Chapter 48 - Meaningless Confrontation

I'm here to put an end to last chapter's cliffhanger.

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"You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel." ~Tom Hiddleston, Loki (The Avengers, 2012)

Morishita's gaze remained steady; her eyes bore no sign of hesitation. "I voted for Chiaki Matsushita."

I let a small smile creep across my face, "Matsushita, huh?" I said slowly. "Well, it was within expectation…" My voice trailed off, and I leaned forward just slightly, "Do you mind elaborating?" 

Morishita leaned back slightly, maintaining that same tone. "I suppose so… Well, it was a process of elimination, to begin with," she began, "I knew that I, Yamamura, or Yukimura couldn't be the thief, so that left only you, Kanzaki, Himeno, and Matsushita. Initially, I suspected you, given how well the thief was performing, but I must say I was convinced of your innocence given you were the first one to describe the civilian room out of everyone, and you did so perfectly. I don't think the thief would be given knowledge of things like button layouts of civilian screens. I presented the possibility because I deemed it important to keep pressure on you."

"That left Himeno, Kanzaki, and Matsushita," she continued smoothly, "My next main suspect was Himeno, but I was convinced of her innocence after I learned of the letter she sent Yukimura, worried that you were the thief."

"But Himeno could've sent that to divert attention from Kanzaki," I countered, my voice steady but probing, testing her resolve.

Morishita shook her head, her movements deliberate. "Unlikely," she said, her voice hardening just a fraction. "It actually attracted attention. As you said earlier, the random use of the stamp from someone who had been inactive for most of the game was suspicious. All she was doing was attracting attention. And by attracting attention to herself, she obviously brings suspicion onto Kanzaki. If she wanted to divert attention, she would have spoken out about your sale publicly instead of sending the letter. Kanzaki has been acting strange, but I'm sure he is not the thief in this game."

I nodded slowly, absorbing her logic.

"So that left you with Matsushita?" I asked though it was more of a statement.

"Exactly," she replied, "She was the only one with nothing going for or against her being the thief. Completely unreadable like the thief. But it makes sense. If Matsushita had Yukimura's backing as the Banker, it would've been easy to stay low throughout the exam."

I exhaled slowly, a humorless chuckle slipping past my lips. I pressed my hands to my face, trying to suppress the laughter that threatened to bubble up. My voice came out muffled, dripping with sarcasm, "Your reasoning is perfect…"

Morishita's eyes narrowed slightly as she ignored my sarcasm. "I try to make sure it is…" she replied. Then, after a brief moment of silence, she asked, "But you claim my deduction is wrong, so, Yagami, who did you vote for?"

I lowered my hands, taking a measured breath before replying, "Well, I—"

Before I could finish, the loudspeakers crackled to life, cutting through the tense atmosphere like a thunderclap.

"In the game between Light Yagami of Class B and Ai Morishita of Class A, the victor is Light Yagami of Class B."

For a heartbeat, the room was dead silent. Then, a sharp intake of breath shattered the stillness. "H-How? That is literally impossible!" a voice rang out, echoing across the room.

I couldn't help but laugh, "Hahaha, well, Morishita, as I was saying… I voted for Teruhiko Yukimura." I shifted my gaze deliberately, letting it pass over Yukimura first, then Kanzaki, who had just yelled across the game room. But I didn't stop there—my eyes swept to Himeno, and finally, to Matsushita.

"That was a horrible performance from the four of you," I said, my voice full of disappointment. "Next time, don't even attempt to compete against me in a game if you can't even manage to entertain me for a measly four rounds."

Yukimura was the first to respond, his voice trembling just slightly. "You mean… you figured everything out by the fourth day?" His words came out slowly, as if he was forcing himself to speak, already dreading the answer.

I allowed myself a small, satisfied smirk. "Yes," I replied, my tone as calm as it was cutting. "I was confident in my deductions by Day 4."

