Gathering the First Testimonies

A running noose… it was an ingenious method of knotting a rope.

This knot involved forming a single loop at the end of the rope, then passing the longer section of the rope through this loop, creating a variable-sized ring.

With just a slight pull on the longer section of the rope, the adjustable loop would tighten securely around an object.

Curiously, upon closer inspection of the pole, I noticed that the other end of the string was also tied to its base using the exact same method.

“Hoo-hoo…”

A soft hoot, I realized, emanated from the owl perched atop the Monokuma pole. If I recalled correctly, that was Amagasa’s pet.

“Why is this little one standing here all by itself?”

Takagi gently stroked its head, and far from resisting in fear, the owl seemed to revel in the sensation of his touch.

“You’re quite popular with small animals.”

“Kamimura-san, would you like to try stroking it too?”

I cautiously extended my hand towards its head, only for the owl to suddenly take flight, leaving my hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air.

“…………”

“It seems there are significant differences between people in certain situations,”

I quipped, my face devoid of expression. ‘Could this owl really be playing favorites?’

“Haha…”

Takagi, unsure how to respond, simply offered a few dry chuckles.

Next, I supposed it was time to seek out testimonies from the others.

Finding no one in the first-floor lobby, nor in the dining hall, I wondered where everyone had gone. Had they perhaps retreated to their rooms?

Indeed, their actions were understandable. A murder had occurred so early in the morning, and those unaware of the circumstances might well have been terrified, seeking refuge in their rooms for self-preservation.

First, I needed to ask everyone what they had been doing last night.

I began by knocking on Habara’s door, hearing his voice from within moments later.

“Who’s there?!”

His wary tone towards the person outside the door, however, brought me a sense of relief.

“It’s me, Kamimura Anko.”

“And me, I’m Takagi.”

Upon recognizing our voices, he immediately lowered his guard and swung the door open.

“It’s you two!”

He exclaimed, beaming at us.

“Are you two alright?”

“Kamimura-san and I are both perfectly fine.”

“Then the body Monokuma mentioned in the broadcast—”

“…”

“The body refers to Furuhata-kun.”

“Wh-how could this be…”

Habara closed his eyes, speaking with profound grief.

“Habara-kun, Furuhata-kun’s death deeply saddens me as well. For everyone’s sake, and for Furuhata, could you please help me find the culprit?”

I asked him with utmost sincerity.

“Understood, Kamimura-san! I believe in you! I’ll help you with anything I can!”

“Excellent. I have something to ask you, and I need you to answer truthfully.”

“Just ask!”

“Habara-kun, what were you doing last night? Did you see anyone suspicious?”

“Ah… last night, after dinner, I went for a walk nearby. After about ten minutes, I returned to my room to rest. I don’t recall seeing anyone suspicious along the way.”

Habara recounted, his head slightly bowed in thought.

“…I see.”

I mused for a moment.

“Could you gather everyone for me?”

“Right, I’ll go do that now.”

Habara’s efficiency was commendable; in less than five minutes, everyone had been summoned to the dorm lobby, their gazes, filled with panic and unease, crisscrossing through the crowd.

Regrettably, most people’s answers amounted to ‘I returned to my room to rest after dinner,’ and no leads concerning suspicious individuals emerged.

“Ah… last night? I remember seeing Amagasa-kun heading towards the first-floor lobby while I was on my way to dispose of the trash.”

Chisaka’s response prompted me to ponder, and to gain a clearer understanding of her observations, I proceeded to ask a few more questions.

“Was he alone?”

“Yes… he was by himself.”

“Did he have anything unusual on him?”

“Nothing particularly noticeable, I don’t think…”

“I understand. Thank you, Chisaka-san.”

“You’re welcome. It’s the least I can do, especially since this murder case concerns all our lives.”

She spoke with a demeanor of utmost respect.

“Arisumi-san, what were you doing last night?”

“Well… last night, after dinner, I went back to my room and slept for a bit.”

“I see…”

“Later, my stomach started rumbling, and I woke up hungry. I checked the time and saw it was almost ten, so I went to the dining hall to grab some snacks for a late-night meal.”

“Did you see anyone suspicious, then?!”

“Suspicious person… Ah! I remember now. As I was returning to my room and about to close the door, I saw Suzuki-kun walking towards his room, looking as if he had just returned from the first-floor lobby.”

“No other discoveries?”

“Hmm… I don’t think so.”

“I understand. Thank you, Arisumi-san.”

There was still one place I hadn’t investigated yet…

I entered the small storeroom of the convenience store. The items inside appeared largely undisturbed, just as they had been before. However, the diameter of the coil on the spool seemed to have shrunk slightly… almost as if someone had tampered with it.

“Kamimura-san, have you made another discovery?”

Takagi, standing beside me, asked out of curiosity.

“Perhaps… By the way, what were you doing last night?”

“Huh? After dinner, I just returned to my room, took a bath, and went to bed early…”

“Oh… I see. In that case, we only need the testimonies of the remaining three.”

“Kamimura-san is truly diligent when it comes to investigations.”

Takagi’s lips curved into a subtle, pleasing arc, and his eyes, like nemophila blossoms, held a gentle light.

‘Ugh… why is this guy looking at me so strangely? This feeling is unsettling! I should avoid making eye contact with him…’

Feigning composure, I shifted my gaze and declared, “No matter how well-hidden the clues are, I won’t overlook a single corner. This is a matter of life and death for us all.”

“That’s right… no matter what, we must first strive to survive if we’re to have any chance of leaving this place.”

Returning once more to the dorm lobby, I found Suzuki, Amagasa, and Yuusuke had arrived, which was precisely what I wanted.

“Yuusuke-kun, you’ve arrived at a good time. Can you tell me what you were doing last night?”

“Oh… last night, after dinner, I went back to my room to rest. But just as I was about to fall asleep, bird calls kept coming from the room next door at regular intervals, keeping me awake until midnight. I really need to catch up on sleep today…”

He drawled, his voice heavy with fatigue.

“Amagasa-kun, what about you?”

“Ah… last night, I took Gugu out for some fresh air, worried it might get restless cooped up in the room.”

“Alright, next… Suzuki-kun, tell us what you were doing last night.”

“Last night, I was truly bored in my room, so I went out for a walk to clear my head, but I returned to my room shortly after.”

Suzuki-kun answered, his expression earnest.

“Suzuki-kun, were you—”

I gestured with my hand to gently cover his mouth, shaking my head slightly at him.

“Anything you wish to say, save it for the class trial.”

Takagi, hearing my advice, immediately understood my intention and refrained from asking further questions.