Missing information (3)

{If at least one person doesn't die in this scenario, you will die.}

The question is, does someone have to die during the scenario, or simply when it is over because they didn't follow the main conditions?

Now that my head is a bit clearer, I realize that maybe not starting any game could invalidate this rule as well, but I can't take the risk.

At this rate, given how easy it is for humanity to self-destruct, it will be hard to save this planet.

Actually, I'm surprised DHB didn't snap much earlier.

I'm pretty sure he is only raising his gun to scare them though. After all, to pass the scenario, he needs to kill people 'with his own hands'.

Now, let's go on to part two.

"What?! You can't, that's murder!"

"You…"

As I expected, the rich man panicked while making useless claims and the young woman paled, both outraged.

They probably felt the most concerned by his declaration.

I have three choices right now.

One, to die.

Second, to kill three people.

Third, to win at three games.

However, if I had planned to choose the first two, then I wouldn't have interrupted Wiliam's plan to begin with.

Now that most of the attention was gathered onto them, I seized the opportunity and discreetly moved next to the little girl holding a teddybear.

If I remember well, her name was Kitty Lefèvre.

Right now, my goal is to complete the scenario and appear as harmless as possible to DHB.

「"Letting these people survive in this way isn't necessarily a good thing."」

To survive, this little girl has to win three games or kill people. Even if she survives, she will go through hell later.

After all, although the next scenarios are supposed to be less life-threatening, the people involved are even more dangerous.

「Maybe I was just trying to find an excuse.」

I pointed to DHB, lowering my voice so that others wouldn't hear.

"Do you think this mister will kill them?"

Kitty turned her head toward me.

I stared into her eyes that had not yet seen killing people each other. They certainly looked clearer than last time.

Then, she looked back to what I was pointing at and shook her head.

"I think he is too kind for that. If he wanted to kill them, he wouldn't have tried to save us all at first, so now he is probably only trying to earn time."

I nodded.

"Then, do you want to make a bet with me?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"What bet?"

I also looked toward DHB, the black-haired man indifferently pointing a gun at people.

Since he hadn't shot yet, he may have indeed not intended to really kill them.

For this reason, I needed to give him a last push.

"Whether this mister will really kill them or not."

As long as he doesn't shoot before I can start the bet, it should be fine.

Well, even then, he shouldn't touch a vital point. Probably.

Or else he may just kill everyone.

Hmm…

Ignoring the thousands of living beings he has murdered so far and the threats on my life, let's believe in the kindness he has shown so far.

And, right now, I think my faith in my own decisions could not be lower…

The innocent child eyed me with vigilance while holding her teddybear close to her chest.

"Why should I?"

I put on a friendly expression and explained.

"You see, you are weak right now. It will be difficult for you to survive by committing murder and people may not accept to play three games with you."

Maybe what I was doing was bad.

"On the contrary, if you make this bet with two other people and that man hasn't killed anybody in 12 minutes, then you will win all the bets, complete the scenario and survive."

No, it was definitely bad.

"After all, there is no rule that forbids people from playing many games simultaneously."

But at this point, I couldn't care less.

「She is going to die because of me.」

The little girl frowned and questioned my words.

"Why would you do that? If you lose, you'll die."

Maybe it's because nothing noteworthy had yet to happen that she didn't agree as readily as before.

I shook my head.

"I have no intention of killing people myself, so I also have to put my life on the line to survive."

However, she still wasn't convinced.

"But if we listen to that mister's words, won't we survive anyway?"

Staring into her eyes, I declared,

"No."

I then pointed at the man with a ponytail.

"Do you see this crazy guy laughing here?"

The little girl nodded.

"He has already started a game with the rich man."

Her eyes widened, not believing me.

"Why would he do that?"

I continued to lie, making up reasonable arguments.

"Because he finds this situation amusing. As for the rich man, it's because he is scared for his life and needs an insurance."

"But why?"

The little girl still did not understand.

I sighed, annoyed because I knew that no logical explanations could reach someone who was denying reality, and also because she was too young to understand.

"Because humans are selfish and cruel."

The little girl stayed silent, still hesitating whether to believe me or not.

After a while, I insisted.

"So, will you make this bet or die here without doing anything? Don't you have a family waiting for you?"

Finally, she raised her head toward me.

"Okay. Then, I bet that this man won't kill anyone."

If he didn't kill, I was probably going to die anyway.

[The consent of all the participants of this game was obtained.]

[Game chosen: Bet.]

[Number of participants: 2.]

[The game will now begin.]

This decision was now irreversible.

[9:42]

The scenario had started.

[9:40]

We had to follow the rules to survive.

"Me too."

As if fate was laughing at me, the other kid chimed in.

"I also want to bet."

I didn't turn toward the rich man's son but continued to stare forward, my voice lower as I answered him.

"…Sure. Do you also want to bet that that man won't kill anyone?"

Out of my sight, the child shook his head.

"No. I want to bet that he will kill someone."

I looked down, pausing for a while before pointing at the other child.

"…You can start a game with her then."

After saying that, I moved away from them and headed toward the man with a ponytail.

「Are you feeling guilty?」

Then, I sat on the floor before looking up at him.

"Hey."

With a piercing gaze, I demanded,

"Lose a game against me."

The madman burst into laughter.

Do you find this funny?

After a while, the man with a ponytail caught his breath. Since he had been laughing at random moments before this, the attention on him dissipated quickly.

I guess that also delayed the time when DHB would shoot someone since their arguing was briefly paused. The bet didn't take that much time so it should be fine.

There's also the question of who he is going to shoot first, and the fact that he would have to kill another person afterward. Moreover, he has to 'kill with his own hands'.

Still, even if he tries to prevent the start of the scenario (although he doesn't know that it's too late for that), his patience should run out before then.

"Are you serious?"

Don't worry, I also prepared arguments.

Being able to grasp everyone's personalities during the first scenario was more useful than I thought.

I smiled politely.

"Yes."

I couldn't be more serious.

I opened my mouth with confidence.

"I need you to lose a game against me here and now."

This should be the final hit needed to make Wiliam snap.

The man with a ponytail's grin widened.

"And why would I do that?"

So you can play a game of roulette against me but not give a harmless victory? I'm disappointed.

I tilted my head.

"Because what Wiliam is trying to stop has already happened."

Staring into his eyes, I calmly declared, "A game has started, so the scenario has begun. Now, if you don't fulfill the conditions, you are going to die."

Looking bored, I put my chin on my hand.

"The reason you didn't kill anyone is because Wiliam is stopping you. However, if you lose a game, you will 'have no choice' but to commit murder to survive."

Thus, he will have a 'legitimate reason' to kill someone.

「But can you really be called innocent when there was an option where nobody had to die and you didn't take it?」

I did it to survive.

「Then you could have died.」

I have to survive to save Norwood.

「Was there really no other option so that more people can be saved?」

I didn't retort.

「Or did you simply not want to save them?」

Ignoring the thoughts that didn't belong to me, I continued talking.

"After all, clearing the scenario without blood is boring, isn't it? While I'm just an innocent citizen who would like to abide by the rules to survive."

「Innocent?」

Shut up.

I resisted from closing my eyes.

It felt like someone was laughing at me in my mind.

「Wasn't it your fault Norwood died in the first place anyway?」

"It's a win-win situation," I finished.

And I thought.

「I don't want to be here.」