Yukimura finally broke the silence, his voice cracking slightly under the pressure. "I don't understand… how did you figure it out? We executed everything perfectly. There should have been no way for you to learn the truth…"

I nodded, "Alright," I said, leaning forward just slightly, "I'll explain it to you, to all of you. But listen closely—" my eyes narrowed, "—because I don't plan on repeating myself."

"Day two was the first day where major deductions could be made," I began. "On Day 2, you held interviews, Yukimura. Everyone aced these interviews with flying colors—except for one person who stood out, just a little. Kanzaki," I turned my gaze toward him, watching as his face paled. "You were slightly nervous during your interview, weren't you?"

Kanzaki stammered, the sudden attention throwing him off balance. "I-I was, I suppose… But it's natural to be nervous when being questioned, right?"

I gave a slow, deliberate nod. "You're completely right, Kanzaki, which is why I kept your nervousness out of mind for the most part. Being nervous during an interrogation is hardly foolproof evidence of guilt." I paused before continuing. "So instead, we'll come back to that fact later."

I took a breath. "Let's move into Day 3. This was the day I revealed the possibility that the thief wasn't working alone. I accused everyone except myself and Yukimura of being the thief, and in doing so, I learned something interesting. Himeno, Matsushita, and Kanzaki were all together, talking before their interviews. They could have exchanged information easily. The same could, of course, be true for Morishita and Yamamura."

"But when I asked for testimonies of what happened on Day 2," I continued, "no one brought up Morishita or Yamamura. The conversation instantly shifted to you three." I let my gaze land on Himeno, Matsushita, and Kanzaki, one after the other. "It's strange, isn't it? Considering if Yamamura had been having a lengthy conversation with Morishita, it would have attracted attention, given her quiet nature and her silence in the prior days."

Kanzaki leaned forward, concentrating on my every word. "So your attention shifted onto classes C and D because of this, correct?" 

Yagami's lips curled into a half-smile. "Yes, but you're missing the big point here, Kanzaki," I said, "The second I deduced that the thief had to be in Class C or D, figuring out who they were became ten times easier."

I leaned back slightly, "Let me explain it in a way you can all understand—Class C and D are predictable. And that's why they're at the bottom of the barrel."

Himeno snapped. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Her voice rang out, loud and sharp, but her anger was quickly subdued as Kanzaki raised his hand, a silent signal for her to hold back.

"It means exactly what I said," Yagami replied, his tone bored, "After my last game with Horikita, Class D ended up with a significant debt to Class C. So, if the thief were in Class C, they would definitely inform Ichinose, since this game marks a golden opportunity to earn a significant number of points and improve class finances. Ichinose's best move would be to offer Class D an alliance to help Class C's thief rack up as many points as possible so that both classes could profit as Class C would be able to pay back their debts."

I continued to watch their faces intently as I spoke, the slight tightening of Yukimura's jaw, the twitch in Kanzaki's fingers—small, involuntary reactions they couldn't suppress. They were understanding.

"And if the thief were in Class D…" Yagami continued, "a similar scenario would likely have played out with the game participant contacting Horikita and or Hirata. Class D would then approach Class C for assistance, ensuring payment of their debt in return for help. Either way, both classes' most significant issues would be resolved. Class D's large debt would disappear, and Class C's financial situation would greatly improve."

"You see?" I said, letting out a small chuckle. "Predictable." 

"But don't worry," I added with a smile, "this is still just theory. You've left me more than enough breadcrumbs to be certain of my deductions."

I let the room settle before proceeding. "Let's continue. I believe I was about to discuss the events of Day 4."

"On Day 4, we received our point totals from Yukimura. Nothing seemed abnormal about them, and we agreed to converse amongst ourselves in small groups," I said. "I, of course, joined Kanzaki and Matsushita, and on this day, I sold two stamps to them for 7,500 points each. Afterward, I spoke with Yamamura to confirm my suspicions about Class A." I glanced at Morishita briefly before continuing. "And just as I thought, Yamamura was innocent and was too casual in her approach to this exam to be of any real assistance to the thief. Morishita is smart but not smart enough to trick five people alone."

