father's caretaker with a form of guarantee other than a signed statement, that is."



BGM: Fishy Aroma

"The security money will be paid to Eva-san, Rudolf-san, and Rosa-san, 3 billion yen each. As a deposit, you will transfer ten percent of that, 300 million yen, before the year is out."
"9 billion?! I don't have that kind of money!!!"
"After Father passes away, you should be able to work it out. We've managed to investigate at least that far. You should be able to handle the deposit of 900 million yen in your current financial situation."
"And it should even be possible for you to borrow it from Father, right? There's no need for obvious charades anymore."
"...H-How unpleasant. Truly unpleasant...!!"
"I-It is at that!! Even just the discussion of Father's inheritance was far too disrespectful! Father is already dead? My husband is hiding that and keeping all the money for himself?! I have had enough of this!! None of you are qualified to bear the name Ushiromiya any longer!!"
"Calm down, Natsuhi-san...! We've all said all we need to! Why don't we leave it at that for now...?! This is happinin' all of a sudden and on a massive scale. We might even be gettin' agitated ourselves! Why don't we take a break for a while and cool our heads? Krauss nii-san probably needs a little time himself. Right, Krauss nii-san?"
"...Time...? And why would I need something like that?"
"Don't worry, don't worry! We aren't thinkin' of anythin' shady! We're just so eager to see Father that we've started grumblin' a bit...! And Krauss nii-san, I know reeeal well how you're dyin' to get back at us for the things we've said...! If you're willin' to go so far, then you just need to let us meet with him! Right? Isn't that right? You just got a bit stubborn, and it felt awkward to say you'd let us see him after sayin' we couldn't all those times. Isn't that it? Right? Right?"
"...I-It certainly does seem that my husband has lost his composure slightly, just like the rest of you have. We were only refusing stubbornly out of respect for Father's desire not to meet with everyone."
"...Indeed, that's right. It was turning into another sibling fight like the old days, and I started feeling stubborn as well. Let us cool our heads. I understand how much you all want to meet with Father. I will pass that on to him. I'll find some way to convince Father to meet with you. Will that do?"
"...Yeah. I think it'd be okay to give Krauss nii-san some time to persuade Father."
"Yep. We're counting on you, Aniki. Please persuade him to meet with us. After all, you're Dad's caretaker."
"And as for persuading him, let's set a limit on it to sometime tonight, okay? When tomorrow comes, we'll confirm Father's well-being, even if we have to break down the door to his study. You have no problems with that, I take it? Nii-san...?"
"...Do as you like. I see, it seems even the time I've been given to persuade him is short. Let us go, Natsuhi. We shall ask him to join us for dinner at least."
"R-Right...!"

Krauss left the parlor with Natsuhi. Once their footsteps disappeared, Hideyoshi took a deep breath, smirking and flopping onto the sofa...



"Sorry for speaking out of turn. I apologize."
"...No, no. You didn't corner him like we'd originally planned, but in the end, this was even better. Just like always, I've gotta bow my head to you..."
"But...can he really prepare 900 million...? I believe we estimated that 750 million would be the most Krauss nii-san could afford with his current financial situation... Isn't 900 million gouging him too much...?"
"If he can't do it, that's fine too. If we do something like lowering it to 750 million so Krauss nii-san can save face, it'll look like we're compromising and it'll be easier to settle, right? And if he really does come out with 900 million, that's even better."
"Nii-san is probably having a strategy meeting with Natsuhi-san about now. really will be interesting to see what kind of twisted logic our proud Nii-san comes up with as an excuse."
"Convince Father...? There's no way he can."





Krauss and Natsuhi could be seen in Kinzo's dimly lit study. Every once in a while, thunder could be heard, and the dimly lit room flickered with light. It seemed that the island would be closed off by the storm very soon.

"...Father...! Please, just this once, show those disrespectful people the majesty of the Head...!"



BGM: Happiness of Marionette - Bonus

The large shadow of a person standing by the window, his majestic back facing them, answered quietly and forcefully. He hung his head and shook. Eventually, they could hear a mumbling laugh over his shoulder.



...Three months left to live...? An almost finished geezer...? To whom exactly are you referring?



As Kinzo turned and brushed his cape, it flashed forcefully through the room's stale air. That air pressure truly signified Ushiromiya Kinzo's majesty and willpower itself. After being blown back by that wind, it wasn't strange that Krauss landed on his butt. As though showing consideration for Krauss, who looked as though his legs had been swept out from under him, Natsuhi also crouched down.

Then, with a *thunk*, *thunk*, Kinzo's footsteps approached with a heft that signified his dignity.

"...F-Father..."
"Yoou fooooooooool...!! I heard from Kanon. Just how far did you pathetically let your siblings lead you around by the nose?!?!"
"F-Father...! My husband is doing his best to protect your honor..."

Without lending an ear to Natsuhi's words, Kinzo extended his palm to Krauss's collar, as the latter sat on the floor. No, he curled his fingers, leaving only his pointer finger out, then took that finger and... pressed it up against Krauss's collar, twisted it, and slowly, with just one finger, picked Krauss up into the air.



"Gaggahh, gwah...!!"

Krauss clawed at the air. Kinzo's brawny finger was choking him. He couldn't even open his mouth, much less talk. However, even if he had been able to open his mouth, as he was now, there was no way he'd be able to think up an excuse that Kinzo would accept... Still, how could this power be described...? No one would call Kinzo an old man after seeing this superhuman strength...

"...Father...!! My husband is fighting in his own way...!! Please, forgive him...!!"
"...Natsuhii. Fighting is a process you go through before winning. The process you go through before losing isn't called fighting."
"Just one word, we call that humiliation!! Wahhahahahahahahaha, you call this my successor? Wahhahahahahahaha, wahhahhahhahahahahahahahhaaaaaaah!!"

As thunder roared, Kinzo laughed heartily as though nothing could be more pleasant. And when he finished laughing, he threw his son away like he was scrap paper, slamming him against the wall...

"Gwah, uuuuuuuuu..."
"Dear, dear...!! Are you okay..."

Krauss slid down the wall, rubbing his throat as though in pain... Natsuhi ran up to him and looked after him... But without showing any interest in the two of them, Kinzo returned to the space near the window, as though he had been there the whole time, and looked up at the thunderclouds of misfortune.



BGM: Fishy Aroma

"...It was promised from the beginning that nothing received from the witch would remain. However, the Ushiromiya name is not the property of the witch. ...Who is fit to succeed that name? It seems that this alone must be resolved by my own hand. Rejoice, Krauss!! I have changed my mind."
"...F-Father... So...?"
"I have no desire to have dinner with you cowards. However, I will attend the family conference afterwards!"
"F-Father... Thank you very much...!"