When the Detective Work is Done, I'll Die

Chapter 29

Just as I'd coolly declared that, Vice-Principal Kanou stepped this way. I thought he was about to say something—but one guy shoved him aside to speak up first.

It was President Ishii, whom I'd conveniently added to the suspect list.

"Huh!? Why the heck am I a suspect too!? What did you tell the cops!? If I get arrested the club's finished, you know! Do you get that!?"

"It'll be fine. I'll crush every trace of it."

"You—!? And Miiko will be devastated!"

"Miiko said before: 'Even if my big brother gets caught it'll be okay!'"

"No way!?"

The president looked so shocked his arms seemed to go limp, and he dangled them expressionlessly.

I felt sorry, so I'd give a small spoiler. The female detective was rubbing her neck, unsure whether to really call them, so the timing was perfect.

They wouldn't understand why the people I named were suspects unless I explained.

"Anyway, jokes aside. President, Detective—try to remember. What was lying around the victim? Besides the bow and arrow, the book, and the fox mask, there was one more thing. A ball. It was nearby too, right?"

The president answered first, nodding heavily with an "Ah."

"So what about it? In the end that was the werewolf... the ball was a crystal ball, so the seer. We talked with Urakawa about that. It ended with him not being framed as the culprit, yeah?"

"Yes. But the culprit left the ball. Whether on purpose or not, I don't know..."

"Maybe because the culprit was conscious of the seer?"

"I think they were trying to connect Kanbara-senpai to the seer. And at the same time I remembered yesterday's Werewolf game."

"Yesterday's Werewolf... huh? Did you win?"

Yes. That line Kanbara-senpai shouted—I thought it might be the clue to the culprit.

"I'm pretty sure it was: 'And even though it was my first time as seer... Remember this. You won't get away with just the game. I'll teach you...!' I think that's the only keyword that links the seer and Kanbara-senpai."

In other words, only someone who knew Kanbara-senpai was the seer could leave the ball. Since she yelled it in the PC Club, probably everyone inside the club heard.

So, excluding Kanbara-senpai who was in the PC Club at the end of Werewolf, the possible people are...

Me and President Ishii, Senior Urakawa, Senior Murayama. And maybe Vice-Principal Kanou, who could have been watching Kanbara-senpai nearby.

Guidance Counselor Kitsunesaki left the classroom before Werewolf started, so we can probably rule him out as the culprit.

I'm aware I'm not the culprit, so that leaves me out. In the end we're left with four others.

When I told her that, the female detective immediately ordered an officer to head to the broadcasting room. They'll gather there.

I was about to sigh in relief that we'd narrowed the suspects down, but problems kept swirling in my head.

Something... something bothers me.

Just as I faced the wall to think, a voice came from beside me.

"Hey, hey. Still, you could've trusted me a little."

"No, but I don't want to do the detective thing."

"Detective?"

"If you leave out important people and in the end that person turns out to be the culprit, you'll miss something important, right? Normally detectives' families or friends are unconditionally ruled out, but that's weird. You have to suspect them too and investigate properly, or the truth won't come out."

"Ah... ah..."

"Also, if I'd left out President Ishii alone, the persuasiveness of the theory that everyone in that room is the culprit would halve. After all, later someone would ask why President Ishii wasn't included. At that point I wouldn't know how to answer."

"Stop, stop. Got it. In the end I just need to prove my own innocence, right?"

"Exactly. For once you're quick to understand, President."

"I'm being totally underestimated, huh."

While the president scratched his cheek I folded my arms and thought again. Amidst that, the president's words floated down into my head.

"Prove my own innocence."

Right. That ball left there might have been placed so the culprit could convince us of their own innocence. Or rather, that makes more sense.

The Werewolf setup might also have been chosen for that reason. If they left the bow and arrow and so on, someone would notice the Werewolf setup.

Of course, once the police learned Kanbara-senpai was the seer, they'd suspect anyone who knew about the game. That was the culprit's aim. Maybe someone who knew Kanbara-senpai was the seer in a way different from me came up with this crime.

Still, that feels a little off too.

Vice-Principal Kanou was trying to send the students home. Probably intending to blame an outside culprit. If I hadn't been there, suspicion within the school wouldn't have turned toward him before he could even worry about proving his innocence.

Mmm. I'm lost. For now, it's those four. I have to believe the culprit is among them and wait for the results of the questioning.

Just as I thought that, a male voice came over the school broadcast.

"Second-year Murayama, second-year Urakawa, come to the principal's office on the first floor immediately. Repeat. Second-year Murayama, second-year Urakawa, come to the principal's office on the first floor immediately."

It seemed the questioning wouldn't be in the gym but in a corner classroom on the first floor. That broadcast must be rough on those called. I started to head there but—

Vice-Principal Kanou whispered to the female detective.

Because of that the detective told me:

"I—I'm sorry. For privacy reasons they say other students can't sit in on the questioning. S-sorry."

"Ah... okay."

Can't be helped.

I'll probably be suspected later. The questioning will also come later. Before that, there's something I want to check quickly.

Guidance Counselor Kitsunesaki.

If she planted a bug or something in the PC room and happened to use information she overheard—

If I can prove that I'll know the culprit in one shot.

But I had no idea whether that hope could be proven. Just as I tried to enter the faculty room on the second floor, a male teacher nearly turned me away.

My knees were already shaking from nerves; having to stare him down was the worst.

"Um..."

"I'm busy right now! I can't bring students from other schools into the faculty room—"

"N-no, it's not that. The police told me to ask. I'm just helping a little."

He leaned his ear toward me slightly. It seemed he couldn't go against the police. I breathed a small sigh of relief.

"What is it?"

"About Guidance Counselor Kitsunesaki. Yesterday, um, around two o'clock, did she come back?"

"Ah, she came back. We talked the whole time—something about the PC Club this and that. So what?"

"Was she wearing anything like earphones?"

"No. She was talking right in front of me. What are you getting at..."

"Th-thank you very much!"

So the chance that Guidance Counselor Kitsunesaki knew about the seer is low. Unless someone told her. If I ask the suspects who spoke to her, I'll probably find out. Probably.

After that I sprinted at full speed. I'd realize later I'd forgotten to check the keys.

The culprit couldn't break the sturdy gym door. So, while other doors might be different, the gym door was definitely opened with a key.

There might be traces of the culprit on the gym key. Well. The faculty room door was now shut tight too. Even if I say "the police," they won't let me in anymore.

What should I do?

While I was stuck, a cold stare pricked my back.