Kanzaki quickly responded quickly, looking as if he were grasping for any flaw in my logic. "I don't get it. You say you confirmed your suspicions about Class A being innocent, but you aren't explaining how."

I smiled slightly. "Then I'll explain," I said as if I was lecturing a particularly slow student. "When I approached Yamamura, I offered her a test to prove her innocence. She accepted this test, and although I never moved forward with it, the mere act of her accepting it served to support my theories."

"You see," I continued, "accepting the test wouldn't have meant much if Yamamura had been a student from either Class C or D. But she's from Class A—the only class with direct orders, to my knowledge, to avoid confrontation with me at all costs." I shifted my gaze toward Morishita as I spoke. "Yamamura previously claimed to be unaffiliated with either of Class A's factions. When I offered her the chance to betray Class A and join me, she refused, saying she had no desire to betray her class, and she also acknowledged that she lacked the capability to betray me."

"This confirmed two things: First, Yamamura is loyal to Class A, and second, she understands and agrees with the sentiment that confronting me is pointless—at least for her. And because of these two things, I can confidently confirm that Yamamura is likely not the thief. Accepting my test as the thief would be no different than directly confronting me, believing she could outsmart me—and she's not foolish enough to believe that."

"And that's how I concluded the thief couldn't be Morishita. And once I eliminated her from suspicion, I was 80% confident the thief was Yukimura. I had already set a plan in motion to test my theory."

"That's quite the leap in logic, isn't it?" Himeno asked.

"No, it isn't," I said. "As we discussed earlier, if the thief were in Class C or D, then Class C would have leverage to manipulate the game. Why? Because they're owed a debt by Class D. For that reason, I can assume that whatever strategy Class C and D are using comes directly from Ichinose, Kanzaki, and most likely Horikita and Hirata."

"Now comes the million-dollar question," I said, leaning forward slightly once more. "What would be the main interest of these four leaders?"

My question echoed across the room, and a long silence followed it. Finally, Morishita spoke. "It should be… maximizing profits."

I nodded slowly, a small smile playing on my lips. "That's definitely a major interest, but you're still thinking on a class level. If you consider things more personally, what other priority could emerge in a conversation between these four leaders?"

Morishita's eyes widened in sudden realization, her voice soft but certain. "Avoiding any expulsions," she murmured. "I see it now… Ichinose and Hirata are especially kind-hearted. Even if the expulsions didn't involve their own class, if they had the power to prevent it, they'd do everything they could."

I nodded again. "Exactly. You've hit the nail on the head, and that's why Yukimura, the most unlikely suspect, suddenly becomes the most likely. A rational individual would never vote for him. And as long as that remains true, no one will have to voluntarily withdraw from school. Meanwhile, Classes C and D can silently profit."

"This is exactly why Kanzaki seemed suspicious in the earlier parts of the game," I continued, my voice smooth and measured. "We can revisit his nervousness during the interview now. Looking at it from this new perspective, the thief isn't the one who should be worried about being questioned. It's the banker who should be—the one with a different screen from all the other game participants." My eyes zeroed in on Yukimura, "The thief—you, Yukimura—would have nothing to worry about. After all, you were the one holding the interviews."

A pause followed my analysis.

"So how did you confirm your deductions?" Yukimura finally asked.

I smiled again, "Well, as I explained, on Day 4, I made a deal with Matsushita and Kanzaki. I knew they would have to report the contents of this deal to you, Yukimura, so you could account for the point transfer when you read off our balances on Day 7."

"There were two ways they could have informed you," I continued. "One option was for someone to tell you directly. I was watching everyone intently during my conversation with Yamamura, but it seemed I had separated you from the others by splitting the group on Round 4. Yukimura was conversing with Morishita, someone not involved in the plans of Classes D and C, so you avoided that method. The next safest way was through a letter. After all, there was no guarantee you would have another chance to inform Yukimura before Day 5."

"The fact that Himeno joined Kanzaki and Matsushita's group after I went to talk to Yamamura made it obvious that the letter would come from one of you three. So I waited for Day 5."

"And then you noticed Himeno's missing stamp on Day 5," Kanzaki said, his voice low.

I nodded as I locked eyes with him. "Yes," I confirmed, "and I deduced you asked her to send the letter to avoid making me suspicious of you and Matsushita, who I had just spoken to. But that wasn't enough for me—I wanted to confirm the contents of the letter. So, I acted out in outrage, made a spectacle of the event, and there you go—on Day 6, I finally got to see the contents of the letter."

"'Yagami sold two of his stamps to Kanzaki and Matsushita for only 7,500 points each. It's suspicious. I think he might be up to something.'"

"I can't say the contents of the letter were incriminating," I continued, "But they were certainly suspicious. Instead of simply stating that I sold my stamps for cheap and suggesting I could be the thief, she went a step further—she listed the exact amounts I sold them for. That's something the true banker should've been able to infer themselves with a bit of simple math."

"And yet, she didn't accuse me outright of being the thief. Instead, she suggested I was 'up to something.'" My voice dropped slightly, adding weight to my next words. "But that wasn't the nail in the coffin. No, that came later."

"Later that round," I continued, my voice slow and deliberate, "I sent Himeno 10,000 points last minute on Night 5. These weren't out of kindness, as I claimed. It was a test. You see, Himeno would have to report this to Yukimura if he was the thief and not the banker. She could have sent another letter, but the round prior had already caused her trouble, and sending two letters in a row would be highly suspicious. Her initial letter would only be arriving that night."

"So, what was her best option at this point?" I asked, "She could've sent the points back to me, but that would've been even more suspicious. So, the simplest and safest route was to find a way to inform Yukimura of the point transfer that occurred the night before. As long as she could do that, everything would seem perfectly fine."

Himeno spoke up. "So, that's why you randomly called for us to split up the second Round 6 started," she said, "It wasn't entirely about reading the letter Yukimura had, or even speaking to him. You wanted to isolate him from the rest of the class to see how desperate I was to talk to him."

"Exactly," I confirmed, my voice dripping with satisfaction. "And that was strike three—because desperation was something I definitely saw. Your eyes flickering toward us, waiting for our group to disband, Your compulsive movements, and at the end of the day, your hail mary where you spoke out, pretending to want to talk to me about the point transfer… it was all so transparent."

"But in truth, your aim wasn't just to get information from me. It was to transfer information to Yukimura. After all, as the thief, Yukimura knows how many points are stolen a night; all he doesn't know is how many points are transferred by contract." My voice sharpened. "It wasn't a terrible plan, given that you knew any contracts between me, Morishita, and Yamamura would be incredibly unlikely, considering we were competing, so the 5 of you would have intel on all contracts at all times. But it wasn't nearly enough."

"Kanzaki's demeanor, the letter to Yukimura, the innocence of Morishita and Yamamura, Himeno's desperation… even the fact that there was only one call for a draw throughout this entire game by all of you." I allowed my gaze to sweep the room, "It all proves one thing: You didn't want this game to end. You wanted it to continue."

I let my voice drop to a near whisper, "And then there were the confident comments from both Matsushita and Yukimura, assuring me when I was desperate that everything would turn out fine—even when logic said otherwise. It all makes sense now."

I paused before delivering the final blow.

"You all believed you were in control, didn't you?" I said, my voice as smooth as ever, carrying unshakable confidence, watching everyone's expressions falter. "But, as I explained to Horikita—and now, as I am now demonstrating to Morishita—" I leaned in, "control is nothing more than an illusion to those too weak to grasp the truth."

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Give me your thoughts on this game next chapter will be outside reactions I couldn't give because before a lot of character like Ichinose, Horikita, Hirata and teachers, Chabashira and Hoshinomiya had more information then anyone else. Only one more game left.

On the other topic great guess KP_Waves you got it basically on the money, I think you were the only one who guessed correctly.

Lastly I would appreciate reviews and your opinions once again as always, I like hearing your thoughts so I know how to go about things in the future.